Simultaneous removal of crude oil and heavy metals by highly adapted bacterial strain Cutibacterium sp. NL2 isolated from Algerian oilfield

Investigating the ability of bacteria to simultaneously enhance hydrocarbon removal and reduce heavy metals’ toxicity is necessary to design more effective bioremediation strategies. A bacterium (NL2 strain) isolated from an Algerian oilfield was cultivated on crude oil as sole carbon and energy sources. Molecular analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the strain within the Cutibacterium genera. This isolate was able to tolerate up to 60% of crude oil as sole carbon source. Chemical analyses (GC-MS) evidenced that strain NL2 was able to degrade 92.22% of crude oil (at optimal growing conditions: pH 10, 44 °C, 50 g L−1 NaCl, and 20% of crude oil (v/v) as sole carbon source) in only 7 days. NL2 isolate was also able to produce biosurfactants with reduction of surface tension of growing media (29.4 mN m−1). On the other hand, NL2 strain was able to tolerate high lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) concentrations (up to 60 mM). In fact, NL2 cultivated in the presence of 20% of crude oil, and 0.48 mM of Pb was able to reduce Pb concentration by a 41.36%. In turn, when cultivated on high Pb concentration (15 mM), the strain was able to remove 35.19% of it and 86.25% of crude oil, both in a time frame of 7 days. Our findings suggest that Cutibacterium strain NL2 is able to efficiently use and remove a wide range of crude oil substrates in presence of high Pb concentration. Accordingly, NL2 strain is of extreme interest from a biotechnological standpoint. (AU)

Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction Database, an Industry-Specific Worker Fatality Surveillance System - United States, 2014-2019.

Problem/Condition: The U.S. oil and gas extraction (OGE) industry faces unique safety and health hazards and historically elevated fatality rates. The lack of existing surveillance data and occupational safety and health research called for increased efforts to better understand factors contributing to worker fatalities in the OGE industry. This report describes the creation of the Fatalities in Oil and Gas Extraction (FOG) database, presents initial findings from the first 6 years of data collection (2014-2019), highlights ways that FOG data have been used, and describes the benefits and challenges of maintaining the surveillance system. Period Covered: 2014-2019. Description of System: In 2013, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) created the FOG database, a surveillance system comprising an industry-specific worker fatality database. NIOSH researchers worked with OGE partners to establish inclusion criteria for the database and develop unique database variables to elucidate industry-specific factors related to each fatality (e.g., phase of operation, worker activity, and working alone). FOG cases are identified through various sources, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports, media reports, and notifications from professional contacts. NIOSH researchers compile source documents; OGE-specific database variables are coded by multiple researchers to ensure accuracy. Data collection ceased in 2019 because grant funding ended. Results: During 2014-2019, a total of 470 OGE worker fatalities were identified in the FOG database. A majority of these fatalities (69.4%) were identified from OSHA reports and Google Alerts (44.7% and 24.7%, respectively). Unique database variables created to characterize fatalities in the OGE industry (i.e., phase of operation, worker activity, working alone, and working unobserved) were identified in approximately 85% of OGE worker fatality cases. The most frequent fatal events were vehicle incidents (26.8%), contact injuries (21.7%), and explosions (14.5%). The event type was unknown among 5.7% of worker fatalities. Approximately three fourths of fatalities identified through the FOG database were among contractors. Approximately 20% of cases included workers who were working alone. Interpretation: The FOG database is a resource for identifying safety and health trends and emerging issues among OGE workers (e.g., exposure to hydrocarbon gases and vapors and fatalities resulting from cardiac events) that might not be available in other surveillance systems. The FOG database also helps researchers better identify groups of workers that are at increased risk for injury in an already high-risk industry. Challenges exist when maintaining an industry-specific surveillance system, including labor-intensive data collection, the need for researchers with substantial knowledge of the industry, delays in access to timely data, and missing source file data. Public Health Actions: Continued surveillance of worker fatalities in the OGE industry is recommended to help identify new safety and health hazards and guide research and prevention activities. Industry, academic institutions, and government can use findings from the FOG database to identify factors contributing to fatal injuries in OGE and develop interventions to improve worker safety and health. The findings in this report also can be used by other industries with high fatality rates to support the development of worker fatality surveillance systems.

