VARIATIONS IN SOIL RADON LEVELS DURING WINTER AND SPRING PERIODS

2020 ◽  
Vol 191 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-254
Author(s):  
Sakhayaan Gavriliev ◽  
Tatiana Petrova ◽  
Petr Miklyaev ◽  
Nikolay Nefedov
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Α Decay ◽  
Radon Flux ◽  
Significant Health

Abstract Radon poses significant health risk due to inhalation and subsequent α-decay of its progeny and is the second biggest cause of lung cancer worldwide. In Russian Federation, radon flux density (RFD) measurements are performed routinely to assess radon safety of land lots before construction takes place. This study aims to show possible ‘weather’-influenced variations in RFD and radon activity concentration (RAC) that can occur during winter and spring periods in climatic conditions typical for territories with severe snowy winters. Results show that RFD correlates with weather, having a significant correlation with ambient air temperature in winter as well as spring periods and a weak inverse correlation with wind speed. In spring, RFD also responds to an increase in soil moisture, dropping severely because of rainfall. RAC, however, correlates very little with weather but has a weak inverse correlation with RFD.

scholarly journals A new approach to the problem of assessing the radon hazard of building sites

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-64
Author(s):  
N. K. Ryzhakova ◽  
K. O. Stavitskaya ◽  
A. A. Udalov
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Flux Density ◽  
Activity Concentration ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Radon Flux ◽  
Andesite Basalt ◽  
Radium Activity

Radon and its daughter products create more than half dose from all natural radiation sources. The radon entering the buildings is emitted mainly from soils lying at the base of the foundation. Therefore, before carrying out construction work, the radon hazard of the construction area are determined. In the Russian Federation, the radon hazard of an area can be determined using radon flux density measured on the soil surface. To date, radon researchers came to the conclusion that the geology of the territory affects the amount of radon released from the soil surface. However, there are almost no studies devoted to the release of radon from the surface of various soil types. The paper presents the measuring results of the radon flux density on the surface of loess loams, porcelain clay, argillaceous slate, sand-and-gravel sediment, rocky limestone, clayey limestone, andesite-basalt porphyrite and quartzrock. The measurements were carried out by the accumulation chamber method using the Alfarad Plus measuring complex. Also, measuring radium activity concentration and soil moisture were carried out. The research demonstrates that, depending on the type of soil, the amount of radon emanating from its surface differs by more than an order of magnitude. The largest values of radon flux density of ~ 800 mBq∙m-2s-1 were recorded for andesite-basalt porphyrite and quartzrock. The smallest ones of ~ 40 mBq∙m-2s-1 were registered for loess loams and argillaceous slates. For soils consisting of small sand and clay grains, a rather strong dependence of the radon flux density on soil moisture was found. When measuring soils with low moisture (2-6%), a proportional dependence of the radium activity concentration on the amount of radon emanating from the soil surface is not observed. The types of soils that lie at the foundations of the buildings, and their physical properties can be used as the basis for classifying building sites according to the degree of radon hazard. Relevant information may be provided by organizations engaged in design and survey work at building plots. The approach proposed in the work for assessing radon hazard will allow avoiding labor-intensive measurements of radon and thereby reduce the financial, material and labor costs of building construction.

scholarly journals Health effects of banning beehive coke ovens and implementation of the ban in China

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (11) ◽  
pp. 2693-2698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Xu ◽  
Huizhong Shen ◽  
Xiao Yun ◽  
Fei Gao ◽  
Yilin Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Coke Ovens ◽  
The Law ◽  
Significant Health

