Sanitary Standards Research Articles

ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ КОНТРОЛЬ СТОЧНЫХ ВОД В ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТИ

The issues of application of potentiometric method of determination of fluoride ions and chloride-ions in industrial wastewater of cooling section of rolling workshop were discussed. The results of their determination were validated by comparing the results of several parallel measurements using standardized methods. Comparison of the obtained results of fluoride and chloride content in industrial wastewater samples with sanitary and epidemiological standards was conducted.

Analysis of the competitiveness of the region based on the utility function

Ensuring competitiveness is closely correlated with the quality of goods and services produced in this region. Which, in turn, requires systematic efforts on the part of enterprises and state institutions aimed at improving the quality of everything that is produced in the region. A product or service of high quality attracts more attention of potential consumers. The value of the utility that the buyer receives in case of purchase of this service or product depends on the quality of the product or service. The client pre-predicts the possible result that he can achieve after making a purchase of a service or product. Regional authorities, in order to increase the competitiveness of the region, in our opinion, should pay priority attention to the compliance of producers with technical, sanitary and environmental standards in the production of products in the region.The production of high-quality products, as a rule, is the production of products with a higher added value, and therefore this is a potential supplement to the budget from the readization of this type of product. The sale of high-quality goods can have a favorable impact on the financial and economic indicators of the enterprise, and therefore this enterprise will be more attractive to potential private investors.

Geoecological assessment of acoustic pollution in the city of Shelekhov (Irkutsk agglomeration)

The work carried out a geoecological assessment of the acoustic pollution of the city of Shelekhov, based on the zoning of the territory according to the noise level. Field surveys were carried out and the number of vehicles registered on the city's road network was calculated. With the help of sound level meters, instrumental measurements were made in the daytime and at night, and the daily course of the distribution of the noise level on the main and secondary roads was plotted. In order to identify the propagation range of noise generated by motor vehicles, the sound pressure levels in the city were calculated for daytime and nighttime using the Ecologist Noise program. The results obtained were compared with the established sanitary standards. The result of acoustic monitoring was the creation of maps of the sound pressure level of the territory. Based on noise pollution maps, a set of measures is proposed to prevent and reduce noise impact on the urban environment.

Historical Overview of Poultry in Japan.

To meet the strong quantitative demands for poultry products with high sanitary standards soon after World War II, the Japanese poultry industry experienced a rapid expansion period. However, it should be remembered that the post-war flourishment of the Japanese poultry industry was built on a solid academic and educational platform that took several pre-war decades to construct. In addition, poultry play a special cultural role in Japanese society. In this review, poultry in Japan is illustrated from the following three historical viewpoints: 1) development of the Japanese poultry industry; 2) academic and educational contributions to the poultry industry in Japan; and 3) ritualistic, mythic, and artistic attributes of poultry that are deeply embedded in Japanese society.

Экспериментальные исследования и идентификация модели динамической системы «виброзащитное кресло – оператор» мобильной машины

When creating new types of transport and technological mobile machines, it is important to ensure compliance with sanitary standards for vibrations at the driver’s seat. Anti-vibration seats are widely used to reduce vibrations transmitted from the engine and chassis of the machine to the operator's workplace. When designing a machine, mathematical modeling can be used to make a reasonable choice of seat parameters. Since the anti-vibration seat together with the operator’s body form a single dynamic system, the mathematical model must include both the anti-vibration seat and the operator’s body. The article presents an overview of mathematical models that describe vertical vibrations of the seated body. It describes an experimental setup for studying the dynamics of a human operator sitting in an anti-vibration seat. The experimental setup includes an electrodynamic vibration bench produced by LDS, control and recording equipment. The studies were carried out for the Sibeco anti-vibration seat. During testing, the base of the seat performed vertical harmonic vibrations with a gradually increasing frequency, while the amplitude of vibration accelerations was maintained constant. The accelerometers installed on the seat elements, on a special disk located on the seat cushion and on the operator’s body, recorded vibrations of these elements. As a result of processing experimental data, transfer functions were obtained. They connect the amplitudes of movement of various elements of the model with movements of the base in a given frequency range. The experiments were carried out with the participation of testers with different body weights. The article proposes a mathematical model that describes the vertical vibrations of the “vibrationprotective seat – operator’s body” system. The inertial and elastic-damping characteristics of the seat elements were determined earlier during special tests. Based on a comparison of calculated and experimental data, the parameters of the model elements describing the operator’s body were refined. The parameters of the mathematical model obtained during the study will be used in the future research for calculation estimates of the vibration load of the operator’s workplace.

