Groundwater is home to a diverse range of organisms, both small and large, which form a complex e... more Groundwater is home to a diverse range of organisms, both small and large, which form a complex ecosystem that helps to purify the water and keep it flowing smoothly. However, much of the processes that occur in this ecosystem are still a mystery and there are many important services that we have yet to fully understand. Our goal is to create a groundwater health index that can be used to monitor the health of groundwater, similar to the macroinvertebrate community index used for surface water systems. We are investigating both the macroinvertebrates and microbial diversity in our research. To gather data, we are collecting groundwater environmental (e)DNA samples and biofilm samples using in-situ biofilm bags from various sites in New Zealand across multiple seasons. We then analyze the water chemistry and sequence data for bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes, and fungi to determine the status of the groundwater source. Our findings show that there is a complex diversity present in both ...
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2020
Improving the sustainability of New Zealand’s housing stock is a significant challenge. Economic,... more Improving the sustainability of New Zealand’s housing stock is a significant challenge. Economic, indoor climate and energy use data indicates the affordability, healthiness and environmental impacts of new and existing houses in New Zealand are relatively poor compared with other OECD countries. Poor performance is largely due to the building energy and environmental performance requirements prescribed by regulations, which are low in New Zealand compared with other jurisdictions. Building performance requirements will need to be raised in order to improve the sustainability of housing. A wellbeing approach to determining public benefits from raising building performance requirements in regulations is outlined in this paper. This approach draws on the Living Standards Framework (LSF) developed by The New Zealand Treasury. This framework links 12 domains of wellbeing to each other and to 4 capital stocks, including housing, that underpin future wellbeing. The LSF is used to assess t...
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze the individual ch... more Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze the individual chambers from tests of foraminiferal fossil and plankton tow Globigerinoides ruber from the southwest Pacific Ocean, from latitudes 3°S to 42°S. The variability of Mg/Ca between chambers of an individual (intraindividual) and individuals of the same population (interindividual), is such that when converted to temperature, the extent of intra-individual and interindividual variability appears to exceed that attributable to either calcification or seasonal temperature variability. The pooled mean chamber Mg/Ca from each core top and plankton tow site demonstrates a significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation with temperature. We derive chamber-specific calibrations where Mg/Ca Ch_F-2 = 0.798 exp 0.070 T , Mg/Ca Ch_F-1 = 0.891 exp 0.067 T and Mg/Ca Ch_F = 0.590 exp 0.072 T. We do not observe any bias between the two morphotypes Gs. ruber ruber and Gs. ruber pyramidalis. The chamber-specific calibrations potentially offset Mg/Ca-based temperature reconstructions if used on bulk (whole) test Mg/Ca or applied to misidentified chambers. Nevertheless, these calibrations can be used to reliably estimate sea surface temperature. Although there is a general overriding temperature control on Mg/Ca, we show that removal of the effect of temperature at each site reveals a lognormal Mg/Ca distribution. This suggests that Mg/Ca variability at each site is also affected by biological mechanism(s) that may control the distribution of interindividual Mg/Ca. In addition, other TE/Ca data (Al/Ca and Mn/Ca) from laser ablation trace element depth profiles can be used to identify detrital or diagenetic phases that may bias the trace element/Ca signal.
Awareness of impending climate catastrophe has greatly increased over the last 30 years. Increasi... more Awareness of impending climate catastrophe has greatly increased over the last 30 years. Increasing awareness, however, has not translated into decreasing but instead increasing greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to shed new light on this perplexing and ultimately destructive positive correlation. It does so by applying a new interpretation of Milgram’s Obedience to Authority “electric shock” experiments to the problem of climate catastrophe. This paper reveals that both the Obedience Studies and climate catastrophe share a crucial common denominator: both involve powerful figures utilising manipulative techniques of bureaucratic organisation to push and pull the functionary helpers below them into contributing to preconceived goal achievement. In both cases, for the functionary helpers to achieve the goals of the powerful, all must agree to contribute to the infliction of harm on a powerless group. Nearly all helpers choose to make their harmful contributions because they no...
