Naturally Occurring Asbestos in Valmalenco (Central Alps, Northern Italy): From Quarries and Mines to Stream Sediments

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52
Author(s):  
Alessandro Cavallo ◽  
Jasmine Rita Petriglieri
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Stream Sediments ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Central Alps ◽  
Representative Sampling ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos ◽  
Health Organization

ABSTRACT The Valmalenco area (central Alps, northern Italy) is an excellent case study for naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) because of the huge outcrops of serpentinites and widespread quarrying and mining activities. Extensive sampling of rocks, soils, stream sediments, and airborne asbestos has been in progress since 2004. The combined use of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy has proven to be effective for the correct discrimination between asbestiform and non-asbestiform mineralogical varieties (but falling into the World Health Organization fiber definition), whereas phase contrast microscopy has not proven suitable because of the very small size of fibrils after strong mechanical fragmentation. The quantitative analysis of “massive” samples (rocks, soils, and sediments) requires accurate and representative sampling as well as specific counting and discrimination criteria to determine NOA. Over a decade of experience has allowed us to identify critical issues and adopt effective preventive measures.

Geological Model for Naturally Occurring Asbestos Content Prediction in the Rock Excavation of a Long Tunnel (Gronda di Genova Project, NW Italy)

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-112
Author(s):  
Luca Barale ◽  
Fabrizio Piana ◽  
Sergio Tallone ◽  
Roberto Compagnoni ◽  
Chiara Avataneo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Features ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Rock Excavation ◽  
Representative Sampling ◽  
Highway Tunnel ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos ◽  
Nw Italy ◽  
Sampling Procedures

ABSTRACT For a reliable evaluation of the geo-environmental risk due to naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) during rock excavation of large infrastructure projects, a proper procedure is needed. First, it is necessary to provide a detailed geological model tailored to the NOA-related issues that should drive the rock sampling procedures in order to obtain a representative sampling. The sampling procedures should take into account lithological variability and relative spatial distributions of the rock units. The geological model for NOA should be thus constrained by the main NOA petrofacies occurring in a given geotectonic context, which take into consideration both the mineralogical and structural features, and the identification of NOA homogeneous zones in which the NOA petrofacies are distributed. In this paper, some geo-environmental problems faced during the excavation, in meta-ophiolites, of a long highway tunnel are described. The geological model of the complex setting of the tunnel area (northern Italy, Alps-Apennines junction) is described, focusing on how the NOA-related problems were addressed to allow reliable and detailed estimations of NOA contents for each NOA homogeneous zone and the relevant tunnel layout segment.

Phytoconstituents in the Management of Covid-19: Demystifying the Fact

Drug Research ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Abul Barkat ◽  
Pawan Kaushik ◽  
Harshita Abul Barkat ◽  
Mohammad Idreesh Khan ◽  
Hazrina Ab Hadi
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Agent ◽  
Clinical Development ◽  
World Health ◽  
Therapeutic Drug ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Synthetic Drugs ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Deadly Disease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractThe 2019-nCoV (COVID-19; novel coronavirus disease-2019) outbreak is caused by the coronavirus, and its continued spread is responsible for increasing deaths, social and economic burden. COVID-19 created a chaotic situation worldwide and claimed the lives of over 5,027,183 and 248,467,363 confirmed cases have been reported so far as per the data published by WHO (World Health Organization) till 5th November 2021. Scientific communities all over the world are toiling to find a suitable therapeutic drug for this deadly disease. Although till date no promising drug has been discovered for this COVID-19. However, as per the WHO, over 102 COVID-19 vaccines are in clinical development and 185 in pre-clinical development. Naturally occurring phytoconstituents possess considerable chemical richness in the form of anti-viral and anti-parasitic potential and have been extensively exploited for the same globally. Still, phytomedicine-based therapies are considered as the best available treatment option to minimize and treat the symptoms of COVID-19 because of the least possible side effects compared to synthetic drugs recommended by the physicians/clinicians. In this review, the use of plant chemicals as a possible therapeutic agent for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV2) is highlighted with their proposed mechanism of action, which will prove fruitful and effective in finding a cure for this deadly disease.

scholarly journals Why Has the Health-Promoting Prison Concept Failed to Translate to the United States?

