Ethische Grundwerte unter Anhängern kirchlicher Laienbewegungen in Kroatien

U ovom je radu posebna pozornost usredotočena na vrstu i red vrednota koje pripadnici novih laičkih crkvenih (katoličkih) pokreta u Hrvatskoj najviše osobno cijene u životu na temelju anketnog istraživanja "Globalizacija i (post)moderni crkveni i religijski pokreti", provedenog na Institutu društvenih znanosti "Ivo Pilar" iz Zagreba. Religiozna i duhovna osnovna vrednota ispitanika je "vjera u Boga". Istraženo je potom postoji li razlika u stavovima i mišljenjima između ispitanika koji na prvom mjestu ljestvice vrednotâ stavljaju "vjeru u Boga" i ispitanika koji na prvom mjestu ljestvice vrednotâ ne stavljaju "vjeru u Boga", s obzirom na to ima li Katolička crkva pravo govoriti o razoružanju i miru, nezaposlenosti, rasnoj i etničkoj diskriminaciji, eutanaziji, ekologiji i razvoju, aktualnoj politici (Vlade, Sabora i Predsjednika). Također je istraženo postoji li razlika u odgovorima jednih i drugih ispitanika o tome u kojoj mjeri Katolička crkva primjereno odgovara na moralne i duhovne potrebe pojedinca, probleme obiteljskoga i društvenoga života, diskriminaciju Roma, eutanaziju i "grijeh struktura". Prema dobivenim rezultatima evidentno je kako između te dvije grupe ispitanika postoji visoko suglasje glede njihovih stavova i mišljenja prema religijskoj instituciji, a uočena je statistički značajna razlika u mišljenju o tome odgovara li Katolička crkva (ne)primjereno na probleme eutanazije i na suvremene, aktualne socijalne probleme.In this paper, special attention was given to the type and order of values most appreciated by members of new lay ecclesiastical (Catholic) movements in Croatia in their personal lives based on the survey "Globalisation and (post)modern ecclesiastical and religious movements" conducted in the Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar in Zagreb. The basic religious and spiritual value expressed by the examinees is "belief in God". Then the research focuses on whether there was a difference in the attitudes and opinions among the examinees who ranked their "belief in God" first on the scale and those who did not rank their "belief in God" first, with regard to whether the Catholic church has the right to speak of disarmament and peace, unemployment, racial and ethnic discrimination, euthanasia, the environment and development, current policies (of the Government, Parliament and President). The difference between answers of both gropus of examinees respectively regarding the extent to which the Catholic church adequately responds to the moral and spiritual problems of individuals, probelms of family and social lives, discrimination of the Romanies, euthanasia and the "sins of the establishment" have also been analysed. According to the results obtained it is evident that between these two groups there is considerable agreement concerning their attitudes and opinions towards the religious institution, and a statistically significant difference has been observed in the opinions on whether the Catholic church responds to the issues of euthanasia and other contemporary social problems.Die vorliegende Arbeit konzentriert sich auf die Art und Rangordnung von Werten, die von den Anhängern neuer kirchlicher (katholischer) Laienbewegungen in Kroatien am meisten geschätzt werden. Die Arbeit gründet sich auf Aussagen, die im Rahmen der vom Ivo Pilar-Institut für Gesellschaftswissenschaften, Zagreb durchgeführten Umfrage "Globalisierung und (post-)moderne kirchliche und religiöse Bewegungen" gemacht wurden. Den religiös-geistigen Grundwert stellt für die Befragten der "Glaube an Gott" dar. Daraufhin untersuchte man, ob es Unterschiede gibt zwischen Umfrageteilnehmern, die diesen Grundwert an die erste Stelle setzten, und solchen, die das nicht taten, und zwar im Hinblick auf Fragen wie Arbeitslosigkeit, rassische und ethnische Diskriminierung, Sterbehilfe, Umweltschutz und Entwicklung, aktuelle Politik (von Regierung, Parlament und Staatspräsident) sowie hinsichtlich der Frage, ob es der katholischen Kirche gestattet sei, zu Abrüstung und Frieden Stellung zu nehmen. Des Weiteren untersuchte man mögliche Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Frage, mit welchem Erfolg die katholische Kirche den moralischen und geistigen Bedürfnissen des Menschen entgegenkomme und mit Problemen im Bereich des familiären und gesellschaftlichen Lebens umgehe, ferner ob sie sich auf angemessene Weise mit den Fragen der Diskriminierung von Roma, der Sterbehilfe und der "Sünde der Strukturen" auseinandersetze. Die gewonnenen Ergebnisse zeigen ganz klar, dass zwischen Umfrageteilnehmern, die den Grundwert des Gottesglaubens an die erste Stelle setzten, und solchen, die das nicht taten, eine hohe Übereinstimmung im Hinblick auf die religiöse Institution [der katholischen Kirche] besteht. Ein statistisch relevanter Unterschied besteht jedoch bei Meinungen über die Einstellung der Kirche zu Fragen der Sterbehilfe und aktuellen gesellschaftlichen Problemen

