Oil well leaking 50,000 litres a day

Courier Mail John McCarthy 20 May 2013

AN EXCLUSION zone has been set up around an oil well near Thargomindah in southern Queensland, which has been leaking about 50,000 litres a day for almost a week.

Read more

Cotton offers a new ecologically friendly way to clean up oil spills

(American Chemical Society 15 May 2013) With the Deepwater Horizon disaster emphasizing the need for better ways of cleaning up oil spills, scientists are reporting that unprocessed, raw cotton may be an ideal, ecologically friendly answer, with an amazing ability to sop up oil. Their report, which includes some of the first scientific data on unprocessed, raw cotton’s use in crude oil spills, appears in the ACS journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research.

Read EurekAlert Summary

Request the source article from Information & Research Services (QH Staff only)

Jekyll into Hyde: Breathing auto emissions turns HDL cholesterol from ‘good’ to ‘bad’

(University of California – Los Angeles Health Sciences 15 May 2013) Academic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries. The finding, shown in mice, reveals how car emissions activate the early cell and tissue damage called oxidation that causes inflammation leading to hardening of the arteries and HDL cholesterol may play a key role.

Read EurekAlert Summary

Request the source article from Information & Research Services (QH Staff only)

Safer, more environmentally friendly flame retardant with first-of-its-kind dual effects

(American Chemical Society 15 May 2013) Amid concerns over the potential health effects of existing flame retardants for home furniture, fabrics and other material, scientists are reporting development of an “exceptionally” effective new retardant that appears safer and more environmentally friendly. Their report on the first-of-its-kind coating, ideal for the polyurethane foam in couches and bedding that causes many fire deaths, appears in ACS Macro Letters.

Read EurekAlert Summary

Request the source article from Information & Research Services (QH Staff only)

WISER for Android 2.0 Now Available

NLM Technical Bulletin 15 May 2013

WISER for Android 2.0 is now available and can be installed directly from the Google Play Store. Here’s a look at what’s new in this release.

WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice.

WISER now fully integrates content from the Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) Web site. This integration includes:

• New hospital provider and preparedness planner profiles
• Acute care guidelines for six known mass casualty agents/agent classes
• The addition of a wealth of CHEMM reference material
• CHEMM Intelligent Syndrome Tool (CHEMM-IST), a new help identify tool designed to diagnose the type of chemical exposure after a mass casualty incident

Read more

Tutorials for WISER are available here

Port work fear for water, marine life

Townsville Bulletin DAVID SPARKES  May 16th, 2013

THE expansion of the Port of Townsville is likely to have an impact on seagrass and coral, according to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
“The impact is likely to be negative for water quality and habitats such as seagrass, coral, bottom-dwelling marine life as well as for some uses of the marine park such as fishing and ecotourism,” a spokesperson said.

Read more

Mount Isa kids urged to have lead level checks

ABC News Kate Stephens and Donna Field 17 May 2013

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young is calling for an increase in the number of children having their lead levels tested in the north-west mining city of Mount Isa.
In 2008, 400 children were tested for exposure to lead, with 11 per cent having elevated levels and some so high they had ongoing developmental issues.
Dr Young wants children under the age of five who undergo a blood test at the Mount Isa Hospital to have the option of checking their lead levels at the same time.

Read more

Agent Orange exposure linked to life-threatening prostate cancer

(Wiley 13 May 2013) A new analysis has found a link between exposure to Agent Orange and lethal forms of prostate cancer among US Veterans. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings suggest that Agent Orange exposure history should be incorporated into prostate screening decisions for Veterans.

Read EurekAlert Summary

Request a copy of the article (QH Staff only)

NC coal plant emissions might play role in state suicide numbers

(Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center 13 May 2013) New research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center finds that suicide, while strongly associated with psychiatric conditions, also correlates with environmental pollution.

Read EurekAlert Summary

Request the source article from Information & Research Services (QH Staff only)

Kidney problems linked to pollution

BBC News 14 May 2013

Living close to a busy road may increase your risk of developing kidney problems, research suggests.  The US investigators who discovered a link in 1,100 patients believe traffic pollution could harm the arteries that supply the kidneys.

Read more

Request the source article from Information & Research Services (QH Staff only)