НЕЧІТКА ЕКСПЕРТНА СИСТЕМА ДЛЯ КЕРУВАННЯ ТЕМПЕРАТУРОЮ ПОВІТРЯ У ПРИМІЩЕННЯХ ТОРГОВЕЛЬНО-РОЗВАЖАЛЬНОГО ЦЕНТРУ

Abstract The article presents the stages of developing a fuzzy expert system for the operator of a heating point of a shopping and entertainment center. The principle of operation of the air heating system of the mall is shown, implemented using computer-integrated control with a SCADA system. For the effective operation of the air temperature control system in different areas of the mall, functions for belonging to comfort zones have been developed in terms of visitors and the requirements of sanitary standards. It is indicated that typical air temperature stabilization controllers cannot always provide the desired mode due to the influence of a large number of uncontrolled disturbances on the control system. In this case, in the absence of additional blocks for adapting control algorithms, it becomes expedient to remotely control the operator using a mnemonic diagram of the ventilation process. And to improve the efficiency of the process of remote control of thermal equipment, an expert system was proposed that implements the algorithm of I. Mamdani, to control the coolant flow valves. The controller receives information from the outdoor air and air temperature sensors in the control area of the mall. After processing the signals from the sensors, the controller transmits information to a computer with an expert system. Depending on the temperature and season of the year, the program calculates the optimal position of the valve (in percentage of stroke) for the flow rate of the coolant and recommends installing it to the operator. Also, it is shown that in the process of developing a fuzzy expert system, it is recommended to choose the Gaussian type of membership functions; minimal number of terms - sets - three functions of dependency; weight coefficient of each rule in the knowledge base is the same and equal to 100; the method of defasification is the method of the center of gravity. It is indicated that the introduction of expert advice to operators can also lead to a reduction in the response time to emergency situations up to 90% increase in the reliability of the equipment as a whole.

The Application Of Hygiene And Sanitation To Processed Products In Restaurant Kitchen Around Tourism Destination Area In Toba District

Hygiene and sanitation in food storage is an effort to control risk factors for food contamination in the food storage process. Processing of food ingredients according to standards will slow down food spoilage so that food quality is maintained. The purpose of this study was to observe the application of internal sanitation hygiene to processed products in restaurant kitchens in Balige City, Toba Regency. As for this type of research with qualitative descriptive methods, the data collection methods used are observation methods, interview methods and documentation methods. From the results of research and field observations where the three restaurants sampled in this study have implemented hygiene and sanitation standards, especially in processing products that are in accordance with standard provisions such as washing, peeling and slicing

Promoting child's growth and development in childcare centers

Introduction: Childcare centers are a type of daycare that is increasingly used by families all over the world. Indonesia is experiencing a similar trend. Childcare centers have essential roles in supporting child's growth and development in the center. This study aims to explore how childcare centers support the healthy growth and development of young children. Methods: A qualitative research approach using a case study design was used for exploring the perspectives of two childcare managers and eight teachers in two public and two private childcare centers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Semi-structured interviews of one hour each, audiotaped recorded with the participants' consent, were used to collect the data. Content analysis was used to generate findings from the data. Findings from the public and private centers were compared and contrasted to generate the study's overall findings.Results: The findings identified that childcare centers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, actively promote child growth and development by providing high-quality environments and services. The environment is safe, homelike, has high standards of cleanliness and sanitation, and provides appropriate toys and equipment. Services include nutrition, supervision, and health checks. Linking centers to the community was an essential strategy for improving the funds and resources needed to promote child growth and development. Conclusion: This study suggests that providing training for childcare workers, refining the curriculum, and developing stimulating activities for children in the center are needed.

