Contribution for the derivation of a soil screening value (SSV) for uranium, using a natural reference soil

In order to regulate the management of contaminated land, many countries have been deriving soil screening values (SSV). However, the ecotoxicological data available for uranium is still insufficient and incapable to generate SSVs for European soils. In this sense, and so as to make up for this shortcoming, a battery of ecotoxicological assays focusing on soil functions and organisms, and a wide range of endpoints was carried out, using a natural soil artificially spiked with uranium. In terrestrial ecotoxicology, it is widely recognized that soils have different properties that can influence the bioavailability and the toxicity of chemicals. In this context, SSVs derived for artificial soils or for other types of natural soils, may lead to unfeasible environmental risk assessment. Hence, the use of natural regional representative soils is of great importance in the derivation of SSVs. A Portuguese natural reference soil PTRS1, from a granitic region, was thereby applied as test substrate. This study allowed the determination of NOEC, LOEC, EC20 and EC50 values for uranium. Dehydrogenase and urease enzymes displayed the lowest values (34.9 and ,134.5 mg U Kg, respectively). Eisenia andrei and Enchytraeus crypticus revealed to be more sensitive to uranium than Folsomia candida. EC50 values of 631.00, 518.65 and 851.64 mg U Kg were recorded for the three species, respectively. Concerning plants, only Lactuca sativa was affected by U at concentrations up to 1000 mg U kg1. The outcomes of the study may in part be constrained by physical and chemical characteristics of soils, hence contributing to the discrepancy between the toxicity data generated in this study and that available in the literature. Following the assessment factor method, a predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) value of 15.5 mg kg21dw was obtained for U. This PNEC value is proposed as a SSV for soils similar to the PTRS1

A new activator strontium for magnesium tetraborate: PL and TL studies

WOS:000384385800019PubMed:27526351Strontium was used for the first time as an activator agent for magnesium tetraborate (MBO) and photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) properties were determined using a spectrophotometer and a TL reader, respectively. The results proved that 0.25 wt% Sr ratio played an important role in prolonging the afterglow and the phosphor gave the main TL peak with the highest intensity at 200 degrees C like an ideal case. Therefore, it is worthwhile to carry out continuous and systematic research on it (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Inonu UniversityInonu University [2015/54]The authors would like to thank to Inonu University for their financial support and this research is partially funded by Inonu University [Project Number: 2015/54]

Pescatourism-a European review and perspective

Pescatourism is a relatively new concept of merging tourism with fi sheries. Its intention is to supplement incomes of fi shermen and their families in the situation of declining living resources of the sea and to provide an attractive activity for tourists visiting the sea coast. Pescatourism should be considered different activity from fi sheries tourism, or recreational fi shing (including charter fi shing), which usually denote angling. It also contributes to the education of the society and public awareness about the state and problems of the marine sector, including ecosystems, and experiencing the traditional fi shing culture. This new activity fi rst stared in Italy in 1982 and soon spread to other Mediterranean countries. Pescatourism can be considered a branch of sustainable tourism and an activity parallel to agrotourism. This essay provides an overview of pescatourism (and related activities) in European countries (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Germany) with additional examples from elsewhere. Chances for implementing pescatourism in other countries are analysed (Turkey, Algeria, Poland). Despite all these positive features, it can easily be a commercial activity which does not provide any benefi ts to fi shers and sustainability of marine living resources if the licence right is given to charter operators rather than to fi shers. © 2016, Scientific Society of Szczecin. All rights reserved

Humanity as the ground for universal human rights in Islamic law

A legal maxim in Islamic law states that “The right to inviolability (‘isma) is due for humanity (adamiyya)”. The right to inviolability includes inviolability ofthe right to (1) life, (2) property, (3) religion, (4) mind (expression), (5) family andprogeny, as well as (6) honor and dignity. Universalist Muslim jurists share thisview from different schools of Islamic law. In particular, all jurists from the H.anaf¯ischool subscribe to this view. From this perspective being human is sufficient tohave human rights regardless of innate, inherited and gained attributes such as sex,religion, race and nationality. This article explores the thought of Muslim juristswho took humanity as the sufficient ground for human rights and the arguments theyused to justify it by deriving from classical Islamic law books. It will also provide ahistorical survey about how this view was implemented in Islamic history from Indiato the Balkans under Islamic law. Following it will discuss the reforms in Islamic lawduring the late Ottoman period (1839–1918). It will conclude by proposing how thepresent Muslim legal and political discourse can be re-connected to this universalisthuman rights tradition to overcome the challenges for human rights in the Muslimworld today