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 858-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Woodall
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Health ◽  
Regional Office ◽  
European Model ◽  
The World ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
World Health Organization Regional

Two decades since the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe published a report on health promotion in prison that stimulated further debate on the concept of the “health-promoting prison,” this article discusses the extent to which the concept has translated to the United States. One predicted indicator of success for the health-promoting prison movement was the expansion of activity beyond European borders; yet 2 decades since the European model was put forward, there has been very limited activity in the United States. This “Critical Issues and Trends” article suggests reasons why this translation has failed to occur.

scholarly journals Arsenic in drinking water: not just a problem for Bangladesh

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. van Halem ◽  
S. A. Bakker ◽  
G. L. Amy ◽  
J. C. van Dijk
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
World Health ◽  
Drinking Water Standard ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Arsenic In Groundwater ◽  
Tube Wells ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Near Future ◽  
High Arsenic

Abstract. For more than a decade it has been known that shallow tube wells in Bangladesh are frequently contaminated with arsenic concentrations at a level that is harmful to human health. By now it is becoming clear that a disaster of an unheard magnitude is going on: the World Health Organization fears that in the near future 1 in every 10 adult deaths in Bangladesh will be caused by arsenic-related cancers. Other studies show that problems with arsenic in groundwater/drinking water occur in many more countries worldwide, such as in the USA and China. In Europe the focus on arsenic problems is confined to countries with high arsenic levels in their groundwater, such as Romania, Hungary and Italy. In most other European countries, the naturally occurring arsenic concentrations are lower than the drinking water standard of 10 μg L−1. However, from the literature review presented in this paper, it may also be concluded that using the European standard, health risks cannot be excluded. It is therefore recommended that the current arsenic standard be reconsidered.

scholarly journals Which Are the Main Surface Disinfection Approaches at the Time of SARS-CoV-2?

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Ghedini ◽  
Marco Pizzolato ◽  
Lilia Longo ◽  
Federica Menegazzo ◽  
Danny Zanardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Hazard ◽  
Added Value ◽  
World Health ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Surface Disinfection ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Among many guidelines issued by the World Health Organization to prevent contagion from novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), disinfection of animate and inanimate surfaces has emerged as a key issue. One effective approach to prevent its propagation can be achieved by disinfecting air, skin, or surfaces. A thorough and rational application of an Environmental Protection Agent for disinfection of surfaces, as well as a good personal hygiene, including cleaning hands with appropriate products (e.g., 60–90% alcohol-based product) should minimize transmission of viral respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. Critical issues, associated with the potential health hazard of chemical disinfectants and the ineffective duration of most of the treatments, have fostered the introduction of innovative and alternative disinfection approaches. The present review aims to provide an outline of methods currently used for inanimate surface disinfection with a look to the future and a focus on the development of innovative and effective disinfection approaches (e.g., metal nanoparticles, photocatalysis, self-cleaning, and self-disinfection) with particular focus on SARS-CoV-2. The research reviews are, usually, focused on a specific category of disinfection methods, and therefore they are limited. On the contrary, a panoramic review with a wider focus, as the one here proposed, can be an added value for operators in the sector and generally for the scientific community.

scholarly journals Asumsi masyarakat mengenai keselamatan pasien pada masa covid 19 di rumah sakit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raudatun Hasanah
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Envelope Protein ◽  
Protein S ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Health Organization

