Dispersion of heavy metals (metalloids) in soils from 800-year-old pollution (Mont-Lozère, France).

Numerous palaeo metallurgical sites (n = 70) characterized by slag presenting a homogeneous typology have been reported on the Mont-Lozère Massif (Southern France). These activities took place in the medieval period. The silicated slag matrix comprises mainly Pb (25%), Sb (0.4%), and several thousand parts per million of As, Cu, and Zn. Soil samples were collected in and around two sites, to understand the dispersion mechanism affecting the slag tailings through use of metal concentrations and lead isotopic compositions. The majority of polluted soil samples show high enrichment factors (EF) for Pb and Sb, slightly lower EFs for Cu, and much lower EFs for As and Zn. We show that this "old" metal pollution was physically dispersed, through erosion of workshop soils and slag tailings, in a restricted area (ca. 200 m down slope form the site). There is no evidence for massive leaching of slag metals by soil waters, except for Zn. Thus, the pollution is mainly due to the metal-making process, i.e., smoke-fallout, pieces of ore, the crackling of smelting ore outside the oven during reduction, and charcoal, etc. The lead isotopic compositions of the soils define a binary mixing trend between local granite or background soil and slag (which represent the workshop soil). Simple mass balance equations using either Pb isotopes or Pb concentrations suggest that between 40 and 100% of the total Pb in soils comes from the Medieval workshop pollution, leaving any later pollution negligible. The large number of sites on the Mont-Lozère means this medieval pollution is significant and poses a real environmental risk.

Tracing source pollution in soils using cadmium and lead isotopes.

Tracing the source of heavy metals in the environment is of key importance for our understanding of their pollution and natural cycles in the surface Earth reservoirs. Up to now, most exclusively Pb isotopes were used to effectively trace metal pollution sources in the environment. Here we report systematic variations of Cd isotope ratios measured in polluted topsoils surrounding a Pb-Zn refinery plant in northern France. Fractionated Cd was measured in soil samples surrounding the refinery, and this fractionation can be attributed to the refining processes. Despite the Cd isotopic ratios being precisely measured, the obtained uncertainties are still large compared to the total isotopic variation. Nevertheless, for the first time, Cd isotopically fractionated by industrial processes may be traced in the environment. On the same samples, Pb isotope systematics suggested that materials actually used by the refinery were not the major source of Pb in soils, probably because refined ore origins changed over the 100 years of operation. On the other hand, Cd isotopes and concentrations measured in topsoils allowed identification of three main origins (industrial dust and slag and agriculture), assuming that all Cd ores are not fractionated, as suggested by terrestrial rocks so far analyzed, and calculation of their relative contributions for each sampling point. Understanding that this refinery context was an ideal situation for such a study, our results lead to the possibility of tracing sources of anthropogenic Cd and better constrain mixing processes, fluxes, transport, and phasing out of industrial input in nature.

Record of metal workshops in peat deposits: history and environmental impact on the Mont Lozère Massif, France.

This study aims to document the history of the metallurgical activities on the Mont Lozère massif in the Cévennes Mountains in Southern France. Many medieval sites of metallurgical wastes (slags) have been reported on the massif. These sites are thought to represent ancient lead workshops. The impact of past metallurgical activity on the environment was studied using geochemical and palynological techniques on a core collected in the Narses Mortes peatland near medieval smelting area. Two main periods of smelting activities during the last 2200 years were revealed bythe lead concentration and isotopic composition along the core profile: the first period corresponds to the Gallic period (approximately ca. 300 B.C. to ca. 20 A.D.) and the second one to the Medieval period (approximately ca. 1000-1300 A.D.). Forest disturbances are associated with lead anomalies for the two metallurgical activities described. The impact of the first metallurgy was moderate during the Gallic period, during which beech and birch were the tree species most affected. The second period corresponds to the observed slag present in the field. Along with agropastoral activities, the medieval smelting activities led to the definitive disappearance of all tree species on the summit zones of Mont Lozère. The abundance of ore resources and the earlier presence of wood on the massif justify the presence of workshops at this place. The relationship between mines and ores has been documented for the Medieval period. There is no archaeological proof concerning the Gallic activity. Nevertheless, 2500-2100 years ago, the borders of the Gallic Tribe territory, named the Gabales, were the same as the present-day borders of the Lozère department. Julius Caesar reported the existence of this tribe in 58 B.C. in "De Bello Gallico", and in Strabon (Book IV, 2.2) the "Gabales silver" and a "treasure of Gabales" are mentioned, but to this day, they have not been found.

Progression of follicular large cell lymphoma to Burkitt's lymphoma.

Histologic progression of lymphoma into more aggressive cell types is well documented. We describe a patient who had the histologic and cytogenetic features of Burkitt's lymphoma after 15 years of therapy for follicular large cell lymphoma. To the best of our knowledge, this clinical progression with histologic and cytogenetic confirmation has not been reported.

High-dose lymphoblastoid interferon in advanced renal cell carcinoma: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study.

This report describes a phase II Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) study of high-dose lymphoblastoid interferon (IFN alpha-n1) in 39 patients with measurable, advanced renal cell carcinoma. The original treatment plan was 30 X 10(6) units/m2 (30 mU) of IFN alpha-n1 im daily X 10 days; treatments were repeated every 21 days. This dose and schedule proved intolerable, with none of seven patients able to complete greater than 10 days of therapy because of fever, lassitude, hepatic dysfunction, and myelosuppression. Patients were subsequently treated with the following regimen: 3 mU/m2 on Day 1; 5 mU/m2 on Day 2; 10 mU/m2 on Day 3; and 20 mU/m2 on Days 4-10. Thirty-three new patients received this regimen and two patients received this schedule after having received 30 mU/m2. Using this second regimen, 30% of the patients were able to complete two cycles of treatment without dose reduction or interruption. Five patients (13%) had partial response (ECOG criteria) of measurable tumor. Median time to response was 140 days. Responses were documented in lung metastases in four patients and in a pelvic soft tissue mass in the fifth. Response rates and survival times are similar to those seen in prior ECOG phase II trials in advanced renal cell carcinoma. Eight of 39 patients are still alive greater than 2 years after beginning therapy. Only two of these patients had had an objective response, however. Such prolonged survival is more frequent than has been seen in previous ECOG studies. The relative contribution of patient selection and interferon therapy to this survival is uncertain.

Bronchobiliary fistula after hepatic resection for metastatic colon cancer.

A patient is described with colon cancer and liver metastases who developed a bronchobiliary fistula 2 years after hepatic resection. The diagnostic approach and clinical management are presented and the literature is reviewed.