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At least 613 records · Page 34Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Enterococci as indicators of Lake Michigan recreational water quality: comparison of two methodologies and their impacts on public health regulatory events.

The frequency of poor-water-quality advisories issued in Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin, in the absence of identifiable sources of contamination brought into question the reliability of the present indicator organism, Escherichia coli. Enteroccoci have been suggested as an alternative to E. coli for freshwater monitoring due to their direct correlation to swimmer-associated gastroenteritis. The purpose of this research was threefold: (i) to explore enterococci as an alternative to E. coli for monitoring freshwater Lake Michigan beaches, (ii) to evaluate the impact of the two indicators on regulatory decisions, and (iii) to compare membrane filtration m-enterococcus agar with indoxyl-beta-D-glucoside to a chemical substrate technique (Enterolert) for the recovery of enterococci. Recreational water samples from Milwaukee (n = 305) and Racine (n = 153) were analyzed for the enumeration of E. coli and enterococci using IDEXX Colilert-18 and Enterolert. Correlation between the indicators was low (R(2) = 0.60 and 0.69). Based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency bacterial indicator threshold levels of risk for full body immersion, using enterococci would have resulted in 56 additional unsafe-recreational-water-quality advisories compared to the total from using E. coli and the substrate-based methods. A comparison of the two enterococcal methods (n = 124) yielded similar results (R(2) = 0.62). This was further confounded by the frequent inability to verify enterococci from those wells producing fluorescence by the defined substrate test using conventional microbiological methods. These results suggest that further research is necessary regarding the use of defined substrate technology interchangeably with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved membrane filtration test for the detection of enterococci from fresh surface water.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed2001

Radiation protection and environmental management at the relativistic heavy ion collider.

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) is a high energy hadron accelerator built to study basic nuclear physics. It consists of two counter-rotating beams of fully stripped gold ions that are accelerated in two rings to an energy of 100 GeV/nucleon or protons at 250 GeV/c. The beams can be stored for a period of five to ten hours and brought into collision for experiments during that time. The first major physics objective is to recreate a state of matter, the quark-gluon plasma, that has been predicted to have existed at a short time after the creation of the universe. Because there are only a few other high energy particle accelerators like RHIC in the world, the rules promulgated in the US Code of Federal Regulations under the Atomic Energy Act, State regulations, or international guidance documents do not cover prompt radiation from accelerators to govern directly the design and operation of a superconducting collider. Special design criteria for prompt radiation were developed to provide guidance tor the design of radiation shielding. Environmental Management at RHIC is accomplished through the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. The applicability, benefits, and implementation of ISO 14001 within the framework of a large research accelerator complex are discussed in the paper.

Environment↗
PubMed1986

Source assessment of hexachlorobenzene from the organic chemical manufacturing industry.

The Office of Solid Waste of the US Environmental Protection Agency determines the hazards of wastes produced by the organic chemical manufacturing industry. Based on these determinations, regulations have been laid down for many wastes under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Additional wastes from this industry will be considered for regulation following further study and evaluation. Among the wastes under study are hexachlorobenzene (HCB)-containing wastes. Although HCB is no longer manufactured in the USA, the US Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that approximately 4130 t are generated annually as a by-product in the production of chlorinated organics and pesticides. Of this total, about 77% (3178 t) is generated from the production of three chlorinated solvents: tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene. All wastewater containing HCB is treated biologically in surface impoundments, resulting in HCB accumulation in the biological sludge. Disposal methods for HCB-containing sludges and distillation bottoms are incineration and landfilling, with 81% (3345 t) being incinerated and 19% (785 t) going to landfills.

Chemical Industry↗
PubMed1992

Programs of safety surveillance and control of fishery products.

