Environmental Risk Analysis Research Articles

Determination of Mercury (Hg) Risk Level (RQ) with Exposure through Fish and Drinking Water Consumption in Bulawa Sub-district, Bone Bolango District, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia

Mercury (Hg) is a liquid metal element, silver at room temperature (250C and has a melting and boiling points at of-38.870and 35.00C, respectively. In traditional gold mining activities, Mercury (Hg) is used for gold purification (amalgamation). This study aims to determine the level of risk (RQ) in the community of Bulawa District who consume fish and drinking water sourced from the waters around traditional mining activities. This type of research is observational with an environmental health risk analysis design. Sampling was calculated using purposive sampling with the inclusion criteria by the researchers and resulted in 100 citizens. The results of the calculation of the level of Risk (RQ) of Mercury (Hg) consumption of fish and drinking water in the community of Bulawa District was 0.08 and 0.003, respectively, thus, RQ <1, meaning that it does not have an effect on health. However, this value can be used as a reference level of risk level (RQ) of Mercury (Hg) in people who consume fish and drinking water from the waters of traditional mining areas in Indonesia. Control measures can be taken to maintain the level of Risk (RQ) of Mercury (Hg) <1 through limiting the frequency of consumption and the rate of intake of fish and drinking water from surrounding waters. Warning signs of mercury contamination around mining waters can be also provided. © 2019, Indian Journal of Public Health Research and Development. All rights reserved.

Determining Mercury Safe concentration in Shells in the Unlicensed Gold Mining Area of Kayeli Village, Buru Regency, Maluku Province, indonesia

Mercury is one of the metals in the environment which naturally occurs and is classified as a hazardous material. Mercury is a silver white heavy metal and has persistent properties. It is liquid, volatile, bioaccumulation and harmful to health and the environment. This study aimed to determine the safe concentration of mercury exposure in the community in the area of unlicensed gold mining areas (PETI) in Kayeli Village, Buru Regency, Maluku Province, Indonesia. This study was an observational study with an environmental health risk analysis approach. The sample of this study was 67 people and the object of this study was Polymesoda erosa shells. The variables were the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL), Reference Dose (RfD), mercury concentrations in the shells, body weight, shell consumption rate and safe concentrations of mercury in the shells. The result showed mercury concentration in Polymesoda erosa in 9 different sample locations was 0.756 mg/kg and the safe concentration of mercury exposure was 0.71 mg/ kg. It was less than the Indonesian National Standard of the maximum limit of heavy metal contamination in food. It can be concluded that the safe concentration of mercury in the shells of illegal gold mining areas in Maluku province of Indonesia is safe and can be used as a reference for the community. © 2019, Indian Journal of Public Health Research and Development. All rights reserved.

Determination of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Safe Duration in Residential Population Around the Fertilizer Industry X in Indonesia

People who have lived more than 22 years in settlements around the fertilizer industry X are at risk of being exposed to SO2 from the increase in exhaust emissions produced by the boilers and power generation equipment in the fertilizer industry. The purpose of this study was to determine the Risk Quotient (RQ) due to exposure to SO2 and to measure the duration of exposure to SO2 that is safe in the residential area around the fertilizer industry X. This research is a quantitative study with an environmental health risk analysis method, with a sample size of 297 adult population respondents in residential areas around the center of SO2 emissions in the fertilizer industry X area. Data analysis was done using manual data calculations to determine the intake of SO2 (non carcinogenic), risk level or risk quotient (RQ), and safe duration (Dt safe) exposure to SO2 in the population around the fertilizer industry X. The results showed that the average non-carcinogenic intake of SO2 in settlements around the fertilizer industry X was at 0.057427415mg/kg/day. While the average risk quotient is 1.788347507 (RQ> 1), from a total of 297 respondents as many as 197 respondents with RQ> 1 and 100 respondents with RQ 50 of the population in settlements around the fertilizer industry X have health risks resulting from exposure to SO2. The average safe duration of exposure to SO2 in the population in settlements around the fertilizer industry X is 23.47 years, depending on the food intake and body condition of the respondents. The recommendation that can be given is to increase the weight of respondents and the right diet pattern by consuming nutritional intake that can detoxify the main toxin to reduce sulfur dioxide levels in the body, one example is the provision of vitamins E and C which can reduce oxidative effects such as lipid peroxidation and membrane damage in erythrocytes due to exposure to sulfur dioxide2. Besides that, a related stakeholder policy is needed to periodically measure SO2 concentrations in community residential areas around the fertilizer industry X, so that the air quality of people exposed to SO2 can be monitored and is still within safe limits. The company holds a CSR program involving the surrounding community by conducting routine health checks, greening programs around the fertilizer industrial area6. © 2019, Indian Journal of Public Health Research and Development. All rights reserved.

