A comparative analysis of the nutritional composition of several dairy products in the Romanian market.

The aim of this study was to provide customers with additional information by analyzing and comparing the nutritional data of different dairy product varieties in Romania. Milk is an ideal source of nutrition because it contains a balanced combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. In this study, the nutritional constituents of dairy products from Romania were examined. In total, the nutritional characteristics of 143 dairy products: milk (N-42), sour cream (N-37), cheese (N-40) and butter (N-24) (energetic value, fat content, fat of which saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugar, proteins, salt, calcium) were collected from the market and statistically analyzed. The average energy values of the studied dairy products were 188/261 kJ/100 ml for milk, 610/739/1091 kJ/100 g for sour cream, 2359/3022 kJ/100 g for butter and 1306 kJ/100 g for cheese. The fat concentration of the studied products was standardized. Based on the cluster analysis, some products whose characteristics differed significantly included Gordon milk (1.5%, 3.5%), Keresztúri and Szépvízi cheese.

Examination of air pollutants and their risk for human health in urban and suburban environments for two Romanian cities: Brasov and Iasi.

To detect the spatial differences of atmospheric pollutants in urban and suburban areas is important for observing their aspects on regional air quality, climate, and human health. This study is focused on the evolution of PM2.5, PM10, NOx and SO2, concentrations, and meteorological parameters from 2010 to 2022, at urban and suburban area in the two Romanian city: Brasov and Iasi. The daily patterns of most pollutants in urban and suburban areas, are strongly linked to land-traffic emissions. The seasonal differences were observation of the studied air pollutants displays visible decreasing in warm period and increased concentrations in cold period. Significant higher (25%- Brasov, 28%- Iasi) PM10 were found in urban area concentration probably caused by enhanced vehicular emissions over these areas induced by urban planning and mobility policies. The average relative risk caused by PM10 for all-cause mortality in the urban region was 1.021 (±0.004) in Brasov, and significantly higher in Iasi 1.030 (±0.005). In suburban regions this risk was lower with 33 % 1.014 (±0.006) in Brasov and 30 % 1.021 (±0.003) in Iasi. The main objective of this research was to identify the difference of air pollutants and meteorological parameters in the urban and suburban region of the studied city.

Temporal evolution of PM2.5, PM10, and total suspended particles (TSP) in the Ciuc basin (Transylvania) with specific microclimate condition from 2010 to 2019.

Modern societies are characterized by increased air pollution, and particulate matter (PM) is one of the most significant air pollutants and is a major environmental health problem. Therefore, long- and short-term exposure via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption of particulate matter may cause series health issues, such as cardio pulmonary and lung cancer disease. Air pollutants accumulation is significantly higher in closed regions or basins characterized by strong thermal inversions, especially during the cold period such in case of the Ciuc basin. The aim of this study was to carry out the time series analysis of PM2.5, PM10 and TSP in the Ciuc basin for the period 2010-2019, in order to decipher the main characteristics of air pollution in this region.The data obtained were analyzed on a daily, monthly and annual basis by different statistical methods. The average monthly concentration of TSP (60.03 µg m-3), PM10 (19.21 µg m-3) and PM2.5 (14.73 µg m-3) particulate matter in the studied regions varied between 29.84-134.79 µg m-3, 4.38-63.51 µg m-3 and 4.01-54.41 µg m-3, respectively. Regarding the ratio of PM2.5 and PM10 in the total particulate matter (TPM) was 0.25 and 0.33. Due to meteorological factors and emission fluctuations, particulate matter exhibits high seasonal variations, therefore the highest concentrations were recorded during the cold period, while the lowest values were observed in summer. The percentage of PM10 exceedances (50 µg m-3) represents 24.8% in winter, meanwhile in autumn and spring a significantly lower exceedances percentage was observed, 2.6% and 1.7%, respectively. The correlation analysis revealed that the correlation level of the studied pollutants varied between 0.73-0.78.

Time series analysis of the air pollution around Ploiesti oil refining complex, one of the most polluted regions in Romania.

Refineries and petrochemical industries are known to be the principal sources of emissions for a number of air pollutants, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), greenhouse gases and particulate matter, which negatively affect the air quality. The primary goal of this research was the time series analysis of PM2.5, PM10, As, Cd, Ni, Pb, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, CO, NO, NO2, NOx, SO2 and O3 over an eleven-year period (2009-2019) and the connection between air pollution and meteorological parameters (air temperature, precipitation quantity and relative humidity). Regarding the pollution level of the major pollutants, the minimum pollution levels, except SO2 and O3, were recorded during warmer periods, meanwhile increased levels, were detected during the cold period (in winter). The air pollutants' concentration and distribution are affected by meteorological parameters, such as wind speed and direction, rainfall or even relative humidity. Therefore, the highest concentrations in the winter season were 1.25 times higher than in autumn, 1.3 times higher than the average annual value, 1.57 times higher than in spring and 1.79 times higher than in summer. Monthly variation of O3 showed lower concentration during winter (27.62 µg/m3) and higher in summer (46.42 µg/m3). Based on the statistical analysis, a significant Spearman correlation was detected between the studied air pollutants and meteorological parameters, and according to the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, some common sources were also detected.

