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Sample records for oxidant pollution problem

  1. Solving Multi-Pollutant Emission Dispatch Problem Using Computational Intelligence Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Azzammudin Rahmat

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Economic dispatch is a crucial process conducted by the utilities to correctly determine the satisfying amount of power to be generated and distributed to the consumers. During the process, the utilities also consider pollutant emission as the consequences of fossil-fuel consumption. Fossil-fuel includes petroleum, coal, and natural gas; each has its unique chemical composition of pollutants i.e. sulphur oxides (SOX, nitrogen oxides (NOX and carbon oxides (COX. This paper presents multi-pollutant emission dispatch problem using computational intelligence technique. In this study, a novel emission dispatch technique is formulated to determine the amount of the pollutant level. It utilizes a pre-developed optimization technique termed as differential evolution immunized ant colony optimization (DEIANT for the emission dispatch problem. The optimization results indicated high level of COX level, regardless of any type of fossil fuel consumed.

  2. Solving widespread low-concentration VOC air pollution problems: Gas-phase photocatalytic oxidation answers the needs of many small businesses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lyons, C; Turchi, C; Gratson, D

    1995-04-01

    Many small businesses are facing new regulations under the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act. Regulators, as well as the businesses themselves, face new challenges to control small point-source air pollution emissions. An individual business-such as a dry cleaner, auto repair shop, bakery, coffee roaster, photo print shop, or chemical company-may be an insignificant source of air pollution, but collectively, the industry becomes a noticeable source. Often the businesses are not equipped to respond to new regulatory requirements because of limited resources, experience, and expertise. Also, existing control strategies may be inappropriate for these businesses, having been developed for major industries with high volumes, high pollutant concentrations, and substantial corporate resources. Gas-phase photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is an option for eliminating low-concentration, low-flow-rate emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from small business point sources. The advantages PCO has over other treatment techniques are presented in this paper. This paper also describes how PCO can be applied to specific air pollution problems. We present our methodology for identifying pollution problems for which PCO is applicable and for reaching the technology`s potential end users. PCO is compared to other gas-phase VOC control technologies.

  3. Cost-effective and simple solutions for environmental pollution problems by electrochemical methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, R.

    1997-01-01

    Environmental pollution is a worldwide problem and has increased significantly with industrialization, urbanization and population growth and is effecting quality of our air, land and water resources. Pollutants include heavy metals, organic toxic and reactive compounds and toxic gases. Major problems in environmental pollution are monitoring and remediation. Now pollutants include such wide range of elements, compounds and gases and normally one needs a whole range of costly analytical techniques to analyse all the pollutants which only very few institutes can afford to purchased. Equipment for electro analytical techniques are much cheaper than most of the other analytical techniques and are also sensitive and accurate for the analysis of nearly the whole range of pollutants including heavy metal. organic reactive compounds, inorganic elements and compounds and toxic gases. application of electrochemical methods for the analysis of different pollutants are reviewed. after monitoring, remediation in the most important aspect of environmental pollution control. Best way could be to treat the pollutants from different industries in such a way that either these are removed from the waste or converted in to non-toxic compounds before their release into the environment. Among all the other treatment methods, electrochemical methods of utilizing the electron as a clean chemical regent are very attractive. Electrodes in electrochemical reactors are abundantly use for the removal and recycling of toxic metals like Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr and Zn from the industrial waste after electrodeposition. Electrochemical reactors are also being used for electro oxidation of cyanides and other toxic organic compounds into non-toxic species. Such reactors can, in principal, be applied to any environmental pollution problem where the pollutant can either be electro-reduced or oxidized. Different types of electrochemical reactors are discussed, with a view, of their envisaged used for

  4. Problem of air pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berge, H

    1964-01-01

    The effects of air pollutants on plants are dependent on and modified by climatic, orographic, edaphic, and biotic factors; the synergism of pollutants; and differences in the sensitivity of individual plants and species. Sulfur dioxide and fluorine are the most dangerous pollutants for plants, but ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides, nitric acid, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, bromine, iodine, hydrocyanic acid, ethylene, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, mercaptans, asphalt and tar vapors, mercury, and selenium can also inflict damage. Young leaves, sensitive to H/sub 2/S, nitrogen oxides, Cl, HCl, HCN, mercaptans, Hg, and sulfuric acid, are more resistant to SO/sub 2/, gaseous F compounds, ethylene, and selenium than older leaves. Damage is most serious when pollutants enter leaves simultaneously or alternately through epidermis and stomata. The yellow-to-brown coloration of leaves is usually a result of the precipitation of tanning. Plasmolysis is caused by SO/sub 2/, gaseous F compounds, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, HNO/sub 3/, Br, asphalt and tar vapors, while photosynthesis is stimulated by traces of ammonia, HNO/sub 3/, and saturated hydrocarbons. Increased transpiration due to SO/sub 2/ and HCl and elevated permeability and osmosis due to SO/sub 2/ were observed. 9 references, 12 figures, 1 table.

  5. Pollution problems plague Poland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bajsarowicz, J.F.

    1989-01-01

    Poland's environmental problems are said to stem from investments in heavy industries that require enormous quantities of power and from the exploitation of two key natural resources: coal and sulfur. Air and water pollution problems and related public health problems are discussed

  6. Air pollution problem in the Mexico City metropolitan zone: Photochemical pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alvarez, H.B.; Alvarez, P.S.; Echeverria, R.S.; Jardon, R.T. [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera (Mexico). Seccion de Contaminacion Ambiental

    1997-12-31

    Mexico City Metropolitan Zone (MCMZ) represents an example of a megacity where the air pollution problem has reached an important evolution in a very short time, causing a risk in the health of a population of more than 20 million inhabitants. The atmospheric pollution problem in the MCMZ, began several decades ago, but it increased drastically in the middle of the 80`s. It is important to recognize that in the 60`s, 70`s and the first half of the 80`s the main pollutants were sulfur dioxide and total suspended particles. However since the second half of the 80`s until now, ozone is the most important air pollutant besides of the suspended particles (PM{sub 10}) and other toxic pollutants (1--8). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of the ozone atmospheric pollution problem in the MCMZ, as well as to analyze the results of several implemented air pollution control strategies.

  7. Oxidative Stress in Fish induced by Environmental Pollutants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anton Kováčik

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Environmental pollutants represent a risk factor for human and animals in all areas of occurrence. Environmental pollution caused by anthropogenic activities is a major problem in many countries. Numbers of studies deals with cumulation of xenobiotics in tissues but not all respond to the real impact on living organisms. Freshwater fishes are exposed to several anthropogenic contaminants. The most commonly studied are three metals: mercury (Hg, lead (Pb, cadmium (Cd. These contaminants could have several impacts to oxidative stress. In the normal healthy cell, ROS and pro-oxidant products are detoxified by antioxidant defences. Redox-active or Redox-inactive metals may cause an increase in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS. Mercury has a high affinity for thiol groups, and can non-specifically affect several enzymes, e. g. GSH (glutathione, which can induce GSH depletion and oxidative stress in tissue, also can induce lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The toxicity of Cd to aquatic species depends on speciation, with the free ion, Cd2+ concentration being proportional to bioavailability. Cadmium toxicity worsened of Ca, Na, and Mg ions homeostasis. Lead can be toxic to nervous and skeletal systems; at cellular level can cause apoptosis, also can affect mitochondria, neurotransmitters, and can substitute for Ca.

  8. The nitrogen oxides and the atmospheric pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    The objective of this document is to bring information on the acid atmospheric pollution, on the researches and studies in progress, on the european directives and the national regulations, on the processus and burners with low emission of nitrogen oxides and on the rule that the gas, fuel without sulphur, generating little nitrogen oxides, plays in the fight against atmospheric pollution. 20 refs., 8 figs., 12 tabs

  9. Exposure to automotive pollution increases plasma susceptibility to oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharman, James E; Coombes, Jeff S; Geraghty, Dominic P; Fraser, David I

    2002-01-01

    Low-density lipoprotein oxidation is implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. Plasma susceptibility to oxidation may be used as a marker of low-density lipoprotein oxidation and thus predict atherosclerotic risk. In this study the authors investigated the relationship between plasma susceptibility to oxidation and exposure to automotive pollution in a group of automobile mechanics (n = 16) exposed to high levels of automotive pollution, vs. matched controls (n = 13). The authors induced plasma oxidation by a free radical initiator and they determined susceptibility to oxidation by (1) change in absorbance at 234 nm, (2) lag time to conjugated diene formation, and (3) linear slope of the oxidation curve. Mechanics had significantly higher values (mean +/- standard error) for change in absorbance (1.60 +/- 0.05 vs. 1.36 +/- 0.05; p automotive pollutants increases plasma susceptibility to oxidation and may, in the long-term, increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

  10. Application of nuclear techniques on environmental pollution problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sumatra, Made

    1998-01-01

    Radioanalysis and tracer techniques that can be used on environmental pollution problems. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry are the two methods that are used frequently on such problems. These methods are used for metal analysis. Tracer technique with radioactive labeled compounds are used to study the fate of the pollution substances in environmental systems. It is very important to validate every new developed analysis method, due to the environmental pollution problem closely related to the low enforcement. (author)

  11. Current problems of marine pollution. Papers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dethlefsen, V.

    1993-01-01

    During the lecture meeting of the working committee for waste water problems of the German Fishery Association, papers were presented on current problems of waste pollution and on the potential effects of climate changes on the fishing industry. (EF) [de

  12. [LIGHT POLLUTION AS THE HYGIENIC PROBLEM].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaptsov, V A; Gerasev, V F; Deynego, V N

    2015-01-01

    Mass introduction of lighting devices according to the concept of "maximum coverage area" and multistoried buildings of cities gave rise to light pollution, which became a problem for astronomers, ecologists and hygienists. Analysis of modern lighting devices and installations has shown that about 30-45% of the luminous flux becomes the light pollution. Night lighting of cities causes both direct and indirect damage to the environment, leads to unnecessary energy wastes. So in the USA due to excessive light there is wasted about 2 million barrels of oil per day. Light pollution affects the human hormonal system, causing various health disorders, such as insomnia and depression as a consequence. The light pollution through the ganglion cells of the retina affects the synthesis of melatonin by the pineal gland (epiphysis) and contributes to its calcification, which greatly affects the human psyche. At present, many countries have been paying much state attention to this problem via delivery of national documents and change of the concept of the designing of lighting devices and installations. The essence of this concept--to shine with a preset quality of light only in the right place at the specified time interval. This reduces the light pollution, saves energy and increases the environmental safety of lighting. There is presented an example of a technical solution to reduce the light pollution in the application of the light panel in the form of the gradient of the light guide generator project development.

  13. Gas-phase advanced oxidation for effective, efficient in situ control of pollution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johnson, Matthew Stanley; Nilsson, Elna Johanna Kristina; Svensson, Erik Anders

    2014-01-01

    In this article, gas-phase advanced oxidation, a new method for pollution control building on the photo-oxidation and particle formation chemistry occurring in the atmosphere, is introduced and characterized. The process uses ozone and UV-C light to produce in situ radicals to oxidize pollution......, generating particles that are removed by a filter; ozone is removed using a MnO2 honeycomb catalyst. This combination of in situ processes removes a wide range of pollutants with a comparatively low specific energy input. Two proof-of-concept devices were built to test and optimize the process...... particulate mass. Secondary pollution including formaldehyde and ultrafine particles might be generated, depending on the composition of the primary pollution....

  14. Quantifying effects of oxidant air pollutants on agricultural crops

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medeiros, W H; Moskowitz, P D

    1983-01-01

    Estimating risks of air pollution damage to agricultural crops requires identifying crop location and size, likely doses, models for translating dose to response, and measures of response appropriate for economic analysis. Assessment of risk requires compatible data sets for each of these variables. Analysis of air pollution mixtures suggests that oxidant crop damage is caused by three compounds: ozone, nitrogen oxides, and peroxyacetylnitrates. The phytotoxicity of ozone, the most prevalent photochemical oxidant, has been studied more extensively than the other two oxidants, and its effects on vegetation are best understood. Response of vegetation to air pollutants was first characterized by foliar or visible injury. Subsequent research indicated that foliar injury did not translate directly into reduced plant growth or yield, which can be measured. Response to air pollutants may be influenced by physical, biological, and environmental factors. Inherent genetic resistance is probably the most important single factor affecting plant response, although environmental factors influencing stomatal aperture may also be important. For several crops open-top chamber studies and cross sectional analyses of field data provide adequate information to develop dose-response functions. All of these studies have both strengths and weaknesses. Although a number of different models exist for selected crops, there is no single biological or statistical criterion which identifies the best or most accurate model.

  15. Treatment of refractory organic pollutants in industrial wastewater by wet air oxidation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingming Luan

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Wet air oxidation (WAO is one of the most economical and environmentally-friendly advanced oxidation processes. It makes a promising technology for the treatment of refractory organic pollutants in industrial wastewaters. In wet air oxidation aqueous waste is oxidized in the liquid phase at high temperatures (125–320 °C and pressures (0.5–20 MPa in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas (usually air. The advantages of the process include low operating costs and minimal air pollution discharges. The present review is concerned about the literature published in the treatment of refractory organic pollutants in industrial wastewaters, such as dyes. Phenolics were taken as model pollutants in most cases. Reports on effect of treatment for the WAO of refractory organic pollutants in industrial wastewaters are reviewed, such as emulsified wastewater, TNT red water, etc. Discussions are also made on the mechanism and kinetics of WAO and main technical parameters influencing WAO. Finally, development direction of WAO is summed up.

  16. Economic analysis of a Japanese air pollution regulation : an optimal retirement problem under vehicle type regulation in the NOx-particulate matter law

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-06-01

    This paper empirically examines the vehicle type regulation that was introduced under the : Automobile Nitrogen OxidesParticulate Matter Law to mitigate air pollution problems in Japanese metropolitan areas. The vehicle type regulation effectively...

  17. Air pollution problem in the United States

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heimann, H

    1964-10-01

    Air pollution in the United States as a problem affecting health, as well as man's enjoyment of his property, was first noted in 1912 in the reports of the investigators at the Mellon Institute of the University of Pittsburgh. The Selby copper smelter incident in 1915 was among the first episodic air pollution events documented. The US Public Health Service studied carbon monoxide buildup in vehicular tunnels in 1928 and 1929. the Donora (Pennsylvania) pollution episode, where 17 people died, occurred in 1949. It and the onset of smog conditions in the Los Angeles area really initiated broad public awareness of air pollution as a public health hazard in the USA. The symptoms of air pollution-related injuries are discussed, the role of the US Public Health Service in dealing with air pollution, and the effect of the Clean Air Act of 1963 are discussed. 26 references.

  18. Treatment of Some Hazardous Industrial Pollutants by Simple Oxidation Techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd El-Rahman, N.M.

    1999-01-01

    Central treatment of Industrial wastewater requires pretreatment of some specific pollutants which may be not effectively degraded in down stream processes in central treatment unit. Some of the hazardous pollutants in industrial wastewater including acrylonitrile, pesticides and some commonly used dyes (active and acid dyes) have been subjected individually to oxidation using hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by ferrous ions in acidic solution. Treatment efficiency was monitored by chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal using a specially developed concentration/COD curves. Initial concentrations (in terms of COD) were 910 PPM, 1348 and 530 ppm and the respective COD reductions were 91, 98 and 99%, for the pesticide, acrylonitrile and the reactive dye. Oxidative degradation of polared and acid green also reduced COD by 99 and 100% respectively. The obtained results confirm the appropriateness of oxidative degradation as a pretreatment for some hazardous pollutants prior to treatment in central facilities or municipal activated sludge stations

  19. Total free radical species and oxidation equivalent in polluted air.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guoying; Jia, Shiming; Niu, Xiuli; Tian, Haoqi; Liu, Yanrong; Chen, Xuefu; Li, Lan; Zhang, Yuanhang; Shi, Gaofeng

    2017-12-31

    Free radicals are the most important chemical intermediate or agent of the atmosphere and influenced by thousands of reactants. The free radicals determine the oxidizing power of the polluted air. Various gases present in smog or haze are oxidants and induce organ and cellular damage via generation of free radical species. At present, however, the high variability of total free radicals in polluted air has prevented the detection of possible trends or distributions in the concentration of those species. The total free radicals are a kind of contaminants with colorless, tasteless characteristics, and almost imperceptible by human body. Here we present total free radical detection and distribution characteristics, and analyze the effects of total free radicals in polluted air on human health. We find that the total free radical values can be described by not only a linear dependence on ozone at higher temperature period, but also a linear delay dependence on particulate matter at lower temperature period throughout the measurement period. The total free radical species distribution is decrease from west to east in Lanzhou, which closely related to the distribution of the air pollutants. The total free radical oxidation capacity in polluted air roughly matches the effects of tobacco smoke produced by the incomplete combustion of a controlled amount of tobacco in a smoke chamber. A relatively unsophisticated chromatographic fingerprint similarity is used for indicating preliminarily the effect of total free radicals in polluted air on human health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Chemistry and the Internal Combustion Engine II: Pollution Problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, C. B.

    1979-01-01

    Discusses pollution problems which arise from the use of internal combustion (IC) engines in the United Kingdom (UK). The IC engine exhaust emissions, controlling IC engine pollution in the UK, and some future developments are also included. (HM)

  1. VIM for Solving the Pollution Problem of a System of Lakes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Biazar

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Pollution has become a very serious threat to our environment. Monitoring pollution is the first step toward planning to save the environment. The use of differential equations of monitoring pollution has become possible. In this paper the pollution problem of three lakes with interconnecting channels has been studied. The variational iteration method has been applied to compute an approximate solution of the system of differential equations, governing on the problem. Three different types of input models: sinusoidal, impulse, and step will be considered for monitoring the pollution in the lakes. The results are compared with those obtained by Adomian decomposition method. This comparison reveals that the variational iteration method is easier to be implemented.

  2. Gas-phase advanced oxidation as an integrated air pollution control technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Getachew A. Adnew

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Gas-phase advanced oxidation (GPAO is an emerging air cleaning technology based on the natural self-cleaning processes that occur in the Earth’s atmosphere. The technology uses ozone, UV-C lamps and water vapor to generate gas-phase hydroxyl radicals that initiate oxidation of a wide range of pollutants. In this study four types of GPAO systems are presented: a laboratory scale prototype, a shipping container prototype, a modular prototype, and commercial scale GPAO installations. The GPAO systems treat volatile organic compounds, reduced sulfur compounds, amines, ozone, nitrogen oxides, particles and odor. While the method covers a wide range of pollutants, effective treatment becomes difficult when temperature is outside the range of 0 to 80 °C, for anoxic gas streams and for pollution loads exceeding ca. 1000 ppm. Air residence time in the system and the rate of reaction of a given pollutant with hydroxyl radicals determine the removal efficiency of GPAO. For gas phase compounds and odors including VOCs (e.g. C6H6 and C3H8 and reduced sulfur compounds (e.g. H2S and CH3SH, removal efficiencies exceed 80%. The method is energy efficient relative to many established technologies and is applicable to pollutants emitted from diverse sources including food processing, foundries, water treatment, biofuel generation, and petrochemical industries.

  3. Traffic air pollution and oxidized LDL.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lotte Jacobs

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies indirectly suggest that air pollution accelerates atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that individual exposure to particulate matter (PM derived from fossil fuel would correlate with plasma concentrations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL, taken as a marker of atherosclerosis. We tested this hypothesis in patients with diabetes, who are at high risk for atherosclerosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In a cross-sectional study of non-smoking adult outpatients with diabetes we assessed individual chronic exposure to PM by measuring the area occupied by carbon in airway macrophages, collected by sputum induction and by determining the distance from the patient's residence to a major road, through geocoding. These exposure indices were regressed against plasma concentrations of oxidized LDL, von Willebrand factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1. We could assess the carbon load of airway macrophages in 79 subjects (58 percent. Each doubling in the distance of residence from major roads was associated with a 0.027 µm(2 decrease (95% confidence interval (CI: -0.048 to -0.0051 in the carbon load of airway macrophages. Independently from other covariates, we found that each increase of 0.25 µm(2 [interquartile range (IQR] in carbon load was associated with an increase of 7.3 U/L (95% CI: 1.3 to 13.3 in plasma oxidized LDL. Each doubling in distance of residence from major roads was associated with a decrease of -2.9 U/L (95% CI: -5.2 to -0.72 in oxidized LDL. Neither the carbon load of macrophages nor the distance from residence to major roads, were associated with plasma von Willebrand factor or PAI-1. CONCLUSIONS: The observed positive association, in a susceptible group of the general population, between plasma oxidized LDL levels and either the carbon load of airway macrophages or the proximity of the subject's residence to busy roads suggests a proatherogenic effect of traffic air pollution.

  4. Zinc oxide tetrapods as efficient photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Fangzhou; Leung, Yu Hang; Djurisić, Aleksandra B.; Liao, Changzhong; Shih, Kaimin

    2014-03-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) and other organic pollutants from industrial wastewater have drawn increasing concern in the past decades regarding their environmental and biological risks, and hence developing strategies of effective degradation of BPA and other organic pollutants is imperative. Metal oxide nanostructures, in particular titanium oxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO), have been demonstrated to exhibit efficient photodegradation of various common organic dyes. ZnO tetrapods are of special interest due to their low density of native defects which consequently lead to lower recombination losses and higher photocatalytic efficiency. Tetrapods can be obtained by relatively simple and low-cost vapor phase deposition in large quantity; the micron-scale size would also be advantageous for catalyst recovery. In this study, the photodegradation of BPA with ZnO tetrapods and TiO2 nanostructures under UV illumination were compared. The concentration of BPA dissolved in DI water was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at specified time intervals. It was observed that the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO tetrapods eventually surpassed Degussa P25 in free-standing form, and more than 80% of BPA was degraded after 60 min. Photodegradation of other organic dye pollutants by tetrapods and P25 were also examined. The superior photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO tetrapods for degradation of BPA and other organic dye pollutants and its correlation with the material properties were discussed.

  5. Problems of environment pollution in energy production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soyberk, Oe.

    2000-01-01

    This publication relates to nuclear fuel cycle and environment, nuclear accidents, risk analysis, test of nuclear weapon, security problems of nuclear power plants, advantages and disadvantages of energy sources, climate variation due to environment pollution

  6. The Sources of Air Pollution and Their Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Air Pollution Control Administration (DHEW), Arlington, VA.

    The problems of air pollution and its control are discussed. Major consideration is given the sources of pollution - motor vehicles, industry, power plants, space heating, and refuse disposal. Annual emission levels of five principle pollutants - carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter - are listed…

  7. ON THE OPTIMAL CONTROL OF A PROBLEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Dávalos Chuquipoma

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This article is studied the optimal control of distributed parameter systems applied to an environmental pollution problem. The model consists of a differential equation partial parabolic modeling of a pollutant transport in a fluid. The model is considered the speed with which the pollutant spreads in the environment and degradation that suffers the contaminant by the presence of a factor biological inhibitor, which breaks the contaminant at a rate that is not dependent on space and time. Using the method of Lagrange multipliers is possible to prove the existence solving the problem of control and obtaining optimality conditions for optimal control.

  8. Development of hierarchically porous cobalt oxide for enhanced photo-oxidation of indoor pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng, J. P., E-mail: chengjp@zju.edu.cn [Zhejiang University, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (China); Shereef, Anas; Gray, Kimberly A., E-mail: k-gray@northwestern.edu [Northwestern University, Center for Catalysis and Surface Science (United States); Wu, Jinsong [Northwestern University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (United States)

    2015-03-15

    Porous cobalt oxide was successfully prepared by precipitation of cobalt hydroxide followed by low temperature thermal decomposition. The morphologies of the resultant oxides remained as the corresponding hydroxides, although the morphology of cobalt hydroxides was greatly influenced by the precursor salts. The cobalt oxides with average crystal size less than 20 nm were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, BET surface area, and XPS analysis. The photocatalytic activities of the various cobalt oxides morphologies were investigated by comparing the photo-degradation of acetaldehyde under simulated solar illumination. Relative to their low order structures and reference titania samples, the hierarchical nanostructures of cobalt oxide showed excellent abilities to rapidly degrade acetaldehyde, a model air pollutant. This was attributed to the unique nature of these hierarchical cobalt oxide nanoassemblies, which contained many catalytically active reaction sites and open pores.

  9. Some problems of coastal pollution in India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Qasim, S.Z.; SenGupta, R.

    the IIOE, extensive investigations on these environmental features were continued till this date during the cruises of INS Darshak, RV Gaveshani and ORV Sagar Kanya. The present report deals with some of the problems related to pollution of coastal waters...

  10. Problem of landfilling environments pollution by heavy metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zilenina, V. G.; Ulanova, O. V.; Begunova, L. A.

    2017-10-01

    The article discusses the problems of snow and soil pollution by heavy metals. The results of physical and chemical special features of the deposit environment are given. Also, the results of snow mantle research in Irkutsk are described. The problem of manganese degradation from electrochemical cells disposed in the SMW areas is being discussed.

  11. A comparative view of radiation, photo and photocatalytically induced oxidation of water pollutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Getoff, N.

    1997-01-01

    Water resources are presently overloaded with biologically resistant (refractory) pollutants. Several oxidation methods have been developed for their degradation, the most efficient of which is irradiation treatment, particularly that based on e-beam processing in the presence of O 2 /O 3 . The next-best method is photoinduced pollutant oxidation with VUV- and/or UV-light, using H 2 O 2 or H 2 O 2 /O 3 as an additional source of OH radicals. The photocatalytic method, using e.g. TiO 2 as a catalyst in combination with oxidation agents such as H 2 O 2 or H 2 O 2 /O 3 , is also recommended. The suitability of these three methods is illustrated by examples and they are briefly discussed and compared on the basis of the energy consumption and efficiency. Other methods, such as ozone treatment, the photo-Fenton process, ultrasonic and electrochemical treatments, as well as the well known biological process and thermal oxidation of refractory pollutants, are briefly mentioned. (author)

  12. Improved oxidation of air pollutants in a non-thermal plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roland, U.; Holzer, F.; Kopinke, F.-D.

    2002-01-01

    The performance of non-thermal plasma (NTP) for the removal of organic air pollutants (especially in low concentrations) is improved by the introduction of ferroelectric and catalytically active materials into the discharge zone of an NTP reactor. Experiments with model systems (various contaminants and packed-bed materials) have shown that such a modification of a homogeneous gas-phase plasma can overcome the most serious restrictions of the NTP technique at its present state of the art: the incomplete total oxidation (i.e. the low selectivity to CO 2 ) and the energetic inefficiency. Placing a ferroelectric packed-bed material in the discharge zone was shown to result in a lowering of the energy input required. The main effects of plasma catalysis enabled by the introduction of a catalytically active material were an enhanced conversion of pollutants and a higher CO 2 selectivity. These improvements are based on the presence of short-lived oxidising species in the inner volume of porous catalysts. Additionally, the formation of a reservoir of adsorbed oxidants in the NTP zone could be shown. The combination of both modifications (ferroelectric packed-bed materials and plasma catalysis) is a promising method to support the NTP-initiated oxidation of air pollutants

  13. NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF AN INVERSE PROBLEM ORIGINATED IN PHENOMENON OF POLLUTION AIR URBAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aníbal Coronel

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the calibration study of a two - dimensional mathematical model for the problem of urban air pollution. It is mainly assumed that air pollution is afected by wind convection, diffusion and chemical reactions of pollutants. Consequently, a convection-diffusion-reaction equation is obtained as a direct problem. In the inverse problem, the determination of the diffusion is analyzed, assuming that one has an observation of the pollutants in a nite time. To solve it numerically the nite volume method is used, the least squares function is considered as cost function and the gradient is calculated with the sensitivity method.

  14. Role of oxidative stress in cardiovascular disease outcomes following exposure to ambient air pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Frank J; Fussell, Julia C

    2017-09-01

    Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. These are manifested through several, likely overlapping, pathways including at the functional level, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, pro-coagulation and alterations in autonomic nervous system balance and blood pressure. At numerous points within each of these pathways, there is potential for cellular oxidative imbalances to occur. The current review examines epidemiological, occupational and controlled exposure studies and research employing healthy and diseased animal models, isolated organs and cell cultures in assessing the importance of the pro-oxidant potential of air pollution in the development of cardiovascular disease outcomes. The collective body of data provides evidence that oxidative stress (OS) is not only central to eliciting specific cardiac endpoints, but is also implicated in modulating the risk of succumbing to cardiovascular disease, sensitivity to ischemia/reperfusion injury and the onset and progression of metabolic disease following ambient pollution exposure. To add to this large research effort conducted to date, further work is required to provide greater insight into areas such as (a) whether an oxidative imbalance triggers and/or worsens the effect and/or is representative of the consequence of disease progression, (b) OS pathways and cardiac outcomes caused by individual pollutants within air pollution mixtures, or as a consequence of inter-pollutant interactions and (c) potential protection provided by nutritional supplements and/or pharmacological agents with antioxidant properties, in susceptible populations residing in polluted urban cities. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The relationships between ambient air pollutants and childhood asthma and eczema are modified by emotion and conduct problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Cailiang; Baïz, Nour; Banerjee, Soutrik; Charpin, Denis André; Caillaud, Denis; de Blay, Fréderic; Raherison, Chantal; Lavaud, François; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

    2013-12-01

    This study examined the hypothesis that emotion and conduct problems (ECPs) may modify the relationships between ambient air pollutants and childhood asthma and eczema. In the cross-sectional study, 4209 French schoolchildren (aged 10e12 years) were investigated between March 1999 and October 2000. Ambient air pollutants exposures were estimated with dispersion modeling. Health outcomes and ECPs were evaluated by validated questionnaires, completed by the parents. Marginal models were used to analyze the relationships of exposures to ambient air pollutants and/or ECPs to asthma phenotypes and current eczema, adjusting for potential confounders. In our population, interactions were found between ECPs and exposures to ambient air pollutants (benzene, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter below 10 mm, volatile organic compounds) (P eczema (aOR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.61e3.02). Children with ECPs had 1.17e1.51 times higher aORs for the associations between ambient air pollutants and asthma phenotypes and current eczema than those without ECPs. ECPs may modify the relationships between ambient air pollutants and childhood asthma and eczema. 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Oxidative stress and inflammation generated DNA damage by exposure to air pollution particles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Peter; Danielsen, Pernille Høgh; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela

    2014-01-01

    at different locations (spatial variability), times (temporal variability) or particle size fraction across different experimental systems of acellular conditions, cultured cells, animals and humans. Nevertheless, there is substantial variation in the genotoxic, inflammation and oxidative stress potential......Generation of oxidatively damaged DNA by particulate matter (PM) is hypothesized to occur via production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation. We investigated this hypothesis by comparing ROS production, inflammation and oxidatively damaged DNA in different experimental systems...... investigating air pollution particles. There is substantial evidence indicating that exposure to air pollution particles was associated with elevated levels of oxidatively damaged nucleobases in circulating blood cells and urine from humans, which is supported by observations of elevated levels of genotoxicity...

  17. Application of computational fluid mechanics to atmospheric pollution problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, R. J.; Liaw, G. S.; Smith, R. E.

    1986-01-01

    One of the most noticeable effects of air pollution on the properties of the atmosphere is the reduction in visibility. This paper reports the results of investigations of the fluid dynamical and microphysical processes involved in the formation of advection fog on aerosols from combustion-related pollutants, as condensation nuclei. The effects of a polydisperse aerosol distribution, on the condensation/nucleation processes which cause the reduction in visibility are studied. This study demonstrates how computational fluid mechanics and heat transfer modeling can be applied to simulate the life cycle of the atmosphereic pollution problems.

  18. Catalysts Promoted with Niobium Oxide for Air Pollution Abatement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wendi Xiang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Pt-containing catalysts are currently used commercially to catalyze the conversion of carbon monoxide (CO and hydrocarbon (HC pollutants from stationary chemical and petroleum plants. It is well known that Pt-containing catalysts are expensive and have limited availability. The goal of this research is to find alternative and less expensive catalysts to replace Pt for these applications. This study found that niobium oxide (Nb2O5, as a carrier or support for certain transition metal oxides, promotes oxidation activity while maintaining stability, making them candidates as alternatives to Pt. The present work reports that the orthorhombic structure of niobium oxide (formed at 800 °C in air promotes Co3O4 toward the oxidation of both CO and propane, which are common pollutants in volatile organic compound (VOC applications. This was a surprising result since this structure of Nb2O5 has a very low surface area (about 2 m2/g relative to the more traditional Al2O3 support, with a surface area of 150 m2/g. The results reported demonstrate that 1% Co3O4/Nb2O5 has comparable fresh and aged catalytic activity to 1% Pt/γ-Al2O3 and 1% Pt/Nb2O5. Furthermore, 6% Co3O4/Nb2O5 outperforms 1% Pt/Al2O3 in both catalytic activity and thermal stability. These results suggest a strong interaction between niobium oxide and the active component—cobalt oxide—likely by inducing an oxygen defect structure with oxygen vacancies leading to enhanced activity toward the oxidation of CO and propane.

  19. [Pollution-ecological problems of old industrial and mining areas and future research prospects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Qixing

    2005-06-01

    Environmental pollution and its solicitation in ecological problems of old industrial and mining areas have become a worldwide technological puzzle restricting sustainable economic and social development. But, the definition and category of old industrial and mining areas is still disputed as an important concept. In this paper, the concept of old industrial and mining area was discussed in theory, and, proceeded with analyzing the complexity of current situation and environmental pollution problems of old industrial and mining areas in China, more keystone attention was paid to the secondary pollution problems from old industrial and mining areas as an important frontier of science. On the basis of expounding the complexity and characters of environmental pollution in old industrial and mining areas, it was suggested that as two key scientific problems in environmental sciences and ecology, the formation mechanisms and control technology of secondary pollution in old industrial and mining areas and the responses of new-type diseases to environmental pollution based on molecular ecotoxicology should be systematically studied on the national scale, and be an important component of environmental protection strategy in China in the future.

  20. Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution- related Health Problem in Ethiopia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The health effects of air pollution are generally global problems, but they have, since recently become issues of particular concern for developing countries. This review assessed the situation of air pollution and related health effects in the context of Ethiopia. Methods: The materials reviewed in this publication ...

  1. One-step approach to prepare magnetic iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid for efficient organic and inorganic pollutants removal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thakur, Suman; Karak, Niranjan

    2014-01-01

    An environmentally friendly effective technique was demonstrated to prepare iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid (IO/RGO) at room temperature by using banana peel ash aqueous extract as the base source and Colocasia esculenta leaves aqueous extract as the reducing agent. The nanohybrid was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, Raman spectroscopy and thermal studies. The results indicated the decoration of superparamagnetic IO nanoparticles on the surface of the RGO. Both organic and inorganic pollutants were effectively removed from the contaminated water (for Pb 2+ and Cd 2+ within 10 min, whereas for tetrabromobisphenol A within 30 min) by IO/RGO. The study revealed that adsorption followed pseudo-second order kinetics and isotherms were well described by the Langmuir model in all the cases. The thermodynamics parameters (ΔG°, ΔS° and ΔH°) were calculated from the temperature dependent isotherms and indicated that the adsorptions were endothermic and spontaneous. - Highlights: • Eco-friendly one step preparation of iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid. • The nanohybrid has excellent pollutants removal capacity from contaminated water. • Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles help in easy recycle. • The adsorption processes of pollutants are endothermic and spontaneous

  2. One-step approach to prepare magnetic iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid for efficient organic and inorganic pollutants removal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thakur, Suman; Karak, Niranjan, E-mail: karakniranjan@yahoo.com

    2014-04-01

    An environmentally friendly effective technique was demonstrated to prepare iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid (IO/RGO) at room temperature by using banana peel ash aqueous extract as the base source and Colocasia esculenta leaves aqueous extract as the reducing agent. The nanohybrid was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, Raman spectroscopy and thermal studies. The results indicated the decoration of superparamagnetic IO nanoparticles on the surface of the RGO. Both organic and inorganic pollutants were effectively removed from the contaminated water (for Pb{sup 2+} and Cd{sup 2+} within 10 min, whereas for tetrabromobisphenol A within 30 min) by IO/RGO. The study revealed that adsorption followed pseudo-second order kinetics and isotherms were well described by the Langmuir model in all the cases. The thermodynamics parameters (ΔG°, ΔS° and ΔH°) were calculated from the temperature dependent isotherms and indicated that the adsorptions were endothermic and spontaneous. - Highlights: • Eco-friendly one step preparation of iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid. • The nanohybrid has excellent pollutants removal capacity from contaminated water. • Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles help in easy recycle. • The adsorption processes of pollutants are endothermic and spontaneous.

  3. Effect of oil pollution on pattern and functions of soil microbiosensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talibli, A.K.; Mamedova, I.S.; Mamedyarov, M.A.

    2002-01-01

    Full text : The soil polluted by oil and petroleum creates severe social and ecological problem. The solution of indicated problem is requires the development and intrusion of modern progressive technology. Most perspective in this sense can be clearing the oil-polluted soils with usage of activity of microorganisms. The modern level of learning of microorganisms oxidizing oil hydrocarbon testifies to a capability of creation of the non-polluting, economically effective biotechnological schemes. It was established by our researches that in oil polluted soils of Absheron peninsula alongside with hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria it is finding everywhere lithotrophic bacteria of cycle of sulfur - representatives of sulfate-reducing and bacteria of genus Thiobacillus. It was established that the soil polluted by heavy tarry oil renders negative influencing on development of microorganisms

  4. A technical overview of air pollution problems and its control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rusheed, A.

    1997-01-01

    Air pollution is a well known phenomenon experienced in every day life. The air we breathe consist of gases and aerosol particles on which pollutants such as toxic elements and bacteria reside. These microscopic particles are transported to long distances from the source of origin the direction and magnitude of which depends upon the prevailing meteorological conditions. In order to assess the impact of air pollution, systematic studies are carried out which consist of: 1) sampling of air, 2) measurement of pollutants, 3) identification of pollutant source and 4) adoption of control methods. Each of these topics are fairly exhaustive and their understanding requires accurate scientific approach. An overview of these topic has been presented in this talk. Air samples are best collected by filtering air through suitable medium and analyses are carried out by diverse analytical techniques. Source identifications is a very important step which is done either by emission modeling or receptor modeling techniques. A general survey of these techniques, especially receptor modeling is presented in this talk. The control of air pollution is carried out by using carried devices and the processes especially developed for this purpose. Air pollution has given rise to a number of global problems such as depletion of stratospheric ozone, acid rain and greenhouse effect, which are being tackled on international scale. These problems have been discussed very briefly and a summary of international efforts has been presented. (author)

  5. STIMULATION OF OXIDANT PRODUCTION IN ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES BY POLLUTANT AND LATEX PARTICLES

    Science.gov (United States)

    Air pollutant dusts as well as chemically defined particles were examined for their activating effect on oxidant production (O2- and H2O2) in guinea pig alveolar macrophages (AM). Oxidant production was measured as chemiluminescence of albumin-bound luminol. All particles examine...

  6. A comparative view of radiation, photo and photocatalytically induced oxidation of water pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Getoff, N [Institute for Theoretical Chemistry and Radiation Chemistry, Univ. of Vienna, Vienna (Austria)

    1997-10-01

    Water resources are presently overloaded with biologically resistant (refractory) pollutants. Several oxidation methods have been developed for their degradation, the most efficient of which is irradiation treatment, particularly that based on e-beam processing in the presence of O{sub 2}/O{sub 3}. The next-best method is photoinduced pollutant oxidation with VUV- and/or UV-light, using H{sub 2}O{sub 2} or H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/O{sub 3} as an additional source of OH radicals. The photocatalytic method, using e.g. TiO{sub 2} as a catalyst in combination with oxidation agents such as H{sub 2}O{sub 2} or H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/O{sub 3}, is also recommended. The suitability of these three methods is illustrated by examples and they are briefly discussed and compared on the basis of the energy consumption and efficiency. Other methods, such as ozone treatment, the photo-Fenton process, ultrasonic and electrochemical treatments, as well as the well known biological process and thermal oxidation of refractory pollutants, are briefly mentioned. (author). 36 refs, 9 figs, 3 tabs.

  7. Problem of radioactive pollution as a result of Uranium ores processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korovin, V.; Korovin, Yu.; Laszkiewicz, G.; Lee, L.; Koshik, Yu.; Shmatko, G.; Semenets, G.; Merkulov, V.

    2001-01-01

    Composition and properties of radioactive wastes accumulated within Dnieprodzerzhinsk and Dnepropetrovsk region as well as conditions of their storage promote the further growth of radioactive and chemical pollution. Prevention of growth of further environment pollution needs special measures including elimination of pollution sources, waste isolation and their second burial. Utilization of radioactive wastes and deactivation of living zone are the problems that must be solved at municipal, state and international level

  8. A contribution on the problem of ground water pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zilliox, L.; Muntzer, P.; Kresser, W.

    1982-01-01

    The authors present the underlying physics of processes relevant to the problem of ground water pollution. A series of models are discussed which include two-dimensional diffusion from a point source of pollution in a uniform homogeneous medium and the modifying effect of inhomogeneities, together with displacement processes for miscible liquids in saturated porous media. In conclusion an account of laboratory and theoretical investigations of these diffusion processes in layered media of different permeabilities is given. (J.R.B.)

  9. Origin and monitoring of pollutants in fossil-fuel flames

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chigier, N.A.

    1976-01-01

    A review is given of the origin of pollutants in fossil-fuel flames. Burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of air pollution and significant reductions in levels of environmental pollution can be achieved by more effective control of combustion systems. The chemical kinetics of formation of unburned hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and particulate matter are described, as well as the reactions which can lead to oxidation and destruction of these pollutants within the flame. The important influence of mixing and aerodynamics is discussed, together with methods of mathematical modelling and prediction methods. Practical problems arising in gas turbine engines, spark ignition engines and diesel engines are investigated in order to minimize the emission of pollutants while preserving fuel economy. (author)

  10. Role Of Ascorbic Acid In Imparting Tolerance To Plants Against Oxidizing Pollutants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priyanka Sharma

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant in plants which play important role in activation of many physiological and defense mechanisms. The level of ascorbic acid in plants is determinant of its tolerance against the adverse effect of oxidizing pollutants. The present study tries to relate the variation in ascorbic acid content with the tolerance and sensitivity of two selected plant species viz. Azadirachtaindica and Pongamiapinnata by calculating their Air Pollution Tolerance Index APTI during winter season from November to March in the urban city Delhi of North India. Moreover ascorbic acid is also an important part of chloroplast it protects different components of photosynthetic system from oxidative stress. Thus to understand the role of ascorbic acid in imparting tolerance to plants against oxidizing pollutants the changes in chlorophyll content of the selected plant species with variation in ambient ozone concentration was analysed. It was found that as per APTI values Azadirachta sp. came under tolerant range with highest ascorbic acid content whereas Pongamia sp. was under intermediate range with less ascorbic acid content. It was statistically established that ozone has no significant relation with chlorophyll content of Azadirachta sp. which has the highest ascorbic acid content. Whereas ambient ozone concentrations showed significant negative relation with the chlorophyll content of Pongamia sp. p 0.05. Thus it was observed that the plants with high ascorbic acid content are tolerant and have greater ability to remediate pollutants.

  11. Co3O4/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for removal of organic pollutants from aqueous medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Amodini; Kuanr, B. K.; Mohanty, T.

    2017-05-01

    The magnetic nanocomposite (MNC) of cobalt oxide/graphene oxide (Co3O4/rGO) has been synthesized by hydrothermal method to demonstrate its use as organic pollutants remover. The phase formation of the cobalt oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The nanocomposite has been characterized by Raman spectroscopic technique and two Raman peaks associated with graphene oxide are observed. The morphological study of the nanocomposite has been done using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The nanocomposite has been used for removal of organic pollutants from aqueous medium by using ultra-violet spectroscopy.

  12. INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet Soysal

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The existance of hazardious materials including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radon, volotile organic compounds, microorganisms in houses and the other non-industrilized buildings have been defined as “indoor air pollution”. Indoor air pollutants could possible arised from inside or outside environment and categorized into six subgroups. Almost 80% Turkish population have living in the urban areas and people in the cities have spending approximetely 90% of their time in the closed enviroments, health problems could increased due to indoor air pollution. Moreover, currently there is no specific regulation on this area. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2007; 6(3.000: 221-226

  13. INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet Soysal

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The existance of hazardious materials including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radon, volotile organic compounds, microorganisms in houses and the other non-industrilized buildings have been defined as “indoor air pollution”. Indoor air pollutants could possible arised from inside or outside environment and categorized into six subgroups. Almost 80% Turkish population have living in the urban areas and people in the cities have spending approximetely 90% of their time in the closed enviroments, health problems could increased due to indoor air pollution. Moreover, currently there is no specific regulation on this area. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2007; 6(3: 221-226

  14. Oxidative Stress and Ageing: The Influence of Environmental Pollution, Sunlight and Diet on Skin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khimara Naidoo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Skin ageing is a complex process that is determined by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which leads to a progressive loss of structure and function. There is extensive evidence indicating that oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species plays an important role in the process of human skin ageing. Mitochondria are the major source of cellular oxidative stress and are widely implicated in cutaneous ageing. Extrinsic skin ageing is driven to a large extent by environmental factors and external stressors such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR, pollution and lifestyle factors which have been shown to stimulate the production of reactive oxygen species and generate oxidative stress. The oxidative damage from these exogenous sources can impair skin structure and function, leading to the phenotypic features of extrinsic skin ageing. The following review highlights the current evidence surrounding the role of mitochondria and oxidative stress in the ageing process and the influence of environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, pollution and diet on skin ageing.

  15. The IPAC-NC field campaign: a pollution and oxidization pool in the lower atmosphere over Huabei, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Z. Ma

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available In the past decades, regional air pollution characterized by photochemical smog and grey haze-fog has become a severe environmental problem in China. To investigate this, a field measurement campaign was performed in the Huabei region, located between 32–42° N latitude in eastern China, during the period 2 April–16 May 2006 as part of the project "Influence of Pollution on Aerosols and Cloud Microphysics in North China" (IPAC-NC. It appeared that strong pollution emissions from urban and industrial centers tend to accumulate in the lower atmosphere over the central area of Huabei. We observed widespread, very high SO2 mixing ratios, about 20–40 ppbv at 0.5–1.5 km altitude and 10–30 ppbv at 1.5–3.0 km altitude. Average CO mixing ratios were 0.65–0.7 ppmv at 0.5–1.5 km altitude, and very high CO around 1 ppmv was observed during some flights, and even higher levels at the surface. We find the high pollution concentrations to be associated with enhanced levels of OH and HO2 radicals, calculated with a chemical box model constrained by the measurements. In the upper part of the boundary layer and in the lower free troposphere, high CO and SO2 compete with relatively less NO2 in reacting with OH, being efficiently recycled through HO2, preventing a net loss of HOx radicals. In addition to reactive hydrocarbons and CO, the oxidation of SO2 causes significant ozone production over Huabei (up to ~13% or 2.0 ppbv h−1 at 0.8 km altitude. Our results indicate that the lower atmosphere over Huabei is not only strongly polluted but also acts as an oxidation pool, with pollutants undergoing very active photochemistry over this part of China.

  16. Removal of Hazardous Pollutants from Wastewaters: Applications of TiO2-SiO2 Mixed Oxide Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shivatharsiny Rasalingam

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The direct release of untreated wastewaters from various industries and households results in the release of toxic pollutants to the aquatic environment. Advanced oxidation processes (AOP have gained wide attention owing to the prospect of complete mineralization of nonbiodegradable organic substances to environmentally innocuous products by chemical oxidation. In particular, heterogeneous photocatalysis has been demonstrated to have tremendous promise in water purification and treatment of several pollutant materials that include naturally occurring toxins, pesticides, and other deleterious contaminants. In this work, we have reviewed the different removal techniques that have been employed for water purification. In particular, the application of TiO2-SiO2 binary mixed oxide materials for wastewater treatment is explained herein, and it is evident from the literature survey that these mixed oxide materials have enhanced abilities to remove a wide variety of pollutants.

  17. Atmospheric pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambrozo, J.; Guillossou, G.

    2008-01-01

    The atmosphere is the reservoir of numerous pollutants (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon oxides, particulates, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) from natural origin or anthropogenic origin ( industry, transport, agriculture, district heating). With epidemiologic studies the atmospheric pollution is associated with an increase of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. At the european level, the technological progress, the legislation have allowed a reduction of pollutant emissions, however these efforts have to be continued because the sanitary impact of atmospheric pollution must not be underestimated, even if the risks appear less important that these ones in relation with tobacco, inside pollution or others factors of cardiovascular risks. Indeed, on these last factors an individual action is possible for the exposure to air pollution people have no control. (N.C.)

  18. Solar energy and nuclear power. Energy sources, environmental pollution and CO{sub 2} - problem; Solarenergie und Atomstrom. Energiequellen, Umweltbelastung und das CO{sub 2}-Problem

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Metzner, H.

    1999-07-01

    In this volume the energy sources used today and possible alternatives like solar-, wind-, and hydro power, geothermal energy and renewable fuels are presented. The environmental pollution due to fossil fuel application (e.g. sulfur- and nitrogen oxides) as the use of nuclear power are discussed in detail. An extra chapter covers the CO2 problem (greenhouse effect, ice cover on earth, sea level, influence on plant growth and agricultural crop) as climatic forecasting. [German] In diesem Band werden die heute nutzbaren Energiequellen und die dazu moeglichen Alternativen wie Solarenergie, Wind-, und Wasserkraft, Erdwaerme und nachwachsende Rohstoffe aufgezeigt. Die Umweltbelastungen aus der Nutzung fossiler Brennstoffe (z.B. Schwefel- und Stickoxide) sowie der Kernenergie sind ausfuehrlich besprochen. Dem CO2-Problem (Treibhauseffekt, Eisbedeckung der Erde, Hoehe des Meeresspiegels, Auswirkungen auf Pflanzenwuchs und Agrarertraege) sowie den Klimaprognosen ist ein eigenes Kapitel gewidmet.

  19. Respiratory symptoms, spirometry, and oxidant air pollution in nonsmoking adults

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cohen, C.A.; Hudson, A.R.; Clauson, J.L.; Knelson, J.H.

    1972-01-01

    Comparison of 197 nonsmokers (Seventh Day Adventists) residing in the San Gabriel Valley (high oxidant) with 244 living in San Diego area (similar pollution but with lower oxidant) is discussed. Study was conducted in winter when differences between the two areas were negligible and thus when irreversible effects could be detected. Some unusual findings included: an unexpectedly low chronic bronchitis prevalence rate of 1.77% as compared with the general population, a greater prevalence of chronic bronchitis in women in both areas (not significant), and no effect of socio-economic status. Comparison of pulmonary function using VC, FEV, MEF, peak flow, time constant, and FVC showed no differences between the two groups. The annual mean oxidant level is about the same in both areas and may have influenced spirometric values more than oxidant peaks. Also, these tests may not have been sufficiently sensitive.

  20. Pollutant dispersion studies - An update on the problems in Indian coastal waters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Swamy, G.N.

    Pollutant dispersion problems along the Indian coastal waters are characterisEd. by site-specificity, as a result of seasonal and physiographic variabilities. Presence of large rivers, estuaries and backwaters add to the problems of waste disposal...

  1. Urban traffic pollution reduction for sedan cars using petrol engines by hydro-oxide gas inclusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Rousan, Ammar A; Alkheder, Sharaf; Musmar, Sa'ed A

    2015-12-01

    Petrol cars, in particular nonhybrid cars, contribute significantly to the pollution problem as compared with other types of cars. The originality of this article falls in the direction of using hydro-oxy gas to reduce pollution from petrol car engines. Experiments were performed in city areas at low real speeds, with constant engine speeds in the average of 2500 rpm and at variable velocity ratios (first speed was 10-20 km/hr, second speed was 20-35 km/hr, and third speed was 35-50 km/hr). Results indicated that through using hydro-oxy gas, a noticeable reduction in pollution was recorded. Oxygen (O2) percentage has increased by about 2.5%, and nitric oxide (NO) level has been reduced by about 500 ppm. Carbon monoxide (CO) has decreased by about 2.2%, and also CO2 has decreased by 2.1%. It's worth mentioning that for hybrid system in cars at speeds between 10 and 50 km/hr, the emission percentage change is zero. However, hybrid cars are less abundant than petrol cars. The originality of this paper falls in the direction of using hydro-oxy gas to reduce pollution from petrol car engines. Experiments were performed in city areas at low real speeds, with constant engine speeds in the average of 2500 rpm and at variable velocity ratios (first speed was 10-20 km/hr, second speed was 20-35 km/hr, and third speed was 35-50 km/h).

  2. Assessment of pollution of the Boca de Camichin Estuary in Nayarit (Mexico) and its influence on oxidative stress in Crassostrea corteziensis oysters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toledo-Ibarra, G A; Díaz Resendiz, K J G; Ventura-Ramón, G H; Romero-Bañuelos, C A; Medina-Díaz, I M; Rojas-García, A E; Vega-López, A; Girón-Pérez, M I

    2016-10-01

    Boca de Camichin Estuary is one of the main producers of Crassostrea corteziensis oysters in Mexico, but the presence of pollutants can affect oyster production. Molluscs produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to changes in the environment and pollution. These ROS induce oxidative damage in biomolecules. The main objective of this study was to evaluate pollution in the estuary and the subsequent oxidative stress in C. corteziensis oysters during the 2010 production cycle. For this aim, we performed monthly samplings in the oyster farms from January to May. We took water samples to quantify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and metal content; also, we evaluated oxidative damage (lipoperoxidation, lipidic hydroperoxides, protein oxidation) and enzyme activity (CAT, SOD, GPx, GST and AChE) in oyster gills. The results show the presence of Cu, Fe, Mn, naphthalene, benz[a]anthracene, pyrene, benz[a]pyrene and benzo[k]fluoranthene. On the other hand, AChE activity was not inhibited, which suggests that organophosphorus pollutants or carbamates were absent. Regarding oxidative stress, oysters from the estuary had oxidative damage in lipids, not proteins, and altered antioxidant enzyme activity, when compared to control organisms. Interestingly, we did not observe any correlation between the pollutants and the oxidative stress parameters evaluated in this study. Thus, we cannot rule out that a synergistic effect between the environmental variables and the pollutants is causing the oxidative stress in these oysters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Removal of organic pollutants from industrial wastewater by applying photo-Fenton oxidation technology

    OpenAIRE

    Ebrahiem E. Ebrahiem; Mohammednoor N. Al-Maghrabi; Ahmed R. Mobarki

    2017-01-01

    The general strategy of this study was based on evaluation of the possibility of applying advanced photo-oxidation technique (Fenton oxidation process) for removal of the residuals organic pollutants present in cosmetic wastewater. The different parameters that affect the chemical oxidation process for dyes in their aqueous solutions were studied by using Fenton’s reaction. These parameters are pH, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) dose, ferrous sulfate (FeSO4·7H2O) dose, Initial dye concentration, an...

  4. Vaal Triangle air pollution health study. Addressing South African problems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terblanche, P.; Nel, R. [CSIR Environmental Services, Pretoria (South Africa); Surridge, T. [Dept. of Mineral and Energy Affairs (South Africa); Annegarn, H. [Annegarn Environmental Research, Johannesburg (South Africa); Tosen, G. [Eskom, Johannesburg (South Africa); Pols, A. [CSIR Informationtek, Pretoria (South Africa)

    1995-12-31

    Situated in the central region of South Africa, the Vaal Triangle is an area which plays a vital role in driving the economic dynamo of South Africa. Also, because of the concentration of heavy industry, it is an area which provides a challenge in effective air pollution control. The Vaal Triangle lies within the Vaal River Basin, at an altitude of 1 500 m above sea level. Meteorological conditions in the area are highly conducive to the formation of surface temperature inversions, resulting in a poor dispersion potential. Because of multiple sources of air pollution in the area, poor dispersion conditions increase the risk pollution build-up and subsequent adverse impacts. The situation is further exacerbated by the continued combustion of coal in households, even after the electrification of residences. This is particularly chronic in the developing communities and during winter. Vaal Triangle Air Pollution Health Study (VAPS) was initiated in 1990 by the Department of Health, the Medical Research Council and major industries in the area to determine effects of air pollution on the health of the community. The final results of that study summarised in this article, and options to ameliorate problems are addressed. (author)

  5. Vaal Triangle air pollution health study. Addressing South African problems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terblanche, P; Nel, R [CSIR Environmental Services, Pretoria (South Africa); Surridge, T [Dept. of Mineral and Energy Affairs (South Africa); Annegarn, H [Annegarn Environmental Research, Johannesburg (South Africa); Tosen, G [Eskom, Johannesburg (South Africa); Pols, A [CSIR Informationtek, Pretoria (South Africa)

    1996-12-31

    Situated in the central region of South Africa, the Vaal Triangle is an area which plays a vital role in driving the economic dynamo of South Africa. Also, because of the concentration of heavy industry, it is an area which provides a challenge in effective air pollution control. The Vaal Triangle lies within the Vaal River Basin, at an altitude of 1 500 m above sea level. Meteorological conditions in the area are highly conducive to the formation of surface temperature inversions, resulting in a poor dispersion potential. Because of multiple sources of air pollution in the area, poor dispersion conditions increase the risk pollution build-up and subsequent adverse impacts. The situation is further exacerbated by the continued combustion of coal in households, even after the electrification of residences. This is particularly chronic in the developing communities and during winter. Vaal Triangle Air Pollution Health Study (VAPS) was initiated in 1990 by the Department of Health, the Medical Research Council and major industries in the area to determine effects of air pollution on the health of the community. The final results of that study summarised in this article, and options to ameliorate problems are addressed. (author)

  6. The Proceedings of the Panel “Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health, Air Pollution Problem in the World, Turkey and Our Region” (The Conference Hall of Dicle University, Diyarbakır 24.12.2004

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hasan Bayram

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution still exceeds safe limits worldwide, particularly in big metropolitans, despite regular monitoring facilities and measures taken. It is usually originated from industrial activities, fossil fuel use in domestic settings and vehicle exhaust emission. Although there is a decrease in air pollution in big cities of Turkey due to use of natural gas, it is still a serious health concern. In Diyarbakır, because of a rapid increase in its population recently, wrong urbanisation and a relative increase in industrialisation, air pollution leads to dangerous levels, particularly in the winter. Epidemiological studies from all over the world, and Turkey have reported a close relation between air pollution and respiratory morbidity and mortality. Studies investigating the mechanisms underlying respiratory effects of air pollution demonstrated that pollutants lead to increased respiratory symptoms, decreased respiratory function and induce inflammatory changes in airways. In vitro studies have shown that air pollutants exert their effects by causing cellular injury directly, and by activating intracellular oxidative pathways indirectly. The attempts to reduce air pollution levels have been implemented in Turkey and worldwide. In order to solve the problem in Diyarbakır, several measures such as prevention the use of out standardized fuel, use of reliable burning techniques, and a close car emission monitoring system need to be implemented.

