Cancer and Non-Cancer Health Risk from Eating Cassava Grown in Some Mining Communities in Ghana

Food crops such as cassava, cocoyam and other tuber crops grown in mining communities uptake toxic or hazardous chemicals such as arsenic, and cadmium, from the soil. Cassava is a stable food for Ghanaians. This study evaluated human health risk from eating cassava grown in some mining communities in Ghana such as Bogoso, Prestea, Tarkwa and Tamso, which are important mining towns in the Western Region of Ghana. The study evaluated cancer and non-cancer health effects from eating cassava grown in the study areas in accordance with US Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Assessment guidelines. The results of the study revealed the following: cancer health risk for Tamso, 0.098 (RME – Reasonable Maximum Exposure) and 0.082 (CTE – Central Tendency Exposure). This means that approximately 10 and 8 out of 100 resident adults are likely to suffer from cancer related cases by RME and CTE parameters respectively. For Prestea, we have 0.010 and 0.12, which also means that approximately 1 out of 100 and 10 resident adults out of 100 are also likely to suffer from cancer related diseases by RME and CTE parameters. The results of the study obtained were found to be above the acceptable cancer risk range of 1× 10⁻⁶ to 1× 10⁻⁴, i.e., 1 case of cancer out of 1 million or 100,000 people respectively.     

振荡辐射下PMMA 热解与着火过程研究

采用正弦波变化振荡的辐射热流,对热厚PMMA(聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯)的热解和着火过程进行研究,同时采用数值模拟,对实验结果进行验证和补充。结果表明,表面温度和深度温度随着时间而增加,温度由于周期性的辐射而发生振荡,而振荡幅度随着深度的增加而衰减;表面温度与深度温度振荡存在时间延迟;着火时间随着热流振荡周期的增大而减小,主要由于平均热流密度随着周期增大而增大。     

录井系统雷击危害分析及模拟试验研究

针对雷击电磁辐射对录井系统的危害问题,建立了录井系统线路雷击危害模拟试验模型,采用8/20 μs冲击电流发生器,开展了录井系统的雷击耦合试验,定量分析了雷击电磁辐射对录井系统的影响。研究结果表明:随着电流的增大和距离电流通道的减小,耦合的电压随之增大;线缆长度越长耦合的电压越大,最大耦合电压达到了2 720 V;屏蔽层接地可以有效地减小电磁辐射对线缆的耦合作用。     

Factors affecting the quantitative uncertainty of the estimated short-term intake. Part I—Calculation methods

ABSTRACT

The calculation of the combined uncertainty of the international estimated short-term intake (IESTI) of ethephon residues in apples is shown as an example. The ethephon residues in apples were reported by the Joint FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)/WHO (World Health Organization) Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). The apple consumption data were taken from the IESTI (international short-term intake) calculation template used by the JMPR. The IESTI was calculated with the currently used method (case 2a) and a proposed one recommended by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)/RIVM (Dutch National Institute for Public Health) Scientific Workshop co-sponsored by FAO and WHO. In this example, the ratio of IESTI_proposed/IESTI_current and their combined relative uncertainty are about 2.8, and 1.7, respectively. The larger IESTI and uncertainty obtained with the proposed equation are the consequence of calculation only with the large portion (LP) instead of its combination with unit mass, and the MRL instead of the highest residue (HR). The LP is the major contributor to the combined uncertainty. Both the calculated IESTI and its combined uncertainty depend on the actual food – pesticide residue combination, and should be calculated for each case.     

