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Abstract: The lakes over Romania’s territory are relatively uniformly distributed within most physico-geographical regions. A low density is specific to the West, where significant drainage works have been realized, while the highest density is characteristic to the North-East, with numerous ponds, registered since the 14th-15th centuries. Most of the lakes within the Romanian territory, especially those analyzed in the present study, are anthropic. Most of the natural lakes are small-dimensioned and they do not have a special ecologic or economic importance. Although situated in different physical-geographical conditions, the analyzed lakes are mostly included in the category of good waters from a qualitative point of view, and within the eutrophic, mesotrophic or hipertrophic category, from a trophic point of view. Because of the fact that most lakes are anthropic, it is obvious that they are artificially maintained at this stage. Most of the mountain lakes and those in the volcanic areas are ultra-oligotrophic and oligotrophic. The lacustrine wetlands in the mountainous units are relatively meagrely developed, as their distribution is limited by the morphology of the landforms.
Abstract: Over the past 40 years ambient air quality in Brussels improved significantly. This was especially true for sulfur dioxide, lead, nitrogen monoxide, carbon monoxide, benzene and Benzo a pyrene. With respect to the air quality objectives imposed by the most recent European directive on air quality, 2008/50/EC, two major problems remain: nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulates (PM10 and PM2.5). Although the air quality objectives are met at several measuring sites in Brussels, a thorough analysis of data shows that it will be impossible to become fully compliant, in due time, in all of the different urban environments. A comparison of the average concentration levels in the Brussels Capital Region with those in the surrounding regions, the interpretation of the average daily and weekly concentration profiles and some special observations (e.g. car free Sundays) make clear that drastic emission reductions will be needed if compliance is to be assured solely by measures on the local scale.
Abstract: There has recently been growing interest in the study of atmospheric particulate matter, specifically towards improved understanding of the long-term transport and impact of different elements of the lithosphere on atmospheric pollution. Close to the ground level, a fairly thin layer of the lithosphere and atmosphere, on both sides of their interface, serves as the major platform for human life and activity. Both the lithosphere and the atmosphere are mutually responsible for sustaining their natural equilibrium. Investigations related to the studies of atmospheric particulate matter are intended to provide information that is still required for the implementation and the eventual revision of European standard tolerance norms for environmental protection. To this aim, WHO (the World Health Organization) and the EU (European Union) Working Groups on airborne particles are requiring additional information in this field.Airborne particles of heavy metals, especially in overdose, may harm population health in a long or a short term. Our objective in the present study is to describe and compare the presence of heavy metals in the Brussels atmosphere during three days periods including Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays and their possible effect on human health. The heavy metals were divided into three main groups for: “high dangerous elements” (Pb, Sb, Cd and As); “non dangerous and low dangerous elements” (Sn, Cu, Ti, Cs, Bi, Zr, W, Ag, V, Ni and Al) and “micro-elements” (Co, Zn, Mn, Mg and Cr). This study has been carried out during the period extending from September 2002 up to October 2003.
Abstract: An index of indoor chemical pollution has been developed on the basis of more than 1200 surveys in dwellings conducted by the Regional Unit for Indoor Pollution Intervention (French acronym CRIPI) in the Brussels-Capital Region. This tool is intended for giving assistance in medical diagnosis. It provides a rapid evaluation of the contamination level by volatile organic compounds of a dwelling. It is also useful in cases where one of the most frequently found compound shows a particularly high concentration. The index has been developed for benzene, toluene, pinene, limonene, triclorethylene, tetrachlorethylene and formaldehyde. It allows for facing the lack of reference standard in Belgium.
Abstract: The indoor air quality represents one of the factors conditioning housing quality in urban residential spaces. The paper analyses the spatial and temporal distribution of parameters defining the indoor air quality from representative housings in Bucharest, correlated with their influence factors. The characterisation of permanent, seasonal and circumstantial influence factors was realised using the US EPA (1991) and WHO (2006) methodologies. Between November 2008 and February 2010 there were applied questionnaires for appreciating the dimension of influence factors inside and outside the housings. In the same time, for determining the values of representative indicators analysing the indoor air quality, measurements were realised in selected housings. From analysing the obtained results, it can be stated that in the indoor habitat of most residential spaces from Bucharest, the quality of air is unsatisfactory, values of human comfort recommended by international legislation being exceeded at indicators such as: volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide or particulate matter. The building’s ventilation systems are mostly dismantled or not functioning, and as a result the thermal isolation of buildings only aggravates these problems as it isn’t compensated with an improvement of the ventilation systems. The significant expansion of areas affected by Sick Building Syndrome, which are economically, ecologically and/or sanitary inefficient, in the framework of recent environmental changes, it requires an integrated approach of problems concerning the air quality management in Bucharest residential spaces.
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