  7. Is smog innocuous? Air pollution and cardiovascular disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sundeep Mishra

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution is a significant environmental and health hazard. Earlier studies had examined the adverse health effects associated with short- and long-term exposure to particulate matter on respiratory disease. However, later studies demonstrated that was actually cardiovascular disease that accounted for majority of mortality. Furthermore, it was not gaseous pollutants like oxides of nitrate, sulfur, carbon mono-oxide or ozone but the particulate matter or PM, of fine or coarse size (PM2.5 and PM10 which was linearly associated with mortality; PM2.5 with long term and PM10 with short term. Several cardiovascular diseases are associated with pollution; acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, atherosclerosis and cardiac arrest. The ideal way to address this problem is by adhering to stringent environmental standards of pollutants but some individual steps like choosing to stay indoors (on high pollution days, reducing outdoor air permeation to inside, purifying indoor air using air filters, and also limiting outdoor physical activity near source of air pollution can help. Nutritional anti-oxidants like statins or Mediterranean diet, and aspirin have not been associated with reduced risk but specific nutritional agents like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower or brussels sprouts, fish oil supplement may help. Use of face-mask has been controversial but may be useful if particulate matter load is higher.

  8. Is smog innocuous? Air pollution and cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Sundeep

    Air pollution is a significant environmental and health hazard. Earlier studies had examined the adverse health effects associated with short- and long-term exposure to particulate matter on respiratory disease. However, later studies demonstrated that was actually cardiovascular disease that accounted for majority of mortality. Furthermore, it was not gaseous pollutants like oxides of nitrate, sulfur, carbon mono-oxide or ozone but the particulate matter or PM, of fine or coarse size (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) which was linearly associated with mortality; PM 2.5 with long term and PM 10 with short term. Several cardiovascular diseases are associated with pollution; acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, atherosclerosis and cardiac arrest. The ideal way to address this problem is by adhering to stringent environmental standards of pollutants but some individual steps like choosing to stay indoors (on high pollution days), reducing outdoor air permeation to inside, purifying indoor air using air filters, and also limiting outdoor physical activity near source of air pollution can help. Nutritional anti-oxidants like statins or Mediterranean diet, and aspirin have not been associated with reduced risk but specific nutritional agents like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower or brussels sprouts, fish oil supplement may help. Use of face-mask has been controversial but may be useful if particulate matter load is higher. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. A simple air sampling technique for monitoring nitrous oxide pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Austin, J C; Shaw, R; Moyes, D; Cleaton-Jones, P E

    1981-01-01

    A simple, inexpensive device for the continuous low-flow sampling of air was devised to permit monitoring of pollution by gaseous anaesthetics. The device consisted of a water-filled Perspex cylinder in which a double-walled flexible-film gas sample collection bag was suspended. Air samples could be aspirated into the collection bag at flow rates of as low as 1 ml min-1 by allowing the water to drain from the cylinder at a controlled rate. The maintenance of sample integrity with aspiration and storage of samples of nitrous oxide in air at concentrations of 1000, 100 and 30 p.p.m. v/v was examined using gas chromatography. The sample bags retained a mean 94% of the nitrous oxide in air samples containing nitrous oxide 25 p.p.m. over a 72-h storage period.

  10. Applications of stable isotope tracers to air pollution problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kelly, W.R.

    1985-01-01

    One of the fundamental environmental problems facing the United States is how to effect acid rain abatement in the northeast United States and southeastern Canada in a cost effective manner. There are several key scientific questions that must be addressed in order to design an effective strategy. These questions include the following: (1) where do pollutants from a specified source area go., (2) what chemical transformations occur during transport., and (3) where and how are these pollutants deposited. One approach to address these questions is the use of enriched stable isotopes as intentional tracers of aerosol and sulfur emissions. Isotopic tracers can determine the location and pathways of pollutants in the environment and trace pollutants back to their original source. For an element with n isotopes, it is possible to intentionally tag n-2 sources. (For example, Nd, which has seven isotopes, could be used to tag 5 different aerosol sources). To trace sulfur compounds, the two minor isotopes of sulfur, 33 S and 36 S, could be used. Methods developed at NBS using high precision mass spectrometry permits the detection of the small changes in isotopic composition brought about by the intentional tagging at a source. This may make possible the identification of a source at a particular sampling site

  11. Development of predictions of future pollution problems. Socio-economic environmental studies series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flinn, J.E.; Reimers, R.S.

    1974-03-01

    The report describes the results of a program to identify, rank and project short- and intermediate-term future pollution problems. Identification was accomplished using three independent search approaches based on industrial production, environmental, and societal trends and activity. Primary emphasis was placed on the environmental trends as gleaned from EPA, Battelle, Literature, and other sources. An initial list of problems was compiled with specific stressors identified with each. Nine ranking factors were devised to select ten most serious problems from the initial list. The factors included: persistence; mobility/pervasiveness; environmental, technological, social, and political complexity; physiological risk; research needs; and bulk or volume of the pollutant. The ten problems selected by this method were further ranked in order of relative importance. The ten selected problems in rank order are as follows: (1) Impacts of new energy initiatives; (2) Geophysical modifications of the earth; (3) Trace element (metal) contaminants; (4) Proliferating hazardous and toxic chemicals; (5) Emissions from new automobile fuels, additives, and control devices; (6) Disposal of waste sludges, liquids, and solid residues; (7) Critical radiation problems; (8) Fine particulates; (9) Expanding drinking water contamination; (10) Irrigation (impoundment) practices. Five to ten year projections were made of the ten problems which resulted

  12. Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid)/TiO2/graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels for pH-sensitive photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moon, Young-E; Jung, Gowun; Yun, Jumi; Kim, Hyung-Il

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The photocatalytic removal of pollutants was improved by the two-step mechanism based on the adsorption of pollutants by hydrogel and the effective decomposition by combination of TiO 2 and graphene oxide. -- Highlights: • pH sensitive PVA/PAAc hydrogels were prepared by radical polymerization and condensation reaction. • PVA/PAAc/TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels were used for treatment of basic waste water. • Photocatalytic acitivity of TiO 2 was improved by incorporation of graphene oxide. • Photocatalytic decomposition by nanocomposite hydrogel was improved by increasing pH. -- Abstract: Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid)/TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels were prepared using radical polymerization and condensation reaction for the photocatalytic treatment of waste water. Graphene oxide was used as an additive to improve the photocatalytic activity of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid)/TiO 2 nanocomposite hydrogels. Both TiO 2 and graphene oxide were immobilized in poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel matrix for an easier recovery after the waste water treatment. The photocatalytic activity of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid)/TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels was evaluated on the base of the degradation of pollutants by using UV spectrometer. The improved removal of pollutants was due to the two-step mechanism based on the adsorption of pollutants by nanocomposite hydrogel and the effective decomposition of pollutants by TiO 2 and graphene oxide. The highest swelling of nanocomposite hydrogel was observed at pH 10 indicating that poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid)/TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels were suitable as a promising system for the treatment of basic waste water

  13. Oxidation of organic pollutants on BDD anodes using modulated current electrolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panizza, M.; Kapalka, Agnieszka; Comninellis, Ch.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, a theoretical model is presented for organic pollutants mineralization at high current efficiency (close to 100%) and low energy consumption on boron-doped diamond electrodes. The model is formulated for a perfect mixed electrochemical reactor operated as a batch recirculation system under multiple current steps, in which the applied current is adjusted during the electrolysis to be close to the limiting value. An experimental validation with the anodic oxidation of 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid is also provided. The results have shown that multiple current steps electrolysis and continuous current control allowed obtaining high oxidation rate and current efficiency

  14. Oxidation of organic pollutants on BDD anodes using modulated current electrolysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Panizza, M. [Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Genoa, P.le J.F. Kennedy 1, 16129 Genova (Italy)], E-mail: marco.panizza@unige.it; Kapalka, Agnieszka [Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Comninellis, Ch. [Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)], E-mail: christos.comninellis@epfl.ch

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, a theoretical model is presented for organic pollutants mineralization at high current efficiency (close to 100%) and low energy consumption on boron-doped diamond electrodes. The model is formulated for a perfect mixed electrochemical reactor operated as a batch recirculation system under multiple current steps, in which the applied current is adjusted during the electrolysis to be close to the limiting value. An experimental validation with the anodic oxidation of 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid is also provided. The results have shown that multiple current steps electrolysis and continuous current control allowed obtaining high oxidation rate and current efficiency.

  15. Application of oil spill model to marine pollution and risk control problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aseev, Nikita; Agoshkov, Valery; Sheloput, Tatyana

    2017-04-01

    Oil transportation by sea induces challenging problems of environmental control. Millions of tonnes of oil are yearly released during routine ship operations, not to mention vast spills due to different accidents (e.g. tanker collisions, grounding, etc.). Oil pollution is dangerous to marine organisms such as plants, fish and mammals, leading to widespread damage to our planet. In turn, fishery and travel agencies can lose money and clients, and ship operators are obliged to pay huge penalties for environmental pollution. In this work we present the method of accessing oil pollution of marine environment using recently developed oil spill model. The model describes basic processes of the oil slick evolution: oil transport due to currents, drift under the action of wind, spreading on the surface, evaporation, emulsification and dispersion. Such parameters as slick location, mass, density of oil, water content, viscosity and density of "water-in-oil" emulsion can be calculated. We demonstrate how to apply the model to damage calculation problems using a concept of average damage to particular marine area. We also formulate the problem of oil spill risk control, when some accident parameters are not known, but their probability distribution is given. We propose a new algorithm to solve such problems and show results of our model simulations. The work can be interesting to broad environmental, physics and mathematics community. The work is supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant 16-31-00510.

  16. Prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollution and child behavioral problems at school age in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yorifuji, Takashi; Kashima, Saori; Diez, Midory Higa; Kado, Yoko; Sanada, Satoshi; Doi, Hiroyuki

    2017-02-01

    Recent studies suggest positive associations between prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and neurodevelopment of children, but evidence on the adverse effects of exposure to air pollution on child neurobehavioral development remains limited. We thus examined associations between prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollution and child behavioral problems at school age, using data from a nationwide population-based longitudinal survey in Japan, where participants were recruited in 2001 and are continuously followed. Suspended particulate matter (SPM), nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide concentrations during the 9months before birth were obtained at municipality level and assigned to those participants born in the corresponding municipality. We analyzed data from singleton births with linked pollution data available (e.g., n=33,911 for SPM). We used responses to survey questions about behavioral problems at age 8years. We conducted multilevel logistic regression analysis, adjusting for individual and municipality-level variables. Air pollution exposure during gestation was positively associated with risk for behavioral problems related to attention and delinquent or aggressive behavior. In the fully adjusted models, odds ratios following a one-interquartile-range increase in SPM were 1.06 (95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.11) for interrupting others, 1.09 (1.03, 1.15) for failure to pay attention when crossing a street, 1.06 (1.01, 1.11) for lying, and 1.07 (1.02, 1.13) for causing public disturbance. Prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollution was associated with behavioral problems related to attention and delinquent or aggressive behavior at age 8years in a nationally representative sample in Japan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effects of air pollution on plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seidman, G.

    1965-01-01

    Weather, automobile exhaust, waste dumps and industrial activities are major factors in the creation of air pollution problems. The first indication of an air pollution problem is often the injury that appears on comparatively sensitive vegetation. Sulfur dioxide causes both acute and chronic plant injury. Plants especially sensitive to SO/sub 2/ are alfalfa, cosmos, sweet pea, bachelor's button, and blackberry. Fluoride causes characteristic injury on plants. Plants sensitive to fluoride injury are gladiolus, azalea, tulip, and young needles of pine. Ethylene damage to plants was initially noted in greenhouses using artificial gas for heating. Orchids and carnations are sensitive to ethylene. Ozone is highly reactive and causes typical spotting injury to the upper surface of leaves. PAN causes injury to vegetation, especially petunia and lettuce. Other pollutants also cause plant injury. Mercury vapor, chlorine gas, ammonia, H/sub 2/S, CO, and nitrogen oxides are minor hazards. Susceptibility of vegetation to air pollution depends on various things such as variety of plants, amount of moisture available to the plants, temperature, and amount of sunlight during the period of air pollution. 8 references.

  18. Direct versus indirect electrochemical oxidation of pesticide polluted drainage water containing sodium chloride

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muff, Jens; Erichsen, Rasmus; Damgaard, Christian

    2008-01-01

    Drainage water from a depot of chemical waste, polluted with a mixture of organophosphates and degradation products was treated by a direct as well as an indirect electrochemical method using a Ti/Pt-Ir anode and Stainless Steel 304 cathode. With a concentration of 0.7%, sodium chloride...... the treatment. Indirect electrochemical treatment, where a highly oxidized brine solution was added to the drainage water, revealed immediately reduction in COD, and similar to the direct treatment, degradation of all of the pesticide pollutants was obtained except for the O,O,O-triethyl-phosphoric acid...... concentrations. Analyses of the actual pollutants, Me-Parathion, parathion, malathion and degradation products, confirmed that the concentrations of all initial pollutants were eliminated during the treatment. The only exception was O,O,O-triethyl-phosphoric acid, a degradation product which was formed during...

  19. Direct versus indirect electrochemical oxidation of pesticide polluted drainage water containing sodium chloride

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muff, Jens; Erichsen, Rasmus; Damgaard, Christian

    2008-01-01

    the treatment. Indirect electrochemical treatment, where a highly oxidized brine solution was added to the drainage water, revealed immediately reduction in COD, and similar to the direct treatment, degradation of all of the pesticide pollutants was obtained except for the O,O,O-triethyl-phosphoric acid......Drainage water from a depot of chemical waste, polluted with a mixture of organophosphates and degradation products was treated by a direct as well as an indirect electrochemical method using a Ti/Pt-Ir anode and Stainless Steel 304 cathode. With a concentration of 0.7%, sodium chloride...... concentrations. Analyses of the actual pollutants, Me-Parathion, parathion, malathion and degradation products, confirmed that the concentrations of all initial pollutants were eliminated during the treatment. The only exception was O,O,O-triethyl-phosphoric acid, a degradation product which was formed during...

  20. Bangkok and its air pollution problem

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Panich, S.

    1995-12-31

    Bangkok is the city on a former river delta and is a very flat area. The topography is unremarkable but being only a few kilometers (about 20) from the sea in the Gulf of Bangkok, the City experiences the sea breeze every afternoon and evening. The natural phenomenon is caused by the uplifting of hot air from the sun-baked ground and heat generation in the city, to be replaced by the cooler air from the sea, which is to the south. During the nighttime the sea breeze ceases to operate as the ground temperature cools down. The late night and early morning is characterized by the calm or no wind. With 2.1 million vehicles, the city has a serious problem of carbon monoxide from the gasoline vehicles stuck in the traffic on start and stop cycles, while particulate matter is the result of diesel vehicles. Hydrocarbons mainly result from two-stroke motorcycles and tuk-tuk (three-wheeled) taxis. Air pollution in Bangkok and major cities of Thailand is the result of emissions from gasoline, diesel, and LPG fueled vehicles, which contribute to the observed levels of carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and hydrocarbons. The industrial activities contribute smaller share due to tall stacks and more efficient combusting processes and pollution control.

  1. Short-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress: The Framingham Heart Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenyuan; Wilker, Elissa H; Dorans, Kirsten S; Rice, Mary B; Schwartz, Joel; Coull, Brent A; Koutrakis, Petros; Gold, Diane R; Keaney, John F; Lin, Honghuang; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Benjamin, Emelia J; Mittleman, Murray A

    2016-04-28

    Short-term exposure to elevated air pollution has been associated with higher risk of acute cardiovascular diseases, with systemic oxidative stress induced by air pollution hypothesized as an important underlying mechanism. However, few community-based studies have assessed this association. Two thousand thirty-five Framingham Offspring Cohort participants living within 50 km of the Harvard Boston Supersite who were not current smokers were included. We assessed circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress including blood myeloperoxidase at the seventh examination (1998-2001) and urinary creatinine-indexed 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α) at the seventh and eighth (2005-2008) examinations. We measured fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, sulfate, nitrogen oxides, and ozone at the Supersite and calculated 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-day moving averages of each pollutant. Measured myeloperoxidase and 8-epi-PGF2α were loge transformed. We used linear regression models and linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts for myeloperoxidase and indexed 8-epi-PGF2α, respectively. Models were adjusted for demographic variables, individual- and area-level measures of socioeconomic position, clinical and lifestyle factors, weather, and temporal trend. We found positive associations of PM2.5 and black carbon with myeloperoxidase across multiple moving averages. Additionally, 2- to 7-day moving averages of PM2.5 and sulfate were consistently positively associated with 8-epi-PGF2α. Stronger positive associations of black carbon and sulfate with myeloperoxidase were observed among participants with diabetes than in those without. Our community-based investigation supports an association of select markers of ambient air pollution with circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  2. Evaluation of pollution in Camichin estuary (Mexico): pro-oxidant and antioxidant response in oyster (Crassostrea corteziensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girón-Pérez, M I; Romero-Bañuelos, C A; Toledo-Ibarra, G A; Rojas-García, A E; Medina-Diaz, I M; Robledo-Marenco, M L; Vega-López, A

    2013-08-01

    The physiological system of molluscs, particularly pro-oxidant and antioxidant mechanisms, could be altered by pollutants and induce disturbance on health status and productive parameters of aquatic organisms, such as oyster. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical contamination in water (total metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and oxidative stress parameters in oysters (Crassostrea corteziensis) in Camichin estuary, located in Mexican Tropical Pacific. The results obtained showed the presence of arsenic, lead and zinc, as well as naphthalene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene in concentrations relatively higher than criteria established by local and international guidelines. Regarding the biomarkers of oxidative stress response (H2O2 and O2 concentration, catalase activity, lipid peroxidation, and hydroperoxide concentration), differences between oyster from estuary and control group were significant. These results indicate that these pollutants could be related with oxidative stress detected in oyster. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Individualized solutions to environmental problems: a case of automobile pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Urmetzer, P.; Blake, D. E.; Guppy, N. [British Columbia Univ., Vancouver, BC (Canada)

    1999-09-01

    Air pollution associated with motor vehicle use is one of the prime indicators of the tension between consumerism and the environment. The use of private automobiles seems so convenient, whereas the alternatives are off-putting enough to make significant changes in personal transportation behaviour well-nigh impossible. At the same time, combating the air pollution associated with extensive use of cars has become one of the major policy objectives for cities around the world. Available policy alternatives can be divided into two categories: (1) incentives, such as improved public transportation, and (2) disincentives, such as environmental tax on gasoline. This paper attempt to directly assess links between these two alternatives, associated attitudes towards them, the level of public support for command and control (i.e. regulatory) policy approaches as well as for economic incentive/disincentive policies. Answers are sought and findings discussed relative to the link between opinions about the environment and support for different types of environmental policies, the usefulness of a rational choice perspective in explaining support for environmental policy alternatives, the role that partisan political attachments play in support of environmental policy approaches, and the roles played by environmental activism, knowledge, and action in shaping support for environmental policy alternatives. Overall results indicate that while most people living in urban environments support the ideas of environmental protection and would be willing to incur costs to confront the problem, exposure to air pollution plays an inconsequential (actually nearly non-existent) role in support of automobile-related environmental problems. Automobile users act like 'free-riders' i.e. they tend to support policies that socialize the cost of solutions rather than policies that attempt to pass the cost of pollution directly on to individual car owners. A sample of the responses to

  4. Fungal Unspecific Peroxygenases Oxidize the Majority of Organic EPA Priority Pollutants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Karich

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs are secreted fungal enzymes with promiscuity for oxygen transfer and oxidation reactions. Functionally, they represent hybrids of P450 monooxygenases and heme peroxidases; phylogenetically they belong to the family of heme-thiolate peroxidases. Two UPOs from the basidiomycetous fungi Agrocybe aegerita (AaeUPO and Marasmius rotula (MroUPO converted 35 out of 40 compounds listed as EPA priority pollutants, including chlorinated benzenes and their derivatives, halogenated biphenyl ethers, nitroaromatic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs and phthalic acid derivatives. These oxygenations and oxidations resulted in diverse products and—if at all—were limited for three reasons: (i steric hindrance caused by multiple substitutions or bulkiness of the compound as such (e.g., hexachlorobenzene or large PAHs, (ii strong inactivation of aromatic rings (e.g., nitrobenzene, and (iii low water solubility (e.g., complex arenes. The general outcome of our study is that UPOs can be considered as extracellular counterparts of intracellular monooxygenases, both with respect to catalyzed reactions and catalytic versatility. Therefore, they should be taken into consideration as a relevant biocatalytic detoxification and biodegradation tool used by fungi when confronted with toxins, xenobiotics and pollutants in their natural environments.

  5. Nitric oxide in exhaled and aspirated nasal air as an objective measure of human response to indoor air pollution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolarik, Barbara; Lagercrantz, L.; Sundell, Jan

    2009-01-01

    The concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled and aspirated nasal air was used to objectively assess human response to indoor air pollutants in a climate chamber exposure experiment. The concentration of NO was measured before exposure, after 2, and 4.5 h of exposure, using a chemiluminescence...... by the exposures. The results may indicate an association between polluted indoor air and subclinical inflammation.Measurement of nitric oxide in exhaled air is a possible objective marker of subclinical inflammation in healthy adults....... NO analyzer. Sixteen healthy female subjects were exposed to two indoor air pollutants and to a clean reference condition for 4.5 h. Subjective assessments of the environment were obtained by questionnaires. After exposure (4.5 h) to the two polluted conditions a small increase in NO concentration in exhaled...

  6. An Overview of Air Pollution Problem in Megacities and City Clusters in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, X.

    2007-05-01

    China has experienced the rapid economic growth in last twenty years. City clusters, which consist of one or several mega cities in close vicinity and many satellite cities and towns, are playing a leading role in Chinese economic growth, owing to their collective economic capacity and interdependency. However, accompanying with the economic boom, population growth and increased energy consumption, the air quality has been degrading in the past two decades. Air pollution in those areas is characterized by concurrent occurrence of high concentrations of multiple primary pollutants leading to form complex secondary pollution problem. After decades long efforts to control air pollution, both the government and scientific communities have realized that to control regional scale air pollution, regional efforts are needed. Field experiments covering the regions like Pearl River Delta region and Beijing City with surrounding areas are critical to understand the chemical and physical processes leading to the formation of regional scale air pollution. In order to formulate policy suggestions for air quality attainment during 2008 Beijing Olympic game and to propose objectives of air quality attainment in 2010 in Beijing, CAREBEIJING (Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region) was organized by Peking University in 2006 to learn current air pollution situation of the region, and to identify the transport and transformation processes that lead to the impact of the surrounding area on air quality in Beijing. Same as the purpose for understanding the chemical and physical processes happened in regional scale, the fall and summer campaigns in 2004 and 2006 were carried out in Pearl River Delta. More than 16 domestic and foreign institutions were involved in these campaigns. The background, current status, problems, and some results of these campaigns will be introduced in this presentation.

  7. α,β-Unsaturated aldehyde pollutant acrolein suppresses cardiomyocyte contractile function: Role of TRPV1 and oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhenbiao; He, Emily Y; Scott, Glenda I; Ren, Jun

    2015-01-01

    Air pollution is associated with an increased prevalence of heart disease and is known to trigger a proinflammatory response via stimulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid cation channels (TRPV1, also known as the capsaicin receptor). This study was designed to examine the effect of acrolein, an essential α,β-unsaturated aldehyde pollutant, on myocardial contractile function and the underlying mechanism involved with a focus on TRPV1 and oxidative stress. Cardiomyocyte mechanical and intracellular Ca(2+) properties were evaluated using an IonOptix MyoCam® system including peak shortening (PS), maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (± dL/dt), time-to-PS (TPS), time-to-90% relengthening (TR90 ), fura-2 fluorescence intensity (FFI) and intracellular Ca(2+) decay. Changes in apoptosis and TRPV1 were evaluated using Western blot analysis. The degree of oxidative stress was assessed using the ratio between reduced and oxidized glutathione. Results obtained revealed that exposure of cardiomyocytes to acrolein acutely compromised contractile and intracellular Ca(2+) properties including depressed PS, ± dL/dt and ΔFFI, as well as prolonged TR90 and intracellular Ca(2+) decay. In addition, acrolein exposure upregulated TRPV1 associated with an increase in both apoptosis and oxidative stress. However, the acrolein-induced cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca(2+) anomalies, as well as apoptosis (as evidenced by Bcl-2, Bax, FasL, Caspase-3 and -8), were negated by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger glutathione or the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine. Collectively these data suggest that the α,β-unsaturated aldehyde pollutant acrolein may play a role in the pathogenesis and sequelae of air pollution-induced heart disease via a TRPV1- and oxidative stress-dependent mechanism. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Plants and their microbial assistants: Nature's answer to Earth's environmental pollution problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolverton, B. C.

    1990-01-01

    The utilization of higher plants and their associated microorganisms to solve environmental pollution problems on Earth and in future space applications is briefly reviewed. If man is sealed inside closed facilities, he becomes a polluter of the environment. It is also common knowledge to most people that man cannot survive on Earth without green photosynthesizing plants and microorganisms. Therefore, it is vitally important to have a better understanding of the interactions of man with plants and microorganisms. Biosphere 2 and other related studies presently being conducted or planned, hopefully, will supply data that will help save planet Earth from impending environmental disaster. The development of means to utilize both air and water pollution as a nutrient source for growing green plants is examined.

  9. Remediation of electronic waste polluted soil using a combination of persulfate oxidation and chemical washing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Fu; Luo, Zhanbin; Liu, Gangjun; Yang, Yongjun; Zhang, Shaoliang; Ma, Jing

    2017-12-15

    Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the efficiency of a simultaneous chemical extraction and oxidation for removing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and toxic metals from an actual soil polluted by the recycling activity of electronic waste. Various chemicals, including hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD), citric acid (CA) and sodium persulfate (SP) were applied synchronously with Fe 2+ activated oxidation to enhance the co-removal of both types of pollutants. It is found that the addition of HPCD can enhance POPs removal through solubilization of POPs and iron chelation; while the CA-chelated Fe 2+ activation process is effective for extracting metals and degrading residual POPs. Under the optimized reagent conditions, 69.4% Cu, 78.1% Pb, 74.6% Ni, 97.1% polychlorinated biphenyls, 93.8% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and 96.4% polybrominated diphenylethers were removed after the sequential application of SP-HPCD-Fe 2+ and SP-CA-Fe 2+ processes with a duration of 180 and 240 min, respectively. A high dehalogenation efficiency (84.8% bromine and 86.2% chlorine) is observed, suggesting the low accumulation of halogen-containing organic intermediates. The remediated soil can satisfy the national soil quality standard of China. Collectively, co-contaminated soil can be remediated with reasonable time and capital costs through simultaneous application of persulfate oxidation and chemical extraction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation of oil pollution problems

    CERN Document Server

    2015-01-01

    Written by outstanding experts in the fields of marine engineering, atmospheric physics and chemistry, fluid dynamics and applied mathematics, the contributions in this book cover a wide range of subjects, from pure mathematics to real-world applications in the oil spill engineering business. Offering a truly interdisciplinary approach, the authors present both mathematical models and state-of-the-art numerical methods for adequately solving the partial differential equations involved, as well as highly practical experiments involving actual cases of ocean oil pollution. It is indispensable that different disciplines of mathematics, like analysis and numerics,  together with physics, biology, fluid dynamics, environmental engineering and marine science, join forces to solve today’s oil pollution problems.   The book will be of great interest to researchers and graduate students in the environmental sciences, mathematics and physics, showing the broad range of techniques needed in order to solve these poll...

  11. Destination of organic pollutants during electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater using boron-doped diamond anode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Xiuping [Department of Environmental Engineering, Peking University, the Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing100871 (China); Ni, Jinren, E-mail: nijinren@iee.pku.edu.cn [Department of Environmental Engineering, Peking University, the Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing100871 (China); Wei, Junjun; Xing, Xuan; Li, Hongna [Department of Environmental Engineering, Peking University, the Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing100871 (China)

    2011-05-15

    Electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater was performed in a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode system. After electrolysis of 12 h, the COD was decreased from 532 to 99 mg L{sup -1} (<100 mg L{sup -1}, the National Discharge Standard of China). More importantly, the destination of organic pollutants during electrochemical oxidation process was carefully investigated by molecular weight distribution measurement, resin fractionation, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, HPLC and GC-MS analysis, and toxicity test. As results, most organic pollutants were completely removed by electrochemical oxidation and the rest was primarily degraded to simpler compounds (e.g., carboxylic acids and short-chain alkanes) with less toxicity, which demonstrated that electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater with BDD anode was very effective and safe. Especially, the performance of BDD anode system in degradation of large molecular organics such as humic substances makes it very promising in practical applications as an advanced treatment of biologically-pretreated wastewaters.

  12. Destination of organic pollutants during electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater using boron-doped diamond anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiuping; Ni, Jinren; Wei, Junjun; Xing, Xuan; Li, Hongna

    2011-05-15

    Electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater was performed in a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode system. After electrolysis of 12h, the COD was decreased from 532 to 99 mg L(-1) (destination of organic pollutants during electrochemical oxidation process was carefully investigated by molecular weight distribution measurement, resin fractionation, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, HPLC and GC-MS analysis, and toxicity test. As results, most organic pollutants were completely removed by electrochemical oxidation and the rest was primarily degraded to simpler compounds (e.g., carboxylic acids and short-chain alkanes) with less toxicity, which demonstrated that electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater with BDD anode was very effective and safe. Especially, the performance of BDD anode system in degradation of large molecular organics such as humic substances makes it very promising in practical applications as an advanced treatment of biologically-pretreated wastewaters. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Destination of organic pollutants during electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater using boron-doped diamond anode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Xiuping; Ni, Jinren; Wei, Junjun; Xing, Xuan; Li, Hongna

    2011-01-01

    Electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater was performed in a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode system. After electrolysis of 12 h, the COD was decreased from 532 to 99 mg L -1 ( -1 , the National Discharge Standard of China). More importantly, the destination of organic pollutants during electrochemical oxidation process was carefully investigated by molecular weight distribution measurement, resin fractionation, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, HPLC and GC-MS analysis, and toxicity test. As results, most organic pollutants were completely removed by electrochemical oxidation and the rest was primarily degraded to simpler compounds (e.g., carboxylic acids and short-chain alkanes) with less toxicity, which demonstrated that electrochemical oxidation of biologically-pretreated dye wastewater with BDD anode was very effective and safe. Especially, the performance of BDD anode system in degradation of large molecular organics such as humic substances makes it very promising in practical applications as an advanced treatment of biologically-pretreated wastewaters.

  14. Correlation between air pollution and weather data in urban areas: Assessment of the city of Rome (Italy) as spatially and temporally independent regarding pollutants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battista, Gabriele; de Lieto Vollaro, Roberto

    2017-09-01

    Air pollution represents the biggest environmental risk for health. It is so widespread and it represents one of the main problems of the worldwide, especially because it is emitted by so many different types of sources. The pollutants can originate directly by exhausted or they can be formed because of the reaction with the atmosphere. The first one includes particulate matter and gaseous pollutants such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and carbon oxides. The second one includes the ozone formed from nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, and particulate sulfate and nitrate aerosols created in the atmosphere from sulfur and nitrogen oxide gases. During the entire life course, people are exposed to the pollutants and suffer from different consequences depending on the age. The first nine month of life are generally recognized as more critical than latter time periods. The mortality associated to air pollutant exposure is main related to the concentrations of NOx , ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxides and particular matter. More than 92% of the world's population lives in places where air quality levels exceed the standards. In 2012, one out of every nine deaths was the result of air pollution-related conditions. In 2016 about 3 million deaths a year were linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. In the last few years many epidemiological studies have shown associations between air pollutant concentrations and human health. Apart from people, even monuments and artworks can be damaged by pollution, especially in city centres. Furthermore, urbanization modified microclimate conditions of the cities, and, together with traffic and domestic heating, led to a discomfort of living conditions. For these reasons, there is the necessity to improve the research on the impact of pollutant and microclimate conditions inside urban areas. In this work different kinds of pollutants in Rome from 2006 to 2015 were analysed, and different techniques of post elaboration were used

  15. To the micro-climatic condition influence upon the environment pollution during exploitation of being oxidized mineral deposits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akhmedzhanov, T.K.; Al'mukhambetova, Sh.K.; Bajramov, I.M.

    1998-01-01

    Conducted researches showed dependence of environment pollution rate under exploration of being oxidized mineral deposits from number of meteorological futures of season changes. Zones of gases spreading in atmosphere from sources of pollution in dependence from micro-climatic conditions are estimated. Results can be used during preventive measures projecting for environment in deposits districts. (author)

  16. Session 6: Water depollution from aniline and phenol by air oxidation and adsorptive-catalytic oxidation in liquid phase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dobrynkin, N.M.; Batygina, M.V.; Noskov, A.S. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Pr. Ak. Lavrentieva (Russian Federation)

    2004-07-01

    This paper is devoted to development of carbon catalysts and application of catalytic wet air oxidation for deep cleaning of polluted waters. The described catalysts and method are solving the problem of development environmentally reliable method for fluids treatment and allow carrying out the adsorption of pollutants on carbon CAPM (catalytically active porous material) with following regeneration of the CAPM without the loss of adsorptive qualities. The experiments have shown a principal capability simultaneously to use carbon CAPM as adsorbent and either as catalyst, or as a catalyst support for oxidation of aniline and phenol in water solutions. (authors)

  17. Air pollution and risk of hospitalization for epilepsy: the role of farm use of nitrogen fertilizers and emissions of the agricultural air pollutant, nitrous oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith Fluegge

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The link between various air pollutants and hospitalization for epilepsy has come under scrutiny. We have proposed that exposure to air pollution and specifically the pervasive agricultural air pollutant and greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N2O, may provoke susceptibility to neurodevelopmental disorders. Evidence supports a role of N2O exposure in reducing epileptiform seizure activity, while withdrawal from the drug has been shown to induce seizure-like activity. Therefore, we show here that the statewide use of anthropogenic nitrogen fertilizers (the most recognized causal contributor to environmental N2O burden is significantly negatively associated with hospitalization for epilepsy in all three pre-specified hospitalization categories, even after multiple pollutant comparison correction (p<.007, while the other identified pollutants were not consistently statistically significantly associated with hospitalization for epilepsy. We discuss potential neurological mechanisms underpinning this association between air pollutants associated with farm use of anthropogenic nitrogen fertilizers and hospitalization for epilepsy.

  18. Removal of organic pollutants from industrial wastewater by applying photo-Fenton oxidation technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ebrahiem E. Ebrahiem

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The general strategy of this study was based on evaluation of the possibility of applying advanced photo-oxidation technique (Fenton oxidation process for removal of the residuals organic pollutants present in cosmetic wastewater. The different parameters that affect the chemical oxidation process for dyes in their aqueous solutions were studied by using Fenton’s reaction. These parameters are pH, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 dose, ferrous sulfate (FeSO4·7H2O dose, Initial dye concentration, and time. The optimum conditions were found to be: pH 3, the dose of 1 ml/l H2O2 and 0.75 g/l for Fe(II and Fe(III and reaction time 40 min. Finally, chemical oxygen demands (COD, before and after oxidation process was measured to ensure the entire destruction of organic dyes during their removal from wastewater. The experimental results show that Fenton’s oxidation process successfully achieved very good removal efficiency over 95%.

  19. Advance planning for air pollution control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brewer, G L

    1972-11-01

    An air quality management program for nitric acid plants emitting pollutants which include nitrogen oxides is proposed. The program consists of the following five phases: an inventory of the handling equipment within the plant, including the identification of potential emission sources in terms of process material balances; source testing (if required); ambient air quality measurements; emission control analysis; and the development of a complete air management plan which includes a balance between air exhausted from buildups and processes and air supplied in a controlled economical manner. Typical NOx air pollution problems associated with nitric acid plants are reviewed along with various approaches to control and by-product recovery.

  20. Use of decision trees to value investigation strategies for soil pollution problems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Okx, J.P.; Stein, A.

    2000-01-01

    Remediation of a contaminated site usually requires costly actions, and several clean-up and sampling strategies may have to be compared by those involved in the decision-making process. In this paper several common environmental pollution problems have been addressed by using probabilistic decision

  1. Maternal antioxidant provisioning mitigates pollutant-induced oxidative damage in embryos of the temperate sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus

    OpenAIRE

    Lister, Kathryn N.; Lamare, Miles D.; Burritt, David J.

    2017-01-01

    One mechanism of pollution resistance in marine populations is through transgenerational plasticity, whereby offspring capacity to resist pollution reflects parental exposure history. Our study aimed to establish correlations between oxidative stress biomarkers and key reproductive fitness parameters in the temperate sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus following exposure to dietary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAH-exposed adults exhibited total gonad tissue concentrations of PAHs in ...

  2. Sensing sulfur oxides and other sulfur bearing pollutants with solid electrolyte pellets. I. Gas concentration cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chamberland, A M; Gauthier, J M

    1977-01-01

    A new sensing technique using a solid electrolyte has been demonstrated for sulfur-bearing pollutants. Based on potentiometric measurements across a pellet of potassium sulfate, this sensor allows concentrations of sulfur dioxides, sulfur trioxide, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and carbonyl sulfide in air to be measured with accuracy. Its operational concentration range at the present time is 0.1 ppM up to at least 10,000 ppM. The presence of other common pollutants such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide does not interfere with the measurement of air samples containing sulfur-bearing pollutants.

  3. Heritable oxidative phosphorylation differences in a pollutant resistant Fundulus heteroclitus population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, Xiao; Crawford, Douglas L.; Nacci, Diane E.; Oleksiak, Marjorie F.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Laboratory reared fish from a highly polluted and clean reference population were compared. • Oxidative phosphorylation (e.g., State 3, enzymes, and proton LEAK) was quantified. • Laboratory reared F3 fish from polluted population displayed higher routine metabolism and complex II activity but lower complex I enzyme activity. • Enhanced OxPhos metabolism and toxicity resistance were retained in laboratory reared F3 fish from the polluted population. - Abstract: Populations can adapt to stress including recent anthropogenic pollution. Our published data suggests heritable differences in hepatocyte oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) metabolism in field-caught killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) from the highly polluted Elizabeth River, VA, USA, relative to fish from a nearby, relatively unpolluted reference site in King’s Creek VA. Consistent with other studies showing that Elizabeth River killifish are resistant to some of the toxic effects of certain contaminants, OxPhos measurements in hepatocytes from field-caught King’s Creek but not field-caught Elizabeth River killifish were altered by acute benzo [a] pyrene exposures. To more definitively test whether the enhanced OxPhos metabolism and toxicity resistance are heritable, we measured OxPhos metabolism in a laboratory-reared F3 generation from the Elizabeth River population versus a laboratory-reared F1 generation from the King’s Creek population and compared these results to previous data from the field-caught fish. The F3 Elizabeth River fish compared to F1 King’s Creek fish had significantly higher State 3 respiration (routine metabolism) and complex II activity, and significantly lower complex I activity. The consistently higher routine metabolism in the F3 and field-caught Elizabeth River fish versus F1 and field-caught King’s Creek fish implies a heritable change in OxPhos function. The observation that LEAK, E-State, Complex I and Complex II were different in laboratory bred

  4. Heritable oxidative phosphorylation differences in a pollutant resistant Fundulus heteroclitus population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Xiao, E-mail: xdu@rsmas.miami.edu [Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149 (United States); Crawford, Douglas L. [Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149 (United States); Nacci, Diane E. [Population Ecology Branch, Atlantic Ecology Division, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882 (United States); Oleksiak, Marjorie F., E-mail: moleksiak@rsmas.miami.edu [Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149 (United States)

    2016-08-15

    Highlights: • Laboratory reared fish from a highly polluted and clean reference population were compared. • Oxidative phosphorylation (e.g., State 3, enzymes, and proton LEAK) was quantified. • Laboratory reared F3 fish from polluted population displayed higher routine metabolism and complex II activity but lower complex I enzyme activity. • Enhanced OxPhos metabolism and toxicity resistance were retained in laboratory reared F3 fish from the polluted population. - Abstract: Populations can adapt to stress including recent anthropogenic pollution. Our published data suggests heritable differences in hepatocyte oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) metabolism in field-caught killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) from the highly polluted Elizabeth River, VA, USA, relative to fish from a nearby, relatively unpolluted reference site in King’s Creek VA. Consistent with other studies showing that Elizabeth River killifish are resistant to some of the toxic effects of certain contaminants, OxPhos measurements in hepatocytes from field-caught King’s Creek but not field-caught Elizabeth River killifish were altered by acute benzo [a] pyrene exposures. To more definitively test whether the enhanced OxPhos metabolism and toxicity resistance are heritable, we measured OxPhos metabolism in a laboratory-reared F3 generation from the Elizabeth River population versus a laboratory-reared F1 generation from the King’s Creek population and compared these results to previous data from the field-caught fish. The F3 Elizabeth River fish compared to F1 King’s Creek fish had significantly higher State 3 respiration (routine metabolism) and complex II activity, and significantly lower complex I activity. The consistently higher routine metabolism in the F3 and field-caught Elizabeth River fish versus F1 and field-caught King’s Creek fish implies a heritable change in OxPhos function. The observation that LEAK, E-State, Complex I and Complex II were different in laboratory bred

  5. Problems of environmental pollution in a modern society. I problemi dell'inquinamento nella societa moderna

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pinchera, G C

    1983-10-01

    The paper deals with the problem of environmental deterioration in Italy and of systematic acquisition of data on the state of environment. Manners in which some countries are tackling the problems of regulating air pollution control are analysed and compared. Then, attention is given to farming practices which made agriculture notoriously exposed to pollution caused by other human activities, becoming itself a significant source of adverse ecological effects. Possible directions for recovering, recycling and utilizing wastes of urban, agrozootechnical and industrial origin are discussed. Finally, some suggestions are made for the improvement of environmental risk management in Italy.

  6. Influence of fossil energy applications on environmental pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balat, M.; Ayar, G.; Oguzhan, C.; Uluduz, H.; Faiz, U. [University of Mahallesi, Trabzon (Turkey)

    2007-07-01

    The aim of this work is to investigate influence of fossil energy applications on the environmental pollution. Turkey's high rate of economic growth experienced during much of the 1990s, besides resulting in booming industrial production, also led to higher levels of energy consumption, imports, air and water pollution, and greater risks to the country's environment. Air pollution is a major problem in Turkey, with key pollutants including sulfur dioxide, suspended particulates, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide. In Turkey, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels totaled about 50.07 million tons in 2001. However, fuel share of carbon emissions in 2001 was oil 44.2%, coal 38.8%, and natural gas 16.9%. Total carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are expected to be 104 million tons in 2025.

  7. Role of Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress and Xenobiotics in Carcinogenesis by Environmental Pollutants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dibyajyoti Saha

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Carcinogenesis by many small molecular weight chemicals involves either a direct action of the chemical on cellular DNA or metabolism of the parent chemical to an active or ultimate form, which can than react with cellular DNA to produce a permanent chemical change in a DNA structure. A free radical is an atom or molecule that has one or more unpaired electron(s. These are highly reactive species capable of wide spread, indiscriminate oxidation and per oxidation of proteins, lipids and DNA which can lead to significant cellular damage and even tissue and/or organ failure. . Oxidative stress is a leading cause to damage cells by oxidation. The rate at which oxidative damage is induced (input and the rate at which it is efficiently repaired and removed (output. Xenobiotics are a compound that is foreign to the body. Xenobiotics can produce a variety of biological effects, including pharmacologic responses, toxicity, genes, immunologic reactions and cancer. Oxidative stress is a leading cause to damage cells by oxidation. The rate at which oxidative damage is induced (input and the rate at which it is efficiently repaired and removed (output. This communication highlights the role of carcinogens as environmental pollutants with the possible mechanism of free radicals, oxidative stress and xenobiotics.

  8. Surface Modification of Graphene Oxides by Plasma Techniques and Their Application for Environmental Pollution Cleanup.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiangxue; Fan, Qiaohui; Chen, Zhongshan; Wang, Qi; Li, Jiaxing; Hobiny, Aatef; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Wang, Xiangke

    2016-02-01

    Graphene oxides (GOs) have come under intense multidisciplinary study because of their unique physicochemical properties and possible applications. The large amount of oxygen-containing functional groups on GOs leads to a high sorption capacity for the removal of various kinds of organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions in environmental pollution cleanup. However, the lack of selectivity results in difficulty in the selective removal of target pollutants from aqueous solutions in the presence of other coexisting pollutants. Herein, the surface grafting of GOs with special oxygen-containing functional groups using low-temperature plasma techniques and the application of the surface-modified GOs for the efficient removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in environmental pollution are reviewed. This paper gives an account of our research on the application of GO-based nanomaterials in environmental pollution cleanup, including: (1) the synthesis and surface grafting of functional groups on GOs, summarizing various types of low-temperature plasma techniques for the synthesis of graphene/GOs; and (2) the application of graphene/GOs and their composites for the efficient removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions, including the interaction mechanism according to recently published results. © 2015 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. An Instructors Guide to Water Pollution. Test Edition. AAAS Study Guides on Contemporary Problems, No. 5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidd, David E.

    This is one of several study guides on contemporary problems produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science with support of the National Science Foundation. This study guide on water pollution includes the following units: (1) Overview of World Pollution; (2) History, Definition, Criteria; (3) Ecosystem Theory; (4) Biological…

  10. [Problems and ways of solutions to harmonize standards for air pollution].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avaliani, S L; Novikov, S M; Shashina, T A; Skvortsova, N S; Kislitsin, V A; Mishina, A L

    2012-01-01

    In the article the basic problems of harmonization of domestic regulatory framework of air pollution with the WHO recommendations and normative values adopted in the EU, U.S. and other countries are considered. The important role of health risk analysis methodology in the process of harmonization of regulation and control of air quality has been pointed out. The necessity of radical changes in the structure and content of the basic normative document GN 2.1.6.1338-03 "maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of pollutants in the air of populated areas" has been shown. The algorithm of the procedure that justifies the new list of normative values in the air harmonized with international recommendations and standards of developed countries has been proposed.

  11. Oxidative damage to DNA and lipids as biomarkers of exposure to air pollution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Peter; Loft, Steffen

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Air pollution is thought to exert health effects through oxidative stress, which causes damage to DNA and lipids. OBJECTIVE: We determined whether levels of oxidatively damaged DNA and lipid peroxidation products in cells or bodily fluids from humans are useful biomarkers...... of biologically effective dose in studies of the health effects of exposure to particulate matter (PM) from combustion processes. DATA SOURCES: We identified publications that reported estimated associations between environmental exposure to PM and oxidative damage to DNA and lipids in PubMed and EMBASE. We also...... identified publications from reference lists and articles cited in the Web of Science. DATA EXTRACTION: For each study, we obtained information on the estimated effect size to calculate the standardized mean difference (unitless) and determined the potential for errors in exposure assessment and analysis...

  12. Focus on CSIR research in pollution waste: South African mercury assessment (SAMA) programme

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Leaner, J

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Mercury pollution is a world-wide problem requiring attention at global, regional and national levels. Various anthropogenic activities release mercury into the atmosphere. It can occur as both elemental and oxidized forms, and is removed from...

  13. Cosmetic Functional Ingredients from Botanical Sources for Anti-Pollution Skincare Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Juliano

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution is a rising problem in many metropolitan areas around the world. Airborne contaminants are predominantly derived from anthropogenic activities, and include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, ozone and particulate matter (PM; a mixture of solid and liquid particles of variable size and composition, able to absorb and delivery a large number of pollutants. The exposure to these air pollutants is associated to detrimental effects on human skin, such as premature aging, pigment spot formation, skin rashes and eczema, and can worsen some skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis. A cosmetic approach to this problem involves the topical application of skincare products containing functional ingredients able to counteract pollution-induced skin damage. Considering that the demand for natural actives is growing in all segments of global cosmetic market, the aim of this review is to describe some commercial cosmetic ingredients obtained from botanical sources able to reduce the impact of air pollutants on human skin with different mechanisms, providing a scientific rationale for their use.

  14. Transport and its energy-related air pollution problems in Bangkok

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boontherawara, N.; Panich, S.; Phiu-Nual, K.

    1995-12-31

    Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) is a major pollutant, followed by carbon monoxide and lead, as the ambient levels of these pollutants all exceed international standards such as those laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO). In order to meet these standards, it is necessary to reduce the emissions of these pollutants by 84.9%, 47.3%, and 13.0% respectively. Ambient air quality in Bangkok will continue to deteriorate to an unacceptable level by the year 2000, if no action is taken over and above implementation of already approved projects (including mass transit projects). Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions could be reduced by 28 and 22% respectively, with the implementation of Reasonable Technology Measures used to control vehicle emissions alone. These measures include inspection and maintenance programs. Their success is dependent on effective quality control and on the application of stringent standards. However, these measures would have little impact in reducing the emissions of SPM. It can therefore be concluded that Reasonable Technology Measures will be insufficient to address Bangkok`s air pollution problems, without complementary measures to reduce traffic congestion. Implementation of the traffic measures outlined under the Demand-Management Policy Scenario alone will reduce CO and HC emissions by up to 45%. These measures serve to reduce traffic congestion and increase the average travel speed. However, in order to improve air quality to internationally acceptable levels, traffic measures must be implemented in conjunction with the Reasonable Technology Scenario. This will provide an additional reduction of CO and HC emissions by 45%.

  15. Molecular epidemiology studies of carcinogenic environmental pollutants. Effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental pollution on exogenous and oxidative DNA damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farmer, Peter B; Singh, Rajinder; Kaur, Balvinder; Sram, Radim J; Binkova, Blanka; Kalina, Ivan; Popov, Todor A; Garte, Seymour; Taioli, Emanuela; Gabelova, Alena; Cebulska-Wasilewska, Antonina

    2003-11-01

    Exposure to high levels of environmental air pollution is known to be associated with an increased carcinogenic risk. The individual contribution to this risk derived from specific carcinogenic chemicals within the complex mixture of air pollution is less certain, but may be explored by the use of molecular epidemiological techniques. Measurements of biomarkers of exposure, of effect and of susceptibility provide information of potential benefit for epidemiological and cancer risk assessment. The application of such techniques has been mostly concerned in the past with the carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (c-PAHs) that are associated with particulate matter in air pollution, and has showed clear evidence of genotoxic effects, such as DNA adducts, chromosome aberrations (CA) and ras oncogene overexpression, in environmentally exposed Czech and Polish populations. We are currently extending these studies by an investigation of populations exposed to environmental pollution in three European countries, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Bulgaria. This pays particular attention to PAHs, but also investigates the extent of radically induced (oxidative) DNA damage in the exposed populations. Policemen, bus drivers and controls, who carried personal monitors to determine their exposures to PAHs have been studied, and blood and urine were collected. Antioxidant and dietary status were assessed in these populations. Stationary monitors were also used for ambient air monitoring. Amongst the parameters studied in the biological samples were: (a) exposure biomarkers, such as PAH adducts with DNA, p53 and p21(WAF1) protein levels, (b) oxidative DNA damage, (c) the biological effect of the exposure by measurement of chromosome damage by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) or conventional methods, and (d) polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolising and DNA repair enzymes. Repair ability was also measured by the Comet assay. In vitro systems are being evaluated to

  16. Experience and problems with bees as bioindicators of airborne pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boertitz, S.; Wienhaus, O.; Reuter, F.

    1992-01-01

    The effects of anthropogenic air pollution on apiculture are far-reaching: From the loss of feeding plants to the accumulation of toxic materials in nectar and pollen (due to chronic or acute damage). A negative effect on the life functions of the bee is caused by arsenic and in particular fluorocompounds. The biological indicator function of the bee possible in this manner was and is combined with problems of trace amount analysis methods and the interpretation of the diagnosis. (orig.) [de

  17. Effect of environmental air pollution on cardiovascular diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meo, S A; Suraya, F

    2015-12-01

    Environmental air pollution has become a leading health concern especially in the developing countries with more urbanization, industrialization and rapidly growing population. Prolonged exposure to air pollution is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of environmental air pollution on progression of cardiovascular problems. In this study, we identified 6880 published articles through a systematic database including ISI-Web of Science, PubMed and EMBASE. The allied literature was searched by using the key words such as environmental pollution, air pollution, particulate matter pollutants PM 2.5 μm-PM 10 μm. Literature in which environmental air pollution and cardiac diseases were discussed was included. Descriptive information was retrieved from the selected literature. Finally, we included 67 publications and remaining studies were excluded. Environmental pollution can cause high blood pressure, arrhythmias, enhanced coagulation, thrombosis, acute arterial vasoconstriction, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart diseases, myocardial infarction and even heart failure. Environmental air pollution is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Environmental pollution exerts its detrimental effects on the heart by developing pulmonary inflammation, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and prothrombotic changes. Environmental protection officials must take high priority steps to minimize the air pollution to decrease the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases.

  18. IN VITRO CARDIOTOXICITY OF AIR POLLUTION PARTICLES: ROLE OF BIOAVAILABLE CONSTITUENTS, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND TYROSINE PHOSPHORYLATION

    Science.gov (United States)

    IN VITRO CARDIOTOXICITY OF AIR POLLUTION PARTICLES: ROLE OF BIOAVAILABLE CONSTITUENTS, OXIDATIVE STRESS AND TYROSINE PHOSPHORYLATION.T. L. Knuckles1 R. Jaskot2, J. Richards2, and K.Dreher2.1Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicin...

  19. Desulfurization of fuels with ionic liquids by extraction and oxidative extraction processes

    OpenAIRE

    Rodríguez Cabo, Borja

    2014-01-01

    The excessive emission of pollutants to the atmosphere has been a problem during the last few decades due to, among other reasons, the massive use of transports. In order to avoid this problem, many methods are being investigated as an alternative to the classical hydrodesulfurization technique, such as adsorption, biodesulfurization, extraction and oxidation. The extractive desulfurization is one of the most promising alternatives. Moreover, its enhancement with selective oxidation of sulfur...

