Occupational Exposure to Natural UV Radiation and Premature Skin Ageing

The skin is the part of the human body most vulnerable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The spectrum of the negative effects of UV radiation on the skin ranges from acute erythema to carcinogenesis. Between these extreme conditions, there are other common skin lesions, e.g.,photoageing. The aim of this study was to assess the skin for signs of photoageing in a group of 52 men occupationally exposed to natural UV radiation. There were 2 types of examinations: an examination of skin condition (moisture, elasticity, sebum, porosity, smoothness, discolourations and wrinkles) with a device for diagnosing the skin, and a dermatological examination. The results of both examinations revealed a higher percentage of skin characteristics typical for photoageing in outdoor workers compared to the general population.     

Analysis of Conditions and Organization of Work of Notebook Computer Users

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate working conditions with a notebook computer (notebook) as a potential cause of musculoskeletal disorders. Material and methods. The study had 2 stages. The first one was a questionnaire survey among 300 notebook users. The next stage was an expert analysis of 53 randomly selected workstations. The questionnaire survey included questions about the participants, their working conditions, work organization and also duration of work with a notebook. Results and conclusions. The results of the research showed that most examined operators used a notebook as a basic working tool. The most important irregularities included an unadjustable working surface, unadjustable height of the seat pan and backrest, unadjustable height and distance between the armrests and no additional ergonomic devices (external keyboard, docking station, notebook stand or footstool).     

Alveolar Macrophage (AM) Mobility Reduction as a Result of Long-Term Exposure to High Dust Concentration in Inhaled Air

The influence of high concentration of insoluble particles in inhaled air on the alveolar macrophage (AM) mobility is analyzed. Kinetics of phagocytosis and the mobility of AM as a function of overloading is proposed. Three patterns of AM displacement on the surface of alveolus are distinguished depending on the loading of the surface with insoluble deposits, namely, directional being a result of surfactant activity, directional with a chemotactic bias, and purely random. The exit time of AM from alveolus under overloading is calculated.     

Application of mindfulness-based stress reduction to a stress management intervention in a study of a mining sector company

Purpose. The aim of this article was to check whether mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an effective intervention in reducing work-related stress in the case of workers in a copper mine. Methods. Sixty six employees were randomized to the experimental group (32 participants) or to the control group (34 participants). Work-related stress was measured using the job content questionnaire (JCQ) and mental health was measured using the general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) Experimental manipulation was 40-h MBSR training. Results. Multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant increase of JCQ decision latitude (F?=?17.36, p?<?0.001) and social support (supervisor F?=?9.00, p?<?0.004; coworker F?=?5.61, p?<?0.020), and a significant decrease in GHQ-28 anxiety (F?=?5.28, p?<?0.079) and depression (F?=?3.95, p?<?0.048) due to the intervention. Conclusions. The study confirms that MBSR can be effective in reducing stress resulting from the external risk (and/or imagined fear) of losing one’s health or life. The use of MBSR could be recommended in health and safety activities in difficult and dangerous work conditions, such as mining, to promote workers’ well-being.     

Transport of radiocesium in mycelium and its translocation to fruitbodies of a saprophytic macromycete

We present a new protocol to study fluxes of radionuclides and other xenobiotics in saprophytic fungi. This simple method has successfully been used to evaluate transport of radiocesium in hyphae of Pleurotus eryngii and its translocation to fruitbodies.     