Rumah sakit sebagai sarana pelayanan kesehatan pada dasarnya adalah untuk menyelamatkan pasien, keselamatan pasien merupakan prioritas bagi pelaksanaan lima isu penting tentang keselamatan di rumah sakit, karena masalah keselamatan pasien berkaitan erat dengan kualitas dan citra rumah sakit itu sendiri. Perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan dan tekhnologi yang sedemikian pesat menyebabkan pelayanan kesehatan di rumah sakit menjadi sangat kompleks sehingga jika tidak dilakukan dengan benar dan hati-hati akan berpotensi untuk terjadinya Insiden Keselamatan Pasien (IKP) yang terdiri dari Kejadian Tidak Diharapkan (KTD), Kejadian Nyaris Cedera (KNC), Kejadian Tidak Cedera (KTC) dan Kondisi Potensial Cedera (KPC) (Depkes,2006).Setiap rumah sakit sudah diwajibkan untuk melakukan gerakan keselamatan pasien, apalagi PERSI sudah menerbitkan buku tentang pelaksanan keselamatan pasien di rumah sakit dan dalam waktu mendatang keselamatan pasien termasuk dalam penilaian akreditasi rumah sakit. Pada prinsipnya pelaksaan keselamatan pasien sesuai dengan standar departemen kesehatan, namun didalam pelaksanaan keselamatan pasien hampir sama pada setiap rumah sakit.Diawal tahun ini keselamatan pasien harus semakin ditingkatkan disebabkan munculnya virus covid 19 yang awalnya terjadi di Wuhan, provinsi Hubei, China dan dikaitkan dengan pasar binatang. Dalam rentang waktu satu bulan terjadi peningkatan kasus yang signifikan dan meluas ke beberapa provinsi di China, bahkan ke Jepang, Thailand dan Korea Selatan.satu Penyebaran penyakit yang begitu cepat serta meluas ke beberapa negara menyebabkan World Health Organization (WHO) akhirnya mengumumkan COVID-19 sebagai pandemi pada 12 Maret 2020. Virus corona berbentuk bulat dengan diameter sekitar 125 nm seperti yang digambarkan dalam penelitian menggunakan cryo-electron microscopy. Partikel virus corona mengandung empat protein struktural utama, yaitu protein S (spike protein) yang berbentuk seperti paku, protein M (membrane protein), protein E (envelope protein), dan protein N (nucleocapside protein). Protein S (~150 kda), protein M (~25– 30 kda), protein E (~8–12 kda) sedangkan protein N terdapat di dalam nukleokapsid.Virus corona merupakan zoonosis, sehingga terdapat kemungkinkan virus berasal dari hewan dan ditularkan ke manusia. Pada COVID-19 belum diketahui dengan pasti proses penularan dari Perkembangan data selanjutnya menunjukkan penularan antar manusia (human to human), yaitu diprediksi melalui droplet dan kontak dengan virus yang dikeluarkan dalam droplet. Penularan ini terjadi umumnya melalui droplet dan kontak dengan virus kemudian virus dapat masuk ke dalam mukosa yang terbuka. Suatu analisis mencoba mengukur laju penularan berdasarkan masa inkubasi, gejala dan durasi antara gejala dengan pasien yang diisolasi. Analisis tersebut mendapatkan hasil penularan dari 1 pasien ke sekitar 3 orang di sekitarnya, tetapi kemungkinan penularan di masa inkubasi menyebabkan masa kontak pasien ke orang sekitar lebih lama sehingga risiko jumlah kontak tertular dari 1 pasien mungkin dapat lebih besar.

Regulations Concerning Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) in Germany—Testing Procedures for Asbestos

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-71
Author(s):  
Stefan Pierdzig
Keyword(s):  
Size Fraction ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
World Health ◽  
Fiber Concentration ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Testing Procedures ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Workplace Monitoring ◽  
Naturally Occurring Asbestos

ABSTRACT In Germany, potential asbestos-containing rocks are used as raw materials for a number of engineering applications. These rocks are ultrabasites (dunite, harzburgite), igneous rocks (basalt, gabbro, norite), and metasomatic or metamorphic rocks like talcum, greenschist and amphibolite. Based on the German Gefahrstoffverordung (Hazardous Substances Ordinance), regulatory statutes exist for operations using these rocks and resultant composites and products. The authorities state that in Germany no natural rocks exist with more than 0.1 mass-% of one of the six regulated asbestos minerals. But it is well known that there are rocks with a high modal concentration of these minerals with a non-asbestiform, columnar to prismatic habitus. Under mechanical stress during handling, they can lead to fibrous cleavage fragments, which conform to the World Health Organization (WHO) “respirable asbestos fiber” definition. In view of this fact, the regulations changed in 2009, with revision of the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS) 517: any fibrous asbestos particles, regardless of whether or not they represent naturally occurring asbestos or are of cleavage origin, are evaluated for potential hazards associated with handling of these rocks. If the WHO fiber concentration is <0.1 mass-%, rocks and products can be used and re-used under protective measures. At concentrations >0.1 mass-%, the material is considered hazardous waste. These regulations apply to many industrial sectors that exploit and process rocks, using them in road building and track construction and when they are recycled. Analysis (by scanning electron microscopy, SEM/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, EDS) to determine the asbestos concentration of rocks, gravels, or dusts is carried out in the <100-µm, grain-size fraction produced by sieving or grinding. The results provide a representation of a worst-case examination of the air quality during mechanical treatment of these materials. Workplace monitoring is done by air sampling to survey an exposure limit of 10,000 fibers/m3 of air (0.01 f/cc).

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