The effects of pesticides on greenhouse workers and their produced products

Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture but are known to produce adverse effects on humans. In this study, blood activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and levels of malondialdhyde (MDA) were determined in 44 greenhouse workers (24 tomato workers, 20 clove workers) and in tomato (24 samples) and clove (20 samples) products. At the end of this study, blood MDA levels and activities of ALT, AST, and LDH levels in greenhouse workers were significantly increased while SOD and CAT activity levels fell significantly. Pesticide residues were not found in agricultural worker blood. Malathion residues (average 0.8?ppm) were detected in tomatoes (8 samples) in these greenhouses. Data suggest that the health of the greenhouse workers may be adversely affected by pesticides.     

Effects of Matricaria chamomilla L. on lipid peroxidation,antioxidant enzyme systems,and key liver enzymes in CCl4-treated rats

In this study, we investigated the effects of Matricaria chamomilla L. extract (MCE) on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme systems, and several liver enzymes in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-treated rats. Rats were divided into five groups. The first group (control group) was fed on standard feed. The rats in the other groups (CCl₄, MCE50, MCE100, and MCE200) were injected intraperitoneally with 0.8?mL?kg^?1 CCl₄. Moreover, rats in the MCE50, MCE100, and MCE200 groups were gavaged with 50?mg?kg^?1, 100?mg?kg^?1, and 200?mg?kg^?1 MCE, respectively. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, whole blood malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity levels were measured after 14 days of exposure. ALT and AST in the CCl₄ group increased significantly in comparison to the control group (p?4, MCE50, MCE100, and MCE200 groups at different significance levels. In conclusion, the findings suggest that, depending on the dose administered, MCE decreases CCl₄-induced damage and consequent oxidative stress in rats; it affects the antioxidant system positively.     

Public space networks as a guide to sustainable urban development and social life: A case study of Muğla,Turkey

This study examines the possibility of designating and implementing a citywide public space network, constituted of randomly dispersed and not interrelated public spaces and greenways across the city of Mu?la. Although Mu?la is a major coastal province, with worldwide tourism districts, the city centre falls behind other settlements in terms of quality of social life, physical layout, economic investment and tourism revenue. In 2001, the local government commissioned the Department of Landscape Architecture of Ege University to prepare a comprehensive master plan towards achieving a corporate public space network, as well as development strategies to ameliorate the previous failures. The master plan developed a blueprint for the citywide network and addressed each existing or potential public space and greenway as integrated components of the network. The process involved short-, medium- and long-term action from the local government to achieve the physical layout and efficiently implement phases of the network. As a guide for other small or medium urban settlements in Turkey, a model proposal was derived from the study to address formulation, implementation, and management of the network in order to create a sustainable urban development.     

Numerical study of coastal sandbar migration, by hydro-morphodynamical coupling

We present a numerical model based on the hydro-morphodynamical coupling to study coastal sandbar migration. In order to improve both nonlinear and dispersive wave processes in relatively shallow water, we developed a finite element model based on the Legendre polynomials and on the Extended Boussinesq model. This model reproduces the propagation of wave trains with a high degree of accuracy on a greater range of depths than the standard Boussinesq models. We also implemented the Total Variation Diminishing schemes to improve the quality of the computed hydrodynamic fields, especially in areas where sharp flow gradients occurred. The coupled morpho-hydrodynamical model is then used to simulate the migration of real sandbars observed at Rousty beach (Mediterranean French coast). For verification the model results are compared with field measurements obtained from a small-scale field campaign carried out over two years at Rousty beach, and the results of this comparison are thoroughly discussed and analyzed.     

Effects of nanoparticles on Daphnia magna population dynamics

Spherical TiO₂ nanoparticles (npTiO₂) were prepared by controlled hydrolysis of tetraethoxy orthotitanate under a nitrogen atmosphere. ZnO nanoparticles (npZnO) were prepared using hydrothermal methods. The crystal structure, chemical, thermal and morphological properties of npZnO and npTiO₂ were characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, enery-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope techniques. The short- and long-term experiments were started with neonates taken from the same culture and laboratory condition. In the acute experiments, npTiO₂, npZnO, and cocktail concentrations were applied. 96h-LC₅₀ values were 1.8, 0.7, and 0.1?mg?L^?1, respectively (p?<?.05). For the chronic experiments, different npTiO₂ concentrations were performed. 21d-LC₅₀ value was 1.0?mgL^?1 (p?<?.05). Morphometry became progressively worse in concentrations of more than 1?mgL^?1 npTiO₂. Neonate and young individuals were more sensitive to death because of their low tolerance. This result was affected by population progeny and growth rates (p?<?.05). While control and 0.5?mgL^?1 npTiO₂ groups were determined as growing population, 1.5 and 2?mgL^?1 npTiO₂ groups had decreased population size as R₀ values. Consequently, the relationships between nanoparticle accumulation within Daphnia magna and its population structure and body morphometry for each concentration were important indicators. Its tolerance level to nanoparticles under laboratory conditions reflected its replacement and behaviour in the ecosystem.     