  20. Epidemiology and air pollution. A report of the Committee on the Epidemiology of Air Pollutants, Board on Toxicology and Environmental Health Hazards, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1985-01-01

    This report examines the role of epidemiology in the study of the health effects of air pollution. The four health effects of concern in the report art acute respiratory infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and lung cancer. The five types of pollution said to be of continuing concern are woodsmoke, nitrogen oxides, persistant ozone and acid aerosols, episodic ozone and acid aerosol haze and radon. The advantages of using epidemiological studies are discussed. They include: direct determination of public health problems and estimation of their magnitude; evaluation of the impact of decreases in exposure; and defining characteristics of the problem that can guide intervention even before the mechanics are understood

  1. Atmospheric pollution problems and control proposals associated with solid waste management in China: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Hezhong; Gao, Jiajia; Hao, Jiming; Lu, Long; Zhu, Chuanyong; Qiu, Peipei

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Air pollution problems generated in MSW management processes in China are presented. ► Both quantity and composition of MSW generation in China are identified. ► The status of different methods for MSW treatment and disposal are reviewed. ► Some comprehensive control proposals for improving MSW management are proposed. -- Abstract: Along with population growth, rapid urbanization and industrialization process, the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in China has been increasing sharply in the past 30 years and the total amount of MSW yields will continue to increase. Nowadays, due to global warming warrants particular attention throughout the world, a series of air pollutants (including greenhouse gases, odorous gases, PCDD/Fs, heavy metals, PM, etc.) discharged from waste disposal and treatment processes have become one of the new significant emerging air pollution sources, which arousing great concerns about their adverse effects on surrounding ambient air quality and public health. At present, the overall safely disposed ratio of the collected MSW in China is reported at approximately 78% in 2010, and there are mainly three types of MSW disposal methods practiced in China, including landfill, composting and incineration. The characteristics of air pollutants and greenhouse gases discharge vary substantially among different MSW disposal methods. By presenting a thorough review of MSW generation in China and providing a summarization of the current status of MSW disposal methods practices, this review article makes an integrated overview analysis of existing air pollution problems associated with MSW collection, separation, and disposal processes. Furthermore, some comprehensive control proposals to prevent air pollution for improving MSW management of China in the future are put forward

  2. Atmospheric pollution problems and control proposals associated with solid waste management in China: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tian, Hezhong, E-mail: hztian@bnu.edu.cn [State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Gao, Jiajia [State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Hao, Jiming [School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Lu, Long; Zhu, Chuanyong; Qiu, Peipei [State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

    2013-05-15

    Highlights: ► Air pollution problems generated in MSW management processes in China are presented. ► Both quantity and composition of MSW generation in China are identified. ► The status of different methods for MSW treatment and disposal are reviewed. ► Some comprehensive control proposals for improving MSW management are proposed. -- Abstract: Along with population growth, rapid urbanization and industrialization process, the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in China has been increasing sharply in the past 30 years and the total amount of MSW yields will continue to increase. Nowadays, due to global warming warrants particular attention throughout the world, a series of air pollutants (including greenhouse gases, odorous gases, PCDD/Fs, heavy metals, PM, etc.) discharged from waste disposal and treatment processes have become one of the new significant emerging air pollution sources, which arousing great concerns about their adverse effects on surrounding ambient air quality and public health. At present, the overall safely disposed ratio of the collected MSW in China is reported at approximately 78% in 2010, and there are mainly three types of MSW disposal methods practiced in China, including landfill, composting and incineration. The characteristics of air pollutants and greenhouse gases discharge vary substantially among different MSW disposal methods. By presenting a thorough review of MSW generation in China and providing a summarization of the current status of MSW disposal methods practices, this review article makes an integrated overview analysis of existing air pollution problems associated with MSW collection, separation, and disposal processes. Furthermore, some comprehensive control proposals to prevent air pollution for improving MSW management of China in the future are put forward.

  3. The problems of water pollution: an overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lumb, G.; Clare, A.S.

    1992-01-01

    Most potentially toxic chemicals eventually find their way into waterways. The most common source of this pollution is from the air. More than 50 percent of the chemical pollution of the Great Lakes is believed to come from airborne pollutants, and the main sources of this pollution are smokestacks (energy plants, nuclear or conventional; trash-to-steam incinerators; industrial factories, chemical and wood pulp) and road traffic exhaust. Chemicals may reach waterways directly through partially filtered or untreated sewage and waterway traffic, both industrial and pleasure; or they may be deposited into the soil and reach rivers and estuaries through leakage (PCBs on cables, landfills, and regular or low-level nuclear waste) or locally from fields (fertilizers, herbicides, phosphates, and other chemicals). 26 references

  4. Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey S. Gaffney

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Atmospheric chemistry is an important discipline for understanding air pollution and its impacts. This mini-review gives a brief history of air pollution and presents an overview of some of the basic photochemistry involved in the production of ozone and other oxidants in the atmosphere. Urban air quality issues are reviewed with a specific focus on ozone and other oxidants, primary and secondary aerosols, alternative fuels, and the potential for chlorine releases to amplify oxidant chemistry in industrial areas. Regional air pollution issues such as acid rain, long-range transport of aerosols and visibility loss, and the connections of aerosols to ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate chemistry are examined. Finally, the potential impacts of air pollutants on the global-scale radiative balances of gases and aerosols are discussed briefly.

  5. Air Pollution, Causes and Cures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manufacturing Chemists Association, Washington, DC.

    This commentary on sources of air pollution and air purification treatments is accompanied by graphic illustrations. Sources of carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons found in the air are discussed. Methods of removing these pollutants at their source are presented with cut-away diagrams of the facilities and technical…

  6. On some examples of pollutant transport problems solved numerically using the boundary element method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azis, Moh. Ivan; Kasbawati; Haddade, Amiruddin; Astuti Thamrin, Sri

    2018-03-01

    A boundary element method (BEM) is obtained for solving a boundary value problem of homogeneous anisotropic media governed by diffusion-convection equation. The application of the BEM is shown for two particular pollutant transport problems of Tello river and Unhas lake in Makassar Indonesia. For the two particular problems a variety of the coefficients of diffusion and the velocity components are taken. The results show that the solutions vary as the parameters change. And this suggests that one has to be careful in measuring or determining the values of the parameters.

  7. Dark ambient degradation of Bisphenol A and Acid Orange 8 as organic pollutants by perovskite SrFeO3−δ metal oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leiw, Ming Yian; Guai, Guan Hong; Wang, Xiaoping; Tse, Man Siu; Ng, Chee Mang; Tan, Ooi Kiang

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Perovskite SFO prepared by high temperature and high-energy ball milling process. • SFO metal oxide shows good efficiency in degrading and mineralizing BPA. • Rapid decoloration of AO8 was achieved in the presence of SFO metal oxide. • O 2 · − is the predominant ROS for dark oxidative degradation of BPA and AO8. -- Abstract: Current advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are chemically and energetically intensive processes, which are undesirable for cost-effective and large-scale system water treatment and wastewater recycling. This study explored the Strontium Ferrite (SFO) metal oxide on the degradation of highly concentrated organic pollutants under dark ambient condition without any external stimulants. The SFO particles with single perovskite structure were successfully synthesized with a combined high temperature and high-energy ball milling process. An endocrine disruptor, Bisphenol A (BPA) and an azo dye, Acid Orange 8 (AO8) were used as probe organic pollutants. BPA was completely degraded with 83% of mineralization in 24 h while rapid decoloration of AO8 was achieved in 60 min and complete breakdown into primary intermediates and aliphatic acids occurred in 24 h under the treatment of dispersed SFO metal oxide in water. Such efficient degradation could be attributed to the enhanced adsorption of these anionic pollutants on positively charged ball-milled SFO metal oxide surface, resulted in higher degradation activity. Preliminary degradation mechanisms of BPA and AO8 under the action of SFO metal oxide were proposed. These results showed that the SFO metal oxide could be an efficient alternative material as novel advanced oxidation technology for low cost water treatment

  8. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and pulmonary function assessment in rats exposed to laboratory-generated pollutant mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seagrave, J.; Campen, M.J.; McDonald, J.D.; Mauderly, J.L.; Rohr, A.C. [Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2008-07-01

    Oxidative stress may mediate adverse health effects of many inhaled pollutants. Cardiopulmonary responses of Sprague-Dawley rats to inhalation of whole or filtered gasoline engine exhaust (GEE, FGEE); simulated downwind coal emission atmospheres (SDCAs) from two types of coal, each tested at two concentrations; and two concentrations of re-aerosolized paved road dust (RD) were evaluated. In situ chemiluminescence and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were used to evaluate oxidative reactions in the lungs, heart, and liver immediately following exposures. Pulmonary inflammatory responses were measured by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell counts. Respiratory function parameters during exposure were measured by plethysmography. Only GEE significantly enhanced in situ chemiluminescence (all three organs), but only exposure to the high RD concentration increased TBARS (hearts only). There was a weak trend toward increased macrophages recovered in lavage fluid from both SDCAs, and macrophages were significantly elevated by both FGEE and the lower concentration of RD. Respiratory function effects were small, though the effects of the Central Appalachian low-sulfur SDCA on enhanced pause and the effects of the Powder River Basin SCDA on tidal volume were significant. The discordance between the oxidative stress indicators may relate to the use of a single time point in the context of dynamic changes in compensatory mechanisms. These results further suggest that inflammatory responses measured by BAL cellularity may not always correlate with oxidative stress. Overall, the toxicological effects from exposure to these pollutant mixtures were subtle, but the results show differences in the effects of atmospheres having different physical/chemical characteristics.

  9. Ground Pollution Science

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Jong Min; Bae, Jae Geun

    1997-08-01

    This book deals with ground pollution science and soil science, classification of soil and fundamentals, ground pollution and human, ground pollution and organic matter, ground pollution and city environment, environmental problems of the earth and ground pollution, soil pollution and development of geological features of the ground, ground pollution and landfill of waste, case of measurement of ground pollution.

  10. The atmospheric pollution in a few words; La pollution atmospherique en bref

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-07-01

    This paper takes stock briefly on the different pollution sources (carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, VOC, methane...), the mechanisms (acidification, photochemical pollution, eutrophication, greenhouse effect, ozone...) and the effects on the health. (A.L.B.)

  11. Air pollution engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maduna, Karolina; Tomašić, Vesna

    2017-11-01

    Air pollution is an environmental and a social problem which leads to a multitude of adverse effects on human health and standard of human life, state of the ecosystems and global change of climate. Air pollutants are emitted from natural, but mostly from anthropogenic sources and may be transported over long distances. Some air pollutants are extremely stable in the atmosphere and may accumulate in the environment and in the food chain, affecting human beings, animals and natural biodiversity. Obviously, air pollution is a complex problem that poses multiple challenges in terms of management and abatements of the pollutants emission. Effective approach to the problems of air pollution requires a good understanding of the sources that cause it, knowledge of air quality status and future trends as well as its impact on humans and ecosystems. This chapter deals with the complexities of the air pollution and presents an overview of different technical processes and equipment for air pollution control, as well as basic principles of their work. The problems of air protection as well as protection of other ecosystems can be solved only by the coordinated endeavors of various scientific and engineering disciplines, such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, chemical engineering and social sciences. The most important engineering contribution is mostly focused on development, design and operation of equipment for the abatement of harmful emissions into environment.

  12. Biofluid metabotyping of occupationally exposed subjects to air pollution demonstrates high oxidative stress and deregulated amino acid metabolism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pradhan, Surya Narayan; Das, Aleena; Meena, Ramovatar; Nanda, Ranjan Kumar; Rajamani, Paulraj

    2016-10-01

    Occupational exposure to air pollution induces oxidative stress and prolonged exposure increases susceptibility to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in several working groups. Biofluid of these subjects may reflect perturbed metabolic phenotypes. In this study we carried out a comparative molecular profiling study using parallel biofluids collected from subjects (n = 85) belonging to auto rickshaw drivers (ARD), traffic cops (TC) and office workers (OW). Higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation markers in serum of ARD subjects were observed as compared to OW and TC. Uni and multivariate analyses of metabolites identified in urine by 1H NMR revealed 11 deregulated molecules in ARD subjects and involved in phenylalanine, histidine, arginine and proline metabolism. Despite contribution of confounding factors like exposure period, dietary factors including smoking and alcohol status, our results demonstrate existence of exposure specific metabotypes in biofluids of ARD, OW and TC groups. Monitoring serum oxidative stress and inflammation markers and urine metabolites by NMR may be useful to characterize perturbed metabolic phenotypes in populations exposed to urban traffic air pollution.

  13. Development and comparison of the effectivity of oxidation processes initiated by radicals, created by heterogeneous catalysis and by high pressure process for the reduction of persistent organic sewage pollutants. Final report; Entwicklung und vergleichende Bewertung der Leistungsfaehigkeit von radikalisch initiierten oxidativen Verfahren auf Traegerkatalysator- und Hochdruckbasis zum Abbau persistenter organischer Wasserschadstoffe. Abschlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bach, G.; Maeurer, H.

    2002-07-01

    Persistente and highly toxic sewages with an extremely high content of substances are still a problem in the waste water management. Wet oxidation offers a possibility to reduce the pollutant content in the water. Comparative experiments of the efficiency of oxidation initiated by radicals were carried out, using as heterogeneous catalysis on strap catalyst base as cavitation. By means of the wet oxidation on strap catalyst base with H{sub 2}O{sub 2} as oxidation reagent it was possible, to decontaminate effectively as single pollutants in model sewages as complex substance mixtures in real sewages. The tested catalytic systems worked especially effectively for high pollutant concentrations. At lower concentrations of sewage pollutants the amount of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} must be increased in regard to the actual CSB. In real sewages the pollutant decrease was, related on the TOC, in the cut, at 50%, a raise of the average concentration of the oxidation agent didn't produce any further decrease of the pollutant concentration. Aromatic hydrocarbons could be reduced more effectively than aliphatic ones. The conception for a technical plant was developed including cost estimate. The reduction of pollutants by cavitation was fundamentally lower than by using the heterogeneous catalysis way. Without addition of an oxidation agent (i.e. H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) only a TOC decrease of approx. 15% was registered in real sewages. The pollutant reduction increased at higher pollutant concentration. A complete elimination of all pollutants could not be obtained in none of the examined cases neither at model nor at real sewages. Especially the long reaction times (6 to 24 h) of the cavitation process in comparison with those, necessary for the catalytic reaction (2 to 6 h) are hindering a technical realization of the cavitation process, which seems to be doubtful for this and other reasons. So the use of cavitation in industrial scale sewage cleaning plants under the parameter

  14. Association of air pollution sources and aldehydes with biomarkers of blood coagulation, pulmonary inflammation, and systemic oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altemose, Brent; Robson, Mark G; Kipen, Howard M; Ohman Strickland, Pamela; Meng, Qingyu; Gong, Jicheng; Huang, Wei; Wang, Guangfa; Rich, David Q; Zhu, Tong; Zhang, Junfeng

    2017-05-01

    Using data collected before, during, and after the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, this study examines associations between biomarkers of blood coagulation (vWF, sCD62P and sCD40L), pulmonary inflammation (EBC pH, EBC nitrite, and eNO), and systemic oxidative stress (urinary 8-OHdG) with sources of air pollution identified utilizing principal component analysis and with concentrations of three aldehydes of health concern. Associations between the biomarkers and the air pollution source types and aldehydes were examined using a linear mixed effects model, regressing through seven lag days and controlling for ambient temperature, relative humidity, gender, and day of week for the biomarker measurements. The biomarkers for pulmonary inflammation, particularly EBC pH and eNO, were most consistently associated with vehicle and industrial combustion, oil combustion, and vegetative burning. The biomarkers for blood coagulation, particularly vWF and sCD62p, were most consistently associated with oil combustion. Systemic oxidative stress biomarker (8-OHdG) was most consistently associated with vehicle and industrial combustion. The associations of the biomarkers were generally not significant or consistent with secondary formation of pollutants and with the aldehydes. The findings support policies to control anthropogenic pollution sources rather than natural soil or road dust from a cardio-respiratory health standpoint.

  15. Pollution Status of Dioxins Persistent Organic Pollutants in Guangxi and Control Countermeasures

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Lin Hua; Fan Yongji; Feng Bo; Chen Zhiming; Mo Zhaoyu

    2017-01-01

    Production and pollution control situations of dioxins persistent organic pollutants in Guangxi were introduced.Pollution status of dioxins persistent organic pollutants in Guangxi was understood,and the existing problems in pollution control were analyzed,and finally pollution control countermeasures and suggestions were proposed.

  16. Dark ambient degradation of Bisphenol A and Acid Orange 8 as organic pollutants by perovskite SrFeO{sub 3−δ} metal oxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leiw, Ming Yian, E-mail: LEIW0003@e.ntu.edu.sg [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd., 60 Woodlands Industrial Park D Street 2, Singapore 738406 (Singapore); Guai, Guan Hong [GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd., 60 Woodlands Industrial Park D Street 2, Singapore 738406 (Singapore); School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Center for Advanced Bionanosystems, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637457 (Singapore); Wang, Xiaoping [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Tse, Man Siu [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Ng, Chee Mang [GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd., 60 Woodlands Industrial Park D Street 2, Singapore 738406 (Singapore); Tan, Ooi Kiang [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

    2013-09-15

    Highlights: • Perovskite SFO prepared by high temperature and high-energy ball milling process. • SFO metal oxide shows good efficiency in degrading and mineralizing BPA. • Rapid decoloration of AO8 was achieved in the presence of SFO metal oxide. • O{sub 2}·{sup −} is the predominant ROS for dark oxidative degradation of BPA and AO8. -- Abstract: Current advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are chemically and energetically intensive processes, which are undesirable for cost-effective and large-scale system water treatment and wastewater recycling. This study explored the Strontium Ferrite (SFO) metal oxide on the degradation of highly concentrated organic pollutants under dark ambient condition without any external stimulants. The SFO particles with single perovskite structure were successfully synthesized with a combined high temperature and high-energy ball milling process. An endocrine disruptor, Bisphenol A (BPA) and an azo dye, Acid Orange 8 (AO8) were used as probe organic pollutants. BPA was completely degraded with 83% of mineralization in 24 h while rapid decoloration of AO8 was achieved in 60 min and complete breakdown into primary intermediates and aliphatic acids occurred in 24 h under the treatment of dispersed SFO metal oxide in water. Such efficient degradation could be attributed to the enhanced adsorption of these anionic pollutants on positively charged ball-milled SFO metal oxide surface, resulted in higher degradation activity. Preliminary degradation mechanisms of BPA and AO8 under the action of SFO metal oxide were proposed. These results showed that the SFO metal oxide could be an efficient alternative material as novel advanced oxidation technology for low cost water treatment.

  17. How chemical pollution becomes a social problem. Risk communication and assessment through regional newspapers during the management of PCB pollutions of the Rhône River (France).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comby, Emeline; Le Lay, Yves-François; Piégay, Hervé

    2014-06-01

    The case study of the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollutions of the Rhône River (France) offers the possibility of studying criteria for the construction of social problems that result from chemical pollution (2005-2010). We investigated the dynamics of competition that create and define pollution as a social problem and entail its decline. News outlets are crucial for determining how an environmental issue emerges locally or nationally; this study used newspapers to highlight the potential of new outlets as a data source to analyze discourse variability, science-policy-media connections and the hydrosphere. Media coverage was based on a content analysis and textual data analysis of 75 articles. Analytical frameworks such as the Downs Model and the Public Arena Model (Hilgartner and Bosk, 1988) that consider time and stakeholders were tested to determine how human alteration of the hydrosphere can become a social problem and to analyze different communication strategies held by stakeholders. In terms of management, we described the temporal dynamics of the social problem based on the case study and considered an explanation of the selections. We considered the organization of particular stakeholders who define the social problem from its beginning to end by focusing on their discourses, relationships, decision-making and political choices, and scientific studies. Despite some biases, newspapers are useful for retrospectively evaluating the emergence of a social problem in the public arena by describing it through discourse and then understanding the temporal patterns of information. Despite uncertainties and information flow, decisions are made and science is translated to the public. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Pollution: Problems and Solutions. Grade Nine, Unit One, 9.1 Comprehensive Social Studies Curriculum for the Inner City.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamison, Sandra; Campbell, Bruce

    The ninth grade unit of the FICSS series (Focus on Inner City Social Studies -- see SO 008 271) studies the economic and political realities of the inner city. This document, the first unit of the 9th grade section, deals with the ecological crises involving pollution and its causes. Specific problems include air pollution, pesticides, herbicides,…

  19. Oxidization of squalene, a human skin lipid: a new and reliable marker of environmental pollution studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, D-M; Boussouira, B; Moyal, D; Nguyen, Q L

    2015-08-01

    A review of the oxidization of squalene, a specific human compound produced by the sebaceous gland, is proposed. Such chemical transformation induces important consequences at various levels. Squalene by-products, mostly under peroxidized forms, lead to comedogenesis, contribute to the development of inflammatory acne and possibly modify the skin relief (wrinkling). Experimental conditions of oxidation and/or photo-oxidation mechanisms are exposed, suggesting that they could possibly be bio-markers of atmospheric pollution upon skin. Ozone, long UVA rays, cigarette smoke… are shown powerful oxidizing agents of squalene. Some in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo testings are proposed as examples, aiming at studying ingredients or products capable of boosting or counteracting such chemical changes that, globally, bring adverse effects to various cutaneous compartments. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

  20. The Two-sector Economic Problem Of Persistent Organic Pollution and Baltic Sea Salmon Fisheries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hutniczak, Barbara; Kronbak, Lone Grønbæk

    2011-01-01

    sector. The paper sets up a general social planner model and demonstrates it in simple functional form, using the problem of persistent organic pollution in the Baltic Sea and its effects on the regulation and economic value of the Baltic Salmon. The paper illustrates how a modified golden rule can...

  1. Higher fuel prices are associated with lower air pollution levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnett, Adrian G; Knibbs, Luke D

    2014-05-01

    Air pollution is a persistent problem in urban areas, and traffic emissions are a major cause of poor air quality. Policies to curb pollution levels often involve raising the price of using private vehicles, for example, congestion charges. We were interested in whether higher fuel prices were associated with decreased air pollution levels. We examined an association between diesel and petrol prices and four traffic-related pollutants in Brisbane from 2010 to 2013. We used a regression model and examined pollution levels up to 16 days after the price change. Higher diesel prices were associated with statistically significant short-term reductions in carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. Changes in petrol prices had no impact on air pollution. Raising diesel taxes in Australia could be justified as a public health measure. As raising taxes is politically unpopular, an alternative political approach would be to remove schemes that put a downward pressure on fuel prices, such as industry subsidies and shopping vouchers that give fuel discounts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Risk: Obesity, Diabetes, Smoking, and Pollution: Part 3 of a 3-Part Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemann, Bernd; Rohrbach, Susanne; Miller, Mark R; Newby, David E; Fuster, Valentin; Kovacic, Jason C

    2017-07-11

    Oxidative stress occurs whenever the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds endogenous antioxidant capacity. In this paper, we review the specific role of several cardiovascular risk factors in promoting oxidative stress: diabetes, obesity, smoking, and excessive pollution. Specifically, the risk of developing heart failure is higher in patients with diabetes or obesity, even with optimal medical treatment, and the increased release of ROS from cardiac mitochondria and other sources likely contributes to the development of cardiac dysfunction in this setting. Here, we explore the role of different ROS sources arising in obesity and diabetes, and the effect of excessive ROS production on the development of cardiac lipotoxicity. In parallel, contaminants in the air that we breathe pose a significant threat to human health. This paper provides an overview of cigarette smoke and urban air pollution, considering how their composition and biological effects have detrimental effects on cardiovascular health. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Removal of emerging pollutants by Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing; Sun, Bo; Xiong, Xinmei; Gao, Naiyun; Song, Weihua; Du, Erdeng; Guan, Xiaohong; Zhou, Gongming

    2014-10-15

    TiO2 supported ruthenium nanoparticles, Ru/TiO2 (0.94‰ as Ru), was synthesized to catalyze permanganate oxidation for degrading emerging pollutants (EPs) with diverse organic moieties. The presence of 1.0 g L(-1) Ru/TiO2 increased the second order reaction rate constants of bisphenol A, diclofenac, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, benzotriazole, carbamazepine, butylparaben, diclofenac, ciprofloxacin and aniline at mg L(-1) level (5.0 μM) by permanganate oxidation at pH 7.0 by 0.3-119 times. The second order reaction rate constants of EPs with permanganate or Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate oxidation obtained at EPs concentration of mg L(-1) level (5.0 μM) underestimated those obtained at EPs concentration of μg L(-1) level (0.050 μM). Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate could decompose a mixture of nine EPs at μg L(-1) level efficiently and the second order rate constant for each EP was not decreased due to the competition of other EPs. The toxicity tests revealed that Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate oxidation was effective not only for elimination of EPs but also for detoxification. The removal rates of sulfamethoxazole by Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate oxidation in ten successive cycles remained almost constant in ultrapure water and slightly decreased in Songhua river water since the sixth run, indicating the satisfactory stability of Ru/TiO2. Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate oxidation was selective and could remove selected EPs spiked in real waters more efficiently than chlorination. Therefore, Ru/TiO2-catalyzed permanganate oxidation is promising for removing EPs with electron-rich moieties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Effects of Anthropogenic Pollution on the Oxidative Phosphorylation Pathway of Hepatocytes from Natural Populations of Fundulus heteroclitus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Xiao; Crawford, Douglas L.; Oleksiak, Marjorie F., E-mail: moleksiak@rsmas.miami.edu

    2015-08-15

    Highlights: • Fish from a highly polluted and clean reference population were compared. • Oxidative phosphorylation (e.g., State 3, enzymes, and proton LEAK) was quantified. • Polluted fish had lower LEAK, enzyme III and enzyme IV but higher enzyme I. • Exposures to PAH and PCB only affected individuals from the reference population. - Abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), potentially target mitochondria and cause toxicity. We compared the effects of POPs on mitochondrial respiration by measuring oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) metabolism in hepatocytes isolated from lab-depurated Fundulus heteroclitus from a Superfund site contaminated with PAHs (Elizabeth River VA, USA) relative to OxPhos metabolism in individuals from a relatively clean, reference population (King’s Creek VA, USA). In individuals from the polluted Elizabeth River population, OxPhos metabolism displayed lower LEAK and lower activities in complex III, complex IV, and E State, but higher activity in complex I compared to individuals from the reference King’s Creek population. To test the supposition that these differences were due to or related to the chronic PAH contamination history of the Elizabeth River population, we compared the OxPhos functions of undosed individuals from the polluted and reference populations to individuals from these populations dosed with a PAH {benzo [α] pyrene (BaP)} or a PCB {PCB126 (3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl)}, respectively. Exposure to PAH or PCB affected OxPhos in the reference King’s Creek population but had no detectable effects on the polluted Elizabeth River population. Thus, PAH exposure significantly increased LEAK, and exposure to PCB126 significantly decreased State 3, E state and complex I activity in the reference King’s Creek population. These data strongly implicate an evolved tolerance in the Elizabeth River fish where dosed

  5. Effects of Anthropogenic Pollution on the Oxidative Phosphorylation Pathway of Hepatocytes from Natural Populations of Fundulus heteroclitus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, Xiao; Crawford, Douglas L.; Oleksiak, Marjorie F.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Fish from a highly polluted and clean reference population were compared. • Oxidative phosphorylation (e.g., State 3, enzymes, and proton LEAK) was quantified. • Polluted fish had lower LEAK, enzyme III and enzyme IV but higher enzyme I. • Exposures to PAH and PCB only affected individuals from the reference population. - Abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), potentially target mitochondria and cause toxicity. We compared the effects of POPs on mitochondrial respiration by measuring oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) metabolism in hepatocytes isolated from lab-depurated Fundulus heteroclitus from a Superfund site contaminated with PAHs (Elizabeth River VA, USA) relative to OxPhos metabolism in individuals from a relatively clean, reference population (King’s Creek VA, USA). In individuals from the polluted Elizabeth River population, OxPhos metabolism displayed lower LEAK and lower activities in complex III, complex IV, and E State, but higher activity in complex I compared to individuals from the reference King’s Creek population. To test the supposition that these differences were due to or related to the chronic PAH contamination history of the Elizabeth River population, we compared the OxPhos functions of undosed individuals from the polluted and reference populations to individuals from these populations dosed with a PAH {benzo [α] pyrene (BaP)} or a PCB {PCB126 (3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl)}, respectively. Exposure to PAH or PCB affected OxPhos in the reference King’s Creek population but had no detectable effects on the polluted Elizabeth River population. Thus, PAH exposure significantly increased LEAK, and exposure to PCB126 significantly decreased State 3, E state and complex I activity in the reference King’s Creek population. These data strongly implicate an evolved tolerance in the Elizabeth River fish where dosed

  6. Comparison of various advanced oxidation processes used in remediation of industrial wastewater laden with recalcitrant pollutants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, S.; Rawindran, H.; Sinnathambi, C. M.; Lim, J. W.

    2017-06-01

    Due to the scarcity of water, it has become a necessity to improve the quality of wastewater that is discharged into the environment. Conventional wastewater treatment can be either a physical, chemical, and/or biological processes, or in some cases a combination of these operations. The main purpose of wastewater treatment is to eliminate nutrients, solids, and organic compounds from effluents. Current wastewater treatment technologies are deemed ineffective in the complete removal of pollutants, particularly organic matter. In many cases, these organic compounds are resistant to conventional treatment methods, thus creating the necessity for tertiary treatment. Advanced oxidation process (AOP), constitutes as a promising treatment technology for the management of wastewater. AOPs are characterised by a common chemical feature, where they utilize the highly reactive hydroxyl radicals for achieving complete mineralization of the organic pollutants into carbon dioxide and water. This paper delineates advanced oxidation processes currently used for the remediation of water and wastewater. It also provides the cost estimation of installing and running an AOP system. The costs are separated into three categories: capital, operational, and operating & maintenance.

  7. Development of nuclear-based techniques or the measurement, detection and control of environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1976-01-01

    Rapid industrialization and urbanization have brought about drastic changes in the environment and often leave in their wake a host of new pollutants that may pose serious immediate or long-term health hazards. There is an urgent need to apply scientific knowledge to detect such harmful pollutants and to track their movement in the environment. The main purpose of the meeting was to identify the role of nuclear techniques in the solution of pollution problems. Topics covered included analysis of air particulates, activation analysis of water pollutants. X-ray fluorescence techniques, and tracer technology. In comparison to a similar symposium on the use of nuclear techniques for environment pollution studies held in October 1970, which dealt mostly with the use of neutron activation analysis and radioactive tracer techniques, the present meeting reflected the advances of X-ray fluorescence, electron-capture gas chromatography, and charged-particle induced analytical methods in trace analysis. A more selective approach in the choice of tracer techniques for investigating a particular pollution problem became apparent during the meeting. Since it is desirable to understand the origin and fate of the pollutants that pose immediate or long range influence on environmental quality, one common type of air pollution - that caused by the combustion of fossil fuels - was chosen to illustrate the state of the art. About 60% of the papers were related to the composition and movement of air pollutants from combustion processes. The influence of fuel-air mixing, combustion temperature and nitrogen content of fuel on the emission of noxious gases (nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons) was reviewed. It was clear that pollution could be reduced at the expense of either paying additional costs for processing fossil fuel before it is burned, or by sacrificing energy efficiency by lowering the temperature in combustion zone. The analysis of air

  8. The Internet Pollution

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    唐宁宁

    2005-01-01

    Life today has brought new problems. As we know, there are fourterrible pollutions in the world: water pollution, noise pollution, air pol-lution and rubbish pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutesour drinking water. Noise pollution makes us talk louder and become angry more easily. Air pollution makes us hold our breath longer and be badto all living things in the world. Rubbish pollution often makes our livingenvironment much dirtier. But I think that the Internet pollution is anothernew pollution in the world.

  9. Variational approach to direct and inverse problems of atmospheric pollution studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penenko, Vladimir; Tsvetova, Elena; Penenko, Alexey

    2016-04-01

    We present the development of a variational approach for solving interrelated problems of atmospheric hydrodynamics and chemistry concerning air pollution transport and transformations. The proposed approach allows us to carry out complex studies of different-scale physical and chemical processes using the methods of direct and inverse modeling [1-3]. We formulate the problems of risk/vulnerability and uncertainty assessment, sensitivity studies, variational data assimilation procedures [4], etc. A computational technology of constructing consistent mathematical models and methods of their numerical implementation is based on the variational principle in the weak constraint formulation specifically designed to account for uncertainties in models and observations. Algorithms for direct and inverse modeling are designed with the use of global and local adjoint problems. Implementing the idea of adjoint integrating factors provides unconditionally monotone and stable discrete-analytic approximations for convection-diffusion-reaction problems [5,6]. The general framework is applied to the direct and inverse problems for the models of transport and transformation of pollutants in Siberian and Arctic regions. The work has been partially supported by the RFBR grant 14-01-00125 and RAS Presidium Program I.33P. References: 1. V. Penenko, A.Baklanov, E. Tsvetova and A. Mahura . Direct and inverse problems in a variational concept of environmental modeling //Pure and Applied Geoph.(2012) v.169: 447-465. 2. V. V. Penenko, E. A. Tsvetova, and A. V. Penenko Development of variational approach for direct and inverse problems of atmospheric hydrodynamics and chemistry, Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 2015, Vol. 51, No. 3, p. 311-319, DOI: 10.1134/S0001433815030093. 3. V.V. Penenko, E.A. Tsvetova, A.V. Penenko. Methods based on the joint use of models and observational data in the framework of variational approach to forecasting weather and atmospheric composition

  10. Cuticular characteristics in the detection of plant stress due to air pollution - new problems in the use of these cuticular characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garrec, J.P.

    1994-01-01

    The foliar surface, and particularly the cuticle, is the first zone of impact of air pollutants on leaves. At the level of the cuticle, it is mainly studies on the modifications of the physico-chemical properties of the waxes that allow us to detect and estimate plant stress. However, during recent years, with modifications in the nature and level of air pollution (decrease of primary pollutants: SO 2 , HF; increase of secondary pollutants: O 2 , acid deposits; increase of nitrogen deposits; increase of organic micropollutants; appearence of global environmental problems: CO 2 , climatic change), the physiological impact on plants and in particular on the cuticle is different. For this reason, new problems have appeared and use of cuticular characteristics in the detection of plant stress due to air pollutants has recently evolved. Some examples are given, but much remains to be done to understand the effects on the cuticle of these new modifications of the atmospheric environment of plants. (orig.)

  11. Assessment of groundwater pollution from the oxidation ponds in tenth of Ramadan city, using isotopic techniques and hydrogeological modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd El-Samie, S.G.; Sadek, M.A.; Mahmoud, N.S.

    2002-01-01

    The tenth of ramadan city is an intensive industrial settement on the peripheries of cairo. All types of wastewater from industrial and domestic practices are discharged into three unlined oxidation ponds to eliminate pollutants. The present srudy has been conduted to assess the extent of seepage to groundwater from the ponds and how efficient they are for pollution reduction. The chemical composition is more developed in the groundwater of the miocene aquifer due to the less active recharge and the dominance of readily dissolved salts that interact with the inflow. The seepage from ismailia canal and the excess irrigation from agricultural lands and the infiltration from the oxidation ponds as well as the upleaked water represent the main sources of recharge in the quaternary aquifer. The chemical and isotopic composition of the water in the oxidation ponds is controlled by the nature of the drained water and the geochemical processes affecting the solute content. The isotopic enrichment differs for the three ponds being related to the evaporation intensity in each

  12. Air Pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, K.; And Others

    Pollution of the general environment, which exposes an entire population group for an indeterminate period of time, certainly constitutes a problem in public health. Serious aid pollution episodes have resulted in increased mortality and a possible relationship between chronic exposure to a polluted atmosphere and certain diseases has been…

  13. [Research on problem of exogenous pollution of Chinese medicine resources from perspective of circular economy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yi; Tian, Kan; Tian, Hong

    2016-08-01

    Based on the in-depth analysis of the current situation of the exogenous pollution of Chinese medicine resources, this research mainly discusses the intrinsic link and practical significance between the development of circular economy in Chinese medicine resources and the control of the problem of the exogenous pollution from the perspective of circular economy, and proposes some suggestions to develop the recycling economy of Chinese medicine resources from the establishment of legal system, mechanism of development, production norms, industry standards and regulatory system of the recycling of Chinese medicine resources. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  14. Control of emissions from stationary combustion sources: Pollutant detection and behavior in the atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Licht, W.; Engel, A.J.; Slater, S.M.

    1979-01-01

    Stationary combustion resources continue to be significant sources of NOx and SOx pollutants in the ambient atmosphere. This volume considers four problem areas: (1) control of emissions from stationary combustion sources, particularly SOx and NOx (2) pollutant behavior in the atmosphere (3) advances in air pollution analysis and (4) air quality management. Topics of interest include carbon slurries for sulfur dioxide abatement, mass transfer in the Kellogg-Weir air quality control system, oxidation/inhibition of sulfite ion in aqueous solution, some micrometeorological methods of measuring dry deposition rates, Spanish moss as an indicator of airborne metal contamination, and air quality impacts from future electric power generation in Texas

  15. Use of oxidative stress biomarkers in Cyprinus carpio L. for the evaluation of water pollution in Ataturk Dam Lake (Adiyaman, Turkey).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karadag, Hasan; Fırat, Özgür; Fırat, Özge

    2014-03-01

    Adiyaman city, which is located in the north of the Ataturk Dam Lake, has no wastewater purification facilities which results in municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewater discharges directly entering the reservoir. To assess the pollution in the dam lake, we used several oxidative stress biomarkers in blood tissue of Cyprinus carpio. Fish samples were taken from Sitilce, polluted area by untreated wastewaters, and Samsat, relatively clean area, in the reservoir in August 2012. The activity of catalase and level of malondialdehyde increased while activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione level decreased in fish from Sitilce site when compared to Samsat site. The findings of the present investigation suggest that the presence of certain prooxidative compounds that can lead to oxidative stress in the fish at the Sitilce site and oxidative stress biomarkers may be important in order to evaluate the effects of untreated wastewaters on living organisms in the dam lake.

  16. Problems and prospects concerning the phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils: A review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koptsik, G. N.

    2014-09-01

    The current state, problems, and prospects of phymoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils are analyzed. The main attention is paid to the phytoextraction and phytostabilization as the most widespread and alternative methods of soil phytoremediation. The efficiency of phymoremediation is related to the natural capability of plants for the accumulation and translocation of metals, their tolerance to a high content of metals, the plant biomass, and the amendments applied. The advantages and disadvantages of phytoremediation as compared to other methods of remediation of polluted soils in situ are considered. Examples of successful phytoextraction and phytomining for cleaning up of contaminated soils in Rasteburg (South Africa) and the phytostabilization of technogenic barrens nearby the copper-nickel plants in Sudbury (Ontario, Canada) and in the Kola Subarctic (Russia) are presented.

  17. The most serious problem facing mankind on Pb pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dongfang; Miao, Zhenqing; Li, Haixia; Zhang, Xiaolong; Wang, Qi

    2017-12-01

    Pb pollution is one of the most critical environmental issues in the world. This paper analyzed the content, pollution level and pollution source of Pb in Jiaozhou Bay based on investigation data in surface waters in 1987. Results showed that Pb contents in surface waters in May, July and November 1987 were 1.95-7.96 μg L-1, 5.02-61.61 μg L-1 and 3.98-24.64 μg L-1, respectively, and the pollution levels were moderate, heavy and relative heavy, respectively. The major Pb sources in this bay were river flow and marine current, whose source strengths could be as high as 61.61 μg L-1and 24.64 μg L-1, respectively. The pollution level of Pb in Jiaozhou Bay was serious enough in 1987, and the pollution control and environmental remediation were necessary.

  18. Atmosphere pollutants-their health and environmental effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Issa, Ali Sasi; Ibsaim, Rajab A.

    2006-01-01

    The conducted studies, continuous monitoring and measuring of the atmosphere pollution surrounding the world cities for a decade in the last century demonstrated increased rates of some pollutants, often exceeded the levels which are considered to be safe for health. Most of the dangerous pollutants in the atmosphere are suspended particles, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, ozone troposphere and lead, these are the main responsible pollutant in contaminating the atmosphere leading to increase of death percentage in the major cities. For a duration of nearly a century, atmosphere pollution accidents in cities like London approved that inhaling contaminated air is dangerous and deadly sometimes. In 1880 2200 person from London inhabitants have died when coal smoke with heating and industrial gases have been accumulated to form a toxic smog of sulfur oxide gas and suspended particles in the atmosphere of the city. In this paper we discuss type of atmosphere pollutants and their health and environmental effects on human being, creatures and earth and ways of eliminating that.(Author)

  19. ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESSES FOR FOOD INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER DECONTAMINATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Krzemińska

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available High organic matter content is a basic problem in food industry wastewaters. Typically, the amount and composition of the effluent varies considerably. In the article four groups of advanced processes and their combination of food industry wastewater treatment have been reviewed: electrochemical oxidation (EC, Fenton’s process, ozonation of water and photocatalytic processes. All advanced oxidation processes (AOP`s are characterized by a common chemical feature: the capability of exploiting high reactivity of HO• radicals in driving oxidation processes which are suitable for achieving decolonization and odour reduction, and the complete mineralization or increase of bioavailability of recalcitrant organic pollutants.

  20. Water Pollution. Project COMPSEP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lantz, H. B., Jr.

    This is an introductory program on water pollution. Examined are the cause and effect relationships of water pollution, sources of water pollution, and possible alternatives to effect solutions from our water pollution problems. Included is background information on water pollution, a glossary of pollution terminology, a script for a slide script…

  1. Removal of macro-pollutants in oily wastewater obtained from soil remediation plant using electro-oxidation process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zolfaghari, Mehdi; Drogui, Patrick; Blais, Jean François

    2018-03-01

    Electro-oxidation process by niobium boron-doped diamond (Nb/BDD) electrode was used to treat non-biodegradable oily wastewater provided from soil leachate contaminated by hydrocarbons. Firstly, the diffusion current limit and mass transfer coefficient was experimentally measured (7.1 mA cm -2 and 14.7 μm s -1 , respectively), in order to understand minimum applied current density. Later on, the oxidation kinetic model of each pollutant was investigated in different current densities ranged between 3.8 and 61.5 mA cm -2 . It was observed that direct oxidation was the main removal mechanism of organic and inorganic carbon, while the indirect oxidation in higher current density was responsible for nitrogen oxidation. Hydrocarbon in the form of colloidal particles could be removed by electro-flotation. On the other hand, electro-decomposition on the surface of cathode and precipitation by hydroxyl ions were the utmost removal pathway of metals. According to the initial experiments, operating condition was further optimized by central composite design model in different current density, treatment time, and electrolyte addition, based on the best responses on the specific energy consumption (SEC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency. Unde r optimum operating condition (current density = 23.1 mA cm -2 , time = 120 min, Ti/Pt as a cathode, and Nb/BDD as the anode), electro-oxidation showed the following removal efficiencies: COD (84.6%), TOC (68.2%), oil and grease (99%), color (87.9%), total alkalinity (92%), N tot (18%), NH 4 + (31%), Ca (66.4%), Fe (71.1%), Mg (41.4%), Mn (78.1%), P tot (75%), S (67.1%), and Si (19.1%). Graphical abstract Environmental significance statement Soil treatment facilities are rapidly grown throughout the world, especially in North America due to its intense industrialization. High water content soil in humid area like Canada produces significant amount of leachate which is

  2. Potential of electrical gas discharges for pollution control of large gas volumes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kogelschatz, U.

    1997-01-01

    Non-equilibrium gas discharges in many cases offer an innovative approach to the solution cf industrial air pollution problems. Negative corona discharges are used in electrostatic precipitators to collect dust and fly ash particles. Pulsed positive streamer coronas, dielectric-barrier discharges and possibly also flow-stabilised high pressure glow discharges are emerging technologies for the destruction of air pollutants like nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide in flue gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in industrial effluents. The different discharge types are discussed with special emphasis on their potential for upscaling. Major applications are expected particularly in the removal of dilute concentrations of air pollutants, in odour control and in the simultaneous removal of different pollutants. Dielectric-barrier discharges exhibit disposal efficiencies similar to those of pulsed positive streamer coronas and require less sophisticated feeding circuits in large-scale industrial applications. (author)

  3. Regulations Concerning Agriculture and Air Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiara Bertora

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The main issues related to the atmospheric pollution are the stratospheric ozone depletion, the transboundary air pollution, the troposphere air quality and the climate change. The three last decades have seen the birth of several measures for the atmosphere safeguard. Agricultural activities play a key role in determining, preventing and mitigating atmospheric pollution. The emission to atmosphere of different ozone-depleting substances is regulated by the Montreal Protocol. The role of agriculture activity in ozone depletion is linked to the utilization of methyl bromide as soil sterilant and to the emission of nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide, from agricultural soils. The Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution regulates the emission of several pollutants, i.e. sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, non methane volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and tropospheric ozone. The agriculture sector is responsible for a large part of the emissions of ammonia and nitrogen oxides, mainly through manure management and nitrogen fertilization, and of most persistent organic pollutants, largely used in the past as insecticides and fungicides. The increase of the greenhouse gases (GHGs concentration in the atmosphere is under the control of the Kyoto Protocol. Agriculture accounts for 59-63% of global non-CO2 GHGs emissions but at the same time it contributes to the atmospheric CO2 concentration stabilisation through the substitution of fossil fuels by biofuels and the sequestration of C in soil and vegetal biomass. In this paper we provide an outline of the numerous scientific and legislative initiatives aimed at protecting the atmosphere, and we analyse in detail the agriculture sector in order to highlight both its contribution to atmospheric pollution and the actions aimed at preventing and mitigating it.

  4. Pollution prevention for cleaner air: EPA's air and energy engineering research laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaver, E.M.

    1992-01-01

    The article discusses the role of EPA's Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory (AEERL) in pollution prevention research for cleaner air. For more than 20 years, AEERL has been conducting research to identify control approaches for the pollutants and sources which contribute to air quality problems. The Laboratory has successfully developed and demonstrated cost-effective sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate control technologies for fossil fuel combustion sources. More recently, it has expanded its research activities to include indoor air quality, radon, organic control, stratospheric ozone depletion, and global warming. AEERL also develops inventories of air emissions of many types. Over the last several years, it has made substantial efforts to expand research on pollution prevention as the preferred choice for air emissions reduction

  5. Thickness-dependent photocatalytic performance of graphite oxide for degrading organic pollutants under visible light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Junghoon; Chang, Yun Hee; Kim, Yong-Hyun; Park, Sungjin

    2016-04-28

    Photocatalysts use sustainable solar light energy to trigger various catalytic reactions. Metal-free nanomaterials have been suggested as cost-effective and environmentally friendly photocatalysts. In this work, we propose thickness-controlled graphite oxide (GO) as a metal-free photocatalyst, which is produced by exfoliating thick GO particles via stirring and sonication. All GO samples exhibit photocatalytic activity for degrading an organic pollutant, rhodamine B under visible light, and the thickest sample shows the best catalytic performance. UV-vis-NIR diffuse reflectance absorption spectra indicate that thicker GO samples absorb more vis-NIR light than thinner ones. Density-functional theory calculations show that GO has a much smaller band gap than that of single-layer graphene oxide, and thus suggest that the largely-reduced band gap is responsible for this trend of light absorption.

  6. Instrumentation for Air Pollution Monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollowell, Craig D.; McLaughlin, Ralph D.

    1973-01-01

    Describes the techniques which form the basis of current commercial instrumentation for monitoring five major gaseous atmospheric pollutants (sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, oxidants, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons). (JR)

  7. Air pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strauss, W; Mainwaring, S J

    1984-01-01

    This book deals with the nature of air pollution. The numerous sources of unwanted gases and dust particles in the air are discussed. Details are presented of the effects of pollutants on man, animals, vegetation and on inanimate materials. Methods used to measure, monitor and control air pollution are presented. The authors include information on the socio-economic factors which impinge on pollution control and on the problems the future will bring as methods of generating energy change and industries provide new sources of pollutants.

  8. The Relationship between Pre-Service Teachers' Awareness Levels of Electromagnetic Pollution and Other Environmental Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koklukaya, Ayse Nesibe; Guven Yildirim, Ezgi; Selvi, Mahmut

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between the awareness level of preservice science teachers' conscious use of technological devices, which cause electromagnetic pollution, and their awareness level of related environmental problems. Research Methods: In this study, a mixed design method was used. A relational…

  9. Synergism between anodic oxidation with diamond anodes and heterogeneous catalytic photolysis for the treatment of pharmaceutical pollutants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan M. Peralta-Hernández

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The mineralization of diclofenac and acetaminophen has been studied by single anodic oxidation with boron-doped diamond (AO-BDD using an undivided electrolysis cell, by single heterogeneous catalytic photolysis with titanium dioxide (HCP-TiO2 and by the combination of both advanced oxidation processes. The results show that mineralization can be obtained with either single technology. The type of functional groups of the pollutant does not influence the results of the single AO-BDD process, but it has a significant influence on the results obtained with HCP-TiO2. A clear synergistic effect appears when both processes are combined showing improvements in the oxidation rate of more than 50% for diclofenac and nearly 200% for acetaminophen at the highest current exerted. Results obtained are explained in terms of the production of oxidants on the surface of BDD (primarily peroxodisulfate and the later homogeneous catalytic light decomposition of these oxidants in the bulk. This mechanism is consistent with the larger improvement observed at higher current densities, for which the production of oxidants is promoted.

  10. Signaling in a polluted world: oxidative stress as an overlooked mechanism linking contaminants to animal communication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valeria Marasco

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The capacity to communicate effectively with other individuals plays a critical role in the daily life of an individual and can have important fitness consequences. Animals rely on a number of visual and non-visual signals, whose production brings costs to the individual. The theory of honest signaling states that these costs are higher for low than for high-quality individuals, which prevents cheating and makes signals, such as skin and plumage colouration, indicators of individual’s quality or condition. The condition-dependent nature of signals makes them ideally suited as indicators of environmental quality, implying that signal production might be affected by contaminants. In this mini-review article, we have made the point that oxidative stress (OS is one overlooked mechanism linking exposure to contaminants to signaling because (i many contaminants can influence the individual’s oxidative balance, and (ii generation of both visual and non-visual signals is sensitive to oxidative stress. To this end, we have provided the first comprehensive review on the way both non-organic (heavy metals, especially mercury and organic (persistent organic pollutants contaminants may influence either OS or sexual signaling. We have also paid special attention to emerging classes of pollutants like brominated flame-retardants and perfluoroalkoxy alkanes in order to stimulate research in this area. We have finally provided suggestions and warnings for future work on the links among OS, sexual signaling and contaminant exposure.

  11. Comparison of different test methods to assess thermal stresses of metal oxide surge arresters under pollution conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bargigia, A.; de Nigris, M.; Pigini, A.; Sironi, A.

    1992-01-01

    The report deals with the research conducted by ENEL, the Italian Electricity Board, to assess the performance of zinc oxide surge arresters under pollution condition, with special reference to the consequent thermal stress on internal active parts which can affect the energy handling capabality of the arrester and may lead, in particular conditions, even to thermal runaway

  12. Remote Sensing of Environmental Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    North, G. W.

    1971-01-01

    Environmental pollution is a problem of international scope and concern. It can be subdivided into problems relating to water, air, or land pollution. Many of the problems in these three categories lend themselves to study and possible solution by remote sensing. Through the use of remote sensing systems and techniques, it is possible to detect and monitor, and in some cases, identify, measure, and study the effects of various environmental pollutants. As a guide for making decisions regarding the use of remote sensors for pollution studies, a special five-dimensional sensor/applications matrix has been designed. The matrix defines an environmental goal, ranks the various remote sensing objectives in terms of their ability to assist in solving environmental problems, lists the environmental problems, ranks the sensors that can be used for collecting data on each problem, and finally ranks the sensor platform options that are currently available.

  13. AIR POLLUTION INFLUENCES ON EXHALED NITRIC OXIDE AMONG PEOPLE WITH TYPE II DIABETES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Cheng; Luttmann-Gibson, Heike; Zanobetti, Antonella; Cohen, Allison; De Souza, Celine; Coull, Brent A; Horton, Edward S; Schwartz, Joel; Koutrakis, Petros; Gold, Diane R

    2016-04-01

    In a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we examined associations of short-term air pollutant exposures with pulmonary inflammation, measured as fraction of exhaled pulmonary nitric oxide (FeNO). Sixty-nine Boston Metropolitan residents with T2DM completed up to 5 bi-weekly visits with 321 offline FeNO measurements. We measured ambient concentrations of particle mass, number and components at our stationary central site. Ambient concentrations of gaseous air pollutants were obtained from state monitors. We used linear models with fixed effects for participants, adjusting for 24-hour mean temperature, 24-hour mean water vapor pressure, season, and scrubbed room NO the day of the visit, to estimate associations between FeNO and interquartile range increases in exposure. Interquartile increases in the 6-hour averages of black carbon (BC) (0.5 μg/m 3 ) and particle number (PN) (1,000 particles/cm 3 ) were associated with increases in FeNO of 3.84% (95% CI 0.60% to 7.18%) and 9.86 % (95% CI 3.59% to 16.52%), respectively. We also found significant associations of increases in FeNO with increases in 24-hour moving averages of BC, PN and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Recent studies have focused on FeNO as a marker for eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation in asthmatic populations. This study adds support to the relevance of FeNO as a marker for pulmonary inflammation in diabetic populations, whose underlying chronic inflammatory status is likely to be related to innate immunity and proinflammatory adipokines.

  14. Atmospheric pollution problems and control proposals associated with solid waste management in China: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Hezhong; Gao, Jiajia; Hao, Jiming; Lu, Long; Zhu, Chuanyong; Qiu, Peipei

    2013-05-15

    Along with population growth, rapid urbanization and industrialization process, the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in China has been increasing sharply in the past 30 years and the total amount of MSW yields will continue to increase. Nowadays, due to global warming warrants particular attention throughout the world, a series of air pollutants (including greenhouse gases, odorous gases, PCDD/Fs, heavy metals, PM, etc.) discharged from waste disposal and treatment processes have become one of the new significant emerging air pollution sources, which arousing great concerns about their adverse effects on surrounding ambient air quality and public health. At present, the overall safely disposed ratio of the collected MSW in China is reported at approximately 78% in 2010, and there are mainly three types of MSW disposal methods practiced in China, including landfill, composting and incineration. The characteristics of air pollutants and greenhouse gases discharge vary substantially among different MSW disposal methods. By presenting a thorough review of MSW generation in China and providing a summarization of the current status of MSW disposal methods practices, this review article makes an integrated overview analysis of existing air pollution problems associated with MSW collection, separation, and disposal processes. Furthermore, some comprehensive control proposals to prevent air pollution for improving MSW management of China in the future are put forward. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Economic analysis of Japanese air pollution regulation : an optimal retirement problem under the vehicle type regulation in the NOx-particulate matter law

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-05-01

    This paper examines the vehicle type regulation that was introduced under the Automobile : Nitrogen OxidesParticulate Matter Law to mitigate air pollution in Japanese metropolitan : areas. The vehicle type regulation effectively sets the timing fo...

  16. Thermal oxidation for air toxics control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pennington, R.L.

    1991-01-01

    The Administration projects annual expenditures of $1.1 billion by 1995, increasing to $6.7 billion by 2005, in order to comply with the new Clean Air Act Title III hazardous air pollutant requirements. The Title III requirements include 189 hazardous air pollutants which must be reduced or eliminated by 2003. Twenty of the 189 listed pollutants account for approximately 75 percent of all hazardous air pollutant emissions. Ninety percent of these 20 pollutants can be effectively controlled through one or mote of the thermal oxidation technologies. This paper reports that the advantages and disadvantages of each thermal oxidation technology vary substantially and must be reviewed for each application in order to establish the most effective thermal oxidation solution. Effective thermal oxidation will meet MACT (maximum achievable control technology) emission standards

  17. Effects of air pollution on the skin: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puri, Poonam; Nandar, Shashi Kumar; Kathuria, Sushruta; Ramesh, V

    2017-01-01

    The increase in air pollution over the years has had major effects on the human skin. Various air pollutants such as ultraviolet radiation, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, oxides, particulate matter, ozone and cigarette smoke affect the skin as it is the outermost barrier. Air pollutants damage the skin by inducing oxidative stress. Although human skin acts as a biological shield against pro-oxidative chemicals and physical air pollutants, prolonged or repetitive exposure to high levels of these pollutants may have profound negative effects on the skin. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation has been associated with extrinsic skin aging and skin cancers. Cigarette smoke contributes to premature aging and an increase in the incidence of psoriasis, acne and skin cancers. It is also implicated in allergic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis and eczema. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons are associated with extrinsic skin aging, pigmentation, cancers and acneiform eruptions. Volatile organic compounds have been associated with atopic dermatitis. Given the increasing levels of air pollution and its detrimental effects on the skin, it is advisable to use strategies to decrease air pollution.

  18. Air pollution in the last 50 years - From local to global

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fenger, Jes

    2009-01-01

    fuels, higher stacks and flue gas cleaning in urban areas, the growing traffic gave rise to nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds and in some areas photochemical air pollution, which may be abated by catalytic converters. Lately the interest has centred on small particles and more exotic......Air pollution in the industrialised world has in the last 50 years undergone drastic changes. Until after World War II the most important urban compound was sulphur dioxide combined with soot from the use of fossil fuels in heat and power production. When that problem was partly solved by cleaner...... organic compounds that can be detected with new sophisticated analytical techniques. Simultaneously with the development in compounds, the time and geographical scale of interest have increased. First to transboundary air pollution, which in decades and on continents can degrade ecosystems, later...

  19. Environmental pollution major problem of RAH-Romania (CNH)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arad, V.; Arad, S. [Petrosani University, Petrosani (Romania)

    1999-07-01

    The exploitation and processing of coal from the Jiu Valley Basin, Romania, are carried out in 21 industrial units. The industrial activities carried out in these units damage the environment. This paper presents the sources of pollution of the water, atmosphere and soil, and evaluates and registers the effects of and the objectives for reducing the pollution. 3 refs., 1 tab.

  20. Oxidative damage to biological macromolecules in Prague bus drivers and garagemen: Impact of air pollution and genetic polymorphisms

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bagryantseva, Yana; Novotná, Božena; Rössner ml., Pavel; Chvátalová, Irena; Milcová, Alena; Švecová, Vlasta; Lněničková, Zdena; Solanský, I.; Šrám, Radim

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 199, č. 1 (2010), s. 60-68 ISSN 0378-4274 R&D Projects: GA MŽP(CZ) SP/1B3/8/08 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512 Keywords : air pollution * bud drivers * oxidative stress Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 3.581, year: 2010

  1. Atmospheric pollution in our environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanvir, G.

    1986-01-01

    Air pollution is associated with all the activities of humans. It is becoming a serious problem in coming years so it is relevant to find out how seriously our atmosphere is being polluted and how this pollution affects human and plant life in our environment. Not only the human activities are the source of our pollution but nature causes more pollution. Air pollution that is due to the pressure of foreign substances in air, effects the quality and concentration of air substances. It is not only injurious to property, but also to vegetation and animal life. Air pollution is one of our most serious environmental problems. The sources vary from smoke-stacks and automobiles to noise and foreon containing aerosols. (orig./A.B.)