The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) impacts storms, freshwater availability, wind energy production, coa... more The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) impacts storms, freshwater availability, wind energy production, coal consumption, and subsequent air quality for billions of people across Asia. Despite its importance, the EAM's long-term behavior is poorly understood. Here we present an annually resolved record of EAM variance from 1584 to 1950 based on radiocarbon content in a coral from the coast of Vietnam. The coral record reveals previously undocumented centennial scale changes in EAM variance during both the summer and winter seasons, with an overall decline from 1600 to the present. Such longterm variations in monsoon variance appear to reflect independent seasonal mechanisms that are a combination of changes in continental temperature, the strength of the Siberian High, and El Niño-Southern Oscillation behavior. We conclude that the EAM is an important conduit for propagating climate signals from the tropics to higher latitudes. Plain Language Summary The monsoon systems across Asia are critical to the many Asian communities for which they supply freshwater and control winter severity. Even small changes in the amount of summer precipitation or strength of winter storms can have devastating effects. Our instrumental records of the monsoons are limited, and therefore so is our understanding of their behavior. Here, we use relative amounts of radiocarbon to reconstruct both the summer and winter East Asian Monsoon from 1584 to 1950. We find that there is significant variability in the monsoon system that appears to be influenced by both tropical and high-latitude climate systems, including a long-term decline in monsoon variability and an inverse relationship between the winter monsoon and the Siberian High at multidecadal frequencies. Both the summer and winter monsoon records indicate that the monsoon system may be a path of communication between the tropics and higher latitudes.
In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South Chi... more In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South China Sea. To quantify the increasing variability, we investigated 170 years of skeletal Pb and Pb isotopes from an offshore, central Vietnamese coral. The Pb/Ca in the coral was 10-16 nmol/mol before the mid-1950s and increased to more than 30 nmol/mol by 2000. While the regional phaseout of leaded petrol commenced in 2000, coral Pb/Ca continued increasing until 2004, possibly due to regional upwelling and the transport of previously emitted Pb from tropical Pacific waters. The 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratio in the coral was 1.191-1.195 before mid-1950s, suggesting natural sources. Since then, the ratio decreased, reaching~1.165 in 2004. Lead isotopes show high linearity between natural and Chinese emitted Pb, with the latter contributing~40%~60% of the skeletal Pb after 2000. Hon Tre Island (Figure 1c) lies to the east of central Vietnam in the western SCS and is within the influence of East Asian Monsoon (Figure 1b) [Chang, 2004].
ABSTRACT Paired strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) and δ18O measurements for two Porites lutea corals r... more ABSTRACT Paired strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) and δ18O measurements for two Porites lutea corals recovered from Hon Tre Island, Vietnam, are strongly correlated to sea surface temperature (SST) and precipitation at monthly to interannual time-scales. Least squares linear regression of monthly Sr/Ca to SST shows a strong, significant correlation (r2 = 0.77, p &lt; .0001), with root mean square residuals of 0.9 °C. 3-year averaged (binned) Sr/Ca for wet (Sep–Nov) and dry (Jan–Mar) seasons separately captures SST variability at interannual time scales (Sr/Ca RMSR = 0.42 °C and 0.70 °C for wet and dry seasons, respectively). Coral δ18O correlates weakly to SST at seasonal and interannual time scales for wet and dry seasons, with significant anomalies (δ18O RMSR = 2.4 °C and 1.65 °C, respectively). Correcting the SST influence on coral δ18O using paired Sr/Ca values provides estimates of δ18O of seawater (δ18Osw). 3-year averaged δ18Osw during the wet season shows a significant correlation to local precipitation (r2 = 0.54, p = 0.01). These results show that coral Sr/Ca in this location accurately reflects SST at a number of timescales, and that seawater δ18O composition in the wet season is controlled by local precipitation, largely unmodified by ocean circulation during the winter monsoon. This study highlights the sensitivity and utility of coral geochemistry in this region for reliably reconstructing SST and monsoonal precipitation.
Objectives: To compare assignment of occupational pesticide and solvent exposure using self-repor... more Objectives: To compare assignment of occupational pesticide and solvent exposure using self-reported data collected by a computer assisted personal interview (CAPI) with exposure based on expert assessment of job codes. To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a CAPI to collect individual occupational exposure data. Methods: Between 2001 and 2004, 1495 participants were interviewed using a CAPI for a case-control study of adult brain tumours and acoustic neuromas. Two types of occupational data were collected: (1) a full history, including job title from which a job code was assigned from the Standard Occupational Classification; and (2) specific details on pesticide and solvent exposure reported by participants. Study members' experiences of using the CAPI were recorded and advantages and disadvantages summarised. Results: Of 7192 jobs recorded, the prevalence of self-reported exposure was 1.3% for pesticides and 11.5% for solvents. Comparing this with exposure expertly assessed from job titles showed 53.6% and 45.8% concordance for pesticides and solvents respectively. Advantages of the CAPI include no data entry stage, automatic input validation, and a reduction in interviewer bias. Disadvantages include an adverse effect on study implementation as a consequence of resources required for programming and difficulties encountered with data management prior to analysis. Conclusions: Different methods of exposure assessment derive different exposure levels for pesticide and solvent exposure at work. Agreement between self-reported and expert assessment of exposure was greater for pesticides compared to solvents. The advantages of using a CAPI for the collection of complex data outweigh the disadvantages for interviewers and data quality but using such a method requires extra resources at the study outset.
