scholarly journals Relationships between magnetic parameters, chemical composition and clay minerals of topsoils near Coimbra, central Portugal

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2545-2555 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Lourenço ◽  
F. Rocha ◽  
C. R. Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Clay Minerals ◽  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Magnetic Measurements ◽  
Urban Pollution ◽  
Absorption Spectrometry ◽  
Geochemical Data ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Traffic Emission ◽  
Central Portugal

Abstract. Magnetic measurements, mineralogical and geochemical studies were carried out on surface soil samples in order to find possible relationships and to obtain environmental implications. The samples were taken over a square grid (500 × 500 m) near the city of Coimbra, in central Portugal. Mass specific magnetic susceptibility ranges between 12.50 and 710.11 × 10−8 m3 kg−1 and isothermal magnetic remanence at 1 tesla values range between 253 and 18 174 × 10−3 Am−1. Chemical analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry shows that the concentration of various toxic elements was higher than the mean background values for world soils. Higher values of susceptibility and toxic elements content were reported near roads and rivers. Urban pollution and road traffic emission seem to be the main influence for these values. A semi-quantitative X-ray diffraction study has been carried out on a representative set of subsamples, using peak areas. Illite (average 52%), kaolinite (average 55%), chlorite (average 6%) and irregular illite-smectite mixed-layers (average 9%) are the major clay minerals groups identified. Mineral composition of total fraction confirms the presence of magnetite/maghemite. The clay minerals results point to a contrast in the behavior of the main clay minerals: illite, chlorite, and kaolinite (also, smectite in some samples), which are generally in agreement with the magnetic and geochemical data. The results showed that magnetic measurements are a sensitive, fast, inexpensive and robust method, which can be advantageously applied for studying soils affected by urban and road pollution.

scholarly journals Traffic noise feedback in agent-based Integrated Land-Use/Transport Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nico Kuehnel ◽  
Dominik Ziemke ◽  
Rolf Moeckel
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Transport Models ◽  
Agent Based

Road traffic is a common source of negative environmental externalities such as noise and air pollution. While existing transport models are capable of accurately representing environmental stressors of road traffic, this is less true for integrated land-use/transport models. So-called land-use-transport-environment models aim to integrate environmental impacts. However, the environmental implications are often analyzed as an output of the model only, even though research suggests that the environment itself can have an impact on land use. The few existing models that actually introduce a feedback between land-use and environment fall back on aggregated zonal values. This paper presents a proof of concept for an integrated, microscopic and agent-based approach for a feedback loop between transport-related noise emissions and land-use. The results show that the microscopic link between the submodels is operational and fine-grained analysis by different types of agents is possible. It is shown that high-income households react differently to noise exposure when compared low-income households. The presented approach opens new possibilities for analyzing and understanding noise abatement policies as well as issues of environmental equity. The methodology can be transferred to include air pollutant emissions in the future.

scholarly journals TOXIC ELEMENTS IN LENTIL, THYME AND JUNIPER IN THE COMPOSITION OF SEMI-SMOKED SAUSAGES USING THE METHOD OF ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY WITH ATOMIZATION IN FLAME

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 35-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Paska ◽  
Iryna Simonova ◽  
Bogdan Galuch ◽  
Iryna Basarab ◽  
Olga Masliichuk
Keyword(s):  
Mass Fraction ◽  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Absorption Spectrometry ◽  
Resonance Absorption ◽  
Selective Absorption ◽  
Analytical Wavelength ◽  
Mass Fractions ◽  
Calibration Dependence ◽  
Vegetable Raw Materials

Studies have been conducted into the content of toxic elements in sprouted and unsprouted lentils, juniper fruits and thyme herb, manufactured samples of semi-smoked sausages whose formulation contained the specified ingredients. The samples were prepared for conducting the study. Measuring the mass fraction of heavy metals is based on the selective absorption of electromagnetic radiation of a certain frequency by atoms of substance in a free state. Metal mass fraction in the mineralizate of a sample of food products was calculated by the calibration dependence of absorption magnitude on mass concentration of the metal. Measurement of copper and zinc mass fractions involved an atomization technique in the air-acetylene flame, with a burner heated to a temperature of around 3000 °C; their content was determined by the magnitude of radiation resonance absorption at analytical wavelength corresponding to the examined metal. It was determined that the investigated vegetable raw materials and semi-smoked sausages did not contain toxic elements that exceeded the standard.

scholarly journals Disparities in the Concentrations of Essential/Toxic Elements in the Blood and Scalp Hair of Lymphoma Patients and Healthy Subjects

