Contribution of the evaluation strategy and the use of hearing protection for the uncertainty associated with occupational exposure to noise

Doctoral Thesis for PhD degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering

Physiological responses of matrinx�� (Brycon amazonicus) fed different levels of vitamin C and submitted to air exposure

The role of vitamin C on physiological responses of matrinx�� (Brycon amazonicus) submitted to air exposure was analyzed. Nine hundred fish (70.15 g) were distributed in fifteen 500 l boxes (60 fish.box-1) and fed five rations (treatments): Control (no vitamin C); T100 (100 mg); T200 (200 mg); T400 (400 mg) and T800 (800 mg of vitamin C kg.ration-1). Each ration was offered to fish of three boxes during 60 days before the stress challenge that consisted of exposing fish to air for two minutes. Samplings were carried out for 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes after the air exposure. Blood was collected for glucose, cortisol, total protein, sodium, chloride, hematocrit, hemoglobin determination, and white and red cell count. Liver was removed for hepatosomatic index (HSI) calculation and glycogen determination. Vitamin C did not affect the levels of cortisol, chloride, total protein, hemoglobin, leukocytes, hepatic glycogen or HSI in air exposed fish. Blood glucose levels elevation observed 60 minutes after the challenge did not depend on the levels of vitamin C, nor did the drop in serum sodium levels verified 60 minutes after stressor. In general, hematocrit did not change by effect of vitamin C but it was lower at 15 and 30 minutes after the challenge. The number of erythrocytes decreased in fish after 5 minute sampling in all treatments, especially at 30 and 60 minutes. The air exposure evoked alterations in stress indicators of matrinx��, and the vitamin C did not alter the responses.

Indoor biological agents: evaluation of primary schools environments

Disserta����o de mestrado em Human Engineering

Occupational stress and coping among portuguese military police officers

This study describes the professional experience of military police officers from the Portuguese Republican National Guard (N = 95). We focused on the main sources and consequences of stress and the coping strategies used to deal with stress. The evaluation protocol included one closed-ended question and four open-ended questions. Data analysis of meaningful text segments was conceptually based and data categorization followed deductive content analysis. Results allowed the identification of 483 meaning units. Factors intrinsic to the job and the relationships at work were the main stressors referred by participants. The consequences of stressors were evident at an individual level, affecting family, psychological, and physical/health domains. The coping strategies used to deal with the main source of stress in the professional career were focused on problem solving (e.g., active confrontation) and emotional regulation (e.g., situation acceptance). Practical implications and future avenues of research with these professionals are discussed.

Assessment of distinctive road runoff quality in coastal areas, based on a monitoring case study

High levels of marine salt deposition present in coastal areas have a relevant effect on road runoff characteristics. This study assesses this effect with the purpose of identifying the relationships between monitored water quality parameters and intrinsic site variables. To achieve this objective, an extensive monitoring program was conducted on a Portuguese coastal highway. The study included 30 rainfall events, in different weather, traffic, and salt deposition conditions. The evaluations of various water quality parameters were carried out in over 200 samples. In addition, the meteorological, hydrological, and traffic parameters were continuously measured. The salt deposition rates were determined by means of a wet candle device, which is an innovative feature of the monitoring program. The relation between road runoff pollutants and independent variables associated with weather, traffic, and salt deposition conditions was assessed. Significant correlations among pollutants were observed. A high salinity concentration and its influence on the road runoff were confirmed. Furthermore, the concentrations of the most relevant pollutants seemed to be very dependent on some meteorological variables, particularly the duration of the antecedent dry period prior to each rainfall event and the average wind speed.

