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Little is known about pollutant concentrations in marine remote areas such as the Porcupine Bank in the NE Atlantic Ocean. Remote locations are much less studied than the more readily accessible coastal areas, nevertheless, are of great importance both to unveil how far human influence has reached and, are more challenging, to infer background concentrations (BCs) of naturally occurring and/or anthropogenic pollutants. Knowledge of contaminant background levels are critical for establishing remediation and management strategies; in addition, background assessment is heavily emphasised in legislative monitoring requirements. Obtaining suitable sampling locations to assess background concentrations can be challenging, as samples should match characteristics to the target area and not be impacted by historical or current inputs of the chemical substances of study. Anthropogenic impacts generally deem local-based sampling to be unsuitable to infer background pollution values. Sampling in remote areas such as the Porcupine Bank better fulfils low impact and pressure requirements making them more suitable for the derivation of background concentration estimates for organic compounds and metals. The total concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s in deep sea sediments were evaluated and both an environmental status and a set of concentration data were adequate to derive BCs concentrations is presented. Concentration data indicated, in comparison with previous published data, trace level presence of PAHs and metal(loids) in sediments from the Porcupine Bank. These values will provide a valuable tool to identify the natural presence of organic and inorganic compounds and be the basis to perform a sound environmental assessment., The authors would like to thank the staff involved in the research survey PORCUPINE (ERDEM Project; Main Research: Dr. Francisco Velasco, CO de Santander) of the National Center-Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO, CSIC) on board the R/V Vizconde de Eza (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Spain). Special thanks also to research survey chiefs Francisco Velasco (Santander Oceanographic Center) and Francisco Baldó (Cádiz Oceanographic Center). And we would also like to thank technicians Juan Fernández and Joaquín Valencia (A Coruña Oceanographic Center) for performing the sampling and providing us with the granulometry and organic matter data and the technical staff of the Chemical Pollution Laboratory of the Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo (IEO) specially Fernando Schultze and Jesica Bargiela, for their assistance during sampling, sample preparation, and chemical analyses. Research survey has been co-funded by the European Union within the National Program of collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector and support for scientific advice regarding the Common Fisheries Policy. The analysis were partially funded by the ANTROPIMAR project (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, RTI2018-095678-B-C22) and a Fund Management Agreement between the IEO and the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge.

Цель исследования – оценка риска для здоровья населения промышленного центра от загрязнения атмосферного воздуха выбросами нефтебазы. Материалы и методы. В работе использовался том предельно допустимых выбросов. Оценка распространения и воздействия атмосферных выбросов проводилась по 35 расчетным точкам, выбранным на основе карты города Новокузнецка Кемеровской области. Максимальные и среднегодовые концентрации загрязняющих веществ рассчитаны с использованием программного комплекса УПРЗА «ЭКОцентр-Стандарт». Значения риска хронической интоксикации и канцерогенного риска рассчитаны на основе Руководства Р 2.1.10.1920-04, методик А.П. Щербо и др., Г.Г. Онищенко и др. Определены значения рисков с учетом воздействия фоновых концентраций загрязняющих веществ. Проведено сравнение полученных значений рисков с приемлемыми уровнями. Результаты. Выявлены приоритетные загрязняющие вещества, поступающие в воздушную среду города от источников нефтебазы: бензол, диоксид серы, диоксид азота, толуол, углерод (сажа), оксид азота, ксилол, оксид углерода. Во всех точках воздействия не наблюдается превышений максимальных и среднегодовых концентраций веществ, попадающих в атмосферу при функционировании нефтебазы. Суммарные значения риска хронической интоксикации и канцерогенного риска не превышают приемлемый уровень. Суммарные значения риска хронической интоксикации, рассчитанные с учетом воздействия фоновых концентраций загрязняющих веществ, превышают приемлемый уровень по всем точкам воздействия в 2,6-3,9 раза. Определены микрорайоны города, наиболее подверженные влиянию атмосферных выбросов промышленного объекта. Заключение. Неблагоприятная экологическая ситуация в городе с интенсивным развитием промышленности приводит к увеличению риска хронической интоксикации для здоровья населения. Деятельность нефтебазы не оказывает значительного воздействия на окружающую среду и здоровье населения города., The aim of the research was the assessment of the risk to the health of the population of an industrial center due to the air pollution by the emissions from a petroleum depot. Materials and methods. The volume of maximum permissible emissions was used in the work. The assessment of the distribution and impact of atmospheric emissions was carried out at 35 calculated points selected on the basis of a map of the city of Novokuznetsk, the Kemerovo region. The maximum and average annual concentrations of pollutants were calculated using the UPRZA "EKOtsentrStandart" software package. The values of the risk of chronic intoxication and carcinogenic risk were calculated on the basis of the Guidelines P 2.1.10.1920-04, the methods of A.P. Shcherbo et al., G.G. Onishchenko et al. The risk values were determined taking into account the impact of background concentrations of pollutants. A comparison of the obtained risk values with the acceptable levels was carried out. Results. Priority pollutants entering the city air from the sources of the petroleum depot were identified: benzene, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, toluene, carbon (soot), nitrogen oxide, xylene, carbon monoxide. At all points of exposure, no excess of the maximum and average annual concentrations of the substances entering the atmosphere during the operation of the petroleum depot was observed. The total risk values of chronic intoxication and carcinogenic risk did not exceed the acceptable level. The total risk values of chronic intoxication calculated taking into account the effect of background concentrations of pollutants exceeded the acceptable level at all points of exposure by 2.6-3.9 times. The micro-districts of the city that were most susceptible to the influence of atmospheric emissions from this industrial facility had been identified. Conclusion. The unfavorable environmental situation in the city with the intensive industrial development leads to an increase in the risk of chronic intoxication for the health of the population. The activities of the petroleum depot do not have a significant impact on the environment and the health of the city’s population.