Molecular insight into the population structure of common and spotted dolphins inhabiting the pelagic waters of the Northeast Atlantic

Several cetacean species exhibit fine-scale population structure despite their high dispersal capacities and the apparent continuity of the marine environment. In dolphins, most studies have focused on coastal areas and continental margins, and they revealed differentiated populations within relatively small geographic areas, sometimes in conjunction with a specialisation for different habitats (ecotypes). We analysed the population genetic structure of short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in the Azores and Madeira, the two most isolated archipelagos of the North Atlantic. The archipelago of the Azores is divided into three groups of islands and stands 900 km away from Madeira. It is not known whether individuals migrate between groups of islands and archipelagos, nor whether distinct ecotypes are present. These questions were investigated by genetic analyses of 343 biopsy samples collected on free-ranging dolphins. The analyses consisted in sequencing part of the mitochondrial hyper-variable region, screening up to 14 microsatellite loci, and molecular sexing. Results did not unravel any population structure at the scale of the study area. Lack of differentiation matches expectations for spotted dolphins, which are transient in both archipelagos, but not for common dolphins, which are present year-round in the Azores and potentially resident. Absence of genetic structure over hundreds and even thousands of kilometres implies the existence of gene flow over much larger distances than usually documented in small delphinids, which could be achieved through individual movements. This finding indicates that population structure in oceanic habitat differs from that observed in coastal habitat.     

Recycling glass-polishing sludge and aluminum anodising sludge in polyurethane and cement composites: fire performance and mechanical properties

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This article aims to study the mechanical strength and fire resistance of polyurethane/cement (PuCem) composites containing glass sludge and sludge...     

Body burden of contaminants and biological effects in mussels: an integrated approach

An investigation of contaminants and biological effects in mussels from Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada, focused on a 6 km section in the central most industrialized core of the harbour, where a site was previously identified as highly contaminated. The aim of the study was to compare the body burden of mussels in terms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), dichlorophenyltrichloroethane (DDT family), coprostanol and elements, relative to biological parameters such as condition indices, sex ratio, survival time in air, and to biochemical indicators of mussels' health analysed in gills, digestive gland and gonad tissues. These markers are total sugar and lipid content of gonads, mitochondrial electron transport activity in digestive gland and gonad tissues, lipid peroxidation in gill, digestive gland and gonad tissues, and heme oxidase activity in the digestive gland. At the north western end of the area, near a major sewage effluent, shorter survival time, higher oxidative stress and metabolism, gonad electron transport activity, levels of coporostanol, PAH, p,p'-dichlorophenyldichlo-roethylene (p,p'-DDE), Ag, Cu, Fe and P were observed. At the opposite south eastern end, longer survival time, higher lipid content, lowest condition indices and concentrations of coprostanol, PAH and p,p'-DDE, but higher concentrations of Sn and Cd, were detected. On-going improvements to sewage treatment in Halifax Harbour, including construction of sewage treatment plants that will discharge into deeper parts of the central harbour, should improve inter-tidal mussels' health in our study area.     

Cobalt and secondary poisoning in the terrestrial food chain: data review and research gaps to support risk assessment

Cobalt is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, water, plants, and animals and has diverse industrial importance. It is cycled in surface environments through many natural processes (e.g. volcanic eruptions, weathering) and can be introduced through numerous anthropogenic activities (e.g. burning of coal or oil, or the production of cobalt alloys). The environmental behaviour of cobalt in terrestrial environment is relatively poorly studied and in particular where Co is used in industrial processes, the baseline information to support wider and long-term environmental impacts is widely dispersed. To support the adoption of new EU regulations on the risk assessment of chemicals, we review here the various aspects of the environmental chemistry, fate and transport of Co across environmental interfaces and discuss the toxicology and potential for bio magnification and food chain accumulation. The soil-to-plant transfer of Co appears to be viable route to expose lower trophic levels to biologically significant concentrations and Co is potentially accumulated in biomass and top soil. Evidence for further accumulation through soil-invertebrate transfer and to higher trophic levels is suggested by some studies but this is obscured by the relatively high variability of published transfer data. This variation is not due to one particular aspect of the transfer of Co in terrestrial environments. Influences are from the variability of geological sources within soil systems; the sensitivity of Co mobility to environmental factors (e.g. pH) and the variety of life strategies for metal elimination/use within biological species. Toxic effects of Co have been suggested for some soil-plant animal studies however, uncertainty in the extrapolation from laboratory to field is a major limitation.     

Measuring the Social Recreation Per-Day Net Benefit of the Wildlife Amenities of a National Park: A Count-Data Travel-Cost Approach

In this article, we apply count-data travel-cost methods to a truncated sample of visitors to estimate the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PGNP) average consumer surplus (CS) for each day of visit. The measurement of recreation demand is highly specific because it is calculated by number of days of stay per visit. We therefore propose the application of altered truncated count-data models or truncated count-data models on grouped data to estimate a single, on-site individual recreation demand function, with the price (cost) of each recreation day per trip equal to out-of-pocket and time travel plus out-of-pocket and on-site time costs. We further check the sensitivity of coefficient estimations to alternative models and analyse the welfare measure precision by using the delta and simulation methods by Creel and Loomis. With simulated limits, CS is estimated to be €194 (range €116 to €448). This information is of use in the quest to improve government policy and PNPG management and conservation as well as promote nature-based tourism. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure the average recreation net benefits of each day of stay generated by a national park by using truncated altered and truncated grouped count-data travel-cost models based on observing the individual number of days of stay.