Formation of hotel and restaurant services for rural green tourism enterprises

The subject of the research is the theoretical and practical aspects of the development of hotel and restaurant services of enterprises of rural green tourism. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the prospects for the development of hotel and restaurant services of rural green tourism enterprises, to determine their features and use in administration and management. The methodological basis of the article was both general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge. The article used scientific research methods: historical, system-structural analysis and synthesis, monographic, statistical-economic, problem-targeted. Results of the article. It is noted that the implementation of functions, the provision of services by rural green tourism enterprises and their focus on the hotel and restaurant direction of business are based on the presence and use of significant tourism and recreation potential on the one hand and a relatively free market segment for small businesses in this area on the other. It is substantiated that rural green tourism is integrated into the general structure of tourist and hotel-restaurant activities and allows providing services even where it is not economically feasible to build separate hotels and restaurants. It was determined that the concentration of efforts of rural settlements and other small enterprises of rural green tourism mainly on hotel and restaurant services requires them to improve the quality of such services, to observe high sanitary and hygienic standards; security conditions; appropriate level of service; training of hosts and/or their employees in hospitality, tact, business communication; certain aesthetics and style of places of accommodation and food. Field of application of results. The results can be used by tourism enterprises, territorial communities, regional and state authorities, public organizations, individual entrepreneurs and activists, institutions of higher education, scientific institutions. Conclusions. Combined efforts are achieving changes for the better in the field of service, tourism, and the hotel and restaurant industry. And this, at the same time, is a significant contribution to the development of the village. An example can be the creation of local branches of the Association for the Development of Rural Green Tourism in the administrative regions of the country, associations of citizens interested in the development of infrastructure for rural green tourism, etc. Thus, we can assert the existence of a "multiplier effect" from rural tourism for both the hotel and restaurant business and for the formation of a special multifunctional model of the development of rural areas.

Оценка загрязнения древесины и коры дуба 137Cs в зоне отчуждения Чернобыльской атомной электростанции

The results of studying the 137Cs contamination of English oak (Quercus robur L.) trunks in high-aged oak forests in the most radioactive polluted part of the Polesye State Radiation-Ecological Reserve territory located in the evacuation (exclusion) zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant are presented. The features of modern surface contamination soil by 137Cs in oak forest stands have been established, the factors that caused them have been identified: removal of research objects from the release site and conditions for deposition of radioactive fallout, as well as vertical redistribution of radionuclide in the soil over the time since the accident. The density of 137Cs soil contamination varies by types of oak forest. The current indicators of 137Cs accumulation in wood, bark and oak trunks, their changes by forest types, the relationship with the density of soil pollution and the distance to the disaster site are determined. A 2-3-fold excess of 137Cs oak bark contamination was found in comparison with wood, which is due to their morpho-physiological characteristics. Over the past 25 years, the wood and bark proportions of the relative contributions to the specific activity of 137Cs of the oak trunks have changed significantly. The decrease in the contribution of the bark to the specific activity of 137Cs in the trunk is due to a slowdown in the entry of radionuclide into it. The 137Cs distribution in oak wood by classes of growth and development of trees by Craft is shown. It was found that the average values of the radionuclide specific activity in standing and lying deadwood are 25-28 % lower than in the wood of living trees. The tendency of decreasing of 137Cs concentration in oak wood from the periphery to the center of the trunk has been confirmed. As of 2021, according to the sanitary standard of the Republic of Belarus for the content of 137Cs 1480 Bq kg-1, harvesting of oak wood could be allowed in 84 % of the surveyed stands, oak trunks with bark - in 72 %. The standard of 740 Bq kg-1 corresponded to oak wood in bark and without bark in 32 % of forest stands.

