Radiation doses received by humans in their dwellings - A baseline report on radionuclides exposure from construction materials used in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Gamma-ray spectrometry was employed to assess the activity concentrations of primordial radionuclides (U, Th, and K) in various construction materials, including those used for building, roofing, furnishing, flooring, and plastering. The measured activity concentrations of the radionuclides ranged as follows: U (25 to 477 Bq kg), Th (below detection limit to 239 Bq kg), and K (285 to 1915 Bq kg). Based on these values, the materials were categorized in descending order of radioactivity threat as: Furnishing > Roofing > Building > Flooring > Plastering.

Assessment of potentially toxic element contents in chickens and poultry feeds from Bangladesh markets: Implications for human health risk.

Chicken () is a significant source of animal protein for the people of Bangladesh. However, anthropogenic activity may contaminate chicken meat with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) despite the nutritional benefits. Current work aims to determine the accumulated content of PTEs (Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Hg) in chickens and poultry feeds commercially sold in Bangladesh markets and compare with WHO, FAO, EU, EC, FSANZ standards.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ship breaking area and associated ecological risk assessment: evidence from the Sitakund ship-breaking area in Bangladesh.

Ship-breaking yards are recognized for releasing hazardous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), leading to severe environmental pollution in the sediment of ship-breaking areas. This study assessed the concentrations of 16 priority PAHs in surface sediments collected from the intertidal zone adjacent to the Sitakund ship-breaking yards. The samples underwent Soxhlet extraction and detection using PerkinElmer GC-Clarus 690 and MS-Clarus SQ8C with an Elite-5MS capillary column (30 m × 0.

The Effect of Practitioner Empathy on Patient Satisfaction : A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials.

Background: Practitioners who deliver enhanced empathy may improve patient satisfaction with care. Patient satisfaction is associated with positive patient outcomes ranging from medication adherence to survival.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of health care practitioner empathy on patient satisfaction, using a systematic review of randomized trials.

Evaluation of newly designed flushing techniques for on-site remediation of arsenic-contaminated excavated debris.

Excavated debris (soil and rock) contaminated with geogenic arsenic (As) is an increasing concern for regulatory organizations and construction stakeholders. Chelator-assisted soil flushing is a promising method for practical on-site remediation of As-contaminated soil, offering technical, economic, and environmental benefits. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is the most prevalent chelator used for remediating As-contaminated soil.

Management of arsenic-contaminated excavated soils: A review.

Ongoing global sustainable development and underground space utilization projects have inadvertently exposed many excavated soils naturally contaminated with geogenic arsenic (As). Recent investigations have revealed that As in certain excavated soils, especially those originating from deep construction projects, has exceeded regulatory limits, threatening the environment and human health. While numerous remediation techniques exist for treating As-contaminated soil, the unique characteristics of geogenic As contamination in excavated soil require specific measures when leachable As content surpasses established regulatory limits.

Influence of Different Arsenic Species on the Bioavailability and Bioaccumulation of Arsenic by Sargassum horneri C. Agardh: Effects under Different Phosphate Conditions.

The growth response and incorporation of As into the Sargassum horneri was evaluated for up to 7 days using either arsenate (As(V)), arsenite (As(III)) or methylarsonate (MMAA(V) and DMAA(V)) at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 μM with various phosphate (P) levels (0, 2.

Human health risk assessment due to consumption of dried fish in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: a baseline report.

The current study sought to determine the levels of radioactivity and heavy metal contamination in 22 dried fish samples collected in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The study found that there were substantial heavy metals concentrations for Pb, Mn, Cr, Co, and Cd. The concentration of heavy metal Pb being alarmingly high (32.

Physiological responses of wild grass Holcus lanatus L. to potentially toxic elements in soils: a review.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils accumulate in plants, obstruct their growth, and pose hazards to the consumer via the food chain. Many kinds of grass, grass-like plants, and other higher plant species have evolved a tolerance to PTEs. Holcus lanatus L.

Enhanced remediation of arsenic-contaminated excavated soil using a binary blend of biodegradable surfactant and chelator.