Variation of radiation level and radionuclide enrichment in high background area

Significantly high radiation level and radionuclide concentration along Quilon beach area of coastal Kerala have been reported by several investigators. Detailed gamma radiation level survey was carried out using a portable scintillometer. Detailed studies on radionuclides concentration in different environmental matrices of high background areas were undertaken in the coastal areas of Karunagapalli, Kayankulam, Chavara, Neendakara and Kollam to study the distribution and enrichment of the radionuclides in the region. The absorbed gamma dose rates in air in high background area are in the range 43-17,400 nGyh⁻¹. Gamma radiation level is found to be maximum at a distance of 20 m from the sea waterline in all beaches. The soil samples collected from different locations were analysed for primordial radionuclides by gamma spectrometry. The activity of primordial radionuclides was determined for the different size fractions of soil to study the enrichment pattern. The highest activity of ²³²Th and ²²⁶Ra was found to be enriched in 125-63 μ size fraction. The preferential accumulation of ⁴⁰K was found in <63 μ fraction. The minimum ²³²Th activity was 30.2 Bq kg⁻¹, found in 1000-500 μ particle size fraction at Kollam and maximum activity of 3250.4 Bq kg⁻¹ was observed in grains of size 125-63 μ at Neendakara. The lowest ²²⁶Ra activity observed was 33.9 Bq kg⁻¹ at Neendakara in grains of size 1000-500 μ and the highest activity observed was 482.6 Bq kg⁻¹ in grains of size 125-63 μ in Neendakara. The highest ⁴⁰K activity found was 1923 Bq kg⁻¹ in grains of size <63 μ for a sample collected from Neendakara. A good correlation was observed between computed dose and measured dose in air. The correlation between ²³²Th and ²²⁶Ra was also moderately high. The results of these investigations are presented and discussed in this paper.     

“地球工程”作为减缓气候变化手段的几个关键问题

减缓气候变化可以在大的地理尺度上以工程技术手段来实施。地球工程包括所有能源生产和消费以外的、不涉及工业生产过程管理的,在较大的地球尺度或规模上,去除大气中的CO2或直接控制太阳辐射而降温的各种人为的工程技术手段,主要包括三大类:绿色生物技术手段、碳捕获与埋存技术和太阳光辐射额度控制管理技术。这一类地球工程手段有着一系列经济、技术、环境、伦理、安全和不确定性含义。本文就近年来国际上关于地球工程作为减缓气候变化可能技术选择的几个关键问题开展了分析和讨论,涉及概念界定、技术特点、可能影响、治理构架等。作者认为,对于直接作用于碳的地球工程手段,如绿色生物技术手段和碳捕获与埋存技术,风险小、可操控;太阳光辐管理技术,通过人为排放到大气的SO2和气溶胶等的降温效应,来控制地球气温的上升,尽管使用的经济成本可能不高,具有实际操作可能,但其巨大的不确定性和可能的安全含义,需要引起足够的重视。从伦理上看,当代人是否有权来开展太阳光辐管理技术这类具有巨大科学不确定性的地球工程存在争议,在科学不确定的情况下采取任何行动,就失去了伦理学基础。从法律上看,人工干预太阳辐射,即使是科学实验或研究,由于其影响超出了国界,超出了当代人,也超出了人类社会,如果有人采取行动,也存在法律依据上的质疑。人工干预太阳辐射的研究和实施,需要一个国际治理构架。为了防止其他国家单独行动,需要"相互约束"的治理构架——"自我约束"以换取他国同意"自我约束"。鉴于气候变化和光辐管理在科学上的不确定性,目前不宜实施,短期内也不会提上议事日程。太阳光辐管理技术影响的复杂性和气候变化风险的迫切性,需要我们加大科学研究力度,为科学决策提供依据。中国作为一个新兴经济体,世界第一大CO2排放国,地域空间气候条件存在巨大差异性。从减排成本的角度,从气候影响的空间差异性,开展地球工程的科学研究,有着科学、政策和国际气候外交的积极意义。但是,相关的科学研究需要国际制度构架。由于气候变化框架公约及其谈判尚未涉及,需要开展系统科学、技术、经济、法律和国家安全等方面的相关研究,提高科学认知度,为国际谈判和政策选择提供决策依据。     

Realistic retrospective dose assessments to members of the public around Spanish nuclear facilities