AVAILABILITY OF SANITATION FACILITIES AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN MATHARE SUB-COUNTY IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

The purpose of this study was to establish the contribution of the availability of sanitation facilities to the academic performance of children in pre-primary schools in Mathare Sub- County. The study was built on the theory of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. A descriptive research design was used to achieve the research objectives. The target population was 68 Early Childhood Development Education centers distributed within Mathare Sub-County. Stratified sampling was used to select 136 teachers to participate in the study. A pilot study was undertaken to establish the reliability and validity of the research instruments. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study employed an independent sample t-test as well as a chi-square analysis. Data were presented in tables and charts and interpretations were made based on research objectives. Findings revealed that all schools under the study had functional hand-washing facilities. Most APBET schools had one hand washing facility with no soap most of the time. Very few have at least two hand washing facilities with no soap most of the time. All public schools had hand washing and anal cleansing materials. All public schools had hand washing and anal cleansing materials. However, the anal cleansing materials in public schools purposely served the teachers and staff alone. Findings revealed that the majority of schools did not have quality sanitation since an average of only 9 schools could meet the quality standards of sanitation in Mathare slums. Sanitation facilities in pre-primary schools were not fully utilizable as toilets were in pathetic conditions in more than 50% of the schools engaged in the study. the study concluded that there are big deficits in sanitation facilities and materials in the sampled schools of Mathare slums because all schools demonstrated that one toilet could be shared by over one hundred pupils at any given time during school hours. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of school sanitation and hygiene standards as part of its regulatory roles.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0269/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The influence of anthropogenic human activity on the components of the environment in a rural settlement of the Khmelnytsk region

Aim. To analyze the state of the soil, natural waters and vegetable products to identify the negative impact of anthropogenic pressure on the residential area of the village. Samchyky Khmelnytsky district, Khmelnytsky region. Methods. The method of route monitoring was used for the research. Chemical-analytical studies were carried out by methods that correspond to the regulatory framework of Ukraine. Results. The analyzed soil samples had a very high content of mobile compounds of phosphorus from 1010 to 1685 mg/kg and potassium 332 mg/kg to 420 mg/kg. The content of lead in some soil samples taken at the fallow and vegetable gardens exceeded the MPC. In the water of wells, water pipes and sources, no excess of drinking and household standards was found, except for one of the wells, where the total hardness index was 11 meq/l (standard 10 meq/l) and the calcium content was 154.3 mg/l (standard 130 mg/l). In the river of Sluch, a slight excess of the reaction of the medium pH - 8.6 (standard 6.5–8.5) and the content of Р2О5 – 0.9 mg/l (standard 0.46 mg/l) was noted. In all analyzed samples of vegetable products, nitrate contamination was not found, but almost all of them did not meet sanitary and hygienic standards for the content of lead, cadmium and nickel. Conclusions. Consequently, the analysis of the state of the residential area with. Samchyky Khmelnytsky district, Khmelnytsky region showed that one of the main factors influencing its ecological safety is the anthropogenic load, which leads to the accumulation of biogenic elements and pollutants in soils, natural waters and vegetable products. Monitoring the state of residential areas and establishing the features of migration and accumulation of biogenic elements and ecotoxicants is a promising area of research for the development of measures to prevent pollution of soil, groundwater, open water bodies and crop products.

Spatiotemporal distribution of opportunistic pathogens and microbial community in centralized rural drinking water: One year survey in China

Centralized water supply in rural areas, supported by small waterworks (small-central mode) and by municipal water treatment plants (urban-extension mode), is an important guarantee to implement the Rural Revitalization Strategy Plan (2018–2022) in China. Opportunistic pathogens (OPs) could not be evaluated by the national drinking water sanitation standards in China (GB 5749–2022), posing potential microbial risks in rural drinking water. In this study, the spatiotemporal distribution of OPs, microbial community and the associated functional composition under two central water supply modes were investigated by molecular approaches. The results indicated that OPs were widely presented in the rural drinking water regardless of water supply modes, and were more abundant than those in the urban tap water. The insufficient residual chlorine and higher turbidity triggered more microbial proliferation, posing a seasonal variation of OPs gene copy numbers and bacterial community compositions. In warm seasons of summer and autumn, the gene copies of E. coli, M. avium, Pseudomonas spp. and the amoeba host Acanthamoeba spp. achieved up to 4.92, 3.94, 6.75 and 3.74 log10 (gene copies/mL), respectively. Potential functional prediction indicated higher relative abundance of pathogenic genes and infectious risks associated with the rural drinking water under small-central water supply mode. This one-year survey of the spatiotemporal distribution of OPs and microbial community provided scientific insights into microbial safety of rural drinking water, prompting attention on small-central water supply mode against OPs risks.