Financial stability nexus with oil prices shocks and business cycle uncertainty during COVID-19: empirical trends of ASEAN economies.

This study aims to analyze the correlation between financial stability, oil price shocks, and business cycle uncertainty in the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines the interplay and effects of various factors on the economic resilience of the ASEAN region, utilizing data from ten-member countries spanning the years 2002 to 2022. The results underscore the notable impact of oil price shocks on financial systems' stability, suggesting that oil price variations have the potential to disrupt financial markets, particularly in the context of the ongoing pandemic. Moreover, the research illustrates that the presence of business cycle uncertainty amplifies the negative consequences of oil price shocks, thereby heightening their influence on the financial system's stability. The study also uncovers a robust correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened levels of business cycle uncertainty within the ASEAN economies. The ongoing global pandemic has increased market volatility, a deceleration in economic growth, and disruptions in supply chains, generating a heightened sense of uncertainty within the business landscape. As a result, the heightened level of uncertainty has impeded the efficacy of monetary and fiscal policies in preserving financial stability.

Effect of crude oil exploration and exploitation activities on soil, water and air in a Nigerian community.

The continuous degradation of environmental ecosystems (land, water and soil) resulting from crude oil exploration and exploitation activities continues to gain global attention. This study investigates the effects of crude oil exploration and exploitation activities on soil, water and air in the study area. Soil samples were collected in three replicates at depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm at sampling distances of 20, 100 and 200 m a from core oil exploitation operation area and a control point. Water samples were also taken from within the study area and analyzed using standard procedures. Major pollutants concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) of the air were also measured using Air Quality Index (AQI). The results reveal that the soil, water and air parameters measured mostly at 20 m from the core oil operation area compromise the allowable standards provided for healthy living. In the same manner, some results at 100 and 200 m were slightly higher than the recommended values in some cases of heavy metals and bacteria activities in the soil. The AQI at 20 m was far above the permissible limit provided by the Environmental Protection Agency while others are gradually drawing towards the limit given for each pollutant. To safeguard the health of the residents of the host community and oil field workers, there is a need for proper and frequent environmental monitoring and assessment by authorized regulatory bodies in Nigeria. This will prevent any future exposure which may endanger the lives of the dwellers.

Investigations on influences of MWCNT composite membranes in oil refineries waste water treatment with Taguchi route.

Most of the 'oil refineries' severally pollutes the water resources by depleting their untreated waste water like cooling water, storm water and unsanitary sewage water. These wastewaters are to be treated with high care to protect the human, pebbles, plants, fish and other water animals and from harmful effects. The present study focused to treat the oil refinery wastewater by means of Multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) coated Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) membrane. The main objectives are: to increases the life of filter, reduce the percolation flux and reduce the formation of antifouling in the filter by using MWCNT composite membrane in it. Different process parameters of the proposed water treatment process, like diameter of MWCNT (15 nm, 20 nm, 25 nm and 30 nm), operating pressure (3 bar, 4 bar, 5 bar and 6 bar), pH value (3, 5, 7 and 9) and temperature (25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C and 40 °C) temperature. Taguchi statistical technique is employed for designing experiments and for optimizing the process parameters of wastewater treatment process of an oil refinery. The proposed filter for wastewater treatment exhibited appreciable performance in removal rate of Percolation flux, percentage of chemical oxygen demand removal and percentage of total carbolic rejection as 27.2 kg/m2h, 78.51% and 95.33% respectively.

Enhanced pollutants removal and high-value cell inclusions accumulation with Fe2+ in heavy oil refinery treatment system using Rhodopseudomonas and Pseudomonas.

