Safe Utilisation Research Articles

O23. Perceptions of radiation safety and training among interventionalists in South Africa

Introduction Ionising radiation is an unseen, yet potentially harmful, modality widely used in diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures. There have been ongoing improvements in imaging technology with an associated reduction in radiation exposures required for imaging. There has however also been an increase in patient load and procedures have become more complex and of longer duration. This consequently increases radiation exposure to operators. It is thus imperative to improve training of interventionalists on the safe utilisation of radiation. The aim of this study was to understand the current perceptions of radiation safety training of interventionalists and to make recommendations for future training. Materials and methods This study is part of a larger mixed methods study. Data were collected qualitatively. Adult cardiologists, paediatric cardiologists and radiologists were interviewed individually or as part of a focus group. Focus groups consisted of 2–6 participants. The data were transcribed verbatim and coded and analysed thematically. Ethics clearance was obtained from the Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, UFS (ECUFS 44/2014). Results There were 54 participants in total. Six focus groups were constituted. Thirty individuals were interviewed. Cardiologists generally had less knowledge of the effects of radiation on their health compared to radiologists. The cardiologists had little or no dedicated teaching during their fellowship training in contrast to radiologists who have formal training requirements. Conclusion There is a dearth of knowledge on radiation safety practices among cardiologists in South Africa. Radiation physics and radiobiology is formalized in the training curriculum for radiologists resulting in appropriate awareness about radiation dangers and informed vigilance in radiation safety practice. The training of cardiologists with respect to radiation safety needs to be improved to ensure better safety practices; although there is no consensus on training standards within the professional groups.

The Effect of Low-Temperature Conversion of Plant Materials on the Chemical Composition and Ecotoxicity of Biochars

The chemical composition of biochars varies considerably depending on the chemical composition of biomass used for its production and conditions of the thermal conversion process. In the context of chemical composition, biochars are different from other types of organic matter in that they contain many more aromatic carbon compounds. The aims of this study were as follows: (1) to investigate the effect of pyrolysis process of plant material on the concentrations of macroelements, trace elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the biochars; (2) to evaluate the ecotoxicity of the biochars; (3) to integrate chemical and toxicity properties of biochars in order to assess their safe utilisation as fertiliser materials. It was found that the elemental composition, the contents of macronutrients and trace elements in biochars were determined by the type of converted biomass. In the case of contents of volatile elements, such as nitrogen and sulphur, the process conditions were of great importance. Among the analysed trace elements, only the cadmium content exceeded the limit value for premium class biochars. The process of thermal conversion of organic materials did not cause mobilisation of available forms of most of the studied trace elements. In the course of the study, it was found that the extracts from wheat straw biochar (WSB) were low-toxic, while the extracts from biochars derived from rape straw (RSB), Miscanthus straw (MSB), sawdust (SB), bark (BB) and leaves of trees (LTB) were highly toxic to V. fischeri. Based on the response of the test organism, the analysed biochars were arranged in the following order: WSB < BB < RSB < LTB < MSB < SB. The highest total content of PAHs (∑ 16 PAHs) was determined in rape straw biochar, and the lowest, in sawdust biochar. The studies revealed a negative correlation between the content of most of PAHs and inhibition of Vibrio fischeri luminescence.Graphical

Hydrogen Peroxide as a High Energy Compound Optimal for Propulsive Applications

This paper presents the authors' experience in the field of the safe preparation and utilisation of HTP (98%+), a storable propellant that is finding use in various engineering applications. Brief characterisations of the material as well as examples of its potential use within relevant industries are provided. Additionally, some of the existing data and current research are included to demonstrate the full potential of this material which meets most of the needs of the propulsion industry. The laboratory technique for obtaining the substance that has been developed recently at the Institute of Aviation is briefly described. Utilisation of the method based on a special glass apparatus allows reproducible amounts of the substance to be obtained with relatively little risk.

