Estudio de las características físico-químicas de las aguas del Balneario de San Nicolás (Almería) / Study of the physical chemical characteristics of the waters of the Balneario San Nicolás (Almería)

Las aguas del balneario de San Nicolás, de Alhama de Almería, fueron declaradas de utilidad pública por Real Orden de 16 de mayo de 1877, bajo la denominación de aguas de Alhama la Seca; en 1928 fue confirmada la utilidad pública de las aguas mineromedicinales de Alhama de Almería. Existen diferentes estudios de las aguas de este balneario, especialmente en el siglo XIX, en los que se comenta el tipo de aguas y su clasificación, y la mayoría de autores hacen referencia a una temperatura de las mismas superior a 40ºC. Se analizaron las aguas correspondientes al origen del manantial, a una de las bañeras y a la fuente que se encuentra en uno de los patios. Las aguas surgen a una temperatura de 48ºC; su pH es cercano a 8. El residuo seco, a 180ºC, es superior a 600 mg/L. La dureza es cercana a 500 mg/L de CaCO3, y predomina el calcio, cuyo contenido es ligeramente superior a 100 mg/L. De los aniones, bicarbonatos y sulfatos son mayoritarios; el contenido de estos últimos, ligeramente superior a los 200 mg/L, permite considerar estas aguas como sulfatadas. Los fluoruros se encuentran en cantidad ligeramente superior a 1 mg/L, lo que indica que se pueden considerar fluoradas. Los análisis realizados nos indican que se trata de aguas hipertermales, de mineralización media, muy duras, sulfatadas y fluoradas (AU)

The waters of Balneario San Nicolás, in Alhama de Almería, were declared waters of public utility by Real Orden of 16th May 1877, under the name of Alhama la Seca. In 1928, the public utility of mineromedicinal waters of Alhama de Almería was confirmed. There are different studies of these waters, especially in the 19th century, in which the type of water and its classification are discussed, and most of authors refer to a water temperature higher than 40ºC. The water samples were taken in the spring, in one of the bathtubs and in a fountain. The waters emerge at 48ºC; its pH is close to 8. Dry residue, at 180ºC, is higher than 600 mg/L. Water hardness is close to 500 mg CaCO3/L, and calcium predominates, with a content slightly higher than 100 mg/L. In terms of anions content, bicarbonates and sulfates are the most abundant. The sulfates content is higher than 200 mg/L, so the waters can be considered sulfated. Fluorides are slightly higher than 1 mg/L, reason why these waters can be considered fluoridated. The analysis carried out indicate that these waters are hyperthermal, of medium mineralization, very hard, sulfated and fluoridated (AU)

Total and speciated urinary arsenic levels in the Spanish population.

BACKGROUND: Very few studies exist on urinary arsenic exposure in Spain. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate total and speciated urinary arsenic (As) levels in a Spanish population sample. METHODS: Demographic, lifestyle and dietary data was collected for 124 volunteers (aged 20-76years; 88 women and 36 men), who were tested for total arsenic and five arsenic species using high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Arsenobetaine (AB) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) were detected in 96.8% of the study participants (limit of detection (LOD) 1.0µg/L for AB and 1.9µg/L for DMA). Monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and arsenous acid (As(III)) were detected in 5.6% (LOD 1.8µg/L) and 1.6% (LOD 1.4µg/L) of the participants, respectively; arsenic acid (As(V)) was not detected (LOD 1.4µg/L). AB and DMA (geometric mean (GM) 29.1µg/L and 7.5µg/L, respectively) were the main contributors to total urinary arsenic levels. Urinary DMA was positively associated with AB. CONCLUSION: Total arsenic levels observed in the Spanish population sample were higher than those reported by other European studies. The most recurrent urinary arsenic species was AB, followed by DMA, probably attributable to the high Spanish consumption of seafood. We recommend using inorganic As+MMA as the two main urinary biomarkers for inorganic As exposure. Our results provide reference data for analysing arsenic speciation results and assessing human exposure.

Estudio de las características físico-químicas de las aguas del Balneario de Villavieja (Castellón) / Study of the physical‐chemical characteristics of the waters of Spa Villavieja (Castellón)

Las aguas de Villavieja (Castellón) han sido motivo de numerosos estudios, especialmente en el siglo XIX. Las características de sus aguas se determinaron mediante análisis realizados por distintos profesionales farmacéuticos o médicos, y se clasificaron en función de las costumbres de la época. Las del Balneario de Villavieja, Pozo Monlleó, son hipertermales ya que surgen a una temperatura de 40ºC; tienen un pH de 7,5. Se caracterizan por su mineralización fuerte, con un residuo seco a 180ºC superior a 1500 mg/l. Por su contenido salino, estas aguas se clasifican como cálcicas, magnésicas, muy duras y sulfatadas (AU)

The Waters of the have been studied widely, specialy in the 19th century. Their characteristics were analyzed by different professionals, and they were classified according to the customs of the time. The waters of Pozo Monlleó Villavieja (Castellón) Spa are hypertermic (> 40ºC), have a pH of 7.5. They have a high mineralization, with a residue content above 1500 mg/l. The waters are rich in calcium, magnesium and sulphates and can be considered as very hard water (AU)

Estudio de las características físico-químicas de las aguas del balneario / Study characteristics physical-chemical of the waters of the Spa

Las aguas del balneario de La Villa de Olmedo (Valladolid) tienen características especiales; son aguas de alta salinidad que fueron declaradas como agua "Termal y Mineromedicinal" en junio de 2005 en la Comunidad de Castilla-León. Se trata de aguas hipotermales, con un pH en torno a 8, de alta mineralización, con un elevado residuo superior a los cinco gramos por litro. Destaca el elevado contenido de sodio que, junto a un alto contenido de cloruros, da origen a aguas clorurado-sódicas. El contenido de sulfatos es elevado y presentan concentraciones bajas de calcio y magnesio, por lo que no destacan por su dureza, considerándolas blandas

The waters of the Spa La Villa de Olmedo (Valladolid) have special characteristics; are high salinity waters declared as water "Thermal and Minero-medicinal water" in June 2005 by the Community of Castilla-León. These hypothermic waters have a pH around 8.0 and are characterized by high mineralization, with a high residue content of five grams per liter. Sodium content stand out among the elements that form the salts, which along with high chloride content gives rise to sodium-chloride waters. In addition, the sulphate content is high and the concentrations of calcium and magnesium are low, which these waters are not noted for heir hardness, so they are considered as soft waters

Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE i) on zinc metabolism in patients with heart failure.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and furosemide on zinc metabolism by assessing serum zinc and urine levels in hospitalized subjects. We recruited 11 patients with heart failure from the Internal Medicine Department; these patients had been hospitalized less than 72 h before. Heart failure was defined using clinical and radiological signs. Serum zinc concentrations were measured using an air/acetylene flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Urine zinc levels were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Data were obtained from the 11 patients and 24 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Results indicate higher urine zinc levels and lower concentrations of zinc in serum in heart failure patients vs matched controls (p<0.05). This study suggests that treating heart failure patients with ACE inhibitors may result in zinc deficiency.