Development of a model for occupational risk acceptance criteria definition in industrial settings

Doctoral Dissertation for PhD degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering

Aromatic amines sources, environmental impact and remediation

Aromatic amines are widely used industrial chemicals as their major sources in the environment include several chemical industry sectors such as oil refining, synthetic polymers, dyes, adhesives, rubbers, perfume, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and explosives. They result also from diesel exhaust, combustion of wood chips and rubber and tobacco smoke. Some types of aromatic amines are generated during cooking, special grilled meat and fish, as well. The intensive use and production of these compounds explains its occurrence in the environment such as in air, water and soil, thereby creating a potential for human exposure. Since aromatic amines are potential carcinogenic and toxic agents, they constitute an important class of environmental pollutants of enormous concern, which efficient removal is a crucial task for researchers, so several methods have been investigated and applied. In this chapter the types and general properties of aromatic amine compounds are reviewed. As aromatic amines are continuously entering the environment from various sources and have been designated as high priority pollutants, their presence in the environment must be monitored at concentration levels lower than 30 mg L1, compatible with the limits allowed by the regulations. Consequently, most relevant analytical methods to detect the aromatic amines composition in environmental matrices, and for monitoring their degradation, are essential and will be presented. Those include Spectroscopy, namely UV/visible and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR); Chromatography, in particular Thin Layer (TLC), High Performance Liquid (HPLC) and Gas chromatography (GC); Capillary electrophoresis (CE); Mass spectrometry (MS) and combination of different methods including GC-MS, HPLC-MS and CE-MS. Choosing the best methods depend on their availability, costs, detection limit and sample concentration, which sometimes need to be concentrate or pretreated. However, combined methods may give more complete results based on the complementary information. The environmental impact, toxicity and carcinogenicity of many aromatic amines have been reported and are emphasized in this chapter too. Lately, the conventional aromatic amines degradation and the alternative biodegradation processes are highlighted. Parameters affecting biodegradation, role of different electron acceptors in aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation and kinetics are discussed. Conventional processes including extraction, adsorption onto activated carbon, chemical oxidation, advanced oxidation, electrochemical techniques and irradiation suffer from drawbacks including high costs, formation of hazardous by-products and low efficiency. Biological processes, taking advantage of the naturally processes occurring in environment, have been developed and tested, proved as an economic, energy efficient and environmentally feasible alternative. Aerobic biodegradation is one of the most promising techniques for aromatic amines remediation, but has the drawback of aromatic amines autooxidation once they are exposed to oxygen, instead of their degradation. Higher costs, especially due to power consumption for aeration, can also limit its application. Anaerobic degradation technology is the novel path for treatment of a wide variety of aromatic amines, including industrial wastewater, and will be discussed. However, some are difficult to degrade under anaerobic conditions and, thus, other electron acceptors such as nitrate, iron, sulphate, manganese and carbonate have, alternatively, been tested.

A voyage to the islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica : with the natural history of the herbs and trees, four-footed beasts, fishes, birds, insects, reptiles, &c. of the last of those islands; to which is prefix'd, an introduction, wherein is an account of the inhabitants, air, waters, diseases, trade, &c. of that place, with some relations concerning the neighbouring continent, and islands of America. Illustrated with figures of the things described, which have not been heretofore engraved. In large copper-plates as big as the life /

Vol. 2

A voyage to the islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica : with the natural history of the herbs and trees, four-footed beasts, fishes, birds, insects, reptiles, &c. of the last of those islands; to which is prefix'd, an introduction, wherein is an account of the inhabitants, air, waters, diseases, trade, &c. of that place, with some relations concerning the neighbouring continent, and islands of America. Illustrated with figures of the things described, which have not been heretofore engraved. In large copper-plates as big as the life /

Vol. 1

Estudio de la factibilidad del uso de bioindicadores pasivos para la detecci��n selectiva de contaminantes org��nicos. Feasibility study of the use of pasive biomonitors for the selective detection of organic pollutants.

