Effects of Air Polution on Growth in Schoolchildren

The growth is considered a very sensitive indicator of the impact of environment of the health status of children. The aim of the study was to investigate whether air pollution is related to children’s growth. The subjects were 1059 pupils, aged 7–11 years, living for more than ten years in the same home in the city of Ni{ (Serbia). Exposed group of children (N=545) were attending the school located in a city area with a high level of air pollution, while the children (N=514), in the comparison group, designed as non-exposed group, were attending the school in the area with a lower level of air pollution. The air concentrations of black smoke, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and lead in sediment matter were determined in ten-year period. Air pollution is associated with children’s height and weight, specially before the age of 9 years. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of thinness in children exposed to higher concentrations of air pollutants (p=0.038). It might be possible that air pollution negatively contributed to the growth rate in urban children

Improved HER activity of Ni and stainless steel electrodes activated by NiCoMo ionic activator - A combined DFT and experimental study

In this paper we discussed various factors contributing to the improvement of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of Ni and stainless steel electrodes activated by in situ addition of NiCoMo activators, using a combination of experimental techniques and DFT calculations. By comparing energy consumption of stainless steel (SS) electrodes in a lab scale alkaline electrolyzer with and without ionic activation, we obtained reduction of energy consumption by 21% at industrial conditions (high current density and temperature). We recorded U-I curves for activated and non-activated stainless steel electrodes in the current density range from 40 to 500 mA cm(2) and in the temperature range 298-343 K, and the obtained results were used in an electrochemical model of the laboratory alkaline electrolyzer. Increase of the electrode surface upon addition of ionic activators was confirmed by profilometric measurements and SEM analysis. Finally, we applied density functional theory (DFT) to discuss partial roles of applied ionic activators (Ni, Co and Mo) in the modification and improvement of the intrinsic properties of the cathode towards the HER in alkaline medium. From the combination of profilometric, SEM and DFT results, we conclude that the main factor contributing to the improvement of HER activity of Ni electrodes upon NiCoMo activation is the increase of electrode surface area