  2. Effects of thermal treatment on mineralogy and heavy metal behavior in iron oxide stabilized air pollution control residues

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Mette Abildgaard; Bender-Koch, C.; Starckpoole, M. M.

    2000-01-01

    Stabilization of air pollution control residues by coprecipitation with ferrous iron and subsequent thermal treatment (at 600 and 900 °C) has been examined as a means to reduce heavy metal leaching and to improve product stability. Changes in mineralogy and metal binding were analyzed using various...... analytical and environmental techniques. Ferrihydrite was formed initially but transformed upon thermal treatment to more stable and crystalline iron oxides (maghemite and hematite). For some metals leaching studies showed more substantial binding after thermal treatment, while other metals either....... Thermal treatment of the stabilized residues produced structures with an inherently better iron oxide stability. However, the concentration of metals in the leachate generally increased as a consequence of the decreased solubility of metals in the more stable iron oxide structure....

  3. Abundance, composition and activity of ammonia oxidizer and denitrifier communities in metal polluted rice paddies from South China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Liu

    Full Text Available While microbial nitrogen transformations in soils had been known to be affected by heavy metal pollution, changes in abundance and community structure of the mediating microbial populations had been not yet well characterized in polluted rice soils. Here, by using the prevailing molecular fingerprinting and enzyme activity assays and comparisons to adjacent non-polluted soils, we examined changes in the abundance and activity of ammonia oxidizing and denitrifying communities of rice paddies in two sites with different metal accumulation situation under long-term pollution from metal mining and smelter activities. Potential nitrifying activity was significantly reduced in polluted paddies in both sites while potential denitrifying activity reduced only in the soils with high Cu accumulation up to 1300 mg kg-1. Copy numbers of amoA (AOA and AOB genes were lower in both polluted paddies, following the trend with the enzyme assays, whereas that of nirK was not significantly affected. Analysis of the DGGE profiles revealed a shift in the community structure of AOA, and to a lesser extent, differences in the community structure of AOB and denitrifier between soils from the two sites with different pollution intensity and metal composition. All of the retrieved AOB sequences belonged to the genus Nitrosospira, among which species Cluster 4 appeared more sensitive to metal pollution. In contrast, nirK genes were widely distributed among different bacterial genera that were represented differentially between the polluted and unpolluted paddies. This could suggest either a possible non-specific target of the primers conventionally used in soil study or complex interactions between soil properties and metal contents on the observed community and activity changes, and thus on the N transformation in the polluted rice soils.

  4. Fenton Process Coupled to Ultrasound and UV Light Irradiation for the Oxidation of a Model Pollutant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen E. Barrera-Salgado

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The Fenton process coupled to photosonolysis (UV light and Us, using Fe2O3 catalyst supported on Al2O3, was used to oxidize a model pollutant like acid green 50 textile dye (AG50. Dye degradation was followed by AG50 concentration decay analyses. It was observed that parameters like iron content on a fixed amount of catalyst supporting material, catalyst annealing temperature, initial dye concentration, and the solution pH influence the overall treatment efficiency. High removal efficiencies of the model pollutant are achieved. The stability and reusability tests of the Fe2O3 catalyst show that the catalyst can be used up to three cycles achieving high discoloration. Thus, this catalyst is highly efficient for the degradation of AG50 in the Fenton process.

  5. Air pollution and 2003 summertime. Situation and consequences; Pollution de l'air et canicule 2003. Bilan et consequences

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elichegaray, Ch.; Colosio, J.; Bouallala, S. [Agence de l' Environnement et de la Maitrise de l' Energie, ADEME, 75 - Paris (France); Manach, J. [Meteo France, 75 - Paris (France); Della Massa, J.P. [ORAMIP, 31 - Colomiers (France); Savanne, D. [AIRFOBEP, 13 - Martigues (France); Fiala, J. [European Environment Agency, Copenhagen (Denmark)

    2004-03-15

    Ground level ozone is one of the air pollutants of most concern in Europe since concentrations in the lower atmosphere continue to exceed thresholds established in Eu legislation to protect human health and prevent damage to ecosystems, agricultural crops and materials. While the climatic conditions of summer 2003 were exceptional, the problem of ozone pollution is a recurrent phenomenon. Tropospheric ozone is the main product of complex photochemical processes in the lower atmosphere involving oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds as precursors of ozone formation. Ozone is a strong photochemical oxidant. In elevated concentrations it causes serious health problems and damage to ecosystems, agricultural crops and materials. Weather conditions during the first half of August 2003, characterized by exceptionally high temperatures even at night and covering large parts of southern, western and central Europe, caused a long lasting episode with elevated ozone concentration in these areas. The exceptionally long lasting period of high ozone concentrations exceeding 180 micrograms/m{sup 3} was reported by all except the Northern European countries. During this episode ozone concentrations exceeded at a large number of sites in Belgium, northern France and north western germany 240 micrograms/m{sup 3}. The threshold value for warning the public (1- hour concentration > 360 mg/m{sup 3}) was exceeded in August at one site in France and in Italy and Romania in june. most affected areas were those with the highest density of ozone precursor emissions from the traffic and industrial production. (N.C.)

  6. Effect of air and water pollutants on human health

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rondia, D.

    1973-01-01

    Toxicological and epidemiological studies on the effects of air pollutants on human health are reviewed. The epidemiological approach is based on the study of the human population actually exposed to air pollutants in daily life. Levels of increasing toxicity were established for the commonest air pollutants such as lead, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and various allergens. The effects of pollution on immunology and adaptation, of carbon monoxide on carboxyhemoglobin levels, of sulfur dioxide on mortality and morbidity in urban areas, of nitrogen oxides on electrolytes and glutathion, of ozone and NO/sub x/ on respiratory diseases, and of pollutants on chronic bronchitis are reviewed.

  7. Advances in Multi-Pollutant Control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-11-01

    Pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO)), sulphur dioxide (SO2), sulphur trioxide (SO3), carbon dioxide (CO2), mercury (Hg) and particulate matter (PM), are formed when coal is combusted in a power plant boiler. With the concern over the environmental and health consequences of these pollutants, legislation and regulations have been implemented limiting the amounts that can be emitted to the atmosphere. Emission control systems on conventional coal-fired power plants typically employ technologies designed to remove one specific pollutant.These are then combined, in series, to remove several pollutants in order to meet the emission regulations. This report discusses multi-pollutant systems which remove two or more of the principal regulated pollutants (SO2, NOx, mercury, particulate matter and CO2) in a single reactor or a single system designed for the purpose. The emphasis is on commercial or near commercial processes, and those that are under active development. Ways to improve the co-benefit removal of oxidised mercury in conventional limestone wet scrubbers, spray dry scrubbers and circulating dry scrubbers are also included. Multi-pollutant systems can have lower capital and operating costs than a series of traditional systems to remove the s ame number of pollutants. Nevertheless, many of the multi-pollutant technologies rely on by-product sales to be economically competitive. Their footprint is often smaller than conventional single pollutant counterparts treating a similar volume of flue gas, making them easier to install in retrofit applications. Some of the systems use modular designs that ensures easy scalability for larger boilers.

  8. Ozone Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Known as tropospheric or ground-level ozone, this gas is harmful to human heath and the environment. Since it forms from emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), these pollutants are regulated under air quality standards.

  9. INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmet Soysal; Yucel Demiral

    2007-01-01

    The existance of hazardious materials including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radon, volotile organic compounds, microorganisms in houses and the other non-industrilized buildings have been defined as “indoor air pollution”. Indoor air pollutants could possible arised from inside or outside environment and categorized into six subgroups. Almost 80% Turkish population have living in the urban areas...

  10. How multiagency partnerships can successfully address large-scale pollution problems: a Hawaii case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donohue, Mary J

    2003-06-01

    Oceanic circulation patterns deposit significant amounts of marine pollution, including derelict fishing gear from North Pacific Ocean fisheries, in the Hawaiian Archipelago [Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42(12) (2001) 1301]. Management responsibility for these islands and their associated natural resources is shared by several government authorities. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private industry also have interests in the archipelago. Since the marine debris problem in this region is too large for any single agency to manage, a multiagency marine debris working group (group) was established in 1998 to improve marine debris mitigation in Hawaii. To date, 16 federal, state, and local agencies, working with industry and NGOs, have removed 195 tons of derelict fishing gear from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This review details the evolution of the partnership, notes its challenges and rewards, and advocates its continued use as an effective resource management tool.

  11. Air pollution alters brain and pituitary endothelin-1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomson, Errol M; Kumarathasan, Prem; Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Vincent, Renaud

    2007-10-01

    Recent work suggests that air pollution is a risk factor for cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disease. Effects of inhaled pollutants on the production of vasoactive factors such as endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide (NO) in the brain may be relevant to disease pathogenesis. Inhaled pollutants increase circulating levels of ET-1 and ET-3, and the pituitary is a potential source of plasma ET, but the effects of pollutants on the expression of ET and NO synthase genes in the brain and pituitary are not known. In the present study, Fischer-344 rats were exposed by nose-only inhalation to particles (0, 5, 50mg/m3 EHC-93), ozone (0, 0.4, 0.8 ppm), or combinations of particles and ozone for 4 h. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to measure mRNA levels in the cerebral hemisphere and pituitary 0 and 24 h post-exposure. Ozone inhalation significantly increased preproET-1 but decreased preproET-3 mRNAs in the cerebral hemisphere, while increasing mRNA levels of preproET-1, preproET-3, and the ET-converting enzyme (ECE)-1 in the pituitary. Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) was initially decreased in the cerebral hemisphere after ozone inhalation, but increased 24 h post-exposure. Particles decreased tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA in the cerebral hemisphere, and both particles and ozone decreased TNF-alpha mRNA in the pituitary. Our results show that ozone and particulate matter rapidly modulate the expression of genes involved in key vasoregulatory pathways in the brain and pituitary, substantiating the notion that inhaled pollutants induce cerebrovascular effects.

  12. Global air pollution crossroads over the Mediterranean

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lelieveld, J; Berresheim, H; Borrmann, S; Crutzen, P J; Dentener, F J; Fischer, H; Feichter, J; Flatau, P J; Heland, J; Holzinger, R; Korrmann, R; Lawrence, M G; Levin, Z; Markowicz, K M; Mihalopoulos, N; Minikin, A; Ramanathan, V; De Reus, M; Roelofs, G J; Scheeren, H A; Sciare, J; Schlager, H; Schultz, M; Siegmund, P; Steil, B; Stephanou, E G; Stier, P; Traub, M; Warneke, C; Williams, J; Ziereis, H

    2002-01-01

    The Mediterranean Intensive Oxidant Study, performed in the summer of 2001, uncovered air pollution layers from the surface to an altitude of 15 kilometers. In the boundary layer, air pollution standards are exceeded throughout the region, caused by West and East European pollution from the north.

  13. Pollution control and the Ramsey problem

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ploeg, van der F.; Withagen, C.A.A.M.

    1991-01-01

    Pollution is an inevitable by-product of production and is only gradually dissolved by the environment. It can be reduced by producing less and by cleaning up the environment, but neither occur when they are left to the market. Cleaning activities and the optimal emission charges increase with the

  14. Plant response to chronic exposure to low levels of oxidant-type pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feder, W.A.

    1970-01-01

    Cultivars of geranium and carnation exhibit a reduction of side branching, a retardation of floral initiation, and a decrease in floral productivity when exposed daily for 5-7 h to 0.1 ppm ozone for 1-3 months. These plants also exhibit a reduction in leaf size, an increase in internode length, a progressive destruction of leaf tissue and eventual defoliation in the case of geranium. Cultivars of petunia exposed to chronic low levels of oxidant are slower to flower and bear fewer flowers than those same cultivars grown in charcoal-filtered air from the same source. These plant effects are of special interest because they occur in the presence of pollutant levels encountered daily in areas surrounding US metropolitan centers.

  15. Removal of organic pollutants from produced water using Fenton oxidation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afzal Talia

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Produced water (PW is the largest stream of wastewater from oil and gas exploration. It is highly polluted and requires proper treatment before disposal. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Fenton oxidation in degradation of organic matter in PW. The role of operating factors viz., H2O2 concentration (0.12 × 10-3 moles/L to 3 moles/L, [H2O2]/[Fe2+] molar ratio (2 to 75, and reaction time (30 to 200 minutes, on COD removal was determined through a series of batch experiments conducted in acidic environment at room temperature. The experiments were conducted with 500 mL PW samples in 1L glass beakers covered on the outside with aluminum foil to protect them from sunlight. Pre-decided amounts of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 were added to initiate the Fenton reaction. An increase in COD removal was observed with increase in reaction time and [H2O2]/[Fe2+] molar ratio. COD removal also increased with H2O2 concentration up to 0.01 moles/L; further increase in H2O2 concentration decreased the COD removal efficiency. Over 90% COD removal was achieved under optimum reaction conditions. The study indicates that Fenton oxidation is effective for remediation of PW in terms of organic matter removal.

  16. Removal of organic pollutants from produced water using Fenton oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afzal, Talia; Hasnain Isa, Mohamed; Mustafa, Muhammad Raza ul

    2018-03-01

    Produced water (PW) is the largest stream of wastewater from oil and gas exploration. It is highly polluted and requires proper treatment before disposal. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Fenton oxidation in degradation of organic matter in PW. The role of operating factors viz., H2O2 concentration (0.12 × 10-3 moles/L to 3 moles/L), [H2O2]/[Fe2+] molar ratio (2 to 75), and reaction time (30 to 200 minutes), on COD removal was determined through a series of batch experiments conducted in acidic environment at room temperature. The experiments were conducted with 500 mL PW samples in 1L glass beakers covered on the outside with aluminum foil to protect them from sunlight. Pre-decided amounts of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were added to initiate the Fenton reaction. An increase in COD removal was observed with increase in reaction time and [H2O2]/[Fe2+] molar ratio. COD removal also increased with H2O2 concentration up to 0.01 moles/L; further increase in H2O2 concentration decreased the COD removal efficiency. Over 90% COD removal was achieved under optimum reaction conditions. The study indicates that Fenton oxidation is effective for remediation of PW in terms of organic matter removal.

  17. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

    OpenAIRE

    Reyna Ramos, julio

    2014-01-01

    The article shows the complexity of the problem of environmental pollution and what can be the possible solutions to the problem. Also, how the Industrial Engineering can contribute to the prevention and control of pollution. El artículo muestra la complejidad del problema de la contaminación ambiental y cuáles pueden ser las propuestas de solución al problema. Así mismo, cómo la Ingeniería Industrial puede contribuir a la prevención y control de la contaminación.

  18. Oxidative stress and inflammation mediate the effect of air pollution on cardio- and cerebrovascular disease: A prospective study in nonsmokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiorito, Giovanni; Vlaanderen, Jelle; Polidoro, Silvia; Gulliver, John; Galassi, Claudia; Ranzi, Andrea; Krogh, Vittorio; Grioni, Sara; Agnoli, Claudia; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Panico, Salvatore; Tsai, Ming-Yi; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Hoek, Gerard; Herceg, Zdenko; Vermeulen, Roel; Ghantous, Akram; Vineis, Paolo; Naccarati, Alessio

    2018-04-01

    Air pollution is associated with a broad range of adverse health effects, including mortality and morbidity due to cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVD), but the molecular mechanisms involved are not entirely understood. This study aims to investigate the involvement of oxidative stress and inflammation in the causal chain, and to identify intermediate biomarkers that are associated retrospectively with the exposure and prospectively with the disease. We designed a case-control study on CCVD nested in a cohort of 18,982 individuals from the EPIC-Italy study. We measured air pollution, inflammatory biomarkers, and whole-genome DNA methylation in blood collected up to 17 years before the diagnosis. The study sample includes all the incident CCVD cases among former- and never-smokers, with available stored blood sample, that arose in the cohort during the follow-up. We identified enrichment of altered DNA methylation in "ROS/Glutathione/Cytotoxic granules" and "Cytokine signaling" pathways related genes, associated with both air pollution (multiple comparisons adjusted p for enrichment ranging from 0.01 to 0.03 depending on pollutant) and with CCVD risk (P = 0.04 and P = 0.03, respectively). Also, Interleukin-17 was associated with higher exposure to NO 2 (P = 0.0004), NO x (P = 0.0005), and CCVD risk (OR = 1.79; CI 1.04-3.11; P = 0.04 comparing extreme tertiles). Our findings indicate that chronic exposure to air pollution can lead to oxidative stress, which in turn activates a cascade of inflammatory responses mainly involving the "Cytokine signaling" pathway, leading to increased risk of CCVD. Inflammatory proteins and DNA methylation alterations can be detected several years before CCVD diagnosis in blood samples, being promising preclinical biomarkers. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:234-246, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Medical aspects of atmosphere pollution in Tbilisi, Georgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagidze, Lamzira; Matchavariani, Lia; Tsivtsivadze, Nodar; Khidasheli, Nargiz; Paichadze, Nino; Motsonelidze, Nargiz; Vakhtangishvili, Maia

    2015-01-01

    Climate change and its impact on ecosystems is one of the main problem of 21st century. Increase in green house gas in the atmosphere was regarded as an important cause. Atmospheric composition had significantly changed due to intensive technogenic pollution. Increase in aerosol (solid, liquid and gas) concentration had serious impact on human health and raised the level of risk factors for longevity of life. Despite, global character of climatic change and its intensity in numerous ways was influenced by local specificity of regions, their geographical location and meteorological factors. A study on the atmospheric quality (quantitative and percentage estimation of aerosols) of Georgia was carried out. Also the assessment of impact of meteorological and ecological conditions on human health was made for Tbilisi city. A relation between contaminants and meteorological factors was evaluated, particularly gas pollutants were strongly correlated with each other due to their photochemical activity; positive correlation (0.65; 0.69) between air temperature and pollutants. All the contaminants showed negative correlation with relative humidity, due to hydrolyzing ability. On the basis of multi-factorial statistical analysis, correlation between ambulance call, weather type, atmosphere pollution index, change in ground ozone quantity and earth magnetic field were determined. Atmospheric pollution due to dust, carbon, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, ground ozone quantity in Tbilisi significantly exceeded maximum permissible level, that effected human health.

  20. Environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Odzuck, W.

    1982-01-01

    The volume of the anthropogenic pollution of the environment (incl. radioactivity) is of great economical importance and has also a meaning to the health and happiness of people. The pocket book introduces into the whole problem by giving exact information and data. After a general survey, the pollutions of urban-industrial, and aquatic ecosystems are dealt with. The book closes with indications as to general principles, specific dangers, and the fature development of the environmental pollution. (orig.) [de

  1. The Other Water Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Kathy

    1978-01-01

    Nonpoint source pollution, water pollution not released at one specific identifiable point, now accounts for 50 percent of the nation's water pollution problem. Runoff is the primary culprit and includes the following sources: agriculture, mining, hydrologic modifications, and urban runoff. Economics, legislation, practices, and management of this…

  2. Air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feugier, A.

    1996-01-01

    The air pollution results from the combustion of petroleum products, natural gas, coal, wastes and transports. Some compounds are considered as particularly pollutants: the carbon monoxide, the nitrogen oxides, the tropospheric ozone and the sulfur dioxides. Their environmental and biological effects are described. The present political guide lines concerns the combustion plants, the ozone, the wastes incineration and the vehicles emissions. The aim is at some future date to control the air quality, to reduce the volatile organic compounds emissions and to limit the sulfur rate of some petroleum products. (O.L.)

  3. Influence of inlet concentration and light intensity on the photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen(II) oxide at the surface of Aeroxide® TiO2 P25

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dillert, Ralf; Stötzner, Julia; Engel, Astrid; Bahnemann, Detlef W.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen(II) oxide at the TiO 2 surface was studied. ► The effect of the UV(A) light intensity on the reaction rate was evaluated. ► The effect of the NO concentration on the reaction rate was evaluated. ► A mechanistic model for the heterogeneous NO oxidation is presented. ► A rate law describing the influence of NO concentration and light intensity is given. - Abstract: Air pollution by nitrogen oxides represents a serious environmental problem in urban areas where numerous sources of these pollutants are concentrated. One approach to reduce the concentration of these air pollutants is the light-induced oxidation in the presence of molecular oxygen and a photocatalytically active building material, e.g., paints, roof tiles, or pavement stones. Herein, results of an investigation concerning the photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen(II) oxide (NO) in the presence of molecular oxygen and UV(A) irradiated TiO 2 powder are presented. The standard operating procedure described in ISO 22197-1 which was developed to characterize the photocatalytic activity of air-cleaning products was successfully applied to determine the photocatalytic activity of a bare TiO 2 powder. The experimental data reveal that at the light intensity stipulated by the operation procedure the amount of NO removed from the gas phase by photocatalytic oxidation is strongly affected by small changes of this light intensity as well as of the NO concentration in the gas stream in the photoreactor. Therefore, these parameters have to be controlled very carefully. Based upon the experimental data obtained in this study a rate law for the photocatalytic NO oxidation inside the photoreactor is derived.

  4. Environmental pollution by petroleum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murata, T

    1974-06-01

    Pollution causes, cases, and remedies at various stages of petroleum production and usage are reviewed. Petroleum extraction (off-shore drilling and Arctic drilling) can be accompanied by mishaps. In 1971, IMCO (an international safety committee) proposed the partitioning of oil tanker holds into smaller compartments to minimize spillage in case of disaster. Although the solubility of oil in waste water from refineries is reckoned by ppM, the total amount dissolved is not negligible. Petroleum storage and transport on land is complicated by problems of safety in terms of population density as well as by pollution problems. Petroleum end-products such as plastic trash and automobile exhausts contribute to pollution. The role of aldehydes and peroxides in photochemical smog formation must be investigated further. Proper treatment of pollution at each specific point of occurrence, rather than at the end of a production line is recommended. Pollutant concentration for treatment, rather than pollutant dilution for dispersal, should be considered. Technology for pollution abatement is available, but not always economically feasible.

  5. Soil pollution by oxidation of tailings from toxic spill of a pyrite mine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, M.; Martin, F.; Ortiz, I.; Garcia, I.; Fernandez, J.; Fernandez, E.; Dorronsoro, C.; Aguilar, J.

    2001-01-01

    On the 25th April 1998, toxic water and tailings from a pyrite mine of Aznalcollar (southern Spain) spilled into the Agrio and Guadiamar River Basin affecting some 40 km 2 . In five sectors throughout the basin, we monitored the physical and chemical properties of the tailings as well as the degree of pollution in the soils on four different sampling dates: 5 May, 20 May, 4 June and 22 July 1998. The characteristics of the tailings deposited on the soils are shown to be related to distance from the spill. The oxidation rate of the tailings and the solubilization of the pollutant elements were more pronounced in the middle and lower sectors of the basin, where the particle size was finer, the sulfur content higher and the bulk density less. The increases in water-soluble sulfates, Zn, Cd and Cu were very rapid (the highest values being reached 25 days after the spill) and intense (reaching 45% of the total Cu, 65% of the total Zn and Cd). Meanwhile, the increases in water-soluble As, Bi, Sb, Pb and Tl were far lower (ranging between 0.002% of the total Tl and 2.5% of the total As) and less rapid in the case of As, Bi and Pb (the highest values for these elements being reached 40 days after the spill). These soluble elements infiltrated the soils with the rainwater, swiftly augmenting the soil pollution. Twenty-five days after the spill, when the rainfall ranged between 45 and 63 mm, the first 10-cm of the soils in the middle and lower sectors of the basin exceeded the maximum concentration permitted for agricultural soils in Zn, Cu and Tl. At 40 days after the spill, when the rainfall ranged between 60 and 89 mm, all the soils reached or exceeded the maximum permitted concentrations for As and Tl. Nevertheless, the pollutants tended to concentrate in the first 10 cm of the soils without seriously contaminating either the subsoil or the groundwaters. Consequently, a rapid removal of the tailings and the ploughing of the first 25-30 cm of the soils would be urgent

  6. Recent development of VUV-based processes for air pollutants degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haibao eHuang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available As air pollution become more and more serious nowadays, it is essential to find out a way to efficiently degrade the air pollutants. Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV-based processes are an emerging and promising technologies for environmental remediation such as air cleaning, wastewater treatment and air/water disinfection. With VUV irradiation, photolysis, photocatalyst is and ozone-assisted oxidation are involved at the same time, resulting in the fast degradation of air pollutants because of their strong oxidizing capacity. The mechanisms of how the oxidants are produced and reacted are discussed in this review. This paper mainly focuses on the three VUV-based oxidation processes including VUV photolysis, VUV combined with ozone-assisted oxidation and VUV-PCO with emphasis on their mechanisms and applications. Also, the outlooks of these processes are outlined in this paper.

  7. Air pollution sources, impact and monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qureshi, I.H.

    1999-01-01

    Improper management of socio-economic developmental activities has put a great stress on natural resources and eco-systems and has caused environmental degradation. Indiscriminate release of toxic substances into the atmosphere from power generation, industrial operations, transportation, incineration of waste and other operations has affected the quality of ambient air. Combustion of fossil fuel results in the emission of oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen, particulate and organic compounds which affect the local, regional and global environment. Industrial operations release a wide variety of pollutants which directly affect the local environment. Operation of automobiles releases oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen, hydrocarbons, traces of heavy metals and toxic polycyclic aromatic compounds whereas incineration of municipal waste releases particulate, acid fumes and photochemically reactive and odorous compounds. These air pollutants have varying impacts on health and environment. The intake of polluted air may produce various physiological disorders ranging from respiratory diseases to changes in blood chemistry. Therefore, the emission of pollutants should be controlled at the source and monitoring the levels of pollution should assess the quality of air. (author)

  8. Air pollution control regulation. [Japan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sogabe, K

    1975-05-01

    The Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control is reviewed. The fundamental ideology of pollution control, range of pollution control, environmental standards, and national policy concerning pollution control are discussed. The content of the Air Pollution Control Law is summarized. The purpose of the Air Pollution Control Law, a list of substances regulated by the law, the type of facilities regulated by the law, control standards, type of control means, and emission standards for flue gas (sulfur oxides, particulate matters, and toxic substances) are described. The environmental standard for each pollutant and the target date for achieving the environmental standard are also given. The list of cities where the 7-rank K value control regulation for SOx is enforced is given. The procedure for registration in compliance with the law is also described.

  9. Considerations upon the possibility of abating the pollution produced by power and heat plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ataman, E.

    1992-01-01

    Power and heat plants that burn fossil fuel in conventional boilers are among the most important man-made stationary emission sources. A review is done concerning the current possibilities to cut pollution mainly by reducing emissions at stack. Concerning the emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, it is argued that at present the most viable and efficient solution for reducing the pollution from the fossil fuel power plants in Romania would be the importation of high technology and catalysts. On the other hand, replacement of classical boilers by fluidized bed combustors with circulating fuel additives would solve totally the problem of SO 2 and NO x emissions. (author)

  10. Methods for reducing pollutant emissions from jet aircraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butze, H. F.

    1971-01-01

    Pollutant emissions from jet aircraft and combustion research aimed at reducing these emissions are defined. The problem of smoke formation and results achieved in smoke reduction from commercial combustors are discussed. Expermental results of parametric tests performed on both conventional and experimental combustors over a range of combustor-inlet conditions are presented. Combustor design techniques for reducing pollutant emissions are discussed. Improved fuel atomization resulting from the use of air-assist fuel nozzles has brought about significant reductions in hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions at idle. Diffuser tests have shown that the combustor-inlet airflow profile can be controlled through the use of diffuser-wall bleed and that it may thus be possible to reduce emissions by controlling combustor airflow distribution. Emissions of nitric oxide from a shortlength annular swirl-can combustor were significantly lower than those from a conventional combustor operating at similar conditions.

  11. APEX (Air Pollution Exercise) Volume 21: Legal References: Air Pollution Control Regulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Office of Manpower Development.

    The Legal References: Air Pollution Control Regulations Manual is the last in a set of 21 manuals (AA 001 009-001 029) used in APEX (Air Pollution Exercise), a computerized college and professional level "real world" game simulation of a community with urban and rural problems, industrial activities, and air pollution difficulties. The manual…

  12. Air pollution and its control in China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    HAO Jiming; HE Kebin; DUAN Lei; LI Junhua; WANG Litao

    2007-01-01

    The rapid growth of China's economy has led to severe air pollution characterized by acid rain,severe pollution in cities,and regional air pollution.High concentrations are found for various pollutants such as sulfur dioxides(SO2),nitrogen oxides(NOx),and fine particulates.Great efforts have thus been undertaken for the control of air pollution in the country.This paper discusses the development and application of appropriate technologies for reducing the major pollutants produced by coal and vehicles,and investi gates air quality modeling as an important support for policy-making.

  13. Reducing pollution: Who pays the bill?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, A.F.

    1991-01-01

    Since the nation's lawmakers passed a final version of the Clean Air Act, many utilities will now face large capital expenditures for pollution abatement in the next ten years. That prospect is likely to create problems for the nation's public utility commissioners, who are concerned about the costs to utility customers. A survey of PUC staff and commissioners found that while many are concerned about such issues, few have dealt with pollution abatement problems in the past few years. This survey was conducted during 1989 with all but three states that have commissions. The survey dealt with the ways that commissions have been handling pollution abatement expenditures including: how PUCs handled expenditures in their rate bases; PUC experience with pollution abatement expenditures in rate cases; PUC flexibility in dealing with previous pollution abatement cases; PUC management involvement with utilities; communication between the PUCs and the state air quality offices over problems involving pollution abatement

  14. Pollution prevention at ports: clearing the air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, Diane; Solomon, Gina

    2004-01-01

    Seaports are major hubs of economic activity and of environmental pollution in coastal urban areas. Due to increasing global trade, transport of goods through ports has been steadily increasing and will likely continue to increase in the future. Evaluating air pollution impacts of ports requires consideration of numerous sources, including marine vessels, trucks, locomotives, and off-road equipment used for moving cargo. The air quality impacts of ports are significant, with particularly large emissions of diesel exhaust, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides. The health effects of these air pollutants to residents of local communities include asthma, other respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and premature mortality. In children, there are links with asthma, bronchitis, missed school days, and emergency room visits. The significance of these environmental health impacts requires aggressive efforts to mitigate the problem. Approaches to mitigation encompass a range of possibilities from currently available, low-cost approaches, to more significant investments for cleaner air. Examples of the former include restrictions on truck idling and the use of low-sulfur diesel fuel; the latter includes shore-side power for docked ships, and alternative fuels. A precautionary approach to port-related air pollution would encourage local production of goods in order to reduce marine traffic, greener design for new terminals, and state-of-the art approaches to emissions-control that have been successfully demonstrated at ports throughout the world

  15. Air pollution and ecology. From local to global impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenger, J.

    1996-01-01

    Human impact on nature is increasing - not only in magnitude, but also in geographical scale. It has been known for centuries, that vegetation does not thrive near air pollution sources, but it was not before after the Second World War that the importance of long range transport of pollutants was realized - first for sulphur and nitrogen compounds, later for photochemical oxidants. The results have been acidification of rivers and lakes, forest dieback and eutrophication of inner waters. In recent decades the attention has been focused on global effects: Ozone depletion and increased greenhouse effect. Here air pollution threatens to alter the conditions of life on the entire Earth. In the political and public debate - and sometimes in science as well - the problems are treated separately. Since however, the basic phenomena all take place in the same atmosphere, they are more or less interrelated. Also the environmental effects must be considered a result of a complex impact. This complexity should be taken into account in the planning of an effective abatement strategy. (au) 11 refs

  16. Air pollution and ecology. From local to global impacts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fenger, J. [National Institute of Environmental Research, Dept. of Atmospheric Environment, Roskilde (Denmark)

    1996-11-01

    Human impact on nature is increasing - not only in magnitude, but also in geographical scale. It has been known for centuries, that vegetation does not thrive near air pollution sources, but it was not before after the Second World War that the importance of long range transport of pollutants was realized - first for sulphur and nitrogen compounds, later for photochemical oxidants. The results have been acidification of rivers and lakes, forest dieback and eutrophication of inner waters. In recent decades the attention has been focused on global effects: Ozone depletion and increased greenhouse effect. Here air pollution threatens to alter the conditions of life on the entire Earth. In the political and public debate - and sometimes in science as well - the problems are treated separately. Since however, the basic phenomena all take place in the same atmosphere, they are more or less interrelated. Also the environmental effects must be considered a result of a complex impact. This complexity should be taken into account in the planning of an effective abatement strategy. (au) 11 refs.

  17. Understanding enabling capacities for managing the 'wicked problem' of nonpoint source water pollution in catchments: a conceptual framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, James J; Smith, Carl; Bellamy, Jennifer

    2013-10-15

    Nonpoint source (NPS) water pollution in catchments is a 'wicked' problem that threatens water quality, water security, ecosystem health and biodiversity, and thus the provision of ecosystem services that support human livelihoods and wellbeing from local to global scales. However, it is a difficult problem to manage because water catchments are linked human and natural systems that are complex, dynamic, multi-actor, and multi-scalar in nature. This in turn raises questions about understanding and influencing change across multiple levels of planning, decision-making and action. A key challenge in practice is enabling implementation of local management action, which can be influenced by a range of factors across multiple levels. This paper reviews and synthesises important 'enabling' capacities that can influence implementation of local management action, and develops a conceptual framework for understanding and analysing these in practice. Important enabling capacities identified include: history and contingency; institutional arrangements; collaboration; engagement; vision and strategy; knowledge building and brokerage; resourcing; entrepreneurship and leadership; and reflection and adaptation. Furthermore, local action is embedded within multi-scalar contexts and therefore, is highly contextual. The findings highlight the need for: (1) a systemic and integrative perspective for understanding and influencing change for managing the wicked problem of NPS water pollution; and (2) 'enabling' social and institutional arenas that support emergent and adaptive management structures, processes and innovations for addressing NPS water pollution in practice. These findings also have wider relevance to other 'wicked' natural resource management issues facing similar implementation challenges. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Aircraft engine pollution reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudey, R. A.

    1972-01-01

    The effect of engine operation on the types and levels of the major aircraft engine pollutants is described and the major factors governing the formation of these pollutants during the burning of hydrocarbon fuel are discussed. Methods which are being explored to reduce these pollutants are discussed and their application to several experimental research programs are pointed out. Results showing significant reductions in the levels of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen obtained from experimental combustion research programs are presented and discussed to point out potential application to aircraft engines. An experimental program designed to develop and demonstrate these and other advanced, low pollution combustor design methods is described. Results that have been obtained to date indicate considerable promise for reducing advanced engine exhaust pollutants to levels significantly below current engines.

  19. Methods of valuing air pollution and estimated monetary values of air pollutants in various U.S. regions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, M.Q.; Santini, D.J.; Warinner, S.A.

    1994-12-01

    Air pollutant emission values are used to determine the social costs of various technologies that cause air pollution and to estimate the benefits of emission control technologies. In this report, the authors present two methods of estimating air pollutant emission values--the damage value method and the control cost method--and review 15 recent studies in which these methods were employed to estimate emission values. The reviewed studies derived emission values for only a limited number of areas; emission value estimates are needed for other US regions. Using the emission values estimated in the reviewed studies, they establish regression relationships between emission values, air pollutant concentrations, and total population exposed, and apply the established relationships to 17 US metropolitan areas to estimate damage-based and control-cost-based emission values for reactive organic gases, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter measuring less than 10 microns, sulfur oxides, and carbon monoxide in these areas. Their estimates show significant variations in emission values across the 17 regions.

  20. Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution- related Health Problem in Ethiopia: Review of Related Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tefera, Worku; Asfaw, Araya; Gilliland, Frank; Worku, Alemayehu; Wondimagegn, Mehari; Kumie, Abera; Samet, Jonathan; Berhane, Kiros

    2016-01-01

    The health effects of air pollution are generally global problems, but they have, since recently become issues of particular concern for developing countries. This review assessed the situation of air pollution and related health effects in the context of Ethiopia. The materials reviewed in this publication are published scientific papers from online search engines, unpublished government reports and academic theses/dissertations. In addition, interview data obtained from authorities and experts involved in the management of air quality were analyzed, interpreted and reported in the article. Review of the few studies conducted in Ethiopia showed that average concentrations of PM 2.5 reached as high as 280 µg/m 3 for 24-hour measurements (range: 2,417-12,739 µg/m 3 ). Indoor carbon monoxide (CO) levels were universally higher than regulatory limits for the United States and were found to be much higher among households using traditional stoves and solid biomass fuels. The use of traditional stoves and solid biomass fuels was reported in >95% of the households considered. High average levels of NO 2 (97 ppb) were reported in a large longitudinal study. The ambient PM 10 level was below the WHO guideline values in the majority of the samples. About 50% of the on-road CO samples taken from traffic roads in Addis Ababa were found to be less than the guideline values while the number of motor vehicles in Ethiopia is reported to be increasing by more than 9% per annum. There is a very limited air quality monitoring capacity in the country. The co-ordination between stakeholders in this regard is also inadequate. The limited evidence available on health effects of air pollution indicates that the prevalence of acute respiratory illness among children living in households using crude biomass fuels is significantly higher than the national average figures. The limited evidence reviewed and reported in this article indicates high levels of indoor air pollution and trends of

  1. Traffic-Related Air Pollution, Noise at School, and Behavioral Problems in Barcelona Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forns, Joan; Dadvand, Payam; Foraster, Maria; Alvarez-Pedrerol, Mar; Rivas, Ioar; López-Vicente, Mònica; Suades-Gonzalez, Elisabet; Garcia-Esteban, Raquel; Esnaola, Mikel; Cirach, Marta; Grellier, James; Basagaña, Xavier; Querol, Xavier; Guxens, Mònica; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Sunyer, Jordi

    2016-04-01

    The available evidence of the effects of air pollution and noise on behavioral development is limited, and it overlooks exposure at schools, where children spend a considerable amount of time. We aimed to investigate the associations of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants (TRAPs) and noise at school on behavioral development of schoolchildren. We evaluated children 7-11 years of age in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) during 2012-2013 within the BREATHE project. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of elemental carbon (EC), black carbon (BC), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were measured at schools in two separate 1-week campaigns. In one campaign we also measured noise levels inside classrooms. Parents filled out the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) to assess child behavioral development, while teachers completed the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder criteria of the DSM-IV (ADHD-DSM-IV) list to assess specific ADHD symptomatology. Negative binomial mixed-effects models were used to estimate associations between the exposures and behavioral development scores. Interquartile range (IQR) increases in indoor and outdoor EC, BC, and NO2 concentrations were positively associated with SDQ total difficulties scores (suggesting more frequent behavioral problems) in adjusted multivariate models, whereas noise was significantly associated with ADHD-DSM-IV scores. In our study population of 7- to 11-year-old children residing in Barcelona, exposure to TRAPs at school was associated with increased behavioral problems in schoolchildren. Noise exposure at school was associated with more ADHD symptoms. Forns J, Dadvand P, Foraster M, Alvarez-Pedrerol M, Rivas I, López-Vicente M, Suades-Gonzalez E, Garcia-Esteban R, Esnaola M, Cirach M, Grellier J, Basagaña X, Querol X, Guxens M, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Sunyer J. 2016. Traffic-related air pollution, noise at school, and behavioral problems in Barcelona schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health Perspect

  2. Reducing NOx and SOx pollutants in an industrial units using electron accelerator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H Nouri

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Electron beam accelerators technology has made significant progress in environmental applications in recent years. Including some environmental applications of industrial accelerators, is clearing the air from oxides of nitrogen and sulfur(NOx , SOx produced by industrial facilities. Combustion  of coal, oil, natural gas and other gases that are produced in power plant, refineries and industrial factories, produce high extent of these oxides wshich exceed the limit in most cases. Clearing by irradiation involves adding amounts of ammonia to output gases and irradiation by Electron beam accelerators. Irradiation produces radicals that interact again with  NOx , SOx  and produced the related gases. Due to the ammonia, these acids transform into ammonium sulfate ((NH42SO4 and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3 are precipitated by electrostatic precipitators, and are used as chemical fertilizer. Cosidering purification process of pollutant  gases by electron beam and the importance of electron accelerator in industrial plants that are polluting the environment in Iran, can be a suitable sollution for this environmental problem

  3. Water Pollution, Teachers' Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavaroni, Charles W.; And Others

    One of three in a series about pollution, this teacher's guide for a unit on water pollution is designed for use in junior high school grades. It offers suggestions for extending the information and activities contained in the textual material for students. Chapter 1 discusses the problem of water pollution and involves students in processes of…

  4. Noise Pollution, Teachers' Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Patrick A.; Lavaroni, Charles W.

    One of three in a series about pollution, this teacher's guide for a unit on noise pollution is designed for use in junior high school grades. It offers suggestions for extending the information and activities contained in the textual material for students. Chapter 1 discusses the problem of noise pollution and involves students in processes of…

  5. Interaction patterns of major air pollutants in Hong Kong territory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, W.Z.; Wang, X.K.

    2004-01-01

    Air pollution in a metropolitan city like Hong Kong is a major obstacle to improve air quality and living environment due to the high population density and the vehicle emission increases. The high air pollutant levels impose harm to the human health and impair the city image. The characteristic analysis of air pollutants is very important and necessary to pollutant monitoring, forecasting and controlling. In this study, the interaction patterns of principle air pollutants, e.g. nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), nitric oxide (NO), nitric oxides (NO x ) and ozone (O 3 ), a secondary pollutant, are investigated based on the measured database in four selected areas, which covers two urban types (i.e. residential area, mixed residential/commercial/industrial area) in Hong Kong, during the period of 1999-2001. The study involves analyzing the chemical and physical properties, the characteristics of air pollutants and the factors affecting such interactions using statistical method. The results reveal several routines in urban air pollutants' variations, interaction and trends from macro aspect

  6. Influence of inlet concentration and light intensity on the photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen(II) oxide at the surface of Aeroxide{sup Registered-Sign} TiO{sub 2} P25

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dillert, Ralf, E-mail: dillert@iftc.uni-hannover.de [Institut fuer Technische Chemie, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Callinstr. 3, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Laboratorium fuer Nano- und Quantenengineering, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Schneiderberg 39, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Stoetzner, Julia [Institut fuer Technische Chemie, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Callinstr. 3, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Engel, Astrid [Institut fuer Technische Chemie, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Callinstr. 3, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Laboratorium fuer Nano- und Quantenengineering, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Schneiderberg 39, 30167 Hannover (Germany); Bahnemann, Detlef W. [Institut fuer Technische Chemie, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Callinstr. 3, 30167 Hannover (Germany)

    2012-04-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen(II) oxide at the TiO{sub 2} surface was studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The effect of the UV(A) light intensity on the reaction rate was evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The effect of the NO concentration on the reaction rate was evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A mechanistic model for the heterogeneous NO oxidation is presented. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A rate law describing the influence of NO concentration and light intensity is given. - Abstract: Air pollution by nitrogen oxides represents a serious environmental problem in urban areas where numerous sources of these pollutants are concentrated. One approach to reduce the concentration of these air pollutants is the light-induced oxidation in the presence of molecular oxygen and a photocatalytically active building material, e.g., paints, roof tiles, or pavement stones. Herein, results of an investigation concerning the photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen(II) oxide (NO) in the presence of molecular oxygen and UV(A) irradiated TiO{sub 2} powder are presented. The standard operating procedure described in ISO 22197-1 which was developed to characterize the photocatalytic activity of air-cleaning products was successfully applied to determine the photocatalytic activity of a bare TiO{sub 2} powder. The experimental data reveal that at the light intensity stipulated by the operation procedure the amount of NO removed from the gas phase by photocatalytic oxidation is strongly affected by small changes of this light intensity as well as of the NO concentration in the gas stream in the photoreactor. Therefore, these parameters have to be controlled very carefully. Based upon the experimental data obtained in this study a rate law for the photocatalytic NO oxidation inside the photoreactor is derived.

  7. Plant response to chronic exposure of low levels of oxidant type air pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feder, W.A.

    1970-01-01

    Cultivars of geranium and carnation exhibit a reduction of side branching, a retardation of floral initiation, and a decrease in floral productivity when exposed daily for 5-7 hr to 0.1 ppm ozone for 1-3 months. These plants also exhibit a reduction in leaf size, an increase in internode length, a progressive destruction of leaf tissue and eventual defoliation in the case of geranium. Cultivars of petunia exposed to chronic low levels of oxidant are slower to flower and bear fewer flowers than those same cultivars grown in charcoal-filtered air from the same source. These plant effects are of special interest because they occur in the presence of pollutant levels encountered daily in areas surrounding US metropolitan centres. 6 references, 3 figures.

  8. Water Pollution (Causes, Mechanisms, Solution).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strandberg, Carl

    Written for the general public, this book illustrates the causes, status, problem areas, and prediction and control of water pollution. Water pollution is one of the most pressing issues of our time and the author communicates the complexities of this problem to the reader in common language. The purpose of the introductory chapter is to show what…

  9. Biology and Water Pollution Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Charles E.

    Within this text, the reader is attuned to the role biology can and should play in combating the alarming increase in water pollution. Both the urgency of the problem and the biological techniques that are being developed to cope with the water pollution crisis are scrutinized; what is and is not known about the problem is explained; past,…

  10. Photochemical pollution indicators; Les indicateurs de la pollution photochimique. La mesure des composes azotes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perros, P E; Marion, T [Paris-7 Univ., 75 (France). Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systemes Atmospheriques

    1998-11-01

    The number of photochemical pollution is generally based on the observation of ozone and nitrogen oxides concentration levels. So, the measurement of photochemical pollution indicators becomes essential to better understand the involved phenomena, and at the end to enable its reduction control and strategy. In this paper, we focus on the measurements of nitrogen compounds (NO{sub x} PAN, HNO{sub 3}). (authors) 24 refs.

  11. Environmental pollution and lung effects in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Searing, Daniel A; Rabinovitch, Nathan

    2011-06-01

    Studies over the last 2 years have added important new information on the relationship between air pollution and asthma incidence and severity. Outdoor air pollution has been associated with asthma exacerbations, including emergency department visits and hospitalizations, as well as with the onset of asthma. Possible mechanisms mediating both incidence and severity effects include the induction of oxidative stress, and/or allergic sensitization, as well as increased susceptibility to viral infections. Some of these mechanisms may be occurring in utero including epigenetic changes that may increase risk for development of asthma. Factors related to increased susceptibility for air pollution-related asthma severity include age, season and genetic polymorphisms related to antioxidant enzymes. Ambient pollution levels may be associated with both asthma incidence and severity. Susceptibility to air pollution may be higher in children with genetic polymorphisms related to the 'oxidant stress pathways'. Potential interventions for susceptible children at risk for asthma development and/or severity include decreased exposure on high air pollution days, especially in the summer months, and antioxidant supplementation. On the population level, changes in school and home zoning to increase distance from busy roadways may help reduce both asthma incidence and severity.

  12. Solar photocatalytic cleaning of polluted water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bockelmann, D.

    1994-01-01

    Alternatively to biological, physical and chemical methods of waste water cleaning, photocatalysis can be employed. In this residue-free method, titanium dioxide particles are brought into contact with polluted water as photocatalysts. Under UV irradiation at wave-lengths below 400 nm, change carriers are generated in the semiconductor particles that act so intensely oxidizing as to completely degrade almost all organic pollutants in waste water. In this process, the ultra-violet part of the solar spectrum can be harnessed to generate oxidation equivalents. Thus, solar photocatalytic waste water cleaning is excellently suited for developing countries. (BWI) [de

  13. Inverse atmospheric radiative transfer problems - A nonlinear minimization search method of solution. [aerosol pollution monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fymat, A. L.

    1976-01-01

    The paper studies the inversion of the radiative transfer equation describing the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with atmospheric aerosols. The interaction can be considered as the propagation in the aerosol medium of two light beams: the direct beam in the line-of-sight attenuated by absorption and scattering, and the diffuse beam arising from scattering into the viewing direction, which propagates more or less in random fashion. The latter beam has single scattering and multiple scattering contributions. In the former case and for single scattering, the problem is reducible to first-kind Fredholm equations, while for multiple scattering it is necessary to invert partial integrodifferential equations. A nonlinear minimization search method, applicable to the solution of both types of problems has been developed, and is applied here to the problem of monitoring aerosol pollution, namely the complex refractive index and size distribution of aerosol particles.

  14. Basic Principle of Advanced Oxidation Technology : Hybrid Technology Based on Ozone and Titania

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Widdi Usada; Agus Purwadi

    2007-01-01

    One of problems in health environment is organic liquid waste from many pollutant resources. Environmental friendly technology for degrading this waste is ozone which produced by plasma discharge technology, but its capability is limited. However, it is needed a new environmental friendly technology which has stronger capability. This new technology is so called advanced oxidation technology. Advanced oxidation technology is a hybrid of ozone, peroxide, UV light and photo catalyst. In this paper, it is introduced basic principle of hybrid of ozone and titania photo catalyst semiconductor. The capability of organic liquid degradation will be stronger because there is new radical which is produced by chemical reaction between electron-hole pair from photo catalyst titania and water or oxygen. This new radical then degrades this organic pollutant. This technology is used to degrade phenol. (author)

  15. A novel field transplantation technique reveals intra-specific metal-induced oxidative responses in strains of Ectocarpus siliculosus with different pollution histories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sáez, Claudio A.; González, Alberto; Contreras, Rodrigo A.; Moody, A. John; Moenne, Alejandra; Brown, Murray T.

    2015-01-01

    A novel field transplantation technique, in which seaweed material is incorporated into dialysis tubing, was used to investigate intra-specific responses to metals in the model brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus. Metal accumulation in the two strains was similar, with higher concentrations in material deployed to the metal-contaminated site (Ventanas, Chile) than the pristine site (Quintay, Chile). However, the oxidative responses differed. At Ventanas, strain Es147 (from low-polluted site) underwent oxidative damage whereas Es524 (from highly polluted site) was not affected. Concentrations of reduced ascorbate (ASC) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were significantly higher in Es524. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR) all increased in Es524, whereas only SOD increased in Es147. For the first time, employing a field transplantation technique, we provide unambiguous evidence of inter-population variation of metal-tolerance in brown algae and establish that antioxidant defences are, in part, responsible. - Highlights: • Metal tolerance in Ectocarpus siliculosus populations was studied through in situ experiments. • Metal tolerance in E. siliculosus populations is partly based in antioxidant defences. • In situ experiments using a dialysis tubing device was successful for metal diagnosis. - Field transplantation experimentation provides evidence that differential antioxidant defences, in part, mediate inter-population tolerance to metal pollution in the model brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus

  16. Plant injury due to air pollution - similar symptoms. Part I

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsuoka, Y

    1976-01-01

    Many plant diseases cause injuries to leaves which mimic the damage inflicted by air pollution. The relationship between air pollution injuries and those caused by meteorological conditions are discussed. Rice plants often contract akagare which causes reddish-brown spots on leaves similar to the symptoms caused by photochemical oxidants. Spider mites produce leaf damage in kidney beans which mimics the spotting caused by photochemical oxidants. Lace bugs produce minute white spots on azaleas similar to those caused by photochemical oxidants.

  17. Practical applications of the Fenton reaction to the removal of chlorinated aromatic pollutants. Oxidative degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Detomaso, Antonia; Lopez, Antonio; Lovecchio, Giangiuseppe; Mascolo, Giuseppe; Curci, Ruggero

    2003-01-01

    Chlorophenols (CPs) constitute a group of organic pollutants that are introduced into the environment as a result of several man-made activities, such as uncontrolled use of pesticides and herbicides, and as byproducts in the paper pulp bleaching. Promising removal technologies of chlorinated aromatics consist in the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) that can provide an almost total degradation of a variety of contaminants. Among these, wide application find Fenton systems based on generation of reactive species having a high oxidizing power, such as hydroxyl radical HO*. Our objective was that of determining the overall degradation efficiency of the model compound 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) by thermal Fenton-type oxidation systems with a view toward defining in more details relevant process parameters, the effect of reaction temperature and of co-catalyst Cu2+. Reaction conditions were similar to those generally adopted as optimal in many practical applications, i.e. pollutant/Fe2+ (as FeSO4) ratio ca. 20, Fe2+/Cu2+ (co-catalyst) 2:1, pH adjusted and controlled at pH 3, and H2O2 in excess (up to four-fold over the stoichiometric amount required for complete mineralization). The results demonstrate that it is advantageous to carry out the reaction at a temperature markedly higher (70 degrees C) than ambient. The stepwise addition of H2O2 in aliquots yields an efficient transformation, while allowing a convenient control of the reaction exothermicity. Under these conditions, the essentially complete removal of the initial DCP is accomplished using just one equiv of H2O2 during 15 min; excess H2O2 (5 equivalents) yields extensive substrate mineralization. Also relevant, at 70 degrees C dechlorination of the initial DCP (and of derived reaction intermediates) is remarkably extensive (3-5% residual TOX), already with the addition of 1 equiv of H2O2. At the end of the reaction, IC and IC-MS analyses of the solution reveal that only low-molecular weight

  18. Nitrous oxide pollution during x-ray exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yanagida, Hisashi; Nakajima, Michiaki.

    1980-01-01

    X-radiation has been shown to produce NO and NO 2 in the presence of nitrous oxide. The purpose of the present study was to confirm how much NO and NO 2 was produced when constant amount of nitrous oxide was exposed by constant X-radiation. Twenty polyethylene bottles (capacity 10 litres) were filled with nitrous oxide alone. Another 20 bottles were filled with nitrous oxide and 30% oxygen. Each bottle was placed at a distance of 30 cm from X-ray tube and they were directly in the line of the X-ray beam at a setting of 90 KV at 0.5 mA, a standard setting for chest fluoroscopy. The range of duration of X-ray exposure was from 0 (control), to 2, 3, and 5 minutes in 5 bottles each, respectively. A colorimetric recording method (Saltzman) and a chemiluminescent monitor were used for measurement of NO and NO 2 . In the bottles filled with nitrous oxide alone, the production of NO was not affected by the duration of X-ray exposure, but the longer duration of X-ray exposure produced a larger amount of NO 2 . In the bottles filled with nitrous oxide and 30% oxygen, the longer duration of X-ray exposure produced larger amounts of both NO and NO 2 . These findings confirmed a previous investigation in which nitrous oxide was not inert under X-ray exposure. As the presence of oxygen plays an important role in the oxidation of nitrous oxide under X-ray, this study suggests another potentially hazardous interaction that may occur secondary to the administration of anesthetic in the presence of X-irradiation such as pulmonary angiography, cardiac catheterization, and fluoroscopic bronchoscopy or biopsy under general anesthesia. (author)

  19. Air pollution problems and diseases caused by hazardous gases in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    With passage of time people realized that polluted air had serious effects on their health, climate and economics. Weather and climate have the integrated impact on human activities which are resulting in worldwide concentration of the particulate of environmental pollution viz. chloroflorocarbons (CFCs), carbon dioxide, ...

  20. pH effect on decolorization of raw textile wastewater polluted with reactive dyes by advanced oxidation with uv/h2o2

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Racyte, J.; Rimeika, M.; Bruning, H.

    2009-01-01

    The effectiveness of the advanced oxidation process (UV/H2O2) in decolorizing real textile wastewater polluted with commercial reactive dyes - Reactive Yellow 84 and Reactive Red 141 was investigated. All the experiments were performed in a lab-scale reactor with the original high pH of the

  1. urban environmental pollution and health problems in

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    NNEWI NORTH L.G.A

    manufacturing and industrial activities. However, Onitsha is a centre for the production of local goods and services, ... corresponding to the dry and flood phase, respectively of the hydrological regime. The vegetation is ..... A general hazard in Onitsha includes the presence of odour and colour in the affected waters. Pollution ...

  2. Thermal Oxidation of Tail Gases from the Production of Oil-furnace Carbon Black

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bosak, Z.

    2009-01-01

    the air pollution problem in the town of Kutina, especially the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide in the troposphere. Together with the development of this flare system, a continuous air-pollutant (hydrogen sulfide and carbon(II oxide monitoring system shall be established and linked with the Environmental Protection Agency

  3. Environmental pollution-effects on national development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahyuddin bin Ramli; Mohd Fadzil bin Mohd Idris

    1994-01-01

    Environmental pollution is among the major issues highlighted in many discussion between the Government and Non-Government officials whether in the developed or developing countries. The problems becoming worsen when not many people are concerned on its detrimental effects on the future generations. The increasing number of forest activities without proper replanting will also expose to flood problems, soil erosion, landslides and many more as results of environmental impacts. The urbanization process, couple with the rapid industrial development, without having proper planning and inadequate pollutions control, may also create a long term disasters. Penang island territory has been experiencing the most highly physical development growth in this country. Hence, environmental problems are becoming the major issues. This paper will discuss on the various environmental problem, particularly in Penang and possible remedials to be taken by the state and federal authority to overcome the problems. The type of pollutions such as air and water pollutions, acid rain and of course the reduction of ozone layer. Besides that the increase of heat in our climate will also be of our concern in the process of urbanization

  4. Biomarkers of exposure to tobacco smoke and environmental pollutants in mothers and its transplacental transfer to the foetus. Part II: Oxidative damage

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rössner ml., Pavel; Milcová, Alena; Líbalová, Helena; Nováková, Zuzana; Topinka, Jan; Balaščak, I.; Šrám, Radim

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 669, 1-2 (2009), s. 20-26 ISSN 0027-5107 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06088 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512 Keywords : air pollution * oxidative stress * newborns Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 3.556, year: 2009

  5. Inheritance of photochemical air pollution tolerance in petunias

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanson, G.P.; Addis, D.H.; Thorne, L.

