High natural radiation exposure in radon spa areas: a detailed field investigation in Niska Banja (Balkan region)

The measurement campaigns have been done in the rural community of Niska Banja, a spa town located in southern Serbia, to evaluate population exposure to natural radioactivity. After a screening survey in 200 houses, annual radon and thoron concentrations were measured in 34 houses, and in 2004 a detailed investigation was carried out at six houses with elevated indoor radon concentrations. The paper presents the results of these detailed measurements. The complementary techniques were applied to determine radon and thoron concentrations in indoor air, in soil gas, radon exhalation from soil, soil permeability, and indoor and outdoor gamma doses. Soil and water samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory. Indoor radon and thoron concentrations were found to be more than 1kBqm(-3) and 200Bqm(-3), respectively. Extremely high concentrations of soil-gas radon (>2000kBqm(-3)) and radon exhalation rates (1.5mBqm(-2)s(-1)) were observed. These results will be utilised to set up the methodology for a more systematic investigation.     

Remobilization of metals from slag and polluted sediments (case study: the canal of the Deûle River, northern France)

The anthropogenic impact on the environment in the last century has proven to be very negative due to the fast development of industry. A typical example is the De?le River in northern France, one of the most polluted sites in this region. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu in river sediments are 300, 800, 50 and 15 times higher, respectively, than the background values. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the capacity of already polluted sediments to capture metals released from industrial wastes (slag). As it were, in spite of the high metal pollution level, sediments have still shown the ability to adsorb metals released from slag under the conditions provided. Their efficiency in "cleaning up" some of the metals (e.g. Pb) seems to be additionally enhanced in anoxic conditions. This study provided some additional information on the importance of sediments as a pollutant sink.     

Active moss biomonitoring of trace elements with Sphagnum girgensohnii moss bags in relation to atmospheric bulk deposition in Belgrade, Serbia

Active biomonitoring with wet and dry moss bags was used to examine trace element atmospheric deposition in the urban area of Belgrade. The element accumulation capability of Sphagnum girgensohnii Russow was tested in relation to atmospheric bulk deposition. Moss bags were mounted for five 3-month periods (July 2005-October 2006) at three representative urban sites. For the same period monthly bulk atmospheric deposition samples were collected. The concentrations of Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb were determined by instrumental neutron activation analyses and atomic absorption spectrometry. Significant accumulation of most elements occurred in the exposed moss bags compared with the initial moss content. High correlations between the elements in moss and bulk deposits were found for V, Cu, As, and Ni. The enrichment factors of the elements for both types of monitor followed the same pattern at the corresponding sites.     

Environmental concentrations of Roundup in combination with chlorpromazine or heating causes biochemical disturbances in the bivalve mollusc Unio tumidus

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Bivalve molluscs represent the most recognized bioindicators of freshwater pollution. However, their ability to indicate specific xenobiotics in...     

Evaluating Green Productivity Gains with the Exponential By-Production Technology: an Analysis of the Chinese Industrial Sector

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - The conventional convexity assumptions frequently placed on piecewise linear frontiers of production technologies modeled using data envelopment analysis...