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In the North Atlantic and the Northern Ocean, from the second half of 2010 to 2014, satellite imagery data showed increased surface water temperatures (in the Icelandic Depression area in September–October 2010, it was 1.3 °C higher than in 2009). The peak of the annual sum of mean monthly ocean surface temperatures near the Icelandic Depression in 2010 (109.3 °C), as well as the negative values of the monthly averaged North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indices, estimated in the second half of 2010 and until March 2011, can be explained by the appearance of an additional film of oil origin on the water surface, formed after an oil spill accident at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Insufficient evaporative cooling of surface waters near the Icelandic Depression related to the formation of an additive film due to the influence of pollution of the North Sea by oil can explain the earlier peak in the annual sum of mean monthly ocean surface temperatures near the Icelandic Depression in 2003 (107.2 °C). Although global warming is usually ascribed to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, ocean surface water pollution could increase the heat content of the ocean and explain the steady temperature stratification and desalination of these waters due to the melting of Greenland’s glaciers. Thus, when analyzing the concept of global warming, it is necessary to take into account the aspects of pollution of the ocean surface waters to assess the changes in their capacity to accumulate solar radiation, as well as the changes in the heat content of the ocean mixing zone (~200 m).

BackgroundIt has been reported that the disease-initiated and disease-mediated effects of aerosol pollutants can be related to concentration, site of deposition, duration of exposure, as well as the specific chemical composition of pollutants.ObjectivesTo investigate the microelemental composition of dust aggregates in primary schools of Vilnius and determine trace elements related to acute upper respiratory infections among 6-to 11-year-old children.MethodsMicroelemental analysis of aerosol pollution was performed using dust samples collected in the classrooms of 11 primary schools in Vilnius from 2016 to 2020. Sites included areas of its natural accumulation behind the radiator heaters and from the surface of high cupboards. The concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, W, Sb, Sn, Zr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, and As) in dust samples were analyzed using a SPECTRO XEPOS spectrometer. The annual incidence rates of respiratory diseases in children of each school were calculated based on data from medical records.ResultsThe mean annual incidence of physician-diagnosed acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06 according to ICD-10A) among younger school-age children was between 25.1 and 71.3% per school. A significant correlation was found between vanadium concentration and the number of episodes of acute upper respiratory infections during each study year from 2016 to 2020. The lowest was r = 0.67 (p = 0.024), and the highest was r = 0.82 (p = 0.002). The concentration of vanadium in the samples of dust aggregates varied from 12.7 to 52.1 parts per million (ppm). No significant correlations between the other trace elements and the incidence of upper respiratory infections were found, which could be caused by a small number of study schools and relatively low concentrations of other heavy metals found in the samples of indoor dust aggregates.ConclusionA significant and replicable correlation was found between the concentration of vanadium in the samples of natural dust aggregates collected in primary schools and the incidence of acute upper respiratory infections in children. Monitoring the concentration of heavy metals in the indoor environment can be an important instrument for the prevention and control of respiratory morbidity in children.

The main objective of this study is to thoroughly evaluate the diversity and sources of heavy metals in the school environment. Specifically, this study examines the presence of heavy metals in the dust found and collected from 24 schools in Vilnius. Employing hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and positive matrix factorization, we identified combustion-related activities as primary contributors to elevated metal concentrations, notably zinc, scandium, and copper, with PM2.5/PM10 ratios indicating a combustion source. They reveal significant differences in the levels of elements such as arsenic (4.55–69.96 mg/kg), copper (51.28–395.37 mg/kg), zinc, and lead, which are affected by both local environmental factors and human activities. Elevated pollution levels were found in certain school environments, indicating environmental degradation. Pollution assessment and specific element pairings’ strong positive correlations suggested shared origins or deposition processes. While this study primarily assesses non-carcinogenic risks to children based on a health risk assessment model, it acknowledges the well-documented carcinogenic potential of substances such as lead and arsenic. The research emphasizes the immediate necessity for efficient pollution management in educational environments, as indicated by the elevated hazard index for substances such as lead and arsenic, which present non-carcinogenic risks to children. This research offers important insights into the composition and origins of dust pollution in schools. It also promotes the need for broader geographic sampling and prolonged data collection to improve our understanding of pollution sources, alongside advocating for actionable strategies such as environmental management and policy reforms to effectively reduce exposure risks in educational settings. Furthermore, it aims to develop specific strategies to safeguard the health of students in Vilnius and similar urban areas.