Metal ions has been widely used as a method of improving pollutant removal efficiency in wastewater biological treatment system. In order to enhance pollutants removal and high-value cell inclusions accumulation in heavy oil refinery wastewater treatment systems using PSB, different reactors were built feeding with different Fe2+ concentrations respectively, and run with enriching Rhodopseudomonas and Pseudomonas in the reactors. Solute chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), ammonia (NH4+-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), nitrous nitrogen (NO2--N), Fe2+, and related cell inclusions were all detected, moreover, microbial community structure and the quantity of Rhodopseudomonas and Pseudomonas were also detected. The results showed that at the optimal dosage of Fe2+ with 20 mg/L, the corresponding removal ratios of solute chemical oxygen demand and ammonia were 73.51% and 92.26%, respectively. The yields of carotenoid, bacteriochlorophyll, and coenzyme Q10 were 11.18, 6.75, and 9.84 mg/g-DCW respectively. Furthermore, with 20 mg/L Fe2+ dosage, the relative abundance and gene number of Rhodopseudomonas were the highest in the system, which were 91.57% and 1.843 × 106 gene copies/µL, while Fe2+ had no obvious effect on the growth of Pseudomonas. The results showed that adding Fe2+ has improved the removal of pollutants and accumulation of high-value cells inclusions, also provided theoretical guidance for the treatment of heavy oil refinery wastewater using PSB.

Anaerobic co-digestion of oil refinery waste activated sludge and food waste.

The technology of anaerobic co-digestion to treat the excess biological sludge discharged from activated sludge systems in oil refineries was evaluated in bench scale experiments. Mixing food waste rich in fruits and vegetables with this sludge increased the reduction of volatile solids and biogas yield. An experimental design indicated that the best co-digestion condition was the use of waste activated sludge without previous dewatering (3.5% total solids) and food waste in an 80:20 ratio (% v/v), without the addition of inoculum. After 45 days at 35 °C, this condition resulted in volatile solid (VS) removal of 52% and biogas yield of 80.7 mL biogas/g VSadded, against only 19% and 38.5 mL biogas/g VSadded in mono-digestion of sludge alone. Anaerobic co-digestion demonstrates promising results and the potential for a simple and effective treatment method for excess biological sludge generated at refineries.

A comprehensive study on artificial intelligence in oil and gas sector.

The authors investigate how artificial intelligence modifies a huge piece of the energy area, the oil and gas industry. This paper attempts to evaluate technical and non-technical factors affecting the adoption of machine learning technologies. The study includes machine learning development platforms, network architecture, and opportunities and challenges of adopting machine learning technologies in the oil and gas industry. The authors elaborate on the three different sectors in this industry namely upstream, midstream, and downstream. Herein, a review is presented to evaluate the applications and scope of machine learning in the oil and gas industry to optimize the upstream operations (including exploration, drilling, reservoir, and production), midstream operations (including transportation using pipelines, ships, and road vehicles), and downstream operations (including production of refinery products like fuels, lubricants, and plastics). Enhanced processing of seismic data is illustrated which provides the industry with a better understanding of machine learning applications. Basing on the investigation of AI implementation prospects and the survey of subsisting implementations, they diagram the latest patterns in creating AI-based instruments and distinguish their impacts on speeding up and de-gambling measures in the business. They examine AI proposition and calculations, just as the job and accessibility of information in the portion. Furthermore, they examine the principal non-specialized difficulties that forestall the concentrated use of man-made brainpower in the oil and gas industry (OGI), identified with information, individuals, and new types of joint effort. They additionally diagram potential situations of how man-made reasoning will create in the OGI and how it might transform it later on (in 5, 10, and 20 years).

The persistence of precious metals and oil during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from a fractional integration and cointegration approach.

In this paper, the behavior of precious metals and oil is examined using a fractionally integrated and cointegrated modeling approach. Using daily data from January 2015 to December 2020 and using both endogenous and exogenous structural breaks, we examine the behavior of the related series before and during the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of investigating whether the degree of persistence has changed since the onset of COVID-19. We found that precious metals and oil exhibit long memory and are mean reverting regardless of the sample considered as the fractional parameter d < 0.5. However, when structural breaks are taken into consideration, an increase in persistence is found during the COVID-19 as compared to the period before it. In addition, the fractionally cointegrated vector autoregressive (FCVAR) model of Johansen and Nielsen (2010, 2012) is used to examine the existence of long-run relationship among precious metals and oil price. We find the integrated parameters at d < 0.5 for all samples except for the pre-COVID-19 sample. This highlights that the FCVAR is a better fit for the full sample and the COVID-19 and the COVID-19 pandemic period sub-samples, as the fractional parameter is d < 0.5 while the CVAR model is better fit for the pre-COVID-19 period where d> 0.5. Both cointegration techniques alongside the parameter stability tests lend support to the existence of a persistence and stable long-run relationships among the series irrespective of the sample period considered. Attendant policy recommendations for investors and policymakers are recommended.