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Abdul Qayyum ◽  
Munir H. Shah
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Cell Lymphoma ◽  
Scalp Hair ◽  
B Cell Lymphoma ◽  
Absorption Spectrometry ◽  
Correlation Study ◽  
Mixed Cellularity ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Nodular Sclerosing

Abstract Lymphoma is one of the fastest growing malignancies worldwide and imbalance in the concentrations of trace elements can play a significant role in the onset and progression of the disease. Selected essential and toxic elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb) were analysed in the blood & scalp hair of lymphoma patients (n = 59 & 58, respectively) and controls (n = 61 & 60, respectively) by atomic absorption spectrometry. On the average, Ni, Cr, Cu and Cd revealed significantly higher contents in the blood and scalp hair of the patients than the controls (p < 0.05). The correlation study showed significantly diverse relationships among the elements in blood & scalp hair of the two donor groups. Variations in the elemental levels with different types of lymphoma (non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin) were also evaluated. Disparities in the elemental concentrations were also investigated for various types of non-Hodgkin (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma and peripheral T-cell lymphoma) and Hodgkin lymphoma (mixed cellularity, nodular lymphocyte predominant and nodular sclerosing), as well as for different stages (I, II, III & IV) of the cancer. Multivariate statistical analysis showed considerably divergent associations of the elements in the patients and controls. The study indicated profound alteration of the elemental levels in the patients; it may be implicated in elemental-induced disorders including lymphoma.

scholarly journals Soluble Inorganic Arsenic Species in Atmospheric Submicron Particles in Two Polish Urban Background Sites

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 837
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Nocoń ◽  
Wioletta Rogula-Kozłowska ◽  
Grzegorz Majewski ◽  
Patrycja Rogula-Kopiec
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Arsenic Species ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Submicron Particles ◽  
Traffic Emission ◽  
Urban Background

This paper presents results of the research on soluble inorganic As(III) and As(V) bound to submicron atmospheric particles (PM1) in two Polish urban background sites (Zabrze and Warsaw). The purpose of the research was to give some insight on the susceptibility to leaching of PM1-bound arsenic species from easily water-soluble compounds, i.e., considered potentially bioavailable based on its daily and seasonal changes. Quantitative analysis for 120 PM1 samples (collected from 24 June 2014 to 8 March 2015) was performed by using a high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The mean seasonal concentrations of dominant soluble As specie—As(V)—ranged from 0.27 ng/m3 in the summer season in Warsaw to 2.41 ng/m3 in the winter season in Zabrze. Its mean mass shares in total As were 44% in Warsaw and 75% in Zabrze in the winter and 18% and 48%, respectively, in the summer. Obtained results indicated fossil fuel combustion as the main source of PM1-bound As(V) and road traffic emission as its minor sources. In opposite to As(V), soluble As(III) was not clearly seasonally variable. In both seasons, its mean concentrations were higher in Zabrze than in Warsaw. As(III) concentrations were not preferentially shaped by an exact emission from road traffic in both cities.

scholarly journals Spatial Mobility of U and Th in a U-enriched Area (Central Portugal)

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (21) ◽  
pp. 7866
Author(s):  
Margarida Antunes ◽  
António Santos ◽  
Teresa Valente ◽  
Teresa Albuquerque
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Stream Sediments ◽  
Potentially Toxic Elements ◽  
Uranium Mine ◽  
Spatial Mobility ◽  
Contamination Index ◽  
Mine Dumps ◽  
Central Portugal ◽  
High Concentrations

Uranium and thorium are toxic in different environments. The exploitation of uranium mines and associated mine drainage leaching towards streams, sediments, and soils cause relevant pollution. The U-mine areas present high concentrations of potentially toxic elements with several consequences to ecosystems and human health. Physicochemical and potentially toxic elements of mine dumps, stream sediments, and soils from the Canto Lagar uranium mine area (Central Portugal) were analyzed. Stream sediments, soils, and mine dumps show a large range in the concentration values of Fe, U, As, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Th, suggesting geological and mine contributions. Most of the selected potential toxic elements from sediments present a low to moderate contamination degree, except for As, W, and U, which vary between high and very high contamination index. The soils must not be used in agricultural or residential activities due to contamination in As and U. This abandoned mine represents an environmental risk due to the spatial mobility and dispersion of potentially toxic elements from the dumps to the sediments and soils, as well as by surface runoff and wind.