This article provides an overview of heavy metal contamination in rivers and assessment methods of their contamination and effects. According to literature, rivers with heavy metal contamination in surface water are mainly found in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean area, while rivers with heavy metal contamination in sediments are mostly found in Europe. The increase in heavy metal contamination in rivers has led to the adoption of individual and synergistic assessment methods. Individual methods are useful in assessing the contamination and effects for a single heavy metal, while synergistic methods assess the combined contamination and effects of several heavy metals present in surface water and sediments. These two approaches have been commonly used together in recent studies to overcome the limitations of each other and provide a more comprehensive assessment. The developments, equations, advantages, limitations, and future perspectives of these methods are discussed in this review. Calculating indexes are simple, easy-to-implement, and effective methods to provide early alerts for the environmental changes and the adverse impacts on ecosystems and human health. However, calculating indexes still have limitations due to the lack of background concentrations of heavy metals in the study area. Therefore, this issue should be addressed to overcome the limitations of these methods in the future. This review provides a useful reference for future studies on heavy metal contamination in global rivers and the assessment methods for heavy metal contamination and effects.

The emission rate of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) depends on many factors but mainly on the activity level (metabolic rate) of occupants. In this study, we examined two other factors that may influence the CO2 emission rate, namely the background CO2 concentration and the indoor temperature. Six male volunteers sat one by one in a 1.7 m3 chamber for 2.5 h and performed light office-type work under five different conditions with two temperature levels (23 vs. 28°C) and three background concentrations of CO2 (800 vs. 1400 vs. 3000 ppm). Background CO2 levels were increased either by dosing CO2 from a cylinder or by reducing the outdoor air supply rate. Physiological responses to warmth, added CO2 , and bioeffluents were monitored. The rate of CO2 emission was estimated using a mass-balance equation. The results indicate a higher CO2 emission rate at the higher temperature, at which the subjects were warm, and a lower emission rate in all conditions in which the background CO2 concentration increased. Physiological measurements partially explained the present results but more measurements are needed.

Chemical transport models (CTM) can have large biases and errors when simulating pollutant concentrations. To improve the characterization of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) over complex terrain fo...

