Refining the conceptual model for radionuclide mobility in groundwater in the vicinity of a Hungarian granitic complex using geochemical modeling

Groundwater is an important freshwater resource, which can be affected by geogenic radionuclide contamination. To make decisions regarding the use and management of groundwater, understanding the controls of radionuclide mobility is critical. In the southern foreland of a granitic outcrop in Hungary, high gross alpha activity concentration was measured in drinking water wells, related probably to the presence of uranium. It has been suggested that understanding of the groundwater flow system may be a key aspect to understand uranium mobility in groundwater. The goal of the present work was to elucidate the conceptual model of radionuclide mobility in the study area, focusing in particular on the geochemical controls of uranium. For this purpose, water samples were collected and nuclide-specific measurements for 226Ra and radon isotopes were carried out, in addition to 234U+238U measurements, to increase the range of radionuclides and better understand their mobility. A geochemical modeling analysis involving redox-controlling kinetic reactions and a surface complexation model was developed to support the conceptual model. The results from the sampling indicate that excess of 234U+238U (3–753 mBq L−1) contribute to the natural radioactivity measured in drinking water to a large degree. 226Ra was measured in relatively low activity concentrations (<5–63 mBq L−1) with the exception of three specific wells. Notable radon activity concentration was measured in the springwaters from Velence Hills (1.01–3.14 × 105 mBq L−1) and in interrelation with the highest (285–695 mBq L−1) 226Ra activity concentrations. The geochemical model suggests that uranium distribution is sensitive to redox changes in the aquifer. Its mobility in groundwater depends on the residence time of groundwater compared to the reaction time controlling the consumption of oxidizing species. The longer the flow path from the recharge point to an observation point where U is measured, the more likely it is that reducing conditions will be found in the aquifer and the elemental concentration U will be low

Integration of a Shallow Soda Lake into the Groundwater Flow System by Using Hydraulic Evaluation and Environmental Tracers

Lake Velence is a shallow soda lake whose water level and water quality show a severely deteriorating tendency in recent years. Until recently, the groundwater component in the lake’s water budget has not been taken into consideration. To integrate the lake into the groundwater flow system at the regional scale, methods of “basin hydraulics” were applied. In addition, 17 water samples were collected for δ 2H and δ 18O, and for ΣU, 226Ra and 222Rn activity measurements to use these parameters as environmental tracers of groundwater contribution. Groundwater mapping revealed that groundwater recharges in Velence Hills and the local elevations south of the lake, whereas discharge occurs by the lake’s shoreline and along surface watercourses. The results indicated that Lake Velence is the discharge point of local groundwater flow systems known to be more sensitive to climate changes and anthropogenic activities (e.g., contamination, overexploitation). Groundwater and lake water have similar uranium activity concentrations serving as another sign of groundwater inflow into the lake. Therefore, it is necessary to consider both the groundwater component in the lake’s water management and its vulnerability regarding local and short-term changes in the catchment area

Occupational Benzene Exposure and Lung Cancer Risk: A Pooled Analysis of 14 Case-Control Studies.

RationaleBenzene has been classified as carcinogenic to humans, but there is limited evidence linking benzene exposure to lung cancer.ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the relationship between occupational benzene exposure and lung cancer.MethodsSubjects from 14 case-control studies across Europe and Canada were pooled. We used a quantitative job-exposure matrix to estimate benzene exposure. Logistic regression models assessed lung cancer risk across different exposure indices. We adjusted for smoking and five main occupational lung carcinogens and stratified analyses by smoking status and lung cancer subtypes.Measurements and main resultsAnalyses included 28048 subjects (12329 cases, 15719 controls). Lung cancer odds ratios ranged from 1.12 (95% CI: 1.03-1.22) to 1.32 (95% CI: 1.18-1.48) (Ptrend=0.002) for groups with the lowest and highest cumulative occupational exposure, respectively, compared to unexposed subjects. We observed an increasing trend of lung cancer with longer duration of exposure (PtrendPtrend=0.02). These effects were seen for all lung cancer subtypes, regardless of smoking status, and were not influenced by specific occupational groups, exposures, or studies.ConclusionWe found consistent and robust associations between different dimensions of occupational benzene exposure and lung cancer after adjusting for smoking and main occupational lung carcinogens. These associations were observed across different subgroups, including non-smokers. Our findings support the hypothesis that occupational benzene exposure increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Consequently, there is a need to revisit published epidemiological and molecular data on the pulmonary carcinogenicity of benzene

Occupational exposure to nickel and hexavalent chromium and the risk of lung cancer in a pooled analysis of case-control studies (SYNERGY)