Future climate and adverse health effects caused by fine particulate matter air pollution: case study for Poland

Ground level air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), has been associated with a number of adverse health effects. The dispersion of PM_2.5 through the atmosphere depends on several mutually connected anthropogenic, geophysical and meteorological parameters, all of which are affected by climate change. This study examines how projected climate change would affect population exposure to PM_2.5 air pollution in Poland. Population exposure to PM_2.5 in Poland was estimated for three decades: the 1990s, 2040s and 2090s. Future climate conditions were projected by Regional Climate Model RegCM (Beta), forced by the general atmospheric circulation model ECHAM5. The dispersion of PM_2.5 was simulated with chemical transport model CAMx version 4.40. Population exposure estimates of PM_2.5 were 18.3, 17.2 and 17.1 μg/m³ for the 1990s, 2040s and 2090s, respectively. PM_2.5 air pollution was estimated to cause approximately 39,800 premature deaths in the population of Poland in the year 2000. Our results indicate that in Poland, climate change may reduce the levels of exposure to anthropogenic particulate air pollution in future decades and that this reduction will reduce adverse health effects caused by the air pollution.     

Water quality requirements for sustaining aquifer storage and recovery operations in a low permeability fractured rock aquifer

A changing climate and increasing urbanisation has driven interest in the use of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) schemes as an environmental management tool to supplement conventional water resources. This study focuses on ASR with stormwater in a low permeability fractured rock aquifer and the selection of water treatment methods to prevent well clogging. In this study two different injection and recovery phases were trialed. In the first phase ~1380 m(3) of potable water was injected and recovered over four cycles. In the second phase ~3300 m(3) of treated stormwater was injected and ~2410 m(3) were subsequently recovered over three cycles. Due to the success of the potable water injection cycles, its water quality was used to set pre-treatment targets for harvested urban stormwater of ≤ 0.6 NTU turbidity, ≤ 1.7 mg/L dissolved organic carbon and ≤ 0.2 mg/L biodegradable dissolved organic carbon. A range of potential ASR pre-treatment options were subsequently evaluated resulting in the adoption of an ultrafiltration/granular activated carbon system to remove suspended solids and nutrients which cause physical and biological clogging. ASR cycle testing with potable water and treated stormwater demonstrated that urban stormwater containing variable turbidity (mean 5.5 NTU) and organic carbon (mean 8.3 mg/L) concentrations before treatment could be injected into a low transmissivity fractured rock aquifer and recovered for irrigation supplies. A small decline in permeability of the formation in the vicinity of the injection well was apparent even with high quality water that met turbidity and DOC but could not consistently achieve the BDOC criteria.     

Evaluation of sound exposure and risk of hearing impairment in orchestral musicians

This study aimed to assess exposure to sound and the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in orchestral musicians. Sound pressure level was measured in 1 opera and 3 symphony orchestras; questionnaires were filled in. On the basis of that data, the risk of NIHL was assessed according to Standard No. ISO 1999:1990. Classical orchestral musicians are usually exposed to sound at equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels of 81?90 dB (10th?90th percentiles), for 20?45 h (10th?90th percentiles) per week. Occupational exposure to such sound levels over 40 years of employment might cause hearing loss (expressed as a mean hearing threshold level at 2, 3, 4 kHz exceeding 35 dB) of up to 26%. Playing the horn, trumpet, tuba and percussion carries the highest risk (over 20%).     

Effectiveness of potassium ferrate (VI) as a green agent in the treatment and disinfection of carwash wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Carwash wastewater treatment with potassium ferrate (VI) (K2FeO4) was optimized by response surface methodology. The optimum conditions for chemical...     

The disposition and metabolism of tetrabromobisphenol-A after a single i.p. dose in the rat.

Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A) is used as a reactive (primary use) or an additive flame retardant and as an intermediate in the production of other flame retardants. In our study TBBP-A[14C] was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) in a single dose of 250 or 1000 mg/kg body weight (about 300 kBq per animal). The level of radioactivity in erythrocytes was 10 times higher than in plasma 72 h after the administration. In all examined tissues the peak level of 14C could be observed within the first hour after the administration, and the highest concentrations were detected in the fat tissue, followed by liver, sciatic nerve, muscles and adrenals. Total excretion in faeces 72 h after the administration was about 51-65% of the dose, whereas in urine it was only 0.3%. About 20% was still retained in the rat organism.