The human health risk assessment of particulate air pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) in Romania.

Air pollution, especially the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) is a major issue and is the biggest environmental risk for early death. In the present study, we aimed to estimate the human health risk and to describe the spatial and temporal variation of particulate matter in Romania between 2009 and 2018. The average concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter in the eight studied regions varied between 17.01 and 22.91 µg m-3 and 23.02-33.29 µg m-3, while the PM2.5/PM10 ratio varied between 0.52 and 0.76, respectively. The relative risk generated by PM10 in all-cause mortality had a significant variation between the regions, a relative risk of 1.017 in case of Bucharest and1.025 for western regions, with an average of 1.020 ( ± 0.002). According to our observations, a positive relative risk was identified in the case of cardiopulmonary and lung cancer morbidity mainly attributed to PM2.5 exposure, hence the resulted risk for the country average values was 1.26 ( ± 0.023) and 1.42 ( ± 0.037), respectively. The results revealed that the excess risk and attributable fraction for cardiopulmonary mortality can be reduced by 26.7% and 21.0%. Analyzing the evolution of particulate matters and the possible health impacts of PM2.5 and PM10 in all region of Romania a strong positive correlation was observed. Since the distributions of PM in different region had significant variation, more investigation is required to understand and decipher the most important regional emission sources for each region. In order to address this issue an in-depth investigation should separately analyze the regional characteristics of air pollution.

The role of selenium and vitamin E in a Transylvanian enzootic equine recurrent rhabdomyolysis syndrome.

A severe form of recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis occurs enzootically in a well-defined region of Transylvania, Harghita county. At the highest lying two settlements (more than 800 m above sea level), the prevalence of equine rhabdomyolysis is between 17 and 23%, while in the neighbouring villages in the valley it is less than 2%. The objective of our study was to clarify the role of selenium and vitamin E in the high prevalence of rhabdomyolysis in that region. Soil and hay samples were collected from each area to evaluate mineral content. Ten horses from the non-affected and 20 horses from the affected area were tested for serum selenium, vitamin E, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), muscle enzymes, lactate and electrolytes. Hay samples collected from the affected area had lower selenium content. Horses in the affected regions had significantly lower serum selenium (P = 0.006) and GSH-Px levels than animals living in the non-affected regions. A good correlation between erythrocyte GSH-Px and serum selenium concentration could be demonstrated (r = 0.777, P < 0.001). Serum vitamin E levels were low independently of the origin of the horse. Based on our results, selenium deficiency possibly has a role in the Transylvanian enzootic equine recurrent rhabdomyolysis syndrome.

GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis Method for Assessment of Lake Ecosystems Degradation-Case Study in Romania.

In general, the elaboration of the synthesis of water quality in Romania is based on the processing of a large volume of information coming from primary analytical data collected with a constant frequency by the organisms with a specific role in water quality monitoring. This study proposes a novel methodology for multi-criteria analysis aiming to evaluate the degradation state of lake ecosystems. The cornerstone of the newly presented methodology is a geographic information system (GIS) automated tool, involving the assessment of potential degradation sources affecting the watershed that supply the lakes with water. The methodology was tested by performing an analysis on 30 lakes in Romania. The lakes belong to different geographical areas, owing various natural specific conditions and were selected to fit to various types and specific local conditions. The calculation of the WRASTIC-HI (Wastewater-Recreation-Agriculture-Size-Transportation-Industry-Cover-Hazard Index) revealed that, out of 30 lake ecosystems selected as the case study, two lakes were fully degraded, 24 lakes were semi-degraded, and four were in a natural state. The four lakes characterised by a natural state are located in mountainous regions or in the Danube Delta. The results obtained on the selected lakes proved that the proposed index calculation corresponded in all case studies to the real field situation, highlighting thus the accuracy of the assessing process and increased advantages of the assessment's automation.

Spatial distribution of trace elements (As, Cd, Ni, Pb) from PM10 aerosols and human health impact assessment in an Eastern European country, Romania.

