Exposure of infants to outdoor and indoor air pollution in low-income urban areas - a case study of Delhi.

PubMed

Saksena, Sumeet; Singh, P B; Prasad, Raj Kumar; Prasad, Rakesh; Malhotra, Preeti; Joshi, Veena; Patil, R S

2003-05-01

Indoor air pollution is potentially a very serious environmental and public health problem in India. In poor communities, with the continuing trend in biofuel combustion coupled with deteriorating housing conditions, the problem will remain for some time to come. While to some extent the problem has been studied in rural areas, there is a dearth of reliable data and knowledge about the situation in urban slum areas. The microenvironmental model was used for assessing daily-integrated exposure of infants and women to respirable suspended particulates (RSP) in two slums of Delhi - one in an area of high outdoor pollution and the other in a less polluted area. The study confirmed that indoor concentrations of RSP during cooking in kerosene-using houses are lesser than that in wood-using houses. However, the exposure due to cooking was not significantly different across the two groups. This was because, perhaps due to socioeconomic reasons, kerosene-using women were found to cook for longer durations, cook inside more often, and that infants in such houses stayed in the kitchen for longer durations. It was observed that indoor background levels during the day and at nighttime can be exceedingly high. We speculate that this may have been due to resuspension of dust, infiltration, unknown sources, or a combination of these factors. The outdoor RSP levels measured just outside the houses (near ambient) were not correlated with indoor background levels and were higher than those reported by the ambient air quality monitoring network at the corresponding stations. More importantly, the outdoor levels measured in this study not only underestimated the daily-integrated exposure, but were also poorly correlated with it.

A Review of Recent Advances in Research on PM2.5 in China

PubMed Central

Zou, Jiale; Yang, Wei; Li, Chun-Qing

2018-01-01

PM2.5 pollution has become a severe problem in China due to rapid industrialization and high energy consumption. It can cause increases in the incidence of various respiratory diseases and resident mortality rates, as well as increase in the energy consumption in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems due to the need for air purification. This paper reviews and studies the sources of indoor and outdoor PM2.5, the impact of PM2.5 pollution on atmospheric visibility, occupational health, and occupants’ behaviors. This paper also presents current pollution status in China, the relationship between indoor and outdoor PM2.5, and control of indoor PM2.5, and finally presents analysis and suggestions for future research. PMID:29498704

A Review of Recent Advances in Research on PM2.5 in China.

PubMed

Lin, Yaolin; Zou, Jiale; Yang, Wei; Li, Chun-Qing

2018-03-02

PM 2.5 pollution has become a severe problem in China due to rapid industrialization and high energy consumption. It can cause increases in the incidence of various respiratory diseases and resident mortality rates, as well as increase in the energy consumption in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems due to the need for air purification. This paper reviews and studies the sources of indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 , the impact of PM 2.5 pollution on atmospheric visibility, occupational health, and occupants' behaviors. This paper also presents current pollution status in China, the relationship between indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 , and control of indoor PM 2.5 , and finally presents analysis and suggestions for future research.

The Changing Atmosphere.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graedel, Thomas E.; Crutzen, Paul J.

1989-01-01

Discusses air pollution occurring due to human activity. Describes which human activities generate which emissions, including acid rain, smog, ozone depletion, and change of trace gases. Suggests global effort to solve the earth's environmental problems. (YP)

River water pollution condition in upper part of Brantas River and Bengawan Solo River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roosmini, D.; Septiono, M. A.; Putri, N. E.; Shabrina, H. M.; Salami, I. R. S.; Ariesyady, H. D.

2018-01-01

Wastewater and solid waste from both domestic and industry have been known to give burden on river water quality. Most of river water quality problem in Indonesia has start in the upper part of river due to anthropogenic activities, due to inappropriate land use management including the poor wastewater infrastructure. Base on Upper Citarum River Water pollution problem, it is interesting to study the other main river in Java Island. Bengawan Solo River and Brantas River were chosen as the sample in this study. Parameters assessed in this study are as follows: TSS, TDS, pH, DO, and hexavalent chromium. The status of river water quality are assess using STORET method. Based on (five) parameters, STORET value showed that in Brantas River, Pagerluyung monitoring point had the worst quality relatively compared to other monitoring point in Brantas River with exceeding copper, lead and tin compared to the stream standard in East Java Provincial Regulation No. 2 in 2008. Brantas River was categorized as lightly polluted river based on monitoring period 2011-2015 in 5 monitoring points, namely Pendem, Sengguruh, Kademangan, Meritjan and Kertosono.

[LIGHT POLLUTION AS THE HYGIENIC PROBLEM].

PubMed

Kaptsov, V A; Gerasev, V F; Deynego, V N

2015-01-01

Mass introduction of lighting devices according to the concept of "maximum coverage area" and multistoried buildings of cities gave rise to light pollution, which became a problem for astronomers, ecologists and hygienists. Analysis of modern lighting devices and installations has shown that about 30-45% of the luminous flux becomes the light pollution. Night lighting of cities causes both direct and indirect damage to the environment, leads to unnecessary energy wastes. So in the USA due to excessive light there is wasted about 2 million barrels of oil per day. Light pollution affects the human hormonal system, causing various health disorders, such as insomnia and depression as a consequence. The light pollution through the ganglion cells of the retina affects the synthesis of melatonin by the pineal gland (epiphysis) and contributes to its calcification, which greatly affects the human psyche. At present, many countries have been paying much state attention to this problem via delivery of national documents and change of the concept of the designing of lighting devices and installations. The essence of this concept--to shine with a preset quality of light only in the right place at the specified time interval. This reduces the light pollution, saves energy and increases the environmental safety of lighting. There is presented an example of a technical solution to reduce the light pollution in the application of the light panel in the form of the gradient of the light guide generator project development.

A review of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution in indoor air environment.

PubMed

Dai, Qizhou; Min, Xia; Weng, Mili

2016-10-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were widely used in industrial production due to the unique physical and chemical properties. As a kind of persistent organic pollutants, the PCBs would lead to environment pollution and cause serious problems for human health. Thus, they have been banned since the 1980s due to the environment pollution in the past years. Indoor air is the most direct and important environment medium to human beings; thus, the PCBs pollution research in indoor air is important for the protection of human health. This paper introduces the industrial application and potential harm of PCBs, summarizes the sampling, extracting, and analytical methods of environment monitoring, and compares the indoor air levels of urban areas with those of industrial areas in different countries according to various reports. This paper can provide a basic summary for PCBs pollution control in the indoor air environment. The review of PCBs pollution in indoor air in China is still limited. In this paper, we introduce the industrial application and potential harm of PCBs, summarize the sampling, extracting, and analytical methods of environment monitoring, and compare the indoor air levels of urban areas with industrial areas in different countries according to various reports.

Study on leaching of pollutants from vegetable tanning residue.

PubMed

Mazumder, Debabrata; Biswas, Santosh; Bandyopadhyay, Pratip

2006-07-01

The processing of heavy leather employs the vegetable tanning method involving use of tan liquor. The solid residue of this vegetable tanning process aggravates the water pollution by means of leaching of tannin and other associatedpollutants. Tannin is a biologically resistant compound causing several problems in animal body. The present study dealt with the pollution hazard arising out of leaching of pollutants from the open dumped vegetable tanning residue by rainfall washing. The concerned pollutants were pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), tannin,sulfate and chloride concentration. To explore the possible extent of contamination of these pollutants in the leached water, two different masses (2 kg and 3 kg) of tanning residue were employed. The results of the study showed that there was a continuous release of pollutants from the vegetable tanning residue. Moreover, there was no regular variation in various pollutant concentrations in both the cases solely due to non-homogeneity of the residue.

Are megacities viable? A cautionary tale from Mexico City.

PubMed

Ezcurra, E; Mazari-hiriart, M

1996-01-01

This article describes the poor environmental and living conditions in Mexico City due to its huge size. Mexico City's size is a challenge to sustainability, and the outcome is unknown. Mexico City and the geographic basin surrounding it included about 18.5 million population in 1995. The basin and surrounding volcanic ranges include nine major environmental zones. Urban growth followed four stages. Different cultures applied different solutions to water supply problems. The basin shifted from self-sufficiency to reliance on 31% of supplies from external watersheds. The water table is declining and canals are polluted. Irrigated agriculture is disappearing. There is an average water deficit of over 800 million cubic meters per year. Mexico City is actually sinking due to groundwater exploitation. There is bacterial contamination of wells due to improper seals. About 75% of the population has access to wastewater treatment and sanitation, but sewage treatment plants operate at under 50% efficiency and treat only about 7% of the total wastewater. Atmospheric pollution from suspended particles has been a problem for decades. Ozone was the most significant air contaminant in 1994. Lead was the most harmful pollutant in 1986. Air pollutants may be the source of submucosal inflammations. Industrial areas are contaminated with suspended particles and sulfur dioxide. High traffic areas have high carbon monoxide levels. Atmospheric pollution has affected the quality of the rainwater. The city survives by importing food, energy, wood, water, building materials, and other products. The development model aims to improve quality of life. The city has been the center of political power since Aztec times, and its preeminent position forces government action. The author concludes that there are limits to urbanization, which the city is approaching rapidly.

Organic contamination and remediation in the agricultural soils of China: A critical review.

PubMed

Sun, Jianteng; Pan, Lili; Tsang, Daniel C W; Zhan, Yu; Zhu, Lizhong; Li, Xiangdong

2018-02-15

Soil pollution is a global problem in both developed and developing countries. Countries with rapidly developing economies such as China are faced with significant soil pollution problems due to accelerated industrialization and urbanization over the last decades. This paper provides an overview of published scientific data on soil pollution across China with particular focus on organic contamination in agricultural soils. Based on the related peer-reviewed papers published since 2000 (n=203), we evaluated the priority organic contaminants across China, revealed their spatial and temporal distributions at the national scale, identified their possible sources and fates in soil, assessed their potential environmental risks, and presented the challenges in current remediation technologies regarding the combined organic pollution of agricultural soils. The primary pollutants in Northeast China were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) due to intensive fossil fuel combustion. The concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were higher in North and Central China owing to concentrated agricultural activities. The levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were higher in East and South China primarily because of past industrial operations and improper electronic waste processing. The co-existence of organic contaminants was severe in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, which are the most populated and industrialized regions in China. Integrated biological-chemical remediation technologies, such as surfactant-enhanced bioremediation, have potential uses in the remediation of soil contaminated by multiple contaminants. This critical review highlighted several future research directions including combined pollution, interfacial interactions, food safety, bioavailability, ecological effects, and integrated remediation methods for combined organic pollution in soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Respiratory disease and particulate air pollution in Santiago Chile: contribution of erosion particles from fine sediments.

PubMed

Garcia-Chevesich, Pablo A; Alvarado, Sergio; Neary, Daniel G; Valdes, Rodrigo; Valdes, Juan; Aguirre, Juan José; Mena, Marcelo; Pizarro, Roberto; Jofré, Paola; Vera, Mauricio; Olivares, Claudio

2014-04-01

Air pollution in Santiago is a serious problem every winter, causing thousands of cases of breathing problems within the population. With more than 6 million people and almost two million vehicles, this large city receives rainfall only during winters. Depending on the frequency of storms, statistics show that every time it rains, air quality improves for a couple of days, followed by extreme levels of air pollution. Current regulations focus mostly on PM10 and PM2.5, due to its strong influence on respiratory diseases. Though more than 50% of the ambient PM10s in Santiago is represented by soil particles, most of the efforts have been focused on the remaining 50%, i.e. particulate material originating from fossil and wood fuel combustion, among others. This document emphasizes the need for the creation of erosion/sediment control regulations in Chile, to decrease respiratory diseases on Chilean polluted cities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of the removal of organic pollutants in effluents.

PubMed

Bakayoko, Moussa; Kalakodio, Loissi; Kalagodio, Adiara; Abo, Bodjui Olivier; Muhoza, Jean Pierre; Ismaila, El Moctar

2018-06-27

The use of a large number of organic pollutants results in the accumulation of effluents at the places of production and the environment. These substances are, therefore, dangerous for living organisms and can cause heavy environmental damage. Hence, to cure these problems certain methods were used for the elimination of organic effluents. Indeed, the methods of elimination through magnetic adsorption and/or separation prove to be effective in the treatment of certain wastes, but the effectiveness of each one of these methods depends on several characteristics and also present limitations according to the pollutants they adsorb. This review examines on the one hand the capacity of certain elements of these methods in the elimination of certain pollutants and on the other hand the advantages and limits of these methods. Elements like biochars, biosorbents and composite materials are used due to their very strong porosity which makes it possible for them to develop an important contact surface with the external medium, at low costs, and the possibility of producing them from renewable sources. The latter still run up however against the problems of formation of mud and regeneration. Depollution by magnetic separation is also used due to its capacity to mitigate the disadvantages of certain methods which generally lead to the formation of mud and overcoming also the difficulties like obtaining an active material and at the same time being able to fix the pollutants present in the effluents to treat and sensitize them to external magnetic fields.

Use of dispersion modelling for Environmental Impact Assessment of biological air pollution from composting: Progress, problems and prospects.

PubMed

Douglas, P; Hayes, E T; Williams, W B; Tyrrel, S F; Kinnersley, R P; Walsh, K; O'Driscoll, M; Longhurst, P J; Pollard, S J T; Drew, G H

2017-12-01

With the increase in composting asa sustainable waste management option, biological air pollution (bioaerosols) from composting facilities have become a cause of increasing concern due to their potential health impacts. Estimating community exposure to bioaerosols is problematic due to limitations in current monitoring methods. Atmospheric dispersion modelling can be used to estimate exposure concentrations, however several issues arise from the lack of appropriate bioaerosol data to use as inputs into models, and the complexity of the emission sources at composting facilities. This paper analyses current progress in using dispersion models for bioaerosols, examines the remaining problems and provides recommendations for future prospects in this area. A key finding is the urgent need for guidance for model users to ensure consistent bioaerosol modelling practices. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Global Warming and Measures to Be Taken: Pre-Service Science Teachers' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Papatya; Avgin, Sakine S.

2016-01-01

Insensitivity to environmental pollution and the environment has become a wide-ranging problem recently. One of the most important reasons for confronting with such a problem is due to the fact that individuals see the nature as a boundless resource. To composing favorable behavior to the living area, teachers are required to be competent with the…

Radiative transfer in a polluted urban planetary boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viskanta, R.; Johnson, R. O.; Bergstrom, R. W.

1977-01-01

Radiative transfer in a polluted urban atmosphere is studied using a dynamic model. The diurnal nature of radiative transfer for summer conditions is simulated for an urban area 40 km in extent and the effects of various parameters arising in the problem are investigated. The results of numerical computations show that air pollution has the potential of playing a major role in the radiative regime of the urban area. Absorption of solar energy by aerosols in realistic models of urban atmosphere are of the same order of magnitude as that due to water vapor. The predicted effect of the air pollution aerosol in the city is to warm the earth-atmosphere system, and the net effect of gaseous pollutant is to warm the surface and cool the planetary boundary layer, particularly near the top.

Field evaluation of hydromulches for water quality and vegetation establishment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

Soil erosion and sediment pollution can be major problems in and around construction sites due to land disturbing activities that leave areas of : unprotected soil during active construction. Establishing vegetation to control erosion can be difficul...

Public’s Health Risk Awareness on Urban Air Pollution in Chinese Megacities: The Cases of Shanghai, Wuhan and Nanchang

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiaojun; Zhu, Hui; Hu, Yongxin; Feng, Sha; Chu, Yuanyuan; Wu, Yanyan; Wang, Chiyu; Zhang, Yuxuan; Yuan, Zhaokang; Lu, Yuanan

2016-01-01

This study assessed the public’s health risk awareness of urban air pollution triggered by three megacities in China, and the data are the responses from a sample size of 3868 megacity inhabitants from Shanghai, Nanchang and Wuhan. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize the respondents’ demographics, perceived health risks from air pollution and sources of health-related knowledge on urban air pollution. Chi-square tests were used to examine if participants’ demographics were associated with participant’s general attitudes towards current air quality and the three perceived highest health risks due to urban air pollution. We found low rate of satisfaction of current urban air quality as well as poor knowledge of air pollution related indicator. Participants’ gender, age and travel experience were found to be associated with the satisfaction of current air quality. The knowledge of air pollution related indicator was significantly affected by respondents’ education, monthly income, health status, and sites of study. As many as 46.23% of the participants expressed their feelings of anxiety when exposed to polluted air, especially females, older adults and those with poor health conditions. Most participants believed that coughs/colds, eye problems and skin allergies were the three highest health risks due to urban air pollution based on public education through television/radio, internet and newspaper/magazine. Further public health education is needed to improve public awareness of air pollution and its effects. PMID:27571088

Public's Health Risk Awareness on Urban Air Pollution in Chinese Megacities: The Cases of Shanghai, Wuhan and Nanchang.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaojun; Zhu, Hui; Hu, Yongxin; Feng, Sha; Chu, Yuanyuan; Wu, Yanyan; Wang, Chiyu; Zhang, Yuxuan; Yuan, Zhaokang; Lu, Yuanan

2016-08-25

This study assessed the public's health risk awareness of urban air pollution triggered by three megacities in China, and the data are the responses from a sample size of 3868 megacity inhabitants from Shanghai, Nanchang and Wuhan. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize the respondents' demographics, perceived health risks from air pollution and sources of health-related knowledge on urban air pollution. Chi-square tests were used to examine if participants' demographics were associated with participant's general attitudes towards current air quality and the three perceived highest health risks due to urban air pollution. We found low rate of satisfaction of current urban air quality as well as poor knowledge of air pollution related indicator. Participants' gender, age and travel experience were found to be associated with the satisfaction of current air quality. The knowledge of air pollution related indicator was significantly affected by respondents' education, monthly income, health status, and sites of study. As many as 46.23% of the participants expressed their feelings of anxiety when exposed to polluted air, especially females, older adults and those with poor health conditions. Most participants believed that coughs/colds, eye problems and skin allergies were the three highest health risks due to urban air pollution based on public education through television/radio, internet and newspaper/magazine. Further public health education is needed to improve public awareness of air pollution and its effects.

The Ozone Problem | Ground-level Ozone | New England | US ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-04-10

Many factors impact ground-level ozone development, including temperature, wind speed and direction, time of day, and driving patterns. Due to its dependence on weather conditions, ozone is typically a summertime pollutant and a chief component of summertime smog.

India's Cities in Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryjak, George J.

1984-01-01

Indian cities are growing rapidly due to natural increase and migration from rural areas. This has caused huge pollution problems and has resulted in overcrowded schools and hospitals. Conflict between religious groups has increased; so has crime. India is modernizing, but not fast enough. (CS)

The quality of rivers: From pristine stage to global pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meybeck, Michel; Helmer, Richard

1989-12-01

River water quality is highly variable by nature due to environmental conditions such as basin lithology, vegetation and climate. In small watersheds spatial variations extend over orders of magnitude for most major elements and nutrients, while this variability is an order of magnitude lower for major basins. A standard river water for use as reference is therefore not applicable. As a consequence natural waters can possibly be unfit for various human uses, even including drinking. The Water Quality (WQ) concept has greatly evolved since the beginning of the century in accordance with expanding water uses and analytical developments. Even in well developed countries the dissolved heavy metal measurements in rivers are not very reliable while dissolved organic micro-pollutants are even rarely analysed routinely. Major WQ problems have been identified according to river basin size, including organic pollution, salinity, total suspended solids, heavy metals, eutrophication, nitrate, organic micro-pollutants, acidification. They generally occurred in this order over a period of about 100 years in the industrialized countries. Historical records of WQ are rare but can be established indirectly through studies of lake sediments. When proper control action is taken at an early stage, numerous examples of WQ recovery have been found in rivers for most of the common pollution problems. Future WQ problems will mostly derive from mine tailings and toxic waste disposal in both developed and developing countries, industrial accidents and organic micropollutants which emerge faster than our analytical capacities. The newly industrializing countries will face all the above-mentioned problems within a very short time period without having the means to cope with them one at a time. River studies point out the global alteration of the biogeochemical cycles of many major elements and nutrients (S, Na, K, N, P). For heavy metals such as lead, present estimates of global river loads emphasize the role of interim storage on land, thus delaying downstream pollution problems.

Indoor air pollution in old people's homes related to some health problems: a survey study.

PubMed

Coelho, C; Steers, M; Lutzler, P; Schriver-Mazzuoli, L

2005-08-01

The present research reports on a survey of 96 subjects between the ages of 60 and 95 years, living close to Paris in a social collective habitat. The aim was to show, using goodness-of-fit statistical tests (P < 0.1), how old people lifestyles can subject them to generated chemical or bacteriological indoor pollutants. Risk factors due to lifestyles were analyzed in relation to complaints and to health condition. There are many ways that old people are exposed to pollutants: difficulty in maintaining the residence, preference for staying in the kitchens, substantial use of cleaning chemicals. However, the principal risk for health problems is arguably inadequate ventilation (unclean screens, blocked air vents, etc.), which increases the concentration of indoor pollutants. These risks are amplified by ignorance about the hazards of inadequate ventilation. The present investigation suggests that the lifestyle and the behavior of old people could be the cause of an interior air pollution of their housing. Measures realized in representative dwellings selected in relation to results must confirm that these risks would require the installation of an automatic monitoring system of the indoor air near these people.

[Water problems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region].

PubMed

Zeribl, T

2005-01-01

The Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization is confronted with formidable water problems due to: increased water demand both for consumption and for irrigation in agriculture that is becoming more productive and more polluting; scarce water resources; drought, erosion and pollution; inappropriate management; inadequate policies; and institutional and legal considerations. Added to these problems are the risks of regional conflicts because of the lack of "shared" management of cross-border waters which are an object of contention between neighbouring countries. This report analyses the issues relating to water availability, health and development on the basis of the distribution of water resources, and their use by industry and the huge proportion for agricultural use. It raises the question whether countries in the Region are ready to review their strategies on water priorities, particularly in the areas of health, agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

[Methodological problems of noninfectious epidemiology and hygiene under chemical pollution of the environment].

PubMed

Rusakov, N V

In modern conditions the base of the assurance of the safety of human being from harmful factors of environment is the hygienic rationing for the latters. The use of this methodological principle led to the considerable decline in the level of chemical pollution of environment objects. However tens of millions of Russians are exposed to the impact of chemicals above admissible hygienic level. There was noted the high prevalence and mortality rate due to noninfectious diseases of the population. The hygienic science needs to develop and introduce methodology of personification prevention on protection of the person against chemical environmental pollution.

Sanitary survey of the drinking water supply of Kombinati suburb-Tirana, Albania.

PubMed

Angjeli, V; Reme, B; Leno, L; Bukli, R; Bushati, G

2000-01-01

Microbiological pollution of drinking water is a major health problem in the suburbs of the Albanian capital. Intermittent supply and contamination, resulting in several gastrointestinal manifestations, are the main concerns for the population and health workers. The risk of outbreaks of water-borne diseases is high. Pollution originates from contamination of drinking water with domestic sewage. This research investigated the drinking water cycle from its natural source to the consumer, analysing samples and verifying pollution levels in the microbiological and chemical setting. The most important pollution sources were found in the distribution network, due to cross-contamination with sewers and illegal connections. The second pollution source was found around the extraction wells. This is related to abusive constructions within the sanitary zone around the wells and maybe the highly sewage-contaminated river water which feeds the aquifer.

Distribution and sources of air pollutants in the North China Plain based on on-road mobile measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yi; Zhang, Jiping; Wang, Junxia; Chen, Wenyuan; Han, Yiqun; Ye, Chunxiang; Li, Yingruo; Liu, Jun; Zeng, Limin; Wu, Yusheng; Wang, Xinfeng; Wang, Wenxing; Chen, Jianmin; Zhu, Tong

2016-10-01

The North China Plain (NCP) has been experiencing severe air pollution problems with rapid economic growth and urbanisation. Many field and model studies have examined the distribution of air pollutants in the NCP, but convincing results have not been achieved, mainly due to a lack of direct measurements of pollutants over large areas. Here, we employed a mobile laboratory to observe the main air pollutants in a large part of the NCP from 11 June to 15 July 2013. High median concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) (12 ppb), nitrogen oxides (NOx) (NO + NO2; 452 ppb), carbon monoxide (CO) (956 ppb), black carbon (BC; 5.5 µg m-3) and ultrafine particles (28 350 cm-3) were measured. Most of the high values, i.e. 95 percentile concentrations, were distributed near large cities, suggesting the influence of local emissions. In addition, we analysed the regional transport of SO2 and CO, relatively long-lived pollutants, based on our mobile observations together with wind field and satellite data analyses. Our results suggested that, for border areas of the NCP, wind from outside this area would have a diluting effect on pollutants, while south winds would bring in pollutants that have accumulated during transport through other parts of the NCP. For the central NCP, the concentrations of pollutants were likely to remain at high levels, partly due to the influence of regional transport by prevalent south-north winds over the NCP and partly by local emissions.

Advancements in solar stills for enhanced flow rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Sourav; Dubey, Maneesh; Raghuwanshi, Jitendra; Sharma, Vipin

2018-05-01

All over the world there is a scarcity of water and it is difficult to access potable water. Due to this most of the people are affected by diseases that are caused due to drinking of polluted water. There are technologies through which we can purify polluted water but the only problem is these technologies uses electrical energy. Since solar energy is abundant in nature therefore we can use solar as an energy source in solar stills for water distillation. Solar stills can be used in village areas where there is no electricity. It is simple and also economic in construction. This article addresses advancement in solar distillation and usage of nanofluids for enhancement in flow rate.

A comparison of self reported air pollution problems and GIS-modeled levels of air pollution in people with and without chronic diseases

PubMed Central

Piro, Fredrik Niclas; Madsen, Christian; Næss, Øyvind; Nafstad, Per; Claussen, Bjørgulf

2008-01-01

Objective To explore various contributors to people's reporting of self reported air pollution problems in area of living, including GIS-modeled air pollution, and to investigate whether those with respiratory or other chronic diseases tend to over-report air pollution problems, compared to healthy people. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Oslo Health Study (2000–2001) were linked with GIS-modeled air pollution data from the Norwegian Institute of Air Research. Multivariate regression analyses were performed. 14 294 persons aged 30, 40, 45, 60 or 75 years old with complete information on modeled and self reported air pollution were included. Results People who reported air pollution problems were exposed to significantly higher GIS-modeled air pollution levels than those who did not report such problems. People with chronic disease, reported significantly more air pollution problems after adjustment for modeled levels of nitrogen dioxides, socio-demographic variables, smoking, depression, dwelling conditions and an area deprivation index, even if they had a non-respiratory disease. No diseases, however, were significantly associated with levels of nitrogen dioxides. Conclusion Self reported air pollution problems in area of living are strongly associated with increased levels of GIS-modeled air pollution. Over and above this, those who report to have a chronic disease tend to report more air pollution problems in area of living, despite no significant difference in air pollution exposure compared to healthy people, and no associations between these diseases and NO2. Studies on the association between self reported air pollution problems and health should be aware of the possibility that disease itself may influence the reporting of air pollution. PMID:18307757

Modeling the risk of water pollution by pesticides from imbalanced data.

PubMed

Trajanov, Aneta; Kuzmanovski, Vladimir; Real, Benoit; Perreau, Jonathan Marks; Džeroski, Sašo; Debeljak, Marko

2018-04-30

The pollution of ground and surface waters with pesticides is a serious ecological issue that requires adequate treatment. Most of the existing water pollution models are mechanistic mathematical models. While they have made a significant contribution to understanding the transfer processes, they face the problem of validation because of their complexity, the user subjectivity in their parameterization, and the lack of empirical data for validation. In addition, the data describing water pollution with pesticides are, in most cases, very imbalanced. This is due to strict regulations for pesticide applications, which lead to only a few pollution events. In this study, we propose the use of data mining to build models for assessing the risk of water pollution by pesticides in field-drained outflow water. Unlike the mechanistic models, the models generated by data mining are based on easily obtainable empirical data, while the parameterization of the models is not influenced by the subjectivity of ecological modelers. We used empirical data from field trials at the La Jaillière experimental site in France and applied the random forests algorithm to build predictive models that predict "risky" and "not-risky" pesticide application events. To address the problems of the imbalanced classes in the data, cost-sensitive learning and different measures of predictive performance were used. Despite the high imbalance between risky and not-risky application events, we managed to build predictive models that make reliable predictions. The proposed modeling approach can be easily applied to other ecological modeling problems where we encounter empirical data with highly imbalanced classes.

Enhancement in secondary particulate matter production due to mountain trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Teng; Fung, J. C. H.; Ma, H.; Lau, A. K. H.; Chan, P. W.; Yu, J. Z.; Xue, J.

2014-10-01

As China's largest economic development zone, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) is subject to particulate matter (PM) and visibility deterioration problems. Due to high PM concentration, haze days impacting ambient visibility have occurred frequently in this region. Besides visibility impairment, PM pollution also causes a negative impact on public health. These negative impacts have heightened the need to improve our understanding of the PM pollution of the PRD region. One major cause of the PRD pollution problem is cold front passages in the winter; however, the mechanism of pollution formation stays unclear. In this study, the Comprehensive Air Quality Model (CAMx) is utilized to investigate the detailed PM production and transport mechanisms in the PRD. Simulated concentrations of PM2.5 species, which have a good correlation with observation, show that sulfate and nitrate are the dominant pollutants among different PM2.5 species. Before the cold front passage a large amount of gas-phase and particle-phase pollutants are transported to the mountainous regions in the north of the PRD, and become trapped by the terrain. Over the mountain regions, cloud driven by upwelling flow promotes aqueous-phase reactions including oxidations of PM precursors such as SO2 and NO2. By this process, production of secondary PM is enhanced. When the cold front continues to advance further south, PM is transported to the PRD cities, and suppressed into a thin layer near the ground by a low planetary boundary layer (PBL). Thus high PM concentration episodes take place in the PRD cities. After examining production and transportation pathways, this study presents that the complex terrain configuration would block pollutant dispersion, provide cloudy environment, and advance secondary PM production. Previous studies have pointed out that pollution emitted from outside this region largely influences the air quality in the PRD; however, this study shows that pollutants from the outside could be originated from the PRD and transported back resulting in significant increase of secondary PM concentration, and provides new insight into PM production and transport mechanism in the PRD.

Healthy Buildings?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grubb, Deborah

Health problems related to school buildings can be categorized in five major areas: sick-building syndrome; health-threatening building materials; environmental hazards such as radon gas and asbestos; lead poisoning; and poor indoor air quality due to smoke, chemicals, and other pollutants. This paper provides an overview of these areas,…

New directions: Future approaches to the standardized assessment of airborne pollutants affecting environmental quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nehr, Sascha; Franzen-Reuter, Isabelle; Kucejko, Catharina

2017-10-01

Man-made activities have caused unexampled changes of our environment during the last two centuries. Due to emissions of a vast number of pollutants the composition of the Earth's atmosphere is continuously changing, and the consequences for humans and for ecosystems are only partly understood at present. Once released to the atmosphere, the emitted substances undergo physical and chemical degradation. Many of the substances detected in ambient air are toxic or carcinogenic and might cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, air pollutants are influencing acidification, eutrophication, global warming, and biodiversity. Therefore soil quality, water quality, air quality, ecosystem exposure to pollutant deposition, biodiversity, and climate change are coupled problems (Schlesinger, 1997; Steffen et al., 2005; Ehlers et al., 2006; Rockström et al., 2009).

A review on thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of plastic solid waste (PSW).

PubMed

Al-Salem, S M; Antelava, A; Constantinou, A; Manos, G; Dutta, A

2017-07-15

Plastic plays an important role in our daily lives due to its versatility, light weight and low production cost. Plastics became essential in many sectors such as construction, medical, engineering applications, automotive, aerospace, etc. In addition, economic growth and development also increased our demand and dependency on plastics which leads to its accumulation in landfills imposing risk on human health, animals and cause environmental pollution problems such as ground water contamination, sanitary related issues, etc. Hence, a sustainable and an efficient plastic waste treatment is essential to avoid such issues. Pyrolysis is a thermo-chemical plastic waste treatment technique which can solve such pollution problems, as well as, recover valuable energy and products such as oil and gas. Pyrolysis of plastic solid waste (PSW) has gained importance due to having better advantages towards environmental pollution and reduction of carbon footprint of plastic products by minimizing the emissions of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide compared to combustion and gasification. This paper presents the existing techniques of pyrolysis, the parameters which affect the products yield and selectivity and identify major research gaps in this technology. The influence of different catalysts on the process as well as review and comparative assessment of pyrolysis with other thermal and catalytic plastic treatment methods, is also presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochar as potential adsorptive media for estrogenic compounds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Endocrine disrupting chemicals are an emerging problem in water pollution due to their toxic effects on humans and wildlife. Estrogenic compounds are a subset of endocrine disrupting chemicals that are particularly dangerous since they are very potent and can affect fish at concentrations as low as ...

Air Pollution, Disease Burden, and Health Economic Loss in China.

PubMed

Niu, Yue; Chen, Renjie; Kan, Haidong

2017-01-01

As the largest developing country in the world, China is now facing one of the severest air pollution problems. The objective of this section is to evaluate the disease burden and corresponding economic loss attributable to ambient air pollution in China. We reviewed a series of studies by Chinese or foreign investigators focusing on the disease burden and economic loss in China. These studies showed both the general air pollution and haze episodes have resulted in substantial disease burden in terms of excess number of premature deaths, disability-adjusted life-year loss, and years of life lost. The corresponding economic loss has accounted for an appreciable proportion of China's national economy. Overall, the disease burden and health economic loss due to ambient air pollution in China is greater than in the remaining parts of the world, for one of the highest levels of air pollution and the largest size of exposed population. Consideration of both health and economic impacts of air pollution can facilitate the Chinese government to develop environmental policies to reduce the emissions of various air pollutants and protect the public health.

Atmospheric pollution problems and control proposals associated with solid waste management in China: a review.

PubMed

Tian, Hezhong; Gao, Jiajia; Hao, Jiming; Lu, Long; Zhu, Chuanyong; Qiu, Peipei

2013-05-15

Along with population growth, rapid urbanization and industrialization process, the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in China has been increasing sharply in the past 30 years and the total amount of MSW yields will continue to increase. Nowadays, due to global warming warrants particular attention throughout the world, a series of air pollutants (including greenhouse gases, odorous gases, PCDD/Fs, heavy metals, PM, etc.) discharged from waste disposal and treatment processes have become one of the new significant emerging air pollution sources, which arousing great concerns about their adverse effects on surrounding ambient air quality and public health. At present, the overall safely disposed ratio of the collected MSW in China is reported at approximately 78% in 2010, and there are mainly three types of MSW disposal methods practiced in China, including landfill, composting and incineration. The characteristics of air pollutants and greenhouse gases discharge vary substantially among different MSW disposal methods. By presenting a thorough review of MSW generation in China and providing a summarization of the current status of MSW disposal methods practices, this review article makes an integrated overview analysis of existing air pollution problems associated with MSW collection, separation, and disposal processes. Furthermore, some comprehensive control proposals to prevent air pollution for improving MSW management of China in the future are put forward. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuniati, M. D.

2018-02-01

Petroleum is the major source of energy for various industries and daily life. Releasing petroleum into the environment whether accidentally or due to human activities is a main cause of soil pollution. Soil contaminated with petroleum has a serious hazard to human health and causes environmental problems as well. Petroleum pollutants, mainly hydrocarbon, are classified as priority pollutants. The application of microorganisms or microbial processes to remove or degrade contaminants from soil is called bioremediation. This microbiological decontamination is claimed to be an efficient, economic and versatile alternative to physicochemical treatment. This article presents an overview about bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil. It also includes an explanation about the types of bioremediation technologies as well as the processes.

Hadoop-Based Distributed System for Online Prediction of Air Pollution Based on Support Vector Machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaemi, Z.; Farnaghi, M.; Alimohammadi, A.

2015-12-01

The critical impact of air pollution on human health and environment in one hand and the complexity of pollutant concentration behavior in the other hand lead the scientists to look for advance techniques for monitoring and predicting the urban air quality. Additionally, recent developments in data measurement techniques have led to collection of various types of data about air quality. Such data is extremely voluminous and to be useful it must be processed at high velocity. Due to the complexity of big data analysis especially for dynamic applications, online forecasting of pollutant concentration trends within a reasonable processing time is still an open problem. The purpose of this paper is to present an online forecasting approach based on Support Vector Machine (SVM) to predict the air quality one day in advance. In order to overcome the computational requirements for large-scale data analysis, distributed computing based on the Hadoop platform has been employed to leverage the processing power of multiple processing units. The MapReduce programming model is adopted for massive parallel processing in this study. Based on the online algorithm and Hadoop framework, an online forecasting system is designed to predict the air pollution of Tehran for the next 24 hours. The results have been assessed on the basis of Processing Time and Efficiency. Quite accurate predictions of air pollutant indicator levels within an acceptable processing time prove that the presented approach is very suitable to tackle large scale air pollution prediction problems.

New approach for point pollution source identification in rivers based on the backward probability method.

PubMed

Wang, Jiabiao; Zhao, Jianshi; Lei, Xiaohui; Wang, Hao

2018-06-13

Pollution risk from the discharge of industrial waste or accidental spills during transportation poses a considerable threat to the security of rivers. The ability to quickly identify the pollution source is extremely important to enable emergency disposal of pollutants. This study proposes a new approach for point source identification of sudden water pollution in rivers, which aims to determine where (source location), when (release time) and how much pollutant (released mass) was introduced into the river. Based on the backward probability method (BPM) and the linear regression model (LR), the proposed LR-BPM converts the ill-posed problem of source identification into an optimization model, which is solved using a Differential Evolution Algorithm (DEA). The decoupled parameters of released mass are not dependent on prior information, which improves the identification efficiency. A hypothetical case study with a different number of pollution sources was conducted to test the proposed approach, and the largest relative errors for identified location, release time, and released mass in all tests were not greater than 10%. Uncertainty in the LR-BPM is mainly due to a problem with model equifinality, but averaging the results of repeated tests greatly reduces errors. Furthermore, increasing the gauging sections further improves identification results. A real-world case study examines the applicability of the LR-BPM in practice, where it is demonstrated to be more accurate and time-saving than two existing approaches, Bayesian-MCMC and basic DEA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lignin: A sustainable biosorbent for heavy metal adsorption from wastewater, a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasrullah, Asma; Bhat, A. H.; Isa, Mohamed Hasnain

2016-11-01

With the recent advancements in science and technology, environmental pollution is a challenging problem due to increased activities in domestic, industrial, and agricultural sector. These activities have led to the release of various types of micropollutants such as heavy metal ions, organic and inorganic ions (detergents, and dye) etc into ground water which badly affects the ecosystem. Among various types of pollutants, heavy metals are the most reported in the recent decade. Water pollution is the most challenging problem, and needs to be controlled for better and healthy ecosystem which requires a healthy, eco-friendly and cheaper technology. In this context. lignin is abundantly available, cheaper and environmentally friendly. For efficient removal of heavy metals, lignin can be modified chemically or thermally to increased its biosorption capacity. In this review merits of adsorption and demerits of other separation technologies are compared. This paper presents the recent state of research on the efficient utilization of lignin, its modification and its adsorption efficiency for heavy metal removal from wastewater.

Extraction and recovery of phosphorus from pig manure using the quick wash process

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land disposal of manure is a challenging environmental problem in areas with intense confined pig production. Due to nutrient imbalance, manure applied to soil at optimal nitrogen rates for crop growth can promote soil phosphorus (P) surplus and potential pollution of water resources. Although manur...

Odor and odorous chemical emissions from animal buildings: part 1 - project overview, collection methods, and quality control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Livestock facilities have historically generated public concerns due to their emissions of odorous air and various chemical pollutants. Odor emission factors and identification of principal odorous chemicals are needed to better understand the problem. Applications of odor emission factors include i...

The use of GIS and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) to identify agricultural land management practices which cause surface water pollution in drinking water supply catchments.

PubMed

Grayson, Richard; Kay, Paul; Foulger, Miles

2008-01-01

Diffuse pollution poses a threat to water quality and results in the need for treatment for potable water supplies which can prove costly. Within the Yorkshire region, UK, nitrates, pesticides and water colour present particular treatment problems. Catchment management techniques offer an alternative to 'end of pipe' solutions and allow resources to be targeted to the most polluting areas. This project has attempted to identify such areas using GIS based modelling approaches in catchments where water quality data were available. As no model exists to predict water colour a model was created using an MCE method which is capable of predicting colour concentrations at the catchment scale. CatchIS was used to predict pesticide and nitrate N concentrations and was found to be generally capable of reliably predicting nitrate N loads at the catchment scale. The pesticides results did not match the historic data possibly due to problems with the historic pesticide data and temporal and spatially variability in pesticide usage. The use of these models can be extended to predict water quality problems in catchments where water quality data are unavailable and highlight areas of concern. IWA Publishing 2008.

Cooperation control strategies for China's cross-region pollution in a lake basin based on green reduction cost.

PubMed

Li, Changmin; Sun, Dong; Xie, Xiaoqiang; Xue, Jian

2016-05-01

The cross-region water pollution issue has always been the widespread concern around the world. It becomes especially critical for China due to the imbalance relates to environmental costs that have accompanied rapid growth of economy. Though the government makes great efforts to improve it, the potential for water pollution conflict is still great. We consider the problem of determining combined control strategies for China's cross-region lake pollution based on the environmental green costs. The problem is first formulated as a generalized bilevel mathematical program where the upper level consists in each region that reduces environmental green costs including three parts: the reduction cost, pollution permit trade cost and cost of environment damage, while the lower level is represented by pollution permit equilibrium market. Finally, we take an empirical analysis in Taihu lake. The numerical study shows that the minimum costs of both total and regional are obviously superior to the current processing costs, which provides theoretical basis for the price of emission permits. Today, China's rapid gross domestic product (GDP) growth has come at a very high cost, as real estate prices have skyrocketed, the wealth gap has widened, and environmental pollution has worsened. China's central government is urged to correct the GDP-oriented performance evaluation system that is used to judge administrative region leaders. The cross-region water pollution issue has become a troubling issue that urgently needs to be resolved in China. This paper will not only actively aid efforts to govern Lake Taihu and other cross-region valleys, but it will also provide a supplement for theoretical research on cross-region pollution issues.

[Atmospheric pollution and cardiovascular damage].

PubMed

Román, Oscar; Prieto, María José; Mancilla, Pedro

2004-06-01

The damaging effect of atmospheric pollution with particulate matter and toxic gases on the respiratory system and its effect in the incidence and severity of respiratory diseases, is well known. A similar effect on the cardiovascular system is currently under investigation. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the inhalation of particulate matter can increase cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality, specially ischemic heart disease. The damage would be mediated by alterations in the autonomic nervous system, inflammation, infections and free radicals. In human studies, environmental pollution is associated with alterations in cardiac frequency variability and blood pressure and with changes in ventricular repolarization. Experimentally, an enhancement of ischemia, due to coronary obstruction, has been demonstrated. The study of the toxic effects of environmental pollution over the cardiovascular system, is an open field, specially in Chile, were the big cities have serious contamination problems.

An improved risk-explicit interval linear programming model for pollution load allocation for watershed management.

PubMed

Xia, Bisheng; Qian, Xin; Yao, Hong

2017-11-01

Although the risk-explicit interval linear programming (REILP) model has solved the problem of having interval solutions, it has an equity problem, which can lead to unbalanced allocation between different decision variables. Therefore, an improved REILP model is proposed. This model adds an equity objective function and three constraint conditions to overcome this equity problem. In this case, pollution reduction is in proportion to pollutant load, which supports balanced development between different regional economies. The model is used to solve the problem of pollution load allocation in a small transboundary watershed. Compared with the REILP original model result, our model achieves equity between the upstream and downstream pollutant loads; it also overcomes the problem of greatest pollution reduction, where sources are nearest to the control section. The model provides a better solution to the problem of pollution load allocation than previous versions.

Evaluation of traffic noise pollution and attitudes of exposed individuals in working place

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Vinita; Tripathi, B. D.; Mishra, Virendra kumar

2008-05-01

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the noise pollution problem in the Varanasi city and its effect on the exposed people. The study revealed the fact that noise levels have reached an alarming level. The result of the study indicated the fact that 85% of the people were disturbed by traffic noise, about 90% of the people reported that traffic noise is the main cause of headache, high BP problem, dizziness and fatigue. People having higher education and income level are much aware of the health impact due to traffic noise. Marital status was found to be significantly affecting the annoyance level caused by traffic noise. Traffic noise was found to be interfering daily activities such as at resting, reading, communication etc.

A simplified risk-ranking system for prioritizing toxic pollution sites in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Caravanos, Jack; Gualtero, Sandra; Dowling, Russell; Ericson, Bret; Keith, John; Hanrahan, David; Fuller, Richard

2014-01-01

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), chemical exposures in the environment due to hazardous waste sites and toxic pollutants are typically poorly documented and their health impacts insufficiently quantified. Furthermore, there often is only limited understanding of the health and environmental consequences of point source pollution problems, and little consensus on how to assess and rank them. The contributions of toxic environmental exposures to the global burden of disease are not well characterized. The aim of this study was to describe the simple but effective approach taken by Blacksmith Institute's Toxic Sites Identification Program to quantify and rank toxic exposures in LMICs. This system is already in use at more than 3000 sites in 48 countries such as India, Indonesia, China, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine. A hazard ranking system formula, the Blacksmith Index (BI), takes into account important factors such as the scale of the pollution source, the size of the population possibly affected, and the exposure pathways, and is designed for use reliably in low-resource settings by local personnel provided with limited training. Four representative case studies are presented, with varying locations, populations, pollutants, and exposure pathways. The BI was successfully applied to assess the extent and severity of environmental pollution problems at these sites. The BI is a risk-ranking tool that provides direct and straightforward characterization, quantification, and prioritization of toxic pollution sites in settings where time, money, or resources are limited. It will be an important and useful tool for addressing toxic pollution problems in LMICs. Although the BI does not have the sophistication of the US Environmental Protection Agency's Hazard Ranking System, the case studies presented here document the effectiveness of the BI in the field, especially in low-resource settings. Understanding of the risks posed by toxic pollution sites helps assure better use of resources to manage sites and mitigate risks to public health. Quantification of these hazards is an important input to assessments of the global burden of disease. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Green IT Model for IT Departments in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albahlal, Abdulaziz

2016-01-01

Environmental problems such as climate change, pollution, non-sustainable energy, resource depletion, and recycling Information Technology (IT) devices considered the biggest glitches which are facing developed and developing countries. IT devices have become a critical issue due to the great amount of environmental damage caused by IT companies…

CO Pollution: a comparative study during high traffic conditions in the cities of Athens, Naples and Islamabad. Health impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polichetti, Juliano; Grigoropoulos, Konstantinos; Ferentinos, George; Tselentis, Vasilios; Nastos, Panagiotis; Xatzioakeimidis, Konstantinos; Dimas, Konstantinos; Khan, Ubaidullah

2010-05-01

Since the 19th century anthropogenic activities in urban areas have increased dramatically due to socio-economic evolution, increased urbanization and transport needs. Fifty seven years ago London experienced the impacts of an acute atmospheric pollution episode, due to elevated levels of black carbon aerosols (BC) and SO2, leading to the realization that uncontrolled emissions to the atmosphere lead to severe impacts on human health. Many large cities (Mega cities) in the developed and developing world have, for the last two decades, been plagued by high levels of atmospheric pollution, a problem that the European and worldwide scientific community are at present studying with measurable success. However, due to rapid industrial development and the ever increasing traffic, many more studies are required to support decision makers and governments on measures to reduce atmospheric pollution and mitigate the associated serious health effects on the population. Registered health problems are numerous and dramatic in all ages groups, but particularly so in infants, and patients suffering from chronic diseases due to increased levels of pollutants and nocive substance inhaled, entering the lungs and blood stream and finally being deposited in several organs. Recent studies indicate that cardiac arrhythmias associated to increased atmospheric pollution pose a serious threat to human health. K.N.Grigoropoulos,et al.2008. This study is based on monitoring and mapping CO levels in six areas 3 different cities i.e. Athens, Naples and Islamabad, the objective being to present and analyze the spatial and temporal variability of carbon monoxide (CO) levels leading to the estimation of the concentration levels and the quantities inhaled by pedestrians on a daily basis. It is well know that exposure to carbon monoxide concentration values in excess of 200ppm for 2-3 h usually create headaches, tiredness, fatigue and nausea, whereas human exposure of values of 800 ppm for over three hours, are fatal. The findings of this research indicate that although CO concentrations remain at low levels throughout the measurement period, several peaks of high CO concentration are obtained, in many instances of several minutes duration, which are incompatible with public health levels and conditions for the afore mentioned cities. This research is yet another reminder that it is timely and necessary for the European Community to re examinate and evaluate the framework pertinent to CO emissions and levels in the urban ambient atmosphere.

Snowmelt Runoff: A New Focus of Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hui; Xu, Yingying; Yan, Baixing; Guan, Jiunian

2012-01-01

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing cosntitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control. PMID:23202881

Snowmelt runoff: a new focus of urban nonpoint source pollution.

PubMed

Zhu, Hui; Xu, Yingying; Yan, Baixing; Guan, Jiunian

2012-11-30

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing constitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control.

Real-time observational evidence of changing Asian dust morphology with the mixing of heavy anthropogenic pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, X.; Uno, I.; Wang, Z.; Nishizawa, T.; Sugimoto, N.; Yamamoto, S.; Kobayashi, H.; Sun, Y.; Fu, P.; Tang, X.; Wang, Z.

2017-12-01

Natural mineral dust and heavy anthropogenic pollution and its complex interactions cause significant environmental problems in East Asia. Due to restrictions of observing technique, real-time morphological change in Asian dust particles owing to coating process of anthropogenic pollutants is still statistically unclear. Here, we first used a newly developed, single-particle polarization detector and quantitatively investigate the evolution of the polarization property of backscattering light reflected from dust particle as they were mixing with anthropogenic pollutants in North China. The decrease in observed depolarization ratio is mainly attributed to the decrease of aspect ratio of the dust particles as a result of continuous coating processes. Hygroscopic growth of Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) on the surface of the dust particles played a vital role, particularly when they are stagnant in the polluted region with high RH conditions. Reliable statistics highlight the significant importance of internally mixed, `quasi-spherical' Asian dust particles, which markedly act as cloud condensation nuclei and exert regional climate change.

Real-time observational evidence of changing Asian dust morphology with the mixing of heavy anthropogenic pollution.

PubMed

Pan, Xiaole; Uno, Itsushi; Wang, Zhe; Nishizawa, Tomoaki; Sugimoto, Nobuo; Yamamoto, Shigekazu; Kobayashi, Hiroshi; Sun, Yele; Fu, Pingqing; Tang, Xiao; Wang, Zifa

2017-03-23

Natural mineral dust and heavy anthropogenic pollution and its complex interactions cause significant environmental problems in East Asia. Due to restrictions of observing technique, real-time morphological change in Asian dust particles owing to coating process of anthropogenic pollutants is still statistically unclear. Here, we first used a newly developed, single-particle polarization detector and quantitatively investigate the evolution of the polarization property of backscattering light reflected from dust particle as they were mixing with anthropogenic pollutants in North China. The decrease in observed depolarization ratio is mainly attributed to the decrease of aspect ratio of the dust particles as a result of continuous coating processes. Hygroscopic growth of Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ) on the surface of the dust particles played a vital role, particularly when they are stagnant in the polluted region with high RH conditions. Reliable statistics highlight the significant importance of internally mixed, 'quasi-spherical' Asian dust particles, which markedly act as cloud condensation nuclei and exert regional climate change.

Rapid identification of soil cadmium pollution risk at regional scale based on visible and near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Tao; Chang, Qingrui; Clevers, J G P W; Kooistra, L

2015-11-01

Soil heavy metal pollution due to long-term sewage irrigation is a serious environmental problem in many irrigation areas in northern China. Quickly identifying its pollution status is an important basis for remediation. Visible-near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VNIRS) provides a useful tool. In a case study, 76 soil samples were collected and their reflectance spectra were used to estimate cadmium (Cd) concentration by partial least squares regression (PLSR) and back propagation neural network (BPNN). To reduce noise, six pre-treatments were compared, in which orthogonal signal correction (OSC) was first used in soil Cd estimation. Spectral analysis and geostatistics were combined to identify Cd pollution hotspots. Results showed that Cd was accumulated in topsoil at the study area. OSC can effectively remove irrelevant information to improve prediction accuracy. More accurate estimation was achieved by applying a BPNN. Soil Cd pollution hotspots could be identified by interpolating the predicted values obtained from spectral estimates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the impacts of vehicular pollution on urban air quality.

PubMed

Ghose, Mrinal K; Paul, R; Banerjee, S K

2004-01-01

Air quality crisis in cities is mainly due to vehicular emissions. Owing to the expanding economic base Indian cities are growing at a faster rate. Transportation systems are increasing everywhere and the improved technology is insufficient to counteract growth. The effect of vehicular emission on urban air quality and human health has been described. A survey has been conducted in an Indian mega city to evaluate the status of air pollution at traffic intersections and the unique problem arising out of vehicular emissions in the study area has been narrated. Approach for the selection of the air monitoring stations, methodology adopted for data collection and the results have been discussed. Vulnerability analysis (VA) has been carried out to identify the zones at what pollution stress. Options for reducing mobile source emission have been discussed and a strategic air quality management plan has been proposed to mitigate the air pollution in the city.

Atmospheric corrosion of metals in industrial city environment.

PubMed

Kusmierek, Elzbieta; Chrzescijanska, Ewa

2015-06-01

Atmospheric corrosion is a significant problem given destruction of various materials, especially metals. The corrosion investigation in the industrial city environment was carried out during one year exposure. Corrosion potential was determined using the potentiometric method. The highest effect of corrosion processes was observed during the winter season due to increased air pollution. Corrosion of samples pre-treated in tannic acid before the exposure was more difficult compared with the samples without pretreatment. The corrosion products determined with the SEM/EDS method prove that the most corrosive pollutants present in the industrial city air are SO2, CO2, chlorides and dust.

The jet engine design that can drastically reduce oxides of nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferri, A.; Agnone, A.

1977-01-01

The NOx pollution problem of hydrogen fueled turbojets and supersonic combustion ramjets (scramjets) was investigated to determine means of substantially alleviating the problem. Since the NOx reaction rates are much slower than the energy producing reactions, the NOx production depends mainly on the maximum local temperatures in the combustor and the NOx concentration is far from equilibrium at the end of a typical combustor (L approximately 1 ft). In diffusion flames, as used in present turbojets and scramjets combustor designs, the maximum local temperature occurs at the flame and is equal to the stoichiometric value. Whereas, in the heat conduction flames, wherein the flame propagates due to a heat conduction process away from the flame to the cooler oncoming premixed unburnt gases, the maximum temperature is lower than in the diffusion flame. Hence the corresponding pollution index is also lower.

Physical changes of the environment and health effects with special reference to water pollution and sanitation in Malaysia.

PubMed

Sekarajasekaran, I A

1979-12-01

Development of a human community are not without changes in its environment. Such changes result in either beneficial or adverse effects on human health. In Malaysia, in the wake of the New Economic Policy aimed at the redressing of the poor population and income distribution, development of the nation has brought about various changes in the environment. Some of these changes have elevated basic public health problems, while others, particularly new agricultural practices and industrialisation programmes with urbanisation trends, have brought a new set of problems due to water pollution and sanitation. Various measures are being taken to protect and to improve the environment so that progress can be realised with minimum adverse effects. This also calls for assistance from international sources, in terms of expertise, training and funds.

Lidar Observation of Aerosol and Temperature Stratification over Urban Area During the Formation of a Stable Atmospheric PBL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolev, I.; Parvanov, O.; Kaprielov, B.; Mitev, V.; Simeonov, V.; Grigorov, I.

1992-01-01

In recent years, the processes in the atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL) over urban areas were intensely investigated, due to ecological problems related to the air, soil, and water pollution. New pollution sources in new residential districts, when in contradiction to the microclimate and topography requirements of that region, create a number of considerable hazards and problems. The present study is a continuation of our preceding investigations and aims at revealing the aerosol structure and stratification during the transition after sunset as measured by two lidars. Such observation of the nocturnal, stable PBL formation over an urban area in Bulgaria has not been reported before. The lidars' high time and spatial resolutions allow the changes of the internal structure of the PBL's part located above the surface layer to be observed.

Poverty, population and environmental degradation in China.

PubMed

Rozelle, S; Huang, J; Zhang, L

1997-06-01

This article examines the relationship between poverty, population, and environmental degradation in China. Environmental conditions include water pollution, deforestation, destruction of grasslands, soil erosion, and salinization. The authors review China's success in controlling environmental degradation through leadership, environmental policies, and institutional capacity. Findings suggest that environmental progress is best achieved indirectly by poverty alleviation, market integration, and population control. Government policies were not very effective. Degradation occurs due to limited financial resources, poorly trained personnel, and political factors. Control of water pollution was instituted since the 1980s. The levels of pollutants have been reduced, but the type of pollutant determines the seriousness of impact. Water pollution is due to industrial wastes, agricultural run-off, and soil erosion. Since the 1970s, reforestation targets have not been met. Technical extension and monitoring of planting is not available in most areas, and private, profit seeking interests control acreage. Grassland destruction is due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and overgrazing. Independent regional authorities have successfully managed pasture programs. Erosion is the most serious in Loess Plateau, the Red Soils area, the Northeast China Plain, and the Northwest Grasslands, which comprise 70% of total land area. In 1990, erosion control was practiced in 39% of eroded land area. Salinization has remained fairly constant. Environmental controls (direct regulation, planned recovery, and state-mandated technological improvements) are uneven. The main tool for environmental management is the State Environmental Protection Commission and its executive unit, SEPA. Problems stem from vague laws, lack of means of enforcement, lack of coordination of laws, and lack of standards, schedules, and other provisions in ordinances.

Numerical prediction on the dispersion of pollutant particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osman, Kahar; Ali, Zairi; Ubaidullah, S.; Zahid, M. N.

2012-06-01

The increasing concern on air pollution has led people around the world to find more efficient ways to control the problem. Air dispersion modeling is proven to be one of the alternatives that provide economical ways to control the growing threat of air pollution. The objective of this research is to develop a practical numerical algorithm to predict the dispersion of pollutant particles around a specific source of emission. The source selected was a rubber wood manufacturing plant. Gaussian-plume model were used as air dispersion model due to its simplicity and generic application. Results of this study show the concentrations of the pollutant particles on ground level reached approximately 90μg/m3, compared with other software. This value surpasses the limit of 50μg/m3 stipulated by the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and Recommended Malaysian Guidelines (RMG) set by Environment Department of Malaysia. The results also show high concentration of pollutant particles reading during dru seasons as compared to that of rainy seasons. In general, the developed algorithm is proven to be able to predict particles distribution around emitted source with acceptable accuracy.

High pollution events in the Great Salt Lake Basin and its adjacent valleys. Insights on mechanisms and spatial distribution of the formation of secondary aerosol.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchin, A.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Baasandorj, M.; Brown, S. S.; Fibiger, D. L.; Goldberger, L.; McDuffie, E. E.; Moravek, A.; Murphy, J. G.; Thornton, J. A.; Womack, C.