La contribución de las empresas de contadores de gas españolas y extranjeras a la actividad gasista en España en el contexto de la Europa Latina (1855-1936) / The contribution of spanish and foreign gas-meter companies to the gas business in spain in the latin european context (1855-1936)

Desde 1860 los fabricantes de contadores de consumo de gas o sus distribuidores debían obtener la aprobación del Gobierno para sus modelos antes de ponerlos a la venta en España. La decisión se publicaba en el periódico oficial Gaceta de Madrid, con lo que se legaba a la posteridad un valioso registro de los peticionarios. De entre ellos solo se pasa revista aquí a los fabricantes nacionales o a aquellos extranjeros que antes o después iniciaron la producción en el país, y se da cuenta de sus orígenes y vicisitudes hasta 1936, cuando el estallido de la Guerra Civil interrumpió el curso normal de las cosas. En ausencia de archivos de las empresas, el estudio ha de basarse en otras fuentes, tales como prensa y revistas, así como registros notariales y de patentes.(AU)

Since 1860 consumer gas-meter manufacturers or their distributors had to submit their models to the Government for approval before selling them in Spain. Decisions were published in the official Gaceta de Madrid, thus providing posterity with a valuable record of such entities. Among them only national producers and those foreign that sooner or later started production locally are reviewed here. An account is given of their origins and developments up to 1936 when the outbreak of the Civil War completely disrupted the normal course of events. In the absence of company archives, the study relies heavily on other sources of information such as journals and notary and patent registries.(AU)

Gas y electricidad. La evolución de su tecnología a partir de los artículos y noticias aparecidas en publicaciones periódicas de carácter técnico en España y Francia entre 1855 y 1910 / Gas and electricity. The evolution of its technology based on the papers and news appeared in periodical technical publications in spain and france between 1855 and 1910

Tanto el proceso de obtención del gas de hulla como los fenómenos eléctricos fueron estudiados de una forma metódica a partir del siglo XVIII. Pero, fue a principio del siglo siguiente que el gas empezó a utilizarse en el alumbrado, y años después, en desarrollar trabajo mecánico, o en calentar fluidos. En el último tercio del siglo, el desarrollo de la electricidad fue sustituyendo algunas de las aplicaciones que proporcionaba el gas. Este proceso quedó reflejado en una gran cantidad de escritos y publicaciones que difundieron los nuevos conceptos y las formas de obtención y de utilización de estas fuentes. En este artículo mostramos los resultados de un estudio cuantitativo de los artículos sobre gas y electricidad en la literatura industrial en un periodo en que los caminos de ambas fuentes empezaban a divergir. Como ejemplo nos detenemos también en dos casos concretos: algunos procedimientos alternativos de producción de gas y el auge de la electricidad.(AU)

Both the process of obtaining coal gas and electrical phenomena were studied in a methodical way from the eighteenth century. But it was at the beginning of the following century that gas began to be used in lighting, and years later, in developing mechanical work, or in heating fluids. In the last third of the century, the development of electricity was replacing some of the applications that gas provided. This process was reflected in many writings and publications that spread the new concepts and the ways of obtaining and using these sources. In this article we show the results of a quantitative study of the articles on gas and electricity in the industrial literature in a period when the paths of both sources were beginning to diverge. As an example, we also look at two specific cases: some alternative gas production procedures and the electricity boom.(AU)