Environmental legislation and proper implementation are critical in environmental protection. In the past, beehive coke ovens (BCOs) were popular in China, resulting in enormous emissions of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a common indicator of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. BCOs were banned by the Coal Law in 1996. Although BCO numbers have declined since the ban, they were not eliminated until 2011 due to poor implementation. Here, we present the results of a quantitative evaluation of the health effects of historical BCO operation, the health benefits of the ban, and the adverse impacts of the poor implementation of the ban. With only limited official statistics available, historical and geospatial data about BCOs were reconstructed based on satellite images. Emission inventories of BaP from BCOs were compiled and used to model atmospheric transport, nonoccupational population exposure, and induced lung cancer risk. We demonstrated that more than 20% of the BaP in ambient air was from BCOs in the peak year. The cumulative nonoccupational excess lung cancer cases associated with BaP from BCOs was 3,500 (±1,500) from 1982 to 2015. If there was no ban, the cases would be as high as 9,290 (±4,300), indicating the significant health benefits of the Coal Law. On the other hand, if the ban had been fully implemented immediately after the law was enforced in 1996, the cumulative cases would be 1,500 (±620), showing the importance of implementing the law.

scholarly journals The ground-level ozone concentration is inversely correlated with the number of COVID-19 cases in Warsaw, Poland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskar Wiśniewski ◽  
Wiesław Kozak ◽  
Maciej Wiśniewski
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Ozone Concentration ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Viral Agent ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Weather Factors ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

AbstractCOVID-19, which is a consequence of infection with the novel viral agent SARS-CoV-2, first identified in China (Hubei Province), has been declared a pandemic by the WHO. As of September 10, 2020, over 70,000 cases and over 2000 deaths have been recorded in Poland. Of the many factors contributing to the level of transmission of the virus, the weather appears to be significant. In this work, we analyze the impact of weather factors such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and ground-level ozone concentration on the number of COVID-19 cases in Warsaw, Poland. The obtained results show an inverse correlation between ground-level ozone concentration and the daily number of COVID-19 cases.

Review on Renewable Energy Potential in Australian Subtropical Region (Central and North Queensland)

2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 3846-3855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Baniyounes ◽  
Gang Liu ◽  
M. G. Rasul ◽  
M. M. K. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Spatial Databases ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Climatic Data ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Subtropical Region ◽  
Energy Potential

In Australia the future demand for energy is predicted to increase rapidly. Conventional energy resources soaring prices and environmental impact have increased the interest in renewable energy technology. As a result of that the Australian government is promoting renewable energy; such as wind, geothermal, solar and hydropower. These types of energy are believed to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Renewable energy availability is controlled by climatic conditions such as solar radiation, wind speed and temperature. This paper aims to assess the potential of renewable energy resources, in particular wind and solar energy in an Australian subtropical region (Central and North Queensland) namely, Gladstone, Emerald, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Townsville, and Cairns. Analysis is done by using the latest statistical state of Queensland energy information, along with measured data history of wind speed, solar irradiations, air temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure for those sites. This study has also shown that national assessments of solar and wind energy potential can be improved by improving local climatic data assessments using spatial databases of Central and North Queensland areas.

The Concentration Characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5 in Eight Cities of China in March, 2013

2013 ◽  
Vol 807-809 ◽  
pp. 20-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Sheng ◽  
Jian Wu Shi ◽  
Sen Lin Tian ◽  
Li Mei Bi ◽  
Hao Deng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Meteorological Factor ◽  
Urban Air ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Ambient Air Quality Standard

According to the information of air quality which published by the urban air quality real-time publishing platform, the concentration characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5 were studied in Kunming (KM), Changsha (CS), Hangzhou (HZ), Shanghai (SH), Harbin (HEB), Beijing (BJ), Wuhan (WH) and Guangzhou (GZ). The results show that the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 exceeded the Ambient Air Quality Standard (GB3095-2012) in varying degrees in March, 2013. The concentrations of PM10 in Wuhan is the highest, reached 164μg/m3, exceeded the standard by 9.3%; the concentrations of PM2.5 is much higher in Wuhan, Changsha and Beijing, the average concentrations were 96μg/m3, 103μg/m3 and 110μg/m3, exceeded the standard by 28.0%, 37.3% and 46.7% respectively. The correlation of PM10 with PM2.5 in most of these cities was good in March. The correlation analysis of pollutant with meteorological factor in Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou was also studied, the results show that the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 are weakly positive correlation with temperature in the four cities, negative correlation with relative humidity without Beijing, and negative correlation with wind speed.

