Factors affecting indoor radon variations: A case study in schools of eastern macedonia

The subject of this study is the radon concentrations variations, measured with a nuclear track detectors in a total of 58 premises in all 29 primary schools of 4 municipalities in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Despite a relatively small territory, the variability of radon concentrations proved to be significant. The geometric means (geometric standard deviations) of radon concentrations in the examined municipalities were in the range from GM = 71 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.08) to GM = 162 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.69), while for the entire region it was: GM = 96 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.47). The influence of the geographical and geological features of the school site as well as the building characteristics on the radon variations were investigated. The analysis showed that type of municipality, building materials, basement and geology have significant effects and respectively describe 6%, 16%, 22%, 39% of the radon total variability

Differential Antioxidant Response to Supplemental UV-B Irradiation and Sunlight in Three Basil Varieties

Three basil plant varieties (Ocimum basilicum var. Genovese, Ocimum × citriodorum, and Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens) were grown under moderate light (about 300 µmol photons m−2 s−1) in a glasshouse or growth chamber and then either transferred to an open field (average daily dose: 29.2 kJ m−2 d−1) or additionally exposed to UV-B irradiation in a growth chamber (29.16 kJ m−2 d−1), to reveal the variety-specific and light-specific acclimation responses. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), phenolic profile, ascorbate content, and class III peroxidase (POD) activity were used to determine the antioxidant status of leaves under all four light regimes. Exposure to high solar irradiation at the open field resulted in an increase in TAC, total hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs, especially caffeic acid), flavonoids, and epidermal UV-absorbing substances in all three varieties, as well as a two-fold increase in the leaf dry/fresh weight ratio. The supplemental UV-B irradiation induced preferential accumulation of HCAs (rosmarinic acid) over flavonoids, increased TAC and POD activity, but decreased the ascorbate content in the leaves, and inhibited the accumulation of epidermal flavonoids in all basil varieties. Furthermore, characteristic leaf curling and UV-B-induced inhibition of plant growth were observed in all basil varieties, while a pro-oxidant effect of UV-B was indicated with H2O2 accumulation in the leaves and spotty leaf browning. The extent of these morphological changes, and oxidative damage depended on the basil cultivar, implies a genotype-specific tolerance mechanism to high doses of UV-B irradiation

Differential Antioxidant Response to Supplemental UV-B Irradiation and Sunlight in Three Basil Varieties

Three basil plant varieties (Ocimum basilicum var. Genovese, Ocimum × citriodorum, and Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens) were grown under moderate light (about 300 µmol photons m−2 s−1) in a glasshouse or growth chamber and then either transferred to an open field (average daily dose: 29.2 kJ m−2 d−1) or additionally exposed to UV-B irradiation in a growth chamber (29.16 kJ m−2 d−1), to reveal the variety-specific and light-specific acclimation responses. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), phenolic profile, ascorbate content, and class III peroxidase (POD) activity were used to determine the antioxidant status of leaves under all four light regimes. Exposure to high solar irradiation at the open field resulted in an increase in TAC, total hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs, especially caffeic acid), flavonoids, and epidermal UV-absorbing substances in all three varieties, as well as a two-fold increase in the leaf dry/fresh weight ratio. The supplemental UV-B irradiation induced preferential accumulation of HCAs (rosmarinic acid) over flavonoids, increased TAC and POD activity, but decreased the ascorbate content in the leaves, and inhibited the accumulation of epidermal flavonoids in all basil varieties. Furthermore, characteristic leaf curling and UV-B-induced inhibition of plant growth were observed in all basil varieties, while a pro-oxidant effect of UV-B was indicated with H2O2 accumulation in the leaves and spotty leaf browning. The extent of these morphological changes, and oxidative damage depended on the basil cultivar, implies a genotype-specific tolerance mechanism to high doses of UV-B irradiation

Factors affecting indoor radon variations: A case study in schools of eastern macedonia

The subject of this study is the radon concentrations variations, measured with a nuclear track detectors in a total of 58 premises in all 29 primary schools of 4 municipalities in the Eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Despite a relatively small territory, the variability of radon concentrations proved to be significant. The geometric means (geometric standard deviations) of radon concentrations in the examined municipalities were in the range from GM = 71 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.08) to GM = 162 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.69), while for the entire region it was: GM = 96 Bq/m 3 (GSD = 2.47). The influence of the geographical and geological features of the school site as well as the building characteristics on the radon variations were investigated. The analysis showed that type of municipality, building materials, basement and geology have significant effects and respectively describe 6%, 16%, 22%, 39% of the radon total variability

