Correlation between lead and iron in children's blood in Jordan

A total of 200 Jordanian children were classified into two groups: 100 Fe replete and 100 Fe deficient with ages ranging between 3.0 and 12.0 years (6.9 ± 2.7 years). All participants were chosen according to proper selection criteria followed by the sample collection: the samples were analyzed for hemoglobin and red blood cells; ferritin, an immunoassays-based instrument; and levels of Pb, Cu, and Zn. There were no significant differences between genders regarding Fe-deficiency (p = 0.57 and χ2 = 0.33), with a significant association of younger individuals (3.0–9.1 years) with Fe-deficiency (p < 0.05 and χ2 = 22.7).

In addition, there is a significant positive correlation between Fe-deficiency with blood levels of Pb, Cu, and Zn (p < 0.05), (r = 0.43, 0.35, and 0.42, respectively) as compared to control group, this findings supported, by comparing the levels of the examined metals in both groups, in individuals whom close to heavy metals source (highway traffic or oil gas station), and found that the mean of the heavy metals level in close Fe-deficient group higher than in close Fe-replete group.     

环境中的药物——LC-MS/MS分析地表水和地下水

成百上千的活性物质正被用于人药和兽药处方中.由于药物的广泛应用,它们的残留物可通过多种途径进入环境.虽然主要通过尿和粪便的排泄,但是药品生产中的排放也应被考虑.当抗生素用于水产业,就会产生更直接的影响.污水处理设备不能完全除去药物,因此药物会出现在地表和地下水样品中.近年来,人们对环境中药物的兴趣正在增加,需要建立一种快速、灵敏、有选择性的方法来分析水样.     

Fractionation and Sequential Extraction of Heavy Metals in the Soil of Scrapyard of Discarded Vehicles

Chemical and physical size fractionation of heavy metals were carried out on 20 soil samples from the scrap yard area. Tessier method was used in sequential extraction. Cadmium showed the highest levels among the other elements studied in the exchangeable fraction (about 33%), while other elements showed low levels in this fraction (≥1%). Lead and manganese were mostly found in the Fe–Mn oxide fraction, zinc and iron were mostly in residual fraction, while copper was mostly found in the organic fraction of the soil. Soil samples were size-fractionated into four sizes: 1000–500, 500–125, 125–53, and less than 53 μm. The highest levels of Fe, Cu, Pb, Mn, and Cd were found in the medium fraction (500–125 μm), while zinc showed its highest levels in the fine fraction (125–53 μm). The order of heavy metal load in the size fractions was found to be medium > fine > coarse > silt for Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, and Cd, where it was found as fine > medium > coarse > silt for zinc.     

Analysis of Lead Levels in Local Jordanian and Imported Sheep Meat and Organs Using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A total of two hundred and forty random samples were collected equally from mutton, liver and kidney of 40 local (Jordanian) and 40 imported Australian sheep (40 each sub sample). Fresh samples were collected from 12–18 m old sheep slaughtered in abattoirs in Jordan in 2002. Besides, 40 fresh mutton samples of imported Chinese sheep were collected from different markets. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to estimate the lead (Pb) content of the samples. Results indicated that Australian mutton had significantly higher (p < 0.05) mean of lead pollution than that of the local and Chinese muttons. The mean concentration of lead (mg/kg) in Australian, local and Chinese muttons was 4.30, 3.15 and 2.17, respectively. The mean concentration of lead in Australian sheep liver was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that recorded in the local sheep liver. The mean concentration of Pb in Australian and local sheep liver was 5.69 and 4.52 mg/kg, respectively. The mean concentrations of Pb in the kidney of the Australian and local sheep were not significantly different (p > 0.05). They were 4.59 and 3.87 mg/kg, respectively.On the basis of the samples lead level, 85, 92 and 87.5% of local, Australian and Chinese mutton respectively, exceeded the international safe permissible limit of 1.0 mg/kg. Furthermore, the effect of Pb on animal and human health was discussed.     