2017-12-01

High pollution events are common in many locations in the U.S.A. and around the world. They can last several days or up to weeks and they negatively affect human health, deteriorate visibility, and increase premature mortality. The main causes for high pollution events are related to meteorology and sources. They often happen in the winter, when high emissions, stagnation and reduced mixing, due to a shallow boundary layer, cause high concentrations of pollutants to accumulate. In the last decades, the air quality in the U.S. has seen an overall improvement, due to the reductions in particulate and gaseous pollutants. However, some areas remain critical. The Great Salt Lake Basin and its adjacent valleys are currently areas where high pollution events are a serious environmental problem involving more than 2.4 million people. We will present the results of the Utah Wintertime Fine Particulate Study (UWFPS) that took place in winter 2017. During UWFPS, we carried out airborne measurements of aerosol chemical composition and precursor vapor concentrations over the Great Salt Lake Basin and its adjacent valleys. We will give insights into how and under which conditions conversion of precursor vapors into aerosol particles takes place in the area. We will also present a comparison of our measurements with models that will provide an insight of the mechanisms that lead to the formation of secondary aerosol particles. With the results of our work, we aim to inform strategies for pollution control in the future.

Acute effect of ambient air pollution on heart failure in Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Yang, Changyuan; Chen, Ailan; Chen, Renjie; Qi, Yongqing; Ye, Jianjun; Li, Shuangming; Li, Wanglin; Liang, Zijing; Liang, Qing; Guo, Duanqiang; Kan, Haidong; Chen, Xinyu

2014-12-15

Heart failure (HF) is a global public health problem of increasing importance. The association between acute exposure to air pollution and HF has been well established in developed countries, but little evidence was available in developing countries where air pollution levels were much higher. We conducted a time-series study to investigate the short-term association between air pollution and overall emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) due to HF in Guangzhou, China. Daily data of EAD due to HF from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012 were obtained from Guangzhou Emergency Center. We applied the over-dispersed Poisson generalized addictive model to analyze the associations after controlling for the seasonality, day of the week and weather conditions. We identified a total of 3375 EAD for HF. A 10-μg/m(3) increase in the present-day concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide corresponded to increases of 3.54% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35%, 5.74%], 5.29% (95% CI: 2.28%, 8.30%) and 4.34% (95% CI: 1.71%, 6.97%) in daily EAD for HF, respectively. The effects of air pollution on acute HF were restricted on the concurrent day and in the cool seasons. Our results provided the first population-based evidence in Mainland China that outdoor air pollution could trigger the exacerbation of HF. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reuse of hydroponic waste solution.

PubMed

Kumar, Ramasamy Rajesh; Cho, Jae Young

2014-01-01

Attaining sustainable agriculture is a key goal in many parts of the world. The increased environmental awareness and the ongoing attempts to execute agricultural practices that are economically feasible and environmentally safe promote the use of hydroponic cultivation. Hydroponics is a technology for growing plants in nutrient solutions with or without the use of artificial medium to provide mechanical support. Major problems for hydroponic cultivation are higher operational cost and the causing of pollution due to discharge of waste nutrient solution. The nutrient effluent released into the environment can have negative impacts on the surrounding ecosystems as well as the potential to contaminate the groundwater utilized by humans for drinking purposes. The reuse of non-recycled, nutrient-rich hydroponic waste solution for growing plants in greenhouses is the possible way to control environmental pollution. Many researchers have successfully grown several plant species in hydroponic waste solution with high yield. Hence, this review addresses the problems associated with the release of hydroponic waste solution into the environment and possible reuse of hydroponic waste solution as an alternative resource for agriculture development and to control environmental pollution.

Air pollution problem in the Mexico City metropolitan zone: Photochemical pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alvarez, H.B.; Alvarez, P.S.; Echeverria, R.S.

1997-12-31

Mexico City Metropolitan Zone (MCMZ) represents an example of a megacity where the air pollution problem has reached an important evolution in a very short time, causing a risk in the health of a population of more than 20 million inhabitants. The atmospheric pollution problem in the MCMZ, began several decades ago, but it increased drastically in the middle of the 80`s. It is important to recognize that in the 60`s, 70`s and the first half of the 80`s the main pollutants were sulfur dioxide and total suspended particles. However since the second half of the 80`s until now, ozonemore » is the most important air pollutant besides of the suspended particles (PM{sub 10}) and other toxic pollutants (1--8). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of the ozone atmospheric pollution problem in the MCMZ, as well as to analyze the results of several implemented air pollution control strategies.« less

Collective Impact Approach: A "Tool" for Managing Complex Problems and Business Clusters Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Chiara, Alessandra

2017-01-01

Environmental pollution occurring in industrial districts represents a serious issue not only for local communities but also for those industrial productions that draw from the territory the source of their competitiveness. Due to its ability to take into account the needs of different stakeholders, the collective impact approach has the potential…

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of rivers Niger and Benue confluence, Lokoja, Central Nigeria.

PubMed

Ekere, Nwachukwu; Yakubu, Newman; Ihedioha, Janefrances

2017-08-01

The concentrations of six heavy metals (HMs) and 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples of the confluence of rivers Niger and Benue were investigated. The ecological risk assessment of the contaminants was carried out. The results showed that the sediment samples were heavily polluted with iron and moderately polluted with Cd while other metals posed no pollution problem when compared with USEPA sediment quality guidelines. Only six out of the 16 priority PAHs were detected in the samples, and source apportionment of the PAHs indicated that they are of pyrogenic origin. The ∑PAHs in the samples were lower than many of similar studies and were of no pollution risk. The ecological risk assessment result of the heavy metals showed that the sediments were of considerable risk due majorly to Cd levels. The HM concentration results statistically showed significant difference between seasons at probability value (P < .05). Data analysis by PCA classified the metals into three different components according to sources. The levels of HMS and PAHs detected in the sediments were correlated for source identification, and the correlation showed that the majority of the pollutants were mainly from anthropogenic sources. There is increasing level of anthropogenic activities at the vicinity of the confluence due to urbanization which may call for periodic monitoring of the sediment quality.

Benthic foraminifers in the regional monitoring program’s San Francisco Estuary samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGann, Mary; Sloan, Doris

1999-01-01

For over three decades, sand-sized protozoans known as foraminifers have made contributions to our understanding of environmental problems in urban areas (Alve, 1991; Clark, 1971; Ellison et al., 1986; Watkins, 1961). Benthic foraminiferal assemblages are particularly sensitive pollution indicators in estuarine and coastal areas (Alve, 1995) because they vary spatially and temporally in relation to environmental variables and can respond to almost imperceptible physical change in the environment due to pollutants. Foraminifers also have similar distributions to those of shallow marine invertebrates (Buzas and Culver, 1991, 1993), and can therefore act as proxies for larger organisms in polluted environments. In addition, the ability of foraminifers to respond to environmental degradation is enhanced because they reproduce quickly, as often as every three months to one year (Murray, 1991).

A Review of Adverse Effects of Road Traffic Noise on Human Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Devi; Kumari, Neeraj; Sharma, Pooja

Noise pollution due to road traffic is a potential threat to human health. Since it is a global hazard, the rapid urbanization and exponential traffic growth have aggravated the problem. Population residing along the busy traffic lanes is continuously exposed to the sound levels which are above the permissible limits. This constant exposure to noise pollution is a cause of concern as it leads to several adverse impacts on human health. Traffic noise causes irritation and annoyance, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular disease, risk of stroke, diabetes, hypertension and loss of hearing. It results in decreased work performance. The present review highlights the serious health hazards of road traffic noise (RTN) which needs to be curbed. Preventive measures of noise pollution can help in combating noise-induced health hazards and increased work performance.

[Contents of macromineral and trace elements in spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) from France, Chad, Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic].

PubMed

Vicat, Jean-Paul; Doumnang Mbaigane, Jean-Claude; Bellion, Yves

2014-01-01

Data on mineral elements in spirulinas being limited, we analyzed macrominerals and trace elements of samples from France and Africa. Spirulinas cultivated in France have a composition in macromineral elements similar to those of the literature. The entire contents of trace elements are low. Unlike marine cyanobacteria, they do not concentrate rare-earth elements. Spirulina harvested in Chad has high levels in macrominerals and trace elements, due to traditional drying and harvesting methods. Rare-earth element levels are attributed to this pollution and not to their concentration in spirulinas, because rare-earth element normalized profiles of spirulina are strictly parallel to those of ouadis mud and very different from those of ouadis water. Despite the sometimes high content of total As, normal water consumption in Chad presents no health problems. Spirulinas grown in Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic have chemical compositions similar to those of Chad spirulinas, but with a lower content of macromineral and trace elements, reflecting a lower mineral pollution. Rare-earth element normalized patterns dismiss an aeolian pollution and the pollution is rather of pedological origin. They show no toxicity problem except spirulinas from Burkina-Faso, whose Pb content is too high. The variability of composition of spirulinas can be largely attributed to the mineral pollution of the samples. Significant levels of rare-earth elements sometimes found in the literature reflect this pollution. Copyright © 2013 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Particulate matter over a seven year period in urban and rural areas within, proximal and far from mining and power station operations in Greece.

PubMed

Triantafyllou, A G; Zoras, S; Evagelopoulos, V

2006-11-01

Lignite mining operations and lignite-fired power stations result in major particulate pollution (fly ash and fugitive dust) problems in the areas surrounding these activities. The problem is more complicated, especially, for urban areas located not far from these activities, due to additional contribution from the urban pollution sources. Knowledge of the distribution of airborne particulate matter into size fraction has become an increasing area of focus when examining the effects of particulate pollution. On the other hand, airborne particle concentration measurements are useful in order to assess the air pollution levels based on national and international air quality standards. These measurements are also necessary for developing air pollutants control strategies or for evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies, especially, for long periods. In this study an attempt is made in order to investigate the particle size distribution of fly ash and fugitive dust in a heavy industrialized (mining and power stations operations) area with complex terrain in the northwestern part of Greece. Parallel total suspended particulates (TSP) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm (PM10) concentrations are analyzed. These measurements gathered from thirteen monitoring stations located in the greater area of interest. Spatial, temporal variation and trend are analyzed over the last seven years. Furthermore, the geographical variation of PM10 - TSP correlation and PM10/TSP ratio are investigated and compared to those in the literature. The analysis has indicated that a complex system of sources and meteorological conditions modulate the particulate pollution of the examined area.

Applicability of market-based instruments for safeguarding water quality in coastal waterways: Case study for Darwin Harbour, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiner, Romy

2014-02-01

Water pollution of coastal waterways is a complex problem due to the cocktail of pollutants and multiplicity of polluters involved and pollution characteristics. Pollution control therefore requires a combination of policy instruments. This paper examines the applicability of market-based instruments to achieve effective and efficient water quality management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Potential applicability of instruments is examined in the context of biophysical and economic pollution characteristics, and experience with instruments elsewhere. The paper concludes that there is potential for inclusion of market-based instruments as part of an instrument mix to safeguard water quality in Darwin Harbour. It recommends, in particular, expanding the existing licencing system to include quantitative pollution limits for all significant point polluters; comprehensive and independent pollution monitoring across Darwin Harbour; public disclosure of water quality and emissions data; positive incentives for landholders in the Darwin Harbour catchment to improve land management practices; a stormwater offset program for greenfield urban developments; adoption of performance bonds for developments and operations which pose a substantial risk to water quality, including port expansion and dredging; and detailed consideration of a bubble licensing scheme for nutrient pollution. The paper offers an analytical framework for policy makers and resource managers tasked with water quality management in coastal waterways elsewhere in Australia and globally, and helps to scan for MBIs suitable in any given environmental management situation.

Earth Trek...Explore Your Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Gerald

This publication introduces children to water, air, and noise pollution, solid waste disposal, and pesticide use problems. Several pollution problems are explained and the importance of solving them is stressed. Some concepts such as recycling, closed systems, and environments that are related to pollution problems are also introduced. Each…

77 FR 9239 - California State Motor Vehicle and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Truck Idling...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-16

... Pollution Control Standards; Truck Idling Requirements; Notice of Decision AGENCY: Environmental Protection... to meet its serious air pollution problems. Likewise, EPA has consistently recognized that California... and high concentrations of automobiles, create serious pollution problems.'' \\37\\ Furthermore, no...

Innovating e-waste management: From macroscopic to microscopic scales.

PubMed

Zeng, Xianlai; Yang, Congren; Chiang, Joseph F; Li, Jinhui

2017-01-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE or e-waste) has become a global problem, due to its potential environmental pollution and human health risk, and its containing valuable resources (e.g., metals, plastics). Recycling for e-waste will be a necessity, not only to address the shortage of mineral resources for electronics industry, but also to decline environmental pollution and human health risk. To systematically solve the e-waste problem, more attention of e-waste management should transfer from macroscopic to microscopic scales. E-waste processing technology should be significantly improved to diminish and even avoid toxic substance entering into downstream of material. The regulation or policy related to new production of hazardous substances in recycled materials should also be carried out on the agenda. All the findings can hopefully improve WEEE legislation for regulated countries and non-regulated countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remote Sensing of Environmental Pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, G. W.

1971-01-01

Environmental pollution is a problem of international scope and concern. It can be subdivided into problems relating to water, air, or land pollution. Many of the problems in these three categories lend themselves to study and possible solution by remote sensing. Through the use of remote sensing systems and techniques, it is possible to detect and monitor, and in some cases, identify, measure, and study the effects of various environmental pollutants. As a guide for making decisions regarding the use of remote sensors for pollution studies, a special five-dimensional sensor/applications matrix has been designed. The matrix defines an environmental goal, ranks the various remote sensing objectives in terms of their ability to assist in solving environmental problems, lists the environmental problems, ranks the sensors that can be used for collecting data on each problem, and finally ranks the sensor platform options that are currently available.

Atmospheric corrosion of metals in industrial city environment

PubMed Central

Kusmierek, Elzbieta; Chrzescijanska, Ewa

2015-01-01

Atmospheric corrosion is a significant problem given destruction of various materials, especially metals. The corrosion investigation in the industrial city environment was carried out during one year exposure. Corrosion potential was determined using the potentiometric method. The highest effect of corrosion processes was observed during the winter season due to increased air pollution. Corrosion of samples pre-treated in tannic acid before the exposure was more difficult compared with the samples without pretreatment. The corrosion products determined with the SEM/EDS method prove that the most corrosive pollutants present in the industrial city air are SO2, CO2, chlorides and dust. PMID:26217736

The Efficacy of a Green Chemistry Laboratory-Based Pedagogy: Changes in Environmental Values of Malaysia Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpudewan, Mageswary; Ismail, Zurida; Roth, Wolff-Michael

2012-01-01

Every day, climate change due to greenhouse emissions, pollution and other environmental degradation appears to make the news. Rather than doing something about the environment, namely in the developing countries where populations frequently are less educated about the long-term impact of human actions, they tend to disregard these problems. There…

Air Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilpin, Alan

A summary of one of our most pressing environmental problems, air pollution, is offered in this book by the Director of Air Pollution Control for the Queensland (Australia) State Government. Discussion of the subject is not restricted to Queensland or Australian problems and policies, however, but includes analysis of air pollution the world over.…

The effects of outdoor air pollution on the respiratory health of Canadian children: A systematic review of epidemiological studies.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Villamizar, Laura Andrea; Magico, Adam; Osornio-Vargas, Alvaro; Rowe, Brian H

2015-01-01

Outdoor air pollution is a global problem with serious effects on human health, and children are considered to be highly susceptible to the effects of air pollution. To conduct a comprehensive and updated systematic review of the literature reporting the effects of outdoor air pollution on the respiratory health of children in Canada. Searches of four electronic databases between January 2004 and November 2014 were conducted to identify epidemiological studies evaluating the effect of exposure to outdoor air pollutants on respiratory symptoms, lung function measurements and the use of health services due to respiratory conditions in Canadian children. The selection process and quality assessment, using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, were conducted independently by two reviewers. Twenty-seven studies that were heterogeneous with regard to study design, population, respiratory outcome and air pollution exposure were identified. Overall, the included studies reported adverse effects of outdoor air pollution at concentrations that were below Canadian and United States standards. Heterogeneous effects of air pollutants were reported according to city, sex, socioeconomic status and seasonality. The present review also describes trends in research related to the effect of air pollution on Canadian children over the past 25 years. The present study reconfirms the adverse effects of outdoor air pollution on the respiratory health of children in Canada. It will help researchers, clinicians and environmental health authorities identify the available evidence of the adverse effect of outdoor air pollution, research gaps and the limitations for further research.

Groundwater Pollution and Vulnerability Assessment.

PubMed

Kurwadkar, Sudarshan

2017-10-01

Groundwater is a critical resource that serve as a source of drinking water to large human population and, provide long-term water for irrigation purposes. In recent years; however, this precious resource being increasingly threatened, due to natural and anthropogenic activities. A variety of contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds, endocrine disruptors, and biological agents detected in the groundwater sources of both developing and developed nations. In this review paper, various studies have been included that documented instances of groundwater pollution and vulnerability to emerging contaminants of concern, pesticides, heavy metals, and leaching potential of various organic and inorganic contaminants from poorly managed residual waste products (biosolids, landfills, latrines, and septic tanks etc.). Understanding vulnerability of groundwater to pollution is critical to maintain the integrity of groundwater. A section on managed artificial recharge studies is included to highlight the sustainable approaches to groundwater conservation, replenishment and sustainability. This review paper is the synthesis of studies published in last one year that either documented the pollution problems or evaluated the vulnerability of groundwater pollution.

Satellite Monitoring of Oil Spills in the Mediterranean Sea For 1999-2004

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topouzelis, Konstantinos; Muellenhoff, Oliver; Tarchi, Dario; Ferraro, Guido

2008-01-01

Besides accidental pollution caused by ships in distress, different types of routine ship operations lead to deliberate discharges of oil in the sea. Accidental pollution at sea can be reduced but never completely eliminated. On the other hand, deliberate illegal discharges from ships can indeed be reduced by the strict enforcement of existing regulations and the control, monitoring and surveillance of maritime traffic. Operational discharges are the greatest source of marine pollution from ships, and the one which poses a long-term threat to the marine and coastal environment.The present activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), in the field of monitoring sea-based oil pollution using space-borne radar imagery are described. The results obtained for the period 1999-2004 for the Mediterranean Sea are presented. This analysis is of special interest due to the lack of a regular aerial surveillance as that in the North and Baltic Sea. This action helped to reveal what the dimension of the oil pollution problem is, thus stressing the need for more concerted international actions.

Probability mass first flush evaluation for combined sewer discharges.

PubMed

Park, Inhyeok; Kim, Hongmyeong; Chae, Soo-Kwon; Ha, Sungryong

2010-01-01

The Korea government has put in a lot of effort to construct sanitation facilities for controlling non-point source pollution. The first flush phenomenon is a prime example of such pollution. However, to date, several serious problems have arisen in the operation and treatment effectiveness of these facilities due to unsuitable design flow volumes and pollution loads. It is difficult to assess the optimal flow volume and pollution mass when considering both monetary and temporal limitations. The objective of this article was to characterize the discharge of storm runoff pollution from urban catchments in Korea and to estimate the probability of mass first flush (MFFn) using the storm water management model and probability density functions. As a result of the review of gauged storms for the representative using probability density function with rainfall volumes during the last two years, all the gauged storms were found to be valid representative precipitation. Both the observed MFFn and probability MFFn in BE-1 denoted similarly large magnitudes of first flush with roughly 40% of the total pollution mass contained in the first 20% of the runoff. In the case of BE-2, however, there were significant difference between the observed MFFn and probability MFFn.

Acid Earth--The Global Threat of Acid Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, John

Acid pollution is a major international problem, but the debate it has elicited has often clouded the distinction between myth and facts. This publication attempts to concerning the acid pollution situation. This publication attempts to identify available facts. It is the first global review of the problem of acid pollution and the first to…

Diagnosing forest vegetation for air pollution injury

Treesearch

Keith F. Jensen

1989-01-01

The purpose of this Note is to help you become more technically informed about air pollution when serious problems need to be diagnosed by pollution specialists. (Except for ozone, most of the information discussed does not attempt to describe possible air pollution damage caused by long distance transport. This complex problem is currently under intense study.)

Principles and problems of environmental pollution of groundwater resources with case examples from developing countries.

PubMed Central

Egboka, B C; Nwankwor, G I; Orajaka, I P; Ejiofor, A O

1989-01-01

The principles and problems of environmental pollution and contamination are outlined. Emphasis is given to case examples from developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America with a comparative analysis to developed countries. The problems of pollution/contamination are widespread in developed countries but are gradually spreading from the urban to rural areas in the developing countries. Great efforts in research and control programs to check pollution-loading into the environment have been made in the industrialized countries, but only negligible actions have been taken in developing countries. Pollutants emanate from both point and distributed sources and have adversely affected both surface water and groundwaters. The influences of the geologic and hydrologic cycles that exacerbate the incidences of pollution/contamination have not been well understood by environmental planners and managers. Professionals in the different areas of pollution control projects, particularly in developing countries, lack the integrated multiobjective approaches and techniques in problem solving. Such countries as Nigeria, Kenya, Brazil, and India are now menaced by pollution hazards. Appropriate methods of control are hereby suggested. PMID:2695325

Environmental Law and the Export of Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, John F.

1984-01-01

Environmental problems do not stop at state boundaries; they reach beyond local or national jurisdictions and require international control. Problems concerning air quality, water pollution, and indirect pollution are discussed. Environmental legislation can have a significant impact. (RM)

[Hygienic and environmental problems of energy-saving illumination in urbanization of Crimea].

PubMed

Deynego, V N; Elizarov, V B; Kaptsov, V A

The article considers the problems offloodlights pollution in the territory of Crimea due to the work of illumination led equipment of the key elements of the international transport artery "China-Europe". There was performed a qualitative assessment of characteristics of led floodlights pollution on the example of the sea surface of the transport crossing through the Kerch Strait. Ichthyologists and oceanographers were shown to estimate the amount of phytoplankton biomass based on sunlight illumination. The excess dose of blue light in the spectrum of led lighting was established to have an impact on phytoplankton greater than solar and lunar light, creating preconditions for the increase of biological mass of phytoplankton and consequently to the formation of the "stern stock". Arising from additional phytoplankton biomass can significantly influence on the schedule offish migration in waters of the Kerch Strait, the biomass of mosquitoes and midges, which are prey for amphibians and birds. The decline of the both light pollution and its negative impact on fauna andflora requires the development of semiconductor sources of white light with a biologically adequate spectrum in the framework of the "Lighting of the lighting equipment of Crimea".

Adverse respiratory effects of outdoor air pollution in the elderly.

PubMed

Bentayeb, M; Simoni, M; Baiz, N; Norback, D; Baldacci, S; Maio, S; Viegi, G; Annesi-Maesano, I

2012-09-01

Compared to the rest of the population, the elderly are potentially highly susceptible to the effects of outdoor air pollution due to normal and pathological ageing. The purpose of the present review was to gather data on the effects on respiratory health of outdoor air pollution in the elderly, on whom data are scarce. These show statistically significant short-term and chronic adverse effects of various outdoor air pollutants on cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality in the elderly. When exposed to air pollution, the elderly experience more hospital admissions for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and higher COPD mortality than others. Previous studies also indicate that research on the health effects of air pollution in the elderly has been affected by methodological problems in terms of exposure and health effect assessments. Few pollutants have been considered, and exposure assessment has been based mostly on background air pollution and more rarely on objective measurements and modelling. Significant progress needs to be made through the development of 'hybrid' models utilising the strengths of information on exposure in various environments to several air pollutants, coupled with daily activity exposure patterns. Investigations of chronic effects of air pollution and of multi-pollutant mixtures are needed to better understand the role of air pollution in the elderly. Lastly, smoking, occupation, comorbidities, treatment and the neighbourhood context should be considered as confounders or modifiers of such a role. In this context, the underlying biological, physiological and toxicological mechanisms need to be explored to better understand the phenomenon through a multidisciplinary approach.

Chemistry and the Internal Combustion Engine II: Pollution Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, C. B.

1979-01-01

Discusses pollution problems which arise from the use of internal combustion (IC) engines in the United Kingdom (UK). The IC engine exhaust emissions, controlling IC engine pollution in the UK, and some future developments are also included. (HM)

Air Pollution, Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanathan, V.

2007-12-01

The global build up of greenhouse gases (GHGs), is the most significant environmental issue facing the planet. GHGs warm the surface and the atmosphere with significant implications for, rainfall, retreat of glaciers and sea ice, sea level, among other factors. What is less recognized, however, is a comparably major global problem dealing with air pollution. Until about ten years ago, air pollution was thought to be just an urban or a local problem. But new data have revealed that, due to fast long range transport, air pollution is transported across continents and ocean basins, resulting in trans-oceanic and trans-continental plumes of atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) containing sub micron size particles, i.e, aerosols. ABCs intercept sunlight by absorbing as well as reflecting it, both of which lead to a large surface dimming. The dimming effect is enhanced further because aerosols nucleate more cloud drops which makes the clouds reflect more solar radiation. While the solar heating at the surface is reduced by aerosols in ABCs, the atmospheric solar heating increases due to soot solar absorption. The net difference between the dimming and the atmospheric solar heating is estimated be negative which contributes to a global cooling effect. The global cooling from this negative ABC forcing may have masked as much as 50% of the warming due to GHGs. We will identify regional and mega-city hot spots of ABCs. Long range transport from these hot spots gives rise to wide spread plumes over the adjacent oceans. Such a pattern of regionally concentrated surface dimming and atmospheric solar heating, accompanied by wide spread dimming over the oceans, gives rise to large regional effects. Only during the last decade, we have begun to comprehend the surprisingly large regional impacts. The large north-south gradient in the ABC dimming has altered the north-south gradients in sea surface temperatures, which in turn has been shown by models to decrease rainfall over the continents. The uncertainties in our understanding of the ABC effects are large, but we are discovering new ways in which human activities are changing the climate and the environment.

Fractional kalman filter to estimate the concentration of air pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vita Oktaviana, Yessy; Apriliani, Erna; Khusnul Arif, Didik

2018-04-01

Air pollution problem gives important effect in quality environment and quality of human’s life. Air pollution can be caused by nature sources or human activities. Pollutant for example Ozone, a harmful gas formed by NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from various sources. The air pollution problem can be modeled by TAPM-CTM (The Air Pollution Model with Chemical Transport Model). The model shows concentration of pollutant in the air. Therefore, it is important to estimate concentration of air pollutant. Estimation method can be used for forecast pollutant concentration in future and keep stability of air quality. In this research, an algorithm is developed, based on Fractional Kalman Filter to solve the model of air pollution’s problem. The model will be discretized first and then it will be estimated by the method. The result shows that estimation of Fractional Kalman Filter has better accuracy than estimation of Kalman Filter. The accuracy was tested by applying RMSE (Root Mean Square Error).

Assessment of the risk of failure of high voltage substations due to environmental conditions and pollution on insulators.

PubMed

Castillo Sierra, Rafael; Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar; Candelo, John E; Soto, Jose D

2015-07-01

Pollution on electrical insulators is one of the greatest causes of failure of substations subjected to high levels of salinity and environmental pollution. Considering leakage current as the main indicator of pollution on insulators, this paper focuses on establishing the effect of the environmental conditions on the risk of failure due to pollution on insulators and determining the significant change in the magnitude of the pollution on the insulators during dry and humid periods. Hierarchical segmentation analysis was used to establish the effect of environmental conditions on the risk of failure due to pollution on insulators. The Kruskal-Wallis test was utilized to determine the significant changes in the magnitude of the pollution due to climate periods. An important result was the discovery that leakage current was more common on insulators during dry periods than humid ones. There was also a higher risk of failure due to pollution during dry periods. During the humid period, various temperatures and wind directions produced a small change in the risk of failure. As a technical result, operators of electrical substations can now identify the cause of an increase in risk of failure due to pollution in the area. The research provides a contribution towards the behaviour of the leakage current under conditions similar to those of the Colombian Caribbean coast and how they affect the risk of failure of the substation due to pollution.

QUEST: Qualifying Environmentally Sustainable Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Over the years, pollution prevention has proven to be a means to comply with environmental regulations, improve product performance and reduce costs. The NASA Acquisition Pollution Prevention (AP2) Program was created to help individual NASA Centers and programs work together to evaluate and adopt environmentally preferable technologies and practices. The AP2 Program accomplishes its mission using a variety of tools such as networking, information/technology exchange and partnering. Due to its extensive network of contacts, the AP2 Program is an excellent resource for finding existing solutions to problems. If no solution is readily known, the AP2 Program works to identify potential solutions and partners for demonstration/ validation projects. Partnering to prevent pollution is a cornerstone of NASA's prime mission and the One NASA Initiative. This annual newsletter highlights some of our program's collaborative efforts. I believe you will discover how the AP2 Program is responsive in meeting the Agency's environmental management strategic plans.

The assessment of sublethal effects of pollutants in the sea. Review of the problems.

PubMed

Waldichuk, M

1979-08-08

Sublethal effects of pollution may be significant to survival of a stock of marine fish or even a species. Such effects sometimes lead to reproductive failure and have been identified so far only in freshwater systems. Atlantic salmon have disappeared from many streams in Europe and eastern North America, partly as a result of pollution in their freshwater spawning areas and in their estuarine nursing grounds. Reductions in populations of marine fishes due to pollution solely have not yet been demonstrated. However, Baltic Sea seals, where reproductive failure is apparently associated with high concentrations of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyl in the blubber, may have suffered a decline owing to the presence of these organochlorines. Sublethal effects of pollutants have been studied in the laboratory, essentially under four categories: (1) physiology (growth, swimming performance, respiration, circulation); (2) biochemistry/cell structure (blood chemistry, enzyme activity, endocrinology, histochemistry); (3) behaviour/neurophysiology; and (4) reproduction. Not all pollutants elicit meaningful responses in all categories, and a response is not always linear with pollutant concentration. For application to survival of populations the response has to be ultimately related to a healthy progression through a full life cycle, including successful reproduction. In recent time, physiological studies have moved into polluted marine environments with mobile laboratories having continuous sampling capability, to observe effects of pollutants in situ on marine organisms. The Controlled Ecosystem Pollution Experiment (Cepex) in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, endeavours to investigate the effects of low concentrations of pollutants on marine organisms in large plastic silos having a slow replacement of water.

Population and Pollution in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridker, Ronald G.

1972-01-01

Analyzes a simple model relating environmental pollution to population and per capita income and concludes that no single cause is sufficient to explain.... environmental problems, and that there is little about the pollution problems.... of the next 50 years that is inevitable." (Author/AL)

Managing the drinking water catchment areas: the French agricultural cooperatives feed back.

PubMed

Charrière, Séverine; Aumond, Claire

2016-06-01

The quality of raw water is problematic in France, largely polluted by nitrates and pesticides (Mueller and Helsel, Nutrients in the nation's waters-too much of a good thing? Geological Survey (U.S.), 1996; European Environment Agency, European waters-assessment of status and pressures, 2012).This type of pollution, even though not always due to agriculture (example of the catchment of Ambleville, county 95, France where the nitrate pollution is mainly due to sewers (2012)), has been largely related to the agricultural practices (Sci Total Environ 407:6034-6043, 2009).Taking note of this observation, and instead of letting it paralyze their actions, the agricultural cooperatives decided with Agrosolutions to act directly on the field with their subscribers to change the agricultural practices impacting the water and the environment.This article shows how the French agricultural cooperatives transformed the awareness of the raw water quality problem into an opportunity for the development and implementation of more precise and responsible practices, to protect their environment. They measure in order to pilot, co-construct and build the best action plans possible according to the three pillars of environment, economy and agronomy.

Modelling pollutants dispersion and plume rise from large hydrocarbon tank fires in neutrally stratified atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argyropoulos, C. D.; Sideris, G. M.; Christolis, M. N.; Nivolianitou, Z.; Markatos, N. C.

2010-02-01

Petrochemical industries normally use storage tanks containing large amounts of flammable and hazardous substances. Therefore, the occurrence of a tank fire, such as the large industrial accident on 11th December 2005 at Buncefield Oil Storage Depots, is possible and usually leads to fire and explosions. Experience has shown that the continuous production of black smoke from these fires due to the toxic gases from the combustion process, presents a potential environmental and health problem that is difficult to assess. The goals of the present effort are to estimate the height of the smoke plume, the ground-level concentrations of the toxic pollutants (smoke, SO 2, CO, PAHs, VOCs) and to characterize risk zones by comparing the ground-level concentrations with existing safety limits. For the application of the numerical procedure developed, an external floating-roof tank has been selected with dimensions of 85 m diameter and 20 m height. Results are presented and discussed. It is concluded that for all scenarios considered, the ground-level concentrations of smoke, SO 2, CO, PAHs and VOCs do not exceed the safety limit of IDLH and there are no "death zones" due to the pollutant concentrations.

Air pollution engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maduna, Karolina; Tomašić, Vesna

2017-11-01

Air pollution is an environmental and a social problem which leads to a multitude of adverse effects on human health and standard of human life, state of the ecosystems and global change of climate. Air pollutants are emitted from natural, but mostly from anthropogenic sources and may be transported over long distances. Some air pollutants are extremely stable in the atmosphere and may accumulate in the environment and in the food chain, affecting human beings, animals and natural biodiversity. Obviously, air pollution is a complex problem that poses multiple challenges in terms of management and abatements of the pollutants emission. Effective approach to the problems of air pollution requires a good understanding of the sources that cause it, knowledge of air quality status and future trends as well as its impact on humans and ecosystems. This chapter deals with the complexities of the air pollution and presents an overview of different technical processes and equipment for air pollution control, as well as basic principles of their work. The problems of air protection as well as protection of other ecosystems can be solved only by the coordinated endeavors of various scientific and engineering disciplines, such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, chemical engineering and social sciences. The most important engineering contribution is mostly focused on development, design and operation of equipment for the abatement of harmful emissions into environment.

Leukemia-related mortality in towns lying in the vicinity of metal production and processing installations.

PubMed

García-Pérez, Javier; López-Cima, María Felicitas; Boldo, Elena; Fernández-Navarro, Pablo; Aragonés, Nuria; Pollán, Marina; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; López-Abente, Gonzalo

2010-10-01

Releases to the environment of toxic substances stemming from industrial metal production and processing installations can pose a health problem to populations in their vicinity. To investigate whether there might be excess leukemia-related mortality in populations residing in towns in the vicinity of Spanish metal industries included in the European Pollutant Emission Register. Ecologic study designed to examine mortality due to leukemia at a municipal level, during the period 1994-2003. Population exposure to pollution was estimated on the basis of distance from town of residence to pollution source. Using Poisson regression models, we analyzed: risk of dying from leukemia in a 5-kilometer zone around installations which had become operational prior to 1990; effect of pollution discharge route and type of industrial activity; and risk gradient within a 50-kilometer radius of such installations. Excess mortality (relative risk, 95% confidence interval) was detected in the vicinity of pre-1990 installations (1.07, 1.02-1.13 in men; 1.05, 1.00-1.11 in women), with this being more elevated in the case of installations that released pollution to air versus water. On stratifying by type of industrial activity, statistically significant associations were also observed among women residing in the vicinity of galvanizing installations (1.58, 1.09-2.29) and surface-treatment installations using an electrolytic or chemical process (1.34, 1.10-1.62), which released pollution to air. There was an effect whereby risk increased with proximity to certain installations. The results suggest an association between risk of dying due to leukemia and proximity to Spanish metal industries. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impacts of particulate matter pollution on plants: Implications for environmental biomonitoring.

PubMed

Rai, Prabhat Kumar

2016-07-01

Air pollution is one of the serious problems world is facing in recent Anthropocene era of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Specifically particulate matter (PM) pollution represents a threat to both the environment and human health. The changed ambient environment due to the PM pollutant in urban areas has exerted a profound influence on the morphological, biochemical and physiological status of plants and its responses. Taking into account the characteristics of the vegetation (wide distribution, greater contact area etc.) it turns out to be an effective indicator of the overall impact of PM pollution and harmful effects of PM pollution on vegetation have been reviewed in the present paper, covering an extensive span of 1960 to March 2016. The present review critically describes the impact of PM pollution and its constituents (e.g. heavy metals and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons) on the morphological attributes such as leaf area, leaf number, stomata structure, flowering, growth and reproduction as well as biochemical parameters such as pigment content, enzymes, ascorbic acid, protein, sugar and physiological aspect such as pH and Relative water content. Further, the paper provides a brief overview on the impact of PM on biodiversity and climate change. Moreover, the review emphasizes the genotoxic impacts of PM on plants. Finally, on the basis of such studies tolerant plants as potent biomonitors with high Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Air Pollution Index (API) can be screened and may be recommended for green belt development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pollution source localization in an urban water supply network based on dynamic water demand.

PubMed

Yan, Xuesong; Zhu, Zhixin; Li, Tian

2017-10-27

Urban water supply networks are susceptible to intentional, accidental chemical, and biological pollution, which pose a threat to the health of consumers. In recent years, drinking-water pollution incidents have occurred frequently, seriously endangering social stability and security. The real-time monitoring for water quality can be effectively implemented by placing sensors in the water supply network. However, locating the source of pollution through the data detection obtained by water quality sensors is a challenging problem. The difficulty lies in the limited number of sensors, large number of water supply network nodes, and dynamic user demand for water, which leads the pollution source localization problem to an uncertainty, large-scale, and dynamic optimization problem. In this paper, we mainly study the dynamics of the pollution source localization problem. Previous studies of pollution source localization assume that hydraulic inputs (e.g., water demand of consumers) are known. However, because of the inherent variability of urban water demand, the problem is essentially a fluctuating dynamic problem of consumer's water demand. In this paper, the water demand is considered to be stochastic in nature and can be described using Gaussian model or autoregressive model. On this basis, an optimization algorithm is proposed based on these two dynamic water demand change models to locate the pollution source. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to find the locations and concentrations of pollution sources that meet the minimum between the analogue and detection values of the sensor. Simulation experiments were conducted using two different sizes of urban water supply network data, and the experimental results were compared with those of the standard genetic algorithm.

Pollution of water sources due to poor waste management--the case of Dar-es-Salaam.

PubMed

Makule, D E

2000-01-01

Pollution of water sources for the city of Dar-es-Salaam originates from haphazard disposal of solid wastes, discharge of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater to water sources, lack of standard sanitary facilities and poor hygienic practices. Contaminated water used for human consumption can lead to serious health problems e.g. cholera, typhoid, skin diseases, etc., which, in turn, leads to reduced working hours/manpower. This has a direct effect to production output which can lead to a deterioration of local community welfare. Having realised this as a problem, the Government of Tanzania stipulated, in its water policy of 1991, the need for protection of water sources. In achieving this goal, proper waste management was singled out to be of vital importance. Due to economic hardships, however, budget allocation by the central Government could not cover the costs needed for proper handling of waste. This left Tanzania with no alternative other than heavy reliance on donor and bilateral organisations for financial support of programmes. Nevertheless, these sources of funds proved to be unreliable for many different reasons. To deal with these problems, the Government currently emphasises involving local community and NGOs, the formation of stakeholder funds and organisations, and involvement of the private sector. Other efforts are intensification of education programmes to create more awareness to the local communities on the need for protection of water sources. Although at its infancy level, the system is showing some signs of improvement.

New perspectives on pollution control: Cross-media problems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Although there is only one natural environment, many environmental institutions and policies attempt to control pollutants in air, water, and land separately, often by merely transferring the pollutants from one medium to another. Water pollutants may be volatilized into the air or collected and disposed of on land as sludge, thereby allowing the possibility for contamination of another medium. Present policies often fail to reduce levels of some pollutants in the overall environment. To examine this cross-media problem and what can be done about it, The conservation Foundation sponsored a conference in November 1984 on the new dimensions of pollutionmore » problems. The papers presented at that conference along with comments and additional discussion are compiled in this report. The perspectives included represent those of government officials, corporate executives, environmentalists, researchers, and others. The extent of the cross-media problem, priorities for future research, and the implications that cross-media problems have for environmental policy are considered.« less

Air Pollution Control and Waste Management

EPA Science Inventory

This special issue addresses air pollution control and waste management, two environmental problems that are usually considered separately. Indeed, one of the challenges of environmental protection is that problems are addressed in 'media-specific' ways. In reality, these problem...

Survey of phthalate pollution in arable soils in China.

PubMed

Hu, Xiao-yu; Wen, Bei; Shan, Xiao-quan

2003-08-01

The problem of pollution by phthalates is of global concern due to their widespread occurrence, toxicity and endocrine disruption properties. The contamination by phthalates such as dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in 23 arable soils throughout China was investigated to evaluate the present pollution situation. The survey results demonstrated that phthalates were ubiquitous pollutants in soils in China. The total concentrations of phthalates differed from one location to another, and ranged from 0.89 to 10.03 mg kg(-1) with a median concentration of 3.43 mg kg(-1). Among the phthalates, DEHP was dominant and detected in all 23 soils. DEP and DBP were also in abundance, and DMP was rarely detected. Similar contamination patterns were observed in all 23 soils. A distinct feature of phthalate pollution in China was that the average concentration in northern China was higher than that in southern China. In addition, a close relationship was observed between the concentration of phthalates in soils and the consumption of agricultural film. The correlation showed that the application of agriculture film might be a significant pollution source of phthalates in arable soils of China. The potential risk of phthalates in soils was assessed on the basis of current guide values and limits.

Impact of traffic-related air pollution on health.

PubMed

Jakubiak-Lasocka, J; Lasocki, J; Siekmeier, R; Chłopek, Z

2015-01-01

Road transport contributes significantly to air quality problems through vehicle emissions, which have various detrimental impacts on public health and the environment. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of traffic-related air pollution on health of Warsaw citizens, following the basics of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) method, and evaluate its social cost. PM10 was chosen as an indicator of traffic-related air pollution. Exposure-response functions between air pollution and health impacts were employed. The value of statistical life (VSL) approach was used for the estimation of the cost of mortality attributable to traffic-related air pollution. Costs of hospitalizations and restricted activity days were assessed basing on the cost of illness (COI) method. According to the calculations, about 827 Warsaw citizens die in a year as a result of traffic-related air pollution. Also, about 566 and 250 hospital admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, respectively, and more than 128,453 restricted activity days can be attributed to the traffic emissions. From the social perspective, these losses generate the cost of 1,604 million PLN (1 EUR-approx. 4.2 PLN). This cost is very high and, therefore, more attention should be paid for the integrated environmental health policy.

A Survey of Wireless Sensor Network Based Air Pollution Monitoring Systems

PubMed Central

Yi, Wei Ying; Lo, Kin Ming; Mak, Terrence; Leung, Kwong Sak; Leung, Yee; Meng, Mei Ling

2015-01-01

The air quality in urban areas is a major concern in modern cities due to significant impacts of air pollution on public health, global environment, and worldwide economy. Recent studies reveal the importance of micro-level pollution information, including human personal exposure and acute exposure to air pollutants. A real-time system with high spatio-temporal resolution is essential because of the limited data availability and non-scalability of conventional air pollution monitoring systems. Currently, researchers focus on the concept of The Next Generation Air Pollution Monitoring System (TNGAPMS) and have achieved significant breakthroughs by utilizing the advance sensing technologies, MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). However, there exist potential problems of these newly proposed systems, namely the lack of 3D data acquisition ability and the flexibility of the sensor network. In this paper, we classify the existing works into three categories as Static Sensor Network (SSN), Community Sensor Network (CSN) and Vehicle Sensor Network (VSN) based on the carriers of the sensors. Comprehensive reviews and comparisons among these three types of sensor networks were also performed. Last but not least, we discuss the limitations of the existing works and conclude the objectives that we want to achieve in future systems. PMID:26703598

A Survey of Wireless Sensor Network Based Air Pollution Monitoring Systems.

PubMed

Yi, Wei Ying; Lo, Kin Ming; Mak, Terrence; Leung, Kwong Sak; Leung, Yee; Meng, Mei Ling

2015-12-12

The air quality in urban areas is a major concern in modern cities due to significant impacts of air pollution on public health, global environment, and worldwide economy. Recent studies reveal the importance of micro-level pollution information, including human personal exposure and acute exposure to air pollutants. A real-time system with high spatio-temporal resolution is essential because of the limited data availability and non-scalability of conventional air pollution monitoring systems. Currently, researchers focus on the concept of The Next Generation Air Pollution Monitoring System (TNGAPMS) and have achieved significant breakthroughs by utilizing the advance sensing technologies, MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). However, there exist potential problems of these newly proposed systems, namely the lack of 3D data acquisition ability and the flexibility of the sensor network. In this paper, we classify the existing works into three categories as Static Sensor Network (SSN), Community Sensor Network (CSN) and Vehicle Sensor Network (VSN) based on the carriers of the sensors. Comprehensive reviews and comparisons among these three types of sensor networks were also performed. Last but not least, we discuss the limitations of the existing works and conclude the objectives that we want to achieve in future systems.

Agricultural Science Protects Our Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1967

Included are a 49 frame filmstrip and a script for narrating a presentation. The presentation is aimed at the secondary school level with an emphasis on how agricultural scientists investigate problems in farmland erosion, stream pollution, road building erosion problems, air pollution, farm pollution, pesticides, and insect control by biological…

CRA-W's committee of intervention: analyse of catchments polluted with pesticides.

PubMed

Noel, S; Bah, B B; Collinet, G; Buffet, D; Sorel, A; Hallet, V

2008-01-01

In the Walloon Region of Belgium, a committee of intervention has been created to investigate problems of pesticide contamination of various catchments use for drinking water production. This committee involves the Agricultural Research centre--Wallonia (CRA-W, project coordinator) and some University experts. It is funded by the Société Publique de Gestion des Eaux (SPGE). The diagnosis method, base on the AQUAPLAINE method (Arvatis-France), consists of 4 steps. The first step is the preparation of diagnosis (at the office) that takes into account the paper risk of active ingredients. and their uses, the identification of the agricultural parcels, the collection of cartographic and numeric data, the description of the hydrogeological and pedological contexts and the study of the meteorological data in relation with the period of pollution. The second step consists of making a plot diagnosis (on the field) to identify the way of transfer inside the plot and collecting data. At the third step, the people who can apply PPP treatment close to the catchment are met (farmers and city services). Information are collected on treatments applied and on the state of parcels. Based on the hypothesis of pollution cause, the committee proposes solution to solve the problem. One of the catchment that has been investigated by the committee is located at Biesmerée, (Namur province, in Belgium). A temporally contamination was caused by 4 pesticides : chlortoluron, isoproturon, trifluralin and diflufenican. After investigations, it seems that the pollution was probably due to the hydrogeological context. As the river is locally perched over the aquifer, the presence of Poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be due to the infiltration of surface water inside the catchment or/and to the presence of a sinkhole temporally activated during river flood period. Infiltration rate has to be assessed and river bank impermeabilization is recommended.

[The short-term results of air pollution on mortality: the results of the EMECAM project in Cartagena, 1992-96. Estudio Multicéntrico Español sobre la Relación entre la Contaminación Atmosférica y la Mortalidad].

PubMed

Guillén Pérez, J J; Cirera Suárez, L; García-Marcos Alvarez, L; Jiménez Torres, E; Barber Vallès, X; Martínez García, M J; Moreno Grau, S

1999-01-01

The problems of air pollution became noticeable in Cartagena in the seventies, high SO2 and particle levels having been reached from time to time. Our aim is to assess, using the EMECAM methodology, the acute impact of SO2 and particle air pollution on the daily death rate of the city of Cartagena in the 1992-1996 period. A daily listing is provided of the total number of non-accidental deaths within the population as a whole and for those over age 70, the cardiovascular and the respiratory deaths due to dioxide and particle air pollution for the 1992-1996 period using autoregressive Poisson models which control seasonality, weather, time of year, flu, special events, and time lags. In the period under study, there has been a drop in the SO2 air pollution as compared to previous years, which was not as marked for the particles. The analyses reveal significant relationships in the total non-accidental deaths in those over age 69, with the average particle count and those particles with cardiovascular deaths for the months of May to October. In the six-month period of the year, when the weather is cold, we found a positive statistically significant relationship to exist in the maximum daily hourly value of the particles and the deaths due to cardiocirculatory and respiratory diseases. However, there is no consistency in the between on assessing the reliability of the models.

LaSVM-based big data learning system for dynamic prediction of air pollution in Tehran.

PubMed

Ghaemi, Z; Alimohammadi, A; Farnaghi, M

2018-04-20

Due to critical impacts of air pollution, prediction and monitoring of air quality in urban areas are important tasks. However, because of the dynamic nature and high spatio-temporal variability, prediction of the air pollutant concentrations is a complex spatio-temporal problem. Distribution of pollutant concentration is influenced by various factors such as the historical pollution data and weather conditions. Conventional methods such as the support vector machine (SVM) or artificial neural networks (ANN) show some deficiencies when huge amount of streaming data have to be analyzed for urban air pollution prediction. In order to overcome the limitations of the conventional methods and improve the performance of urban air pollution prediction in Tehran, a spatio-temporal system is designed using a LaSVM-based online algorithm. Pollutant concentration and meteorological data along with geographical parameters are continually fed to the developed online forecasting system. Performance of the system is evaluated by comparing the prediction results of the Air Quality Index (AQI) with those of a traditional SVM algorithm. Results show an outstanding increase of speed by the online algorithm while preserving the accuracy of the SVM classifier. Comparison of the hourly predictions for next coming 24 h, with those of the measured pollution data in Tehran pollution monitoring stations shows an overall accuracy of 0.71, root mean square error of 0.54 and coefficient of determination of 0.81. These results are indicators of the practical usefulness of the online algorithm for real-time spatial and temporal prediction of the urban air quality.

Biosorption: An Interplay between Marine Algae and Potentially Toxic Elements-A Review.

PubMed

Bilal, Muhammad; Rasheed, Tahir; Sosa-Hernández, Juan Eduardo; Raza, Ali; Nabeel, Faran; Iqbal, Hafiz M N

2018-02-19

In recent decades, environmental pollution has emerged as a core issue, around the globe, rendering it of fundamental concern to eco-toxicologists, environmental biologists, eco-chemists, pathologists, and researchers from other fields. The dissolution of polluting agents is a leading cause of environmental pollution of all key spheres including the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, among others. The widespread occurrence of various pollutants including toxic heavy metals and other emerging hazardous contaminants is a serious concern. With increasing scientific knowledge, socioeconomic awareness, human health problems, and ecological apprehensions, people are more concerned about adverse health outcomes. Against this background, several removal methods have been proposed and implemented with the aim of addressing environmental pollution and sustainable and eco-friendly development. Among them, the biosorption of pollutants using naturally inspired sources, e.g., marine algae, has considerable advantages. In the past few years, marine algae have been extensively studied due to their natural origin, overall cost-effective ratio, and effectiveness against a broader pollutant range; thus, they are considered a potential alternative to the conventional methods used for environmental decontamination. Herein, an effort has been made to highlight the importance of marine algae as naturally inspired biosorbents and their role in biosorption. Biosorption mechanisms and factors affecting biosorption activities are also discussed in this review. The utilization of marine algae as a biosorbent for the removal of numerous potentially toxic elements has also been reviewed.

Biosorption: An Interplay between Marine Algae and Potentially Toxic Elements—A Review

PubMed Central

Bilal, Muhammad; Rasheed, Tahir; Raza, Ali; Nabeel, Faran

2018-01-01

In recent decades, environmental pollution has emerged as a core issue, around the globe, rendering it of fundamental concern to eco-toxicologists, environmental biologists, eco-chemists, pathologists, and researchers from other fields. The dissolution of polluting agents is a leading cause of environmental pollution of all key spheres including the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, among others. The widespread occurrence of various pollutants including toxic heavy metals and other emerging hazardous contaminants is a serious concern. With increasing scientific knowledge, socioeconomic awareness, human health problems, and ecological apprehensions, people are more concerned about adverse health outcomes. Against this background, several removal methods have been proposed and implemented with the aim of addressing environmental pollution and sustainable and eco-friendly development. Among them, the biosorption of pollutants using naturally inspired sources, e.g., marine algae, has considerable advantages. In the past few years, marine algae have been extensively studied due to their natural origin, overall cost-effective ratio, and effectiveness against a broader pollutant range; thus, they are considered a potential alternative to the conventional methods used for environmental decontamination. Herein, an effort has been made to highlight the importance of marine algae as naturally inspired biosorbents and their role in biosorption. Biosorption mechanisms and factors affecting biosorption activities are also discussed in this review. The utilization of marine algae as a biosorbent for the removal of numerous potentially toxic elements has also been reviewed. PMID:29463058

A Course on the Physics of Urban and Environmental Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marston, Edwin H.

1970-01-01

Presents a physics course for social scientists. Physics problems are presented within the context of several urban and environmental case studies. The problems considered include transportation, air pollution, thermal pollution of water, and scarcity of resources. (LS)

Retractions by Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences due to Scientific Misconduct.

PubMed

Jawaid, Shaukat Ali; Jawaid, Masood

2016-08-01

Under pressure to publish, academicians and research scientists are increasingly indulging in scientific misconduct leading to retraction of such papers when identified. Other reasons of retraction include scientific error and problems related to ethics. Four published manuscripts (three from Turkey and one from Pakistan) had to be retracted from Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences from January 2014 to July 2015 due to scientific misconduct. There is a need to search for effective measures which could help reduce the number of retractions and prevent scientific literature from being further polluted, which seems to be increasing every year.

Satellite passive remote sensing of off-shore pollutants, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Satellite detection and monitoring of off-shore dumped pollutants, other than oil, are discussed. Summaries of satellite sensor performance in three spectral bands (visible, infrared, and microwave) are presented. The bulk of the report gives all the calculations, trade-offs and limitations of the three sensor systems. It is asserted that the problem of pollution monitoring is not a sensor problem but a problem of mathematical modeling and data processing.

Non-specific monitoring to resolve intermittent pollutant problems associated with wastewater treatment and potable supply.

PubMed

Stuetz, R M

2004-01-01

An online monitoring system based on an array of non-specific sensors was used for the detection of chemical pollutants in wastewater and water. By superimposing sensor profiles for defined sampling window, the identification of data points outside these normal sensor response patterns was used to represent potential pollution episodes or other abnormalities within the process stream. Principle component analysis supported the detection of outliers or rapid changes in the sensor responses as an indicator of chemical pollutants. A model based on the comparison of sensor relative responses to a moving average for a defined sample window was tested for detecting and identifying sudden changes in the online data over a 6-month period. These results show the technical advantages of using a non-specific based monitoring system that can respond to a range of chemical species, due to broad selectivity of the sensor compositions. The findings demonstrate how this non-invasive technique could be further developed to provide early warning systems for application at the inlet of wastewater treatment plants.

Chemical Munitions Search & Assessment-An evaluation of the dumped munitions problem in the Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bełdowski, Jacek; Klusek, Zygmunt; Szubska, Marta; Turja, Raisa; Bulczak, Anna I.; Rak, Daniel; Brenner, Matthias; Lang, Thomas; Kotwicki, Lech; Grzelak, Katarzyna; Jakacki, Jaromir; Fricke, Nicolai; Östin, Anders; Olsson, Ulf; Fabisiak, Jacek; Garnaga, Galina; Nyholm, Jenny Rattfelt; Majewski, Piotr; Broeg, Katja; Söderström, Martin; Vanninen, Paula; Popiel, Stanisław; Nawała, Jakub; Lehtonen, Kari; Berglind, Rune; Schmidt, Beata

2016-06-01

Chemical Munitions Search & Assessment (CHEMSEA) project has performed studies on chemical weapon (CW) detection, sediment pollution and spreading as well as biological effects of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) dumped in the Baltic Sea. Results suggest that munitions containing CWAs are more scattered on the seafloor than suspected, and previously undocumented dumpsite was discovered in Gdansk Deep. Pollution of sediments with CWA degradation products was local and close to the detected objects; however the pollution range was larger than predicted with theoretical models. Bottom currents observed in the dumpsites were strong enough for sediment re-suspension, and contributed to the transport of polluted sediments. Diversity and density of the faunal communities were poor at the dumping sites in comparison to the reference area, although the direct effects of CWA on benthos organisms were difficult to determine due to hypoxic or even anoxic conditions near the bottom. Equally, the low oxygen might have affected the biological effects assessed in cod and caged blue mussels. Nonetheless, both species showed significantly elevated molecular and cellular level responses at contaminated sites compared to reference sites.

Mexico City Air Quality Research Initiative; Volume 5, Strategic evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-03-01

Members of the Task HI (Strategic Evaluation) team were responsible for the development of a methodology to evaluate policies designed to alleviate air pollution in Mexico City. This methodology utilizes information from various reports that examined ways to reduce pollutant emissions, results from models that calculate the improvement in air quality due to a reduction in pollutant emissions, and the opinions of experts as to the requirements and trade-offs that are involved in developing a program to address the air pollution problem in Mexico City. The methodology combines these data to produce comparisons between different approaches to improving Mexico City`smore » air quality. These comparisons take into account not only objective factors such as the air quality improvement or cost of the different approaches, but also subjective factors such as public acceptance or political attractiveness of the different approaches. The end result of the process is a ranking of the different approaches and, more importantly, the process provides insights into the implications of implementing a particular approach or policy.« less

Exploring Pesticide Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rillo, Thomas J.

1974-01-01

Examines environmental problems associated with the use of pesticides, and suggests thirty learning activities designed to give elementary school children a better understanding of the problem of pesticide pollution. (JR)

Wastewater and sludge reuse in agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalavrouziotis, Ioannis

2016-04-01

The reuse of Municipal wastewaters (TMWW) for irrigation of crops, and of sludge for the amendment of soils, is a multidimensional disposal practice aiming at: (i) minimizing the environmental problems by releasing the pressure exerted by these two inputs on the environment, (ii) providing the growing plants with water and nutrients and (ii) improving soil fertility and productivity, The research work conducted in our University in relation to accomplishing a safe reuse has been focused on the study of the following aspects of reuse: (i) heavy metal accumulation in soils and plants with emphasis on their edible part. This aspect has been studied by conducting a series of experiments aiming at the study of the accumulation of heavy metals in soils, and in plant roots, stalks, leaves and fruits. The conclusions drawn so far with regard to the order of accumulation of heavy metals are: Roots>leaves>stalks>fruits ( edible parts) (ii) interactions between heavy metals, plant nutrients and soil chemical and physical properties. After the examinations of hundreds of interactions, and the development of a quantification of the interactions contribution, it was found that considerable quantities of heavy metals and nutrients are contributed to the soil and to various plant parts , emphasizing the important role of the elemental interactions in plants.(iii) assessment of soil pollution with heavy metals based on pollution indices, Three pollution Indices have been established by our research team and were proposed internationally for application in actual practice for the prediction of soil pollution due to long term reuse of wastewater and sludge. These indices are as follows: (a) Elemental pollution Index (EPI), (b) Heavy Metal Load (HML), and (c) Total Concentration Factor (TCF) and (iv) construction of a computer program for the control of the reuse of TMWW and sludge, and forecasting soil pollution due to accumulation of heavy metal by means of pollution indices.

Climate change and air pollution: Effects on pollen allergy and other allergic respiratory diseases.