Impact Sensitivity of RDX and Viton Compositions Prepared by Co-precipitation Method

&lt;p&gt;Desensitisation of explosive materials using polymers is an important area in safe utilisation of explosives in various applications. The RDX/viton composition has been developed using co-precipitation method with varying content of viton, ranging from 5 to 35 wt per cent. RDX and viton were dissolved in acetone which is a common solvent for RDX and viton, and then the acetone was extracted from the solution by distillation resulting in homogeneous RDX/viton composition. Infrared spectroscopy studies indicated presence of RDX and viton in the resulting compositions. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis studies made on yielded compositions confirmed that RDX is present in the composition in desired content. The shift in exotherm of RDX/viton composition as compared to RDX showed that polymer-bonded RDX compositions are more stable. The impact sensitivity studies showed that sensitivity of RDX/viton composition decreased with increasing content of viton. The similar trend was observed for friction sensitivity. The co-precipitation method has been found to be advantages to obtain homogeneous composition of RDX and viton (with viton content up to 25 wt per cent) as revealed by linear trend in sensitivity data measurements. It has been demonstrated that the sensitivity of RDX can be tailored within a wide range using viton so as to suit in desired applications.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Defence Science Journal, Vol. 65, No. 4, July 2015, pp. 287-291, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.65.8647&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Aluminium recovery from NALCO fly ash by acid digestion in the presence of fluoride ion

The safe disposal and utilisation of coal fly ash (CFA) for value addition are still major problems worldwide. Al2O3 is a major valued material associated with it. Till date no methods are available to treat CFA for recovering its valued materials. Leaching of alumina from CFA in an economical way is very difficult, which either requires higher chemical consumption or application of stringent reaction conditions such as high temperature and pressure. In this paper a simple alternative method has been attempted to dissolve alumina from CFA. Addition of fluoride ion as HF improved the acid leaching performance of fly ash to a large extent. XRD data showed mullite, the alumina bearing phase, as the major phase which gets dissolved during leaching operation. A standard procedure for the precipitation of alumina can be employed after the leached solution is obtained.

Interaction of digestive enzymes with tunable light emitting quantum dots: a thorough Spectroscopic investigation.

In this article, we have examined the direct spectroscopic and microscopic evidence of efficient quantum dots-α-chymotrypsin (ChT) interaction. The intrinsic fluorescence of digestive enzyme is reduced in the presence of quantum dots through ground-state complex formation. Based on the fluorescence data, quenching rate constant, binding constant, and number of binding sites are calculated under optimized experimental conditions. Interestingly, fluorescence quenching method clearly illustrated the size dependent interaction of MPA-CdTe quantum dots. Conformational change of ChT was traced using synchronous fluorescence measurements, circular dichroism and FTIR spectroscopic methods. Furthermore, the AFM results revealed that the individual enzyme molecule dimensions were changed after interacting with quantum dot. Consequently, this result could be helpful for constructing safe and effective utilisation of QDs in biological applications.

Processing of high sulphate and free lime calcareous coal fly ash for producing high volume blended cements and complying grade products employed in civil engineering

The present work outlines the results of a research attempt aimed at developing and evaluating the performance of processed fly ash. The raw fly ashes are very coarse, have variable chemical and mineralogical composition and contain higher than allowed amounts of sulphate and free lime. Furthermore these fly ashes contain enhanced levels of radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K), which originate from the parent coal mineral. The above listed properties prevent raw calcareous fly ashes to be employed as they are. Calcareous type lignite fly ash samples that were provided from various power plants were processed in ways which enable the highest possible and safe utilisation ratio of fly ash in cement and some civil engineering applications. The processing consisted mainly on blending and/or co-grinding whereby co-grinding was a combined grinding and hydrolisis in order to reduce the sulphate and free lime content of the blend. Provided an accurate and strict quality management system is available, calcareous fly ashes can easily and safely be employed at up to 50% ratio in blended cements that comply with the European standard requirement for cement. This processing way is an environmentally and economically sound alternative and probably one of the best strategies for the highest possible calcareous fly ash utilisation.

Petroleum coke gasification: A review

AbstractThe production of petroleum coke (petcoke) in the refineries is progressively peaking up because of the trend of processing heavy crudes and in turn, a renewed interest in delayed coking process. Therefore, an efficient, economical, and environmentally safe utilisation of petcoke has become imperative in the current petroleum refining scenario. Gasification of petcoke has emerged as one of the attractive options and is gaining increasing attention to convert the petcoke to value‐added products. The process offers the refiners a variety of product slates mainly via synthesis gas route. The products include steam, hydrogen, electricity, chemicals (viz. methanol, ammonia, etc.), liquid fuels via Fischer–Tropsch (F‐T) synthesis and so on. Petcoke has been identified as a potential feedstock for about 15% of the total planned gasification capacity worldwide. In the present communication, the published literature pertaining to petcoke gasification has been extensively analysed and a state‐of‐the‐art review has been written that includes: (1) the importance of petcoke gasification in the present petroleum refining scenario; (2) petcoke gasification reaction mechanism, kinetics, and typical product profile; (3) parametric sensitivity of the operating variables such as temperature and pressure; (4) various gasifiers for petcoke gasification; (5) modelling efforts on different types of gasifiers and (6) future prospects of petcoke gasification. An attempt has been made to get the afore‐mentioned aspects together in a thematic framework so that the information is available at a glance and is expected to be useful as a single point source to the researchers and practicing refiners.

