Exposure to methyl methacrylate and its subjective symptoms among dental technicians, Tehran, Iran.

Exposure to methyl methacrylate (MMA), total dust and health symptoms were investigated in 20 dental laboratories located in Tehran, Iran. Time-weighted average (TWA) of MMA and peak concentrations were determined, using XAD-2 tubes followed by GC-FID analysis. Total dusts were evaluated gravimetrically. Health symptoms were asked using a questionnaire. TWA for technicians with direct and indirect exposure to MMA were 327.28 +/- 79.42 and 282.9 +/- 41.84 mg/m3, respectively. Peak concentration of MMA for those technicians were 337.0 +/- 36.81 and 328.88 +/- 45.40 mg/m3, respectively. There were no significant differences between TWA of MMA and peak concentration in different weekly workdays; however, within-day variations were observed (P < .05). TWA of MMA and peak concentration correlation with the laboratory volume were 0.61-0.65. Dust exposure of technicians was 2.35 +/- 2.70 mg/m3. Cough and skin dryness were the common health symptoms. Smoking and asbestos exposure history were factors influencing cough prevalence (p < .05). It is concluded that the current Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) is not low enough to protect technicians against the adverse effects caused by MMA.     

Water quality in the Red Sea coastal waters (Egypt): Analysis of spatial and temporal variability

In order to provide a background picture of the water quality of the Egyptian Red Sea a number of hydrological and chemical parameters have been measured bimonthly in 2000. Few data are available on this area, which is apparently subjected to an increasing human impact due to recreational (swimming and diving), industrial (mainly phosphate shipping and industry) and fishing/harbor activities. The results of the present study indicate that changes in the salinity and pH were not significant with highly oxygenated seawaters. The levels of suspended solids (as total suspended matter, TSM) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) were generally low and showed an homogeneous distribution in the study region. The ratio of chlorophyll-a to total suspended matter concentrations increased between November and March and decreased from May to September. Chlorophyll-a was significantly correlated with transparency and total suspended matter concentrations in July, September and November. Nitrogen, phosphorus and reactive silicate concentrations were generally low, and allowed classifying the Egyptian Red Sea coastal water as oligotrophic to mesotrophic. The middle region of the study area, which was located between Safaga and Qusair displayed relatively high phosphate contents when compared with other coastal areas. The high values of N:P ratios indicate that PO 4 -P is the limiting factor for phytoplankton growth in the Red Sea coastal waters, with the possible exception of the middle region. Significant relationships were found between chlorophyll-a concentrations and nutrient levels in different sampling periods. Spatial distribution patterns of the studied variables revealed that productivity of the Red Sea coastal waters is mostly controlled by phosphate concentrations, salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen.     

Evaluation of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the aquatic species of Suez Gulf water along El-Sokhna area to the Suez refineries

The Egyptian Red Sea environment especially along El-Sokhna area to the Suez refineries (Suez) is severely contaminated with organic compounds, as well as overfishing. This may be well contributory to recent serious declines in fish stocks. Fish embryos are also particularly vulnerable to oil exposure, even at extremely low concentrations of less than one part per billion. Consequently, even traces of oil pollution at levels often considered safe for wildlife can cause severe damage to fish. Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in ten fish species of aquatic species by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The compositions of PAHs determined in all samples were measured in order to use them as chemical markers for identifying different sources of PAH pollutants in the studied region. The total content of these16 PAHs ranged from 399.616 up to 67,631.779 ng/g wet weight. The data show that these values are considered to be alarmingly high enough to cause lethal toxicity effect by accumulation. All studied aquatic species samples are characterized by relatively high concentrations of the six-membered ring PAHs. The origin of PAHs in the collected samples is either petrogenic, biogenic, or mixed petrogenic and biogenic.     

Exposure to Methyl Methacrylate and Its Subjective Symptoms Among Dental Technicians,Tehran, Iran

Exposure to methyl methacrylate (MMA), total dust and health symptoms were investigated in 20 dental laboratories located in Tehran, Iran. Time-weighted average (TWA) of MMA and peak concentrations were determined, using XAD-2 tubes followed by GC-ID analysis. Total dusts were evaluated gravimetrically. Health symptoms were asked using a questionnaire. TWA for technicians with direct and indirect exposure to MMA were 327.28 ± 79.42 and 282.9 ± 41.84 mg/m³ , respectively. Peak concentration of MMA for those technicians were 337.0 ± 36.81 and 328.88 ± 45.40 mg/m³, respectively.