PubMed

D'Amato, Gennaro; Bergmann, Karl Christian; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Sanduzzi, Alessandro; Liccardi, Gennaro; Vitale, Carolina; Stanziola, Anna; D'Amato, Maria

The observational evidence indicates that recent regional changes in climate, particularly temperature increases, have already affected a diverse set of physical and biological systems in many parts of the world. Allergens patterns are also changing in response to climate change and air pollution can modify the allergenic potential of pollen grains especially in the presence of specific weather conditions. Although genetic factors are important in the development of asthma and allergic diseases, their rising trend can be explained only by changes occurring in the environment and urban air pollution by motor vehicles has been indicated as one of the major risk factors responsible for this increase. Despite some differences in the air pollution profile and decreasing trends of some key air pollutants, air quality is an important concern for public health in the cities throughout the world. Due to climate change, air pollution patterns are changing in several urbanized areas of the world with a significant effect on respiratory health. The underlying mechanisms of all these interactions are not well known yet. The consequences on health vary from decreases in lung function to allergic diseases, new onset of diseases, and exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases. In addition, it is important to recall that an individual's response to pollution exposure depends on the source and components of air pollution, as well as meteorological conditions. Indeed, some air pollution-related incidents with asthma aggravation do not depend only on the increased production of air pollution, but rather on atmospheric factors that favor the accumulation of air pollutants at ground level. Associations between thunderstorms and asthma morbidity of pollinosis-affected people have also been identified in multiple locations around the world ( Fig. 1). Cite this as D'Amato G, Bergmann KC, Cecchi L, Annesi-Maesano I, Sanduzzi A, Liccardi G, Vitale C, Stanziola A, D'Amato M. Climate change and air pollution - Effects on pollen allergy and other allergic respiratory diseases. Allergo J Int 2014; 23: 17-23 DOI 10.1007/s40629-014-0003-7 A factor clouding the problem is that laboratory evaluations do not reflect what happens during natural exposition. Considering these aspects, governments worldwide, international organizations, and cooperations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Health Policy of the European Union (EU) are facing a growing problem of the respiratory effects induced by gaseous and particulate pollutants arising from motor vehicle emissions.

Water Pollution. Project COMPSEP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lantz, H. B., Jr.

This is an introductory program on water pollution. Examined are the cause and effect relationships of water pollution, sources of water pollution, and possible alternatives to effect solutions from our water pollution problems. Included is background information on water pollution, a glossary of pollution terminology, a script for a slide script…

The Correlation of Geo-Ecological Environment and Mountain Urban planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chun; Zeng, Wei

2018-01-01

As a special area with the complex geological structure, mountain city is more prone to geological disasters. Due to air pollution, ground subsidence, serious water pollution, earthquakes and floods geo-ecological environment problems have become increasingly serious, mountain urban planning is facing more severe challenges. Therefore, this article bases on the correlation research of geo-ecological environment and mountain urban planning, and re-examins mountain urban planning from the perspective of geo-ecological, coordinates the relationship between the human and nature by geo-ecological thinking, raises the questions which urban planning need to pay attention. And advocates creating an integrated system of geo-ecological and mountain urban planning, analysis the status and dynamics of present mountain urban planning.

Health impairments arising from drinking water polluted with domestic sewage and excreta in China.

PubMed

Ling, B

2000-01-01

Raw water of poor quality still causes many drinking-water associated health problems all over China, largely because of poor sanitation, inadequate disposal of sewage and excreta. Eutrophication due to excess of total nitrogen and phosphorous in some sources for drinking-water has led to massive proliferation of cyanobacteria. The dominant species of cyanophyta can produce microcystins, a potent liver cancer promotor. As in previous studies, high incidence of liver cancer coincided with high microcystin concentration in the source water, especially in pond water. A frequent consequence of heavy pollution of source water is further the high incidence of infectious intestinal diseases, which are more than 10-100 times as frequent in China than in developed countries.

Your Environment and What You Can Do About It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltonstall, Richard

This book is written for the action oriented citizen concerned about pollution problems involving our physical environment. The book explains what can be done concerning problems in air and water pollution, noise, chemical pollution of the land, urban sprawl, clogged highways, rural decay, waste disposal, and litter. The book also comments on what…

Water Pollution (Causes, Mechanisms, Solution).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strandberg, Carl

Written for the general public, this book illustrates the causes, status, problem areas, and prediction and control of water pollution. Water pollution is one of the most pressing issues of our time and the author communicates the complexities of this problem to the reader in common language. The purpose of the introductory chapter is to show what…

Control of Groundwater Pollution from Animal Feeding Operations: A Farm-Level Dynamic Model for Policy Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Baerenklau, K.

2012-12-01

Consolidation in livestock production generates higher farm incomes due to economies of scale, but it also brings waste disposal problems. Over-application of animal waste on adjacent land produces adverse environmental and health effects, including groundwater nitrate pollution. The situation is particularly noticeable in California. In respond to this increasingly severe problem, EPA published a type of command-and-control regulation for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in 2003. The key component of the regulation is its nutrient management plans (NMPs), which intend to limit the land application rates of animal waste. Although previous studies provide a full perspective on potential economic impacts for CAFOs to meet nutrient standards, their models are static and fail to reflect changes in management practices other than spreading manure on additional land and changing cropping patterns. We develop a dynamic environmental-economic modeling framework for representative CAFOs. The framework incorporates four models (i.e., animal model, crop model, hydrologic model, and economic model) that include various components such as herd management, manure handling system, crop rotation, water sources, irrigation system, waste disposal options, and pollutant emissions. We also include the dynamics of soil characteristics in the rootzone as well as the spatial heterogeneity of the irrigation system. The operator maximizes discounted total farm profit over multiple periods subject to environmental regulations. Decision rules from the dynamic optimization problem demonstrate best management practices for CAFOs to improve their economic and environmental performance. Results from policy simulations suggest that direct quantity restrictions of emission or incentive-based emission policies are much more cost-effective than the standard approach of limiting the amount of animal waste that may be applied to fields (as shown in the figure below); reason being, policies targeting intermediate pollution and final pollution create incentives for the operator to examine the effects of other management practices to reduce pollution in addition to controlling the polluting inputs. Incentive-based mechanisms are slightly more cost-effective than quantity controls when seasonal emissions fluctuate. Our approach demonstrates the importance of taking into account the spatial & temporal dynamics in the rootzone and the integrated effects of water, nitrogen, and salinity on crop yield and nitrate emissions. It also highlights the significant role the environment can play in pollution control and the potential benefits from designing policies that acknowledge this role.oss of Total Net Farm Income Under Alternative Policies

Industrial air pollution in rural Kenya: community awareness, risk perception and associations between risk variables

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Developing countries have limited air quality management systems due to inadequate legislation and lack of political will, among other challenges. Maintaining a balance between economic development and sustainable environment is a challenge, hence investments in pollution prevention technologies get sidelined in favor of short-term benefits from increased production and job creation. This lack of air quality management capability translates into lack of air pollution data, hence the false belief that there is no problem. The objectives of the study were to: assess the population’s environmental awareness, explore their perception of pollution threat to their health; examine the association between specific health hazards. Methods A cross-sectional study was implemented by gathering quantitative information on demographic, health status, environmental perception and environmental knowledge of residents to understand their view of pollution in their neighborhood. Focus group discussions (FGDs) allowed for corroboration of the quantitative data. Results Over 80% of respondents perceived industrial pollution as posing a considerable risk to them despite the fact that the economy of the area largely depended on the factory. Respondents also argued that they had not been actively involved in identifying solutions to the environmental challenges. The study revealed a significant association between industrial pollution as a risk and, perception of risk from other familiar health hazards. The most important factors influencing the respondents’ pollution risk perception were environmental awareness and family health status. Conclusion This study avails information to policy makers and researchers concerning public awareness and attitudes towards environmental pollution pertinent to development and implementation of environmental policies for public health. PMID:24742166

Industrial air pollution in rural Kenya: community awareness, risk perception and associations between risk variables.

PubMed

Omanga, Eunice; Ulmer, Lisa; Berhane, Zekarias; Gatari, Michael

2014-04-17

Developing countries have limited air quality management systems due to inadequate legislation and lack of political will, among other challenges. Maintaining a balance between economic development and sustainable environment is a challenge, hence investments in pollution prevention technologies get sidelined in favor of short-term benefits from increased production and job creation. This lack of air quality management capability translates into lack of air pollution data, hence the false belief that there is no problem. The objectives of the study were to: assess the population's environmental awareness, explore their perception of pollution threat to their health; examine the association between specific health hazards. A cross-sectional study was implemented by gathering quantitative information on demographic, health status, environmental perception and environmental knowledge of residents to understand their view of pollution in their neighborhood. Focus group discussions (FGDs) allowed for corroboration of the quantitative data. Over 80% of respondents perceived industrial pollution as posing a considerable risk to them despite the fact that the economy of the area largely depended on the factory. Respondents also argued that they had not been actively involved in identifying solutions to the environmental challenges. The study revealed a significant association between industrial pollution as a risk and, perception of risk from other familiar health hazards. The most important factors influencing the respondents' pollution risk perception were environmental awareness and family health status. This study avails information to policy makers and researchers concerning public awareness and attitudes towards environmental pollution pertinent to development and implementation of environmental policies for public health.

External costs of PM2.5 pollution in Beijing, China: Uncertainty analysis of multiple health impacts and costs.

PubMed

Yin, Hao; Pizzol, Massimo; Xu, Linyu

2017-07-01

Some cities in China are facing serious air pollution problems including high concentrations of particles, SO 2 and NO x . Exposure to PM2.5, one of the primary air pollutants in many cities in China, is highly correlated with various adverse health impacts and ultimately represents a cost for society. The aim of this study is to assess health impacts and external costs related to PM2.5 pollution in Beijing, China with different baseline concentrations and valuation methods. The idea is to provide a reasonable estimate of the total health impacts and external cost due to PM2.5 pollution, as well as a quantification of the relevant uncertainty. PM2.5 concentrations were retrieved for the entire 2012 period in 16 districts of Beijing. The various PM2.5 related health impacts were identified and classified to avoid double counting. Exposure-response coefficients were then obtained from literature. Both the value of statistical life (VSL) and the amended human capital (AHC) approach were applied for external costs estimation, which could provide the upper and lower bound of the external costs due to PM2.5. To fully understand the uncertainty levels, the external cost distribution was determined via Monte Carlo simulation based on the uncertainty of the parameters such as PM2.5 concentration, exposure-response coefficients, and economic cost per case. The results showed that the external costs were equivalent to around 0.3% (AHC, China's guideline: C 0  = 35 μg/m 3 ) to 0.9% (VSL, WHO guideline: C 0  = 10 μg/m 3 ) of regional GDP depending on the valuation method and on the assumed baseline PM2.5 concentration (C 0 ). Among all the health impacts, the economic loss due to premature deaths accounted for more than 80% of the overall external costs. The results of this study could help policymakers prioritizing the PM2.5 pollution control interventions and internalize the external costs through the application of economic policy instruments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative risk analysis of dioxins in fish and fine particles from heavy-duty vehicles.

PubMed

Leino, Olli; Tainio, Marko; Tuomisto, Jouni T

2008-02-01

Dioxins and airborne fine particles are both environmental health problems that have been the subject of active public debate. Knowledge on fine particles has increased substantially during the last 10 years, and even the current, lowered levels in the Europe and in the United States appear to be a major public health problem. On the other hand, dioxins are ubiquitous persistent contaminants, some being carcinogens at high doses, and therefore of great concern. Our aim was to (a) quantitatively analyze the two pollutant health risks and (b) study the changes in risk in view of the current and forthcoming EU legislations on pollutants. We performed a comparative risk assessment for both pollutants in the Helsinki metropolitan area (Finland) and estimated the health effects with several scenarios. For primary fine particles: a comparison between the present emission situation for heavy-duty vehicles and the new fine particle emission standards set by the EU. For dioxins: an EU directive that regulates commercial fishing of Baltic salmon and herring that exceed the dioxin concentration limit set for fish meat, and a derogation (= exemption) from the directive for these two species. Both of these two decisions are very topical issues and this study estimates the expected changes in health effects due to these regulations. It was found that the estimated fine particle risk clearly outweighed the estimated dioxin risk. A substantial improvement to public health could be achieved by initiating reductions in emission standards; about 30 avoided premature deaths annually in the study area. In addition, the benefits of fish consumption due to omega-3 exposure were notably higher than the potential dioxin cancer risk. Both regulations were instigated as ways of promoting public health.

Children's environment and health in Latin America: the Ecuadorian case.

PubMed

Harari, Raul; Harari, Homero

2006-09-01

Environmental health problems of children in Latin America and Ecuador are complex due to the close relationship that exists between social and environmental factors. Extended poverty and basic problems, such as the lack of drinking water and sanitation, are common. Infectious diseases are the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality among children. Development in industry and the introduction of chemical substances in agriculture add new risks including pesticide use, heavy metal exposure, and air pollution. Major problems can be divided into (a) lack of basic infrastructure, (b) poor living conditions, (c) specific environmental problems, and (d) child labor. Reproductive health disorders are frequent in developing countries like Ecuador. Issues related to children's health should consider new approaches, creative methodologies, and the search for independent predictors to separate environmental from social problems. Only with knowledge of the specific contribution of each factor, can it be possible to develop a strategy for prevention.

Attitude Change as a Result of a Short Course on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milson, James L.

This study was conducted to determine what attitude changes take place in a group of secondary school teachers as a result of participation in a short course on the environmental problems of air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, population problems and the use of natural resources. A secondary purpose was to determine if the teachers…

Biology and Water Pollution Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Charles E.

Within this text, the reader is attuned to the role biology can and should play in combating the alarming increase in water pollution. Both the urgency of the problem and the biological techniques that are being developed to cope with the water pollution crisis are scrutinized; what is and is not known about the problem is explained; past,…

An Instructors Guide to Water Pollution. Test Edition. AAAS Study Guides on Contemporary Problems, No. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kidd, David E.

This is one of several study guides on contemporary problems produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science with support of the National Science Foundation. This study guide on water pollution includes the following units: (1) Overview of World Pollution; (2) History, Definition, Criteria; (3) Ecosystem Theory; (4) Biological…

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Hopanes in Plastic Resin Pellets as Markers of Oil Pollution via International Pellet Watch Monitoring.

PubMed

Yeo, Bee Geok; Takada, Hideshige; Hosoda, Junki; Kondo, Atsuko; Yamashita, Rei; Saha, Mahua; Maes, Thomas

2017-08-01

Oil pollution in the marine environment is an unavoidable problem due to chronic input from local sources, particularly in urban areas and oil spills. Oil pollution not only causes immediate physical damages to surrounding wildlife but also some components, including higher molecular weight PAHs, can persist in the environment for many years and pose insidious threats to the ecosystem. Long-term and nontargeted monitoring of oil pollution is important. This paper examines the ability of International Pellet Watch (IPW) for initial identification and monitoring of oil pollution by analysing PAHs and hopanes in plastic pellet samples collected globally by volunteers. PAH concentrations with the sum of 28 parent and methyl PAHs vary geographically, ranging from 0.035 to 24.4 µg/g-pellet, in line with the presence or absence of local oil pollution sources, such as oil refineries or oil spill sites. This suggests that PAHs can be used to monitor petroleum pollution in IPW. A colour-coded categorization for PAH concentrations within IPW monitoring also is established to facilitate data presentation and understanding. PAH concentrations are generally higher in Western Europe, especially around the North Sea shorelines, moderate in East Asia and North America, and lower in South East Asia, Oceania, South America, and Africa. Hopane concentrations, with a smaller spatial variation (1.7-101 µg/g-pellet), showed no spatial pattern. This result and the poor correlation between hopanes and PAHs suggest that hopane concentrations alone are unsuited to identify petroleum pollution. However, hopane compositions can be used for fingerprinting sources of oil pollution. Thus, both PAHs and hopanes in IPW allow for low cost, remote monitoring of global oil pollution.

Health risks from large-scale water pollution: trends in Central Asia.

PubMed

Törnqvist, Rebecka; Jarsjö, Jerker; Karimov, Bakhtiyor

2011-02-01

Limited data on the pollution status of spatially extensive water systems constrain health-risk assessments at basin-scales. Using a recipient measurement approach in a terminal water body, we show that agricultural and industrial pollutants in groundwater-surface water systems of the Aral Sea Drainage Basin (covering the main part of Central Asia) yield cumulative health hazards above guideline values in downstream surface waters, due to high concentrations of copper, arsenic, nitrite, and to certain extent dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Considering these high-impact contaminants, we furthermore perform trend analyses of their upstream spatial-temporal distribution, investigating dominant large-scale spreading mechanisms. The ratio between parent DDT and its degradation products showed that discharges into or depositions onto surface waters are likely to be recent or ongoing. In river water, copper concentrations peak during the spring season, after thawing and snow melt. High spatial variability of arsenic concentrations in river water could reflect its local presence in the top soil of nearby agricultural fields. Overall, groundwaters were associated with much higher health risks than surface waters. Health risks can therefore increase considerably, if the downstream population must switch to groundwater-based drinking water supplies during surface water shortage. Arid regions are generally vulnerable to this problem due to ongoing irrigation expansion and climate changes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of the gulf war on the Arabian environment—I. Particulate pollution and reduction of solar irradiance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Shobokshy, Mohammad S.; Al-Saedi, Yaseen G.

This paper investigates some of the air pollution problems which have been created as a result of the Gulf war in early 1991. Temporary periods of increased dust storm activity have been observed in Saudi Arabia. This is presumably due to disturbance of the desert surface by the extremely large number of tanks and other war machines before and during the war. The concentrations of inhalable dust particles (<15 μm) increased during the months just after the war by a factor of about 1.5 of their values during the same months of the previous year, 1990. The total horizontal solar energy flux in Riyadh has been significantly reduced during dry days with no clouds. This is attributed to the presence of soot particles, which have been generated at an extremely high rate from the fired oil fields in Kuwait. The direct normal solar insolation were also measured at the photovoltaic solar power plant in Riyadh during these days and significant reductions were observed due to the effective absorption of solar radiation by soot particles. The generated power from the plant has been reduced during days with a polluted atmosphere by about 50-80% of the expected value for such days, if the atmosphere were dry and clear.

Calculation method for steady-state pollutant concentration in mixing zones considering variable lateral diffusion coefficient.

PubMed

Wu, Wen; Wu, Zhouhu; Song, Zhiwen

2017-07-01

Prediction of the pollutant mixing zone (PMZ) near the discharge outfall in Huangshaxi shows large error when using the methods based on the constant lateral diffusion assumption. The discrepancy is due to the lack of consideration of the diffusion coefficient variation. The variable lateral diffusion coefficient is proposed to be a function of the longitudinal distance from the outfall. Analytical solution of the two-dimensional advection-diffusion equation of a pollutant is derived and discussed. Formulas to characterize the geometry of the PMZ are derived based on this solution, and a standard curve describing the boundary of the PMZ is obtained by proper choices of the normalization scales. The change of PMZ topology due to the variable diffusion coefficient is then discussed using these formulas. The criterion of assuming the lateral diffusion coefficient to be constant without large error in PMZ geometry is found. It is also demonstrated how to use these analytical formulas in the inverse problems including estimating the lateral diffusion coefficient in rivers by convenient measurements, and determining the maximum allowable discharge load based on the limitations of the geometrical scales of the PMZ. Finally, applications of the obtained formulas to onsite PMZ measurements in Huangshaxi present excellent agreement.

Health Impacts and Economic Costs of Air Pollution in the Metropolitan Area of Skopje.

PubMed

Martinez, Gerardo Sanchez; Spadaro, Joseph V; Chapizanis, Dimitris; Kendrovski, Vladimir; Kochubovski, Mihail; Mudu, Pierpaolo

2018-03-29

Urban outdoor air pollution, especially particulate matter, remains a major environmental health problem in Skopje, the capital of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Despite the documented high levels of pollution in the city, the published evidence on its health impacts is as yet scarce. we obtained, cleaned, and validated Particulate Matter (PM) concentration data from five air quality monitoring stations in the Skopje metropolitan area, applied relevant concentration-response functions, and evaluated health impacts against two theoretical policy scenarios. We then calculated the burden of disease attributable to PM and calculated the societal cost due to attributable mortality. In 2012, long-term exposure to PM 2.5 (49.2 μg/m³) caused an estimated 1199 premature deaths (CI95% 821-1519). The social cost of the predicted premature mortality in 2012 due to air pollution was estimated at between 570 and 1470 million euros. Moreover, PM 2.5 was also estimated to be responsible for 547 hospital admissions (CI95% 104-977) from cardiovascular diseases, and 937 admissions (CI95% 937-1869) for respiratory disease that year. Reducing PM 2.5 levels to the EU limit (25 μg/m³) could have averted an estimated 45% of PM-attributable mortality, while achieving the WHO Air Quality Guidelines (10 μg/m³) could have averted an estimated 77% of PM-attributable mortality. Both scenarios would also attain significant reductions in attributable respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions. Besides its health impacts in terms of increased premature mortality and hospitalizations, air pollution entails significant economic costs to the population of Skopje. Reductions in PM 2.5 concentrations could provide substantial health and economic gains to the city.

Consensus-Based Cooperative Control Based on Pollution Sensing and Traffic Information for Urban Traffic Networks

PubMed Central

Artuñedo, Antonio; del Toro, Raúl M.; Haber, Rodolfo E.

2017-01-01

Nowadays many studies are being conducted to develop solutions for improving the performance of urban traffic networks. One of the main challenges is the necessary cooperation among different entities such as vehicles or infrastructure systems and how to exploit the information available through networks of sensors deployed as infrastructures for smart cities. In this work an algorithm for cooperative control of urban subsystems is proposed to provide a solution for mobility problems in cities. The interconnected traffic lights controller (TLC) network adapts traffic lights cycles, based on traffic and air pollution sensory information, in order to improve the performance of urban traffic networks. The presence of air pollution in cities is not only caused by road traffic but there are other pollution sources that contribute to increase or decrease the pollution level. Due to the distributed and heterogeneous nature of the different components involved, a system of systems engineering approach is applied to design a consensus-based control algorithm. The designed control strategy contains a consensus-based component that uses the information shared in the network for reaching a consensus in the state of TLC network components. Discrete event systems specification is applied for modelling and simulation. The proposed solution is assessed by simulation studies with very promising results to deal with simultaneous responses to both pollution levels and traffic flows in urban traffic networks. PMID:28445398

Development and investigation of a pollution control pit for treatment of stormwater from metal roofs and traffic areas.

PubMed

Dierkes, C; Göbel, P; Lohmann, M; Coldewey, W G

2006-01-01

Source control by on-site retention and infiltration of stormwater is a sustainable and proven alternative to classical drainage methods. Unfortunately, sedimentary particles and pollutants from drained surfaces cause clogging and endanger soil and groundwater during long-term operation of infiltration devices. German water authorities recommend the use of infiltration devices, such as swales or swale-trench-systems. Direct infiltration by underground facilities, such as pipes, trenches or sinks, without pretreatment of runoff is generally not permitted. Problems occur with runoff from metal roofs, traffic areas and industrial sites. However, due to site limitations, underground systems are often the only feasible option. To overcome this situation, a pollution control pit was developed with a hydrodynamic separator and a multistage filter made of coated porous concrete. The system treats runoff at source and protects soil, groundwater and receiving waterways. Typically, more than 90% of the pollutants such as sedimentary particles, hydrocarbons and heavy metals can be removed. Filters have been developed to treat even higher polluted stormwater loads from metal roofs and industrial sites. The treatment process is based on sedimentation, filtration, adsorption and chemical precipitation. Sediments are trapped in a special chamber within the pit and can be removed easily. Other pollutants are captured in the concrete filter upstream of the sediment separator chamber. Filters can be easily replaced.

Consensus-Based Cooperative Control Based on Pollution Sensing and Traffic Information for Urban Traffic Networks.

PubMed

Artuñedo, Antonio; Del Toro, Raúl M; Haber, Rodolfo E

2017-04-26

Nowadays many studies are being conducted to develop solutions for improving the performance of urban traffic networks. One of the main challenges is the necessary cooperation among different entities such as vehicles or infrastructure systems and how to exploit the information available through networks of sensors deployed as infrastructures for smart cities. In this work an algorithm for cooperative control of urban subsystems is proposed to provide a solution for mobility problems in cities. The interconnected traffic lights controller ( TLC ) network adapts traffic lights cycles, based on traffic and air pollution sensory information, in order to improve the performance of urban traffic networks. The presence of air pollution in cities is not only caused by road traffic but there are other pollution sources that contribute to increase or decrease the pollution level. Due to the distributed and heterogeneous nature of the different components involved, a system of systems engineering approach is applied to design a consensus-based control algorithm. The designed control strategy contains a consensus-based component that uses the information shared in the network for reaching a consensus in the state of TLC network components. Discrete event systems specification is applied for modelling and simulation. The proposed solution is assessed by simulation studies with very promising results to deal with simultaneous responses to both pollution levels and traffic flows in urban traffic networks.

Mercury pollution issues in mining districts (Armenia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saghatelyan, Armen; Sahakyan, Lilit; Belyaeva, Olga; Torosyan, Nver

2015-04-01

The issue of mercury (Hg) due to its chemical and geochemical peculiarities and a negative impact it produces on human health has a long history. Existence of international projects devoted to Hg research (AMAP Technical Background Report, 2013) and elaboration on a new convention to combat Hg pollution (http://www.mercuryconvention.org/Home/tabid/3360/Default.aspx) prove that Hg has already become a global concern. Presently, data on Armenia's area pollution with Hg available in international literature sources and reports are scarce and cover pollution sources only. According to published data (AMAP Technical Background Report, 2013), in 2009 summary emission of Hg on the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia made 222,723 kg, considerable shares of which fell on primary copper production (88,057 kg), cement production (57,094 kg), production of gold from large mines (46,728 kg), waste and other losses due to breakage and disposal in landfill (29,995 kg); besides, some quantities originated from amalgams, combustion of different-type fuel and garbage, and so on. One should mind, that these are calculated statistical data, which reflect neither a complete list of Hg pollution sources nor a realistic picture of levels of Hg pollution of different environmental compartments and risks. Local monitoring data on Hg pollution are not sufficient either. This abstract is aimed at revealing of Hg pollution problems in some of Armenia's mining regions through generalization of data on complex investigations implemented at the Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies NAS RA between 2005 and 2011, and is focused on Hg pollution of different environmental compartments: water - atmosphere - soil - farm produce - atmospheric precipitation - human bio-substrates. The obtained data indicate that as a result of ore mining and processing Hg enters onto the surface, travels through air and water migration streams and finally brings to pollution of all environmental compartments. Extremely hazardous are operating and abandoned tailing repositories that have been involved in different ways in agricultural cycle. Hg penetrates into food chain intensively accumulating in farm crops, fodder grasses, and is found in milk, too. Hg is detected also in hair of children residing on such sites. As established, commercially invaluable Hg is an ecological risk factor to the health of local people.

Air Quality Forecasting through Different Statistical and Artificial Intelligence Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, D.; Goyal, P.

2014-12-01

Urban air pollution forecasting has emerged as an acute problem in recent years because there are sever environmental degradation due to increase in harmful air pollutants in the ambient atmosphere. In this study, there are different types of statistical as well as artificial intelligence techniques are used for forecasting and analysis of air pollution over Delhi urban area. These techniques are principle component analysis (PCA), multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) and the forecasting are observed in good agreement with the observed concentrations through Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at different locations in Delhi. But such methods suffers from disadvantages like they provide limited accuracy as they are unable to predict the extreme points i.e. the pollution maximum and minimum cut-offs cannot be determined using such approach. Also, such methods are inefficient approach for better output forecasting. But with the advancement in technology and research, an alternative to the above traditional methods has been proposed i.e. the coupling of statistical techniques with artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used for forecasting purposes. The coupling of PCA, ANN and fuzzy logic is used for forecasting of air pollutant over Delhi urban area. The statistical measures e.g., correlation coefficient (R), normalized mean square error (NMSE), fractional bias (FB) and index of agreement (IOA) of the proposed model are observed in better agreement with the all other models. Hence, the coupling of statistical and artificial intelligence can be use for the forecasting of air pollutant over urban area.

Power Generation: The Next 30 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holcomb, Robert W.

1970-01-01

Discusses pollution problems associated with power production. Estimates power consumption in the 1980's and the availability of fossil and nuclear fuel resources. Emphasizes needed research on air pollution, nuclear pollution, and thermal pollution. (EB)

Air pollution effects on the guard cells of the injury resistant leaf of Laurus nobilis L

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christodoulakis, N.S.

1993-09-01

The need for cleaner air has led to detailed investigations not only on the sources and types of air pollutants but also on the effect that these compounds have on various life forms. The plants are the first [open quotes]victims[close quotes] of the air pollutants. Extensive literature exists on the structural damages and functional problems that plants suffer after being exposed to air pollutants. Many investigators prefer to deal with damages, caused to various organs, in plants growing in non polluted environments, after being fumigated with certain air pollutants. Others investigate the problems in plants growing in polluted areas thusmore » being subject to long-term exposure to air pollutants. Generally it seems that primary producers suffer injuries, most of the time serious, that finally lead to the suppression of photosynthesis with all the undesirable consequences that this situation has for the ecosystem. Unfortunately Athens is not only the most polluted city in Greece but also an example to be avoided among the most polluted cities in the world. Serious problems occur in plants living in this environment. One exception is Laurus nobilis, introduced as an injury resistant species. These researchers studied the plant cells and the structure of their organelles, focusing on the guard cells of the leaves. They occur on the underside of leaves and they are directly affected by polluted air. Studies show that the air pollution injury resistance of Laurus is genetic. 25 refs., 21 figs« less

Experimental and numerical study of wastewater pollution in Yuhui channel, Jiashan city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Lei; Peng, Zhenhua; You, Aiju

2018-02-01

Due to the development of economics and society in China, the huge amount of wastewater becomes a serious problem in most of the Chinese cities. Therefore, the construction of wastewater treatment plant draws much more attentions than before. The discharge from the wastewater treatment plant is then considered as a point source in most of the important rivers and channels in China. In this study, a typical wastewater treatment plant extension project is introduced as a case study, a filed monitoring experiment is designed and executed to observe required data, then, a two-dimensional model is estabilished to simulate the water quality downsteam of the wastewater treatment plant, CODCr is considered as a typical pollutant during the simulation. The simulation results indicate that different discharge conditions will lead to different CODCr concentration downstream of the wastewater treatment plant, and an emergency plan should be prepared to minimize the risk of the pollution in the channel under unusual and accident conditions.

Decomposition approach of the nitrogen generation process: empirical study on the Shimabara Peninsula in Japan.

PubMed

Fujii, Hidemichi; Nakagawa, Kei; Kagabu, Makoto

2016-11-01

Groundwater nitrate pollution is one of the most prevalent water-related environmental problems worldwide. The objective of this study is to identify the determinants of nitrogen pollutant changes with a focus on the nitrogen generation process. The novelty of our research framework is to cost-effectively identify the factors involved in nitrogen pollutant generation using public data. This study focuses on three determinant factors: (1) nitrogen intensity changes, (2) structural changes, and (3) scale changes. This study empirically analyses three sectors, including crop production, farm animals, and the household, on the Shimabara Peninsula in Japan. Our results show that the nitrogen supply from crop production sectors has decreased because the production has been scaled down and shifted towards lower nitrogen intensive crops. In the farm animal sector, the nitrogen supply has also been successfully reduced due to scaling-down efforts. Households have decreased the nitrogen supply by diffusion of integrated septic tank and sewerage systems.

Hydrogeochemical analyses of groundwater from Ameca, Jalisco Mexico.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tostado, M.; Rosas-Elguera, J.; Gomez Hermosillo, C.

2008-05-01

The accelerated demographic and industrial growth of settlements in mid cities and surrounding urbane areas, requires larger water volumes for its support, including public use. Usually, these requirements are not met by superficial waters consequently underground water is required to fulfill the general necessities. TheAmeca region in Jalisco, Mexico, is located around 80km west of Guadalajara. This region has been sustained by Agriculture and mining for several decades. This last activity has been mainly developed to the north of the city, precisely on the recharge zone. The infiltrated water, eventually form the aquifers. While it travels, and due to its intrinsic dilution capacity, the water may become polluted. Eventually, if he pollutants are toxic, the water from wells used in cities like Ameca, may result in serious health problems. In this study, the Ameca aquifer is evaluated through chemical analyses of the water from wells serving the city. Thus the natural pollution caused by mineral deposit zones and mines located on the recharge zone can be evaluated.

Sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification from the micro-polluted water.

PubMed

Zhou, Weili; Liu, Xu; Dong, Xiaojing; Wang, Zheng; Yuan, Ying; Wang, Hui; He, Shengbing

2016-06-01

Eutrophication caused by high concentrations of nutrients is a huge problem for many natural lakes and reservoirs. Removing the nitrogen contamination from the low C/N water body has become an urgent need. Autotrophic denitrification with the sulfur compound as electron donor was investigated in the biofilter reactors. Through the lab-scale experiment, it was found that different sulfur compounds and different carriers caused very different treatment performances. Thiosulfate was selected to be the best electron donor and ceramsite was chosen as the suitable carrier due to the good denitrification efficiency, low cost and the good resistibility against the high hydraulic loads. Later the optimum running parameters of the process were determined. Then the pilot-scale experiment was carried out with the real micro-polluted water from the West Lake, China. The results indicated that the autotrophic denitrification with thiosulfate as electron donor was feasible and applicable for the micro-polluted lake water. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Studying the Light Pollution around Urban Observatories: Columbus State University’s WestRock Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Keeffe, Brendon Andrew; Johnson, Michael

2017-01-01

Light pollution plays an ever increasing role in the operations of observatories across the world. This is especially true in urban environments like Columbus, GA, where Columbus State University’s WestRock Observatory is located. Light pollution’s effects on an observatory include high background levels, which results in a lower signal to noise ratio. Overall, this will limit what the telescope can detect, and therefore limit the capabilities of the observatory as a whole.Light pollution has been mapped in Columbus before using VIIRS DNB composites. However, this approach did not provide the detailed resolution required to narrow down the problem areas around the vicinity of the observatory. The purpose of this study is to assess the current state of light pollution surrounding the WestRock observatory by measuring and mapping the brightness of the sky due to light pollution using light meters and geographic information system (GIS) software.Compared to VIIRS data this study allows for an improved spatial resolution and a direct measurement of the sky background. This assessment will enable future studies to compare their results to the baseline established here, ensuring that any changes to the way the outdoors are illuminated and their effects can be accurately measured, and counterbalanced.

Overview of transboundary pollution issues along the Mexico-US border

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Medina, E.J.

1996-12-31

This paper presents an overview of pollution issues affecting the Mexico-US border region, and briefly traces the development of the international legal framework which covers Mexico-US border relations on environmental issues. Examples from different border areas are used to illustrate surface water, groundwater, air pollution, and hazardous waste problems associated with the rapid growth and industrialization of areas along the border. Some of the specific issues presented include the Tijuana-San Diego sewage problem, the New River toxic discharges, Nogales Wash groundwater pollution, air pollution in Cd. Juarez-El Paso, and the Alco-Pacifico lead contamination case in Tijuana, B.C. Additional research tomore » characterize the extent of border area pollution and resultant ecological impacts is fundamental in the development of binational policies to deal with these problems. Another priority need is the application of risk assessment models, which will help policy makers on both sides of the border to coordinate efforts and allocate resources to solve this crisis. Immediate attention should be directed toward acquiring information necessary to evaluate the impacts of border-area pollution on natural ecosystems.« less

Confronting Decision Cliffs: Diagnostic Assessment of Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms' Performance for Addressing Uncertain Environmental Thresholds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, V. L.; Singh, R.; Reed, P. M.; Keller, K.

2014-12-01

As water resources problems typically involve several stakeholders with conflicting objectives, multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) are now key tools for understanding management tradeoffs. Given the growing complexity of water planning problems, it is important to establish if an algorithm can consistently perform well on a given class of problems. This knowledge allows the decision analyst to focus on eliciting and evaluating appropriate problem formulations. This study proposes a multi-objective adaptation of the classic environmental economics "Lake Problem" as a computationally simple but mathematically challenging MOEA benchmarking problem. The lake problem abstracts a fictional town on a lake which hopes to maximize its economic benefit without degrading the lake's water quality to a eutrophic (polluted) state through excessive phosphorus loading. The problem poses the challenge of maintaining economic activity while confronting the uncertainty of potentially crossing a nonlinear and potentially irreversible pollution threshold beyond which the lake is eutrophic. Objectives for optimization are maximizing economic benefit from lake pollution, maximizing water quality, maximizing the reliability of remaining below the environmental threshold, and minimizing the probability that the town will have to drastically change pollution policies in any given year. The multi-objective formulation incorporates uncertainty with a stochastic phosphorus inflow abstracting non-point source pollution. We performed comprehensive diagnostics using 6 algorithms: Borg, MOEAD, eMOEA, eNSGAII, GDE3, and NSGAII to ascertain their controllability, reliability, efficiency, and effectiveness. The lake problem abstracts elements of many current water resources and climate related management applications where there is the potential for crossing irreversible, nonlinear thresholds. We show that many modern MOEAs can fail on this test problem, indicating its suitability as a useful and nontrivial benchmarking problem.

Respiratory cancers and pollution.

PubMed

Ding, N; Zhou, N; Zhou, M; Ren, G-M

2015-01-01

Cancer is the major public health problem worldwide, irrespective of the socio-economic status of the countries. Even though the overall mortality from cancer is higher in the western countries, the cancer burden is on the rise in under-developed countries, with a projected 81-100% increase by 2030, mostly due to pollution and tobacco use. Respiratory cancers affect the lung, larynx, trachea, and bronchus and depending on the location of the cancer, the symptoms change and also the risks, incidence and survival outcomes differ accordingly. Besides tobacco use, chronic exposure to household pollution is known to be associated with elevated risk of lung cancer and other cancers. Women and children living in severe poverty in the underdeveloped countries are exposed most to household air pollution and, thus, suffer its consequences maximally, and household air pollution, specifically arising from solid fuel burning, which accounts for nearly 4 million deaths throughout the world annually. Cancers affecting the respiratory tract, including both nasopharyngeal cancer and lung cancer, are strongly associated with pollution from coal and other solid fuel burning. Lung cancer, which is of two types, small cell lung carcinoma and the non-small cell lung cancer, is the most common and fatal cancer. Even though tobacco has been viewed as the major risk for respiratory cancers, it is now evident that household pollution, exposure to asbestos, chromium and arsenic etc, all pose a significant risk for respiratory cancers. Preventive steps to curtail the many sources of air pollution by improving living conditions and reducing the occupational exposure hazards like welding, industrial work etc., are markedly needed to control the incidence of respiratory cancers.

Climate and mortality changes due to reductions in household cooking emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergman, Tommi; Mielonen, Tero; Arola, Antti; Kokkola, Harri

2016-04-01

Household cooking is a significant cause for health and environmental problems in the developing countries. There are more than 3 billion people who use biomass for fuel in cooking stoves in their daily life. These cooking stoves use inadequate ventilation and expose especially women and children to indoor smoke. To reduce problems of the biomass burning, India launched an initiative to provide affordable and clean energy solutions for the poorest households by providing clean next-generation cooking stoves. The improved cooking stoves are expected to improve outdoor air quality and to reduce the climate-active pollutants, thus simultaneously slowing the climate change. Previous research has shown that the emissions of black carbon can be decreased substantially, as much as 90 % by applying better technology in cooking stoves. We have implemented reasonable (50% decrease) and best case (90% decrease) scenarios of the reductions in black and organic carbon due to improved cooking stoves in India into ECHAM-HAMMOZ aerosol-climate model. The global simulations of the scenarios will be used to study how the reductions of emissions in India affect the pollutant concentrations and radiation. The simulated reductions in particulate concentrations will also be used to estimate the decrease in mortality rates. Furthermore, we will study how the emission reductions would affect the global climate and mortality if a similar initiative would be applied in other developing countries.

Adverse effects of outdoor pollution in the elderly

PubMed Central

Baldacci, Sandra; Maio, Sara; Cerrai, Sonia; Sarno, Giuseppe; Viegi, Giovanni

2015-01-01

With fewer newborns and people living longer, older people are making up an increasing fraction of the total population. Epidemiological evidence shows that older-age-related health problems affect a wide and expanding proportion of the world population. One of the major epidemiological trends of this century is the rise of chronic diseases that affect more elderly than younger people. A total of 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 are attributable to outdoor air pollution; the susceptibility to adverse effects of air pollution is expected to differ widely between people and within the same person, and also over time. Frailty history, a measure of multi-system decline, modifies cumulative associations between air pollution and lung function. Moreover, pre-existing diseases may determine susceptibility. In the elderly, due to comorbidity, exposure to air pollutants may even be fatal. Rapid and not-well-planned urbanization is associated with high level of ambient air pollution, mainly caused by vehicular exhausts. In general, there is sufficient evidence of the adverse effects related to short-term exposure, while fewer studies have addressed the longer-term health effects. Increased pollution exposures have been associated with increased mortality, hospital admissions/emergency-room visits, mainly due to exacerbations of chronic diseases or to respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia). These effects may also be modulated by ambient temperature and many studies show that the elderly are mostly vulnerable to heat waves. The association between heat and mortality in the elderly is well-documented, while less is known regarding the associations with hospital admissions. Chronic exposure to elevated levels of air pollution has been related to the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis (CB), asthma, and emphysema. There is also growing evidence suggesting adverse effects on lung function related to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Few studies have assessed long-term mortality in the elderly. It is still unclear what are the pollutants most damaging to the health of the elderly. It seems that elderly subjects are more vulnerable to particulate matter (PM) than to other pollutants, with particular effect on daily cardio-respiratory mortality and acute hospital admissions. Not many studies have targeted elderly people specifically, as well as specific respiratory morbidity. Most data have shown higher risks in the elderly compared to the rest of the population. Future epidemiological cohort studies need to keep investigating the health effects of air pollutants (mainly cardiopulmonary diseases) on the elderly. PMID:25694816

Adverse effects of outdoor pollution in the elderly.

PubMed

Simoni, Marzia; Baldacci, Sandra; Maio, Sara; Cerrai, Sonia; Sarno, Giuseppe; Viegi, Giovanni

2015-01-01

With fewer newborns and people living longer, older people are making up an increasing fraction of the total population. Epidemiological evidence shows that older-age-related health problems affect a wide and expanding proportion of the world population. One of the major epidemiological trends of this century is the rise of chronic diseases that affect more elderly than younger people. A total of 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 are attributable to outdoor air pollution; the susceptibility to adverse effects of air pollution is expected to differ widely between people and within the same person, and also over time. Frailty history, a measure of multi-system decline, modifies cumulative associations between air pollution and lung function. Moreover, pre-existing diseases may determine susceptibility. In the elderly, due to comorbidity, exposure to air pollutants may even be fatal. Rapid and not-well-planned urbanization is associated with high level of ambient air pollution, mainly caused by vehicular exhausts. In general, there is sufficient evidence of the adverse effects related to short-term exposure, while fewer studies have addressed the longer-term health effects. Increased pollution exposures have been associated with increased mortality, hospital admissions/emergency-room visits, mainly due to exacerbations of chronic diseases or to respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia). These effects may also be modulated by ambient temperature and many studies show that the elderly are mostly vulnerable to heat waves. The association between heat and mortality in the elderly is well-documented, while less is known regarding the associations with hospital admissions. Chronic exposure to elevated levels of air pollution has been related to the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis (CB), asthma, and emphysema. There is also growing evidence suggesting adverse effects on lung function related to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Few studies have assessed long-term mortality in the elderly. It is still unclear what are the pollutants most damaging to the health of the elderly. It seems that elderly subjects are more vulnerable to particulate matter (PM) than to other pollutants, with particular effect on daily cardio-respiratory mortality and acute hospital admissions. Not many studies have targeted elderly people specifically, as well as specific respiratory morbidity. Most data have shown higher risks in the elderly compared to the rest of the population. Future epidemiological cohort studies need to keep investigating the health effects of air pollutants (mainly cardiopulmonary diseases) on the elderly.

An Overview of the 3C-STAR project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.

2009-04-01

Over the past three decades, city clusters have played a leading role in the economic growth of China, owing to their collective economic capacity and interdependency. However, pollution prevention lags behind the economic boom, led to a general decline in air quality in city clusters. As a result, industrial emissions and traffic exhausts together contribute to high levels of ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution problems ranging from urban to regional scale. Such high levels of both primary and secondary airborne pollutants lead to the development of a (perhaps typically Chinese) "air pollution complex" concept. Air pollution complex is particularly true and significant in Beijing-Tianjin area, Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Yangtze River Delta. The concurrent high concentrations of O3 and PM2.5 in PRD as well as in other China city clusters have led to rather unique pollution characteristics due to interactions between primary emissions and photochemical processes, between gaseous compounds and aerosol phase species, and between local and regional scale processes. The knowledge and experience needed to find solutions to the unique pollution complex in China are still lacking. Starting from 2007, we launch a major project "Synthesized Prevention Techniques for Air Pollution Complex and Integrated Demonstration in Key City-Cluster Region" (3C-STAR) to address those problems scientifically and technically. The purpose of the project is to build up the capacity of regional air pollution control and to establish regional coordination mechanism for joint implementation of pollution control. The project includes a number of key components technically: regional air quality monitoring network and super-sites, regional dynamic emission inventory of multi-pollutants, regional ensemble air quality forecasting model system, and regional management system supported by decision making platform. The 3C-STAR project selected PRD as a core area to have technical demonstration, and thus provide opportunities as well as challenges for PRD to improve its regional air quality. An integrated field measurement campaign 3C-STAR2008 was organized during October 15-November 19, 2008, including 3-D regional air quality monitoring network, two super-sites, and in-site meteorological and air quality forecasting. With the efforts of more than 100 scientists and students from 12 research institutes, the 3C-STAR2008 was conducted with great success. A great amount of data with rigorous QA/QC procedures has been obtained and data analysis is underway. In this talk, an overview of the 3C-STAR project will be presented, together with major findings from previous PRD campaigns (PRD2004 and PRD2006).

Visualizing the intercity correlation of PM2.5 time series in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region using ground-based air quality monitoring data.

PubMed

Liu, Jianzheng; Li, Weifeng; Wu, Jiansheng; Liu, Yonghong

2018-01-01

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area faces a severe fine particulate matter (PM2.5) problem. To date, considerable progress has been made toward understanding the PM2.5 problem, including spatial-temporal characterization, driving factors, and health effects. However, little research has been done on the dynamic interactions and relationships between PM2.5 concentrations in different cities in this area. To address the research gap, this study discovered a phenomenon of time-lagged intercity correlations of PM2.5 time series and proposed a visualization framework based on this phenomenon to visualize the interaction in PM2.5 concentrations between cities. The visualizations produced using the framework show that there are significant time-lagged correlations between the PM2.5 time series in different cities in this area. The visualizations also show that the correlations are more significant in colder months and between cities that are closer, and that there are seasonal changes in the temporal order of the correlated PM2.5 time series. Further analysis suggests that the time-lagged intercity correlations of PM2.5 time series are most likely due to synoptic meteorological variations. We argue that the visualizations demonstrate the interactions of air pollution between cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and the significant effect of synoptic meteorological conditions on PM2.5 pollution. The visualization framework could help determine the pathway of regional transportation of air pollution and may also be useful in delineating the area of interaction of PM2.5 pollution for impact analysis.

Visualizing the intercity correlation of PM2.5 time series in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region using ground-based air quality monitoring data

PubMed Central

Li, Weifeng; Wu, Jiansheng; Liu, Yonghong

2018-01-01

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area faces a severe fine particulate matter (PM2.5) problem. To date, considerable progress has been made toward understanding the PM2.5 problem, including spatial-temporal characterization, driving factors, and health effects. However, little research has been done on the dynamic interactions and relationships between PM2.5 concentrations in different cities in this area. To address the research gap, this study discovered a phenomenon of time-lagged intercity correlations of PM2.5 time series and proposed a visualization framework based on this phenomenon to visualize the interaction in PM2.5 concentrations between cities. The visualizations produced using the framework show that there are significant time-lagged correlations between the PM2.5 time series in different cities in this area. The visualizations also show that the correlations are more significant in colder months and between cities that are closer, and that there are seasonal changes in the temporal order of the correlated PM2.5 time series. Further analysis suggests that the time-lagged intercity correlations of PM2.5 time series are most likely due to synoptic meteorological variations. We argue that the visualizations demonstrate the interactions of air pollution between cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and the significant effect of synoptic meteorological conditions on PM2.5 pollution. The visualization framework could help determine the pathway of regional transportation of air pollution and may also be useful in delineating the area of interaction of PM2.5 pollution for impact analysis. PMID:29438417

Problem of landfilling environments pollution by heavy metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zilenina, V. G.; Ulanova, O. V.; Begunova, L. A.

2017-10-01

The article discusses the problems of snow and soil pollution by heavy metals. The results of physical and chemical special features of the deposit environment are given. Also, the results of snow mantle research in Irkutsk are described. The problem of manganese degradation from electrochemical cells disposed in the SMW areas is being discussed.

Mechanisms of algal and microplastic particle motion in the feeding current of Pseudodiaptamus pelagicus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spang, Aletha; Kreft Pearce, Jennifer

Plastic pollution and degradation are major problems for the health of marine food webs, due to the accumulation of microplastics in zooplankton biomass and magnification in successive trophic levels. As the amount of plastic pollution in marine ecosystems increases, calanoid copepods have been observed ingesting microplastic particles trapped in their feeding currents, resulting in reduced amounts of nutrients available per energy expended (Desforges et al. 2015). In this study, the copepod Pseudodiaptamus pelagicus will be filmed feeding on similarly sized unicellular algae and polystyrene beads. Particles will be tracked and analyzed for retention times, average speeds, and motion patterns. This technique will investigate the specific mechanics of particle motion close to the mouthparts of the copepod, and whether significant differences exist between food and non-food particles.

Overall human mortality and morbidity due to exposure to air pollution.

PubMed

Samek, Lucyna

2016-01-01

Concentrations of particulate matter that contains particles with diameter ≤ 10 mm (PM10) and diameter ≤ 2.5 mm (PM2.5) as well as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have considerable impact on human mortality, especially in the cases when cardiovascular or respiratory causes are attributed. Additionally, they affect morbidity. An estimation of human mortality and morbidity due to the increased concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 between the years 2005-2013 was performed for the city of Kraków, Poland. For this purpose the Air Quality Health Impact Assessment Tool (AirQ) software was successfully applied. The Air Quality Health Impact Assessment Tool was used for the calculation of the total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality as well as hospital admissions related to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Data on concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2, which was obtained from the website of the Voivodeship Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (WIOS) in Kraków, was used in this study. Total mortality due to exposure to PM10 in 2005 was found to be 41 deaths per 100 000 and dropped to 30 deaths per 100 000 in 2013. Cardiovascular mortality was 2 times lower than the total mortality. However, hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases were more than an order of magnitude higher than the respiratory mortality. The calculated total mortality due to PM2.5 was higher than that due to PM10. Air pollution was determined to have a significant effect on human health. The values obtained by the use of the AirQ software for the city of Kraków imply that exposure to polluted air can result in serious health problems. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Effects of noise pollution over the blood serum immunoglobulins and auditory system on the VFM airport workers, Van, Turkey.

PubMed

Akan, Zafer; Körpinar, Mehmet Ali; Tulgar, Metin

2011-06-01

Noise pollution is a common health problem for developing countries. Especially highways and airports lead to noise pollution in different levels and in many frequencies. In this study, we focused on the effect of noise pollution in airports. This work aimed measurements of noise pollution levels in Van Ferit Melen (VFM) airport and effect of noise pollution over the immunoglobulin A, G, and M changes among VFM airport workers in Turkey. It was seen that apron and terminal workers were exposed to high noise (>80 dB(A)) without any protective precautions. Noise-induced temporary threshold shifts and noise-induced permanent threshold shifts were detected between the apron workers (p < 0.001) and terminal workers (p < 0.005). IgA values of apron terminal and control group workers were approximately the same in the morning and increased in a linear manner during the day. This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.001). IgG and IgM values of apron, terminal, and control group workers were approximately same in the morning. Apron and terminal workers IgG and IgM levels were increased until noon and then decreased until evening as compare to control group, but these changes were not statically significant (p > 0.05). These findings suggested that the noise pollution in the VFM airport could lead to hearing loss and changes in blood serum immunoglobulin levels of airport workers. Blood serum immunoglobulin changes might be due to vibrational effects of noise pollution. Airport workers should apply protective precautions against effect of noise pollution in the VFM airport.

Air pollution trends over Indian megacities and their local-to-global implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurjar, B. R.; Ravindra, Khaiwal; Nagpure, Ajay Singh

2016-10-01

More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas. It is estimated that by 2030 there will be 41 megacities and most of them will be located in developing countries. The megacities in India (Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata) collectively have >46 million inhabitants. Increasing population and prosperity results in rapid growth of the already large consumption of energy and other resources, which contributes to air pollution, among other problems. Megacity pollution outflow plumes contain high levels of criteria pollutants (e.g. Particulate matter, SO2, NOx), greenhouse gases, ozone precursors and aerosols; which can affect the atmosphere not only on a local scale but also on regional and global scales. In the current study, emissions and concentration trends of criteria and other air pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases) were examined in the three Indian megacities. Further, various policies and control strategies adopted by Indian Government are also discussed to improve air quality. Decreasing trends of SO2 was observed in all three megacities due to decrease in the sulfur content in coal and diesel. However, increasing trend for NOx was found in these megacities due to increase in number of vehicles registered and high flash point of CNG engines, which leads to higher NOx emission. In terms of SPM and PM10, highest emissions have been found at Kolkata, whereas highest ambient concentrations were recorded in Delhi. For Mumbai and Kolkata fluctuating trends of SPM concentrations were observed between 1991 and 1998 and stable afterwards till 2005; whereas for Delhi, fluctuating trend was observed for the entire study period. However, several steps have been taken to control air pollution in India but there is a need to focus on control of non-exhaust emissions including municipal solid waste and biomass burning in the megacities and surrounding areas.

Air pollution effects on the leaf structure of laurus nobilis, an injury resistant species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christodoulakis, N.S.; Fasseas, C.

1990-02-01

Although the problems caused by the long-term exposure to air pollution are serious for the existence of plants, the support of plant life in heavily polluted areas is essential for the improvement of man's life in a hard-to-breath atmosphere. In Athens the problem of photochemical smog is so serious that life in the metropolitan area becomes dangerous. That is why the Laurus nobilis (laurel) plants growing on the partition isle of a continuously traffic-loaded and heavily polluted main street in Athens became the subject of investigation of the effects of long-term exposure to air pollution.

Micro-evolution due to pollution: possible consequences for ecosystem responses to toxic stress.

PubMed

Medina, Matías H; Correa, Juan A; Barata, Carlos

2007-05-01

Polluting events can change community structure and ecosystem functioning. Selection of genetically inherited tolerance on exposed populations, here referred as micro-evolution due to pollution, has been recognized as one of the causes of these changes. However, there is a gap between studies addressing this process and those assessing effects at higher levels of biological organization. In this review we attempt to address these evolutionary considerations into the ecological risk assessment (ERA) of polluting events and to trigger the discussion about the consequences of this process for the ecosystem response to toxic stress. We provide clear evidence that pollution drives micro-evolutionary processes in several species. When this process occurs, populations inhabiting environments that become polluted may persist. However, due to the existence of ecological costs derived from the loss of genetic variability, negative pleiotropy with fitness traits and/or from physiological alterations, micro-evolution due to pollution may alter different properties of the affected populations. Despite the existence of empirical evidence showing that safety margins currently applied in the ERA process may account for pollution-induced genetic changes in tolerance, information regarding long-term ecological consequences at higher levels of biological organization due to ecological costs is not explicitly considered in these procedures. In relation to this, we present four testable hypotheses considering that micro-evolution due to pollution acts upon the variability of functional response traits of the exposed populations and generates changes on their functional effect traits, therefore, modifying the way species exploit their ecological niches and participate in the overall ecosystem functioning.

Impact of nitrogen reduction measures on nitrogen surplus, income and production of German agriculture.

PubMed

Gömann, H; Kreins, P; Møller, C

2004-01-01

Among the numerous non-point sources of diffuse water pollution with nitrogen, agriculture is counted one of the main sources. The agricultural policies of the Agenda 2000 and a decoupling of direct payments for farmers from their production decisions are exemplarily evaluated as nitrogen reduction measures using the Regional Agricultural and Environmental Information System RAUMIS. The results show that until the target year 2010 the risk of diffuse pollution of water bodies with nitrogen is a regional problem in Germany. These problems are neither mitigated by the policies of Agenda 2000 nor by a decoupling of direct payments from production decisions of farmers. While total nitrogen surplus reduces considerably after a decoupling of direct payments due to decreases of land-use the nitrogen surplus on the remaining cultivated area increases resulting from structural changes. Granting the same amount of direct payments to farmers in both policy alternatives the agricultural sector income would be higher after a decoupling of direct payments opposed to the Agenda 2000 resulting from a more efficient allocation of inputs.

Development and application of an integrated indoor air quality audit to an international hotel building in Taiwan.

PubMed

Kuo, Nae-Wen; Chiang, Hsin-Chen; Chiang, Che-Ming

2008-12-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has begun to surface as an important issue that affects the comfort and health of people; however, there is little research concerned about the IAQ monitoring of hotels up to now. Hotels are designed to provide comfortable spaces for guests. However, most complaints related to uncomfortable thermal environment and inadequate indoor air quality appear. In addition, microbial pollution can affect the health of tourists such as the Legionnaire's disease and SARS problems. This study is aimed to establish the comprehensive IAQ audit approach for hotel buildings with portable equipment, and one five-star international hotel in Taiwan was selected to exam this integrated approach. Finally, four major problems are identified after the comprehensive IAQ audit. They are: (1) low room temperature (21.8 degrees C), (2) insufficient air exchange rate (<1.5 h(-1)), (3) formaldehyde contamination (>0.02 ppm), and (4) the microbial pollution (total bacteria: 2,624-3,799 CFU/m(3)). The high level of formaldehyde may be due to the emission from the detergent and cleaning agents used for housekeeping.

Public health applications of remote sensing of the environment, an evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The available techniques were examined in the field of remote sensing (including aerial photography, infrared detection, radar, etc.) and applications to a number of problems in the wide field of public health determined. The specific areas of public health examined included: air pollution, water pollution, communicable disease, and the combined problems of urban growth and the effect of disasters on human communities. The assessment of the possible applications of remote sensing to these problems was made primarily by examination of the available literature in each field, and by interviews with health authorities, physicists, biologists, and other interested workers. Three types of programs employing remote sensors were outlined in the air pollution field: (1) proving ability of sensors to monitor pollutants at three levels of interest - point source, ambient levels in cities, and global patterns; (2) detection of effects of pollutants on the environment at local and global levels; and (3) routine monitoring.

Mobile lidar system for monitoring of gaseous pollutants in atmosphere over industrial and urban area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskalenko, Irina V.; Shecheglov, Djolinard A.; Rogachev, Aleksei P.; Avdonin, Aleksandr A.; Molodtsov, Nikolai A.