There is limited evidence regarding the exposure-effect relationship between lung-cancer risk and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) or nickel. We estimated lung-cancer risks in relation to quantitative indices of occupational exposure to Cr(VI) and nickel and their interaction with smoking habits. We pooled 14 case-control studies from Europe and Canada, including 16 901 lung-cancer cases and 20 965 control subjects. A measurement-based job-exposure-matrix estimated job-year-region specific exposure levels to Cr(VI) and nickel, which were linked to the subjects' occupational histories. Odds ratios (OR) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for study, age group, smoking habits and exposure to other occupational lung carcinogens. Due to their high correlation, we refrained from mutually adjusting for Cr(VI) and nickel independently. In men, ORs for the highest quartile of cumulative exposure to CR(VI) were 1.32 (95% CI 1.19-1.47) and 1.29 (95% CI 1.15-1.45) in relation to nickel. Analogous results among women were: 1.04 (95% CI 0.48-2.24) and 1.29 (95% CI 0.60-2.86), respectively. In men, excess lung-cancer risks due to occupational Cr(VI) and nickel exposure were also observed in each stratum of never, former and current smokers. Joint effects of Cr(VI) and nickel with smoking were in general greater than additive, but not different from multiplicative. In summary, relatively low cumulative levels of occupational exposure to Cr(VI) and nickel were associated with increased ORs for lung cancer, particularly in men. However, we cannot rule out a combined classical measurement and Berkson-type of error structure, which may cause differential bias of risk estimates

A nanorészecskék klinikai alkalmazási lehetőségei és lehetséges veszélyei = Clinical application of nanoparticles, and their possible health risk

A rohamosan fejlődő nanotechnológiai eljárások során előállított anyagokat egyre szélesebb körben alkalmazzák számos egyéb terület mellett a klinikai gyakorlatban is. Tekintettel kedvező tulajdonságaikra, alkalmazzák őket implantátumok bevonataként, csontpótlásra, gyógyszerek farmakokinetikai jellemzőinek optimalizálására. A hatóanyagok nanoméretű szemcsés, liposzómás bevonataként jelentős előrelépést jelenthetnek a hatékony terápia szempontjából. Előnyös tulajdonságaik mellett azonban a méretből adódó eltérő kémiai tulajdonságok számos veszélyforrást is magukban hordozhatnak, így felelősségteljes alkalmazásukhoz az egészségre gyakorolt esetleges kedvezőtlen hatásaik ismerete elengedhetetlen. A nanorészecskék nagyobb méretű anyagformákétól eltérő hatásai elsősorban a szemcsemérettel magyarázhatóak. Az eddigi vizsgálatok alapján a túlnyomóan lokális hatás mellett szisztémás, szabad gyökök termelésére, thrombocytaaggregációra gyakorolt hatással kell számolni, amely növeli a cardiovascularis rizikót. Tekintettel az eddig rendelkezésre álló igen hiányos ismeretekre, a nanoanyagok egészségre gyakorolt hatásaival kapcsolatos pontos kockázatbecslés elvégzésére egyelőre nincs lehetőség, így a nanoszemcsék alkalmazása a betegellátásban különösen nagy körültekintést igényel. | Nanomaterials are getting rapidly developing practical applications, beside many others also in the clinical practice. Their beneficial attributes make the use of the nanostructures a large improvement in effective therapy as coating of implants, bone replacement materials, coating of active substances, nano-sized liposomes to achieve better pharmacologic qualities. Beside new beneficial chemical qualities originating from their size, due to the use of nanomaterials also adverse health effects may occur. Only in view of the possible effects on human health is the responsible use acceptable. The difference in qualities from other kinds of material can be explained by the nano-size. Investigations performed in the last decade have shown beside their local effect also systemic effects, like the rise of reactive oxygen species production, increase of platelet aggregation, which raises the cardiovascular risk. Due to the incomplete knowledge available now, it is not possible to assess the exact health risk; accordingly the application of nanomaterials in medical care has to be especially careful because of their possible partly unknown adverse health effects

SINPHONIE (Schools Indoor Pollution and Health Observatory Network in Europe): Executive Summary of the Final Report

This report is the executive summary of the final report of the SINPHONIE (Schools Indoor Pollution and Health: Observatory Network in Europe) project. SINPHONIE was funded by the European Parliament and carried out under a contract with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) (SANCO/2009/C4/04, contract SI2.570742). The SINPHONIE project established a scientific/technical network to act at the EU level with the long-term perspective of improving air quality in schools and kindergartens, thereby reducing the risk and burden of respiratory diseases among children and teachers potentially due to outdoor and indoor air pollution. At the same time, the project supports future policy actions by formulating guidelines, recommendations and risk management options for better air quality and associated health effects in schools.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin