This paper examines the problem of estimating indoor radon concentrations for radon-induced lung cancer risk assessment. Previous authors have identified various problems and possible corrections for the use of generally available radon screening measurements. Bias evident in data collected from volunteers is described; regional databases developed from voluntary data generally exhibit higher mean values than those obtained from random samples. Tools are developed to better characterize the differences in voluntary and random concentration distributions. Application is demonstrated using voluntary and random radon survey data for the state of North Dakota.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals that is widely used in common consumer products. The aim of this study was to report the total urinary BPA concentrations (free plus conjugated) in 200 urine samples (children: 57; male: 74; female: 69) obtained from residents of a Mediterranean city, Mersin. Analyses were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and for assessing environmental exposure to free BPA and its major metabolite bisphenol A glucuronide (BPAG) in human urine were determinated. Our results indicated that the free BPA and BPAG concentrations were in the range of 0.06-0.99 μg/g creatinine and 0.24-615 μg/g creatinine, respectively. No statistically significant difference obtained in BPA concentrations between genders (male and female) or domicile of residence (rural and urban) (p > 0.05). In our study, the mean level of detected free BPA was 0.46 μg/g creatinine in the urban area and 0.37 μg/g creatinine in the rural area. The average amount of BPAG was 60.56 μg/g creatinine in the urban area and 30.28 μg/g creatinine in the rural area. The data demonstrate that determined amount of total BPA in the present study is lower than the results of similar studies conducted in developed countries. There is no data about the levels of BPA in humans and environment in Turkey. Because of this reason, present study is very important since it is the first study in Turkey which determined the concentrations of free BPA and total BPA in human.

We evaluated the efficiency of an air purifier using the single-chamber method for the effective removal of airborne Staphylococcus epidermidis, a nosocomial infection–causing bacterium. In this experiment, the bacterial strain S. epidermidis was injected using a nebulizer into the test chamber, which was similar to a consumer living space (60 m³). The microbial sampling was conducted via the air sampler method, and the reduction in S. epidermidis growth was monitored by performing three consecutive tests. Initially, a blank test was conducted to determine the natural decay rate and calibrate the experimental setup. After injecting the bacterial strain from 1240 to 11180 CFU per unit volume (m³), the natural decay rate showed a maximum deviation of 3.1% with a sampling error of 1.1% p at a confidence level of 95%. In addition, the particle size distribution in the test chamber was found to range from 0.3 to 5.0 μm, and a subsequent decrease in large-sized particles was observed with the operation of the air purifier, which is the size similar to that of suspended airborne bacteria. This can be used to assess the performance of the air purifier by calibrating the natural reduction value to the reduced operation value. Thus, the single-chamber technique is a promising approach for analyzing the removal efficacy of airborne bacteria from indoor air.

We describe a study designed to evaluate the performance ofwetland condition indicators of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR)of the north central United States. Basin and landscape scaleindicators were tested in 1992 and 1993 to determine theirability to discriminate between the influences of grasslanddominated and cropland dominated landscapes in the PPR. Pairedplots were selected from each of the major regions of the PPR.Among the landscape scale indicators tested, those most capableof distinguishing between the two landscapes were: 1) frequencyof drained wetland basins, 2) total length of drainage ditch perplot, 3) amount of exposed soil in the upland subject to erosion,4) indices of change in area of wetland covered by water, and5) number of breeding duck pairs. Basin scale indicators includingsoil phosphorus concentrations and invertebrate taxa richnessshowed some promise; however, plant species richness was the onlystatistically significant basin scale indicator distinguishinggrassland dominated from cropland dominated landscapes. Althoughour study found a number of promising candidate indicators, oneof our conclusions is that basin scale indicators present anumber of implementation problems, including: skill levelrequirements, site access denials, and recession of site accessby landowners. Alternatively, we suggest that the use oflandscape indicators based on remote sensing can be an effectivemeans of assessing wetland integrity.