    1976-12-01

    Seven commercial inbred lines of pink flowered multiflora petunia (Petunia hybrida Vilm.) which differed widely in degrees of tolerance to photochemical oxidants were crossed in all possible combinations to yield a complete diallel cross. Sibling representatives of all 49 possible hybrids were then separately subjected to ozone (O/sub 3/), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), and ambient oxidants at Arcadia, California. The seedlings were scored for tolerance to each pollutant and the inheritance of tolerance to each pollutant was studied. At the ambient levels of photochemical oxidants encountered, PAN more severely injured the petunias than did the O/sub 3/ component. Hybrids tolerant to one oxidant were not necessarily tolerant to the other. The genes which contributed photochemical oxidant tolerance in petunia acted primarily in an additive manner with some indication of partial dominance for tolerance. Gene interaction was evident in the expression of petunia sensitivity to PAN.

  6. Plants as indicators of the environmental pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Michler, R

    1971-01-01

    Possibilities of surveying air pollution by means of indicator plants are reviewed. Though the effects of air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides on plants are dependent on several factors such as plant species, stage of development, weather, pollutant concentration, and part of the day, it is possible to use certain plants, especially lichens, as indicators of the degree of air pollution. Comparative observations of vegetation over a period of years, and the exposure of transplanted plants in selected sites represent two different, though complementary, methods for the use of indicator plants.

  7. Air pollution damage to plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daly, G T

    1974-01-01

    The effects of the most important air pollutants on plants are described in detail. The include: smoke and particulates, sulfur dioxide, fluorides, peroxyacetyl nitrate, nitrogen oxides, and ozone. An attempt is made to show that plant injury by air pollution can be recognized and evaluated in the presence of effects from insect, fungal, bacterial, viral pathogens and the symptoms of nutrient and enviromental stress. All plants are more or less affected by toxic gases and metals absorbed from the air. For each plant and each pollutant there is a critical concentration above which damage occurs, and below which growth is normal.

  8. A miniaturized electrochemical toxicity biosensor based on graphene oxide quantum dots/carboxylated carbon nanotubes for assessment of priority pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Xiaolin; Wu, Guanlan; Lu, Nan [School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117 (China); Yuan, Xing, E-mail: yuanx@nenu.edu.cn [School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117 (China); Li, Baikun, E-mail: baikun@engr.uconn.edu [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 (United States)

    2017-02-15

    Highlights: • Graphene oxide quantum dots/carboxylated carbon nanotubes hybrid was developed. • The cytotoxicity detection vessel was miniaturized to the 96-well plate. • The electrochemical behavior of HepG2 cell was investigated for the first time. • The mixture signal of adenine and hypoxanthine was separated successfully. • The biosensor was used to assess the toxicity of heavy metals and phenols. - Abstract: The study presented a sensitive and miniaturized cell-based electrochemical biosensor to assess the toxicity of priority pollutants in the aquatic environment. Human hepatoma (HepG2) cells were used as the biological recognition agent to measure the changes of electrochemical signals and reflect the cell viability. The graphene oxide quantum dots/carboxylated carbon nanotubes hybrid was developed in a facile and green way. Based on the hybrid composite modified pencil graphite electrode, the cell culture and detection vessel was miniaturized to a 96-well plate instead of the traditional culture dish. In addition, three sensitive electrochemical signals attributed to guanine/xanthine, adenine, and hypoxanthine were detected simultaneously. The biosensor was used to evaluate the toxicity of six priority pollutants, including Cd, Hg, Pb, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol. The 24 h IC{sub 50} values obtained by the electrochemical biosensor were lower than those of conventional MTT assay, suggesting the enhanced sensitivity of the electrochemical assay towards heavy metals and phenols. This platform enables the label-free and sensitive detection of cell physiological status with multi-parameters and constitutes a promising approach for toxicity detection of pollutants. It makes possible for automatical and high-throughput analysis on nucleotide catabolism, which may be critical for life science and toxicology.

  9. Environmental Justice and Health Effects of Urban Air Pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, John A; Mitchell, Mark A; Edgerton, Victor S; VanCott, Robert

    2015-02-01

    Minority communities often bear the burden of "hosting" pollution sources. This report assesses whether there are any health effects from living near such pollution sources and whether health effects of pollution vary by sex, ethnicity, or income. The air pollution emissions from Hartford area, point sources are modeled and exposures are estimated for the residents who participated in a geographically-based health survey. The pollution intensities and other individual and neighborhood characteristics are used to predict an individual's reported respiratory problems. The results indicate that respiratory problems are correlated significantly with pollution levels, especially sulfur dioxide from the local trash-to-energy incinerator-the fifth largest one in the U.S. The effects of a given pollution level tend to be more serious for specific subgroups based upon sex, ethnicity, poverty, and age. Even when controlling for other factors, air pollution levels are significantly correlated with health problems, especially for Hispanics. This air pollution may contribute to health disparities. © 2015 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. A simple Cr(VI)–S(IV)–O{sub 2} system for rapid and simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) and oxidative degradation of organic pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Yanan; Yang, Shaojie [Department of Environmental Science, Hubei Key Lab of Biomass Resource Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, School of Resources and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, 430079 (China); Zhou, Danna, E-mail: zdncug@163.com [Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Wu, Feng [Department of Environmental Science, Hubei Key Lab of Biomass Resource Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, School of Resources and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, 430079 (China)

    2016-04-15

    Highlights: • Rapid and simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) and degradation of organic pollutants occur. • Oxysulfur radicals generated in Cr(VI)–S(IV)–O{sub 2} system oxidize the organic pollutants. • Acidic pH facilitates the reactions from both directions of reduction and oxidation. • Degradation potential of aromatic amines depends on the substituted groups. • Cr(VI)–S(IV)–O{sub 2} system is promising for “waste control by waste”. - Abstract: Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), a heavy-metal contaminant, can be easily reduced to less toxic trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) by sulfite ions (S(IV)). However, S(IV) has not drawn as much attention as the ferrous ion has. We report herein a novel Cr(VI)–S(IV)–O{sub 2} system containing sulfite ions that rapidly and simultaneously reduces Cr(VI) and oxidize organic pollutants in the presence of oxygen in aqueous solutions. This Cr(VI)–S(IV)-O{sub 2} system contains the initiator Cr(VI), the reductant S(IV), and the oxidant O{sub 2}, which produce oxysulfur radicals (mainly SO{sub 4}·{sup −} and SO{sub 5}·{sup −}) and hydroxyl radicals (OH·). The Cr(VI)/S(IV) molar ratio, pH, and oxygen content play important roles in the entire reaction system. Acidic conditions (pH 3.0) facilitated degradation of organic compounds and reduction of Cr(VI) as well. In addition, experiments of rapid degradation of several kinds of organic pollutants such as azo dye (acid orange 7, AO7), aniline, phenol, bisphenol A etc were also conducted. Preliminary results show that the removal rates of the analogs of phenols or aromatic amines in this Cr(VI)–S(IV)–O{sub 2} system have a relationship with the electronic parameters (Hammett constant, σ) of the substituted groups. Thus, the Cr(VI)–S(IV)–O{sub 2} system, provides an excellent strategy of “waste control by waste” for removing multiple industrial contaminants.

  11. Does air pollution pose a public health problem for New Zealand?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scoggins, Amanda

    2004-02-01

    Air pollution is increasingly documented as a threat to public health and a major focus of regulatory activity in developed and developing countries. Air quality indicators suggest New Zealand has clean air relative to many other countries. However, media releases such as 'Christchurch wood fires pump out deadly smog' and 'Vehicle pollution major killer' have sparked public health concern regarding exposure to ambient air pollution, especially in anticipation of increasing emissions and population growth. Recent evidence is presented on the effects of air quality on health, which has been aided by the application of urban airshed models and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Future directions for research into the effects of air quality on health in New Zealand are discussed, including a national ambient air quality management project: HAPINZ--Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand.

  12. Environmental pollution and risk of psychotic disorders: A review of the science to date.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attademo, Luigi; Bernardini, Francesco; Garinella, Raffaele; Compton, Michael T

    2017-03-01

    Environmental pollution is a global problem with diverse and substantial public health implications. Although many environmental (i.e., non-genetic) risk factors for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders have been identified, there has been comparatively little research on pollution as a possible risk factor. This is despite the fact that gene-by-environment interactions and epigenetic mechanisms are now recognized as likely facets of the etiology of schizophrenia, and the fact that pollution could potentially mediate the association between urban birth/upbringing and elevated risk. We conducted a review of the literature to date in order to summarize and synthesize work in this area. We identified 13 research reports and 16 review articles. Based on the extant knowledge in this area and what is known about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, it is feasible that exposure to xenobiotic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, constituents of air pollution such as particulate matter and nitrogen and sulfur oxides, organic solvents, and other constituents of environmental pollution could be component causes. Further research-from the cellular to epidemiological levels-is clearly needed. If causation is proven, enhancements of policy intended to reduce human exposure to environmental pollution could reduce the burden of schizophrenia and possibly other mental illnesses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Air pollution monitoring in downtown Rome, Italy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brocco, D; Petricca, M; Polesi, R [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome (Italy). Ist. sull' Inquinamento Atmosferico Assessorato Ambiente, Rome (Italy). Amministrazione Provinciale

    1992-09-01

    This paper tables air pollution data indicating concentrations of sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, non-methane hydrocarbons (NMTHC) and particulate matter measured in downtown Rome during the period, April 1990 - March 1991. These data are analyzed according to National Air Quality Standards. Correlations are developed for nitrous oxide, NMTHC and ozone concentration trends as a function of solar radiation intensity. Analysis of the data reveals that the concentrations of the primary pollutants, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, were very high in the winter months when building heating systems were operating under stable weather conditions. In many cases, the concentrations of carbon monoxide exceeded ambient air quality standards. The paper also discusses the need for the development of limits for NMTHC concentrations and including these limits in the Air Quality Standards.

  14. Self-Propelled Micromotors for Cleaning Polluted Water

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    We describe the use of catalytically self-propelled microjets (dubbed micromotors) for degrading organic pollutants in water via the Fenton oxidation process. The tubular micromotors are composed of rolled-up functional nanomembranes consisting of Fe/Pt bilayers. The micromotors contain double functionality within their architecture, i.e., the inner Pt for the self-propulsion and the outer Fe for the in situ generation of ferrous ions boosting the remediation of contaminated water.The degradation of organic pollutants takes place in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a reagent for the Fenton reaction and as main fuel to propel the micromotors. Factors influencing the efficiency of the Fenton oxidation process, including thickness of the Fe layer, pH, and concentration of hydrogen peroxide, are investigated. The ability of these catalytically self-propelled micromotors to improve intermixing in liquids results in the removal of organic pollutants ca. 12 times faster than when the Fenton oxidation process is carried out without catalytically active micromotors. The enhanced reaction–diffusion provided by micromotors has been theoretically modeled. The synergy between the internal and external functionalities of the micromotors, without the need of further functionalization, results into an enhanced degradation of nonbiodegradable and dangerous organic pollutants at small-scale environments and holds considerable promise for the remediation of contaminated water. PMID:24180623

  15. Modelling pollutant emissions in diesel engines, influence of biofuel on pollutant formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petranović, Zvonimir; Bešenić, Tibor; Vujanović, Milan; Duić, Neven

    2017-12-01

    In order to reduce the harmful effect on the environment, European Union allowed using the biofuel blends as fuel for the internal combustion engines. Experimental studies have been carried on, dealing with the biodiesel influence on the emission concentrations, showing inconclusive results. In this paper numerical model for pollutant prediction in internal combustion engines is presented. It describes the processes leading towards the pollutant emissions, such as spray particles model, fuel disintegration and evaporation model, combustion and the chemical model for pollutant formation. Presented numerical model, implemented in proprietary software FIRE ® , is able to capture chemical phenomena and to predict pollutant emission concentration trends. Using the presented model, numerical simulations of the diesel fuelled internal combustion engine have been performed, with the results validated against the experimental data. Additionally, biodiesel has been used as fuel and the levels of pollutant emissions have been compared to the diesel case. Results have shown that the biodiesel blends release lower nitrogen oxide emissions than the engines powered with the regular diesel. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Application of Iron Oxide Nano materials for the Removal of Heavy Metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dave, P.N.; Chopda, L.V.

    2014-01-01

    In the 21st century water polluted by heavy metal is one of the environment problems. Various methods for removal of the heavy metal ions from the water have extensively been studied. Application of iron oxide nana particles based nano materials for removal of heavy metals is well-known adsorbents for remediation of water. Due to its important physiochemical property, inexpensive method and easy regeneration in the presence of external magnetic field make them more attractive toward water purification. Surface modification strategy of iron oxide nanoparticles is also used for the remediation of water increases the efficiency of iron oxide for the removal of the heavy metal ions from the aqueous system.

  17. Effects of atmospheric pollutants on lipids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howton, D.R.

    1976-01-01

    Studies on effects of atmospheric pollutants on lipids emphasized effects of nitrogen dioxide on olefinic centers of alveolar fluid surfactant lipids. The finding that NO 2 attacks α-tocopherol much more avidly than olefinic fatty esters indicates that the autoxidation enhancing effects of this atmospheric pollutant may be greatly magnified by destruction of native antioxidants that normally suppress the extensiveness of such lipid oxidation

  18. Atmospheric pollution considered in relation to horticulture: preliminary analysis of the problem

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scurfield, G

    1955-01-01

    The results of the possible effects of SO/sub 2/ and other air pollutants upon the distribution and success of several plants species in the UK is discussed. The hypothesis is advanced that observed distributions of several plant species are a result of varying sensitivities to air pollutants and varying concentrations of air pollutants.

  19. Epidemiological approach to cadmium pollution in Japan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shigematsu, I.

    1984-04-01

    The study of health problems due to cadmium pollution in Japan originated from an endemic episode of Itai-itai disease in a rural area in north-central Japan after World War II. The disease was defined as osteomalacia with tubular changes in the kidney and considered to be associated with excess intake of cadmium. This episode motivated the Japanese Government to conduct health examinations on the general population in cadmium-polluted and non-polluted areas throughout the country since 1969. Although Itai-itai disease-like bone changes were rarely found, these studies revealed a higher prevalence of renal tubular dysfunction among elderly people in the cadmium-polluted areas. No significant difference was noted in cancer mortality, but mortality from cardiovascular diseases and all causes tended to be lower in cadmium-polluted areas. Clinical and pathological studies in man as well as experiments on primates have recently been made to elucidate the pathogenesis of Itai-itai disease and the health effects of cadmium. The lack of knowledge on the ecological and biological complex of cadmium resulted in the impediment of studies on this problem. The lesson from this experience is that basic research is essential for promoting the study of pollutants such as heavy metals, though pollution problems usually require urgent solutions.

  20. Perspective of environmental pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Argent, B.B.; Thompson, D. [Sheffield Univ., Dept. of Engineering Materials, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Edyvean, R.G.J. [Sheffield Univ., Dept. of Chemical and Process Engineering, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Spears, D.A. [Sheffield Univ., Dept. of Earth Sciences, Sheffield (United Kingdom)

    2004-04-01

    This article aims to stimulate interest in pollution problems that are associated with the minerals industries. Because this subject is so broad, this study has concentrated on a limited number of topics that have been studied by the authors. After a brief survey indicating major sources of pollution through gaseous emissions, contamination of waterways and land fill sites, attention is focused on some of the methods of predicting, monitoring and limiting emissions together with remediation of polluted sites. (Author)

  1. Environmental pollution. Uni-Taschenbuecher

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Odzuck, W

    1982-01-01

    The volume of the anthropogenic pollution of the environment (incl. radioactivity) is of great economical importance and has also a meaning to the health and happiness of people. The pocket book introduces into the whole problem by giving exact information and data. After a general survey, the pollutions of urban-industrial, and aquatic ecosystems are dealt with. The book closes with indications as to general principles, specific dangers, and the future development of the environmental pollution.

  2. Proposing of an aerated water treatment plant for reducing water pollution problem in Losari Beach after reclamation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suryani, Sri; Maharani, Hamzah, Muhammad Alimuddin

    2017-01-01

    Losari Beach is the most important site in Makassar. It lies at the west side of Makassar city. This place is known as the place where people are relaxed and gathering with friends or family after working, and now it becomes the icon of Makassar city. As the biggest city in eastern Indonesia, Makassar grows very fast. We can find constructions for building hospitals, shopping malls, bussines activities, and residences everywhere. The most important construction activities that will effect Losari Beach is the reclamation to build the Center Point of Indonesia that takes an area of 157 hectares and it is located at the west side of Losari Beach. In the last research presented in 9th International Conference on Marine Technology (October 2014) using surface-water modeling system (SMS) software showed that reclamation will significantly increase concentrations of BOD and COD (± 7 mg/L for BOD and 6.2 mg/L for COD). This condition will cause Losari Beach becomes very polluted. A probable solution to overcome this problem is to clean the wastewater before introducing to the sea. This paper will describe the type of the wastewater treatment plant that can be used to solve the water pollution problem in Losari Beach.

  3. Environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanif, J.; Hanif, M.I.

    1997-01-01

    The third proceedings of National Symposium on Modern Trends in Contemporary Chemistry was held in Islamabad, Pakistan from February 24-26, 1997. In this symposium more than 220 scientists, engineers and technologist were registered from 11 universities, 17 research organisations and 8 non-governmental organisation including some commercial establishments. The symposium was divided into five technical sessions on hydro spheric pollution, atmospheric pollution, bio spheric pollution, lithospheric pollution and impact assessment and environmental education. Environmental and ecology are so interdependent that any change in the balance due to natural and man made cause may result in a disaster, flood, fire, earthquake, epidemic, population explosion etc. are the natural ways of unbalancing our ecosystem. The scope of this symposium includes: 1) Review the chemistry and the chemical techniques like polarography, coulometry, HPLC, GC-MS, NAA, XRF, AAS, AES etc. involved in the assessment monitoring and control of various pollutions. 2) Propose sampling, transportation, measurement and standardization procedures. 3) Collaboration in scientific data collection. 4) Mutual consultation for management of the pollution problem in a cost effective manner. 5) sharing knowledge and experience with various environmental protection groups both in public and private sector. (A.B.)

  4. Local scale air pollution forecasting by artificial intelligence techniques and assess the pollution-related social effects

    OpenAIRE

    Gong, Bing; Ordieres-Meré, Joaquín

    2016-01-01

    Since the air pollution can cause serious health problem, the concerns about forecasting air pollution timely and accurately arise by researchers in order to alert the public avoiding high level pollution and help the government make decisions. In our research, we take Hong Kong (finished research) and the cities in Mexico (finishing) and Mainland China (starting), especially the high pollutant areas such as Mexico City and Beijing, as study cases. Meanwhile, various types of arti...

  5. Fractional kalman filter to estimate the concentration of air pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vita Oktaviana, Yessy; Apriliani, Erna; Khusnul Arif, Didik

    2018-04-01

    Air pollution problem gives important effect in quality environment and quality of human’s life. Air pollution can be caused by nature sources or human activities. Pollutant for example Ozone, a harmful gas formed by NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from various sources. The air pollution problem can be modeled by TAPM-CTM (The Air Pollution Model with Chemical Transport Model). The model shows concentration of pollutant in the air. Therefore, it is important to estimate concentration of air pollutant. Estimation method can be used for forecast pollutant concentration in future and keep stability of air quality. In this research, an algorithm is developed, based on Fractional Kalman Filter to solve the model of air pollution’s problem. The model will be discretized first and then it will be estimated by the method. The result shows that estimation of Fractional Kalman Filter has better accuracy than estimation of Kalman Filter. The accuracy was tested by applying RMSE (Root Mean Square Error).

  6. Cleaning up coal-fired plants : multi-pollutant technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Granson, E.

    2009-06-15

    Coal is the source of 41 per cent of the world's electricity. Emission reduction technologies are needed to address the rapid growth of coal-fired plants in developing countries. This article discussed a multi-pollutant technology currently being developed by Natural Resources Canada's CANMET Energy Technology Centre. The ECO technology was designed to focus on several types of emissions, including sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury and particulates, as well as acid gases and other metals from the exhaust gas of coal-fired plants. The ECO process converts and absorbs incoming pollutants in a wet electrostatic precipitator while at the same time producing a valuable fertilizer. The ECO system is installed as part of the plant's existing particulate control device and treats flue gas in 3 process steps: (1) a dielectric barrier discharge reactor oxidizes gaseous pollutants to higher oxides; (2) an ammonia scrubber then removes sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) not converted by the reactor while also removing the NOx; and (3) the wet electrostatic precipitator captures acid aerosols produced by the discharge reactor. A diagram of the ECO process flow was included. It was concluded that the systems will be installed in clean coal plants by 2015. 2 figs.

  7. Topical problems related to the pollution of the Baltic Sea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    This report sums up the current state of knowledge on the pollution of the Baltic Sea as an aquatic system. Mineral oil hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, heavy metals and radionuclides are pinpointed as the main causes of pollution. Furthermore, the work presents the results of investigations carried through for several years on the contamination of salt-water fishes. The causes and consequences of nutrient accumulation in the Baltic Sea are discussed. (VT) [de

  8. Air Pollution and Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, R. D., Ed.

    This book is an authoritative reference and practical guide designed to help the plant engineer identify and solve industrial air pollution problems in order to be able to meet current air pollution regulations. Prepared under the editorial supervision of an experienced chemical engineer, with each chapter contributed by an expert in his field,…

  9. Air Pollution. Environmental Ecological Education Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkway School District, Chesterfield, MO.

    This unit, designed for senior high school students, focuses on air pollution by examining its effect on man, plants and animals, the causes of air pollution, and possible solutions to the air pollution problems. It approaches each of these topics through both natural science and social science perspectives. The unit is divided into seven separate…

  10. Long-range transport of air pollution under light gradient wind conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurita, H.; Sasaki, K.; Muroga, H.; Ueda, H.; Wakamatsu, S.

    1985-01-01

    The long-range transport of air pollution on clear days under light gradient wind conditions is investigated from an analysis of all days with high oxidant concentrations in 1979 at locations in central Japan that are far from pollutant sources. Surface-level wind and pressure distributions over a 300 x 300 km area were analyzed, together with concentration isopleths of oxidants and suspended particles produced by photochemical reactions

  11. Pollution prevention constraints within DOE facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walzer, A.E.

    1992-01-01

    The signing of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, has marked a new environmental era. The 1990s environmental movement is shifting from ''end of the pipe'' treatment towards a philosophy of source reduction (predicated by the Pollution Prevention Act), where engineering solutions and materials substitution are sought to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste. This change comes after 20 years of treatment legislation, where in many cases the location or media in which our pollution is deposited was merely changed. This problem is exemplified by the enormous environmental problems created by waste sites. Our inability to deal with the substantial waste generated has produced the environmental legacy on the Department of Energy (DOE) sites, a legacy that will cost billions of dollars to remediate. How then do we solve our waste problems and avoid future legacies? This paper outlines some of the obstacles to pollution prevention within the DOE system and explores opportunities to remove these barriers. Industry, whose foundation is economics, has found it attractive to reduce their wastes, particularly in the wake of escalating waste disposal costs. However, within federal facilities where basic economic principles do not prevail, incentives towards pollution prevention need to be evaluated. Our current system of segregated DOE programs creates obstacles for waste generators to work productively with other programs. Certain policies and practices also limit the generators' responsibility and costs for their waste, which is counter productive to waste minimization and pollution prevention. To meet new environmental challenges and to be proactive in pollution prevention we must evaluate our systems and remove barriers that impede progress toward pollution prevention

  12. Infiltration and air quality in well-insulated homes: 3. measurement and modeling of pollutant levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koontz, M.D.; Nagda, N.L.

    1984-01-01

    Indoor pollutant levels in well-insulated houses are being investigated in a 2-year theoretical and experimental study involving the simultaneous measurement of meteorological variables, air exchange and circulation, and energy consumption. This paper describes concentrations of radon, radon progeny, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides observed in two houses over two seasons, summer and fall 1983. Two companion papers provide a perspective on the problem and the study design, and present results of energy use and infiltration measurements. (Author)

  13. The Protective Role of Antioxidants in the Defence against ROS/RNS-Mediated Environmental Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borut Poljšak

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species can result from exposure to environmental pollutants, such as ionising and nonionising radiation, ultraviolet radiation, elevated concentrations of ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, cigarette smoke, asbestos, particulate matter, pesticides, dioxins and furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and many other compounds present in the environment. It appears that increased oxidative/nitrosative stress is often neglected mechanism by which environmental pollutants affect human health. Oxidation of and oxidative damage to cellular components and biomolecules have been suggested to be involved in the aetiology of several chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and aging. Several studies have demonstrated that the human body can alleviate oxidative stress using exogenous antioxidants. However, not all dietary antioxidant supplements display protective effects, for example, β-carotene for lung cancer prevention in smokers or tocopherols for photooxidative stress. In this review, we explore the increases in oxidative stress caused by exposure to environmental pollutants and the protective effects of antioxidants.

  14. Water Pollution Detection Based on Hypothesis Testing in Sensor Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Luo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Water pollution detection is of great importance in water conservation. In this paper, the water pollution detection problems of the network and of the node in sensor networks are discussed. The detection problems in both cases of the distribution of the monitoring noise being normal and nonnormal are considered. The pollution detection problems are analyzed based on hypothesis testing theory firstly; then, the specific detection algorithms are given. Finally, two implementation examples are given to illustrate how the proposed detection methods are used in the water pollution detection in sensor networks and prove the effectiveness of the proposed detection methods.

  15. Integrated use of antioxidant enzymes and oxidative damage in two fish species to assess pollution in man-made hydroelectric reservoirs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakuragui, M M; Paulino, M G; Pereira, C D S; Carvalho, C S; Sadauskas-Henrique, H; Fernandes, M N

    2013-07-01

    This study investigated the relationship between contaminant body burden and the oxidative stress status of the gills and livers of two wild fish species in the Furnas Hydroelectric Power Station (HPS) reservoir (Minas Gerais, Brazil). Gills and livers presented similar pathways of metals and organochlorine bioaccumulation. During June, organochlorines were associated with lipid peroxidation (LPO), indicating oxidative stress due to the inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. In the most polluted areas, metal concentrations in the liver were associated with metallothionein. During December, contaminants in the gills and liver were associated with catalase activity and LPO. Aldrin/dieldrin was the contaminant most associated with oxidative damage in the livers of both species. This integrated approach shed light on the relationship between adverse biological effects and bioaccumulation of contaminants inputted by intensive agricultural practices and proved to be a suitable tool for assessing the environmental quality of man-made reservoirs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Particulate matter air pollution causes oxidant-mediated increase in gut permeability in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keshavarzian Ali

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Exposure to particulate matter (PM air pollution may be an important environmental factor leading to exacerbations of inflammatory illnesses in the GI tract. PM can gain access to the gastrointestinal (GI tract via swallowing of air or secretions from the upper airways or mucociliary clearance of inhaled particles. Methods We measured PM-induced cell death and mitochondrial ROS generation in Caco-2 cells stably expressing oxidant sensitive GFP localized to mitochondria in the absence or presence of an antioxidant. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a very high dose of urban PM from Washington, DC (200 μg/mouse or saline via gastric gavage and small bowel and colonic tissue were harvested for histologic evaluation, and RNA isolation up to 48 hours. Permeability to 4kD dextran was measured at 48 hours. Results PM induced mitochondrial ROS generation and cell death in Caco-2 cells. PM also caused oxidant-dependent NF-κB activation, disruption of tight junctions and increased permeability of Caco-2 monolayers. Mice exposed to PM had increased intestinal permeability compared with PBS treated mice. In the small bowel, colocalization of the tight junction protein, ZO-1 was lower in the PM treated animals. In the small bowel and colon, PM exposed mice had higher levels of IL-6 mRNA and reduced levels of ZO-1 mRNA. Increased apoptosis was observed in the colon of PM exposed mice. Conclusions Exposure to high doses of urban PM causes oxidant dependent GI epithelial cell death, disruption of tight junction proteins, inflammation and increased permeability in the gut in vitro and in vivo. These PM-induced changes may contribute to exacerbations of inflammatory disorders of the gut.

  17. Problems of selectivity in liquid-phase oxidation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Emanuel, N M

    1978-07-01

    Based on a kinetic analysis of a generalized scheme for radical-chain process and on published experimental results, factors determining the selectivities of various liquid-phase oxidations of organic compounds are examined, including the kinetic chain length, molecular and chain decomposition of products, and competing routes in the initiated oxidation or autoxidation of hydrocarbons to peroxides. Also discussed are selective inhibition of undesirable routes in chain reactions, e.g., styrene and acetaldehyde co-oxidation; activation of molecular oxygen by variable-valence metal compounds used as homogeneous catalysts; modeling of fermentative processes by oxidation of hydrocarbons in complex catalytic systems, e.g., hydroxylation of alkanes, epoxidation or carbonylation of olefins, or oxidation of alcohols and ketones to acids; and the mechanisms of heterogeneous catalysis in liquid-phase reactions, e.g., oxidation of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons to peroxides and co-oxidation of propylene and acetaldehyde.

  18. Economic development and multiple air pollutant emissions from the industrial sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke

    2016-02-01

    This study analyzed the relationship between economic growth and emissions of eight environmental air pollutants (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur oxide (SOx), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), and ammonia (NH3)) in 39 countries from 1995 to 2009. We tested an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for 16 individual industry sectors and for the total industrial sector. The results clarified that at least ten individual industries do not have an EKC relationship in eight air pollutants even though this relationship was observed in the country and total industrial sector level data. We found that the key industries that dictated the EKC relationship in the country and the total industrial sector existed in CO2, N2O, CO, and NMVOC emissions. Finally, the EKC turning point and the relationship between economic development and trends of air pollutant emissions differ among industries according to the pollution substances. These results suggest inducing new environmental policy design such as the sectoral crediting mechanism, which focuses on the industrial characteristics of emissions.

  19. Can Pollution Problems Be Effectively Solved by Environmental Science and Technology? An Analysis of Critical Limitations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huesemann, Michael H.(BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB))

    2000-12-01

    It is currently believed that science and technology can provide effective solutions to most, if not all, environmental problems facing western industrial societies. The validity of this optimistic assumption is highly questionable for at least three reasons: First, current mechanistic, reductionist science is inherently incapable of providing the complete and accurate information which is required to successfully address environmental problems. Second, both the conservation of mass principle and the second law of thermodynamics dictate that most remediation technologies - while successful in solving specific pollution problems - cause unavoidable negative environmental impacts elsewhere or in the future. Third, it is intrinsically impossible to design industrial processes that have no negative environmental impacts. This follows not only from the entropy law but also from the fact that any generation of energy is impossible without negative environmental consequences. It can therefore be concluded that science and technology have only very limited potential in solving current and future environmental problems. Consequently, it will be necessary to address the root cause of environmental deterioration, namely the prevailing materialistic values that are the main driving force for both overpopulation and overconsumption. The long-term protection of the environment is therefore not primarily a technical problem but rather a social and moral problem that can only be solved by drastically reducing the strong influence of materialistic values.

  20. The Oxides of Nitrogen in Air Pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    California State Air Resources Board, Sacramento.

    Research on the health effects of oxides of nitrogen and on the role of oxides of nitrogen in producing photochemical smog effects is presented in this report. Prepared by the California State Department of Public Health at the request of the State Legislature, it gives a comprehensive review of available information, as well as the need for air…

  1. Formulating a problem for functions of the effect in models of atmospheric pollution with parametric consideration of diffusion in the near earth layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ganev, K; Yordanov, D

    1983-01-01

    The formulation of a diffusion problem for numerical models, in which the near earth layer of the atmosphere (PSA) is considered parametrically relative to the zones of pollution (the protected zones) which are also located in the near earth layer of atmosphere, is examined. In modeling atmospheric pollution, the semiempirical equation of turublent diffusion is the starting point. The results are cited of numerical calculations of the functions of the effect for the city of Sofia (the case of an even relief and the disposition of the protected zone totally within the region for which the problem is being solved). The isolines of the integral function of the effect relative to the near earth layer of the atmosphere above the city of Sofia are cited for different meteorological conditions.

  2. On spectral pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llobet, X.; Appert, K.; Bondeson, A.; Vaclavik, J.

    1990-01-01

    Finite difference and finite element approximations of eigenvalue problems, under certain circumstances exhibit spectral pollution, i.e. the appearance of eigenvalues that do not converge to the correct value when the mesh density is increased. In the present paper this phenomenon is investigated in a homogeneous case by means of discrete dispersion relations: the polluting modes belong to a branch of the dispersion relation that is strongly distorted by the discretization method employed, or to a new, spurious branch. The analysis is applied to finite difference methods and to finite element methods, and some indications about how to avoiding polluting schemes are given. (author) 5 figs., 10 refs

  3. Sanitation of overburden dumps containing organic pollutants. Soil pollution obstructs removal of overburden dumps at Ronneburg

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammami, R.; Fischer, D.

    1999-01-01

    Contamination of mineral oil hydrocarbons is a common problem in soil sanitation, and classic methods are employed as a rule. In one case, radioactivity of the polluted rock material, a wide spectrum of pollutants and a high pollutant level necessitated adapted solutions. The task was tackled in a joint effort by builder-owners, authorities, sanitation experts and scientific experts in consideration of economic and ecological aspects [de

  4. Numerical Simulation to Air Pollution Emission Control near an Industrial Zone

    OpenAIRE

    Oyjinda, Pravitra; Pochai, Nopparat

    2017-01-01

    A rapid industrial development causes several environment pollution problems. One of the main problems is air pollution, which affects human health and the environment. The consideration of an air pollutant has to focus on a polluted source. An industrial factory is an important reason that releases the air pollutant into the atmosphere. Thus a mathematical model, an atmospheric diffusion model, is used to estimate air quality that can be used to describe the sulfur dioxide dispersion. In thi...

  5. Air pollution reduction and control in south asia need for a regional agreement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khwaja, M.A.; Shaheen, N.; Sherazi, A.; Shaheen, F.H.

    2012-01-01

    With increasing urbanization and economic growth, air pollution is becoming an urgent concern in South Asia. The objective of this study is to look into and discuss the socioeconomic situation of South Asia, the existing situation of air pollution in the countries of the region, resulting health impacts of air pollution on the population and the responses, if any, of national governments to combat this problem. With the increase in industrial activity and exponential growth in number of vehicles and population, the contribution of each South Asian country to the regional air pollution will increase over time. As evident from the review of the available country data, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM) emissions have been rising steadily over past few decades. The air pollutants can be transported across state and national boundaries, therefore, pollutants produced by one country can, as well, have adverse impacts on the environment and public health of neighboring countries. It has been reported by the country national health authorities that air pollution has pushed respiratory diseases up in the ranks as the leading cause of hospitalization. To minimize the socio-economic and health impacts, resulting from air pollution, South Asian states have developed environmental legal and regulatory frameworks in their respective countries. However, the implementation of country national environmental action plan has been limited due to lack of financial resources and technical know-how. Recommendations have been made for policy actions, including a legally binding agreement for South Asia (LBA-SA), for strengthening the framework for air pollution reduction at regional and national levels in South Asia. (author)

  6. Pollution and Sun Exposure: a Deleterious Synergy. Mechanisms and Opportunities for Skin Protection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marrot, Laurent

    2017-09-18

    Pollutants are highly diverse chemical entities, including gases such as ozone or nitrogen and sulphur oxides and particulate matter of different sizes and with different chemical constituents. PM2.5 is composed of particles that are sometimes about ten nanometres or so in size (ultrafine particles) which can be deposited in lung alveoli, translocated into capillaries and then distributed to all organs through blood circulation. PM2.5 is often associated with toxic chemicals such as heavy metals or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and some photo-reactive PAHs can induce strong oxidative stress under UVA exposure. Skin may thus be impacted by external influences through oxidation of some of its surface components. Moreover, internal contamination is highly probable since some pollutants present in plasma could be delivered by the circulation of the blood. In fact, aggravation of skin diseases such as atopy or eczema during peaks in pollution suggests that skin surface is not the only one to be impacted. Moreover, epidemiological data pointed to a significant correlation between exposure to pollution or cigarette smoke and early occurrence of aging markers. Oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic impairments are among the most probable mechanisms of pollution-derived dermatological hazards which might be amplified by the deleterious synergy of pollution and sun, particularly UVA. Protection strategies should thus combine surface protection (sunscreens with high UVA absorption, antioxidants preventing lipid peroxidation) and enhanced deeper skin tissue resistance to oxidative stress and inflammation, with antioxidants targeting mitochondria or the induction of natural antioxidation and detoxification such as the Nrf2 pathway. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  7. Environmental Stressors and Their Impact on Health and Disease with Focus on Oxidative Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Münzel, Thomas; Daiber, Andreas

    2018-03-20

    Epidemiological, preclinical and interventional clinical studies have demonstrated that environmental stressors are associated with health problems, namely cardiovascular diseases. According to estimations of the World Health Organization (WHO), environmental risk factors account for an appreciable part of global deaths and life years spent with disability. This Forum addresses the impact of the environmental risk factors such as traffic noise exposure, air pollution by particulate matter (PM), mental stress/loneliness, and the life style risk factor (water-pipe) smoking on health and disease with focus on the cardiovascular system. We will critically discuss the use of observatory/modifiable biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in environmental research on the aforementioned risk factors highlighting the need of exposome studies. Another focus will be on the epigenetic regulation via microRNAs in environmental stress upon exposure to noise and toxins/heavy metals as well as mental stress conditions, providing mechanistic insights into the modulation of microRNA signaling by oxidative stress, and vice versa the contribution of microRNAs to oxidative stress conditions. We will also provide an in-depth overview on the mechanistic pathways that lead to health problems (e.g., cardiovascular diseases) in response to environmental psychosocial stress, air pollution exposure in the form of ambient PM and diesel exhaust, traffic noise exposure, and the life style drug (water-pipe) smoking. Almost all stressors share the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and of the sympathetic nervous system with subsequent onset of inflammation and oxidative stress, defining the here proposed therapeutic (antioxidant and exercise) strategies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 735-740.

  8. The problem of oxidation state stabilisation and some regularities of a Periodic system of the elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiselev, Yurii M; Tretyakov, Yuri D

    1999-01-01

    The general principles of the concept of oxidation state stabilisation are formulated. Problems associated with the preparation and provision of the highest valent forms of transition elements are considered. The empirical data concerning the synthesis of new compounds of rare-earth elements and d elements in unusually high oxidation states are analysed. The possibility of occurrence of the oxidation states + 9 and + 10 for some elements (for example, for iridium and platinum in tetraoxo ions) are discussed. Approaches to the realisation of these states are outlined and it is demonstrated that solid phases or matrices containing alkali metal cations are the most promising systems for the stabilisation of these high oxidation states. Selected thermodynamic features typical of metal halides and oxides and the regularities of the changes in the extreme oxidation states of d elements are considered. The bibliography includes 266 references.

  9. Management of polluted deposit in lake and river

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Chang Hee; Kim, Eun Jung [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

    1998-12-01

    In this study, the perception and problem of polluted deposit in Korea, which does not have a clear concept of it, were analyzed and the need of a comprehensive polluted deposit management, including the present condition of pollution, assessment, pollution prevention, and disposal of polluted deposit, was presented. Based on the analysis on foreign management system, the framework of polluted deposit management in Korea was provided. 84 refs., 11 figs., 40 tabs.

  10. Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elberling, B.; Søndergaard, J.; Jensen, L.A.

    2007-01-01

    Acid mine drainage (known as AMD) is a well-known environmental problem resulting from the oxidation of sulfidic mine waste. In cold regions, AMD is often considered limited by low temperatures most of the year and observed environmental impact is related to pollution generated during the warm...... summer period. Here we show that heat generation within an oxidizing, sulfidic, coal-mining waste-rock pile in Svalbard (78° N) is high enough to keep the pile warm (roughly 5 °C throughout the year) despite mean annual air temperatures below -5 °C. Consequently, weathering processes continue year...... of these metals are taken up and accumulated in plants where they reach phytotoxic levels, including aluminum and manganese. Laboratory experiments document that uptake of Al and Mn in native plant species is highly correlated with dissolved concentrations. Therefore, future remedial actions to control...

  11. Industrial pollution of the Moselle River: the birth, development and management of an environmental problem, 1850-2000; La pollution industrielle de la Moselle francais: naissance, developpement et gestion d'un probleme environnemental, 1850-2000

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcier, J.R

    2005-12-15

    In the 1850's, the water quality of surface waters in the Moselle river drainage basin began to suffer from the development of heavy industrial activities (coal and iron ore mining, steel and soda making). Industrial development also fuelled a demographic impetus that proved detrimental to the quality of surface waters. This study uses archival sources to analyse the ineffectiveness of the policies that were launched to regulate pollution. In a region traumatized by the Prussian annexation of a quarter of its surface (1870), industrial production enjoyed a symbolic protection that allowed water pollution to go unabated. The fuzzy status of pollution in law contributed to the immunity of industrialists. From the 1950's on, fear that the region might experience severe water shortages due to the growth of water consumption by industries and cities alike enabled more stringent policies to be devised. They still had to take into account the interests of the heavy industry and their effectiveness is questionable. Hydrological planning was based upon a functionalist vision of water resources that did not take environmental issues into account. The situation changed in the 1970's and 1980's, when European integration and the Sandoz catastrophe in the Rhine (November 1986) tipped the scale in favour of more vigorous environmental policies. This study develops the concepts of a 'regional system' and of the 'mode of construction' of an environmental problem. These prove to be valuable theoretical elements to ground environmental geography studies. (author)

  12. Air pollution due to road traffic in Ljubljana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matej Ogrin

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution is due to road traffic an inevitable outcome of internal combustion in engines ofvehicles and some other processes. Air near the roads is more polluted with some pollutants,such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulate matter and some others.Monitoring the air quality is a key issue, when one wants to estimate environmental impactsof the road traffic. The article shows a method of passive samplers for air quality monitoringalong different roads in the area of Ljubljana Municipality.

  13. Nutritional Solutions to Reduce Risks of Negative Health Impacts of Air Pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Péter, Szabolcs; Holguin, Fernando; Wood, Lisa G; Clougherty, Jane E; Raederstorff, Daniel; Antal, Magda; Weber, Peter; Eggersdorfer, Manfred

    2015-12-10

    Air pollution worldwide has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality, particularly in urban settings with elevated concentrations of primary pollutants. Air pollution is a very complex mixture of primary and secondary gases and particles, and its potential to cause harm can depend on multiple factors-including physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants, which varies with fine-scale location (e.g., by proximity to local emission sources)-as well as local meteorology, topography, and population susceptibility. It has been hypothesized that the intake of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients may ameliorate various respiratory and cardiovascular effects of air pollution through reductions in oxidative stress and inflammation. To date, several studies have suggested that some harmful effects of air pollution may be modified by intake of essential micronutrients (such as B vitamins, and vitamins C, D, and E) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Here, we review the existing literature related to the potential for nutrition to modify the health impacts of air pollution, and offer a framework for examining these interactions.

  14. Nutritional Solutions to Reduce Risks of Negative Health Impacts of Air Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Péter, Szabolcs; Holguin, Fernando; Wood, Lisa G.; Clougherty, Jane E.; Raederstorff, Daniel; Antal, Magda; Weber, Peter; Eggersdorfer, Manfred

    2015-01-01

    Air pollution worldwide has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality, particularly in urban settings with elevated concentrations of primary pollutants. Air pollution is a very complex mixture of primary and secondary gases and particles, and its potential to cause harm can depend on multiple factors—including physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants, which varies with fine-scale location (e.g., by proximity to local emission sources)—as well as local meteorology, topography, and population susceptibility. It has been hypothesized that the intake of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients may ameliorate various respiratory and cardiovascular effects of air pollution through reductions in oxidative stress and inflammation. To date, several studies have suggested that some harmful effects of air pollution may be modified by intake of essential micronutrients (such as B vitamins, and vitamins C, D, and E) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Here, we review the existing literature related to the potential for nutrition to modify the health impacts of air pollution, and offer a framework for examining these interactions. PMID:26690474

  15. Nutritional Solutions to Reduce Risks of Negative Health Impacts of Air Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szabolcs Péter

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution worldwide has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality, particularly in urban settings with elevated concentrations of primary pollutants. Air pollution is a very complex mixture of primary and secondary gases and particles, and its potential to cause harm can depend on multiple factors—including physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants, which varies with fine-scale location (e.g., by proximity to local emission sources—as well as local meteorology, topography, and population susceptibility. It has been hypothesized that the intake of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients may ameliorate various respiratory and cardiovascular effects of air pollution through reductions in oxidative stress and inflammation. To date, several studies have suggested that some harmful effects of air pollution may be modified by intake of essential micronutrients (such as B vitamins, and vitamins C, D, and E and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Here, we review the existing literature related to the potential for nutrition to modify the health impacts of air pollution, and offer a framework for examining these interactions.

  16. Pollution concentration estimates in ecologically important zones

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skiba, Y.N. [Mexico City Univ. (Mexico). Center for Atmospheric Sciences

    1995-12-31

    Method based on using the pollutant transport equation and the adjoint technique is described here for estimating the pollutant concentration level in ecologically important zones. The method directly relates the pollution level in such zones with the power of the pollution sources and the initial pollution field. Assuming that the wind or current velocities are known (from climatic data or dynamic model), the main and adjoint pollutant transport equations can be considered in a limited area to solve such theoretically and practically important problems as: (1) optimal location of new industries in a given region with the aim to minimize the pollution concentration in certain ecologically important zones, (2) optimization of emissions from operating industries, (3) detection of the plants violating sanitary regulations, (4) analysis of the emissions coming from the vehicle traffic (such emissions can be included in the model by means of the linear pollution sources located along the main roadways), (5) estimation of the oil pollution in various ecologically important oceanic (sea) zones in case of accident with the oil tanker, (6) evaluation of the sea water desalination level in estuary regions, and others. These equations considered in a spherical shell domain can also be applied to the problems of transporting the pollutants from a huge industrial complex, or from the zone of an ecological catastrophe similar to the Chernobyl one

  17. Pollution concentration estimates in ecologically important zones

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skiba, Y N [Mexico City Univ. (Mexico). Center for Atmospheric Sciences

    1996-12-31

    Method based on using the pollutant transport equation and the adjoint technique is described here for estimating the pollutant concentration level in ecologically important zones. The method directly relates the pollution level in such zones with the power of the pollution sources and the initial pollution field. Assuming that the wind or current velocities are known (from climatic data or dynamic model), the main and adjoint pollutant transport equations can be considered in a limited area to solve such theoretically and practically important problems as: (1) optimal location of new industries in a given region with the aim to minimize the pollution concentration in certain ecologically important zones, (2) optimization of emissions from operating industries, (3) detection of the plants violating sanitary regulations, (4) analysis of the emissions coming from the vehicle traffic (such emissions can be included in the model by means of the linear pollution sources located along the main roadways), (5) estimation of the oil pollution in various ecologically important oceanic (sea) zones in case of accident with the oil tanker, (6) evaluation of the sea water desalination level in estuary regions, and others. These equations considered in a spherical shell domain can also be applied to the problems of transporting the pollutants from a huge industrial complex, or from the zone of an ecological catastrophe similar to the Chernobyl one

  18. Air pollution and your brain: what do you need to know right now.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Calderón-Garcidueñas, Ana; Torres-Jardón, Ricardo; Avila-Ramírez, José; Kulesza, Randy J; Angiulli, Amedeo D

    2015-07-01

    Research links air pollution mostly to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. The effects of air pollution on the central nervous system (CNS) are not broadly recognized. Urban outdoor pollution is a global public health problem particularly severe in megacities and in underdeveloped countries, but large and small cities in the United States and the United Kingom are not spared. Fine and ultrafine particulate matter (UFPM) defined by aerodynamic diameter (<2.5-μm fine particles, PM2.5, and <100-nm UFPM) pose a special interest for the brain effects given the capability of very small particles to reach the brain. In adults, ambient pollution is associated to stroke and depression, whereas the emerging picture in children show significant systemic inflammation, immunodysregulation at systemic, intratechal and brain levels, neuroinflammation and brain oxidative stress, along with the main hallmarks of Alzheimer and Parkinson's diseases: hyperphosphorilated tau, amyloid plaques and misfolded α-synuclein. Animal models exposed to particulate matter components show markers of both neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Epidemiological, cognitive, behavioral and mechanistic studies into the association between air pollution exposures and the development of CNS damage particularly in children are of pressing importance for public health and quality of life. Primary health providers have to include a complete prenatal and postnatal environmental and occupational history to indoor and outdoor toxic hazards and measures should be taken to prevent or reduce further exposures.

  19. Air pollution: Impact and prevention

    OpenAIRE

    SIERRA-VARGAS, MARTHA PATRICIA; TERAN, LUIS M

    2012-01-01

    ABSTRACT Air pollution is becoming a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. In support of this observation, the World Health Organization estimates that every year, 2.4 million people die because of the effects of air pollution on health. Mitigation strategies such as changes in diesel engine technology could result in fewer premature mortalities, as suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This review: (i) discusses the impact of air pollution on respirat...

  20. Some measurements of ambient air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Memon, H.R.; Memon, A.A.; Behan, M.Y.

    1999-01-01

    Ambient air pollution arising from different sources in Karachi and its surroundings has been studied. The urban centres like Karachi are mostly confronted with eye-irritation, reduce visibility, heart-diseases, nervous disorder, smog and other unpleasant experiences. In this paper quantitative estimations of some air-pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, chlorine and particular matters are presented with their hazardous effects. The remedial measures for the control of major air emissions are also discussed. (author)

  1. L'IIASA and the integrated simulation of the trans-border atmospheric pollution assessment and evaluation; L'IIASA et la modelisation integree de la pollution atmospherique transfrontiere. Bilan et evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soleille, S.; Brignon, J.M.; Farret, R.; Landrieu, G.; Le Gall, A.C.; Rouil, L

    2003-09-15

    The RAINS model is an integrated evaluation model for many pollutants and many effects, developed by he IIASA. This model studies the emissions of 4 atmospheric pollutants (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ammonium and volatile organic compounds) and the necessary costs to reduce them and the dispersion of these pollutants and their effects (tropospheric ozone formation, acidification and eutrophication). The model can be used in activities scenario mode (energy, agriculture, transports...) to calculate the emissions and their effects or in optimization mode to calculate strategies of emissions control from environmental constraints. (A.L.B.)

  2. Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution in Developing Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Mannucci, Pier Mannuccio; Franchini, Massimo

    2017-01-01

    The deleterious effects of ambient air pollution on human health have been consistently documented by many epidemiologic studies worldwide, and it has been calculated that globally at least seven million deaths are annually attributable to the effects of air pollution. The major air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere by a number of natural processes and human activities include nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. In addition to the poor ambient air quality...

  3. Study on the Influence of Building Materials on Indoor Pollutants and Pollution Sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yao

    2018-01-01

    The paper summarizes the achievements and problems of indoor air quality research at home and abroad. The pollutants and pollution sources in the room are analyzed systematically. The types of building materials and pollutants are also discussed. The physical and chemical properties and health effects of main pollutants were analyzed and studied. According to the principle of mass balance, the basic mathematical model of indoor air quality is established. Considering the release rate of pollutants and indoor ventilation, a mathematical model for predicting the concentration of indoor air pollutants is derived. The model can be used to analyze and describe the variation of pollutant concentration in indoor air, and to predict and calculate the concentration of pollutants in indoor air at a certain time. The results show that the mathematical model established in this study can be used to analyze and predict the variation law of pollutant concentration in indoor air. The evaluation model can be used to evaluate the impact of indoor air quality and evaluation of current situation. Especially in the process of building and interior decoration, through pre-evaluation, it can provide reliable design parameters for selecting building materials and determining ventilation volume.

  4. Pollution added credit trading (PACT). New dimensions in emissions trading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaltegger, Stefan; Thomas, Tom

    1996-01-01

    To date, sources of hazardous, toxic, or otherwise harmful emissions have been regulated on a pollutant by pollutant basis. Environmental policies, even the more advanced 'incentive-based' programs, have focused on individual substances rather than on the overall environmental problem to which the substances contribute. This has produced results that are less economically efficient and ecologically effective than is desirable. A more comprehensive approach combines the principles of emission reduction credit trading with advances made recently in the field of environmental impact assessment, to yield an advanced form of inter-pollutant trading, which we refer to as pollution added credit trading (PACT). PACT incorporates a method for estimating the total environmental harm generated (pollution added) by a facility emitting a variety of pollutants. Weightings that reflect relative harm are used to calculate total pollution added. Each facility covered by PACT would receive annual allowances for total pollution added that they could discharge to the environment. As with existing emissions trading programs, surplus allowances could be sold and shortfalls would be covered by purchasing other facilities' surplus allowances. PACT is more efficient than single-pollutant emissions trading in that it captures differences in marginal reduction costs that exist between pollutants as well as between facilities. It is more ecologically effective because it focuses on the overall environmental problem, rather than on the individual pollutants that contribute to the problem

  5. Air Pollution Modeling at Road Sides Using the Operational Street Pollution Model-A Case Study in Hanoi, Vietnam

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hung, Ngo Tho; Ketzel, Matthias; Jensen, Steen Solvang

    2010-01-01

    In many metropolitan areas, traffic is the main source of air pollution. The high concentrations of pollutants in streets have the potential to affect human health. Therefore, estimation of air pollution at the street level is required for health impact assessment. This task has been carried out...... in many developed countries by a combination of air quality measurements and modeling. This study focuses on how to apply a dispersion model to cities in the developing world, where model input data and data from air quality monitoring stations are limited or of varying quality. This research uses...... the operational street pollution model (OSPM) developed by the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark for a case study in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. OSPM predictions from five streets were evaluated against air pollution measurements of nitrogen oxides (NO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide...

  6. Environmental pollution and control, second edition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vesilind, P.A.; Peirce, J.J.

    1983-01-01

    Most of the problems, principles, and solutions are presented here in a non-biased, easy-to-read format. The language used is non-technical for the most part, and the inclusion of a complete glossary aids when some technical terms must be used. The text itself is supported by photographs, drawings, tables, and examples. Major Sections: Environmental Pollution, Water Pollution; Measurement of Water Quality; Water Supply; Water Treatment; Collection of Wastewater; Wastewater Treatment; Sludge Treatment and Disposal; Nonpoint Source Water Pollution; Water Pollution Law; Solid Waste; Solid Waste Disposal; Resource Recovery; Hazardous Waste; Radioactive Waste; Solid and Hazardous Waste Law; Air Pollution; Meteorology and Air Quality; Measurement of Air Quality; Air Pollution Control; Air Pollution Law; Noise Pollution; Noise Measurement and Control; Environmental Impact; The Environmental Ethic; Appendix: Conversion Factors; Glossary and Abbreviations; Index

  7. Air Pollution Control and Waste Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    This special issue addresses air pollution control and waste management, two environmental problems that are usually considered separately. Indeed, one of the challenges of environmental protection is that problems are addressed in 'media-specific' ways. In reality, these problem...

  8. Ozone and the oxidizing properties of the troposphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Megie, G.

    1996-01-01

    This article is about the rising concentration of ozone and photo-oxidizers observed in the troposphere, the atmosphere between the ground and a height of 10 to 15 km. This serious global environmental problem has up to now been less well known than the greenhouse effect or the decrease in stratospheric ozone. This is because it varies with time and place and involves many complicated physico-chemical and atmospheric processes. At our latitudes, the average ozone concentration in the air we breathe has quadrupled since the beginning of this century. In polluted areas it often exceeds the recommended norms. This increase in ozone concentrations in the lower atmosphere directly reflects the impact of man-made emissions of compounds like methane, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Sunlight acts on these compounds to form ozone via complicated chemical reactions. This change in oxidizing properties of the troposphere is beginning produce perceptible effects on vegetable production, human health and climate. (author). 24 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

  9. Air pollution and tree growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scurfield, G

    1960-01-01

    The problem of air pollution is reviewed with emphasis on its origin and its effects on trees and shrubs. These effects are described from two points of view: the effects of general air pollution, and also the effects of specific pollutants. The considerable mixing, dilution and interaction that pollutants undergo in the air often renders it exceedingly difficult to assign pollution damage to any specific chemical or physical entity. Moreover, it is often impossible to assign responsibility for damage to any particular source. The constituents of general air pollution may be subdivided into those potentially incapable, and those potentially capable, of entering the plant either through the leaf stomata or indirectly by way of the soil. Specific pollutants cause damage directly, as well as indirectly from the chemical reactions that occur in the polluted atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide is discussed in detail in relation to tree and shrub damage, with numerous examples of plant injuries.

  10. Methane-Oxidizing Enzymes: An Upstream Problem in Biological Gas-to-Liquids Conversion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawton, Thomas J; Rosenzweig, Amy C

    2016-08-03

    Biological conversion of natural gas to liquids (Bio-GTL) represents an immense economic opportunity. In nature, aerobic methanotrophic bacteria and anaerobic archaea are able to selectively oxidize methane using methane monooxygenase (MMO) and methyl coenzyme M reductase (MCR) enzymes. Although significant progress has been made toward genetically manipulating these organisms for biotechnological applications, the enzymes themselves are slow, complex, and not recombinantly tractable in traditional industrial hosts. With turnover numbers of 0.16-13 s(-1), these enzymes pose a considerable upstream problem in the biological production of fuels or chemicals from methane. Methane oxidation enzymes will need to be engineered to be faster to enable high volumetric productivities; however, efforts to do so and to engineer simpler enzymes have been minimally successful. Moreover, known methane-oxidizing enzymes have different expression levels, carbon and energy efficiencies, require auxiliary systems for biosynthesis and function, and vary considerably in terms of complexity and reductant requirements. The pros and cons of using each methane-oxidizing enzyme for Bio-GTL are considered in detail. The future for these enzymes is bright, but a renewed focus on studying them will be critical to the successful development of biological processes that utilize methane as a feedstock.