Globoconella inflata Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry Trace elements C... more Globoconella inflata Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry Trace elements Calcite crust Southwest Pacific Ocean Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios were measured in the sub-surface dwelling planktonic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina incompta, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma-Neogloboquadrina dutertrei (P-D) intergrades and Globoconella inflata from core-top, dredge and plankton tow material from the Southwest Pacific Ocean. The presence of outer crusts on each foraminifera test was determined using a scanning electron microscope, after trace element analysis using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). Our laser ablation profiles allow an arbitrary distinction between crust and inner calcite Mg/Ca values, with the former exhibiting consistently lower Mg/Ca by up to 56% depending on both the species and core-top location analyzed. The lower crust Mg/Ca values suggest that 1) crust formation may be initiated at a specific (low) temperature or, 2) crust-calcite no longer follows the Mg to Ca thermodynamic relationship typically associated with foraminiferal primary calcite. For Sr/Ca ratios, we did not observe any difference between crust in and inner calcite. The thickness of the crust between measured individual chambers varied, such that whole test Mg/Ca were affected by variable crustal thickness across all chambers. This study shows that increasing ratios of crust to non crust-bearing tests in N. incompta, P-D intergrades and G. inflata have the potential to lower the bulk composition of Mg/Ca, thus resulting in biased cooler temperature reconstructions.
We have investigated the effects of different sample cleaning procedures on six trace element/Ca ... more We have investigated the effects of different sample cleaning procedures on six trace element/Ca ratios in Globigerina bulloides, a planktonic species widely used in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Foraminifera from core-top and down-core sediments were cleaned using seven different methods. Individual foraminifera were analysed before and after cleaning using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). We present a comparison between oxidative and reductive cleaning, and an analysis of the effect of using laser ablation verses solution-based ICPMS methods. Measurements of Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca values were identical whether samples were subjected to oxidative, reductive treatments, two-four acid leach treatments or a combination thereof. However, ultra trace element ratios Al/Ca, Mn/Ca, Zn/Ca and Ba/Ca are much more sensitive to the cleaning method, with up to an order of magnitude difference between techniques. Al/Ca was progressively removed with more intensive cleaning, but six or more acid leach treatments were required for full removal of this contaminant phase. Mn/Ca and Ba/Ca required a combination of oxidative and reductive and/or acid leaching for contaminant phase removal. By contrast, Zn/Ca values increased after acid leaching cleaning procedures. This may be a reflection of preferential dissolution of low-Zn calcite. Accurate measurement of Zn/Ca in planktonic foraminifera by solution methods requires oxidative and reductive treatment without acid leaching or alternatively, the use of an in situ method such as laser ablation ICPMS. Careful data processing following laser ablation ICPMS analysis appears to be the most effective method to ensure elimination of ultra trace metal TE/Ca contaminant phases.
Estimated incidence rates for occupational skin disease in the U.K. are provided by voluntary sur... more Estimated incidence rates for occupational skin disease in the U.K. are provided by voluntary surveillance schemes involving dermatologists and occupational physicians. These rates allow monitoring of occupational dermatoses, and intervention planning aimed at reducing workplace risks. To summarize occupational skin disease reported to The Health and Occupation Reporting (THOR) network (2002-2005), and to provide baseline information for comparison with future studies of occupational skin disease in the U.K. and beyond. Incidence rates for occupational dermatoses were calculated using THOR data as numerators, and Labour Force Survey data or information from the most recent U.K. survey on provision of occupational physician services as denominators. In the U.K. (2002-2005) the average annual incidence rate of work-related skin disease reported to THOR by dermatologists was 91.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 81.8-101.1] per million, and by occupational physicians was 316.6 (95% CI 251.8-381.3) per million. Most reports were of contact dermatitis: dermatologists 68.0 (95% CI 59.8-76.2) per million, occupational physicians 259.7 (95% CI 200.8-318.6) per million. Information produced by THOR is an important source for calculating incidence rates of occupational skin disease. A range of reporting groups should also be used when building an overall picture of occupational skin disease incidence in the U.K.
