Heavy metal contamination in the vicinity of an industrial area near Bucharest

Background, aim, and scope  

Heavy metals such as lead are well known to cause harmful health effects. Especially children are particularly susceptible to increased levels of lead in their blood. It is also a fact that lead concentration is increasing in the environment due to increased anthropogenic activity. The risk of heavy metal contamination is pronounced in the environment adjacent to large industrial complexes. In a combined case study, the environmental pollution by heavy metals was related to children’s health in the vicinity of an industrial area located 4 km south-east from Bucharest about 2 km east from the nearest town—Pantelimon. This site includes companies processing different, nonferrous solid wastes for recovery of heavy metals and producing different nonferrous alloys and lead batteries. In this paper, mainly the results of environmental sampling and analyses are summarized.     

Biochemical and standard toxic effects of acetaminophen on the macrophyte species Lemna minor and Lemna gibba

Acetaminophen is globally one of the most prescribed drugs due to its antipyretic and analgesic properties. However, it is highly toxic when the dosage surpasses the detoxification capability of an exposed organism, with involvement of an already described oxidative stress pathway. To address the issue of the ecotoxicity of acetaminophen, we performed acute exposures of two aquatic plant species, Lemna gibba and Lemna minor, to this compound. The selected biomarkers were number of fronds, biomass, chlorophyll content, lipid peroxidation (TBARS assay), and proline content. Our results showed marked differences between the two species. Acetaminophen caused a significant decrease in the number of fronds (EC₅₀?=?446.6 mg/L), and the establishment of a dose-dependent peroxidative damage in L. minor, but not in L. gibba. No effects were reported in both species for the indicative parameters chlorophyll content and total biomass. However, the proline content in L. gibba was substantially reduced. The overall conclusions point to the occurrence of an oxidative stress scenario more prominent for L. minor. However, the mechanisms that allowed L. gibba to cope with acetaminophen exposure were distinct from those reported for L. minor, with the likely involvement of proline as antioxidant.     

Pesticide distribution in an agricultural environment in Argentina

An assessment of the off-site migration of pesticides from agricultural activity into the environment in the Neuquen River Valley was performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of pesticides in several compartments of a small agricultural sub-catchment. Soil, surface water, shallow groundwater and drift deposition were analyzed for pesticide residues. Results showed the presence of some pesticide residues in soil, surface water and shallow groundwater compartments. The highest detection frequencies in water (surface and subsurface) were found for azinphos-methyl and chlorpyrifos (>70%). In terms of concentration, the highest levels were observed in shallow groundwater for azinphos methyl (22.5 μg/L) and carbaryl (45.7 μg/L). In the soil, even before the application period had started, accumulation of residues was present. These residues increased during the period studied. Spray drift during pesticide application was found to be a significant pathway for the migration of pesticide residues in surface water, while leaching and preferential flows were the main transport routes contributing to subsurface contamination.     

Consumption patterns and household hazardous solid waste generation in an urban settlement in México

Mexico is currently facing a crisis in the waste management field. Some efforts have just commenced in urban and in rural settlements, e.g., conversion of open dumps into landfills, a relatively small composting culture, and implementation of source separation and plastic recycling strategies. Nonetheless, the high heterogeneity of components in the waste, many of these with hazardous properties, present the municipal collection services with serious problems, due to the risks to the health of the workers and to the impacts to the environment as a result of the inadequate disposition of these wastes. A generation study in the domestic sector was undertaken with the aim of finding out the composition and the generation rate of household hazardous waste (HHW) produced at residences. Simultaneously to the generation study, a socioeconomic survey was applied to determine the influence of income level on the production of HHW. Results from the solid waste generation analysis indicated that approximately 1.6% of the waste stream consists of HHW. Correspondingly, it was estimated that in Morelia, a total amount of 442ton/day of domestic waste are produced, including 7.1ton of HHW per day. Furthermore, the overall amount of HHW is not directly related to income level, although particular byproducts do correlate. However, an important difference was observed, as the brands and the presentation sizes of goods and products used in each socioeconomic stratum varied.     

Variation of the hydrological regime of Bele-Shira closed basin in Southern Siberia and its reflection in the radial growth of Larix sibirica

Regional Environmental Change - This study analyses dynamics of the hydrological regime of Bele-Shira closed basin and evaluates the potential for using radial growth of Siberian larch (Larix...     

Beyond colour: consistent variation in near infrared and solar reflectivity in sunbirds (Nectariniidae)

The visible spectrum represents a fraction of the sun’s radiation, a large portion of which is within the near infrared (NIR). However, wavelengths outside of the visible spectrum that are reflected by coloured tissues have rarely been considered, despite their potential significance to thermal effects. Here, we report the reflectivity from 300 to 2100 nm of differently coloured feathers. We measured reflectivity across the UV-Vis-NIR spectra of different (a) body parts, (b) colour-producing mechanisms and (c) sexes for 252 individuals of 68 sunbird (family: Nectariniidae) species. Breast plumage was the most reflective and cap plumage the least. Female plumage had greater reflectivity than males. Carotenoid-based colours had the greatest reflectivity, followed by non-iridescent and iridescent melanin-based colours. As ordered arrays of melanin-filled organelles (melanosomes) produce iridescent colours, this suggests that nanostructuring may affect reflectance across the spectrum. Our results indicate that differently coloured feathers consistently vary in their thermal, as well as obvious visual, properties.     