In the frame of an epidemiological study carried out in the influence areas around the Spanish nuclear facilities (ISCIII-CSN, 2009. Epidemiological Study of The Possible Effect of Ionizing Radiations Deriving from The Operation of Spanish Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities on The Health of The Population Living in Their Vicinity. Final report December 2009. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear. Madrid. Available from: http://www.csn.es/images/stories/actualidad_datos/especiales/epidemiologico/epidemiological_study.pdf), annual effective doses to public have been assessed by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) for over 45 years using a retrospective realistic-dose methodology. These values are compared with data from natural radiation exposure. For the affected population, natural radiation effective doses are in average 2300 times higher than effective doses due to the operation of nuclear installations (nuclear power stations and fuel cycle facilities). When considering the impact on the whole Spanish population, effective doses attributable to nuclear facilities represent in average 3.5 × 10⁻⁵ mSv/y, in contrast to 1.6 mSv/y from natural radiation or 1.3 mSv/y from medical exposures.     

Radiological maps for Trabzon, Turkey

The activity concentrations and absorbed gamma dose rates due to primordial radionuclides and ¹³⁷Cs have been ascertained in 222 soil samples in 18 counties of the Trabzon province of Turkey using a HPGe detector. The mean activity concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs in soil samples were 41, 35, 437 and 21 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. Based on the measured concentrations of these radionuclides, the mean absorbed gamma dose in air was calculated as 59 nGy h⁻¹ and hence, the mean annual effective dose due to terrestrial gamma radiation was calculated as 72 μSv y⁻¹. In addition, outdoor in situ gamma dose rate (D) measurements were performed in the same 222 locations using a portable NaI detector and the annual effective dose was calculated to be 66 μSv y⁻¹ from these results. The results presented in this study are compared with other parts of Turkey. Radiological maps of the Trabzon province were composed using the results obtained from the study.     

Photodegradation of azithromycin in various aqueous systems under simulated and natural solar radiation: kinetics and identification of photoproducts

This article describes the photolysis of azithromycin, a macrolide antibiotic with reported occurrence in environmental waters, under simulated solar radiation. The photodegradation followed first-order reaction kinetics in five matrices examined. In HPLC water, the degradation rate was the slowest (half-life: 20 h), whereas in artificial freshwater supplemented with nitrate (5 mg L⁻¹) or humic acids (0.5 mg L⁻¹) the degradation of azithromycin was enhanced by factors of 5 and 16, respectively, which indicated the role of indirect photolysis involving the formation of highly reactive species. Following chromatographic separation on a UPLC system, the characterization of the transformation products was accomplished using high-resolution QqToF-MS analysis. The presence of seven photoproducts was observed and their formation was postulated to originate from (bis)-N-demethylation in the desosamine sugar, O-demethylation in the cladinose sugar, combinations thereof, as well as from hydrolytic cleavages of the desosamine and/or cladinose residue. Two of these photoproducts could also be detected in natural photodegradation process in river water which was spiked with azithromycin.     

云南临沧盆地土壤天然放射性测定及环境影响评价

临沧盆地受其基底花岗岩的影响,环境中存在天然放射性水平异常。本文测得其土壤中放射性核素226Ra、238U、232Th和40K的比活度分别为53.4(38.7-62.8)、161.2(127.3-211.7)、120.9(106.5-140.6)和632.2(521.7-707.5)Bq/kg,明显高于全国和世界平均值。花岗岩天然放射性水平较高,与土壤放射性有一定的相关性,为土壤伴生放射性提供了较好的来源。采用测得的土壤放射性核素226Ra、232Th和40K的比活度,计算了距地面1m高处空气中γ辐射吸收剂量率和年有效剂量率,并对γ辐射外照射水平进行了评价。评价结果表明,虽然该区的空气吸收剂量率较高,但是年有效剂量率在容许范围之内。因此该区属于外照射水平的安全区域,人居环境不受影响。