In the present study, the concentrations of trace elements in PM10 were determined and analyzed at 115 monitoring stations in Romania throughout the period 2009-2018. The spatiotemporal distribution of trace element concentrations of PM10, the source apportionment and health impact assessment, was carried out. The results showed a very high multi-annual mean concentration for PM10 and trace elements as well. The multiannual average concentration of PM10 was higher by 29.75% than the World Health Organization recommendation. All studied air pollutants showed a decreasing trend during the studied years, showing with 17.84%, 50.21%, 43.36%, 11.27%, and 72.09% lower values for PM10, As-, Cd-, Ni-, and Pb-, respectively, due to environmental regulations. To assess the human health impact, the hazard quotient (HQ) and cancer risk (CR) were calculated using the health risk model developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Cd and Ni might present a non-carcinogenic risk to both adults and children; however, the hazard quotient values are higher than the safe limit, with 9.53 and 1.93, respectively. In addition, our study results revealed that the inhalation of As, Cd and the dermal absorption of all studied trace elements were considered as the most important risk factors for developing cancer, especially in case of adults.

Human health impact assessment and temporal distribution of trace elements in Copșa Mica- Romania.

The present study aims to analyze the temporal variations of PM10 and to assess the health risk indexes caused by trace elements from particulate matter (PM10) via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption by adults and children in Copșa Mica (Romania) during 2009-2019. The results revealed a high multi-annual mean concentration of PM10 and trace elements. The analyzed air pollutants showed a decreasing trend during the studied years, therefore 44.11%, 43.48%, 36.07%, 16.02%, and 15.80% lower values were observed for As, Cd, Ni, PM10, and Pb, respectively, due to environmental regulations. The daily exceedance percentage of Pb and Cd was very high, representing 21.74% and 11.26%, followed by PM10 and As concentrations with 4.72% and 3.92%. The ratio between the trace element concentration measured in Copșa Mica and the country average was 2.46, 4.01, 2.44 and 10.52 times higher for As, Cd, Ni and Pb. The calculated Hazard Quotient values via inhalation were higher than the safe limit (1), which accounted 1.81, 3.89 and 4.52, for As, Cd and Ni, respectively, indicating that the trace elements might present a non-carcinogenic risk to both adults and children. Furthermore, the concentration of all studied trace elements in Copșa Mica showed cancer risk for adults via inhalation and dermal absorption as well.

Spatial and long-term analysis of rainwater chemistry over the conterminous United States.

A comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of precipitation was performed on rainwater samples collected between 1978 and 2017 over the conterminous US. A total of 86470 data records downloaded from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program were statistically analyzed and assessed in terms of precipitation chemistry. The ion abundance followed the Cl⁻ > Na⁺ > SO42⁻ > Ca2⁺ > H⁺ > NH4⁺ > NO3⁻ > Mg2⁺ > HCO3⁻ > K⁺ downward trend, showing that chloride and sodium were the most dominant among anions and cations. Ca2+, SO42- and NH4+ concentrations were notable in desert areas or in regions with significant anthropogenic activity. Frequency analysis of pH values showed that the 87.90% of the pH is acidic, exhibiting values under 5.6. According to the acidifying and neutralization potential, rainwater pH is mostly alkaline in the Western region, presenting acidic values in highly industrialized areas, in the Central and Eastern Regions. Fractional acidity showed that in the majority of the studied sampling sites 61% of the acidity in precipitation is neutralized, due to the presence of the main neutralizing agents (NH4+, Ca2+, Na+), fact sustained by the neutralization factor values. The relationship between acidic and alkaline components was thoroughly examined by ionic ratios and the ammonium availability index. Wet deposition rates of major ions confirmed the dominance of acidic species over neutralizing ones, as well as the significant imprint of regional climate and heavily industrialized areas on the precipitation chemistry. The complex major ion source apportionment, including marine and crustal enrichment factors, sea salt and non-sea salt fractions, Spearman's rank correlation analysis and Principal Component Analysis, showed that anthropogenic influences are the most significant, including coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, major industries and agricultural activities. Crustal and marine sources also presented a prominent imprint on the rainwater chemistry of the conterminous US.

Major air pollutants seasonal variation analysis and long-range transport of PM10 in an urban environment with specific climate condition in Transylvania (Romania).

