Two studies were conducted at an aluminum smelter employing 113 male workers in the smelting process. Twenty one of the 111 men in the first study experienced chest tightness more often than once a week and had a higher prevalence of cough, dyspnoea, and nasal symptoms but not of positive skin test responses than symptomless men. Lung function in these men did not differ significantly from that...

Steel has remained the most crucial of all structural materials. However, the steel production processes have changed over the years. Currently, due to the tendency of eliminating high energy consuming technologies, in both the international and domestic steel industry, liquid steel is manufactured in two basic aggregates: oxygen-blown converters and electric arc furnaces 1 . The development of...

Exposure to radionuclide thorium (Th) has generated widespread public concerns, mainly because of its radiological effects on human health. Activity levels of airborne 232Th in total suspended particulate (TSP) were measured in the vicinity of the largest rare earth mine in China in August 2012 and March 2013. The mean activity concentrations of 232Th in TSP ranged from 820μBqm-3 in a mining ar...

Dioxin-like compounds including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) that bio-concentrate, bio-accumulate and bio-magnify because of their hydrophobicity, and persistence in the environment. These compounds are formed as a result of incomplete combustion during cert...

Plants grown in contaminated areas may accumulate trace metals to a toxic level via their roots and/or leaves. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and sources of Pb and Cd in maize plants (Zea mays L.) grown in a typical zinc smelting impacted area of southwestern China. Results showed that the smelting activities caused significantly elevated concentrations of Pb and Cd in t...

Electric arc furnace (EAF) dust, together with a mill scale and coke were smelted in a laboratory electric arc furnace. These metallurgical wastes consist of a many different phases and elements, making the reaction process complex. Thermo-chemical analysis of the reactions in metal, slag, and gas phases was done, and used for modeling of the mixture composition and energy consumption required ...