Merits and demerits of different methods for radon exhalation measurements for building materials

With an increase in the awareness of the need to save energy, residents tend to live in dwellings with increasingly tight windows and doors, thus reducing the ventilation rate of indoor air which leads to an increased accumulation of radon indoors. Having in mind that a dose from an exposure to inhaled radon and its progenies can be higher than a dose received from radium in building materials, it is suggested that radon exhalation measurements should receive due attention. In this contribution, the authors compare results gathered using a few methods for radon exhalation measurement and discuss its merits and demerits

Prediction of Long-Term Indoor Radon Concentration Based on Short-Term Measurements

We present a method for the estimation of annual radon concentration based on short-term (three months) measurements. The study involves results from two independent sets of indoor radon concentration measurements performed in 16 cities of the Republic of Macedonia. The first data set contains winter and annual radon concentration obtained during the National survey in 2010 and the second, contains only the radon concentration measured during the winter of 2013. Both data sets pertain to radon concentration from the same cities and have been measured applying the same methodology in ground floor dwellings. The results appeared to be consistent and the dispersion of radon concentration was low. Linear regression analysis of the radon concentration measured in winter of 2010 and of the 2010 annual radon concentration revealed a high coefficient of determination R-2 = 0.92, with a relative uncertainty of 3%. Furthermore, this model was used to estimate the annual radon concentration solely from winter-term measurements performed in 2013. The geometrical mean of the estimated annual radon concentration of the 2013: radon concentration (A-2013) =98 Bqm(-3) was almost equal to the geometrical mean of the annual radon concentration from the 2010, radon concentration (A-2010) = 99 Bqm(-3). Analysis of the influence of building characteristics, such as presence/absence of a basement in the building, or the dominant building material on the estimated annual radon concentration is also reported. Our results show that a low number of relatively short-term radon measurements may produce a reasonable insight into a gross average obtained in a larger survey

MEASUREMENTS AND CORRELATIONS BETWEEN SEVERAL ATMOSPHERIC PARAMETERS UDC 551.51

Abstract. Diurnal atmospheric air-ion concentrations have been investigated at a site where synchronous aerosol, ozone, temperature and relative humidity measurements were also made. Air-ions, temperature and relative humidity were measured with Gerdien type Cylindrical Detector of Air-Ions (CDI-06) made in the Institute of Physics, Belgrade. Ozone and aerosols were measured with commercial instruments owned by the Institute of Public Health, Belgrade. Typical daily variations of the measured parameters were analyzed and showed that air-ions of both signs and ozone are positively correlated, while aerosols show strong inverse correlation with air-ions. Also, concentrations of air-ions and ozone are decreasing with temperature while aerosol concentration and humidity are increasing. These processes could be explained concerning properties of the specified parameters, measuring place properties and weather conditions

24. August 1914

Stadtarchiv Düsseldorf, "Tagebuch Willy Spatz" 1914-1919. 0-1-23-41.0000 Alle Scans zum Tagebucheintrag vom 24. August 1914 Willy Spatz (1861-1931) war Professor an der Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. Montag, d. 24. August. Die Zeitungen bringen über den großen Sieg bei Metz keinerlei Einzelheiten, sondern nur allgemeine Betrachtungen. Wir erfahren nur, daß unsere Truppen mächtig vorwärts dringen u. den fluchtartigen Rückzug der Franzosen ausnutzen, daß sie die Zerstreuung der feindlichen Kräfte an..

Characterization of ions at Alpine waterfalls

During a three-year field campaign of measuring waterfall generated ions, we monitored five different waterfalls in the Austrian Alps. Most measurements were performed at the Krimml waterfall (Salzburg, Austria), which is the biggest waterfall in Europe, and the Gartl waterfall (Mölltal, Austria). We characterized spatial, time and size distributions of waterfall-generated ions under the influence of surrounding topography. The smallest ions with boundary diameters of 0.9, 1.5 and 2 nm, were measured with a cylindrical air ion detector (CDI-06), while ion sizes from 5.5 to 350 nm were measured using a modified Grimm SMPS aerosol spectrometer. High negative ion concentration gradients are detected in the vicinity of the waterfalls, whereas the increase of positive ions was only moderate. Ions in the nano range were the most abundant at 2 nm, and at 120 nm in the sub-micrometer range