Revistas
Revista:
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSN:
1660-4601
Año:
2022
Vol.:
19
N°:
20
Págs.:
13589
Forest bathing practices benefit individuals' physical and mental health. A growing number of published studies provide evidence of such effects in diverse populations and contexts. However, no literature has been found that evaluates the effects of forest bathing on people with intellectual disabilities. In this paper, we present a quasi-experimental pre-post protocol for assessing the preliminary efficacy and feasibility of a forest bathing intervention in a group of adults with intellectual disability. An 11-weekly session program will be applied in the forests of the Ollo Valley, Navarre (Spain). The preliminary efficacy outcomes will be blood pressure, psycho-physiological coherence parameters and quality of life. The feasibility of the intervention will be assessed through data on barriers and facilitators of the implementation process and indicators of environmental comfort (physiological equivalent temperature and thermic perception). This study offers an opportunity for people with intellectual disabilities to benefit from a forest bathing intervention and explore its effects not only on their quality of life, but also on the improvement in their physiological and psychological state. This feasibility study is an essential step to explore crucial aspects for a future full-scale trial.
Revista:
CHEMOSPHERE
ISSN:
0045-6535
Año:
2015
Vol.:
119
Págs.:
452 - 458
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) atmospheric deposition was evaluated at a remote site in Northern Spain using moss biomonitoring with Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp., and by measuring the total deposition fluxes of PAHs. The year-long study allowed seasonal variations of PAH content in mosses to be observed, and these followed a similar trend to those of PAH fluxes in total deposition. Generally, atmospheric deposition of PAHs is greater in winter than in summer, due to more PAH emissions from domestic heating, less photoreactivity of the compounds, and intense leaching of the atmosphere by wet deposition. However, fractionation of these molecules between the environmental compartments occurs: PAH fluxes in total deposition and PAH concentrations in mosses are correlated with their solubility (r=0.852, p<0.01) and lipophilic properties (KOW, r=0.768, p<0.01), respectively. This annual study therefore showed that atmospheric PAH fluxes can be estimated with moss biomonitoring data if the bioconcentration or 'enriching' factors are known.
Revista:
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
ISSN:
0048-9697
Año:
2014
Vol.:
490
Págs.:
205 - 212
To assess the impact of vehicular emissions on a mixed conifer forest, we measured the contents of the trace elements, N, C, and their respective natural isotopes (delta(15)N and delta(13)C), in the epiphytic lichen, L. vulpina. The samples were collected along transects perpendicular to Interstate 80 (I-80) and along a more remote, secondary forest road (R07). Distance to the road verge, trunk cover, and stand basal area were also recorded. Percent N ranged from 1.10% to 2.00% near I-80 and from 0.78% to 1.13% along R07. Concentrations of N, (15)N, Na, As, Pb, and Zn were enhanced in lichen samples near I-80 and were negatively correlated with distance from the road. Trunk cover values differed between roads (p<0.001) and were negatively correlated with %N (r(2)=0.74; p<0.001). The results indicate that vehicular N emissions are significant enough to alter the surrounding ecosystem, modifying the presence of a sensitive component such as L. vulpina, and suggest that a clean-site threshold of 1.0%N may be too high as an indicator of critical N load exceedance. The study also underscored the potential role of wolf lichen in a large-scale assessment of N deposition and source identification.
Revista:
REPORTS OF THE FINNISH ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE
ISSN:
1796-1718
Año:
2013
Vol.:
25
Págs.:
47 - 50
Revista:
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
ISSN:
1582-9596
Año:
2012
Vol.:
11
N°:
6
Págs.:
1159 - 1169
Mites and springtails are important members of soil mesofauna and have been proven to be good bioindicators of airborne
pollutants. We studied the surrounding area of a steel mill located in a mountain valley of North Spain. Previous studies had
documented the existence of a pollution gradient in this area due to the emissions of the factory, thus providing an interesting site
to investigate the potential effects of pollutants (heavy metals and nitrogen) on soil biodiversity.
The density of Acari and Collembola significantly decreased with the increase in concentration of Cr, Mn, Zn, Cd and Pb. Mites
appeared to be more sensitive to heavy metal pollution than springtails. Likewise, the density of these microarthropoda was lower
in those soils exhibiting higher nitrogen content.
The species composition of the community of Acari and Collembola changed according to heavy metal pollution. Significant
differences in abundance, species richness and diversity were observed between the communities of the sampling sites. Some
species were exclusive of the less polluted sites, while other appeared in the most contaminated ones. This different response of
soil mesofauna to pollutants suggests that some mite or springtail species could be used as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution.
Revista:
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
ISSN:
1582-9596
Año:
2012
Vol.:
11
N°:
6
Págs.:
1101-1110
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in atmospheric deposition in a Nature Park located in the North of Spain over a period of one year (June 2010-May 2011). Total PAH deposition was evaluated monthly by combining samples collected over two-week periods, using 6 throughfall and 2 bulk precipitation collectors distributed over the study area. The latter consisted of glass funnels (with vertical sides) attached to Pyrex glass bottles. PAH determination was performed by liquid-liquid extractions and analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography associated with fluorescence detection. Throughfall deposition revealed a loss under the canopy of 12% of the total atmospheric PAH deposition due to precipitation interception. Spatial variability between the 6 throughfall collectors reached a maximum of 25% during the wet season. Temporal trends showed significant variations of 27 to 54% throughout the year. PAH deposition increased during winter, due to higher emissions from domestic heating, less photoreactivity of the compounds and intense leaching of the atmosphere by wet deposition. Average daily fluxes were estimated for 6 quantified PAHs (PHE, ANT, PYR, B(b)F, B(k)F and B(a)P) at 182 +/- 27 ng m(-2) d(-1), which agreed with studies previously carried out in other local rural areas. The major compounds were phenanthrene and pyrene, both markers of traffic emissions.
Revista:
THE FINNISH ENVIRONMENT
ISSN:
1238-7312
Año:
2011
N°:
18
Págs.:
53 - 57
Revista:
WATER AIR SOIL POLL
ISSN:
0049-6979
Año:
2010
Vol.:
210
N°:
1-4
Págs.:
335 - 346
Revista:
WATER AIR SOIL POLL
ISSN:
0049-6979
Año:
2010
Vol.:
206
N°:
1-4
Págs.:
23 - 34