Heavy metal concentrations in litteral sediments from the Beagle Channel,Tierra del Fuego,Argentina

For the first time the concentration of trace metals (Fe, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd and total Hg) of sediments from the coastal zone of the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, in Southern Argentina) were measured. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was utilized in order to determine the metal contents. The level of metals as observed in the sediments was recognized as the natural background, even though the use of normalization of lead, copper, and zinc to iron allowed the identification of the main sources of metal pollution for this environment. In order to develop future environmental monitoring programmes for the area of Ushuaia city and the Beagle Channel, the present results need to be considered.     

GIS aided prediction of CO2 emission dispersion from geothermal electricity production

CO₂ is the dominant constituent of non-condensable gases in the steam phase of most geothermal fluids. This paper attempts to present the results of a study conducted to develop prediction modeling of CO₂ dispersion in the surrounding atmosphere from a planned 50 MWe geothermal power plant prior to its production. Dispersion models are widely used for predicting future concentrations of environmental emissions on a range of geographic scales. The dispersion type for gases and their average removal rate depends on the meteorological conditions such as wind direction, wind speed, precipitation, atmospheric stability, and surface roughness and topography. Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities were used for quality visualization of the model outputs and presenting an accurate numerical copy of the study area. The results by the prediction model show that the natural transfer of CO₂ will be from the power plant toward east and northeast and CO₂ concentration trends after the power plant utilization will be similar to the background conditions with minor changes. This dispersion test was carried out to validate and field test the GIS aided dispersion modeling approach described in the paper and the procedure may be applicable for other studies assessing the emission dispersion of pollutants from a point source.     

Evaluation of education and water resource types on some wheat land features, using Fars Comprehensive Agricultural Database (case study; Pasargad, Iran)

Fars Comprehensive Agricultural Database was created to remove bottlenecks and constrains of province for decision makers in a way that leads to sustainable agriculture. Regarding Fars agricultural comprehensive information database, and the importance of wheat as the strategic commodity, this study was conducted in Ali-Abad-e-Kamin (Pasargad, Iran) to assess two most important managerial factors affecting other agricultural factors. Therefore, in this study, besides evaluating the effect of water resource on wheat yield and other traits, education impacts were analyzed and evaluated as well. Data were collected regarding cadastre land use information derived from satellite imagery combined with GIS potencies, and also a comprehensive questionnaire was completed to collect local field information. Results revealed that educational level has significant effect on crop yield, fields’ area and seed consumption rate and also effect of water resource showed significant difference for crop yield, fields’ area. Finally, interactive effect of water resource and educational level showed significant difference just for wheat yield. Also, as a result, higher education positively results in improved wheat yield, lands’ area and seed consumption rate. On the other hand, river as a type of sustainable water resource with karstic geological formations positively affected wheat yield, lands’ area and farms distance from village. Overall, transferring knowledge from relevant organization resulting in higher productivity seems to be necessary.     

LDPE/EPDM Multilayer Films Containing Recycled LDPE for Greenhouse Applications

In this paper the reuse of recycled LDPE in combination with the incorporation of EPDM modifier in the production of greenhouse films has been investigated. A three-layer film (60-100-40 micron thickness) containing recycled LDPE in the middle layer and a high UV-stabilized 40-micron outer layer was developed and proven to be commercially successful. Films with 25% and 50% recycled material content were produced. The effect of natural weathering on the film properties over a period of 15 months has been observed. Changes in physical and mechanical property were determined. The addition of EPDM to the raw resin was found to improve the extrudability of the compound and improve the weather resistivity of the film. The EPDM-modified films containing 25% to 50% recycled material retained approximately 95% and 75%, respectively, of their original extensibility after 9 months' exposure to natural weathering. Optimization of EPDM and UV stabilizer concentration was carried out to develop a balanced film with excellent mechanical and physical properties and resistance to weathering conditions. The use of UV stabilizer concentrations slightly higher than commercial practice in the outer layer of the multilayer film can be justified by the cost reduction by the incorporation of recycled LDPE materials.     

