Search results for: HARMFUL ENVIRONMENT
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Endocrine disrupting compounds in the baby's world - A harmful environment to the health of babies
PublicationGlobally, there has been a significant increase in awareness of the adverse effects of chemicals with known or suspected endocrine-acting properties on human health. Human exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) mainly occurs by ingestion and to some extent by inhalation and dermal uptake. Although it is difficult to assess the full impact of human exposure to EDCs, it is well known that timing of exposure is of importance...
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The Use of Vegetables in the Biomonitoring of Cadmium and Lead Pollution in the Environment
PublicationLead and cadmium emitted from various anthropogenic sources have the ability to accumulate in tissues of living organisms. The phenomenon of accumulation of metals in the body is harmful and undesirable. On the other hand, the ability of plants to accumulate heavy metals from the individual elements of the environment has been used in biomonitoring of pollution. Leaf and root of vegetables have particular predisposition for accumulating...
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THE USE OF GREEN LOGISTICS ELEMENTS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF OFFSHORE VESSELS
PublicationThe article is aimed at the presentation referring to the use of green logistics elements during the construction of the offshore vessels in the following aspects: collection, removal and utilisation of any waste that is harmful for natural environment, elimination of the negative impact that such waste can have on natural environment and the search for the optimal solutions as regards these aspects.
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Ecological and Health Effects of Lubricant Oils Emitted into the Environment
PublicationLubricating oils used in machines with an open cutting system, such as a saw or harvester, are applied in forest areas, gardening, in the household, and in urban greenery. During the operation of the device with an open cutting system, the lubricating oil is emitted into the environment. Therefore, the use of an oil base and refining additives of petroleum origin in the content of lubricants is associated with a negative impact...
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The Environmental Benefits of Photovoltaic Systems: The Impact on the Environment in the Production of Photovoltaic Systems: With a Focus on Metal Recovery
PublicationGreenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, trap heat and energy, thus preventing solar radiation from escaping back into space. As the quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases so does the trapped heat and corresponding global temperature. As a result, storms become more violent, droughts more prevalent, glaciers melt, and sea levels rise, to name but a few effects of a rapidly changing...
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The difficulties in polybrominated diphenyl ethers identification by GC-EI-MS technique
PublicationAwareness about the harmful effects of brominated flame retardants on living organisms increases mainly due to link their presence in the human environment with health disorders. Therefore is a need to conduct research aimed at content control of these chemicals in the environment. Recent improvements in injection techniques and mass spectrometer ionization methods have led to a variety of options to determine PBDEs in environmental...
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The life cycle cost of a building from the point of view of environmental criteria of selecting the most beneficial offer in the area of competitive tendering
PublicationThe article analyses environmental and ecological criteria of selecting the most beneficial offer in the aspect of LCC. Construction works contracts and the potential method of defining the above criteria, among others, is pondered on (for example by the recommendation of a material, which is supposed to be used, a ban on substances that are harmful for human health as well for the environment). In the relation to the above, it...
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Research on the phenomena of warming up and free cooling down the car engine
PublicationThe average cold start temperature in Europe is 9 degrees C. However, not the average is the most important for the composition of exhaust gases and associated air pollution. The most onerous for the environment are the winter starts when automotive emissions of harmful gases add up in cities with those of home heating systems. The paper presents preliminary studies of warming up and cooling down processes in various environmental conditions....
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Stabilization of Solid Residues Obtained During Sewage Sludge Thermal Treatment
PublicationCurrently wastewater treatment plants are still dealing with the problem of ecological management of sewage sludge. Nowadays, thermal utilization is considered the most eco-friendly way of processing excess sludge. However, during mentioned process, fractions of ashes and dusts are generated. Such wastes, especially dusts fraction, can be potentially harmful for the environment and wastes should be stabilized before further management....
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Phytoremediation—From Environment Cleaning to Energy Generation—Current Status and Future Perspectives
Publication:Phytoremediationis a technology based on the use of green plants to remove, relocate, deactivate, or destroy harmful environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, radionuclides, hydrocarbons, and pharmaceuticals. Under the general term of phytoremediation, several processes with distinctively different mechanisms of action are hidden. In this paper, the most popular modes of phytoremediation are described and discussed. A broad...