  11. Assessment of groundwater vulnerability and sensitivity to pollution ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Groundwater pollution caused by human activity is a serious environmental problem in cities. Pollution vulnerability assessment of groundwater resources provides information on how to protect areas vulnerable to pollution. The present study is a detailed investigation of the potential for groundwater contamination through ...

  12. Atmospheric pollution: history, science and regulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jacobson, M.Z. [Stanford University, Stanford, CA (USA). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

    2002-07-01

    The book provides an introduction to the history and science of major air pollution issues. It begins with an introduction to the history of discovery of chemicals in the atmosphere, and moves on to a discussion of the evolution of the earth's atmosphere. It then discusses five major atmospheric pollution topics: urban outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution, acid deposition, stratospheric ozone depletion, and global climate change. The book contains numerous student examples and problems and over 200 color illustrations and photographs.

  13. Application of tracers in the fight against hydrological pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guizerix, J.; Margrita, R.

    1978-01-01

    A statement is made on the laboratory know-how in the field of the applications of tracers in the fight against hydrological pollution. In surface hydrology it concerns the determination of the self-purifying powers of watercourses and the treatment of a certain number of problems relating to the transfer of polluting substances to the hydrographical system. In hydrogeology, the various studies made and being made deal with the transfer of water, a vector of pollution, with the interaction of polluting agents with the porous environment, and thus with the general problem of the protection of underground water catchments [fr

  14. On - road mobile source pollutant emissions : identifying hotspots and ranking roads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-30

    A considerable amount of pollution to the air in the forms of hydrocarbons, carbon : monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and air toxics comes : from the on-road mobile sources. Estimation of the emissions of these pollutants...

  15. Health and air quality 2002 phase 1 : methods for estimating and applying relationships between air pollution and health effects : final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bates, D.V.; Brauer, M.; Koenig, J.; Caton, R.; Drawley, D.

    2003-05-01

    The British Columbia Lung Association recruited members of an expert panel to examine the relationships between exposure to air pollution and effects on human health, in particular human respiratory and cardio-vascular health. This report is intended for regulatory managers, planners, project proponents, researchers and physicians. It reports on the available literature on the subject and offers recommendations on how it can be interpreted in terms of application to problems in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. The common air contaminants that are associated with direct human health effects include nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, fine particles and inhalable particles (PM). The review did not include toxic or hazardous air pollutants that are considered to be cancer-causing agents, however, the association between air pollution and elevated rates of cancer in urban populations was considered. The panel considered: pollutant mix and exposure patterns; different types of studies such as epidemiology; sources of uncertainty; and, several criteria for judging the power of the relationships. It was concluded that some air pollutants, particularly PM 2.5 and its wood smoke component and ozone are at levels that may cause adverse health effects. It was noted that affected communities should be aware that risk increases with level of exposure and risk of health effects is very low at the lowest ambient concentrations in British Columbia and increases proportionally to ambient concentrations of PM and ozone. refs., tabs., figs

  16. The assessment of sublethal effects of pollutants in the sea. Review of the problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waldichuk, M

    1979-08-08

    Sublethal effects of pollution may be significant to survival of a stock of marine fish or even a species. Such effects sometimes lead to reproductive failure and have been identified so far only in freshwater systems. Atlantic salmon have disappeared from many streams in Europe and eastern North America, partly as a result of pollution in their freshwater spawning areas and in their estuarine nursing grounds. Reductions in populations of marine fishes due to pollution solely have not yet been demonstrated. However, Baltic Sea seals, where reproductive failure is apparently associated with high concentrations of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyl in the blubber, may have suffered a decline owing to the presence of these organochlorines. Sublethal effects of pollutants have been studied in the laboratory, essentially under four categories: (1) physiology (growth, swimming performance, respiration, circulation); (2) biochemistry/cell structure (blood chemistry, enzyme activity, endocrinology, histochemistry); (3) behaviour/neurophysiology; and (4) reproduction. Not all pollutants elicit meaningful responses in all categories, and a response is not always linear with pollutant concentration. For application to survival of populations the response has to be ultimately related to a healthy progression through a full life cycle, including successful reproduction. In recent time, physiological studies have moved into polluted marine environments with mobile laboratories having continuous sampling capability, to observe effects of pollutants in situ on marine organisms. The Controlled Ecosystem Pollution Experiment (Cepex) in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, endeavours to investigate the effects of low concentrations of pollutants on marine organisms in large plastic silos having a slow replacement of water.

  17. Bioleaching of heavy metal polluted sediment: kinetics of leaching and microbial sulfur oxidation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Loeser, C. [Technische Universitaet Dresden, Institut fuer Lebenmitteltechnik und Bioverfahrenstechnik, D-01062 Dresden (Germany); Zehnsdorf, A. [UFZ-Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig-Halle GmbH, Umwelt- und Biotechnologisches Zentrum (UBZ), Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Goersch, K.; Seidel, H. [UFZ-Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig-Halle GmbH, Department Bioremediation, Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany)

    2005-12-01

    Remediation of heavy metal polluted sediment through bioleaching using elemental sulfur (S{sup 0}) as the leaching agent can be regarded as a two-step process: firstly, the microbial oxidation of the added S{sup 0} to sulfuric acid and, secondly, the reaction of the produced acid with the sediment. Here, both subprocesses were studied in detail independently: oxidized river sediment was either suspended in sulfuric acid of various strengths, or mixed with various amounts of finely ground S{sup 0} powder (diameter of the S{sup 0} particles between 1 and 175 {mu}m with a Rosin-Rammler-Sperling-Bennet (RRSB) distribution and an average diameter of 35 {mu}m) and suspended in water. The leaching process was observed by repeated analysis of the suspension concerning pH, soluble sulfate and metals, and remaining S{sup 0}. In the case of abiotic leaching with H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}, the reaction between the acid and the sediment resulted in a gradual increase in pH and a solubilization of sediment-borne heavy metals which required some time; 80 % of the finally solubilized heavy metals was dissolved after 1 h, 90 % after 10 h, and 100 % after 100 h. In the case of bioleaching, the rate of S{sup 0} oxidation was maximal at the beginning, gradually diminished with time, and was proportional to the initial amount of S{sup 0}. Due to its very low solubility in water, S{sup 0} is oxidized in a surface reaction catalyzed by attached bacteria. The oxidation let the particles shrink, their surface became smaller and, thus, the S{sup 0} oxidation rate gradually decreased. The shrinking rate was time-invariant and, at 30 C, amounted to 0.5 {mu}m/day (or 100 {mu}g/cm{sup 2}/day). Within 21 days, 90 % of the applied S{sup 0} was oxidized. Three models with a different degree of complexity have been developed that describe this S{sup 0} oxidation, assuming S{sup 0} particles of uniform size (I), using a measured particle size distribution (II), or applying an adapted RRSB distribution (III

  18. Population Structure and Abundance of Arsenite-Oxidizing Bacteria along an Arsenic Pollution Gradient in Waters of the Upper Isle River Basin, France▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quéméneur, Marianne; Cébron, Aurélie; Billard, Patrick; Battaglia-Brunet, Fabienne; Garrido, Francis; Leyval, Corinne; Joulian, Catherine

    2010-01-01

    Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were successfully developed to monitor functional aoxB genes as markers of aerobic arsenite oxidizers. DGGE profiles showed a shift in the structure of the aoxB-carrying bacterial population, composed of members of the Alpha-, Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria, depending on arsenic (As) and Eh levels in Upper Isle River Basin waters. The highest aoxB gene densities were found in the most As-polluted oxic surface waters but without any significant correlation with environmental factors. Arsenite oxidizers seem to play a key role in As mobility in As-impacted waters. PMID:20453153

  19. Unsaturated medium hydrocarbons pollution evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Di Luise, G.

    1991-01-01

    When the so called porous unsaturated medium, that's the vertical subsoil section between both the ground and water-table level, is interested by a hydrocarbons spill, the problem to evaluate the pollution becomes difficult: considering, essentially, the natural coexistence in it of two fluids, air and water, and the interactions between them. This paper reports that the problems tend to increase when a third fluid, the pollutant, immiscible with water, is introduced into the medium: a three-phases flow, which presents several analogies with the flow conditions present in an oil-reservoir, will be established. In such a situation, it would be very useful to handle the matter by the commonly used parameters in the oil reservoirs studies such as: residual saturation, relative permeability, phases mobility, to derive a first semiquantitative estimation of the pollution. The subsoil pollution form hydrocarbons agents is one of the worldwide more diffused causes of contamination: such events are generally referable to two main effects: accidental (oil pipeline breakdowns, e.g.), and continuous (underground tanks breaks, industrial plants leakages, e.g.)

  20. Decomposition of organic pollutants in industrial Effluent induced by advanced oxidation process with Electron beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duarte, C.L.; Sampa, M.H.O.; Rela, P.R.; Oikawa, H.; Silveira, C.G.

    2001-01-01

    Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) by electron beam irradiation induce the decomposition of pollutants in industrial effluent. Experiments were conducted using a Radiation Dynamics Electron Beam Accelerator with 1.5 MeV energy and 37 Kew power. Experiments were conducted using samples from a Governmental Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) that receives about 20% of industrial wastewater, with the objective of use the electrons beam technology to destroy the refractory organic pollutants. Samples from WTP main Industrial Receiver Unit influent (IRU), Coarse Bar Screens effluent (CBS), Medium Bar Screens effluent (MBS), Primary Sedimentation effluent (PS) and Final Effluent (FE), were collected and irradiated in the electron beam accelerator in a batch system. The delivered doses were 5.0kGy, 10.0kGy and 20.0kGy. The electron beam irradiation showed be efficient on destroying the organic compounds delivered in these effluents mainly chloroform, dichloroethane, methyl isobutyl ketone, benzene, toluene, xylene, phenol. The necessary dose to remove 90% of the most organic compounds from industry effluent was 20 kGy. The removal of organic compounds from this complex mixture were described by the destruction G value (Gd) that were obtained for those compounds in different initial concentration and compared with literature

  1. Air pollution: what matters most? : Physical, chemical and oxidative properties of air pollution components related to toxic effects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steenhof, M.

    2015-01-01

    Numerous studies have been published on the adverse health effects associated with both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution. Air pollution is a heterogeneous, complex mixture of gases, liquids, and particulate matter (PM). Up to now, PM mass concentration has been the metric of choice to

  2. Air pollution control. 3. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baumbach, G.; Baumann, K.; Droescher, F.; Gross, H.; Steisslinger, B.

    1994-01-01

    Controlling the pollution of the air is an interdisciplinary problem. This introduction reaches from the origin of hazardous substances via their extension and conversion in the atmosphere, their effects of men, animals, plants and goods up to reduction methods for the various sources. Measuring techniques are one of the main points of interest, as it plays a key role in detecting hazardous substances and monitoring reduction measures. A survey of the history shows the historical dimension of the subject. The prescriptions relating to air pollution control give an impression of the present situation of air pollution control. Currently existing problems such as waste gases from motor vehicles, SO 2 transports, ozone in the ambient air, newly detected sorts of damage to the forests, emission reduction in the burning of fossile fuels, polychloried dibenzodioxins and furanes are dealt with. (orig.). 232 figs [de

  3. Problems in interpreting effects of air pollutants on spruce epicuticular waxes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bermadinger-Stabentheiner, E.

    1994-01-01

    Spruce needles are covered with rod-like crystals, which also fill the antechambers of the stomata with a dense meshwork. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is very useful for studying epicuticular wax structure; with no intricate or laborious preparation, it is possible to obtain valuable information about the needle surface. Because the epicuticular wax layer forms a barrier between the plant and its environment, all influences that reach the surface from outside impact on this layer and, therefore, changes in epicuticular wax structure serve as diagnostic criteria for damage caused by air pollutants. This pollution influence begins as fusion of wax rods at the tips and results finally in total loss of the crystalline structure. Despite the simplicity of SEM investigations, alterations (artefacts) can occur to wax structures that may be confused with alterations caused by air pollutants (i.e., a too dense layer of twigs and needles, or careless handling with tweezers, results in mechanical damage that often influences the entire surface). Overheating occurring during transport or preparation and/or incorrect storage also produce artefacts. If the occurrence of such artefacts is taken into consideration, several contradictory interpretations of effects of air pollutants on epicuticular waxes can be explained. (orig.)

  4. An improved risk-explicit interval linear programming model for pollution load allocation for watershed management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Bisheng; Qian, Xin; Yao, Hong

    2017-11-01

    Although the risk-explicit interval linear programming (REILP) model has solved the problem of having interval solutions, it has an equity problem, which can lead to unbalanced allocation between different decision variables. Therefore, an improved REILP model is proposed. This model adds an equity objective function and three constraint conditions to overcome this equity problem. In this case, pollution reduction is in proportion to pollutant load, which supports balanced development between different regional economies. The model is used to solve the problem of pollution load allocation in a small transboundary watershed. Compared with the REILP original model result, our model achieves equity between the upstream and downstream pollutant loads; it also overcomes the problem of greatest pollution reduction, where sources are nearest to the control section. The model provides a better solution to the problem of pollution load allocation than previous versions.

  5. Methods for Online Monitoring of Air Pollution Concentration

    OpenAIRE

    Ionel, Ioana; Popescu, Francisc

    2010-01-01

    Air pollution is a global environmental problem that represents a measure of the potential of the climate change rate influenced by local pollution sources, although its scale has a strong regional or local orientation. Improvements in technology supported by policy measures have lead to reduced pollution levels, but still, especially in new member states, more activity is needed. In developed countries advanced low pollution technique is applied in order to reduce the pollution levels Howeve...

  6. Air pollution: impact and prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sierra-Vargas, Martha Patricia; Teran, Luis M

    2012-10-01

    Air pollution is becoming a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. In support of this observation, the World Health Organization estimates that every year, 2.4 million people die because of the effects of air pollution on health. Mitigation strategies such as changes in diesel engine technology could result in fewer premature mortalities, as suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This review: (i) discusses the impact of air pollution on respiratory disease; (ii) provides evidence that reducing air pollution may have a positive impact on the prevention of disease; and (iii) demonstrates the impact concerted polices may have on population health when governments take actions to reduce air pollution. © 2012 The Authors. Respirology © 2012 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

  7. Treatment of persistent organic pollutants in wastewater using hydrodynamic cavitation in synergy with advanced oxidation process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badmus, Kassim Olasunkanmi; Tijani, Jimoh Oladejo; Massima, Emile; Petrik, Leslie

    2018-03-01

    Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are very tenacious wastewater contaminants. The consequences of their existence have been acknowledged for negatively affecting the ecosystem with specific impact upon endocrine disruption and hormonal diseases in humans. Their recalcitrance and circumvention of nearly all the known wastewater treatment procedures are also well documented. The reported successes of POPs treatment using various advanced technologies are not without setbacks such as low degradation efficiency, generation of toxic intermediates, massive sludge production, and high energy expenditure and operational cost. However, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have recently recorded successes in the treatment of POPs in wastewater. AOPs are technologies which involve the generation of OH radicals for the purpose of oxidising recalcitrant organic contaminants to their inert end products. This review provides information on the existence of POPs and their effects on humans. Besides, the merits and demerits of various advanced treatment technologies as well as the synergistic efficiency of combined AOPs in the treatment of wastewater containing POPs was reported. A concise review of recently published studies on successful treatment of POPs in wastewater using hydrodynamic cavitation technology in combination with other advanced oxidation processes is presented with the highlight of direction for future research focus.

  8. Air pollution impacts from carbon capture and storage (CCS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harmelen, T. van; Horssen, A. van; Jozwicka, M.; Pulles, T. (TNO, Delft (Netherlands)); Odeh, N. (AEA Technology, Harwell (United Kingdom)); Adams, M. (EEA, Copenhagen (Denmark))

    2011-11-15

    This report comprises two separate complementary parts that address the links between CCS implementation and its subsequent impacts on GHG and air pollutant emissions on a life-cycle basis: Part A discusses and presents key findings from the latest literature, focusing upon the potential air pollution impacts across the CCS life-cycle arising from the implementation of the main foreseen technologies. Both negative and positive impacts on air quality are presently suggested in the literature - the basis of scientific knowledge on these issues is rapidly advancing. Part B comprises a case study that quantifies and highlights the range of GHG and air pollutant life-cycle emissions that could occur by 2050 under a low-carbon pathway should CCS be implemented in power plants across the European Union under various hypothetical scenarios. A particular focus of the study was to quantify the main life-cycle emissions of the air pollutants taking into account the latest knowledge on air pollutant emission factors and life-cycle aspects of the CCS life-cycle as described in Part A of the report. Pollutants considered in the report were the main GHGs CO{sub 2}, methane (CH{sub 4}) and nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) and the main air pollutants with potential to harm human health and/or the environment - nitrogen oxides (NO{sub X}), sulphur dioxide (SO{sub 2}), ammonia (NH{sub 3}), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and particulate matter (PM{sub 10}). (Author)

  9. Air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, P.

    2000-01-01

    Australian cites experience a number of current and emerging air pollution problems. Concentrations of traditional primary pollutants such as CO, lead and dust have fallen in recent years as a consequence of air pollutant control measures, and the widespread introduction of lead-free petrol. However, recommended guidelines for ozone, the principal component of photochemical smog, are regularly exceeded in major capital cities in the summer months. In addition, it is predicted that extensive urban expansion will lead to much greater dependence on the motor vehicle as the primary means of transportation. Effects of air pollution are felt at a variety of scales. Traditionally, concerns about gaseous and particulate emissions from industrial and vehicular sources were focused on local impacts due to exposure to toxic species such as CO and lead. As noted above, concentrations of these pollutants have been reduced by a variety of control measures. Pollutants which have effects at a regional scale, such as photochemically-produced ozone, and acidic gases and particles have proved more difficult to reduce. In general, these pollutants arc not the result of direct emissions to atmosphere, but result from complex secondary processes driven by photochemical reactions of species such as NO 2 and aldehydes. In addition, global effects of gaseous and particulate emissions to the atmosphere have received significant recent attention, concentrations of atmospheric CO 2 with predicted impacts on global climate, and ozone depletion due to anthropogenic emissions of chlorine-containing chemicals are the two major examples. Combustion processes from petrol- and diesel-fuelled vehicles, make major contributions to air pollution, and the magnitude of this contribution is discussed in this article

  10. Effects and control of long-range transboundary air pollution. Report prepared within the framework of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    This tenth volume of the series of Air Pollution Studies, published under the auspices of the Executive Body for the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, contains the documents reviewed and approved for publication at the eleventh session of the Executive Body held at Geneva from 1 to 3 December 1993. Part One is the Annual Review of Strategies and Policies for Air Pollution Abatement. National emission data and forecasts for sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH 3 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from 1980 to 2005 are presented. Conclusions are drawn concerning the status of implementation of the sulphur and nitrogen oxides protocols on the basis of these data. Part Two is an executive summary of the 1992 Report on the Forest Condition in Europe. The main objective of this report is to give a condensed description of the condition of forests in Europe, as it has been assessed by the transnational and national annual surveys, carried out jointly by the ECE under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and by the European Community (EC). Part Three is a summary report that focuses on the reduction of air pollution from heat and electric energy production. It is based on discussion papers submitted to the fifth ECE Seminar on Emission Control Technology for Stationary Sources, held in Nuremberg (Germany) from 10 to 14 June 1991. This chapter presents the main control techniques to reduce emissions from fuel combustion, which is a major contribution in most ECE countries to air pollution by sulphur and nitrogen compounds, carbon oxides, organic compounds, as well as heavy metals. Three principal abatement options are reviewed: fuel cleaning and fuel conversion, low-emission combustion processes, and flue gas cleaning processes. Both technical and economic aspects of the different measures are discussed

  11. Testing Method of Degrading Heavy Oil Pollution by Microorganisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Qi; Zhao, Lin; Ma, Aijin

    2018-01-01

    With the development of human society, we are more and more relying on the petrochemical energy. The use of petrochemical energy not only brings us great convenience, but is also accompanied by a series of environmental pollution problems, especially oil pollution. Since it is impractical to restore all pollution problems, the proper use of some remedial measures, under the guidance of functional orientation, may be sufficient to minimize the risk of persistent and diffusing pollutants. In recent years, bioremediation technology has been gradually developed into a promising stage and has played a crucial role in the degradation of heavy oil pollution. Specially, microbes in the degradation of heavy oil have made a great contribution. This paper mainly summarizes the different kinds of microorganisms for degrading heavy oil and the detection method for degradation efficiency of heavy oil pollution.

  12. Pollution from Urban Stormwater Infiltration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Peter Steen; Weyer, G.; Berry, C.

    1994-01-01

    Stormwater infiltration in urban areas gives cause for concern with regard to the risk of soil and groundwater pollution. Compared with conventional storm drainage, infiltration introduces different and widely unknown conditions governing the impacts and the fate of the pollutants......, and it is therefore difficult to assess the overall environmental impact. This paper gives a state of the art assessment of the water quality aspects of stormwater infiltration and proposes ways of managing the inherent problems. The major stormwater pollution sources are highlighted and the different processes...

  13. Health and Cellular Impacts of Air Pollutants: From Cytoprotection to Cytotoxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karine Andreau

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution as one of the ravages of our modern societies is primarily linked to urban centers, industrial activities, or road traffic. These atmospheric pollutants have been incriminated in deleterious health effects by numerous epidemiological and in vitro studies. Environmental air pollutants are a heterogeneous mixture of particles suspended into a liquid and gaseous phase which trigger the disruption of redox homeostasis—known under the term of cellular oxidative stress—in relation with the establishment of inflammation and cell death via necrosis, apoptosis, or autophagy. Activation or repression of the apoptotic process as an adaptative response to xenobiotics might lead to either acute or chronic toxicity. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the central role of oxidative stress induced by air pollutants and to focus on the subsequent cellular impacts ranging from cytoprotection to cytotoxicity by decreasing or stimulating apoptosis, respectively.

  14. Making Water Pollution a Problem in the Classroom Through Computer Assisted Instruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flowers, John D.

    Alternative means for dealing with water pollution control are presented for students and teachers. One computer oriented program is described in terms of teaching wastewater treatment and pollution concepts to middle and secondary school students. Suggestions are given to help teachers use a computer simulation program in their classrooms.…

  15. Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution in Developing Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mannucci, Pier Mannuccio; Franchini, Massimo

    2017-09-12

    The deleterious effects of ambient air pollution on human health have been consistently documented by many epidemiologic studies worldwide, and it has been calculated that globally at least seven million deaths are annually attributable to the effects of air pollution. The major air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere by a number of natural processes and human activities include nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. In addition to the poor ambient air quality, there is increasing evidence that indoor air pollution also poses a serious threat to human health, especially in low-income countries that still use biomass fuels as an energy resource. This review summarizes the current knowledge on ambient air pollution in financially deprived populations.

  16. Junior High School Students’ Perception about Simple Environmental Problem as an Impact of Problem based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tapilouw, M. C.; Firman, H.; Redjeki, S.; Chandra, D. T.

    2017-09-01

    Environmental problem is a real problem that occur in student’s daily life. Junior high school students’ perception about environmental problem is interesting to be investigated. The major aim of this study is to explore junior high school students’ perception about environmental problems around them and ways to solve the problem. The subject of this study is 69 Junior High School Students from two Junior High School in Bandung. This study use two open ended question. The core of first question is environmental problem around them (near school or house). The core of second question is the way to prevent or to solve the problem. These two question are as an impact of problem based learning in science learning. There are two major findings in this study. The first finding, based on most students’ perception, plastic waste cause an environmental problem. The second finding, environmental awareness can be a solution to prevent environmental pollution. The third finding, most student can classify environmental pollution into land, water and air pollution. We can conclude that Junior High School Students see the environmental problem as a phenomenon and teacher can explore environmental problem to guide the way of preventing and resolving environmental problem.

  17. Immobilization of leachable toxic soil pollutants by using oxidative enzymes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shannon, M.J.R.; Bartha, R.

    1988-01-01

    Screening of leachable toxic chemicals in a horseradish peroxidase-H 2 O 2 immobilization system established that immobilization was promising for most phenolic pollutants but not for benzoic acid, 2,6-dinitrocresol, or dibutyl phthalate. The treatment did not mobilize inherently nonmobile pollutants such as anilines and benzo[a]pyrene. In a separate study, an extracellular laccase in the culture filtrate of Geotrichum candidum was selected from five fungal enzymes evaluated as a cost-effective substitute for horseradish peroxidase. This enzyme was used in demonstrating the immobilization and subsequent fate of 14 C-labeled 4-methylphenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol in soil columns. When applied to Lakewood sand, 98.1% of 4-methylpheno was leached through with distilled water. Two days after immobilization treatment with the G. candidum culture filtrate, only 9.1% of the added 4-methylphenol was leached with the same volume of water. Of the more refractory test pollutant 2,4-dichlorophenol, 91.6% had leached at time zero and 48.5% had leached 1 day after the immobilization treatment. However, 2 weeks after immobilization, only 12.0% of the 2,4-dichlorophenol was leached compared with 61.7% from the control column that received no immobilization treatment. No remobilization of the bound pollutants was detected during 3- and 4-week incubation periods

  18. Effects of sulphuric acid pollution on the biology of streams in the Transvaal, South Africa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harrison, A D

    1958-01-01

    Strongly acid effluents or drainage waters are produced during gold and coal mining activities in the Transvaal. Sulphuric acid is produced during oxidation of pyrites exposed by mining operations and much of it finds its way into streams and creates serious pollution problems. The object of this paper is to give a short account of the effects of this acid pollution on the biology of these streams. The first streams considered are the Klip and Klipspruit near their confluence at Olifantsvlei, near Johannesburg. These were studied during a two-year investigation of the area. Both receive acid pollution from gold mine dumps and slimes dams, the seepages from which have pH values as low as 2.3. Both streams run over dolomite formations so the acid is gradually neutralised but highly mineralised, permanently hard water results. The Klip and the Klipspruit join in the middle of a y-shaped, swampy area, each stream coming down one of the upper arms of the y. A sampling station was set up on each where it runs slowly through the swamp just before confluence.

  19. Oxidative stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Osredkar Joško

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The human organism is exposed to the influence of various forms of stress, either physical, psychological or chemical, which all have in common that they may adversely affect our body. A certain amount of stress is always present and somehow directs, promotes or inhibits the functioning of the human body. Unfortunately, we are now too many and too often exposed to excessive stress, which certainly has adverse consequences. This is especially true for a particular type of stress, called oxidative stress. All aerobic organisms are exposed to this type of stress because they produce energy by using oxygen. For this type of stress you could say that it is rather imperceptibly involved in our lives, as it becomes apparent only at the outbreak of certain diseases. Today we are well aware of the adverse impact of radicals, whose surplus is the main cause of oxidative stress. However, the key problem remains the detection of oxidative stress, which would allow us to undertake timely action and prevent outbreak of many diseases of our time. There are many factors that promote oxidative stress, among them are certainly a fast lifestyle and environmental pollution. The increase in oxidative stress can also trigger intense physical activity that is directly associated with an increased oxygen consumption and the resulting formation of free radicals. Considering generally positive attitude to physical activity, this fact may seem at first glance contradictory, but the finding has been confimed by several studies in active athletes. Training of a top athlete daily demands great physical effort, which is also reflected in the oxidative state of the organism. However, it should be noted that the top athletes in comparison with normal individuals have a different defense system, which can counteract the negative effects of oxidative stress. Quite the opposite is true for irregular or excessive physical activity to which the body is not adapted.

  20. A miniaturized electrochemical toxicity biosensor based on graphene oxide quantum dots/carboxylated carbon nanotubes for assessment of priority pollutants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaolin; Wu, Guanlan; Lu, Nan; Yuan, Xing; Li, Baikun

    2017-02-15

    The study presented a sensitive and miniaturized cell-based electrochemical biosensor to assess the toxicity of priority pollutants in the aquatic environment. Human hepatoma (HepG2) cells were used as the biological recognition agent to measure the changes of electrochemical signals and reflect the cell viability. The graphene oxide quantum dots/carboxylated carbon nanotubes hybrid was developed in a facile and green way. Based on the hybrid composite modified pencil graphite electrode, the cell culture and detection vessel was miniaturized to a 96-well plate instead of the traditional culture dish. In addition, three sensitive electrochemical signals attributed to guanine/xanthine, adenine, and hypoxanthine were detected simultaneously. The biosensor was used to evaluate the toxicity of six priority pollutants, including Cd, Hg, Pb, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol. The 24h IC 50 values obtained by the electrochemical biosensor were lower than those of conventional MTT assay, suggesting the enhanced sensitivity of the electrochemical assay towards heavy metals and phenols. This platform enables the label-free and sensitive detection of cell physiological status with multi-parameters and constitutes a promising approach for toxicity detection of pollutants. It makes possible for automatical and high-throughput analysis on nucleotide catabolism, which may be critical for life science and toxicology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Delocalized organic pollutant destruction through a self-sustaining supercritical water oxidation process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavric, E.D.; Weyten, H.; Ruyck, J. de; Plesu, V.; Lavric, V.

    2005-01-01

    Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is a recent development aiming at the destruction of organic pollutants present with low concentrations in waste waters. The present paper focuses on the process simulation of SCWO with emphasis on the proper modelling of supercritical thermodynamic conditions and on the possibility to make the SCWO process self-sufficient from the energetic viewpoint. Self-sufficiency may be of interest to encourage more delocalization of waste water treatment. The process of SCWO for dilute waste water (no more than 5 wt.%) is modelled through the ASPEN Plus copyright process simulator. Studies were made to search for energetic self-sufficiency conditions using various technologies for power production from the heat of reaction, like supercritical water expansion in a turbine, use of a closed Brayton cycle (CBC) and use of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC). The results obtained showed that the process is energetically self-sufficient using either a small supercritical turbine, or an ORC. In less restrictive conditions regarding the component efficiencies, the CBC, in theory, also leads to self-sufficiency, but from the analysis, it appears that this solution is less realistic

  2. Environmental consequences from emission of nitrogen oxides and ammonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iverfeldt, Aa.; Pleijel, H.; Klemedtsson, L.; Loevblad, G.; Omstedt, G.

    1995-02-01

    The aim of this study have been to compare environmental problems pertaining to nitrogen containing pollutants from power generation from biomass fuels. Local effects of NO x and NH 3 in air are normally small. Emission of NO x add plant toxic ozone, which is not the case at emission of NH 3 and N 2 O. The problem is slightly greater when siting in southern Sweden. The total emission of ammonium and nitrates are of major importance for acidification and nitrogen saturation. The largest contribution to the greenhouse effect comes from direct emission of nitrous oxide. The emission of N 2 O does not influence the siting aspects of the power plant, because of the global implications of this substance. 21 refs, 9 figs, 14 tabs

  3. Political economy of low sulfurization and air pollution control policy in Japan : SOx emission reduction by fuel conversion

    OpenAIRE

    Terao, Tadayoshi

    2013-01-01

    In the early stages of the development of Japan’s environmental policy, sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions, which seriously damage health, was the most important air pollution problem. In the second half of the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s, the measures against SOx emissions progressed quickly, and these emissions were reduced drastically. The most important factor of the reduction was the conversion to a low-sulfur fuel for large-scale fuel users, such as the electric power industry. Howe...

  4. A methodological approach for the identification of arsenic bearing phases in polluted soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matera, V.; Le Hecho, I.; Laboudigue, A.; Thomas, P.; Tellier, S.; Astruc, M.

    2003-01-01

    Arsenic in the three polluted soils is mainly associated with neoformed amorphous iron (hydr)oxides. - A methodological approach is used to characterize arsenic pollution in three soils and to determine arsenic speciation and association with solid phases in three polluted soils. HPLC-ICP-MS was used for arsenic speciation analysis, SEM-EDS and XRD for physical characterization of arsenic pollution, and sequential chemical extractions to identify arsenic distribution. Arsenic was concentrated in the finest size fractions also enriched in iron and aluminium. Total arsenic concentrations in soils are close to 1%. Arsenic was mainly present as arsenate, representing more than 90% of total arsenic. No crystallised arsenic minerals were detected by XRD analysis. SEM-EDS observations indicated arsenic/iron associations. Modified Tessier's procedure showed that arsenic was mainly extracted from amorphous iron oxide phase. The results of this methodological approach lead to predict the formation of iron arsenates in the case of one of the studied soils while arsenic sorption on iron amorphous (hydr)oxides seemed to be the determinant in the two other soils

  5. Persistent environmental pollutants. Detoxification by means of fungi; Persistente Umweltschadstoffe. Detoxifizierung durch Pilze

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sietmann, Rabea; Schauer, Frieder [Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universitaet, Greifswald (Germany). Inst. fuer Mikrobiologie

    2010-01-15

    Microorganisms either may use environmental pollutants as a source of carbon or attack pollutants oxidatively in the presence of a growth substrate. Furthermore, accumulated toxic products partly can be removed from a cell and oxidized or mineralized by microorganisms. The structural chemical analysis of the accumulated metabolites is performed by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). This analysis supplies information on the mechanism of degradation of the environmental pollutants. Under this aspect, the authors of the contribution under consideration report on the use of fungi (aspergillus, candida, cunninghamella, fusarium, mucor, paecilomyces, penicillium, pycnoporus, trametes, trichosporon) in the degradation of biphenyl and its derivatives. The following mechanisms of degradation are discussed: Primary oxidation, hydroxylation, ring scission, formation of conjugates, oligomerisation and dehalogenation.

  6. Global chemical pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Travis, C.C.; Hester, S.T.

    1991-01-01

    Over the past decade, public and governmental awareness of environmental problems has grown steadily, with an accompanying increase in the regulation of point sources of pollution. As a result, great strides have been made in cleaning polluted rivers and decreasing air pollution near factories. However, traditional regulatory approaches to environmental pollution have focused primarily on protecting the maximally exposed individual located in the immediate vicinity of the pollution source. Little attention has been given to the global implications of human production and use of synthetic chemicals. A consensus is emerging that even trace levels of environmental contamination can have potentially devastating environmental consequences. The authors maintain that ambient levels of pollution have risen to the point where human health is being affected on a global scale. Atmospheric transport is recognized as the primary mode of global distribution and entry into the food chain for organic chemicals. The following are examples of global chemical pollutants that result in human exposure of significant proportions: PCBs, dioxins, benzene, mercury and lead. Current regulatory approaches for environmental pollution do not incorporate ways of dealing with global pollution. Instead the major focus has been on protecting the maximally exposed individual. If we do not want to change our standard of living, the only way to reduce global chemical pollution is to make production and consumption processes more efficient and to lower the levels of production of these toxic chemicals. Thus the only reasonable solution to global pollution is not increased regulation of isolated point sources, but rather an increased emphasis on waste reduction and materials recycling. Until we focus on these issues, we will continue to experience background cancer risk in the 10 -3 range

  7. [Airway oxidative stress and inflammation markers in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases(COPD) patients are linked with exposure to traffic-related air pollution: a panel study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, J; Zhao, Q; Liu, B B; Wang, J; Xu, H B; Zhang, Y; Song, X M; He, B; Huang, W

    2016-05-01

    To investigate the effects of short-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on airway oxidative stress and inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients. A panel of forty-five diagnosed COPD patients were recruited and followed with repeated measurements of biomarkers reflecting airway oxidative stress and inflammation in exhaled breath condensate (EBC), including nitrate and nitrite, 8-isoprostane, interleukin-8 and acidity of EBC (pH), between 5(th) September in 2014 and 26(th) May in 2015. The associations between air pollution and biomarkers were analyzed with mixed-effects models, controlling for confounding covariates. The concentration of PM2.5, black carbon, NO2 and number concentration of particles with diameter less than 100 nm (PNC100), and particles in size ranges between 100 nm to 200 nm (PNC100-200) during the first follow-up were (156.5±117.7), (10.7±0.7), (165.9±66.0)μg/m(3) and 397 521±96 712, 79 421±44 090 per cubic meter, respectively; the concentration were (67.9±29.6), (3.4±1.3), (126.1±10.9) μg/m(3) and (295 682±39 430), (24 693±12 369) per cubic meter, respectively during the second follow-up. The differences were of significance, with t value being 3.10, 4.42, 2.61, 4.02, 5.12, respectively and P value being 0.005,stress. For an IQR increase in PM2.5, black carbon and PNC100-200, respective increases of 0.17 ng/ml (95% CI: 0.02-0.33), 0.12 ng/ml (95% CI: 0.01-0.24) and 0.13 ng/ml (95% CI:0.02-0.24) in interleukin-8 in EBC reflecting airway inflammation were also observed. An IQR increase in ozone was also associated with a 0.24 (95%CI: 0.05-0.42) decrease in pH of EBC reflecting increased airway inflammation. No significant association observed between air pollution and 8-isoprostane in EBC in COPD patients. Our results suggested that short-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution was responsible for exacerbation of airway oxidative stress and inflammation in COPD patients.

  8. Indoor air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spengler, J.D.

    1985-01-01

    Although official efforts to control air pollution have traditionally focused on outdoor air, it is now apparent that elevated contaminant concentrations are common inside some private and public buildings. Concerns about potential public health problems due to indoor air pollution are based on evidence that urban residents typically spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors, and for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements. Among the more important indoor contaminants associated with health or irritation effects are passive tobacco smoke, radon decay products, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, asbestos fibers, microorganisms and aeroallergens. Efforts to assess health risks associated with indoor air pollution are limited by insufficient information about the number of people exposed, the pattern and severity of exposures, and the health consequences of exposures. An overall strategy should be developed to investigate indoor exposures, health effects, control options, and public policy alternatives

  9. Windows pollution problems of the dust concentration measurement based on scattering method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yanjun; Zhang Yongtao; Shi Xinyue; Xu Chuanlong; Wang Shimin

    2009-01-01

    The windows are separated the measurement system from the dust space in the light Scattering dust concentration measurement system. The windows are polluted unavoidably by the dust and the measurement error is produced. Based on the Mie Scattering theory, the measurement error is researched in this paper. The numerical simulation results show that the measurement error is related to the particles diameter distribution and the refractive index, but is independent of the particles average diameter. A novel photoelectricity sensor is developed in this paper in order to solve the measurement error by the windows pollution. The calculated method is brought out which can amend the measurement errors by the windows pollution and improve the measurement accuracy.

  10. Cardiovascular effects of air pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourdrel, Thomas; Bind, Marie-Abèle; Béjot, Yannick; Morel, Olivier; Argacha, Jean-François

    2017-11-01

    Air pollution is composed of particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone. PM is classified according to size into coarse particles (PM 10 ), fine particles (PM 2.5 ) and ultrafine particles. We aim to provide an original review of the scientific evidence from epidemiological and experimental studies examining the cardiovascular effects of outdoor air pollution. Pooled epidemiological studies reported that a 10μg/m 3 increase in long-term exposure to PM 2.5 was associated with an 11% increase in cardiovascular mortality. Increased cardiovascular mortality was also related to long-term and short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide. Exposure to air pollution and road traffic was associated with an increased risk of arteriosclerosis, as shown by premature aortic and coronary calcification. Short-term increases in air pollution were associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and acute heart failure. The risk was increased even when pollutant concentrations were below European standards. Reinforcing the evidence from epidemiological studies, numerous experimental studies demonstrated that air pollution promotes a systemic vascular oxidative stress reaction. Radical oxygen species induce endothelial dysfunction, monocyte activation and some proatherogenic changes in lipoproteins, which initiate plaque formation. Furthermore, air pollution favours thrombus formation, because of an increase in coagulation factors and platelet activation. Experimental studies also indicate that some pollutants have more harmful cardiovascular effects, such as combustion-derived PM 2.5 and ultrafine particles. Air pollution is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases. Promotion of safer air quality appears to be a new challenge in cardiovascular disease prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Biochemical modifications in Pinus pinaster Ait. as a result of environmental pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acquaviva, Rosaria; Vanella, Luca; Sorrenti, Valeria; Santangelo, Rosa; Iauk, Liliana; Russo, Alessandra; Savoca, Francesca; Barbagallo, Ignazio; Di Giacomo, Claudia

    2012-11-01

    Exposure to chemical pollution can cause significant damage to plants by imposing conditions of oxidative stress. Plants combat oxidative stress by inducing antioxidant metabolites, enzymatic scavengers of activated oxygen and heat shock proteins. The accumulation of these proteins, in particular heat shock protein 70 and heme oxygenase, is correlated with the acquisition of thermal and chemical adaptations and protection against oxidative stress. In this study, we used Pinus pinaster Ait. collected in the areas of Priolo and Aci Castello representing sites with elevated pollution and reference conditions, respectively. The presence of heavy metals and the levels of markers of oxidative stress (lipid hydroperoxide levels, thiol groups, superoxide dismutase activity and expression of heat shock protein 70, heme oxygenase and superoxide dismutase) were evaluated, and we measured in field-collected needles the response to environmental pollution. P. pinaster Ait. collected from a site characterized by industrial pollution including heavy metals had elevated stress response as indicated by significantly elevated lipid hydroperoxide levels and decreased thiol groups. In particular, we observed that following a chronic chemical exposure, P. pinaster Ait. showed significantly increased expression of heat shock protein 70, heme oxygenase and superoxide dismutase. This increased expression may have protective effects against oxidative stress and represents an adaptative cellular defence mechanism. These results suggest that evaluation of heme oxygenase, heat shock protein 70 and superoxide dismutase expression in P. pinaster Ait. could represent a useful tool for monitoring environmental contamination of a region and to better understand mechanisms involved in plant defence and stress tolerance.

  12. Industrial pollution of the Moselle River: the birth, development and management of an environmental problem, 1850-2000

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcier, J.R.

    2005-12-01

    In the 1850's, the water quality of surface waters in the Moselle river drainage basin began to suffer from the development of heavy industrial activities (coal and iron ore mining, steel and soda making). Industrial development also fuelled a demographic impetus that proved detrimental to the quality of surface waters. This study uses archival sources to analyse the ineffectiveness of the policies that were launched to regulate pollution. In a region traumatized by the Prussian annexation of a quarter of its surface (1870), industrial production enjoyed a symbolic protection that allowed water pollution to go unabated. The fuzzy status of pollution in law contributed to the immunity of industrialists. From the 1950's on, fear that the region might experience severe water shortages due to the growth of water consumption by industries and cities alike enabled more stringent policies to be devised. They still had to take into account the interests of the heavy industry and their effectiveness is questionable. Hydrological planning was based upon a functionalist vision of water resources that did not take environmental issues into account. The situation changed in the 1970's and 1980's, when European integration and the Sandoz catastrophe in the Rhine (November 1986) tipped the scale in favour of more vigorous environmental policies. This study develops the concepts of a 'regional system' and of the 'mode of construction' of an environmental problem. These prove to be valuable theoretical elements to ground environmental geography studies. (author)

  13. 40 CFR 60.4315 - What pollutants are regulated by this subpart?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What pollutants are regulated by this subpart? 60.4315 Section 60.4315 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... pollutants regulated by this subpart are nitrogen oxide (NOX) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). ...

  14. Extraction and Ozonation of organic pollutants in drinking waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenawi, I.M.; Barsoum, B.N.; Abdelhaflz, M.M.

    2006-01-01

    The continuous liquid-liquid, CLLE, and solid-phase, SPE. extraction techniques were used to study a problem of international relevance. The work was incident on the evaluation of the efficiency and optimisation of extruding techniques, CLLE. SPE and CLLEt-SPE, towards chlorinated pesticides and phenolic compounds from the Giza treatment plant station (Egypt), where the degree of pollution of such substances in drinking waters must be reduced. The total recoveries, rs, using SPE ranged between I).74 -0.87, whereas, the values were much less using the other two methods (0.158 - 0.1961; indicating the preferability of the SF'E technique. Analytical results were obtained through the various chromatographic techniques, liquid or gas. with adequately chosen detectors. A simple mathematical algorithm has been empirically developed allowing the assessment and comparison of the efficiencies of the three extracting procedures. Further treatment with ozone resulted in the oxidation and elimination of organic pollutants, with consequent improvement of water quality (total pesticide content 0.332-0.19μgL -1 ). A useful ozone treatment unit, capable of dealing with the emanation of contaminants in tap water, was built

  15. L'IIASA and the integrated simulation of the trans-border atmospheric pollution assessment and evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soleille, S.; Brignon, J.M.; Farret, R.; Landrieu, G.; Le Gall, A.C.; Rouil, L.

    2003-09-01

    The RAINS model is an integrated evaluation model for many pollutants and many effects, developed by he IIASA. This model studies the emissions of 4 atmospheric pollutants (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ammonium and volatile organic compounds) and the necessary costs to reduce them and the dispersion of these pollutants and their effects (tropospheric ozone formation, acidification and eutrophication). The model can be used in activities scenario mode (energy, agriculture, transports...) to calculate the emissions and their effects or in optimization mode to calculate strategies of emissions control from environmental constraints. (A.L.B.)

  16. Environmental impacts of polluted effluents on human health

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, M.S.

    2005-01-01

    One of the major environmental problems confronting Pakistan is water pollution. Human health is being affected by water pollution. The major sources of pollution for surface and groundwater resources are municipal sewage and industrial wastewater. The indiscriminate discharges of untreated sewage and industrial effluents into the water bodies have affected not only the water quality but also human health. Groundwater is also being contaminated by the discharge of untreated sewage into land. Water pollution is responsible for water borne diseases such as hepatitis, dysentery, typhoid, cholera, paratyphoid fever etc. This paper presents a general overview of the wastewater pollution in Pakistan, an evaluation and a specific reference to Lahore city and the effects on human health. Finally, sustainable treatment methods have been proposed to mitigate the water pollution problem. The analysis of water bodies at wastewater discharge points shows depletion of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and high levels of E. Coli. There is an evidence of groundwater pollution in many areas due to the discharge of wastewater on open land. To protect the water sources from contamination, appropriate treatment methods/treatment technologies have also been discussed in this paper. In the end conclusion and recommendations are given. (author)

  17. Environmental impacts of polluted effluents on human health

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmad, M S [NESPAK, Lahore (Pakistan). Geo-Environmental Engineering Div.

    2005-07-15

    One of the major environmental problems confronting Pakistan is water pollution. Human health is being affected by water pollution. The major sources of pollution for surface and groundwater resources are municipal sewage and industrial wastewater. The indiscriminate discharges of untreated sewage and industrial effluents into the water bodies have affected not only the water quality but also human health. Groundwater is also being contaminated by the discharge of untreated sewage into land. Water pollution is responsible for water borne diseases such as hepatitis, dysentery, typhoid, cholera, paratyphoid fever etc. This paper presents a general overview of the wastewater pollution in Pakistan, an evaluation and a specific reference to Lahore city and the effects on human health. Finally, sustainable treatment methods have been proposed to mitigate the water pollution problem. The analysis of water bodies at wastewater discharge points shows depletion of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and high levels of E. Coli. There is an evidence of groundwater pollution in many areas due to the discharge of wastewater on open land. To protect the water sources from contamination, appropriate treatment methods/treatment technologies have also been discussed in this paper. In the end conclusion and recommendations are given. (author)

  18. Biomass energy, air pollution and health

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathis, Paul

    2014-06-01

    This article reports the negative effects on human health due to the use of biomass for energy. In addition to the emission of nitrogen oxides and of metals, these effects result largely from an incomplete combustion, generating various air pollutants: fine particles, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons. Four situations are discussed: indoor air pollution due to cooking in developing countries, residential wood combustion for heating, the use of biofuels, and waste incineration. In all cases, negative health effects have been demonstrated, but they can be prevented by appropriate strategies. (author)

  19. Low-level coal combustion as an important problem related to air pollution in Silesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fudala, J.

    1994-01-01

    Statistical analyses of pollutants from the Katowice District for many years have attributed to the poor air quality to industrial emission sources. Among the source categories for which pollutant emissions into the atmosphere have not been recognized in detail so far, municipal heat sources are worth mentioning. These sources include local boiler houses, residual space heating plants, and individual ceramic furnaces. The problem was investigated by the Institute of Environmental Protection in cooperation with the Regional Design Office at Zabrze. The inventory covered three heat sources: (1) local boiler houses, (2) individual furnaces in multiple-family houses, and (3) individual ceramic furnaces in private houses. For each administrative unit within the district, concentration levels for boiler house and individual household furnaces have been calculated for both local sources and external sources. the calculations have shown that more than 80% of the local concentration levels come from individual furnaces. It also has been found that emissions within a given administrative unit are considerably affected by similar source types in the neighboring units. This relationship has been used to evaluate the administrative units in the Katowice District. In light of the analyses performed, the general conclusion can be drawn the improvement in the sanitary quality of the air depends not only on local emission abatement, but also on integrated activity within the heat and gas supply for old flats and individual private house in the Katowice District

  20. The 1979 convention on long range transfrontier air pollution; La convention sur la pollution atmospherique transfrontiere a longue distance de 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jagusiewicz, A. [UNECE, Palais des Nations, Geneve (Switzerland)

    1997-12-31

    Applied in March 1983, the 1979 international Convention have induced five protocols related to sulfur, nitrogen oxide and VOC emissions. After 1994, three new protocols are under study, concerning the reduction of nitrogenous and related compounds, heavy metals and long-lasting organic pollutants. Works and organization of the European EMEP program for the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the long range air pollution transport in Europe, are presented

  1. Linear stochastic models for forecasting daily maxima and hourly concentrations of air pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McCollister, G M; Wilson, K R

    1975-04-01

    Two related time series models were developed to forecast concentrations of various air pollutants and tested on carbon monoxide and oxidant data for the Los Angeles basin. One model forecasts daily maximum concentrations of a particular pollutant using only past daily maximum values of that pollutant as input. The other model forecasts 1 hr average concentrations using only the past hourly average values. Both are significantly more accurate than persistence, i.e., forecasting for tomorrow what occurred today (or yesterday). Model forecasts for 1972 of the daily instantaneous maxima for total oxidant made using only past pollutant concentration data are more accurate than those made by the Los Angeles APCD using meteorological input as well as pollutant concentrations. Although none of these models forecast as accurately as might be desired for a health warning system, the relative success of simple time series models, even though based solely on pollutant concentration, suggests that models incorporating meteorological data and using either multi-dimensional times series or pattern recognition techniques should be tested.

  2. Influence of coal as an energy source on environmental pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balat, M. [University of Mahallesi, Trabzon (Turkey)

    2007-07-01

    This article considers the influence of coal energy on environmental pollution. Coal is undoubtedly part of the greenhouse problem. The main emissions from coal combustion are sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulates, carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}), and mercury (Hg). Since 1980, despite a 36% increase in electricity generation and more than a 50% increase in coal use, electric utility SO{sub 2} and NOx emissions have declined significantly. Globally, the largest source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is CO{sub 2} from the combustion of fossil fuels - around 75% of total GHG emissions covered under the Kyoto Protocol. At the present time, coal is responsible for 30-40% of world CO{sub 2} emission from fossil fuels.

  3. Wastewater Pollution from Cruise Ships in the Adriatic Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tina Perić

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The global growth of cruise tourism has brought increasing concern for the pollution of the marine environment. Marine pollution from sanitary wastewater is a problem especially pronounced on large cruise ships where the number of people on board may exceed 8,000. To evaluate future marine pollution in any selected period of time it is necessary to know the movement of ships in the Adriatic Sea. This paper presents the problem of marine pollution by sanitary wastewater from cruise ships, wastewater treatment technology and a model of cruise ship traffic in the Adriatic Sea considering MARPOL Annex IV areas of limited wastewater discharge. Using the model, it is possible to know in advance the routes of the cruisers and retention time in certain geographic areas. The data obtained by this model can be used as input parameters for evaluation model of wastewater pollution or for evaluation of other types of pollution from cruise ships.

  4. Pollution Law - Clean Air Act

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmitt Glaeser, W.; Meins, J.W.

    1982-01-01

    This volume deals with how the living space air is kept clean by means of the pollution law, focussing on the documentation of central problems of pollution law by means of selected articles and court decisions. The literature and jurisdiction available on this sector of which we can hardly keep track makes such a documentation look useful and necessary. It will make working easier for those who do not have direct access to large libraries. The only intention of the guide for the pollution law which preceeds the documentation is to outline basic problems. It is intended to provide basic information in this complex field of law. At the same time, it also constitutes a 'guide' for the documentation: By naming the documentation number in the margin of the respective passage reference is made to the documented publications which deal with the legal issues considered. Using this guide, the documentation can be easily tapped. (orig.) [de

  5. Radiation pollution: present and future perplexities about human rights

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Raj; Bharti, Mukesh

    2012-01-01

    Out of the several pollutions included in environmental pollution, the radiation pollution is also a part of this, which is most damageable and serious for the society. Historical evidences reveal about the devastating effects of radiation pollution on human being. No form of pollution exists in the world which influences the human race with its devastating affects for more than one generation except radiation pollution. The radiation pollution affects human health in several ways. It is a man made problem and also affects human rights of masses for which state are responsible ultimately. The radiation pollution affects a big spectrum of human rights. The sources of radiation pollution and its impact on human health may be different according to the sources. These sources may be classified as electronic goods, Nuclear tests, Nuclear war, Reactors and thermal plants etc. Although we have some legal provisions to handle the problem of radiation pollution but there is no specific laws available for the protection and promotion of human rights from radiation pollution in the lights of international human rights principles. At present, there is no human right oriented policy framework is available to protect and promote the human rights of the radiation pollutions sufferers. The paper explores Present and Future Perplexities about Human Rights. It also tells about the available legal framework, state obligations and judicial responses for radiation pollution. The paper concludes with some suggestions in the light of present and future perplexities about human rights. (author)

  6. Plants as indicators of photochemical oxidants in the USA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jacobson, J.S.

    1977-01-01

    Plant indicators have been important in identifying the photochemical oxidant problem in the USA since the 1940's. They continue to serve as an inexpensive means of detecting oxidants in the atmosphere and determining the geographical extent and frequency of occurrence of oxidants. Plant indicators are particularly useful for land-use planning and in the evaluation of air pollution effects on agriculture, forestry, and native vegetation. Plant indicators are not satisfactory substitutes for chemical monitoring of the atmosphere because their responses lack specificity and are affected by climatic, edaphic, and cultural factors, as well as the concentration and frequency of occurrence of oxidants. Because they integrate many environmental variables, plant indicators may be valuable models for the response of other species but only to the extent that they respond to oxidants in the same manner as these other species. The four most important factors for the successful use of plant indicators are: genetic uniformity of plant material; standardization of cultural conditions; standardization of procedures for scoring foliar symptoms; and uniformity of climatic and edaphic factors among study sites. The species used most frequently as indicators of oxidants in the US have been Bel W-3 tobacco and Pinto bean for 0/sub 3/ and petunia for peroxyacyl nitrate. 41 references, 1 table.

  7. Natural gas and quality of fuels for the reduction of atmospheric pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riva, A.; Occhio, L.; Andreetto, B.

    1998-01-01

    The production of atmospheric pollutants in combustion processes depends on plant characteristic, combustion conditions and fuel quality. The influence of fuel quality on the emission of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, dust and carbon dioxide and on the emission of some toxic pollutants, such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is analysed. The comparison between the emission limits, fixed by the Italian legislation, and the uncontrolled pollutant emissions, produced by fossil fuel combustion in power plants and industrial use, shows that, in order to comply with the limits, a reduction of pollutant emissions is required through the use of abatement systems and cleaner fuels where natural gas has a primary role. The use of cleaner fuels is particularly required in heating plants and appliances for the residential sector, where the development of new gas technologies further increases the environmental advantages of natural gas in comparison with other fuels [it

  8. Oxidative stress and DNA damage caused by the urban air pollutant 3-NBA and its isomer 2-NBA in human lung cells analyzed with three independent methods.

    OpenAIRE

    Nagy, Eszter; Johansson, Clara; Zeisig, Magnus; Moller, Lennart

    2005-01-01

    The air pollutant 3-nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA), emitted in diesel exhaust, is a potent mutagen and genotoxin. 3-NBA can isomerise to 2-nitrobenzanthrone (2-NBA), which can become more than 70-fold higher in concentration in ambient air. In this study, three independent methods have been employed to evaluate the oxidative stress and genotoxicity of 2-NBA compared to 3-NBA in the human A549 lung cell line. HPLC-EC/UV was applied for measurements of oxidative damage in the form of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyg...

  9. Indoor air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anwar, J.; Hussain, F.

    2005-01-01

    Indoor air pollution after being a neglected subject for a number of years, is attracting attention recently because it is a side effect of energy crisis. About 50% of world's 6 billion population, mostly in developing countries, depend on biomass and coal in the form of wood, dung and crop residues for domestic energy because of poverty. These materials are burnt in simple stoves with incomplete combustion and infants, children and women are exposed to high levels of indoor air pollution for a considerable period, approximately between 2-4 hours daily. Current worldwide trade in wood fuel is over US $7 billion and about 2 million people are employed full time in production and marketing it. One of the most annoying and common indoor pollutant in both, developing and developed countries, is cigarette smoke. Children in gas-equipped homes had higher incidences of respiratory disease. Babies' DNA can be damaged even before they are born if their mothers breathe polluted air. Exposure to indoor air pollution may be responsible for nearly 2 million excess deaths in developing countries and for 4% of the global burden of the disease. Only a few indoor pollutants have been studied in detail. Indoor air pollution is a major health threat on which further research is needed to define the extent of the problem more precisely and to determine solutions by the policy-makers instead of neglecting it because sufferers mostly belong to Third World countries. (author)

  10. Water Pollution. Environmental Education Curriculum. Revised.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topeka Public Schools, KS.

