Natural radioactivity and chemical concentrations in Egyptian groundwater

Measurements of natural radioactivity in drinking water have been performed in many parts of the world, mostly for assessment of the doses and risk resulting from consuming water. A study of the radionuclide and chemical components in groundwater from Beni Suef Governate, Egypt has been carried out. Fifty water samples were analyzed by gamma ray spectroscopy to determine the ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K concentrations; major elements, pH, alkalinity, and conductivity were also measured. The specific activity values ranged from 0.008 to 0.040 Bq/l for ²²⁶Ra, from 0.003 to 0.019 Bq/l for ²³²Th, and from 0.025 to 0.344 Bq/l for ⁴⁰K. The annual ingestions of these radionuclides, using local consumption rates (average over the whole population) of 1.5 l day^???1, were estimated to be 8.59, 4.86, and 83.47 Bq year^???1 for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K, respectively. The estimated values and weighted means of these radionuclides compare well with the world average. The estimated effective doses from drinking water were found to be 2.4 ??Sv year^???1 (²²⁶Ra), 1.1 ??Sv year^???1 (²³²Th), and 0.51 ??Sv year^???1 (⁴⁰K). Contribution of these radionuclides to the committed effective dose from 1 year consumption of drinking water is estimated to be only 4%.     

Imposex and butyltin concentrations in Bolinus brandaris (Gastropoda: Muricidae) from the northern Tunisian coast

The imposex incidence and butyltin concentration i.e. tributyltin with its di- and mono-substituted metabolites were investigated in the muricid Bolinus brandaris sampled from two sites on the northern Tunisian coast (the Lagoon of Bizerta and the small Gulf of Tunis). Both populations had imposex, with stages of imposex development varying between VDS 1 and VDS 4.3. All imposex indices (imposex frequency (I %), female penis length, female vas deferens length, vas deferens sequence index, relative penis length index, and vas deferens length index) were significantly higher in snails from the Bizerta lagoon. Butyltins were detected in the whole tissues of both sexes from the two sites. TBT levels were higher in gastropods collected from the lagoon of Bizerta (12.65 ±1.48 ng Sn g^???1 dw in female and 15.21 ±1.13 ng Sn g^???1 dw in male) than in individuals from the Gulf of Tunis (10.71 ±1.26 ng Sn g^???1 dw in female and 11.65 ±1.63 ng Sn g^???1 dw in male), corroborating the data of imposex analysis. These results confirmed that B. brandaris could be used as a bioindicator species of butyltin pollution in the studied areas. In addition, this study provided baseline data that could serve for long-term monitoring of TBT pollution in Tunisia, since legislation to reduce the use of TBT-based antifouling paints has not been introduced yet.     

Distribution and ecotoxicological significance of trace element contamination in a ~150 yr record of sediments in Lake Chaohu, Eastern China

This paper presents the concentrations, vertical profiles and possible sources of selected major and trace elements in a sediment core covering ～150 years of sedimentation in Lake Chaohu, eastern China. Element concentrations were measured by portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and were used to evaluate possible environmental consequences of the recent industrialization in China. Statistical analyses identify four groups: (1) organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), Pb, Zn, and As associated with the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides; (2) Mn, Cr, Ni and Cu from industrial and mining activities; (3) Fe, Rb, K, Co, Ti and Ca influenced by post-depositional processes and land exploitation; and (4) Zr and Sr from the soil. The vertical profiles of elements placed in the first two groups show distinct increases in concentrations above depths of 20 cm (~1978), coincident with the timing of industrialization in China, and the anthropogenic-derived fluxes are higher than the lithogenic-derived fluxes over the last three decades. With the exception of Zr and Sr, association of the measured metals with organic carbon and nitrogen suggests that organic matter may act as a carrier phase. The geoaccumulation index (I(geo)) reveals increased contamination from elements in the first two groups in recent years. Element concentrations, compared with the Effects Range-Low (ERL) and Effects Range-Median (ERM) levels set by NOAA, suggest that adverse biological effects from Ni contamination are very likely.     