1999-01-01

The lidar remote sensing techniques are powerful for monitoring of gaseous toxic species in atmosphere over wide areas. The paper presented describes design, development and field testing of Mobile Lidar System (MLS) based on utilization of Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique. The activity is performed by Russian Research Center 'Kurchatov Institute' and Research Institute of Pulse Technique within the project 'Mobile Remote SEnsing System Based on Tunable Laser Transmitter for Environmental Monitoring' under funding of International Scientific and Technology Center Moscow. A brief description of MLS is presented including narrowband transmitter, receiver, system steering, data acquisition subsystem and software. MLS is housed in a mobile truck and is able to provide 3D mapping of gaseous species. Sulfur dioxide and elemental mercury were chosen as basic atmospheric pollutants for field test of MLS. The problem of anthropogenic ozone detection attracts attention due to increase traffic in Moscow. The experimental sites for field testing are located in Moscow Region. Examples of field DIAL measurements will be presented. Application of remote sensing to toxic species near-real time measurements is now under consideration. The objective is comparison of pollution level in working zone with maximum permissible concentration of hazardous pollutant.

Global styrene oligomers monitoring as new chemical contamination from polystyrene plastic marine pollution.

PubMed

Kwon, Bum Gun; Koizumi, Koshiro; Chung, Seon-Yong; Kodera, Yoichi; Kim, Jong-Oh; Saido, Katsuhiko

2015-12-30

Polystyrene (PS) plastic marine pollution is an environmental concern. However, a reliable and objective assessment of the scope of this problem, which can lead to persistent organic contaminants, has yet to be performed. Here, we show that anthropogenic styrene oligomers (SOs), a possible indicator of PS pollution in the ocean, are found globally at concentrations that are higher than those expected based on the stability of PS. SOs appear to persist to varying degrees in the seawater and sand samples collected from beaches around the world. The most persistent forms are styrene monomer, styrene dimer, and styrene trimer. Sand samples from beaches, which are commonly recreation sites, are particularly polluted with these high SOs concentrations. This finding is of interest from both scientific and public perspectives because SOs may pose potential long-term risks to the environment in combination with other endocrine disrupting chemicals. From SOs monitoring results, this study proposes a flow diagram for SOs leaching from PS cycle. Using this flow diagram, we conclude that SOs are global contaminants in sandy beaches around the world due to their broad spatial distribution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems and its phytoremediation using wetland plants: An ecosustainable approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rai, P.K.

This review addresses the global problem of heavy metal pollution originating from increased industrialization and urbanization and its amelioration by using wetland plants both in a microcosm as well as natural/field condition. This review mentions salient features of wetland ecosystems, their vegetation component, and the pros and cons involved in heavy metal removal. Wetland plants are preferred over other bio-agents due to their low cost, frequent abundance in aquatic ecosystems, and easy handling. Constructed wetlands proved to be effective for the abatement of heavy metal pollution from acid mine drainage; landfill leachate; thermal power; and municipal, agricultural, refinery, and chlor-alkalimore » effluent. the physicochemical properties of wetlands provide many positive attributes for remediating heavy metals. Typha, Phragmites, Eichhornia, Azolla, Lemna, and other aquatic macrophytes are some of the potent wetland plants for heavy metal removal. Biomass disposal problem and seasonal growth of aquatic macrophytes are some limitations in the transfer of phytoremediation technology from the laboratory to the field. However, the disposed biomass of macrophytes may be used for various fruitful applications. An ecosustainable model has been developed through the author's various works, which may ameliorate some of the limitations. The creation of more areas for phytoremediation may also aid in wetlands conservation. Genetic engineering and biodiversity prospecting of endangered wetland plants are important future prospects in this regard.« less

Application of computational fluid mechanics to atmospheric pollution problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, R. J.; Liaw, G. S.; Smith, R. E.

1986-01-01

One of the most noticeable effects of air pollution on the properties of the atmosphere is the reduction in visibility. This paper reports the results of investigations of the fluid dynamical and microphysical processes involved in the formation of advection fog on aerosols from combustion-related pollutants, as condensation nuclei. The effects of a polydisperse aerosol distribution, on the condensation/nucleation processes which cause the reduction in visibility are studied. This study demonstrates how computational fluid mechanics and heat transfer modeling can be applied to simulate the life cycle of the atmosphereic pollution problems.

Testing Method of Degrading Heavy Oil Pollution by Microorganisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qi; Zhao, Lin; Ma, Aijin

2018-01-01

With the development of human society, we are more and more relying on the petrochemical energy. The use of petrochemical energy not only brings us great convenience, but is also accompanied by a series of environmental pollution problems, especially oil pollution. Since it is impractical to restore all pollution problems, the proper use of some remedial measures, under the guidance of functional orientation, may be sufficient to minimize the risk of persistent and diffusing pollutants. In recent years, bioremediation technology has been gradually developed into a promising stage and has played a crucial role in the degradation of heavy oil pollution. Specially, microbes in the degradation of heavy oil have made a great contribution. This paper mainly summarizes the different kinds of microorganisms for degrading heavy oil and the detection method for degradation efficiency of heavy oil pollution.

Pollution Probe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chant, Donald A.

This book is written as a statement of concern about pollution by members of Pollution Probe, a citizens' anti-pollution group in Canada. Its purpose is to create public awareness and pressure for the eventual solution to pollution problems. The need for effective government policies to control the population explosion, conserve natural resources,…

78 FR 16465 - Energy and Environment Trade Mission to Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... experienced problems with the discharge of untreated sewage, particularly along the west coast. Malaysia's water pollution problem also extends to its rivers, of which 40 percent are polluted. The nation has 580... sources is still a problem. In the mid-1990s, Malaysia ranked among 50 nations with the world's highest...

Design and Research of the Sewage Treatment Control System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, J.; Hu, W. W.

Due to the rapid development of China's economy, the water pollution has become a problem that we have to face. In particular, how to deal with industrial wastewater has become a top priority. In wastewater treatment, the control system based on PLC has met the design requirement in real-time, reliability, precision and so on. The integration of sequence control and process control in PLC, has the characteristics of high reliability, simple network, convenient and flexible use. PLC is a powerful tool for small and medium-sized industrial automation. Therefore, the sewage treatment control system take PLC as the core of control system, can nicely solve the problem of industrial wastewater in a certain extent.

Solving a layout design problem by analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuzkaya, Umut R.; Eser, Arzum; Argon, Goner

2004-02-01

Today, growing amounts of waste due to fast consumption rate of products started an irreversible environmental pollution and damage. A considerable part of this waste is caused by packaging material. With the realization of this fact, various waste policies have taken important steps. Here we considered a firm, where waste Aluminum constitutes majority of raw materials for this fir0m. In order to achieve a profitable recycling process, plant layout should be well designed. In this study, we propose a two-step approach involving Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to solve facility layout design problems. A case example is considered to demonstrate the results achieved.

Environmental concerns and diet in Singapore.

PubMed

Burger, Joanna; Fleischer, Jennifer; Jeitner, Chris; Gochfeld, Michael

2003-08-08

Many factors affect how people perceive the world and their environment, and how such perceptions affect lifestyle decisions, yet the relationship between personal perceptions about environmental hazards and diet is rarely examined. In this study, environmental concerns on a local and global scale were examined, along with dietary patterns, to determine if there were associations and age-related differences. The hypothesis that concerns about water pollution might be reflected in choices about seafood consumption was examined. Many aspects of dietary choices varied significantly by age, including (1) younger people ate more "fast food" than others, (2) subjects aged 22-32 yr ate more meals in restaurants than older or younger people, (3) older individuals drank more tea than younger subjects, while younger people drank more soda than older people, and (4) there were few significant differences in total fish and shellfish meals, although young people ate more meals of other types of meat. Individuals who rated their health the best reported significantly fewer seafood meals than others. People who listed pollution as the major environmental problem did not consume seafood less often than others. While pollution was listed as the most important environmental problem globally, people distinguished between air and water pollution only for Singapore. Although Singapore, with its rapidly expanding economy, has reason to be concerned about both water and air pollution, only 14% of those listing pollution as the main Singapore environmental problem mentioned "water pollution." Singapore has been able to take measures to reduce water pollution from internal sources. Respondents considered air pollution a greater problem, perhaps reflecting recent haze disasters from deliberately set forest fires in Indonesia, which are beyond the direct control of Singapore or Singaporeans.

Does consideration of GHG reductions change local decision making? A Case Study in Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cifuentes, L. A.; Blumel, G.

2003-12-01

While local air pollution has been a public concern in developing countries for some time, climate change is looked upon as a non-urgent, developed world problem. In this work we present a case study of the interaction of measures to abate air pollution and measures to mitigate GHG emissions in Santiago, Chile, with the purpose of determining if the consideration of reductions in GHG affects the decisions taken to mitigate local air pollution. The emissions reductions of both GHG and local air pollutants were estimated from emission factors (some derived locally) and changes in activity levels. Health benefits due to air pollution abatement were computed using figures derived previously for the cost benefit analysis of Santiago's Decontamination Plan, transferred to the different cities taking into consideration local demographic and income data. The Santiago estimates were obtained using the damage function approach, based on some local epidemiological studies, and on local health and demographic data. Unit social values for the effects were estimated locally (for cost of treatment and lost productivity values) or extrapolated from US values (mainly for WTP values) using the ratio of per-capita income and an income elasticity of 1. The average benefits of emission abatement (in 1997 US\\ per ton) are 1,800 (1,200-2300) for NOx, 3,000 (2,100-3900) for SO2, 31,900 (21,900 - 41,900) for PM, and 630 (430 - 830) for resuspended dust. Economic benefits due to carbon reduction were considered at 3.5, 10 and 20 UStCO2. Marginal abatement cost curves were constructed considering private and net costs (private less the potential sales of carbon credits) Due to the bottom-up approach to constructing the marginal cost curve, many abatement measures (like congestion tolls and CNG instead of diesel buses) amounting to 8% reduction of PM2.5 concentration, exhibit a negative private cost. If the health benefits are considered for the decision, a maximum reduction of 22% in PM2.5 levels is obtained. Although many measures have associated reductions in GHG, due to the relatively low price considered for carbon reductions, when the potential benefits of CO2 sales are considered, this number does not increases. Therefore, consideration of the CO2 benefits did not change the decision for any of the 36 measures analyzed. This confirms that the main driver for air pollution policy is likely to continue to be local concerns, like public health issues.

Research and Development in the Anthropogenic Cryosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jong, C.; Luthe, T.; Hohenwallne, D.

2009-04-01

Much of todays cryosphere research is oriented towards the polar regions and is strongly supported by large associations and funding. On the other hand, funding and institutional support is still limited for mountains. In Europe, mountain research is mainly funded through Alpine Space Interregs, FP7, ESF and COST. However, there is growing global change pressure on mountain regions, particularly in the more fragile, higher altitudes such as between 1000 - 3200 m in the Alps. Although these zones are comparable to the Arctic in terms of climatic and physiographic conditions, they are not in terms of human pressures and atmospheric pollution released from surrounding agglomerations. A re-orientation of research into more applied projects that tackle present day problems is necessary. Not only is climate change rapidly changing the face of mountains, socio-economic multipliers are also acting fast. New problems such as conflicts over natural resources are evolving at a rapid rate, requiring research funding and projects to respond at according rates if timely and efficient solutions are to be proposed. Other problems include contamination of high altitude lakes and ecosystems through atmospheric precipitation of persistent organic pollutants and concentration of radio-active substances. The rapid melt of glacier ice is also releasing pollutants that have been captured for many decades. Many of the present day problems develop due to a miscomprehension of the cryosphere. Short-term economical reasoning outweighs the long-term ecological impacts that could be very counter-productive at the long term. Both the glaciological, snow, permafrost, geomorphological, ecological, hydrological and atmospheric conditions are increasingly heavily modified by human impacts. The effects include the alteration of the ice cover (by artificial covering of glaciers), production of artificial snow cover, snow and ground compaction, erosion, landsliding, change in vegetation cover and fauna, modification of local hydrological cycle and modification of local climate and atmospheric pollution. Research in mountains should balance the needs of scientists and stakeholders alike, but this requires re-orientation of mountain research into multi-disciplinary projects next to basic science. Unlike the polar regions (with exceptions like Longyearbyen, Spitzbergen), seasonal population pressure in mountains is intense, causing local problems such as water scarcity. Research in these areas therefore requires close collaboration with stakeholders. Large-scale events such as Winter Olympics that have benefited from the classical mountain cryosphere in the past are now increasingly becoming internationally competitive and independent of the natural cryospheric conditions. New ski areas are developed world-wide in zones that do not offer natural climatological conditions for maintaining ski runs. Sub-zero temperatures are used as a basis for snow-making even in those regions that do not benefit from sufficient natural snow-fall. Large-scale landscape modification results in motorway like ski runs, large snow water reservoirs and extensive housing projects on vulnerable slopes. Due to steep and remote topography, transport is often dominated by cars and increases CO2 emissions intensively at local hot spots. In future, mountain slopes that have been heavily modified for winter tourism, may rapidly become neglected zones due to rapid snowline retreat. As the summer season extends, the modifications to the cryosphere will become more and more evident. Even with positive temperatures and snow-free ground, the vegetation season will not be extensive enough to enable rapid recovery, especially at altitudes above 2000 m a.s.l and north-facing aspects. Several decades of anthropogenic modification may require several centuries of recovery to provide new economical benefits.

Teaching Applied Chemistry in a Pollution Control Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sell, Nancy J.

1982-01-01

Discusses rationale behind and content of a course (Industrial Pollution Control Techniques) combining knowledge from fields of industrial chemistry and chemical engineering and utilizing this knowledge in the context of understanding pollution problems and potential methods of pollution control. (Author/SK)

Therapeutic and Ethical Dilemma of Puberty and Menstruation Problems in an Intellectually Disabled (Autistic) Female: a Case Report.

PubMed

Memarian, Azadeh; Mehrpisheh, Shahrokh

2015-10-01

Intellectual disability is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and skills. Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders, collectively called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Teenagers with learning and physical disabilities are more likely to have menstrual problems compared to the general populations. The parents of a 12-year-old girl with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability referred to the coroner due to her numerous problems of puberty (menstruation) including: poor hygiene and polluting herself and the environment, not allowing to put or change the pads and changes in mood and physical health prior period, requested for the surgery (hysterectomy). In legal medicine organization after reviewing the medical records, physical exams and medical consultations with a gynecologist and psychiatric, surgery was not accepted. Hysterectomy (surgery) due to the age of the child, either physically or morally is not recommended. The use of hormone replacement therapy has side effects such as osteoporosis. In these cases, it seems noninvasive methods (behavioral therapy and learning care skills) under the welfare experts is also more effective and morally.

Effects of arsenic toxicity on morphological characters in blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) during early growth stage.

PubMed

Shamim, M Z; Pandey, A

2017-07-31

Blackgram is an important pulse crop of the tropic and sub-tropic area and has been identified as a potential crop in many countries. In the south-East Asia arsenic toxicity in soil and water is one of the most environmental problems. Crop productivity is highly affected by cultivation in arsenic polluted soil or irrigation through arsenic polluted water. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of arsenic (As) on fresh shoot length, fresh shoot weight, fresh root length, fresh shoot weight and total fresh biomass, The results indicate that root length is more affected than shoot length due to arsenic toxicity. The fresh shoot weight observed was more affected than fresh root weight. This study indicates that arsenic toxicity causes the deleterious effect on blackgram growth. The toxic effect of blackgram depends on the genotypic variability. Some blackgram genotypes show very less toxic effect of arsenic due to its genetic makeup. Experimental findings of study indicate that longer root length and more shoot weight in arsenic stress condition may be tolerant blackgram genotype to arsenic toxicity.

Integrated measures for preservation, restoration and improvement of the environmental conditions of the Lagoon Olho d'Agua basin.

PubMed

Florencio, L; Kato, M T; de Lima, E S

2001-06-01

The Lagoon Olho d'Agua in Pernambuco State, Northeast Brazil has received increasing environmental concern due to significant stress from pollution in the catchment. The existing environmental problems are the result of great pressure from a broad range of human activities, especially in the last 10 years. Serious pollution exists mainly from some industrial and urban activities, which increased intensively after the eighties. There is a strong social and economical pressure for housing and construction near the lagoon, due to the available land nearby beaches and estuarine zone, and recently by growing tourism activities. Uncontrolled land use by low-income communities and the pressure for construction by developers have led to landfilling and to deterioration of water quality in the lagoon catchment. Improvement of the environmental conditions in the catchment needs integrated measures. Guidelines and some specific actions involving several institutions have been established and refer to sanitation and urban infrastructure as the main priorities. A main target is the construction of low-cost sewage system with smaller and decentralised treatment plants.

Evaluation of remediation techniques in soils affected by residual contamination with heavy metals and arsenic.

PubMed

García-Carmona, M; Romero-Freire, A; Sierra Aragón, M; Martínez Garzón, F J; Martín Peinado, F J

2017-04-15

Residual soil pollution from the Aznalcóllar mine spill is still a problem in some parts of the affected area, today converted in the Guadiamar Green Corridor. Dispersed spots of polluted soils, identified by the absence of vegetation, are characterized by soil acid pH and high concentrations of As, Pb, Cu and Zn. Ex situ remediation techniques were performed with unrecovered soil samples. Landfarming, Composting and Biopiles techniques were tested in order to immobilize pollutants, to improve soil properties and to promote vegetation recovery. The effectiveness of these techniques was assessed by toxicity bioassays: Lactuca sativa L. root elongation test, Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence reduction test, soil induced respiration test, and Eisenia andrei survival and metal bioaccumulation tests. Landfarming and Composting were not effective techniques, mainly due to the poor improvement of soil properties which maintained high soluble concentrations of Zn and Cu after treatments. Biopile technique, using adjacent recovered soils in the area, was the most effective action in the reduction of soil toxicity; the improvement of soil properties and the reduction in pollutants solubility were key to improve the response of the tested organisms. Therefore, the mixture of recovered soils with polluted soils in the areas affected by residual contamination is considered a more suitable technique to reduce the residual pollution and to promote the complete soil recovery in the Guadiamar Green Corridor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Air Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, K.; And Others

Pollution of the general environment, which exposes an entire population group for an indeterminate period of time, certainly constitutes a problem in public health. Serious aid pollution episodes have resulted in increased mortality and a possible relationship between chronic exposure to a polluted atmosphere and certain diseases has been…

The Other Water Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Kathy

1978-01-01

Nonpoint source pollution, water pollution not released at one specific identifiable point, now accounts for 50 percent of the nation's water pollution problem. Runoff is the primary culprit and includes the following sources: agriculture, mining, hydrologic modifications, and urban runoff. Economics, legislation, practices, and management of this…

Prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollution and child behavioral problems at school age in Japan.

PubMed

Yorifuji, Takashi; Kashima, Saori; Diez, Midory Higa; Kado, Yoko; Sanada, Satoshi; Doi, Hiroyuki

2017-02-01

Recent studies suggest positive associations between prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and neurodevelopment of children, but evidence on the adverse effects of exposure to air pollution on child neurobehavioral development remains limited. We thus examined associations between prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollution and child behavioral problems at school age, using data from a nationwide population-based longitudinal survey in Japan, where participants were recruited in 2001 and are continuously followed. Suspended particulate matter (SPM), nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide concentrations during the 9months before birth were obtained at municipality level and assigned to those participants born in the corresponding municipality. We analyzed data from singleton births with linked pollution data available (e.g., n=33,911 for SPM). We used responses to survey questions about behavioral problems at age 8years. We conducted multilevel logistic regression analysis, adjusting for individual and municipality-level variables. Air pollution exposure during gestation was positively associated with risk for behavioral problems related to attention and delinquent or aggressive behavior. In the fully adjusted models, odds ratios following a one-interquartile-range increase in SPM were 1.06 (95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.11) for interrupting others, 1.09 (1.03, 1.15) for failure to pay attention when crossing a street, 1.06 (1.01, 1.11) for lying, and 1.07 (1.02, 1.13) for causing public disturbance. Prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollution was associated with behavioral problems related to attention and delinquent or aggressive behavior at age 8years in a nationally representative sample in Japan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remediation and rehabilitation of abandoned mining sites in Cyprus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helsen, S.; Rommens, T.; De Ridder, A.; Panayiotou, C.; Colpaert, J.

2009-04-01

Due to a particular geological setting, Cyprus is rich in ore deposits, many of them subject to extensive mining. Most of the mines have a long history, sometimes dating back to prehistorical times. These abandoned mines cause severe off-site environmental problems and health risks for the local population. Groundwater supplies are affected by the leaching of pollutants, surface water is contaminated because of water erosion, and harmful dust containing heavy metals or asbestos is spread due to wind erosion. In addition to the environmental risks associated with the abandoned mines, many of these sites are aestethically unattractive, and remain an economic burden to stakeholders and the public in general, due to the downgrading of surrounding areas, non-development and hence loss of revenue. These factors are important in Cyprus where tourism is a significant source of income for local communities. An EUREKA-project addresses the issue of abandoned mine clean-up and restoration. The main objectives of this study are : (1) To develop phytostabilization and -remediation techniques to stabilize and clean up sites characterized by high nickel and copper concentrations in the soil, using endemic plants (Alyssum spp. and mycorrhizal Pinus brutia). In some old mines, efforts were already made to stabilize slopes in an attempt to minimize soil erosion and spreading of pollutants. These restoration efforts, however, remained largely unsuccessful because vegetation that was planted could not cope with the harsh hydrogeochemical soil characteristics. Regeneration of the vegetation cover therefore failed ; (2) to demonstrate the risks associated to the environmental hazard of metal polluted mine spoils and outline a method by which to accomplish this type of risk assessment ; (3) to analyse costs and benefits of phytostabilization- and phytoremediation-based solution for the problem. Results of the first experiments are still preliminary and incomplete. However, it is expected that a better knowledge on growing conditions of the selected plant species will contribute to the development of a phytoremediation technique for a low-cost and sustainable restoration of the old mine sites. Moreover, this will have direct utility to other areas in the Mediterranean region, that are similarly threatened by the presence of heavy metals in the environment.

Sensitivity Analysis for some Water Pollution Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Dimet, François-Xavier; Tran Thu, Ha; Hussaini, Yousuff

2014-05-01

Sensitivity Analysis for Some Water Pollution Problems Francois-Xavier Le Dimet1 & Tran Thu Ha2 & M. Yousuff Hussaini3 1Université de Grenoble, France, 2Vietnamese Academy of Sciences, 3 Florida State University Sensitivity analysis employs some response function and the variable with respect to which its sensitivity is evaluated. If the state of the system is retrieved through a variational data assimilation process, then the observation appears only in the Optimality System (OS). In many cases, observations have errors and it is important to estimate their impact. Therefore, sensitivity analysis has to be carried out on the OS, and in that sense sensitivity analysis is a second order property. The OS can be considered as a generalized model because it contains all the available information. This presentation proposes a method to carry out sensitivity analysis in general. The method is demonstrated with an application to water pollution problem. The model involves shallow waters equations and an equation for the pollutant concentration. These equations are discretized using a finite volume method. The response function depends on the pollutant source, and its sensitivity with respect to the source term of the pollutant is studied. Specifically, we consider: • Identification of unknown parameters, and • Identification of sources of pollution and sensitivity with respect to the sources. We also use a Singular Evolutive Interpolated Kalman Filter to study this problem. The presentation includes a comparison of the results from these two methods. .

Climate change, air pollution and extreme events leading to increasing prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases.

PubMed

D'Amato, Gennaro; Baena-Cagnani, Carlos E; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Nunes, Carlos; Ansotegui, Ignacio; D'Amato, Maria; Liccardi, Gennaro; Sofia, Matteo; Canonica, Walter G

2013-02-11

The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has increased dramatically during the past few decades not only in industrialized countries. Urban air pollution from motor vehicles has been indicated as one of the major risk factors responsible for this increase.Although genetic factors are important in the development of asthma and allergic diseases, the rising trend can be explained only in changes occurred in the environment. Despite some differences in the air pollution profile and decreasing trends of some key air pollutants, air quality is an important concern for public health in the cities throughout the world.Due to climate change, air pollution patterns are changing in several urbanized areas of the world, with a significant effect on respiratory health.The observational evidence indicates that recent regional changes in climate, particularly temperature increases, have already affected a diverse set of physical and biological systems in many parts of the world. Associations between thunderstorms and asthma morbidity in pollinosis subjects have been also identified in multiple locations around the world.Allergens patterns are also changing in response to climate change and air pollution can modify the allergenic potential of pollens especially in presence of specific weather conditions.The underlying mechanisms of all these interactions are not well known yet. The consequences on health vary from decreases in lung function to allergic diseases, new onset of diseases, and exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases.Factor clouding the issue is that laboratory evaluations do not reflect what happens during natural exposition, when atmospheric pollution mixtures in polluted cities are inhaled. In addition, it is important to recall that an individual's response to pollution exposure depends on the source and components of air pollution, as well as meteorological conditions. Indeed, some air pollution-related incidents with asthma aggravation do not depend only on the increased production of air pollution, but rather on atmospheric factors that favour the accumulation of air pollutants at ground level.Considering these aspects governments worldwide and international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the European Union are facing a growing problem of the respiratory effects induced by gaseous and particulate pollutants arising from motor vehicle emissions.

Climate change, air pollution and extreme events leading to increasing prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has increased dramatically during the past few decades not only in industrialized countries. Urban air pollution from motor vehicles has been indicated as one of the major risk factors responsible for this increase. Although genetic factors are important in the development of asthma and allergic diseases, the rising trend can be explained only in changes occurred in the environment. Despite some differences in the air pollution profile and decreasing trends of some key air pollutants, air quality is an important concern for public health in the cities throughout the world. Due to climate change, air pollution patterns are changing in several urbanized areas of the world, with a significant effect on respiratory health. The observational evidence indicates that recent regional changes in climate, particularly temperature increases, have already affected a diverse set of physical and biological systems in many parts of the world. Associations between thunderstorms and asthma morbidity in pollinosis subjects have been also identified in multiple locations around the world. Allergens patterns are also changing in response to climate change and air pollution can modify the allergenic potential of pollens especially in presence of specific weather conditions. The underlying mechanisms of all these interactions are not well known yet. The consequences on health vary from decreases in lung function to allergic diseases, new onset of diseases, and exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases. Factor clouding the issue is that laboratory evaluations do not reflect what happens during natural exposition, when atmospheric pollution mixtures in polluted cities are inhaled. In addition, it is important to recall that an individual’s response to pollution exposure depends on the source and components of air pollution, as well as meteorological conditions. Indeed, some air pollution-related incidents with asthma aggravation do not depend only on the increased production of air pollution, but rather on atmospheric factors that favour the accumulation of air pollutants at ground level. Considering these aspects governments worldwide and international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the European Union are facing a growing problem of the respiratory effects induced by gaseous and particulate pollutants arising from motor vehicle emissions. PMID:23398734

The Principle and the Application of Self-cleaning Anti-pollution Coating in Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Y. J.; Zhang, Z. B.; Liu, Y.; Wang, J. H.; Teng, J. L.; Wu, L. S.; Zhang, Y. L.

2017-11-01

The common problem existed in power system is analyzed in this paper. The main reason for the affection of the safe and stable operation to power equipment is flash-over caused by dirt and discharge. Using the self-cleaning anti-pollution coating in the power equipment surface is the key to solve the problem. In the work, the research progress and design principle about the self-cleaning anti-pollution coating was summarized. Furthermore, the preparation technology was also studied. Finally, the application prospect of hard self-cleaning anti-pollution coating in power system was forecast.

Air pollution and public health: the challenges for Delhi, India.

PubMed

Sharma, Arun Kumar; Baliyan, Palak; Kumar, Prashant

2018-03-28

Mitigating the impact of pollution on human health worldwide is important to limit the morbidity and mortality arising from exposure to its effect. The level and type of pollutants vary in different urban and rural settings. Here, we explored the extent of air pollution and its impacts on human health in the megacity of Delhi (India) through a review of the published literature. The study aims at describing the extent of air pollution in Delhi, the magnitude of health problems due to air pollution and the risk relationship between air pollution and associated health effects. We found 234 published articles in the PubMed search. The search showed that the extent of air pollution in Delhi has been described by various researchers from about 1986 onwards. We synthesized the findings and discuss them at length with respect to reported values, their possible interpretations and any limitations of the methodology. The chemical composition of ambient air pollution is also discussed. Further, we discuss the magnitude of health problem with respect to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), bronchial asthma and other illnesses. The results of the literature search showed that data has been collected in last 28 years on ambient air quality in Delhi, though it lacks a scientific continuity, consistency of locations and variations in parameters chosen for reporting. As a result, it is difficult to construct a spatiotemporal picture of the air pollution status in Delhi over time. The number of sites from where data have been collected varied widely across studies and methods used for data collection is also non-uniform. Even the parameters studied are varied, as some studies focused on particulate matter ≤10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and those ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), and others on suspended particulate matter (SPM) and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM). Similarly, the locations of data collection have varied widely. Some of the sites were at busy traffic intersections, some on the terraces of offices and residential houses and others in university campuses or airports. As a result, the key question of the extent of pollution and its distribution across various parts of the city could be inferred. None of the studies or a combination of them could present a complete picture of the burden of diseases like COPD, bronchial asthma and other allergic conditions attributable to pollution in Delhi. Neither could it be established what fraction of the burden of the above diseases is attributable to ambient air pollution, given that other factors like tobacco smoke and indoor air pollution are also contributors to the causation of such diseases. In our discussion, we highlight the knowledge gaps and in the conclusion, we suggested what research can be undertaken to fill the these research gaps.

Winds of change: reducing transboundary air pollutants.

PubMed

Reuther, C G

2000-04-01

Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, persistent organic pollutants, particulate matter, and heavy metals---air pollutants once thought to be problems that could be solved locally, where the effects occur---are all currently being discussed in international forums. A spate of meetings and agreements in recent months has shown many international governments to be more willing than ever to try to limit the amount of their air pollution that drifts into other countries. Prompting this policy shift are increasing emissions in some parts of the world, better monitoring, and an improved understanding of air pollution transport and the effects of air pollution. In most regions of the world, however, no international agreements on air pollution exist at all, while in others, many overlapping local, multilateral, and global agreements address the problem simultaneously. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes nearly 3 million deaths per year, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that ground-level ozone causes damage to U.S. crops totaling $1-2 billion each year.

Study on ecological regulation of coastal plain sluice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Wengong; Geng, Bing; Yu, Huanfei; Yu, Hongbo

2018-02-01

Coastal plains are densely populated and economically developed, therefore their importance is self-evident. However, there are some problems related with water in coastal plains, such as low flood control capacity and severe water pollution. Due to complicated river network hydrodynamic force, changeable flow direction and uncertain flood concentration and propagation mechanism, it is rather difficult to use sluice scheduling to realize flood control and tackle water pollution. On the base of the measured hydrological data during once-in-a-century Fitow typhoon in 2013 in Yuyao city, by typical analysis, theoretical analysis and process simulation, some key technologies were researched systematically including plain river network sluice ecological scheduling, “one tide” flood control and drainage scheduling and ecological running water scheduling. In the end, single factor health diagnostic evaluation, unit hydrograph of plain water level and evening tide scheduling were put forward.

The Escompte - Marseille 2001 International Field Experiment: Ground Based and Lidar Results Obtained At St. Chamas By The Epfl Mobile Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balin, I.; Jimenez, R.; Simeonov, V.; Ristori, P.; Navarette, M.; van den Bergh, H.; Calpini, B.

The assessment of the air pollution problems in term of understanding of the non- linear chemical mechanisms, the transport or the meteorological processes, and the choice of the abatement strategies could be based on the air pollution models. Nowa- days, very few of these models were validated due to the lack of 3D measurements. The goal of the ESCOMPTE experiment was to provide such of 3D database in order to constrain the air pollution models. The EPFL-LPA mobile laboratory was part of the ESCOMPTE extensive network and was located on the northern side of the Berre Lake at St.Chamas. In this framework, measurements of the air pollutants (O3, SO2, NOx, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon and particulate matter of less than 10 microns mean diameter) and meteorological parameters (wind, temperature, pressure and relative humidity) were continuously performed from June 10 to July 13, 2001. They were combined with ground based lidar observations for ozone and aerosol estimation from 100m above ground level up to the free troposphere at ca.7 km agl. This paper will present an overview of the results obtained and will highlight one of the intensive observation period (IOP) during which clean air conditions were initially observed followed by highly polluted air masses during the second half of the IOP.

The advances of Chinese non-ferrous metal mineral industry and its environmental management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miao Zewei; Gao Lin; Zhou Xiaoyuan

1998-12-31

With the steady growth of Chinese economy, the nonferrous metal industry of China was also developed quickly. The gross output of ten main nonferrous metals 4.25 million tons in 1995 so that China ranks the fourth in the world. However, a series of environmental problems also occurred, which relate to characteristics of mineral resources, techniques for mining, dressing, smelting and processing, equipment and their management level. The major pollutants include sulphur dioxide, industrial powder-dust and smoke-dust, water containing heavy metal ions as well as solid wastes. Air, water body, soil, vegetation and people`s health were polluted and damaged to differentmore » extent due to the above pollutants. For the purpose of environmental management and pollution control, some measures must be taken: (1) to strengthen environmental planning, accelerate and perfect environmental laws and related regulations as well as spread the consciousness of environmental protection energetically; (2) to extend cleaner production and adopt advanced technologies so as to reduce environmental pollution; (3) to turn the concept of the end-of-pipe management to the whole-process control; (4) to recovery or reuse the wastes fully. In addition, general situation and policies on reclamation of mining land as well as theory, methods and techniques of restoration of waste land were also stated in the paper.« less

Groundwater vulnerability to pollution mapping of Ranchi district using GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna, R.; Iqbal, J.; Gorai, A. K.; Pathak, G.; Tuluri, F.; Tchounwou, P. B.

2015-12-01

Groundwater pollution due to anthropogenic activities is one of the major environmental problems in urban and industrial areas. The present study demonstrates the integrated approach with GIS and DRASTIC model to derive a groundwater vulnerability to pollution map. The model considers the seven hydrogeological factors [Depth to water table ( D), net recharge ( R), aquifer media ( A), soil media ( S), topography or slope ( T), impact of vadose zone ( I) and hydraulic Conductivity( C)] for generating the groundwater vulnerability to pollution map. The model was applied for assessing the groundwater vulnerability to pollution in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India. The model was validated by comparing the model output (vulnerability indices) with the observed nitrate concentrations in groundwater in the study area. The reason behind the selection of nitrate is that the major sources of nitrate in groundwater are anthropogenic in nature. Groundwater samples were collected from 30 wells/tube wells distributed in the study area. The samples were analyzed in the laboratory for measuring the nitrate concentrations in groundwater. A sensitivity analysis of the integrated model was performed to evaluate the influence of single parameters on groundwater vulnerability index. New weights were computed for each input parameters to understand the influence of individual hydrogeological factors in vulnerability indices in the study area. Aquifer vulnerability maps generated in this study can be used for environmental planning and groundwater management.

Groundwater vulnerability to pollution mapping of Ranchi district using GIS.

PubMed

Krishna, R; Iqbal, J; Gorai, A K; Pathak, G; Tuluri, F; Tchounwou, P B

2015-12-01

Groundwater pollution due to anthropogenic activities is one of the major environmental problems in urban and industrial areas. The present study demonstrates the integrated approach with GIS and DRASTIC model to derive a groundwater vulnerability to pollution map. The model considers the seven hydrogeological factors [Depth to water table ( D ), net recharge ( R ), aquifer media ( A ), soil media ( S ), topography or slope ( T ), impact of vadose zone ( I ) and hydraulic Conductivity( C )] for generating the groundwater vulnerability to pollution map. The model was applied for assessing the groundwater vulnerability to pollution in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India. The model was validated by comparing the model output (vulnerability indices) with the observed nitrate concentrations in groundwater in the study area. The reason behind the selection of nitrate is that the major sources of nitrate in groundwater are anthropogenic in nature. Groundwater samples were collected from 30 wells/tube wells distributed in the study area. The samples were analyzed in the laboratory for measuring the nitrate concentrations in groundwater. A sensitivity analysis of the integrated model was performed to evaluate the influence of single parameters on groundwater vulnerability index. New weights were computed for each input parameters to understand the influence of individual hydrogeological factors in vulnerability indices in the study area. Aquifer vulnerability maps generated in this study can be used for environmental planning and groundwater management.

Improving Multi-Objective Management of Water Quality Tipping Points: Revisiting the Classical Shallow Lake Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinn, J. D.; Reed, P. M.; Keller, K.

2015-12-01

Recent multi-objective extensions of the classical shallow lake problem are useful for exploring the conceptual and computational challenges that emerge when managing irreversible water quality tipping points. Building on this work, we explore a four objective version of the lake problem where a hypothetical town derives economic benefits from polluting a nearby lake, but at the risk of irreversibly tipping the lake into a permanently polluted state. The trophic state of the lake exhibits non-linear threshold dynamics; below some critical phosphorus (P) threshold it is healthy and oligotrophic, but above this threshold it is irreversibly eutrophic. The town must decide how much P to discharge each year, a decision complicated by uncertainty in the natural P inflow to the lake. The shallow lake problem provides a conceptually rich set of dynamics, low computational demands, and a high level of mathematical difficulty. These properties maximize its value for benchmarking the relative merits and limitations of emerging decision support frameworks, such as Direct Policy Search (DPS). Here, we explore the use of DPS as a formal means of developing robust environmental pollution control rules that effectively account for deeply uncertain system states and conflicting objectives. The DPS reformulation of the shallow lake problem shows promise in formalizing pollution control triggers and signposts, while dramatically reducing the computational complexity of the multi-objective pollution control problem. More broadly, the insights from the DPS variant of the shallow lake problem formulated in this study bridge emerging work related to socio-ecological systems management, tipping points, robust decision making, and robust control.

Use of geophysical methods in man-made hazard management strategies. Case study from Ploiesti city, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chitea, F.; Anghelache, M. A.; Ioane, D.

2010-05-01

Identification of damages/changes that are affecting the underground water quality due to the effect of anthropogenic activities is often done after environmental problems have become evident, water potability being strongly affected. In this paper we will discuss the necessity of implementing non-invasive and non-destructive investigation tools in different parts of the management plan for urban areas affected or with high risk of being affected by man-made hazards. Geophysical investigations represent nowadays a useful tool in environmental problems that affect soil and underground water in urban areas, as useful information can be obtained regarding the following aspects: - detection of affected areas, especially when the effect or hazard sources are not visible at the surface - zonation of the area (severely affected zone or less affected) - investigation of the area (details on affected surface and affected soil depth) - location of "hidden" sources (illegal waste dump sites, petroleum transport or transfer pipes, etc) - estimation of soil and underground damages by monitoring petrophysical markers - risk evaluation (estimations on the direction and speed of environmental problems development, estimations of amplifying negative effects) - recovery from the man-made hazard of a certain area (monitoring information can give information about natural attenuation of the environmental problems or efficacy of resilience program) - preparedness for man-made hazards (prediction). Functionality of the above mentioned plans of geophysical applicability in identifying and characterizing the effect of anthropogenic hazards which affect soil and underground water quality has been tested in Ploiesti city, Romania. In this urban area, as well as in surrounding villages, water potability is severely affected because of the oil-products contamination caused by the refinery facilities developed in the area. Oil-contamination is a major problem environmental problem, due to the fact that affected area is continuously expanding as a consequence of contaminant transport by the underground water. Hydrogeologically the research area is located in the alluvium of one of the main hydrostructures of Romania, which holds important water resources. Preliminary investigations made in the Ploiesti city area, has shown the high vulnerability of the aquifer to pollution and it was detected a highly contaminated area. By detailed investigations made using geophysical investigations in the test-zone, it was possible the detection of the presence of the particular type of pollutants and a map with area zonation has been produced. Appliance of geophysical investigations in environmental strategies concerning underground water pollution should be added to the ones obtained by direct investigations for risk evaluation and remediation strategies in cases of man made hazards. Acknowledgements: The research was performed with financial support from MENER (project nr. 725/ 2006) and CNCSIS-UEFISCU (project nr. 244/2007)

The economic impact of remote sensing data as the source of nonpoint pollution monitoring and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, W. L.

1974-01-01

Nonpoint pollution of streams with sediment as a result of runoff from alternative uses of land has become a socially unacceptable product of economic activity. This report describes a research approach to economically achieve correction of the nonpoint pollution problem. The research approach integrates the economic model with those data which may be obtainable from remotely sensed sources. The economic problem involves measurement of the direct benefits and costs associated with the changes in land management activities necessary to reduce the level of nonpoint pollution. Remotely sensed data from ERTS-1 may provide some of the information required for the economic model which indicates efficient solutions to the nonpoint pollution problem. Three classes of data (i.e., soil categories, vegetative cover, and water turbidity) have the potential to be measured by ERTS-1 systems. There is substantial research which indicates the ability of ERTS-1 to measure these classes of data under selected conditions.

Innovative Approaches to Environmental Health Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mock, Bruce H.

1974-01-01

The results of a NSF-supported student project to determine certain environmental problems in Indiana are reported. The project sought to relate the quality of the local environment to human life and concentrated on problems of air pollution, water pollution, solid waste disposal, and environmental attitudes. (LS)

PM 0,5 and Health effects in an extreme pollution episode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoropoulos, K. N.; Nastos, P. T.; Gialouris, A.; Zontanos, M.; Saratsiotis, D.; Mavroidakos, J.; Khan, U.; Tissera, W. A.

2009-04-01

The mega cities' pollution problem during the last two decades, occupied the whole European scientific community, Asia and the U.S.A. The atmosphere remains suffocating due to rapid industrial development and the ever increasing traffic. Registered health problems are numerous and dramatic in all ages groups, but particularly in infants, old people and patients suffering chronic diseases. After 1980 many governments applied restrictions to maintain a clearer atmosphere. Particulate matters are everywhere, they are inhaled, they enter the lungs, migrate through the blood stream and finally, they deposit in several organs which leads to severe consequences. Wind remains the only restraining factor of PM concentrations, but this is not the desired solution. The issue of atmospheric pollution and its influence on health are both the main aim of this study, which consists of monitoring and mapping PM 0.5 in six areas of Athens and examining the relation of the quantity inhaled by pedestrians and number of health incidents during an acute pollution episode in GAA in November 2008.In this empirical model, values of PM inhaled by humans at a height of two metres above ground are shown as number/ litre and μg/m3. In fact, a lot of patients appeared in the city's hospital emergency centres needing assistance. Most of them exhibit the PM symptomatology which includes: dyspnea, dry cough, lacrimation, headache, arrhythmias. This symptoms are firstly by K.N.Grigoropoulos et al. 2008 (Fresenious Environment Bulletin issue b September 2008.pp 1426-1431) Although this situation is already widely known to everyone, governments continue to ignore it systematically. The time is probably right for the European Community to apply restrictions on PM1.

Assessment of an air pollution monitoring network to generate urban air pollution maps using Shannon information index, fuzzy overlay, and Dempster-Shafer theory, A case study: Tehran, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahlavani, Parham; Sheikhian, Hossein; Bigdeli, Behnaz

2017-10-01

Air pollution assessment is an imperative part of megacities planning and control. Hence, a new comprehensive approach for air pollution monitoring and assessment was introduced in this research. It comprises of three main sections: optimizing the existing air pollutant monitoring network, locating new stations to complete the coverage of the existing network, and finally, generating an air pollution map. In the first section, Shannon information index was used to find less informative stations to be candidate for removal. Then, a methodology was proposed to determine the areas which are not sufficiently covered by the current network. These areas are candidates for establishing new monitoring stations. The current air pollution monitoring network of Tehran was used as a case study, where the air pollution issue has been worsened due to the huge population, considerable commuters' absorption and topographic barriers. In this regard, O3, NO, NO2, NOx, CO, PM10, and PM2.5 were considered as the main pollutants of Tehran. Optimization step concluded that all the 16 active monitoring stations should be preserved. Analysis showed that about 35% of the Tehran's area is not properly covered by monitoring stations and about 30% of the area needs additional stations. The winter period in Tehran always faces the most severe air pollution in the year. Hence, to produce the air pollution map of Tehran, three-month of winter measurements of the mentioned pollutants, repeated for five years in the same period, were selected and extended to the entire area using the kriging method. Experts specified the contribution of each pollutant in overall air pollution. Experts' rankings aggregated by a fuzzy-overlay process. Resulted maps characterized the study area with crucial air pollution situation. According to the maps, more than 45% of the city area faced high pollution in the study period, while only less than 10% of the area showed low pollution. This situation confirms the need for effective plans to mitigate the severity of the problem. In addition, an effort made to investigate the rationality of the acquired air pollution map respect to the urban, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Tehran, which also confirmed the results.

[Papers Presented at the American Medical Association's Air Pollution Medical Research Conference (New Orleans, Louisiana, October 5-7, 1970).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Medical Association, Chicago, IL.

This is a collection of twenty speeches presented at the American Medical Association's Air Pollution Medical Conference, October 5-7, 1970. Speeches included: Air Pollution Control: The Physician's Role; Air Pollution Problems in Nuclear Power Development; Airway Resistance and Collateral Ventilation; Asbestos Air Pollution in Urban Areas;…

APEX (Air Pollution Exercise) Volume 21: Legal References: Air Pollution Control Regulations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Office of Manpower Development.

The Legal References: Air Pollution Control Regulations Manual is the last in a set of 21 manuals (AA 001 009-001 029) used in APEX (Air Pollution Exercise), a computerized college and professional level "real world" game simulation of a community with urban and rural problems, industrial activities, and air pollution difficulties. The manual…

Mortality from asthma and chronic bronchitis associated with changes in sulfur oxides air pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Imai, M.; Yoshida, K.; Kitabatake, M.

Death certificates issued in Yokkaichi, Japan, during the 21 yr from 1963 until 1983 were surveyed to determine the relationship between changes in air pollution and mortality due to bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis. The following results were obtained. In response to worsening air pollution, mortality for bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis began to increase. Mortality due to bronchial asthma decreased immediately in response to improvement of pollution, whereas mortality due to chronic bronchitis decreased to the level in the control area 4 to 5 yr after the concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) began to satisfy the ambient airmore » quality standard. In the polluted area, mortality due to bronchial asthma in subjects who were 20 yr of age was higher during the period in which higher concentrations of sulfur oxides were prevalent.« less

Working group on future trends

USGS Publications Warehouse

,; O'Shea, Thomas J.; Reeves, Randall R.; Long, Alison Kirk

1999-01-01

This working group did not divide into subgroups, and its report consists of a unified document in a format somewhat different than those of the other working groups. The group considered four major topics: (1) projected "new" contaminants of future concern; (2) future trends with contaminants currently known to be issues for marine mammals; (3) future needs to improve and insure consistency of sample collection and analyses; and (4) future management needs.The problems of persistent organic pollutants will remain well into the foreseeable future. A general decline in levels of persistent organic pollutants in the marine environment is not anticipated. there is every likelihood that the environmental trends of halogenated organic compounds, such as polybromated diphenyl ethers and chlorinated paraffins, will parallel production trends, as demonstrated with well known chemical contaminants such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). While the environmental levels of some compounds may be slowly declining, many are still within the ranges where subtle toxic effects are to be anticipated. Trends in contaminants must be placed in a regional context, and rates and directions of change are often region-specific. For example, in the Southern Hemisphere the concentrations of PCBs appear to be increasing. The rates of change of many contaminants in the Southern hemisphere are poorly known, and this region may be at future risk.Much of the research on contaminants and marine mammals has focused on the problem of persistent organochloride chemicals such as PCBs and DDT, which are a continuing and global problem. Potential problems caused by other persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulative substances (PTBSs) cannot currently be addressed due to the lack of basic information on their production, use, exposure, and effects (Environmental Protection Agency 1998). It is currently estimated that there are roughly 2400 lipophilic and persistent chemicals, of which 390 are PTBSs. In order to prevent long-term pollution from these largely unknown chemicals, chemical industries should disclose basic information on such compounds, and this information should be made widely available. This will require enhanced international cooperation, preferably within the existing framework of chemical contaminant programs, such as the Existing Chemicals Program of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1991) and the Program on persistent Organic Pollutants of the United National Environmental Programme (1998).Monitoring studies are essential to the description and understanding of pollutants. It is necessary to exploit existing analytical techniques to identify as many anthropogenic compounds as possible in marine mammal tissues in order to expand the identification of existing and new chemicals that accumulate in, and pose threats to, these species.

The Sources of Air Pollution and Their Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Air Pollution Control Administration (DHEW), Arlington, VA.

The problems of air pollution and its control are discussed. Major consideration is given the sources of pollution - motor vehicles, industry, power plants, space heating, and refuse disposal. Annual emission levels of five principle pollutants - carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter - are listed…

Air Pollution in the World's Megacities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richman, Barbara T., Ed.

1994-01-01

Reports findings of the Global Environment Monitoring System study concerning air pollution in the world's megacities. Discusses sources of air pollution, air pollution impacts, air quality monitoring, air quality trends, and control strategies. Provides profiles of the problem in Beijing, Los Angeles, Mexico City, India, Cairo, Sao Paulo, and…

Assessing the impacts of seasonal and vertical atmospheric conditions on air quality over the Pearl River Delta region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Cheuk Hei Marcus; Yim, Steve Hung Lam; Rothenberg, Daniel; Wang, Chien; Lin, Chuan-Yao; Chen, Yongqin David; Lau, Ngar Cheung

2018-05-01

Air pollution is an increasingly concerning problem in many metropolitan areas due to its adverse public health and environmental impacts. Vertical atmospheric conditions have strong effects on vertical mixing of air pollutants, which directly affects surface air quality. The characteristics and magnitude of how vertical atmospheric conditions affect surface air quality, which are critical to future air quality projections, have not yet been fully understood. This study aims to enhance understanding of the annual and seasonal sensitivities of air pollution to both surface and vertical atmospheric conditions. Based on both surface and vertical meteorological characteristics provided by 1994-2003 monthly dynamic downscaling data from the Weather and Research Forecast Model, we develop generalized linear models (GLMs) to study the relationships between surface air pollutants (ozone, respirable suspended particulates, and sulfur dioxide) and atmospheric conditions in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. Applying Principal Component Regression (PCR) to address multi-collinearity, we study the contributions of various meteorological variables to pollutants' concentration levels based on the loading and model coefficient of major principal components. Our results show that relatively high pollutant concentration occurs under relatively low mid-level troposphere temperature gradients, low relative humidity, weak southerly wind (or strong northerly wind) and weak westerly wind (or strong easterly wind). Moreover, the correlations vary among pollutant species, seasons, and meteorological variables at various altitudes. In general, pollutant sensitivity to meteorological variables is found to be greater in winter than in other seasons, and the sensitivity of ozone to meteorology differs from that of the other two pollutants. Applying our GLMs to anomalous air pollution episodes, we find that meteorological variables up to mid troposphere (∼700 mb) play an important role in influencing surface air quality, pinpointing the significant and unique associations between meteorological variables at higher altitudes and surface air quality.

Light pollution in Valencia: public awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marco, E.; Morales-Rubio, A.

2015-05-01

Light pollution is caused by the direct and indirect light emission into the atmosphere from artificial night sources. The most decisive effect is the increasing of the luminance of the sky preventing stargazing. The fundamental actor for solving the problem is public awareness. Therefore, in accordance with authorities of the Valencian natural parks, municipalities and high schools, we have held a series of explanatory talks to the general public on the problem of light pollution, not only about the loss of the night and its impact on Astronomy, but also about the waste of energy and its impact on nocturnal wildlife and human health. Furthermore, in order to emphasize the need to preserve dark skies, popular astronomical observations have been also performed. An informative brochure on the problem of light pollution, with real cases involving natural parks, Valencia and its metropolitan area, has been published.

Sound Pollution-Another Urban Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breysse, Peter A.

1970-01-01

Suggests that sound pollution constitutes a severe problem to the urban dweller. Excessive exposure of humans to noise produces both physical and psychological manifestations. Suggests that control of industrial, aircraft, and community noise must be recognized and accepted as a major factor in urban planning and development. Bibliography. (LC)

Environment and Culture in India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leuthold, David

India suffers from severe environmental problems with respect to deforestation, flooding, and pollution. These problems are associated with industrialization, lack of money to enforce anti-pollution practices, climatic and population pressures, and cultural factors. Half of India's forests have been cut in the last 40 years. Deforestation is the…

Economic analysis of a Japanese air pollution regulation : an optimal retirement problem under vehicle type regulation in the NOx-particulate matter law

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-06-01

This paper empirically examines the vehicle type regulation that was introduced under the : Automobile Nitrogen OxidesParticulate Matter Law to mitigate air pollution problems in Japanese metropolitan areas. The vehicle type regulation effectively...

HYDROCARBON AND CARBONYL OZONE PRECURSORS IN MEXICO CITY AMBIENT AIR

EPA Science Inventory

Urban air pollution is an environmental problem in many cities around the world that has serious immediate and long-term implications to the health of the population and to the physical environment. Mexico City, in particular, faces a severe air pollution problem. The city is...

Occurrence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in coastal recreational waters.

PubMed

Montezzi, Lara Feital; Campana, Eloiza Helena; Corrêa, Laís Lisboa; Justo, Livia Helena; Paschoal, Raphael Paiva; da Silva, Isabel Lemos Vieira Dias; Souza, Maria do Carmo Maciel; Drolshagen, Marcia; Picão, Renata Cristina

2015-02-01

The spread of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative rods is an emerging global problem. Although most infections due to carbapenemase producers are limited to healthcare institutions, reports of the occurrence of clinically relevant carbapenemase producers in sewage and polluted rivers are increasingly frequent. Polluted rivers flowing to oceans may contaminate coastal waters with multidrug-resistant bacteria, potentially threatening the safety of recreational activities in these locations. Here we assessed the occurrence of carbapenemase producers in water from touristic beaches located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, showing distinct pollution patterns. The presence of enterobacteria was noted, including the predominantly environmental genus Kluyvera spp., producing either Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) or Guyana extended-spectrum (GES)-type carbapenemases and often associated with quinolone resistance determinants. An Aeromonas sp. harbouring blaKPC and qnrS was also observed. These findings strengthen the role of aquatic matrices as reservoirs and vectors of clinically relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, with potential to favour the spread of these resistance threats throughout the community. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Water treatment: Chitosan associated with electrochemical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamiasso-Martinhon, Priscila; Marques Teixeira de Souza, João; Cruzeiro da Silva, Silvia Maria; Pellegrini Pessoa, Fernando Luiz; Sousa, Célia

2017-04-01

Pollution of water bodies due to the presence of toxic metals and organic compounds, bring out a series of environmental problems of public, government and social character. In addition, water pollution, has become the target and source of concern in many industrial sectors. Therefore, it is essential to develop technologies for treatment and purification of water. Chitosan is a natural product derived from chitin, extracted mainly from the shells of crustaceans. It is a low cost, renewable and biodegradable biopolymer of great socioeconomic and environmental importance. The classic treatment of wastewater containing metals involves physical chemistry processes of precipitation, ion exchange and electrochemistry. Electrochemical technology has been presented as the most promising methods for treating wastewater polluted with metals, colloids, dyes or oil in water emulsions; besides being used in removing organic compounds. Alternative methods like adsorption with biosorbents have been investigated. The great advantage of this latter over other techniques is the low generation of residues, easy recovery of metals and the possibility of reuse of the adsorbent. This article aimed to carry out an exploratory study, of bibliographical nature, on the use of chitosan in electrochemical methods for water treatment.

Junior High School Students’ Perception about Simple Environmental Problem as an Impact of Problem based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapilouw, M. C.; Firman, H.; Redjeki, S.; Chandra, D. T.

2017-09-01

Environmental problem is a real problem that occur in student’s daily life. Junior high school students’ perception about environmental problem is interesting to be investigated. The major aim of this study is to explore junior high school students’ perception about environmental problems around them and ways to solve the problem. The subject of this study is 69 Junior High School Students from two Junior High School in Bandung. This study use two open ended question. The core of first question is environmental problem around them (near school or house). The core of second question is the way to prevent or to solve the problem. These two question are as an impact of problem based learning in science learning. There are two major findings in this study. The first finding, based on most students’ perception, plastic waste cause an environmental problem. The second finding, environmental awareness can be a solution to prevent environmental pollution. The third finding, most student can classify environmental pollution into land, water and air pollution. We can conclude that Junior High School Students see the environmental problem as a phenomenon and teacher can explore environmental problem to guide the way of preventing and resolving environmental problem.

Status of hormones and painkillers in wastewater effluents across several European states-considerations for the EU watch list concerning estradiols and diclofenac.

PubMed

Schröder, P; Helmreich, B; Škrbić, B; Carballa, M; Papa, M; Pastore, C; Emre, Z; Oehmen, A; Langenhoff, A; Molinos, M; Dvarioniene, J; Huber, C; Tsagarakis, K P; Martinez-Lopez, E; Pagano, S Meric; Vogelsang, C; Mascolo, G

2016-07-01

Present technologies for wastewater treatment do not sufficiently address the increasing pollution situation of receiving water bodies, especially with the growing use of personal care products and pharmaceuticals (PPCP) in the private household and health sector. The relevance of addressing this problem of organic pollutants was taken into account by the Directive 2013/39/EU that introduced (i) the quality evaluation of aquatic compartments, (ii) the polluter pays principle, (iii) the need for innovative and affordable wastewater treatment technologies, and (iv) the identification of pollution causes including a list of principal compounds to be monitored. In addition, a watch list of 10 other substances was recently defined by Decision 2015/495 on March 20, 2015. This list contains, among several recalcitrant chemicals, the painkiller diclofenac and the hormones 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol. Although some modern approaches for their removal exist, such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), retrofitting most wastewater treatment plants with AOPs will not be acceptable as consistent investment at reasonable operational cost. Additionally, by-product and transformation product formation has to be considered. The same is true for membrane-based technologies (nanofiltration, reversed osmosis) despite of the incredible progress that has been made during recent years, because these systems lead to higher operation costs (mainly due to higher energy consumption) so that the majority of communities will not easily accept them. Advanced technologies in wastewater treatment like membrane bioreactors (MBR) that integrate biological degradation of organic matter with membrane filtration have proven a more complete elimination of emerging pollutants in a rather cost- and labor-intensive technology. Still, most of the presently applied methods are incapable of removing critical compounds completely. In this opinion paper, the state of the art of European WWTPs is reflected, and capacities of single methods are described. Furthermore, the need for analytical standards, risk assessment, and economic planning is stressed. The survey results in the conclusion that combinations of different conventional and advanced technologies including biological and plant-based strategies seem to be most promising to solve the burning problem of polluting our environment with hazardous emerging xenobiotics.

Showdown Shapes Up Over Pollution Laws

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1974

1974-01-01

Discusses technological, legislative, and administrative problems facing the implementation of the 1972 air and water pollution control acts. Indicates that a congressional reworking on the pollution laws appears to be in the offing which could lead to a softening of environmental deadlines and a change in spending for pollution controls. (CC)

Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) Section 6217

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program (Section 6217) addresses nonpoint pollution problems in coastal waters.In its program, a state or territory describes how it will implement nonpoint source pollution controls, known as management measures.

Exploring Oil Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rillo, Thomas J.

1974-01-01

Discusses damages of oil tanker spillage to the marine organisms and scientists' research in oil pollution removal techniques. Included is a list of learning activities concerning the causes and effects of oil pollution and methods of solving the problem. (CC)

Environmental pollution and deaths due to stroke in a city with low levels of air pollution: ecological time series study.