Environmental Risks and Their Influence on Biological Age of the Population of the Volgograd Region

The analysis of environmental risks of deterioration in health of able-bodied population of the Volgograd region is presented in article. Air pollution is most closely connected with development of diseases of the cardio-respiratory system especially in persons between 35-40 years or more. Growth of the chronic diseases causes accelerated aging of the population making it difficult to continue active work. The research objective was to study the accordance of the calendar age to the biological age in people of various age groups living in regions with unfavorable ecological conditions. The analysis of accordance of the calendar and biological age is executed on the basis of complex researches on the function of the external respiration by methods of the usual and forced spirometry. The algorithm of carrying out researches on the accordance of biological age to calendar age in different age groups has been defined.

Environmental risk-analysis of the initial stock information on the types of objects of accumulated damage at the regional and municipal levels

Environmental risk-analysis of the initial stock information on the types of objects of accumulated damage at the regional and municipal levels

Introduction to the thematic issue: mineral deposits exploration and environmental geochemistry: case studies in Italy and in China

Raw materials are fundamental to the economy, and hence to growth and jobs, and they are essential for maintaining and improving our quality of life. Securing reliable, sustainable and economic access to certain ‘critical’ raw materials is of growing concern around the globe. But it is as well a priority to acquire detailed information about the distribution of PTE and POP both at regional and local scales for environmental issues. The latter are of fundamental importance for environmental risk assessment and analysis that have a crucial role in the evaluation of human health risk, especially in mining and intensive urbanized areas. In addition, geochemical knowledge of the territory and mostly of top soils, where the main agricultural products grow, to become the foods for citizens, may be useful for land-use planning. Geochemical exploration methods are widely used to manage, visualize, analyse and interpret data for further identifying geochemical anomalies, for both the discovery of new ore bodies and for environmental purposes.

Blame It on the Metabolite: 3,5-Dichloroaniline Rather than the Parent Compound Is Responsible for the Decreasing Diversity and Function of Soil Microorganisms.

Pesticides are key stressors of soil microorganisms with reciprocal effects on ecosystem functioning. These effects have been mainly attributed to the parent compounds, while the impact of their transformation products (TPs) has been largely overlooked. We assessed in a meadow soil (soil A) the transformation of iprodione and its toxicity in relation to (i) the abundance of functional microbial groups, (ii) the activity of key microbial enzymes, and (iii) the diversity of bacteria, fungi, and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) using amplicon sequencing. 3,5-Dichloroaniline (3,5-DCA), the main iprodione TP, was identified as a key explanatory factor for the persistent reduction in enzymatic activities and potential nitrification (PN) and for the observed structural changes in the bacterial and fungal communities. The abundances of certain bacterial (Actinobacteria, Hyphomicrobiaceae, Ilumatobacter, and Solirubrobacter) and fungal (Pichiaceae) groups were negatively correlated with 3,5-DCA. A subsequent study in a fallow agricultural soil (soil B) showed limited formation of 3,5-DCA, which concurred with the lack of effects on nitrification. Direct 3,5-DCA application in soil B induced a dose-dependent reduction of PN and NO3--N, which recovered with time. In vitro assays with terrestrial AOM verified the greater toxicity of 3,5-DCA over iprodione. "Candidatus Nitrosotalea sinensis" Nd2 was the most sensitive AOM to both compounds. Our findings build on previous evidence on the sensitivity of AOM to pesticides, reinforcing their potential utilization as indicators of the soil microbial toxicity of pesticides in pesticide environmental risk analysis and stressing the need to consider the contribution of TPs in the toxicity of pesticides on the soil microbial community.IMPORTANCE Pesticide toxicity on soil microorganisms is an emerging issue in pesticide risk assessment, dictated by the pivotal role of soil microorganisms in ecosystem services. However, the focus has traditionally been on parent compounds, while transformation products (TPs) are largely overlooked. We tested the hypothesis that TPs can be major contributors to the soil microbial toxicity of pesticides using iprodione and its main TP, 3,5-dichloroaniline, as model compounds. We demonstrated, by measuring functional and structural endpoints, that 3,5-dichloroaniline and not iprodione was associated with adverse effects on soil microorganisms, with nitrification being mostly affected. Pioneering in vitro assays with relevant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea verified the greater toxicity of 3,5-dichloroaniline. Our findings are expected to advance environmental risk assessment, highlighting the potential of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms as indicators of the soil microbial toxicity of pesticides and stressing the need to consider the contribution of TPs to pesticide soil microbial toxicity.