The air quality decrease, especially in urban areas, is related to local-scale conditions and to dispersion of air pollutants (regional and long-range) as well. The main objective of this study was to decipher the seasonal variation of PM10, NO, NO2, NOx, SO2, O3, and CO over a 1-year period (2017) and the possible relationships between air pollution and meteorological variables. Furthermore, trajectory cluster analysis and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) methods were used to assess the trajectories and the source-receptor relationship of PM10 in the Ciuc basin Transylvania, known as the "Cold Pole" of Romania. The pollutants show lower concentrations during warmer periods, especially during summer, and significantly higher concentrations were observed on heating season in winter due to seasonal variations in energy use (biomass burning) and atmospheric stability. Subsequently, in February, the highest concentration of PM10 was 132 µg/m3, which is 4 times higher than the highest recorded monthly mean. Our results indicate a negative correlation between CO/temperature (- 0.89), NOx/temperature (- 0.84) and positive between NOx/PM10 (0.95), CO/PM10 (0.9), and NOx/CO (0.98), respectively. Dominant transport pathways were identified and the results revealed that slow-moving southerly (~ 45%) and northwesterly (~ 32%) air masses represent almost 80% and mainly regional flows were discerned. During 2017, increased PM10 levels were measured at the study site when air masses arrived mostly from northwest and southeast. The CWT and polarplot models show a strong seasonal variation and significant differences were observed between weekdays and weekends, namely highest PM10 concentrations during weekends at low wind speed (2-4 m/s).

From air pollution to cardiovascular diseases: the emerging role of epigenetics.

The association between air pollution and a wide-ranging spectrum of acute and chronic disorders-including cardiovascular diseases-is widely acknowledged. Exposure to airborne pollutants triggers harmful mechanisms such as oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, which lead to increased incidence of myocardial infarction, arterial hypertension, stroke, and heart failure. Sustained efforts have been made in recent years to discover how environmental exposures affect human health through epigenetic phenomena, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNA-mediated gene regulation. This review summarizes the current evidences on the relationship between air pollution exposure, epigenetic alterations and cardiovascular impact, in view of present implications and future perspectives.

Adsorption of Remazol Brilliant Violet-5R Textile Dye from Aqueous Solutions by Using Eggshell Waste Biosorbent.

Based on the well-known excellent adsorbent ability of chicken eggshells, the adsorptive capacity and mechanism of Remazol Brilliant Violet-5R (RBV-5R) dye by eggshell was investigated. Exploiting the high surface-area-to-volume ratio and porous structure of this natural adsorbent, the developed procedure showed to be useful for the efficient adsorption of RBV-5R dye from contaminated water. The protocol was thoroughly optimized by investigating the effect of the dye concentration, biomass-contaminated water ratio, particle size of the adsorbent, pH and temperature, as they are key factors in the efficiency of the dye removal process. The eggshell material was characterized by different types of microscopy techniques (stereo, polarization, SEM) as well as elemental analysis (element distribution mapping, EDX), Raman spectroscopy and BET-surface density measurements. EDX, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy proved the presence of the adsorbed dye on the surface of the biomaterial. It was shown that under optimal conditions, the environmentally friendly and inexpensive eggshell could be a reliable adsorbent for Remazol dye removal from wastewater.

The risk of cross-border pollution and the influence of regional climate on the rainwater chemistry in the Southern Carpathians, Romania.

The aim of this study is the assessment of rainwater composition, regarding the various sources of major ions and heavy metals, taking into account the characteristic atmospheric circulations and the main air mass transport routes. Rainwater samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, major ions, and heavy metals. At all sampling sites, the most abundant anions were SO42- and Cl-, while the dominant cations were Ca2+ and Mg2+. Regarding heavy metals, the dominance of Pb and Cd was found. The contribution of soil dust from the mining activities and the dissolution of CaCO3, MgCO3, and CaSO4·2H2O in the rainwater explains the high concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42-. The overall precipitation contamination with heavy metals at the three sampling sites was assessed by the degree of contamination, showing that Pb and Cd presents the highest risks of all heavy metals. The values of toxicity potential suggested an elevated risk for human health in case of rainwater ingestion, especially in rural areas. Spearman correlation and PCA indicated that the chemical characteristic of the rainwater is primarily controlled by sources such as agricultural activities, mixed and crustal sources, traffic, and other anthropogenic, industrial influences, mining activities, smelting operations, coal combustion, and metal production.

Adsorptive Removal of Remazol Brilliant Violet-5R Dye from Aqueous Solutions using Calcined Eggshell as Biosorbent.

As a result of industrial development water pollution has become a major issue. Providing clean water of sufficient quality and quantity is essential. According to literature, 100 000 different dyes are used worldwide in the printing, food and textile industries. Remazol Brilliant Violet-5R belongs to the group of azo dyes used in the textile industry. The purpose of this paper is to study the removal of anionic dye RBV-5R using calcined eggshell. We investigated the effect of initial dye concentration (20-100 mg/L RBV-5R), biomass amount, contact time, temperature, and pH on the adsorption process. We calculated the amounts of adsorbed material in equilibrium and the efficiency of the adsorption process. Various studies were performed on the adsorption process and the adsorbent morphology (EDX, SEM, FTIR, Raman), as well as isotherm (Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich), kinetic and diffusion models were used to characterize the process. Calcined eggshell was also characterized by thermogravimetric, BET surface methods. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that the calcined eggshell can be used effectively to remove the dye from the aqueous solution.