PubMed

Amancio, Camila Trolez; Nascimento, Luiz Fernando

2014-12-01

Little has been discussed about the increased risk of stroke after exposure to air pollutants, particularly in Brazil. The mechanisms through which air pollution can influence occurrences of vascular events such as stroke are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between exposure to some air pollutants and risk of death due to stroke. Ecological time series study with data from São José dos Campos, Brazil. Data on deaths due to stroke among individuals of all ages living in São José dos Campos and on particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and ozone were used. Statistical analysis was performed using a generalized additive model of Poisson regression with the Statistica software, in unipollutant and multipollutant models. The percentage increase in the risk of increased interquartile difference was calculated. There were 1,032 deaths due to stroke, ranging from 0 to 5 per day. The statistical significance of the exposure to particulate matter was ascertained in the unipollutant model and the importance of particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, in the multipollutant model. The increases in risk were 10% and 7%, for particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, respectively. It was possible to identify exposure to air pollutants as a risk factor for death due to stroke, even in a city with low levels of air pollution.

Socio-Economic Concerns and Essential Elements in Estuary Management Strategies; Haliç Case, Istanbul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpar, Bedri; Isil Cetin, Basak

2016-04-01

Estuaries are transitional areas between the land and sea and home to a large and growing proportion of the world's population. They are highly productive ecosystems which create jobs, and boosts local economic growth with a higher percentage of collective and private enterprises and a larger share of production. They serve many important socio-economic functions and therefore receive untreated urban wastes and riverine inputs and concentrate various pollutants coming from inland domestic, agricultural and industrial activities. Therefore such kinds of complex systems are highly vulnerable because they are usually the sink for the hinterlands. Due to serious environmental problems felt more intensively day by day, central and local governments must adopt an integrated policy and decision making process to promote a balance of uses. As surrounded by many historical attractions, heritage sites, buzzing cultural scenes and other natural resources, the Haliç (the Golden Horn estuary) offers great opportunities and has a vitality fed by widespread economic and cultural factors. The typical landscape of the estuary, its bridges, geomorphic features, oceanographic and hydrodynamic features of its waters, sea bottom characteristics, environmental pollution, make this estuary a critical marine environment which impacts to economy, environment and community. However, rapid urban growth and uncontrolled industrial development (1950-1985) led to a severe increase in pollution levels of its water and cohesive sediments. The siltation due to liquid and solid waste dumped by two streams caused anaerobic decomposition problems. In addition, the ecological processes occurring in the Haliç are rather complex as they are interacted with the socio-economic system. This study focuses on the essential elements of integrated coastal zone management for the Haliç, and its probable impacts to economy, environment and community. All objectives and probable impacts need to be integrated by collecting information, understanding, planning, decision making, management and monitoring of implementation.

Choking Lake Winnipeg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrne, J. M.; Little, L. J.; Dodgson, K. A.; MacDonald, R. J.; Graham, J.

2009-12-01

The problems of waterway eutrophication and coastal zone hypoxia are reaching epidemic proportions. Fresh water and coastal marine environments around the world are suffering unprecedented pollution loadings. We are developing an education program to address the dramatic need for public, community and K-12 education about the harsh impacts of elevated nutrient loads on fresh and marine water environments. The Lake Winnipeg watershed is adopted as the poster child of fresh water eutrophication in western North America. The watershed, one of the largest on the continent, is in rapid decline due to pollution, population pressures and water diversion. A concerted education program is needed to change personal and society actions that negatively impact the Winnipeg watershed; and the confluence of the watershed - Lake Winnipeg. But the education program goes beyond Lake Winnipeg. Negative impacts of nutrient loads are adversely affecting environments right to the oceans. Major dead zones that are expanding on our continental shelves due to nutrient overloading threaten to coalesce into extensive regions of marine life die-off. This presentation outlines the documentary education production process under development. We are building a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for national television networks. The PSAs will direct educators, stakeholders and citizens to an associated website with educational video clips detailing the issues of eutrophication and hypoxia. The video clips or webisodes, present interviews with leading scientists. The discussions address the causes of the problems, and presents workable solutions to nutrient overloads from a variety of sources. The webisodes are accompanied by notes and advice to teachers on ways and means to use the webisodes in classrooms. The project is fully funed by a group of Canadian Community Foundations, with the understanding the work wil be available free to educators anywhere in the world. Our education program will enhance public awareness, beg scrutiny of the issues and promote informed discussion about possible solutions. This education program will enlighten all parties and facilitate personal and societal actions to reverse and control pollution of our rivers, lakes and oceans.

An almost-parameter-free harmony search algorithm for groundwater pollution source identification.

PubMed

Jiang, Simin; Zhang, Yali; Wang, Pei; Zheng, Maohui

2013-01-01

The spatiotemporal characterization of unknown sources of groundwater pollution is frequently encountered in environmental problems. This study adopts a simulation-optimization approach that combines a contaminant transport simulation model with a heuristic harmony search algorithm to identify unknown pollution sources. In the proposed methodology, an almost-parameter-free harmony search algorithm is developed. The performance of this methodology is evaluated on an illustrative groundwater pollution source identification problem, and the identified results indicate that the proposed almost-parameter-free harmony search algorithm-based optimization model can give satisfactory estimations, even when the irregular geometry, erroneous monitoring data, and prior information shortage of potential locations are considered.

Environmental Pollution, Student's Book (Experiences/Experiments/Activities).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Elbert C.

Described in this student's manual are numerous experiments to acquaint the learner with community environmental problems. Experiments are relatively simple and useful in the junior high school grades. Activities are provided which emphasize some of the materials involved in pollution problems, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur compounds, and others,…

Development of Dimensionless Index Assessing Low Impact Development in Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, S. H.; Lee, E. H.; Kim, J. H.

2017-12-01

Because the rapid urbanization and industrialization have increased the impervious area of watersheds, inundation in urban area and water pollution of river by non-point pollutants have caused serious problems for a long time. Low Impact Development (LID) techniques have been implemented for the solution of these problems due to its cost effectiveness for mitigating the water quality and quantity impact on urban areas. There have been many studies about the effectiveness of LID, but there is a lack of research on developing an index for the assessment of LID performance. In this study, the dimensionless reliability index of LID is proposed. The index is developed using Distance Measure Method (DMM). DMM is used to consider the parameters that have different units. The parameters for reliability of LID are the amount of pollutant at the outfall and the flooding volume. Both parameters become dimensionless index by DMM. Weighted factors in dimensionless index are considered to realize the behavior of reliability for the variation of importance to the parameters. LID is applied to an actual area called Gasan city in Seoul, South Korea where inundation is frequently occurred. The reliability is estimated for 16 different rainfall events. For each rainfall event, the parameters with LID installation are compared with those of no LID installation. Depending on which parameter is considered more important, the results showed difference. In conclusion, the optimal locations of LID are suggested as the weighted factors change.

Environmental pollution and health hazards from distillery wastewater and treatment approaches to combat the environmental threats: A review.

PubMed

Chowdhary, Pankaj; Raj, Abhay; Bharagava, Ram Naresh

2018-03-01

Distillery industries are the key contributor to the world's economy, but these are also one of the major sources of environmental pollution due to the discharge of a huge volume of dark colored wastewater. This dark colored wastewater contains very high biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total solids, sulfate, phosphate, phenolics and various toxic metals. Distillery wastewater also contains a mixture of organic and inorganic pollutants such as melanoidins, di-n-octyl phthalate, di-butyl phthalate, benzenepropanoic acid and 2-hydroxysocaproic acid and toxic metals, which are well reported as genotoxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic and endocrine disrupting in nature. In aquatic resources, it causes serious environmental problems by reducing the penetration power of sunlight, photosynthetic activities and dissolved oxygen content. On other hand, in agricultural land, it causes inhibition of seed germination and depletion of vegetation by reducing the soil alkalinity and manganese availability, if discharged without adequate treatment. Thus, this review article provides a comprehensive knowledge on the distillery wastewater pollutants, various techniques used for their analysis as well as its toxicological effects on environments, human and animal health. In addition, various physico-chemicals, biological as well as emerging treatment methods have been also discussed for the protection of environment, human and animal health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health effects of indoor odorants.

PubMed Central

Cone, J E; Shusterman, D

1991-01-01

People assess the quality of the air indoors primarily on the basis of its odors and on their perception of associated health risk. The major current contributors to indoor odorants are human occupant odors (body odor), environmental tobacco smoke, volatile building materials, bio-odorants (particularly mold and animal-derived materials), air fresheners, deodorants, and perfumes. These are most often present as complex mixtures, making measurement of the total odorant problem difficult. There is no current method of measuring human body odor, other than by human panel studies of expert judges of air quality. Human body odors have been quantitated in terms of the "olf" which is the amount of air pollution produced by the average person. Another quantitative unit of odorants is the "decipol," which is the perceived level of pollution produced by the average human ventilated by 10 L/sec of unpolluted air or its equivalent level of dissatisfaction from nonhuman air pollutants. The standard regulatory approach, focusing on individual constituents or chemicals, is not likely to be successful in adequately controlling odorants in indoor air. Besides the current approach of setting minimum ventilation standards to prevent health effects due to indoor air pollution, a standard based on the olf or decipol unit might be more efficacious as well as simpler to measure. PMID:1821378

Microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems: A review of findings, methods, characteristics, effects, and management.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai; Shi, Huahong; Peng, Jinping; Wang, Yinghui; Xiong, Xiong; Wu, Chenxi; Lam, Paul K S

2018-07-15

The pollution of marine environments and inland waters by plastic debris has raised increasing concerns worldwide in recent years. China is the world's largest developing country and the largest plastic producer. In this review, we gather available information on microplastic pollution in China's inland water systems. The results show that microplastics are ubiquitous in the investigated inland water systems, and high microplastic abundances were observed in developed areas. Although similar sampling and analytical methods were used for microplastic research in inland water and marine systems, methods of investigation should be standardized in the future. The characteristics of the detected microplastics suggest secondary sources as their major sources. The biological and ecological effects of microplastics have been demonstrated, but their risks are difficult to determine at this stage due to the discrepancy between the field-collected microplastics and microplastics used in ecotoxicological studies. Although many laws and regulations have already been established to manage and control plastic waste in China, the implementation of these laws and regulations has been ineffective and sometimes difficult. Several research priorities are identified, and we suggest that the Chinese government should be more proactive in tackling plastic pollution problems to protect the environment and fulfill international responsibilities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protection of drinking water reservoirs in buried glacial valleys in the ice-marginal landscape for securing future demand in the European perspective (ENCORE-Project).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smit, F. W. H.; Bregman, E. P. H.

2012-04-01

Quaternary glaciations have left a significant sedimentological fingerprint in the subsurface of north Europe, in the form of buried glacial valleys. These structures are important drinking water reservoirs for millions of people in the ice-marginal landscape, but are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pollution (nitrate, sulphate and organic pollutants) and geogenic pollution (salinization). That is one of the conclusion of a recent overview study in the IML of northern Europe from the North Sea to the southern Baltic area. Adequate policy making is yet not possible for several reasons: - Large amounts of data are needed to get a good grip on the lateral continuity of the complex infill. - The BurVal Working Group (2006) has shown that a combination of high resolution seismic survey, together with transient electromagnetic (TEM) surveys can provide realistic data for 3D hydrogeological models. However, these data have not yet been retrieved on a European scale. - Available borehole data can only be used as control points in 3D hydrological models, since the infill of buried glacial valleys is often lateral too complex to make sound interpolations possible. Pollution in buried glacial valleys crosses national borders in northern Europe and therefore national geological surveys have to cooperate in a newly formed European project on protection of these structures. The ENCORE - project (Environmental Conference of the European Regions) has shown in the past that it can facilitate fruitful European cooperation, which is urgently needed due to the costs of gathering data and due to knowledge gaps between different countries. By working together in a European context, these problems can be reduced so that better policy making is possible in order to secure our future drinking water availability.

Technical management techniques for identification and control of industrial safety and pollution hazards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R.; Dyer, M. K.; Hoard, E. G.; Little, D. G.; Taylor, A. C.

1972-01-01

Constructive recommendations are suggested for pollution problems from offshore energy resources industries on outer continental shelf. Technical management techniques for pollution identification and control offer possible applications to space engineering and management.

A novel approach to measure elemental concentrations in cation exchange resins using XRF-scanning technique, and its potential in water pollution studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jyh-Jaan; Lin, Sheng-Chi; Löwemark, Ludvig; Liou, Ya-Hsuan; Chang, Queenie; Chang, Tsun-Kuo; Wei, Kuo-Yen; Croudace, Ian W.

2016-04-01

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core-scanning is a fast, and convenient technique to assess elemental variations for a wide variety of research topics. However, the XRF scanning counts are often considered a semi-quantitative measurement due to possible absorption or scattering caused by down core variability in physical properties. To overcome this problem and extend the applications of XRF-scanning to water pollution studies, we propose to use cation exchange resin (IR-120) as an "elemental carrier", and to analyze the resins using the Itrax-XRF core scanner. The use of resin minimizes the matrix effects during the measurements, and can be employed in the field in great numbers due to its low price. Therefore, the fast, and non-destructive XRF-scanning technique can provide a quick and economical method to analyze environmental pollution via absorption in the resin. Five standard resin samples were scanned by the Itrax-XRF core scanner at different exposure times (1 s, 5 s, 15 s, 30 s, 100 s) to allow the comparisons of scanning counts with the absolute concentrations. The regression lines and correlation coefficients of elements that are generally used in pollution studies (Ca, Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) were examined for the different exposure times. The result shows that within the test range (from few ppm to thousands ppm), the correlation coefficients are all higher than 0.97, even at the shortest exposure time (1 s). Therefore, we propose to use this method in the field to monitor for example sewage disposal events. The low price of resin, and fast, multi elements and precise XRF-scanning technique provide a viable, cost- and time-effective approach that allows large sample numbers to be processed. In this way, the properties and sources of wastewater pollution can be traced for the purpose of environmental monitoring and environmental forensics.

Monitoring Street-Level Spatial-Temporal Variations of Carbon Monoxide in Urban Settings Using a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Framework

PubMed Central

Wen, Tzai-Hung; Jiang, Joe-Air; Sun, Chih-Hong; Juang, Jehn-Yih; Lin, Tzu-Shiang

2013-01-01

Air pollution has become a severe environmental problem due to urbanization and heavy traffic. Monitoring street-level air quality is an important issue, but most official monitoring stations are installed to monitor large-scale air quality conditions, and their limited spatial resolution cannot reflect the detailed variations in air quality that may be induced by traffic jams. By deploying wireless sensors on crossroads and main roads, this study established a pilot framework for a wireless sensor network (WSN)-based real-time monitoring system to understand street-level spatial-temporal changes of carbon monoxide (CO) in urban settings. The system consists of two major components. The first component is the deployment of wireless sensors. We deployed 44 sensor nodes, 40 transmitter nodes and four gateway nodes in this study. Each sensor node includes a signal processing module, a CO sensor and a wireless communication module. In order to capture realistic human exposure to traffic pollutants, all sensors were deployed at a height of 1.5 m on lampposts and traffic signs. The study area covers a total length of 1.5 km of Keelung Road in Taipei City. The other component is a map-based monitoring platform for sensor data visualization and manipulation in time and space. Using intensive real-time street-level monitoring framework, we compared the spatial-temporal patterns of air pollution in different time periods. Our results capture four CO concentration peaks throughout the day at the location, which was located along an arterial and nearby traffic sign. The hourly average could reach 5.3 ppm from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm due to the traffic congestion. The proposed WSN-based framework captures detailed ground information and potential risk of human exposure to traffic-related air pollution. It also provides street-level insights into real-time monitoring for further early warning of air pollution and urban environmental management. PMID:24287859

Monitoring street-level spatial-temporal variations of carbon monoxide in urban settings using a wireless sensor network (WSN) framework.

PubMed

Wen, Tzai-Hung; Jiang, Joe-Air; Sun, Chih-Hong; Juang, Jehn-Yih; Lin, Tzu-Shiang

2013-11-27

Air pollution has become a severe environmental problem due to urbanization and heavy traffic. Monitoring street-level air quality is an important issue, but most official monitoring stations are installed to monitor large-scale air quality conditions, and their limited spatial resolution cannot reflect the detailed variations in air quality that may be induced by traffic jams. By deploying wireless sensors on crossroads and main roads, this study established a pilot framework for a wireless sensor network (WSN)-based real-time monitoring system to understand street-level spatial-temporal changes of carbon monoxide (CO) in urban settings. The system consists of two major components. The first component is the deployment of wireless sensors. We deployed 44 sensor nodes, 40 transmitter nodes and four gateway nodes in this study. Each sensor node includes a signal processing module, a CO sensor and a wireless communication module. In order to capture realistic human exposure to traffic pollutants, all sensors were deployed at a height of 1.5 m on lampposts and traffic signs. The study area covers a total length of 1.5 km of Keelung Road in Taipei City. The other component is a map-based monitoring platform for sensor data visualization and manipulation in time and space. Using intensive real-time street-level monitoring framework, we compared the spatial-temporal patterns of air pollution in different time periods. Our results capture four CO concentration peaks throughout the day at the location, which was located along an arterial and nearby traffic sign. The hourly average could reach 5.3 ppm from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm due to the traffic congestion. The proposed WSN-based framework captures detailed ground information and potential risk of human exposure to traffic-related air pollution. It also provides street-level insights into real-time monitoring for further early warning of air pollution and urban environmental management.

How chemical pollution becomes a social problem. Risk communication and assessment through regional newspapers during the management of PCB pollutions of the Rhône River (France).

PubMed

Comby, Emeline; Le Lay, Yves-François; Piégay, Hervé

2014-06-01

The case study of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollutions of the Rhône River (France) offers the possibility of studying criteria for the construction of social problems that result from chemical pollution (2005-2010). We investigated the dynamics of competition that create and define pollution as a social problem and entail its decline. News outlets are crucial for determining how an environmental issue emerges locally or nationally; this study used newspapers to highlight the potential of new outlets as a data source to analyze discourse variability, science-policy-media connections and the hydrosphere. Media coverage was based on a content analysis and textual data analysis of 75 articles. Analytical frameworks such as the Downs Model and the Public Arena Model (Hilgartner and Bosk, 1988) that consider time and stakeholders were tested to determine how human alteration of the hydrosphere can become a social problem and to analyze different communication strategies held by stakeholders. In terms of management, we described the temporal dynamics of the social problem based on the case study and considered an explanation of the selections. We considered the organization of particular stakeholders who define the social problem from its beginning to end by focusing on their discourses, relationships, decision-making and political choices, and scientific studies. Despite some biases, newspapers are useful for retrospectively evaluating the emergence of a social problem in the public arena by describing it through discourse and then understanding the temporal patterns of information. Despite uncertainties and information flow, decisions are made and science is translated to the public. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eco-driving: behavioural pattern change in Polish passenger vehicle drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czechowski, Piotr Oskar; Oniszczuk-Jastrząbek, Aneta; Czuba, Tomasz

2018-01-01

In Poland, as in the rest of Europe, air quality depends primarily on emissions from municipal, domestic and road transport sources. The problems of appropriate air quality are especially important within urban areas due to numerous sources of emissions being concentrated in relatively small spaces in both large cities and small/medium-sized towns. Due to the steadily increasing share of urban population in the overall number of population, the issue of providing clean air will over the years become a more significant problem for human health, and therefore a stronger incentive to intensify research. The key challenge faced by a modern society is, therefore, to limit harmful substance emissions in order to minimise the contribution of transport to pollution and health hazards. Increasingly stringent emission standards are being imposed on car manufacturers; on the other hand, scant regard is paid to the issue of drivers, i.e. how they can help reduce emissions and protect their life and health by applying eco-driving rules.

The Mercury Problem in Artisanal and Small‐Scale Gold Mining

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Abstract Mercury‐dependent artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest source of mercury pollution on Earth. In this practice, elemental mercury is used to extract gold from ore as an amalgam. The amalgam is typically isolated by hand and then heated—often with a torch or over a stove—to distill the mercury and isolate the gold. Mercury release from tailings and vaporized mercury exceed 1000 tonnes each year from ASGM. The health effects on the miners are dire, with inhaled mercury leading to neurological damage and other health issues. The communities near these mines are also affected due to mercury contamination of water and soil and subsequent accumulation in food staples, such as fish—a major source of dietary protein in many ASGM regions. The risks to children are also substantial, with mercury emissions from ASGM resulting in both physical and mental disabilities and compromised development. Between 10 and 19 million people use mercury to mine for gold in more than 70 countries, making mercury pollution from ASGM a global issue. With the Minamata Convention on Mercury entering force this year, there is political motivation to help overcome the problem of mercury in ASGM. In this effort, chemists can play a central role. Here, the problem of mercury in ASGM is reviewed with a discussion on how the chemistry community can contribute solutions. Introducing portable and low‐cost mercury sensors, inexpensive and scalable remediation technologies, novel methods to prevent mercury uptake in fish and food crops, and efficient and easy‐to‐use mercury‐free mining techniques are all ways in which the chemistry community can help. To meet these challenges, it is critical that new technologies or techniques are low‐cost and adaptable to the remote and under‐resourced areas in which ASGM is most common. The problem of mercury pollution in ASGM is inherently a chemistry problem. We therefore encourage the chemistry community to consider and address this issue that affects the health of millions of people. PMID:29314284

The Mercury Problem in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining.

PubMed

Esdaile, Louisa J; Chalker, Justin M

2018-05-11

Mercury-dependent artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest source of mercury pollution on Earth. In this practice, elemental mercury is used to extract gold from ore as an amalgam. The amalgam is typically isolated by hand and then heated-often with a torch or over a stove-to distill the mercury and isolate the gold. Mercury release from tailings and vaporized mercury exceed 1000 tonnes each year from ASGM. The health effects on the miners are dire, with inhaled mercury leading to neurological damage and other health issues. The communities near these mines are also affected due to mercury contamination of water and soil and subsequent accumulation in food staples, such as fish-a major source of dietary protein in many ASGM regions. The risks to children are also substantial, with mercury emissions from ASGM resulting in both physical and mental disabilities and compromised development. Between 10 and 19 million people use mercury to mine for gold in more than 70 countries, making mercury pollution from ASGM a global issue. With the Minamata Convention on Mercury entering force this year, there is political motivation to help overcome the problem of mercury in ASGM. In this effort, chemists can play a central role. Here, the problem of mercury in ASGM is reviewed with a discussion on how the chemistry community can contribute solutions. Introducing portable and low-cost mercury sensors, inexpensive and scalable remediation technologies, novel methods to prevent mercury uptake in fish and food crops, and efficient and easy-to-use mercury-free mining techniques are all ways in which the chemistry community can help. To meet these challenges, it is critical that new technologies or techniques are low-cost and adaptable to the remote and under-resourced areas in which ASGM is most common. The problem of mercury pollution in ASGM is inherently a chemistry problem. We therefore encourage the chemistry community to consider and address this issue that affects the health of millions of people. © 2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Noise Pollution, Teachers' Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Patrick A.; Lavaroni, Charles W.

One of three in a series about pollution, this teacher's guide for a unit on noise pollution is designed for use in junior high school grades. It offers suggestions for extending the information and activities contained in the textual material for students. Chapter 1 discusses the problem of noise pollution and involves students in processes of…

Controlling Air Pollution; A Primer on Stationary Source Control Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corman, Rena

This companion document to "Air Pollution Primer" is written for the nonexpert in air pollution; however, it does assume a familiarity with air pollution problems. This work is oriented toward providing the reader with knowledge about current and proposed air quality legislation and knowledge about available technology to meet these standards for…

Water Pollution, Teachers' Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavaroni, Charles W.; And Others

One of three in a series about pollution, this teacher's guide for a unit on water pollution is designed for use in junior high school grades. It offers suggestions for extending the information and activities contained in the textual material for students. Chapter 1 discusses the problem of water pollution and involves students in processes of…

China: A sleeping giant awakens to environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ni Shaoxiang

1995-07-01

This article discusses the approach the Chinese government is taking to environmental issues. Included are the following topics: pollution abatement; improved rural environment by curbing the production and use of highly toxic pesticides; limiting erosion; natural reserves. Problems awaiting solutions are also discussed: air pollution (particularly coal combustion); water pollution; solid-waste pollution; rural pollution; soil erosion; desertification; soil salinization; deforestation; grassland deterioration; natural disasters.

Development of Laboratory Model Ecosystems as Early Warning Elements of Environmental Pollution

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-12-01

AD-AOll 851 DEVELOPMENT OF LABORATORY MODEL ECOSYSTEMS AS EARLY WARNING ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Robert L. Metcalf... ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Robert L. Metcalf, Ph. D. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois INTRODUCTION Problems of environmental pollution with...house dust is unsafe to breathe (Ewing and Pearson, 1974). Most of the source of our concern about environmental pollution by trace substances relates

Assessment, analysis and appraisal of road traffic noise pollution in Rourkela city, India.

PubMed

Goswami, Shreerup; Swain, Bijay Kumar; Panda, Santosh Kumar

2013-09-01

The problem of road traffic noise pollution has become a concern for both the public and the policy makers. Noise level was assessed in 12 different squares of Rourkela city during different specified times (7-10 a.m., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 3-6 p.m., 7-10 p.m., 10 p.m.-12 midnight and 4-6 a.m.). Noise descriptors such as L,eq, traffic noise index, noise pollution level, noise climate, Lday, Levening, Lnight and Lden were assessed to reveal the extent of noise pollution due to heavy traffic in this city. The equivalent noise levels of all the 12 squares were found to be much beyond the permissible limit (70dB during day time and 55dB during night time). Appallingly, even the minimum L eq and NPL values were more than 82 dB and 96 dB during day time and 69 dB and 91 dB during night time respectively. Lden values of investigated squares ranged from 83.4 to 86.1 dB and were even more than the day time permissible limit of traffic noise. The prediction model was used in the present study to predict noise pollution level instead of Leq. Comparison of predicted with that of the actual measured data demonstrated that the model used for the prediction has the ability to calibrate the multicomponent traffic noise and yield reliable results close to that by direct measurement. Lastly, it is inferred that the dimension of the traffic generated noise pollution in Rourkela is critical.

Chapter 26: Mortality of Marbled Murrelets Due to Oil Pollution in North America

Treesearch

Harry R. Carter; Katherine J. Kuletz

1995-01-01

Mortality of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) due to oil pollution is one of the major threats to murrelet populations. Mortality from large spills and chronic oil pollution has been occurring for several decades but has been documented poorly throughout their range; it probably has contributed to declines in populations, in conjunction...

Clean Air Act Requirements and History

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In 1970 congress designed the Clean Air Act to combat a variety of air pollution problems, and to tackle emerging pollution threats such as public health, national welfare, toxic air pollutants, acid rain, protection of the ozone layer, and regional haze.

The Effects of Organic Pollutants in Soil on Human Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, Lynn

2013-04-01

The soil has always been depository of the organic chemicals produced naturally or anthropogenically. Soil contamination is a serious human and environmental problem. A large body of evidence has shown the risks of adverse health effects with the exposure to contaminated soil due to the large quantities of organic chemicals used in agriculture and urban areas that have a legacy of environmental pollution linked to industrial activities, coal burning, motor vehicle emissions, waste incineration and waste dumping. In agricultural areas, because of the effort to provide adequate quantities of agricultural products, farmers have been using an increasing amount of organic chemicals, but the resulting pollution has enormous potential for environmental damage. The types of organic pollutants commonly found in soils are polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides, herbicides and organic fuels, especially gasoline and diesel. Another source of soil pollution is the complex mixture of organic chemicals, metals and microorganisms in the effluent from septic systems, animal wastes and other sources of biowaste. The soils of the world are a vast mixture of chemicals and although conditions are such that an individual is rarely exposed to a single compound, the great majority of people are exposed to a vast chemical mixture of organics, their metabolites, and other compounds at low concentrations Human exposure to organic pollutants in the soil is an area of toxicology that is very difficult to study due to the low concentration of the pollutants. The toxicological studies of single organic pollutants found in soils are limited and research on the metabolites and of chemical mixtures is very limited. The majority of toxicological studies are conducted at relatively high doses and for short periods of exposure. This makes the application of this data to exposure from soil very difficult, with the exposure from soil usually being chronic and at very low concentrations. The vastness of the soil has led to the dilution of these pollutants and most of the pollutants remain on or near the surface of the soil unless they have moved by the action of water, organisms, or mechanical mixing. This dilution has reduced the toxicity of these pollutants but the unknown factor is the action of the soil, its chemistry, and the combined action of all the microorganisms, plants, and invertebrates that live in the soil. This biological action combined with the influences of the soil components has the potential of creating new metabolites and chemicals. Toxicologists needs expand their studies to include the persistent organic pollutants and the organic pollutants that can bioaccumulate in organisms. We do not know if the addition of organics chemicals to the soil is creating very toxic xenobiotics and at very low concentrations but with important health effects to humans and other organisms. These unknown compounds could be accumulating in plants that we use for food or as forage for our livestock, then bioaccumulating in the livestock and then on into us.

Assessment of past, present and future health-cost externalities of air pollution in Europe and the contribution from international ship traffic using the EVA model system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, J.; Silver, J. D.; Christensen, J. H.; Andersen, M. S.; Bønløkke, J. H.; Sigsgaard, T.; Geels, C.; Gross, A.; Hansen, A. B.; Hansen, K. M.; Hedegaard, G. B.; Kaas, E.; Frohn, L. M.

2013-03-01

An integrated model system, EVA (Economic Valuation of Air pollution), based on the impact-pathway chain has been developed, to assess the health-related economic externalities of air pollution resulting from specific emission sources or sectors. The model system can be used to support policy-making with respect to emission control. In this study, we apply the EVA system to Europe, and perform a more detailed assessment of past, present, and future health-cost externalities of the total air pollution levels in Europe (including both natural and anthropogenic sources), represented by the years 2000, 2007, 2011, and 2020. We also assess the contribution to the health-related external costs from international ship traffic with special attention to the international ship traffic in the Baltic and North Seas, since special regulatory actions on sulphur emissions, called SECA (sulphur emission control area), have been introduced in these areas,. We conclude that despite efficient regulatory actions in Europe in recent decades, air pollution still constitutes a serious problem to human health, hence the related external costs are considerable. The total health-related external costs for the whole of Europe is estimated at 803 bn Euro yr-1 for the year 2000, decreasing to 537 bn Euro yr-1 in the year 2020. We estimate the total number of premature deaths in Europe in the year 2000 due to air pollution to be around 680 000 yr-1, decreasing to approximately 450 000 in the year 2020. The contribution from international ship traffic in the Northern Hemisphere was estimated to 7% of the total health-related external costs in Europe in the year 2000, increasing to 12% in the year 2020. In contrast, the contribution from international ship traffic in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea decreases 36% due to the regulatory efforts of reducing sulphur emissions from ship traffic in SECA. Introducing this regulatory instrument for all international ship traffic in the Northern Hemisphere, or at least in areas close to Europe, would have a significant positive impact on human health in Europe.

Assessment of past, present and future health-cost externalities of air pollution in Europe and the contribution from international ship traffic using the EVA model system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, J.; Silver, J. D.; Christensen, J. H.; Andersen, M. S.; Bønløkke, J. H.; Sigsgaard, T.; Geels, C.; Gross, A.; Hansen, A. B.; Hansen, K. M.; Hedegaard, G. B.; Kaas, E.; Frohn, L. M.

2013-08-01

An integrated model system, EVA (Economic Valuation of Air pollution), based on the impact-pathway chain has been developed to assess the health-related economic externalities of air pollution resulting from specific emission sources or sectors. The model system can be used to support policy-making with respect to emission control. In this study, we apply the EVA system to Europe, and perform a more detailed assessment of past, present, and future health-cost externalities of the total air pollution levels in Europe (including both natural and anthropogenic sources), represented by the years 2000, 2007, 2011, and 2020. We also assess the contribution to the health-related external costs from international ship traffic with special attention to the international ship traffic in the Baltic and North seas, since special regulatory actions on sulfur emissions, called SECA (sulfur emission control area), have been introduced in these areas. We conclude that, despite efficient regulatory actions in Europe in recent decades, air pollution still constitutes a serious problem for human health. Hence the related external costs are considerable. The total health-related external costs for the whole of Europe are estimated at 803 bn euros yr-1 for the year 2000, decreasing to 537 bn euros yr-1 in the year 2020. We estimate the total number of premature deaths in Europe in the year 2000 due to air pollution to be around 680 000 yr-1, decreasing to approximately 450 000 in the year 2020. The contribution from international ship traffic in the Northern Hemisphere was estimated to 7% of the total health-related external costs in Europe in the year 2000, increasing to 12% in the year 2020. In contrast, the contribution from international ship traffic in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea decreases 36% due to the regulatory efforts of reducing sulfur emissions from ship traffic in SECA. Introducing this regulatory instrument for all international ship traffic in the Northern Hemisphere, or at least in areas close to Europe, would have a significant positive impact on human health in Europe.

Assessment of Past, Present and Future Health-Cost Ex-ternalities of Air Pollution in Europe and the contribution from International Ship Traffic using the EVA Model System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Jørgen; Silver, Jeremy D.; Christensen, Jesper H.; Andersen, Mikael S.; Bønløkke, Jakob H.; Sigsgaard, Torben; Geels, Camilla; Gross, Allan; Hansen, Ayoe B.; Hansen, Kaj M.; Hedegaard, Gitte B.; Kaas, Eigil; Frohn, Lise M.

2013-04-01

An integrated model system, EVA (Economic Valuation of Air pollution), based on the impact-pathway chain has been developed, to assess the health-related economic externalities of air pollution resulting from specific emission sources or sectors. The model system can be used to support policy-making with respect to emission control. In this study, we apply the EVA system to Europe, and perform a more detailed assessment of past, present, and future health-cost externalities of the total air pollution levels in Europe (including both natural and anthropogenic sources), represented by the years 2000, 2007, 2011, and 2020. We also assess the contribution to the health-related external costs from international ship traffic with special attention to the international ship traffic in the Baltic and North Seas, since special regulatory actions on sulphur emissions, called SECA (sulphur emission control area), have been intro-duced in these areas,. We conclude that despite efficient regulatory actions in Europe in recent decades, air pollution still constitutes a serious problem to human health, hence the related external costs are considerable. The total health-related external costs for the whole of Europe is estimated at 803 bn Euro/year for the year 2000, decreasing to 537 bn Euro/year in the year 2020. We estimate the total number of premature deaths in Europe in the year 2000 due to air pollution to be around 680,000/year, decreasing to approximately 450,000 in the year 2020. The contribution from international ship traffic in the Northern Hemisphere was estimated to 7% of the total health-related external costs in Europe in the year 2000, increasing to 12% in the year 2020. In contrast, the contribution from international ship traffic in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea decreases 36% due to the regulatory efforts of reducing sulphur emissions from ship traffic in SECA. Introducing this regulatory instrument for all international ship traffic in the Northern Hemisphere, or at least in areas close to Europe, would have a significant posi-tive impact on human health in Europe.

Supramolecular complexation for environmental control.

PubMed

Albelda, M Teresa; Frías, Juan C; García-España, Enrique; Schneider, Hans-Jörg

2012-05-21

Supramolecular complexes offer a new and efficient way for the monitoring and removal of many substances emanating from technical processes, fertilization, plant and animal protection, or e.g. chemotherapy. Such pollutants range from toxic or radioactive metal ions and anions to chemical side products, herbicides, pesticides to drugs including steroids, and include degradation products from natural sources. The applications involve usually fast and reversible complex formation, due to prevailing non-covalent interactions. This is of importance for sensing as well as for separation techniques, where the often expensive host compounds can then be reused almost indefinitely. Immobilization of host compounds, e.g. on exchange resins or on membranes, and their implementation in smart new materials hold particular promise. The review illustrates how the design of suitable host compounds in combination with modern sensing and separation methods can contribute to solve some of the biggest problems facing chemistry, which arise from the everyday increasing pollution of the environment.

Bioremoval of heavy metals by bacterial biomass.

PubMed

Aryal, Mahendra; Liakopoulou-Kyriakides, Maria

2015-01-01

Heavy metals are among the most common pollutants found in the environment. Health problems due to the heavy metal pollution become a major concern throughout the world, and therefore, various treatment technologies such as reverse osmosis, ion exchange, solvent extraction, chemical precipitation, and adsorption are adopted to reduce or eliminate their concentration in the environment. Biosorption is a cost-effective and environmental friendly technique, and it can be used for detoxification of heavy metals in industrial effluents as an alternative treatment technology. Biosorption characteristics of various bacterial species are reviewed here with respect to the results reported so far. The role of physical, chemical, and biological modification of bacterial cells for heavy metal removal is presented. The paper evaluates the different kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic models used in bacterial sorption of heavy metals. Biomass characterization and sorption mechanisms as well as elution of metal ions and regeneration of biomass are also discussed.

A linked simulation-optimization model for solving the unknown groundwater pollution source identification problems.

PubMed

Ayvaz, M Tamer

2010-09-20

This study proposes a linked simulation-optimization model for solving the unknown groundwater pollution source identification problems. In the proposed model, MODFLOW and MT3DMS packages are used to simulate the flow and transport processes in the groundwater system. These models are then integrated with an optimization model which is based on the heuristic harmony search (HS) algorithm. In the proposed simulation-optimization model, the locations and release histories of the pollution sources are treated as the explicit decision variables and determined through the optimization model. Also, an implicit solution procedure is proposed to determine the optimum number of pollution sources which is an advantage of this model. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated on two hypothetical examples for simple and complex aquifer geometries, measurement error conditions, and different HS solution parameter sets. Identified results indicated that the proposed simulation-optimization model is an effective way and may be used to solve the inverse pollution source identification problems. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

lnvasive pests ('biological pollutants') and US forests: whose problem, who pays?

Treesearch

W.E. Wallner

1996-01-01

Invasive pests, or 'biological pollutants' are among the most serious threats to biological diversity in the forest ecosystems of the USA. Additionally, they can disrupt forest management practices and cause enormous financial losses. In the USA, as elsewhere, the receiving country inherits the problem and, along with its citizenry, bears the permanent...

Environmental Activities, Junior High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, William C.; Larson, Robert J.

This guide, for use at the junior high level, is aimed at helping our youth become more knowledgeable concerning the environment and associated problems, thus making them aware of how to solve these problems and motivating them to work toward their solution. Among the subjects discussed are art in nature, erosion, body pollution, water pollution,…

Environmental Pollution: Is There Enough Public Concern to Lead to Action?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Navin C.; And Others

1975-01-01

Research indicates that the impetus to solve pollution problems may have to come from processes outside the realm of ordinary problem solving institutions. Mass media exposure and involvement in the political process are ineffective in generating antipollution sentiment. "Grass roots" movements based on informal communication may emerge to combat…

Review of analytical models to stream depletion induced by pumping: Guide to model selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Ching-Sheng; Yang, Tao; Yeh, Hund-Der

2018-06-01

Stream depletion due to groundwater extraction by wells may cause impact on aquatic ecosystem in streams, conflict over water rights, and contamination of water from irrigation wells near polluted streams. A variety of studies have been devoted to addressing the issue of stream depletion, but a fundamental framework for analytical modeling developed from aquifer viewpoint has not yet been found. This review shows key differences in existing models regarding the stream depletion problem and provides some guidelines for choosing a proper analytical model in solving the problem of concern. We introduce commonly used models composed of flow equations, boundary conditions, well representations and stream treatments for confined, unconfined, and leaky aquifers. They are briefly evaluated and classified according to six categories of aquifer type, flow dimension, aquifer domain, stream representation, stream channel geometry, and well type. Finally, we recommend promising analytical approaches that can solve stream depletion problem in reality with aquifer heterogeneity and irregular geometry of stream channel. Several unsolved stream depletion problems are also recommended.

The Automobile and Air Pollution: A Chemical Review of the Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildeman, Thomas R.

1974-01-01

Summarizes chemical principles underlying the operation of automobiles and the cause of air pollution, including concentrations of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen. Comments and opinions are made concerning present and future pollution control devices. (CC)

Biomass fuel combustion and health*

PubMed Central

de Koning, H. W.; Smith, K. R.; Last, J. M.

1985-01-01

Biomass fuels (wood, agricultural waste, and dung) are used by about half the world's population as a major, often the only, source of domestic energy for cooking and heating. The smoke emissions from these fuels are an important source of indoor air pollution, especially in rural communities in developing countries. These emissions contain important pollutants that adversely affect health—such as suspended particulate matter and polycyclic organic matter which includes a number of known carcinogens, such as benzo[a]pyrene, as well as gaseous pollutants like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Exposure to large amounts of smoke may present a health risk that is of a similar order of magnitude to the risk from tobacco smoke. The effects on health arising from exposure to air pollution are reviewed, based on what has been reported in the literature so far. Further and more detailed information on exposures and on the epidemiological aspects is urgently required. The persons most frequently affected are women who do the cooking for households in rural villages; they suffer from impaired health due to prolonged and repeated contact with these harmful pollutants. When they are pregnant, the developing fetus may also be exposed and this leads to the risk of excess deaths. In the developing countries, exposure to biomass fuel emissions is probably one of the most important occupational health hazards for women. A conservatively estimated 300-400 million people worldwide, mostly in the rural areas of developing countries, are affected by these problems. PMID:3872729

Valorization of solid waste products from olive oil industry as potential adsorbents for water pollution control--a review.

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Amit; Kaczala, Fabio; Hogland, William; Marques, Marcia; Paraskeva, Christakis A; Papadakis, Vagelis G; Sillanpää, Mika

2014-01-01

The global olive oil production for 2010 is estimated to be 2,881,500 metric tons. The European Union countries produce 78.5% of the total olive oil, which stands for an average production of 2,136,000 tons. The worldwide consumption of olive oil increased of 78% between 1990 and 2010. The increase in olive oil production implies a proportional increase in olive mill wastes. As a consequence of such increasing trend, olive mills are facing severe environmental problems due to lack of feasible and/or cost-effective solutions to olive-mill waste management. Therefore, immediate attention is required to find a proper way of management to deal with olive mill waste materials in order to minimize environmental pollution and associated health risks. One of the interesting uses of solid wastes generated from olive mills is to convert them as inexpensive adsorbents for water pollution control. In this review paper, an extensive list of adsorbents (prepared by utilizing different types of olive mill solid waste materials) from vast literature has been compiled, and their adsorption capacities for various aquatic pollutants removal are presented. Different physicochemical methods that have been used to convert olive mill solid wastes into efficient adsorbents have also been discussed. Characterization of olive-based adsorbents and adsorption mechanisms of various aquatic pollutants on these developed olive-based adsorbents have also been discussed in detail. Conclusions have been drawn from the literature reviewed, and suggestions for future research are proposed.

Air pollution and health impact emboided in supply chains in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q.

2016-12-01

Close economic linkage and consequent air pollutant emissions embodied in trade among Chinese regions have been widely discussed. Yet the related health impacts across regions remain unaddressed. Here, we integrated four state-of-the-art models to for the first time estimate PM2.5 related premature deaths along the supply chains across seven Chinese regions, and we quantified cross impacts among receptors, producers, assemblers, consumers, and sectors. We find that, due to the atmospheric transport, in 2010, 33% of national premature deaths were caused by emissions released in other regions, and the trans-boundary effect is more significant from north to south and from east to west. From a supply chain perspective, 38% of national premature deaths were associated with production for in a region to supply other regions' consumption. For instance, 20-35% of premature deaths related to the highly developed east coastal regions' consumption were caused by emissions in the central and western regions. Sectorally, similar to the widely concerned heavy industries, direct emissions from agricultural and residential activities together contributed near half of national total premature deaths, posing a great challenge for recent pollution reduction action, which are mainly focusing on industrial restructuring. Our results emphasize the importance of regarding pollution related premature deaths in China as a national systemic problem, instead of targeting the pollution producers (region or sector) in isolation. Multilateral and multi-sector cooperation is in urgent need to improve the national atmospheric environment.

Large-scale monitoring of air pollution in remote and ecologically important areas

Treesearch

Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Witold Fraczek

2013-01-01

New advances in air quality monitoring techniques, such as passive samplers for nitrogenous (N) or sulphurous (S) pollutants and ozone (O3), have allowed for an improved understanding of concentrations of these pollutants in remote areas. Mountains create special problems with regard to the feasibility of establishing and maintaining air pollution monitoring networks,...

Anxiety, locus of control and appraisal of air pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Navarro, P.L.; Simpson-Housley, P.; de Man, A.F.

1987-06-01

100 residents of Santiago de Chile took part in a study of the relationship among locus of control, trait-anxiety, and perception of air pollution. Concern over the problem of atmospheric pollution and number of antipollution measures taken was related to trait-anxiety. Locus of control was associated with variation in awareness of pollution hazard.

In Search of Air Pollution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckendorf, Kirk

2006-01-01

Air pollution is no longer just a local issue; it is a global problem. The atmosphere is a very dynamic system. Pollution not only changes in chemical composition after it is emitted, but also is transported on local and global air systems hundreds and even thousands of miles away. Some of the pollutants that are major health concerns are not even…

A review of methods for predicting air pollution dispersion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathis, J. J., Jr.; Grose, W. L.

1973-01-01

Air pollution modeling, and problem areas in air pollution dispersion modeling were surveyed. Emission source inventory, meteorological data, and turbulent diffusion are discussed in terms of developing a dispersion model. Existing mathematical models of urban air pollution, and highway and airport models are discussed along with their limitations. Recommendations for improving modeling capabilities are included.

An assessment of the effects of human-caused air pollution on resources within the interior Columbia River basin.

Treesearch

Anna W. Schoettle; Kathy Tonnessen; John Turk; John Vimont; Robert Amundson; Ann Acheson; Janice Peterson

1999-01-01

An assessment of existing and potential impacts to vegetation, aquatics, and visibility within the Columbia River basin due to air pollution was conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This assessment examined the current situation and potential trends due to pollutants such as ammonium, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides,...

Damping of surface waves due to oil emulsions in application to ocean remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergievskaya, I.; Ermakov, S.; Lazareva, T.; Lavrova, O.

2017-10-01

Applications of different radar and optical methods for detection of oil pollutions based on the effect of damping of short wind waves by surface films have been extensively studied last decades. The main problem here is poor knowledge of physical characteristics of oil films, in particular, emulsified oil layers (EOL). The latter are ranged up to 70% of all pollutants. Physical characteristics of EOL which are responsible for wave damping and respectively for possibilities of their remote sensing depend on conditions of emulsification processes, e.g., mixing due to wave breaking, on percentage of water in the oil, etc. and are not well studied by now. In this paper results of laboratory studies of damping of gravity-capillary waves due to EOL on water are presented and compared to oil layers (OL). A laboratory method used previously for monomolecular films and OL, and based on measuring the damping coefficient and wavelength of parametrically generated standing waves has been applied for determination of EOL characteristics. Investigations of characteristics of crude oil, oil emulsions and crude OL and EOL have been carried out in a wide range of surface wave frequencies (from 10 to 25 Hz) and OL and EOL film thickness (from hundredths of millimeter to a few millimeters. The selected frequency range corresponds to Bragg waves for microwave, X- to Ka-band radars typically used for ocean remote sensing. An effect of enhanced wave damping due to EOL compared to non emulsified crude OL is revealed.

Analysis on policies text of air pollution control in Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ZHANG, Yujuan; WANG, Wen; ZHANG, Wei

2017-04-01

Air pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems, and it is also the inevitable result of the extensive economic development mode. The matter of air pollution in Beijing is becoming more and more serious since 2010, which has a great impact on the normal social production, living and human health. These hazards have been highly valued by the whole society. More than 30 years have been pasted since controlling the air pollution and the system of policies was relatively complete. These policies have improved the quality of atmospheric and prevented environment further deterioration. The policies performance is not obvious. It is urgent trouble to improve policy performance. This paper analyzes the 103 policies text of air pollution control in Beijing, and researches status, history and problems, and put forward suggestions on policy improvement and innovation at last.

Dredging and Water Quality Problems in the Great Lakes. Volume 2. Appendices A1 to A19. Sampling Surveys with Separate Reports

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-01-01

Ii necessary and Identity by block number) Dredging Water Quality Water Pollution M0 AUOTR ACT e-ausamtoj m wesem. et itp omea d Identtfy by block...nmuibeA) The present report presents the results of a study conducted by the Corps Engineers with cooperation of the Federal Water Pollution Control...areas of the Great Lakes, as well as to develop the most practical methods for management of pollution problems that may be identified as resulting

The U.S. and Environmental Pollution Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newill, Vaun A.

1974-01-01

Background concerning legislation and development of environmental programs is detailed in the areas of air pollution, water pollution, pesticides, and multimedia toxic substances. Each section contains a discussion of scientific knowledge, health effects, costs, proposed standards, and possible approaches to the problems. (LS)

Air pollution removal and temperature reduction by Gainesville's urban forest

Treesearch

Francisco Escobedo; Jennifer A. Seitz; Wayne Zipperer

2009-01-01

Poor air quality is a common problem in many urban areas. It can lead to human health problems and reduced visibility, and it can impair the health of plants and wildlife. The urban forest can help improve air quality by removing pollutants and by reducing air temperature through shading and transpiration. Trees also emit volatile...

Water Pollution, A Scientists' Institute for Public Information Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, George G.

Analyzed are the reasons why present mechanisms for the control of water purity are inadequate. The control of waterborne epidemics is discussed to illustrate a problem which has been solved, then degradation of the environment is presented as an unsolved problem. Case histories are given of pollution and attempts at control in rivers, lakes,…

Phytoremediation: An Environmentally Sound Technology for Pollution Prevention, Control and Remediation in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erakhrumen, Andrew Agbontalor

2007-01-01

The problem of environmental pollution has assumed an unprecedented proportion in many parts of the world especially in Nigeria and its Niger-Delta region in particular. This region is bedeviled with this problem perhaps owing to interplay of demographic and socio-economic forces coupled with the various activities that revolve round the…

The Relationship between Pre-Service Teachers' Awareness Levels of Electromagnetic Pollution and Other Environmental Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koklukaya, Ayse Nesibe; Guven Yildirim, Ezgi; Selvi, Mahmut

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between the awareness level of preservice science teachers' conscious use of technological devices, which cause electromagnetic pollution, and their awareness level of related environmental problems. Research Methods: In this study, a mixed design method was used. A relational…

IMPROVIDING SUSTAINABILITY IN METALLIC MATERIALS THROUGH REDUCTION OF WASTES DISCARDED TO THE ENVIRONMENT BY RECOVERY AND REUSE IN EXTRACTION AND FABRICATION INDUSTRIES

EPA Science Inventory

Designed to chronicle the pollution problem occurring at one of the world's largest Superfund sites and to address the potential of the application of the approach of the recovery of metal resources occurring in the acid mine drainage causing the pollution problem. Acid mine drai...

Identifing Atmospheric Pollutant Sources Using Artificial Neural Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paes, F. F.; Campos, H. F.; Luz, E. P.; Carvalho, A. R.

2008-05-01

The estimation of the area source pollutant strength is a relevant issue for atmospheric environment. This characterizes an inverse problem in the atmospheric pollution dispersion. In the inverse analysis, an area source domain is considered, where the strength of such area source term is assumed unknown. The inverse problem is solved by using a supervised artificial neural network: multi-layer perceptron. The conection weights of the neural network are computed from delta rule - learning process. The neural network inversion is compared with results from standard inverse analysis (regularized inverse solution). In the regularization method, the inverse problem is formulated as a non-linear optimization approach, whose the objective function is given by the square difference between the measured pollutant concentration and the mathematical models, associated with a regularization operator. In our numerical experiments, the forward problem is addressed by a source-receptor scheme, where a regressive Lagrangian model is applied to compute the transition matrix. The second order maximum entropy regularization is used, and the regularization parameter is calculated by the L-curve technique. The objective function is minimized employing a deterministic scheme (a quasi-Newton algorithm) [1] and a stochastic technique (PSO: particle swarm optimization) [2]. The inverse problem methodology is tested with synthetic observational data, from six measurement points in the physical domain. The best inverse solutions were obtained with neural networks. References: [1] D. R. Roberti, D. Anfossi, H. F. Campos Velho, G. A. Degrazia (2005): Estimating Emission Rate and Pollutant Source Location, Ciencia e Natura, p. 131-134. [2] E.F.P. da Luz, H.F. de Campos Velho, J.C. Becceneri, D.R. Roberti (2007): Estimating Atmospheric Area Source Strength Through Particle Swarm Optimization. Inverse Problems, Desing and Optimization Symposium IPDO-2007, April 16-18, Miami (FL), USA, vol 1, p. 354-359.

Urban Planning Problems of Agglomerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olenkov, V. D.; Tazeev, N. T.

2017-11-01

The article explores the state of the air basin of the Chelyabinsk agglomeration and gives the examples of solutions for the pollution problems from the point of view of city planning. The main features and structure of the modern urban agglomerations are considered, the methods for determining their boundaries are studied and the main problems are identified. The study of the boundaries and territorial structure of the Chelyabinsk urban agglomeration is conducted, and a general description of the territory is given. The data on the change in the volume of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere and the index of atmospheric pollution for the period 2003-2015 are given basing on the annual comprehensive reports regarding the state of the environment. The review of the world experience of city-planning actions on the decision of ecological problems is carried out. The most suitable ways for the ecological problems solving in the Chelyabinsk agglomeration are considered. The authors give recommendations for the ecological situation improving in the territory of the Chelyabinsk agglomeration.

Light Pollution: A Primer for Astronomers to Engage in Teaching and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caton, Daniel Bruce

2018-01-01

Most astronomers are familiar with the basic problem of light pollution but may not have explored how to teach their students about the problem or to inform officials in their community in order to help mitigate the problem. Indeed, many professional and amateur astronomers leave their light-polluted community to observe the sky from dark research observatories and rural star parties,, and then return to take no action to alleviate and reduce the light pollution in their own community. This is not a sustainable approach, and eventually this will lead to fewer sites to do their observations.In this presentation we give the basics of the problem and provide information on effective solutions. A link will be provided to download a sample PowerPoint, with Notes providing guidance to edit it to include images of both good and bad lighting in their own community. This can be shown to students as part of introductory astronomy and observational techniques courses, so the students might be able to help their with the problem in their own communities. Indeed this may satisfy curriculum requirements as a component of sustainable development. It may also be presented to local planning and permitting officials to develop at least a simple outdoor lighting ordinance.

Comparing different VIT formulations on near-road dispersion of particulate and gaseous pollutants

EPA Science Inventory

Traffic-related air pollution is associated with a range of health issues including respiratory and cardiovascular problems, birth defects, and cancer. Recent studies suggest that the presence of roadside barriers can potentially mitigate exposure to air pollution for those livin...

Children, Pediatricians, and Polluted Air.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Dorothy Noyes

Explored are children's vulnerability and the pediatrician's role in relation to the problems posed by air pollution. Research is noted to have included a search of biomedical literature over the past 10 years; attendance at medical meetings; conferences with air pollution researchers, environmental protection administrators, and specialists in…

Pollution, An Environmental Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Richard B.

This document, written for teachers, outlines the causes and extent of environmental problems relating to air pollution, water pollution, the use of fertilizers and pesticides, land use, and population density. A short bibliography includes references to periodicals and books dealing with teaching methods as well as references for background…

Possible Influences of Air Pollution, Dust and Sandstorms on the Indian Monsoon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Hsu, Christina N.; Holben, Brent N.

2010-01-01

In Asian monsoon countries, such as China and India, human health and safety problems caused by air pollution are becoming increasingly serious, due to the increased loading of atmospheric pollutants from waste gas emissions and from rising energy demand associated with the rapid pace of industrialization and modernization. Meanwhile, uneven distribution of monsoon rain associated with flash floods or prolonged drought, has caused major loss of human life and damage to crops and.property with devastating societal impacts. Historically, air-pollution and monsoons research are treated as separate problems. However recent studies have suggested that the two problems may be intrinsically linked and need to be studied jointly. Fundamentally, aerosols can affect precipitation through radiative effects cif suspended particles in the atmosphere (direct effect) and/or by interfering and changing: the cloud and precipitation formation processes (indirect effect). Based on their optical properties, aerosols can be classified into two types.: those that absorb solar radiation, and those that do not. Both types of aerosols scatter sunlight and reduce the amount of solar radiation from reaching the Earth's surface, causing it to cool. The surface cooling increases atmospheric stability and reduces convection potential, Absorbing aerosols, however, in addition to cooling the surface, can heat the atmosphere. The heating of the atmosphere may reduce the amount of low clouds by increased evaporation in cloud drops. The heating, however, may induce rising motion, enhance low-level moisture, convergence and, hence, increases rainfall, The latent heating from enhanced rainfall may excite feedback processes in the large-scale circulation, further amplify.the initial response to aerosol heating and producing more rain. Additionally, aerosols can increase the concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), increase cloud amount and decrease coalescence and collision rates, leading to reduced precipitation. However, in the presence of increasing moist and warm air, the reduced coalescence/collision may lead to supercooled drops at higher altitudes where ice precipitation falls and melts. The latent heat release from freezing aloft and melting below implies greater upward heat transport in polluted clouds and invigorate deep convection. In this way, aerosols may lead to increased local convection. Hence, depending on the ambient large-scale conditions and dynamical feedback processes, aerosols' effect on precipitation can be positive, negative or mixed. In the Asian monsoon and adjacent regions, the aerosol forcing and responses of the water cycle are even more complex, Both direct and indirect effects may take place locally and simultaneously, interacting with each other. in addition to local effects, monsoon rainfall may be affected by aerosols transported from other regions and intensified through large-scale circulation and moisture feedback. Thus, dust transported by the large-scale circulation from the adjacent deserts to northern India may affect rainfall over the Bay of Bengal; sulphate and black carbon front industrial pollution in central, southern China and northern India may affect the rainfall regime over the Korean peninsula and Japan; organic and black carbon front biomass burning from Indo-China may modulate the pre-monsoon rainfall regime over southern China and coastal regions, contributing to variability in differential heating and cooling of the atmosphere and to the land-sea thermal contrast. During the pre-monsoon season and monsoon breaks, it has been suggested that radiative forcing by absorbing aerosols have nearly the same order of magnitude as the forcing due to latent heating from convection and surface fluxes. The magnitude of the total aerosol radiative cooling due to sulphates and soot is of the order of 20-40 W/m2 over the Asian monsoon land region in the pre-monsoon season, compared to about 1-2 W/m2 for global warng. However, the combined forcing at the surface and in the atmosphere, including all species. if aerosols, and details of aerosol mixing, and impacts on the energy and water cycles in the monsoon land regions, are not well known.

Pollution reduction technologies being applied to small coal-fired boiler systems in Poland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Markussen, J.M.; Gyorke, D.F.

1997-12-31

To help in alleviating air pollution problems in Poland, various US environmental technologies are being installed in the city of Krakow to reduce emissions from short-stack coal- and coke-fired boilers. Introduction of low-cost, effective US pollution abatement and energy efficiency technologies is being completed through the US-Polish Krakow Clean Fossil Fuels and Energy Efficiency Program. Seven US firms are currently participating in the program; five projects are well under way and two are in the design phase. The technologies being applied in Krakow include modern district heating equipment and controls, coal preparation techniques, micronized coal combustion, automatic combustion controls, andmore » high-efficiency particulate control equipment. These technologies will be discussed along with pollutant reduction results obtained to date. Applications of these technologies are providing some efficient and economical answers to Krakow`s severe air pollution problems. Certainly, these technologies could be equally effective in many industrial cities throughout the world with similar air pollution concerns.« less

Controlling chromium slag pollution utilising scavengers: a case of Shandong Province, China.

