Heavy metals fractionation and organic matter mineralisation in contaminated calcareous soil amended with organic materials.

Degradation of organic matter (OM) from organic amendments used in the remediation of metal contaminated soils leads to changes in soil chemical properties shortly after their addition, which may affect the soil metal distribution. The effects of two differing organic amendments on OM mineralisation and fractionation of heavy metals in a contaminated soil were investigated in an incubation experiment. The treatments were: control unamended soil, soil amended with fresh cow manure, and soil amended with a compost having a high maturity degree.

Lung hysteresis: a morphological view.

The lung is an imperfect elastic body and for this reason dissipates energy. The energy applied to the lung in inspiration is not recovered in expiration. The property of dissipating energy receives the name of hysteresis.

Multicentric study on malignant pleural mesothelioma and non-occupational exposure to asbestos.

Insufficient evidence exists on the risk of pleural mesothelioma from non-occupational exposure to asbestos. A population-based case-control study was carried out in six areas from Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Information was collected for 215 new histologically confirmed cases and 448 controls.

Occupation and risk of malignant pleural mesothelioma: A case-control study in Spain.

Background: The association of mesothelioma and asbestos exposure is well known, but some data suggest that probably many people are still being exposed to asbestos without knowing it.

Methods: Between 1993 and 1996, 132 cases (77% males) of histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma and 257 controls, residents in two provinces of Spain (Barcelona and C¿adiz), were interviewed. They were classified according to their probability and intensity of occupational asbestos exposure by a panel of industrial hygienists, based on a detailed occupational history.