Natural Jordanian zeolite: removal of heavy metal ions from water samples using column and batch methods

The adsorption behavior of natural Jordanian zeolites with respect to Cd(2 + ), Cu(2 + ), Pb(2 + ), and Zn(2 + ) was studied in order to consider its application to purity metal finishing drinking and waste water samples under different conditions such as zeolite particle size, ionic strength and initial metal ion concentration. In the present work, a new method was developed to remove the heavy metal by using a glass column as the one that used in column chromatography and to make a comparative between the batch experiment and column experiment by using natural Jordanian zeolite as adsorbent and some heavy metals as adsorbate. The column method was used using different metal ions concentrations ranged from 5 to 20 mg/L with average particle size of zeolite ranged between 90 and 350 mum, and ionic strength ranged from 0.01 to 0.05. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used for analysis of these heavy metal ions, the results obtained in this study indicated that zeolitic tuff is an efficient ion exchanger for removing heavy metals, in particular the fine particle sizes of zeolite at pH 6, whereas, no clear effect of low ionic strength values is noticed on the removal process. Equilibrium modeling of the removal showed that the adsorption of Cd(2 + ), Cu(2 + ), Pb(2 + ), and Zn(2 + ) were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Kaganer-Radushkevich (DKR). The sorption energy E determined in the DKR equation (9.129, 10.000, 10.541, and 11.180 kJ/mol for Zn(2 + ), Cu(2 + ), Cd(2 + ) and Pb(2 + ) respectively) which revealed the nature of the ion-exchange mechanism.     

Analysis and evaluation of nitrate levels in groundwater at Al-Hashimiya area, Jordan

Water with high nitrate concentration (NO₃ ⁻) is unfit for human consumption, especially when its concentration exceeded the threshold limit (50 mg/l) recommended by the health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO). In Jordan, there is a great concern for determination and monitoring organic and inorganic pollutants that may reach groundwater. Nitrate is highly mobile and present in domestic, agricultural and industrial waste in Jordan, and thus this study focused initially on nitrate as both a contaminant of concern and as an indicator of potential groundwater contamination. The present study determined the extent of nitrate contamination in groundwater in the study area and examined the likely sources of NO₃ ⁻. A total of 248 groundwater samples were collected from 16 wells in different sites of Al-Hashimiya area, Zerqa Governorate, Jordan, and investigated for NO₃ ⁻ concentrations. Moreover, measurements of temperature, electrical conductivity and pH were carried out in the field. Analysis was carried out according to the methods described by the American Public Health Association (APHA). Results showed that there was a dramatic increasing in NO₃ ⁻ concentrations from the year 2001 to 2006 for some selected wells in the present study. NO₃ ⁻ concentration in 2006 was ranged from 10 to 330 mg/l with an average of 77 mg/l. Overall, groundwater had elevated nitrate concentration with 92% of the samples containing more than 20 mg/l NO₃ ⁻, indicating the influence of human activities. This study has shown that there is a strong correlation between the nitrate concentration and the wastewater effluents as a source of pollution.     

Levels of lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc in deciduous teeth of children living in Irbid, Jordan by ICP-OES: some factors affecting their concentrations

The aim of this study was to measure the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) in deciduous teeth from children living in Jordan and to investigate the affecting factors. Deciduous teeth samples (n?=?320, without fillings) were collected from 5- to 12-year-old children and analyzed for Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry. A questionnaire was used to gather information on each child, such as sex, age, tooth type (incisors, canines, and molars), tooth position within the mouth (upper or lower jaw), caries status, presence of amalgam fillings inside the mouth, type of drinking water (tap water, home purified water, and plant purified water), and zone of residence (close to or far from heavy traffic roads). The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn were 30.26, 0.55, 6.23, 34.72, and 128.21 μg/g, respectively. Our results indicate that there is a clear relation between the concentrations of the metals analyzed in this study and tooth type, tooth position within the mouth, caries status, presence of amalgam fillings inside the mouth, and type of drinking water. No significant differences in the concentrations of the five metals analyzed were observed due to sex. Our results also show that no significant difference among Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations and age among the ages of 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, and 11–12, except for Pb, which decreases at age 11–12.     

Determination of Cadmium and Lead in Different Cigarette Brands in Jordan

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentrations in different cigarette brands sold and/or produced in Jordan were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). Average levels of Cd and Pb in different cigarette brands in Jordan were 2.64 and 2.67 g g^{– 1} (DW), respectively. The results obtained in this study estimate the average quantity of Cd inhaled from smoking one packet of 20 cigarettes to be in the range of 3.65–7.30 g. Results suggest that the quantity of Pb inhaled of smoking one packet of 20 cigarettes, is estimated to be 0.74–2.22 g. The concentrations of Cd and Pb in cigarettes were significantly different between cigarette brands tested. Our results were compared with other worldwide studies.