Rare earth distribution and its correlation with clay mineralogy in the clay-sized fraction of Cretaceous and Pliocene sediments (central Portugal)

Clay Minerals ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. I. Prudêncio ◽  
M. O. Figueiredo ◽  
J. M. P. Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Clay Minerals ◽  
Clay Mineralogy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Eu Anomaly ◽  
Central Portugal ◽  
Whole Sediment ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe REE contents in the clay-sized fractions of nineteen Cretaceous and Pliocene continental sediments, Portugal, were found to be correlated with kaolinite. No correlation is apparent between clay mineralogy and La/Lu or Eu/Sm ratios. The Eu anomaly is generally smaller (or even absent) in the clay-sized fraction than in the corresponding whole sediment, probably due to a greater ability of the clay minerals to accommodate Eu (as Eu2+) rather than the other REE released during weathering.

Geochemistry and time-series analyses of orbitally forced Upper Cretaceous marl–limestone rhythmites (Lehrte West Syncline, northern Germany)

2005 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
BIRGIT NIEBUHR
Keyword(s):  
Clay Minerals ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Geochemical Data ◽  
Carbonate Content ◽  
Element Geochemistry ◽  
Low Magnesium ◽  
Magnesium Calcite ◽  
High Carbonate ◽  
Time Series Analyses ◽  
End Members

A cyclic marl–limestone succession of Middle–Late Campanian age has been investigated with respect to a Milankovitch-controlled origin of geochemical data. In general, the major element geochemistry of the marl–limestone rhythmites can be explained by a simple two-component mixing model with the end-members calcium carbonate and ‘average shale’-like material. Carbonate content varies from 55 to 90%. Non-carbonate components are clay minerals (illite, smectite) and biogenic silica from sponge spicules, as well as authigenically formed zeolites (strontian heulandite) and quartz. The redox potential suggests oxidizing conditions throughout the section. Trace element and stable isotopic data as well as SEM investigations show that the carbonate mud is mostly composed of low-magnesium calcitic tests of planktic coccolithophorids and calcareous dinoflagellate cysts (calcispheres). Diagenetic overprint results in a decrease of 2% δ18O and an increase in Mn of up to 250 ppm. However, the sediment seems to preserve most of its high Sr content compared to the primary low-magnesium calcite of co-occurring belemnite rostra. The periodicity of geochemical cycles is dominated by 413 ka and weak signals between 51 and 22.5 ka, attributable to orbital forcing. Accumulation rates within these cycles vary between 40 and 50 m/Ma. The resulting cyclic sedimentary sequence is the product of (a) changes in primary production of low-magnesium calcitic biogenic material in surface waters within the long eccentricity and the precession, demonstrated by the CaCO3 content and the Mg/Al, Mn/Al and Sr/Al ratios, and (b) fluctuations in climate and continental weathering, which changed the quality of supplied clay minerals (the illite/smectite ratio), demonstrated by the K/Al ratio. High carbonate productivity correlates with smectite-favouring weathering (semi-arid conditions, conspicuously dry and moist seasonal changes in warmer climates). Ti as the proxy indicator for the detrital terrigenous influx, as well as Rb, Si, Zr and Na, shows only low frequency signals, indicating nearly constant rates of supply throughout the more or less pure pelagic carbonate deposition of the long-lasting third-order Middle–Upper Campanian sedimentary cycle.

scholarly journals Concentrations of toxic elements in tissues of slaughtered animals and cow’s milk - a five year study

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 529-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Józef Szkoda ◽  
Jan Żmudzki ◽  
Agnieszka Nawrocka ◽  
Mirosława Kmiecik
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Absorption Spectrometry ◽  
Raw Milk ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Cadmium Content ◽  
Lead And Cadmium ◽  
Legal Limits ◽  
Food Of Animal Origin ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Arsenic Determination

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the contamination of animal muscle, liver, and milk with lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. Determination of the elements was carried out using several techniques of atomic absorption spectrometry. Between 2008 and 2012, samples of muscles and liver from 1305 cattle, 2345 pigs, 758 horses (only muscles), 1721 poultry (chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks), and 736 samples of raw milk were collected. Only 48 (0.7%) samples exceeded the maximum acceptable levels of the elements, especially lead and cadmium. In the case of lead, the highest number of samples exceeding the legal limits was found in muscles of pigs (6), where the maximum value reached 0.376 mg/kg. For cadmium, the highest number of samples (22) with values exceeding legal limits was found in muscles of horses. The cadmium content in muscles of horses, at both the mean (0.052 mg/kg) and median (0.023 mg/kg), was in order of magnitude higher than that observed in cattle and pigs. Small percentage of samples with values exceeding the maximum levels of toxic elements in food of animal origin indicates a low risk for the consumers’ health.

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