PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Environmental Monitoring”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Development of polymer-based sensors for integration into a wireless data acquisition system suitable for monitoring environmental and physiological processes.

In this work, the pressure sensing properties of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer films were evaluated by integrating them with a wireless data acquisition system. Each device was connected to an integrated interface circuit, which includes a capacitance to frequency converter (C/F) and an internal voltage regulator to suppress supply voltage fluctuations on the transponder side. The system was tested under hydrostatic pressures ranging from 0 to 17 kPa. Results show PE to be the more sensitive to pressure changes, indicating that it is useful for the accurate measurement of pressure over a small range. On the other hand PVDF devices could be used for measurement over a wider range and should be considered due to the low hysteresis and good repeatability displayed during testing. It is thought that this arrangement could form the basis of a cost-effective wireless monitoring system for the evaluation of environmental or physiological processes.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2002

Risk-based analysis of environmental monitoring data: application to heavy metals in North Carolina surface waters.

The state of North Carolina's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) conducts routine water quality monitoring throughout the state to assess the health of aquatic systems. The current study reports the results of a retrospective (1990-2000) ecological risk assessment of six heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc) in 17 North Carolina basins that was conducted to estimate the risk of heavy metal toxicity to freshwater organisms and assess the sufficiency of NCDENR's monitoring data to identify water-quality-related ecological threats. Acute and chronic ecotoxicological thresholds (ETs) were calculated for each metal based upon the 10th percentile of species sensitivity distributions and were normalized for water hardness. Statewide probabilities (expressed as percentages) of a random sample exceeding acute or chronic ETs among the six metals ranged from 0.01% to 12.19% and 0.76% to 21.21%, respectively, with copper having the highest and arsenic and mercury the lowest risk. Basin-specific probabilities varied significantly depending upon water hardness and presumably watershed development. Although the majority of specific sites where data were collected were at low risk for metal toxicity, some specific sites had a high probability of toxic events associated with one or more metals. Analytical detection limits for metals were frequently higher than estimated chronic ET, limiting the ability to assess the risk of chronic toxicity in soft-water basins. Results suggest risk-based criteria may be useful for assessing and validating the sufficiency of monitoring programs and prioritizing management goals.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Environmental monitoring and banking of marine pollutants by using common mussels.

Since 1985 the common mussel Mytulis edulis has been collected, characterized and stored within the framework of the German Environmental Specimen Bank program. Selected results about the determination of various pollutants such as heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons are presented. Particular emphasis is given to the comparison of seasonal variations with respect to different environmental contaminants and their correlations depending on sampling location and time.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Environmental monitoring of bleached kraft pulp mill chlorophenolic compounds in a northern Canadian river system.

The environmental transport of pulp mill effluent compounds and the exposure of two fish species has been monitored by parallel analyses of effluent, water column and suspended sediment samples, and fish bile and muscle. Compounds analyzed included over 20 chlorophenolic compounds and 12 fatty and resin acids. The concentration of chlorophenols varied with seasonal river flows and mill process changes such as the substitution of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for chlorine gas (Cl2) in the bleach plant. At 100% (ClO2) substitution, the effluent and the water column concentrations of most chlorophenolics approached the analytical detection limits of 0.1-1 parts per billion. Chlorophenolic and fatty/resin acid compounds were detected in the bile of both mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) and longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), but were rarely detected in fillets. Fish bile concentrations were observed in an apparent spatial gradient as far as 230 km downstream of the mill. A depuration experiment with fish held in uncontaminated water for eight days indicated a rapid decrease in chlorophenol levels. These observations corroborate previous investigations that chlorophenolic compounds are rapidly excreted and can be used as sensitive markers for recent exposure to mill effluents.

Alberta↗
PubMed2006

Environmental monitoring for gastroenteric viruses in a pediatric primary immunodeficiency unit.

The aim of this study was to determine if gastroenteric viruses were present on surfaces and equipment in a pediatric primary immunodeficiency unit (PPIU) by environmental sampling using swabs and subsequent nucleic acid extraction and reverse transcriptase PCR assays. A PPIU was chosen, and 11 swabs were taken at the same sites every 2 weeks for 6 months. Nested/heminested PCR assays were used to screen for astroviruses (AsV), noroviruses (NoV), and rotaviruses (RV). AsV, NoV, and RV were detected at multiple swab sites during the study period. NoV was the most frequently detected virus on environmental surfaces; however, RV was detected on 79% and NoV on 50% of swabbing dates during the study period. Toilet taps were the most contaminated sites. Fecal samples from selected patients in the unit were also screened during the study period, and patients excreted AsV, NoV, and RV at times during the study. New cleaning schedules and changes in some of the PPIU sanitary furniture have been suggested as a means of reducing environmental contamination.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1998

Monitoring environmental disease--United States, 1997.

