33 research outputs found
Urban soil pollution and the playfields of small children
The chemical composition of urban surface soil in Tromsø, northern Norway has been
mapped to describe the environmental load of toxic elements in different parts of the city. Surface soil
samples were collected from 275 locations throughout the city center and nearby suburban areas.
Natural background concentrations were determined in samples of the local bedrock. Surface soil in
younger, suburban parts of the city shows low concentrations of heavy metals, reflecting the local
geochemistry. The inner and older parts of the city are generally polluted with lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and
tin (Sn). The most important sources of this urban soil pollution are probably city fires, industrial and
domestic waste, traffic, and shipyards. In this paper two different approaches have been used. First, as
a result of the general mapping, 852 soil and sand samples from kindergartens and playgrounds were
analyzed. In this study concentrations of arsenic (As) up to 1800 ppm were found, most likely due to
the extensive use of CCA (copper, chromium, arsenic) impregnated wood in sandboxes and other
playground equipment. This may represent a significant health risk especially to children having a
high oral intake of contaminated sand and soil. Secondly a pattern of tin (Sn) concentrations was
found in Tromsøcity with especially high values near shipyards. Further investigation indicated that
this pattern most probably reflected the use of the highty toxic tributyltin (TBT). Thus détermination
of total Sn in surface soils could be a cost-effective way to localize sources of TBT contamination in
the environment
Granulomatous hypersensitivity to Schistosoma mansoni egg antigens in human schistosomiasis. IV. A role for prostaglandin-induced inhibition of in vitro granuloma formation.
The prostaglandins (PG) are known to regulate immune
cell function (s) and participate in the progression of both
acute and chronic inflammatory reactions. Using an in vitro
model of Schistosoma mansoni egg-induced hypersensitivity
granulomas, we have delineated the role of immune
complexes (IC) in the induction andrelease of PG and their
inhibitory effects on granuloma development. The hypersensitivity-
type granuloma reaction to soluble egg antigen
(SEA) was examined using a model of in vitro granuloma
,formation. Our results show that granuloma formation was
dramatically suppressed by the addition to the granuloma
cultures of IC, PGE,, PGE2, while PGF, alpha had no
significant effect. The inhibition of the PG function was
achieved by the introduction of anti-PG antibodies that
blocked suppression of granuloma,formation. It appears in
this model system that IC may inhibit the activity of
granuloma formation by stimulating the monocyte-macrophage
lineage to release inhibitory mediators. Our results
suggest that the prostaglandins E series may be important
in the generation and maintenance of suppression of the
granulomatous inflammatory response to S. mansoni egg
antigens
Geochemistry of european bottled water
In Europe, ca. 1900 "mineral water" brands are officially registered and bottled for drinking. Bottled water is groundwater and is rapidly developing into the main supply of drinking water for the general population of large parts of Europe.
This book is the first state of the art overview of the chemistry of groundwaters from 40 European countries from Portugal to Russia, measured on 1785 bottled water samples from 1247 wells representing 884 locations plus additional 500 tap water samples acquired in 2008 by the network of EuroGeoSurveys experts all across Europe.
In contrast to previously available data sets, all chemical data were measured in a single laboratory, under strict quality control with high internal and external reproducibility, affording a single high quality, internally consistent dataset.
More than 70 parameters were determined on every sample using state of the art analytical techniques with ultra low detection limits (ICPMS, ICPOES, IC) at a single hydrochemical lab facility.
Because of the wide geographical distribution of the water sources, the bottled mineral, drinking and tap waters characterized herein may be used for obtaining a first estimate of "groundwater geochemistry" at the scale of the European Continent, a dataset previously unavailable in this completeness, quality and coverage.
This new data set allows, for the first time, to present a comprehensive internally consistent, overview of the natural distribution and variation of the determined chemical elements and additional state parameters of groundwater at the European scale.
Most elements show a very wide range \u2013 usually 3 to 4 but up to 7 orders of magnitude \u2013 of natural variation of their concentration.
Data are interpreted in terms of their origin, considering hydrochemical parameters, such as the influence of soil, vegetation cover and mixing with deep waters, as well as other factors (bottling effects, leaching from bottles). Chapters are devoted to comparing the bottled water data with those of European tap water and previously published datasets and discussing the implications of water chemistry for health.
The authors also provide an overview of the legal framework, that any bottled water sold in the European Union must comply with. It includes a comprehensive compilation of current drinking water action levels in European countries, limiting values of the European Drinking/Mineral/Natural Mineral Water directives (1998/83/EC, 2003/40/EC, 2009/54/EC) and legislation in effect in 26 individual European Countries, and for comparison those of the FAO and in effect in the US (EPA, maximum contaminant level)
GEMAS: Source, distribution patterns and geochemical behaviour of Ge in agricultural and grazing land soils at European continental scale
Agricultural soil (Ap-horizon, 0–20 cm) and grazing land soil (Gr-horizon, 0–10 cm) samples were collected from a large part of Europe (33 countries, 5.6 million km2) as part of the GEMAS (GEochemical Mapping of Agricultural and grazing land Soil) soil mapping project. GEMAS soil data have been used to provide a general view of element mobility and source rocks at the continental scale, either by reference to average crustal abundances or to normalized patterns of element mobility during weathering processes. The survey area includes a diverse group of soil parent materials with varying geological history, a wide range of climate zones, and landscapes. The concentrations of Ge in European soil were determined by ICP-MS after an aqua extraction, and their spatial distribution patterns generated by means of a GIS software. The median values of Ge and its spatial distribution in Ap and Gr soils are almost the same (0.037 vs. 0.034 mg/kg, respectively). The majority of Ge anomalies is related to the type of soil parent material, namely lithology of the bedrock and minor influence of soil parameters such as pH, TOC and clay content. Metallogenic belts with sulphide mineralisation provide the primary source of Ge in soil in several regions in Europe, e.g. in Scandinavia, Germany, France, Spain and Balkan countries. Comparison with total Ge concentrations obtained from the Baltic Soil Survey shows that aqua regia is a very selective method with rather low-efficiency and cannot provide a complete explanation for Ge geochemical behaviour in soil. Additionally, large differences in Ge distribution are to be expected when different soil depth horizons are analysed