Shaping medicinal product information: a before and after study exploring physicians’ perspectives on the summary of product characteristics

ObjectiveTo establish, in the context of the revised European Pharmacovigilance Directive and based on physicians’ perspectives, how Summaries of Product Characteristics (SmPCs) could be more user friendly and better support...

Characterization of potential elastase inhibitor-peptides regulated by a molecular switch for wound dressings applications

Elastase plays an important role in wound healing process, degrading damaged tissue and allowing complete tissue recovery. The levels of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) are usually controlled by endogenous inhibitors. However, in the presence of high levels of elastase, like the ones present in chronic wounds, the inhibitors cannot overcome this overproduction and the enzyme starts to degrade the surrounding healthy tissue. In this work we report the development of a molecular switch to control the elastase activity in the exudate of non-healing chronic wounds. A peptide library was generated and screened in a microarray format for protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation. Two peptides were identified as casein kinase Iδ (CKI) substrates: KRCCPDTCGIKCL and its analogous peptide KRMMPDTMGIKML, with cysteine residues replaced by methionine residues. These peptides were studied in solution, both in the phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms as potential inhibitors for elastase. The obtained results show that the reversible process of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation results in differential inhibitory activity of the peptides. Thus the reversible process of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation can be used as a kind of molecular switch to control elastase activity. Degradation studies reveal that both the inhibitor-peptides and CKI are degraded by elastase. These results envisage the safe utilisation of these inhibitor-peptides together with CKI in the formulation of wound dressings.

Regional cooperation in RWM in the AO countries

Regional cooperation in radioactive waste management (RWM) in the Asian and Oceanic countries has been successfully developing for more than 20 y. At present, the Asian and Oceanic countries recognise that there are several projects under the regional cooperation, such as the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), the Asian Nuclear Safety Network (ANSN) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regional projects. The FNCA on Radiation Safety and RWM is an effective mechanism for enhancing socio-economic development through active regional partnership in the peaceful and safe utilisation of nuclear technology. The ANSN Topical Group on RWM is established for exchanging, pooling, and sharing knowledge in the field of nuclear safety. For IAEA regional cooperation on RWM, such as IAEA-regional project RAS/3/009 Strengthening Infrastructure of RWM can provide and support Asian and Oceanic countries for national work plan, fellowships and scientific visits as well as expert services.

Innovative study design for paediatric clinical trials

Despite representing a fundamental step towards the efficacious and safe utilisation of drugs in the paediatric population, the conduct of clinical trials in children poses several problems. Methodological issues and ethical concerns represent the major obstacles that have traditionally limited paediatric research. The randomised clinical trial, mainstay of clinical studies to assess the effects of any therapeutic intervention, shows some weaknesses that make it scarcely applicable to the paediatric population. Alternative and innovative approaches to clinical trial design in small populations have been developed in the last few decades with the aim of overcoming the limits related to small samples and to the acceptability of the trial. This systematic review describes a variety of alternative designs to assess efficacy and safety in the paediatric population, including their applicability, advantages, disadvantages and real case examples. Approaches include sequential and adaptive designs, Bayesian methods and other innovative approaches. By limiting the sample size and increasing acceptability, these methods may rationally limit the amount of experimentation in children to what is achievable, necessary and ethical Thanks to their features, these methods represent a reliable way of ultimately improving paediatric care.

Looking back in time: can safe pasture utilisation rates be determined using commercial paddock data in the Northern Territory?

A ‘safe’ pasture utilisation rate is defined as the proportion of annual forage growth that can be consumed by domestic livestock without adversely affecting land condition in the long term. Pasture utilisation rates are thus a cornerstone of a sustainable grazing industry because they directly determine livestock carrying capacity. Until now, it has only been possible to determine utilisation rates in the Northern Territory via expensive and time-consuming grazing trials. Reliance on this method has limited the validation of safe utilisation rates for the range of land types used for pastoral production. This study tested an alternative cost-effective method for calculating utilisation rates based on an approach used previously in Queensland. The method retrospectively calculates utilisation rates using cattle records and modelled pasture growth from commercial paddocks in good land condition. The assumption underpinning the method is that paddocks in good land condition, with a long history of grazing, must have been managed in such a way as to achieve a safe level of pasture utilisation. Utilisation rates were calculated for 10 commercial paddocks on three properties in the Barkly Tableland region of the Northern Territory from 1999 to 2009. Animal intake for each paddock was calculated from detailed cattle records held in property databases. Pasture growth was estimated using simulation models and cross-checked with field measurements. An average utilisation rate of up to 25% of annual pasture growth was found to be safe on highly uniform, grey cracking-clays supporting Mitchell grass (Astrebla F. Muell. spp.) pastures. However, this level of utilisation had negative impacts on land condition on less resilient and preferentially grazed pasture communities in paddocks with a mix of land types. The implications of the results for carrying capacity, animal productivity and seasonal risk management are explored in this paper.