The environment is witnessing a downgrade caused by the amelioration of the industrial and agricultural sectors, namely, soil and sediment compartments. For those reasons, a comparative study was done between soil cores and sediments taken from two locations in the Qaraaoun reservoir, Lebanon. The soil cores were partitioned into several layers. Each layer was analyzed for several physicochemical parameters, such as functional groups, particle size distribution, ζ-potential, texture, pH, electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, active and total calcareous, available sodium and potassium, and metal content (cadmium, copper, and lead). The metal content of each site was linked to soil composition and characteristics. The two sites showed distinguishable characteristics for features such as organic matter, pH, mineral fraction, calcareous, and metal content. The samples taken toward the south site (Q1), though contain lower organic matter than the other but are more calcareous, showed higher metal content in comparison to the other site (Q2) (average metal content of Q1 > Q2; for Cd 3.8 > 1.8 mg/kg, Cu 28.6 > 21.9 mg/kg, Pb 26.7 > 19 mg/kg). However, the metal content in this study did not correlate as much to the organic matter; rather, it was influenced by the location of the samples with respect to the dam, the reservoir’s hydrodynamics, the calcareous nature of the soil, and the variation of the industrial and agricultural influence on each site.

Remote sensing–based flood inundation mapping and monitoring is very crucial input before, during, and after floods. Ganga–Ramganga doab is one of the prolonged flood-affected area in middle Ganga plain due to seasonal monsoon which leads to rise in water levels of Ganga and Ramganga rivers. The focus of the present study is to map severe flood condition captured through synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data during August–September 2018, and to explain the impact on Ramganga river morphology. SAR data is preferred for flood mapping and real-time monitoring in all weather conditions. In this study, dual-polarized (VV and VH) Sentinel-1 SAR images coupled with hydrological data (river water level) were used to produce flood inundation maps. Thresholding technique has been applied to determine the flood mapping through Sentinel-1 data. VH and VV polarisation methods have been applied for a comparison of their respective accuracies in delineating surface water. Results have been validated against a Sentinel-2 optical image, and both polarisations produced a total accuracy of more than 93%. VV polarisation has high accuracies than VH polarisation as similar results are observed in previous studies as well. The finding reveals that severe bank erosion took place in the Ramganga channel which significantly affected the channel morphology, mainly the massive mobilisation of channel sediments. The results show that the average channel width increased from 46 to 336 m. The proposed approach demonstrates that the microwave remote sensing data along with GIS can be used efficiently for flood inundation mapping, monitoring, and analysing its effect on channel morphology. Therefore, the results of this study will help to take the initiative to reduce the flood hazard impact in the doab area and increase the flexibility in the process of flood management.

A survey of 120 coffee farmers in the Portland watershed revealed that they lacked training in pesticide application, and had no concept of the transport of residues in the environment and their impact on non-target organisms.

Residues of organochlorine (OC) and organophosphorous compounds (OP) were monitored monthly for over a year in plantation soil, and water, sediment and fauna of three rivers and coastal waters of Portland watershed by gas chromatography. OP residues were not detected in any sample while OC residues were below detection levels in Rio Grande. The mean concentration ± standard error of residues detected in water (μg L^_1), sediment (ng g^_1) and fauna (ng g^_1 in wet weight) were: α-endosulfan 2.7 ± 1.29, 3.8 ± 0.15 and 15.9 ± 1.61, respectively, in Spanish River, 1.56 ± 0.43, 24.3 ± 16.44 and 9.0 ± 1.86, respectively, in Swift River; 0.40 ± 0.02, 1.77 ± 0.68 ± 12.63, respectively, in sea coast; β-endosulfan, 1.2 ± 0.48, 0 and 8.1 ± 1.99, respectively, in Spanish River, 1.9 ± 0.49, 0.75 ± 0.32 and 11. ± 4.32, respectively, in Swift River; 0, 5.1 ± 0.30 and 30.9 ± 15.96, respectively, in sea coast; endosulfan sulphate, 0.12 ± 0.12, 4.8 ± 1.62 and 10.0 ± 2.02, respectively, in Spanish River, 3.6 ± 0.95, 3.1 ± 0.56 and 7.9 ± 1.29, respectively, in Swift River and 0, 3.9 ± 2.17 and 24.0 ± 14.67, respectively, in sea coast.

