Search results for " Pollution"

Direct Solid Phase Microextraction for the Determination of BTEX in Water and Wastewater

1996

Separation of pesticides, related compounds, polychlorobiphenyls and other pollutants into four groups by silica‐gel microcolumn chromatography (appl…

1991

Multi‐residue analyses of pesticides and related compounds generally require clean‐up procedures for the elimination of interfering substances. An analytical procedure for use in the recovery and determination of pesticides and other pollutants in water samples is described, in which the purification of the extracts is improved by the separation of pesticides into four groups. The separation of pesticides by silica‐gel microcolumn chromatography is explained in detail. Copyright © 1991 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

THE ENVIROMENTAL PROBLEMS OF THE PIANA DEL SIGNORE (GELA, SICILY) FOR A CORRECT AGRONOMIC, CULTURAL AND LANDSCAPE UPGRADING AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE AR…

2017

In Sicily it is witnessing an environmental degradation that can be conducted to the human activity and the already known process of desertification. The present study had as object the c/da Piana del Signore in plain of Gela being an area characterized by an extreme aridity and salinity. Through consultation and study of the various researches realized on the area, the various environmental and territorial characteristics outlined, highlighting the issues and possible improvements. The objective was to outline the damages caused by man proposing possible routes for a correct requalification of the area in order to enhance a landscape of great agronomic and naturalistic interest. In fact to…

Cigarette smoke exposure inhibits extracellular MMP-2 (gelatinase A) activity in human lung fibroblasts

2007

Abstract Background Exposure to cigarette smoke is considered a major risk factor for the development of lung diseases, since its causative role has been assessed in the induction and maintenance of an inflamed state in the airways. Lung fibroblasts can contribute to these processes, due to their ability to produce proinflammatory chemotactic molecules and extracellular matrix remodelling proteinases. Among proteolytic enzymes, gelatinases A and B have been studied for their role in tissue breakdown and mobilisation of matrix-derived signalling molecules. Multiple reports linked gelatinase deregulation and overexpression to the development of inflammatory chronic lung diseases such as COPD.…

A Multisite-Multipollutant Air Quality Index

2013

Abstract In this paper, starting from a multivariate spatio-temporal array, containing air pollution data collected for the main pollutants at different monitoring sites over a 1-year period, a new approach is proposed to get a Multipollutant-Multisite Air Quality Index (AQI) time series. A two steps aggregation, related to space and to pollutants, is considered. For the first aggregation (spatial synthesis) a PCA is performed on data array opportunely rearranged, while the index I2, proposed in Ruggieri and Plaia (2011) , is used for the second aggregation (pollutant synthesis), obtaining the new index I 2 MS . Daily data of four air pollutants from the city of Palermo (Italy) are analyzed…

Short-Term Effects of Air Pollution on Cardiovascular Hospitalizations in the Pisan Longitudinal Study

2021

Air pollution effects on cardiovascular hospitalizations in small urban/suburban areas have been scantly investigated. Such effects were assessed among the participants in the analytical epidemiological survey carried out in Pisa and Cascina, Tuscany, Italy (2009–2011). Cardiovascular hospitalizations from 1585 subjects were followed up (2011–2015). Daily mean pollutant concentrations were estimated through random forests at 1 km (particulate matter: PM10, 2011–2015

Bunker Cave stalagmites: an archive for central European Holocene climate variability

2012

Holocene climate was characterised by variability on multi-centennial to multi-decadal time scales. In central Europe, these fluctuations were most pronounced during winter. Here we present a record of past winter climate variability for the last 10.8 ka based on four speleothems from Bunker Cave, western Germany. Due to its central European location, the cave site is particularly well suited to record changes in precipitation and temperature in response to changes in the North Atlantic realm. We present high-resolution records of δ<sup>18</sup>O, δ<sup>13</sup>C values and Mg/Ca ratios. Changes in the Mg/Ca ratio are attributed to past meteoric p…

CO<inf>2</inf> reduction exploiting RES for EV charging

2016

The world is facing an urgent need to reduce emissions, limiting pollution for a better quality of life. This objective has to be reached by all cities and governments worldwide. This paper focuses on the field of transportation, which is greatly responsible for air pollution, mainly in cities and urban areas such as towns, airports and seaports. The diffusion of electric vehicles (EVs) enables a significant reduction of air pollutants emitted by combustion engines; however, their recharge can affect the total pollution by their increasing energy demand. A solution is the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to charge EVs. This paper analyzes the feasibility of integrating EVs and RES, foc…

Fish community responses to pulp and paper mill effluents at the southern Lake Saimaa, Finland.

2002

Abstract The fish community in sublittoral and profundal waters, at stony shores, and densities of vendace larvae were studied in the southern Lake Saimaa, Finland. The objective was to investigate the possible recovery of fish populations after modernizations at the pulp and paper mills discharging into the lake. Sublittoral and profundal waters were studied by gill net trial fishings, stony shores by electrofishing, and vendace larvae by beach seine. The research area was divided in a polluted (0.5–4.0% effluent), an intermediate (0.1–0.5%) and a ‘clean’ reference area. The fish community in sublittoral and profundal waters in the lake was dominated (>60%) by perch and roach. Relative abu…

Solastalgia's mourning and the slowly evolving effect of asbestos pollution: A qualitative study in Italy

2019

In Italy, the problem of asbestos pollution is increasing in severity. In fact, in recent years, the number of people affected by asbestos-related illnesses has been growing because of the fibre's slowly evolving effects and its progressive pollution in the environment adjacent to the places where it is processed. Even though the physical consequences of asbestos are now quite clear, few studies have examined the psychological consequences of this kind of disaster. Since it is difficult to perceive its pathogenicity in daily life, this study was conducted in the affected areas of north-eastern Italy, using the qualitative research in psychology with 51 persons who experienced asbestos-relat…