Risk assessment of exposure to volatile organic compounds in groundwater in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to assess the risks from exposure to 14 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in selected groundwater sites in Taiwan. The study employs the multimedia environment pollutant assessment system (MEPAS) model to calculate the specific non-cancer and cancer risks at an exposure level of 1 μg/L of each VOC for a variety of exposure pathways. The results show that the highest specific non-cancer risk is associated with water ingestion of vinyl chloride (VC) and that the highest specific cancer risk is associated with indoor breathing of VC. The three most important exposure pathways for risk assessment for both non-cancer and cancer risks are identified as water ingestion, dermal absorption when showering, and indoor breathing. Excess tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), dichloroethylene (DCE), and VC are detected in the groundwater aquifers of one dump site and one factory. However, the study suggests that the pollutants in the contaminated groundwater aquifers do not travel extensively with groundwater flow and that the resulting VOC concentrations are below detectable levels for most of the sampled drinking-water treatment plants. Nevertheless, the non-cancer and cancer risks resulting from use of the contaminated groundwater are found to be hundred times higher than the general risk guidance values. To ensure safe groundwater utilisation, remediation initiatives for soil and groundwater are required. Finally, the study suggests that the current criteria for VOCs in drinking water might not be capable of ensuring public safety when groundwater is used as the primary water supply; more stringent quality criteria for drinking water are proposed for selected VOCs.

Safe pasture utilisation rates as a grazing management tool in extensively grazed tropical savannas of northern Australia

The concept of safe pasture utilisation rates is frequently promoted as a tool for use in setting livestock numbers in perennial grass pastures in northern Australia’s tropical savannas to achieve a grazing intensity that is ecologically and economically sustainable. However, recommended pasture utilisation rates have been defined and applied in several ways, and this has led to some confusion among managers, researchers and advisers about their appropriate use. In order to reduce this confusion, this paper reviews the ecological basis and use of safe pasture utilisation rates as a management tool, concentrating on two common ways (i.e. strategic and tactical) in which they are applied. The main objective of both approaches is to limit the intensity of grazing of perennial grasses during the growing season when they are most sensitive to defoliation. When used in a strategic way, safe pasture utilisation rates provide an indication of long-term safe stocking rates that will avoid pasture deterioration in most years. Alternatively, they are used in a tactical sense to adjust stocking rates to track forage production, usually on an annual basis. Using the tactical approach, stocking rates are set at the end of the growing season in order to use a ‘safe’ proportion of the standing forage available at that time during the subsequent 12 months. Thus, stocking rates for one growing season are based on the quantity of forage available at the end of the previous growing season. In areas with high year-to-year variability in pasture growth this may lead to overgrazing during the growing season. This paper concludes by suggesting several strategies to better manage pasture utilisation levels under a tactical management approach to ensure that palatable perennial grass populations persist in the long term. A call is also made for researchers and land management advisers to be clear in the way recommended safe pasture utilisation rates are defined and intended to be used.

Safe Use of Replicating Bacteria in Biological Control

Naturally occurring entomopathogenic bacteria provide an important resource for pest control. Greatest benefit will be obtained from the application of replicating bacteria which can establish in the host's environment and provide long term control. Bacteria developed for pest control are required to be safety tested and registered, yet bacteria are frequently introduced into the environment to enhance plant growth or aid soil processes without regulation. Why then, is the use of insect pathogenic bacteria treated differently? Augmentation of bacteria already present in the environment is unlikely to have any unwanted side effects as application is only changing the spatial and temporal distribution of the microbe and will have little long term effect on the total population. Users of the bacteria, however, will be exposed to the bacterium at a level higher than experienced naturally and potential adverse effects of this interaction should be addressed through Tier 1 safety testing. Non-target organisms should also be tested. If new organisms (exotic strains or modified bacteria) are to be introduced to the environment, their potential effects on the environment should be considered. The question of horizontal gene flow from applied bacteria also needs to be addressed. A better understanding of microbial ecology and Systems for tracking new strains and genes are essential to develop appropriate assessment procedures to ensure the safe utilisation of bacteria in biological control.