In the United States, fishery product safety at the federal level falls primarily under the authority of the Food and Drug Administration. However, other federal agencies play an important role. The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for setting and recommending pesticide limits in seafood, and the National Marine Fisheries Service operates a voluntary inspection program. The Centers for Disease Control is responsible for the collection and evaluation of data characterizing the source of seafood-borne illness. Individual states also play a dominant role in the control of seafood-borne risk because of the important differences in consumption and contaminant levels across regions of the country. State public health, environmental protection, and resource management agencies have developed programs designed to mitigate that risk. Because of the complication and variability of the fishery industry, an effective safety system can be developed based on partnership among federal and state agencies, in which state governments retain the dominant role and the federal government develops and updates guidance programs and provides oversight. The international community has developed practices and protocols impacting the regulation of seafood safety in the United States. In view of developing trade agreements, the international community should address the criteria of setting equivalent contaminant levels and consider the option of establishing import contract criteria for fishery products.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predicting children's blood lead levels from exposure to school drinking water in Seattle, Washington, USA.

OBJECTIVE: Lead exposure through drinking water is of increasing interest with little known about its potential childhood health impact. In 2004, school testing in Seattle, Washington, found lead concentrations in drinking water that exceeded national guidelines (>20 ppb). On the basis of these data, we estimated potential blood lead levels (BLLs) in elementary school children to better understand the potential health risks posed by these exposures. METHODS: We used the US Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Uptake Biokinetic Model for Lead in Children to predict geometric mean BLLs. We modeled typical-case and worst-case scenarios for children in 71 elementary schools on the basis of drinking water lead concentrations results from 2004. RESULTS: The estimated geometric mean BLLs under a typical scenario for each school ranged from 1.6 to 2.5 microg/dL. The worst-case scenario predicted geometric mean BLLs ranging from 1.7 to 5.0 microg/dL. All modeling yielded predicted BLLs well below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health goal of <10 microg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: Our modeling suggests drinking water exposures up to 10-15 times the Environmental Protection Agency guideline are unlikely to result in BLLs exceeding the current guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the absence of other significant exposure sources. In Seattle, elevated school drinking water lead concentrations are not a significant source of lead exposure in school-age children. Further characterization of drinking water impacts are merited only if younger-age children are consuming water or if water lead concentrations are higher than those in this study.

Child↗
PubMed2004

Effects of wintertime ambient air pollutants on asthma exacerbations in urban minority children with moderate to severe disease.

BACKGROUND: Urban minority children with asthma are at higher risk for severe exacerbations leading to hospitalizations and deaths. Because multiple studies have reported associations between air pollution and asthma worsening, elevated levels of air pollution are cited as a possible trigger for increased asthma morbidity in urban areas. Few studies have prospectively followed panels of urban children with asthma to determine whether air pollution levels are associated with clinically relevant outcomes such as asthma exacerbations. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between levels of ambient air pollutants and asthma exacerbations in urban poor children with moderate to severe asthma. METHODS: A school-based panel of children with difficult-to-control disease was followed over a period of 3 consecutive winters in Denver, Colo. The panel consisted of predominantly urban African American children with moderate to severe asthma. Levels of Environmental Protection Agency criteria air pollutants were measured on a daily basis with concurrent monitoring of lung function, bronchodilator use, symptoms, and asthma exacerbations. RESULTS: After controlling for time-varying factors such as upper respiratory infections and meteorologic factors, a weak association was found between ambient carbon monoxide levels and bronchodilator use. Ozone levels were associated with daytime symptoms only. No association was observed between daily air pollution concentrations and daily levels of FEV 1 , peak flow, nighttime symptom scores, or asthma exacerbations over the 3-year period. CONCLUSION: Ambient levels of Environmental Protection Agency criteria air pollutants in Denver do not lead to clinically significant asthma worsening in urban children with moderate to severe asthma during winter months when children are primarily indoors.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

Sustainable development in pollution control and the role of anaerobic treatment.