Features of Noise Emission from High-Capacity Mechanical-Draft Cooling Towers

The article analyzes the features of noise emission from high-capacity mechanical-draft cooling towers. Dry cooling towers equipped high-speed fans of the FANS and AVG types, and wet cooling towers equipped with low-speed fans of the VG-104 type are considered. To analyze the noise impact produced by mechanical-draft cooling towers, a thermal power plant mathematical model was developed in the Acoustics Computerized Workplace computer program, and acoustic calculations were carried out. In performing acoustic calculations, a change in the power plant output from 116 to 464 MW was considered. The sound level (SL) and sound pressure level (SPL) dependences are constructed for different power plant outputs in using various types of mechanical-draft cooling towers, and the noise emission features from the used fans are analyzed. It has been found that in the case of using high-speed fans, the maximum values by which the sound levels exceed their standardized value can make 9–20 dBA depending on the power plant output. In the case of using low-speed fans, no excess of sanitary standards is observed at the design points over the entire power variation range. It has been shown that mechanical-draft cooling towers equipped with high-speed fans are noisier than those equipped with fans driven by low-speed motors (by 21-27 dBA depending on the plant power and type of the high-speed fan used). Matters of tiered noise emission from high-speed fans are considered. Maps with a height of 100 m with noise level isolines have been constructed, and the tiers of the considered cooling towers with the largest contribution of noise to the design points have been determined.

Detection of Haloacetic Acid in Swimming Pool in Haikou and Its Influencing Factors

Chlorine disinfection is a commonly applied disinfection products due to its effectiveness, strong disinfection ability, and low cost. The objective of this study is to investigate the occurrence of haloacetic acids (HAAs), a group of disinfection byproducts, in swimming pool and spa water, and analyze its influencing factors, so as to provide reference to understand the pollution status of haloacetic acid (HAAs) disinfection byproducts in swimming pool water in Haikou, for the formulation of hygienic standards and sanitation management of HAAs in swimming pool water. The samples were collected from 18 swimming places with sanitary licenses in Haikou. For a period from April to July 2022. High performance liquid chromatography -tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was used to detect the concentration of HAAs in swimming pool water, and its influencing factors were also analyzed. . Results indicated that the levels of average concentration of HAAs in indoor and outdoor swimming pools were 176.20 μg•L-1 and 241.53 μg•L-1, respectively. There were differences in the levels of HAAs in indoor and outdoor swimming places (p<0.05). The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the concentration of HAAs was positively correlated with free chlorine and urea (p<0.05). The water quality and sanitation of the swimming pools in this survey were somewhat poor. It is necessary to formulate the regulation of HAAs in the swimming pool sanitation standards, strengthen the water quality sanitation management, and take further effective measures to reduce the concentration of HAAs to protect swimmers.

Соціально-економічні та соціокультурні трансформації в подільському селі в 1950–1960-х рр. (на матеріалах села Мельниківець)