A stream survey was conducted in the Sidakan vicinity in the northeastern part of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, which covered the catchment area of the main stream. The covered area is about 450 km2. The exposed rocks in the study area are mainly igneous with subordinate sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The catchment area was divided into 14 sub-basins using Global Mapper software. The junction point of the valleys at the end of each sub-basin was sampled. From each junction point, 2 stream sediments were collected. The samples were sieved using the wet method into 2 mm fractions, before the fractions were subjected to x-ray fluorescence (XRF) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The results obtained from both tests were used to calculate the concentrations of 9 elements (Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, U, Ag, V, Zn, and Cd). The element concentrations are presented in 9 concentration maps after normalizing the concentration values. Some anomalous results were found. The average concentrations of Ag and Cd were nearly 120 and 266 times higher than the background concentrations (6 mg/kg and 16 mg/ kg, respectively). The acquired data also showed interesting average concentrations for the elements Co, Cr, Ni, and U (280 mg/kg, 999 mg/kg, 375 mg/kg, and 12 mg/kg, respectively). All of these anomalous concentrations are discussed and possible reasons for their existence are given.

Construction activities have long been recognized as a pertinent source of PM2.5 though limited information exists regarding chemical characteristics of aerosols generated during building demolition/construction. A comprehensive investigation was carried out to assess the physical (SEM analysis) and chemical (ICP MS analysis) properties of PM2.5 in a building demolition and construction site and compared with background. Average concentrations of PM2.5 at both the sites exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Overall trend of the total metal concentrations of PM2.5 followed the order of (Na, Ca, Al, Mg, Fe, Zn) > (Ti, Sr, Cd, Ba, Pb, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu) in both the sites. Sr, Ba, Mg, Zn, Ti, Cd, Al, Cr, Fe, Co, Mn, V, Ni, Ca, and Zn showed a ∼1.3-3.0 fold increase, and Pb showed the highest increase of almost >3.5 times when compared to the background concentrations. Health risk estimates based on the bio-available concentration of metals indicated that hazard quotient (HQ) values for non-carcinogenic metals were within the prescribed limit (HQ ≤ 1). However, the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) for the carcinogenic metals Pb, Ni, Cd, and Cr(VI) were higher than the guideline limits of USEPA.

Surface sediment samples were collected at 104 stations in 34 different locations in seasonal periods in 2013–2014 on the southeastern coasts of the Black Sea. Nickel concentrations were measured with ICP-MS after microwave digestion and were higher in two seperate region than that of others. Relatively high Ni concentrations were found in Bafra (148 ± 18 mg/kg), Derekoy (147 ± 24 mg/kg), Canik (95 ± 35 mg/kg), Caltiburnu (129 ± 13 mg/kg), Carsamba (127 ± 4 mg/kg), Terme/Unye (94 ± 28 mg/kg), Akcaabat (95 ± 13 mg/kg), Carsibasi (77 ± 14 mg/kg), Vakfikebir (64 ± 5 mg/kg) and Gorele (53 ± 15 mg/kg). Nickel concentrations were higher than Effects Range-Medium (ERM) limits in the western and middle part of the region. Ni enrichment levels in sediments were calculated from both core data and earth crust values as a background. It was determined that the enrichment factors found by using earth crust values produced quite misleading results due to the geological variation of the region. It is also concluded that Ni concentrations in marine sediments of the southeastern coasts of the Black Sea are related to terrestrial geological structure.

For the first time a new approach has been developed to assess the water quality of the Eastern Donbass rivers in the zone of man-made mine waters’ influence. The approach is based on the data of hydrochemical studies and surface water toxicity assessment by the results of biotest analysis. The approach basis is the use of regional background, a complex of hydrochemical and biotest data on a set of biotesting. The scale of water quality integrated assessment with the allocation of 5 classes has been developed. The rating scale takes into account water pollution degree according to analytical data and toxicity degree, including options for combining the results of the three bioassays. Water quality assessment results showed that within the Seversky Donets and Tuzlov basins it varies as a whole from the 2nd class (“slightly polluted”) to the 4th class (“heavily polluted”), according to the toxicity level-from 1st class (“conditionally non-toxic”) to the 3rd class (“toxic”). Analytical methods data are not always consistent with biotest analysis results, which is associated with different bioavailability of pollutants to biome. The final river waters quality assessment should be carried out taking into account the waters class according to hydrochemical data and with indication of the possible toxicants’ bioavailability for aquatic organisms.

