We examined densities of endophytic fungi and their associations with performance of Eriocrania leaf-mining moth larvae on white birch (Betula pubescens) and silver birch (B. pendula) around a large copper±nickel smelter in SW Finland. The analysis is based on 2-year data collected from sites distributed along the pollution gradient from 0 to 10.8 km from the smelter. Endophyte densities were l...

Springtails (Hexapoda: Collembola) are known to live in a wide range of soil conditions, but changes occurring in their communities under the influence of heavy metal pollution are still poorly documented. The present study was undertaken in order to discern main coenological trends along a gradient of metal pollution, downwind of a zinc smelter located in the North of France. Three sites were ...

OBJECTIVES To look for an association between acoustic neuroma (AN) and participation in a hearing conservation programme (HCP) and also for an association between AN and possible occupational risk factors in the aluminium industry. METHODS We conducted a case-control analysis of a population of US aluminium production workers in 8 smelters and 43 other plants. Using insurance claims data, 97...

Although it is well known that metals pollution can cause neurotoxic effects, scientists are currently divided about the neurodegeneration hypothesis. That is, some scientists accept, while others fail to accept, the hypothesis that metals/metalloids, at exposure levels below those capable of causing neurotoxicity, can cause neurodegeneration—progressive or worsening neurological disease. Partl...

The authors evaluated mean blood lead levels (BLLs) and the prevalence of elevated BLLs in children 1-6 yr of age living in Torreón, Mexico, and assessed risk factors for lead exposure in these children. The study involved a simple random sample of households in the area around a local smelter, as well as a 2-stage cluster sample of neighborhoods and households in the remainder of Torreón. The ...

The aim of this work was to identify in Eisenia fetida genes whose expression are regulated following exposure to a complex mixture of Metallic Trace Elements (MTE) representative of a highly polluted smelter soil. Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) was used to construct cDNA libraries enriched in upor downregulated transcripts in the immune circulating cells of the cœlomic cavities, n...

The aim of this work was to identify in Eisenia fetida genes whose expression are regulated following exposure to a complex mixture of metallic trace elements (MTE) representative of a highly polluted smelter soil. Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to construct cDNA libraries enriched in up- or down-regulated transcripts in the immune-circulating cells of the coelomic cavitie...

Many common environmental pollutants, together with nuclear radiation, are recognized as genotoxic. There is, however, very little information on pollution-related genetic effects on free-living animal populations, especially in terrestrial ecosystems. We investigated whether genetic diversity in two small insectivorous passerines, the great tit (Parus major) and the pied flycatcher (Ficedula h...

Bone lead levels for 367 active and 14 retired lead smelter workers were measured in vivo by X-ray fluorescence in May-June 1994. The bone sites of study were the tibia and calcaneus; magnitudes of concentration were used to gauge lead body burden. Whole blood lead readings from the workers generated a cumulative blood lead index (CBLI) that approximated the level of lead exposure over time. Bl...

In this paper, an existing model of a multi-period nonlinear bilevel model of an aluminium smelter which allows for the transfer of stocks of raw materials throughout the planning period is extended to allow for the inter-temporal transfer of capacity. The situation arises in reality where a part of the smelter is closed for scheduled maintenance and in order to adhere to the prime directive of...