The increasing scarcity of clean water sets the need for appropriate management of available water resources. Particularly regions suffering from a lack of water urgently need integrated environmental protection and resource conservation (EP and RC) technologies in order to enable effective management of the available water resources. EP and RC-concepts focus on pollution prevention and on a minimum of consumptive use of energy, chemicals, and water in pollution abatement and a maximum of re-use of treated wastewater, by-products and residues produced in the treatment of waste and wastewater. Consequently, by implementing these concepts, waste(water)s like sewage and industrial effluents become an important source of water, fertilisers, soil conditioners and (frequently) energy instead of a social threat. In addition, a bridge is made between environmental protection and agriculture practice, stimulating (urban) agriculture in the neighbourhood of large cities. Anaerobic treatment is considered as the core technology for mineralising organic compounds in waste(water) streams. Additional technologies are required to comply with the reuse criteria. Some examples of possible EP and RC concepts, using the anaerobic treatment technology for the reclamation of domestic sewage are discussed.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Influence of alkalinity, hardness and dissolved solids on drinking water taste: A case study of consumer satisfaction.

Two surveys of consumer satisfaction with drinking water conducted by Taiwan Water Supply Corp. are presented in this study. The study results show that although a lot of money was invested to modify traditional treatment processes, over 60% of local residents still avoided drinking tap water. Over half of the respondents felt that sample TT (from the traditional treatment process) was not a good drinking water, whether in the first or second survey, whereas almost 60% of respondents felt that samples PA, PB, CCL and CT (from advanced treatment processes) were good to drink. For all drinking water samples, respondent satisfaction with a sample primarily depended on it having no unpleasant flavors. Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration plans to revise the drinking water quality standards for TH and TDS in the near future. The new standards require a lower TH concentration (from currently 400mg/L (as CaCO(3)) to 150mg/L (as CaCO(3))), and a lower TDS maximum admissible concentration from the current guideline of 600 to 250mg/L. Therefore, this study also evaluated the impacts on drinking water tastes caused by variations in TH and TDS concentrations, and assessed the need to issue more strict drinking water quality standards for TH and TDS. The research results showed that most respondents could not tell the difference in water taste among water samples with different TDS, TH and alkalinity. Furthermore, hardness was found to be inversely associated with cardiovascular diseases and cancers, and complying with more strict standards would lead most water facilities to invest billions of dollars to upgrade their treatment processes. Consequently, in terms of drinking water tastes alone, this study suggested that Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration should conduct more thorough reviews of the scientific literature that provides the rationale for setting standards and reconsider if it is necessary to revise drinking water quality standards for TH and TDS.

Calcium Carbonate↗
PubMed1994

International Commission for Protection Against Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens. Working paper no. 6. Estimation of genetic risks of exposure to chemical mutagens: relevance of data on spontaneous mutations and of experience with ionizing radiation.

This paper examines the impact of advances in knowledge on the molecular biology of human Mendelian diseases on the estimation of genetic risks of exposure to ionizing radiation and to chemical mutagens. More specifically, it addresses the question of whether and to what extent naturally occurring Mendelian diseases can be used as a baseline for efforts in this area. Data on the molecular nature and mechanisms of origin of spontaneous mutations underlying naturally occurring Mendelian diseases and on radiation-induced mutations in experimental systems suggest that for ionizing radiation, naturally occurring Mendelian diseases may not constitute an entirely adequate frame of reference and that current risk estimates for this class of diseases are conservative; these estimates however provide a margin of safety in formulating radiation protection guidelines. Currently available data on mechanisms and specificities of action of chemical mutagens, molecular dosimetry, repair of chemically induced adducts in the DNA, adduct-mutation relationships etc., permit the tentative conclusion that naturally occurring Mendelian diseases may provide a better baseline for genetic risk estimation for chemical mutagens than for ionizing radiation. With both ionizing radiation and chemical mutagens, the question of which Mendelian diseases are potentially inducible will become answerable in the near future when more molecular data on human genetic diseases become available. It is therefore essential that risk estimators keep abreast of advances in human genetics and integrate these into their conceptual framework. However, induced Mendelian diseases (especially the dominant ones which are of more immediate concern) are likely to represent a very small fraction of the adverse genetic effects of induced mutations. More attention therefore needs to be devoted to studies on the heterozygous effects of induced mutations.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Mercury exposure from interior latex paint.