Influence of peat fires on the rainwater chemistry in intra-mountain basins with specific atmospheric circulations (Eastern Carpathians, Romania).

A comprehensive study on the chemical composition of precipitation, the influence of peat fires and their relations with atmospheric circulation was conducted in the year of 2012, in two intra-mountain basins, the Ciuc basin (CB) and the Giurgeu basin (GB), Eastern Carpathians, Romania. Atmospheric circulation types showed the presence of a westerly anticyclonic circulation, characterized by a strong development of the Azores High to the northern Atlantic, contributing to the appearance of peat-fires. Using ROCADA daily gridded climatic datasets, the maximum and minimum daily temperatures were extracted, showing deviation from 2 °C to 6 °C in the studied year against the multiannual mean for the 1981-2016 period. Rainwater samples were analyzed for pH, major anions and cations; HCO3- concentrations were calculated based on the empirical relationship between pH and HCO3-. The results showed that 45.16% and 54.55% of precipitation had pH > 7.0 at CB and GB, respectively. NH3, NH4+ and Ca2+ are the main neutralizing agents. The significant correlation between SO42- and NH4+ (r = 0.711 - CB; r = 0.736 - GB) indicated neutralization by NH3 in the forms of (NH4)2SO4 and NH4HSO4. Positive regression coefficient between the sum of (H+ + [NH4+] + [Ca2+]) and the sum of ([nss - SO42-] + [NO3-]) (r = 0.855 - CB; r = 0.796 - GB), showed that acid neutralization was primarily brought by NH4+ and/or CaCO3. Using Na as an indicator of marine origin, the proportions of sea salt and non-sea-salt were estimated from elemental ratios. According to correlation analysis and PCA, main acidic ions (SO42- and NO3-) and NH4+ were mainly derived from anthropogenic activities (biomass burning, peat fires, fertilization), while Ca2+ and Mg2+ originated from terrestrial sources. The behavior of gaseous pollutants and smoke distribution resulted from peat fires were deciphered using the HYSPLIT model in a case study.

Adsorptive Removal of Cationic and Anionic Dyes from Aqueous Solutions by Using Eggshell Household Waste as Biosorbent.

In the last years, the adsorption processes were proven effective and easy to use techniques to clean polluted wastewater. The purpose of this research is to examine the biosorption method on organic indicators (Methylene Blue, Malachite Green, Congo Red and Bromphenol Blue) in aqueous medium by using chicken eggshell. The adsorption process was investigated in static circumstance. We examined the initial change of concentration (10-50 mg/l), the pH effect on the adsorption process, the equilibrium process, and the sorption kinetics. With scanning electron microscope, we examined the morphology and texture of the eggshell; furthermore, we conducted EDX microanalysis and ecotoxicological tests. Our results support the influence of the parameters on the sorption process.

Chemical characteristics and source analysis on ionic composition of rainwater collected in the Carpathians "Cold Pole," Ciuc basin, Eastern Carpathians, Romania.

A study of precipitation chemistry was conducted for 11 years (01 January 2006-31 December 2016) in the Ciuc basin, Eastern Carpathians, Romania. The studied area is an enclosed basin, also called "the Carpathians cold pole." All collected samples were analyzed for major cations and anions. HCO3- concentrations were calculated based on the empirical relationship between pH and HCO3-. The multiannual arithmetic mean of pH values was found to be 6.57. The lowest and highest pH values were measured in 2009 and 2013, being 6.57% lower, respectively, 7.57% higher than the multiannual mean. Only 3.31% of the studied rainwater samples indicate acidic character. In descending order, the majority of the samples are as follows: NH4+ >Ca2+ >SO42- >Cl- >HCO3- >NO3- >Na+ >K+ >Mg2+ >NO2- >H+. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed the NH4+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ contribution to the neutralization process and their sources. The anthropogenic origin of SO42- was supported by the high non-sea-salt fraction (NSSF) (~ 91%). The results of this study suggest that rainwater chemistry is strongly influenced by local natural and anthropogenic sources (agricultural activities) rather than marine sources. The pollutants in rainwater samples were mainly derived from calcareous and dolomitic soil dust and specific local climatic conditions, long-range transport, local industry, and traffic sources.