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At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Risk factors in the spread of leishmaniases: towards integrated monitoring?

Environmental changes, immune status and treatment failure constitute the three major risk factors for the (re-)emergence and spread of leishmaniases. Except for Leishmania-HIV co-infection, these risk factors are not systematically monitored and their interaction is poorly studied and understood. Recently, the multidisciplinary network Leish-Med was launched to document this issue around the Mediterranean and to promote transborder control strategies.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Exposure to solvents in a synthetic leather manufacturing plant.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the exposure of synthetic leather workers to dimethylformamide (DMF), epichlorohydrin (ECH) and toluene, in a manufacturing plant. The correlation between biological and environmental monitoring for DMF was also investigated. Environmental monitoring of the three solvents included personal and area sampling based on time of day (morning and afternoon). Urine samples were taken at the end of the shift and urinary N-methylformamide (NMF) was then used to biologically monitor DMF levels. Results for solvent concentrations based on air sampling were considerably higher in area than in personal sampling. Of 41 area samples, 15 (36.6%) and five (12.2%) exceeded permissible exposure levels for DMF and ECH, respectively, compared with 22 (28.6%) and three (3.9%) based on 77 personal samples. Overall, urinary NMF concentrations were lower than the Biological Exposure Index (BEI) suggested by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). A significant correlation (r = 0.32; P < 0.05) was found between environmental and biological monitoring. Even though urinary NMF concentration was within permissible levels for Taiwan, the authors recommend that immediate measures be taken to decrease DMF and ECH concentrations in synthetic leather manufacturing plants.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Promoting the use of environmental data collected by concerned citizens through information and communication technologies.

Public participation within environmental monitoring may contribute to increasing the knowledge on the state of the environment at the same time it promotes citizens' involvement in environmental protection. However, the use of voluntary collected data is limited due to a lack of confidence in data collection procedures. Additionally, data quality is often unknown and the data are usually dispersed and non-structured. Information and communication technologies (ICT) may promote the use of voluntary collected data through the development of a collaborative system that incorporates tools and methodologies to facilitate data collection, access and validation. Furthermore, the use of ICT may promote public involvement within environmental monitoring, since it facilitates communication among all the stakeholders. This paper analyses the role of ICT in developing a system for environmental collaborative monitoring intending to promote the use of volunteer collected data. It starts by analysing the role of volunteers within environmental monitoring and continues analysing the potential of ICT to take advantage of the benefits of using data collected by citizens. A collaborative system that allows the public to express its knowledge on the state of the environment is described. Special emphasis is given to tools that explore non-traditional types of environmental data such as images, sounds and videos in association with spatial information. To illustrate the above mentioned concepts, a case study for beach quality monitoring developed within the Senses@Watch project, is described.

Communication↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Conceptual bases of environmental radiation monitoring of an industrial city].

The mechanisms of radionuclide behavior in different environmental objects have been identified and studied. The radiation characteristics of controlled parameters have been shown to be in the range of mean long-term values that are characteristic for the technogenic background of a capital megapolis, they are not greater than those established by the monitoring standards and those required by regulating legislative documents. Areas have been regionalized by the radiation agent and set off as having high levels of natural radionuclides in the soil and high levels of radon in the soil air. It has been shown that, to ensure radiological monitoring under urban conditions, it is most reasonable to have an irregular network considering the concentration of radiation-risk enterprises, as well as urban architectural designs and division of areas by taking into account regional, geomorphological, and radiological factors. Basic trends in improving radioecological monitoring are given.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed1992

Fluctuating asymmetry: a biological monitor of environmental and genomic stress.

Increased fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of morphological traits occurs under environmental and genomic stress. Such conditions will therefore lead to a reduction in developmental homeostasis. Based upon temperature extreme experiments, relatively severe stress is needed to increase FA under field conditions. Increasing asymmetry tends, therefore, to occur in stressed marginal habitats. Genetic perturbations implying genomic stress include certain specific genes, directional selection, inbreeding, and chromosome balance alterations. It is for these reasons that transgenic organisms may show increased FA. As there is evidence that the effects of genomic and environmental stress are cumulative, organisms in a state of genomic stress may provide sensitive biological monitors of environmental stress.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging of individual algal cells: effects of herbicide on Spirogyra distenta at different growth stages.

Serious environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems has been caused by eutrophication and by pollutants such as herbicides. Therefore, measurement of in situ algal photosynthetic activity is important for environmental monitoring. With ordinary nonimaging fluorometers, algal chlorophyll fluorescence can be measured easily, but heterogeneity within samples cannot be detected. Effects of a herbicide preparation containing 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1 -dimethylurea (DCMU) on photosynthetic activity at different growth stages of Spirogyra distenta were investigated by using a computer-aided microscopic imaging system for chlorophyll afluorescence. Photosystem II photochemical yield (phiPSII) images were used to diagnose photosynthetic activity of spiral filate chloroplasts in algal cells. The herbicide treatment caused a stronger decline in phiPSII values in younger than in mature algae cells. This result indicated that heterogeneity within algal samples should be considered when algae are used for environmental monitoring. Thus, measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence from young and mature chloroplasts with a microscopic imaging system makes it possible to improve the sensitivity for monitoring the environmental degradation of aquatic ecosystems.