Using elemental concentrations and dust loadings as metrics of human exposure to potentially toxic elements in kindergarten indoor dust

Due to the hand-to-mouth activities frequently observed among the youngest children, they are likely to ingest higher amounts of indoor dust than adults. Since pre-schoolers are prone to exposure to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through the ingestion route, characterising human exposure within kindergarten microenvironments is paramount for children who spend considerable time in school. Ergo, a study encompassing five kindergartens in an industrial city was performed. Indoor dust samples were collected from the kindergartens. The present study reports dust metal concentrations and metal loadings to estimate indoor exposure to PTEs. Total concentrations of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the of the <63 μm and <250 μm particle size fractions of the indoor dust. The results show that the elemental loadings vary widely among the different kindergartens but are consistently higher in the finer dust size fraction. Non-parametric analysis (Spearman's rank-order correlation) shows strong and significant (p<0.001) positive correlations between total dust loading - dust elemental loading. Relatively strong correlations were also obtained between elemental loadings and elemental concentrations, but the relationship is only significant for Ni and Pb. The strong correlation (rs= 0.73) between Pb concentration and dust Pb loading suggests that total dust loading has a greater influence on dust Pb loading. The results suggest a negligible influence of dust mass over the dust elemental loading for elements such as Cd, Co, Cr and As

Lead Speciation in the Dusts Emitted from Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Processes

The paper presents results for the speciation analysis of lead in dusts derived from dedusting of technological gasses from metallurgical processes of non-ferrous metals with different elementary content, made in accordance with two equal sequential extractions. Analytical procedure A provided possibilities for determination of fraction of Pb2+, metallic lead and fraction containing mainly lead sulfides. The second procedure (procedure B) was sequential extraction in accordance with Tessier. The results obtained in accordance with procedure A indicate that, regardless of the dust origin, the dominant group of Pb compounds is composed of lead salts which are soluble under alkaline conditions or lead compounds that form plumbites in the reaction with NaOH

Mercury deposition/accumulation rates in the vicinity of a lead smelter as recorded by a peat deposit

. Recent findings show that Hg records from peat tend to overestimate historical levels of Hg deposition. Therefore we used the mass loss compensation factor (MLCF) to normalize Hg accumulation rates. These corrected Hg accumulation rates were significantly lower (maximum 129 mg m À2 yr À1 ) and better corresponded to changes in historical smelter emissions, which were highest in the 1960s. The agreement between the corrected Hg accumulation rates in the uppermost peat sections (2-38 mg m À2 yr À1 ) and biomonitoring of atmospheric deposition by mosses in several recent years (4.7-34.4 mg m À2 yr À1 ) shows the usefulness of MLCF application on Hg accumulation in peat archives. However, the MLCF correction was unsuitable for Pb. The recent Pb deposition rates obtained by an independent biomonitoring study using mosses (0.5-127 mg m À2 yr À1 ) were better correlated with net Pb accumulation rates recorded in peat (7-145 mg m À2 yr À1 ) than with corrected rates obtained by the MLCF approach (1-28 mg m À2 yr À1 )

Thallium and lead variations in a contaminated peatland : a combined isotopic study from a mining/smelting area

Vertical profiles of Tl, Pb and Zn concentrations and Tl and Pb isotopic ratios in a contaminated peatland/fen (Wolbrom, Poland) were studied to address questions regarding (i) potential long-term immobility of Tl in a peat profile, and (ii) a possible link in Tl isotopic signatures between a Tl source and a peat sample. Both prerequisites are required for using peatlands as archives of atmospheric Tl deposition and Tl isotopic ratios as a source proxy. We demonstrate that Tl is an immobile element in peat with a conservative pattern synonymous to that of Pb, and in contrast to Zn. However, the peat Tl record was more affected by geogenic source(s), as inferred from the calculated element enrichments. The finding further implies that Tl was largely absent from the pre-industrial emissions (>~250 years BP). The measured variations in Tl isotopic ratios in respective peat samples suggest a consistency with anthropogenic Tl (ε205Tl between ~ -3 and 4), as well as with background Tl isotopic values in the study area (ε205Tl between ~0 and 1), in line with detected 206Pb/207Pb ratios (1.16–1.19). Therefore, we propose that peatlands can be used for monitoring trends in Tl deposition and that Tl isotopic ratios can serve to distinguish source origin(s). However, given that the studied fen has a particularly complicated geochemistry (attributed to significant environmental changes in its history), it seems that ombrotrophic peatland(s) could be better suited for this type of Tl research

Thallium in Technosols from Allchar (North Macedonia): Isotopic and speciation insights

