Sources and pathways of artificial radionuclides to soils at a High Arctic site

Activity concentrations, inventories and activity ratios of ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸Pu, ^239?+?240Pu and ²⁴¹Am in soil profiles were surveyed in the dry tundra and the adjoining proglacial zones of glaciers at a High Arctic site on Svalbard. Vertical profiles of radionuclide activities were determined in up to 14-cm-thick soil sequences. Additionally, soil properties (pH, organic matter, texture, mineral composition and sorption capacity) were analyzed. Results obtained in this study revealed a large range of activity concentrations and inventories of the fallout radionuclides from the undetectable to the uncommonly high levels (inventories of 30,900?±?940, 47?±?6, 886?±?80 and 296?±?19 Bq/m² for ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸Pu, ^239?+?240Pu and ²⁴¹Am, respectively) found in two profiles from the proglacial zone. Concentration of these initially airborne radionuclides in the proglacial zone soils is related to their accumulation in cryoconites that have a large ability to concentrate trace metals. The cryoconites develop on the surface of glaciers, and the material they accumulate is deposited on land surface after the glaciers retreat. The radionuclide inventories in the tundra soils, which effectively retain radionuclides due to high organic matter contents, were comparable to the global fallout deposition for this region of the world. The ²³⁸Pu/^239?+?240Pu activity ratios for tundra soils suggested global fallout as the dominant source of Pu. The ²³⁸Pu/^239?+?240Pu and ^239?+?240Pu/¹³⁷Cs activity ratios in the proglacial soils pointed to possible contributions of these radionuclides from other, unidentified sources.     

Multilingual education of students on a global scale and perspective—international networking on the example of bioindication and biomonitoring (B&B technologies)

Living or formerly living organisms are being used to obtain information on the quality of the general health status of our environment by bioindication and biomonitoring methods for many decades. Thus, different roads toward this common scientific goal were developed by a lot of different international research groups. Global cooperation in between various scientific teams throughout the world has produced common ideas, scientific definitions, and highly innovative results of this extremely attractive working field. The transdisciplinary approach of different and multifaceted scientific areas—starting from biology, analytical chemistry, via health physics, up to social and economic issues—have surpassed mental barriers of individual scientists, so that “production” of straightforward common results related to the influence of material and immaterial environmental factors to the well-being of organisms and human life has now reached the forefront of international thinking. For the further sustainable development of our common scientific “hobby” of bioindication and biomonitoring, highest personal energy has to be given by us, being teachers to our students and to convince strategically decision makers as politicians to invest (financially) into the development of education and research of this innovative technique. Young people have to be intensively convinced on the “meaning” of our scientific doing, e.g., by extended forms of education. One example of multilingual education of students on a global scale and perspective is given here, which we started about 3 years ago.     

Investigation of novel material for effective photodegradation of bezafibrate in aqueous samples

A novel composite with an enhanced photocatalytic activity was prepared and applied to study the removal of bezafibrate (BZF), a hypolypemic pharmaceutical, from an aqueous environment. For the enhancement of titanium dioxide photoactivity a fullerene derivative, 2-(ferrocenyl) fulleropyrrolidine (FcC₆₀), was synthesized and applied. Obtained composite was found to show a higher catalytic activity than pristine TiO₂. Therefore, high hopes are set in composites that are based on carbonaceous nanomaterials and TiO₂ as a new efficient photocatalysts.     

Measurement of selected indoor physical environmental factors in hairdresser salons in a Turkish City

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine electromagnetic fields, electric fields, humidity, temperature, and illumination levels in hairdresser salons located in the downtown area of Aydin, Turkey. Also some health problems which could be related with the occupational factors are evaluated. Materials and methods The study was carried out in 30 hairdresser salons, all of which had been registered within the past 5 years. Electric and electromagnetic fields, illumination, temperature and humidity measurements were determined for hairdryers, hood hairdryers and depilatory heaters in the participating salons. A brief questionnaire about characteristics and the health status of hairdressers and workplace conditions was prepared and administered to the hairdressers at the salons. Results The mean electric fields of hairdryers, hood hairdryers and depilatory heaters were determined as 518 ± 74, 1,123 ± 199, and 648 ± 146 in V/m, respectively, at 5 cm from the surface of each device. These appliances generate mean electromagnetic fields in excess of 0.25 μT at 5 cm: hand-held hairdryers, 5.0 ± 0.7 μT; hood hairdryers, 1.6 ± 0.3 μT; and depilatory heaters 1.9 ± 0.6 μT. Total average of cumulative electric and electromagnetic fields, measured at a distance of 90 cm from the surface of these three devices was calculated to be 98.8 V/m and 0.5 μT, in the participating salons. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests that physical environmental factors in the salons may be contributing to the health problems of the hairdressers, and the electrical equipments in the workplaces may have cumulative electric and electromagnetic effects.     

The variability of PCDD/F concentrations in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants with regard to their hydrological environment

The occurrence, concentrations, patterns, and loads of 17 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in treated wastewater collected at the outlets from 14 wastewater treatment plants (WTPs), divided into three size categories. The analysis also considered the effect of wastewater outflow on the final concentrations of PCDDs/Fs, as the samples were collected during flooding and stable hydrological conditions. None of the studied WTPs were found to completely remove toxic congeners of PCDDs/Fs from wastewater: the PCDD concentrations in the outgoing effluent during stable wastewater flow ranged from 2.99 to 177.19 pg/L, PCDFs from 6.05 to 51.30 pg/L, and the Toxic Equivalent (TEQ) was between 0.94 and 4.87 pg/L. The results from high wastewater flow were less diversified, ranging from 5.04 to 8.85 pg/L for PCDDs, from 11.47 to 32.33 pg/L for PCDFs and from 2.00 to 4.65 pg/L for TEQ. The smallest WTPs demonstrated the highest average total and TEQ concentrations due to limited volume, short retention time and outdated technology, and, hence, insufficient treatment efficiency. The largest WTPs have the potential to substantially affect the quality of river water, as despite being associated with the lowest concentrations, they released much greater volumes of treated wastewater and, hence, the greatest amounts of analyzed compounds. Elevated TEQ values were observed at high flow in all WTP size categories indicating the impact of high and stable wastewater flow on the concentrations of the observed PCDDs/Fs.     

APCA Honors Five Individuals and Three Sections In 1988 Awards Program

The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of fungi in the chapel crypt. The MAS 100 was used to monitor the air pollution. The lowest numbers of fungal colonies were isolated at the entrance to the cemetery (2400 CFU/m3). The outside temperature ranged from 24.5oC to 28.1oC, and relative humidity was between 35.3% and 46.4 %. The highest of fungal colonies from air samples at baseline were isolated inside the crypt when coffin was opened (4820 CFU/m3). The temperature in the crypt at baseline varied between 19.6°C and 25.6°C and humidity was between 50.8% and 60.1%. The number of fungal colonies increased significantly at the end of the study. Ten species of fungi were isolated from air samples inside and outside the chapel, and seven species of fungi were isolated on the surface of the exterior and interior of the chapel. Thirteen types/species of fungus were isolated from air samples collected in the crypt; 15 species of fungi were isolated on the walls, surface of the coffin, bones and other objects. Assessment of fungi in the air samples and different surfaces of the crypt, it revealed very high levels of molds in the air samples.

Implications: Assessment of fungi in the air samples and different surfaces of the crypt revealed high levels of molds in the air samples. Fungal numbers within the crypt exceed recommended limits for occupational exposure. Employees working in the crypts should know about these hazards.