Lead content in new decorative paints in India

The paint industry in India is broadly classified into two categories: organized sector and unorganized sector. Multinational and big Indian companies form the organized sector, whereas the small- and medium-scale industries which produce paints for the local market form the unorganized sector. The present study was undertaken to determine the level of lead in decorative paints in India. A total of 148 paint samples sourced from four organized sector companies and six unorganized sector companies were analyzed for the total lead content. Results of this study reveal that 39 % of the total paints tested (n = 148) contain lead more than 300 ppm, the voluntary limit prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards, BIS (IS 15489:2011), and 45 % of the tested paints contain lead more than 90 ppm, the US limit. Further analysis of the data indicates that only 5 % of the tested paints manufactured by organized sector companies contain lead more than 300 ppm (n = 91), whereas 93 % of the tested paints manufactured by unorganized sector companies contain lead more than 300 ppm (n = 57). Comparison with earlier reported data suggests that while organized sector companies are gradually abandoning the use of lead-based compounds in their paints, the unorganized sector companies are still adding lead-based compounds intentionally in their paints despite the potential health hazards associated with it. The maximum concentration of lead obtained was 80,350 ppm in one of the paints manufactured by an unorganized sector company. The presence of high concentration of lead in yellow and green color paints indicates that color can be a predictor of lead content in decorative paints.     

Respiratory Problems of Workers in the Zarda Industry in Kolkata,India

This study was undertaken to assess the pulmonary and respiratory problems of workers in a zarda factory. A total of 70 permanent zarda workers (50 manufacturing workers and 20 office ones) were studied in a factory in Baguihati, Kolkata, India. The study included (a) completion of a questionnaire (on pulmonary and respiratory problems), (b) measurement of physical parameters, (c) spirometry and (d) measurement of peak expiratory flow rate. At the same time, the worksite was analyzed with an OSHA-recommended ergonomics checklist. Many zarda manufacturing workers complained of respiratory symptoms. Continuous exposure to the tobacco processing environment reduced the workers’ lung volume and peak expiratory flow rates. Our study indicates that zarda manufacturing workers may have respiratory and pulmonary disorders related to exposure to tobacco dust in their work environment.     

Impact of diesel oil effluent in the mucosal surface of the alimentary canal of Oreochromis nilotica (Linnaeus): a scanning electron microscopic study

Adverse effects of diesel oil on microanatomical structure of the alimentary canal of O. nilotica were studied using SEM observations. The study revealed irregular arrangement of the stratified epithelial cells along with fragmentation of the normal concentric pattem of microridges of the same cells in buccopharynx and oesophagus. The excessive secretion of mucus of buccopharynx and oesophagus were the salient changes caused by diesel oil pollution. The destruction and degeneration of the mucosal folds of stomach and intestine along with their epithelial cells exhibited a concrete hyperactivity resulting in abundant' secretion of mucus over the microridges of the epithelial cells. In the intestinal region the columnar epithelial cells showed tumefaction and microvilli of the plasma membrane of epithelial cells get heavily damaged. Disarray of the microridges of epithelial cells, excessive secretions of mucus formation of even cell sheet were the most conspicuous changes in rectum. It was concluded that chronic exposure of diesel oil may hamper the absorption of the nutrients through alimentary canal resulting into ill-growth and production of the fish.     

Seasonal variation and sources of carbonaceous species and elements in PM2.5 and PM10 over the eastern Himalaya

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The study represents the seasonal characteristics (carbonaceous aerosols and elements) and the contribution of prominent sources of PM2.5 and PM10 in...     

First-trimester prenatal diagnosis in haemophilia A and B families—10 years experience from a centre in India

During the last 10 years (1995–2005) we have offered diagnosis in 438 families out of 502 families referred, by chorionic villus sampling procedure between 10 and 12 weeks of pregnancy in severe haemophilia A and B families. Sixty four families could not be offered a diagnosis in the first trimester either due to non-informativeness with the available techniques or due to the absence of affected members in the family and were subsequently offered diagnosis in the second trimester by direct analysis of factor VIII/IX clotting activity and antigen in the fetal blood samples. For first-trimester diagnosis in the chorionic villus samples, we have used both direct and indirect methods, that is, intron 22 and 1 inversions in the factor VIII gene, a multiplex PCR for the detection of gross deletions in the factor IX gene and RFLP analysis using a battery of markers within and outside the factor VIII/IX gene. The informativeness of all these techniques was found to be 92.21% in case of haemophilia A and 83.91% in case of haemophilia B. We followed up 122 children out of 326 (diagnosed unaffected prenatally) after birth and the diagnosis was adequately reconfirmed by both factor assays and by DNA analysis. Only one case of misdiagnosis was detected so far (0.22%), where the diagnosis was based only on the extragenic marker of the factor VIII gene. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of long-term application of treated sewage water on heavy metal accumulation in vegetables grown in Northern India