Inactivation, reactivation and regrowth of indigenous bacteria in reclaimed water after chlorine disinfection of a municipal wastewater treatment plant

Disinfection of reclaimed water prior to reuse is important to prevent the transmission of pathogens. Chlorine is a widely utilized disinfectant and as such is a leading contender for disinfection of reclaimed water. To understand the risks of chlorination resulting from the potential selection of pathogenic bacteria, the inactivation, reactivation and regrowth rates of indigenous bacteria were investigated in reclaimed water after chlorine disinfection. Inactivation of total coliforms, Enterococcus and Salmonella showed linear correlations, with constants of 0.1384, 0.1624 and 0.057 L/(mg·min) and R² of 0.7617, 0.8316 and 0.845, respectively. However, inactivation of total viable cells by measurement of metabolic activity typically showed a linear correlation at lower chlorine dose (0-22 (mg·min)/L), and a trailing region with chlorine dose increasing from 22 to 69 (mg·min)/L. Reactivation and regrowth of bacteria were most likely to occur after exposure to lower chlorine doses, and extents of reactivation decreased gradually with increasing chlorine dose. In contrast to total coliforms and Enterococcus, Salmonella had a high level of regrowth and reactivation, and still had 2% regrowth even after chlorination of 69 (mg·min)/L and 24 hr storage. The bacterial compositions were also significantly altered by chlorination and storage of reclaimed water, and the ratio of Salmonella was significantly increased from 0.001% to 0.045% after chlorination of 69 (mg·min)/L and 24 hr storage. These trends indicated that chlorination contributes to the selection of chlorine-resistant pathogenic bacteria, and regrowth of pathogenic bacteria after chlorination in reclaimed water with a long retention time could threaten public health security during wastewater reuse.     

Evaluation of the effect of serum cystatin-C and ACE I/D and ACE G2350A polymorphisms on kidney function among hypertensive sewage workers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Cadmium (Cd) as nephrotoxicant metal exerts its potent effect mainly on renal tubules disturbing its functions. A cross-sectional study was conducted...     

Light electric vehicle charging strategy for low impact on the grid

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The alarming increase in the average temperature of the planet due to the massive emission of greenhouse gases has stimulated the introduction of...     

Chemical aspects of mass spawning in corals. II. (-)-Epi-thunbergol,the sperm attractant in the eggs of the soft coral Lobophytum crassum (Cnidaria: Octocorallia)

Sea turtles migrate between feeding and nesting areas that are often geographically separated by hundreds or thousands of kilometers. Observations of their aggregations at sea and at nesting beaches have led to the hypothesis that sea turtles migrate in socially structured groups. While this migratory strategy is common to many marine vertebrates, socially facilitated behavior is not well documented in testudines. In 1990 and 1991, we attached satellite transmitters to olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea Eschscholtz) found ovipositing together during a mass nesting at Nancite Beach, Costa Rica, to determine whether they migrate independently or in groups after they leave the nesting beach. Results showed that the turtles were not spatially associated during the internesting period, were capable of re-establishing themselves as a group during a subsequent nesting emergence, and were not spatially associated during their postnesting migrations to oceanic feeding areas. We suggested that what appear to be socially structured groups of L. olivacea are in fact individual turtles simultaneously using the same habitat.     

Appearance of excessive lipids in amniotic fluid as a sign of fetal hyperlipidaemia

The appearance of excessive lipids in amniotic fluid during Caesarean section raised the suspicion of a hyperlipidaemic fetus. The amniotic fluid had elevated cholesterol (53 mg/dl) and triglycerides (81 mg/dl). At the age of 2 months, the infant was hyperlipidaemic (cholesterol of 161 mg/dl and triglycerides of 84 mg/dl). The case suggests the possibility of prenatal diagnosis of hyperlipidaemia, a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.     

Ecological Consequences of Atmospheric Ozone Depletion in Northern Regions (Arkhangelsk Oblast)

Data on skin cancer morbidity and the total ozone concentration in the atmosphere over Arkhangelsk were processed using a standard method. The results showed that ozone depletion contributes to the increase of morbidity accounted for by this nosological form.