Objectives: Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBa... more Objectives: Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBase (NEDB) were reviewed to investigate the long-term changes in inhalation exposure from 1985 to 2005. In addition, follow-up sampling measurements were obtained from selected companies where exposure measurements had been collected prior to 1994, thereby providing a follow-up period of at least 10 years, to determine whether changes in exposure levels had occurred, with key staff being interviewed to identify factors that might be responsible for any changes observed. Methods: Analysis of the temporal trend in exposure concentrations was performed using Linear Mixed Effect Models on the log-transformed NEDB data set and expressed as the relative annual change in concentration. Results: For the NEDB wood dust data, an annual decline of geometric mean (GM) exposure of 8.1% per year was found based on 1459 exposure measurements collected between 1985 and 2003. This trend was predominantly observed in data from inspection visits (measurements collected on a mandatory basis by a Specialist HSE Inspector) (n 5 1009), while data from representative surveys (measurements collected on a voluntary basis to provide information on current practices and exposures) remained relatively stable. Ten follow-up surveys in individual workplaces in 2004-2005 resulted in 70 new measurements and for each of the companies resurveyed, the GM of the wood dust exposure decreased between sampling surveys. Conclusion: Analysis of the temporal trend in UK wood dust exposure concentrations revealed declines of 8% per annum. Interviews with key long-serving employees and management suggest that factors such as technological changes in production processes, response to new legislation, and enforcement agency inspections, together with global economic trends, could be linked to the downward trends observed.
Annual radiocarbon from a massive Porites lutea coral collected from Hon Tre Island, Vietnam, Sou... more Annual radiocarbon from a massive Porites lutea coral collected from Hon Tre Island, Vietnam, South China Sea (SCS) was analyzed over a ~100-yr-long period from AD 1900 to 1986. The pre-bomb results from 1900–1953 show a steady Δ14C value of –54.4±1.8‰ (n=60). These values are similar to coral records located in the central and southern SCS and from Indonesian waters, but are lower than those from Japan. Following the input of anthropogenic bomb 14C, our results show a sharp increase in Δ14C from 1960, reaching a peak value of 155.3‰ in 1973. The Hon Tre Island post-bomb Δ14C values are lower than those of other corals located in the SCS and Japan, but higher compared to those in the Indonesian Seas. This study infers a seasonal input of upwelled water depleted in 14C from the deeper SCS basin that originates from the tropical Pacific via the Luzon Strait. The bifurcation of the North Equatorial Current feeds the surface and intermediate currents in the SCS and Makassar Strait regio...
Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBase (NEDB) we... more Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBase (NEDB) were reviewed to investigate the long-term changes in inhalation exposure from 1985 to 2005. In addition, follow-up sampling measurements were obtained from selected companies where exposure measurements had been collected prior to 1994, thereby providing a follow-up period of at least 10 years, to determine whether changes in exposure levels had occurred, with key staff being interviewed to identify factors that might be responsible for any changes observed. Methods: Analysis of the temporal trend in exposure concentrations was performed using Linear Mixed Effect Models on the log-transformed NEDB data set and expressed as the rel-ative annual change in concentration. Results: For the NEDB wood dust data, an annual decline of geometric mean (GM) exposure of 8.1 % per year was found based on 1459 exposure measurements collected between 1985 and 2003. This trend was predominantly observed i...
In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South Chi... more In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South China Sea. To quantify the increasing variability, we investigated 170years of skeletal Pb and Pb isotopes from an offshore, central Vietnamese coral. The Pb/Ca in the coral was 10–16nmol/mol before the mid-1950s and increased to more than 30nmol/mol by 2000. While the regional phaseout of leaded petrol commenced in 2000, coral Pb/Ca continued increasing until 2004, possibly due to regional upwelling and the transport of previously emitted Pb from tropical Pacific waters. The Pb/Pb ratio in the coral was 1.191–1.195 before mid-1950s, suggesting natural sources. Since then, the ratio decreased, reaching ~1.165 in 2004. Lead isotopes show high linearity between natural and Chinese emitted Pb, with the latter contributing ~40%~60% of the skeletal Pb after 2000.
