Long-range potential source contributions of episodic aerosol events to PM10 profile of a megacity

This paper evaluates possible long-range source contributions to the PM₁₀ profile of Istanbul, Turkey. A novel method for classifying PM₁₀ episodic events resulting from long-range transport, as opposed to local ones, was implemented. Hourly PM₁₀ mass concentrations from ten stations distributed throughout Istanbul during the year 2008 were used for this purpose. Hourly backward trajectories for the arrival of air masses to the center of Istanbul for the year 2008 were calculated using the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model. Significant episodes from these backward trajectories were selected and employed in Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) analysis to estimate the possible contribution of long-range PM₁₀ transport (LRPMT) to observed PM₁₀ concentrations. The PSCF results showed significant seasonal variations. Based on the results obtained, PM₁₀ concentrations observed in Istanbul during summer and autumn are not heavily affected by LRPMT. Mediterranean countries, especially those of the central part of northern Africa (northern Algeria and Libya) are the most significant potential PM₁₀ contributors to Istanbul's atmosphere during springtime. During winter, Balkan countries, including the Aegean part of Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Croatia, as well as northern Italy, eastern France, southern Germany, Austria and the eastern part of Russia, were the most important LRPMT source regions for high PSCF values.     

条件磷指数:一个用于风险评估和磷管理的教育工具

磷指数(H)是一个结合磷源因子和传输因子来对土地磷流失的脆弱性进行分类的风险评估工具.本文阐述了条件磷指数的结构和概念,用来作为教育和磷管理的有效工具,加以调节后可以用来对瑞典的实际环境条件进行评估.由于某一特定因子对磷流失的重要程度强烈依赖于他们同其他因子的相互影响作用,更为精确的过程描述和量化的条件规则是必不可缺的.考虑通过土壤剖面磷的流失,单独计算活性磷和惰性磷,用动态的方法来计算土壤侵蚀流失中磷的流失评价,是本文提出的教育和管理工具的一些全新的特征.通过比较计算的PI值和从一个瑞典水质监测项目中7个观测地点观测的磷年传输数据,对本文提出的方法进行测试.首次测试表明,这个方法能够成功地用于磷流失风险评估.     

Biomass as the Renewable Energy Sources in Malaysia: An Overview

Past and current economic growths of Malaysia have been primarily energized by fossil fuels. Malaysia has very substantial potential for biomass energy utilization given its equatorial climate that is ideal for dense tropical forest growth and agricultural vegetation. There are five major sectors contributing wastes to biomass energy in Malaysia: forestry (wood products), rubber cultivation, cocoa cultivation, sugar cane cultivation and oil palm cultivation. Biomass in Malaysia contributes about 14% of the approximately 340 million barrel of oil equivalent (boe) of energy used every year. This paper provides an overview on the types of biomass being used, the research works on biomass conversion into energy and the present biomass energy projects in Malaysia.     

Occupational exposure to gasoline in gasoline station male attendants promotes M1 polarization in macrophages

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Several studies have reported the toxicological implications of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbon fumes in animal models. There is little...     

The mutagenic effect of tobacco smoke on male fertility

Despite the association between tobacco use and the harmful effects on general health as well as male fertility parameters, smoking remains globally prevalent. The main content of tobacco smoke is nicotine and its metabolite cotinine. These compounds can pass the blood-testis barrier, which subsequently causes harm of diverse degree to the germ cells. Although controversial, smoking has been shown to cause not only a decrease in sperm motility, sperm concentration, and an increase in abnormal sperm morphology, but also genetic and epigenetic aberrations in spermatozoa. Both animal and human studies have highlighted the occurrence of sperm DNA-strand breaks (fragmentation), genome instability, genetic mutations, and the presence of aneuploids in the germline of animals and men exposed to tobacco smoke. The question to be asked at this point is, if smoking has the potential to cause all these genetic aberrations, what is the extent of damage? Hence, this review aimed to provide evidence that smoking has a mutagenic effect on sperm and how this subsequently affects male fertility. Additionally, the role of tobacco smoke as an aneugen will be explored. We furthermore aim to incorporate the epidemiological aspects of the aforementioned and provide a holistic approach to the topic.

     

Metals distribution in soils around the cement factory in southern Jordan

Thirty one soil samples were collected from south Jordan around the cement factory in Qadissiya area. The samples were obtained at two depths, 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm and were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometery for Pb, Zn, Cd, Fe, Cu and Cr. Physicochemical factors believed to affect their mobility of metals in soil of the study area were examined such as; pH, TOM, CaCO3, CEC and conductivity. The relatively high concentrations of lead, zinc and cadmium in the soil samples of the investigated area were related to anthropogenic sources such as cement industry, agriculture activities and traffic emissions. It was found that the lead, zinc and cadmium have the highest level in area close to the cement factory, while the concentration of chromium was low. This study indicate that all of the metals are concentrated on the surface soil, and decreased in the lower part of the soil, this due to reflects their mobility and physical properties of soil and its alkaline pH values. The use of factor analysis showed that anthropogenic activities seem to be the responsible source of pollution for metals in urban soils.     

Ecosystem Services Provided by Agroecosystems: A Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of this Relationship in the Pampa Region,Argentina

The development of an analytical framework relating agricultural conditions and ecosystem services (ES) provision could be very useful for developing land-use systems which sustain natural resources for future use. According to this, a conceptual network was developed, based on literature review and expert knowledge, about the functional relationships between agricultural management and ES provision in the Pampa region (Argentina). We selected eight ES to develop this conceptual network: (1) carbon (C) balance, (2) nitrogen (N) balance, (3) groundwater contamination control, (4) soil water balance, (5) soil structural maintenance, (6) N₂O emission control, (7) regulation of biotic adversities, and (8) biodiversity maintenance. This conceptual network revealed a high degree of interdependence among ES provided by Pampean agroecosystems, finding two trade-offs, and two synergies among them. Then, we analyzed the conceptual network structure, and found that both environmental and management variables influenced ES provision. Finally, we selected four ES to parameterize and quantify along 10 growing seasons (2000/2001–2009/2010) through a probabilistic methodology called Bayesian Networks. Only N balance was negatively impacted by agricultural management; while C balance, groundwater contamination control, and N₂O emission control were not. Outcomes of our work emphasize the idea that qualitative and quantitative methodologies should be implemented together to assess ES provision in Pampean agroecosystems, as well as in other agricultural systems.     

Risk assessment of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the Klang River estuary,Malaysia

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The concentration profile, distribution and risk assessment of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the coastal surface water from the Klang River...     

Synthesis and potential applications of cyclodextrin-based metal–organic frameworks: a review

Metal–organic frameworks are porous polymeric materials formed by linking metal ions with organic bridging ligands. Metal–organic frameworks are used as sensors, catalysts for organic transformations, biomass conversion, photovoltaics, electrochemical applications, gas storage and separation, and photocatalysis. Nonetheless, many actual metal–organic frameworks present limitations such as toxicity of preparation reagents and components, which make frameworks unusable for food and pharmaceutical applications. Here, we review the structure, synthesis and properties of cyclodextrin-based metal–organic frameworks that could be used in bioapplications. Synthetic methods include vapor diffusion, microwave-assisted, hydro/solvothermal, and ultrasound techniques. The vapor diffusion method can produce cyclodextrin-based metal–organic framework crystals with particle sizes ranging from 200 nm to 400 μm. Applications comprise food packaging, drug delivery, sensors, adsorbents, gas separation, and membranes. Cyclodextrin-based metal–organic frameworks showed loading efficacy of the bioactive compounds ranging from 3.29 to 97.80%.