Spatiotemporal distribution of airborne elements monitored with the moss bags technique in the Greater Thriasion Plain, Attica, Greece.

The well-known moss bags technique was applied in the heavily polluted Thriasion Plain region, Attica, Greece, in order to study the spatiotemporal distribution, in the atmosphere, of the following 32 elements: Na, Al, Cl, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Zn, As, Se, Br, Sr, Mo, Sb, I, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Ta, Hg, Th, and U. The moss bags were constituted of Sphagnum girgensohnii materials. The bags were exposed to ambient air in a network of 12 monitoring stations scattered throughout the monitoring area. In order to explore the temporal variation of the pollutants, four sets of moss bags were exposed for 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Instrumental neutral activation analysis was used for the determinations of the elements. The data were analyzed using the Pearson correlations, the partial redundancy analysis, and the biplot statistical methods. Some pairs of elements were highly correlated indicating a probable common source of origin. The levels of the measured pollutants were unevenly distributed throughout the area and different pollutants exhibited different spatial patterns. In general, higher loads were observed in the stations close to and within the industrial zone. Most of the measured elements (e.g., Al, Ca, Ni, I, Zn, Cr, and As) exhibited a monotonic accumulation trend over time. Some elements exhibited different dynamics. The elements Mn, Mo, and Hg showed a decreasing trend, probably due to leaching and/or volatilization processes over time. Na and Br initially showed an increasing trend during the winter and early spring periods but decreased drastically during the late warm period. The results further suggest that the moss bags technique would be considered valuable for the majority of elements but should be used with caution in the cases of elements vulnerable to leaching and/or volatilization. It also suggests that the timing and the duration of the exposure of moss materials should be considered in the interpretation of the results.

Trace element contamination in industrial regions of Poland studied by moss monitoring.

The use of terrestrial mosses as biomonitors in large-scale multi-element studies of heavy metal deposition from the atmosphere is a well established technique in Europe. In such studies it is advantageous to determine as many elements as possible in order to distinguish between different source categories. A combination of INAA and AAS has been found very useful in this respect, in particular when epithermal activation is used for instrumental neutron activation analysis. A total of 33 elements (Al, Cl, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Tb, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Au, Pb, Th, and U) in Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. moss samples from the Silesia-Kraków Industrial Region and Legnica-Glogów Copper Basin and from the control (background) area in Northeast Poland were identified. The highest concentrations of the majority of trace elements were found in mosses growing in the Silesia-Kraków Industrial Region, only Cu and As concentrations were higher in mosses in the Legnica-Glogów Copper Basin. These results are in conformity with the load of trace elements emissions in these areas.

Experimental substantiation of the possibility of developing selenium- and iodine-containing pharmaceuticals based on blue-green algae Spirulina platensis.

The great potential of using blue-green algae Spirulina platensis as a matrix for the production of selenium- and iodine-containing pharmaceuticals is shown experimentally. The background levels of 31 major, minor and trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni (using (n,p) reaction), As, Br, Zn, Rb, Mo, Ag, Sb, I, Ba, Sm, Tb, Tm, Hf, Ta, W, Au, Hg, Th) in S. platensis biomass were determined by means of epithermal neutron activation analysis. The dependence of selenium and iodine accumulation in spirulina biomass on a nutrient medium loading of the above elements was characterized. To demonstrate the possibilities of determining toxic element intake by spirulina biomass, mercury was selected. The technological parameters for production of iodinated treatment-and-prophylactic pills are developed.

Kinetics of elemental content changes of bone tissue of mice during evolution under hypokinetic stress.

Concentration of 13 elements in bone tissue of mice held in tightly spaced cages for 3 wk, which caused an acute stress reaction, was determined by means of neutron activation analysis. Functionally different bone tissues of mice skeletons--the femur, accomplishing both supporting and dynamic functions; the parietal bone, being practically immovable; and the ectopic bone, newly formed under kidney capsule in the place of syngeneic bone marrow implantation--were analyzed. Similar dynamics of the elemental composition of investigated bones was found: the progressive demineralization owing to the loss of Ca, P, Mg, and Fe is accompanied by the compensatory inclusion of Sr in the bone tissues. In the ectopic bone, it was not as high. During evolution under hypokinetic stress, the microelement concentrations (Zn, Cr, Rb, Ru, Br, Co, Sb) change significantly. Results obtained form the evidence for some system character of osteoporosis at limited mobility.

Phosphorus fertilizer production as a source of rare-earth elements pollution of the environment.

This paper considers some features of the production of phosphorus fertilizers in relation to pollution of the environment by rare-earth elements by measuring the change in the rare-earth elements interrelationship in snow. The main source of the pollution is identified. The distribution of pollutants is dependent on the size of the associated aerosol particles. We also report data on the concentrations of the pollutants in agricultural plants, employees' hair and hair of local residents.

[Trace element composition of bone tissue of mice in the normal state and in hypokinesia]. / Elementnyi sostav kostnoi tkani myshei v norme i pri gipokinezii.

Using neutron activation analysis, the concentration of 13 elements was measured in functionally different bones of mice: weight-bearing and dynamic femurs, essentially stationary temporal bones, and newly formed ectopis bones under the renal capsule developed at the site of implantation of syngenic bone marrow. It was found that the elementary composition of the above bones was different in the norm and that it varied in the course of 3-week hypokinesia produced by small-size cages. It was shown that during hypokinesia the elementary composition changed according to four different patterns. Progressive demineralization due to Ca, P, Mg and Fe losses was accompanied by compensatory incorporation of Sr. In the course of the hypokinetic stress the content of trace elements (Zn, Cr, Ru, Rb, Br, Co, Sb) varied significantly. The mechanisms of action of these elements was related to the mobilization of activating elements at different stages of the general adaptation syndrome.