Fracking and indoor radon: Spurious correlation or cause for concern?

Unconventional gas development (fracking) is controversial in large part because of environmental and health concerns. We consider the concern that fracking leads to more carcinogenic radon gas in nearby buildings. Our empirical approach estimates treatment effects where treatment is continuous (number of wells) and varies in intensity (distance to the wells) and in duration of exposure (the time since wells were drilled). The approach allows any potential effect of fracking to vary non-linearly with the distance between the well and test site and, holding distance constant, the time between drilling and testing. Our main model gives a precisely estimated zero effect of wells on radon concentrations in nearby buildings. It also reveals that energy firms drilled wells in places with higher pre-existing radon levels, which, if ignored, makes it appear that wells within 2 km increase indoor radon but wells 3 km away do not. This explains the finding of a prior study showing a link between drilling and indoor radon.     

Acute toxicity of the insect larvicide abate® (temephos) on the fish tilapia melanopleura and the dragonfly larvae neurocordelia virginiensis.

Abstract

Acute bioassay tests on the toxic effects of the insect larvicide Abate® (temephos) on the mouth brooder cichlid fish Tilapia melanopleum and the dragonfly larvae (Odonata) Neurocordulia virginiensis were conducted in static non renewal toxicity test set ups. The 96h‐LC50 (95% confidence intervals) was 30.2 (20.5‐ 44.20) mg/L for the fish and 2.0 (1.16–2.0) mg/L for the dragonfly larvae. The dragonfly larvae were 15 times more susceptible to the larvicide than the tilapia. The calculated NOEC (No Observable Effect Concentration) was 14.1 mg/L for the fishand less than 1.0 mg/L for the insect larvae. The estimated ‘safe’ concentration of the pesticide to the fish was 3.0 mg/L and 0.2 mg/L for insect larvae. These figures are far above the concentrations approved for use in the control of mosquito larvae(0.0004–0.01 mg/L). It appears that the application of toxic levels of the insecticide for the elimination of some aquatic invertebrates may be ‘safe’ for normal survival, growth and reproduction offish and some aquatic insect larvae.     

异丙甲草胺与锌共存对斜生栅藻毒性手性差异影响

为评价重金属与手性农药共存的生物选择性毒性,采用毒性试验标准方法研究了Rac-、S-异丙甲草胺单独及与锌共存对斜生栅藻的手性毒性差异.结果表明,Zn2+存在条件下Rac-、S-异丙甲草胺对斜生栅藻的生长趋势影响与除草剂单独作用时的趋势基本相同,Zn2+的存在降低了高浓度除草剂对斜生栅藻的生长抑制作用,处理初期(24 h)0.30 mg·L-1Rac-和S-异丙甲草胺单独对斜生栅藻生长的抑制率分别为49.61%和59.73%,与Zn2+联合作用其抑制率分别为38.41%和42.52%.Zn2+的存在增加了Rac-和S-异丙甲草胺对斜生栅藻的立体选择性毒性差异,使S-异丙甲草胺急性毒性增大的程度大于Rac-异丙甲草胺毒性的增加;与Zn2+的联合毒性作用类型表现为除草剂在低浓度下为部分相加作用,高浓度下为拮抗作用;除草剂单独及与Zn2+联合作用处理96 h后的斜生栅藻叶绿素含量变化与其生长趋势基本一致.     

DESALTING SALINE WATER FOR IRRIGATION A CASE STUDY,COACHELLA AREA,CALIFORNIA1

ABSTRACT .A case study was performed to evaluate potential applications of desalted saline water for agriculture using 2 distillation type processes and 2 membrane type processes. The investigation determined the costs and benefits associated with desalting saline water at concentrations of 1,500, 900, 400, 200, and 50 ppm. Benefits from desalting are generated by shifts to more profitable crops, reduced costs for drainage, and reduction in fertilizer and labor requirements with better quality water. Costs are based on the project features such as desalting plants, raw water diversion facilities, storage reservoirs, conveyance and distribution systems, brine disposal, blending facilities, and gypsum addition systems. Hydrologic studies determined the crop irrigation requirements, water demand schedules, desalted water storage requirements, brine disposal requirements, and size of facilities required. Reconnaissance design layouts were made for producing desalted water using a combination of 14 schemes. The study also included a review of irrigation practices. The benefit-cost ratios range from 0.4 to 1.0 for 1,500 ppm irrigation water to 0.8 to 1.0 for 50 and 200 ppm water. Investment costs per acre are high, ranging from $12,900 to $20,900. Irrigation benefits are based on the increase in production from a desert condition with no water supply to the irrigation conditions studied.     