Background concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Ni were calculated for brown algae Costaria costata from the northwest Sea of Japan. Also the paper contains refined data on heavy metal concentrations in the widespread distributed brown algae, such as Stephanocystis crassipes, Sargassum pallidum and S. miyabei. As the upper threshold levels of metal background concentrations, the median values plus double medians of absolute deviations from the medians were used (Me + 2MAD). The lower threshold level of the background concentration equal to the physiological need for an element is the median of 15% minimum values in the sampling minus the double median of absolute deviations from the median (Me15 - 2MAD15). The calculated ranges of the background concentrations of metals in algae were compared with concentrations of elements in mac-rophytes collected from habitats with background concentrations of metals in water.

Typical element background concentrations of rock units in Bavaria were evaluated by statistical means and presented in a lithogeochemical map, derived from the geological map at a scale of 1:25,000. The elements include 39 geogenic main and trace elements (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2, P2O5 Li, Be, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Tl, Pb, Bi , Th and U). The distributions of element concentrations in the lithogeochemical units follow closely lognormal patterns in a large majority of cases. Statistical parameters (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th percentiles) of investigated elements were determined using the cenfit function of the NADA package within the open source program R. The investigation, based on 8,838 analysed samples, provided data for about 2/3 of the area of Bavaria. The lithogeochemical map with medians (50th percentiles) and background values (90th percentiles) of the investigated elements is available in a web map application. Thus, the regional geogenic background values of the investigated elements in Bavaria are publicly available for a large variety of applications.

Цель исследования – дать оценку риска нарушения здоровья населения от влияния атмосферных выбросов прокатного производства металлургического комбината. Материалы и методы. В работе использовался том предельно допустимых выбросов предприятия. Расчеты максимальных разовых и среднегодовых концентраций веществ в выбранных точках, связанных с микрорайонами жилой застройки, проводились с использованием программы «ЭКОцентр-Стандарт». Риски для здоровья населения рассчитывались на основании Руководства Р 2.1.10.1920-04 и методик Щербо А.П. и Онищенко Г.Г. Полученные уровни рисков сравнивались с приемлемыми значениями. Также в работе определялись риски с учетом фоновых концентраций загрязняющих веществ. Результаты. Выявлены приоритетные загрязняющие вещества: оксид железа (III), диоксид азота, оксид азота, диоксид серы, оксид углерода, бенз(а)пирен. Определены максимальные разовые и среднегодовые концентрации веществ по выбранным точкам, выявлено превышение предельно допустимой концентрации оксида железа. Наибольшие уровни рисков хронической интоксикации установлены от воздействия оксида железа и диоксида азота. Максимальный суммарный уровень риска хронической интоксикации наблюдается в районе расположения Кузбасской ярмарки от влияния диоксида азота, что обусловлено близким расположением источников загрязнения. Суммарные значения канцерогенного риска и риска немедленного действия находятся ниже уровня приемлемого риска по всем точкам. Суммарные значения риска хронической интоксикации значительно превышают приемлемый уровень в отдельных точках. Канцерогенный риск и риск хронической интоксикации с учетом воздействия фоновых концентраций веществ значительно превышают приемлемый уровень. Заключение. Атмосферные выбросы прокатного производства металлургического комбината вносят вклад в загрязнение атмосферного воздуха города, увеличивая риск хронической интоксикации., The aim of the research was to assess the risk of public health damage due to the impact of atmospheric emissions from the rolling-mill production of a metallurgical plant. Materials and methods. The volume of maximum allowable emissions of the enterprise was used in the work. Calculations of the maximum one-time and average annual concentrations of substances at the selected points associated with residential development microdistricts were carried out using the "ECOcenter-Standard" program. Public health risks were calculated on the basis of the Guideline R 2.1.10.1920-04 and the methods of Shcherbo A.P. and Onishchenko G.G. The resulting risk levels were compared with the acceptable values. Also in the work, risks were determined taking into account the background concentrations of pollutants. Results. Priority pollutants were identified: iron oxide (III), nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzo(a) pyrene. The maximum one-time and average annual concentrations of substances at the selected points were determined, an excess of the maximum allowable concentration of iron oxide was revealed. The highest risk levels of chronic intoxication were identified from the exposure to iron oxide and nitrogen dioxide. The maximum total risk level of chronic intoxication was observed in the area of the Kuzbass Fair due to the influence of nitrogen dioxide, which was because of the close location of pollution sources. The total values of carcinogenic risk and the risk of immediate action were below the level of acceptable risk for all points. The total values of the risk of chronic intoxication significantly exceeded the acceptable level at individual points. The carcinogenic risk and the risk of chronic intoxication, taking into account the impact of background concentrations of substances, significantly exceeded the acceptable level. Conclusion. Atmospheric emissions from the rolling-mill production of the metallurgical plant contribute to the pollution of the city’s atmospheric air increasing the risk of chronic intoxication.