En Argentina, existe escasa informaci��n sobre las caracter��sticas y concentraci��n de sustancias org��nicas en la atm��sfera y, en particular, la informaci��n referida a compuestos polifluorados (como por ej. ��cidos perfluorocarbox��licos, PFCA) es pr��cticamente nula. Los niveles de concentraci��n de estos compuestos est��n aumentando de manera alarmante en todo el mundo. Se conoce la elevada toxicidad de algunos de ellos debido a que son bioacumulativos, persistentes en el ambiente y potencialmente cancer��genos. En estos momentos se est�� investigando cuales son los precursores de estos compuestos en el medio ambiente y los mecanismos involucrados en la generaci��n de los PFCA.El uso de biomonitores constituye una excelente alternativa al monitoreo instrumental autom��tico, especialmente para pa��ses en desarrollo porque no requieren la aplicaci��n de tecnolog��as complicadas y son de muy bajo costo. Con este fin se pretende evaluar la factibilidad del empleo de bioindicadores pasivos para la detecci��n de sustancias org��nicas, entre ellos, alcoholes fluorotelom��ricos y ��cidos perfluorados y estimar el da��o que estos compuestos provocan en los organismos expuestos. Se emplear��n dos especies aut��ctonas de ep��fitas del g��nero <i> Tilandsia</i> para evaluar modificaciones quimico-fisiol��gicas provocadas por la exposici��n a concentraciones conocidas de estos compuestos y la especie <i>Tradescantia pallida</i> para evaluar efectos genot��xicos. Se espera, adem��s estimar las concentraciones ambientales de los compuestos bajo estudio mediante el empleo de biomonitores. En este contexto, el desarrollo de este proyecto tendr�� un impacto favorable sobre el medio ambiente ya que sus resultados permitir��n conocer la capacidad bioindicadora de especies biomonitoras aut��ctonas, con el fin de emplearlas para identificar ambientes contaminandos con compuestos org��nicos polifluorados y en un futuro extenderla a la mayor variedad de contaminantes atmosf��ricos org��nicos posibles. Adem��s, la calibraci��n de biomonitores servir�� para realizar seguimientos temporales de este tipo de contaminantes en distintos ambientes en Argentina, o en el lugar donde exista el problema de contaminaci��n.

Desarrollo de sistemas nano/micro-particulados con aplicaci��n en la fotodegradaci��n selectiva de contaminantes org��nicos en soluci��n. Development of nano / micro-particles systems with application to selective photodegradation of organic pollutants in solution.