A STEPPED HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION FOLLOWING MILITARY ACTIONS

Military activities resulting in chemical pollution of the environment could produce a long-term impact on human health, whereas under certain conditions even ultra-low concentrations of some substances might provoke cancer, without noticeable toxic effect. According to modern views on carcinogenesis, the effect of carcinogens on human health does not have a threshold level of concentration. With the current deplorable state of the environment and an urgent need to improve it in view, we argue that there is a critical need for the mechanism that could assess the real state of the environment and would be instrumental for optimal decision-making process aimed at reducing environmental costs. The paper reports a case-study and exemplifies that a stepped health risk assessment is appropriate and helpful in case of environmental pollution following military actions. It also highlights the results of the risk assessment for life of the population living in the vicinity of hostilities. The results of the possible risk calculations concerning the damage non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic compounds could cause to the people living in the vicinity of hostilities were obtained in stages; the simple Monte Carlo error propagation methods and the two-dimensional Monte Carlo procedure were used to estimate the probability of different outcomes due to the intervention of random variables. It is shown that, in comparison with the simple Monte Carlo error propagation methods, the two-dimensional Monte Carlo procedure for estimating the probability of different outcomes provides additional information for the decision-making process, concerning either taking some specific measures or not. The findings of the study are the following: the assessment and subsequent analysis of environmental risk provide much more relevant information for taking an environmental decision, as compared to the threshold concentration methodology. The risk assessment should be carried out in stages, starting from simple (deterministic) to more complex ones (first the simple Monte Carlo error propagation methods, and later, two-dimensional Monte Carlo method), whenever there arise any of the following needs: if it is necessary to establish priorities among the areas, polluters, pollutants, pollutant transfer routes, categories of population and other risk factors; if resources for environmental conservation are limited; if mistaken decisions could generate destructive results; if there is a lack of information necessary to take a competent decision.

Engineering Research, Safety and Environmental Risk Analyses on Bioenergy Utilisation - Collaboration in Bulgaria and in International Aspect

Engineering Research, Safety and Environmental Risk Analyses on Bioenergy Utilisation - Collaboration in Bulgaria and in International Aspect

Risk Analysis of Health Workers in Slaughterhouses Due to Ammonia Gas Exposure

Slaughterhouses was one part of the livestock industry. The livestock industry was a producer of ammonia emissions in the atmosphere. Ammonia has a negative impact on public health and the environment. This study aims to analyze the health risks to workers in slaughterhouses caused by ammonia gas exposure. The research design in this research was an observational research with cross-sectional design that used environmental health risk assessment (EHRA). The population of this research was workers in slaughterhouse, technique, sanitation and IPAL that consisting of 35 peoples. The measurement of ammonia gas was calculated used Spectrophotometer-Nessler method with wavelength 440 nm. The Air samples was taken at four points in the slaughterhouses Pegirian area. The result of the research indicated that the concentration of ammonia highest in slaughterhouses Pegirian of 0.025972 ppm (0.01806 mg/m3) and concentration ammonia lowest of 0.004364 ppm (0.00303 mg/m3). Based on the analysis of environmental health risks in mind that the value of RQ by 0.002781. The conclusion of this research is the exposure to ammonia gas at-risk population with 55 Kg weight at slaughtering houses Pegirian still within safe limits for the frequency of 250 days / year to 30 years. Advice that can be given is the need to improve the management company waste management as a source of ammonia emissions in slaughterhouses.