scholarly journals The Analysis in the Burden of Lung Cancer Attributable to PM2.5 Exposure in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
xiaomei wu ◽  
Bo Zhu ◽  
Jin Zhou ◽  
Yifei Bi ◽  
Shuang Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Downward Trend ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Cancer Burden ◽  
Pm2.5 Exposure

Abstract Objective Air pollution is the major contributor of lung cancer mortality, we want to analyze the long-term trends and the differences in lung cancer burden attributable to PM2.5 exposure between ambient air pollution and household air pollution.Methods The indicators (mortality rate, disability-adjusted life years rate, years lived with disability rate, and years of life lost rate) of lung cancer burden were obtained from GBD 2017. The joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess the magnitude and direction of trends from 1990 to 2017, and the age-period-cohort method was used to analyze the temporal trends of the indicators of lung cancer by age, period, and cohort.Results The age-standardized indicators showed an upward trend in ambient PM2.5 exposure (APE) and a downward trend in household PM2.5 exposure (HPE). The overall net drifts per year were above zero for APE and below zero for HPE, and the local drift values in APE and HPE increased by age groups. For the longitudinal age curves, the indicators of lung cancer burden for younger in APE or HPE were in a low level, and significantly increased from 45-49 age group to 90-94 age group. For the period RRs, the indicators of lung cancer burden in APE increased from 1990 to 2017, but decreased in HPE from 1990 to 2017. For the cohort RRs, the indicators of lung cancer burden in APE was on the upward trend before 1965, and fluctuated after from 1970 to 1990. The indicators of lung cancer burden in HPE was on the downward trend.Conclusions For lung cancer attributable to air pollution, China had changed from household air pollution to ambient air pollution. PM2.5 exposure had more harmful in male and older people. Ambient air pollution should be emphasized, China should strengthen implementation of effective public policies and other interventions.

scholarly journals Assimilation of Satellite-Derived Soil Moisture for Improved Forecasts of the Great Plains Low-Level Jet

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 (11) ◽  
pp. 4607-4627
Author(s):  
Craig R. Ferguson ◽  
Shubhi Agrawal ◽  
Mark C. Beauharnois ◽  
Geng Xia ◽  
D. Alex Burrows ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Data Assimilation ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
South Central ◽  
Mesoscale Convective

AbstractIn the context of forecasting societally impactful Great Plains low-level jets (GPLLJs), the potential added value of satellite soil moisture (SM) data assimilation (DA) is high. GPLLJs are both sensitive to regional soil moisture gradients and frequent drivers of severe weather, including mesoscale convective systems. An untested hypothesis is that SM DA is more effective in forecasts of weakly synoptically forced, or uncoupled GPLLJs, than in forecasts of cyclone-induced coupled GPLLJs. Using the NASA Unified Weather Research and Forecasting (NU-WRF) Model, 75 GPLLJs are simulated at 9-km resolution both with and without NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive SM DA. Differences in modeled SM, surface sensible (SH) and latent heat (LH) fluxes, 2-m temperature (T2), 2-m humidity (Q2), PBL height (PBLH), and 850-hPa wind speed (W850) are quantified for individual jets and jet-type event subsets over the south-central Great Plains, as well as separately for each GPLLJ sector (entrance, core, and exit). At the GPLLJ core, DA-related changes of up to 5.4 kg m−2 in SM can result in T2, Q2, LH, SH, PBLH, and W850 differences of 0.68°C, 0.71 g kg−2, 59.9 W m−2, 52.4 W m−2, 240 m, and 4 m s−1, respectively. W850 differences focus along the jet axis and tend to increase from south to north. Jet-type differences are most evident at the GPLLJ exit where DA increases and decreases W850 in uncoupled and coupled GPLLJs, respectively. Data assimilation marginally reduces negative wind speed bias for all jets, but the correction is greater for uncoupled GPLLJs, as hypothesized.

