జర్నల్ ఆఫ్ ఎన్విరాన్‌మెంటల్ హజార్డ్స్

Background: Agriculture is undoubtedly the back-bone of Cameroonian economy and other economic activities thrive only if production in this sector is assured. It has been estimated that about 25 million agricultural workers worldwide experience unintentional pesticide poisoning yearly. Unfortunately, limited information exists about the health and safety of the farmers. The aim of this study was to describe the OHS conditions of farmers working on small scale tomato farms in Western Region of Cameroon.
Materials and Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional research method was used to collect data from tomato farmers in May 2017 using a questionnaire by the research team. The data was analysed using Epi Info version 7.
Results: A total of 104 tomato farmers from small-scale farms participated in the study. The analysis revealed that the occupation is male dominated. The training and use of Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE) among farmers was rare and farmers were mostly exposed to chemical hazards. The farmers reported the following work-related health problems: skin irritation, backache, impairment of Central Nervous System (CNS), visual problems and respiratory difficulties.
Conclusions: Findings confirmed that working in small-scale tomatoes farming is unsafe, and the occupational health and safety conditions are poor thus predisposing farmers to the risk of work-related health problems. Exposure to occupational hazards can be significantly reduced if the required PPE are efficiently used.

The present work addressed the natural radionuclides distribution and their geochemical characteristics for 21 albite granite samples, including surface, adit and subsurface core samples from Gebel Abu Dabbab rare metal-bearing albite granite (650-550 Ma). The measurements are provided by γ-ray spectroscopic analysis, including portable RS-230 model hand-detector and High Purity Germanium (HPGe) spectrometry. Chemical analysis using ICP-OES & ICP-MS have been carried out to determine the concentrations of major oxides and trace elements including U, Th (ppm) and 40K % for the studied rocks. With respect to the field spectrometric measurements, the average radionuclide concentrations for point samples of eU, eTh (ppm) and K% were 10.36, 19.46 and 3.48 respectively. Gamma ray HPGe detector indicates that the average specific activities of 238U, 232Th and 40K were 66.75, 29.97 and 641.68 Bq/kg for surface samples, respectively, 87.6, 57.3 and 329.4 Bq/kg for adit samples respectively, 87.3, 31.6 and 3.9 Bq/kg for subsurface core samples respectively. The average ratio is of 226Ra/ 238U<1 indicating enrichment in 238U due to its redistribution and remobilization. Regarding the chemical analysis for U, Th (ppm) and K%, the average concentrations were 6.90, 17.21 and 1.32 for surface samples as well as 8.33, 27.65 and 1.13 for adit samples, whereas the average concentrations of U, Th (ppm) and K% for the subsurface core samples were 4.85, 9.55 and 1.33 respectively. The radiometric, chemical data and the calculated P and D-factors of the studied radionuclides in Abu Dabbab rare metal-bearing albite granite confirmed that the redistribution of the radionuclides was formed later by hydrothermal Na-metasomatic albitization. All values of the radiation hazard indices in the studied samples of Abu Dabbab mining area are under the health hazard limits.

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method with modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation was developed for the simultaneous determination of Mesotrione, Ametryn, and MCPA-Na. The mean recoveries were ranged from 72% to 102% (R2<14.4%). A study of dissipation kinetics conducted under open field conditions at two sites during 2016. The half-lives 0.7-14.7 d for mesotrione, 1.2-16.1 d for ametryn and 1.1-3.2 d for MCPA-Na. The terminal residues of three pesticides in maize grain were lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by China (0.01 mg/kg for mesotrione, 0.05 mg/kg for MCPA-Na) and US (0.05 mg/kg for ametryn) at harvest time as well as at pre-harvest (after apply 96 d and 71 d).

Additional the chronic dietary risk was evaluated using risk quotients method based on Chinese dietary pattern. That were significantly lower than RQ (risk quotient)=1. On the basis of supervised field trial data and dietary exposure risk assessment results, the MRLs values of ametryn were recommended as 0.05 mg/kg for maize grain and maize plant in China, respectively.

These results not only gave insights about the analytes but also contributed to environmental protection and food safety.

Differentiating tsunami deposit from a storms deposit in the stratigraphy is a controversial topic. Similarities in the sedimentary structures and textures are the main reason for this controversy. Therefore, understanding cyclonic patterns and landfall associated with them in a particular geological setting is very useful to avoid controversy. This paper discusses cyclonic patterns and landfall associate with them in the context of pleotsunami investigations in India.