Chlorophyll↗
PubMed2006

Origins of PM10 determined by the micro-proton induced X-ray emission spectra of single aerosol particles.

The micro-proton induced X-ray emission (micro-PIXE) spectrum of a single aerosol particle (SAP) was considered as its fingerprint for tracing its origin. A proton microprobe was used to extract fingerprints of SAPs. Environmental monitoring samples of PM(10) were collected from a heavy industrial area of Shanghai and were analyzed by proton microprobe for finding their pollution sources. In order to find the sources of SAPs collected from environmental monitoring sites, a fingerprint database of SAPs collected from various pollution sources was established. The origins of samples collected through environmental monitoring were identified by comparison of the micro-PIXE spectra of SAPs with those of SAPs in the fingerprint database using a pattern recognition technique. The results of this study show that most of the measured PM(10) is derived from metallurgic industry, soil dust, coal combustion, automobile exhaust, and motorcycle exhaust. The study also shows that the proton microprobe is an ideal tool for the analysis of SAPs. The unidentified particles of PM(10) are classified into seven classes by hierarchical cluster analysis based on the element peak intensity in the spectra.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1990

A practical E-PERM (electret passive environmental radon monitor) system for indoor 222Rn measurement.

The technical and scientific basis for the measurement of indoor 222Rn concentration using an E-PERM (Electret passive environmental radon monitor) has been described in our earlier work. The purpose of this paper is to describe further development of a practical and convenient system that can be used routinely for indoor 222Rn measurement. The ion chamber is now made of electrically conducting plastic to minimize the response from natural gamma radiation. A spring-loaded shutter method is used to cover and uncover the electret from outside the chamber. The electret voltage reader has been modified to improve the accuracy and the ease in operation. The calibration, performance, error analysis, and lower limits of detection for these standardized versions of E-PERMs are also described.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2006

Quality assurance of environmental gamma radiation monitoring in Slovenia.

Environmental gamma radiation monitoring established in Slovenia consists of a network of multifunctional gamma monitors (MFMs) based on pairs of Geiger-Müller counters and a network of measuring sites with high-sensitive thermoluminiscence dosemeters. The measuring points are evenly spread across Slovenia, located at the meteorological stations and more densely on additional locations around the Krsko NPP. The MFM network has a 2-fold function with one sensor used for the purpose of early warning system in near surroundings of the NPP and the other, more sensitive, for natural radiation monitoring. The paper summarises activities to establish quality assurance of the environmental gamma radiation measurements in Slovenia, with a critical view of the results in comparison with the international standards and recommendations. While the results of linearity and energy dependence tests were satisfying, on-field intercomparison showed that the inherent signal of one of the monitors (MFM) has to be taken into account in the range of environmental background radiation.

Air Pollution, Radioactive↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Estimation of the levels of plutonium isotopes in soil and bed deposits during environmental radiological monitoring].

The paper deals with the development of a highly sensitive method for determining plutonium isotopes (238Pu, 239Pu + 240Pu, 242Pu) in the solid samples of environmental objects with preliminary radiochemical preparation. The chosen conditions for preparation of samples permit effective separation of plutonium from mixing alpha-radiating radionuclides and allow plutonium to release in the radiochemically pure form to a sample to be calculated. Spectrometric measurements of the calculated samples and identification of isotopes were made on a "Progress-alpha" alpha-spectrometric unit having a silicon semiconductor detector. The developed procedure is rather reliable in identifying and estimating the content of major plutonium isotopes in the soil and bed deposits at their background values (1 Bc/kg or higher). The paper presents the results of analysis of samples of the soil selected during radioecological monitoring in the South-Western Okrug of Moscow, as well as the alpha-spectra obtained.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2000

Monitoring of environmental UV radiation by biological dosimeters.

As a consequence of the stratospheric ozone layer depletion biological systems can be damaged due to increased UV-B radiation. The aim of biological dosimetry is to establish a quantitative basis for the risk assessment of the biosphere. DNA is the most important target molecule of biological systems having special sensitivity against short wavelength components of the environmental radiation. Biological dosimeters are usually simple organisms, or components of them, modeling the cellular DNA. Phage T7 and polycrystalline uracil biological dosimeters have been developed and used in our laboratory for monitoring the environmental radiation in different radiation conditions (from the polar to equatorial regions). Comparisons with Robertson-Berger (RB) meter data, as well as with model calculation data weighted by the corresponding spectral sensitivities of the dosimeters are presented. Suggestion is given how to determine the trend of the increase in the biological risk due to ozone depletion.

