Browsing by Author "Candeias, Carla"
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- Mining activities: health impactsPublication . Candeias, Carla; Ávila, Paula; Coelho, Patrícia; Teixeira, João P.Mining is an important economic activity with potential to contribute to the development of economies. At the same time, environmental and health impacts of mining on surrounding communities are of major concern. Potential human health risks occur at most stages of the mining life cycle, from exploration to mine closure, and may result from both surface and subsurface mines. Mining activities include the use of toxic chemicals and waste disposals with health impacts on miners and local populations and also with adverse environmental impacts on the surrounding environment. Human health impacts result from long term and systematic exposure, ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact with toxic heavy metals, acidic drainage and toxic chemicals. Inhalations of dust and air particulate matters are among the significant pathways of carcinogenic pollutants into the human body. Health impacts can also result from soil and water pollution due to the mine contaminants migration by erosion and weathering and chemical dispersion such as acid drainages from mine wastes and tailings. By applying appropriate practices, health effects due to mining activities can by mitigated or avoided. Legislation requires that mine administrators manage health and safety properly to provide safe places to work and live.
- A review of exposure assessment methods for epidemiological studies of health effects related to industrially contaminated sitesPublication . Hoek, Gerard; Ranzi, Andrea; Alimehmeti, Ilir; Ardeleanu, Elene-Roxana; Arrebola, Juan-P; Ávila, Paula; Candeias, Carla; Colles, Ann; Cerasela Cris, Gloria; Dack, Sarah; Demeter, Zoltán; Fazzo, Lucia; Fierens, Tine; Fluckiger, Benjamin; Gaengler, Stephanie; Hanninen, Otto; Harzia, Hedi; Hough, Rupert; Laszlo Iantovics, Barna; Kalantzi, Olga-Ioanna; Karakitsios, Spyros P.; C. Makris, Konstantinos; Martin-Olmedo, Piedad; Nechita, Elena; Nicoli, Thomai; Orru, Hans; Pasetto, Roberto; Pérez-Carrascosa, Francisco Miguel; Pestana, Diogo; Rocha, Fernando; Sarigiannis, Dimosthenis A.; Teixeira, João Paulo; Tsadilas, Christos; Tasic, Visa; Vaccari, Lorenzo; Iavarone, Ivano; de Hoogh, KeesBACKGROUND: this paper is based upon work from COST Action ICSHNet. Health risks related to living close to industrially contaminated sites (ICSs) are a public concern. Toxicology-based risk assessment of single contaminants is the main approach to assess health risks, but epidemiological studies which investigate the relationships between exposure and health directly in the affected population have contributed important evidence. Limitations in exposure assessment have substantially contributed to uncertainty about associations found in epidemiological studies. OBJECTIVES: to examine exposure assessment methods that have been used in epidemiological studies on ICSs and to provide recommendations for improved exposure assessment in epidemiological studies by comparing exposure assessment methods in epidemiological studies and risk assessments. METHODS: after defining the multi-media framework of exposure related to ICSs, we discussed selected multi-media models applied in Europe. We provided an overview of exposure assessment in 54 epidemiological studies from a systematic review of hazardous waste sites; a systematic review of 41 epidemiological studies on incinerators and 52 additional studies on ICSs and health identified for this review. RESULTS: we identified 10 multi-media models used in Europe primarily for risk assessment. Recent models incorporated estimation of internal biomarker levels. Predictions of the models differ particularly for the routes 'indoor air inhalation' and 'vegetable consumption'. Virtually all of the 54 hazardous waste studies used proximity indicators of exposure, based on municipality or zip code of residence (28 studies) or distance to a contaminated site (25 studies). One study used human biomonitoring. In virtually all epidemiological studies, actual land use was ignored. In the 52 additional studies on contaminated sites, proximity indicators were applied in 39 studies, air pollution dispersion modelling in 6 studies, and human biomonitoring in 9 studies. Exposure assessment in epidemiological studies on incinerators included indicators (presence of source in municipality and distance to the incinerator) and air dispersion modelling. Environmental multi-media modelling methods were not applied in any of the three groups of studies. CONCLUSIONS: recommendations for refined exposure assessment in epidemiological studies included the use of more sophisticated exposure metrics instead of simple proximity indicators where feasible, as distance from a source results in misclassification of exposure as it ignores key determinants of environmental fate and transport, source characteristics, land use, and human consumption behaviour. More validation studies using personal exposure or human biomonitoring are needed to assess misclassification of exposure. Exposure assessment should take more advantage of the detailed multi-media exposure assessment procedures developed for risk assessment. The use of indicators can be substantially improved by linking definition of zones of exposure to existing knowledge of extent of dispersion. Studies should incorporate more often land use and individual behaviour.
- The fogo volcano (Cape Verde) 2014 eruption: impacts on human healthPublication . Candeias, Carla; Ávila, P. F.; Alves, C.; Silva, E. F.; Rocha, F.; Pio, C; Teixeira, J. P.Volcanic eruptions disturb directly and indirectly the ecosystems and the health of the exposed populations. Hazards include, among others, toxic volcanic ashes with diameters <10 μm (PM10). During volcanic eruptions and their immediate aftermath, increased respiratory system morbidity has been observed as well as mortality among those affected by volcanic eruptions. Unfavorable health effects could partly be prevented by timely application of safety measures.
- Water–Rock Interaction and Geochemical Processes in Surface Waters Influenced by Tailings Impoundments: Impact and Threats to the Ecosystems and Human Health in Rural Communities (Panasqueira Mine, central Portugal)Publication . Candeias, Carla; Ávila, Paula Freire; da Silva, Eduardo Ferreira; Durães, Nuno; Teixeira, João PauloThe present and past mining activity left several abandoned tailings and dams in the Panasqueira tin– tungsten mining area. Seasonal water samples and stream sediments were collected during two different periods (rainy and dry seasons) and analyzed for a wide range of major and trace elements, in order to define the present hydrochemical situation. Rain waters interact with the altered sulfides stored in the tailings which generate runoff waters with high metal concentrations. The waste material derived from the exploitation enhanced acidification and metal-releasing processes, due to the increase in the specific surface, which favors the oxidation of sulfide minerals. Acid drainage and high metal(loid)s (Cd, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, As) concentrations in solution were observed in waters leaching the Panasqueira tailing deposits. In dry season, generally the acidic waters, enriched in metals, evaporate progressively depositing sulfate efflorescences characteristic of acidic environments. The elements distribution in precipitated minerals helps in the interpretation of aqueous geochemical data. Aqueous concentrations may be attenuated by goethite, gibbsite, and/or ferrihydrite precipitation in the oxidation zone through adsorption processes. The use of these waters for human consumption and for irrigation represents a threat to humans as they have a potential carcinogenic risk, especially due to the As concentrations. The acid water precipitation is present on the stream sediments, with concentrations exceeding the toxicity limits. Stream sediments are good receptors of metals and metalloids transported by waters. The enrichment factor values, of heavy metal(loid)s from Casinhas stream and Zêzere river sediments, are extremely high in Ag, As, Cd, and Cu revealing enrichments for these potential toxic elements. Igeo values shows that samples are strongly to very strongly polluted for Ag, As, Bi, Cd, and Cu. According to the consensus-based SQGs, 80 % of the samples were classified at the level of great concern and adverse biological effects are to be expected frequently in this area.