This work is a continuation of research on the quantitative assessment of the level of heavy metal pollution (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni) of the ecosystem components of the estuary region of the Northern Dvina River. In this article, to assess the levels of contamination with the studied metals of the ecosystem of the estuary region of the Northern Dvina River in the area of the greatest anthropogenic impact (the area of the urban agglomeration Novodvinsk-Arkhangelsk-Severodvinsk), we use the method of comparative analysis with the conditional background area of the object of study, taking for it – the section of the river located above the urban development. Using spatial mapping of the values of the enrichment coefficients for the components of the aquatic ecosystem, areas with an abnormal excess of the metal content in the mollusk tissues, bottom sediments and the bottom water layer were identified. It is established that the area adjacent to the central part of the city and to the industrial zone on the left bank is subject to the greatest anthropogenic load in the water area of the top of the river delta. The most likely sources of contamination with the considered heavy metals (HM) are the ingress of surface wastewater (meltwater and rain storm runoff), untreated municipal wastewater and direct near-atmospheric transport. The analysis of mollusk tissues proved to be a more informative and indicative approach to the assessment of HM pollution in water areas with complex hydrological and hydrochemical gradients of the environment, compared to the bottom layer of water and bottom sediments.

International harmonisation of management goals for eutrophication processes in coastal waters, requiring reduction of discharges and depositions of nutrients and organic matter, needs coordinated assessments and measures. This is especially necessary in open areas, connected by currents and mixing processes with trans-boundary exchanges. Management goals, defined nationally as local thresholds for nutrients and chlorophyll-a, had been applied recently (2006–2014) within international eutrophication assessments in the North Sea (OSPAR) and Baltic Sea (HELCOM). Consistency of thresholds for nitrogen nutrients and chlorophyll-a concentrations is tested by mixing diagrams and correlations between nitrogen nutrients (total and inorganic nitrogen) and chlorophyll-a. Results indicate mean consistent relations, but single deviations as in the continental coastal water of the North Sea surpassed means by a factor up to 5 for chlorophyll-a in relation to inorganic nitrogen. Thresholds differed across national borders significantly. Correlations of thresholds and assed data reflect the degree of regional deviations by comparison. Consistency of regionally applied thresholds can be achieved stepwise, by application of regionally correlated means, by adaptation to mixing and parameter relations, and finally by relations of thresholds to natural background concentrations. By this, consistency of international assessments can be improved generally, allowing coordinated management of open coastal waters.

Ambient respirable crystalline silica air quality is of concern to many communities near mineral processing facilities and to regulatory agencies serving these communities. Accurate air quality data are needed to compare measured respirable crystalline silica concentrations at the fencelines of mineral processing facilities with the published health effect guideline published by the California Office of Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). This article is a compilation and evaluation of air quality studies around a diverse set of nineteen sand producing facilities. The respirable crystalline silica air quality data compiled by Air Control Techniques, P.C. and most of the data compiled by other researchers cited in this article have been measured using EPA Reference Method samplers adjusted for respirable crystalline silica sampling and NIOSH Method 7500 X-ray diffraction analyses. The authors conclude that (1) the ambient concentrations in the diverse set of mineral processing facilities were consistently lower than the 3.0 microgram per cubic meter chronic reference exposure level (REL) adopted by OEHHA, (2) upwind-to-downwind fenceline concentration differences were small, and (3) the fenceline t concentrations were often at background concentration levels. The authors recommend additional sampling studies to better characterize background concentrations of ambient respirable crystalline silica.