There were no significant differences between TWA of MMA and peak concentration in different weekly workdays; however, within-day variations were observed (P < .05).

TWA of MMA and peak concentration correlation with the laboratory volume were 0.61-0.65. Dust exposure of technicians was 2.35 ± 2.70 mg/m³. Cough and skin dryness were the common health symptoms. Smoking and asbestos exposure history were factors influencing cough prevalence (p < .05).

It is concluded that the current Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) is not low enough to protect technicians against the adverse effects caused by MMA.     

Spongy Ni/Fe carbonate-fluorapatite catalyst for efficient conversion of cooking oil waste into biodiesel

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Biodiesel produced from animal and plant fat oils is sustainable, but there is a need for efficient heterogeneous catalysts for transesterification of crude oils...     

Egg protein insolubility inLymantria dispar versus other forest Lepidoptera

Summary A standard buffer (5 mM phosphate at pH 7) which is used to extract protein from insect eggs provided complete protein solubility for eggs from three of four tree-feeding lepidopteran species: obliquebanded leaf roller (Choristoneura rosaceana), forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria), and the eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum). Under the same extraction protocol, egg proteins from the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), remained nearly insoluble. An array of methods typically used to solubilize insect egg proteins were tried and all but the most denaturing (2% SDS) were ineffective. Extraction buffers with typically high pH values were then evaluated. The results indicated that 1) solubility of gypsy moth egg proteins was pH dependent, and full solubility of most egg proteins required the extraction buffer to have a pH of 12 or more prior to the addition of eggs. We also determined that 2) the gypsy moth egg has a buffering capacity which must be surpassed for complete protein extraction, 3) low salt/high pH buffers gave slightly higher total protein values than did high salt/high pH buffers, 4) parental nutritional history (host species utilized) and egg developmental state (pre-embryonatedvs postembryonated/pre-hatch) were unrelated to the requirements for complete egg protein solubilization, and 5) the presence of soluble phenolics, compounds that have the potential to bind to protein and cause insolubility, was confirmed for the gypsy moth egg with 2-D paper chromatography and several other tests. Based on these results, we present a hypothesis about the cause of egg protein insolubility in the gypsy moth.     

Temporal variations of fine and coarse particulate matter sources in Jeddah,Saudi Arabia

This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the seasonal variations and weekday/weekend differences in fine (aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm; PM_2.5) and coarse (aerodynamic diameter 2.5–10 μm; PM_2.5–10) particulate matter mass concentrations, elemental constituents, and potential source origins in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Air quality samples were collected over 1 yr, from June 2011 to May 2012 at a frequency of three times per week, and analyzed. The average mass concentrations of PM_2.5 (21.9 μg/m³) and PM₁₀ (107.8 μg/m³) during the sampling period exceeded the recommended annual average levels by the World Health Organization (WHO) for PM_2.5 (10 μg/m³) and PM₁₀ (20 μg/m³), respectively. Similar to other Middle Eastern locales, PM_2.5–10 is the prevailing mass component of atmospheric particulate matter at Jeddah, accounting for approximately 80% of the PM₁₀ mass. Considerations of enrichment factors, absolute principal component analysis (APCA), concentration roses, and backward trajectories identified the following source categories for both PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10: (1) soil/road dust, (2) incineration, and (3) traffic; and for PM_2.5 only, (4) residual oil burning. Soil/road dust accounted for a major portion of both the PM_2.5 (27%) and PM_2.5–10 (77%) mass, and the largest source contributor for PM_2.5 was from residual oil burning (63%). Temporal variations of PM_2.5–10 and PM_2.5 were observed, with the elevated concentration levels observed for mass during the spring (due to increased dust storm frequency) and on weekdays (due to increased traffic). The predominant role of windblown soil and road dust in both the PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10 masses in this city may have implications regarding the toxicity of these particles versus those in the Western world where most PM health assessments have been made in the past. These results support the need for region-specific epidemiological investigations to be conducted and considered in future PM standard setting.