Dieldrin residues were detected only once in water (0.2 ± 0.03) and sediment (0.02 ± 0.003) of Spanish River, water (0.76 ± 0.09) of Swift River and sediment (0.1 ± 0.005) of sea coast; pp′ DDE was found twice in water (3.1 ± 1.53) and sediment (0.1 ± 0.007) of Swift River and water (0.8 ± 0.22) and sediment (6.14 ± 0.41) of sea coast. Arochlor was detected only twice (0.011 and 0.153) in water of Spanish River.

National forest inventories (NFIs) have traditionally been designed to assess the production value of forests as well as forest biodiversity. However, in this study, the aim is to show a new application of NFIs, namely the estimation of the landscape metric contagion. This metric is commonly calculated on raster-based land cover/use maps. In this study, a sample-based dataset from the Swedish NFI was used. The estimated contagion metric is based on a distance-dependent function so that the value of the metric is small for longer distances, whereas the corresponding estimated variance is large for longer distances. With this procedure, comparisons can be made for different landscapes at a given time and or to compare any given landscape over time. The main advantages are that the approach can be applied where raster-based land cover/use maps of the landscape are not available and that the data obtained from NFIs (e.g., land cover type) typically are of high quality in comparison with remotely sensed data due to being based on direct observation in the field survey. The procedure applied here accommodates both the patch-mosaic and the gradient-based model approach to landscape structure.

The main purpose of this research was to evaluate the geochemical properties of rocks for a single indicator of acid-forming potential. The indicators, such as net acid generation (NAG), NAG pH and total S, were applied to 312 rock samples of various geological characteristics. Additional indicators, such as a Modified NAG pH, paste pH and available acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), were applied to 22 selected samples. Among them, NAG pH was considered the most plausible single indicator in evaluating acid-forming potential, as it is simple to measure, widely applicable to various samples and can be used to estimate the NAG value. The acid-forming potential of 287 samples (92% of samples examined in this research) was classified as either non-acid forming (NAF) or potentially acid forming (PAF) by NAG pH, with an NAF criteria of <3.21 and PAF of >4.52. The NAG pH was also a good estimate of the risk of short-term acid release when combined with paste pH information. However, application of NAG pH to coal mine wastes, with high organic carbon contents, produced erroneous results due to the generation of organic acid during the NAG test. In this research, a Modified NAG pH was assessed as an alternative to NAG pH in such situations.

Landuse change significantly alters the hydrologic characteristics of the land surface within a watershed. In the present study, the impact of landuse change (2006–2016) on runoff and sediment yield has been assessed in Patiala-Ki-Rao watershed (5140 ha) located in Shivalik foot-hills, using remote sensing, geographical information system (GIS), and Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) watershed model. The watershed has seven major landuse classes, namely agriculture, built-up, fallow land, forest, grass land, streams, and water bodies. The landuse change analysis indicated that the area under all the landuses decreased except built-up that increased by 372.27 ha (112.04%). Forest is the most affected landuse among all watershed landuses that shrinked by 194.90 ha followed by agriculture (64.57 ha), grass land (50.81 ha), streams (30.42 ha), fallow land (21.86 ha), and water bodies (9.72 ha). Runoff and sediment yield for the landuse of the years 2006 and 2016 were simulated by the WEPP model using two climate scenarios (2006 and 2016). The simulated runoff, sediment yield, and sediment delivery ratio increased by 18.62%, 48.04%, and 32.23% under Climate-2006 and 26.78%, 30.23%, and 16.09% under Climate-2016 due to change in landuse during a period of 10 years. This clearly indicates that landuse change in 10 years has greatly influenced the hydrology of the watershed and requires urgent land allocation policy in place for sustainable development in the area.