BACKGROUND: Many paint companies have used phenylmercuric acetate as a preservative to prolong the shelf life of interior latex paint. In August 1989, acrodynia, a form of mercury poisoning, occurred in a child exposed to paint fumes in a home recently painted with a brand containing 4.7 mmol of mercury per liter (at that time the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit was 1.5 mmol or less per liter). METHODS: To determine whether the recent use of that brand of paint containing phenylmercuric acetate was associated with elevated indoor-air and urinary mercury concentrations, we studied 74 "exposed" persons living in 19 homes recently painted with the brand and 28 "unexposed" persons living in 10 homes not recently painted with paint containing mercury. RESULTS: The paint samples from the homes of exposed persons contained a median of 3.8 mmol of mercury per liter, and air samples from the homes had a median mercury content of 10.0 nmol per cubic meter (range, less than 0.5 to 49.9). No mercury was detected in paint or air samples from the homes of unexposed persons. The median urinary mercury concentration was higher in the exposed persons (4.7 nmol of mercury per millimole of creatinine; range, 1.4 to 66.5) than in the unexposed persons (1.1 nmol per millimole; range, 0.02 to 3.9; P less than 0.001). Urinary mercury concentrations within the range that we found in exposed persons have been associated with symptomatic mercury poisoning. CONCLUSIONS: We found that potentially hazardous exposure to mercury had occurred among persons whose homes were painted with a brand of paint containing mercury at concentrations approximately 2 1/2 times the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended limit.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Laboratory and field evaluation of instrumentation for the semicontinuous determination of particulate nitrate (and other water-soluble particulate components).

Studies conducted at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency facility in Research Triangle Park, NC, and at a field study in Southern California have demonstrated the capability for the semicontinuous determination of particulate nitrate (and other water-soluble ionic species). Two instruments, an R&P Series 8400N Ambient Particulate Nitrate Monitor (8400N) and an ion chromatography (IC)-based prototype monitor developed at Texas Tech University, were evaluated both in the laboratory using aqueous standards and simulated ambient aerosols and in the field during a 3-week July 1-21, 2003) joint ambient comparison study with Brigham Young University and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The field study was conducted at the SCAQMD Rubidoux field site near Riverside, CA. During initial (before the field study) laboratory studies, both instruments were responsive to changes in the simulated aerosol concentration. However, potential problems were discovered involving both instruments during the laboratory-based studies both before and after the Rubidoux study, and these problems are currently being addressed. During the 3-week field study period, 15-minute average particulate nitrate concentrations approaching 30 microg/m3 were observed. Because of malfunctioning IC components (concentrator columns) of the Texas Tech University prototype monitor, limited data were obtained from this instrument during the 3-week sampling period. Initial ambient comparisons show general agreement between the 8400N and IC-based prototype instrument for the semicontinuous determination of ambient particulate nitrate at lower nitrate concentrations (<15 microg/m3) and an underdetermination by the 8400N at higher concentrations (>15 microg/m3). A decreased molybdenum converter efficiency in the pulse analyzer of the 8400N discovered during postfield study laboratory evaluation may explain the negative bias observed at higher nitrate concentrations. Semicontinuous results obtained from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-operated instruments were averaged and compared with integrated sampler results obtained by Brigham Young University and SCAQMD.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1995

Passive smoking and lung cancer.

Evidence that environmental tobacco smoke may be a risk factor for lung cancer among individuals who themselves have never smoked tobacco products has been the subject of expert review over the last decade by several United States and international agencies. The most recent comprehensive review, published in 1993 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, concluded that environmental tobacco smoke is a Group A (known human) carcinogen. This report, coming in the midst of rapid social and political change in attitudes towards public policy implications for protecting human health, has been the subject of considerable discussion. Issues involved in these discussions, as well as more recently published studies on the topic, are reviewed with respect to current thinking about the risk of lung cancer in passive smokers, particularly women, who are lifetime never-smokers.