Implications: Temporal variations of fine and coarse PM mass, elemental constituents, and sources were examined in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the first time. The main source of PM_2.5–10 is natural windblown soil and road dust, whereas the predominant source of PM_2.5 is residual oil burning, generated from the port and oil refinery located west of the air sampler, suggesting that targeted emission controls could significantly improve the air quality in the city. The compositional differences point to a need for health effect studies to be conducted in this region, so as to directly assess the applicability of the existing guidelines to the Middle East air pollution.     

Influence of Some Chelators on the Phytoextraction Ability of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) for Nickel‐Contaminated Soil

Chelation and complexation of nickel were evaluated as practical ways to solubilize, detoxify, and enhance nickel accumulation by plants. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was selected as a potential nickel accumulator in two selected soils with different textures and nickel‐contamination levels. To enhance metal phytoextraction, ammonium nitrate and organic chelators (EDTA and citric acid) were added to soils in pots at rates of 0, 5, 10, and 20 mmol/kg. The pot experiments were run for eight weeks. The highest nickel uptake was obtained in plants grown on clayey soil, and the lowest uptake was observed in sandy soil. Citric acid was the most effective chelator of nickel metals that could enhance nickel accumulation in the sunflower shoots. The ammonium nitrate application showed a low effect on metal translocation into the sunflower shoots. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

WATER QUALITY IN THE RED SEA COASTAL WATERS (EGYPT): ANALYSIS OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY

In order to provide a background picture of the water quality of the Egyptian Red Sea a number of hydrological and chemical parameters have been measured bimonthly in 2000. Few data are available on this area, which is apparently subjected to an increasing human impact due to recreational (swimming and diving), industrial (mainly phosphate shipping and industry) and fishing/harbor activities. The results of the present study indicate that changes in the salinity and pH were not significant with highly oxygenated seawaters. The levels of suspended solids (as total suspended matter, TSM) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) were generally low and showed an homogeneous distribution in the study region. The ratio of chlorophyll-a to total suspended matter concentrations increased between November and March and decreased from May to September. Chlorophyll-a was significantly correlated with transparency and total suspended matter concentrations in July, September and November. Nitrogen, phosphorus and reactive silicate concentrations were generally low, and allowed classifying the Egyptian Red Sea coastal water as oligotrophic to mesotrophic. The middle region of the study area, which was located between Safaga and Qusair displayed relatively high phosphate contents when compared with other coastal areas. The high values of N:P ratios indicate that PO 4 -P is the limiting factor for phytoplankton growth in the Red Sea coastal waters, with the possible exception of the middle region. Significant relationships were found between chlorophyll-a concentrations and nutrient levels in different sampling periods. Spatial distribution patterns of the studied variables revealed that productivity of the Red Sea coastal waters is mostly controlled by phosphate concentrations, salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen.     

Heavy-metal distribution and risk assessment of sediment and fish from El-Mex Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

Heavy metals are increasingly being released into natural waters from geological and anthropogenic sources. The distribution of several heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Hg) was investigated in muscle, gill, and liver in two different fish species seasonally collected in El-Mex Bay (autumn 2004-summer 2005). In order to evaluate the pollution status of the Bay, the concentrations of the selected metals in the labile and total fractions were analysed in sediment samples collected from eight sites in El-Mex Bay during autumn 2004. Also, the Index of Geoaccumulation (I_geo) for the sediment was estimated. The total and labile fractions of the selected metals in sediment samples were 15.2 and 62.8 μg g^-1 dw for Cu, 1.8 and 5.0 μg g^-1 dw for Cd, 79.1 and 130.3 μg g^-1 dw for Zn, 0.2 and 1.2 μg g^-1 dw for Hg, 35.8 and 93.0 μg g^-1 dw for Pb, and 13.9 and 31.0 μg g^-1 dw for Cr. The concentrations of all metals were lower in flesh than those recorded in liver and gill due to their physiological roles. The metal pollution index for fish was calculated. Health hazard calculations for the contaminated sediments and fish consumption were calculated to evaluate the effect of pollution on health.