Bacteriophage T7↗
PubMed2000

Assessment of impact on health of residents living near the Nant-y-Gwyddon landfill site: retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare indices of health in a population living near a landfill site with a population matched for socioeconomic status and to review environmental monitoring data. DESIGN: Ecological study with small area statistics and environmental reports. SETTING: Electoral wards in valleys of South Wales. SUBJECTS: Populations in the five wards near the landfill site who had formally complained of odours (exposed population), and comparison populations in 22 wards in the same unitary authority within the same fifth of Townsend score. OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality, rates of hospital admission, measures of reproductive health (proportion of all births and stillbirths of infants weighing <2500 g; rates of admissions for spontaneous abortion; rates of all reported congenital malformations). Environmental data on site emissions. RESULTS: There were no consistent differences in mortality, rates of hospital admissions, or proportion of low birthweight infants between the two populations. There was an increased maternal risk of having a baby with a congenital abnormality in residents near the site, both before its opening (relative risk 1.9; 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 2.85; P<0.001) and after (1.9; 1.23 to 2.95; P=0.003). Environmental monitoring showed that hydrogen sulphide from the site was probably responsible for odours. CONCLUSIONS: The area surrounding the landfill site has an increased rate of reported congenital malformations, which predated the opening of the landfill, although the cluster of cases of gastroschisis post-dated its opening. Several chemicals emitted from the site, including hydrogen sulphide and benzene, were found in air samples in the nearby community. Further studies of the reproductive risk in such communities are needed to examine the safety of waste disposal sites.

Congenital Abnormalities↗
PubMed2004

Understanding fish behavior, distribution, and survival in thermal effluents using fixed telemetry arrays: a case study of smallmouth bass in a discharge canal during winter.

Advances in telemetry have facilitated the continuous monitoring of fish position and movement. At present, there are few examples where this approach has been applied to environmental monitoring or assessment. Here we 1) present a case study that used a fixed antenna array and continuously scanning coded receiving system to monitor the movement of radio-tagged smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieu) in a thermal discharge canal on Lake Erie during the winter of 1998/1999, and 2) evaluate the use of fixed telemetry arrays for environmental monitoring. Although the number of radiotagged bass in the canal decreased gradually over time, fish spent the majority of the winter in the canal. When in the canal, bass selected areas upstream of the tempering pumps where water was the warmest. This region was also high in habitat complexity, had adequate velocity refuges, and abundant forage. Despite residing in the thermal effluent throughout the winter, none of the fish monitored were observed to participate in reproductive activities in the canal in the Spring. Interestingly, during a biofouling chlorination pulse in May, 50% of radiotagged fish still residing in the canal left and did not return during the monitoring period. Utility infrastructure accessible to fish, including thermal effluents, should be considered as fish habitat and managed accordingly to minimize mortality and sublethal effects on resident and transient fish. Fixed telemetry arrays that permit the continuous monitoring of fish behavior as described in this paper are widely applicable to many issues in environmental management, monitoring, and conservation.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Biological monitoring of environmental exposure to mutagens among high school students in Jeddah.

Mutagenic and/or carcinogenic substances, which are present in the environment, are numerous. They include electrophilic compounds, polycyclic aromatic compounds such as benzo(a)pyrene which is a polyaromatic hydrocarbon. It is well known to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. Biological monitoring that depends on estimating a substance or one of its metabolites or one of its effective components in biological fluids such as urine and blood was carried out. Thioether concentration in urine indicates absorption of mutagenic and/or carcinogenic substances. Thiocyanates' concentration in urine was used as an indicator of absorption of mutagenic and/or carcinogenic haloacetonitriles. Urinary cotinine was used to estimate the extent of exposure to tobacco smoke, the heaviness of smoking, and whether the subject is smoker or not. Three hundreds and thirty two male students were randomly selected from eight secondary schools in Jeddah city. Their ages were more than 15 years and they were apparently free from illness. Every student filled a questionnaire. Random urine samples were obtained from all students. Thioether, thiocyanate, cotinine, and creatinine were measured in urine samples. There was a direct relation between urinary thioether and each of smoking index, food index, urinary thiocyanate, and cotinine. Urinary thioether shows an inverse relation with BMI. Urinary thiocyanate and cotinine showed direct relation with smoking index and with each of them and the other factor. This indicates interference between these indices and smoking is still one of the most misleading factors in researches that deal with the mutagenic and/or carcinogenic effects in the environment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Modeling desertification change in Minqin County, China.

Monitoring environmental processes is becoming increasingly important wherever there is increasing population and economic development pressure placed on fragile environments. Remote sensing, digital image processing, and spatial analysis have proven to be useful technologies in both assessing and monitoring environmental change. In this study, they were used to assess desertification processes and change in Minqin County, China from 1988 to 1997. The results suggest that wind erosion was the dominant cause of desertification in more than half of the study area. Coupled with this were increases in salinization processes, affecting 33.62% of the land area in 1997. Overall, moderate desertification was found to be the dominant desertification grade (43.64% of total area), followed by extreme/severe desertification (26.15% of total area) in 1997. In addition, examination of landscape pattern changes indicated that desertification processes at the landscape level were becoming evident at increasing levels of fragmentation, complexity in shape, and isolation of patches. Major fluctuations in desertification type and grade were found at the fringes of oases, where an ongoing shift was taking place between cultivation, abandonment, and reclamation.

China↗