    Water is one of the most polluted resources in our environment. Since everyone has the same basic need for pure water, it follows that all people should have a basic knowledge of the causes, results and solutions to the water pollution problem. This unit is designed for use with Level II and III educable mentally retarded students to present…

  11. UV light and urban pollution: bad cocktail for mosquitoes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tetreau, Guillaume; Chandor-Proust, Alexia; Faucon, Frédéric; Stalinski, Renaud; Akhouayri, Idir; Prud'homme, Sophie M; Régent-Kloeckner, Myriam; Raveton, Muriel; Reynaud, Stéphane

    2014-01-01

    Mosquito breeding sites consist of water pools, which can either be large open areas or highly covered ponds with vegetation, thus with different light exposures combined with the presence in water of xenobiotics including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) generated by urban pollution. UV light and PAHs are abiotic factors known to both affect the mosquito insecticide resistance status. Nonetheless, their potential combined effects on the mosquito physiology have never been investigated. The present article aims at describing the effects of UV exposure alongside water contamination with two major PAH pollutants (fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene) on a laboratory population of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. To evaluate the effects of PAH exposure and low energetic UV (UV-A) irradiation on mosquitoes, different parameters were measured including: (1) The PAH localization and its impact on cell mortality by fluorescent microscopy; (2) The detoxification capacities (cytochrome P450, glutathione-S-transferase, esterase); (3) The responses to oxidative stress (Reactive Oxygen Species-ROS) and (4) The tolerance of mosquito larvae to a bioinsecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis-Bti) and to five chemical insecticides (DDT, imidacloprid, permethrin, propoxur and temephos). Contrasting effects regarding mosquito cell mortality, detoxification and oxidative stress were observed as being dependent on the pollutant considered, despite the fact that the two PAHs belong to the same family. Moreover, UV is able to modify pollutant effects on mosquitoes, including tolerance to three insecticides (imidacloprid, propoxur and temephos), cell damage and response to oxidative stress. Taken together, our results suggest that UV and pollution, individually or in combination, are abiotic parameters that can affect the physiology and insecticide tolerance of mosquitoes; but the complexity of their direct effect and of their interaction will require further

  12. Ambient air pollution and thrombosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Sarah; Miller, Mark R

    2018-01-03

    Air pollution is a growing public health concern of global significance. Acute and chronic exposure is known to impair cardiovascular function, exacerbate disease and increase cardiovascular mortality. Several plausible biological mechanisms have been proposed for these associations, however, at present, the pathways are incomplete. A seminal review by the American Heart Association (2010) concluded that the thrombotic effects of particulate air pollution likely contributed to their effects on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. The aim of the current review is to appraise the newly accumulated scientific evidence (2009-2016) on contribution of haemostasis and thrombosis towards cardiovascular disease induced by exposure to both particulate and gaseous pollutants.Seventy four publications were reviewed in-depth. The weight of evidence suggests that acute exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) induces a shift in the haemostatic balance towards a pro-thrombotic/pro-coagulative state. Insufficient data was available to ascertain if a similar relationship exists for gaseous pollutants, and very few studies have addressed long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Platelet activation, oxidative stress, interplay between interleukin-6 and tissue factor, all appear to be potentially important mechanisms in pollution-mediated thrombosis, together with an emerging role for circulating microvesicles and epigenetic changes.Overall, the recent literature supports, and arguably strengthens, the contention that air pollution contributes to cardiovascular morbidity by promoting haemostasis. The volume and diversity of the evidence highlights the complexity of the pathophysiologic mechanisms by which air pollution promotes thrombosis; multiple pathways are plausible and it is most likely they act in concert. Future research should address the role gaseous pollutants play in the cardiovascular effects of air pollution mixture and direct comparison of potentially

  13. Application of GIS in Urban Traffic Noise Pollution

    OpenAIRE

    Manouchehr Omidvari; Ali Asghar Alesheikh

    2010-01-01

    Large urban areas are facing growing problems of noise pollutions. Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) can conveniently be adapted to gather, analyze and present noise information. GIS can also be extended to answer to user specific problems through deterministic and statistics models. The objectives of this research were to measure urban traffic noise levels, analyze temporal and spatial dynamics of urban traffic-induced noise pollution in the first districted of Tehran estimate the noise f...

  14. Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Lu; Wang, Jianzhou; Ma, Xuejiao; Lu, Haiyan

    2018-04-17

    Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies.

  15. Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu Bai

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies.

  16. Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Lu; Wang, Jianzhou; Lu, Haiyan

    2018-01-01

    Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies. PMID:29673227

  17. Removal of sulfur and nitrogen containing pollutants from discharge gases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joubert, James I. (Pittsburgh, PA)

    1986-01-01

    Oxides of sulfur and of nitrogen are removed from waste gases by reaction with an unsupported copper oxide powder to form copper sulfate. The resulting copper sulfate is dissolved in water to effect separation from insoluble mineral ash and dried to form solid copper sulfate pentahydrate. This solid sulfate is thermally decomposed to finely divided copper oxide powder with high specific surface area. The copper oxide powder is recycled into contact with the waste gases requiring cleanup. A reducing gas can be introduced to convert the oxide of nitrogen pollutants to nitrogen.

  18. Removal of sulfur and nitrogen containing pollutants from discharge gases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joubert, J.I.

    1985-02-08

    Oxides of sulfur and of nitrogen are removed from waste gases by reaction with an unsupported copper oxide powder to form copper sulfate. The resulting copper sulfate is dissolved in water to effect separation from insoluble mineral ash and dried to form solid copper sulfate pentahydrate. This solid sulfate is thermally decomposed to finely divided copper oxide powder with high specific surface area. The copper oxide powder is recycled into contact with the waste gases requiring cleanup. A reducing gas can be introduced to convert the oxide of nitrogen pollutants to nitrogen.

  19. Flared gases and other pollutants associated with air quality in industrial areas of Nigeria: an overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osuji, Leo C; Avwiri, Greg O

    2005-10-01

    Nigeria, like any other developing nation, is faced with the twin problem of development without destruction. Industrialization, though an important component of development, has had a large share in the despoilation of air quality in the country by the release of high amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere. Petroleum hydrocarbons from refineries, flared gases, dusts, and fumes of metal-smelting and cement works, odorous gases of chemical and allied industries, carbon monoxide and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen of internal combustion engines, the charred particulates and sulfur dioxide emissions of the steel industries etc., all constitute pollutants or co-pollutants of the Nigerian atmosphere. This review article gives an insight into the phenomenal concentrations of some of these pollutants in the Nigerian atmosphere, which point to their unsafe levels and concomitant health risks. It is against this background that there should be continuous but sound monitoring exercise of the Nigerian environment, devoid of the peculiar mix of politics and science, in order to properly audit the quality of air, especially in areas of heavy industrial pollution. Such checks and balances would provide empirical data to assess the various trade-offs of atmospheric pollution in industrial areas of the country such as the Niger Delta region where oil and gas are produced. There should also be enforcement, thereof, of all existing and/or revised standards or regulations such as the compliance limits of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) or the erstwhile Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA).

  20. Air pollution: a tale of two countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haryanto, Budi; Franklin, Peter

    2011-01-01

    The fast growing economies and continued urbanization in Asian countries have increased the demand for mobility and energy in the region, resulting in high levels of air pollution in cities from mobile and stationary sources. In contrast, low level of urbanization in Australia produces low level of urban air pollution. The World Health Organization estimates that about 500,000 premature deaths per year are caused by air pollution, leaving the urban poor particularly vulnerable since they live in air pollution hotspots, have low respiratory resistance due to bad nutrition, and lack access to quality health care. Identifying the differences and similarities of air pollution levels and its impacts, between Indonesia and Australia, will provide best lesson learned to tackle air pollution problems for Pacific Basin Rim countries.

  1. Association of ambient air pollution with the prevalence and incidence of COPD

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schikowski, Tamara; Adam, Martin; Marcon, Alessandro; Cai, Yutong; Vierkötter, Andrea; Carsin, Anne Elie; Jacquemin, Benedicte; Al Kanani, Zaina; Beelen, Rob; Birk, Matthias; Bridevaux, Pierre Olivier; Brunekreef, Bert; Burney, Peter; Cirach, Marta; Cyrys, Josef; De Hoogh, Kees; De Marco, Roberto; De Nazelle, Audrey; Declercq, Christophe; Forsberg, Bertil; Hardy, Rebecca; Heinrich, Joachim; Hoek, Gerard; Jarvis, Debbie; Keidel, Dirk; Kuh, Diane; Kuhlbusch, Thomas; Migliore, Enrica; Mosler, Gioia; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; Phuleria, Harish; Rochat, Thierry; Schindler, Christian; Villani, Simona; Tsai, Ming Yi; Zemp, Elisabeth; Hansell, Anna; Kauffmann, Francine; Sunyer, Jordi; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Krämer, Ursula; Künzli, Nino

    2014-01-01

    The role of air pollution in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains uncertain. The aim was to assess the impact of chronic exposure to air pollution on COPD in four cohorts using the standardised ESCAPE exposure estimates. Annual average particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NO x)

  2. Treatment of reduced sulphur compounds and SO2 by Gas Phase Advanced Oxidation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meusinger, Carl; Bluhme, Anders Brostrøm; Ingemar, Jonas L.

    2017-01-01

    Reduced sulphur compounds (RSCs) emitted from pig farms are a major problem for agriculture, due to their health and environmental impacts and foul odour. This study investigates the removal of RSCs, including H2S, and their oxidation product SO2 using Gas Phase Advanced Oxidation (GPAO). GPAO...... is a novel air cleaning technique which utilises accelerated atmospheric chemistry to oxidise pollutants before removing their oxidation products as particles. Removal efficiencies of 24.5% and 3.9% were found for 461 ppb of H2S and 714 ppb of SO2 in a laboratory system (volumetric flow Q = 75 m3/h......). A numerical model of the reactor system was developed to explore the basic features of the system; its output was in fair agreement with the experiment. The model verified the role of OH radicals in initiating the oxidation chemistry. All sulphur removed from the gas phase was detected as particulate matter...

  3. Oxidative stress associated with exercise, psychological stress and life-style factors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, P; Wallin, H; Knudsen, Lisbeth E.

    1996-01-01

    generation. Here, we review the effect of alcohol, air pollution, cigarette smoke, diet, exercise, non-ionizing radiation (UV and microwaves) and psychological stress on the development of oxidative stress. Regular exercise and carbohydrate-rich diets seem to increase the resistance against oxidative stress....... Air pollution, alcohol, cigarette smoke, non-ionizing radiation and psychological stress seem to increase oxidative stress. Alcohol in lower doses may act as an antioxidant on low density lipoproteins and thereby have an anti-atherosclerotic property....

  4. Emission of toxic air pollutants from biomass combustion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houck, J.E.; Barnett, S.G.; Roholt, R.B.; Rock, M.E.

    1991-01-01

    Combustion of biomass for power generation, home heating, process steam generation, and waste disposal constitutes a major source of air pollutants nationwide. Emissions from hog-fueled boilers, demolition wood-fired power plants, municipal waste incinerators, woodstoves, fireplaces, pellet stoves, agricultural burning, and forestry burning have been characterized for a variety of purposes. These have included risk assessment, permitting, emission inventory development, source profiling for receptor modeling, and control technology evaluations. From the results of the source characterization studies a compilation of emission factors for criteria and non-criteria pollutants are presented here. Key among these pollutants are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, priority pollutant metals, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and PM 10 particles. The emission factors from the biomass combustion processes are compared and contrasted with other pollutant sources. In addition, sampling and analysis procedures most appropriate for characterizing emissions from the biomass combustion sources are also discussed

  5. Neurotoxicity of traffic-related air pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Lucio G; Cole, Toby B; Coburn, Jacki; Chang, Yu-Chi; Dao, Khoi; Roqué, Pamela J

    2017-03-01

    The central nervous system is emerging as an important target for adverse health effects of air pollution, where it may contribute to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Air pollution comprises several components, including particulate matter (PM) and ultrafine particulate matter (UFPM), gases, organic compounds, and metals. An important source of ambient PM and UFPM is represented by traffic-related air pollution, primarily diesel exhaust (DE). Human epidemiological studies and controlled animal studies have shown that exposure to air pollution, and to traffic-related air pollution or DE in particular, may lead to neurotoxicity. In particular, air pollution is emerging as a possible etiological factor in neurodevelopmental (e.g. autism spectrum disorders) and neurodegenerative (e.g. Alzheimer's disease) disorders. The most prominent effects caused by air pollution in both humans and animals are oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation. Studies in mice acutely exposed to DE (250-300μg/m 3 for 6h) have shown microglia activation, increased lipid peroxidation, and neuro-inflammation in various brain regions, particularly the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb. An impairment of adult neurogenesis was also found. In most cases, the effects of DE were more pronounced in male mice, possibly because of lower antioxidant abilities due to lower expression of paraoxonase 2. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Evolution of pollutants emissions by transports in france from 1970 to 2010; Evolution des emissions de polluants par les transports en France de 1970 a 2010

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joumard, R; Lambert, J

    1996-07-01

    Fuel consumption and CO, CO{sub 2}, HC, NOx, particulates and PAH amounts released by all transport modes from 1970 to 2010 are calculated. A thorough analysis, using parc and pollen softwares, was performed for road traffic. Three scenarios of transport development from 1989 are simulated. Results show that there will not be any problem with CO and HC emissions for the following 20 years, but emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide will be significantly increased. Motorcycles and air transport are significantly polluting too, while duty vehicles, specifically diesel-engined cars, are the main polluting mode. Average unit emissions are analysed according to road type and vehicle type. (author)

  7. Impact of tall buildings in environmental pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Hayati

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Today, tall building is a phenomenon that the world particularly large cities are facing. The tall buildings in order to exploit the land with having the negative affects in the environment create new problems including increasing congestion population, environmental pollution, reduce citizen access to fresh air and sunlight. However, regarding to population increasing and land shortage, tall buildings could not be avoided. This paper investigates the relationship of tall buildings with urban air pollution as well as the possible reducing of negative affects of tall building on environmental pollution with respect to geographical position, technicalrules, immunization, green space, direct of wind, appropriate distance to other buildings, design in terms of visibility and landscape and urban appearance were reviewed. The study showed that the tall buildings cause increasing the air pollution in large urban area due to changing in wind and its direction and also congestion of tall buildings as a pollution sources. Therefore some techniques to design the tall building must be considered to reduce the negative affects of the tall buildings on environmental pollution. Unfortunately the lack of the construction roles in term of environmental protection and also control of the rules in construction process causing the environmental pollution particularly air pollution. It is suggested that the re-evaluate of the rules with restricted control can improve the air quality in the large cities and also utilization of green spaces in floors and roofs of buildings as environmentally friendly buildings which are attempt to reduce environmental problems.

  8. An assessment of the effects of human-caused air pollution on resources within the interior Columbia River basin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anna W. Schoettle; Kathy Tonnessen; John Turk; John Vimont; Robert Amundson; Ann Acheson; Janice Peterson

    1999-01-01

    An assessment of existing and potential impacts to vegetation, aquatics, and visibility within the Columbia River basin due to air pollution was conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This assessment examined the current situation and potential trends due to pollutants such as ammonium, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides,...

  9. Light pollution : A case study in framing an environmental problem

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stone, T.W.

    2017-01-01

    Light pollution is a topic gaining importance and acceptance in environmental discourse. This concept provides a framework for categorizing the adverse effects of nighttime lighting, which advocacy groups and regulatory efforts are increasingly utilizing. However, the ethical significance of the

  10. Water pollution from abandoned mines

    OpenAIRE

    Iversen, E.; Johannessen, M.

    1987-01-01

    The report provides a country-wide overview of abandoned pyrite mines where operations have been fairly extensive. The water pollution situation is assessed on the basis of reported investigations, inspections and chemical analyses from the individual areas. In cases where larger watercourses (Orkla, Gaula), and the upper stretch of the Glåma are affected the situation appears to be adequately described. However abandoned mine areas may also cause local pollution problems, and here documentat...

  11. Mercury pollution: a transdisciplinary treatment

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Zuber, Sharon L; Newman, Michael C

    2012-01-01

    .... Also included are smaller case studies, such as the Minamata tragedy, fish consumption, and international treaties"-- "Mercury is the gravest chemical pollutant problem of our time, and this is...

  12. Health Effects of Air Pollution: A Historical Review and Present Status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shima, Masayuki

    2017-01-01

    During the 1960s, the concentrations of air pollutants, particularly that of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), were extremely high in many industrial cities in Japan, and the prevalence of bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis increased among residents living in the cities. To evaluate the effects of air pollution on respiratory diseases, many epidemiological studies were conducted, and the findings played an important role in the regulatory control of air pollution. After 1970, the concentration of SO 2 has decreased markedly, and its adverse health effects have been minimized. On the other hand, the increasing automobile traffic in Japan has caused considerable increases in concentrations of air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). The large-scale epidemiological studies conducted in Japan showed that traffic-related air pollution was associated with the development of asthma in school children and the persistence of asthmatic symptoms in preschool children. In recent years, however, the concentrations of NOx and PM have gradually decreased, since control measures based on the Automobile NOx/PM law were enforced in 2001. At present, the adverse health effects of airborne fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and photochemical oxidants have become a major concern. These air pollutants consist of not only emissions from primary sources but also secondary formations in air, and have spread worldwide. Both short- and long-term exposure to these air pollutants are reported to increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in the population. Therefore, global efforts are necessary to reduce the health risk of these air pollutants.

  13. Electrokinetic treatment of polluted soil at pilot level coupled to an advanced oxidation process of its wastewater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochoa, B.; Ramos, L.; Garibay, A.; Pérez-Corona, M.; Cuevas, M. C.; Cárdenas, J.; Teutli, M.; Bustos, E.

    2016-02-01

    Soil contaminated with hydrocarbons is a current problem of great importance. These contaminants may be toxic, can retain water and block gas exchange with the atmosphere, which produces a poor-quality soil unsuitable for ecological health. Electroremediation is among the treatments for the removal of such contaminants. In this research, a pilot-level electroremediation test was applied using a circular arrangement of electrodes with a Ti cathode at the middle of the cell surrounded by six IrO2-Ta2O5 | Ti anodes. The presence of an NaOH electrolyte helps to develop the electromigration and electro-osmosis of gasoline molecules (at 1126 mg kg-1) surrounded by Na+ ions. The hydrocarbons are directed towards the cathode and subsequently removed in an aqueous Na+ - hydrocarbon solution, and the -OH migrates to the anode. During electrokinetic treatment, the physicochemical characteristics of the soil close to either the cathode or anode and at the half-cell were evaluated during the three weeks of treatment. During that time, more than 80% of hydrocarbons were removed. Hydrocarbons removed by the electrokinetic treatment of gasoline-polluted soil were collected in a central wastewater compartment and subsequently treated with a Fenton-type advanced oxidation process. This achieved more than 70% mineralization of the hydrocarbons to CO2 and H2O within 1.5 h; its low toxicity status was verified using the Deltatox® kit test. With this approach, the residual water complied with the permissible limits of COD, pH, and electrical conductivity for being discharged into water bodies, according to Mexican norm NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996.

  14. Strategies for the control of environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iqbal, Q.; Shah, S.M.A.

    1991-01-01

    Global destruction of environment is the most important socio-economic problem today. The environment is being polluted by different types of wastes and bye-products. In this paper a number of ways of atmospheric pollution from noise, global warming, ozone layer with special reference to Pakistan have been explained. Several studies have been completed including management of hazardous chemicals in the country, treatment of effluent from tanneries and pollution due to automotive have also been discussed. (A.B.)

  15. Urban Planning Problems of Agglomerations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olenkov, V. D.; Tazeev, N. T.

    2017-11-01

    The article explores the state of the air basin of the Chelyabinsk agglomeration and gives the examples of solutions for the pollution problems from the point of view of city planning. The main features and structure of the modern urban agglomerations are considered, the methods for determining their boundaries are studied and the main problems are identified. The study of the boundaries and territorial structure of the Chelyabinsk urban agglomeration is conducted, and a general description of the territory is given. The data on the change in the volume of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere and the index of atmospheric pollution for the period 2003-2015 are given basing on the annual comprehensive reports regarding the state of the environment. The review of the world experience of city-planning actions on the decision of ecological problems is carried out. The most suitable ways for the ecological problems solving in the Chelyabinsk agglomeration are considered. The authors give recommendations for the ecological situation improving in the territory of the Chelyabinsk agglomeration.

  16. The impact of climate upon variation in air pollution using a synoptic climatological approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powley, J.F.

    1991-01-01

    The Environmental Protection Agency has set national ambient air quality standards for six different pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, total suspended particulates, nitrogen oxides, and oxidants. The goal of this study was to apply an automatic air mass-based synoptic methodology to surface weather data in order to evaluate the impact of climate on the above pollutant concentrations in Philadelphia, PA; Dallas, TX; and St. Louis, MO. A group of synoptic categories depicting the summer and winter weather in each city was developed using principal components analysis and average linkage clustering. The concentrations of the six air pollutants were then related to the synoptic weather categories. The synoptic categories and associated weather conditions exhibiting particularly high pollution concentrations were analyzed in detail. Ultimately, the procedure was validated for prediction of future pollutant levels. The results from this study support the conclusion that there is a close link between synoptic-air mass combinations and various pollutant concentrations. The climate-pollutant relationship seems to change from summer to winter in the three cities. It appears that climatic thresholds could be found for high levels of various air pollutants. Similar synoptic conditions appear to lead to high accumulations of all six pollutants, although the transportation-related pollutants showed more dependency on the level of solar radiation. These pollutants seem to be more significant in the southern city of Dallas. The synoptic methodology proved to be of assistance in developing a weather/pollution watch-warning system; such a system would be designed to signal impending synoptic conditions which could significantly raise pollutant concentrations

  17. Land survey map of air pollutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hadzi-Mishev, Dimitar

    1996-01-01

    The first step toward finding a solution to the problems with air pollution is the realization of a land survey map of polluters and a constant acquisition of data from periodical controls of emission of harmful materials, which will be carried out with a determined dynamic. Such a land survey map is not a project which should be finished within a strict time limit, but is intended to create all conditions for a periodical monitoring of emission of harmful materials from registered polluters in order to make a periodical, exact picture of the quantity of harmful materials, which are conveyed by polluters in certain city, a part of the state or the whole country. (author). 4 ills

  18. Measurement of pollutant species in automotive exhaust: application of a 3D Eulerian model about the photochemical oxidant formation in the troposphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caplain, I.

    2005-05-01

    Automotive pollution has become a more and more worrying problem. Pollution regulations are more severe today but even if some pollutants have to fulfill strict emission standards, other compounds like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbonyl compounds, are less controlled but remain toxic for human beings in a direct way (primary pollution) or in an indirect way (secondary pollution). This work deals with the experimental measurements of exhaust pollution, the inventory of pollutant emissions from transports, and the modeling of air quality. The experimental measurements are performed in the framework of the European project Artemis (assessment and reliability of transport emission models and inventory systems) under the coordination of INRETS, on a set of 30 gasoline and diesel vehicles of recent technology. These vehicles are submitted to various road tests in order to improve the emissions database for private vehicles. The main pollutants measured are the light VOCs (C2 to C6), the heavy VOCs (C7 to C15) and the carbonyl compounds. About a hundred of compounds are thus measured. The emissions factor of each pollutant has been determined for each vehicle and has been used for the elaboration of an emission map of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. These pollutant data have been used as input data for a physicochemical simulation model of troposphere (UAM: urban air-shed model). A previous study about the introduction of the detailed molecular speciation of VOCs and the use of the CBIV mechanism did not lead to concluding results about the speciation impact on ozone formation. The introduction of a new mechanism would allow to take into account the overall compounds and to see their eventual contribution to the ozone formation. This would require a modification of the model and in particular the addition of a flexible chemical mechanism (FCM) interface for the introduction of a new chemical mechanism (SAPRC 99 instead of CBIV) in the model. The overall input

  19. Decontaminating soil organic pollutants with manufactured nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qi; Chen, Xijuan; Zhuang, Jie; Chen, Xin

    2016-06-01

    Organic pollutants in soils might threaten the environmental and human health. Manufactured nanoparticles are capable to reduce this risk efficiently due to their relatively large capacity of sorption and degradation of organic pollutants. Stability, mobility, and reactivity of nanoparticles are prerequisites for their efficacy in soil remediation. On the basis of a brief introduction of these issues, this review provides a comprehensive summary of the application and effectiveness of various types of manufactured nanoparticles for removing organic pollutants from soil. The main categories of nanoparticles include iron (oxides), titanium dioxide, carbonaceous, palladium, and amphiphilic polymeric nanoparticles. Their advantages (e.g., unique properties and high sorption capacity) and disadvantages (e.g., high cost and low recovery) for soil remediation are discussed with respect to the characteristics of organic pollutants. The factors that influence the decontamination effects, such as properties, surfactants, solution chemistry, and soil organic matter, are addressed.

  20. Individual traffic-related air pollution and new onset adult asthma: A GIS-based pilot study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sherson, D.; Lysbeck Hansen, C. (Hospital of Vejle, Dept. of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, (Denmark)); Solvang Jensen, S.; Hertel, O. (Univ. of Aarhus, National Environmental Research Institute (Denmark)); Baelum, J. (Odense Univ. Hospital, Dep. of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Denmark)); Skadhauge, L. (Haderslev Hospital, Dep. of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Denmark)); Siersted, H.C. (Odense Univ. Hospital, Dep. of Respiratory Medicine (Denmark)); Omland, OE. (Aalborg Hospital, Dep. of Occupational Medicine (Denmark)); Thomsen, G. (South-West Jutland Hospital Esbjerg, Dep. of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Denmark)); Sigsgaard, T. (Univ. of Aarhus, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Denmark))

    2008-03-15

    The objective of this pilot study is to investigate the relation between asthma and wheeze debut and individually estimated exposure to traffic-related air pollutants with a validated exposure system (AirGIS). A non-smoking cohort with recently acquired asthma or wheeze as well as matched controls was identified from a large cross-sectional study. All residential and working addresses with corresponding time periods for a 10 year period were successfully identified for all study participants (N=33) and exposure estimated for both urban background and street level. Individual levels of air pollutants in the years preceding debut of asthma or wheeze were analyzed using survival analysis. No significant correlations between exposure levels and onset of disease or symptom were demonstrated. A tendency towards higher levels of nitrogen oxides exposure during the year prior to debut was seen in wheeze cases. Substantial problems in determining time of onset were encountered. It is recommended that the analytic methods developed in this pilot study are used in a larger prospective cohort to investigate individual trafficrelated air pollutants as a risk factor for the development of new asthma and wheeze. (au)

  1. Environmental security: The problems of Northwestern Russia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yablokov, A.V.

    1999-01-01

    The review of main existing environmental problems of North-West Russia covers the radioactive pollution, atmospheric pollution, destroying of the tundra and forest ecosystems, inland and water pollution, consequences of space activities. This region includes: Karelia and Komi republics; Yamalo-Nenetzk autonomous region; Murmansk; Leningrad and Vologda regions; White Sea; Southern and eastern parts of Barents Sea; eastern part of Kara Sea; and eastern part of the Baltic (Finnish Bay). The environmental situation in northwestern Russia is extremely unsafe. The fundamental reason for this situation is Soviet over-militarization in the past. There is an urgent need now to tackle the international environmental security in the Arctic and Scandinavian regions at least in two fields: 1. The existing radioactive pollution (mostly connected with military activities), and even more dangerous - the potential radioactive pollution of the Arctic and Scandinavia. 2. Atmospheric pollution (long distance transportation of pollutant, mostly sulphur dioxide and heavy metals, from melting factories on Kola Peninsula). Several other problems relating to the environmental security of the region (among them deforestation, oil/gas pollution of the ocean, development of the diamond industry) need international attention in the nearest future. It is unrealistic to think that Russia alone can overcome these long-standing problems in the foreseeable future: we need international support for this. But foreign money for solving our environmental problems is not the solution, firstly, because for environmental restoration and recovery Russia needs much more than the international community can allocate; secondly, because there is much money inside Russia (every month, during 1993-1996, up to two billions US dollars were flowing out from Russia to western banks). To utilize this money in a proper way, we drastically need international help to awaken the Russian public environmental awareness

  2. An early warning system for groundwater pollution based on the assessment of groundwater pollution risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weihong.; Zhao, Yongsheng; Hong, Mei; Guo, Xiaodong

    2009-04-01

    Groundwater pollution usually is complex and concealed, remediation of which is difficult, high cost, time-consuming, and ineffective. An early warning system for groundwater pollution is needed that detects groundwater quality problems and gets the information necessary to make sound decisions before massive groundwater quality degradation occurs. Groundwater pollution early warning were performed by considering comprehensively the current groundwater quality, groundwater quality varying trend and groundwater pollution risk . The map of the basic quality of the groundwater was obtained by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation or BP neural network evaluation. Based on multi-annual groundwater monitoring datasets, Water quality state in sometime of the future was forecasted using time-sequenced analyzing methods. Water quality varying trend was analyzed by Spearman's rank correlative coefficient.The relative risk map of groundwater pollution was estimated through a procedure that identifies, cell by cell,the values of three factors, that is inherent vulnerability, load risk of pollution source and contamination hazard. DRASTIC method was used to assess inherent vulnerability of aquifer. Load risk of pollution source was analyzed based on the potential of contamination and pollution degree. Assessment index of load risk of pollution source which involves the variety of pollution source, quantity of contaminants, releasing potential of pollutants, and distance were determined. The load risks of all sources considered by GIS overlay technology. Early warning model of groundwater pollution combined with ComGIS technology organically, the regional groundwater pollution early-warning information system was developed, and applied it into Qiqiha'er groundwater early warning. It can be used to evaluate current water quality, to forecast water quality changing trend, and to analyze space-time influencing range of groundwater quality by natural process and human activities. Keywords

  3. Water pollution profile of coal washeries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, R.K.; Singh, Gurdeep

    1995-01-01

    Environmental problems in coal mining industry is increased with the demand of good quality of coal through coal washing/beneficiation activities. The coal washeries in general have been identified as one of the serious sources of water pollution particularly of Damodar river. Coal washeries though are designed on close water circuit, most of these however, fail to operate on close water circuit thus resulting in enormous quantity of effluents containing coal fines as well. This apart from posing serious water pollution problem also results into economic losses. The present study attempts to provide an insight into water pollution profile from coal washeries in Jharia coalfield. Various process parameters/unit operations in coal washing are also described. Effluents from various selected coal washeries of Jharia coalfield are sampled and analysed over a period of six months during 1993. Suspended solids, oil and grease and COD in the washery effluents are identified as the three major water quality parameters causing lots of concern for Damodar river pollution. Reasons for unavoidable discharge of effluents containing coal fines are also described. (author). 14 refs., 4 tabs., 2 figs

  4. Traffic-related Air Pollution, Lung Function, and Host Vulnerability. New Insights from the PARIS Birth Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bougas, Nicolas; Rancière, Fanny; Beydon, Nicole; Viola, Malika; Perrot, Xavier; Gabet, Stephan; Lezmi, Guillaume; Amat, Flore; De Blic, Jacques; Just, Jocelyne; Momas, Isabelle

    2018-05-01

    Although the effects of traffic-related air pollution on respiratory exacerbations have been well documented, its impact on lung function in childhood remains unclear. Our aim was to investigate the associations of prenatal, early, and lifetime traffic-related air pollution exposure with lung function at 8-9 years studying possible effect modification by sex, sensitization at 8-9 years, and early lower respiratory tract infections. We conducted this study among 788 children from the PARIS (Pollution and Asthma Risk: an Infant Study) birth cohort. Lung function tests were performed during the medical examination at 8-9 years. Traffic-related air pollution exposure during each trimester of pregnancy was estimated using nitrogen oxides background measurements. Postnatal traffic-related air pollution exposure was assessed by a nitrogen oxides air dispersion model at both residential and daycare/school addresses. Associations between lung function and traffic-related air pollution exposure were analyzed by multiple linear regression models. Higher prenatal nitrogen oxides levels, especially during the second trimester of pregnancy, were associated with a lower forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of the forced vital capacity, but there were no significant associations between prenatal nitrogen oxide levels and forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume during 1 second, or the forced expiratory volume during 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio overall. Postnatal traffic-related air pollution exposure was associated with lower lung function among children with early lower respiratory tract infections or sensitization at 8-9 years, but not in the full cohort. In children with early repeated lower respiratory tract infections, an interquartile increase in lifetime nitrogen oxides exposure was associated with both a lower forced expiratory volume during 1 second (-62.6 ml; 95% confidence interval = -107.0 to -18.1) and forced vital capacity (-55.7 ml; 95% confidence

  5. The organic air pollutant cumene hydroperoxide interferes with NO antioxidant role in rehydrating lichen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Catalá, M.; Gasulla, F.; Pradas del Real, A.E.; García-Breijo, F.; Reig-Armiñana, J.; Barreno, E.

    2013-01-01

    Organic pollutants effects on lichens have not been addressed. Rehydration is critical for lichens, a burst of free radicals involving NO occurs. Repeated dehydrations with organic pollutants could increase oxidative damage. Our aim is to learn the effects of cumene hydroperoxide (CP) during lichen rehydration using Ramalina farinacea (L.) Ach., its photobiont Trebouxia spp. and Asterochloris erici. Confocal imaging shows intracellular ROS and NO production within myco and phycobionts, being the chloroplast the main source of free radicals. CP increases ROS, NO and lipid peroxidation and reduces chlorophyll autofluorescence, although photosynthesis remains unaffected. Concomitant NO inhibition provokes a generalized increase of ROS and a decrease in photosynthesis. Our results suggest that CP induces a compensatory hormetic response in Ramalina farinacea that could reduce the lichen's antioxidant resources after repeated desiccation-rehydration cycles. NO is important in the protection from CP. -- Highlights: •Organic pollutants could be involved in lichen decline but effects are unknown. •Cumene hydroperoxide induces a compensatory response in rehydration (hormesis). •Cumene hydroperoxide induces a delayed lipid peroxidation. •NO is involved in rehydration oxidative stress regulation under cumene hydroperoxide. •Symbionts display specific responses probably involving communication along time. -- The organic air pollutant cumene hydroperoxide induces oxidative membrane damage in the lichen Ramalina farinacea during rehydration. Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in lichen response

  6. Determination of optimal pollution levels through multiple-criteria decision making: an application to the Spanish electricity sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linares, P.

    1999-01-01

    An efficient pollution management requires the harmonisation of often conflicting economic and environmental aspects. A compromise has to be found, in which social welfare is maximised. The determination of this social optimum has been attempted with different tools, of which the most correct according to neo-classical economics may be the one based on the economic valuation of the externalities of pollution. However, this approach is still controversial, and few decision makers trust the results obtained enough to apply them. But a very powerful alternative exists, which avoids the problem of monetizing physical impacts. Multiple-criteria decision making provides methodologies for dealing with impacts in different units, and for incorporating the preferences of decision makers or society as a whole, thus allowing for the determination of social optima under heterogeneous criteria, which is usually the case of pollution management decisions. In this paper, a compromise programming model is presented for the determination of the optimal pollution levels for the electricity industry in Spain for carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and radioactive waste. The preferences of several sectors of society are incorporated explicitly into the model, so that the solution obtained represents the optimal pollution level from a social point of view. Results show that cost minimisation is still the main objective for society, but the simultaneous consideration of the rest of the criteria achieves large pollution reductions at a low cost increment. (Author)

  7. HOW AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO DEALING WITH PROBLEMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Emanuele Gessa

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Soil is a complex heterogeneous system whose physical, chemical and biological properties regulate interactions with the chemical species which reach its surface. Soil chemistry is an essential tool for understanding and predicting these interactions. Soil is able to immobilize and transform organic and inorganic molecules by different mechanisms, such as complexing and redox reactions. This behaviour gives soil detoxifying capacities towards pollutants which accumulate in the environment. Pollution by heavy metals is regulated by their solubility in soil solution which in turn depends on soil pH and redox properties and metal speciation. Organic and inorganic colloidal soil fractions can promote the immobilisation, degradation, and diffusion of organic molecules such as agrochemicals, solvents, hydrocarbons and other chemicals which reach the soil by anthropic activities. Predicting the fate of xenobiotics in soil, water, air, and plant ecosystems, the recycling of biomass and the decontamination of polluted soils are of major concern to soil chemistry.

  8. Pollution and respiratory consequences--Have we done enough?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mihălţan, Florin; Danciu, Lucia; Ulmeanu, Ruxandra

    2015-01-01

    Pollution is the second major cause for many respiratory diseases, after smoking. For every country it is a challenging problem to diminish the exposure of their citizens. The authors are discussing the history of progressing of pollution in different countries, the interactions with some respiratory diseases, the influence on mortality and morbidity and the strategies in developing and developed countries for diminishing the level of the polluted particles.

  9. An MCM modeling study of nitryl chloride (ClNO2) impacts on oxidation, ozone production and nitrogen oxide partitioning in polluted continental outflow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedel, T. P.; Wolfe, G. M.; Danas, K. T.; Gilman, J. B.; Kuster, W. C.; Bon, D. M.; Vlasenko, A.; Li, S.-M.; Williams, E. J.; Lerner, B. M.; Veres, P. R.; Roberts, J. M.; Holloway, J. S.; Lefer, B.; Brown, S. S.; Thornton, J. A.

    2014-04-01

    Nitryl chloride (ClNO2) is produced at night by reactions of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) on chloride containing surfaces. ClNO2 is photolyzed during the morning hours after sunrise to liberate highly reactive chlorine atoms (Cl·). This chemistry takes place primarily in polluted environments where the concentrations of N2O5 precursors (nitrogen oxide radicals and ozone) are high, though it likely occurs in remote regions at lower intensities. Recent field measurements have illustrated the potential importance of ClNO2 as a daytime Cl· source and a nighttime NOx reservoir. However, the fate of the Cl· and the overall impact of ClNO2 on regional photochemistry remain poorly constrained by measurements and models. To this end, we have incorporated ClNO2 production, photolysis, and subsequent Cl· reactions into an existing master chemical mechanism (MCM version 3.2) box model framework using observational constraints from the CalNex 2010 field study. Cl· reactions with a set of alkenes and alcohols, and the simplified multiphase chemistry of N2O5, ClNO2, HOCl, ClONO2, and Cl2, none of which are currently part of the MCM, have been added to the mechanism. The presence of ClNO2 produces significant changes to oxidants, ozone, and nitrogen oxide partitioning, relative to model runs excluding ClNO2 formation. From a nighttime maximum of 1.5 ppbv ClNO2, the daytime maximum Cl· concentration reaches 1 × 105 atoms cm-3 at 07:00 model time, reacting mostly with a large suite of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to produce 2.2 times more organic peroxy radicals in the morning than in the absence of ClNO2. In the presence of several ppbv of nitrogen oxide radicals (NOx = NO + NO2), these perturbations lead to similar enhancements in hydrogen oxide radicals (HOx = OH + HO2). Neglecting contributions from HONO, the total integrated daytime radical source is 17% larger when including ClNO2, which leads to a similar enhancement in integrated ozone production of 15%. Detectable

  10. Protective Effect Of Garlic Oil On Some Neurotransmitters And Physiological Parameters In Male Rats Exposed To electro pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, E.A.; Ali, E.A.

    2013-01-01

    Increasing exposure to electro pollution has become inevitable for people living in civilized and industrialized environments. This pollution can increase the production and life-span of free radicals which are causative factors in the oxidative damage of cellular structures and functions. This study evaluated the effects of exposure to electro pollution emitted from mobile base station on the oxidative status parameters, neurotransmitters, glycemic index and lipid profile in male rats and the protective role of garlic oil. Twenty four male albino rats were divided into three equal groups; group 1 served as control, group 2 exposed for 24 hr to electro pollution emitted from mobile base station founded on a roof of building for 4 weeks and group 3 exposed to electro pollution as group 2 then supplemented by stomach tube with garlic oil (250 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Exposure to electro pollution caused significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) while significant decreases in reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) were observed. Significant decrease in serotonin (5-HT) and significant increase in dopamine (DA) were also noticed with significant increase in serum glucose and significant decrease in insulin hormone. In addition, the lipid profile showed significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and significant increase in triglycerides (TG) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). Garlic oil supplementation ameliorates almost these disturbances leading to the conclusion that garlic oil exhibited significant protection against oxidative stress, neuro degeneration, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidaemia produced by electro pollution

  11. Solar photocatalytic cleaning of polluted water. Solare Reinigung verschmutzter Waesser mittels Photokatalyse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bockelmann, D

    1994-01-01

    Alternatively to biological, physical and chemical methods of waste water cleaning, photocatalysis can be employed. In this residue-free method, titanium dioxide particles are brought into contact with polluted water as photocatalysts. Under UV irradiation at wave-lengths below 400 nm, change carriers are generated in the semiconductor particles that act so intensely oxidizing as to completely degrade almost all organic pollutants in waste water. In this process, the ultra-violet part of the solar spectrum can be harnessed to generate oxidation equivalents. Thus, solar photocatalytic waste water cleaning is excellently suited for developing countries. (BWI)

  12. A multi-model assessment of pollution transport to the Arctic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. J. Pringle

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available We examine the response of Arctic gas and aerosol concentrations to perturbations in pollutant emissions from Europe, East and South Asia, and North America using results from a coordinated model intercomparison. These sensitivities to regional emissions (mixing ratio change per unit emission vary widely across models and species. Intermodel differences are systematic, however, so that the relative importance of different regions is robust. North America contributes the most to Arctic ozone pollution. For aerosols and CO, European emissions dominate at the Arctic surface but East Asian emissions become progressively more important with altitude, and are dominant in the upper troposphere. Sensitivities show strong seasonality: surface sensitivities typically maximize during boreal winter for European and during spring for East Asian and North American emissions. Mid-tropospheric sensitivities, however, nearly always maximize during spring or summer for all regions. Deposition of black carbon (BC onto Greenland is most sensitive to North American emissions. North America and Europe each contribute ~40% of total BC deposition to Greenland, with ~20% from East Asia. Elsewhere in the Arctic, both sensitivity and total BC deposition are dominated by European emissions. Model diversity for aerosols is especially large, resulting primarily from differences in aerosol physical and chemical processing (including removal. Comparison of modeled aerosol concentrations with observations indicates problems in the models, and perhaps, interpretation of the measurements. For gas phase pollutants such as CO and O3, which are relatively well-simulated, the processes contributing most to uncertainties depend on the source region and altitude examined. Uncertainties in the Arctic surface CO response to emissions perturbations are dominated by emissions for East Asian sources, while uncertainties in transport, emissions, and oxidation are comparable for

  13. A multi-model assessment of pollution transport to the Arctic

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shindell, D T; Chin, M; Dentener, F; Doherty, R M; Faluvegi, G; Fiore, A M; Hess, P; Koch, D M; MacKenzie, I A; Sanderson, M G; Schultz, M G; Schulz, M; Stevenson, D S; Teich, H; Textor, C; Wild, O; Bergmann, D J; Bey, I; Bian, H; Cuvelier, C; Duncan, B N; Folberth, G; Horowitz, L W; Jonson, J; Kaminski, J W; Marmer, E; Park, R; Pringle, K J; Schroeder, S; Szopa, S; Takemura, T; Zeng, G; Keating, T J; Zuber, A

    2008-03-13

    We examine the response of Arctic gas and aerosol concentrations to perturbations in pollutant emissions from Europe, East and South Asia, and North America using results from a coordinated model intercomparison. These sensitivities to regional emissions (mixing ratio change per unit emission) vary widely across models and species. Intermodel differences are systematic, however, so that the relative importance of different regions is robust. North America contributes the most to Arctic ozone pollution. For aerosols and CO, European emissions dominate at the Arctic surface but East Asian emissions become progressively more important with altitude, and are dominant in the upper troposphere. Sensitivities show strong seasonality: surface sensitivities typically maximize during boreal winter for European and during spring for East Asian and North American emissions. Mid-tropospheric sensitivities, however, nearly always maximize during spring or summer for all regions. Deposition of black carbon (BC) onto Greenland is most sensitive to North American emissions. North America and Europe each contribute {approx}40% of total BC deposition to Greenland, with {approx}20% from East Asia. Elsewhere in the Arctic, both sensitivity and total BC deposition are dominated by European emissions. Model diversity for aerosols is especially large, resulting primarily from differences in aerosol physical and chemical processing (including removal). Comparison of modeled aerosol concentrations with observations indicates problems in the models, and perhaps, interpretation of the measurements. For gas phase pollutants such as CO and O{sub 3}, which are relatively well-simulated, the processes contributing most to uncertainties depend on the source region and altitude examined. Uncertainties in the Arctic surface CO response to emissions perturbations are dominated by emissions for East Asian sources, while uncertainties in transport, emissions, and oxidation are comparable for European

  14. Atmospheric pollution and plants, especially trees in cities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pauly, T.; Lohou, C.

    1992-01-01

    Trees in down live in ecologically difficult conditions and suffer a great number of aggressions. Air pollution only increases their state of weakness. Studies in this field are only at their infancy. The part of responsibility of air pollution on the decay of trees is very difficult to determine. However the effect of some pollutants can be observed at present (sulfur dioxide, ozone, hydrocarburants, dust, PAN, lead...). New special equipment will determine, quantify and perhaps resolve some problems of pollution and vegetation in our cities in the future. 11 refs

  15. Pollution source localization in an urban water supply network based on dynamic water demand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Xuesong; Zhu, Zhixin; Li, Tian

    2017-10-27

    Urban water supply networks are susceptible to intentional, accidental chemical, and biological pollution, which pose a threat to the health of consumers. In recent years, drinking-water pollution incidents have occurred frequently, seriously endangering social stability and security. The real-time monitoring for water quality can be effectively implemented by placing sensors in the water supply network. However, locating the source of pollution through the data detection obtained by water quality sensors is a challenging problem. The difficulty lies in the limited number of sensors, large number of water supply network nodes, and dynamic user demand for water, which leads the pollution source localization problem to an uncertainty, large-scale, and dynamic optimization problem. In this paper, we mainly study the dynamics of the pollution source localization problem. Previous studies of pollution source localization assume that hydraulic inputs (e.g., water demand of consumers) are known. However, because of the inherent variability of urban water demand, the problem is essentially a fluctuating dynamic problem of consumer's water demand. In this paper, the water demand is considered to be stochastic in nature and can be described using Gaussian model or autoregressive model. On this basis, an optimization algorithm is proposed based on these two dynamic water demand change models to locate the pollution source. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to find the locations and concentrations of pollution sources that meet the minimum between the analogue and detection values of the sensor. Simulation experiments were conducted using two different sizes of urban water supply network data, and the experimental results were compared with those of the standard genetic algorithm.

  16. Marine Pollution and the Law of the Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, Arthur E., III

    1975-01-01

    Despite a rising tide of contamination, effective controls of marine pollution appear dubious because of conflicting national and economic interests. Since countries can not agree on problems such as national sovereignty, dispute settlement, jurisdiction over oil on the Continental Shelf and international seabed sources, marine pollution will…

  17. Haze pollution in Indonesia | Ariadno | Journal of Sustainable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A necessary way forward would be to ratify the 2002 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which Indonesia fails to ratify. This paper discusses the problems of haze pollution in Indonesia, the applicable rules under international law including the state responsibility ...

  18. Nanoscale wide-band semiconductors for photocatalytic remediation of aquatic pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Biplab; Daware, Akshay Vishnu; Gupta, Priya; Krishnani, Kishore Kumar; Baruah, Sunandan; Bhattacharjee, Surajit

    2017-11-01

    Water pollution is a serious challenge to the public health. Among different forms of aquatic pollutants, chemical and biological agents create paramount threat to water quality when the safety standards are surpassed. There are many conventional remediatory strategies that are practiced such as resin-based exchanger and activated charcoal/carbon andreverse osmosis. Newer technologies using plants, microorganisms, genetic engineering, and enzyme-based approaches are also proposed for aquatic pollution management. However, the conventional technologies have shown impending inadequacies. On the other hand, new bio-based techniques have failed to exhibit reproducibility, wide specificity, and fidelity in field conditions. Hence, to solve these shortcomings, nanotechnology ushered a ray of hope by applying nanoscale zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), and tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) particles for the remediation of water pollution. These nanophotocatalysts are active, cost-effective, quicker in action, and can be implemented at a larger scale. These nanoparticles are climate-independent, assist in complete mineralization of pollutants, and can act non-specifically against chemically and biologically based aquatic pollutants. Photocatalysis for environmental remediation depends on the availability of solar light. The mechanism of photocatalysis involves the formation of electron-hole pairs upon light irradiations at intensities higher than their band gap energies. In the present review, different methods of synthesis of nanoscale ZnO, TiO 2 , and WO 3 as well as their structural characterizations have been discussed. Photodegradation of organic pollutants through mentioned nanoparticles has been reviewed with recent advancements. Enhancing the efficacy of photocatalysis through doping of TiO 2 and ZnO nanoparticles with non-metals, metals, and metal ions has also been documented in this report.

  19. Nuclear techniques and the fight against pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1970-01-01

    The picturesque city of Salzburg was the scene of an important symposium, called to discuss one of the most pressing problems of our civilization - environmental pollution. Industrialization and urbanization, prerequisites of modern life, have a reverse side: contamination of water resources, atmospheric deterioration, soils poisoned by industrial toxicants. Pollutants are dispersed every day, threatening the health of man, endangering other forms of life, and jeopardizing the equilibrium of the biosphere in the long-term. What can be done to solve the problems which have already been created? In particular, what can nuclear science contribute to diagnosis and therapy? (author)

  20. The relationship between biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon DNA adducts, antioxidant status and genetic susceptibility following exposure to environmental air pollution in humans

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Shing, R.; Šrám, Radim; Binková, Blanka; Kalina, I.; Popov, T. A.; Georgieva, T.; Garte, S.; Taioli, E.; Farmer, P. B.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 620, - (2007), s. 83-92 ISSN 0027-5107 Grant - others:EU(GB) 2000-00091; EU(GB) G0100873 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512 Source of funding: R - rámcový projekt EK ; R - rámcový projekt EK Keywords : air pollution * PAHs * oxidative DNA damage Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 4.159, year: 2007

  1. [Technogenic environmental pollution and the public health: analysis and prognosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savilov, E D; Anganova, E V; Ilina, S V; Stepanenko, L A

    2016-01-01

    Technogenic risk factors are very aggressive for a human health. Due to the progressive increase in environmental pollution the problem of the adverse impact of these factors on the health of both the human population as a whole, and individual groups every year is becoming increasingly important. At that the influence of anthropogenic pollution on the various manifestations of infectious pathology in the scientific literature is presented very modestly. In this paper there is presented a review of research devoted to the problem of the interrelationship of man-made pollution of the environment and public health.

  2. Environmental pollution research in South America

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miguel, A.H.

    1991-01-01

    This article provides and account of published research in environmental pollution carried out in South American institutions within the past 10 years. Because of the broadness of the topic, the continental dimensions of the assignment, and limitations of space and time, the article focuses on environmental research related to air, water, food, and soil. Thus, it is not a complete record, but rather a sample of published pollution research activities. The information here was obtained primarily from Dialog's electronic search of the Pollution Abstracts Database. The article also identifies other environmental problems that need the attention of South American researchers

  3. Air pollutant taxation: an empirical survey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cansier, D.; Krumm, R.

    1997-01-01

    An empirical analysis of the current taxation of the air pollutants sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide in the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, France and Japan is presented. Political motivation and technical factors such as tax base, rate structure and revenue use are compared. The general concepts of the current polices are characterised

  4. Water Pollution Control Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Environmental Science and Technology, 1974

    1974-01-01

    A special report on the state of the water pollution control industry reveals that due to forthcoming federal requirements, sales and the backlogs should increase; problems may ensue because of shortages of materials and inflation. Included are reports from various individual companies. (MLB)

  5. Pollution biomarkers in estuarine animals: critical review and new perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monserrat, José M; Martínez, Pablo E; Geracitano, Laura A; Amado, Lílian Lund; Martins, Camila Martinez Gaspar; Pinho, Grasiela Lopes Leães; Chaves, Isabel Soares; Ferreira-Cravo, Marlize; Ventura-Lima, Juliane; Bianchini, Adalto

    2007-01-01

    In this review, recent developments in monitoring toxicological responses in estuarine animals are analyzed, considering the biomarker responses to different classes of pollutants. The estuarine environment imposes stressful conditions to the organisms that inhabit it, and this situation can alter their sensitivity to many pollutants. The specificity of some biomarkers like metallothionein tissue concentration is discussed in virtue of its dependence on salinity, which is highly variable in estuaries. Examples of cholinesterase activity measurements are also provided and criteria to select sensitive enzymes to detect pesticides and toxins are discussed. Regarding non-specific biomarkers, toxic responses in terms of antioxidant defenses and/or oxidative damage are also considered in this review, focusing on invertebrate species. In addition, the presence of an antioxidant gradient along the body of the estuarine polychaete Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae) and its relationship to different strategies, which deal with the generation of oxidative stress, is reviewed. Also, unusual antioxidant defenses against environmental pro-oxidants are discussed, including the mucus secreted by L. acuta. Disruption of osmoregulation by pollutants is of paramount importance in several estuarine species. In some cases such as in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulatus, there is a trade off between bioavailability of toxicants (e.g. metals) and their interaction with key enzymes such as Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase. Thus, the metal effect on osmoregulation is also discussed in the present review. Finally, field case studies with fish species like the croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Scianidae) are used to illustrate the application of DNA damage and immunosuppressive responses as potential biomarkers of complex mixture of pollutants.

  6. Ambient air pollution and semen quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nobles, Carrie J; Schisterman, Enrique F; Ha, Sandie; Kim, Keewan; Mumford, Sunni L; Buck Louis, Germaine M; Chen, Zhen; Liu, Danping; Sherman, Seth; Mendola, Pauline

    2018-05-01

    Ambient air pollution is associated with systemic increases in oxidative stress, to which sperm are particularly sensitive. Although decrements in semen quality represent a key mechanism for impaired fecundability, prior research has not established a clear association between air pollution and semen quality. To address this, we evaluated the association between ambient air pollution and semen quality among men with moderate air pollution exposure. Of 501 couples in the LIFE study, 467 male partners provided one or more semen samples. Average residential exposure to criteria air pollutants and fine particle constituents in the 72 days before ejaculation was estimated using modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models. Generalized estimating equation models estimated the association between air pollutants and semen quality parameters (volume, count, percent hypo-osmotic swollen, motility, sperm head, morphology and sperm chromatin parameters). Models adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking and season. Most associations between air pollutants and semen parameters were small. However, associations were observed for an interquartile increase in fine particulates ≤2.5 µm and decreased sperm head size, including -0.22 (95% CI -0.34, -0.11) µm 2 for area, -0.06 (95% CI -0.09, -0.03) µm for length and -0.09 (95% CI -0.19, -0.06) µm for perimeter. Fine particulates were also associated with 1.03 (95% CI 0.40, 1.66) greater percent sperm head with acrosome. Air pollution exposure was not associated with semen quality, except for sperm head parameters. Moderate levels of ambient air pollution may not be a major contributor to semen quality. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Air pollution and economics: Alternate use of fuels in small scale industries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, B.P.S.; Pandit, V.I.

    1999-01-01

    In developing countries the problem of air pollution was recognized earlier, however, it has acquired a greater dimension due to the conventional use of low grade fuels like coal, baggase, rice husk, etc. having high sulphur and ash content. The industrial sources contribute about 30--40% of the total emissions. In India, the small scale industries (low investment group) contribute about 60--80% of the total industrial emissions. These industries are characterized with various environmental pollution problems due to cluster of small scale industries located in sensitive area; use of low grade fuel, primitive processing techniques without emission abatement facilities etc., thus leading to enormous pollution in an confined region. Acute need was felt to reduce the pollution problem associated with small scale industries by use of cleaner fuel so as to reduce the localized problem. The paper presents the emissions associated with use of coal/coke, natural gas, LPG, and propane along with the fuel cost for small scale industrial sector of Agra, Firozabad and Mathura region. The studies carried out would find applicability to meet the air pollution standards based on shift in fuel and associated cost

  8. Controlling Air Pollution; A Primer on Stationary Source Control Techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corman, Rena

    This companion document to "Air Pollution Primer" is written for the nonexpert in air pollution; however, it does assume a familiarity with air pollution problems. This work is oriented toward providing the reader with knowledge about current and proposed air quality legislation and knowledge about available technology to meet these standards for…

  9. How and when urban vehicular traffic pollutes the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cera, L.; Di Mascio, P.