Analysis of Environmental Aspects of Exploiting Unconventional Reservoirs

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 185546, “Importance of the Study of Environmental Aspects in the Exploitation of Unconventional Reservoirs for Risk Assessment of the Activity in Argentina,” by M.A. De La Zerda and E. Erdmann, SPE, Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, and R. Sarandon, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, prepared for the 2017 SPE Latin America and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Buenos Aires, 17–19 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed. This paper presents an analysis of the environmental aspects of the exploitation of unconventional reservoirs in order to evaluate the risk of the activity. To this end, the existing normative framework, the natural and socioeconomic conditions of the area, and the applicable technologies are considered. The novelty of this work is the analysis of the factors that determine the environmental risk including technologies, environmental conditions at the site, and the legal context in the region. Methodology A review and comparative analysis was performed of the general and environmental regulatory framework in Argentina where unconventional exploration or exploitation activities are carried out. This analysis was completed with a review of the effluent-management strategy, comparing it with criteria used by other countries, especially the United States. In order to perform a preliminary evaluation of the environmental risk, a structured, conceptual, and qualitative analysis was conducted in specific sectors corresponding to each of the areas of exploration and exploitation. Depending on the information available at the regional level, and based on the analysis of satellite images, each site was characterized according to 20 parameters. Parameters 1–9 represented the natural physical environment, 10–13 represented biotic or ecological factors, and 14–20 represented human environment: Temperature—Low temperatures result in a longer time for recovery; biochemical processes are slower. Extreme temperatures result in operational technological challenges. Precipitation—High levels of precipitation make the land less stable, raising the risk of water erosion, landslides, torrential phenomena, floods, and other extreme events. Contour—Abrupt land contour changes increase the risk of erosion, landslide, or mass removal. Wind—Frequent and intense winds increase the dispersion of atmospheric pollutants, especially particulate matter, and can lead to potential contamination of populated or productive areas. Water Depth—Deeper groundwater increases the risk of contamination by intentional or accidental spills, as well as contact with hazardous substances. Wetlands—The proximity to wetlands (e.g., streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds) increases the risk of contamination by intentional or accidental spill. Water Resources—The availability of water resources affects hydraulic-fracturing operations. Land Quality—High-quality land results in greater risk to the environment from an accidental spill or degradation from occupation, erosion, or contamination. Hydrologic Regime—Increased intermittence of the watercourse increases the risk of torrential activity, erosion, and flooding, raising the risk of accidents during the operation phase.

Analysis and Management of Environmental Risks in Use of Plastics

It is shown that the widespread use of plastics as the most important modern construction material in various industries in addition to technical, economic and aesthetic benefits and carries significant environmental risks associated with the consumption of hydrocarbons and the generation of waste. To reduce environmental risks requires the use of plastic waste as secondary materials, which will reduce the consumption of primary resources and reduce environmental pollution. The new system of rationing of negative influence of enterprises on environment, adopted in the country, will be a good incentive to use waste plastics as a feedstock, which will reduce the environmental risks associated with their use.

Coal Power Environmental Stress Testing in China

The development of China’s coal power industry is accompanied by various environmental risks. In this paper, typical coal power enterprises are taken as examples to establish a tool for environmental cost internalization and environmental risk analysis under the risk constraints of energy efficiency standards, environmental protection tax, national carbon market, water resources tax, overcapacity and renewable energy substitution. The study considered the impact on the value of coal power companies under different stress scenarios and constructed a stress testing framework for environmental risks that affect financial costs. The results show that the impacts of overcapacity and carbon market on enterprise value for individual risks are the main risk drivers that most regions face in different scenarios. In the comprehensive risk stress test, the enterprise value of the 1000 MW ultra-supercritical units in each region was found to have a small difference from the corporate value of the reasonable return in the optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, while the 300 MW and 600 MW sub critical units were more likely to deviate from the reasonable return due to low energy efficiency and high operating costs. With continuous increase in the severity of environmental risks, the environmental stress test helps coal power companies and financial institutions understand the impact of environmental risks on the financial status of the company and thus influence investment decisions.