乙醛对鱼类毒性的实验研究

介绍了实验室乙醛对鲢鱼幼鱼的急性毒性。试验结果表明，乙醛对鲢鱼幼鱼的急性毒性４８ｈＬＣ５０为１４６１８ｍｇ／Ｌ，其安全浓度为１４６２ｍｇ／Ｌ。     

工频磁场诱导人FL细胞膜EGF的受体聚簇及噪声磁场的干预

为了研究50Hz工频磁场对人源细胞膜表皮生长因子(epidermal growth factor,EGF)的受体聚簇现象的可能诱导作用及噪声磁场的干预,将人羊膜细胞FL(human amniotic cells)分别用EGF、不同强度(0.05、0.1、0.2、0.4mT)工频磁场、噪声磁场、工频磁场和噪声磁场叠加的复合场处理15 min后,用间接免疫荧光染色法标记,并用激光共聚焦显微镜观察细胞膜表皮生长因子(EGF)的受体的聚簇现象.结果表明,0.1、0.2、0.4mT工频磁场辐照FL细胞15 min可诱导细胞膜EGF的受体发生聚簇,但0.05mT工频磁场辐照时,细胞膜不出现EGF受体的明显聚簇.0.2mT噪声磁场则不能诱导细胞膜EGF受体的聚簇;当0.2mT噪声磁场与0.1、0.2mT工频磁场叠加后,可抑制工频磁场诱导的细胞膜EGF受体聚簇,但不能完全抑制0.4mT工频磁场诱导的细胞膜EGF受体聚簇.研究结果表明,一定强度的工频磁场能诱导细胞膜EGF受体的聚簇;其作用阈值在0.05～0.1mT之间;噪声磁场对工频磁场诱导膜受体聚簇的干预作用存在剂量-效应关系.     

硝基芳族化合物对江水细菌的毒性及QSAR研究

采用细菌生长抑制实验,测定了２４种硝莽主族化合物对松花江水中细菌的毒性,得到２４ｈ－ＩＣ５０值,并选用５种物理化学参数ｌｇＰ、＾１Ｘ＾ｖ、Ｉ、∑σ＾－、ＥＬＵＭＯ对毒性数据进行量结构活性关系研究。     

Hg(Ⅱ)和Pb(Ⅱ)对海洋单细胞藻的急性毒性效应

近年来,海洋重金属污染日益严重,为考察重金属对海洋藻类的生物毒性效应,进而评估其对海洋生态环境的影响,本研究采用一次性培养的实验方法,测定了2种重金属Hg(Ⅱ)和Pb(Ⅱ)对8种海洋单细胞藻的急性毒性效应,包括赤潮异弯藻(Heterosigma akashiwo Hada)、旋链角毛藻(Chaetoceros curv...     

Chinese resource security policies and the restructuring of the Asia-Pacific iron ore market

This paper reviews the restructuring of the Asia-Pacific iron ore market in the wake of the rise of the Chinese steel industry. Prior to the 2000s, this market was characterised by two key features—high firm-level concentration on both the producer and consumer sides, and price determination through annually negotiated benchmark pricing between Australian mining and Japanese steel firms. However, owing to rapid growth in the Chinese steel industry and its emergence as the region's principal iron ore consumer, the Asia-Pacific iron ore market has been dramatically restructured during the last decade. This process has been accelerated since 2005 by Chinese governmental resource security policies, which have sought to address current record high iron ore prices through the use of foreign investment to sponsor new market entrants and the formation of an import cartel amongst the Chinese steel firms. This paper evaluates how these policies have driven restructuring in the Asia-Pacific iron ore market, through an analysis of the growth of China's steel industry, Chinese resource security policies aimed at lowering iron ore import costs, and their effects upon the regional market's ownership structure and price determination mechanisms. It argues that while Chinese investment and cartelisation policies have catalysed significant changes to the ownership and pricing structures of the Asia-Pacific iron ore market, they have carried only mixed benefits for the Chinese steel industry's resource security.     

Facing Hazardous Matter in Atmospheric Particles with NanoSIMS (2 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Current scientific studies and evaluations clearly show that an increase of urban dust loads, alone or combined with other pollutants und certain meteorological conditions lead to different significant health effects. Premature death, increased hospital admissions and increased respiratory symptoms and diseases as well as decreased lung function can be observed in combination with high pollutant levels. Sensitive groups like elderly people or children and persons with cardiopulmonary diseases such as asthma are more strongly affected. Because of the direct contact between fine particles and lung tissue more information concerning the surface structure (mapping of toxic elements) is required. Materials and Methods: The NanoSims50 ion microprobe images the element composition at the surface of sub-micrometer air dust particles and documents hot spots of toxic elements as a possible threat for human health. Results: The atmospheric fine dust consists of a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. Heavy metals are fixed on airborn particles in the form of hot spots in a nanometer scale. From a sanitary point of view, the hot spots consisting of toxic elements are particularly relevant as they react directly with the lung tissues. Discussion: To what extent particles can penetrate the various areas of the lungs and be deposited there depends on the one hand on their physical characteristics and on the other on breathing patterns and the anatomy of the lung, which is subject to change as the result of growth, ageing or illness. Once inhaled, some particles can reach the pulmonary alveoli and thus directly expose the lung tissues to toxic elements. Conclusions: Especially the mapping of toxic arsenic or heavy metals like copper on the dust particles shows local hot spots of pollution in the dimension of only 50 nanometers. Recommendations and Perspectives: Imaging of elements in atmospheric particles with NanoSIMS will help to identify the material sources.