Correction to: Evaluation of lifestyle risk factor differences in global patterns of breast cancer mortality and DALYs during 1990–2017 using hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14448-7     

Growth and properties of hydrothermally derived crystalline ZnSe quantum dots

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Chalcogenide nanostructures are the materials with diverse applications. Here, we report rapid hydrothermal synthesis of crystalline ZnSe quantum dots...     

GIS-based statistical model for the prediction of flood hazard susceptibility

At present, flood is the most significant environmental problem in the entire world. In this work, flood susceptibility (FS) analysis has been done in the Dwarkeswar River basin of Bengal basin, India. Fourteen flood causative factors extracted from different datasets like DEM, satellite images, geology, soil and rainfall data have been considered to predict FS. Three heuristic models and one statistical model fuzzy Logic (FL), frequency ratio (FR), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and logistic regression (LR) have been used. The validating datasets are used to validate these models. The result shows that 68.71%, 68.7%, 60.56% and 48.51% area of the basin is under the moderate to very high FS by the MCDA, FR, FL and LR, respectively. The ROC curve with AUC analysis has shown that the accuracy level of the LR model (AUC?=?0.916) is very much successful to predict the flood. The rest of the models like FL, MCDA and FR (AUC?=?0.893, 0.857 and 0.835, respectively) have lesser accuracy than the LR model. The elevation was the most dominating factor with coefficient value of 19.078 in preparation of the FS according to the LR model. The outcome of this study can be implemented by local and state authority to minimize the flood hazard.

     

Mutagenicity assessment of contaminated soil in the vicinity of industrial area

In the industrial area of Chinhat, Lucknow (India) wastewater coming from pesticide manufacturing and other industries is used to irrigate the agricultural crops. This practice has been polluting the soil and pollutants might reach the food chain. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of certain organochlorine pesticides in soil samples. Samples were extracted using different solvents, i.e., hexane, acetonitrile, methanol, chloroform, and acetone (all were HPLC-grade, SRL, India). Soil extracts were assayed for mutagenicity using Ames Salmonella/mammalian microsome test. Mutagenicity was observed in the test samples and TA98 was the most responsive strain for all the soil extracts (irrigated with wastewater) in terms of mutagenic index in the presence (+S9) and absence (−S9) of metabolic activation. In terms of slope (m) of linear dose–response curve for the most responsive strain TA98 exhibited highest sensitivity against the soil extracts in the presence and absence of S9 fraction. Hexane-extracted soil sample (wastewater) exhibited maximum mutagenicity in terms of net revertants per gram of soil in the presence and absence of S9 mix as compared to the other soil extracts. Groundwater-irrigated soil extracts displayed low level of mutagenicity as compared to wastewater-irrigated soil. The soil is accumulating a large number of pollutants due to wastewater irrigation and this practice of accumulation has an adverse impact on soil health.     

Long-term gendered consequences of permanent disabilities caused by the 2005 Pakistan earthquake

This study documents the long-term gendered impact of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake on women and men who were rendered paraplegic as a result of spinal cord injuries sustained during the disaster. Coping mechanisms are also mapped. The findings show that three years after the disaster, paraplegic women are socially, emotionally, and financially isolated. The small stipend they receive is a significant source of income, but it has also led to marital distrust, violence, and abuse. In contrast, men receive full social and emotional support. Their key concern is that the government is not providing them with opportunities to be economically productive. Contemporary discourse and post-disaster policies, while acknowledging the importance of incorporating a gender perspective in the immediate post-disaster period, have failed to acknowledge and address the longer-term gendered impact of disasters, in terms of the different types of impact and strategies adopted by women and men.     