Applications of satellite remote sensing data combined with ground measurements and model simulation were applied to study aerosol optical properties as well as aerosol long-range transport under the impact of large scale circulation in the urban environment in Lithuania (Vilnius). Measurements included the light scattering coefficients at 3 wavelengths (450, 550, and 700 nm) measured with an integrating nephelometer and aerosol particle size distribution (0.5–12 μm) and number concentration (Dpa > 0.5 μm) registered by aerodynamic particle sizer. Particle number concentration and mean light scattering coefficient varied from relatively low values of 6.0 cm−3 and 12.8 Mm−1 associated with air masses passed over Atlantic Ocean to relatively high value of 119 cm−3 and 276 Mm−1 associated with South-Western air masses. Analysis shows such increase in the aerosol light scattering coefficient (276 Mm−1) during the 3rd of July 2012 was attributed to a major Sahara dust storm. Aerosol size distribution with pronounced coarse particles dominance was attributed to the presence of dust particles, while resuspended dust within the urban environment was not observed.

Tobacco has long been known to be one of the greatest causes of morbidity and mortality in the adults, but the effects on the foetus and young children, which are lifelong, have been less well appreciated. Developing from this are electronic nicotine delivery systems or vapes, promulgated as being less harmful than tobacco. Nicotine itself is toxic to the foetus, with permanent effects on lung structure and function. Most vapes contain nicotine, but they also contain many other compounds which are inhaled and for which there are no toxicity studies. They also contain known toxic substances, whose use is banned by European Union legislation. Accelerating numbers of young people are vaping, and this does not reflect an exchange of vapes for cigarettes. The acute toxicity of e-cigarettes is greater than that of tobacco, and includes acute lung injury, pulmonary haemorrhage and eosinophilic and lipoid pneumonia. Given the worse acute toxicity, it should be impossible to be complacent about medium and long term effects of vaping. Laboratory studies have demonstrated changes in lung proteomics and the innate immune system with vaping, some but not all of which overlap with tobacco. It would be wrong to consider vapes as a weaker form of tobacco, they have their own toxicity. Children and young people are being targeted by the vaping industry (which is largely the same as the tobacco industry), including on-line, and unless an efficient legislative program is put in place, a whole new generation of nicotine addicts will result.

The quantitative assessment of radionuclides transfer to non-human biota using their activity concentration ratios is required for models of predictive doses of ionizing radiation. Based on long-term data regarding activity concentration of radionuclides in the top soil layer of the entire territory of Lithuania, and with the help of ERICA Assessment Tool – a software application that calculates dose rates to selected biota, we estimated the radiological impact on the terrestrial non-human biota with special emphasis on the protected areas located in the vicinity of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP). Estimated total dose rates of artificial radionuclides – after-Chernobyl 137Cs and 90Sr as well as discharged by INPP – and natural radionuclides, such as 238U and 232Th, were found to be less than ERICA screening value of 10 μGy h–1. First published online: 25 Oct 2015

External, internal and total exposure dose rates received by freshwater biota reference organisms of Ignalina NPP cooling basin Lake Drūkšiai were evaluated by applying ERICA computer code and probabilistic methods. These investigations were based on measurements of radionuclide activity in bottom sediments and water of Lake Drūkšiai (mean values, standard deviations, minimal and maximal values), and ecotoxicologic investigation data published during 1989–2003. The dose rate distributions for every investigated radionuclide and reference organism (average, minimum and maximum dose rate values, 5 and 95 order percentiles) were estimated. In the case of technogenic radionuclides originating from Ignalina NPP, the total dose rate values for Lake Drūkšiai reference organisms do not exceed the maximum permissible dose rate of 10 µGy h−1, which is currently recommended for technogenic radionuclides in the European Union. Due to the ionising radiation of natural radionuclides, the exposure dose rate of reference organisms is much larger if compared with technogenic ones. The largest exposure dose rate caused by 238U amounts to 7.2 µGy h−1 for insect larvae, and 41.8× µGy h−1 — for vascular plants. Santrauka Straipsnyje nagrinėjama Drūkšių ežero hidrobiontų (testinių organizmų) apšvitos dozės galia (µGy h−1), kuriai vertinti taikant tikimybinius metodus, naudota įteisinta Europos Sąjungoje ERICA kompiuterinė programa. Skaičiavimams naudoti radionuklidų aktyvumo koncentracijų Drūkšių ežero dugno nuosėdose ir vandenyje 1989–2003 m. matavimų duomenys (vidutinės reikšmės, standartiniai nuokrypiai, mažiausios ir didžiausios reikšmės). Taikant tikimybinius metodus (Monte Karlo modeliavimą) kiekvienam testiniam organizmui ir radionuklidui įvertintas dozės galios pasiskirstymas, vidutinė, mažiausia ir didžiausia apšvitos vertės bei 5 ir 95 eilių procentilės. Nustatyta, kad technogeninių radionuklidų atveju Drukšių ežero testinių organizmų apšvitos bendrosios dozės galios vertės (95% pasikliautinumo dydis) yra mažesnės užiuo metu technogeniniams radionuklidams Europos Sąjungoje rekomenduojamas didžiausias galimas 10 µGy h−1 dozės galios vertes. Testinių organizmuogon; apšvitos dozės galia dėl gamtinių radionuklidų poveikio yra kur kas didesnė nei dėl technogeninių. Pažymėtina, kad gamtinių radionuklidų atveju didžiausia apšvitos dozės galia yra nulemta 238U, pavyzdžiui, vabzdžių lervoms apšvita siekia 7,20×100 µGy h−1, induotiesiems vandens augalams −4,18×10+1 µGy h−1. Резюме С помощъю компьютерной программы ERICA и использованием вероятностных методов исследована мощность дозы облучения гидробионтов в озере Друкшяй. Для расчетов использованы измерения концентрации активности радионуклидов в воде и донных отложениях озера Друкшяй (среднее значение и стандартное отклонение; минимальные и максимальные значения) путём анализа литературных данных за 1989–2003 гг. С использованиемвероятностных методов (метод Monte Carlo) подсчитаны распределения мощности дозы от каждого заданногорадионуклида со средним, минимальным и максимальным значениями, рассчитаны 5й и 95й перцентили.Установлено, что в случае техногенных радионуклидов суммарная мощность дозы облучения гидробионтов (запределами 95го перцентиля) не превышает максимальной нормы облучения в 10 µGy h−1, которая рекомендованаЕвропейским Союзом как максимально возможная в случае техногенных радионуклидов. Мощность дозы облучения референтных видов организмов от природных радионуклидов значительно выше, чем от техногенных.Максимальная мощность дозы облучения в случае природных радионуклидов вызвана 238U, например, 7,20×10µGy h−1 для личинок насекомых, 4,18×10+1 µGy h−1 для водных сосудистых растений Reikšminiai žodžiai: gėlavandenė ekosistema, testiniai organizmai, apšvitos dozės galia, tikimybiniai metodai Ключевые слова: пресноводная экосистема, гидробионты, мощность дозы облучения, вероятностные методы