The reclamation of geogenic As-contaminated excavated soils as construction additives can reduce the post-disposal impact on the ecosystem and space. Although retaining soil characteristics while reducing contaminant load is a challenging task, washing remediation with biodegradable surfactants or chelators is a promising alternative to non-biodegradable counterparts. In this study, newly synthesized biodegradable surfactants (SDG: sodium N-dodecanoyl-glycinate, SDBA: sodium N-dodecanoyl-β-alaninate, SDGBH: sodium N-dodecanoyl-α,γ-glutamyl-bis-hydroxyprolinate, SDT: sodium N-dodecanoyl-taurinate, and DCPC: N-dodecyl-3-carbamoyl-pyridinium-chloride) and biodegradable chelators (EDDS: ethylenediamine N,N'-disuccinic acid, GLDA: L-glutamate-N, N'-diacetic acid, and HIDS: 3-hydroxy-2,2'-imino disuccinic acid) are evaluated for the remediation of As-contaminated soil.

Effect of operating variables on the separation of radiostrontium from aqueous matrices with ion-selective solid-phase extraction systems.

Radiostrontium (r-Sr: Sr) is one of the primary fission products in nuclear power plants and generates liquid radioactive waste when intermixed to the aqueous matrix. Therefore, separation or preconcentration of r-Sr from the aqueous matrices is necessary for environmental monitoring or nuclear forensics. The solid-phase extraction (SPE) approach is prevalently used for r-Sr isolation and to design matrix-specific methods, while generalized SPE-assisted operating protocols are not proposed by far.

Development of a Haddon Matrix Framework for Higher Education Pandemic Preparedness: Scoping Review and Experiences of Malaysian Universities During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Managing education and research during pandemics has increased in importance since the onset of epidemics such as avian flu, SARS and now CoViD-19. Successful management in times of crisis ensures business continuity and institutional survival, making preparedness preceding an impending pandemic essential. Institutions of higher education (IHEs) must maintain balance between academic continuity and preventing morbidity during a pandemic crisis.

Selective Separation of Radiocesium from Complex Aqueous Matrices Using Dual Solid-Phase Extraction Systems.

The release of radiocesium (r-Cs) into natural aqueous systems is of concern because of its extended solubility as an alkaline metal ion and its facile incorporation into living beings. A technique for the selective separation of Cs from an aqueous matrix using dual solid-phase extraction (SPE) systems in a series is proposed in this paper. The SPEs equipped with chelates (Nobias Chelate-PA1 and Nobias Chelate-PB1), an ion-exchange resin (Nobias Ion SC-1), or macrocycles (MetaSEP AnaLig Cs-01 and MetaSEP AnaLig Cs-02) were evaluated in terms of selectivity and retention/recovery behavior toward Cs and other potentially competing ions (Li, Na, K, Rb, Ba, Ca, Mg, and Sr).

Comparative evaluation of dithiocarbamate-modified cellulose and commercial resins for recovery of precious metals from aqueous matrices.

Economic and ecological issues motivate the recovery of precious metals (PMs: Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt) from secondary sources. From the viewpoint of eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness, biomass-based resins are superior to synthetic polymer-based resins for PM recovery. Herein, a detailed comparative study of bio-sorbent dithiocarbamate-modified cellulose (DMC) and synthetic polymer-based commercial resins (Q-10R, Lewatit MonoPlus TP 214, Diaion WA30, and Dowex 1X8) for PM recovery from waste resources was conducted.

Highly selective and straightforward recovery of gold and platinum from acidic waste effluents using cellulose-based bio-adsorbent.

Recovery of precious metals (PMs: Au and Pt) from waste resources is of high importance due to the environmental concern and imbalance in the supply-demand ratio. A new approach has been explored for the recovery of PM using earlier developed bio-adsorbent, dithiocarbamate-modified cellulose (DMC). The adsorbent exhibits excellent adsorption efficiency (~99%) over a wide range of pH (< 1-6) and high selectivity towards Au and Pt extraction from acidic solutions ([H]: ≥ 0.

A technique for the speciation analysis of metal-chelator complexes in aqueous matrices using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Chelators, capable of creating soluble complexes with metals, may disrupt the natural speciation of metals in environmental matrices. Detection of environmental speciation of such complexes has remained challenging as obtaining the precise inherent nature of metal-chelator complexes is difficult by using routine techniques. Herein, we report a rapid and sensitive technique for the speciation analysis of complexes of five metal ions (Ni, Pb, Co, Fe and Ca) with two aminopolycarboxylate chelator variants, namely, EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and EDDS (ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid), including the simultaneous quantification of those complexes.

