12 research outputs found
Partitioning and Availability of Metals from Water Suspended Sediments: Potential Pollution Risk Assessment
The water management initiatives in freshwater systems focus on water availability to preserve this resource for human uses and the health of aquatic ecosystems. This work presents an assessment of the potential pollution risk caused by the metal availability in suspended sediments. The objective of this study was to determine the partitioning, association, and geochemical fractionation of metals in suspended sediments from a surface water body. Additionally, the environmental assessment for this reservoir was estimated using geoaccumulation, enrichment, and pollution indices of metals and the related potential risk by their elemental availability (RAC). Chemical, mineralogical, and morphological characterizations were obtained by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, alpha spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and scanning electron microscopy. Clay, quartz, montmorillonite, and calcite were the main minerals of suspended sediments. Chemical fractionation was the parameter affecting the concentrations of metals in suspended sediments. The sediment composition is of natural origin; however, these finer particles can promote the scavenging of toxic metals. It contributes to obtaining moderate to high levels for enrichment/contamination indices. Although Ca, Mg, and U were the most accessible metals for aquatic biota, metals such as Sr, Mn, Li, Cu, and Ni in the exchangeable phase of suspended sediments are the potentially toxic elements in this aquatic ecosystem
Natural radionuclides (NORM) in a Moroccan river affected by former conventional metal mining activities
The main aim of this work was to determine the levels of multiple natural radionuclides in an aquatic system (Moulouya river, Morocco) impacted by multiple abandoned Zinc and Lead mines. 238U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th and 210Po were determined by alpha-particlespectrometry in water and sediment samples collected along the river and in samples from three pit lakes of abandoned mines, located in the Upper Moulouya catchment area. The results enabled the analysis of the different levels of impact of former mining activities, depending on the natural radionuclides. While the activity concentrationof U-isotopes in Moulouya river water was slightly elevated in the vicinity of abandoned mine wastes, other natural radionuclides (Th-isotopes and 210Po) levels were typical of a natural environment. This fact is clearly reflected in the magnitude and range observed in the distribution coefficients for the different radionuclides analyzed.Spanish Agency of International Cooperation and Development (AECID) of the Government of Spai
Dietary diversity and depression: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in Spanish adult population with metabolic syndrome. Findings from PREDIMED-Plus trial
Objective:
To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal (2-year follow-up) associations between dietary diversity (DD) and depressive symptoms.
Design:
An energy-adjusted dietary diversity score (DDS) was assessed using a validated FFQ and was categorised into quartiles (Q). The variety in each food group was classified into four categories of diversity (C). Depressive symptoms were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck II) questionnaire and depression cases defined as physician-diagnosed or Beck II >= 18. Linear and logistic regression models were used.
Setting:
Spanish older adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Participants:
A total of 6625 adults aged 55–75 years from the PREDIMED-Plus study with overweight or obesity and MetS.
Results:
Total DDS was inversely and statistically significantly associated with depression in the cross-sectional analysis conducted; OR Q4 v. Q1 = 0·76 (95 % CI (0·64, 0·90)). This was driven by high diversity compared to low diversity (C3 v. C1) of vegetables (OR = 0·75, 95 % CI (0·57, 0·93)), cereals (OR = 0·72 (95 % CI (0·56, 0·94)) and proteins (OR = 0·27, 95 % CI (0·11, 0·62)). In the longitudinal analysis, there was no significant association between the baseline DDS and changes in depressive symptoms after 2 years of follow-up, except for DD in vegetables C4 v. C1 = (β = 0·70, 95 % CI (0·05, 1·35)).
Conclusions:
According to our results, DD is inversely associated with depressive symptoms, but eating more diverse does not seem to reduce the risk of future depression. Additional longitudinal studies (with longer follow-up) are needed to confirm these findings.T The PREDIMED-Plus trial was supported by the European Research Council (Advanced Research Grant 2013-2018; 340918) grant to Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, and by the official funding agency for biomedical research of the Spanish Government, ISCIII through the Fondo de Investigacion para la Salud (FIS), which is cofunded by the European Regional Development Fund (four coordinated FIS projects led by Jordi Salas-Salvado and Josep Vidal), including the following projects: PI13/00673, PI13/00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728, PI13/01090, PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/00636, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI14/01374, PI16/00473, PI16/00662, PI16/01873, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI16/00533, PI16/00381, PI16/00366, PI16/01522, PI16/01120, PI17/00764, PI17/01183, PI17/00855, PI17/01347, PI17/00525, PI17/01827, PI17/00532, PI17/00215, PI17/01441, PI17/00508, PI17/01732, PI17/00926, The Especial Action Project entitled: 'Implementacion y Evaluacion de una intervencion intensiva sobre la actividad fisica Cohorte PREDIMED-Plus' grant to Jordi Salas-Salvado, the Recercaixa grant to Jordi Salas-Salvado (2013ACUP00194), grants from the Consejeria de Salud de la Junta de Andalucia (PI0458/2013; PS0358/2016; PI0137/2018), the PROMETEO/2017/017 grant from the Generalitat Valenciana, the SEMERGEN grant, and CIBEROBN and FEDER funds (CB06/03), ISCIII. International Nut&Dried Fruit Council-FESNAD N degrees 201302: Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez (PI). None of the funding sources took part in the design, collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, or in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility to submit for publication
Dietary diversity and Depression: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in Spanish adult population with Metabolic Syndrome. Findings from PREDIMED-PLUS Trial.
