INFLUENCE OF LIMESTONE PARTICULATE MATTER ON ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Author(s):  
Gabriela Maria Filip ◽  
◽  
Valeria Mirela Brezoczki ◽  

Limestone as a mineral substance does not pose a danger to the environment, contrary sometimes it has a beneficial effect, but limestone dusts as a particulate matter in ambient air can affect the environment and human health depending on particle size and granulometry and their concentration. Softer limestone tended to produce a cloud of dust that some feared might contribute to respiratory problems and may affected the environment to some extent depending on the PM quantity dispersed in ambient air. The main source of lime pollution is the limestone exploitation in the quarry and its subsequent processing by crushing and sorting. In this regard, the present paper presents several determinations regarding the limestone environment scale pollution from limestone processing after its quarry exploitation in the Bucium limestone quarry.

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzena Rachwał ◽  
Małgorzata Wawer ◽  
Mariola Jabłońska ◽  
Wioletta Rogula-Kozłowska ◽  
Patrycja Rogula-Kopiec

The main objective of this research was the determination of the geochemical and mineralogical properties of particulate matter: TSP (total suspended particles) and, especially PM1 (particles with aerodynamic diameter not greater than 1 µm) suspended in the air of a selected urban area in southern Poland. Identification of the emission sources of metals and metalloids bound in TSP and PM1 as well as the assessment of potential risk of urban ambient air to human health using hazard indices was an additional aim of this investigation. The daily TSP and PM1 quartz fiber filters collected during heating season were subjected to mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) measurements, SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) observations and geochemical analyses. Obtained results revealed that the concentration of TSP and PM1 well correlated with their mass-specific magnetic susceptibility. The good relationship between the PM concentration and χ suggests that magnetic susceptibility measurements can be a good proxy of low-level atmospheric dust pollution. The rank order of potentially toxic elements (PTE) based on average concentration was Ba > Zn > Al > Fe > Pb > Mn > Ti > Cu > Cr > Ni >As > Cd > V > Tl, both for TSP and PM1. PM1/TSP ratios for PTE concentrations and χ were around or slightly above unity, which indicated that PM1 was the main carrier of PTE (with the exception of cadmium, copper and lead) and technogenic magnetic particles. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were confirmed by very high values of human health indices.


2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinhold Görgen ◽  
Udo Lambrecht

AbstractNumerous studies have demonstrated the negative effect of particulate matter on human health. The EU therefore introduced ambitious limit values for particulate matter (PM10) in ambient air as early as 1999: an annual limit and a daily limit that can be exceeded on up to 35 days a year. These values are binding since 2005. The daily limit is still exceeded in many cities throughout Europe. Heated debates on the future of the daily limit are taking place at all levels of the EU in the context of the negotiations on the Commission's proposal on a new Air Quality Directive. Suggestions range from allowing a compliance time extension to increasing the number of days the daily limit can be exceeded, and abolition of the daily limit value. The deliberations have not yet been concluded, but the decisive European institutions have voiced support for keeping the daily limit while at the same time extending the compliance deadline. In this article, we will make the point that the problem can most probably be solved by allowing a compliance extension of around 5 years after the new directive enters into force. This would give the competent local authorities and the EU the time necessary to intensify their measures in order to comply with the daily limit in most areas where it is currently exceeded. An increase in the number of days the limit values may be exceeded, as called for by the European Parliament (EP), would therefore amount to an unnecessary lowering of the limit value.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Kumar Sharma ◽  
Palak Baliyan ◽  
Prashant Kumar

AbstractMitigating the impact of pollution on human health worldwide is important to limit the morbidity and mortality arising from exposure to its effect. The level and type of pollutants vary in different urban and rural settings. Here, we explored the extent of air pollution and its impacts on human health in the megacity of Delhi (India) through a review of the published literature. The study aims at describing the extent of air pollution in Delhi, the magnitude of health problems due to air pollution and the risk relationship between air pollution and associated health effects. We found 234 published articles in the PubMed search. The search showed that the extent of air pollution in Delhi has been described by various researchers from about 1986 onwards. We synthesized the findings and discuss them at length with respect to reported values, their possible interpretations and any limitations of the methodology. The chemical composition of ambient air pollution is also discussed. Further, we discuss the magnitude of health problem with respect to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), bronchial asthma and other illnesses. The results of the literature search showed that data has been collected in last 28 years on ambient air quality in Delhi, though it lacks a scientific continuity, consistency of locations and variations in parameters chosen for reporting. As a result, it is difficult to construct a spatiotemporal picture of the air pollution status in Delhi over time. The number of sites from where data have been collected varied widely across studies and methods used for data collection is also non-uniform. Even the parameters studied are varied, as some studies focused on particulate matter ≤10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and those ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), and others on suspended particulate matter (SPM) and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM). Similarly, the locations of data collection have varied widely. Some of the sites were at busy traffic intersections, some on the terraces of offices and residential houses and others in university campuses or airports. As a result, the key question of the extent of pollution and its distribution across various parts of the city could be inferred. None of the studies or a combination of them could present a complete picture of the burden of diseases like COPD, bronchial asthma and other allergic conditions attributable to pollution in Delhi. Neither could it be established what fraction of the burden of the above diseases is attributable to ambient air pollution, given that other factors like tobacco smoke and indoor air pollution are also contributors to the causation of such diseases. In our discussion, we highlight the knowledge gaps and in the conclusion, we suggested what research can be undertaken to fill the these research gaps.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10645
Author(s):  
Krystian Mokrzyński ◽  
Olga Krzysztyńska-Kuleta ◽  
Marcin Zawrotniak ◽  
Michał Sarna ◽  
Tadeusz Sarna

