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Журнал экологических опасностей

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Объем 1, Проблема 1 (2017)

Обзорная статья

Pesticide Use and Occupational Hazards among Farmers Working in Small Scale Tomatoes Farms in West Region of Cameroon, Sub-Saharan Africa

Ayuk Betrand Tambe, Baleba Moise Roger, Medoua Nama Gabriel and Dapi Leonie Nzefa

Background: Agriculture is undoubtedly the back-bone of Cameroonian economy and other economic activities thrive only if production in this sector is assured. It has been estimated that about 25 million agricultural workers worldwide experience unintentional pesticide poisoning yearly. Unfortunately, limited information exists about the health and safety of the farmers. The aim of this study was to describe the OHS conditions of farmers working on small scale tomato farms in Western Region of Cameroon.
Materials and Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional research method was used to collect data from tomato farmers in May 2017 using a questionnaire by the research team. The data was analysed using Epi Info version 7.
Results: A total of 104 tomato farmers from small-scale farms participated in the study. The analysis revealed that the occupation is male dominated. The training and use of Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE) among farmers was rare and farmers were mostly exposed to chemical hazards. The farmers reported the following work-related health problems: skin irritation, backache, impairment of Central Nervous System (CNS), visual problems and respiratory difficulties.
Conclusions: Findings confirmed that working in small-scale tomatoes farming is unsafe, and the occupational health and safety conditions are poor thus predisposing farmers to the risk of work-related health problems. Exposure to occupational hazards can be significantly reduced if the required PPE are efficiently used.

исследовательская статья

Natural Radionuclides Levels and their Geochemical Characteristics of Abu Dabbab Albite Granite Mining Area, Central Nubian Shield of Egypt

Mohamed Th. S Heikal, Mohamed Abd El Monsef, Saleh R Goma, Medhat M El Mansi and Gulcan Top

The present work addressed the natural radionuclides distribution and their geochemical characteristics for 21 albite granite samples, including surface, adit and subsurface core samples from Gebel Abu Dabbab rare metal-bearing albite granite (650-550 Ma). The measurements are provided by γ-ray spectroscopic analysis, including portable RS-230 model hand-detector and High Purity Germanium (HPGe) spectrometry. Chemical analysis using ICP-OES & ICP-MS have been carried out to determine the concentrations of major oxides and trace elements including U, Th (ppm) and 40K % for the studied rocks. With respect to the field spectrometric measurements, the average radionuclide concentrations for point samples of eU, eTh (ppm) and K% were 10.36, 19.46 and 3.48 respectively. Gamma ray HPGe detector indicates that the average specific activities of 238U, 232Th and 40K were 66.75, 29.97 and 641.68 Bq/kg for surface samples, respectively, 87.6, 57.3 and 329.4 Bq/kg for adit samples respectively, 87.3, 31.6 and 3.9 Bq/kg for subsurface core samples respectively. The average ratio is of 226Ra/ 238U<1 indicating enrichment in 238U due to its redistribution and remobilization. Regarding the chemical analysis for U, Th (ppm) and K%, the average concentrations were 6.90, 17.21 and 1.32 for surface samples as well as 8.33, 27.65 and 1.13 for adit samples, whereas the average concentrations of U, Th (ppm) and K% for the subsurface core samples were 4.85, 9.55 and 1.33 respectively. The radiometric, chemical data and the calculated P and D-factors of the studied radionuclides in Abu Dabbab rare metal-bearing albite granite confirmed that the redistribution of the radionuclides was formed later by hydrothermal Na-metasomatic albitization. All values of the radiation hazard indices in the studied samples of Abu Dabbab mining area are under the health hazard limits.

исследовательская статья

Residues Analysis and Dissipation Kinetics of Three Herbicides; Mesotrione, Ametryn and MCPA-Na in Maize and Soil Using LC-MS/MS

Pang K and Jiye Hu

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method with modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation was developed for the simultaneous determination of Mesotrione, Ametryn, and MCPA-Na. The mean recoveries were ranged from 72% to 102% (R2<14.4%). A study of dissipation kinetics conducted under open field conditions at two sites during 2016. The half-lives 0.7-14.7 d for mesotrione, 1.2-16.1 d for ametryn and 1.1-3.2 d for MCPA-Na. The terminal residues of three pesticides in maize grain were lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by China (0.01 mg/kg for mesotrione, 0.05 mg/kg for MCPA-Na) and US (0.05 mg/kg for ametryn) at harvest time as well as at pre-harvest (after apply 96 d and 71 d).

Additional the chronic dietary risk was evaluated using risk quotients method based on Chinese dietary pattern. That were significantly lower than RQ (risk quotient)=1. On the basis of supervised field trial data and dietary exposure risk assessment results, the MRLs values of ametryn were recommended as 0.05 mg/kg for maize grain and maize plant in China, respectively.