Rethink potential risks of toxic emissions from natural gas and oil mining

Studies have showed the increasing environmental and public health risks of toxic emissions from natural gas and oil mining, which have become even worse as fracking is becoming a dominant approach in current natural gas extraction. However, governments and communities often overlook the serious air pollutants from oil and gas mining, which are often quantified lower than the significant levels of adverse health effects. Therefore, we are facing a challenging dilemma: how could we clearly understand the potential risks of air toxics from natural gas and oil mining.This short study aims at the design and application of simple and robust methods to enhance and improve current understanding of the becoming worse toxic air emissions from natural gas and oil mining as fracking is becoming the major approach. Two simple ratios, the min-to-national-average and the max-to-national-average, are designed and applied to each type of air pollutants in a natural gas and oil mining region. The two ratios directly indicate how significantly high a type of air pollutant could be due to natural gas and oil mining by comparing it to the national average records, although it may not reach the significant risks of adverse health effects according to current risk screening methods. The min-to-national-average and the max-to-national-average ratios can be used as a direct and powerful method to describe the significance of air pollution by comparing it to the national average. The two ratios are easy to use for governments, stakeholders, and the public to pay enough attention on the air pollutants from natural gas and oil mining. The two ratios can also be thematically mapped at sampled sites for spatial monitoring, but spatial mitigation and analysis of environmental and health risks need other measurements of environmental and demographic characteristics across a natural gas and oil mining area.

Índice de estado trófico e qualidade da água na produção de tilápias em tanques-rede em represa rural na região da Mata Atlântica na América do Sul

A produção de tilápias (Oreochromis niloticus) em tanques-rede exige o constante monitoramento das propriedades físico-químicas da água, pois é uma atividade considerada potencialmente poluidora do ambiente aquático e o monitoramento é fundamental para evitar processos de eutrofização do corpo hídrico. O presente estudo avaliou a influência da produção intensiva de tilápia do Nilo em tanques-rede sobre o grau de trofia e qualidade da água em uma represa localizada no Vale do Ribeira, região de Mata Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil. Na classificação do grau de trofia foram considerados cinco classes, que foram estabelecidas a partir do Índice do Estado Trófico (IET). O experimento foi conduzido em três períodos: antes (90 dias), durante (180 dias) e após (90 dias) à produção intensiva de peixes na represa. Instalaram-se 30 tanques-rede de 4 m3 com densidade de estocagem de 150 peixes por m3. A partir dos resultados experimentais, verificou-se que o IET foi crescente no período de produção passando de ultraoligotrófico à mesotrófico, alcançou valor máximo de 53,2 ± 0,4 e após a produção manteve-se oligotrófico. Os parâmetros de qualidade de água não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre os períodos analisados (p&gt;0.05). A aplicação com base no IET representa uma ferramenta prática para o monitoramento ambiental e análise de riscos da produção de peixes no ambiente aquático.

Analysis of environmental health risks resulting from exposure to pollution materials

Analysis of environmental health risks resulting from exposure to pollution materials

Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Inhaled Dust Exposure on Workers at Industry Crumb Rubber Palembang City 2016

Rubber dust produced from the destructive rubber processing production process can cause respiratory health risks for workers. This study analyzed the risk of exposure to dust that is inhaled in the working environment of industrial workers of crumb rubber production. This research used descriptive study design, to calculate exposure risk of inhalation dust with environmental health risk analysis method to know the intake of individual exposure per day based on concentration of concentration agent, activity pattern and anthropometry. The sample this research were 156 workers from 450 workers. The technique for collecting the data used simple random sampling. Crude rubber dust samples in the work environment were took 25 points based on SNI 7230 of 2009. The concentration of dust being inhaled on the workers was measured using IOM Dust Sampler brand Cat 225-79A SKC, anthropometry using scales to measure the weight and pattern of worker activity was obtained using questionnaires. The mean dose concentration was 2.15 mg/m3, weight 57.7 kg, exposure time of 10.6 hours/day, frequency of exposure 286.6 days/year, exposure time of 10.6 years, 0.064 mg/m3 intake and Risk Quotient Non Carcinogenic> 1 is RQ 1.44 as many as 65% of workers. Risk management can be done by minimizing or equalizing the intake value by rfc 0.0442 mg/m3.