The human skin is exposed to various environmental factors including solar radiation and ambient air pollutants. Although, due to its physical and biological properties, the skin efficiently protects the body against the harm of environmental factors, their excessive levels and possible synergistic action may lead to harmful effects. Among particulate matter present in ambient air pollutants, PM2.5 is of particular importance for it can penetrate both disrupted and intact skin, causing adverse effects to skin tissue. Although certain components of PM2.5 can exhibit photochemical activity, only a limited amount of data regarding the interaction of PM2.5 with light and its effect on skin tissue are available. This study focused on light-induced toxicity in cultured human keratinocytes, which was mediated by PM2.5 obtained in different seasons. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) were employed to determine sizes of the particles. The ability of PM2.5 to photogenerate free radicals and singlet oxygen was studied using EPR spin-trapping and time-resolved singlet oxygen phosphorescence, respectively. Solar simulator with selected filters was used as light source for cell treatment to model environmental lightning conditions. Cytotoxicity of photoexcited PM2.5 was analyzed using MTT assay, PI staining and flow cytometry, and the apoptotic pathway was further examined using Caspase-3/7 assay and RT-PCR. Iodometric assay and JC-10 assay were used to investigate damage to cell lipids and mitochondria. Light-excited PM2.5 were found to generate free radicals and singlet oxygen in season-dependent manner. HaCaT cells containing PM2.5 and irradiated with UV-Vis exhibited oxidative stress features–increased peroxidation of intracellular lipids, decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced expression of oxidative stress related genes and apoptotic cell death. The data indicate that sunlight can significantly increase PM2.5-mediated toxicity in skin cells.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-58

Air pollution related problems, such as acidification, air quality and ground-level ozone, are recognized as some of the important problems facing the people of the Czech Republic, whose health is damaged by impacts of air pollutants. Also the impacts of these air pollutants on human health, forests and vegetation are investigated. This paper presents evaluation of air pollution caused by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and ozone, based on the readings of measuring site at Bílý Køíž for the six-year period 1994-1999. The evaluation of the status of the ambient air pollution is based on air pollution limit values as specified by the new European Directives. Concern has been expressed about the possible effects of ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter exposures on forested areas, materials and human health. The main objective of this study is to examine the evolution observed in the concentrations of these air pollutants considered. The reduction is observed for winter air pollutants as sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from 1996 to 1999. In contrary, the ozone concentrations increase considerably for the same period.


Author(s):  
A. Gilfanov ◽  
◽  
S. Zaripov ◽  
L. Fatkhutdinova ◽  

Abstract. Introduction. Ambient air pollution with particulate matter from various sources sig-nificantly increases the risk of human health disorders. The concentrations of the total suspended particles (TSP), as well as the PM2.5 and PM10 fractions, are mainly monitored. In fact, the ac-tual size distribution of aerosol particles differs significantly from the stepwise distribution formed only by the concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10. Aim of the study: development of a method for reconstructing the size distribution function of aerosol particles from the actual concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 under the assumption of a lognormal size distribution for calculation of doses deposited in different lung regions. Methods. Long-term concentrations of various fractions of particles in the ambient air were ob-tained from the database of social and hygienic monitoring created by the "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Republic of Tatarstan (Tatarstan)". A reconstructed theoretical particle size distribution function f0(dp) was derived using the numerical solution, and the corresponding software was developed. The MPPD (Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry) software was used to calculate the particle deposited doses in different areas of the human respiratory tract. Results. The measured values of the PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were used to derive the lognormal aerosol size distribution. Based on the calculation of the mass doses of settled particles in the human respiratory system using MPPD (Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry) code, it is shown that the calculation based only on the values of PM2.5 and PM10 leads to an underestimation of the mass fractions of particles in the lower respiratory tract and alveolar zone, the values of which are determinant for the estimation of the risk of lung disease. Conclusions. The proposed method for reconstructing the size distribution function of the con-centration of aerosol particles is important for a quantitatively reliable assessment of the risks of exposure to ambient air aerosols, making it possible to move from assessment of external expo-sures to the calculation of deposited fractions. The use of deposited fractions as an exposure pa-rameter increases the accuracy of health risk assessments associated with particulate matter ex-posure. This approach can be used both in the study of ambient aerosols and for the air of the working area.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 490-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Noor Syuhada Muhammad Amin ◽  
Azman Azid ◽  
Muhamad Shirwan Abdullah Sani ◽  
Ku Mohd Kalkausar Ku Yusof ◽  
Mohd Saiful Samsudin ◽  
...  

Air pollution can harm human health, the environment and cause property damage. Various researches have proven the connection of air quality and human health. The epidemiology and laboratory studies demonstrated that ambient air pollutants (for example PM, O3, SO2 and NO2) contributed to various respiratory problems including bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. This present mini review is to discuss the relationship between the human health and air quality. This conceptual paper is focusing on the findings from air quality literature review and the significant health effects related to it. Besides, the principle of analytical instrumentation also discussed in order to identify the best instrument for applying in laboratory analysis.


Author(s):  
Aline Krindges ◽  
Vanusca Dalosto Jahno ◽  
Fernando Morisso

Incorporation studies of particles in different substrates with herbal assets growing. The objective of this work was the preparation and characterization of micro/nanoparticles containing cymbopogon nardus essential oil; and the incorporation of them on bacterial cellulose. For the development of the membranes was used the static culture medium and for the preparation of micro/nanoparticles was used the nanoprecipitation methodology. The incorporation of micro/nanoparticles was performed on samples of bacterial cellulose in wet and dry form. For the characterization of micro/nanoparticles were carried out analysis of SEM, zeta potential and particle size. For the verification of the incorporation of particulate matter in cellulose, analyses were conducted of SEM and FTIR. The results showed that it is possible the production and incorporation of micro/nanoparticles containing essential oil in bacterial cellulose membranes in wet form with ethanol.


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