PubMed

Liu, Changhao; Côté, Raymond P

2015-04-01

The problem of chromium slag pollution is a great challenge for China. It is now an urgent task for China to take effective measures to eliminate chromium slag pollution. This article examines the case of the treatment of chromium slag in Shandong Province and explores how chromium slag pollution can be eliminated in Shandong Province. It shows that the chromium slag stockpiled by the chemical plants was successfully utilised by local steel companies, who act as 'scavenger companies'. The driving mechanism, seeking a potential 'scavenger company' within the local region and the role of the local government on the case of Shandong Province are discussed. This article concludes that local steel companies can be utilised to effectively and efficiently treat the chromium slag while benefiting the steel companies. The local governments need to play multiple roles in solving the problem of chromium slag pollution. Seeking and identifying 'scavenger companies' within a region could be an important approach to reducing pollution within the region. © The Author(s) 2015.

Pollution problem: acid rain and beekeeping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hayes, B.

1979-11-01

Some of the problems caused by acid rain are presented with emphasis on the effects on bees, especially in the Northeast. Scientists believe that rain east of the Mississippi is below 5.6 and average Northeastern rainfall is now down to pH 4. Trace minerals are being leached out of the soils and nectar that lacks calcium is being passed by when the bees forage. The first plants to show the effects will be the wild varieties of the legumes, such as clover. This leaves only plants on the extreme end of the acid scale such as the blueberry for beemore » forage. This leads to the side effect of the movement of calcium in nectar which will be restricted due to a lack of calcium-lime.« less

Pollution in America: The Trouble with Trash. Series on Public Issues No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurice, S. Charles; Smithson, Charles W.

Examined in this booklet, one of a series intended to apply economic principles to major social and political issues of the day, are such questions as the origins of interest in combating pollution, why people pollute, continuing interest in the issue, the social costs of pollution, and a possible solution to the problem, all considered from an…

The Development of a Systematic Process for Enhancing the Awareness of the Potential for Indoor Air Pollution in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liska, Roger William

This paper developed methodology to assist school principals in determining the existence of potential indoor air pollution problems and how to alleviate them, as well as a procedure for pollution prevention. Site visits were conducted on 10 South Carolina elementary schools: five with high potential for indoor air pollution; five with low…

Interpolation of extensive routine water pollution monitoring datasets: methodology and discussion of implications for aquifer management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuval; Rimon, Y.; Graber, E. R.; Furman, A.

2013-07-01

A large fraction of the fresh water available for human use is stored in groundwater aquifers. Since human activities such as mining, agriculture, industry and urbanization often result in incursion of various pollutants to groundwater, routine monitoring of water quality is an indispensable component of judicious aquifer management. Unfortunately, groundwater pollution monitoring is expensive and usually cannot cover an aquifer with the spatial resolution necessary for making adequate management decisions. Interpolation of monitoring data between points is thus an important tool for supplementing measured data. However, interpolating routine groundwater pollution data poses a special problem due to the nature of the observations. The data from a producing aquifer usually includes many zero pollution concentration values from the clean parts of the aquifer but may span a wide range (up to a few orders of magnitude) of values in the polluted areas. This manuscript presents a methodology that can cope with such datasets and use them to produce maps that present the pollution plumes but also delineates the clean areas that are fit for production. A method for assessing the quality of mapping in a way which is suitable to the data's dynamic range of values is also presented. Local variant of inverse distance weighting is employed to interpolate the data. Inclusion zones around the interpolation points ensure that only relevant observations contribute to each interpolated concentration. Using inclusion zones improves the accuracy of the mapping but results in interpolation grid points which are not assigned a value. That inherent trade-off between the interpolation accuracy and coverage is demonstrated using both circular and elliptical inclusion zones. A leave-one-out cross testing is used to assess and compare the performance of the interpolations. The methodology is demonstrated using groundwater pollution monitoring data from the Coastal aquifer along the Israeli shoreline.

Interpolation of extensive routine water pollution monitoring datasets: methodology and discussion of implications for aquifer management.

PubMed

Yuval, Yuval; Rimon, Yaara; Graber, Ellen R; Furman, Alex

2014-08-01

A large fraction of the fresh water available for human use is stored in groundwater aquifers. Since human activities such as mining, agriculture, industry and urbanisation often result in incursion of various pollutants to groundwater, routine monitoring of water quality is an indispensable component of judicious aquifer management. Unfortunately, groundwater pollution monitoring is expensive and usually cannot cover an aquifer with the spatial resolution necessary for making adequate management decisions. Interpolation of monitoring data is thus an important tool for supplementing monitoring observations. However, interpolating routine groundwater pollution data poses a special problem due to the nature of the observations. The data from a producing aquifer usually includes many zero pollution concentration values from the clean parts of the aquifer but may span a wide range of values (up to a few orders of magnitude) in the polluted areas. This manuscript presents a methodology that can cope with such datasets and use them to produce maps that present the pollution plumes but also delineates the clean areas that are fit for production. A method for assessing the quality of mapping in a way which is suitable to the data's dynamic range of values is also presented. A local variant of inverse distance weighting is employed to interpolate the data. Inclusion zones around the interpolation points ensure that only relevant observations contribute to each interpolated concentration. Using inclusion zones improves the accuracy of the mapping but results in interpolation grid points which are not assigned a value. The inherent trade-off between the interpolation accuracy and coverage is demonstrated using both circular and elliptical inclusion zones. A leave-one-out cross testing is used to assess and compare the performance of the interpolations. The methodology is demonstrated using groundwater pollution monitoring data from the coastal aquifer along the Israeli shoreline. The implications for aquifer management are discussed.

Plants and their microbial assistants: Nature's answer to Earth's environmental pollution problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolverton, B. C.

1990-01-01

The utilization of higher plants and their associated microorganisms to solve environmental pollution problems on Earth and in future space applications is briefly reviewed. If man is sealed inside closed facilities, he becomes a polluter of the environment. It is also common knowledge to most people that man cannot survive on Earth without green photosynthesizing plants and microorganisms. Therefore, it is vitally important to have a better understanding of the interactions of man with plants and microorganisms. Biosphere 2 and other related studies presently being conducted or planned, hopefully, will supply data that will help save planet Earth from impending environmental disaster. The development of means to utilize both air and water pollution as a nutrient source for growing green plants is examined.

Problems in the estimation of human exposure to components of acid precipitation precursors.

PubMed Central

Ferris, B G; Spengler, J D

1985-01-01

Problems associated with estimation of human exposure to ambient air pollutants are discussed. Ideally, we would prefer to have some indication of actual dose. For most pollutants this is not presently feasible. Specific problems discussed are adequacy of outdoor monitors; the need to correct for exposures and time spent indoors; the need to have particle size distributions described and the chemistry of the particles presented. These indicate the need to develop lightweight accurate and reliable personal monitors. Images FIGURE 1. PMID:4076094

The role of social marketing, marine turtles and sustainable tourism in reducing plastic pollution.

PubMed

Eagle, Lynne; Hamann, Mark; Low, David R

2016-06-15

Environmental plastic pollution constitutes a significant hazard to marine turtles, human health and well-being. We describe a transdisciplinary approach to draw together findings from diverse disciplines in order to highlight key environmental pollution problems and their consequences, together with social marketing-based strategies to address the problems. The example of plastic pollution and impacts to marine turtles illustrates the severity of the problem. Wildlife tourism and sustainable tourism activity have not focussed on specific behaviours to change and have had minimal impact on subsequent human behaviour regarding environmental issues, indicating the need for new strategies. Social marketing principles offer promise, but there is a need to investigate the utility of various theoretical foundations to aid the design and implementation of interventions. We offer insight towards using sophisticated multi-method research to develop insights into behaviours and segmentation-based strategies, that can aid the identification of barriers to, and enablers of, sustained behaviour change. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Century-scale perspective on water quality in selected river basins of the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stets, Edward G.; Kelly, Valerie J.; Broussard, Whitney P.; Smith, Thor E.; Crawford, Charles G.

2012-01-01

Nutrient pollution in the form of excess nitrogen and phosphorus inputs is a well-known cause of water-quality degradation that has affected water bodies across the Nation throughout the 20th century. The recognition of excess nutrients as pollution developed later than the recognition of other water-quality problems, such as waterborne illness, industrial pollution, and organic wastes. Nevertheless, long-term analysis of nutrient pollution is fundamental to our understanding of the current magnitude of the problem, as well the origins and the effects. This report describes the century-scale changes in water quality across a range streams in order to place current water-quality concerns in historical context and presents this history on a national scale as well as for selected river reaches. The primary focus is on nutrient pollution, but the development and societal responses to other water-quality problems also are considered. Land use and agriculture in the selected river reaches also are analyzed to consider how these factors may relate to nutrient pollution. Finally, the availability of relevant nutrient and inorganic carbon data are presented for the selected river reaches. Sources of these data included Federal agencies, State-level reports, municipal public works facilities, public health surveys, and sanitary surveys. The availability of these data extends back more than a century for most of the selected river reaches and suggests that there is a tremendous opportunity to document the development of nutrient pollution in these river reaches.

40 CFR 35.143 - Allotment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants Air Pollution Control (section 105) § 35.143 Allotment. (a) The Administrator allots air pollution control funds under section 105 of the Clean Air Act based on a number of factors, including: (1) Population; (2) The extent of actual or potential air pollution problems; and (3...

40 CFR 35.143 - Allotment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants Air Pollution Control (section 105) § 35.143 Allotment. (a) The Administrator allots air pollution control funds under section 105 of the Clean Air Act based on a number of factors, including: (1) Population; (2) The extent of actual or potential air pollution problems; and (3...

Marine Pollution and the Law of the Sea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paterson, Arthur E., III

1975-01-01

Despite a rising tide of contamination, effective controls of marine pollution appear dubious because of conflicting national and economic interests. Since countries can not agree on problems such as national sovereignty, dispute settlement, jurisdiction over oil on the Continental Shelf and international seabed sources, marine pollution will…

Three dimensional model calculations of the global dispersion of high speed aircraft exhaust and implications for stratospheric ozone loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, Anne R.; Rood, Richard B.; Jackman, Charles H.; Weaver, Clark J.

1994-01-01

Two-dimensional (zonally averaged) photochemical models are commonly used for calculations of ozone changes due to various perturbations. These include calculating the ozone change expected as a result of change in the lower stratospheric composition due to the exhaust of a fleet of supersonic aircraft flying in the lower stratosphere. However, zonal asymmetries are anticipated to be important to this sort of calculation. The aircraft are expected to be restricted from flying over land at supersonic speed due to sonic booms, thus the pollutant source will not be zonally symmetric. There is loss of pollutant through stratosphere/troposphere exchange, but these processes are spatially and temporally inhomogeneous. Asymmetry in the pollutant distribution contributes to the uncertainty in the ozone changes calculated with two dimensional models. Pollutant distributions for integrations of at least 1 year of continuous pollutant emissions along flight corridors are calculated using a three dimensional chemistry and transport model. These distributions indicate the importance of asymmetry in the pollutant distributions to evaluation of the impact of stratospheric aircraft on ozone. The implications of such pollutant asymmetries to assessment calculations are discussed, considering both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nabeel, A.; Khan, T.A.; Sharma, D.K.

The use of low-grade coal in thermal power stations is leading to environmental pollution due to the generation of large amounts of fly ash, bottom ash, and CO{sub 2} besides other pollutants. It is therefore important to clean the coal before using it in thermal power stations, steel plants, or cement industries etc. Physical beneficiation of coal results in only limited cleaning of coal. The increasing environmental pollution problems from the use of coal have led to the development of clean coal technologies. In fact, the clean use of coal requires the cleaning of coal to ultra low ash contents,more » keeping environmental norms and problems in view and the ever-growing need to increase the efficiency of coal-based power generation. Therefore this requires the adaptation of chemical cleaning techniques for cleaning the coal to obtain ultra clean coal having ultra low ash contents. Presently the reaction conditions for chemical demineralization of low-grade coal using 20% aq NaOH treatment followed by 10% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} leaching under reflux conditions have been optimized. In order to reduce the concentration of alkali and acid used in this process of chemical demineralization of low-grade coals, stepwise, i.e., three step process of chemical demineralization of coal using 1% or 5% aq NaOH treatment followed by 1% or 5% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} leaching has been developed, which has shown good results in demineralization of low-grade coals. In order to conserve energy, the alkali-acid leaching of coal was also carried out at room temperature, which gave good results.« less

2014 Summer Series - Mark Jacobson - Roadmaps for Transitioning All 50 US States to Wind, Water and Solar Power

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-08

Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today. This talk discusses the development of technical and economic plans to convert the energy infrastructure of each of the 50 United States to those powered by 100% wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) for all purposes, namely electricity, transportation, industry, and heating/cooling, after energy efficiency measures have been accounted for. The plans call for all new energy to be WWS by 2020, ~80% conversion of existing energy by 2030, and 100% by 2050 through aggressive policy measures and natural transition. Resource availability, footprint and spacing areas required, jobs created, energy costs, avoided costs from air pollution mortality and morbidity and climate damage, methods of ensuring reliability of the grid, and impacts of offshore wind farms on hurricane dissipation are discussed. Air pollution reductions alone due to the plan would eliminate ~60,000 U.S. premature mortalities, avoiding costs equivalent to 3.2% of the United States GDP. Climate cost reductions are of similar order. The plans stabilize energy prices because fuel costs are zero.

Outdoor particulate matter (PM) and associated cardiovascular diseases in the Middle East.

PubMed

Nasser, Zeina; Salameh, Pascale; Nasser, Wissam; Abou Abbas, Linda; Elias, Elias; Leveque, Alain

2015-01-01

Air pollution is a widespread environmental concern. Considerable epidemiological evidence indicates air pollution, particularly particulate matter (PM), as a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the developed countries. The main objective of our review is to assess the levels and sources of PM across the Middle East area and to search evidence for the relationship between PM exposure and CVD. An extensive review of the published literature pertaining to the subject (2000-2013) was conducted using PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar databases. We reveal that low utilization of public transport, ageing vehicle fleet and the increasing number of personal cars in the developing countries all contribute to the traffic congestion and aggravate the pollution problem. The annual average values of PM pollutants in the Middle East region are much higher than the World Health Organization 2006 guidelines (PM2.5 = 10 μg/m(3), PM10 = 20 μg/m(3)). We uncover evidence on the association between PM and CVD in 4 Middle East countries: Iran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The findings are in light of the international figures. Ambient PM pollution is considered a potential risk factor for platelet activation and atherosclerosis and has been found to be linked with an increased risk for mortality and hospital admissions due to CVD. This review highlights the importance of developing a strategy to improve air quality and reduce outdoor air pollution in the developing countries, particularly in the Middle East. Future studies should weigh the potential impact of PM on the overall burden of cardiac diseases. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Notable light-free catalytic activity for pollutant destruction over flower-like BiOI microspheres by a dual-reaction-center Fenton-like process.

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Yan, Dengbiao; Lyu, Lai; Hu, Chun; Jiang, Ning; Zhang, Lili

2018-10-01

BiOI is widely used as photocatalysts for pollutant removal, water splitting, CO 2 reduction and organic transformation due to its excellent photoelectric properties. Here, we report for the first time that a light-free catalyst consisting of the flower-like BiOI microspheres (f-BiOI MSs) exposing (1 0 1) and (1 1 0) crystal planes prepared by a hydrothermal method in ethylene glycol environment can rapidly eliminate the refractory BPA within only ∼3 min through a Fenton-like process. The reaction activity is ∼190 times higher than that of the conventional Fenton catalyst Fe 2 O 3 . A series of characterizations and experiments reveal the formation of the dual reaction centers on f-BiOI MSs. The electron-rich O centers efficiently reduce H 2 O 2 to OH, while the electron-poor oxygen vacancies capture electrons from the adsorbed pollutants and divert them to the electron-rich area during the Fenton-like reactions. By these processes, pollutants are degraded and mineralized quickly in a wide pH range. Our findings address the problems of the classical Fenton reaction and are useful for the development of efficient Fenton-like catalysts through constructing dual reaction centers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing Lead, Nickel, and Zinc Pollution in Topsoil from a Historic Shooting Range Rehabilitated into a Public Urban Park

PubMed Central

Argyraki, Ariadne; Ornelas-Soto, Nancy

2017-01-01

Soil contamination is a persistent problem in the world. The redevelopment of a site with a historical deposition of metals might conceal the threat of remaining pollution, especially when the site has become a public place. In this study, human health risk assessment is performed after defining the concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Zn in the topsoil of a former shooting range rehabilitated into a public park in the Municipality of Kesariani (Athens, Greece). A methodology that uses inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, 13 samples), another that uses portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) following a dense sample design (91 samples), and a hybrid approach that combines both, were used to obtain the concentrations of the trace elements. The enrichment factor and geoacummulation index were calculated to define the degree of pollution of the site. The hazard quotient and cancer risk indicators were also computed to find the risk to which the population is exposed. The present study reveals high non-carcinogenic health risk due to Pb pollution with ingestion as the main exposure pathway. The carcinogenic risk for Pb is within tolerable limits, but the definition of land use might alter such a statement. Lastly, regarding Ni and Zn, the site is unpolluted and there is insignificant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. PMID:28665307

Assessing Lead, Nickel, and Zinc Pollution in Topsoil from a Historic Shooting Range Rehabilitated into a Public Urban Park.

PubMed

Urrutia-Goyes, Ricardo; Argyraki, Ariadne; Ornelas-Soto, Nancy

2017-06-30

Soil contamination is a persistent problem in the world. The redevelopment of a site with a historical deposition of metals might conceal the threat of remaining pollution, especially when the site has become a public place. In this study, human health risk assessment is performed after defining the concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Zn in the topsoil of a former shooting range rehabilitated into a public park in the Municipality of Kesariani (Athens, Greece). A methodology that uses inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, 13 samples), another that uses portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) following a dense sample design (91 samples), and a hybrid approach that combines both, were used to obtain the concentrations of the trace elements. The enrichment factor and geoacummulation index were calculated to define the degree of pollution of the site. The hazard quotient and cancer risk indicators were also computed to find the risk to which the population is exposed. The present study reveals high non-carcinogenic health risk due to Pb pollution with ingestion as the main exposure pathway. The carcinogenic risk for Pb is within tolerable limits, but the definition of land use might alter such a statement. Lastly, regarding Ni and Zn, the site is unpolluted and there is insignificant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.

Air pollution, deprivation and health: understanding relationships to add value to local air quality management policy and practice in Wales, UK.

PubMed

Brunt, H; Barnes, J; Jones, S J; Longhurst, J W S; Scally, G; Hayes, E

2017-09-01

Air pollution exposure reduces life expectancy. Air pollution, deprivation and poor-health status combinations can create increased and disproportionate disease burdens. Problems and solutions are rarely considered in a broad public health context, but doing so can add value to air quality management efforts by reducing air pollution risks, impacts and inequalities. An ecological study assessed small-area associations between air pollution (nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter), deprivation status and health outcomes in Wales, UK. Air pollution concentrations were highest in 'most' deprived areas. When considered separately, deprivation-health associations were stronger than air pollution-health associations. Considered simultaneously, air pollution added to deprivation-health associations; interactions between air pollution and deprivation modified and strengthened associations with all-cause and respiratory disease mortality, especially in 'most' deprived areas where most-vulnerable people lived and where health needs were greatest. There is a need to reduce air pollution-related risks for all. However, it is also the case that greater health gains can result from considering local air pollution problems and solutions in the context of wider health-determinants and acting on a better understanding of relationships. Informed and co-ordinated air pollution mitigation and public health action in high deprivation and pollution areas can reduce risks and inequalities. To achieve this, greater public health integration and collaboration in local air quality management policy and practice is needed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Annoyance due to noise and air pollution to the residents of heavily frequented streets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanner, H. U.; Wehrli, B.; Nemecek, J.; Turrian, V.

1980-01-01

The residents of different streets with varying traffic density and building density were questioned about annoyance due to traffic noise and air pollution. Results show that annoyance felt is dependent not only on the measured noise levels and/or air pollution concentrations, but that there do exist interactions between the residential quarters and annoyance. These interactions should be considered when fixing the limits and standards.

Ships, ports and particulate air pollution - an analysis of recent studies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The duration of use is usually significantly longer for marine vessels than for roadside vehicles. Therefore, these vessels are often powered by relatively old engines which may propagate air pollution. Also, the quality of fuel used for marine vessels is usually not comparable to the quality of fuels used in the automotive sector and therefore, port areas may exhibit a high degree of air pollution. In contrast to the multitude of studies that addressed outdoor air pollution due to road traffic, only little is known about ship-related air pollution. Therefore the present article aims to summarize recent studies that address air pollution, i.e. particulate matter exposure, due to marine vessels. It can be stated that the data in this area of research is still largely limited. Especially, knowledge on the different air pollutions in different sea areas is needed. PMID:22141925

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Devaney, J.J.

The air pollution problems associated with coal burning are discussed. The movement of the pollutants and their natural removal from the atmosphere are reviewed as are the general inefficiencies at emission control attempts. (AIP)

Metal pollutants and bioelements: retrospective of interactions between magnesium and toxic metals.

PubMed

Soldatovic, Danilo; Matovic, Vesna; Vujanovic, Dragana; Guiet-Bara, Andrée; Bara, Michel; Durlach, Jean

2002-03-01

Protection from heavy metals is a problem that has not been solved in a satisfactory manner so far. Usage of complexing agents in therapy of exposed workers results in both favorable outcome and recognized adverse effects. In the field of environmental protection, they cannot be used in practice, meaning that the risk of escape of metal pollutant from factory premises and their attack on the environnement remains present. The age of chemistry ('Chemistry, key to better living') has led to potent development of industry producing, at the same time, major problems induced by diffusion of metal pollutants, the nightmare of our times, like Camus' 'Plague'. According to the available results, it remains to be answered whether magnesium may influence this important problem, i.e. is this approaches the issue justifiable?

Fluorine-fixing efficiency on calcium-based briquette: pilot experiment, demonstration and promotion.

PubMed

Yang, Jiao-lan; Chen, Dong-qing; Li, Shu-min; Yue, Yin-ling; Jin, Xin; Zhao, Bing-cheng; Ying, Bo

2010-02-05

The fluorosis derived from coal burning is a very serious problem in China. By using fluorine-fixing technology during coal burning we are able to reduce the release of fluorides in coal at the source in order to reduce pollution to the surrounding environment by coal burning pollutants as well as decrease the intake and accumulating amounts of fluorine in the human body. The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot experiment on calcium-based fluorine-fixing material efficiency during coal burning to demonstrate and promote the technology based on laboratory research. A proper amount of calcium-based fluorine sorbent was added into high-fluorine coal to form briquettes so that the fluorine in high-fluorine coal can be fixed in coal slag and its release into atmosphere reduced. We determined figures on various components in briquettes and fluorine in coal slag as well as the concentrations of indoor air pollutants, including fluoride, sulfur dioxide and respirable particulate matter (RPM), and evaluated the fluorine-fixing efficiency of calcium-based fluorine sorbents and the levels of indoor air pollutants. Pilot experiments on fluorine-fixing efficiency during coal burning as well as its demonstration and promotion were carried out separately in Guiding and Longli Counties of Guizhou Province, two areas with coal burning fluorosis problems. If the calcium-based fluorine sorbent mixed coal was made into honeycomb briquettes the average fluorine-fixing ratio in the pilot experiment was 71.8%. If the burning calcium-based fluorine-fixing bitumite was made into a coalball, the average of fluorine-fixing ratio was 77.3%. The concentration of fluoride, sulfur dioxide and PM10 of indoor air were decreased significantly. There was a 10% increase in the cost of briquettes due to the addition of calcium-based fluorine sorbent. The preparation process of calcium-based fluorine-fixing briquette is simple yet highly flammable and it is applicable to regions with abundant bitumite coal. As a small scale application, villagers may make fluorine-fixing coalballs or briquettes by themselves, achieving the optimum fluorine-fixing efficiency and reducing indoor air pollutants providing environmental and social benefits.

Air Pollution and Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, R. D., Ed.

This book is an authoritative reference and practical guide designed to help the plant engineer identify and solve industrial air pollution problems in order to be able to meet current air pollution regulations. Prepared under the editorial supervision of an experienced chemical engineer, with each chapter contributed by an expert in his field,…

The Health of the Oceans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Edward D.

International scientific literature is used to review relevant data concerning pollution of the world's oceans. Chapters 1, 8 and 9 address themselves to the problems of international control of marine pollution. Chapter 1 introduces the importance of the time factor, revealing information on how long it takes a pollutant to reach an undesirable…

Consideration of Exposures to Traffic-Related Air Pollution with Smart Growth Development

EPA Science Inventory

We address the near-road pollution problem as it relates to smart growth design strategies. Studies have shown that pollution levels tend to be high near heavily traveled roads and that road proximity is related to adverse health effects. These findings can conflict with urban ...

Your World, My World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

Americans of all ages are concerned with the effects of pollution on the environment. This booklet is designed to explain to students the environmental problems related with pollution and its control. The role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in pollution control is defined and its goals explained. Topics of discussion include clean…

Air Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scorer, Richard S.

The purpose of this book is to describe the basic mechanisms whereby pollution is transported and diffused in the atmosphere. It is designed to give practitioners an understanding of basic mechanics and physics so they may have a correct basis on which to formulate their decisions related to practical air pollution control problems. Since many…

Polyaniline coating with various substrates for hexavalent chromium removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Bin; Xu, Cuixia; Sun, Dezhi; Wang, Qiang; Gu, Hongbo; Zhang, Xin; Weeks, Brandon L.; Hopper, Jack; Ho, Thomas C.; Guo, Zhanhu; Wei, Suying

2015-04-01

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) contamination is increasingly serious in surface water and groundwater, therefore, its removal attracts increasing attention due to its highly toxic to human health. The cost effective and sustainable adsorbents are urgently needed for the remediation of Cr(VI) pollution. Polyanline (PANI), a conductive polymer, has demonstrated a great performance on Cr(VI) removal. But the recycling is the challenge for its application due to its small size. The PANI coating with various substrates is an effective approach to solve this problem. The synthesis methods and applications of the PANI coated magnetic Fe3O4, carbon fabric and cellulose composites for the Cr(VI) removal were reviewed. Finally, this review analyzed the Cr(VI) removal mechanisms by the PANI composites considering the substrate and the PANI coating.

Heavy metal pollution in soils of abandoned mining areas (SE, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Sánchez, M. J.; Pérez-Sirvent, C.; Molina, J.; Tudela, M. L.; Navarro, M. C.; García-Lorenzo, M. L.

2009-04-01

Elevated levels of heavy metals can be found in and around disused metalliferous mines due to discharge and dispersion of mine wastes into nearby agricultural soils, food crops and stream systems. Heavy metals contained in the residues from mining and metallurgical operations are often dispersed by wind and/or water after their disposal. These areas have severe erosion problems caused by wind and water runoff in which soil and mine spoil texture, landscape topography and regional and microclimate play an important role. The present study was carried out in the Cabezo Rajao (La Uni

[Current progress in food geographical origin traceability by near infrared spectroscopy technology].

PubMed

Ma, Dong-Hong; Wang, Xi-Chang; Liu, Li-Ping; Liu, Yuan

2011-04-01

The geographical origin traceability of food, an important part of traceability system, is effective in protecting the quality and safety of foodstuffs. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), which is a powerful technique for geographical origin traceability, has attracted extensive attention by scientists due to its speediness, non-pollution and simple operation. This paper presents the advantages and disadvantages of techniques that have been used for food geographical origin traceability. The basic principles of NIR and its applications in different food geographical origin traceability are presented too. Furthermore, problems in applications are analyzed and the future development trends are discussed.

Overview of hybrid electric vehicle trend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Haomiao; Yang, Weidong; Chen, Yingshu; Wang, Yun

2018-04-01

With the increase of per capita energy consumption, environmental pollution is worsening. Using new alternative sources of energy, reducing the use of conventional fuel-powered engines is imperative. Due to the short period, pure electric vehicles cannot be mass-produced and there are many problems such as imperfect charging facilities. Therefore, the development of hybrid electric vehicles is particularly important in a certain period. In this paper, the classification of hybrid vehicle, research status of hybrid vehicle and future development trends of hybrid vehicles is introduced. It is conducive to the public understanding of hybrid electric vehicles, which has a certain theoretical significance.

Arctic Haze: Natural or Pollution

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

washed 11-cm-diameter Whatman No. 41 cellulose high-volume filter; two smaller probes led to 47-mm diameter Nuclepore and Millipore filters. The Whatman...I S- UV (A𔃺. CUL’ S-) L v O W .- -- L (A W L J a) 4j E - o JW- 4-J S-E M >-jM(A. - . > -CW M t 0 (L 6js M~) a) (L’ 0 , LL-) 0 .1 -- ,0 a w4) s-4...disappears at about 30 above the horizon due to high atmospheric turbidity, which led to problems in local navigation. The extent of this dust-fallout

Pharmaceutical grey water footprint: Accounting, influence of wastewater treatment plants and implications of the reuse.

PubMed

Martínez-Alcalá, Isabel; Pellicer-Martínez, Francisco; Fernández-López, Carmen

2018-05-15

Emerging pollutants, including pharmaceutical compounds, are producing water pollution problems around the world. Some pharmaceutical pollutants, which mainly reach ecosystems within wastewater discharges, are persistent in the water cycle and can also reach the food chain. This work addresses this issue, accounting the grey component of the water footprint (GWF P ) for four of the most common pharmaceutical compounds (carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DCF), ketoprofen (KTP) and naproxen (NPX)). In addition, the GWF C for the main conventional pollutants is also accounted (nitrate, phosphates and organic matter). The case study is the Murcia Region of southeastern Spain, where wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) purify 99.1% of the wastewater discharges and there is an important direct reuse of the treated wastewater in irrigation. Thus, the influence of WWTPs and reuse on the GWF is analysed. The results reveal that GWF P , only taking into account pharmaceutical pollutants, has a value of 301 m 3 inhabitant -1 year -1 ; considering only conventional pollutants (GWF C ), this value increases to 4718 m 3 inhabitant -1 year -1 . So, the difference between these values is such that in other areas with consumption habits similar to those of the Murcia Region, and without wastewater purification, conventional pollutants may well establish the value of the GWF. On average, the WWTPs reduce the GWF C by 90% and the GWF P by 26%. These different reductions of the pollutant concentrations in the treated effluents show that the GWF is not only due to conventional pollutants, and other contaminants can became critical, such as the pharmaceutical pollutants. The reuse further reduces the value of the GWF for the Murcia Region, by around 43.6%. However, the reuse of treated wastewater is controversial, considering the pharmaceutical contaminants and their possible consequences in the food chain. In these cases, the GWF of pharmaceutical pollutants can be used to provide a first approximation of the dilution that should be applied to the treated wastewater discharges when they are reused for another economic activity that imposes quality restrictions. For the case of agriculture in the Murcia Region, the dilution required is 2 (fresh water) to 1 (treated wastewater), taking into account the pollution thresholds established in this work. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Air Pollution Problem in Megacities and City Clusters in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, X.

2007-05-01

China has experienced the rapid economic growth in last twenty years. City clusters, which consist of one or several mega cities in close vicinity and many satellite cities and towns, are playing a leading role in Chinese economic growth, owing to their collective economic capacity and interdependency. However, accompanying with the economic boom, population growth and increased energy consumption, the air quality has been degrading in the past two decades. Air pollution in those areas is characterized by concurrent occurrence of high concentrations of multiple primary pollutants leading to form complex secondary pollution problem. After decades long efforts to control air pollution, both the government and scientific communities have realized that to control regional scale air pollution, regional efforts are needed. Field experiments covering the regions like Pearl River Delta region and Beijing City with surrounding areas are critical to understand the chemical and physical processes leading to the formation of regional scale air pollution. In order to formulate policy suggestions for air quality attainment during 2008 Beijing Olympic game and to propose objectives of air quality attainment in 2010 in Beijing, CAREBEIJING (Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region) was organized by Peking University in 2006 to learn current air pollution situation of the region, and to identify the transport and transformation processes that lead to the impact of the surrounding area on air quality in Beijing. Same as the purpose for understanding the chemical and physical processes happened in regional scale, the fall and summer campaigns in 2004 and 2006 were carried out in Pearl River Delta. More than 16 domestic and foreign institutions were involved in these campaigns. The background, current status, problems, and some results of these campaigns will be introduced in this presentation.

A Worldwide Plan to Eliminate Global Warming, Air Pollution, and Energy Instability With Wind, Water, and Sunlight (WWS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, M. Z.; Delucchi, M. A.

2011-12-01

Global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today. This talk discusses a plan to solve the problems by powering 100% of the world's energy for all purposes, including electricity, transportation, industrial processes, and heating/cooling, with wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) within the next 20-40 years. It reviews and ranks major proposed energy solutions to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy insecurity while considering other impacts of the proposed solutions, such as on water supply, land use, resource availability, reliability, wildlife, and catastrophic risk. It then evaluates a scenario for powering the world on the energy options determined to be the best while also considering materials, transmission infrastructure, costs, and politics. The study concludes that powering the world with WWS electric power technologies and a conversion from combustion to electricity and electrolytically-produced hydrogen is the cleanest and safest method of solving these problems. Due to the efficiency of electricity, such a conversion reduces world power demand by 30%. Methods of ensuring reliability of WWS electric power are available and will be demonstrated. We also conclude that neither liquid biofuels for transportation (including ethanol or biodiesel from any source), solid biofuels for home heating and cooking, biomass for electricity, conventional or fracked natural gas for electricity or transportation, nuclear power, nor coal with carbon capture (clean coal) are nearly so clean or safe as WWS technologies so are not recommended, either as bridge technologies or in the long term. Our plan calls for all new energy to be supplied by WWS-electricity-hydrogen resources no later than 2030 and all existing non-WWS infrastructure to be eliminated no later than 2050. We find that the plan is technically and economically feasible but politically challenging.

A rights-based approach to indoor air pollution.

PubMed

Lim, Jamie; Petersen, Stephen; Schwarz, Dan; Schwarz, Ryan; Maru, Duncan

2013-12-12

Household indoor air pollution from open-fire cookstoves remains a public health and environmental hazard which impacts negatively on people's right to health. Technologically improved cookstoves designed to reduce air pollution have demonstrated their efficacy in laboratory studies. Despite the tremendous need for such stoves, in the field they have often failed to be effective, with low rates of long-term adoption by users, mainly due to poor maintenance of the stoves. In poor, rural, isolated communities, there is unlikely to be a single behavioral or technological "fix" to this problem. In this paper, we suggest that improved cookstoves are an important health intervention to which people have a right, as they do to family planning, vaccination, and essential primary care medicines. Like these other necessary elements in the fulfillment of the right to health, access to clean indoor air should be incorporated into state health strategies, policies, and plans. State infrastructure and health systems should support public and private sector delivery of improved cookstove services, and ensure that such services reach all communities, even those that are poor, located remotely, and likely not to be served by the market. We suggest that community health workers could play a critical role in creating demand for, implementing facilitation and delivery of, and monitoring these cookstoves and related services. Through this approach, improved cookstoves could become an appealing, available, and sustainable option for the rural poor. In this paper, we adopt a human rights-based approach to overcome the problem of indoor air pollution, and we use Nepal as an example. Copyright © 2013 Lim, Petersen, Schwarz, Schwarz, Maru. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Open-Source Photometric System for Enzymatic Nitrate Quantification

PubMed Central

Wittbrodt, B. T.; Squires, D. A.; Walbeck, J.; Campbell, E.; Campbell, W. H.; Pearce, J. M.

2015-01-01

Nitrate, the most oxidized form of nitrogen, is regulated to protect people and animals from harmful levels as there is a large over abundance due to anthropogenic factors. Widespread field testing for nitrate could begin to address the nitrate pollution problem, however, the Cadmium Reduction Method, the leading certified method to detect and quantify nitrate, demands the use of a toxic heavy metal. An alternative, the recently proposed Environmental Protection Agency Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method, eliminates this problem but requires an expensive proprietary spectrophotometer. The development of an inexpensive portable, handheld photometer will greatly expedite field nitrate analysis to combat pollution. To accomplish this goal, a methodology for the design, development, and technical validation of an improved open-source water testing platform capable of performing Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method. This approach is evaluated for its potential to i) eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in water testing for nitrate and nitrite, ii) reduce the cost of equipment to perform this method for measurement for water quality, and iii) make the method easier to carryout in the field. The device is able to perform as well as commercial proprietary systems for less than 15% of the cost for materials. This allows for greater access to the technology and the new, safer nitrate testing technique. PMID:26244342

Nanocomposite Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Environmental Remediation

PubMed Central

Homaeigohar, Shahin; Elbahri, Mady

2014-01-01

Rapid worldwide industrialization and population growth is going to lead to an extensive environmental pollution. Therefore, so many people are currently suffering from the water shortage induced by the respective pollution, as well as poor air quality and a huge fund is wasted in the world each year due to the relevant problems. Environmental remediation necessitates implementation of novel materials and technologies, which are cost and energy efficient. Nanomaterials, with their unique chemical and physical properties, are an optimum solution. Accordingly, there is a strong motivation in seeking nano-based approaches for alleviation of environmental problems in an energy efficient, thereby, inexpensive manner. Thanks to a high porosity and surface area presenting an extraordinary permeability (thereby an energy efficiency) and selectivity, respectively, nanofibrous membranes are a desirable candidate. Their functionality and applicability is even promoted when adopting a nanocomposite strategy. In this case, specific nanofillers, such as metal oxides, carbon nanotubes, precious metals, and smart biological agents, are incorporated either during electrospinning or in the post-processing. Moreover, to meet operational requirements, e.g., to enhance mechanical stability, decrease of pressure drop, etc., nanofibrous membranes are backed by a microfibrous non-woven forming a hybrid membrane. The novel generation of nanocomposite/hybrid nanofibrous membranes can perform extraordinarily well in environmental remediation and control. This reality justifies authoring of this review paper. PMID:28788497

Nanocomposite Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Environmental Remediation.

PubMed

Homaeigohar, Shahin; Elbahri, Mady

2014-02-10

Rapid worldwide industrialization and population growth is going to lead to an extensive environmental pollution. Therefore, so many people are currently suffering from the water shortage induced by the respective pollution, as well as poor air quality and a huge fund is wasted in the world each year due to the relevant problems. Environmental remediation necessitates implementation of novel materials and technologies, which are cost and energy efficient. Nanomaterials, with their unique chemical and physical properties, are an optimum solution. Accordingly, there is a strong motivation in seeking nano-based approaches for alleviation of environmental problems in an energy efficient, thereby, inexpensive manner. Thanks to a high porosity and surface area presenting an extraordinary permeability (thereby an energy efficiency) and selectivity, respectively, nanofibrous membranes are a desirable candidate. Their functionality and applicability is even promoted when adopting a nanocomposite strategy. In this case, specific nanofillers, such as metal oxides, carbon nanotubes, precious metals, and smart biological agents, are incorporated either during electrospinning or in the post-processing. Moreover, to meet operational requirements, e.g., to enhance mechanical stability, decrease of pressure drop, etc. , nanofibrous membranes are backed by a microfibrous non-woven forming a hybrid membrane. The novel generation of nanocomposite/hybrid nanofibrous membranes can perform extraordinarily well in environmental remediation and control. This reality justifies authoring of this review paper.

Open-Source Photometric System for Enzymatic Nitrate Quantification.

PubMed

Wittbrodt, B T; Squires, D A; Walbeck, J; Campbell, E; Campbell, W H; Pearce, J M

2015-01-01

Nitrate, the most oxidized form of nitrogen, is regulated to protect people and animals from harmful levels as there is a large over abundance due to anthropogenic factors. Widespread field testing for nitrate could begin to address the nitrate pollution problem, however, the Cadmium Reduction Method, the leading certified method to detect and quantify nitrate, demands the use of a toxic heavy metal. An alternative, the recently proposed Environmental Protection Agency Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method, eliminates this problem but requires an expensive proprietary spectrophotometer. The development of an inexpensive portable, handheld photometer will greatly expedite field nitrate analysis to combat pollution. To accomplish this goal, a methodology for the design, development, and technical validation of an improved open-source water testing platform capable of performing Nitrate Reductase Nitrate-Nitrogen Analysis Method. This approach is evaluated for its potential to i) eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in water testing for nitrate and nitrite, ii) reduce the cost of equipment to perform this method for measurement for water quality, and iii) make the method easier to carryout in the field. The device is able to perform as well as commercial proprietary systems for less than 15% of the cost for materials. This allows for greater access to the technology and the new, safer nitrate testing technique.

[Effects of air pollution on human health and their importance in Mexico City].

PubMed

Vallejo, Maite; Jáuregui-Renaud, Kathrine; Hermosillo, Antonio G; Márquez, Manlio F; Cárdenas, Manuel

2003-01-01

The impact of air pollution on human health is a complicated problem. In this review, we describe the main health effects of exposure to ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead and particulate matter. Geographical characteristics of the metropolitan area of Mexico City that favor pollutant persistence with adverse effects on the population are described; the use of the Indice Metropolitano de la Calidad del Aire (IMECA), current norms, and present programs to diminish this problem are discussed. Evidence shows that through these actions, air quality has improved. However, some pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter, still exceed the standard. To further improve air quality in the city, existing programs should continue and multidisciplinary research, both basic and applied, is required.

Respiratory disease and particulate air pollution in Santiago Chile: Contribution of erosion particles from fine sediments

Treesearch

Pablo A. Garcia-Chevesich; Sergio Alvarado; Daniel G. Neary; Rodrigo Valdes; Juan Valdes; Juan Jose Aguirre; Marcelo Mena; Roberto Pizarro; Paolo Jofre; Mauricio Vera; Claudio Olivares

2014-01-01

Air pollution in Santiago is a serious problem every winter, causing thousands of cases of breathing problems within the population. With more than 6 million people and almost two million vehicles, this large city receives rainfall only during winters. Depending on the frequency of storms, statistics show that every time it rains, air quality improves for a couple of...

Elemental composition of tropospheric aerosols in Hanoi, Vietnam and Nairobi, Kenya.

PubMed

Gatari, Michael; Wagner, Annemarie; Boman, Johan

2005-04-01

Air pollution problems in major cities within the developing countries need to be studied. There are scanty measurements from the developing countries on airborne particles despite their adverse implications to human health, visibility and climate. One of the major sources of anthropogenic air pollution is energy production. Energy demand is bound to increase as population increases, especially in major cities of the world. Fine particles, particles with aerodynamic diameter < or = 2.5 microm, are mainly anthropogenic and these particles were collected in the capital cities of Vietnam and Kenya. A cyclone airborne particle collector was used to sample in Hanoi during the months of May to October 2000 and a dichotomous virtual impactor in Nairobi in February 2000. The samples were analysed for elemental content by an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer. S, Cl, K and Fe exceeded atmospheric concentrations of 100 ng m(-3) at both cities. Atmospheric elemental concentrations in both Hanoi and Nairobi were orders of magnitude higher than their respective rural towns. Traffic, biomass and waste burning emissions were implicated as the main sources of air pollution in Nairobi, while coal combustion and road transport were the major sources in Hanoi. Regional air pollution had a major impact over Hanoi, whereas an influence of that kind was not identified in Nairobi. Pb and other toxic elements had concentration levels below WHO guideline, however, the two cities are threatened by future high levels of air pollution due to the high rate of population growth. Long-term measurements are required in both areas to evaluate if the alarming situation is deteriorating.

Topsoil pollution forecasting using artificial neural networks on the example of the abnormally distributed heavy metal at Russian subarctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasov, D. A.; Buevich, A. G.; Sergeev, A. P.; Shichkin, A. V.; Baglaeva, E. M.

2017-06-01

Forecasting the soil pollution is a considerable field of study in the light of the general concern of environmental protection issues. Due to the variation of content and spatial heterogeneity of pollutants distribution at urban areas, the conventional spatial interpolation models implemented in many GIS packages mostly cannot provide appreciate interpolation accuracy. Moreover, the problem of prediction the distribution of the element with high variability in the concentration at the study site is particularly difficult. The work presents two neural networks models forecasting a spatial content of the abnormally distributed soil pollutant (Cr) at a particular location of the subarctic Novy Urengoy, Russia. A method of generalized regression neural network (GRNN) was compared to a common multilayer perceptron (MLP) model. The proposed techniques have been built, implemented and tested using ArcGIS and MATLAB. To verify the models performances, 150 scattered input data points (pollutant concentrations) have been selected from 8.5 km2 area and then split into independent training data set (105 points) and validation data set (45 points). The training data set was generated for the interpolation using ordinary kriging while the validation data set was used to test their accuracies. The networks structures have been chosen during a computer simulation based on the minimization of the RMSE. The predictive accuracy of both models was confirmed to be significantly higher than those achieved by the geostatistical approach (kriging). It is shown that MLP could achieve better accuracy than both kriging and even GRNN for interpolating surfaces.

Columnar aerosol optical properties at AERONET sites in northern, central and southern Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carabali, Giovanni; Estévez, Hector; Florean-Cruz, Claudia; Navarro-Medina, Abigail; Valdés-Barrón, Mauro; Bonifaz-Alfonzo, Roberto; Riveros-Rosas, David; Velasco-Herrera, Víctor; Vázquez-Gálvez, Felipe

2017-04-01

The column-integrated optical properties of aerosol in the north, central and southern Mexico were investigated based on Sun/sky radiometer measurements made at Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sites. Characterization of aerosol properties in these Mexico regions is important due to natural and anthropogenic significant events that occurred: dust storms from Sonora desert, biomass burning from south forest areas and urban/industrial from Mexico City due to the increases in fossil fuel combustion. Some cities in northern Mexico located near desert areas are affected by the dust from Sonora and Chihuahua deserts. These particles are suspended in the atmosphere due to strong wind activity that creates dust storms. In the central part of the Mexican territory, urban air pollution is one of the biggest problems. Mexico City is the most important urban area that face seriously environmental problem generated by daily anthropogenic emissions from activities of some 21 million people and the vast amount of industry. On the other hand, biomass burning in the Yucatan Peninsula, Southern Mexico, and Guatemala is an important source of anthropogenic aerosol in the troposphere (Crutzen and Andrade, 1990). The pollution from these fires affects air quality locally and is transported over the Gulf of Mexico to the United States (Wang et al., 2006). The aim of this work is to study the optical properties of different types of aerosols by analyzing a 5-year (2005-2010) data set from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET). Time series of Angstrom exponent (α) and aerosol optical depth (τ) in 7 wavelengths from 340 to 1020 nm are shown. Additionally, a graphical framework to classify aerosol properties using direct sun-photometer observations in the different regions of Mexico is presented. That aerosol classification was made by applying the method described by Gobbi et al (2007), which relies on the combined analysis of α and its spectral curvature δα.

Pollution and respiratory consequences--Have we done enough?

PubMed

Mihălţan, Florin; Danciu, Lucia; Ulmeanu, Ruxandra

2015-01-01

Pollution is the second major cause for many respiratory diseases, after smoking. For every country it is a challenging problem to diminish the exposure of their citizens. The authors are discussing the history of progressing of pollution in different countries, the interactions with some respiratory diseases, the influence on mortality and morbidity and the strategies in developing and developed countries for diminishing the level of the polluted particles.

Urban air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenger, Jes

Since 1950 the world population has more than doubled, and the global number of cars has increased by a factor of 10. In the same period the fraction of people living in urban areas has increased by a factor of 4. In year 2000 this will amount to nearly half of the world population. About 20 urban regions will each have populations above 10 million people. Seen over longer periods, pollution in major cities tends to increase during the built up phase, they pass through a maximum and are then again reduced, as abatement strategies are developed. In the industrialised western world urban air pollution is in some respects in the last stage with effectively reduced levels of sulphur dioxide and soot. In recent decades however, the increasing traffic has switched the attention to nitrogen oxides, organic compounds and small particles. In some cities photochemical air pollution is an important urban problem, but in the northern part of Europe it is a large-scale phenomenon, with ozone levels in urban streets being normally lower than in rural areas. Cities in Eastern Europe have been (and in many cases still are) heavily polluted. After the recent political upheaval, followed by a temporary recession and a subsequent introduction of new technologies, the situation appears to improve. However, the rising number of private cars is an emerging problem. In most developing countries the rapid urbanisation has so far resulted in uncontrolled growth and deteriorating environment. Air pollution levels are here still rising on many fronts. Apart from being sources of local air pollution, urban activities are significant contributors to transboundary pollution and to the rising global concentrations of greenhouse gasses. Attempts to solve urban problems by introducing cleaner, more energy-efficient technologies will generally have a beneficial impact on these large-scale problems. Attempts based on city planning with a spreading of the activities, on the other hand, may generate more traffic and may thus have the opposite effect.

Indoor Air Pollution

MedlinePlus

... is known as sick building syndrome. Usually indoor air quality problems only cause discomfort. Most people feel better ... and getting rid of pollutants can improve the quality of your indoor air. Environmental Protection Agency

Pollution Abatement Management System--Concept Definition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-05-01

and (3) identify priority ranking of environmental pollution problems within the Department of the Army. This report formalizes the overall concept development of PAMS and the system’s developmental strategy.

Global pediatric environmental health.

PubMed

Guidotti, Tee L; Gitterman, Benjamin A

2007-04-01

Children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental health problems. Developed countries report as the most common problems ambient (outdoor) air pollution and lead. Developing countries have a wider range of common problems, including childhood injuries, indoor air pollution, infectious disease, and poor sanitation with unsafe water. Globally, the agencies of the United Nations act to protect children and perform essential reporting and standards-setting functions. Conditions vary greatly among countries and are not always better in developing countries. Protecting the health of children requires strengthening the public health and medical systems in every country, rather than a single global agenda.

Exposure to air pollution and self-reported effects on Chinese students: A case study of 13 megacities.

PubMed

Rajper, Sohail Ahmed; Ullah, Sana; Li, Zhongqiu

2018-01-01

Air pollution causes severe physical and psychological health complications. Considering China's continuously-deteriorating air quality, this study aimed to assess the self-reported effects of air pollution on the behavior and physical health of the students of 13 densely populated cities, and their awareness, practices, and perception of air pollution and its associated public health risks. A detailed, closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 2100 students from 54 universities and schools across China. The questionnaire, which had 24 questions, was categorized into four sections. The first two sections were focused on air pollution-associated behavior and psychology, and physical effects; while the final two sections focused on the subjects' awareness and perceptions, and practices and concerns about air pollution. The respondents reported that long-term exposure to air pollution had significantly affected their psychology and behavior, as well as their physical health. The respondents were aware of the different adverse impacts of air pollution (respiratory infections, allergies, and cardiovascular problems), and hence had adopted different preventive measures, such as the use of respiratory masks and glasses or goggles, regularly drinking water, and consuming rich foods. It was concluded that air pollution and haze had negative physical and psychological effects on the respondents, which led to severe changes in behavior. Proper management, future planning, and implementing strict environmental laws are suggested before this problem worsens and becomes life-threatening.

Chemical chiral pollution: Impact on the society and science and need of the regulations in the 21st century.

PubMed

Basheer, Al Arsh

2018-04-01

The chiral pollution is a serious issue for our health and environment due to the enantio-selective biodegradation of the chiral pollutants. It has adverse impact on our society and science. There is a big loss of our economy due to the use of racemic agrochemicals. The most notorious chiral pollutants are pesticides, polychloro biphenyls, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, brominated flame retardants, drugs, and pharmaceuticals. More than 1500 chiral pollutants are present in the environment. Unfortunately, there is no regulation and control of the chiral pollutants. Therefore, it is an urgent need of the present 21st century to develop a data bank on the chiral pollutants, guidelines for controlling the production, sale and use of the racemic agrochemicals and the other industrial products. The Governments of the different countries should come forward to initiate the regulations. US, FDA, US EPA, and WHO are the most important regulatory authorities and should think about the chiral pollutants. The present article highlights the impact of the chiral pollution on the society and science. Besides, the efforts have also been made to emphasize the need of the regulations to control the chiral pollution. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sounds and Noises. A Position Paper on Noise Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Thomas L.

This position paper focuses on noise pollution and the problems and solutions associated with this form of pollution. The paper is divided into the following five sections: Noise and the Ear, Noise Measurement, III Effects of Noise, Acoustics and Action, and Programs and Activities. The first section identifies noise and sound, the beginnings of…

APTI Course 450, Source Sampling for Particulate Pollutants. Student Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northrup Services, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC.

This workbook is intended to provide practice problems and exercises for the technical student of particulate pollution sampling. Arranged to accompany each of 18 lectures, the chapters deal with aspects of isokinetic air pollution source sampling. Each chapter precedes the exercises by a list of lesson objectives. Three appendices supplement the…

Pollution, Health, and Avoidance Behavior: Evidence from the Ports of Los Angeles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moretti, Enrico; Neidell, Matthew

2011-01-01

A pervasive problem in estimating the costs of pollution is that optimizing individuals may compensate for increases in pollution by reducing their exposure, resulting in estimates that understate the full welfare costs. To account for this issue, measurement error, and environmental confounding, we estimate the health effects of ozone using daily…

APEX (Air Pollution Exercise) Volume 20: Reference Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Office of Manpower Development.

The Reference Materials Manual is part of a set of 21 manuals (AA 001 009-001 029) used in APEX (Air Pollution Exercise), a computerized college and professional level "real world" game simulation of a community with urban and rural problems, industrial activities, and air pollution difficulties. For the purposes of the gaming exercise, APEX…

Quebec's Toxic Pollution Concern.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mingie, Walter

The best solution to the problems of increased pollution of Quebec lakes and rivers with toxic wastes and increased incidence of pollution related diseases is to educate children, to make them aware of the environment and man's interrelationship with it. Attitudes of concern, based on knowledge, must be developed so that as adults, they will take…

Making Water Pollution a Problem in the Classroom Through Computer Assisted Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, John D.

Alternative means for dealing with water pollution control are presented for students and teachers. One computer oriented program is described in terms of teaching wastewater treatment and pollution concepts to middle and secondary school students. Suggestions are given to help teachers use a computer simulation program in their classrooms.…

Survey on air pollution and cardiopulmonary mortality in shiraz from 2011 to 2012: an analytical-descriptive study.

PubMed

Dehghani, Mansooreh; Anushiravani, Amir; Hashemi, Hassan; Shamsedini, Narges

2014-06-01

Expanding cities with rapid economic development has resulted in increased energy consumption leading to numerous environmental problems for their residents. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between air pollution and mortality rate due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Shiraz. This is an analytical cross-sectional study in which the correlation between major air pollutants (including carbon monoxide [CO], sulfur dioxide [SO2], nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and particle matter with a diameter of less than 10 μ [PM10]) and climatic parameters (temperature and relative humidity) with the number of those whom expired from cardiopulmonary disease in Shiraz from March 2011 to January 2012 was investigated. Data regarding the concentration of air pollutants were determined by Shiraz Environmental Organization. Information about climatic parameters was collected from the database of Iran's Meteorological Organization. The number of those expired from cardiopulmonary disease in Shiraz were provided by the Department of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. We used non-parametric correlation test to analyze the relationship between these parameters. The results demonstrated that in all the recorded data, the average monthly pollutants standard index (PSI) values of PM10 were higher than standard limits, while the average monthly PSI value of NO2 were lower than standard. There was no significant relationship between the number of those expired from cardiopulmonary disease and the air pollutant (P > 0.05). Air pollution can aggravate chronic cardiopulmonary disease. In the current study, one of the most important air pollutants in Shiraz was the PM10 component. Mechanical processes, such as wind blowing from neighboring countries, is the most important parameter increasing PM10 in Shiraz to alarming conditions. The average monthly variation in PSI values of air pollutants such as NO2, CO, and SO2 were lower than standard limits. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between the average monthly variation in PSI of NO2, CO, PM10, and SO2 and the number of those expired from cardiopulmonary disease in Shiraz.

State and perspectives in the sphere of marine waste: data from Russian Far East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korshenko, Ekaterina; Tyurina, Elena; Kravchenko, Alla; Glotova, Elena; Sergeeva, Olesya; Korshenko, Alexander; Nesterova, Olga; Tregubova, Valentina; Semal, Viktoriia; Derbentseva, Alla; Purtova, Lyudmila; Kostenkov, Nikolay

2016-04-01

Today, pollution of seas and coastal areas by waste is one of the most important environmental issues recognized at international scale. This problem consists in negative effect on marine flora and fauna, and as global experience shows, requires cooperation of government, business sector and civil society to overcome it. A large number of studies confirm the serious impact of marine litter: sea inhabitants easily take pieces of plastic as something edible, these particles can get into stomach of fish, and then through the food chain into humans. Barnes highlighted the potential threat due to the appearance of alien species. Brown studied the entanglement of marine creatures at nets that eventually leads to the extinction of certain species and destruction of underwater fauna. According to the UN every year about one million seabirds, one hundred thousand turtles and other marine mammals entangle in fishing gear and die. The problem of marine waste is also relevant for Primorsky Krai of the Russian Federation. Within the project "Ocean without borders" in 2014 monitoring of Japan Sea pollution was carried out: 2,67 hectares of 16 coasts were investigated, more than 500 kg of litter were collected and studied, among which 363 grams of marine debris was an average per 100 m2, and a number of collected waste units was about 143. It should be noted that the largest proportion of collected litter is plastic which is followed by glass and ceramics. Today, marine debris in Primorsky Krai is disposed at specially organized landfills, where the air is contaminated by sulfur dioxide and various harmful organic compounds. It may lead not only to the deterioration of the environment, but also to the infectious diseases, the pollution of groundwater and soil. Therefore, an environmental entrepreneurship can be considered as a solution for the problem. One of the first who dared to use ocean litter is the studio Swain (UK), which proposed the project of transforming collected waste into furniture. Another company, Adidas, has developed a new design of running shoes made of plastic and fishing nets where the key point is waste-free production. Municipalities from different countries also began to take actions: in order to familiarize young people with environmental pollution, they hold workshops for the manufacture of handicrafts from marine litter. In Primorye since 2012 the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection has hold similar workshops. Thus, to create decent living conditions for people, the use of natural resources must be highly efficient, that means their reuse and recycling. Of course, the solutions for the problem of marine waste proposed by companies and government can not solve this problem, but their actions in the sphere of recycling marine litter can become an example for other entrepreneurs.

Mortality and morbidity due to exposure to outdoor air pollution in Mashhad metropolis, Iran. The AirQ model approach.

PubMed

Miri, Mohammad; Derakhshan, Zahra; Allahabadi, Ahmad; Ahmadi, Ehsan; Oliveri Conti, Gea; Ferrante, Margherita; Aval, Hamideh Ebrahimi

2016-11-01

In the past two decades, epidemiological studies have shown that air pollution is one of the causes of morbidity and mortality. In this study the effect of PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2 and O3 pollutants on human health among the inhabitants of Mashhad has been evaluated. To evaluate the health effects due to air pollution, the AirQ model software 3.3.2, developed by WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, was used. The daily data related to the pollutants listed above has been used for the short term health effects (total mortality, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, hospitalization due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute myocardial infarction). PM2.5 had the most health effects on Mashhad inhabitants. With increasing in each 10μg/m3, relative risk rate of pollutant concentration for total mortality due to PM10, PM2.5, SO 2 , NO 2 and O 3 was increased of 0.6%, 1.5%, 0.4%, 0.3% and 0.46% respectively and, the attributable proportion of total mortality attributed to these pollutants was respectively equal to 4.24%, 4.57%, 0.99%, 2.21%, 2.08%, and 1.61% (CI 95%) of the total mortality (correct for the non-accident) occurred in the year of study. The results of this study have a good compatibly with other studies conducted on the effects of air pollution on humans. The AirQ software model can be used in decision-makings as a useful and easy tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A framework for the evaluation of air pollution caused by motor vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elawej, Khalifa A. K.