RISK ANALYSIS OF HEAVY METAL WEIGHT MERCURY IN SEA SEDIMENT IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF MAKASSAR CITY

Monitoring of marine sediments as an indicator of heavy metal mercury pollution in waters has been conducted. This study used an observational design with an Environmental Risk Analysis approach with the objective of knowing the concentration of mercury (Hg) heavy metals and the risk of metal contamination in marine sediments. Sediment sampling was conducted at 10 points in 5 (five) urban villages of Makassar City. The results showed that the highest mercury concentration was in Cambayya Village at 1.871 mg / kg and the lowest mercury concentration was in Lae-Lae Island Kelurahan at 1,550 mg / kg. In general, the content of heavy metals mercury in marine sediments in coastal areas of Makassar City has exceeded the threshold of 0.13 mg / kg with the enormous environmental risk occurring in coastal areas of Makassar City due to exposure to mercury metals, ranging from 11-22 under the risk category high HQ&gt; 10.Keywords : Risk Analysis, Sea Sediments, Mercury

An Integrated Framework for Environmental Multi-Impact Spatial Risk Analysis.

Quantitative risk analysis is being extensively employed to support policymakers and provides a strong conceptual framework for evaluating decision alternatives under uncertainty. Many problems involving environmental risks are, however, of a spatial nature, i.e., containing spatial impacts, spatial vulnerabilities, and spatial risk-mitigation alternatives. Recent developments in multicriteria spatial analysis have enabled the assessment and aggregation of multiple impacts, supporting policymakers in spatial evaluation problems. However, recent attempts to conduct spatial multicriteria risk analysis have generally been weakly conceptualized, without adequate roots in quantitative risk analysis. Moreover, assessments of spatial risk often neglect the multidimensional nature of spatial impacts (e.g., social, economic, human) that are typically occurring in such decision problems. The aim of this article is therefore to suggest a conceptual quantitative framework for environmental multicriteria spatial risk analysis based on expected multi-attribute utility theory. The framework proposes: (i) the formal assessment of multiple spatial impacts; (ii) the aggregation of these multiple spatial impacts; (iii) the assessment of spatial vulnerabilities and probabilities of occurrence of adverse events; (iv) the computation of spatial risks; (v) the assessment of spatial risk mitigation alternatives; and (vi) the design and comparison of spatial risk mitigation alternatives (e.g., reductions of vulnerabilities and/or impacts). We illustrate the use of the framework in practice with a case study based on a flood-prone area in northern Italy.

IDENTIFICATION OF DESERTIFICATION- SENSITIVE AREAS IN THE BRAZILIAN NORTHEAST THROUGH VEGETATION INDICES

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to identify areas susceptible to drought and under desertification in the Brazilian Northeast, more specifically in the states of Alagoas, Pernambuco, and Sergipe. The study was based on the 2000-2014 time period, relative frequency, Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) dataset derived from MOD13Q1 products (vegetation indices derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer sensor). The areas located within the desertification nucleus of Cabrobo, in the southwestern of Pernambuco and surrounding the Aguas Belas municipality were considered susceptible to drought and desertification. Some municipalities in the countryside of Alagoas showed a very low relative frequency of VCI data (45-50%), and occurrence of areas between 55-60%. Tthe Sergipe state presented a relative frequency VCI data around 50% only in the Poco Verde municipality. Among the areas with low rates of VCI and the most frequently identified in this research, therefore, with greater frequency of droughts, the Southwestern and the Southern Pernambuco hinterlands were not considered as pilot areas by MMA (Brazilian Environment Ministry) in its desertification studies and were included as susceptible for desertification in this study. The results suggest the use of this methodology to subsidize formulations of public policies with application in land use and land cover studies or sustainable development and environmental risk analysis.