Thermodynamic study of the acid-induced decontamination of waste green sand generated in a brass foundry.

Waste foundry sand (WFS) from the brass and bronze casting and molding process include various potentially toxic elements (PTEs), such as copper, zinc, tin, and lead. Hence, the utilization of WFS in construction and geotechnical applications evokes environmental concerns due to the rain-induced leaching of PTEs into the groundwater system. The present study investigated the extractive decontamination of WFS using mineral acids, e.

Dynamics of Strontium and geochemically correlated elements in soil during washing remediation with eco-complaint chelators.

In the study, the dynamics of Sr and geochemically correlated elements (Ca, Ba, and Y) in soil with chelators in the mix (soil to chelator ratio, 1:10; matrix, HO) were assessed to understand chemical-induced washing remediation of radiogenic waste solids. Specifically, EDTA (2,2',2″,2‴-(ethane-1,2-diyldinitrilo)tetraacetic acid), EDDS (2-[2-(1,2-dicarboxyethylamino)ethylamino]butanedioic acid), GLDA (2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]pentanedioic acid), and HIDS (2-(1,2-dicarboxyethylamino)-3-hydroxy-butanedioic acid) are chelators that are used as extractants. The effect of solution pH on chelator-induced extractions of the target elements (t-Es: Sr, Ca, Ba, or Y) from soil and stability constants of the t-Es complexes with chelators were used to explain the trends and magnitudes in interactions.

Modifications of Glass Ionomer Cement Powder by Addition of Recently Fabricated Nano-Fillers and Their Effect on the Properties: A Review.

The aim of this article is to provide a brief insight regarding the recent studies and their recommendations related to the modifications to glass ionomer cement (GIC) powder in order to improve their properties. An electronic search of publications was made from the year 2000 to 2018. The databases included in the current study were EBSCOhost, PubMed, and ScienceDirect.

Assessment of health risks associated with potentially toxic element contamination of soil by end-of-life ship dismantling in Bangladesh.

Ship breaking and recycling industry (SBRI) loops back scarce ferrous and non-ferrous materials from dismantled ships and also renews the global shipping fleet by treating the end-of-life (EoL) ships. Currently, SBRIs in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan are dismantling the majority of the EoL ships by open beaching method. Accordingly, ship dismantling carries the blame of releasing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) to the coastal and marine environment risking the food chain through potential bioaccumulation and biomagnification.

Comparative biotransformation and detoxification potential of arsenic by three macroalgae species in seawater: Evidence from laboratory culture studies.

Algae accumulate and metabolize arsenic (As) and facilitate cycling and speciation of As in seawater. The laboratory-controlled macroalgal cultures were exposed to different molar ratios of As(V) and phosphate (P) in seawater for evaluating the uptake and metabolism of As, as a function of As(V) detoxification through biotransformation. Chlorophyll fluorescence of algal species was not significantly affected by the culture conditions (p > 0.

Does open-beach ship-breaking affect the mineralogical composition of soil more adversely than typical industrial activities?

In Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan the ship breaking (SB) sector dismantles end-of-life ships on open beaches, exposing the environment to the resulting pollution, especially the soil and water. Because SB occurs in the vicinity of other poorly-regulated activities in industrial zones (IZ) in these countries, there is some ambiguity concerning the relative roles played by SB and IZ in the accumulation of hazardous materials in the soil. In the absence of comparative studies, this study investigated the relative levels of soil contamination due to SB or IZ in the same geographic region by taking soil samples from SB and unrelated IZs in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Formation and stability of the mixed-chelator complexes of Sr, Mg, Ca, Ba, and Y in solution with bio-relevant chelators.

The formation and equilibria of Sr, Mg, Ca, Ba, and Y (M) complexes with a mixed-chelator comprising two biodegradable chelators (GLDA, L, 2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino] pentanedioic acid; HIDS, L, 2-(1,2-dicarboxyethylamino)-3-hydroxy-butanedioic acid) in an aqueous matrix was evaluated. The potentiometric measurement results (ionic strength, 0.10 M; temperature, 25 ± 0.