Noise variability in underground room and pillar coal mines

Noise in an underground coal mine has dominant components generated mainly from 3 sources: (a) continuous mining machines, (b) roof bolters, and (c) cars/vehicles used to transport personnel and/or coal. Each of these 3 noise sources also has a number of well-defined sub-sources with their own noise characteristics. Sound level meters were used to collect noise data in the form of instantaneous readings and also to check calibration of other sound measuring instruments. The most useful information was obtained from a spectrum analysis of continuous digital recordings of noise over time. This paper discusses the variability or dynamics of generated noise in both frequency and time domains in relation to several independent variables related to coal extraction and transportation processes.     

The three-year monitoring of 18 elements in five edible mushroom species collected from an old orchard

Abstract

The content of Al, As, Be, Cd, Ca, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in fruiting bodies of edible mushrooms Calocybe gambosa, Entoloma clypeatum, Entoloma saepium, Xerocomellus chrysenteron, and Amanita rubescens growing in an orchard planted with fruit trees and situated close to a high-grown forest was studied during years 2016–2018. A. rubescens showed the highest potential of the element accumulation with bioconcentration factors of 48.5, 16.2, 7.80, 6.53, 1.75, and 1.68 obtained for Rb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Sr, and Mg, respectively. Both Entoloma species accumulated the elements similarly with bioconcentration factors >1.0 obtained for Rb, Cu, Cd, and Mg. Bioconcentration factors <0.05 were obtained for Al, Cr, Fe, and Pb in all studied species. The contents of beryllium (<0.1?mg/kg dry matter) were always the lowest among the studied elements. The contents of some elements of studied mushroom species significantly fluctuated over the years. Despite the fact that some studied elements (As, Be, Cd, Pb, Ni) are considerably toxic for humans, the pronounced effect on health is not expected if the studied mushroom species are consumed occasionally and do not represent the main component of the diet.     

Identification of volatiles from Pinus silvestris attractive for Monochamus galloprovincialis using a SPME-GC/MS platform

Introduction

A myriad of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by terrestrial vegetation plays an important role in environmental sciences. A thorough chemical identification of these species at the molecular level is essential in various fields, ranging from atmospheric chemistry to ecology of forest ecosystems. In particular, the recognition of VOCs profiles in a context of plant?Cinsect communication is a key issue for the development of forest protection tools.

Purpose

This work was aimed at the development of a simple, robust and reliable method for the identification of volatiles emitted from plant materials, which can attract or deter pest insects. Specifically, volatiles emitted from the bark of Pinus sylvestris were studied, which might attract the black pine sawyer beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis??a serious pest of the tree and a vector of a parasitic nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophius.

Method

The volatiles from bark samples were collected using a solid-phase micro-extraction technique, and subsequently analysed by gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS). The characterisation of the volatile fraction was based on the comparison with data in mass spectral libraries, and in most cases, with the available authentic standards. The identified compounds were screened against the available entomological data to select insect attractors.

Results

The identified components included terpenes (??-pinene, ?-3-carene, and para-cymenene), oxygenated terpenes (??-terpineol and verbenone), sesquiterpenes (??-longipinene, longifolene, E-??-farnesene, ??-cadinene and pentadecane), and diterpenes (manoyl oxide and (+)-pimaral). Of these, longifolene and (+)-pimaral are of particular interest as plausible attractors for the M. galloprovincialis beetle that might find application in the construction of insect bait traps.     

Lipids and fatty acids as indicators of egg condition,larval feeding and maternal effects in Cape hakes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Merluccius paradoxus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. capensis</Emphasis>)

Cape hakes, Merluccius paradoxus and M. capensis, are important gadoid fish that are commercially harvested in the Benguela Current system off Namibia and South Africa. The aim of this study was to elucidate the nutritional condition and feeding preferences of their larvae. Hake eggs and larvae were sampled in austral spring of two consecutive years, 2007 and 2008, off the west coast of South Africa. They were identified to species using genetics, and total lipid content and fatty acid (FA) composition were analysed for each individual egg and larva to compare the condition of different early life stages of both hake species. Higher abundances of M. paradoxus eggs and larvae were consistently found compared to M. capensis. In both species, eggs contained wax esters (WE) and had significantly higher lipid content per dry mass than larvae. Lipid content as well as FA composition changed with the developmental stage of larvae. Quantities of essential fatty acid (EFA) increased with feeding of larvae due to dietary lipid incorporation. In 2007, yolk-sac larvae contained significantly lower total lipids than in 2008. It is argued that this was due to reduced lipid transfer by the spawning females to the eggs. These findings indicate that maternal effects are important in determining condition of hake larvae and that this may have an effect on their survival and subsequent recruitment.     

Mean annual (222)Rn concentration in homes located in different geological regions of Poland: first approach to whole country area

The paper presents the results of year-long measurements of radon (²²²Rn) concentration inside 129 buildings in Poland in relation to the geological conditions of their foundation. The authors took into account the division of the country into tectonic units, as well as the lithology of the rocks forming the bedrock of these buildings. As expected, the highest value of mean annual ²²²Rn concentration (845 Bq/m³) was recorded in a building situated in the area of the Sudetes, while the highest geometric mean (characteristic of the expected log-normal data distribution) was calculated based on measurements from buildings located within the East-European craton, in the area of Mazury-Podlasie monocline, where it reached 231 Bq/m³. Such results reflect geological conditions - the occurrence of crystalline rocks (especially U- and Ra-enriched granites and orthogneisses) on the surface in the Sudetes, and of young post-glacial sediments containing fragments of Scandinavian crystalline rocks, also enriched with U and Ra, in the area of Mazury-Podlasie monocline. However, the least expected result of the investigations was finding out that, contrary to the hitherto widespread belief, none of the major tectonic units of Poland can be excluded from the list of those containing buildings with mean annual ²²²Rn concentration exceeding 200 Bq/m³. The mean annual concentration of radon for all the buildings were much higher than the mean concentration value (49.1 Bq/m³) of indoor radon in Poland quoted so far. These results cast a completely new light on the necessity to perform measurements of radon concentration in residential buildings in Poland, no more with reference to small areas with outcrops of crystalline rocks (especially the Sudetes, being the Polish fragment of the European Variscan belt), but for all the major tectonic units within Poland.     

Studies of the effect of simulated acid rain on the ecological equilibrium of the soil system

Introduction to the problem of environmental pollution caused by acid depositions. Presentation of principles of the six-year field experiment with simulated acid rain. Short characteristics of particular parts of the series of papers.