Globally, NO2 and PM2.5 declined while O3 increased during strict lockdown periods.

The basic parameters of oil shale quality are heating value and grain-size composition. Heating value can vary considerably within the location in a deposit and depends on concretions and limestone content. Grain-size distribution and heating value depend directly on mining technology: breakage, transporting and processing. Energy distribution when using different technologies was determined. New boilers of oil shale power plants and oil retorts require a relatively constant quality of raw materials and fuel. The possibility of improving oil shale separation was investigated.

Our knowledge of the effects of exposure to indoor ultrafine particles (sub‐100 nm, #/cm3) on human brain activity is very limited. The effects of cooking ultrafine particles (UFP) on healthy adults were assessed using an electroencephalograph (EEGs) for brain response. Peak ultrafine particle concentrations were approximately 3 × 105 particle/cm3, and the average level was 1.64 × 105 particle/cm3. The average particle number emission rate (S) and the average number decay rate (a+k) for chicken frying in brain experiments were calculated to be 2.82 × 1012 (SD = 1.83 × 1012, R2 = 0.91, p = 0.0013) particles/min, 0.47 (SD = 0.30, R2 = 0.90, p < 0.0001) min−1, respectively. EEGs were recorded before and during cooking (14 min) and 30 min after the cooking sessions. The brain fast‐wave band (beta) decreased during exposure, similar to people with neurodegenerative diseases. It subsequently increased to its pre‐exposure condition for 70% of the study participants after 30 min. The brain slow‐wave band to fast‐wave band ratio (theta/beta ratio) increased during and after exposure, similar to observed behavior in early‐stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The brain then tended to return to its normal condition within 30 min following the exposure. This study suggests that chronically exposed people to high concentrations of cooking aerosol might progress toward AD.

The paper introduces a high-selective oil-shale mining technology and the first results of surface miner Wirtgen 2500SM tests. The technology allows to decrease oil-shale loses from 10-15% up to 5-7%. Mining process of the surface miner has a lower disturbing impact, which is topical in open pits and quarries especially in densely populated areas. The low level of dust and noise emissions and also very’ low vibration are arguments to mine oil shale with surface miner instead of drilling-blasting operations. The risk analysis for testing technology was elaborated.

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