Groundwater is home to a diverse range of organisms, both small and large, which form a complex e... more Groundwater is home to a diverse range of organisms, both small and large, which form a complex ecosystem that helps to purify the water and keep it flowing smoothly. However, much of the processes that occur in this ecosystem are still a mystery and there are many important services that we have yet to fully understand. Our goal is to create a groundwater health index that can be used to monitor the health of groundwater, similar to the macroinvertebrate community index used for surface water systems. We are investigating both the macroinvertebrates and microbial diversity in our research. To gather data, we are collecting groundwater environmental (e)DNA samples and biofilm samples using in-situ biofilm bags from various sites in New Zealand across multiple seasons. We then analyze the water chemistry and sequence data for bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes, and fungi to determine the status of the groundwater source. Our findings show that there is a complex diversity present in both ...
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2020
Improving the sustainability of New Zealand’s housing stock is a significant challenge. Economic,... more Improving the sustainability of New Zealand’s housing stock is a significant challenge. Economic, indoor climate and energy use data indicates the affordability, healthiness and environmental impacts of new and existing houses in New Zealand are relatively poor compared with other OECD countries. Poor performance is largely due to the building energy and environmental performance requirements prescribed by regulations, which are low in New Zealand compared with other jurisdictions. Building performance requirements will need to be raised in order to improve the sustainability of housing. A wellbeing approach to determining public benefits from raising building performance requirements in regulations is outlined in this paper. This approach draws on the Living Standards Framework (LSF) developed by The New Zealand Treasury. This framework links 12 domains of wellbeing to each other and to 4 capital stocks, including housing, that underpin future wellbeing. The LSF is used to assess t...
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze the individual ch... more Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze the individual chambers from tests of foraminiferal fossil and plankton tow Globigerinoides ruber from the southwest Pacific Ocean, from latitudes 3°S to 42°S. The variability of Mg/Ca between chambers of an individual (intraindividual) and individuals of the same population (interindividual), is such that when converted to temperature, the extent of intra-individual and interindividual variability appears to exceed that attributable to either calcification or seasonal temperature variability. The pooled mean chamber Mg/Ca from each core top and plankton tow site demonstrates a significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation with temperature. We derive chamber-specific calibrations where Mg/Ca Ch_F-2 = 0.798 exp 0.070 T , Mg/Ca Ch_F-1 = 0.891 exp 0.067 T and Mg/Ca Ch_F = 0.590 exp 0.072 T. We do not observe any bias between the two morphotypes Gs. ruber ruber and Gs. ruber pyramidalis. The chamber-specific calibrations potentially offset Mg/Ca-based temperature reconstructions if used on bulk (whole) test Mg/Ca or applied to misidentified chambers. Nevertheless, these calibrations can be used to reliably estimate sea surface temperature. Although there is a general overriding temperature control on Mg/Ca, we show that removal of the effect of temperature at each site reveals a lognormal Mg/Ca distribution. This suggests that Mg/Ca variability at each site is also affected by biological mechanism(s) that may control the distribution of interindividual Mg/Ca. In addition, other TE/Ca data (Al/Ca and Mn/Ca) from laser ablation trace element depth profiles can be used to identify detrital or diagenetic phases that may bias the trace element/Ca signal.
Awareness of impending climate catastrophe has greatly increased over the last 30 years. Increasi... more Awareness of impending climate catastrophe has greatly increased over the last 30 years. Increasing awareness, however, has not translated into decreasing but instead increasing greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to shed new light on this perplexing and ultimately destructive positive correlation. It does so by applying a new interpretation of Milgram’s Obedience to Authority “electric shock” experiments to the problem of climate catastrophe. This paper reveals that both the Obedience Studies and climate catastrophe share a crucial common denominator: both involve powerful figures utilising manipulative techniques of bureaucratic organisation to push and pull the functionary helpers below them into contributing to preconceived goal achievement. In both cases, for the functionary helpers to achieve the goals of the powerful, all must agree to contribute to the infliction of harm on a powerless group. Nearly all helpers choose to make their harmful contributions because they no...