A qualitative study of health-care personnel’s experience of a satellite pharmacy at a HIV clinic

The aim of the study was to investigate how health-care personnel at a HIV clinic perceived conventional pharmacies in Sweden and whether the decentralization of pharmaceutical services to the HIV clinic had led to an improved collaboration between other health-care professionals and pharmacists. Doctors and nurses who had regular contacts with HIV patients and the satellite pharmacy were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured, using open questions and was analysed according to the phenomenographic approach. The respondents perceived the existing co-work between conventional pharmacies and other health care professionals as limited. The availability of the satellite pharmacy enabled the health care professionals to understand the pharmacys' way of working, and to increase trust in the pharmacy staff. Collaboration was hence developed between the professions, leading to a consistent way of informing the patients about their HIV drugs, thereby avoiding contradictory information. The pharmacist also became involved in adherence promoting activities at the clinic. The perceived benefits for the patients were considered to be convenience and preservation of privacy as well as a better basis for safe and appropriate drug utilisation. Conventional pharmacies were shown to have several disadvantages in serving the HIV infected population. The health care professionals found the novel approach of dispensing HIV drugs at the clinic valuable. The approach led to increased communication and trust between the health care professions, and enhanced teamwork in medication management.

The use of town refuse ash in urban agriculture around Jos, Nigeria: health and environmental risks

This paper reports on a study that examines the health and environmental risks of using town refuse ash in urban vegetable production in Jos, Nigeria, in terms of heavy metal accumulation in the food chain. Soil and crop samples, collected from five study farms, and samples of the river water used for irrigation, were analysed for seven heavy metals Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb. On the basis of the field data the paper discusses: (1) the potential soil deficiencies and toxicities; (2) the probable links between soil heavy metal levels and fertilisation practices; (3) the heavy metal concentrations in crop tissue in relation to crop growth and human health. The findings suggest that soil concentrations of the seven metals fall within ‘typical’ soil levels, and that there should not be any problems of either toxicities or deficiencies for crop growth. There was evidence of slight accumulation of Zn, Cu and Cd on some of the farms with a history of town refuse ash use. However, in all farms lettuce crops contained very large concentrations of Fe, and Pb concentrations that were 20 to 40 times higher than the WHO/FAO maximum recommended level in leafy vegetables for human consumption. The Cd content of carrot tissue was 10 times higher than the WHO/FAO recommended limit. The relatively small number of soil and crop samples precluded any formal attempt at correlating the concentrations of heavy metals found in the vegetable crops with the farm levels. Nevertheless, the data suggested that these were not linked. The paper goes on to consider various potential sources of the metals found in the crops, including irrigation water, town refuse ash and air-borne dust, and discusses additional health and environmental risks pertaining to the use of town refuse ash. Undoubtedly, the heavy Pb and Cd contamination of certain crops indicates the urgent need for future studies to ascertain the precise source of these metals, and although the practice of using town refuse ash does not appear to have resulted in large-scale contamination of soil in the farming area, there are a number of unsafe practices associated with it that call for the identification of strategies for the safe utilisation of urban waste in Jos.

Synthesis of zeolites from a lagoon ash

The amount of ash, and its hazardous impact on the environment, produced from the coal fired thermal power plants is continuously increasing. This poses a very challenging task of safe handling, proper disposal and utilisation of the ash. A very common method of disposal of the ash is the wet disposal, in a slurry form, in the lands nearby thermal power plants, known as lagoons. During the process of wet disposal, the ash interacts with water and looses its original physical as well as the chemical properties. The ash–water interaction may also lead to the formation of zeolites over a period of time, which may be used for various industrial applications. This paper deals with the effect of water interaction, and hence the formation of zeolite, on a typical Class ‘F’ lagoon ash, from India.

Exploitation of iron ore tailing for the development of ceramic tiles

India ranks as the sixth largest producer of iron ore in the world. The current practice of washing iron ore in India generates as high as 18 million tonnes of tailings per year. These tailings are stored in massive ponds and pose environmental hazards. Safe disposal or utilisation of these materials thus remains a challenging task for the iron ore industry in India. The present paper describes a new development in managing these tailings by converting them into value added products such as ceramic floor and wall tiles for building application. These tiles have high strength and hardness compared to conventional tiles and conform to most of the EN standards. Energy economy and lower production costs are some other benefits.