Psychological and Psychosocial Impact and Related Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Iranian Oil Refineries Personnel: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak is currently a critical challenge, and proper perception of the mental health situation of individuals in the working environments has become a crucial issue. This study aimed to investigate the psychological and psychosocial impact during the COVID-19 pandemic among Iranian oil refineries personnel. METHODS: This longitudinal study was conducted in two phases from November 2019 to July 2020 among the 850 employees of three refineries in Iran. To study the mental workload, job burnout, lifestyle, occupational stress, general health, and memory quotient of personnel, the NASA-TLX questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) questionnaire, Walker's health-promoting lifestyle questionnaire, health and safety executive (HSE) job stress questionnaire, general health questionnaire, and Wechsler memory scale were used, respectively. Data were analyzed using paired sample t test, independent sample t test, and one-way ANOVA in SPSS version 25. RESULTS: The study results revealed that the mean age of studied personnel was 34.62±13.48 years. There was a meaningful correlation between the values of mental workload, job burnout, occupational stress, general health, healthy lifestyle, and memory quotient of personnel before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (P value<0.05). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic can significantly affect the psychological and psychosocial parameters of employees in working environments. Therefore, implementing psychological interventions is absolutely necessary to promote personnel's mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Detection of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria as an Indicator for Successful Mitigation of Sulfide Production.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) are one of the main sources of biogenic H2S generation in oil reservoirs. Excess H2S production in these systems leads to oil biosouring, which causes operational risks and health hazards and can increase the cost of refining crude oil. Nitrate salts are often added to the system to suppress sulfidogenesis. Because SRB populations can persist in biofilms even after nitrate treatment, identifying shifts in the sessile community is crucial for successful mitigation. However, sampling the sessile community is hampered by its inaccessibility. Here, we use the results of a long-term (148 days) ex situ experiment to identify particular sessile community members from observations of the sample waste stream. Microbial community structure was determined for 731 samples across 20 bioreactors using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. By associating microbial community structure with specific steps in the mitigation process, we could distinguish between taxa associated with H2S production and mitigation. After initiation of nitrate treatment, certain SRB populations increased in the planktonic community during critical time points, indicating the dissociation of SRBs from the biofilm. Predicted relative abundances of the dissimilatory sulfate reduction pathway also increased during the critical time points. Here, by analyzing the planktonic community structure, we describe a general method that uses high-throughput amplicon sequencing, metabolic inferences, and cell abundance data to identify successful biofilm mitigation. We anticipate that our approach is also applicable to other systems where biofilms must be mitigated but cannot be sampled easily. IMPORTANCE Microbial biofilms are commonly present in many industrial processes and can negatively impact performance and safety. Within the oil industry, subterranean biofilms cause biosouring with implications for oil quality, cost, occupational health, and the environment. Because these biofilms cannot be sampled directly, methods are needed to indirectly assess the success of mitigation measures. This study demonstrates how the planktonic microbial community can be used to assess the dissociation of sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB)-containing biofilms. We found that an increase in the abundance of a specific SRB population in the effluent after nitrate treatment can be used as a potential indicator for the successful mitigation of biofilm-forming SRBs. Moreover, a method for determining critical time points for detecting potential indicators is suggested. This study expands our knowledge of improving mitigation strategies for biosouring and could have broader implications in other systems where biofilms lead to adverse consequences.

Submerged microfiltration membrane and activated carbon processes for recalcitrant compounds removal in oil refinery effluent as electrodialysis pre-treatment.

The combination of suspended activated carbon (AC) and submerged microfiltration (SMF) processes was applied to polish a biotreated effluent generated in a refinery industry. Preliminary results indicated that Norit 1240 W AC was more suitable than Carbomafra AC brand for total organic carbon (TOC) removal due to the highest Freundlich adsorption constant value (1.97 ± 0.42 and 0.96 ± 0.23 (mg/g)(L/mg)1/n, respectively), thus the first one was used in the combined system. Among all particle sizes of AC tested (0.041-1.01 mm), AC/SMF system was better performed, according to permeation flux, when applying granular AC instead of the powder one. On the other hand, the best response regarding TOC removal and absorbance at 254 nm (ABS254 nm) reduction were observed when applying powder AC (89% and 97%, respectively). Statistical analysis with two-sample T-test (p-value <0.05) endorsed the need of both air purge (20 L/h) and backwash strategies (8 min of permeation and 10 seconds of backwash) to diminish fouling occurrence in the SMF system. Finally, it was found that 2 g/L of Norit 1240 W PAC (0.041 mm particle size) condition fitted the effluent to further electrodialysis reversal (EDR) process (3.4 mg/L TOC) with consistent normalized permeate flux after 5 h of permeation (0.76 ± 0.1 J/J0).

A Scoping Review of Technologies and Their Applicability for Exposome-Based Risk Assessment in the Oil and Gas Industry.

