SEARCH · PubMed Health
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.
The signs of environmental stress grow as the world's population increases: worn-out farmlands, eroded hillsides, polluted water, parched grasslands, smoke-laden air, depleted ozone, and treeless ranges. Each year about 17 million hectares of tropical forest vanish--an area the size of Tunisia or Uruguay. Fish catches are leveling off. Cities are clogged with refuse. Water and air, instead of sustaining life, cause disease.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
As the gas industries in the United States and Japan switched from toxic coal gas to nontoxic natural gas, the incidence of accidental deaths from domestic gas declined dramatically in both nations. Thus, improvements in public health occurred as incidental side effects of business decisions.
Radon and radon daughter concentrations have been measured in 33 "energy-efficient" homes in a small subdivision in Kanata, Ontario. Integrated radon measurements were determined over three month periods for a year using solid state nuclear track detectors. Radon and radon daughter grab sample determinations were made during corresponding periods and confirm the distributions of the integrated radon measurements. Annual average individual home radon concentrations show an 8 fold concentration range between homes. This variability in radon concentrations is not reflected in the range of air exchange rates for the homes. A distinct seasonal variation is noted for the median values of the radon and radon daughter concentrations and the equilibrium factor F in the dwellings.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The fallout from the explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant concentrated levels of up to 10 kBq 137Cs kg-1 dry weight in the fuel peat harvested during the summer of 1986 in Finland. We investigated the behavior of fallout radionuclides 137Cs, 134Cs, 106Ru, 144Ce, 125Sb, 95Zr, and 110mAg together with naturally occurring 210Pb and 226Ra in the combustion of this contaminated peat in four different power plants. The elements antimony, ruthenium, lead, and cesium were enriched on the smallest particles, indicating that they were in a volatile chemical form, while cerium, zirconium, and radium were nonvolatile at the combustion temperatures. This result confirms the previous finding that ruthenium is volatile in combustion. Although metallic ruthenium requires 2,310 degrees C to melt, some of its oxides melt and evaporate at much lower temperatures.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Increasing concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can be directly related to global warming. In terms of human health, because a major cause of increasing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 is the increased combustion of fossil fuels, global warming also may result in increases in air pollutants, acid deposition, and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To understand better the impacts of global warming phenomena on human health, this review emphasizes the processes that are responsible for the greenhouse effect, air pollution, acid deposition, and increased exposure to UV radiation.
Two cases of Penicillium-induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis in farmers handling fuel chips are presented. Attention should be paid to safe handling of all types of solid fuel (wood, chips, and peat) and other materials in which mold may grow.
Recent events clearly establish that petroleum can no longer be relied upon as a stable, economical raw material for energy and industrial chemicals. Plant biomass is currently being evaluated as a desirable alternative raw material to petroleum because of renewability and abundance. The most abundant form of biomass on the planet earth is lignocellulose which is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. An estimated 4 X 10(9) tons per year of cellulose alone is readily available for conversion to energy or feedstuffs. This article explores the current state of research on the transformation of cellulose, hemi-cellulose, and lignin by various microorganisms and the subsequent production of fuels and chemicals. Current research activities are covered including technologies available for the utilization of biomass, chemicals from fermentation processes, conversion of biomass to sugar, direct bioconversion to liquid fuels.
Broilers were brooded under high-density and low ventilation conditions in a solar facility to 25 days of age and then moved to conventional facilities for growout. Nonstatistical comparisons were made on the performance of these birds to that of broilers grown under conventional conditions starting at day-old. Body weight differences during the brooding phase were primarily due to density with birds in the solar house weighing an average of 10.2% less than those brooded in a conventional house. Growth depression continued during the growing phase but was reduced in magnitude to 3% at Day 46. During the brooding phase no definite trends were seen with regard to effects of ventilation or density on feed conversion. Compared with conventionally-housed birds, feed conversion of the birds in the solar facility was slightly poorer at the end of the brooding period. This trend was reversed in the growing phase due to compensatory growth, giving the solar brooded birds an overall advantage at the end of the study. Mortality during the 46-day study was within the expected range for both the solar-brooded (3.1%) and conventionally-brooded (3.0%) birds. Energy consumption for supplemental heat and ventilation in the solar facility (.76 kWh/bird) was similar to that reported for energy efficient, environmentally-controlled houses and about half that for conventional facilities. Litter moisture in the solar facility was excessive due to the high bird density, low ventilation rates, and the use of a concrete slab floor.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
In order to reach higher standards of living, man has always been interested in searching new energy sources. Natural energy from sun, wind and water has been overcame by more sophisticated resources such as coal, vapour, hydroelectricity, natural gas, petroleum, and, at least, nuclear energy. However all these resources present unwanted effects, namely various hazards to man and environment. On this matter society is quering the risk-benefit balance of some energy choices and optimum performance with new safety means to limit dangerousness are being pursued and developed. It is necessary to evaluate carefully every aspect of safety without under-estimating or over-evaluating problems. For each energy source a "real price" has to be paired, even more in the future, since more energy will be required to guarantee the necessary technological progress linked to a better quality of life. In the present review all risks related to different energy sources are described and discussed aiming at defining: 1) specific risks for different sources 2) benefit from their utilization 3) means of defence guaranteeing security for man and environment. Italy is strictly dependent for energy production, which comes for 80% from abroad. An appropriate balance is required considering economical and social factors and real availability of energy. This balance needs therefore to be clearly evaluated hoping in a better future for an alternative energy, less dangerous and more clear, such as that from nuclear fusion.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.