The impact of water deficit in the soil on the growth of Armenian semi-tooth-shaped sweet corn under various soil and climatic conditions was assessed. The plant drought response was studied by kinematic growth profiles with account taken of contrast sensitivity to stress factors depending on the soil and climatic conditions, as well as of background concentrations of some heavy metals. The drought effect is reflected in changes of the physiological growth parameters of the fifth leaf of corn. The plant drought tolerance was assessed at the seedling stage by measuring the total length of the plant and accumulation coefficients of heavy metals.

In 2018, the German Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area has re‐evaluated Molybdenum and its compounds. Available publications are described in detail. In recent publications since the last evaluation in 2005 some authors investigated Molybdenum concentrations in blood or urine with respect to occupational Molybdenum exposure, however, without a conclusive outcome: The results of the different studies were either contradictory or missed respective exposure data and/or quality control measures. Therefore, no BAT value (biological tolerance value) was derived. However, some studies reported background concentrations in men, women or children, most of them with sufficiently applied quality control. In these studies, it was found that nutrition is the most important contribution to Molybdenum in urine. Several studies with quality control means and with sufficient statistical power revealed similar concentration ranges between 34–50 µg/L urine and/or 95% percentiles around 150 µg/L urine. In conclusion, a BAR of 150 µg Molybdenum/L urine was derived.

Objective of the work:assessment and analysis of the risk to the health of the population of Novokuznetsk from the effects of atmospheric emissions from stationary sources of rail transport.Research methods:the volume of the maximum permissible emissions of the structural units of the OJSC “Russian Railways” in the city of Novokuznetsk was analyzed. The calculation of the maximum and average annual concentrations of toxic substances from each source for selected exposure points was made according to the “Methods for calculating the dispersion of emissions of harmful (polluting) substances into the atmospheric air” using the “ECO Center Standard” program. Health risks were calculated in accordance with the “Guidelines for the assessment of the public health risk when exposed to chemicals polluting the environment: “G 2.1.10.1920-04” and methodology A. P. Scherbo “Environment and health: approaches to risk assessment” were compared with acceptable values.Main results of the study:priority pollutants entering to the city’s atmosphere from stationary sources of OJSC “Russian Railways” and determining the risk of chronic intoxication are dioxide ferric, nitrogen dioxide, carbon oxide, hydrofluoride, sulfur dioxide. Soot as a carcinogen is not dangerous for public health. The highest total risk of chronic intoxication is observed in the area of the railway station. The greatest contribution to the formation of the risk of chronic intoxication is made by emissions from the sources of the wagon repair depot. The levels of immediate risks from exposure to all selected pollutants are zero. Determining of the levels of health risks taking into account the background concentrations of toxic substances revealed that the highest levels of immediate risks at all design points are observed from the influence of carbon oxide. The proposed activities aimed at reducing risk levels.Conclusion:stationary sources of the structural units of Russian Railways in Novokuznetsk contribute to air pollution in the city without having a significant impact on the health of the population.

Nowadays, micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides and personal care products can be found ubiquitously in the anthropogenically influenced water cycle. As micropollutants have virtually no natural background concentrations they are significantly more sensitive in detecting processes and flow paths than classic inorganic tracers and indicators and at the same time they are often highly source specific. Therefore, using micropollutants as environmental indicators for anthropogenic activities is a common and frequently applied method today. As they interact in many ways with environmental matrices they can be used for source apportionment as well as to estimate flow paths and residence times in waterbodies. This review gives a systematic overview over the large variety of micropollutants used as indicators in the aquatic environment over the last decades together with the prerequisites on their use. Their application is subdivided into their qualitative (compound presence or absence) and quantitative (volume flows) use and shows the numerous possibilities from gaining basic information on the water regime up to advanced applications such as wastewater-based epidemiology.