INTRODUCTION: Oil and gas workers have been shown to be at increased risk of chronic diseases including cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hearing loss, among others. Technological advances may be used to assess the external (e.g. personal sensors, smartphone apps and online platforms, exposure models) and internal exposome (e.g. physiologically based kinetic modeling (PBK), biomonitoring, omics), offering numerous possibilities for chronic disease prevention strategies and risk management measures. The objective of this study was to review the literature on these technologies, by focusing on: (i) evaluating their applicability for exposome research in the oil and gas industry, and (ii) identifying key challenges that may hamper the successful application of such technologies in the oil and gas industry. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted by identifying peer-reviewed literature with searches in MEDLINE/PubMed and SciVerse Scopus. Two assessors trained on the search strategy screened retrieved articles on title and abstract. The inclusion criteria used for this review were: application of the aforementioned technologies at a workplace in the oil and gas industry or, application of these technologies for an exposure relevant to the oil and gas industry but in another occupational sector, English language and publication period 2005-end of 2019. RESULTS: In total, 72 articles were included in this scoping review with most articles focused on omics and bioinformatics (N = 22), followed by biomonitoring and biomarkers (N = 20), external exposure modeling (N = 11), PBK modeling (N = 10), and personal sensors (N = 9). Several studies were identified in the oil and gas industry on the application of PBK models and biomarkers, mainly focusing on workers exposed to benzene. The application of personal sensors, new types of exposure models, and omics technology are still in their infancy with respect to the oil and gas industry. Nevertheless, applications of these technologies in other occupational sectors showed the potential for application in this sector. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: New exposome technologies offer great promise for personal monitoring of workers in the oil and gas industry, but more applied research is needed in collaboration with the industry. Current challenges hindering a successful application of such technologies include (i) the technological readiness of sensors, (ii) the availability of data, (iii) the absence of standardized and validated methods, and (iv) the need for new study designs to study the development of disease during working life.

Particle jet impact deep-rock in rotary drilling: Failure process and lab experiment.

Aimed at the technical problems of low drilling speed and difficult rock-breaking in deep-well and hard rock-stratum, particle waterjet coupled impact rock-breaking technology in rotary drilling is put forward in this paper. Firstly, the working principle of particle jet impact rock-breaking in rotary drilling was introduced, and the acceleration model of particle jet and the damage model of rock were established. The acceleration mechanism of particles and dynamic damage evolution process of rock under particle jet were studied, which showed that the broken pit and rock damage would increase with time gone on, and damage evolution of rock presented the radial expansion. Then, experimental device of particle jet coupled impact rock-breaking in rotary state was developed, and the effect of jet parameters on penetration depth and failure volume was analyzed with comparison of la experiment and numerical simulation. The results showed that drilling speed with particle jet impact is twice that of conventional drilling, and combination nozzles layout of impact angle with 8°and 20° can achieve rock-drilled rapidly, which also demonstrated the correctness of simulation method. The device development and the rock-breaking results analysis would be of great value for engineering application.

Ultraviolet radiation and risk of cutaneous melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma in males and females in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort.

BACKGROUND: Increased risk of cutaneous melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been reported among petroleum workers, but few studies include females, exposure data on ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and potential confounding factors. We aimed to examine UVR exposure in relation to risk of melanoma and SCC among male and female offshore petroleum workers. We also examined the association between UVR exposure and melanoma (Breslow) thickness. METHODS: The Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers (NOPW) cohort (n = 27,917) holds information on sunbathing, indoor tanning, sunburns, sunscreen use, and other lifestyle factors recorded in 1998. Linkage to the Cancer Registry of Norway gave information on cancer diagnosis through 2017. We used Cox and logistic regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of skin cancer and odds ratios (OR) of thick (≥1 mm) melanomas, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Melanoma risk increased with increasing frequency of sunbathing after age 20 (ptrend = 0.031), sunburn average intensity (ptrend = 0.028), and sunscreen use (HR = 2.16; 95% CI: 1.42 -3.27 for almost always vs. never/rarely). The risk of thick melanoma was inversely associated with sunbathing frequency after age 20 (OR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.16 - 0.90 for ≥4 weeks/year vs. 1 week/year). SCC risk increased with increasing frequency of indoor tanning after age 20 (HR = 2.72; 95% CI: 1.22 - 6.05 for ≥3 times/months vs. never), sunburn average intensity (ptrend < 0.001), and sunscreen use (ptrend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support associations between UVR exposure and skin cancer risk in male and female offshore petroleum workers. This occupational group may be especially relevant for targeted sun protection advice.

