Application of X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement to quantify mineral composition including crystalline silica in respirable dust.

This study aimed to test the use of Rietveld refinement on respirable aerosol samples to determine the phase of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and other minerals. The results from the Rietveld refinement were compared to an external standard method and gravimetrical measurements. Laboratory samples consisting of α-quartz, feldspar, and calcite with variable proportions and total mass loadings were made and analyzed using the NIOSH 7500 , followed by Rietveld refinement.

Occupational health of drilling waste workers as related to microbial exposure and waste treatment methods.

Objectives: Exposure to microorganisms is a known contributor to occupational disease. This study assessed drilling waste workers' health status and investigated the potential of inhalable bioaerosols to elicit an immune response in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Venous blood and self-reported health data were collected from 56 and 73 Norwegian drilling waste workers, respectively.

The spatiotemporal stability of plant diversity is disconnected from biomass stability in response to human activities in a South American temperate grassland.

Human activities alter biomass, nutrient availability, and species dominance in grasslands, impacting their richness, composition, and biomass production. Stability (invariability in time or space) can inform the predictability of plant communities in response to human activities. However, this measure has been simplistically analyzed for temporal (interannual) changes in live biomass, disregarding their spatial stability and the temporal stability of other plant community attributes.

Airborne trichloramine in indoor swimming pools in Sweden.

Trichloramine is a disinfection by-product in chlorinated swimming pools. It can evaporate into the air and irritate eyes and airways among swimmers and pool workers. This study aimed to evaluate airborne concentrations of trichloramine in different types of indoor swimming pools.