Evaluation of a novel structural model to describe the endogenous release of lead from bone

The aim of this paper was to assess the endogenous release of lead from bone to blood, in 204 exposed subjects. resuming their duties after a 10-month strike in a primary lead smelter in 1991. In vivo 109Cd K X-ray Fluorescence (109Cd K XRF) was used to measure the bone lead concentration in tibia and calcaneus in the smelter, in 1994 and five years later. The 1994 data were used to derive the post-strike bone lead concentrations retrospectively from the significant association between bone lead and the cumulative blood lead index (CBLI). When a linear model was used to predict the current blood lead upon the level of lead in bone, structural analysis of the data produced slopes for tibia (2.0, 95% CI 1.66-2.54) and calcaneus (0.19, 95% CI 0.16-0.23) that were significantly higher than those predicted by the commonly used simple linear regression method, for tibia (0.73, 95%, CI 0.58-0.88) and calcaneus (0.08, 95% CI 0.06-0.09). This suggests that more lead than previously predicted by regression is released from bone to blood. Furthermore, the structural analysis of the data produced an estimation of the contribution of the bone lead stores to the bloodstream that was more consistent with the 1999 epidemiological data than did the regression estimation. Moreover, a non-linear relationship between tibia lead and blood lead was suggested from the assumption checking procedures for regression. When a non-linear regression model was fit to the data, the method produced estimates of important parameters in human lead kinetics, namely the blood lead saturation constant, showing a good agreement with current knowledge of lead metabolism. Finally, the likelihood of a non-linear bone lead release seems to be supported by the recently described dependence of the half-life of lead in bone on age and intensity of occupational exposure.     

Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Poly(lactic acid)/Bio-Based Polyethylene/Clay Biocomposites Containing Montmorillonite and Vermiculite Clays

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - This work aims to investigate the effect of organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) and vermiculite (OVT) clays on the properties of poly(lactic acid)...     

Environmental performance evaluation of agro-industrial innovations – part 1: Ambitec-Life Cycle,a methodological approach for considering life cycle thinking

As sustainability considerations increasingly dominate the technology development debate worldwide, practical approaches to assess environmental performance of innovations have been warranted. The present study (Part 1) introduces Ambitec-Life Cycle, a method derived from Ambitec-Agro for considering life cycle thinking in the environmental performance evaluation (EPE) of agro-industrial innovations. An agro-industrial innovation case study related to residue recycling is presented, revealing steps in the product life cycle where opportunities are best for technological improvements. In Part 2 (this issue) of this study, a methodological approach for considering the environmental vulnerability of watersheds and to integrate this analysis in EPE methods is presented. This approach is applied to Ambitec-Life Cycle and to the same residue case study, allowing the identification of performance indicators with greater potential to cause impacts at the studied watersheds.     

Quantification of sediments accumulated in the NW sector of Tróia Peninsula (Portugal) between 1928 and 1995

Quantification of the accumulated or eroded sediment is an important procedure towards the understanding of shoreline migration and therefore, to the evaluation of littoral dynamics. Tróia Peninsula is a sand spit, made up of dunes and beaches. It is located on the left margin of the Sado River mouth near the foot of the Arrábida Mountain, on the west coast of Portugal, 30?km south of Lisbon. Data from 1928 to 1995 clearly shows an oceanwards coastline migration during this period. The objective of this work is to quantify the volume of sediment accumulated in the NW sector of Tróia Peninsula from 1928 to 1995, a 67?years period, and determine sediments net accumulation rate for that period of time. Using the 1928 bathymetry, from a 1930 nautical chart, and the altimetry, from the 1995 Imoareia topographic survey, the volume of sediments accumulated was calculated, with a Geographic Information System. Digital Terrain Models, representing the topography and bathymetry of both years, were created for the evaluation. Results show a positive variation of 5.718.224?m3 for an area of 938.440?m2, i.e. a net sedimentation rate of approximately 85.000 m3year-1 or 0,09 myear-1.     

Climate change is predicted to negatively influence Moroccan endemic reptile richness. Implications for conservation in protected areas

The identification of species-rich areas and their prognosticated turnover under climate change are crucial for the conservation of endemic taxa. This study aims to identify areas of reptile endemicity richness in a global biodiversity hot spot (Morocco) under current and future climatic conditions and to investigate the role of protected areas in biodiversity conservation under climate change. Species distribution models (SDM) were performed over the distribution of 21 endemic reptiles, combined to estimate current species richness at 1?×?1 km resolution and projected to years 2050 and 2080 according to distinct story lines and ensemble global circulation models, assuming unlimited and null dispersion ability. Generalized additive models were performed between species richness and geographic characteristics of 43 protected areas. SDM found precipitation as the most important factor related to current species distributions. Important reductions in future suitable areas were predicted for 50 % of species, and four species were identified as highly vulnerable to extinction. Drastic reductions in species-rich areas were predicted for the future, with considerable variability between years and dispersal scenarios. High turnover rates of species composition were predicted for eastern Morocco, whereas low values were forecasted for the Northern Atlantic coast and mountains. Species richness for current and future conditions was significantly related to the altitude and latitude of protected areas. Protected areas located in mountains and/or in the Northern Atlantic coast were identified as refugia, where population monitoring and conservation management is needed.