One of the national health objectives for 2000 (HP2000) is to establish and monitor nonoccupational "sentinel" environmental diseases, including asthma, heatstroke, hypothermia, heavy metal poisoning, pesticide poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, acute chemical poisoning, and methemoglobinemia, in at least 35 states (baseline: 0 states in 1990) (objective 11.16). To assess progress toward this objective, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), the Association of Schools of Public Health, and CDC conducted a telephone survey of environmental epidemiologists in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico during June-August 1997. This report summarizes the results of that survey, which indicate that progress is being made toward the HP2000 objective.

Asthma↗
PubMed2003

The use of sensor arrays for environmental monitoring: interests and limitations.

Continuous, in situ monitoring of air, water and land quality is fundamental to most environmental applications. Low cost and non-invasive chemical sensor arrays provide a suitable technique for in situ monitoring. Their ability and performance under realistic conditions is discussed in this paper. Published studies report promising results despite a number of limitations that are associated with both the technology itself and its application in ever changing ambient conditions. Early investigations include the analysis of single substances as well as odour and wastewater organic load monitoring. Reported applications typically highlight the sensitivity of the currently available sensors to changes in temperature, humidity and flow rate. Two types of approaches are recommended to deal with these effects: either working under fixed experimental conditions or measuring the external parameters to numerically compensate for their change. The main challenge associated with the use of non-specific sensor arrays lies in establishing a relationship between the measured multivariate signals and the standards metrics that are traditionally used for quality assessment of gas mixtures. For instance, odour monitoring requires calibration against olfactometric measurements while investigations of wastewater samples still need to be correlated with organic pollution parameters such as BOD, COD or TOC. On the other hand, results obtained in the field have demonstrated how sensor arrays can be readily used as simple alarm devices or as early warning systems based on a general air/water quality index.

Air Movements↗
PubMed2006

Environmental monitoring of hydrophobic organic contaminants: the case of mussels versus semipermeable membrane devices.

Concentrations of hydrophobic chemicals in mussels and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) from nine studies published over the past decade, amended with new data obtained in the Scheldt-North Sea area, were assessed to understand the similarities and differences between these sampling matrixes. A model was developed to describe the concentration ratios, using literature values of elimination rate constants and steady-state accumulation factors of both samplers as key parameters. The model could successfully describe the results of seven studies. Differences in concentration ratios among these studies were related to the variability of mussel bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) and water sampling rates of SPMDs. For two studies, the model could only describe the data by adopting unrealistically high water sampling rates, and for one study there were not enough data to test the model. We argue that SPMDs will generally yield more reliable estimates of exposure concentrations than mussels, because in situ BAF values are difficult to estimate, whereas the in situ exchange kinetics of SPMDs can be quantified by measuring the dissipation rates of performance reference compounds. The implications of the results for future and existing monitoring programs are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Optical immunosensors for environmental monitoring: how far have we come?

Immunosensing has proved to be a very interesting research area. This review discusses what has actually been achieved in the field of optical immunosensing for environmental screening, and what still needs to be done. The review is presented from a practical point of view. In terms of the basic design of the immunosensor, there is a trend towards decreasing assay time; indeed, this has been reduced from 15-20 minutes to less than 5 minutes. Another goal is to simplify the manifold, and label-free approaches combining indirect assay formats and the detection of antibody binding are popular. Rapid displacement assays have also been investigated thoroughly. In terms of some important features of immunosensing devices, the reusability of the sensing element has been studied in great depth, and working lifetimes of more than five hundred assays can now be found for all assay formats. Multianalyte assays are now being investigated, and current systems are able to monitor 2-3 target compounds, although this number is set to increase greatly (to >30) in the near future. In this sense, an increasing number of publications can be found on microarrays intended for multianalyte determinations. The application of immunosensing to real situations is the main challenge. Immunosensors are barely commercialized and are yet to be established as research or routine tools, due to a lack of validated protocols for a wide range of sample matrices. Regarding compounds considered as analytes, some significant pollutants such as dioxins or pharmaceuticals are rarely chosen as targets, although the current tendency is towards a broader spectrum of analytes. New immunoreagents should be raised for these compounds, for use in immunosensors that can be used as screening tools.

Biosensing Techniques↗
PubMed2001

Representative sampling and sample preparation in biological environmental monitoring using spruce shoots.

The design of sampling and sample processing has a tremendous effect on the analytical results from which conclusions are drawn with respect to the quality of the environment and any possible impact on human health. Large scale environmental surveys need rigorous planning and extensive screening experiments to evaluate their boundary conditions. Representativeness and sample homogeneity are highlighted here in the context of a long-term biological monitoring survey for trace elements using spruce shoots. Several aspects concerning the selection of samples, amount of material, material processing and sample preparation prior to chemical characterisation are illustrated by selected examples.

Environmental Monitoring↗