The correlations between sampling sites situated in the close vicinity of copper smelter (Bor, Serbia) based on heavy metal (Pb, Cu, Zn) content in plant parts and soil of acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) were determined. Very strong correlations (R>0.9) were observed between the sites Town park and Hospital in the urban-industiral zone due to high air pollution in this sampling area. The perfo...

The major objective of the present study was to identify the relationship of physiologial parameters of the photosynthetic system with the elemental content of the lichen Ramalina lacera (With.) J.R. Laund. Thalli of R. lacera were collected in an unpolluted site and transplanted in a national park and an industrial region in Israel for 8 mo. Analyses of photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll int...

Concentrations of heavy metals exceed safety thresholds in the soil near Janghang Copper Refinery, a smelter in Korea that operated from 1936 to 1989. This study was conducted to evaluate the level of exposure to toxic metals and the potential effect on health in people living near the smelter. The study included 572 adults living within 4 km of the smelter and compared them with 413 controls g...

For 6,000 years, humans have known about smelter hazards. Yet these metals threats continue. Why? This commentary provides one preliminary answer. It (1) summarizes the history of smelter pollution and (2) suggests that at least 3 problems-especially flawed smelter-polluter science-allow continuing health threats. It (3) illustrates this flawed science by using one of the most dangerous of U.S....

At first, laboratory-scale work under aerobic conditions was undertaken on bacteria imported from the USA. The system was optimised for variables including pH, temperature, nutrient type (e.g. glucose, molasses) and nutrient addition rate. As the effluent could contain phenols, tolerance to phenols at different concentrations was also investigated, including the possibility of utilising phenol ...

Conventional metal exposure assessment in terrestrial mammals is generally based on organ analyses of sacrificed animals. Few studies on mammals use nondestructive methodologies despite the growing ethical concern over the use of destructive sampling. Nondestructive methods involve minimal stress to populations and permit successive biomonitoring of the same populations and individuals. In the ...

Abstract The immobilization effect of soil amendments on leaching and bioavailability Pb, Zn Cd in highly contaminated soils under industrial impact was studied by collecting the surroundings Zn-Pb Smelter “Miasteczko Śląskie” southern Poland as an example. Various amounts four additives (phosphate fertilizer, limestone powder, bentonite rock bog iron ore) were tested laboratory experiments to ...

The histological distribution of lung cancer was investigated in 93 men who had worked at a Swedish smelter with high levels of arsenic. A comparison was made with a group of 136 patients with lung cancer from the county where the smelter was located. Company records provided information on occupational exposure and data on smoking habits were obtained from a next of kin of each subject. No pro...

BACKGROUND Fluoride is used increasingly in a variety of industries in India. Emission of fluoride dust and fumes from the smelters of primary aluminum producing industries is dissipated in the work environment and poses occupational health hazards. OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence of health complaints and its association with fluoride level in body fluids of smelter workers in a primary alu...