These results not only gave insights about the analytes but also contributed to environmental protection and food safety.

Краткий комментарий

Cyclonic Patterns of India and Its Importance in the Pleotsunami Investigations

Johnson FC

Differentiating tsunami deposit from a storms deposit in the stratigraphy is a controversial topic. Similarities in the sedimentary structures and textures are the main reason for this controversy. Therefore, understanding cyclonic patterns and landfall associated with them in a particular geological setting is very useful to avoid controversy. This paper discusses cyclonic patterns and landfall associate with them in the context of pleotsunami investigations in India.

Обзорная статья

Climate Change Scenarios and Crop Flood Stress in South Africa: A Critical Discussion

Priscilla Ntuchu Kephe, Brilliant Mareme Petja and Kingsley K Ayisi

In assessing the relationships between crop productivity and future climate change, a combination of climate change scenarios, environmental conditions and resultant crop yields information are utilized. Recent progress in simulating the impacts of future climate change on crops is focused on increased temperature, and little attention is paid to the possibility of flood stress or on the exploration of adaptation options related to flood stress. As part of this review, this relationship is discussed in the context of crop response to predicted flood stress from climate change. Impacts of floods on crop production are reviewed, with a primary focus on climate change scenario in South Africa. The challenges associated with impacts and adaptation researches related to flood stress are limitless. It is therefore argued that, the generation of knowledge for policy and adaptation in South Africa should be based not only on one aspect of climate change but on a more synergistic and holistic research framework that includes: (i) Reliable quantification of uncertainty in relation to extreme rainfall events, possible flooding and waterlogging conditions; (ii) techniques and approaches for observations that focus on fundamental processes inclusive of flood; and (iii) provision of judicious accounts for the principal drivers of crop productivity, which may well include both biophysical and socioeconomic factors. Such a framework will lead to reliable real-world adaptation options in a situation of flood stress.
исследовательская статья

Applied Growth Kinetic Models for Crude Oil Spill Bioremediation in a Batch Scale Bioreactor

Munna Bhattacharya, Dipa Biswas and Sugata Guchhait

Hydrocarbon pollution occurs mainly by accidental oil spills, deliberate discharge of ballast waters from oil tankers and bilge waste discharges; causing site pollution and serious adverse effects on the environment. As compared to physical and chemical methods, such as booms, skimmers, adsorbents, chemical surfactants, oxidants, etc., bioremediation is a sustainable technique for restoration of oil-polluted sites, in which highly hazardous oily materials can be easily mineralized to harmless end products at very low cost using indigenous microorganisms. In this study, bioremediation experiments of artificially crude oil contaminated water was carried out in a batch scale bioreactor using the mixed culture of Ochrobactrum pseudintermedium sp. C1 and Bacillus cereus sp. K1. The effect of initial crude oil concentrations (1 to 10% v/v) on the growth and biodegradation rate were studied. The initial rate of growth and biodegradation increased with initial crude oil concentration up to 4% (v/v), but further increase in oil concentration resulted in a gradual decrease in the rate of biodegradation due to substrate inhibition. Both Monod and Haldane kinetic models were applied to evaluate the growth kinetic parameters (µmax, Ks, Ki, Smax, Yx/s). It was found that the Monod model was unable to present the growth parameters over the defined concentration range. However, Haldane model perfectly fitted with the experimental data and the following kinetic parameters were obtained: µmax=0.085 hr-1; Ks=32722.83 mg/dm3; Ki=53205.64 mg/dm3; Smax=41725.76 mg/dm3. These results showed that the mixed culture was able to utilize a considerably high concentration of crude oil and could be very effective in crude oil biodegradation for restoration of highly oil contaminated sites.
исследовательская статья

Flash Flood and its Mitigation: A Case Study of Almora, Uttarakhand, India

Pankaj G and Anand S

Himalaya is the life of millions of living being and rivers are the backbone. Flash flood is frequent disaster in Himalaya. Flash flood is the result of hydro-meteorological disturbance. Most of the Himalayan districts are the victim of flash flood disaster. Almora is experiencing this disaster for a long time, but the intensity is varied. The worst year was 2013, in which 12 out of 13 districts of Uttarakhand had faced the flash flood. The paper aims to analyze the role of hydro-climatic activities in an occurrence of flash flood in Almora and its impact and mitigation. The climatic and river discharge data have been used to study this issue. The projection of water discharge has been calculated for next few years with least square method. The dependency of water discharge on rainfall has also been calculated. Mapping techniques such as Arc, GIS and ERDAS have been used for mapping the features. The mitigation measures of the flash flood have also been discussed in this paper.
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