This research investigated the problem of air pollution caused by vehicles in the city of Tripoli, Libya. This also included the identification of the socioeconomic and institutional factors which have contributed to the increased severity of the air pollution problem. The issues addressed included legal, institutional and technical aspects. A descriptive method was applied in which a case study approach was adopted. Primary data were collected through personal interviews with responsible people in relevant institutions, including EGA, GTL and ATD, complemented by questionnaires and direct observations. The data collected from the interviews and questionnaires were analysed using Excel and SPSS software.Owing to the lack of data on vehicular emissions in the study area, an inventory of the annual vehicular emissions in the city was made through the application of COPERT.4 software which is widely used for calculating vehicular emissions. This inventory covered the period from 2005 to 2010. Laboratory Mobile was also used to measure the concentration of vehicular emissions in the city centre of Tripoli, and compared with the vehicular concentrations in Sheffield, UK, for the same period.A framework was developed and validated to evaluate the air pollution caused by vehicles in Tripoli. The findings from the research showed that there has been a dramatic increase in the quantity of vehicle emissions in the city, highlighting the extent of the problem. Some influencing factors which have made a significant contribution to the occurrence and increased severity of traffic air pollution in Tripoli include: the increase in the vehicle fleet, the quality and quantity of the fuel consumed, insufficient public transportation, a shortage of public awareness, and deficiencies in the relevant legislation. Obstacles facing the responsible institutions include a lack of capable and qualified staff, and a shortage of necessary equipment for monitoring and addressing traffic problems and pollution.It is concluded that Tripoli has been subjected to air pollution caused by vehicles, which needs to be addressed through the incorporation of a comprehensive strategy and implementation of the developed framework. Additionally, economic, legal, institutional and technical recommendations are presented for the management of air pollution caused by vehicles in the city of Tripoli, Libya.

The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of air pollution index and meteorological elements in Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, China.

PubMed

Huading, Shi; Critto, Andrea; Torresan, Silvia; Qingxian, Gao

2018-06-13

With the rapid economic development and the continuous population growth, several important cities in China suffer serious air pollution, especially in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic developing area. Based on the daily air pollution index (API) and surface meteorological elements in Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang from 2001 to 2010, the relationships between API and meteorological elements were analyzed. The statistical analysis focused on the relationships at seasonal and monthly average scales, on different air pollution grades and air pollution processes. The results revealed that the air pollution conditions in the three areas gradually improved from 2001 to 2010, especially during summer; and the worst conditions in air quality were recorded in Beijing in spring due to the influences of dust, while in Tianjin and Shijiazhuang in winter due to household heating. Meteorological elements exhibited different influences on air pollution, showing similar relationships between API in monthly averages and four meteorological elements (i.e., the average, maximum and minimum temperatures, maximum air pressure, vapor pressure, and maximum wind speed); while the relationships on a seasonal average scale demonstrated significant differences. Compared with seasonal and monthly average scales of API, the relation coefficients based on different air pollution grades were significatively lower; while the relationship between API and meteorological elements based on air pollution process reduced the smoothing effect due to the average processing of seasonal and monthly API and improved the accuracy of the results based on different air pollution grades. Finally, statistical analysis of the distribution of pollution days in different wind directions indicated the directions of extreme and maximum wind speeds that mainly influence air pollution; representing a valuable information that could support the definition of air pollution control strategies through the identification of the regions (and the located emission sources) where to focus the implementation of emission reduction actions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Review of plants to mitigate particulate matter, ozone as well as nitrogen dioxide air pollutants and applicable recommendations for green roofs in Montreal, Quebec.

PubMed

Gourdji, Shannon

2018-05-28

In urbanized regions with expansive impervious surfaces and often low vegetation cover, air pollution due to motor vehicles and other combustion sources, is a problem. The poor air quality days in Montreal, Quebec are mainly due to fine particulate matter and ozone. Businesses using wood ovens are a source of particulates. Careful vegetation selection and increased green roof usage can improve air quality. This paper reviews different green roofs and the capability of plants in particulate matter (PM), ozone (O 3 ) as well as nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) level reductions. Both the recommended green roof category and plants to reduce these pollutants in Montreal's zone 5 hardiness region are provided. Green roofs with larger vegetation including shrubs and trees, or intensive green roofs, remove air pollutants to a greater extent and are advisable to implement on existing, retrofitted or new buildings. PM is most effectively captured by pines. The small Pinus strobus 'Nana', Pinus mugho var. pumilio, Pinus mugho 'Slowmound' and Pinus pumila 'Dwarf Blue' are good candidates for intensive green roofs. Drought tolerant, deciduous broadleaved trees with low biogenic volatile organic compound emissions including Japanese Maple or Acer palmatum 'Shaina' and 'Mikawa-Yatsubusa' are options to reduce O 3 levels. Magnolias are tolerant to NO 2 and it is important in their metabolic pathways. The small cold-tolerant Magnolia 'Genie' is a good option to remove NO 2 in urban settings and to indirectly reduce O 3 formation. Given the emissions by Montreal businesses' wood ovens, calculations performed based on their respective complex roof areas obtained via Google Earth Pro indicates 88% Pinus mugho var. pumilio roof coverage can annually remove 92.37 kg of PM 10 of which 35.10 kg is PM 2.5 . The removal rates are 4.00 g/m 2 and 1.52 g/m 2 for PM 10 and PM 2.5 , respectively. This paper provides insight to addressing air pollution through urban rooftop greening. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal dynamics of coarse atmospheric particulate matter between 2.5 μm and 80 μm in Beijing and the impact of 2008 Olympic Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norra, Stefan; Yu, Yang; Dietze, Volker; Schleicher, Nina; Fricker, Mathieu; Kaminski, Uwe; Chen, Yuan; Stüben, Doris; Cen, Kuang

2016-01-01

Beijing is well known as a megacity facing severe atmospheric pollution problems. One very important kind of pollution is the high amount of particles in Beijing's atmosphere. Numerous studies investigated the dynamics of fine particles smaller 10 μm. Less information is available on the coarse particle fraction larger 10 μm, although geogenic dusts, which often are composed by those coarser particles, frequently affect the air quality in Beijing. Therefore, systematic sampling and analysis of size fractionated particulate matter between 2.5 and 80 μm was performed in Beijing from April 2005 till October 2009. Atmospheric particles were collected in the North-West of Beijing using a cost-effective passive sampling method called Sigma-2. Altogether, 200 weeks could be analysed and assessed. Concentrations and size distribution of atmospheric coarse particles were determined by automated microscopic single particle analysis. Seasonal variability of the total mass of different size fractions was identified as follows: spring > winter > autumn > summer. High concentrations of transparent mineral particles indicate the activity of geogenic sources in spring and winter time, due to asian dust events and resuspension of soil from local bare land during dry and windy periods. The percentage of opaque particle components differs seasonally with relatively high values in winter, confirming combustion of fossil fuels for heating purposes as a predominant pollution source in this season. The influence of meteorological conditions on concentrations and size distribution of atmospheric particulate matter between 2.5 and 80 μm is demonstrated for the whole sampling period. Lowest pollution by coarse aerosols occurred during the period of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. A general trend of decreasing total coarse particle mass concentrations was observed. Due to frequently observed high total coarse particle mass concentrations of several 100 μg·m-³ it is strongly recommended to enhance research and observation regarding these air pollutants to gain a better understanding of their dynamics, health effects, well being impacts on Beijing inhabitants and the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

Automatic Generation Control Study in Two Area Reheat Thermal Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritam, Anita; Sahu, Sibakanta; Rout, Sushil Dev; Ganthia, Sibani; Prasad Ganthia, Bibhu

2017-08-01

Due to industrial pollution our living environment destroyed. An electric grid system has may vital equipment like generator, motor, transformers and loads. There is always be an imbalance between sending end and receiving end system which cause system unstable. So this error and fault causing problem should be solved and corrected as soon as possible else it creates faults and system error and fall of efficiency of the whole power system. The main problem developed from this fault is deviation of frequency cause instability to the power system and may cause permanent damage to the system. Therefore this mechanism studied in this paper make the system stable and balance by regulating frequency at both sending and receiving end power system using automatic generation control using various controllers taking a two area reheat thermal power system into account.

[Research on problem of exogenous pollution of Chinese medicine resources from perspective of circular economy].

PubMed

Yang, Yi; Tian, Kan; Tian, Hong

2016-08-01

Based on the in-depth analysis of the current situation of the exogenous pollution of Chinese medicine resources, this research mainly discusses the intrinsic link and practical significance between the development of circular economy in Chinese medicine resources and the control of the problem of the exogenous pollution from the perspective of circular economy, and proposes some suggestions to develop the recycling economy of Chinese medicine resources from the establishment of legal system, mechanism of development, production norms, industry standards and regulatory system of the recycling of Chinese medicine resources. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Contribution of Man – Made Activities to the Pollution of the Tigris within Mosul Area/IRAQ

PubMed Central

Al-Rawi, S. M.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an overall view of major sources that may lead to the pollution of the Tigris within Mosul city. A stretch exceeding 20kms in length is selected that represents the “sick” path of the river. Many sites along the studied stretch are likely to affect the river quality in some way or another. Samples from 40 sources sites are taken for quality analyses These sources – as huge as 400000 m3 a day – are characterized as (medium – strong) in composition. Such wastewaters with the pollutants they carry alter the river water quality rendering it unsuitable for beneficial uses. Such alterations – do leave –many negative consequences concerning human beings and aquatic life. It is found that domestic discharges are among the most important sources of pollution. Sanitary wastes are often discharged – untreated -into the Tigris. Other illegal practices such as in-house slaughtering add to the pollution as well. Industrial, tourist and institutional wastes put an additional burden on pollution of the river water quality. These wastes contain lead, chrome, and other heavy metals that may pose health risks. Wastewater treatment plants that exist in some sectors do not perform as they are expected. They need proper evaluation and rehabilitation. Eutrophication - a characteristic problem in lakes - finds an access to occur into the Tigris. This problem results from intensive use of detergents rich in nutrients (P&N compounds). In general, pollutants of different sources heavily affect the river water. Recovery and self purification of the river is estimated to occur at 40 km far from reference point. The paper concludes with the necessity of construction of a central treatment plant(s) or tackling the pollutants at their origin. The paper also stresses on importance of environmental education and awareness in order to combat pollution problems. PMID:16705824

Relevance of the EU Structural Funds’ Allocation to the Needs of Combating Air Pollution in Poland. Analysis of the Operational Programmes of Regions Threatened With Critical Air Pollution from Distributed Energy Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Włodarski, Marcin; Martyniuk-Pęczek, Justyna

2017-10-01

Recent years, the European Environmental Agency, has been reporting air quality parameters in Poland, as the poorest among all the EU countries. Despite of adoption of the EU legislation on energy efficiency and energy performance of buildings, existing legal solutions occur insufficient in reducing air pollution in Polish regions. Lack of an effective schemes supporting complex thermal renovation of buildings, exchange of inefficient boilers, developing district heating based on clean and renewable fuels results in severe health problems and 40 000 of premature deaths related to air pollution. Availability of the EU structural funds may become a tremendous opportunity, especially for the residential sector, to conduct a massive scale modernization. Nevertheless, lack of a coordinated action involving all levels of governance may put the opportunity at risk. The article aims to answer the question on the readiness of the regional governments to effectively implement energy efficiency measures mitigating the problem of air pollution. Second objective is to analyse whether the Regional Operational Programmes allocating the ERDF funds to support specific development needs of the regions, have been constructed in a way that properly addresses the problems related to energy performance of residential buildings.

Transportation, Air Pollution, and Climate Change

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn how emissions reductions, advancements in fuels and fuel economy, and working with industry to find solutions to air pollution problems benefit human and environmental health, create consumer savings and are cost effective.

Diffusion from a line source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, R. E.

1973-01-01

The problem with predicting pollutant diffusion from a line source of arbitrary geometry is treated. The concentration at the line source may be arbitrarily varied with time. Special attention is given to the meteorological inputs which act as boundary conditions for the problem, and a mixing layer of arbitrary depth is assumed. Numerical application of the derived theory indicates the combinations of meteorological parameters that may be expected to result in high pollution concentrations.

Air pollutants and hospitalization due to pneumonia among children. An ecological time series study.

PubMed

Tuan, Tassia Soldi; Venâncio, Taís Siqueira; Nascimento, Luiz Fernando Costa

2015-01-01

Exposure to air pollutants is one of the factors responsible for hospitalizations due to pneumonia among children. This has considerable financial cost, along with social cost. A study to identify the role of this exposure in relation to hospital admissions due to pneumonia among children up to 10 years of age was conducted. Ecological time series study using data from São José dos Campos, Brazil. Daily data on hospitalizations due to pneumonia and on the pollutants CO, O3, PM10 and SO2, temperature and humidity in São José dos Campos, in 2012, were analyzed. A generalized additive model of Poisson's regression was used. Relative risks for hospitalizations due to pneumonia, according to lags of 0-5 days, were estimated. The population-attributable fraction, number of avoidable hospitalizations and cost savings from avoidable hospitalizations were calculated. There were 539 admissions. Exposure to CO and O3 was seen to be associated with hospitalizations, with risks of 1.10 and 1.15 on the third day after exposure to increased CO concentration of 200 ppb and ozone concentration of 20 µg/m3. Exposure to the pollutants of particulate matter and sulfur dioxide were not shown to be associated with hospitalizations. Decreases in CO and ozone concentrations could lead to 49 fewer hospitalizations and cost reductions of R$ 39,000.00. Exposure to certain air pollutants produces harmful effects on children's health, even in a medium-sized city. Public policies to reduce emissions of these pollutants need to be implemented.

Optimum Installation of Sorptive Building Materials Using Contribution Ratio of Pollution Source for Improvement of Indoor Air Quality.

PubMed

Park, Seonghyun; Seo, Janghoo

2016-04-01

Reinforcing the insulation and airtightness of buildings and the use of building materials containing new chemical substances have caused indoor air quality problems. Use of sorptive building materials along with removal of pollutants, constant ventilation, bake-out, etc. are gaining attention in Korea and Japan as methods for improving such indoor air quality problems. On the other hand, sorptive building materials are considered a passive method of reducing the concentration of pollutants, and their application should be reviewed in the early stages. Thus, in this research, activated carbon was prepared as a sorptive building material. Then, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was conducted, and a method for optimal installation of sorptive building materials was derived according to the indoor environment using the contribution ratio of pollution source (CRP) index. The results show that a method for optimal installation of sorptive building materials can be derived by predicting the contribution ratio of pollutant sources according to the CRP index.

Biological scientist in an air pollution control program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, H.A.

The biological scientist in an air pollution control agency is becoming of greater service as the larger districts are being formed which embrace agricultural areas. While it is not an altogether new role in history, it has often been neglected. His presence on the staff provides the air pollution control agency staff with a liaison to agriculture and public health, as well as an information source immediately at hand. His training in the life science fields not only allows him to help understand the biological problems, but also allows him to communicate these to the engineer. In the Bay Areamore » Air Pollution Control District, this position is filled by a biostatistician. Here the statistical duties are often not too sharply differentiated from the biological ones. However, these range from attempting to diagnose air pollution damage on orchids to the development of a mechanized punch-card information retrieval system. From this one can soon correctly surmise that monotony is not a problem.« less

Water pollution in Pakistan and its impact on public health--a review.

PubMed

Azizullah, Azizullah; Khattak, Muhammad Nasir Khan; Richter, Peter; Häder, Donat-Peter

2011-02-01

Water pollution is one of the major threats to public health in Pakistan. Drinking water quality is poorly managed and monitored. Pakistan ranks at number 80 among 122 nations regarding drinking water quality. Drinking water sources, both surface and groundwater are contaminated with coliforms, toxic metals and pesticides throughout the country. Various drinking water quality parameters set by WHO are frequently violated. Human activities like improper disposal of municipal and industrial effluents and indiscriminate applications of agrochemicals in agriculture are the main factors contributing to the deterioration of water quality. Microbial and chemical pollutants are the main factors responsible exclusively or in combination for various public health problems. This review discusses a detailed layout of drinking water quality in Pakistan with special emphasis on major pollutants, sources of pollution and the consequent health problems. The data presented in this review are extracted from various studies published in national and international journals. Also reports released by the government and non-governmental organizations are included. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Airborne asphyxia: an international problem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedlander, G.D.

1965-10-01

An overview is presented of air pollution which has become a real problem that affects virtually every major industrial city in the United States and Europe. Air pollution presents one of the most serious threats to the coal industry which produces about 55% of the electric power in the USA. There are meteorological and climatological factors that influence the action of air borne pollutants. The effects of SO/sub 2/ and N/sub 2/O on human health are discussed. Methods of reducing SO/sub 2/ emissions are presented. The results of studies by TVA in SO/sub 2/ monitoring and control have been appliedmore » in planning subsequent plants. There are an estimated 88 million motor vehicles on the nation's highways that contribute to air pollution. Control devices for cars can effectively reduce the amount of air contaminants released from motor vehicle exhausts. From numerous surveys, it is obvious that the sources of air pollution are numerous and complex. Total and effective remedial action must be undertaken to correct the situation.« less

Ultrasound-assisted leaching of rare earths from the weathered crust elution-deposited ore using magnesium sulfate without ammonia-nitrogen pollution.

PubMed

Yin, Shaohua; Pei, Jiannan; Jiang, Feng; Li, Shiwei; Peng, Jinhui; Zhang, Libo; Ju, Shaohua; Srinivasakannan, Chandrasekar

2018-03-01

The in situ leaching process of China's unique ion-adsorption rare earth ores has caused severe environmental damages due to the use of (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 solution. This study reports that magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ) as a leaching agent would replace (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 by ultrasonically assisted leaching to deal with the ammonia-nitrogen pollution problem and enhance leaching process. At leaching conditions of 3wt% MgSO 4 concentration, 3:1L/S ratio and 30min, the total rare earth leaching efficiency reaches 75.5%. Ultrasound-assisted leaching experiments show that the leaching efficiency of rare earths is substantially increased by introducing ultrasound, and nearly completely leached out after two stage leaching process. Thus, ultrasonic-assisted leaching process with MgSO 4 is not only effective but also environmentally friendly, and beneficial to leach rare earths at laboratory scale. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling the propagation of smoke from a tanker fire in a built-up area.

PubMed

Brzozowska, Lucyna

2014-02-15

The paper presents the application of a Lagrangian particle model to problems connected with safety in road transport. Numerical simulations were performed for a hypothetical case of smoke emission from a tanker fire in a built-up area. Propagation of smoke was analysed for three wind directions. A diagnostic model was used to determine the air velocity field, whereas the dispersion of pollutants was analysed by means of a Lagrangian particle model (Brzozowska, 2013). The Idrisi Andes geographic information system was used to provide data on landforms and on their aerodynamic roughness. The presented results of computations and their analysis exemplify a possible application of the Lagrangian particle model: evaluation of mean (averaged over time) concentrations of pollutants and their distribution in the considered area (especially important due to the protection of people, animals and plants) and simulation of the propagation of harmful compounds in time as well as performing computations for cases of the potential effects of road incidents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental impacts of iron ore tailings—The case of Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, M. H.

1981-03-01

Disposal of iron ore tailings along the shore of Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong has altered the adjacent environment. Due to the ever-expanding population, the vast development of various industries, and the lack of sanitary control, the existing pollution problem of Tolo Harbour is serious. The iron ore tailings consist of a moderate amount of various heavy metals, e.g., copper, iron, manganese, lead, zinc, and a lower level of macronutrients. A few living organisms have been found colonizing this manmade habitat. Higher metal contents were also found in the tissue of Paphia sp. (clam); Scopimera intermedia (crab); Chaetomorpha brychagona (green alga); Enteromorpha crinita (green alga); and Neyraudia reynaudiana (grass). The area can be reclaimed by surface amelioration using inert materials, soils, or organic substrates, and by direct seeding, using nontolerant and tolerant plant materials. Reclamation of the tailings would improve the amenity of the adjacent environment and also mitigate pollution escaping to the sea.

Meteorological conditions, climate change, new emerging factors, and asthma and related allergic disorders. A statement of the World Allergy Organization.

PubMed

D'Amato, Gennaro; Holgate, Stephen T; Pawankar, Ruby; Ledford, Dennis K; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Al-Ahmad, Mona; Al-Enezi, Fatma; Al-Muhsen, Saleh; Ansotegui, Ignacio; Baena-Cagnani, Carlos E; Baker, David J; Bayram, Hasan; Bergmann, Karl Christian; Boulet, Louis-Philippe; Buters, Jeroen T M; D'Amato, Maria; Dorsano, Sofia; Douwes, Jeroen; Finlay, Sarah Elise; Garrasi, Donata; Gómez, Maximiliano; Haahtela, Tari; Halwani, Rabih; Hassani, Youssouf; Mahboub, Basam; Marks, Guy; Michelozzi, Paola; Montagni, Marcello; Nunes, Carlos; Oh, Jay Jae-Won; Popov, Todor A; Portnoy, Jay; Ridolo, Erminia; Rosário, Nelson; Rottem, Menachem; Sánchez-Borges, Mario; Sibanda, Elopy; Sienra-Monge, Juan José; Vitale, Carolina; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

2015-01-01

The prevalence of allergic airway diseases such as asthma and rhinitis has increased dramatically to epidemic proportions worldwide. Besides air pollution from industry derived emissions and motor vehicles, the rising trend can only be explained by gross changes in the environments where we live. The world economy has been transformed over the last 25 years with developing countries being at the core of these changes. Around the planet, in both developed and developing countries, environments are undergoing profound changes. Many of these changes are considered to have negative effects on respiratory health and to enhance the frequency and severity of respiratory diseases such as asthma in the general population. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, and especially carbon dioxide (CO2), in the atmosphere have already warmed the planet substantially, causing more severe and prolonged heat waves, variability in temperature, increased air pollution, forest fires, droughts, and floods - all of which can put the respiratory health of the public at risk. These changes in climate and air quality have a measurable impact not only on the morbidity but also the mortality of patients with asthma and other respiratory diseases. The massive increase in emissions of air pollutants due to economic and industrial growth in the last century has made air quality an environmental problem of the first order in a large number of regions of the world. A body of evidence suggests that major changes to our world are occurring and involve the atmosphere and its associated climate. These changes, including global warming induced by human activity, have an impact on the biosphere, biodiversity, and the human environment. Mitigating this huge health impact and reversing the effects of these changes are major challenges. This statement of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) raises the importance of this health hazard and highlights the facts on climate-related health impacts, including: deaths and acute morbidity due to heat waves and extreme meteorological events; increased frequency of acute cardio-respiratory events due to higher concentrations of ground level ozone; changes in the frequency of respiratory diseases due to trans-boundary particle pollution; altered spatial and temporal distribution of allergens (pollens, molds, and mites); and some infectious disease vectors. According to this report, these impacts will not only affect those with current asthma but also increase the incidence and prevalence of allergic respiratory conditions and of asthma. The effects of climate change on respiratory allergy are still not well defined, and more studies addressing this topic are needed. Global warming is expected to affect the start, duration, and intensity of the pollen season on the one hand, and the rate of asthma exacerbations due to air pollution, respiratory infections, and/or cold air inhalation, and other conditions on the other hand.

Process simulation and economic analysis of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil with membrane bioreactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdurakhman, Yuanita Budiman; Putra, Zulfan Adi; Bilad, Muhammad Roil

2017-10-01

Pollution and shortage of clean energy supply are among major problems that are caused by rapid population growth. Due to this growth, waste cooking oil is one of the pollution sources. On the other hand, biodiesel appears to be one of the most promising and feasible energy sources as it emits less toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases than petroleum diesel. Thus, biodiesel production using waste cooking oil offers a two-in-one solution to cater pollution and energy issues. However, the conventional biodiesel production process using homogeneous base catalyst and stirred tank reactor is unable to produce high purity of biodiesel from waste cooking oil. It is due its sensitivity to free fatty acid (FFA) content in waste cooking oil and purification difficulties. Therefore, biodiesel production using heterogeneous acid catalyst in membrane reactor is suggested. The product of this process is fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or biodiesel with glycerol as by-product. This project is aimed to study techno-economic feasibility of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil via heterogeneous acid catalyst in membrane reactor. Aspen HYSYS is used to accomplish this aim. Several cases, such as considering different residence times and the production of pharmaceutical (USP) grade glycerol, are evaluated and compared. Economic potential of these cases is calculated by considering capital expenditure, utilities cost, product and by-product sales, as well as raw material costs. Waste cooking oil, inorganic pressure-driven membrane and WAl is used as raw material, type of membrane and heterogeneous acid catalyst respectively. Based on literature data, FAME yield formulation is developed and used in the reactor simulation. Simulation results shows that economic potential increases by 30% if pharmaceutical (USP) grade glycerol is produced regardless the residence time of the reactor. In addition, there is no significant effect of residence time on the economic potential.

Proximity to mining industry and cancer mortality.

PubMed

Fernández-Navarro, Pablo; García-Pérez, Javier; Ramis, Rebeca; Boldo, Elena; López-Abente, Gonzalo

2012-10-01

Mining installations are releasing toxic substances into the environment which could pose a health problem to populations in their vicinity. We sought to investigate whether there might be excess cancer-related mortality in populations residing in towns lying in the vicinity of Spanish mining industries governed by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive, and the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Regulation, according to the type of extraction method used. An ecologic study was designed to examine municipal mortality due to 32 types of cancer, across the period 1997 through 2006. Population exposure to pollution was estimated on the basis of distance from town of residence to pollution source. Poisson regression models, using the Bayesian conditional autoregressive model proposed by Besag, York and Molliè and Integrated Nested Laplace Approximations for Bayesian inference, were used: to analyze risk of dying from cancer in a 5-kilometer zone around mining installations; effect of type of industrial activity; and to conduct individual analyses within a 50-kilometer radius of each installation. Excess mortality (relative risk, 95% credible interval) of colorectal cancer (1.097, 1.041-1.157), lung cancer (1.066, 1.009-1.126) specifically related with proximity to opencast coal mining, bladder cancer (1.106, 1.016-1.203) and leukemia (1.093, 1.003-1.191) related with other opencast mining installations, was detected among the overall population in the vicinity of mining installations. Other tumors also associated in the stratified analysis by type of mine, were: thyroid, gallbladder and liver cancers (underground coal installations); brain cancer (opencast coal mining); stomach cancer (coal and other opencast mining installations); and myeloma (underground mining installations). The results suggested an association between risk of dying due to digestive, respiratory, hematologic and thyroid cancers and proximity to Spanish mining industries. These associations were dependent on the type of mine. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ergonomics in the psychiatric ward towards workers or patients?

PubMed

Silvana, Salerno; Laura, Forcella; Ursula, Di Fabio; Irene, Figà Talamanca; Paolo, Boscolo

2012-01-01

Patient's aggressive behavior is one of the major problem in the psychiatric ward. Here we present the preliminary results of a psychiatric ward case-study, of a public hospital in the Chieti province, in order to plan ergonomic improvement. We applied the Method of Organizational Congruencies in the psychiatric ward in order to study the relationship between organized hospital work and nurses wellbeing in a 24 hour shifts. We observed 58 main phases in the three work shifts. The technical actions are mainly those of any hospital wards (shift briefing, preparing and administering drugs, recording data on clinical charts, etc.). We found important differences mainly due to the nurses overcontrol activities on the patients behavior (preventing suicides or self destructive behavior), the occurrence of restraint procedure towards patients, the pollution due to patient's cigarette smoke. The fear of patient's self destructive behavior or other aggressive behaviour are the main cognitive and social aspects of this hospital ward. Nurses working in this psychiatric ward have to accept: locked doors, poor and polluted environment, restraint procedure with high risk of aggression and no availability of mental health care programs. A new interdisciplinary concept for ergonomics in psychiatry setting may represent a challenge for both nurses and patients and the community.

Discrimination of the effects on zebrafish reproduction from pollutants in drinking water via female, via male and/or via fecundation water.

PubMed

Martínez-Sales, M; García-Ximénez, F; Espinós, F J

2016-08-01

The lack of preventive policy legislation and the low removal rate of organic pollutants in conventional potabilization treatments lead to some of them being present in drinking water. The problem arises because some of these substances have detrimental effects on human reproduction health, via females, via males or even both. In this work, we established the zebrafish as a bioindicator of these types of substances with the goal of discriminating the effects through three different pathways: male, female or water where the fertilization took place. For this purpose, four parameters were analysed: fertility rate, hatching rate and survival and abnormalities rates. So, for each parameter two groups were formed, according to whether adult males or females were reared in bottled spring water (Z) or tap water (B) and if the in vitro fertilization took place in water Z or B. Results revealed a decline in the fertility and hatching rate in water B, due to a water effect. The most plausible explanation could be the presence of substances which affect the micropyle and chorion. Moreover, a decrease in the fertility rate due to an effect over the female was also observed, but in this case by an alteration of the oocyte quality.

Promoting Good Prenatal Health: Air Pollution and Pregnancy (January 2010)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

simple steps for pregnant women and new mothers/parents to avoid common environmental exposures which can cause health problems and adverse birth outcomes; including tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, particle pollution, ozone,

Factors affecting low summer dissolved oxygen concentrations in Mississippi Delta bayous

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Streams in watersheds supporting intensive row-crop agriculture are vulnerable to ecological degradation due to non-point source pollutants such as nutrients. Low gradient streams such as bayous are especially susceptible to pollutants due to increased water residence time, and they often exhibit po...

A simulation study to determine the attenuation and bias in health risk estimates due to exposure measurement error in bi-pollutant models

EPA Science Inventory

To understand the combined health effects of exposure to ambient air pollutant mixtures, it is becoming more common to include multiple pollutants in epidemiologic models. However, the complex spatial and temporal pattern of ambient pollutant concentrations and related exposures ...

40 CFR 49.137 - Rule for air pollution episodes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Rule for air pollution episodes. 49.137... General Rules for Application to Indian Reservations in Epa Region 10 § 49.137 Rule for air pollution... prevent the occurrence of an air pollution emergency within the Indian reservation due to the effects of...

40 CFR 49.137 - Rule for air pollution episodes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Rule for air pollution episodes. 49.137... General Rules for Application to Indian Reservations in Epa Region 10 § 49.137 Rule for air pollution... prevent the occurrence of an air pollution emergency within the Indian reservation due to the effects of...

40 CFR 49.137 - Rule for air pollution episodes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Rule for air pollution episodes. 49.137... General Rules for Application to Indian Reservations in Epa Region 10 § 49.137 Rule for air pollution... prevent the occurrence of an air pollution emergency within the Indian reservation due to the effects of...

40 CFR 49.137 - Rule for air pollution episodes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Rule for air pollution episodes. 49.137... General Rules for Application to Indian Reservations in Epa Region 10 § 49.137 Rule for air pollution... prevent the occurrence of an air pollution emergency within the Indian reservation due to the effects of...

Roles of Meteorology in Changes of Air Pollutants Concentrations in China from 2010 to 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, P.; Kota, S. H.; Hu, J.; Ying, Q.; Zhang, H.

2017-12-01

Tremendous efforts have been made to control the severe air pollution in China in recent years. However, no significant improvement was observed according to annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and the concentrations in severe air pollution events in winter. This is partially due to the role of meteorology, which affects the emission, transport, transformation, and deposition of air pollutants. In this study, simulation of air pollutants over China was conducted for six years from 2010 to 2015 with constant anthropogenic emissions to verify the changes of air pollutants due to meteorology changes only. Model performance was validated by comparing with meteorological observations and air pollutants measures from various sources. Four different regions/cities were selected to understand the changes in wind, mixing layer height, temperature, and relative humanity at different seasons. The changes in concentrations of pollutants including PM2.5 and its chemical components and ozone were analyzed and associated with meteorological changes. This study would provide information for designing effective control strategies in different areas with the consideration of meteorological and climate changes.

Atmospheric pollution in a coal mine region of Romania and solutions to assure sustainable development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Irimie, I.I.; Tulbure, I.

1996-12-31

The present paper presents the following subjects regarding the atmospheric pollution in the Jiu-Valley coal mining region of Romania: identifying polluting sources, pointing out the pollution favoring conditions, the pollution impacts, and measures for short, middle, and long time, which could be taken in order to obtain a sustainable future development of this region. The importance of the problems presented in this paper is emphasized by the fact, that beside coking and fuel coal reserves, this region has a high touristic potential the year round.

Seasonal changes in antioxidant enzyme activities of freshwater biofilms in a metal polluted Mediterranean stream.

PubMed

Bonet, Berta; Corcoll, Natàlia; Acuňa, Vicenç; Sigg, Laura; Behra, Renata; Guasch, Helena

2013-02-01

While seasonal variations in fluvial communities have been extensively investigated, effects of seasonality on community responses to environmental and/or chemical stress are poorly documented. The aim of this study was to describe antioxidant enzyme activity (AEA) variability in fluvial biofilms over an annual cycle, under multi-stress scenarios due to environmental variability (e.g., light intensity, water flow, and temperature) and metal pollution (Zn, Mn and Fe). The annual monitoring study was performed at three sites according to their water and biofilm metal concentrations. Metal concentration was affected by water flow due to dilution. Low flow led to higher dissolved Zn concentrations, and thus to higher Zn accumulation in the biofilm. Water temperature, light intensity and phosphate concentration were the environmental factors which determined the seasonality of biofilm responses, whereas dissolved Zn and Zn accumulation in biofilms were the parameters linked to sites and periods of highest metal pollution. Community algal succession, from diatoms in cold conditions to green algae in warm conditions, was clearer in the non metal-polluted site than in those metal-polluted, presumably due to the selection pressure exerted by metals. Most AEA were related with seasonal environmental variability at the sites with low or no-metal pollution, except glutathione-S-transferase (GST) which was related with Zn (dissolved and accumulated in biofilm) pollution occurring at the most polluted site. We can conclude that seasonal variations of community composition and function are masked by metal pollution. From this study we suggest the use of a multi-biomarker approach, including AEA and a set of biological and physicochemical parameters as an effect-based field tool to assess metal pollution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A presentation of the Norwegian project "Acid Precipitation - Effects on Forest and Fish"

Treesearch

Lars N. Overrein

1976-01-01

Air pollution is an international problem of the greatest dimensions. The continuous expansion of production and consumption in modern society is accompanied by the steadily increasing emission of air pollutants of different types. It is generally recognized that air pollutants can be transported in substantial amounts over distances of 1000 - 2000 km. This phenomenon...

Water Pollution. Environmental Education Curriculum. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topeka Public Schools, KS.

Water is one of the most polluted resources in our environment. Since everyone has the same basic need for pure water, it follows that all people should have a basic knowledge of the causes, results and solutions to the water pollution problem. This unit is designed for use with Level II and III educable mentally retarded students to present…

Pollution of ground water in Europe

PubMed Central

Buchan, S.; Key, A.

1956-01-01

This paper discusses pollution of ground water in 20 countries of the European region, giving for each an account of the geology and hydrogeology, water supplies, the extent and nature of ground water pollution, and the legal, administrative, and technical means of controlling that pollution. For the countries not considered in the preceding article on surface water pollution, an account is also given of the superficial physical features, rainfall, population, and industries. A general discussion follows of such questions as the ways in which ground water pollution may occur, the factors mitigating or aggravating pollution, and ways of protection against pollution. The authors consider that the problem of ground water pollution in Europe may well be more serious than it would appear to be on the evidence so far obtained. PMID:13374533

Space images processing methodology for assessment of atmosphere pollution impact on forest-swamp territories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polichtchouk, Yuri; Tokareva, Olga; Bulgakova, Irina V.

2003-03-01

Methodical problems of space images processing for assessment of atmosphere pollution impact on forest ecosystems using geoinformation systems are developed. An approach to quantitative assessment of atmosphere pollution impact on forest ecosystems is based on calculating relative squares of forest landscapes which are inside atmosphere pollution zones. Landscape structure of forested territories in the southern part of Western Siberia are determined on the basis of procession of middle resolution space images from spaceborn Resource-O. Particularities of atmosphere pollution zones modeling caused by gas burning in torches on territories of oil fields are considered. Pollution zones were revealed by modeling of contaminants dispersal in atmosphere with standard models. Polluted landscapes squares are calculated depending on atmosphere pollution level.

An assessment the effects of human-caused air pollution on resources within the interior Columbia River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoettle, A.W.; Tonnessen, K.; Turk, J.; Vimont, J.; Amundson, Ronald; Acheson, A.; Peterson, J.

1999-01-01

An assessment of existing and potential impacts to vegetation, aquatics, and visibility within the Columbia River basin due to air pollution was conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This assessment examined the current situation and potential trends due to pollutants such as ammonium, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulates, carbon, and ozone. Ecosystems and resources at risk are identified, including certain forests, lichens, cryptogamic crusts, high-elevation lakes and streams, arid lands, and class I areas. Current monitoring data are summarized and air pollution sources identified. The assessment also includes a summary of data gaps and suggestions for future research and monitoring related to air pollution and its effects on resources in the interior Columbia River basin.

Emissions inventory and scenario analyses of air pollutants in Guangdong Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hui; Meng, Jing

2017-03-01

Air pollution, causing significantly adverse health impacts and severe environmental problems, has raised great concerns in China in the past few decades. Guangdong Province faces major challenges to address the regional air pollution problem due to the lack of an emissions inventory. To fill this gap, an emissions inventory of primary fine particles (PM2.5) is compiled for the year 2012, and the key precursors (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) are identified. Furthermore, policy packages are simulated during the period of 2012‒2030 to investigate the potential mitigation effect. The results show that in 2012, SO2, NO x , and PM2.5 emissions in Guangdong Province were as high as (951.7, 1363.6, and 294.9) kt, respectively. Industrial production processes are the largest source of SO2 and PM2.5 emissions, and transport is the top contributor of NO x emissions. Both the baseline scenario and policy scenario are constructed based on projected energy growth and policy designs. Under the baseline scenario, SO2, NO x , and PM2.5 emissions will almost double in 2030 without proper emissions control policies. The suggested policies are categorized into end-of- pipe control in power plants (ECP), end-of-pipe control in industrial processes (ECI), fuel improvement (FI), energy efficiency improvement (EEI), substitution-pattern development (SPD), and energy saving options (ESO). With the implementation of all these policies, SO2, NO x , and PM2.5 emissions are projected to drop to (303.1, 585.4, and 102.4) kt, respectively, in 2030. This inventory and simulated results will provide deeper insights for policy makers to understand the present situation and the evolution of key emissions in Guangdong Province.

POLLUTION PREVENTION MULTI-YEAR PLAN

EPA Science Inventory

Over the last decade, the Agency has increasingly focused on pollution prevention when addressing high-risk human health and environmental problems. A preventive approach requires: (1) innovative design and production techniques that minimize or eliminate adverse environmental im...

[Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) pollution in farmland soils: a review].

PubMed

Wang, Kai-Rong; Cui, Ming-Ming; Shi, Yan-Xi

2013-09-01

The environmental pollution and food safety problems caused by phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have been attracted 'extensive attention around the world. As a large PAEs producer and consumer, China is facing severe PAEs environmental pollution problems. This paper reviewed the present pollution status of six PAEs classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the priority pollutants in China farmland soils, analyzed the sources of these six PAEs in this country, and discussed the absorption and accumulation characteristics of the PAEs in different crops as well as the bio-toxic effects of PAEs pollutants. The PAEs concentrations in China farmland soils are significantly higher those in the farmland soils of the United States and European countries. The main sources of PAEs in China farmland soils are atmospheric deposition, agricultural films, sewage sludge application, and wastewater irrigation. There exist significant differences in the characteristics of PAEs absorption, accumulation, and distribution among different crops. PAEs not only have negative effects on soil quality, crop growth, and crop physiological and biochemical properties, but also possess bio-accumulative characteristics. The weaknesses in current researches were pointed out, and the suggestions for the further researches were given, e. g., to expand the scope of PAEs pollution survey, to explore the toxic mechanisms of PAEs on crops, and to develop the techniques for in situ remediation of PAEs-polluted soils.

Influence of soil and climate heterogeneity on the performance of economic instruments for reducing nitrate leaching from agriculture.

PubMed

Peña-Haro, Salvador; García-Prats, Alberto; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel

2014-11-15

Economic instruments can be used to control groundwater nitrate pollution due to the intensive use of fertilizers in agriculture. In order to test their efficiency on the reduction of nitrate leaching, we propose an approach based on the combined use of production and pollution functions to derive the impacts on the expected farmer response of these instruments. Some of the most important factors influencing nitrate leaching and crop yield are the type of soil and the climatic conditions. Crop yield and nitrate leaching responses to different soil and climatic conditions were classified by means of a cluster analysis, and crops located in different areas but with similar response were grouped for the analysis. We use a spatial economic optimization model to evaluate the potential of taxes on nitrogen fertilizers, water prices, and taxes on nitrate emissions to reduce nitrate pollution, as well as their economic impact in terms of social welfare and farmers' net benefits. The method was applied to the Mancha Oriental System (MOS) in Spain, a large area with different soil types and climatic conditions. We divided the study area into zones of homogeneous crop production and nitrate leaching properties. Results show spatially different responses of crop growth and nitrate leaching, proving how the cost-effectiveness of pollution control instruments is contingent upon the spatial heterogeneities of the problem. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eco-friendly rubberized cotton fabric roller for ginning machines.

PubMed

Iyer, G V

2007-01-01

This article discusses the pollution caused by chrome composite leather-clad (CCLC) rollers commonly used in cotton roller ginning mills and suggests an alternative roller material. CCLC rollers contain about 18,000 to 36,000 mg/kg (ppm) total chromium in trivalent and hexavalent forms, which are toxic to human health and carcinogenic. When seed-cotton is processed in double roller (DR) ginning machines, the lint is contaminated with chromium, and chromium particles are carried into the spun yarns and cotton by-products. Specifically, due to persistent rubbing of the leather-clad roller over the stationary knife during the ginning process, the lint is contaminated with about 140 to 1990 ppm of chromium, and the spun yarns and cotton by-products contain about 100 to 200 ppm, far in excess of the standard limit of 0.1 ppm. Gin and mill workers are directly exposed to this carcinogenic substance. To offset this problem, pollution-free rubberized cotton fabric (RCF) rollers have been fabricated and tested in roller gins. The RCF roller covering is made of multiple layers of fabric bonded together using a white rubber compound, which has a surface finish conducive to high ginning efficiency. This eliminates chromium contamination and pollution during the ginning process. On the basis of the design and development of various test rollers and subsequent evaluation studies, the performance of pollution-free RCF rollers has been demonstrated with reference to their commercial benefit and eco-friendliness in cotton ginning mills.

Biogenic technology for recultivation of lands contaminated due to rocket propellant spillage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovshov, S. V.; Garkushev, A. U.; Sazykin, A. M.

2015-04-01

This article describes the problem of soil properties deterioration due to rocket propellant spillage. Melange and samin are considered to be the main pollutants. Provision is made for assessment of the existing mechanisms for monitoring of quality and recultivation of lands disturbed by rocket propellant spills. Some major disadvantages of currently used standard recultivation technologies are listed. An alternative is the use of more environmentally safe and cost effective methods aimed at disturbed lands biological restoration. An example of such a technology is covering the affected area with a biogenic mixture consisting of biohumus and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose followed by seeding it with specially selected herbal mixtures. It was found out that the most rational parameters of such protective layer is its thickness of 3 cm, and 99:1 ratio of its constituent components.

Parasite fauna of Etheostoma nigrum (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) in localities of varying pollution stress in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada.

PubMed

Krause, Rachel J; McLaughlin, J Daniel; Marcogliese, David J

2010-07-01

Parasite communities were examined in johnny darters (Etheostoma nigrum) collected from five localities in the St. Lawrence River in southwestern Quebec: two reference localities, one polluted locality upstream of the Island of Montreal and downstream of industrial and agricultural activity, and two polluted localities downstream of the Island of Montreal in the plume from the wastewater treatment facility. Twenty-four helminth species were found. Fish from the upstream polluted locality had the highest parasite species richness and total parasite numbers, and fish from the downstream polluted localities the lowest. Nonmetric multivariate analyses were conducted using square-root-transformed Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index. An analysis of similarity, dendrogram of centroids, and a permutational multivariate analysis of variance with contrasts all showed that fish from the reference localities had different parasite community composition than those from the polluted localities, and fish from the upstream polluted locality had different parasite communities than fish from the downstream polluted localities. Differences between reference and polluted localities were mainly due to higher abundances of the brain-encysting trematode, Ornithodiplostomum sp., at the reference localities. Differences between upstream and downstream polluted localities were mainly due to a higher diversity and abundance of trematodes in fish at the upstream locality.

Exposure to air pollution and self-reported effects on Chinese students: A case study of 13 megacities

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Air pollution causes severe physical and psychological health complications. Considering China’s continuously-deteriorating air quality, this study aimed to assess the self-reported effects of air pollution on the behavior and physical health of the students of 13 densely populated cities, and their awareness, practices, and perception of air pollution and its associated public health risks. A detailed, closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 2100 students from 54 universities and schools across China. The questionnaire, which had 24 questions, was categorized into four sections. The first two sections were focused on air pollution-associated behavior and psychology, and physical effects; while the final two sections focused on the subjects’ awareness and perceptions, and practices and concerns about air pollution. The respondents reported that long-term exposure to air pollution had significantly affected their psychology and behavior, as well as their physical health. The respondents were aware of the different adverse impacts of air pollution (respiratory infections, allergies, and cardiovascular problems), and hence had adopted different preventive measures, such as the use of respiratory masks and glasses or goggles, regularly drinking water, and consuming rich foods. It was concluded that air pollution and haze had negative physical and psychological effects on the respondents, which led to severe changes in behavior. Proper management, future planning, and implementing strict environmental laws are suggested before this problem worsens and becomes life-threatening. PMID:29547657

Effects of pollution on land snail abundance, size and diversity as resources for pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca.

PubMed

Eeva, Tapio; Rainio, Kalle; Suominen, Otso

2010-09-01

Passerine birds need extra calcium during their breeding for developing egg shells and proper growth of nestling skeleton. Land snails are an important calcium source for many passerines and human-induced changes in snail populations may pose a severe problem for breeding birds. We studied from the bird's viewpoint how air pollution affects the shell mass, abundance and diversity of land snail communities along a pollution gradient of a copper smelter. We sampled remnant snail shells from the nests of an insectivorous passerine, the pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca, to find out how the availability of land snails varies along the pollution gradient. The total snail shell mass increased towards the pollution source but declined abruptly in the vicinity of the smelter. This spatial variation in shell mass was evident also within a single snail species and could not be wholly explained by spatially varying snail numbers or species composition. Instead, the total shell mass was related to their shell size, individuals being largest at the moderately polluted areas. Smaller shell size suggests inferior growth of snails in the most heavily polluted area. Our study shows that pollution affects the diversity, abundance (available shell mass) and individual quality of land snails, posing reproductive problems for birds that rely on snails as calcium sources during breeding. There are probably both direct pollution-related (heavy metal and calcium levels) and indirect (habitat change) effects behind the observed changes in snail populations. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Air quality in Moscow megacity: basic level and extreme cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pankratova, N.; Skorokhod, A.; Moiseenko, K.

2012-04-01

Moscow is one of the largest megacities in the world. Total annual emissions of polluting substances into the atmosphere in Moscow is likely to be about 2,0 mln. t. More than 90% of pollutants are emitted by traffic. Problem of air quality assessment is very urgent for Moscow both to alarm population and to compare with other world megacities. To study contemporary structure of atmospheric pollution over Moscow megacity data on air composition (including CO, NO, NO2, O3, CH4, CO2, SO2, NMHC, aerosol) obtained since 2002 has been analyzed. The monitoring site is located at Moscow State University meteorological observatory on South-West of Moscow. All observations are provided by A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS. Due to these continuous measurements typical (basic) level of pollution as well as extreme cases have been studied. The relationship between O3, NOx and VOCs were analyzed as well. Due to weather conditions (cyclonic regime is dominated) concentrations of pollutants usually do not reach dangerous levels but sometimes they are high. The case of abnormal hot and dry weather in the summer of 2010 was investigated. Many Russians were suffering from the record-breaking heat and the worst drought in 40 years. The heat was caused by very intensive and stable blocking anticyclone that established in Moscow since June, 18 till August, 18. Anticyclone of such strength has been never observed before. During 33 days in succession surface air temperature exceeded 30°C. During these 2 months troposphere over ETR was almost closed for western winds. Hot weather led to numerous forest and peat fires (about 29,000 cases) with total covered area about 12,000 km2. One of aftermaths was significant change of atmospheric composition. Many cities and settlements were covered by dense haze from fires. Evident presence of high amount of aerosol in the ambient air caused anxiety and application of safeguards. Meanwhile, less obvious increase of concentrations of trace gases (including toxic CO, NO, NO2, O3, VOCs) was very high as well and made great contribution to air quality deterioration. The strongest haze was registered on August, 6-10 when concentrations of almost all trace gases jumped far above maximum permissible thresholds. Thus, daily average concentrations for O3 reached 50.8 ppb, for CO - 9.8 ppm, for CO2 - 492.8 ppm. The heat wave in central Russia has shown a necessity of warning of population. It can be possible due to the Air Pollution Index (API). In this work the new methodology of air quality estimation was made. A proper method to calculate API, considering specific situation and sources of pollution in Moscow and other Russian cities, has been developed. Methodology is tested on data from maximum air pollution episodes in Moscow in summer 2010. The methodology contains 5 levels of pollution and uses 6 regularly measured components (PM10, NO2, CO, O3, SO2, total non-methane hydrocarbons). The methodology allows taking into account an adverse effect of high temperature and oxygen deficiency. This work was supported by scientific programs of the RAS and the Ministry of Education and Science(project "Megapolis", State Contract N 02.740.11.0676)

Legal Consequences of the Pollution of Outer Space with Space Debris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubbe, Peter

2017-07-01

Space debris has grown to be a significant problem for outer space activities. The remnants of human activities in space are very diverse; they can be tiny paint flakes, all sorts of fragments, or entirely intact—but otherwise nonfunctional spacecraft and rocket bodies. The amount of debris is increasing at a growing pace, thus raising the risk of collision with operational satellites. Due to the relative high velocities involved in on-orbit collisions, their consequences are severe; collisions lead to significant damage or the complete destruction of the affected spacecraft. Protective measures and collision avoidance have thus become a major concern for spacecraft operators. The pollution of space with debris must, however, not only be seen as an unfavorable circumstance that accompanies space activities and increases the costs and complexity of outer space activities. Beyond this rather technical perspective, the presence of man-made, nonfunctional objects in space represents a global environmental concern. Similar to the patterns of other environmental problems on Earth, debris generation appears to have surpassed the absorption capacity of the space environment. Studies indicate that the evolution of the space object environment has crossed the tipping point to a runaway situation in which an increasing number of collisions―mostly among debris―leads to an uncontrolled population growth. It is thus in the interest of all mankind to address the debris problem in order to preserve the space environment for future generations. International space law protects the space environment. Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty obligates States to avoid the harmful contamination of outer space. The provision corresponds to the obligation to protect the environment in areas beyond national jurisdiction under the customary "no harm" rule of general environmental law. These norms are applicable to space debris and establish the duty not to pollute outer space by limiting the generation of debris. They become all the more effective when the principles of sustainable development are taken into account, which infuse considerations of intra- as well as inter-generational justice into international law. In view of the growing debris pollution and its related detrimental effects, it is obvious that questions of liability and responsibility will become increasingly relevant. The Liability Convention offers a remedy for victims having suffered damage caused by space debris. The launching State liability that it establishes is even absolute for damage occurring on the surface of the Earth. The secondary rules of international responsibility law go beyond mere compensation: States can also be held accountable for the environmental pollution event itself, entailing a number of consequential obligations, among them―under certain circumstances―a duty to active debris removal. While international law is, therefore, generally effective in addressing the debris problem, growing use and growing risks necessitate the establishment of a comprehensive traffic management regime for outer space. It would strengthen the rule of law in outer space and ensure the sustainability of space utilization.

Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howarth, Robert; Anderson, Donald; Cloern, James; Elfring, Chris; Hopkinson, Charles; Lapointe, Brian; Malone, Tom; Marcus, Nancy; McGlathery, Karen; Sharpley , Andrew; Walker, Dan

2000-01-01

Over the past 40 years, antipollution laws have greatly reduced discharges of toxic substances into our coastal waters. This effort, however, has focused largely on point-source pollution of industrial and municipal effluent. No comparable effort has been made to restrict the input of nitrogen (N) from municipal effluent, nor to control the flows of N and phosphorus (P) that enter waterways from dispersed or nonpoint sources such as agricultural and urban runoff or as airborne pollutants. As a result, inputs of nonpoint pollutants, particularly N, have increased dramatically. Nonpoint pollution from N and P now represents the largest pollution problem facing the vital coastal waters of the United States.

Synoptic weather typing applied to air pollution mortality among the elderly in 10 Canadian cities.

PubMed

Vanos, Jennifer K; Cakmak, Sabit; Bristow, Corben; Brion, Vladislav; Tremblay, Neil; Martin, Sara L; Sheridan, Scott S

2013-10-01

Synoptic circulation patterns (large-scale weather systems) affect ambient levels of air pollution, as well as the relationship between air pollution and human health. To investigate the air pollution-mortality relationship within weather types and seasons, and to determine which combination of atmospheric conditions may pose increased health threats in the elderly age categories. The relative risk of mortality (RR) due to air pollution was examined using Poisson generalized linear models (GLMs) within specific weather types. Analysis was completed by weather type and age group (all ages, ≤64, 65-74, 75-84, ≥85 years) in ten Canadian cities from 1981 to 1999. There was significant modification of RR by weather type and age. When examining the entire population, weather type was shown to have the greatest modifying effect on the risk of dying due to ozone (O3). This effect was highest on average for the dry tropical (DT) weather type, with the all-age RR of mortality at a population weighted mean (PWM) found to be 1.055 (95% CI 1.026-1.085). All-weather type risk estimates increased with age due to exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulphur dioxide (SO2). On average, RR increased by 2.6, 3.8 and 1.5% for the respective pollutants between the ≤64 and ≥85 age categories. Conversely, mean ozone estimates remained relatively consistent with age. Elevated levels of air pollution were found to be detrimental to the health of elderly individuals for all weather types. However, the entire population was negatively effected by air pollution on the hot dry (DT) and hot humid (MT) days. We identified a significant modification of RR for mortality due to air pollution by age, which is enhanced under specific weather types. Efforts should be targeted at minimizing pollutant exposure to the elderly and/or all age groups with respect to weather type in question. Crown Copyright © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical, chemical and biological observations and modeling of oil spills in the Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribotti, A.; De Dominicis, M.

2016-11-01

According to a definition of GESAMP, United Nations advisory body on scientific aspects of marine protection, a marine pollution is: "direct or indirect introduction by man of substances or energy into the marine environment … which results in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources, hazard to human health, hindrance to marine activities including fishing, impairment of water quality and reduction of marine attractions". The works presented in this Special Issue stem from the need to manage the problem of marine pollution. The categories of pollutants associated with the maritime traffic are mainly hydrocarbons and chemicals. Hydrocarbon is the oil in all its forms, including the crude oil, the fuel oil, the sludges, debris and other refined products (as defined by MARPOL 73/78 Annex I (MARPOL, 1978)). An oil spill is a release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term often refers to marine oil spills, where oil is released into the open ocean or coastal waters. Oil spills include releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, and heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil. Oil spills can have devastating effects on the marine environment and can jeopardize the functional integrity of the marine ecosystem (seabirds populations, fish communities, and marine mammals), as reported in Jackson et al. (1989), Piatt and Anderson (1996), Peterson et al. (2003). While being toxic to marine life, the hydrocarbons are very difficult to clean up, and last for years in the sediment and marine environment. Discharge of cargo residues from bulk carries can pollute ports, waterways and oceans. In many instances vessels intentionally discharge illegal wastes despite foreign and domestic regulation prohibiting such actions. Illegal discharges of oil from ships are often limited in size and scattered but, surprisingly, their sum is higher than that from oil spills, and they may create a chronic impact of oil in certain areas. For instance littoral sediments affected by low or moderated but continuous oil spills, like the coasts of the Bay of Algeciras (near the Strait of Gibraltar), are more polluted than those affected by accidental oil spills such as during the Prestige accident (2002) (Morales-Caselles et al., 2007). Oil discharges may be also accidental. According to the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd (ITOPF) a lot of pollutions are due to a combination of factors that lead to groundings, collisions, structural failures, fires and explosions.

NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

EPA Science Inventory

Non-point source pollution is a diffuse source that is difficult to measure and is highly variable due to different rain patterns and other climatic conditions. In many areas, however, non-point source pollution is the greatest source of water quality degradation. Presently, stat...

[Particle numbers in classified sizes of roadside dust caused by studded tires in the air at different heights from the pavement surface].

PubMed

Sato, T; Niioka, T; Kurasaki, M; Kojima, Y

1996-07-01

Increased use of motor vehicles has produced various risks to human health due to air pollution by noxious gases, heavy metals and roadside dust. Since the late 1970s, the wide spread use of studded tires for cars has caused pavement wear, resulting in not only economic losses, but also roadside air pollution in cold and snowy regions in Japan. The most serious environmental problem in Sapporo, a city with heavy snowfall, in the 1980s, was roadside dust derived from studded tires. The inhabitants suffered from this dust in the early winter and in the early spring when the streets were not covered with snow. To investigate the influence of such roadside dust upon human health, particle numbers in classified sizes of roadside dust were counted after the roadside dust in the air was collected with a device we constructed at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 cm above the pavement surface. The results indicated that the concentration of roadside dust in the air did not greatly vary according to the height from the pavement surface. The results also suggested that xenogranuloma, reported in lungs of stray dogs, under roadside dust-pollution conditions such as those examined here, may occur in humans in the future.

The influence of organic amendment and nickel pollution on tomato fruit yield and quality.

PubMed

Palacios, G; Carbonell-Barrachina, A; Gómez, I; Mataix, J

1999-01-01

The effects of organic fertilization (sludge application) and/or different levels of Ni pollution on tomato fruit yield, quality, nutrition, and Ni accumulation were investigated. The mass loading of sewage sludge solids used in this study for the amendment of a calcareous soil with low organic matter content was 2% (w/w). A control with no sewage sludge amendment was also included (S). Nickel was added to the sludge amended soil at 0, 60, 120 and 240 mg kg-1 concentrations. Sewage sludge addition to the calcareous soil significantly increased fruit yield but did not adversely affect the quality and nutritional status of the tomato fruit. The results demonstrated that sewage sludge could be successfully used as a horticultural fertilizer. Only the highest addition rate of Ni (240 mg kg-1) to an organic amended calcareous soil had negative effects on fruit yield and quality, and caused a Ni accumulation in fruit that could be considered as a hazard for human health. Thus, no toxic problems will be encountered in tomato fruit due to Ni pollution provided the total Ni (soil Ni plus Ni incorporated with sludge amendment) concentration is kept below the maximum concentration of Ni allowed for agricultural alkaline soils in Spain (112 mg Ni kg-1).

Cardiovascular and respiratory mortality attributed to ground-level ozone in Ahvaz, Iran.