Organismic-level acute toxicology profiling of reactive azo dyes

In the present study, organismic-level acute toxicology profile of three reactive azo dyes, viz. Reactive Blue 221, Reactive Red 195, and Reactive Yellow 145, was investigated, by using bacterial (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus subtilis), fungal (Trichoderma asperellum, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium fujikuroi, and Rhizoctonia solani), plant (Raphanus sativus, Triticum aestivum, Sorghum bicolor, and Phaseolus mungo), and aquatic (Artemia salina and Daphnia magna) specimens. Microbial test organisms (all the six bacteria and two fungi, i.e., T. asperellum and A. flavus) and D. magna were found to be relatively more sensitive towards the reactive azo dyes and their mixture, as the EC50 values were in the range of 80–330, 135–360, and 108–242 ppm for bacteria, fungi, and D. magna, respectively (but the effect was not acutely toxic). Moreover, the effect of dye mixture was comparable tothe individual dyes in almost all the tested microbial specimens. For plant seeds, the dye mixture was found to be relatively more inhibitory towards T. aestivum and R. sativus than the individual dyes. For S. bicolor and P. mungo seeds, the effect of the dye mixture was almost identical to the individual dyes. However, in all cases, EC50 values were in the range of 950–3500 ppm, which indicates a non-toxic effect on plant seed germination potential. Likewise, the dyes and their mixture were not acutely toxic for Artemia salina larvae (more sensitive to the dye mixture) and Daphnia magna neonates (EC50, 516–950 and 108–242 ppm, respectively).     

Distribution of nitrogen species in groundwater aquifers of an industrial area in alluvial Indo-Gangetic Plains—a case study

The groundwater samples collected from the shallow and deep groundwater aquifers of an industrial area of the Kanpur city (Uttar Pradesh, India) were analyzed for the concentration levels and distribution pattern of nitrogenous species, such as nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N), nitrite-nitrogen (NO₂-N), ammonical-nitrogen (NH₄-N), organic-nitrogen (Org-N) and total Kjeldahl-nitrogen (TKN) to identify the possible contamination source. Geo-statistical approach was adopted to determine the distribution and extent of the contaminant plume. In the groundwater aquifers NO₃-N, NO₂-N, NH₄-N, TKN, Org-N and Total-N ranged from 0.10 to 64.10, BDL (below detection limit)-6.57, BDL-39.00, 7.84–202.16, 1.39–198.97 and 8.89–219.43 mg l⁻¹, respectively. About 42% and 26% of the groundwater samples of the shallow and deep groundwater aquifers, respectively, exceeded the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) guideline value of 10 mg l⁻¹ for NO₃-N and may pose serious health hazards to the people of the area. The results of the study revealed that the groundwater aquifers of the study area are highly contaminated with the nitrate and indicates point source pollution of nitrate in the study area.     

Toxicity and oxidative stress induced by chromium in workers exposed from different occupational settings around the globe: A review

The present review focused on the levels and toxicological status of heavy metals especially chromium (Cr) in the exposed workers from different occupational settings around the globe and in Pakistan. It was found that exposed workers from leather tanning and metal plating units showed elevated levels of Cr than the workers from other occupational settings. Cr and other heavy metals level in biological matrices of the exposed workers in different occupational settings revealed that developing countries are severely contaminated. Occupational settings from the Sialkot district, Pakistan exhibited elevated level of Cr in biological entities of the exposed workers. Review suggested that higher level of Cr exposure to the workers enhance the oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hydroxyl (OH) radical generation) which may cause; cellular and molecular damage such as genotoxicity and chromosomal aberration formations, and carcinogenic effects. This review will help to understand the Cr contamination mechanisms and associated health implications in different occupational settings around the globe in general and particularly to Pakistan. This study will also assist occupational health and safety management authorities to devise or change the Cr recommended exposure limits (REL) for different occupational settings.     

Environmental and socio-economic impacts of pipe drainage in Pakistan

Many drainage schemes and salinity control projects have been executed world wide. Pipe drainage has widely been used in Pakistan, Egypt and India to control waterlogging. The impact of pipe drainage on land and water was evaluated in this paper using data of three pipe drainage projects in Pakistan namely Khushab Salinity Control and Reclamation Project, Fourth Drainage Project in Faisalabad and Swabi Salinity Control and Reclamation Project. Data by regular monitoring of these projects were collected. The effect of pipe drainage on water table depth at these three locations has been compared. Water quality and soil salinity improvement due to the pipe drainage has also been investigated. Data, related to water table depths and discharges from drain pipes/wells, was collected. Observation wells, installed at various places by the Water and Power Development Authority, were used for collection of this data. To evaluate the impact of the projects on salinity, soil samples from all the three locations were tested. A questionnaire was prepared to get the view of the people about the projects. It was revealed that in these areas, due to subsurface pipe drainage, the percentage of the abandoned land has been considerably decreased. Over drainage was observed in a few places of the projects. The farmers at such places were asked to change their cropping patterns. Ultimately, there has been an increase in area under cultivation, crop yields and cropping intensity in the projects’ area.