This work focuses on the characterization of background levels of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in seabed marine sediments of the central Adriatic Sea, collected up to 10 km far from the Abruzzo region coastline (Italy). The used approach follows the guidelines established by the Decree of the Italian Ministry of Environment, n. 173/2016, concerning the determination of threshold values of metal concentration, and including only samples with low or absent toxicological content. A statistical analysis, using the adjusted Tuckey's boxplot to identify the percentiles and potential outliers, was performed. The background concentrations were calculated as the values of the 90th percentile of distribution, according to the national regulation. This study represents the first attempt to calculate the background levels of marine sediments done at regional level in Abruzzo. A few outliers have been found, and interpreted as potential anthropic contamination.

In the monitoring of soils contaminated with heavy metals, the choice of the target indicators (background or threshold values) is a challenging task. The determination of the background concentrations is of practical importance, because the pollution of clean soils to the levels below the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) or the tentative permissible concentration (TPC) levels is not recorded and, hence, cannot be prosecuted. Background concentrations are rarely applied in pollution assessment, because they remain unknown in most cases. The study of the soils of specially protected natural areas in Rostov oblast has revealed the regional specificity of the soil cover—elevated concentrations of a number of heavy metals and other trace elements—related to their high concentrations in the parent materials. Therefore, it is impossible to apply current public health standards based on the total concentrations of elements, such as MPC and TPC, in the monitoring of soil contamination in Rostov oblast. The use of background values characterizing the soils of specially protected natural areas seems to be more promising for this purpose. For an adequate environmental monitoring, data on the background concentrations of trace elements in the virgin of slightly transformed soils of specially protected natural areas should be obtained with due account for the regional diversity of soils including their classification position, texture, and the character of parent materials.

A study was conducted on the content of chemical elements in the epiphytic moss of Pylaisia polyantha (Hedw.) V.S.G. The moss samples were taken from 6 background areas of the West Siberian region, as well as in the city of Tomsk. The content of chemical elements is determined using neutron activation analysis. The hypothesis about the normal/log-normal distribution of the concentrations of chemical elements was tested using the χ2 criterion; asymmetry and kurtosis were used for samples less than 20. When the hypothesis is confirmed, the background concentrations of chemical elements are defined as mean values ±2σ. The concentrations of each background area are subject to the normal distribution law. For the overwhelming number of elements, the anthropogenic background of the city of Tomsk is 2 times or more natural.

The Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais (CPRM - Geological Survey of Brazil) has conducted geochemical surveys in the south-central region of the Itacaiunas River watershed (IRW) in the Carajas region. The surveyed area covers 9,650 km2 and the data obtained by CPRM is the basis for the present study. A total of 833 active stream sediment samples, including 144 duplicates were collected. The

When dealing with environmental monitoring, background assessment values are needed to identify such concentrations of pollutants that can be assumed as natural. Background Concentration (BC) values are defined for natural compounds as the concentration of a contaminant at a “pristine” or “remote” site based on contemporary or historical data. Previously BC values exist for some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but are under revision and do not exist for individual alkylated PAHs. Moreover, they will differ in different geological locations and should be specified geographically. Based on analytical data obtained from sediment cores from the North Atlantic Coast, this study present BC values for 35 PAHs which will increase the actual database in 10 new values for parent PAHs and, for the first time, for 13 individual alkylated compounds. Granulometric and organic matter studies were performed in the sediments to both classify the studied sediments and to assure that the derived values can be used to evaluate samples with different sedimentary characteristics. The newly presented values have been compared to reference values from different countries., Sí

The results of the analysis of melt water (94 samples), taken on the territory of the city of Tyumen, are discussed. The patterns of distribution of the water-soluble (most toxic) form of copper in the city are established. The information obtained, presented in the form of maps, allowed us to identify areas with varying degrees of load on this indicator. A method for estimating background concentrations is proposed, since previously proposed method in modern conditions was not applicable.