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Effective assessment of biopolymer-based multifunctional sorbents for the remediation of environmentally hazardous contaminants from aqueous solutions
PublicationPersistent contaminants in wastewater effluent pose a significant threat to aquatic life and are one of the most significant environmental concerns of our time. Although there are a variety of traditional methods available in wastewater treatment, including adsorption, coagulation, flocculation, ion exchange, membrane filtration, co-precipitation and solvent extraction, none of these have been found to be significantly cost-effective...
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Testing and sampling devices for monitoring volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in indoor air
PublicationAdults spend most of their time in enclosed spaces (e.g., apartment, office and public buildings). According to research conducted by scientists, air quality indoors is much worse than the ambient air quality outdoors. Hazardous chemicals found in air indoors can adversely affect the functioning of the human body and cause many respiratory and circulatory diseases. Harmful chemical compounds (mainly volatile organic compounds and...
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Assessment of the Environmental Impact of a Car Tire throughout Its Lifecycle Using the LCA Method
PublicationThere are numerous threats to the natural environment that pose a significant risk both to the environment and to human health, including car tires. Thus, there is a need to determine the impact of the life cycle of car tires on the environment, starting with the processes of raw materials acquisition, production, and ending with end-of-life management. Therefore, the authors of this study chose to do research on passenger car...
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The use of bioassays in the analysis of environmental samples
PublicationToxicological tests are increasingly used as effective tool to complement the information obtained during the environmental monitoring. Moreover bioassays provide basic knowledge about the health effects of exposure to harmful factors associated with the environment. Toxicity tests might be a source of information about the content of pollutants in the sample, and the possibility of their interactions. They can be considered as...
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Manufacturing and Recycling Impact on Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Innovative Wind Power Plant Part 2/2
PublicationThe process of conversion of wind kinetic energy into electricity in innovative wind power plant emits practically no harmful substances into the environment. However, the production stage of its components requires a lot of energy and materials. The biggest problem during production plan-ning process of an innovative wind power plant is selection of materials and technologies and, consequently, the waste generated at this stage....
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Efficient removal of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from industrial/military wastewater using anodic oxidation on boron-doped diamond electrodes
PublicationWith growing public concern about water quality particular focus should be placed on organic micropollutants, which are harmful to the environment and people. Hence, the objective of this research is to enhance the security and resilience of water resources by developing an efficient system for reclaiming industrial/military wastewater and protecting recipients from the toxic and cancerogenic explosive compound – 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene...
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Coacervative extraction as a green technique for sample preparation for the analysis of organic compounds
PublicationOne of the present trends in analytical chemistry is miniaturization, which is one of the methods of green analytical chemistry application. A particular emphasis is placed on the elimination of the use of large amounts of organic solvents which are toxic and harmful to the environment, maintaining high efficiency of the extraction process, high recovery values and low values of quantification (LOQ) and detection (LOD) limits....
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Deep eutectic solvents – Ideal solution for clean air or hidden danger?
PublicationThe industrial sector is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases, due to its excessive energy consumption to meet the rapidly growing demand for energy-intensive products. The use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has been studied extensively in order to cope with these harmful gases, but their usage can be an issue in respect to ecological reasons. Do deep eutectic solvents harm the atmosphere? Yes, these solvents...
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Comprehensive stabilization of all streams of solid residues formed during sewage sludge thermal treatment – Case study
PublicationModern wastewater treatment plants are currently struggling with the problem of processing and ecological management of sewage sludge. Thermal utilization is a frequently used practice of excess sludge utilization especially in large wastewater treatment plants, which seems to be a quite promising concept. However, during thermal treatment, fractions of ashes and dusts are generated. Such wastes, especially the dust fraction, can...
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DETERMINANTS OF INLAND NAVIGATION ON THE VISTULA FROM WARSAW TO GDAŃSK
PublicationWaterborne transport is the cheapest, the safest and the least harmful to the natural environment. Restoring regular waterway cargo transport will require revitalisation of the existing trans-shipment and logistics infrastructure for commercial inland ports and building new. Transport policy makers must remember that waterborne transport is the most ecological type of transport. It produces only 10% of the gases emitted to the...
