Environmental safety conditions for mobile base stations in Alexandria.

The use of wireless communications devices e.g. cellular phones is increasing rapidly all over the world and in Egypt as well. This translates into a potentially significant public health problem: how far is the risk associated with these devices? Another risk is expected from the cellular towers or base stations, which transmit and receive these electromagnetic waves. Usually, these base stations should be constructed over residential buildings to cover all areas. Considering the increased public awareness about electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure associated with these towers, this work aimed at investigation and evaluation of authorized environmental safety conditions for some mobile base stations in different districts of Alexandria city. The different mobile base stations were investigated for 12 standard safety specifications of the buildings' roofs on which mobile base stations are constructed. Although some of the standard specifications in the examined base stations were in compliance with standard specifications, some items were not in a safe condition. Only base stations F & G had complete safe conditions for all investigated items because of being erected on lighting towers of a sports stadium. On the other hand, base stations C, D, E, I, J, K, L1 & L2 needed a raise in the height of the antennas over buildings' roofs of 1-4.5 m. However, base stations C, D, H, K, L1 & L2 may pose a risk to near living population and consequently the towers have to be moved away. The violating distances are 3, 5.5, 3, 4.5, 4, 3 meters, respectively, while the environmental standard is 6 m. Therefore, the towers should be moved away from these populated areas Nevertheless, guided directions should be constructed in all base stations to warn close living population. Safety regulations as well as frequent inspection need to be applied, on both Egyptian mobile phone companies, to ensure the application of all standard specifications. A significant research effort is needed to assess the risk to human health of wireless communication devices.

Solidification as low cost technology prior to land filling of industrial hazardous waste sludge.

The aim of this study is to stabilize and solidify two different treated industrial hazardous waste sludges, which were selected from factories situated close to Alexandria. They were selected to ensure their safe transportation and landfill disposal by reducing their potential leaching of hazardous elements, which represent significant threat to the environment, especially the quality of underground water. The selected waste sludges have been characterized. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) from Alexandria Portland Cement Company, and Calcium Sulphate as a by-product from the dye industry were used as potential solidification additives to treat the selected treated waste sludges from tanning and dyes industry. Waste sludges as well as the solidified wastes have been leach-tested, using the General Acid Neutralization Capacity (GANC) procedure. Concentration of concerning metals in the leachates was determined to assess changes in the mobility of major contaminants. The treated tannery waste sludge has an acid neutralization capacity much higher than that of the treated dyes waste sludge. Experiment results demonstrated the industrial waste sludge solidification mix designs, and presented the reduction of contaminant leaching from two types of waste sludges. The main advantages of solidification are that it is simple and low cost processing which includes readily available low cost solidification additives that will convert industrial hazardous waste sludges into inert materials.

Comparison between aerobic and anaerobic co-composting of agricultural residues.

Fertile soil is the most important resource for food production. The agricultural area in Egypt is limited to 6 million faddans. This limited area has derived many farmers to use several types of chemical fertilizers, to enhance the fertility of the land and hence the productivity. Excessive application of chemical fertilizer lead to the build up of these residuals because they are superfluous. This will cause waste of money and also soil pollution. Ultimately, this would adversely affect the ecological system in the soil and surrounding environment, especially water bodies. Composting of organic solid wastes will address some of the problems of solid waste disposal and gives a beneficial product which may replace the expensive chemical fertilizers. Other organic compostable solid wastes could be utilized to produce this compost. Agricultural residues are cheap raw materials for such compost and are available in vast quantities as well. This compost can be used as a soil conditioner to improve soil characteristics and its productivity. Crop residues mixed with manure, may be co-composted to give a soil conditioner. Agricultural residues, about 106 million tons/year, may produce about 55 million tons/year of compost. Three co-composting were carried out at the experimental station of the Faculty of Agriculture in Abis. Two aerobic co-composting of winter and summer crop residues and one anaerobic co-composting inter rop esidue were produced. The development of the co-composting processes controlled by the temperature, moisture content, and chemical composition was studied. The aerobic co-composting of winter crop residues was found to be the best experiment as it complied with the standards of the Ministry of Agriculture Decree No. 100/1967. This co-compost is expected to be free from pathogenic microorganisms as the dominant temperature was almost about 50 degrees C from the 42nd day till the 101st day of the experiment.

Community participation for schistosomiasis control: a participatory research project in egypt.

Schistosomiasis remains one of the major public health problems in rural Egypt. Many rural people continue to be exposed to the disease as they enter irrigation canals during agricultural, domestic and recreational activities. Current control strategies focus on testing and treatment of cases in rural health units; apart from a TV media campaign, health education plays a small role. This article reports on an on-going participatory research project involving all the people and institutions in two villages who have an interest in schistosomiasis control at the village level. The project is studying human behavior and the transmission of schistosomiasis, with the ultimate aim of recommending appropriate control strategies. The research team worked with local staff at the clinic to improve testing and treatment for villagers, especially school children. It also trained local residents in social research techniques, so that they work with local villagers to understand why exposure to canal water persists and what can be done to minimize this contact.

Coagulant property of an indigenous seed: home water treatment in Tamil Nadu.

Use of some vegetable substances as coagulant has been recorded in historical literature. A seed from the tree known as tettan cottai is used today in South Indian villages to purify water. The scrapings of the seed were shown in laboratory experiments to have coagulant properties. It would be extremely valuable to have additional measurements made in South India, where the practice is employed in removal of turbidity, and also to have evidence of the extent of removal microorganisms.