Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Environmental Monitoring”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Biosensors for environmental monitoring.

Environmental monitoring is of great importance for its protection. Conventional monitoring methods are often slow and complex and require expensive equipment, making them unsuitable for in situ, real-time monitoring of pollutants. Biosensors based on a combination of a biological sensing element and an electronic signal-transducing element are alternative methods to conventional ones. Biosensors have a number of advantages, such as high selectivity, high stability, and short response time. Various kinds of biosensors have been developed and employed for detection of pollutants such as phosphate, cyanide, and herbicides. Some of these have already been exploited as real-time monitoring in situ. In this article, some of the applications of biosensors for environmental control are described.

Biosensing Techniques↗
PubMed1990

Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides in Colorado beef cattle serum--a pilot environmental monitoring system.

A pilot project was initiated to test an existing animal disease surveillance system for use in monitoring environmental pollutants. Eleven chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides were assayed to provide an indication of environmental contamination. A total of 241 bovine serum samples from 53 Colorado beef ranches was tested; 123 samples (51%) were found to contain detectable concentrations of 1 or more of 11 chlorinated hydrocarbons. There were a total of 203 occurrences of a compound being found at a level exceeding the detection limit. Heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, lindane, and oxychlordane were the insecticides detected most frequently in bovine sera. This pilot study supports the use of domestic food-producing animals as sentinels of environmental contamination with insecticides.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Dip-strip method for monitoring environmental contamination of aflatoxin in food and feed: use of a portable aflatoxin detection kit.

Aflatoxin contamination of food and feed have gained global significance due to its deleterious effect on human and animal health and its importance in the international trade. The potential of aflatoxin as a carcinogen, mutagen, teratogen, and immunosuppressive agent is well documented. The problem of aflatoxin contamination of food and feed has led to the enactment of various legislation. However, meaningful strategies for implementation of this legislation is limited by nonavailability of simple, cost-effective method for screening and detection of aflatoxin under field conditions. Keeping in mind the analytical constraints in developing countries, a simple-to-operate, rapid, reliable, and cost-effective portable aflatoxin detection kit has been developed. The important components of the kit include a hand-held UV lamp (365 nm, 4 W output), a solvent blender (12,000 rpm) for toxin extraction, and adsorbent-coated dip-strips (polyester film) for detecting and quantifying aflatoxin. Analysis of variance indicates that there were no significant differences between various batches of dip-strips (p > 0.05). The minimum detection limit for aflatoxin B1 was 10 ppb per spot. The kit may find wide application as a research tool in public health laboratories, environmental monitoring agencies, and in the poultry industry.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed2005

Development of estrogen-responsive transgenic medaka for environmental monitoring of endocrine disrupters.

To develop a transgenic fish system to monitor environmental pollution, we generated a mvtg1:gfp transgenic medaka line, in which the gfp reporter gene was under the control of medaka vitellogenin1 (mvtg1) gene promoter. In this transgenic line, GFP was exclusively expressed in the liver of the mature adult female. Male and juvenile transgenic fish did not express GFP but could be induced to express GFP in the liver after exposure to 17-beta-estradiol (E2). Concurrent accumulation of mvtg1 and gfp mRNAs was observed during both development and estrogen treatment, indicating that the gfp transgene was faithfully expressed under the mvtg1 promoter. Dose- and time-dependent induction of GFP expression by E2 was investigated in male transgenic fish. The lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC) of E2 to induce GFP expression was 0.5 microg/L by observation of live fish and 0.05-0.1 microg/L by observation of dissection-exposed liver in a 30 day exposure experiment. GFP expression was observed within 36 h after treatment in high concentrations of E2 (5 microg/L), and it took longer to detect GFP expression under lower concentrations of E2. By removal and readdition of E2, we demonstrated that GFP expression was repeatedly induced. Finally, we also demonstrated that GFP expression could be induced by other estrogenic compounds, including 17-alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2, 0.05 microg/L), diethylstibestrol (DES, 5 microg/L), estriol (10 microg/ L), and bisphenol A (BPA, 1 mg/L), but not by weak estrogenic chemicals such as nonylphenol (NP, up to 1 mg/ L) and methoxychlor (MXC, up to 20 microg/L). Our experiments indicated the broad application of the transgenic line to monitor a wide range of estrogenic chemicals.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Statistics and environmental policy: case studies from long-term environmental monitoring data.

Environmental objectives are statements of policy which are intended to be assessed using information from a monitoring program. An environmental monitoring program has to be adequate in its quality and quantity of data so that the environmental objectives can be assessed. Also, the resulting data should be able to contribute information towards decisions to modify policy at a later time if desirable. However, monitoring programs can fail to return satisfactory information for policymakers because future statistical needs have not been anticipated, potential confounding factors were not considered, or sampling protocols did not specify suitable randomization. A key intermediate role exists for the use of statistical inference in providing a logical framework for using monitoring data to test hypotheses about fulfillment of environmental objectives. The undertaking of a statistical inferential approach to monitoring design can result in data which are more general in their interpretation and, thus, more useful as input to policy development and review. Some case studies from the Victorian EPA monitoring programs will be presented to illustrate these points.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental monitoring in Lithuania. Environmental distress signals: gastrointestinal epithelial barrier after exposure to chemical agents.