Manual Material Handling Assessment Among Workers of Iranian Casting Workshops

Manual material handling (MMH) tasks can be found in most workplaces and they may constitute a risk factor for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of WMSDs and to compare MMH loads with the acceptable weight and force limits among Iranian casting workers. Data were collected from 50 workers of casting workshops who performed MMH tasks. The Nordic musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire and the Snook tables were used as tools for data collection. Hand/ wrist symptoms were the most prevalent problems among the workers (84%). The results of the Snook tables showed that the loads in lifting (84%), lowering (86%), carrying (66%), pushing with initial (43%) and sustained force (59%), and pulling tasks with initial (48%) and sustained force (93%) exceeded recommended limits. WMSDs occurred in high rates among the workers and, thus, ergonomics interventions should focus on decreasing WMSDs and redesigning MMH tasks.     

The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in apple fruit: a global systematic review,meta-analysis,and health risk assessment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in crops can directly/indirectly affect consumers’ health. The contamination of apple as one...     

Natural radioactivity and chemical concentrations in Egyptian groundwater

Measurements of natural radioactivity in drinking water have been performed in many parts of the world, mostly for assessment of the doses and risk resulting from consuming water. A study of the radionuclide and chemical components in groundwater from Beni Suef Governate, Egypt has been carried out. Fifty water samples were analyzed by gamma ray spectroscopy to determine the ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K concentrations; major elements, pH, alkalinity, and conductivity were also measured. The specific activity values ranged from 0.008 to 0.040 Bq/l for ²²⁶Ra, from 0.003 to 0.019 Bq/l for ²³²Th, and from 0.025 to 0.344 Bq/l for ⁴⁰K. The annual ingestions of these radionuclides, using local consumption rates (average over the whole population) of 1.5 l day^???1, were estimated to be 8.59, 4.86, and 83.47 Bq year^???1 for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K, respectively. The estimated values and weighted means of these radionuclides compare well with the world average. The estimated effective doses from drinking water were found to be 2.4 ??Sv year^???1 (²²⁶Ra), 1.1 ??Sv year^???1 (²³²Th), and 0.51 ??Sv year^???1 (⁴⁰K). Contribution of these radionuclides to the committed effective dose from 1 year consumption of drinking water is estimated to be only 4%.     

A review on detection of heavy metals from aqueous media using nanomaterial-based sensors

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The extensive release of heavy metals into the natural water bodies has become globally prevalent from past few decades. Heavy metal toxicity is...     

Sustainable supplier selection for the cold supply chain (CSC) in the context of a developing country

Cold supply chain (CSC) is a process that involves temperature-controlled activities ranging from the acquisition of raw materials and down to the end consumers. A sustainable cold chain supplier is the one that incorporates sustainable practices in its complete cycle of operations. This is to ensure keeping the products from going to waste, especially in the case of a developing country. To identify the driving factors towards the sustainable cold chain supplier, this study utilizes the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach in the first phase. Fifteen various sustainability factors were analyzed and the “utilization of renewable resources” factor concluded to be the most important driving factor. By implementing renewable resources, a supplier can be able to convert its manufacturing processes and services to sustainable assets. The second phase of this study conducts the selection of cold chain suppliers in the context of Pakistan. For this purpose, fuzzy VIKOR, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique is incorporated to analyze eight suppliers based on fifteen distinct criteria. The results concluded Mitchell foods to be the most economically, environmentally and socially sustainable suppliers in the context of Pakistan. This study recommends providing business-friendly incentives to suppliers like Mitchells and new investors who tend to keep their operations sustainable by adopting renewable resources. Furthermore, the relaxation of taxes and creating job employability by working with sustainable suppliers can contribute positively towards economic growth and the overall society. The study holds novelty in the area of cold chain supplier selection for Pakistan by utilizing a novel approach in the form of ISM and fuzzy VIKOR techniques, thus forming a major application of this research study.

Graphic abstract