Impairment due to alcohol,tetrahydrocannabinol, and benzodiazepines in impaired drivers compared to experimental studies

Objective: In some countries, per se laws for other drugs than alcohol are used to judge drunk and drugged drivers. These blood concentration limits are often derived from experimental studies on traffic relevant behavior of healthy volunteers. Knowledge about how results from experimental studies could be transferred to a real-life setting is missing. The aim of this study was to compare impairment seen in experimental studies to the impairment seen at equivalent concentrations in apprehended drunk and drugged drivers.

Methods: Results from previously performed meta-analyses of experimental studies regarding impairment from alcohol, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and benzodiazepines were compared to impairment in apprehended drunk and drugged drivers as judged by a clinical test of impairment. Both experimental studies and real-life cases were divided into 4 groups according to increasing blood drug concentration intervals. The percentage of impaired test results in experimental studies was compared to the percentage of impaired subjects among drivers within the same blood drug concentration window.

Results: For ethanol, the percentage of impaired drivers (n = 1,223) increased from 59% in the lowest drug concentration group to 95% in the highest drug concentration group, compared to 7 and 72% in the respective groups in experimental studies. For THC, the percentage of impaired drivers (n = 950) increased from 42 to 58%, the corresponding numbers being 11 and 42% for experimental studies. For benzodiazepines, the percentage of impaired drivers (n = 245) increased from 46 to 76%, the corresponding numbers being 16 and 60% for experimental studies. The increased odds ratio for impairment between 2 concentration groups was comparable for experimental studies and impaired drivers.

Conclusions: Fewer test results indicated impairment in experimental studies compared to impaired drivers in real life when influenced by similar blood concentrations of either ethanol, THC, or benzodiazepines. In addition, a comparable relationship between drug concentration and impairment was seen for both experimental studies and real-life cases.

We believe that the present study strengthens the background for using experimental studies to establish fixed concentration limits for drunk and drugged drivers, but experimental studies in an impaired driver population could further expand our knowledge.     

Comparison of sample digestion procedures for the determination of trace elements in antarctic krill by GF‐AAS

Two independent digestion procedures for Antarctic krill samples were compared. Dry ashing (DA) and microwave (MW) acid‐assisted digestion were tested for decomposing the samples to determine essential (Cu, Fe, Cr) and toxic elements (Cd, Pb) by graphite furnace‐atomic absorption spectrometry (GF‐AAS). A mixture of HNO₃ and H₂O₂ as digesting agent was used in the microwave procedure. For the dry ashing digestion, the organic matter was oxidated at 480°C in an open system. Both digestion methods were compared in terms of accuracy and applied to the analysis of a certified reference material: MURST‐ISS‐A2 (Antarctic krill).

The detection limits for the five elements analysed ranged from 3 to 150 ng g^‐1. Both digestion procedures are suitable for the decomposition of krill samples. However, dry ashing is not recommended to determine Pb and Cd because losses can occur.     

Differential deposition of antimicrobial proteins in blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) clutches by laying order and male attractiveness

Female birds can influence offspring fitness by varying the relative quantities of egg components they deposit within and between clutches. Antimicrobial proteins (lysozyme, ovotransferrin, and avidin) are significant components of the avian albumen and likely aid in defense of embryos from microbial infection. Within clutches, females may enhance antimicrobial defense of early-laid eggs to protect them from the high risk of infection incurred before the onset of incubation. Among entire clutches, females may invest more resources in young sired by more attractive males because they have higher reproductive value. We tested these hypotheses by quantifying antimicrobial protein distribution within and among clutches in blue tit eggs. Contrary to our hypothesis, clutches showed no differential deposition of lysozyme or avidin within clutches, but eggs laid in the middle of the sequence had higher concentrations of ovotransferrin than eggs in the beginning and end. Consistent with our second hypothesis, we found that females produced eggs with higher concentrations of lysozyme (although not ovotransferrin or avidin) when mated to more attractive (more UV-reflective) males. Furthermore, females mated to polygynous males deposited less lysozyme than those mated to monogamous males. These data suggest that allocation of lysozyme at the clutch level may be a maternal effect mediated by male qualities.     

Particulate matter in the indoor and outdoor air of a gymnasium and a fronton

An indoor/outdoor monitoring programme of PM₁₀ was carried out in two sports venues (a fronton and a gymnasium). Levels always below 50 μg m^?3 were obtained in the fronton and outdoor air. Due to the climbing chalk and the constant process of resuspension, concentrations above 150 μg m^?3 were registered in the gymnasium. The chalk dust contributed to CO₃ ^2? concentrations of 32?±?9.4 μg m^?3 in this sports facility, which represented, on average, 18 % of the PM₁₀ mass. Here, the carbonate levels were 128 times higher than those registered outdoors. Much lower concentrations, around 1 μg m^?3, were measured in the fronton. The chalk dust is also responsible for the high Mg²⁺ concentrations in the gym (4.7?±?0.89 μg m^?3), unfolding a PM₁₀ mass fraction of 2.7 %. Total carbon accounted for almost 30 % of PM₁₀ in both indoor spaces. Aerosol size distributions were bimodal and revealed a clear dependence on physical activities and characteristics of the sports facilities. The use of climbing chalk in the gymnasium contributed significantly to the coarse mode. The average geometric mean diameter, geometric standard deviation and total number of coarse particles were 0.77 μm, 2.79 cm^?3 and 28 cm^?3, respectively.