Метою статті є, на прикладі конкретного мікроісторичного дослідження, обгрунтувати соціально-економічні та соціокультурні трансформації в подільському селі у 1950 – 1960-х рр. Методологія дослідження включає як спеціально-історичні, так і міждисциплінарні методи. Серед спеціальних методів слід вказати передусім на метод історіографічного аналізу, завдяки якому розкрито стан наукового вивчення проблеми. Проблемно-хронологічний метод дозволив поділити досліджувану тему на вузькі проблеми та розглянути їх в хронологічному порядку. Порівняльні спекти трансформацій в подільському селі в повоєнний період виконані в контексті порівняльно-історичного методу. Наукова новизна визначається тим, що означена тема не була предметом спеціального наукового дослідження, а також спробою автора розкрити проблему на матеріалах конкретного мікроісторичного дослідження. Висновки. Смерть вождя та зміна політичного керівництва поклали край сталінській аграрній політиці, що базувалася на адміністративному позаекономічному примусі, ігноруванні основних економічних законів та цілеспрямованому постійному викачуванні матеріальних ресурсів із сільського господарства. Реформи аграрного сектору першої половини 1950-х рр., які були покликані зменшити командно-адміністративний вплив на керівництво колгоспів та збільшити ініціативи останніх щодо масштабів планування та вирощення продукції, в цілому сприяли піднесенню сільського господарства та деякому покращенню становища колгоспного селянства на Поділлі. Зростання врожайності зернових дало змогу не лише активізувати розвиток тваринницької галузі та придбати необхідну сільськогосподарську техніку, але й акумулювати певну частку грошей на виплату зарплат колгоспникам. В той же час, політика укрупнення колгоспів не тільки не призвела до корінних змін в організації та технології виробництва, але й мала довгострокові руйнівні наслідки. Об’єднані господарства ставали малокерованими, колгоспники – більш відчуженими один від одного. Спостерігалося звуження елементів колгоспної демократії та відчуження селянства від землі. Певні успіхи колгоспного будівництва та деяке покращення матеріального добробуту селян не позначилися на поліпшенні культурно-освітньої сфери подільського села. Сільські школи та клуби, що розглядалися як центри впровадження в селянське середовище комуністичної ідеології і моралі та були покликані змінити світогляд і вплинути на духовне життя селянства, тривалий час перебували у непридатних приміщеннях, які не відповідали санітарно-гігієнічним нормам. Будівництво нових освітніх та культурних установ держава пропонувала здійснювати за кошти колгоспів або ж самих селян. Нерідко селяни скаржились на недостатній рівень медичного обслуговування. Фельдшерсько-акушерські пункти знаходились у непристосованих приміщеннях, бракувало досвідчених фахівців, виділених коштів не вистачало на закупівлю медикаментів. В другій половині 1960-х рр. було активізовано роботу із розбудови інфраструктури та благоустрою подільського села. Однак, через відсутність державних дотацій, успіхи були незначними. Переважна частина населених пунктів не мали доріг із твердим покриттям. Будинки сільських мешканців тривалий час залишалися неелектрифікованими. Забезпечення селян продовольчими та промисловими товарами здійснювалось за залишковим принципом. Спроби ж селян покинути село і виїхати до міста не мали успіху, оскільки колгосп не був зацікавлений у втраті робочої сили.

Evaluation of milk productivity and milk quality of goats of different genotypes depending on the number of lactations

The results of assessing the dynamics of milk productivity of goats of different genotypes depending on the number of lactations in 305 days are presented. The level of average monthly milk yields was studied. Four groups of Saanen and Nubian breed goats of 10 animals each were formed for the experiment. Starting from the 1st month of lactation in all groups, milk yield increased continuously until the 4th month, and then went down by the end of lactation. The maximum average monthly milk yields were in the 2nd-4th months of lactation in all four groups of female goats. Average monthly milk yields were highest for goats of all genotypes and lactations in the 4th month. Saanen goats dominated over Nubian goats in the first lactation by 14.43 kg, or 15.96%, in the third by 4.23 kg, or 4.48%. The parameters of physicochemical and microbiological composition of the milk of Saanen and Nubian goats of different lactation numbers were studied. The content of the main milk nutrients: protein, fat and milk sugar, as well as minerals is higher in the Nubian goat breed in both lactations. The density and acidity of goat milk were in accordance with the GOST (All Union State standard). The freezing point of goat milk samples of both breeds and lactations ranged from 0.50-0.57 °C. The somatic cell content in the milk of goats of both genotypes ranged from 128 to 1500 thousand/cm3 and conformed to the standards. Bacterial contamination of milk of the goats of both breeds and lactations did not exceed permissible sanitary standards.