Epidemiologic Factors↗
PubMed2003

The ftsH gene of the wine bacterium Oenococcus oeni is involved in protection against environmental stress.

The wine bacterium Oenococcus oeni has to cope with harsh environmental conditions, including an acidic pH, a high alcoholic content, nonoptimal growth temperatures, and growth-inhibitory compounds such as fatty acids, phenolic acids, and tannins. We describe the characterization and cloning of the O. oeni ftsH gene, encoding a protease belonging to the ATP binding cassette protein superfamily. The O. oeni FtsH protein is closest in sequence similarity to the FtsH homologue of Lactococcus lactis. The O. oeni ftsH gene proved to be stress-responsive, since its expression increased at high temperatures or under osmotic shock. O. oeni FtsH protein function was tested in an Escherichia coli ftsH mutant strain, and consistent with the O. oeni ftsH gene expression pattern, the O. oeni FtsH protein provided protection for the E. coli ftsH mutant against heat shock. O. oeni and Bradyrhizobium japonicum FtsH proteins also triggered E. coli resistance to wine toxicity. Genes homologous to O. oeni ftsH were detected in many other lactic acid bacteria found in wine, suggesting that this type of gene constitutes a well-conserved stress-protective molecular device.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗
PubMed1999

Audit-privilege laws: the right to know nothing?

In theory, environmental audit-privilege laws grant immunity to companies that uncover environmental problems during self-audits and that take steps to correct them so that information gleaned from such audits cannot be used against the company in a lawsuit. Supporters of audit-privilege laws believe these laws encourage more audits and more disclosures of regulatory violations because of the greatly reduced chances that audit findings will result in penalties. Opponents argue that in actuality, the level of audit activity in states that have audit-privilege or immunity laws is no different from that in the states without them and that companies in states with the laws are no more likely to disclose violations than companies in states without them. In addition, some citizens' groups, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, continue to criticize the worst of the audit-privilege laws as measures that protect potential polluters.

Environmental Health↗
PubMed1994

Recovery and disposal of discarded tires in the Taiwan area.

Urbanization and industrialization has resulted in a vast amount of artificial water containers in Taiwan, especially discarded automobile tires. 3.5 million automobile tires and several million motorcycle tires are discarded annually. The discarded tires contaminate the environment and also become a substantial number of breeding sites for the dengue vector mosquitoes. In order to establish a sound system for the recovery and disposal of discarded tires and to control dengue fever through source reduction, it has been emphasized that users must pay for their waste. It is necessary to recover and properly dispose of these discarded tired. The commercial firms which sell or manufacture tires are therefore advised to cooperate with the Environmental Protection Administration of the Executive Yuan, R.O.C. and follow the "Regulations of Recovery and Disposal of Discarded Tires". They are requested to establish foundations for the recovery of discarded tires. Those who are willing to join should prepay a deposit or related charge by the size of tire, which is imported or locally manufactured. The foundation utilizes the deposits for the recovery and disposal of discarded tires. From 1991 to 1993 the commercial tire firms had already achieved the 80% recovery rates declared by the authorities concerned. Some of the tires, after having been recovered, were recycled in the original form and the rest were cut into small pieces for recycling after physical treatment. It should be mentioned that the Department of Environmental Protection of Kaohsiung City has collected 80 thousand discarded automobile tires to be used as ocean jetty.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aedes↗
PubMed2000

Fluoride and bacterial content of bottled water vs tap water.