Heavy metal pollution of the environment caused by e-waste recycling is of increasing concern, but little information is available on metal emissions during e-waste processing activities. Here, the concentrations of nine metals in soil at four contaminated sites in Qingyuan (an e-waste recycling area in China) and the risks posed were investigated. Soil at the sites was polluted with metals, particularly Cd, Cu, Pb, and Sb, the concentrations of which were 2.83–2306, 2.17–1880, 0.96–1971, and 9.28–5607 times higher, respectively, than local background concentrations. The Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Sb concentrations were significantly lower in soil at an abandoned site than at acid-leaching, dismantling, and burning sites. The risks posed by metals in soil to human and environmental health were much higher at the acid-leaching and burning sites than the dismantling and abandoned sites. Source assessments indicated the differences in metal concentrations at the different sites were caused by different e-waste recycling activities at the sites. The results indicated crude e-waste processing is an important source of heavy metals to soil and should be of great concern. Pollution control measures and risk management strategies specific to soil contaminated through e-waste processing activities should be developed.

Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais (CPRM, the Brazilian geological survey) has carried out geochemical surveys focused on the Carajas region, the largest mineral province in Brazil. One of these surveys covered the area of Canaa dos Carajas, where 257 soil samples, including 32 duplicate samples, were collected from the B-horizon of soils within an area of c. 3500 km2. The

Background: Concentrations of arsenic (As) are elevated in a large proportion of wells in Bangladesh but are spatially variable even within a village. This heterogeneity can enable exposed households to switch to a nearby well lower in As in response to blanket (area-wide) well As testing. Objectives: We document the evolution of As exposure in Araihazar, Bangladesh following a blanket well testing and education campaign, as well as the installation of a considerable number of low As community wells. Methods: We use well water and urinary As data collected between 2000 and 2008, along with household interviews extending through 2016, within a 25 km2 area of Araihazar upazila for nearly 12,000 participants enrolled in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). We observe changes in participants' well water and urinary As concentrations following interventions to lower their exposure and use logistic regression to determine the factors associated with participants' decisions to switch primary household wells. Results: Urinary As for participants drinking from wells with >100 μg/L As at baseline declined from a mean of 226 μg/L at baseline to 173 μg/L two years later, and further declined to 139 μg/L over 8 years. For comparison, urinary As concentrations for participants drinking from wells with ≤10 μg/L As remained close to 50 μg/L throughout. Whereas the interventions only partially reduced exposure, well status with respect to As was predictive of well-switching decisions for at least a decade after the initial testing. Participants with high-As wells were 7 times more likely to switch wells over the first two years and 1.4–1.8 times more likely to switch wells over the ensuing decade. Conclusions: Arsenic exposure gradually declined following blanket well testing, an education campaign, and the installation of community wells but remained almost three times higher than for a subgroup of the participants drinking from wells with ≤10 μg/L. In addition, the number of participants with unknown As concentrations in their primary household wells increased substantially over time, indicating the importance of additional well testing as new wells continue to be installed, in addition to other means of reducing As exposure., NIEHS grant P42 ES10349.

Dust constitutes one of the major environmental concerns near many aggregate quarries, with crushing often being the most significant source. In this study, dust emissions and dispersion measurements were conducted under real operating conditions at six aggregate quarries in southern Finland. Five of them represent granitic rocks and one a limestone quarry. Dust concentrations during crushing were measured at varying distances with time intervals of five seconds. The variation in dust concentration was high within all the measured distances, ranging from 10 to 200 m. Crushing produces mainly coarse (TSP and PM10) dust particles, which settle near the dust source. The mass concentration of coarse particles in this investigation varied from few tens of μg/m3 to over 6.5 × 103 μg/m3 downwind from the crusher. The mass concentration of fine particles (PM2.5 and PM1) ranged between ten μg/m3 and few hundreds of μg/m3 downwind from the crusher. The fine particles originated mainly from machinery used in the quarries and remote sources, such as nearby traffic. In quarries operating with secondary crushing, the background concentrations were achieved approximately from a 350 m distance for coarse particles. Local dust sources, such as hauling, impacted the results inside the quarry. Crushing produced more dust compared to comparable studies for drilling. The dust concentrations at the limestone quarry were approximately 50% of concentrations measured at quarries with granitic rocks.