PubMed

Goudarzi, Gholamreza; Geravandi, Sahar; Foruozandeh, Hossein; Babaei, Ali Akbar; Alavi, Nadali; Niri, Mehdi Vosoughi; Khodayar, Mohammad Javad; Salmanzadeh, Shokrollah; Mohammadi, Mohammad Javad

2015-08-01

Ahvaz, the capital city of Khuzestan Province, which produces Iran's most oil, is on the rolls of fame in view of air pollution. It has also suffered from dust storm during the recent two decades. So, emissions from transportation systems, steel, oil, black carbon, and other industries as anthropogenic sources and dust storm as a new phenomenon are two major concerns of air pollution in Ahvaz. Without any doubt, they can cause many serious problems for the environment and humans in this megacity. The main objective of the present study was to estimate the impact of ground-level ozone (GLO) as a secondary pollutant on human heath. Data of GLO in four monitoring stations were collected at the first step and they were processed and at the final step they were inserted to a health effect model. Findings showed that cumulative cases of cardiovascular and respiratory deaths which attributed to GLO were 43 and 173 persons, respectively. Corresponding RR for these two events were 1.008 (95% CI) and 1.004 (95% CI), respectively. Although we did not provide a distinction between winter and summer in case of mentioned mortalities attributed to GLO, ozone concentrations in winter due to more fuel consumption and sub adiabatic condition in tropospheric atmospherewere higher than those GLO in summer.

Recent aspects of uranium toxicology in medical geology.

PubMed

Bjørklund, Geir; Albert Christophersen, Olav; Chirumbolo, Salvatore; Selinus, Olle; Aaseth, Jan

2017-07-01

Uranium (U) is a chemo-toxic, radiotoxic and even a carcinogenic element. Due to its radioactivity, the effects of U on humans health have been extensively investigated. Prolonged U exposure may cause kidney disease and cancer. The geological distribution of U radionuclides is still a great concern for human health. Uranium in groundwater, frequently used as drinking water, and general environmental pollution with U raise concerns about the potential public health problem in several areas of Asia. The particular paleo-geological hallmark of India and other Southern Asiatic regions enhances the risk of U pollution in rural and urban communities. This paper highlights different health and environmental aspects of U as well as uptake and intake. It discusses levels of U in soil and water and the related health issues. Also described are different issues of U pollution, such as U and fertilizers, occupational exposure in miners, use and hazards of U in weapons (depleted U), U and plutonium as catalysts in the reaction between DNA and H 2 O 2, and recycling of U from groundwater to surface soils in irrigation. For use in medical geology and U research, large databases and data warehouses are currently available in Europe and the United States. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The study of Nickel Resistant Bacteria (NiRB) isolated from wastewaters polluted with different industrial sources

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Pollution due to the heavy metals is a problem that may have negative consequences on the hydrosphere. One of the best procedures in removing the toxic metals from the environment is using metal resistant bacteria. Results In the present study eight nickel resistant bacteria were isolated from industrial wastewaters. Three of them were selected as the most resistant based on their Maximum tolerable concentration (8, 16 and 24 mM Ni2+). Their identification was done according to morphological, biochemical characteristics and 16SrDNA gene sequencing and they were identified as Cupriavidus sp ATHA3, Klebsiella oxytoca ATHA6 and Methylobacterium sp ATHA7. The accession numbers assigned to ATHA3, ATHA6 and ATHA7 strains are JX120152, JX196648 and JX457333 respectively. The Growth rate of the most resistant isolate, Klebsiella oxytoca strain ATHA6, in the presence of Ni2+ and the reduction in Ni2+ concentration was revealed that K oxytoca ATHA6 could decrease 83 mg/mL of nickel from the medium after 3 days. Conclusion It can be concluded that the identified Ni resistant bacteria could be valuable for the bioremediation of Ni polluted waste water and sewage. PMID:24475932

Evaluation of the air quality benefits of the subway system in São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Silva, Cacilda Bastos Pereira da; Saldiva, Paulo Hilário Nascimento; Amato-Lourenço, Luis Fernando; Rodrigues-Silva, Fernando; Miraglia, Simone Georges El Khouri

2012-06-30

Air pollution is a severe problem in major urban areas due to increasing numbers of vehicles, reduced road capacity and few investments in public transportation, especially in developing countries. Public transportation has a special role in avoiding congestion and consequent environmental and health impacts but is considered expensive. The objective of this paper was to analyze the benefits of the São Paulo subway in terms of the air pollution in the city through strikes events, analyzing both the health outcomes and the related economic burden. For the strike events, increases in air pollutant concentrations during the strike day was observed when compared to a similar day in terms of day of the week and meteorological conditions. Increases in mortality were also observed and the associated economic burden calculated. Despite the elevated construction and operation costs of the subway, when environment and social values are considered, cost-benefit analysis results would indicate a worthwhile investment. The consideration of these aspects is essential to sustainable transportation analyses, and in the case of the São Paulo subway, our analysis clearly demonstrated the important role of this system in the city's environmental, social and economic attributes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation methods for assessing effectiveness of in situ remediation of soil and sediment contaminated with organic pollutants and heavy metals.

PubMed

Song, Biao; Zeng, Guangming; Gong, Jilai; Liang, Jie; Xu, Piao; Liu, Zhifeng; Zhang, Yi; Zhang, Chen; Cheng, Min; Liu, Yang; Ye, Shujing; Yi, Huan; Ren, Xiaoya

2017-08-01

Soil and sediment contamination has become a critical issue worldwide due to its great harm to the ecological environment and public health. In recent years, many remediation technologies including physical, chemical, biological, and combined methods have been proposed and adopted for the purpose of solving the problems of soil and sediment contamination. However, current research on evaluation methods for assessing these remediation technologies is scattered and lacks valid and integrated evaluation methods for assessing the remediation effectiveness. This paper provides a comprehensive review with an environmental perspective on the evaluation methods for assessing the effectiveness of in situ remediation of soil and sediment contaminated with organic pollutants and heavy metals. The review systematically summarizes recent exploration and attempts of the remediation effectiveness assessment based on the content of pollutants, soil and sediment characteristics, and ecological risks. Moreover, limitations and future research needs of the practical assessment are discussed. These limitations are not conducive to the implementation of the abatement and control programs for soil and sediment contamination. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the evaluation methods for assessing the remediation effectiveness while developing new in situ remediation technologies in future research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of NO(x) Removal from Small Engine Exhaust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akyurtlu, Ates; Akyurtlu, Jale F.

1999-01-01

Contribution of emissions from small engines to the air pollution is significant. Due to differences in operating conditions and economics, the pollution control systems designed for automobiles will be neither suitable nor economically feasible for use on small engines. The objective of this project was to find a catalyst for the removal of NOx from the exhaust of small engines which use a rich air to fuel ratio. The desired catalyst should be inexpensive so that the cost of the pollution control unit will be only a small fraction of the total equipment cost. The high cost of noble metals makes them too expensive for use as NOx catalyst for small engines. Catalytic reduction of NO can also be accomplished by base-metal oxide catalysts. The main disadvantage of base-metal catalysts is their deactivation by poisons and high temperatures. Requirements for the length of the life of the small engine exhaust catalysts are much less than those for automobile exhaust catalysts. Since there is no oxygen in the exhaust gases, reduction selectivity is not a problem. Also, the reducing exhaust gases might help prevent the harmful interactions of the catalyst with the support. For these reasons only the supported metal oxide catalysts were investigated in this project.

Investigation of NOx Removal from Small Engine Exhaust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akyurtlu, Ates; Akyurtlu, Jale F.

1999-01-01

Contribution of emissions from small engines to the air pollution is significant. Due to differences in operating conditions and economics, the pollution control systems designed for automobiles will be neither suitable nor economically feasible for use on small engines. The objective of this project was to find a catalyst for the removal of NOx from the exhaust of small engines which use a rich air to fuel ratio. The desired catalyst should be inexpensive so that the cost of the pollution control unit will be only a small fraction of the total equipment cost. The high cost of noble metals makes them too expensive for use as NOx catalyst for small engines. Catalytic reduction of Nitrogen Oxide (NO) can also be accomplished by base-metal oxide catalysts. The main disadvantage of base-metal catalysts is their deactivation by poisons and high temperatures. Requirements for the length of the life of the small engine exhaust catalysts are much less than those for automobile exhaust catalysts. Since there is no oxygen in the exhaust gases, reduction selectivity is not a problem. Also, the reducing exhaust gases might help prevent the harmful interactions of the catalyst with the support. For these reasons only the supported metal oxide catalysts were investigated in this project.

Co-designing Usable Knowledge with Stakeholders and Fostering Ownership - A Pathway through the communication problem?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmale, J.; von Schneidemesser, E.; Chabay, I.; Maas, A.; Lawrence, M. G.

2013-12-01

Climate change and air pollution both have impacts across a wide range of sectors. While it is fundamental to communicate scientific findings as basis for decision making to a variety of stakeholders, it is difficult to establish long-lasting, multi-way communication and mutual learning between all parties to ensure success. There are many reasons for this difficulty, one of them being the subtle nature of climate change impacts (excluding extreme events). The decadal timescales over which changes occur make it difficult to communicate the urgent need for action, as evidence is difficult to perceive directly in the present or over the short timescales on which people are normally most accustomed to thinking. Here, we analyze experiences from the ClimPol project, designed to identify research needs and pathways to policy implementation for an integrated and sustainable policy approach to mitigate air pollution and climate change simultaneously. These two challenges are inextricably linked with regard to their causes, effects and mitigation options. Due to their linkages, action in one sector will often affect the other sector. This can have positive effects, co-benefits, e.g. by replacing coal-fired power plants through wind power, because overall emissions will be reduced. But adverse effects are also possible, trade-offs, e.g. by increasingly using wood for domestic heating, which reduces the overall CO2 emissions, but increases the emissions of particulate matter and other air pollutants. The ClimPol project uses short-lived climate-forcing air pollutants (SLCPs) as an entry point to exploring joint mitigation approaches. Due to their short atmospheric lifetimes and various adverse qualities, SLCPs exert immediate, local and direct effects across sectors like public health and food security (air quality issues), while also driving climate change. SLCP and CO2 mitigation can be complementary for reducing climate change and improving air quality. Using this linkage to present-day problems in contrast to only focusing on the long-term time scales of CO2-driven climate change, the ClimPol project goes beyond the academic realm and collaborates with a variety of stakeholders across scales from local to international to investigate potential options for joint and sustainable policies. The underlying assumption is that each stakeholder community possesses their own knowledge system which contributes an important piece to the puzzle which is necessary to assemble for creating solutions. We call this approach co-designing usable knowledge. This new type of knowledge can serve as a basis for decision making. This inclusive approach encourages all parties to take ownership in the process and solutions, thereby causing them to be more likely to act on the problem, both at the systemic, policy-driven level, and at the individual level by cooperatively supporting the associated structural and lifestyle developments. For the presentation of the results, we will focus on experiences from joint projects with non-governmental organizations on city authorities.

Spatial and temporal evaluation of long term trend (2005-2014) of OMI retrieved NO2 and SO2 concentrations in Henan Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Leishi; Lee, Chih Sheng; Zhang, Ruiqin; Chen, Liangfu

2017-04-01

Tropospheric NO2 and SO2 concentrations are of great importance with regard to air quality, atmospheric chemistry, and climate change. Due to lack of surface monitoring stations, this study analyzes long term trend of NO2 and SO2 levels (2005-2014), retrieved from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) board on the NASA's Aura satellite, in an important region of China - Henan Province. Henan Province, located in North China Plain, has encountered serious air pollution problems including extremely high PM2.5 concentrations and as one of the most polluted region in China. The satellite spatial images clearly show that high levels of both NO2 and SO2 are concentrated in north and northeastern regions with much lower levels observed in other parts of Henan. Both pollutants exhibit the highest levels in winter with the least in summer/spring. The temporal trend analysis based on moving average of deseasonalized and decyclic data indicates that for NO2, there is a continuous increasing pattern from 2005 to 2011 at 6.4% per year, thereafter, it shows a decreasing trend (10.6% per year). As for SO2, the increasing trend is about 16% per year from 2005 to 2007 with decreasing rate 7% per year from 2007 to 2014. The economic development with incredible annual 11% GDP growth in Henan is responsible for increasing levels of NO2 and SO2. The observed decreasing SO2 level starting in 2007 is due to reduced SO2 emission, utilization of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) devices and to some extent, in preparation of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. On the other hand, increasing vehicle numbers (155% from 2006 to 2012) and coal consumption (37% during the same span), along with the lack of denitration process for removing flue/exhaust gas NOx are responsible for increasing NO2 trend until 2011. The ratio of SO2/NO2 started decreasing in 2007 and dropped significantly from 2011 to 2013 indicating good performance of FGD and ever increasing NOx contribution from mobile sources. Unlike those observed in developed countries (US, EU and Japan) where a decreasing trend for both SO2 and NO2 has been observed since 1990s, the observed upward and downward trend found in Henan is similar to those found in North China Plain and other parts of China. The spatial and temporal trend analyses of SO2 and NO2 in four other regions in Henan further indicate a similar trend to those observed in Henan Province, albeit with different increasing and decreasing rate. The results provide regulatory agency to develop action plans to combat air pollution problem in general and SO2 and NO2 problems in particular in Henan. The implications of our findings and recommendations for decision makers are discussed in the paper.

Air Pollution Monitoring and Use of Nanotechnology Based Solid State Gas Sensors in Greater Cairo Area, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramadan, A. B. A.

Air pollution is a serious problem in thickly populated and industrialized areas in Egypt, especially in greater Cairo area. Economic growth and industrialization are proceeding at a rapid pace, accompanied by increasing emissions of air polluting sources. Furthermore, though the variety and quantities of polluting sources have increased dramatically, the development of a suitable method for monitoring the pollution causing sources has not followed at the same pace. Environmental impacts of air pollutants have impact on public health, vegetation, material deterioration etc. To prevent or minimize the damage caused by atmospheric pollution, suitable monitoring systems are urgently needed that can rapidly and reliably detect and quantify polluting sources for monitoring by regulating authorities in order to prevent further deterioration of the current pollution levels. Consequently, it is important that the current real-time air quality monitoring system, controlled by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), should be adapted or extended to aid in alleviating this problem. Nanotechnology has been applied to several industrial and domestic fields, for example, applications for gas monitoring systems, gas leak detectors in factories, fire and toxic gas detectors, ventilation control, breath alcohol detectors, and the like. Here we report an application example of studying air quality monitoring based on nanotechnology `solid state gas sensors'. So as to carry out air pollution monitoring over an extensive area, a combination of ground measurements through inexpensive sensors and wireless GIS will be used for this purpose. This portable device, comprising solid state gas sensors integrated to a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) linked through Bluetooth communication tools and Global Positioning System (GPS), will allow rapid dissemination of information on pollution levels at multiple sites simultaneously.

Changes in O3 and NO2 due to emissions from Fracking in the UK.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archibald, Alexander; Ordonez, Carlos

2016-04-01

Poor air quality is a problem that affects millions of people around the world. Understanding the driving forces behind air pollution is complicated as the precursor gases which combine to produce air pollutants react in a highly non-linear manner and are subject to a range of atmospheric transport mechanisms compounded by the weather. A great deal of money has been spent on mitigating air pollution and so it's important to assess the impacts that new technologies that emit air pollutant precursors may have on local and regional air pollution. One of the most highly discussed new technologies that could impact air quality is the adoption of wide-scale hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" for natural gas. Indeed in regions of the USA where fracking is commonplace large levels of ozone (O3 - a key air pollutant) have been observed and attributed directly to the fracking process. In this study, a numerical modelling framework was used to assess possible impacts of fracking in the UK where at present no large scale fracking facilities are in operation. A number of emissions scenarios were developed for the principle gas phase air pollution precursors: the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These emissions scenarios were then used in a state-of-the-art numerical air quality model (the UK Met Office operational air quality forecasting model AQUM) to determine potential impacts related to fracking on UK air quality. Comparison of base model results and observations for the year 2013 of NOx, O3 and VOCs from the UK Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) showed that AQUM has good skill at simulating these gas phase air pollutants (O3 r=0.64, NMGE=0.3; NO2 r=0.62, NMGE=0.51). Analysis of the simulations with fracking emissions demonstrate that there are large changes in 1hr max NO2 (11.6±6.6 ppb) with modest increases in monthly mean NO2, throughout the British Isles (150±100 ppt). These results highlight that stringent measures should be applied to prevent deleterious impacts on air quality from emissions related to fracking in the UK.

Air pollution in Latin America: Bottom-up Vehicular Emissions Inventory and Atmospheric Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibarra Espinosa, S.; Vela, A. V.; Calderon, M. G.; Carlos, G.; Ynoue, R.

2016-12-01

Air pollution is a global environmental and health problem. Population of Latin America are facing air quality risks due to high level of air pollution. According to World Health Organization (WHO; 2016), several Latin American cities have high level of pollution. Emissions inventories are a key tool for air quality, however they normally present lack of quality and adequate documentation in developing countries. This work aims to develop air quality assessments in Latin American countries by 1) develop a high resolution emissions inventory of vehicles, and 2) simulate air pollutant concentrations. The bottom-up vehicular emissions inventory used was obtained with the REMI model (Ibarra et al., 2016) which allows to interpolate traffic over road network of Open Street Map to estimate vehicular emissions 24-h, each day of the week. REMI considers several parameters, among them the average age of fleet which was associated with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The estimated pollutants are CO, NOx, HC, PM2.5, NO, NO2, CO2, N2O, COV, NH3 and Fuel Consumption. The emissions inventory was performed at the biggest cities, including every capital of Latin America's countries. Initial results shows that the cities with most CO emissions are Buenos Aires 162800 (t/year), São Paulo 152061 (t/year), Campinas 151567 (t/year) and Brasilia 144332 (t/year). The results per capita shows that the city with most CO emissions per capita is Campinas, with 130 (kgCO/hab/year), showed in figure 1. This study also cover high resolution air quality simulations with WRF-Chem main cities in Latin America. Results will be assessed comparing: fuel estimates with local fuel sales, traffic count interpolation with available traffic data set at each city, and comparison between air pollutant simulations with air monitoring observation data. Ibarra, S., R. Ynoue, and S. Mhartain. 2016: "High Resolution Vehicular Emissions Inventory for the Megacity of São Paulo." Manuscript submitted to Journal of Atmospheric Environment. (1-15) WHO. 2016: WHO Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database (update 2016). http://www.who.int/phe/health_topics/outdoorair/databases/cities/en/

Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposure (Highlights)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine issued this report in 2000 describing the role of indoor environmental pollutants in the development and exacerbation of asthma. The report concludes that exposure to indoor pollutants is an important contributor to the asthma problem in this nation. Asthma sufferers should consult with their doctor about reducing their exposure indoor air pollutants.

Nonpoint Source Pollution: Agriculture, Forestry, and Mining. Instructor Guide. Working for Clean Water: An Information Program for Advisory Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buskirk, E. Drannon, Jr.

Nonpoint sources of pollution have diffuse origins and are major contributors to water quality problems in both urban and rural areas. Addressed in this instructor's manual are the identification, assessment, and management of nonpoint source pollutants resulting from mining, agriculture, and forestry. The unit, part of the Working for Clean Water…

The Breath of Life. The Problem of Poisoned Air.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Donald E.

The origins and nature of air pollution, from earliest days to the present, are examined in this book. Although air pollution has been with us since the discovery of fire, it is proffered that the major culprit now is the burning of gasoline and low-grade heating oil. All other sources of air pollution are negligible. The main thesis is that only…

APEX (Air Pollution Exercise) Volume 6: Industrialist's Manual No. 1, Shear Power Company.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Office of Manpower Development.

The Industrialist's Manual No. 1, Shear Power Company is part of a set of 21 manuals (AA 001 009-001 029) used in APEX (Air Pollution Exercise), a computerized college and professional level "real world" game simulation of a community with urban and rural problems, industrial activities, and air pollution difficulties. The first two sections,…

APEX (Air Pollution Exercise) Volume 10: Industrialist's Manual No. 6, Dusty Rhodes' Cement Company.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Office of Manpower Development.

The Industrialist's Manual No. 6, Dusty Rhodes' Cement Company is part of a set of 21 manuals (AA 001 009-001 029) used in APEX (Air Pollution Exercise), a computerized college and professional level "real world" game simulation of a community with urban and rural problems, industrial activities, and air pollution difficulties. The first two…

Pinpointing Watershed Pollution on a Virtual Globe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Cheston; Taylor, Amy

2014-01-01

Pollution is not a problem we just read about anymore. It affects the air we breathe, the land we live on, and the water we consume. After noticing a lack of awareness in students, a lesson was developed that used Google Earth to pinpoint sources of pollution in the local area and in others across the country, and their effects on the surrounding…

Exploring Fifth-Grade Turkish Children's Solutions and Future Plans for Environmental Pollution through Their Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saglam, Murat

2016-01-01

The pollution of land, water, air, noise, light etc. threatens people, plants, animals and ecosystems. Environmental literacy is at the heart of environmental education, and environmentally literate people are expected to be aware of how to help solve environmental problems such as pollution. The purpose of the present study is to explore 5th…

Evaluation of the 2013 Southeast Asian Haze on Solar Generation Performance

PubMed Central

Maghami, Mohammadreza; Hizam, Hashim; Gomes, Chandima; Hajighorbani, Shahrooz; Rezaei, Nima

2015-01-01

Pollution in Southeast Asia is a major public energy problem and the cause of energy losses. A significant problem with respect to this type of pollution is that it decreases energy yield. In this study, two types of photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays were used to evaluate the effect of air pollution. The performance of two types of solar arrays were analysed in this research, namely, two units of a 1 kWp tracking flat photovoltaic (TFP) and two units of a 1 kWp fixed flat photovoltaic arrays (FFP). Data analysis was conducted on 2,190 samples at 30 min intervals from 01st June 2013, when both arrays were washed, until 30th June 2013. The performance was evaluated by using environmental data (irradiation, temperature, dust thickness, and air pollution index), power output, and energy yield. Multiple regression models were predicted in view of the environmental data and PV array output. Results showed that the fixed flat system was more affected by air pollution than the tracking flat plate. The contribution of this work is that it considers two types of photovoltaic arrays under the Southeast Asian pollution 2013. PMID:26275303

Mexico City air quality research initiative. Volume 2, Problem definition, background, and summary of prior research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-06-01

Air pollution in Mexico City has increased along with the growth of the city, the movement of its population, and the growth of employment created by industry. The main cause of pollution in the city is energy consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the city`s economic development and its prospects when considering the technological relationships between well-being and energy consumption. Air pollution in the city from dust and other particles suspended in the air is an old problem. However, pollution as we know it today began about 50 years ago with the growth of industry, transportation, andmore » population. The level of well-being attained in Mexico City implies a high energy use that necessarily affects the valley`s natural air quality. However, the pollution has grown so fast that the City must act urgently on three fronts: first, following a comprehensive strategy, transform the economic foundation of the city with nonpolluting activities to replace the old industries, second, halt pollution growth through the development of better technologies; and third, use better fuels, emission controls, and protection of wooded areas.« less

Environmental Management in Mainland China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Thomas T.

1984-01-01

Provides an overview of China's environmental pollution management by discussing: China's Environmental Protection Organization; laws and regulations; environmental protection program; education and manpower training; and research into environmental pollution problems. (The author provided technical assistance to China's environmental pollution…

Nonpoint Source Pollution: Darby Duck, the Aquatic Crusader

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Understanding the characteristics of water, that precious resource we are trying to protect. And understanding how it interacts with other elements in the environment, some of which pollute it and cause problems for people and animals.

Smart urban design to reduce transportation impact in city centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fezzai, Soufiane; Mazouz, Said; Ahriz, Atef

2018-05-01

Air pollution is one of the most serious problems facing human being; urban wastes are in first range of energy consumption and emission of greenhouse gasses. Transportation or car traffic is one of the most consumer sectors of fuel, and most pollutant. Reducing energy consumption in transportation and the emission of pollutant gasses becomes an important objective for urban designers; many solutions may be proposed to help solving this problem in future designs, but it depend on other factors in existing urban space especially in city centers characterized with high occupation density. In this paper we investigate traffic rate in the city center of the case study, looking for the causes of the high traffic using gate count method and estimating fuel consumption. We try to propose some design solutions to reduce distances so fuel consumption and emission of pollutant gasses. We use space syntax techniques to evaluate urban configuration and verify the proposed solutions.

Support vector machine-an alternative to artificial neuron network for water quality forecasting in an agricultural nonpoint source polluted river?

PubMed

Liu, Mei; Lu, Jun

2014-09-01

Water quality forecasting in agricultural drainage river basins is difficult because of the complicated nonpoint source (NPS) pollution transport processes and river self-purification processes involved in highly nonlinear problems. Artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector model (SVM) were developed to predict total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations for any location of the river polluted by agricultural NPS pollution in eastern China. River flow, water temperature, flow travel time, rainfall, dissolved oxygen, and upstream TN or TP concentrations were selected as initial inputs of the two models. Monthly, bimonthly, and trimonthly datasets were selected to train the two models, respectively, and the same monthly dataset which had not been used for training was chosen to test the models in order to compare their generalization performance. Trial and error analysis and genetic algorisms (GA) were employed to optimize the parameters of ANN and SVM models, respectively. The results indicated that the proposed SVM models performed better generalization ability due to avoiding the occurrence of overtraining and optimizing fewer parameters based on structural risk minimization (SRM) principle. Furthermore, both TN and TP SVM models trained by trimonthly datasets achieved greater forecasting accuracy than corresponding ANN models. Thus, SVM models will be a powerful alternative method because it is an efficient and economic tool to accurately predict water quality with low risk. The sensitivity analyses of two models indicated that decreasing upstream input concentrations during the dry season and NPS emission along the reach during average or flood season should be an effective way to improve Changle River water quality. If the necessary water quality and hydrology data and even trimonthly data are available, the SVM methodology developed here can easily be applied to other NPS-polluted rivers.

No Nation Alone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chase, Stuart

1976-01-01

Summarized are 13 major problems facing every country in the world today. Problems include: disarmament, population explosion, pollution, energy, conservation of natural resources, transportation, communications, and health. (SL)

Non-Thermal Removal of Gaseous Pollutants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, S.; McGowan, J. William; Chiu, K. C. Ray

1995-01-01

The removal of fluorine based exhaust gases such as CFC's, PFC's, NF3, and SF6 used for plasma etching of and deposition on semi-conductors is a subject of increasing interest because of safety, air pollution, and global warming issues. Conventional treatment methods for removing exhaust gas pollutants are wet scrubbing, carbon and resin adsorption, catalytic oxidation, and thermal incineration. However, there are drawbacks associated with each of these methods which include difficulties in implementation, problems with the disposal of solid and liquid pollutant waste, large water and fuel consumption, and additional pollutants such as NOx emissions which are generated in thermal incineration processes.

Detection of Hydrological changes of Wujiang River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, L.; Chen, Y.

2016-12-01

In the century our earth experienced a rapid environment changes due to strong human activities, which impactedthe earth'shydrology and water resources systems negatively, and causedsevere problems to the society, such as increased flood and drought risk, water pollution and ecosystem degradation. Understanding the variations of hydrological characteristics has important meaning to solve the problem of hydrology and water resources and maintain sustainable development of river basin water resources.This paper takesWujiangriveras an example,which is a typical medium watershedaffected by human activities seriously in southern China.Using the methods of Mann-Kendall test and serial cluster analysis, this paper studies the characteristics and laws of historical hydrological process inWujiang river, detectsthe impact of changing environment to watershed hydrological processes, based on the observed hydrological data of 36 years from 1980 to 2015 in three representative hydrological stationsnamedFenshi,Chixi and Pingshi. The results show that the annual runoffandannual precipitation has some kind of changes.

On multidisciplinary research on the application of remote sensing to water resources problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

This research is directed toward development of a practical, operational remote sensing water quality monitoring system. To accomplish this, five fundamental aspects of the problem have been under investigation during the past three years. These are: (1) development of practical and economical methods of obtaining, handling and analyzing remote sensing data; (2) determination of the correlation between remote sensed imagery and actual water quality parameters; (3) determination of the optimum technique for monitoring specific water pollution parameters and for evaluating the reliability with which this can be accomplished; (4) determination of the extent of masking due to depth of penetration, bottom effects, film development effects, and angle falloff, and development of techniques to eliminate or minimize them; and (5) development of operational procedures which might be employed by a municipal, state or federal agency for the application of remote sensing to water quality monitoring, including space-generated data.

The Role of Advocacy Organizations in Reducing Negative Externalities

PubMed Central

Biglan, Anthony

2009-01-01

An externality is a cost that a corporation’s actions impose on society. For example, a power plant may emit mercury, but might not pay for the cost of that pollution to the people living near the plant. It is possible to analyze a diverse range of problems of society in these terms, including the health effects of corporate practices, the unsustainability of manufacturing processes, and marketing of products contributing to environmental damage, and economic policies that maintain high levels of poverty due to effective lobbying by the business community. This paper examines the problem of externalities in terms of metacontingencies. Externalities continue precisely because there is no cost to the organizations for practices that impose these costs on third parties. The paper describes the cultural practices needed to influence governments are motivated to make corporations bear the true costs of their practices—costs that are currently imposed on others. PMID:20011073

URBAN RUNOFF POLLUTION CONTROL - STATE-OF-THE-ART

EPA Science Inventory

Combined sewer overflows are major sources of water pollution problems, but even discharges of stormwater alone can seriously affect water quality. Current approaches involve control of overflows, treatment, and combinations of the two. Control may involve maximizing treatment wi...

Indoor Air Pollution: An Energy Management Problem?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cousins, David M.; Kulba, John W.

1987-01-01

Energy conservation measures have led to airtight buildings and reduced levels of ventilation resulting in indoor air pollution. Five kinds of contaminants--tobacco smoke, combustion products, microorganisms, organic compounds, and radon--are described, their hazards considered, and countermeasures outlined. (MLF)

Treatability Aspects of Urban Stormwater Stressors

EPA Science Inventory

Eleven years into the 21st century, pollution from diffuse sources (pollution from contaminants picked up and carried into surface waters by stormwater runoff) remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems. Scientists and engineers still seek solutions that will ...

Los Angeles and Its Mistress Machine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marx, Wesley

1973-01-01

Los Angeles city has acute air pollution problems because of lack of an adequate mass transit system and the type of local industries. Air pollution in Los Angeles has affected agricultural production, vegetation, and public health in nearby areas. (PS)

Air Pollution and Insulin Resistance: Do All Roads Lead to Rome?

EPA Science Inventory

The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide in 2012, nearly 7 million deaths occurred prematurely due to air pollution (1). In addition to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, air pollution exposure is also linked to increased incidence of diabetes (2). Notably, th...

Bicyclists' Uptake of Traffic-Related Air Pollution: Effects of the Urban Transportation System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-27

While bicyclists and other active travelers obtain health benefits from increased physical activity, they also risk uptake of traffic-related air pollution. But pollution uptake by urban bicyclists is not well understood due to a lack of direct measu...

Wood and bark of Pinus halepensis as archives of heavy metal pollution in the Mediterranean Region.

PubMed

Rodríguez Martin, José Antonio; Gutiérrez, Carmen; Torrijos, Manuel; Nanos, Nikos

2018-04-18

Natural levels of heavy metals (HM) have increased during the industrial era to the point of posing a serious threat to the environment. The use of tree species to record contamination is a well-known practice. The objective of the study was to compare HM levels under different pollution conditions: a) soil pollution due to mining waste; b) atmospheric pollution due to coal-fired power plant emissions. We report significant HM enrichment in Pinus halepensis tissues. Near a burning power plant, Pb content in a tree wood was 2.5-fold higher that in natural areas (no pollution; NP). In mining areas, Cd content was 25-fold higher than NP. The hypothesis that HM contents in tree rings should register pollution is debatable. HM uptake by pines from soil, detoxification mechanisms and resuspended local soil dust is involved in HM contents in wood and bark. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic pollution of rivers: Combined threats of urbanization, livestock farming and global climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Yingrong; Schoups, Gerrit; van de Giesen, Nick

2017-02-01

Organic pollution of rivers by wastewater discharge from human activities negatively impacts people and ecosystems. Without treatment, pollution control relies on a combination of natural degradation and dilution by natural runoff to reduce downstream effects. We quantify here for the first time the global sanitation crisis through its impact on organic river pollution from the threats of (1) increasing wastewater discharge due to urbanization and intensification of livestock farming, and (2) reductions in river dilution capacity due to climate change and water extractions. Using in-stream Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as an overall indicator of organic river pollution, we calculate historical (2000) and future (2050) BOD concentrations in global river networks. Despite significant self-cleaning capacities of rivers, the number of people affected by organic pollution (BOD >5 mg/l) is projected to increase from 1.1 billion in 2000 to 2.5 billion in 2050. With developing countries disproportionately affected, our results point to a growing need for affordable wastewater solutions.

Organic pollution of rivers: Combined threats of urbanization, livestock farming and global climate change.

PubMed

Wen, Yingrong; Schoups, Gerrit; van de Giesen, Nick

2017-02-23

Organic pollution of rivers by wastewater discharge from human activities negatively impacts people and ecosystems. Without treatment, pollution control relies on a combination of natural degradation and dilution by natural runoff to reduce downstream effects. We quantify here for the first time the global sanitation crisis through its impact on organic river pollution from the threats of (1) increasing wastewater discharge due to urbanization and intensification of livestock farming, and (2) reductions in river dilution capacity due to climate change and water extractions. Using in-stream Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as an overall indicator of organic river pollution, we calculate historical (2000) and future (2050) BOD concentrations in global river networks. Despite significant self-cleaning capacities of rivers, the number of people affected by organic pollution (BOD >5 mg/l) is projected to increase from 1.1 billion in 2000 to 2.5 billion in 2050. With developing countries disproportionately affected, our results point to a growing need for affordable wastewater solutions.

Organic pollution of rivers: Combined threats of urbanization, livestock farming and global climate change

PubMed Central

Wen, Yingrong; Schoups, Gerrit; van de Giesen, Nick

2017-01-01

Organic pollution of rivers by wastewater discharge from human activities negatively impacts people and ecosystems. Without treatment, pollution control relies on a combination of natural degradation and dilution by natural runoff to reduce downstream effects. We quantify here for the first time the global sanitation crisis through its impact on organic river pollution from the threats of (1) increasing wastewater discharge due to urbanization and intensification of livestock farming, and (2) reductions in river dilution capacity due to climate change and water extractions. Using in-stream Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as an overall indicator of organic river pollution, we calculate historical (2000) and future (2050) BOD concentrations in global river networks. Despite significant self-cleaning capacities of rivers, the number of people affected by organic pollution (BOD >5 mg/l) is projected to increase from 1.1 billion in 2000 to 2.5 billion in 2050. With developing countries disproportionately affected, our results point to a growing need for affordable wastewater solutions. PMID:28230079

The extent and historical trend of metal pollution recorded in core sediments from the artificial Lake Shihwa, Korea.

PubMed

Ra, Kongtae; Bang, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Jung-Moo; Kim, Kyung-Tae; Kim, Eun-Soo

2011-08-01

The vertical distribution of trace metals in sediment cores was investigated to evaluate the extent and the historical record of metal pollution over 30 years in the artificial Lake Shihwa in Korea. A marked increase of trace metals after 1980 was observed due to the operation of two large industrial complexes and dike construction for a reclamation project. There was a decreasing trend of metal concentrations with the distance from the pollution source. The enrichment factor and pollution load index of the metals indicated that the metal pollution was mainly derived from Cu, Zn and Cd loads due to anthropogenic activities. The concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb in the upper part of all core sediments exceeded the ERL criteria of NOAA. Our results indicate that inadequate planning and management of industrialization and a large reclamation project accomplished by dike construction have continued to strongly accelerate metal pollution in Lake Shihwa. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of health and economic effects by PM2.5 pollution in Beijing: a combined exposure-response and computable general equilibrium analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Guizhi; Gu, SaiJu; Chen, Jibo; Wu, Xianhua; Yu, Jun

2016-12-01

Assessment of the health and economic impacts of PM2.5 pollution is of great importance for urban air pollution prevention and control. In this study, we evaluate the damage of PM2.5 pollution using Beijing as an example. First, we use exposure-response functions to estimate the adverse health effects due to PM2.5 pollution. Then, the corresponding labour loss and excess medical expenditure are computed as two conducting variables. Finally, different from the conventional valuation methods, this paper introduces the two conducting variables into the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to assess the impacts on sectors and the whole economic system caused by PM2.5 pollution. The results show that, substantial health effects of the residents in Beijing from PM2.5 pollution occurred in 2013, including 20,043 premature deaths and about one million other related medical cases. Correspondingly, using the 2010 social accounting data, Beijing gross domestic product loss due to the health impact of PM2.5 pollution is estimated as 1286.97 (95% CI: 488.58-1936.33) million RMB. This demonstrates that PM2.5 pollution not only has adverse health effects, but also brings huge economic loss.

Understanding road surface pollutant wash-off and underlying physical processes using simulated rainfall.

PubMed

Egodawatta, Prasanna; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

2008-01-01

Pollutant wash-off is one of the key pollutant processes that detailed knowledge is required in order to develop successful treatment design strategies for urban stormwater. Unfortunately, current knowledge relating to pollutant wash-off is limited. This paper presents the outcomes of a detailed investigation into pollutant wash-off on residential road surfaces. The investigations consisted of research methodologies formulated to overcome the physical constraints due to the heterogeneity of urban paved surfaces and the dependency on naturally occurring rainfall. This entailed the use of small road surface plots and artificially simulated rainfall. Road surfaces were selected due to its critical importance as an urban stormwater pollutant source. The study results showed that the influence of initially available pollutants on the wash-off process was limited. Furthermore, pollutant wash-off from road surfaces can be replicated using an exponential equation. However, the typical version of the exponential wash-off equation needs to be modified by introducing a non dimensional factor referred to as 'capacity factor' CF. Three rainfall intensity ranges were identified where the variation of CF can be defined. Furthermore, it was found that particulate density rather than size is the critical parameter that influences the process of pollutant wash-off. (c) IWA Publishing 2008.

Manpower Requirements for Pollution Control and Water Resources in Indiana and a Related Pollution Control Technology Curriculum. Manpower Report 69-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN. Office of Manpower Studies.

The purpose of this study was to identify the trained manpower needed to cope with Indiana's mounting problems in air and water pollution control, liquid and solid waste disposal, and water supply and resources. This report contains data concerning the present employment, current job opportunities, and projected manpower needs for related…

Prenatal and Childhood Traffic-Related Air Pollution Exposure and Childhood Executive Function and Behavior

PubMed Central

Harris, Maria H.; Gold, Diane R.; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L.; Melly, Steven J.; Zanobetti, Antonella; Coull, Brent A.; Schwartz, Joel D.; Gryparis, Alexandros; Kloog, Itai; Koutrakis, Petros; Bellinger, David C.; Belfort, Mandy B.; Webster, Thomas F.; White, Roberta F.; Sagiv, Sharon K.; Oken, Emily

2016-01-01

Background Traffic-related air pollution exposure may influence brain development and function and thus be related to neurobehavioral problems in children, but little is known about windows of susceptibility. Aims Examine associations of gestational and childhood exposure to traffic-related pollution with executive function and behavior problems in children. Methods We studied associations of pre- and postnatal pollution exposures with neurobehavioral outcomes in 1,212 children in the Project Viva pre-birth cohort followed to mid-childhood (median age 7.7 years). Parents and classroom teachers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using validated spatiotemporal models, we estimated exposure to black carbon (BC) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the third trimester of pregnancy, from birth to 3 years, from birth to 6 years, and in the year before behavioral ratings. We also measured residential distance to major roadways and near-residence traffic density at birth and in mid-childhood. We estimated associations of BC, PM2.5, and other traffic exposure measures with BRIEF and SDQ scores, adjusted for potential confounders. Results Higher childhood BC exposure was associated with higher teacher-rated BRIEF Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) scores, indicating greater problems: 1.0 points (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0, 2.1) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in birth-age 6 BC, and 1.7 points (95% CI: 0.6, 2.8) for BC in the year prior to behavioral ratings. Mid-childhood residential traffic density was also associated with BRI score (0.6, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.1). Birth-age 3 BC was not associated with BRIEF or SDQ scores. Third trimester BC exposure was not associated with teacher-rated BRI scores (−0.2, 95% CI: −1.1, 0.8), and predicted lower scores (fewer problems) on the BRIEF Metacognition Index (−1.2, 95% CI: −2.2, −0.2) and SDQ total difficulties (−0.9, 95% CI: −1.4, −0.4). PM2.5 exposure was associated with teacher-rated BRIEF and SDQ scores in minimally adjusted models but associations attenuated with covariate adjustment. None of the parent-rated outcomes suggested adverse effects of greater pollution exposure at any time point. Conclusions Children with higher mid-childhood exposure to BC and greater near-residence traffic density in mid-childhood had greater problems with behavioral regulation as assessed by classroom teachers, but not as assessed by parents. Prenatal and early childhood exposure to traffic-related pollution did not predict greater executive function or behavior problems; third trimester BC was associated with lower scores (representing fewer problems) on measures of metacognition and behavioral problems. PMID:27350569

Prenatal and childhood traffic-related air pollution exposure and childhood executive function and behavior.

PubMed

Harris, Maria H; Gold, Diane R; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Melly, Steven J; Zanobetti, Antonella; Coull, Brent A; Schwartz, Joel D; Gryparis, Alexandros; Kloog, Itai; Koutrakis, Petros; Bellinger, David C; Belfort, Mandy B; Webster, Thomas F; White, Roberta F; Sagiv, Sharon K; Oken, Emily

Traffic-related air pollution exposure may influence brain development and function and thus be related to neurobehavioral problems in children, but little is known about windows of susceptibility. Examine associations of gestational and childhood exposure to traffic-related pollution with executive function and behavior problems in children. We studied associations of pre- and postnatal pollution exposures with neurobehavioral outcomes in 1212 children in the Project Viva pre-birth cohort followed to mid-childhood (median age 7.7years). Parents and classroom teachers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using validated spatiotemporal models, we estimated exposure to black carbon (BC) and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in the third trimester of pregnancy, from birth to 3years, from birth to 6years, and in the year before behavioral ratings. We also measured residential distance to major roadways and near-residence traffic density at birth and in mid-childhood. We estimated associations of BC, PM 2.5 , and other traffic exposure measures with BRIEF and SDQ scores, adjusted for potential confounders. Higher childhood BC exposure was associated with higher teacher-rated BRIEF Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) scores, indicating greater problems: 1.0 points (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0, 2.1) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in birth-age 6BC, and 1.7 points (95% CI: 0.6, 2.8) for BC in the year prior to behavioral ratings. Mid-childhood residential traffic density was also associated with BRI score (0.6, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.1). Birth-age 3BC was not associated with BRIEF or SDQ scores. Third trimester BC exposure was not associated with teacher-rated BRI scores (-0.2, 95% CI: -1.1, 0.8), and predicted lower scores (fewer problems) on the BRIEF Metacognition Index (-1.2, 95% CI: -2.2, -0.2) and SDQ total difficulties (-0.9, 95% CI: -1.4, -0.4). PM 2.5 exposure was associated with teacher-rated BRIEF and SDQ scores in minimally adjusted models but associations attenuated with covariate adjustment. None of the parent-rated outcomes suggested adverse effects of greater pollution exposure at any time point. Children with higher mid-childhood exposure to BC and greater near-residence traffic density in mid-childhood had greater problems with behavioral regulation as assessed by classroom teachers, but not as assessed by parents. Prenatal and early childhood exposure to traffic-related pollution did not predict greater executive function or behavior problems; third trimester BC was associated with lower scores (representing fewer problems) on measures of metacognition and behavioral problems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease attributable to ambient ozone pollution in 1990 and 2013 in China].

PubMed

Cui, J; Yin, P; Wang, L J; Liu, S W; Li, Y C; Liu, Y N; Liu, J M; You, J L; Zeng, X Y; Zhou, M G

2016-05-01

To investigate the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China attributable to ambient ozone pollution in 1990 and 2013. Based on the results of the China Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2013, the population attributable fractions was used to analyze the deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of COPD attributable to ambient ozone pollution in all provinces (not including Taiwan, China) in 1990 and 2013, and to compare changes of the attributable disease burden in 1990 and 2013. In 2013, 7.4% (95% uncertainty interval (95% UI): 6.1%-8.6%) of COPD were attributable to ambient ozone pollution, with the highest rate in Hebei province (15.0%, 95%UI: 12.0%-18.7%) and the lowest in Heilongjiang province (2.8%,95%UI: 0.9%-5.3%). In 2013, 67 485 COPD deaths in China were due to ambient ozone pollution, with the highest number in Sichuan province (11 929) and in China lowest in Macao (11). A total of 1.168 million DALYs caused by COPD were due to ambient ozone pollution, with the highest in Sichuan province (0.189 million) and lowest in Macao (257.4). In 2013, the DALY per 100 000 population caused by COPD due to ambient ozone pollution after age standardization was lowest in Heilongjiang province (21.9), Shanghai (26.7), Beijing (38.4), Tianjin (39.3), and Jilin province (39.7) and highest in Sichuan province (206.4), Qinghai province (202.5), Guizhou province (175.3), and Gansu province (171.4). DALYs caused by COPD attributable to ambient ozone pollution increased with age (0.144 million person years for ages 15-49 years, 0.43 million person years for age 50-69 years and 0.594 million person years for age 70 years and above), which were higher in men than in women (0.708 million person years for men and 0.459 million person years for women in 2013). Deaths of COPD attributable to ambient ozone pollution were 49 514 and 67 485 in 1990 and 2013, respectively. DALYs caused by COPD attributable to ozone pollution totaled 0.894 million and 1.168 million person years in 1990 and 2013, respectively. Ambient ozone pollution-related deaths and DALYs increased 36.3% and 30.6%, respectively. Compared with 1990, the disease burden of COPD in 2013 attributed to ambient ozone pollution in China increased substantially. Ambient ozone pollution caused great losses among Chinese residents. More attention should be directed toward western provinces with a particularly high disease burden due to ambient ozone pollution.

Comparison of moss and pine needles as bioindicators of transboundary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution in central Japan.

PubMed

Oishi, Yoshitaka

2018-03-01

Atmospheric pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has become a serious problem, especially in Asia, as PAHs can severely affect ecologically important mountainous areas. Using pine needles and mosses as bio-indicators, this study examined PAH pollution in a mountainous study area and evaluated the influence of transboundary PAHs. PAHs in urban areas were also evaluated for comparison. The study sites were alpine areas and urban areas (inland or coastal cities) across central Japan, in the easternmost part of Asia where atmospheric pollutants are transported from mainland Asia. The mean PAH concentrations of pine needles and mosses were 198.9 ± 184.2 ng g -1 dry weight (dw) and 131.8 ± 60.7 ng g -1 dw (mean ± SD), respectively. Pine needles preferentially accumulated PAHs with low molecular weights (LMW PAHs) and exhibited large differences in both PAH concentration and isomer ratios between alpine and urban sites. These differences can be explained by the strong influence of LMW PAHs emitted from domestic sources, which decreased and changed during transport from urban to alpine sites due to dry/wet deposition and photodegradation. In contrast, mosses accumulated a higher ratio of PAHs with high molecular weight (HMW PAHs). A comparison of isomer ratios showed that the PAH source for alpine moss was similar to that for northern coastal cities, which are typically influenced by long-transported PAHs from East Asia. Thus, these results indicate that alpine moss can also be strongly affected by the transboundary PAHs. It is likely that the uptake characteristics of moss, alpine climate, and alpine locations far from urban areas can strengthen the influence of transboundary pollution. Based on these results, the limitations and most effective use of bioindicators of PAH pollution for preserving alpine ecosystems are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Varjani, Sunita J

2017-01-01

Petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants are recalcitrant compounds and are classified as priority pollutants. Cleaning up of these pollutants from environment is a real world problem. Bioremediation has become a major method employed in restoration of petroleum hydrocarbon polluted environments that makes use of natural microbial biodegradation activity. Petroleum hydrocarbons utilizing microorganisms are ubiquitously distributed in environment. They naturally biodegrade pollutants and thereby remove them from the environment. Removal of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants from environment by applying oleophilic microorganisms (individual isolate/consortium of microorganisms) is ecofriendly and economic. Microbial biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants employs the enzyme catalytic activities of microorganisms to enhance the rate of pollutants degradation. This article provides an overview about bioremediation for petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants. It also includes explanation about hydrocarbon metabolism in microorganisms with a special focus on new insights obtained during past couple of years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding Wicked Problems: A Key to Advancing Environmental Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreuter, Marshall W.; De Rosa, Christopher; Howze, Elizabeth H.; Baldwin, Grant T.

2004-01-01

Complex environmental health problems--like air and water pollution, hazardous waste sites, and lead poisoning--are in reality a constellation of linked problems embedded in the fabric of the communities in which they occur. These kinds of complex problems have been characterized by some as "wicked problems" wherein stakeholders may have…

Evaluation and identification of priority air pollutants for environmental management on the basis of risk analysis in Russia.

PubMed

Golub, Alexander; Strukova, Elena

2008-01-01

Since 1997, more than 30 health-risk analyses were conducted using Russian data sets. These studies demonstrated that air pollution is the most important environmental contributor toward morbidity and mortality risk in Russia, with 90% of the total human health risk coming from the criteria pollutants total suspended particulate (TSP), SO2, and NO(x). This article contributes to the ongoing discussion of the magnitude of this health issue in Russia by providing an estimate of both the mortality rate attributed to airborne pollutants and the associated economic damages. The 90% confidence interval of mortality is 46,000-132,000, and the associated economic damages are between 2.6 and 6.5% of gross domestic product (GDP). The largest source of uncertainty in mortality is the concentration-response parameter, accounting for 50-60% of the total variability in the estimate. The point estimate of 87,000 implies that mortality due to airborne pollutants is threefold higher than reported due to tuberculosis, twofold due to transportation accidents, and about the same as that from suicide and homicide combined. By 2002 there was enough evidence regarding potential health hazard and air pollution exposure in Russia to start environmental management reform. In 2004 Russia officially adopted guidelines for health risk analysis associated with air pollution. The next step is to use this health-risk assessment approach as a lead for sensible reforms of the emissions-permit system and environmental finance.

A primer on motor vehicle air pollution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-01-01

This primer presents a brief state-of-the art review of motor vehicle air pollution. Its purpose is to aid highway personnel in understanding the nature of this environmental problem on our highways and to present possible solutions for its abatement...

Treatability Aspects of Urban Stormwater Stressors - journal

EPA Science Inventory

Eleven years into the 21st century, pollution from diffuse sources (pollution from contaminants picked up and carried into surface waters by stormwater runoff) remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems. Scientists and engineers still seek solutions that will a...

Source Emissions in Multipollutant Air Quality Management

EPA Science Inventory

Human activities and natural processes that emit pollutants into the ambient atmosphere are the underlying cause of all air quality problems. In a technical sense, we refer to these activities and processes as pollutant sources. Although air quality management is usually concerne...

Treatability Aspects of Urban Stormwater Stressors - paper

EPA Science Inventory

Eleven years into the 21st century, pollution from diffuse sources (pollution from contaminants picked up and carried into surface waters by stormwater runoff) remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems. Scientists and engineers still seek solutions that will a...

Women and Power: Problems of Feminine Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaelson, Evalyn J.

The author reviews cross-cultural studies correlating women's reproductive functions with states of ritual defilement, pollution, and cultural restrictions on social behavior. Women's reproductive functions--childbirth, menstruation, and sexual intercourse--are frequently viewed as contaminating. Thus, during her menstrual period or period…

The harm of petroleum-polluted soil and its remediation research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuguang; Xu, Yan; Lin, Zhaofeng; Zhang, Jishi; Norbu, Namkha; Liu, Wei

2017-08-01

Land resources are the foundation of human's survival and development, and it's one of the most valuable natural resources of each country. In view of the serious problems of petroleum pollution to soil caused during the exploration and development processes, this article based on a large number of literature researches, firstly discussed the compositions and properties of petroleum contaminants, secondly investigated some restoration methods for the current situation of petroleum polluted soil, compared and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of three kinds of bioremediation technologies. Finally, according to the deficiencies of previous research and existing problems, made an outlook of the physical and chemical remediation, bioremediation, and microbe-plant remediation, to provide some enlightenments for petroleum-contaminated soil remediation.

Geothermal Energy: Prospects and Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritter, William W.

1973-01-01

An examination of geothermal energy as a means of increasing the United States power resources with minimal pollution problems. Developed and planned geothermal-electric power installations around the world, capacities, installation dates, etc., are reviewed. Environmental impact, problems, etc. are discussed. (LK)

Patterns of Hits to the Nearshore from a Major Fairway in the Gulf of Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viikmae, B.; Soomere, T.

2012-04-01

The Baltic Sea hosts one of the heaviest ship traffic in the world. Although relatively small in size, still up to 15% of the world's cargo is transported along its numerous fairways. The largest threat to the environment is oil transportation that has increased more than by a factor of two in 2000-2008 and a 40% increase is expected by the year 2015. One of the major marine highways in the European waters enters the Baltic Sea through the Danish Straits, crosses the Baltic Proper and stretches through the Gulf of Finland to Saint Petersburg. An area that is highly vulnerable to ship pollution is the nearshore that usually has the largest ecological value. While the probability of coastal pollution for open ocean coasts can be reduced by shifting ship routes farther offshore, the problem for narrow bays, like the Gulf of Finland, is how to minimize the probability of hitting any of the coasts. To a certain extent, light can be shed to this problem by means of quantification of the offshore areas in terms of their ability to serve a danger to coastal environment if pollution would happen in these areas. A convenient way to address this problem is to use statistical analysis of a large number of Lagrangian trajectories of test particles representing the potential pollution and passively carried by surface currents. In this paper, we make and attempt to quantify the link between potential sources of pollution along an existing fairway and the sections of the coast reached by current-driven pollution. The problem is analysed by means of considering hits to the nearshore from a major fairway in the Gulf of Finland and by making sure whether certain parts of the coast are hit by pollution particles most frequently and whether or not these pollution particles stem from certain specific parts of the fairway. Trajectories are simulated in the Gulf of Finland by placing tracers among a line that follows one of the major fairways from the Baltic Proper to Saint Petersburg. The probabilities for the hit to different parts of the nearshore and the ability of different sections of the fairway to provide coastal pollution have extensive seasonal variability. The potential impact of the fairway is roughly proportional to its distance from the nearest coast. A short section of the fairway to the south of Vyborg and a segment to the west of Tallinn are the most probable sources of coastal pollution. The most frequently hit coastal areas are short fragments between Hanko and Helsinki, the NE coast of the gulf to the south of Vyborg, and longer segments from Tallinn to Hiiumaa on the southern coast of the gulf.

Mineral resources: Reserves, peak production and the future

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meinert, Lawrence D.; Robinson, Gilpin; Nassar, Nedal

2016-01-01

The adequacy of mineral resources in light of population growth and rising standards of living has been a concern since the time of Malthus (1798), but many studies erroneously forecast impending peak production or exhaustion because they confuse reserves with “all there is”. Reserves are formally defined as a subset of resources, and even current and potential resources are only a small subset of “all there is”. Peak production or exhaustion cannot be modeled accurately from reserves. Using copper as an example, identified resources are twice as large as the amount projected to be needed through 2050. Estimates of yet-to-be discovered copper resources are up to 40-times more than currently-identified resources, amounts that could last for many centuries. Thus, forecasts of imminent peak production due to resource exhaustion in the next 20–30 years are not valid. Short-term supply problems may arise, however, and supply-chain disruptions are possible at any time due to natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes) or political complications. Needed to resolve these problems are education and exploration technology development, access to prospective terrain, better recycling and better accounting of externalities associated with production (pollution, loss of ecosystem services and water and energy use).

The artificial object detection and current velocity measurement using SAR ocean surface images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpatov, Boris; Strotov, Valery; Ershov, Maksim; Muraviev, Vadim; Feldman, Alexander; Smirnov, Sergey

2017-10-01

Due to the fact that water surface covers wide areas, remote sensing is the most appropriate way of getting information about ocean environment for vessel tracking, security purposes, ecological studies and others. Processing of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is extensively used for control and monitoring of the ocean surface. Image data can be acquired from Earth observation satellites, such as TerraSAR-X, ERS, and COSMO-SkyMed. Thus, SAR image processing can be used to solve many problems arising in this field of research. This paper discusses some of them including ship detection, oil pollution control and ocean currents mapping. Due to complexity of the problem several specialized algorithm are necessary to develop. The oil spill detection algorithm consists of the following main steps: image preprocessing, detection of dark areas, parameter extraction and classification. The ship detection algorithm consists of the following main steps: prescreening, land masking, image segmentation combined with parameter measurement, ship orientation estimation and object discrimination. The proposed approach to ocean currents mapping is based on Doppler's law. The results of computer modeling on real SAR images are presented. Based on these results it is concluded that the proposed approaches can be used in maritime applications.

Determination of Interesting Toxicological Elements in PM2.5 by Neutron and Photon Activation Analysis

PubMed Central

Capannesi, Geraldo; Lopez, Francesco

2013-01-01

Human activities introduce compounds increasing levels of many dangerous species for environment and population. In this way, trace elements in airborne particulate have a preeminent position due to toxic element presence affecting the biological systems. The main problem is the analytical determination of such species at ultratrace levels: a very specific methodology is necessary with regard to the accuracy and precision and contamination problems. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Instrumental Photon Activation Analysis assure these requirements. A retrospective element analysis in airborne particulate collected in the last 4 decades has been carried out for studying their trend. The samples were collected in urban location in order to determine only effects due to global aerosol circulation; semiannual samples have been used to characterize the summer/winter behavior of natural and artificial origin. The levels of natural origin element are higher than those in other countries owing to geological and meteorological factors peculiar to Central Italy. The levels of artificial elements are sometimes less than those in other countries, suggesting a less polluted general situation for Central Italy. However, for a few elements (e.g., Pb) the levels measured are only slight lower than those proposed as air ambient standard. PMID:23878525

DRUG USAGE AND DISPOSAL: OVERVIEW OF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This article provides the background for understanding the many complex variables that combine to cause pollution of the environment with the active ingredients from pharmaceuticals. It also summarizes the many approaches that could potentially reduce this pollution. Significantly, actions designed for pollution prevention or pollution reduction hold the potential to also reduce healthcare expenses, improve therapeutic outcomes, and moderate the long-persisting national problem of morbidity and mortality caused by poisonings of infants, children, adults, pets, and sometimes wildlife. These collateral benefits are important to this discussion beacuse one of the major unknowns regarding trhe various pollution control actions (such as reducing generation and disposal of unwanted drugs) is whether they would actually result in significantly reduced pollution. The main driving force for reducing pollution may have more to do with human health and safety. Presentation

Sustainable materials management using the Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework test methods

EPA Science Inventory

The need for improved leach tests became a priority due to adoption of more stringent air pollution control at U.S. coal-fired power plants resulting in the preferential partitioning of mercury (Hg) and other pollutants to fly ash and other air pollution control residues. Fly ash...

STRATEGIES TO IDENTIFY BIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN COMPLEX AIR POLLUTANT MIXTURES

EPA Science Inventory

Both indoor and outdoor air contains a very complex mixture of gas and particulate matter (PM) pollutants. The assessment of the role of each pollutant in the complex atmosphere in the induction of an associated health effect or a response can be difficult due to many factors, i...