The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) impacts storms, freshwater availability, wind energy production, coa... more The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) impacts storms, freshwater availability, wind energy production, coal consumption, and subsequent air quality for billions of people across Asia. Despite its importance, the EAM's long-term behavior is poorly understood. Here we present an annually resolved record of EAM variance from 1584 to 1950 based on radiocarbon content in a coral from the coast of Vietnam. The coral record reveals previously undocumented centennial scale changes in EAM variance during both the summer and winter seasons, with an overall decline from 1600 to the present. Such longterm variations in monsoon variance appear to reflect independent seasonal mechanisms that are a combination of changes in continental temperature, the strength of the Siberian High, and El Niño-Southern Oscillation behavior. We conclude that the EAM is an important conduit for propagating climate signals from the tropics to higher latitudes. Plain Language Summary The monsoon systems across Asia are critical to the many Asian communities for which they supply freshwater and control winter severity. Even small changes in the amount of summer precipitation or strength of winter storms can have devastating effects. Our instrumental records of the monsoons are limited, and therefore so is our understanding of their behavior. Here, we use relative amounts of radiocarbon to reconstruct both the summer and winter East Asian Monsoon from 1584 to 1950. We find that there is significant variability in the monsoon system that appears to be influenced by both tropical and high-latitude climate systems, including a long-term decline in monsoon variability and an inverse relationship between the winter monsoon and the Siberian High at multidecadal frequencies. Both the summer and winter monsoon records indicate that the monsoon system may be a path of communication between the tropics and higher latitudes.
In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South Chi... more In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South China Sea. To quantify the increasing variability, we investigated 170 years of skeletal Pb and Pb isotopes from an offshore, central Vietnamese coral. The Pb/Ca in the coral was 10-16 nmol/mol before the mid-1950s and increased to more than 30 nmol/mol by 2000. While the regional phaseout of leaded petrol commenced in 2000, coral Pb/Ca continued increasing until 2004, possibly due to regional upwelling and the transport of previously emitted Pb from tropical Pacific waters. The 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratio in the coral was 1.191-1.195 before mid-1950s, suggesting natural sources. Since then, the ratio decreased, reaching~1.165 in 2004. Lead isotopes show high linearity between natural and Chinese emitted Pb, with the latter contributing~40%~60% of the skeletal Pb after 2000. Hon Tre Island (Figure 1c) lies to the east of central Vietnam in the western SCS and is within the influence of East Asian Monsoon (Figure 1b) [Chang, 2004].
ABSTRACT Paired strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) and δ18O measurements for two Porites lutea corals r... more ABSTRACT Paired strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) and δ18O measurements for two Porites lutea corals recovered from Hon Tre Island, Vietnam, are strongly correlated to sea surface temperature (SST) and precipitation at monthly to interannual time-scales. Least squares linear regression of monthly Sr/Ca to SST shows a strong, significant correlation (r2 = 0.77, p &lt; .0001), with root mean square residuals of 0.9 °C. 3-year averaged (binned) Sr/Ca for wet (Sep–Nov) and dry (Jan–Mar) seasons separately captures SST variability at interannual time scales (Sr/Ca RMSR = 0.42 °C and 0.70 °C for wet and dry seasons, respectively). Coral δ18O correlates weakly to SST at seasonal and interannual time scales for wet and dry seasons, with significant anomalies (δ18O RMSR = 2.4 °C and 1.65 °C, respectively). Correcting the SST influence on coral δ18O using paired Sr/Ca values provides estimates of δ18O of seawater (δ18Osw). 3-year averaged δ18Osw during the wet season shows a significant correlation to local precipitation (r2 = 0.54, p = 0.01). These results show that coral Sr/Ca in this location accurately reflects SST at a number of timescales, and that seawater δ18O composition in the wet season is controlled by local precipitation, largely unmodified by ocean circulation during the winter monsoon. This study highlights the sensitivity and utility of coral geochemistry in this region for reliably reconstructing SST and monsoonal precipitation.
Objectives: To compare assignment of occupational pesticide and solvent exposure using self-repor... more Objectives: To compare assignment of occupational pesticide and solvent exposure using self-reported data collected by a computer assisted personal interview (CAPI) with exposure based on expert assessment of job codes. To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a CAPI to collect individual occupational exposure data. Methods: Between 2001 and 2004, 1495 participants were interviewed using a CAPI for a case-control study of adult brain tumours and acoustic neuromas. Two types of occupational data were collected: (1) a full history, including job title from which a job code was assigned from the Standard Occupational Classification; and (2) specific details on pesticide and solvent exposure reported by participants. Study members' experiences of using the CAPI were recorded and advantages and disadvantages summarised. Results: Of 7192 jobs recorded, the prevalence of self-reported exposure was 1.3% for pesticides and 11.5% for solvents. Comparing this with exposure expertly assessed from job titles showed 53.6% and 45.8% concordance for pesticides and solvents respectively. Advantages of the CAPI include no data entry stage, automatic input validation, and a reduction in interviewer bias. Disadvantages include an adverse effect on study implementation as a consequence of resources required for programming and difficulties encountered with data management prior to analysis. Conclusions: Different methods of exposure assessment derive different exposure levels for pesticide and solvent exposure at work. Agreement between self-reported and expert assessment of exposure was greater for pesticides compared to solvents. The advantages of using a CAPI for the collection of complex data outweigh the disadvantages for interviewers and data quality but using such a method requires extra resources at the study outset.