CONTEXT: Bottled water has become a status symbol and is frequently used in place of tap water. While both waters are considered safe to drink, is either more beneficial in preventing tooth decay and is there a difference in purity? OBJECTIVE: To determine the fluoride level and bacterial content of commercially bottled waters municipal tap water and to compare the results. DESIGN: Comparative study. SETTING: Cleveland, Ohio. SAMPLE: Fifty-seven samples of 5 categories of bottled waters were purchased from local stores. Samples of tap water were collected in sterile containers from the 4 local water processing plants. Fluoride levels were determined by an ion-selective electrode method. Water was cultured quantitatively and levels of bacteria were calculated as colony-forming units (CFUs) per milliliter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Fluoride levels and bacterial counts. RESULTS: Fluoride levels within the range recommended for drinking water by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, 0.80 to 1.30 mg/L, were found in only 3 samples of bottled water tested. The fluoride levels of tap water samples were within 0.04 mg/L of the optimal fluoride level of 1.00 mg/L. The bacterial counts in the bottled water samples ranged from less than 0.01 CFU/mL to 4900 CFUs/mL, including 6 samples with levels substantially above 1000 CFUs/mL. In contrast, bacterial counts in samples of tap water ranged from 0.2 to 2.7 CFUs/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Five percent of the bottled water purchased in Cleveland fell within the required fluoride range recommended by the state, compared with 100% of the tap water samples, all of which were also within 0.04 mg/L of the optimal fluoride level of 1.00 mg/L. Use of bottled water based on the assumption of purity can be misguided. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, published a final ruling that requires community water systems to regularly report to the public on the quality of local tap water; there are no similar proposals to determine the quality of bottled water through labeling.

Bacteria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Measurement of airborne asbestos fibers on railroad rolling stock].

In February 1995 the Italian Railways Health Department set up a special study group in order to assess the effectiveness of the measures adopted against hazards due to the presence of asbestos in rolling stock currently in use on the rail network. The group set up specific procedures for sampling and analysis, on the basis of the criteria fixed for civil buildings in Ministerial Decree of 6/9/94, which was subsequently applied to rolling stock by Ministerial Decree of 26/10/95. In accordance with these procedures the study group carried out environmental studies via test runs programmed by the Railways Technical Departments, on trains made up of different types of vehicles. Insulated, completely or partially deinsulated and originally non-insulated vehicles were studied. Samples were analysed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elementary dispersion X spectroscopy (EDXS) carried out by highly qualified public laboratories (ISPESL--National Institute for Prevention and Work Safety, ARPA--Regional Environmental Protection Agency, CRA--Veneto Region, University Departments). Altogether, from the start of the programme up to September 1998, 1464 samples in 170 test runs on 619 rolling stock vehicles were examined. These involved 83 locomotives, 83 electric rail-cars and 453 carriages. The results showed that in over 99% of the samples the fibre concentrations were below 2 fibres/litre, which is the value fixed by law for buildings and rail vehicles in order to qualify for effective decontamination status. Values exceeding 2 fibres/litre were found in only 4 vehicles, which were withdrawn or blocked for further checks. As a precaution, 18 vehicles where concentrations over 1 but less than 2 fibres/litre were found, were also blocked and their return to service has been postponed for further checks and analyses until the results show concentrations below 1 fibre/litre. Environmental analyses carried out up to the present indicate an overall situation comparable to that usually found in the general environmental without any asbestos dispersion sources. Surveillance and investigations are still under way in order to achieve the aims of the safety programme set up by the Italian Railways to ensure health and environmental protection.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1977

Metals in municipal landfill leachate and their health effects.

The leachate from five municipal landfills (containing no industrial waste or sewage sludge) was studied in 1975 by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Copper was not present in concentrations above EPA standards. Zinc concentrations decreased with age of the site and were below standards. The amounts of cadmium and chromium appear to vary greatly from site to site. Lead, selenium, iron, and mercury were present at each site in concentrations above standards, regardless of site age. Although raw leachate contains concentrations of heavy metals in excess of the drinking water standards, it is not clear how likely it would be for these recorded levels to be found in drinking water supplies or for contamination to reach the human body. Before leachate reaches an aquifer, it is subject to the attenuating effect of the unsaturated zone. If municipal solid waste is placed directly into ground water, or if leachate is allowed to drain directly into surface water, severe damage to water quality can result. Further study of the environmental effects of leachate are being undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Humans↗