Objective: To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal (2-year follow-up) associations between Dietary Diversity (DD) and depressive symptoms. Design: An energy-adjusted Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) was assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire and was categorized into quartiles (Q). The variety in each food group was classified into 4 categories of diversity (C). Depressive symptoms were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck II) questionnaire and depression cases defined as physician-diagnosed or Beck II>=18. Linear and logistic regression models were used. Setting: Spanish older adults with Metabolic Syndrome. Participants: A total of 6625 adults aged (55-75 years) from the PREDIMED-Plus study with overweight or obesity and MetS. Results: Total DDS was inversely and statistically significantly associated with depression in the cross-sectional analysis conducted; Odds Ratio (OR) Q4 vs Q1= 0.76 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64, 0.90). This was driven by high diversity compared to low diversity (C3 vs. C1) of vegetables [OR (95%CI) = 0.75 (0.57, 0.93)], cereals [OR (95%CI) = 0.72 (0.56-0.94)] and proteins [OR (95%CI) = 0.27 (0.11, 0.62)]. In the longitudinal analysis, there was no significant association between the baseline DDS and changes in depressive symptoms after 2 y- of follow-up, except for DD in vegetables C4 vs C1= [β (95%CI) = 0.70 (0.05, 1.35)]. Conclusions: According to our results, DD is associated with the presence of depressive symptoms but eating more diverse does not seem to reduce the risk of future depression. Additional longitudinal studies (with longer follow-up period) are needed to confirm these findings
The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE : survey design, overview, and simulated implementation
Funding for the WEAVE facility has been provided by UKRI STFC, the University of Oxford, NOVA, NWO, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the Isaac Newton Group partners (STFC, NWO, and Spain, led by the IAC), INAF, CNRS-INSU, the Observatoire de Paris, Région Île-de-France, CONCYT through INAOE, Konkoly Observatory (CSFK), Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA Heidelberg), Lund University, the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP), the Swedish Research Council, the European Commission, and the University of Pennsylvania.WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366-959 nm at R ∼ 5000, or two shorter ranges at R ∼ 20,000. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for ∼ 3 million stars and detailed abundances for ∼ 1.5 million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey ∼ 0.4 million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey ∼ 400 neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in z 1 million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at z > 2. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator.PostprintPeer reviewe
The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE: Survey design, overview, and simulated implementation
WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey
facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022.
WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a
nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini'
integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a
dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366959\,nm at
, or two shorter ranges at . After summarising the
design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the
organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of
eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing
Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting
magnitude for 3 million stars and detailed abundances for
million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey million
Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand
the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive
spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey
neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and
kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in cluster galaxies;
(vi) survey stellar populations and kinematics in field galaxies
at ; (vii) study the cosmic evolution of accretion
and star formation using million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources;
(viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at .
Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE
Simulator.Comment: 41 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA
The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE: Survey design, overview, and simulated implementation
WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366−959\,nm at R∼5000, or two shorter ranges at R∼20000. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for ∼3 million stars and detailed abundances for ∼1.5 million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey ∼0.4 million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey ∼400 neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in z1 million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at z>2. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator
Elementos transuránidos en un sistema acuático continental europeo afectado por acidificación
Measurement of activity concentration of polonium-210 in species of the phylum Mollusca, Tabasco, Mexico
The activity concentration of polonium-210 in the soft tissue of several species of mollusks of coastal areas from Tabasco, Mexico, has been determined. Polonium-210 is a natural radionuclide that may be bioaccumulated by flora and fauna, particularly by mollusks. Radioecological evaluation of polonium-210 in mollusks is of particular interest for environmental radioactivity surveillance and to understand the mechanisms of migration of this radionuclide from the environment to humans. In this work, an analysis of the levels of polonium-210 in mollusks from Mexico is presented. Methods include the use of alpha-particle spectrometry to measure polonium-210 in the soft tissue of the studied mollusks. Results show an average value of 158 Bq/kg in mollusks from Tabasco, Mexico. Mollusks from the taxonomic class Bivalvia bioaccumulate more polonium-210 than Gastropods. The activity concentration values of polonium-210 in mollusks from Mexico are of the same order as those reported internationally. A further work on the mechanisms of migration and bioaccumulation of polonium in these organisms is necessary.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Scholarship: 454803; CVU: 269695
226Ra, 210Po and lead isotopes in a pit lake water profile in Sweden
A pit lake arises as a consequence of anthropogenic activities in opencast mining areas. These water bodies may
be enriched in hazardous stable contaminants and/or in naturally occurring radionuclides depending on the local
geological conditions. Mining legacy in Sweden produced hundreds of these pit lakes and most of them are used
for recreational purposes in the southern part of the country. In this paper, one pit lake was selected for having
enhanced levels of natural radionuclides. Physico-chemical parameters (temperature, pH, oxidation-reduction
potential, dissolved oxygen and depth), elemental composition (via Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and radiometric characterization (via alpha spectrometry of 226Ra, 210Po and 210Pb) were carried along the
depth of a 60 m depth pit lake, with the main aim to describe how natural radionuclides and elements behaves
with depth in a non-uraniferous pit lake.
Based on observed changes in physico-chemical parameters, a thermocline and a chemocline region were
identified at around 10 and 30 m depth respectively. Concerning radionuclides, 226Ra ranged from 75 ± 3 up to
360 ± 12 mBq/kg while 210Po ranged from 11 ± 1 up to 71 ± 3 mBq/kg. 210Pb distribution with depth was also
determined via secular equilibrium with 210Po after 2 years and also stable Pb was measured. Disequilibrium 226Ra-210Pb was found and the residence time of 210Pb in the water column was assessed. Additionally, different
vertical distributions between 210Pb and Pb were found which points out different sources for different lead
isotopes in the water body