Globoconella inflata Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry Trace elements C... more Globoconella inflata Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry Trace elements Calcite crust Southwest Pacific Ocean Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios were measured in the sub-surface dwelling planktonic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina incompta, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma-Neogloboquadrina dutertrei (P-D) intergrades and Globoconella inflata from core-top, dredge and plankton tow material from the Southwest Pacific Ocean. The presence of outer crusts on each foraminifera test was determined using a scanning electron microscope, after trace element analysis using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). Our laser ablation profiles allow an arbitrary distinction between crust and inner calcite Mg/Ca values, with the former exhibiting consistently lower Mg/Ca by up to 56% depending on both the species and core-top location analyzed. The lower crust Mg/Ca values suggest that 1) crust formation may be initiated at a specific (low) temperature or, 2) crust-calcite no longer follows the Mg to Ca thermodynamic relationship typically associated with foraminiferal primary calcite. For Sr/Ca ratios, we did not observe any difference between crust in and inner calcite. The thickness of the crust between measured individual chambers varied, such that whole test Mg/Ca were affected by variable crustal thickness across all chambers. This study shows that increasing ratios of crust to non crust-bearing tests in N. incompta, P-D intergrades and G. inflata have the potential to lower the bulk composition of Mg/Ca, thus resulting in biased cooler temperature reconstructions.
We have investigated the effects of different sample cleaning procedures on six trace element/Ca ... more We have investigated the effects of different sample cleaning procedures on six trace element/Ca ratios in Globigerina bulloides, a planktonic species widely used in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Foraminifera from core-top and down-core sediments were cleaned using seven different methods. Individual foraminifera were analysed before and after cleaning using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). We present a comparison between oxidative and reductive cleaning, and an analysis of the effect of using laser ablation verses solution-based ICPMS methods. Measurements of Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca values were identical whether samples were subjected to oxidative, reductive treatments, two-four acid leach treatments or a combination thereof. However, ultra trace element ratios Al/Ca, Mn/Ca, Zn/Ca and Ba/Ca are much more sensitive to the cleaning method, with up to an order of magnitude difference between techniques. Al/Ca was progressively removed with more intensive cleaning, but six or more acid leach treatments were required for full removal of this contaminant phase. Mn/Ca and Ba/Ca required a combination of oxidative and reductive and/or acid leaching for contaminant phase removal. By contrast, Zn/Ca values increased after acid leaching cleaning procedures. This may be a reflection of preferential dissolution of low-Zn calcite. Accurate measurement of Zn/Ca in planktonic foraminifera by solution methods requires oxidative and reductive treatment without acid leaching or alternatively, the use of an in situ method such as laser ablation ICPMS. Careful data processing following laser ablation ICPMS analysis appears to be the most effective method to ensure elimination of ultra trace metal TE/Ca contaminant phases.
Estimated incidence rates for occupational skin disease in the U.K. are provided by voluntary sur... more Estimated incidence rates for occupational skin disease in the U.K. are provided by voluntary surveillance schemes involving dermatologists and occupational physicians. These rates allow monitoring of occupational dermatoses, and intervention planning aimed at reducing workplace risks. To summarize occupational skin disease reported to The Health and Occupation Reporting (THOR) network (2002-2005), and to provide baseline information for comparison with future studies of occupational skin disease in the U.K. and beyond. Incidence rates for occupational dermatoses were calculated using THOR data as numerators, and Labour Force Survey data or information from the most recent U.K. survey on provision of occupational physician services as denominators. In the U.K. (2002-2005) the average annual incidence rate of work-related skin disease reported to THOR by dermatologists was 91.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 81.8-101.1] per million, and by occupational physicians was 316.6 (95% CI 251.8-381.3) per million. Most reports were of contact dermatitis: dermatologists 68.0 (95% CI 59.8-76.2) per million, occupational physicians 259.7 (95% CI 200.8-318.6) per million. Information produced by THOR is an important source for calculating incidence rates of occupational skin disease. A range of reporting groups should also be used when building an overall picture of occupational skin disease incidence in the U.K.