Lithuania's environment is heavily polluted as a result of domestic and transboundary contamination. The main ecological problems are related to atmospheric pollution; water contamination; soil, water, and forest acidification; nitrogen-compounds overload of soil, water, and food; and contamination with agricultural chemicals and heavy metals. The increased environmental distress is a menace to public health in Lithuania. Experimental studies need to be designed and used to ascertain the effects of environmental distress on the gastrointestinal tract epithelial barrier. Our electronmicroscopic and immunohistochemical study of human gastrointestinal endocrine cells revealed changes in the amount of secretory material and intracytoplasmic vacuolization after exposure to the environmental chemicals such as hexavalent chromium and the herbicide Saprol. The most affected were the EC (serotonin, motilin, substance P), D (somatostatin), A (glucagon), B (insulin), and mast (histamine, serotonin, heparin) cells. These results provide ultrastructural evidence of digestive tract epithelial barrier reaction as an expression of environmental distress signals of the organism.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Evaluation of environmental monitoring strategies.

In environmental monitoring, it is important that the monitoring system should emit early warnings when undesired events occur. These events may be sudden or of a more subtle nature. In the design of such monitoring systems, a proper balance between cost and risk must be achieved. There are 2 classic types of risk connected with early warning systems, namely the risk of not detecting significant changes and the risk of false alarms. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method for comparing the performance of different monitoring systems, considering the classic types of risk and cost. The method is applied to the monitoring of the lichen cover as a test case. The expected utility has been used as a measure of performance. When estimating the probabilities of the events, spatial microsimulation and Monte-Carlo simulation techniques have been used. The monitoring programs studied are based on satellite images, aerial photos, field samples, and land-cover maps. The major conclusions of this study are that standardized quality measures are extremely useful for evaluating the usability of environmental monitoring methods. In addition, when estimating gains and costs, spatial microsimulation techniques are useful. To improve the method, however, macroconstraints should also be used for aligning the simulation model.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed1995

Biosensors for environmental monitoring.

Increasing environmental legislation which controls the release and the levels of certain chemicals in the environment has created a need for reliable monitoring of these substances in air, soil and especially water. Conventional analytical techniques, although highly precise, suffer from the disadvantages of high cost, the need for trained personnel and the fact that they are mostly laboratory bound. Biosensors because of their specificity, fast response times, low cost, portability, ease of use and a continuous real time signal, can present distinct advantages in certain cases. Their biological base makes them ideal for toxicological measurements which are suited for health and safety applications. Over the last 3-4 years there has been an increase in the number of publications concerning biosensors for environmental monitoring, especially in the field of pesticide measurements. This paper reviews some of the more important developments over the past 3-4 years.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Validation of environmental monitoring methods and levels.

Environmental monitoring is an essential requirement in the pharmaceutical industry. Results which the manufacturer obtains from environmental monitoring must be reproducible and assure that the aseptic environment is under control. Today, more than ever, environmental data is scrutinized during FDA CGMP and preapproval NDA inspections and this trend will likely continue. Environmental test methods which have been in existence for years are accepted throughout the industry, but the user must bear the responsibility of proving that the methods yield reproducible results. New test methodologies must be validated to be as good as or better than the methods they are replacing. Currently, environmental result alert/action levels in existing facilities should be based on industry guidelines and facility performance validation. The pharmaceutical manufacturer must demonstrate that the levels which have been established for the facility have a statistical basis related to the historical performance of the facility. As time goes on, environmental levels may be readjusted to coincide with the operational performance levels of the facility.

Asepsis↗
PubMed2026

From molecular responses to environmental monitoring: advances and translational gaps in omics approaches in fish environmental toxicology.

Fish occupy a central position in aquatic ecosystems and serve as important bioindicators for environmental monitoring, as well as powerful translational models for understanding toxic mechanisms conserved across higher vertebrates. In recent years, omics techniques have proven to be powerful tools to address complex environmental questions that conventional toxicology methods cannot answer. Despite this potential, a critical translational gap remains between molecular findings and their use in ecological risk assessment frameworks. This review critically synthesizes advances across omics techniques including epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics and their integration. Special emphasis is placed on methodological considerations and practical aspects of these techniques in fish environmental toxicology and environmental monitoring. Evidence from single-omics studies suggests conserved biomarker signatures across species while characterizing complex phenomena like non-monotonic dose-response relationships, mixture toxicity and transgenerational and stereoselective effects with implications for population level monitoring. Multi-omics studies, especially those involving triple omics, further enhance mechanistic resolution by reconstructing adverse outcome pathways. We further evaluate using case studies when additional molecular layers provide critical insight and when they offer limited advantage, a strategic distinction with direct implications in environmental monitoring programmes. Finally, current limitations and future directions that will ultimately bridge the translational gap and hold promise for advancing mechanistic ecotoxicology and predictive environmental monitoring are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Investigational trends: clean room environmental monitoring.