scholarly journals Effects of surface wind speed decline on hydrology in China

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 11293-11310
Author(s):  
X. Liu ◽  
X. Zhang ◽  
Q. Tang ◽  
X. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Surface Wind Speed ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Infiltration Capacity ◽  
Major River ◽  
Speed Change ◽  
Small Change

Abstract. Surface wind speed decline in China has been widely reported, but its effects on hydrology have not been fully evaluated to date. In this study, the effects of wind speed change on hydrology are investigated using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrological model for China during 1966–2011. Two model experiments, i.e. VIC simulations with the observed (EXP1) and detrended wind speed (EXP2), are performed over the major river basins in China. The differences between the two experiments are analyzed to assess the effects of wind speed decline on hydrology. Results show that wind speed has decreased by 29% in China. The wind speed decline have resulted in a decrease of evapotranspiration by 1–3% of mean annual evapotranspiration and an increase of runoff by 1–6% of mean annual runoff at most basins in China. The effect of wind speed on runoff and soil moisture is large in the northern basins where small change in hydrological conditions would have significant implications for water management. In addition, Wind speed decline has offset the expansion of the drought area in China. It has contributed to a reduction of drought areas by 8.8% of the mean drought area (i.e. approximate 10.6 × 104 km2 out of 1.2 × 106 km2) over China. The effect of wind speed decline on soil moisture drought is large in most basins in China expect for the Southwest and Pearl River basins.

scholarly journals Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothetic model based on comprehensive analysis of long non-coding RNA expression in lung adenocarcinoma

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e8024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiwen Wang ◽  
Rui Su ◽  
Qiqiang Guo ◽  
Jia Liu ◽  
Banlai Ruan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽  
Competing Endogenous Rna ◽  
Cerna Network ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Non Coding Rna ◽  
Pathway Analyses ◽  
Lung Adenocarcinomas ◽  
Cancer Tissues

Background Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major subtype of lung cancer with high malignancy and bad prognosis, consisted of lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinomas (LUSC) chiefly. Multiple studies have indicated that competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network centered long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate gene expression and the progression of various cancers. However, the research about lncRNAs-mediated ceRNA network in LUAD is still lacking. Methods In this study, we analyzed the RNA-seq database from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and obtained dysregulated lncRNAs in NSCLC, then further identified survival associated lncRNAs through Kaplan–Meier analysis. Quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to confirm their expression in LUAD tissues and cell lines. The ceRNA networks were constructed based on DIANA-TarBase and TargetScan databases and visualized with OmicShare tools. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to investigate the potential function of ceRNA networks. Results In total, 1,437 and 1,699 lncRNAs were found to be up-regulated in LUAD and LUSC respectively with 895 lncRNAs overlapping (|log2FC| > 3, adjusted P value <0.01). Among which, 222 lncRNAs and 46 lncRNAs were associated with the overall survival (OS) of LUAD and LUSC, and 18 out of 222 up-regulated lncRNAs were found to have inverse correlation with LUAD patients’ OS (|log2FC| > 3, adjusted P value < 0.02). We selected 3 lncRNAs (CASC8, LINC01842 and VPS9D1-AS1) out of these 18 lncRNAs and confirmed their overexpression in lung cancer tissues and cells. CeRNA networks were further constructed centered CASC8, LINC01842 and VPS9D1-AS1 with 3 miRNAs and 100 mRNAs included respectively. Conclusion Through comprehensively analyses of TCGA, our study identified specific lncRNAs as candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for LUAD. The novel ceRNA network we created provided more insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying LUAD.

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