New insights into enhanced anaerobic degradation of coal gasification wastewater (CGW) with the assistance of magnetite nanoparticles.

Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) was firstly used to enhance pollutants removal during coal gasification wastewater (CGW) treatment in anaerobic digestion (AD) system. Bench-scale results revealed that 200 mg/L and 20-40 nm of Fe3O4 NPs addition resulted in a maximum removal capacity of total phenol (TPh) at a temperature of 36 °C and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 36 h. Meanwhile, Fe3O4 NPs addition reduced the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) values and biological toxicity, and enhanced the stability of AD system. Pilot-scale results showed that the TPh and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency (53% and 49%) were obtained with the optimal dosage of Fe3O4 NPs. Moreover, electron nanowires may be established with Fe3O4 NPs assisted to perform direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) among Geobacter, Pseudomonas and Methanosaeta species, and finally enhanced the pollutants removal efficiency.

Job Stress and Working Capacity among Fly-In-Fly-Out Workers in the Oil and Gas Extraction Industries in the Arctic.

(1) Background: the research purpose is to identify and describe the stress and working capacity dynamics of oil and gas fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers in the Arctic during the fly-in period using biochemical, psychophysiological and psychological methods with further analysis of the relationship between them using objective, subjective and projective indicators. (2) Methods: The research involved 70 oil and gas FIFO specialists in the Arctic. The study of stress and working capacity was carried out using biochemical (saliva analysis for cortisol), psychophysiological (complex visual-motor reaction and variational cardiointervalometry) and psychological (questionnaire "Well-being. Activity. Mood", M. Luscher's color test and the subjective control level methods. (3) Results: There is a similarity in the dynamic curves of oil and gas FIFO employees' stress and working objective, subjective and projective indicators during the fly-in period. The maximum relationships number was obtained between objective cortisol indicators in saliva (stress), complex visual-motor response indicators (operator working capacity), variational cardiointervalometry (functionality level), and interpretation coefficients (working capacity, stress, vegetative balance) according to M. Luscher's test. (4) Conclusions: The obtained results made it possible to explain the mechanisms underlying the previously developed FIFO workers' adaptation strategies classification, in which emergency and economic adaptation strategies were identified.

Assessment of hematological parameters of petrol filling workers at petrol stations in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Petrol is the non-specific term for petroleum which is used for inside combustion of engines. Petrol filling workers are highly vulnerable to occupational exposure to these harmful substances which lead to hemato-toxicity and blood disorders such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and dysplastic bone marrow. Thus, this study was aimed to assess hematological parameters of petrol filling workers in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2019 in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. A total of 110 study participants comprising 55 study groups and 55 controls group were recruited by a convenient sampling technique. Socio-demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and 3 ml of venous blood was collected for the determination of hematological parameters. The data were entered into Epi info 7.2.0.1 and analyzed by SPSS version of 20. Mean, standard deviation, median, and interquartile ranges were used to present the data. Independent t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the mean or median difference between parametric and non-parametric hematological parameters, respectively. Moreover, Pearson product-moment and Spearman's rank-order bivariable correlations analyses were used to describe the correlation between hematological parameters and duration of exposure to petrol. A P value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study revealed that mean red blood cell count and hemoglobin level as well as the median hematocrit, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, absolute lymphocytes count, and red cell distribution width values of petrol filling workers showed a significant increment compared with the control group. On the other hand, the mean cell hemoglobin value of petrol filling workers showed a significant decrement compared with healthy controls. Moreover, the duration of exposure to petrol showed a significant positive correlation with red blood cell count and mean cell hemoglobin concentration; however, a significant negative correlation was observed with mean cell volume. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the majority of hematological parameters of petrol filling workers showed an increment compared with healthy controls which might be associated with exposure to petrol chemicals. However, further longitudinal study with a larger sample size should be conducted to explore the impact of petrol exposure on hematopoiesis.