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Application of analytical procedure based on accelerated solvent extraction and ion chromatography technique for determination of thiocyanate and other inorganic ions in human placenta samples
PublicationExposure of a pregnant woman during pregnancy is a special case of exposure to toxic substances. Samples of placenta collected for the studies had been prepared with the technique of accelerated solvent extraction and later analyzed for the presence of thiocyanate ion and other inorganic ions, with the use of the technique of ion chromatography. The concentration of thiocyanate ion in placenta samples collected from active smokers...
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ENERGY EFFICIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HYBRID CONVERSION OF INLAND PASSENGER VESSEL
PublicationThe development and growing availability of modern technologies, along with more and more severe environment protection standards which frequently take a form of legal regulations, are the reason why attempts are made to find a quiet and economical propulsion system not only for newly built watercraft units, but also for modernised ones. Correct selection of the propulsion and supply system for a given vessel affects significantly...
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Analysis of catalitic reactors usefulness to reduce pollution generated by piston combustion engines with regard to ship main engines
PublicationThe article presents results which indicate that the use of catalytic reactors to reduce emissions of harmful compunds contained in the exhaust gas is important in the operation of vehicle motors operation. Efforts of the shipbuilding industry to reduce the toxicity of exhaust gas emitted by the main engines have been indicated and pointed to the desirability of the use of these catalysts in maritime transport. It has been pointed...
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The exposure to UV filters: Prevalence, effects, possible molecular mechanisms of action and interactions within mixtures
PublicationSubstances that can absorb sunlight and harmful UV radiation such as organic UV filters are widely used in cosmetics and other personal care products. Since humans use a wide variety of chemicals for multiple purposes it is common for UV filters to co-occur with other substances either in human originating specimens or in the environment. There is increasing interest in understanding such co-occurrence in form of potential synergy, antagonist,...
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The effect of adding a standard on the result of determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in bottom sediment samples
PublicationBottom sediments are a very important component of aquatic ecosystems. The sediment matrix is highly diverse and heterogeneous; in consequence, compounds entering the aquatic environment from different sources are considerably enriched at its surface. Bottom sediments are regarded as natural sorbents, since they accumulate many harmful substances, such as heavy metals and stable organic contaminants.Extraction is a key stage in...
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Determination of selected parameters/ analytes in surface water samples collected in the surroundings of the capital of Spitsbergen (Longyearbyen)
PublicationPolar regions are extremely sensitive to pollution such as harmful gases, particles or toxic substances which affect the Arctic climate and ecosystems. Spitsbergen, as well as all Arctic region, because of its geographically distant location and lack of industry sector, should be free of chemical pollution. Despite this, many pollutants could be found in the Polar environment, for example in freshwaters. Their occurrence is related...
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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Sediments and Water Analysis
PublicationUnfavorable side effects of different forms of anthropogenic activities can be found anywhere in the world. One of the basic characteristics of pollutants entering marine and ocean waters is their spread and movement in the global ocean. A portion of the substances entering the marine environment is rapidly degraded by chemical processes occurring in the air, sediments, and water, thereby losing their toxic properties. The biggest...
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PROPELLER INVESTIGATIONS BY MEANS OF NUMERICAL SIMULATION
PublicationThe analyses of hydroacoustics are of high interest at the moment due to strong impact of hydroacoustic phenomena on marine environment; the noises, generated e.g. by marine traffic, may be harmful for sea life. The analyses presented here are focused on one of main sources of noises generated by ships, i.e. cavitating propeller. The goal of the work is the assessment of the cavitation phenomenon, carried out with the standard...
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Recent advancements in molecularly imprinted polymers for the removal of heavy metal ions and dyes
PublicationContamination set off by highly toxic metal ions and dyes is a big threat to the environment and living beings. Various industries like metal plating, mining, pesticides, battery manufacturing, and dyeing release metal ions and toxic dyes directly into the water. It is necessary to remove these toxic substances from the environment. Molecular imprinting technology (MIT) got a lot of attention in the last two decades because of...
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Challenges of overcoming ageism towards elderly people in healthcare context
PublicationRESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the paper is to analyse the impact ageism may have on providing healthcare to elderly people. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The article investigates the consequences of ageism in medical settings, where the elderly are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, distinguishing ageism from appropriate practice variation as well as giving suggestions to improve the situation. The paper analyses...