Use of industrial and wastewater for irrigation is on the rise in India and other developing countries because of scarcity of good-quality irrigation water. Wastewaters contain plant nutrients that favour crop growth but leave a burden of heavy metals which can enter the food chain and is a cause of great concern. The present study was undertaken on the long-term impact of irrigation with treated sewage water for growing vegetables and the potential health risk associated with consumption of such vegetable. Treated sewage water (TSW), groundwater (GW), soil and plant samples were collected from peri urban vegetable growing areas of Northern India (Varanasi) and analysed to assess the long-term effect of irrigation with TSW on Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb build-up in soils and its subsequent transfer into commonly grown vegetable crops. Results indicate that TSW was richer in essential plant nutrients but contained Cd, Cr and Ni in amounts well above the permissible limits for its use as irrigation water. Long-term application of TSW resulted in significant build-up of total and DTPA extractable Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb over GW irrigated sites. TSW also resulted in slight lowering in pH, increase in organic carbon (1.6 g kg^− 1) and cation exchange capacity (5.2 cmol kg^− 1). The tissue metal concentration and relative efficiency of transfer of heavy metals from soil to plant (transfer factor) for various groups of vegetables were worked out. Radish, turnip and spinach were grouped as hyper accumulator of heavy metals whereas brinjal and cauliflower accumulated less heavy metals. Health risk assessment by consumption of vegetables grown with TSW indicated that all the vegetables were safe for human consumption. However, significant accumulation of these heavy metals in soil and plant needs to be monitored.     

Investigating differential binding of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans in soil and soil components using selective supercritical fluid extraction

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with pure carbon dioxide was performed at increasingly strong conditions to investigate differential binding of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in two impacted soils, in their sieved size fractions, and in small (a few mg) samples of industry-related waste products separated from impacted soil. The binding strengths of PCDD/Fs were shown to be different in the two soils, and in their different soil particle size fractions. As might be expected based on surface area considerations, one soil showed the strongest binding in the smallest (<5 μm) sieved fraction. However, the other soil showed the strongest binding in the larger sized fractions, possibly indicating that process-related particles could be controlling PCDD/F binding. Selective SFE of various types of particles including black carbon and charcoal (separated from soil), and from a suspected process anode residue did show different PCDD/F binding behavior ranging from quite weak binding (charcoal) to very strong binding (anode particles). Shifts to the stronger SFE fractions in the soils after activated carbon treatment agreed well with the decreases previously found in the uptake of PCDD/Fs by earthworms, as well as decreases in their freely-dissolved aqueous concentrations in soil/water slurries. These results show that, as previously demonstrated for PAHs and PCBs, selective SFE can be a useful tool to investigate differences in PCDD/F binding behaviors in impacted soils and sediments and their component parts, as well as a rapid tool for estimating the effectiveness of activated carbon treatments on decreasing the bioavailability of PCDD/Fs in soils and sediments.     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">Tracing lead contamination in foods in the city of Kolkata,India</Emphasis>

Lead isotopic ratios (LIR) of eight common food items, street dust, coal, diesel, sediments, lead ore and rainwater from India have been reported for the first time in this paper. This study characterized the source and extent of lead pollution in the different foodstuff consumed in Kolkata, a major metropolis of eastern India. The atmospheric lead input to the food items, sold openly in busy roadside markets of the city, has been quantified. The mean 207/206 and 208/206 LIRs of the eight food items ranged from 0.8847 to 0.8924 and 2.145 to 2.167, respectively. Diesel had the highest mean 207/206 and 208/206 values of 0.9015 and 2.1869, respectively, apart from the lead ore. The food items had a mean lead concentration between 3.78 and 43.35 mg kg^?1. The two ratio scatter plots of all the different environmental matrices were spread linearly between the uncontaminated Ichapur sediment and diesel. The 207/206 LIRs of the coal with a mean of 0.8777 did not fall in the linear trend, while the street dust and food samples overlapped strongly. The rainwater sample had a 207/206 LIR of 0.9007. Contaminated sediments in Dhapa, the repository of the city’s municipal garbage, had a mean 207/206 LIR of 0.8658. The corresponding value obtained from the sewage-fed vegetable grown there was 0.8058. The present study indicated that diesel was one of the main contributor to Pb pollution. The atmospheric lead contribution to the food items was in the range of 68.48–86.66 %.