Allchar (North Macedonia) mining area is known for anomalous background Tl concentrations. In this study, we combine accurate detection of Tl stable isotope ratios with data on mineralogy/speciation and chemical extraction of Tl in Tl-contaminated Technosol profiles. We demonstrate that Tl in the studied soils varies significantly in both concentration (500 mg/kg-18 g/kg) and isotopic composition (− 1.6 and +3.2 of ε205Tl, a ~0.5‰ spread), which is due to changes in the phase chemistry and/or mineralogy of Tl. Moreover, the observed 205Tl/203Tl ratios do not reflect the extent to which individual soils undergo Tl isotopic fractionation during mineral weathering and soil formation. Clearly, they reflect the initial isotopic signal(s) of the primary ore or ore minerals, and thus, the general history or type of their genesis. As the Tl carriers, various types of Tl–Me-arsenates, mixtures of jarosite and dorallcharite and minor Mn-oxides predominated. We revealed intense adsorption of Tl by the identified Mn-oxides (≤6.7 at.%). It is hypothesized that these phases are of key importance in the fractionation of Tl isotopes, meaning at this type of secondary oxide-soil solution interface. However, model studies involving primary/secondary components (sulfides, sulfates, oxides and arsenates) are required to understand the mechanisms that may lead to post-depositional Tl isotopic redistribution in soils, as well as Tl isotope systematics in mining wastes in general

Peat bogs in northern Alberta, Canada reveal decades of declining atmospheric Pb contamination

Peat cores were collected from six bogs in northern Alberta to reconstruct changes in the atmospheric deposition of Pb, a valuable tracer of human activities. In each profile, the maximum Pb enrichment is found well below the surface. Radiometric age dating using three independent approaches (14C measurements of plant macrofossils combined with the atmospheric bomb pulse curve, plus 210Pb confirmed using the fallout radionuclides 137Cs and 241Am) showed that Pb contamination has been in decline for decades. Today, the surface layers of these bogs are comparable in composition to the "cleanest" peat samples ever found in the Northern Hemisphere, from a Swiss bog ~ 6000 to 9000years old. The lack of contemporary Pb contamination in the Alberta bogs is testimony to successful international efforts of the past decades to reduce anthropogenic emissions of this potentially toxic metal to the atmosphere

Circulation Patterns of Copper-Based Alloys in the Late Iron Age Oppidum of Třísov in Central Europe

This article presents an insight into the sourcing and circulation of copper alloys during the Late La Tène period in Central Europe&nbsp; where the specialised production of metals is regarded as complex and conducted chiefly within the bounds of the oppida. Contrary to the logical, though not necessarily data-based, assumption that local raw materials for the production of bronze were mostly used from the local primary deposits, we argue that an advanced and complex economy of Late Iron Age allowed for the steady and consistent material supply even from distant areas and that such pattern was possibly commonly practised by the oppida sites.&nbsp; Concurrently, we do not argue against the possibility of the exploitation and processing of the locally mined metal, we only point out that in provenance studies the evidence for that is yet difficult to find. We back our hypothesis by archaeometric analysis of the&nbsp; assemblage of bronze objects from the oppidum of Třísov (Czech Republic) collected during the long-term investigations of this site. The selection of objects for analyses covers the spectrum from the local products to potentially imported items. A provenancestudy based on the analysis of lead isotopes and chemical composition has shown rather homogeneous pattern of lead isotopic values and, on the contrary, quite a variability among the chemical composition of the individual artefact groups suggesting thus 1)&nbsp; standardised technological procedures for individual types of objects, 2) common recycling of the materials used and/or 3)&nbsp; contamination of low-leaded alloys from highly leaded bronzes

Effect of accelerated weathering and leaching on the chemistry and phytotoxicity of coal-mine overburden

Overburden weathering may influence its effects on soil development and plant growth. Here, an accelerated-weathering experiment was used to determine how weathering affects the chemistry and toxicity of coal-mine overburden. Seven samples of overburden were collected; two samples were from a heap of partly weathered material, and five from mining pits. In both cases, the most weathered top 10 cm was removed. Samples included coal-rich clays (with > 1% coal) and coal-free clays. The samples were artificially weathered by subjecting them to 20 cycles of drying-rewetting-freezing-thawing. Coal-rich clays that have not been weathered were acidic and toxic to Sinapis alba seedlings, but weathering increased their pH, reduced their conductivity and tended to reduce their phytotoxicity. In contrast, weathering tended to reduce the pH of coal-free alkaline clays. S. alba grew poorly in weathered coal-free clay, but when grown in coal-rich clays it grew better in some substrates whereas others were phytotoxic due to their high As content. Weathering decreased Al, As and Na contents and decreased substrate mass by 1–37%. Overall, these results indicate that weathering changes the properties of overburden in ways that are important for soil development and plant growth but the nature and extent of the changes depend on the initial composition of the substrate