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF SOLAR CELL MATERIALS
PublicationIn today’s world, fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, are the primary energy sources from which electricity is obtained. As they are exhaustible and their exploitation has a negative impact on the natural environment, they should be, at least partially, replaced by renewable energy sources. One of these sources is solar energy. The use of solar energy releases no CO2, SO2, or NO2 gases, and does not contribute to global...
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Statistical Data Pre-Processing and Time Series Incorporation for High-Efficacy Calibration of Low-Cost NO2 Sensor Using Machine Learning
PublicationAir pollution stands as a significant modern-day challenge impacting life quality, the environment, and the economy. It comprises various pollutants like gases, particulate matter, biological molecules, and more, stemming from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial operations, agriculture, and natural events. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), among these harmful gases, is notably prevalent in densely populated urban regions. Given...
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Machine-learning-based precise cost-efficient NO2 sensor calibration by means of time series matching and global data pre-processing
PublicationAir pollution remains a considerable contemporary challenge affecting life quality, the environment, and economic well-being. It encompasses an array of pollutants—gases, particulate matter, biological molecules—emanating from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial activities, agriculture, and natural occurrences. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a harmful gas, is particularly abundant in densely populated urban areas. Given its...
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Manufacturing and Recycling Impact on Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Innovative Wind Power Plant Part 1/2
PublicationWind power plants are considered as ecologically-clean source of energy. However, manufacturing processes cannot be treated that way. Manufacturing processes consume huge amount of electrical and thermal energy and significant amount of materials, e.g. steel, polymers, oils and lubricants. All of the above could be potentially harmful for environment. There are not many works and publications regarding life-cycle analysis of wind...
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Analysis of friction ridge evidence for trace amounts of paracetamol in various pharmaceutical industries by Raman spectroscopy
PublicationThe detection of potentially harmful substances presents a multifaceted challenge. On one hand, it can directly save lives, on the other, it can significantly aid and enhance police work, thereby increasing the effectiveness of investigations. The research conducted in this study primarily aims to identify paracetamol in fingerprints, considering situations involving direct contact of a person with paracetamol either chronically...
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Assessment of Environmental Loads in the Life Cycle of a Retail and Service Building
PublicationIn order to achieve the European Union’s climate and energy goals, investments are required, mainly in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and infrastructure. Buildings are responsible for almost half of total energy consumption, and nearly 80% of them are energy and ecologically inefficient. The policy of European countries is increasingly more focused on facilities with the highest potential in the areas...
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Environmental characteristics of a tundra river system in Svalbard. Part 2: Chemical stress factors
PublicationBacterial communities in the Arctic environment are subject to multiple stress factors, including contaminants, although typically their concentrations are small. The Arctic contamination research has focused on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) because they are bioaccumulative, resistant to degradation and toxic for all organisms. Pollutants have entered the Arctic predominantly by atmospheric and oceanic long-range transport,...
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Recent progress in ultra-low formaldehyde emitting adhesive systems and formaldehyde scavengers in wood-based panels: a review
PublicationTraditional wood-based panels are produced with synthetic, formaldehyde-based adhesives, commonly made from fossil-derived constituents, such as urea, phenol, melamine, etc. Along with their numerous advantages, such as chemical versatility, high reactivity and excellent adhesive performance, these adhesives are characterized by certain problems, connected with the hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mostly free formaldehyde...
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Determining the noise impact on hearing using psychoacoustical noise dosimeter
PublicationThis research study presents the designed noise dosimeter based on psychoacoustical properties of the human hearing system and, at the same time. evaluation of time and frequency characteristics of noise. The designed noise dosimeter enables assessing temporary threshold shift (TTS) in critical hands in real time. In this way it is possible monitoring the hearing threshold shift continuously for people who stay in the harmful noise...
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Application of Nanomaterials for Cadmium Adsorption for Sustainable Treatment of Wastewater: a Review
PublicationMany heavy metals, particularly cadmium, are detrimental to both people and the environment when present in large quantities. In wastewater treatment plants, several conventional approaches are employed for cadmium abatement to restore the ecosystem, food supplies, and health of people and animals. Ion exchange, coagulation, membrane filtration, and chemical precipitation are a few examples of ways for removing heavy metals from...