Noise protection from diesel generator units in a residential construction territory

Introduction: The article deals with the issues of protection against noise and vibrations of engineering equipment, which spread into the residential area through ventilation shafts, and the problems of bringing noise to standards during the operation of diesel generators. The purpose of this work was the development and implementation of methods and means to reduce the vibration levels of the walls of the technological room in which the diesel generator set was installed. Materials and Methods: The article presents studies using computational and graphical and resonance and statistical methods. Measurements of the noise level from the operation of a diesel generator located on the site of the residential buildings under consideration, as well as in residential premises, were carried out. Results and Discussion: The estimated calculation showed that the noise levels on the territory do not meet the requirements of sanitary standards. The results of measurements of the sound pressure level before and after noise protection measures for an individual living space gave an assessment of the qualitative and quantitative ratio of the accepted and new types of measures and materials. Conclusions: The effectiveness of vibration isolation of engineering equipment depends on the applied vibration isolation scheme; the wrong choice of vibration isolation scheme can lead to an uncontrolled increase in the amplitude of vibrations of the foundation of engineering equipment. To eliminate low frequencies, it is necessary to install vibration isolating supports under the foundation of the diesel generator set.

Effects of sanitation and hygiene perceptions on international travelers' health, travel plans and trip experiences in India.

International travelers often experience travelers' diarrhea. However, there is paucity of data on whether self-reported gastrointestinal symptoms influence travelers' perceptions of adequacy of sanitation and hygiene services encountered during travel, and to what degree their travel plans, and overall trip experience are impacted. A cross-sectional face-to-face survey was conducted amongst international travelers in India. Data collected included socio-demographics, travel characteristics, self-reported occurrence and frequency/severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, perceptions of sanitation and hygiene encountered, and adverse effects of symptoms on travel plans and trip experiences. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to describe differences and associations between categorical variables. Of the 300 international travelers surveyed, 46.3% experienced diarrhea. At least two thirds of travelers perceived the quality of sanitation (67.0%) and hygiene (70.0%) encountered to be inadequate. Perceptions of inadequate sanitation (adjusted OR = 3.0; 95% CI 1.7-5.5) and poor hygiene (adjusted OR = 7.7; 95% CI 4.1-15.5) were higher among travelers who experienced diarrhea. Additionally, both higher likelihood of travel plans being affected (adjusted OR = 10.7; 95% CI 5.1-23.6) and adverse impacts on overall trip experience (adjusted OR = 2.8; 95% CI 1.4-5.8) were reported among those who experienced diarrhea. More than two thirds of travelers surveyed in India experienced inadequate sanitation and hygiene services, with perceptions influenced by occurrence and frequency of diarrhea. Self-reported diarrhea was also associated with adverse effects on travel plans and overall trip experience. While these results may seem intuitive, they have important implications and suggest that improving sanitation and hygiene standards in India could potentially enhance tourism.

Arsenic speciation in canned tuna fish samples (Thunnus) using ionic chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Arsenic speciation analysis was conducted on in oil and in brine canned solid tuna samples using ionic chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS). First, the method was optimized and validated. The extraction of water-soluble arsenic species (arsenobetaine (AsB), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), As (III), and As (V)) was performed with (NH4)2CO3 at pH 10.5. The presence of the sample matrix showed no effect on the selectivity of the method by a t-test (p < 0.05) and an external calibration method was applied. The limits of quantification for the five arsenic species were 0.59 mg kg−1 (AsB), 0.10 mg kg−1 (DMA), 0.12 mg kg−1 (As (III)), 0.07 mg kg−1 (MMA) and 0.10 mg kg−1 (As (V)). Method accuracy was tested through the analysis of the reference material BCR-627 (tuna fish muscle tissue) and a good agreement was obtained. Total arsenic in the solid canned tuna ranged from 2.65 to 5.81 mg kg−1 in-oil samples and from 2.74 to 5.70 mg kg−1 in the in-brine samples, levels higher than the limits established by the Brazilian sanitary standards. However, the speciation showed that the major species is the non-toxic arsenobetaine.