IDENTIFICACI��N DEL PROBLEMA DE ESTUDIO. Las sustancias org��nicas solubles en agua no biodegradables tales como ciertos herbicidas, colorantes industriales y metabolitos de f��rmacos de uso masivo son una de las principales fuentes de contaminaci��n en aguas subterr��neas de zonas agr��colas y en efluentes industriales y dom��sticos. Las reacciones fotocatalizadas por irradiaci��n UV-visible y sensitizadores org��nicos e inorg��nicos son uno de los m��todos m��s econ��micos y convenientes para la descomposici��n de contaminantes en subproductos inocuos y/o biodegradables. En muchas aplicaciones es deseable un alto grado de especificidad, efectividad y velocidad de degradaci��n de un dado agente contaminante que se encuentra presente en una mezcla compleja de sustancias org��nicas en soluci��n. En particular son altamente deseables sistemas nano/micro -particulados que formen suspensiones acuosas estables debido a que estas permiten una f��cil aplicaci��n y una eficaz acci��n descontaminante en grandes vol��menes de fluidos. HIP��TESIS Y PLANTEO DE LOS OBJETIVOS. El objetivo general de este proyecto es desarrollar sistemas nano/micro particulados formados por pol��meros de impresi��n molecular (PIMs) y foto-sensibilizadores (FS). Un PIMs es un pol��mero especialmente sintetizado para que sea capaz de reconocer espec��ficamente un analito (mol��cula plantilla) determinado. La actividad de uni��n espec��fica de los PIMs en conjunto con la capacidad fotocatalizadora de los sensibilizadores pueden ser usadas para lograr la fotodescomposici��n espec��fica de mol��culas ���plantilla��� (en este caso un dado contaminante) en soluciones conteniendo mezclas complejas de sustancias org��nicas. MATERIALES Y M��TODOS A UTILIZAR. Se utilizaran t��cnicas de polimerizaci��n en mini-emulsi��n para sintetizar los sistemas nano/micro PIM-FS para buscar la degradaci��n de ciertos compuestos de inter��s. Para caracterizar eficiencias, mecanismos y especificidad de foto-degradaci��n en dichos sistemas se utilizan diversas t��cnicas espectrosc��picas (estacionarias y resueltas en el tiempo) y de cromatograf��a (HPLC y GC). As�� mismo, para medir directamente distribuciones de afinidades de uni��n y eficiencia de foto-degradaci��n se utilizaran t��cnicas de fluorescencia de mol��cula/part��cula individual. Estas determinaciones permitir��n obtener resultados importantes al momento de analizar los factores que afectan la eficiencia de foto-degradaci��n (nano/micro escala), tales como cantidad y ubicaci��n de foto- sensibilizadores en las matrices polim��ricas y eficiencia de uni��n de la plantilla y los productos de degradaci��n al PIM. RESULTADOS ESPERADOS. Los estudios propuestos apuntan a un mejor entendimiento de procesos foto-iniciados en entornos nano/micro-particulados para aplicar dichos conocimientos al dise��o de sistemas optimizados para la foto-destrucci��n selectiva de contaminantes acuosos de relevancia social; tales como herbicidas, residuos industriales, metabolitos de f��rmacos de uso masivo, etc. IMPORTANCIA DEL PROYECTO. Los sistemas nano/micro-particulados PIM-FS que se propone desarrollar en este proyecto se presentan como candidatos ideales para tratamientos espec��ficos de efluentes industriales y dom��sticos en los cuales se desea lograr la degradaci��n selectiva de compuestos org��nicos. Los conocimientos adquiridos ser��n indispensables para construir una plataforma vers��til de sistemas foto-catal��ticos espec��ficos para la degradaci��n de diversos contaminantes org��nicos de inter��s social. En lo referente a la formaci��n de recursos humanos, el proyecto propuesto contribuir�� en forma directa a la formaci��n de 3 estudiantes de postgrado y 2 estudiantes de grado. En las capacidades institucionales se contribuir�� al acondicionamiento del Laboratorio para Microscop��a ��ptica Avanzada (LMOA) en el Dpto. de Qu��mica de la UNRC y al montaje de un sistema de microscopio de fluorescencia que permitir�� la aplicaci��n de t��cnicas avanzadas de espectroscopia de fluorescencia de molecula individual. Water-soluble organic molecules such as certain non-biodegradable herbicides, industrial dyes and metabolites of widespread use drugs are a major source of pollution in groundwater from agricultural areas and in industrial and domestic effluents. Photo-catalytic reactions by UV-visible irradiation and organic sensitizers are one of the most economical and convenient methods for the decomposition of pollutants into harmless byproducts. In many applications it is highly desirable a high degree of specificity, effectiveness and speed of degradation of specific pollutants present in a complex mixture. In particular nano/micro-particles systems that form stable aqueous suspensions are highly desirable because they allow for easy application and effective decontamination of large volumes of fluids. Herein we propose the development of nano/micro particles composed by molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) and photo-sensitizers (PS). The specific binding of MIP and the photo-catalytic ability of the sensitizers are used to achieve the photo-decomposition of specific "template" molecules in complex mixtures. Mini-emulsion polymerization techniques will be used to synthesize nano/micro MIP-FS systems. Spectroscopy (steady-state and time resolved) and chromatography (GC and HPLC) will be used to characterize efficiency, mechanisms and specificity of photo-degradation in these systems. In addition single molecule/particle fluorescence spectroscopy techniques will be used to directly measure distributions of binding affinities and photo-degradation efficiency in individual particles. The proposed studies point to a more detailed understanding of the factors affecting the photo-degradation efficiency in nano/micro-particles and to apply that knowledge in the design of optimized systems for photo-selective destruction of socially relevant aqueous pollutants.

Some results of study of variations of light ions concentration and their connections with the ionizing radiation and sub-micron aerosol content in air under the conditions of Tbilisi city

Results of analysis of variations of sum light ions concentration and their connections with radon, galactic cosmic rays intensity and content of sub-micron aerosols by diameter ��� 0.1 micron in surface boundary layer of Tbilisi city are given.

Connection of Lightning Activity with Air Electrical Conductivity in Dusheti

Some results of investigations of the connection of the parameters of thunderstorm activity with the air electrical conductivity are represented.

Comparative Analysis of Air Equivalent - Effective Temperature in Some Cities of Georgia and Brazil

������������������������������ ������������������������������������-������������������������ ������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ ��������������������������� ��������������������� ������������������������������������ ������ ��������������������������� (��������������������������� ���������������) 8 ������������������������������������.