GMP problems associated with microbiological environmental monitoring are among those most commonly cited as objectionable during FDA inspections of parenteral drug manufacturing facilities. This presentation describes FDA inspection approaches and techniques and audit applications used in evaluating the effectiveness of firms environmental monitoring programs. Environmental monitoring programs involve considerable data, and many variables are interrelated to make difficult detection of patterns and trends during FDA audits. Consequently, systematic computer-aided audit techniques have been developed by the author to permit detection of patterns, trends and GMP documentation problems by the FDA. The strategies and techniques described in this paper may provide management with ideas about ways to review and audit their own environmental data. Presented are some practical details about the use of a portable computer to systematically assess trends and patterns. Several program applications (algorithms) were developed to determine if cleanroom environmental data are under a state of control.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1994

Immunochemical methods for environmental monitoring.

Immunochemical methods for environmental analysis must be taken into consideration more for their ability to expand the potential of analytical measures rather than for substituting current methodologies. Moreover, the full potential of these methods has yet to be realized. Indeed, the terms and concepts of immunology are new to most analytical chemists, even if environmental science has always been an interdisciplinary field. On the other hand, the clinical development of immunoassays means that much experience has been gained in the analysis of blood, urine, and tissue samples. The immunochemical analysis of samples from soils, ground water, waste chemicals, poses new challenges in sample preparation that have yet to be extensively studied, and in the future there may be immunoassays better suited for the particular problems associated with environmental monitoring.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed1988

An electrostatic integrating 222Rn monitor with cellulose nitrate film for environmental monitoring.

This paper describes a new type of electrostatic integrating 222Rn monitor designed for the environmental 222Rn monitoring. The window area of the monitor was selected to make the exchange rate optimal. The collecting electrode was positioned on the basis of calculating the internal electric field. A drying agent, P2O5, was placed in the bottom of the monitor, since the collection efficiency of 218Po+ atoms depends on the humidity of the air. The monitors have been calibrated against known 222Rn exposures. The detection limit is 1.2 Bq m-3 for an exposure time of 2 mo. In a small survey, annual mean 222Rn concentrations between 3.7 and 9.5 Bq m-3 in outdoor air and between 6.4 and 11.9 Bq m-3 in indoor air were measured.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental specimen banking. A complement to environmental monitoring.

The risk of environmental damage from the countless chemicals and chemical combinations is estimated by monitoring the air, water, soil, and biota and comparing the findings to known risks. Environmental monitoring involves the collection and chemical analysis of selected samples to determine pollutant trends, forecast damage to the environment, and develop control strategies. However, past experience has taught us that there is always a level of uncertainty associated with the chemical analysis of complex environmental samples. This uncertainty arises from insufficient analytical sensitivity to detect trace levels of damaging pollutants, unsuspected analytical inaccuracies associated with unknown interferences, and limited resolution to identify and quantify all pollutants of interest. Environmental specimen banking can serve as a complement to environmental monitoring by allowing future chemists to analyze preserved samples retrospectively with emerging analytical methodologies. In other words, specimen banking will give later environmentalists the opportunity to characterize chemicals whose hazards were not recognized or for which sufficiently accurate analytical methods were not available. This will enable us to determine whether a newly recognized pollutant is truly a new environmental threat or whether it has always been with us. Although environmental specimen banking is still in its infancy, we now have many experiences that clearly demonstrate that valuable information can be produced. In all environmental monitoring programs, some consideration should be given to preserving selected samples. Ideally, specimen banking will involve; (1) a stable funding commitment, (2) a cryogenic storage facility, (3) development of selection criteria to collect the most valuable environmental specimens, and (4) a continuing research program to develop optimal procedures for collecting, handling, and preserving specimens.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Environmental monitoring and radioecology: a necessary synergy.

Environmental monitoring primarily aims through sampling or by the use of direct detection equipment to quantify the levels of radioactive substances and ionising radiation resulting from human activities and natural sources in the different compartments of the environment. Its objectives are very practical and include the quantification of the environmental sources of ionising radiation and the verification of compliance with regulatory requirements and permit limits for industrial, research and medical activities, as stated by their specific licence. Radioecology is a multidisciplinary science, which attempts to understand and to quantify the behaviour of radionuclides in the environment and the processes ruling their transport through natural and agricultural ecosystems to various receptors such as plants, animals and humans. A second facet of this science covers the assessment of the radiological dose to and effects on man and its environment from present, past or future, even hypothetical, nuclear activities. Despite their different immediate objectives, environmental monitoring and radioecology are complementary. Many examples illustrate the connections between these two approaches. For instance, transfer parameters generated by radioecological studies are necessary to estimate through models the radiological exposure of population, derive from the contamination level measured in a bio-indicator the quantity of radioactivity released from a nuclear installation, or identify potentially important pathways to be monitored. On the other hand, monitoring data will confirm important pathways suggested by radioecological modelling and provide site-specific data for the estimation of model parameters or actual data sets for the validation of transfer models.

Animals↗