Abstract

Abstract
Since the entry into service of the so-called Primary Network in 1951 until the 1960s, when the first electrical power interconnection between Portugal and Spain was created, that the Portuguese National Transmission Network could be considered a closed system, however, since the year 1961, that was no longer true. Taking these facts into account, the need to think and draw up new standards and regulations, with the widest possible coverage, has arisen in order to oblige European operators to maintain a level of control, security and knowledge of their transmission networks, which ensure that these do not influence each other negatively and that there is a coordinated response to incidents that may occur. © 2019 IEEE.

Abstract
Air exposures occurring in indoor swimming pools are an important public health issue due to their popularity and regular use by the general population, including vulnerable groups such as children and elderly people. More comprehensive information on indoor air quality (IAQ) in swimming pools is thus needed in order to understand health risks, establish appropriate protective limits and provide evidence-based opportunities for improvement of IAQ in these facilities. In this context, twenty public indoor swimming pools located in the Northern Region of Portugal were examined in two sampling campaigns: January-March and May-July 2018. For each campaign, a comprehensive set of environmental parameters was monitored during the entire period of the facilities' operating hours of a weekday, both indoors and outdoors. In addition, four air (1-h samplings) and water samples were collected. Findings show that comfort conditions, ultrafine particles number concentrations and exposure to substances in the indoor air (concentration and composition) is likely to vary greatly from one public indoor swimming pool to another. Trihalomethanes (THM) and dichloroacetonitrile were the predominant disinfection by-products identified in the indoor air but other potentially hazardous volatile organic compounds, such as limonene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane, 2- and 3-methylbutanenitrile, acetophenone, benzonitrile, and isobutyronitrile were found to have relevant putative emission sources in the environment of the swimming pools analyzed. Furthermore, indicators of poor ventilation conditions (namely carbon dioxide, relative humidity and existence of signs of condensation in windows) and some water-related parameters (THM levels, conductivity and salinity) were found to be determining factors of the measured airborne THM concentrations that appeared to significantly potentiate the exposure. In summary, this work provides evidence for the need to establish adequate standards for the comprehensive evaluation of IAQ in public swimming pools, in order to guide further development of evidence-based prevention/remediation strategies for promoting healthy environments in swimming pools.

Abstract
As part of its strategic economic and social plan, Kazakhstan has a target of increasing the share of renewables and alternative energy sources in power generation to 50% by 2050. This greatly contrasts with the current situation, where around 90% of electricity is produced from fossil fuels. To achieve the target, the introduction of between 600 and 2000 MW of nuclear power is expected by 2030. This would impact water resources, already under stress due to significant losses, heavy reliance on irrigation for agriculture, unevenly distributed surface water, variations in transboundary inflows, amongst others. This study presents an integrated analysis of the water-energy systems in Kazakhstan, to investigate the water resource availability to support such energy system transition.

Abstract
Disinfection by-products (DBP) such as trihalomethanes (THM) are formed when chlorine and bromine interact with natural organic materials in chlorine-treated swimming pools. Epidemiological evidence demonstrated an association between exposure to swimming pool environment and adverse health effects. Therefore, this study aimed to assess carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of long-term exposure of elite swimmers and their coaches. In an Olympic-size indoor chlorinated swimming pool, THM levels were determined in water (21-69 mu g/L), in the boundary layer above the water surface (59-397 mu g/m(3)), and in the air surrounding the pool (28-390 mu g/m(3)). These values were used to predict multi-pathway chronic daily intake (CDI), cancer risk (CR) and hazard index (HI). Oral and dermal CDI for swimmers were 2.4 x 10(-6) and 2.0 x 10(-8), respectively. The swimmers' inhalation CDI (1.9 x 10(-3) mg/kg/day) was estimated to be sixfold higher than levels obtained for coaches (3.3 x 10(-4) mg/kg/day). According to guidelines, the HI was acceptable, but CR exceeded the recommended limit for both, coaches (CR: 5.5 x 10(-7)-8.5 x 10(-5); HI: 6.5 x 10(-4)-1 x 10(-1)) and swimmers (CR: 1.4 x 10(-5)-3.6 x 10(-4) HI: 1.6 x 10(-2)-4.3 x 10(-1)). Our findings provide further support to the need to develop comprehensive guidelines to safeguard the health of individuals involved in elite swimming.

Abstract