     

Influence of sewage sludge,as a substrate,in the plasticity of functional characteristics of plants

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge application as fertilizer on the plasticity of functional characteristics of species commonly found in the Caatinga. The research was developed in the nursery of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará (IFCE), Quixadá campus, located in northeastern Brazil. Three treatments were applied: raw sludge, sanitized sludge, and no manipulation. In each treatment, five species were planted, each with five individuals, totaling 75 individuals, which were tagged, and 4 months after germination, they were destroyed to obtain dry matter content (TMSF) from leaf, stem (TMSC), fine root (TMSRF), and thick root (TMSRG); leaf area; height and diameter of the seedling; and length above and below the ground. The sanitized sludge was responsible for giving higher values for leaf area, height of the seedlings, and diameter and length of stem and root. However, the dry matter content of the fine roots was higher in the treatment without manipulation. At the community level, as TMSRG increased, TMSC also increased, the same occurred between TMSRG and TMSRF, TMSC and TMSRF, and stem length and leaf area. In the treatment without manipulation, there was a positive correlation between leaf area, height and plant diameter, and negative correlation between root length and plant diameter. Thus, it can be concluded that the use of sanitized sludge is a good tool to increase the availability of soil resources, conferring to individuals’ greater dry matter content, greater leaf area, and higher height and diameter above the ground.     

Influence of construction and demolition waste management on the environmental impact of buildings

The purpose of this study is to quantify comparable environmental impacts within a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) perspective, for buildings in which the first (Materials) and last (End of Life) life cycle stages are adjusted to several waste/material management options. Unlike most LCAs, the approach is “top-down” rather than “bottom-up”, which usually involves large amounts of data and the use of specific software applications. This approach is considered appropriate for a limited but expedient LCA designed to compare the environmental impacts of different life cycle options.Present results, based on real buildings measurements and demolition contractor activities, show that shallow, superficial, selective demolition may not result in reduced environmental impacts. Calculations actually show an increase (generally less than 5%) in most impact categories for the Materials and End of Life stages because of extra transportation needs. However, core material separation in demolition operations and its recycling and/or reuse does bring environmental benefits. A reduction of around 77% has been estimated in the climate change impact category, 57% in acidification potential and 81% in the summer smog impact (for the life cycle stages referred).     

Modelling and simulation of inhibition-injection systems applied to polymerization reactors

The most critical aspect of polymerization reactors is the agitator's stop and becomes more serious when this occurs exactly at the removal of the heat load, which is generated by the reaction (exothermic). This phenomenon is typical in power-failure situations of the energy supply or because of other related problems at the plant. The objective of this work is to compare the performance of two configurations for the inhibition-injection system for vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) polymerization reactors. To determine the injection time a rigorous mathematical model was developed. From the results of this work one of the configurations was implemented in an industrial plant.     

Tropical fishes in a temperate sea: evolution of the wrasse <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thalassoma pavo</Emphasis> and the parrotfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sparisoma cretense</Emphasis> in the Mediterranean and the adjacent Macaronesian and Cape Verde Archipelagos

The northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea share geological histories and display great faunal affinities. The majority of the Mediterranean species have Atlantic origins, with a few species with tropical affinities. These include the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense and the wrasse Thalassoma pavo that are restricted to the subtropical northeastern Atlantic, the Macaronesian archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, and Canaries) and the southern Mediterranean. The Pleistocene glaciations have been described as having different effects on the fauna of the two regions. During glacial peaks, Mediterranean waters remained warmer than those of the adjacent Atlantic. Within the eastern Atlantic, the effects of Pleistocene glaciations were differentiated. Here, we perform a comparative analysis focusing on T. pavo and S. cretense populations from the northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean to assess the effects of Pleistocene glaciations in these two species. Sequences from the mitochondrial control region were obtained and analyzed combining phylogeographic and demographic approaches. Gene flow between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations was shown to be very high. The Mediterranean populations of T. pavo and S. cretense showed high levels of genetic diversity, even in the eastern basin, pointing to an ancient colonization event. This suggests that both species must have been able to persist in the Mediterranean during the cold Pleistocene periods. Historical migration estimates revealed a Mediterranean towards Atlantic trend in the case of T. pavo, which may reflect the re-colonization of areas in the Atlantic by fish that survived the cold phases in relatively warmer Mediterranean refugia. Our data also showed that within the Macaronesian Archipelagos, migrations occurred from Madeira towards the Azores, for both T. pavo and S. cretense, thus supporting a post-glacial colonization of the Azores by fish that persisted in the warmer region of Madeira. Similar geographic distributions, thermal affinities, and means of dispersion for T. pavo and S. cretense resulted in a similar response to the effects of Pleistocene glaciations, as evidenced by identical phylogeographic patterns.     

Physiological responses and phytoremediation capacity of floating and submerged aquatic macrophytes exposed to ciprofloxacin

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) water contamination is a global concern, having reached disturbing concentrations and threatening the aquatic ecosystems. We...