The number of children suffering from respiratory allergies and asthma has been increasing worldwide and, hence, it is crucial to understand the burden of inhalant biological particles present in school facilities, where children spend one third of their life. From the perspective of indoor air quality, while there are numerous studies on outdoor bioaerosol exposure, there are still uncertainties regarding the diversity and deposition of airborne pollen and fungi indoors. When it comes to schools, there is limited research as to the potential bioaerosol exposure. Here we studied the indoor environment of public schools aiming to reveal whether primary schools of different sizes and at localities of different levels of urbanization may exhibit a variability in the biodiversity and abundance of particles of biological origin, which could pose a risk to child health. To achieve this, 11 schools were selected, located in a variety of environments, from downtown, to city centre-periphery, and to the suburbs. Fungal and pollen samples were collected from various surfaces in school classrooms and corridors, using passive air sampling and swab sampling. We demonstrated that fungi and pollen are detected in school premises during and after the vegetation season. The highest diversity of bioaerosols was found on the top of cabinets and windowsills, with Penicillium, Cladosporium and Acremonium being the most abundant indoors. The levels of fungi were higher in schools with more students. The diversity and amount of pollen in the spring were significantly higher than in samples collected in autumn. Our findings complemented existing evidence that bioaerosol measurements in schools (including kindergartens or informal education facilities) are vital. Hence, we here suggest that, in addition to monitoring air quality and bacterial levels indoors, fungi and pollen measurements have to be integrated in the existing regular biomonitoring campaigns so as to prevent exposure, increase awareness and manage efficiently allergic symptomatology.

Abstract. Background. The growing public health concern caused by non-communicable diseases in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; therefore a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. This study aimed to evaluate the airborne aerosol pollution level in primary schools as possible factor influencing origin and course of the diseases in children. Methods. Seasonal aerosol particle number concentration (PNC) and mass concentration (PMC) were studied in the randomly selected eleven primary schools in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, as model of a middle-size Eastern European city. Total PNC in the size range from 0.01 to >1.0 μm in diameter was measured using a condensation particle counter. Using an optical particle sizer, PNC was measured and PMC estimated for particles from 0.3 to 10.0 μm. A descriptive statistics was used to estimate the aerosol pollution levels. Results. During all seasons, local cafeterias in the absence of ventilation were the main sources of the elevated levels of indoor PMC and PNC (up to 97,500 particles/cm3). The other sources of airborne particulates were the children's activity during the lesson breaks with PMC up to 586 μg/m3. Soft furniture, carpets in the classrooms and corridors were responsible for PMC up to 200 μg/m3. Outdoor aerosol pollution (up to 18,170 particles/cm3) was higher for schools in city center. Elevated air pollution in classrooms also resulted from intermittent sources, such as construction work during classes (200–1000 μg/m3) and petrol-powered lawn trimmers (up to 66,400 particles/cm3). Conclusion. The results of our survey show that even in a relatively low polluted region of Eastern Europe there are big differences in aerosol pollution within middle-sized city. Additional efforts are needed to improve air quality in schools: more frequent wet cleaning, monitoring the operation of ventilation systems, a ban on construction works during school year, on a use of sandblasting mechanisms in the neighborhood of schools.