Unintentional strangulation deaths from the "choking game" among youths aged 6-19 years - United States, 1995-2007

The "choking game" is defined as self-strangulation or strangulation by another person with the hands or a noose to achieve a brief euphoric state caused by cerebral hypoxia. Participants in this activity typically are youths (Andrew & Fallon, 2007). Serious neurologic injury or death can result from engaging in this activity. Recent news media reports have described numerous deaths among youths attributed to the choking game. Because no traditional public health dataset collects data on this practice, CDC used news media reports to estimate the incidence of deaths from the choking game. This report describes the results of that analysis, which identified 82 probable choking-game deaths among youths aged 6-19 years during 1995-2007. Seventy-one (86.6%) of the decedents were male, and the mean age was 13.3 years. Parents, educators, and health-care providers should become familiar with warning signs that youths are playing the choking game (Urkin & Merrick, 2006). Impact of industry: By learning about the risk factors for and warning signs of the choking game, parents, educators, and health-care providers may be able to identify youth at risk for playing the game and prevent future deaths.     

Distribution of total and methylmercury in different ecosystem compartments in the Everglades: implications for mercury bioaccumulation

We analyzed Hg species distribution patterns among ecosystem compartments in the Everglades at the landscape level in order to explore the implications of Hg distribution for Hg bioaccumulation and to investigate major biogeochemical processes that are pertinent to the observed Hg distribution patterns. At an Everglade-wide scale, THg concentrations were significantly increased in the following order: periphyton相似文献   

In-situ application of colloidal activated carbon for PFAS-contaminated soil and groundwater: A Swedish case study

Soil and groundwater contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been a significant concern to human health and environmental quality. Remediation of contaminated sites is crucial to prevent plume expansion but can prove challenging due to the persistent nature of PFAS combined with their high aqueous mobility. In this case study, we investigated the potential of colloidal activated carbon (CAC) for soil stabilization at the pilot scale, aiming to entrap PFAS and prevent their leaching from soil into groundwater. Monitoring of the site revealed the presence of two potential sources of PFAS contamination at concentrations up to 23 μg L⁻¹ for ∑₁₁PFAS in groundwater. After CAC application, initial results indicated a 76% reduction of ∑₁₁PFAS and high removal rates for long-chain PFAS, such as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid. A spike in concentrations was noticed 6 months after injection of CAC, showing a rebound of the plume and a reduction of treatment effectiveness. Based on long-term monitoring data, the treatment effectiveness for ∑₁₁PFAS dropped to 52%. The rebound of concentrations was attributed to the plume bypass of the barrier due to the presence of high conductivity zones, which likely occurred because of seasonal changes in groundwater flow directions or the CAC application at the site. This demonstrates the need for a detailed and accurate hydrogeological understanding of contaminated sites before designing and applying stabilization techniques, especially at sites with high geologic and hydrologic complexity. The results herein can serve as a guideline for treating similar sites and help avoid potential pitfalls of remedial efforts.