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Bioaccumulation of Metals in Tissues of Marine Animals, Part I: the Role and Impact of Heavy Metals on Organisms
PublicationHeavy metals contribute to the anthropogenic contamination of marine ecosystems. Some of them are essential to the life processes of organisms; others are toxic, even at low concentrations. They penetrate organisms via food, respiratory pathways or the skin. The extent to which metals penetrate organisms is measured by the bioconcentration and bioaccumulation factors and also by their transport between organisms at different trophic...
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THE STUDY OF WATER POLLUTION OF THE LOWER VISTULA RIVER BY PLASTIC PARTICLES
PublicationSince the beginning of widespread use of plastic its consumption and production has been constantly increasing. As a result of human activity part of waste ends up in our environment and is deposited in each of the elements of the biosphere. These impurities can be in the form of large elements, small particles fragmented to macroscopic level (pellets, facial scrub grains) and the microparticles visible under a microscope. Particularly...
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On Memory-Based Precise Calibration of Cost-Efficient NO2 Sensor Using Artificial Intelligence and Global Response Correction
PublicationNitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a prevalent air pollutant, particularly abundant in densely populated urban regions. Given its harmful impact on health and the environment, precise real-time monitoring of NO2 concentration is crucial, particularly for devising and executing risk mitigation strategies. However, achieving precise measurements of NO2 is challenging due to the need for expensive and cumbersome equipment. This has spurred...
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Polymer and graphitic carbon nitride based nanohybrids for the photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment – A review
PublicationPharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, have been frequently detected in water reservoirs, in concentrations ranging from ng/L to μg/L, owing to their wide use in treatment of human and animal disease. Their uncontrolled use results in their increased release into the environment which is harmful for humans, animals, aquatic life and aquatic system. To remove these pollutants from water bodies, various...
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Real-time monitoring of the emission of volatile organic compounds from polylactide 3D printing filaments
PublicationEstablishing the emission profile of volatile organic compounds generated during fused deposition modeling 3D printing using polymer filaments is important in terms of both understanding the processes taking place during thermal degradation of thermoplastics, and assessing the user's exposure to potentially harmful volatiles. However, obtaining detailed, real-time qualitative and quantitative results poses a challenge. In this...
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Technological solutions to landfill management: Towards recovery of biomethane and carbon neutrality
PublicationInadequate landfill management poses risks to the environment and human health, necessitating action. Poorly designed and operated landfills release harmful gases, contaminate water, and deplete resources. Aligning landfill management with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reveals its crucial role in achieving various targets. Urgent transformation of landfill practices is necessary to address challenges like climate change,...
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Removal of VOCs from air and assessment of dominant species in a peat-perlite biotrickling filter
PublicationAir pollution has become a major concern because it is inevitably connected with the rapid development of both industrial and residential areas. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted from various anthropogenic sources e.g. transportation, factories or landfills as well as recycling factories. It is problematic not only because of the direct impact on humans and environment but also from economy viewpoint as it increases...
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Determination of Heavy Metals Concentration in Water and Soil at Various Locations in Lahore and their Harmful Impacts on Human and Plants life
PublicationHeavy metals poisoning of soil and water has resulted from industrial expansion in Lahore, Pakistan, creating a significant environmental hazard. As a result, monitoring the contamination of soil and water around industrial sites is critical. The fact that higher concentrations of heavy metals have a negative influence on both plants and human life and this cannot be ignored. Higher heavy metal concentrations have a direct impact...
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Mushroom Toxins
PublicationToxins and Other Harmful Compounds in Foods provides information on the contents, distribution, chemical properties, and biological activity of toxins and other harmful compounds in foods that are natural components of the raw materials, accumulated due to microbial actions and environmental pollution, or are generated due to processing.
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Chemical hazard in glacial melt? The glacial system as a secondary source of POPs (in the Northern Hemisphere). A systematic review
PublicationToxicity of compounds belonging to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) iswidely known, and their re-emission from glaciers has been conclusively demonstrated. However, the harmful effects associated with such secondary emissions have yet to be thoroughly understood, especially in the spatial and temporal context, as the existing literature has a clear sampling biaswith the best recognition of sites in the European Alps. In this...