Árpád Ferincz

The Red Mud Accident in Ajka (Hungary): Characterization and Potential Health Effects of Fugitive Dust

As a result of a tragic industrial accident, a highly alkaline red mud sludge inundated settlements and agricultural areas near Ajka, Hungary on October 4, 2010. One of the major concerns about the aftermaths of the accident is the potential health effects of vast amounts of fugitive dust from red mud sediment. Thus, we studied the chemical and physical properties of particles of red mud and its respirable fugitive dust, and performed toxicity measurements. Under unfavorable meteorological conditions dry red mud sediment could emit very high amounts of respirable alkaline particles into the air. The number size distribution of fugitive dust peaks above 1 μm aerodynamic diameter; therefore, its inhalation is unlikely to affect the deep regions of the lungs. No significant mineralogical or elemental fractionation was observed between the sediment and dust, with the major minerals being hematite, cancrinite, calcite, and hydrogarnet. Although the high resuspension potential and alkalinity might pose some problems such as the irritation of the upper respiratory tract and eyes, based on its size distribution and composition red mud dust appears to be less hazardous to human health than urban particulate matter.

Ecotoxicological characterisation of exhaust particulates from diesel-powered light-duty vehicles

AbstractDiesel exhaust is one of the major sources of fine and ultrafine particulate matter in urban air. Toxicity of diesel-powered engine emissions has been quite widely assessed, however, much less information is available on their ecotoxicity. In our study the kinetic version of the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay, based on the ISO 21338:2010 standard, was used to characterise the ecotoxicity of diesel-powered cars. The method is sensitive enough to test the ecotoxic effect of the emission of individual vehicles. In general, significant positive correlation was found between ecotoxicity (expressed as Toxic Unit /TU/values) and total carbon (TC) as well as between TU and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations.

Impact of environmental and genetic factors on the scale shape of zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822): A geometric morphometric study

Intraspecific morphological variability may reflect either genetic divergence among groups of individuals or response of individuals to environmental circumstances within the frame of phenotypic plasticity. Several studies were able to discriminate wild fish populations based on their scale shape. Here we examine whether the variations in the scale shape in fish populations could be related to genetic or environmental factors, or to both of them. In the first experiment, two inbred lines of zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822) reared under identical environmental conditions were compared. Secondly, to find out what effect environmental factors might have, offsprings were divided into two groups and reared on different diets for 12 weeks. Potential recovery of scales from an environmental effect was also assessed. Experimental groups could successfully be distinguished according to the shape of scales in both experiments, and the results showed that both genetic and environmental factors may notably influence scale shape. It was concluded that scale shape analysis might be used as an explanatory tool to detect potential variability of environmental influences impacting genetically homogeneous groups of fish. However, due to its sensitivity to environmental heterogeneity, the applicability of this technique in identifying intraspecific stock membership of fish could be limited.

Ecotoxicological characterisation of sedimentation in the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System.

The main function of the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System is to retain nutrients and total suspended solids, thus protecting the water quality of Lake Balaton. In this paper, the toxic nature of the sediment in the 2nd reservoir of the KBWPS has been characterised, using a battery of tests: Vibrio fischeri acute bioassay on whole sediment samples, and V. fischeri bioassay on pore water and elutriate samples. The latest version of the V. fischeri bioluminescence inhibition was applied, the Flash assay which uses a kinetic mode and is able to detect the toxicity of solid, turbid/coloured samples. Whole sediment toxicity showed a clear spatial distribution of toxicity, in parallel with elutriate toxicity. However, no pore water toxicity was detected, leading to the conclusion that contaminants are not water soluble.

Comparative Assessment of the Mussel Micronucleus Test Versus Bacterial Bioassays for Genotoxicity Testing of Benzo[a]pyrene

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are hazardous compounds to the environment and human health, thus their detection is an important task. In this study the genotoxic effect of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) was examined on a freshwater mussel Unio pictorum and results were compared to bacterial tests, such as the Ames test and SOS chromotest. The aim of the study was to calibrate the sensitivity of the mussel micronucleus test to that of the two bacterial tests using B[a]P as a reference chemical. The Ames and the micronucleus tests gave similar response both in sensitivity and in concentrationresponse pattern. These two tests are proposed to be applied in a battery for genotoxicity testing.

Genotoxic effect of Lythrum salicaria extract determined by the mussel micronucleus test.

A wide range of aquatic plants have been proven to release allelochemicals, of them phenolics and tannin are considered rather widely distributed. Tannins, however, have been demonstrated to have genotoxic capacity. In our study genotoxic potential of Lythrum salicaria L. (Purple Loosestrife, family Lythraceae) was assessed by the mussel micronucleus test, using Unio pictorum. In parallel, total and hydrolysable tannin contents were determined. Results clearly show that the extract had a high hydrolysable tannin content and significant mutagenic effect. As L. salicaria has been long used in traditional medicine for chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, leucorrhoea and blood-spitting, genotoxic potential of the plant should be evaluated not only with regard to potential effects in the aquatic ecosystem, but also assessing its safe use as a medicinal herb.