    1993-01-01

    This paper first compares monitored values of urban traffic air and noise pollution with Italian and European Communities pollution limits to assess the efficacy of current and proposed pollution regulations. The paper then focuses on the environmental impacts of the generation and discharge of waste waters during the construction and use of road surfaces. The related problems discussed include: soil erosion due to the increased exposure of bordering terrestrial ecosystems to damaging atmospheric pollutants; and the reception by roadside land areas of pollutants absorbed in rainfall runoff which has come into contact with road surfaces. Some suggestions are made on how to abate these particular types of traffic derived pollutants

  10. Effects of air pollution on human health and practical measures for prevention in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghorani-Azam, Adel; Riahi-Zanjani, Bamdad; Balali-Mood, Mahdi

    2016-01-01

    Air pollution is a major concern of new civilized world, which has a serious toxicological impact on human health and the environment. It has a number of different emission sources, but motor vehicles and industrial processes contribute the major part of air pollution. According to the World Health Organization, six major air pollutants include particle pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. Long and short term exposure to air suspended toxicants has a different toxicological impact on human including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, neuropsychiatric complications, the eyes irritation, skin diseases, and long-term chronic diseases such as cancer. Several reports have revealed the direct association between exposure to the poor air quality and increasing rate of morbidity and mortality mostly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Air pollution is considered as the major environmental risk factor in the incidence and progression of some diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, ventricular hypertrophy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, psychological complications, autism, retinopathy, fetal growth, and low birth weight. In this review article, we aimed to discuss toxicology of major air pollutants, sources of emission, and their impact on human health. We have also proposed practical measures to reduce air pollution in Iran.

  11. Effects of air pollution on human health and practical measures for prevention in Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghorani-Azam, Adel; Riahi-Zanjani, Bamdad; Balali-Mood, Mahdi

    2016-01-01

    Air pollution is a major concern of new civilized world, which has a serious toxicological impact on human health and the environment. It has a number of different emission sources, but motor vehicles and industrial processes contribute the major part of air pollution. According to the World Health Organization, six major air pollutants include particle pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. Long and short term exposure to air suspended toxicants has a different toxicological impact on human including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, neuropsychiatric complications, the eyes irritation, skin diseases, and long-term chronic diseases such as cancer. Several reports have revealed the direct association between exposure to the poor air quality and increasing rate of morbidity and mortality mostly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Air pollution is considered as the major environmental risk factor in the incidence and progression of some diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, ventricular hypertrophy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, psychological complications, autism, retinopathy, fetal growth, and low birth weight. In this review article, we aimed to discuss toxicology of major air pollutants, sources of emission, and their impact on human health. We have also proposed practical measures to reduce air pollution in Iran. PMID:27904610

  12. Effects of air pollution on human health and practical measures for prevention in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adel Ghorani-Azam

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution is a major concern of new civilized world, which has a serious toxicological impact on human health and the environment. It has a number of different emission sources, but motor vehicles and industrial processes contribute the major part of air pollution. According to the World Health Organization, six major air pollutants include particle pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. Long and short term exposure to air suspended toxicants has a different toxicological impact on human including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, neuropsychiatric complications, the eyes irritation, skin diseases, and long-term chronic diseases such as cancer. Several reports have revealed the direct association between exposure to the poor air quality and increasing rate of morbidity and mortality mostly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Air pollution is considered as the major environmental risk factor in the incidence and progression of some diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, ventricular hypertrophy, Alzheimer′s and Parkinson′s diseases, psychological complications, autism, retinopathy, fetal growth, and low birth weight. In this review article, we aimed to discuss toxicology of major air pollutants, sources of emission, and their impact on human health. We have also proposed practical measures to reduce air pollution in Iran.

  13. Air pollution around the Keihin heavy chemical industrial zone, and living environment and health injury in the inhabitants therein

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyazaki, I

    1975-08-01

    A survey of air pollution levels and the health of high school pupils and their parents was conducted in a heavily industrialized area of Kawasaki, Japan. The concentration of sulfur oxides in 1974 was about half of that in 1970 (0.029 ppM). The concentration of nitrogen oxides ranged from 0.030 to 0.040 ppM. There was a correlation between the concentrations of oxides of sulfur nitrogen. According to questionnaires, about 32 percent of the inhabitants showed concern about air pollution and photochemical smog. About 22 percent of the inhabitants complained of symptoms such as cold, rhinitis, and pharyngitis; and there was a correlation between total subjective symptoms and concentration of sulfur oxides. Near roadsides the concentration of nitrogen oxides was very high. Green plants are gradually disappearing from the heavily polluted area. Further industrialization in this area appears to be very dangerous for man and other living things.

  14. ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESSES (AOX) TEXTILE WASTEWATER

    OpenAIRE

    Salas C., G.

    2014-01-01

    Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOX) are based on the in situ generation of hydroxyradicals (·OH), which have a high oxidation potential. In the case of Fenton processes !he generation of hydroxy radicals takes place by the combination of an oxidation agent (H202) with a catalyst (Fe(II)). These radicals are not selective and they react very fast with the organic matter,being able to oxidize a high variety of organic compounds. This property allows the degradation of pollutants into more biodeg...

  15. Study Uncovers Dirty Little Secret: Soil Emissions are Much-Bigger-than-Expected Component of Air Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stricherz, Vince

    2005-01-01

    Nitrogen oxides produced by huge fires and fossil fuel combustion are a major component of air pollution. They are the primary ingredients in ground-level ozone, a pollutant harmful to human health and vegetation. But new research led by a University of Washington atmospheric scientist shows that, in some regions, nitrogen oxides emitted by the soil are much greater than expected and could play a substantially larger role in seasonal air pollution than previously believed. Nitrogen oxide emissions total more than 40 million metric tons worldwide each year, with 64 percent coming from fossil fuel combustion, 14 percent from burning and a surprising 22 percent from soil, said Lyatt Jaegle, a UW assistant professor of atmospheric sciences. The new research shows that the component from soil is about 70 percent greater than scientists expected. Instead of relying on scattered ground-based measurements of burning and combustion and then extrapolating a global total for nitrogen oxide emissions, the new work used actual observations recorded in 2000 by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment aboard the European Space Agency's European Remote Sensing 2 satellite. Nitrogen oxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion are most closely linked to major population centers and show up in the satellite's ozone-monitoring measurements of nitrogen dioxide, part of the nitrogen oxides family.

  16. Water pollution and thermal power stations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maini, A.; Harapanahalli, A.B.

    1993-01-01

    There are a number of thermal power stations dotting the countryside in India for the generation of electricity. The pollution of environment is continuously increasing in the country with the addition of new coal based power stations and causing both a menace and a hazard to the biota. The paper reviews the problems arising out of water pollution from the coal based thermal power stations. (author). 2 tabs

  17. Summary of pollutant emissions from individual sources in the Republic of Macedonia (air pollution)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davkova, Katica; Simeva, Radmila

    1995-01-01

    The air pollution is one of the heaviest and one of the most actual problems in the industrial developed countries. The sudden development of the cities, industry and automobile traffic brings to the atmosphere natural composition disturbance, which means that the environment, material goods and the whole ecosystem are endangered. This paper presents the results from the measurements taken in the territory of the Macedonia, from 1989-1993. 95 measuring objects, more exactly 156 individual measuring pollutants emission sources are encompassed. The main air pollutants, as a result of the solid as well as liquid fuels combustion, are SO 2 , Co 2 , No x as well as ashes. The measuring results are given tabular. 3 tabs., 6 figs., 1 ill

  18. Electron beam gaseous pollutants treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chmielewski, A.G.

    1999-01-01

    Emission of gaseous pollutants, mostly during combustion of fossil fuels, creates a threat to the environment. New, economical technologies are needed for flue gas treatment. A physico-chemical basis of the process using electron beam for the simultaneous removal of sulfur and nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds are presented in this report. Development of the process and its upscaling has been discussed. (author)

  19. Effects of seasonal variation on oxidative stress physiology in natural population of toad Bufo melanostictus; clues for analysis of environmental pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samanta, Luna; Paital, Biswaranjan

    2016-11-01

    Natural population of Bufo melanostictus in response to environmental cues shows several physiologic changes such as reproductive activity, hibernation, aestivation and metabolic depression in different seasons. We investigated the effects of seasonal fluctuations on oxidative stress (OS) physiology biomarkers, such as endogenous (ELPx) and induced (ILPx) lipid peroxidation, front-line redox regulatory enzymes (superoxide dismutase: SOD and catalase) and two non-enzyme antioxidant metabolites (ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione) in liver, gonad and cerebral hemisphere of toads collected from the Bhubaneswar area of India, where temperature fluctuates considerably rising to the highest in summer (∼46 °C) and being lowest in winter (pollutants alone and/or as results of metabolic changes under hibernation, aestivation and due to reproductive activities. Therefore, seasonal changes in OS physiological responses in poikilothermic models especially in toads must be cautiously used as indicators to assess environmental impact, mainly soil pollution. Results of the present study may be used as baseline data for any future analyses of the physiological impacts of environmental changes using toads as model organism.

  20. An Analysis of Air Pollution in Makkah - a View Point of Source Identification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Turki M. Habeebullah

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Makkah is one of the busiest cities in Saudi Arabia and remains busy all year around, especially during the season of Hajj and the month of Ramadan when millions of people visit this city. This emphasizes the importance of clean air and of understanding the sources of various air pollutants, which is vital for the management and advanced modeling of air pollution. This study intends to identify the major sources of air pollutants in Makkah, near the Holy Mosque (Al-Haram using a graphical approach. Air pollutants considered in this study are nitrogen oxides (NOx, nitrogen dioxide (NO2, nitric oxide (NO, carbon monoxide (CO, sulphur dioxide (SO2, ozone (O3 and particulate matter with aero-dynamic diameter of 10 um or less (PM10. Polar plots, time variation plots and correlation analysis are used to analyse the data and identify the major sources of emissions. Most of the pollutants demonstrate high concentrations during the morning traffic peak hours, suggesting road traffic as the main source of emission. The main sources of pollutant emissions identified in Makkahwere road traffic, re-suspended and windblown dust and sand particles. Further investigation on detailedsource apportionment is required, which is part of the ongoing project.

  1. Supported Mixed Oxide Catalysts for the Total Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kovanda, F.; Jirátová, Květa

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 176, č. 1 (2011), s. 110-115 ISSN 0920-5861. [International Symposium on Air Pollution Abatement Catalysis (APAC) /2./. Cracow, 08.09.2010-10.09.2010] R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP106/10/1762; GA ČR GA106/09/1664 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : layered double hydroxides * mixed oxides * ethanol total oxidation Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 3.407, year: 2011

  2. Benzimidazole for the prevention of toxic effects of air pollutants on plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takaoka, I; Fukuda, M; Kitano, H; Shinohara, T

    1974-02-02

    Tobacco plants were sprayed with benzimidazole before being exposed to 30 ppM of photochemical oxidants for a period of two hours. The plants were observed 48 hours after exposure and found to have suffered no toxic effects from the oxidants. It may be concluded that benzimidazole is an effective agent for preventing the toxic effects of air pollutants, such as photochemical oxidants on plants.

  3. Natural sources of gaseous pollutants in the atmosphere

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Altshuller, A P

    1958-01-01

    Various gaseous pollutants including ozone, nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, methane, hydrogen, formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, chlorine compounds and free radicals can be formed by natural processes such as ultraviolet photochemical processes in the upper atmosphere and microbiological processes. The modes of formation and destruction of these gases, especially of their concentrations in the atmosphere, and the various reactions in which these gases can participate with each other are discussed in detail. 114 references.

  4. Environmental impact of hazardous inorganic materials. Pollution and remediation of soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tokunaga, S.; Hakuta, T. [National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research, Tsukuba (Japan); Barrington, S.; Wasay, S. [McGill University, (Canada)

    1998-02-10

    Recently, soil pollution has become a grave social problem. This paper reviews history, laws and regulations, current status and measures related to soil pollution, centered by those of Japan. Soil pollution problems in Japan date back to around 1880, when pollution of the Watarase River basin started by waste water exhausted from Asio Mine. Various grave problems have been recorded since then, including the Itai-itai and Minamata Diseases caused by Cd and methyl mercury, respectively, which started in 1945 and 1956, with the result that the government has amended laws/regulations related to treatment and cleaning of industrial wastes. Later, the related laws/regulations have been frequently amended, and the environmental standards related to soil pollution was established in 1991. Treatment for remediation of polluted soils has been effected with the aid of inorganic acids, organic solvents, chelating agents, natural organic acids (such as acetic and formic acids) and biological surface active agents. They must be carefully planned to take into consideration various aspects, such as pH level and other conditions, cost and environmental safety, before being actually used. One of the recommended measures is on-the-site treatment in an enclosed space while regenerating and recycling the agent. 66 refs., 7 figs., 8 tabs.

  5. Air pollution control in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jain, S.K.

    1995-01-01

    Prior to rapid spurt in industrialization in India, people were used to inhale pure air containing about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and some carbon dioxide. But afterwards this composition of pure air was disturbed as a result of increased economic activities. Air, now a days also contains sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides etc., etc. which are extremely harmful for human health. Virulence of air pollution was realised in late eighties after Bhopal Gas Tragedy (BGT) and an effective air quality management started taking shape in India afterwards. The basic components of air quality management are legislation and regulations, emission inventory, air quality standards and monitoring, air dispersion models and installation of pollution control equipment which are being discussed in this paper. (author). 15 refs., 5 tabs

  6. A multi-criteria approach to Great Barrier Reef catchment (Queensland, Australia) diffuse-source pollution problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiner, R; Herr, A; Brodie, J; Haynes, D

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents a multi-criteria based tool for assessing the relative impact of diffuse-source pollution to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) from the river basins draining into the GBR lagoon. The assessment integrates biophysical and ecological data of water quality and pollutant concentrations with socio-economic information pertaining to non-point source pollution and (potential) pollutant impact. The tool generates scores for each river basin against four criteria, thus profiling the basins and enabling prioritization of management alternatives between and within basins. The results support policy development for pollution control through community participation, scientific data integration and expert knowledge contributed by people from across the catchment. The results specifically provided support for the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, released in October 2003. The aim of the plan is to provide a framework for reducing discharge of sediment, nutrient and other diffuse-source loads and (potential) impact of that discharge and for prioritising management actions both between and within river basins.

  7. Empirical soot formation and oxidation model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boussouara Karima

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Modelling internal combustion engines can be made following different approaches, depending on the type of problem to be simulated. A diesel combustion model has been developed and implemented in a full cycle simulation of a combustion, model accounts for transient fuel spray evolution, fuel-air mixing, ignition, combustion, and soot pollutant formation. The models of turbulent combustion of diffusion flame, apply to diffusion flames, which one meets in industry, typically in the diesel engines particulate emission represents one of the most deleterious pollutants generated during diesel combustion. Stringent standards on particulate emission along with specific emphasis on size of emitted particulates have resulted in increased interest in fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of soot particulate formation and oxidation in internal combustion engines. A phenomenological numerical model which can predict the particle size distribution of the soot emitted will be very useful in explaining the above observed results and will also be of use to develop better particulate control techniques. A diesel engine chosen for simulation is a version of the Caterpillar 3406. We are interested in employing a standard finite-volume computational fluid dynamics code, KIVA3V-RELEASE2.

  8. A hands-on approach to teaching environmental awareness and pollutant remediation to undergraduate chemistry students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salman Ashraf, S.; Rauf, M. A.; Abdullah, Fatema H.

    2012-07-01

    Background : One of the unfortunate side effects of the industrial revolution has been the constant assault of the environment with various forms of pollution. Lately, this issue has taken a more critical dimension as prospects of global climate change and irreversible ecosystem damage are becoming a reality. Purpose : College graduates (especially chemists), should therefore not only be aware of these issues but also be taught how chemistry can help reduce environmental pollution. Furthermore, the role and importance of chemistry in sustainable development and solving environmental problems needs to be highlighted. Programme/intervention description : To this effect, we have designed a simple undergraduate experiment that is based on the green chemistry approach of using photolytic oxidation to degrade a model organic pollutant. This approach used UV light and hydrogen peroxide to produce reactive hydroxyl radicals, which subsequently break down and degrade Acridine Orange (model pollutant). The dye degradation was monitored spectrophotometrically and the apparent rate of decolouration was found to be first order. Possible radical initiated mechanisms that may be involved in this remediation experiment have been used to explain the observed dye decolouration. Sample : To test the usefulness of this newly developed experiment, we incorporated it as a module into a second year 'Professional skills' chemistry course with an enrollment of six female students. Anonymous survey of the students after the completion of the module was very positive and indicated that objectives of the experiment were satisfactorily achieved. Results : We believe this experiment not only raises students' awareness about green chemistry and environmental issues, but also teaches them valuable experimental skills such as experimental design, data manipulation and basic kinetics. Survey of students who were taught this unit in a second year course was very positive and supported the usefulness

  9. An assessment the effects of human-caused air pollution on resources within the interior Columbia River basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoettle, A.W.; Tonnessen, K.; Turk, J.; Vimont, J.; Amundson, Ronald; Acheson, A.; Peterson, J.

    1999-01-01

    An assessment of existing and potential impacts to vegetation, aquatics, and visibility within the Columbia River basin due to air pollution was conducted as part of the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. This assessment examined the current situation and potential trends due to pollutants such as ammonium, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulates, carbon, and ozone. Ecosystems and resources at risk are identified, including certain forests, lichens, cryptogamic crusts, high-elevation lakes and streams, arid lands, and class I areas. Current monitoring data are summarized and air pollution sources identified. The assessment also includes a summary of data gaps and suggestions for future research and monitoring related to air pollution and its effects on resources in the interior Columbia River basin.

  10. Health effects and sources of indoor air pollution. Part I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samet, J.M.; Marbury, M.C.; Spengler, J.D.

    1987-01-01

    Since the early 1970s, the health effects of indoor air pollution have been investigated with increasing intensity. Consequently, a large body of literature is now available on diverse aspects of indoor air pollution: sources, concentrations, health effects, engineering, and policy. This review begins with a review of the principal pollutants found in indoor environments and their sources. Subsequently, exposure to indoor air pollutants and health effects are considered, with an emphasis on those indoor air quality problems of greatest concern at present: passive exposure to tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide from gas-fueled cooking stoves, formaldehyde exposure, radon daughter exposure, and the diverse health problems encountered by workers in newer sealed office buildings. The review concludes by briefly addressing assessment of indoor air quality, control technology, research needs, and clinical implications. 243 references

  11. State enforcement of federal standards: Implications for interstate pollution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hutchinson, Emma; Kennedy, Peter W. [Department of Economics, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2 (Canada)

    2008-08-15

    This paper explores the relationship between interstate air pollution and the division of power between federal and state agencies in setting and enforcing standards. In the context of the US Clean Air Act we argue that the EPA is able to monitor the adoption of technology-based standards more closely than it can monitor state-level enforcement, and that this causes an effective division of control between federal and state agencies. Our analysis offers three main insights into the interstate pollution problem in this setting. First, states have an incentive to enforce standards less stringently on firms located close to downwind borders, and this leads to excessive interstate pollution in equilibrium. Second, there can arise an inherent substitutability in the regulatory problem between strict standards and compliance effort, and this creates a strategic linkage between the federal policy on standards and state policies on enforcement. In particular, a tighter federal standard can induce less selective enforcement but can also lead to less enforcement overall. Third, states will attempt to neutralize the impact of location-based federal standards (that specifically target interstate pollution) in a way that actually exacerbates the underlying enforcement problem. (author)

  12. Urban air pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Romieu, I.; Weitzenfeld, H.; Finkelman, J.

    1991-01-01

    Urban air pollution has become an increasing problem in Latin America and the Caribbean. One reason is the rapid expansion in the size of the urban population. This phenomenon is associated with an increase in the number of vehicles and in energy utilization which, in addition to industrial processes often concentrated in the cities, are the primary sources of air pollution i n Latin American cities. The air quality standards established in such countries are frequently exceeded although control programs have been implemented. The urban areas more affected by anthropogenic pollutant emissions are Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Mexico City. In Latin America, the population of cities with high priority air pollution problems include approximately 81 million people or 26.5 percent of the total urban population of Latin America, corresponding to 30 million children (<15 years), 47 million adults (15-59 years) and 4 million elderly people (≥60 years) who are exposed to air pollutant levels that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for adequate health protection

  13. Pinpointing Watershed Pollution on a Virtual Globe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saunders, Cheston; Taylor, Amy

    2014-01-01

    Pollution is not a problem we just read about anymore. It affects the air we breathe, the land we live on, and the water we consume. After noticing a lack of awareness in students, a lesson was developed that used Google Earth to pinpoint sources of pollution in the local area and in others across the country, and their effects on the surrounding…

  14. Bioremediation of environmental pollutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madsen, E.L.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports on disremediation of environmental pollutants. When a tree falls in the forest, when crop residues are left in the fields, and even when spilled gasoline soaks into the ground, microorganisms go to work. Just as humans eat food to sustain life, microorganisms digest nonliving organic materials, using an astounding diversity of enzymes. In the process of deriving carbon and energy for their own use, microorganisms recycle essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to the other species with which they share the biosphere. This has thrown many ecosystems into a unsteady state and has threatened human health. Increasing expertise in analytical chemistry and toxicology has contributed to an understanding of the problems of environmental pollution, and remedies are now being sought. Both physical and chemical processes may be essential to pollution-control technologies, but controlled biodegradation also offers significant promise

  15. The risks of premature mortality related to atmospheric pollution. Comparison with those related to tobacco and those related to radioactivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durand, Bernard

    2014-01-01

    Whereas atmospheric pollution is now recognized as one of the most important cause of mortality in the world, this report first notices that these pollutants have mainly an anthropogenic origin. In a first part, the author presents the main harmful atmospheric pollutants, and briefly discusses their origin and their impact on health: carbon monoxide, sulphur oxides, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, persistent organic pollutants, volatile organic compounds, ozone, tars, soot or particles, heavy metals. In a second part, the author discusses the assessment of hazards related to atmospheric pollution, and more particularly the assessment of premature morbidity due to different pollutants according to different organisations and programs. He also discusses health impacts on a short and on a long term, notably in terms of exposure in big cities. In a third part, based on measurements of emissions of primary pollutant, notably primary particles, the author tries to identify the most dangerous sources of atmospheric pollutions

  16. Socio–economic benefits and pollution levels of water resources ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Communities are dependent on wetlands resources for income generation. However, anthropogenic activities that result into pollution of water are one of the major public health problems. Assessment of socio–economic activities and pollution levels of domestic water sources in Gulu Municipality, Pece wetland was done.

  17. Healthy neighborhoods: walkability and air pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Julian D; Brauer, Michael; Frank, Lawrence D

    2009-11-01

    The built environment may influence health in part through the promotion of physical activity and exposure to pollution. To date, no studies have explored interactions between neighborhood walkability and air pollution exposure. We estimated concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), a marker for direct vehicle emissions), and ozone (O(3)) and a neighborhood walkability score, for 49,702 (89% of total) postal codes in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. NO concentrations were estimated from a land-use regression model, O(3) was estimated from ambient monitoring data; walkability was calculated based on geographic attributes such as land-use mix, street connectivity, and residential density. All three attributes exhibit an urban-rural gradient, with high walkability and NO concentrations, and low O(3) concentrations, near the city center. Lower-income areas tend to have higher NO concentrations and walkability and lower O(3) concentrations. Higher-income areas tend to have lower pollution (NO and O(3)). "Sweet-spot" neighborhoods (low pollution, high walkability) are generally located near but not at the city center and are almost exclusively higher income. Increased concentration of activities in urban settings yields both health costs and benefits. Our research identifies neighborhoods that do especially well (and especially poorly) for walkability and air pollution exposure. Work is needed to ensure that the poor do not bear an undue burden of urban air pollution and that neighborhoods designed for walking, bicycling, or mass transit do not adversely affect resident's exposure to air pollution. Analyses presented here could be replicated in other cities and tracked over time to better understand interactions among neighborhood walkability, air pollution exposure, and income level.

  18. Oxidative stress-induced telomeric erosion as a mechanism underlying airborne particulate matter-related cardiovascular disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grahame Thomas J

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Particulate matter (PM pollution is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide, the majority due to cardiovascular disease (CVD. While many potential pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed, there is not yet a consensus as to which are most important in causing pollution-related morbidity/mortality. Nor is there consensus regarding which specific types of PM are most likely to affect public health in this regard. One toxicological mechanism linking exposure to airborne PM with CVD outcomes is oxidative stress, a contributor to the development of CVD risk factors including atherosclerosis. Recent work suggests that accelerated shortening of telomeres and, thus, early senescence of cells may be an important pathway by which oxidative stress may accelerate biological aging and the resultant development of age-related morbidity. This pathway may explain a significant proportion of PM-related adverse health outcomes, since shortened telomeres accelerate the progression of many diseases. There is limited but consistent evidence that vehicular emissions produce oxidative stress in humans. Given that oxidative stress is associated with accelerated erosion of telomeres, and that shortened telomeres are linked with acceleration of biological ageing and greater incidence of various age-related pathology, including CVD, it is hypothesized that associations noted between certain pollution types and sources and oxidative stress may reflect a mechanism by which these pollutants result in CVD-related morbidity and mortality, namely accelerated aging via enhanced erosion of telomeres. This paper reviews the literature providing links among oxidative stress, accelerated erosion of telomeres, CVD, and specific sources and types of air pollutants. If certain PM species/sources might be responsible for adverse health outcomes via the proposed mechanism, perhaps the pathway to reducing mortality/morbidity from PM would become clearer

  19. Development of New Diesel Oxidation and NH3 Slip Catalysts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Thomas Klint

    Diesel engines used in the transport sector and for other heavy machinery form pollutants during the combustion process. Emission of these pollutants into the atmosphere has harmful consequences on human health and the environment. In order to mitigate these harmful effects, regulations have been...... imposed by environmental protection agencies on the most significant pollutants, including CO, hydrocarbons, NOx, and particulate matter. To reduce emissions to the levels specified by the recent Euro VI regulations, it is necessary to apply catalytic exhaust gas aftertreat-ment systems. A modern diesel...... exhaust aftertreatment system commonly consists of a Pt-based diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) to oxidize CO and unburnt hydrocarbons to CO2 and H2O, and oxidize NO to NO2. This is followed by the diesel particulate filter (DPF), which entraps particulate matter from the exhaust gas. A solution of urea...

  20. Air pollution and brain damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Azzarelli, Biagio; Acuna, Hilda; Garcia, Raquel; Gambling, Todd M; Osnaya, Norma; Monroy, Sylvia; DEL Tizapantzi, Maria Rosario; Carson, Johnny L; Villarreal-Calderon, Anna; Rewcastle, Barry

    2002-01-01

    Exposure to complex mixtures of air pollutants produces inflammation in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Because the nasal cavity is a common portal of entry, respiratory and olfactory epithelia are vulnerable targets for toxicological damage. This study has evaluated, by light and electron microscopy and immunohistochemical expression of nuclear factor-kappa beta (NF-kappaB) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), the olfactory and respiratory nasal mucosae, olfactory bulb, and cortical and subcortical structures from 32 healthy mongrel canine residents in Southwest Metropolitan Mexico City (SWMMC), a highly polluted urban region. Findings were compared to those in 8 dogs from Tlaxcala, a less polluted, control city. In SWMMC dogs, expression of nuclear neuronal NF-kappaB and iNOS in cortical endothelial cells occurred at ages 2 and 4 weeks; subsequent damage included alterations of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), degenerating cortical neurons, apoptotic glial white matter cells, deposition of apolipoprotein E (apoE)-positive lipid droplets in smooth muscle cells and pericytes, nonneuritic plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. Persistent pulmonary inflammation and deteriorating olfactory and respiratory barriers may play a role in the neuropathology observed in the brains of these highly exposed canines. Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's may begin early in life with air pollutants playing a crucial role.

  1. Effect modification of air pollution on Urinary 8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine by genotypes: an application of the multiple testing procedure to identify significant SNP interactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiani David C

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Air pollution is associated with adverse human health, but mechanisms through which pollution exerts effects remain to be clarified. One suggested pathway is that pollution causes oxidative stress. If so, oxidative stress-related genotypes may modify the oxidative response defenses to pollution exposure. Methods We explored the potential pathway by examining whether an array of oxidative stress-related genes (twenty single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs in nine genes modified associations of pollutants (organic carbon (OC, ozone and sulfate with urinary 8-hydroxy-2-deoxygunosine (8-OHdG, a biomarker of oxidative stress among the 320 aging men. We used a Multiple Testing Procedure in R modified by our team to identify the significance of the candidate genes adjusting for a priori covariates. Results We found that glutathione S-tranferase P1 (GSTP1, rs1799811, M1 and catalase (rs2284367 and group-specific component (GC, rs2282679, rs1155563 significantly or marginally significantly modified effects of OC and/or sulfate with larger effects among those carrying the wild type of GSTP1, catalase, non-wild type of GC and the non-null of GSTM1. Conclusions Polymorphisms of oxidative stress-related genes modified effects of OC and/or sulfate on 8-OHdG, suggesting that effects of OC or sulfate on 8-OHdG and other endpoints may be through the oxidative stress pathway.

  2. Discussion in primary ecological environmental problems and relevant countermeasures in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    An Yongfeng

    2003-01-01

    On the basis of sufficient statistical data, the primary ecological environmental problems, including water/soil loss and dissertation, water resource shortage and water pollution, deterioration of air quality and air pollution, despoilation of biodiversity, and environmental pollution, are listed in this paper. In addition, the causes of these problems are analyzed. Finally, relevant strategies and measures for environmental protection are brought forward. (authors)

  3. Natural gas and the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeCarufel, A.

    1991-01-01

    The role of various atmospheric pollutants in environmental changes and the global water cycle, carbon cycle, and energy balance is explained. The role of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in acid deposition is also outlined. The pollutants that contribute to environmental problems include nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases. The potential for natural gas utilization to mitigate some of these pollution problems is explored. Natural gas combustion emits less carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides than combustion of other fossil fuel, and also does not produce sulfur dioxide, particulates, or volatile organics. Other pollution controlling opportunities offered by natural gas include the use of low-polluting burners, natural gas vehicles, and cogeneration systems. 18 figs., 4 tabs

  4. Polylactic Acid Maybe Hope for Solving White Pollution

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xu Dan

    2007-01-01

    @@ As the pollution problem has aroused more and more attention, greater efforts have been made in developing degradable biological materials without environmental pollution to replace oil-based traditional plastics being used in great quantities today. Among numerous kinds of degradable polymers, polylactic acid has become the 'green' environmental friendly material with the brightest development prospect.

  5. APEX (Air Pollution Exercise) Volume 20: Reference Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Office of Manpower Development.

    The Reference Materials Manual is part of a set of 21 manuals (AA 001 009-001 029) used in APEX (Air Pollution Exercise), a computerized college and professional level "real world" game simulation of a community with urban and rural problems, industrial activities, and air pollution difficulties. For the purposes of the gaming exercise, APEX…

  6. International legislation relative to nuclear pollution of the oceans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birot, Chantal.

    1973-01-01

    The part played by various competent international bodies in the establishment of international rules concerning the nuclear pollution of oceans is analysed. As it stands this legislation distinguishes clearly between pollution caused by peaceful and military uses of nuclear energy. In studying the former type of pollution the problems of radioactive wastes, sea transport of radioactive substances, ships propelled by nuclear energy and isotopic generators in a marine environment are considered in turn. From the military viewpoint the legislation seems more complicated and the problems are of two kinds: that of nuclear armaments in a marine environment and the consequent risks, and that of fall-out from experimental atmospheric explosions carried out in peace time but for military purposes [fr

  7. Effect of air pollution with nitrogen oxide on experimental animals under conditions of long-term continuous exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Misiakiewicz, Z.; Szulinska, G.; Chyba, A.; Czyz, E.

    1974-01-01

    The action of nitric oxide in concentrations of 0.25 and 0.5 mg/cu m on 16 male Wistar rats was studied. Three groups of 8 rats each were used. The control group was placed in a chamber with a capacity of 150 l and a continuous air flow of approximately 30 l/min with no NO. The test groups were placed in chambers containing respectively 0.25 mg/cu m and 0.5 mg/cu m NO. The experiment lasted 6 months. Every 5 to 6 weeks the body weight increased, the activity of the blood cholinesterase, the activity of asparaginian blood serum aminotransferase, the activity of blood catalase, the hemoglobin count, and histopathological changes were examined. Significant changes were observed in the group exposed to the 0.5 mg/cu m NO concentration after 170 days, among them changes in the lungs, changes of blood cholinesterase activity, asparaginian aminotranspherase of blood serum activity, and blood catalase activity. These changes are more pronounced in air polluted with a 0.5 mg/cu m NO concentration than in air with 0.25 mg/cu m NO. The Polish standards for nitrogen oxides concentrations are too high, the highest concentration allowed in the atmospheric being 0.2 mg/cu m up to 0.6 mg/cu m for 20 min.

  8. Analysis on policies text of air pollution control in Beijing

    Science.gov (United States)

    ZHANG, Yujuan; WANG, Wen; ZHANG, Wei

    2017-04-01

    Air pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems, and it is also the inevitable result of the extensive economic development mode. The matter of air pollution in Beijing is becoming more and more serious since 2010, which has a great impact on the normal social production, living and human health. These hazards have been highly valued by the whole society. More than 30 years have been pasted since controlling the air pollution and the system of policies was relatively complete. These policies have improved the quality of atmospheric and prevented environment further deterioration. The policies performance is not obvious. It is urgent trouble to improve policy performance. This paper analyzes the 103 policies text of air pollution control in Beijing, and researches status, history and problems, and put forward suggestions on policy improvement and innovation at last.

  9. Forum environmental and energy technology 2013. Power-heat cogeneration and air pollution prevention

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlowitz, Otto; Meyer, Sven

    2013-01-01

    The volume covers the following topics: The teaching reward 2013 - concept and implementation of the ''Forum environmental and energy technology''; energy efficient air pollution control and material recovery; air pollution control by oxidation; electrical energy production from low-temperature waste heat (ORC processes), electrical power production and process heat utilization.

  10. Speciation imperatives for waste management and environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wymer, R.G.

    2001-01-01

    This paper addresses speciation requirements in the context of problems produced by nuclear energy and nuclear weapons production. These problems are primarily in the areas of waste management, material contamination, and environmental pollution. They pose difficult and important measurement and speciation challenges. Examples of speciation requirements in the context of national and international regulations are presented to exemplify and make quantitative the types of problems posed by waste management, material contamination, and environmental pollution. The importance of identifying species present in the natural environment as well as in wastes from chemical and physical processing and from waste management activities and accidental releases is addressed. Differing speciation requirements for macro and micro concentrations of species are discussed. The role of speciation in modelling studies is discussed. (author)

  11. An assessment of worldwide energy-related atmospheric pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    Energy-related emissions of atmospheric pollutants are currently suspected as the source of a number of major environmental problems. Early concerns about local and regional air quality and respiratory health risks, greatly alleviated in the case of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions by the use of tall stacks, have been superseded by ''global problems,'' such as acidification of the biosphere, increase in tropospheric ozone (O 3 ), visibility impairment, long-term exposure to toxic pollutants, and buildup of ''greenhouse gases''. Chapter 1 assesses the sources and physical/chemical atmospheric processes of energy-related atmospheric pollution (ERAP). It is not an exhaustive review but rather a documented statement of the state-of-art knowledge on issues critical to effective environmental decision-making. Chapter 2 looks at the effects on man, the environment and materials, and chapter 3 presents an overview and policy options. (author)

  12. Comparison of detailed and reduced kinetics mechanisms of silane oxidation in the basis of detonation wave structure problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedorov, A. V.; Tropin, D. A.; Fomin, P. A.

    2018-03-01

    The paper deals with the problem of the structure of detonation waves in the silane-air mixture within the framework of mathematical model of a nonequilibrium gas dynamics. Detailed kinetic scheme of silane oxidation as well as the newly developed reduced kinetic model of detonation combustion of silane are used. On its basis the detonation wave (DW) structure in stoichiometric silane - air mixture and dependences of Chapman-Jouguet parameters of mixture on stoichiometric ratio between the fuel (silane) and an oxidizer (air) were obtained.

  13. The Environmental Pollution In Vietnam Source Impact And Remedies

    OpenAIRE

    Tuan Anh Hoang; Nam Xuan Chu; Trung Van Tran

    2017-01-01

    Currently the environmental problems is one of the urgent problems for all countries in the world. Vietnam is among of 10 countries with the most polluted air in the world the health of people is affected by the non-guaranteed air quality in Vietnam. According to the EPI in 2015 Vietnam ranked 79 in the total of 132 countries in the overall environmental assessment. However the air pollution index Vietnam ranked 123. On the burden of disease due to environment Vietnam ranked 77. Therefore the...

  14. Linking exposure to environmental pollutants with biological effects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Mette; Autrup, Herman; Møller, Peter

    2003-01-01

    Exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with cancer. Ambient air contains a complex mixture of toxics, including particulate matter (PM) and benzene. Carcinogenic effects of PM may relate both to the content of PAH and to oxidative DNA damage generated by transition metals, benzene,...

  15. Indoor air problems in Asia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leslie, G.B.

    1995-01-01

    Respiratory disease and mortality due to indoor air pollution are amongst the greatest environmental threats to health in the developing countries of Asia. World-wide, acute respiratory infection is the cause of death of at least 5 million children under the age of 5 every year. The World Bank has claimed that smoke from biomass fuels resulted in an estimated 4 million deaths annually amongst infants and children. Most of these deaths occur in developing countries. Combustion in its various forms must head the list of pollution sources in Asia. Combustion of various fuels for domestic heating, lighting and cooking comprises the major source of internally generated pollutants and combustion in industrial plants, power generation and transportation is the major cause of externally generated pollutants. The products of pyrolysis and combustion include many compounds with well-known adverse health effects. These include gases such as CO, CO 2 , NO x and SO 2 , volatile organic compounds such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and nitroamines as well as respirable particulates of variable composition. The nature and magnitude of the health risks posed by these materials vary with season, climate, location housing, method of ventilation, culture and socio-economic status. The most important cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in Northern Asia is the domestic combustion of smoky coal. Acute carbon monoxide poisoning is common in many Asian countries. Roads traffic exhaust pollution is worse in the major cities of South East Asia than almost anywhere else in the world and this externally generated air pollution forms the indoor air for the urban poor. Despite all these major problems there has been a tendency for international agencies to focus attention and resources on the more trivial problems of indoor air encountered in the affluent countries of the West. Regulatory agencies in Asia have been too frequently persuaded that their problems of indoor air pollution are

  16. The Compounds Responsible for Air Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Kostrz

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Air quality in Poland poses a serious threat for boththe society and the environment. According to the WHO research Poland is located on the 14th place as a country most contaminated by particulate matter (PM10. Equally health-threatening substances are ozone, PAH, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur oxide, carbon oxide and heavy metals. Long-lasting exposure to high concentrations of ozone and nitrogen dioxide may lead to many irreversible changes in lungs, pulmonary oedema and even death. The main PAH, which cumulates in the organism is benzopyrene. This substance has been described by the IARC as a the most cancerogenic factor. High concentration of sulfur oxide in the air may cause severe damage of upper respiratory tract, sulfur oxide contributes greatly also to the appearance of acid rain and is an ingredient of a London type smog. Heavy metals polluting the air are one of the most severe health threat for people, due to the ability to cumulate in the organism.

  17. Fractal and variability analysis of simulations in ozone level due to oxides of nitrogen and sulphur

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhardwaj, Rashmi; Pruthi, Dimple

    2017-10-01

    Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air. These pollutants are detrimental to human the planet as a whole. Apart from causing respiratory infections and pulmonary disorders, rising levels of Nitrogen Dioxide is worsening ozone pollution. Formation of Ground-level ozone involves nitrogen oxides and volatile gases in the sunlight. Volatile gases are emitted from vehicles primarily. Ozone is harmful gas and its exposure can trigger serious health effects as it damages lung tissues. In order to decrease the level of ozone, level of oxides leading to ozone formation has to be dealt with. This paper deals with the simulations in ozone due to oxides of nitrogen and sulphur. The data from Central Pollution Control Board shows positive correlation for ozone with oxides of sulphur and nitrogen for RK Puram, Delhi in India where high concentration of ozone has been found. The correlation between ozone and sulphur, nitrogen oxides is moderate during summer while weak during winters. Ozone with nitrogen and sulphur dioxide follow persistent behavior as Hurst exponent is between 0.5 and 1. The fractal dimension for Sulphur dioxide is 1.4957 indicating the Brownian motion. The behavior of ozone is unpredictable as index of predictability is close to zero.

  18. Mortality and life expectancy of Yokkaichi Asthma patients, Japan: Late effects of air pollution in 1960–70s

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suenaga Masami

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD and bronchial asthma began increasing in early 1960s in the population of Yokkaichi-city (Mie Prefecture, Japan. The cause of the disease was sulfur oxide air pollution, and it is known as Yokkaichi Asthma. The pollution markedly decreased by the end of 1970s; no new cases have been reported since 1988. This study aimed at examining the late effects of air pollution on the health of Yokkaichi Asthma patients. Methods Mortality rate and life expectancy of patients, registered between 1965 and 1988, were investigated from 1975 through 2000. Results Mortality rates for COPD and asthma in patients from Yokkaichi-city were significantly higher than in the whole population of Mie Prefecture. For all ages (except for males between 80 and 84 years in 1985, the life expectancy of both males and females were significantly reduced in patients from Yokkaichi-city as compared with the whole population of Mie Prefecture. The potential gains in life expectancy excluding the mortality for respiratory diseases including COPD and asthma were larger for all ages in patients from Yokkaichi-city. Conclusion Mortality and life expectancy were adversely affected in patients from Yokkaichi-city, despite the fact that the air pollution problem has been already solved.

  19. Considerations of stationary-phase interactions in groundwater pollution studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, E.S.

    1980-01-01

    Studies of groundwater pollution are complicated by retention of both pollutant and tracers as static phases associated with the rock matrix. Three types of static phase are considered: (1) immobile pore water, (2) equilibrium adsorbed layers and (3) bulk precipitates, including biological systems. A brief discussion of the systems is given with examples from the work of the Water Research Centre on the problems encountered in quantifying groundwater pollution where static contamination may occur. (author)

  20. Development of Laboratory Model Ecosystems as Early Warning Elements of Environmental Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    1974-12-01

    AD-AOll 851 DEVELOPMENT OF LABORATORY MODEL ECOSYSTEMS AS EARLY WARNING ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Robert L. Metcalf... ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Robert L. Metcalf, Ph. D. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois INTRODUCTION Problems of environmental pollution with...house dust is unsafe to breathe (Ewing and Pearson, 1974). Most of the source of our concern about environmental pollution by trace substances relates

  1. [Development and current status of atmospheric pollution].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elichegaray, C; Bouallala, S; Maitre, A; Ba, M

    2009-02-01

    Air quality is a public health issue and this article includes a reminder of the related causes and issues and a description of the monitoring of ambient air quality in France. It also provides a review of major developments in recent years of the pollutants measured. Emissions of major air pollutants have declined significantly since the 1970s, and this is reflected in an overall improvement in the quality of ambient air. Nevertheless, various forms of air pollution remain a concern (in the case of photochemical pollution) and health data show that air pollution is still a cause of morbidity and mortality. The fight against air pollution must remain a priority and requires multi-pollutant and multi-effect approaches. The National Health and Environment Program adopted during the Grenelle environment stakeholder consultation processes includes targets for reducing human exposure to air pollution, especially particulate matter, as well as measures to improve indoor air quality. In a context dominated by the struggle against the emission of greenhouse gases, problems of air quality should not be underestimated and policies relating to climate protection must be taken into account.

  2. Inventory of conventional air pollutants emissions from road transportation for the state of Rio de Janeiro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, Cristiane Duarte Ribeiro de; Silva, Suellem Deodoro; Silva, Marcelino Aurélio Vieira da; D’Agosto, Márcio de Almeida; Barboza, Arthur Prado

    2013-01-01

    Road transportation has contributed to increased emissions of conventional air pollutants and, consequently, to the increase in problems associated with the environment and human health, depending on the type of pollutant and the concentration of it. To support the development of public policies aimed to decrease total tonnes of emissions, we used a bottom-up approach to estimate the amount of air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (THC), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), particulate matter (PM), and aldehydes (RCHO), that are emitted by road transportation in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) from 1980 to 2010. The results from 2010 show that cars are responsible for 55% of CO emissions, 61% of THC emissions, and 93% of RCHO emissions. Due to the use of hydrated ethanol and compressed natural gas (CNG) instead of petroleum based fuels during the period analyzed, 1,760,370 t of air pollutant emissions were avoided. Compared to Brazil, in 2010, RJ had a quantity of emissions per vehicle from 12% (CO) to 59% (PM) smaller than the national average. As strategies to reduce air pollutant emissions, we consider reducing the intensity of use, with a proportional reduction in emissions, and increased the use of biodiesel. - Highlights: ► We estimate road transportation emissions for Rio de Janeiro from 1980 to 2010. ► C gasoline was most responsible for CO (74%) and diesel for PM (91%). ► Emissions/vehicle for Rio de Janeiro are (12% to 59%) smaller than Brazilian. ► 1,760,370 t of emissions was avoided using non-petroleum-based fuels. ► Strategies to reduce the emissions of these air pollutants were proposed.

  3. Is acidification still a major air pollution concern?; L`acidification est-elle encore un probleme majeur de pollution atmospherique?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-12-31

    Although other forms of long-range air pollution are gaining attention, acidification remains an important issue in certain parts of Europe as well as in other continents. In spite of the European 88/609 directive limiting acid emissions from large fuel burning plants, a large part of Europe soils receives acid deposits superior to the tolerance threshold, known as critical loads. Thus, the European Union is considering several new measures, such as a more drastic 88/609 directive, the limitation of emissions country by country, the limitation of sulfur content in heavy fuels, etc. Emission inventories, evaluation tools, long range transfrontier pollution models, integrated assessment, etc. are presented, together with the positions of various French governmental departments, public authorities and industries concerning the european strategy against acidification

  4. The Dynamic Evolution of Firms’ Pollution Control Strategy under Graded Reward-Penalty Mechanism

    OpenAIRE

    Li Ming Chen; Wen Ping Wang

    2016-01-01

    The externality of pollution problem makes firms lack enough incentive to reduce pollution emission. Therefore, it is necessary to design a reasonable environmental regulation mechanism so as to effectively urge firms to control pollution. In order to inspire firms to control pollution, we divide firms into different grades according to their pollution level and construct an evolutionary game model to analyze the interaction between government’s regulation and firms’ pollution control under g...

  5. Public Perception of Urban Air Pollution: An Exploratory Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sala, R.; Oltra, C.; Goncalves, L.

    2014-01-01

    This report presents the results of a qualitative study using focus groups aimed at understanding the beliefs and attitudes of the population towards air pollution, its levels, causes, health impacts and possible mitigation and protection actions. The study sample consisted of members of the general population, between 18 and 65 years living in Barcelona. The analysis of the group discussion indicates that there is little awareness among participants about air pollution risks. The causes of air pollution are relatively known but there is little knowledge about pollution levels and types of pollutants. We found a low level of perceived personal risk associated to air pollution that coexists with a general awareness of the health impacts of air pollution, a low level of concern about the problem and a low level of personal involvement in mitigation and self protection measures. Participants reported no use of existing information services about air pollution. (Author)

  6. Transportation, Air Pollution, and Climate Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Learn how emissions reductions, advancements in fuels and fuel economy, and working with industry to find solutions to air pollution problems benefit human and environmental health, create consumer savings and are cost effective.

  7. Photo-oxidation. Of the system chrome hexavalent-4-chlorophenol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gil Pavas, Edison; Cabrera Limpias, Marianela; Jaramillo Jimenez, Sergio Alejandro

    2003-01-01

    As a proposal to eliminate highly toxic chemical components derived from industrial waste, the researchers study the behavior of the compound hexavalent chromium / 4-chlorophenol system when subjected to photo degradation in a photo-reactor compound parabolic cylinder (CPC) to scale pilot. The effect is analyzed in order to determine the operation conditions to reach the highest degradation levels possible. The analyzed variables were pH, concentration of catalyst (TiO 2 ), time of recirculation and the relation of initial concentrations among polluting agents. The factor that most influences the levels of removal reached is the pH, which has a different effect for each of the pollutants. This implies that, theoretically, you cannot adopt a unique group of operation parameters to favor the degradation of both however, in the practice; high levels of degradation of both pollutants are obtained in the optimal point of operation of the chrome. It is also observed that the catalyst concentration does not influence the degradation of the polluting agents significantly, at least for the initial concentrations studied. The recirculation time is closely related to the kinetics of degradation of each polluting agent. Elevated degradation levels are reached in a short time for 4-chlorophenol, while more prolonged recirculation times are required for hexavalent chromium. The relation of initial concentrations of the polluting agents also exerts an opposite effect on the degradation levels reached for each polluting agent; the hexavalent chromium reduction is favored with high initial concentrations of 4-chlorophenol, whereas the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol is favored with high initial hexavalent chromium concentrations, which suggests some synergy between the oxidation-reduction reactions of 4-chlorophenol and hexavalent chromium. Finally, a 97% hexavalent chromium reduction and a 94.9% oxidation of 4-chlorophenol were obtained

  8. Application of zinc isotope tracer technology in tracing soil heavy metal pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norbu, Namkha; Wang, Shuguang; Xu, Yan; Yang, Jianqiang; Liu, Qiang

    2017-08-01

    Recent years the soil heavy metal pollution has become increasingly serious, especially the zinc pollution. Due to the complexity of this problem, in order to prevent and treat the soil pollution, it's crucial to accurately and quickly find out the pollution sources and control them. With the development of stable isotope tracer technology, it's able to determine the composition of zinc isotope. Based on the theory of zinc isotope tracer technique, and by means of doing some latest domestic and overseas literature research about the zinc isotope multi-receiving cups of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) testing technology, this paper summarized the latest research results about the pollution tracer of zinc isotope, and according to the deficiencies and existing problems of previous research, made outlooks of zinc isotope fractionation mechanism, repository establishment and tracer multiple solutions.

  9. Permeable reactive barriers for pollutant removal from groundwater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, F.G.; Meggyes, T.

    2001-01-01

    The removal of pollutants from the groundwater using permeable reactive barriers is a novel in-situ groundwater remediation technology. The most relevant decontamination processes used are chemical reduction, oxidation, precipitation and sorption, for which examples are given. Some common organic pollutants are halogenated hydrocarbons, aromatic and nitroaromatic compounds which can be treated in reactive barriers successfully. Lead, chromium and, in particular, uranium are dealt with in great detail among inorganic pollutants because of their occurrence in many European countries. Construction methods for cut-off walls and reactive barriers exhibit similar features. Apart from conventional methods, drilling, deep soil mixing, jet technology, arrays of wells, injected systems and biobarriers are applied to construct permeable reactive barriers. Permeable reactive barriers bear great potential for the future in remediation engineering. (orig.)

  10. Quantifying and Reducing Light Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gokhale, Vayujeet; Caples, David; Goins, Jordan; Herdman, Ashley; Pankey, Steven; Wren, Emily

    2018-06-01

    We describe the current level of light pollution in and around Kirksville, Missouri and around Anderson Mesa near Flagstaff, Arizona. We quantify the amount of light that is projected up towards the sky, instead of the ground, using Unihedron sky quality meters installed at various locations. We also present results from DSLR photometry of several standard stars, and compare the photometric quality of the data collected at locations with varying levels of light pollution. Presently, light fixture shields and ‘warm-colored’ lights are being installed on Truman State University’s campus in order to reduce light pollution. We discuss the experimental procedure we use to test the effectiveness of the different light fixtures shields in a controlled setting inside the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium.Apart from negatively affecting the quality of the night sky for astronomers, light pollution adversely affects migratory patterns of some animals and sleep-patterns in humans, increases our carbon footprint, and wastes resources and money. This problem threatens to get particularly acute with the increasing use of outdoor LED lamps. We conclude with a call to action to all professional and amateur astronomers to act against the growing nuisance of light pollution.

  11. Ambient particulate air pollution from vehicles promotes lipid peroxidation and inflammatory responses in rat lung.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, C E L; Heck, T G; Saldiva, P H N; Rhoden, C R

    2007-10-01

    Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of particle-dependent lung injury. Ambient particle levels from vehicles have not been previously shown to cause oxidative stress to the lungs. The present study was conducted to a) determine whether short-term exposure to ambient levels of particulate air pollution from vehicles elicits inflammatory responses and lipid peroxidation in rat lungs, and b) determine if intermittent short-term exposures (every 4 days) induce some degree of tolerance. Three-month-old male Wistar rats were exposed to ambient particulate matter (PM) from vehicles (N = 30) for 6 or 20 continuous hours, or for intermittent (5 h) periods during 20 h for 4 consecutive days or to filtered air (PM polluted air for 20 h (P-20) showed a significant increase in the total number of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage compared to control (C-20: 2.61 x 105 +/- 0.51;P-20: 5.01 x 105 +/- 0.81; P air pollution did not cause a significant increase in lung water content. These data suggest oxidative stress as one of the mechanisms responsible for the acute adverse respiratory effects of particles, and suggest that short-term inhalation of ambient particulate air pollution from street with high automobile traffic represents a biological hazard.

  12. Effect of road side dust pollution on the growth and total chlorophyll ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-02-25

    Feb 25, 2014 ... activities and traffic congestion contributes most of air pollution problems, resulting in damage to the plants growth. Therefore, the present work was mainly designed to analyze the effects of air born-dust pollution, dom- nantly presented by automobile, industrial pollution and microclimate on physiology and ...

  13. Future air pollution in the Shared Socio-economic Pathways

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rao, Shilpa; Klimont, Zbigniew; Smith, Steven J.; Van Dingenen, Rita; Dentener, Frank; Bouwman, Lex|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/090428048; Riahi, Keywan; Amann, Markus; Bodirsky, Benjamin Leon; van Vuuren, Detlef P.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/11522016X; Aleluia Reis, Lara; Calvin, Katherine; Drouet, Laurent; Fricko, Oliver; Fujimori, Shinichiro; Gernaat, David|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/372664636; Havlik, Petr; Harmsen, Mathijs|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/374336520; Hasegawa, Tomoko; Heyes, Chris; Hilaire, Jérôme; Luderer, Gunnar; Masui, Toshihiko; Stehfest, Elke; Strefler, Jessica; van der Sluis, Sietske; Tavoni, Massimo

    Abstract Emissions of air pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides and particulates have significant health impacts as well as effects on natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. These same emissions also can change atmospheric chemistry and the planetary energy balance, thereby impacting global

  14. Geothermal Energy: Prospects and Problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritter, William W.

    1973-01-01

    An examination of geothermal energy as a means of increasing the United States power resources with minimal pollution problems. Developed and planned geothermal-electric power installations around the world, capacities, installation dates, etc., are reviewed. Environmental impact, problems, etc. are discussed. (LK)

  15. Bioremediation of hydrocarbon polluted soil - Improvement of in situ bioremediation by bioaugmentation with endogenous and exogenous strains

    OpenAIRE

    Tarayre, Cédric

    2010-01-01

    Petroleum pollution has now become a real problem because hydrocarbons are persistent contaminants in soils and water. Contamination problems increase when ages of relevant facilities, such as oil storage tanks and pipelines, increase over time. The evolution of Legislation concerning soil pollution has led to the need of efficient techniques able to restore the polluted ground. Unfortunately, these techniques are expensive. Bioremediation of hydrocarbon polluted soils has been recognized as...

  16. Environmental pollution in Nigeria: The need for awareness creation ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper set out to examine the issue of environmental pollution and its attendant consequences on the Nigerian society. In doing so, the paper has on the basis of personal observation and secondary sources examined the effects of environmental pollution in Nigeria. The findings show that environmental problems in ...

  17. Knowledge base to develop expert system prototype for predicting groundwater pollution from nitrogen fertilizer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ta-oun, M.; Daud, M.; Bardaie, M.Z.; Jusop, S.

    1999-01-01

    An expert system for prediction the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on groundwater pollution potential was established by using CLIPS (NASA's Jonson Space Centre). The knowledge base could be extracted from FAO reports, ministry of agriculture and rural development Malaysia report, established literature and domain expert for preparing an expert system skeleton. An expert system was used to correlate the availability of nitrogen fertilizer with the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution in Peninsula Malaysia and to identify potential groundwater quality problems. An n-fertilizer groundwater pollution potential index produced b using the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution yields a more accurate screening toll for identifying potential pollution problems than by considering vulnerability alone. An expert system can predict the groundwater pollution potential under several conditions of agricultural activities and existing environments. (authors)

  18. Air pollution: Tropospheric ozone, and wet deposition of sulfate and inorganic nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    John W. Coulston

    2009-01-01

    The influence of air pollutants on ecosystems in the United States is an important environmental issue. The term “air pollution” encompasses a wide range of topics, but acid deposition and ozone are primary concerns in the context of forest health. Acid deposition partially results from emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia that are deposited in wet...

  19. Pollution around Malta's sea

    OpenAIRE

    Formosa, Nicolette

    2014-01-01

    Marine littering is a global concern and every single year tons of litter end up in the ocean all around the globe. It has become such a problem that the waste has amalgamated into huge ‘islands’ floating in the world’s oceans. http://www.um.edu.mt/think/pollution-around-maltas-sea/

  20. Pollution law

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Triffterer, O.

    1980-01-01

    In the draft proposed by the legal advisory board the law for the controlling of environmental criminality was promulgated on 28th March 1980. The present commentary therefore - as seen from the results - corresponds in essential to the original assessment of the governmental draft. However, an introduction into the problems of environmental law precedes this commentary for the better unterstanding of all those not acquainted with pollution law and the whole legal matter. (orig./HP) [de