Environmental contamination urban areas

Multi-element analysis on 57 tree bark samples collected at different locations (near power plants, closed to a motorway, in urban or in uncontaminated rural areas) in the UK in order to study environmental contamination was performed by quadrupole based ICP-MS (Elan 6000, Perkin Elmer Sciex) after microwave induced digestions of samples and dilution. The measured concentration ranges of 52 elements varied from the sub-ngg-1 range (e.g., Hf or Pt) to the low % range (e.g. for Ca) and are summarized in Table 9.24.4 Oriental Tobacco Leaves SRM (CTA-OTL-1) was employed to validate the analytical ICP-QMS method. 

Extremely favorable physical and chemical characteristics made PCBs ideal vehicles for widely diverse industrial uses and formulation (see section-Uses). Soon after their industrial production by Monsanto and others (1929) their wide commercial application in products and processes resulted in extensive environmental contamination throughout the world—in air, soil and water. Virtually no living creature is free of PCB contamination, since it has been incorporated by now into all levels of the food chain from the lowliest unicellular creature to man (ref. 142). Table 8 gives PCB concentrations measured in blood sera of 6l6 residents of urban and rural areas of South Carolina in 1972 (ref. 136, p. 36). The GLC technique used (e-capture with Ni-63, after dehydrochlorination) was of limited sensitivity, hence the poor detection of lower PCB levels. Data correlated with race and residence and appeared to be independent of sex and age. Mean concentrations of PCBs found in maternal and cord blood samples (Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 1973 through Feb. 1974) were 2.8 and 1.1 ppb, respectively, calculated on a whole blood basis (Akiyama et al., 1975). Transfer of PCB from the mother to the fetus appeared to be non-selective (ref. l43f). Table 9 gives PCB concentrations found in seven second- and third-trimester fetuses, calculated on both whole tissue and fat bases. Concentrations reported in 19 first trimester fetuses (5-8 weeks) were less than 2 ppb (ref. 136, p. 37). 

At an urban scale, in some cases (Albanese et al., 2007 Cicchella et al., in press Lima et al., 2007), the use of this technique has been unsuitable due to both the small dimensions of the contaminated zones, characterised by a weak environmental impact on the surroundings, and the uniformity of the underlying geology along the whole urban area. Application of the C—A method to the MIDW interpolated grids and a careful observation of concentration intervals applied to the interpolated surfaces have led to a satisfactory definition of both background/baseline and anomalous values in most cases. 

Exposure Levels in Environmental Media. Limited, mostly outdated, data were available regarding the detection of acrolein in the environment. Information on exposure to acrolein in air in urban areas, rural areas, near hazardous waste disposal sites, as well as in water (specifically, drinking water supplied from groundwater downgradient from hazardous waste disposal sites and contaminated surface waters) and soil at waste disposal sites would be useful. Monitoring air and water over a 1-year period would provide some indication of seasonal variations. 

This chapter reviews the sources and types of POPs emissions in urban areas and ensuing environmental effects, examines some of the chemical interactions and transformations that occur within complex chemical mixtures that are found in urban areas and discusses some of the links between urban form and chemical emissions. We identify gaps, of which there are many, in the scientific understanding of contaminant dynamics in urban areas. We conclude by discussing the implications of urban contaminants on health and recommend ways to maximize the health benefits afforded by urban areas. 

NAPS (2008) Annual data summary for 2005 and 2006. Report 7/AP/39, Environmental Science and Technology Centre, Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada, p 367 Negral L, Moreno-Grau S, Moreno J, Querol X, Viana MM, Alastuey A (2008) Natural and anthropogenis contributions to PMIO and PM2.5 in an urban area in the Western Mediterranean Coast. Water Air Soil Pollut 192 227-238 Owen WJ, DeRouen TA (1980) Estimation of the mean for lognormal data containing zeroes and left-censored values, with application to the measurement of worker exposure to air contaminants. Biometrics 36 707-719... 

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