Objectives: Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBa... more Objectives: Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBase (NEDB) were reviewed to investigate the long-term changes in inhalation exposure from 1985 to 2005. In addition, follow-up sampling measurements were obtained from selected companies where exposure measurements had been collected prior to 1994, thereby providing a follow-up period of at least 10 years, to determine whether changes in exposure levels had occurred, with key staff being interviewed to identify factors that might be responsible for any changes observed. Methods: Analysis of the temporal trend in exposure concentrations was performed using Linear Mixed Effect Models on the log-transformed NEDB data set and expressed as the relative annual change in concentration. Results: For the NEDB wood dust data, an annual decline of geometric mean (GM) exposure of 8.1% per year was found based on 1459 exposure measurements collected between 1985 and 2003. This trend was predominantly observed in data from inspection visits (measurements collected on a mandatory basis by a Specialist HSE Inspector) (n 5 1009), while data from representative surveys (measurements collected on a voluntary basis to provide information on current practices and exposures) remained relatively stable. Ten follow-up surveys in individual workplaces in 2004-2005 resulted in 70 new measurements and for each of the companies resurveyed, the GM of the wood dust exposure decreased between sampling surveys. Conclusion: Analysis of the temporal trend in UK wood dust exposure concentrations revealed declines of 8% per annum. Interviews with key long-serving employees and management suggest that factors such as technological changes in production processes, response to new legislation, and enforcement agency inspections, together with global economic trends, could be linked to the downward trends observed.
Annual radiocarbon from a massive Porites lutea coral collected from Hon Tre Island, Vietnam, Sou... more Annual radiocarbon from a massive Porites lutea coral collected from Hon Tre Island, Vietnam, South China Sea (SCS) was analyzed over a ~100-yr-long period from AD 1900 to 1986. The pre-bomb results from 1900–1953 show a steady Δ14C value of –54.4±1.8‰ (n=60). These values are similar to coral records located in the central and southern SCS and from Indonesian waters, but are lower than those from Japan. Following the input of anthropogenic bomb 14C, our results show a sharp increase in Δ14C from 1960, reaching a peak value of 155.3‰ in 1973. The Hon Tre Island post-bomb Δ14C values are lower than those of other corals located in the SCS and Japan, but higher compared to those in the Indonesian Seas. This study infers a seasonal input of upwelled water depleted in 14C from the deeper SCS basin that originates from the tropical Pacific via the Luzon Strait. The bifurcation of the North Equatorial Current feeds the surface and intermediate currents in the SCS and Makassar Strait regio...
Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBase (NEDB) we... more Wood dust data held in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) National Exposure DataBase (NEDB) were reviewed to investigate the long-term changes in inhalation exposure from 1985 to 2005. In addition, follow-up sampling measurements were obtained from selected companies where exposure measurements had been collected prior to 1994, thereby providing a follow-up period of at least 10 years, to determine whether changes in exposure levels had occurred, with key staff being interviewed to identify factors that might be responsible for any changes observed. Methods: Analysis of the temporal trend in exposure concentrations was performed using Linear Mixed Effect Models on the log-transformed NEDB data set and expressed as the rel-ative annual change in concentration. Results: For the NEDB wood dust data, an annual decline of geometric mean (GM) exposure of 8.1 % per year was found based on 1459 exposure measurements collected between 1985 and 2003. This trend was predominantly observed i...
In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South Chi... more In recent decades, rapid industrial developments have increased lead (Pb) inputs to the South China Sea. To quantify the increasing variability, we investigated 170years of skeletal Pb and Pb isotopes from an offshore, central Vietnamese coral. The Pb/Ca in the coral was 10–16nmol/mol before the mid-1950s and increased to more than 30nmol/mol by 2000. While the regional phaseout of leaded petrol commenced in 2000, coral Pb/Ca continued increasing until 2004, possibly due to regional upwelling and the transport of previously emitted Pb from tropical Pacific waters. The Pb/Pb ratio in the coral was 1.191–1.195 before mid-1950s, suggesting natural sources. Since then, the ratio decreased, reaching ~1.165 in 2004. Lead isotopes show high linearity between natural and Chinese emitted Pb, with the latter contributing ~40%~60% of the skeletal Pb after 2000.
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Papers by Annette Bolton