Highlights of some environmental problems of geomedical significance in Nigeria

This paper attempts to discuss the links between the geochemical composition of rocks and minerals and the geographical distribution of diseases in human beings in Nigeria. We know that the natural composition of elements in our environment (in the bedrock, soils, water, and vegetation) may be the major cause of enrichment or depletion in these elements and may become a direct risk to human health. Similarly, anthropogenic activities such as mining and mineral processes, industrial waste disposal, agriculture, etc., could distort the natural geochemical equilibrium of the environment. Thus, the enrichment or depletion of geochemical elements in the environment are controlled either by natural and/or anthropogenic processes. The increased ingestion of toxic trace elements such as As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and F, whether directly or indirectly, adversely affects human health. Of these, Cd has most dangerous long-term effect on human health. Environmental exposure to As and Hg is a causal factor in human carcinogenesis and numerous cancer health disorders. Available information on iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) in Nigeria indicates goiter prevalence rates of between 15% and 59% in several affected areas. There have been reported cases of dental fluorosis resulting from intake of water with fluoride content >1.5 ppm. Dental caries among children shows an overall prevalence rate of 39.9%. Within the Younger Granite province in central Nigeria, cases of cancer and miscarriages in pregnant women have been linked to natural radiation These examples and a number of others from the existing literature underscore the pressing need for the development of collaborative research to increase our understanding of the relationship between the geographical distribution of human and animal diseases in Nigeria and environmental factors. We submit that such knowledge is essential for the control and management of these diseases.     

Geochemical characteristics of surficial sediments in a tropical estuary, south-west India

Geochemical characteristics of surficial sediments in the Panangad region of Cochin estuary, the largest brackish-water humid ecosystem in the south-west coast of India, were analysed. Temporal variations in nutrient stoichiometry, seasonal characteristics of redox elements Fe and S, and the phosphorus geochemistry were employed for the purpose. The stoichiometric analysis pointed towards autochthonous origin of organic matter, possibility of nitrogen limitation, and allochthonous modification of redox conditions. Seasonal variations were not statistically significant for all the geochemical parameters, whereas significant spatial variations were observed with lower values at sandy stations, suggesting that the texture of the sediments is the main factor influencing the sediment geochemistry. Significant inter-relations between the geochemical parameters also suggest a common control mechanism. Based on these geochemical characteristics, the study region can be effectively categorized into two distinct zones, viz. (1) erosion and transportation and (2) deposition zones.     

Rare earth elements upon assessment of reasons of the geophagy in Sikhote-Alin region (Russian Federation), Africa and other world regions

Rocks eaten by wild animals on the Bolshoy Shanduyskiy kudur in the Sikhote-Alin region (Russian Federation) are zeolite–clay mineral complexes—products of weathering of zeolitized vitric tuffs of rhyolite composition, deposited in aqueous medium within the volcanic caldera of about 55 million years ago. By composition of rock-forming oxides, the tuffs refer to high-potassium calc-alkaline series. In trace elements of most favorite kudurites of the Bolshoy Shanduyskiy kudur, there are significantly increased contents of most of rare earth elements (2–5 times in comparison with surrounding rocks). The results of our analysis of geological and geochemical data on kudurs and kudurites in another part of the Sikhote-Alin, as well as on other regions of the world (particularly, in Africa and Indonesia), taking into account new data on the prevalence of rare earth elements in living matter and their medical and biological properties, enable us to consider the version of causal connection of the geophagy with rare earth elements.     

Effect of weathering on abundance and release of potentially toxic elements in soils developed on Lower Cambrian black shales, P. R. China

This paper examines the geochemical features of 8 soil profiles developed on metalliferous black shales distributed in the central parts of the South China black shale horizon. The concentrations of 21 trace elements and 8 major elements were determined using ICP-MS and XRF, respectively, and weathering intensity (W) was calculated according to a new technique recently proposed in the literature. The data showed that the black shale soils inherited a heterogeneous geochemical character from their parent materials. A partial least square regression model and EF_bedrock (enrichment factor normalized to underlying bedrock) indicated that W was not a major control in the redistribution of trace metals. Barium, Sn, Cu, V, and U tended to be leached in the upper soil horizons and trapped by Al and Fe oxides, whereas Sb, Cd, and Mo with negative EF values across the whole profiles may have been leached out during the first stage of pedogenesis (mainly weathering of black shale). Compared with the Chinese average soils, the soils were strongly enriched in the potentially toxic metals Mo, Cd, Sb, Sn, U, V, Cu, and Ba, among which the 5 first listed were enriched to the highest degrees. Elevated concentrations of these toxic metals can have a long-term negative effect on human health, in particular, the soils in mining areas dominated by strongly acidic conditions. As a whole, the black shale soils have much in common with acid sulfate soils. Therefore, black shale soils together with acid sulfate soils deserve more attention in the context of metal exposure and human health.     

Trace elements in the human environment: Problems and risks

Early studies on the possible influences of environmental geochemistry and health were concerned with major diseases such as cancer or multiple sclerosis. They were generally confined to simple comparisons of geochemical and epidemiological maps and corresponding rural areas. Subsequently, studies of dental health produced evidence for the roles of environmental fluoride, selenium, molybdenum and lead in the aetiology of caries. In recent decades lead has been closely studied. Most people in the western world live in urban areas, rather than rural areas, and research on lead has yielded much information on the distribution of the element in streets, parks and gardens of cities and in the home environment. The role of lead in human health has thereby been better understood. Cadmium, selenium and aluminium are good candidates for future study but success will depend on applying appropriate methods of investigation and here the experiences from research on lead are a valuable model to follow.This paper is based on a keynote lecture at the start of the SEGH conference.     

Application of artificial neural network in medical geochemistry

For the evaluation of various adverse health effects of chemical elements occurring in the environment on humans, the comparison and linking of geochemical data (chemical composition of groundwater, soils, and dusts) with data on health status of population (so-called health indicators) play a key role. Geochemical and health data are predominantly nonlinear, and the use of standard statistical methods can lead to wrong conclusions. For linking such data, we find appropriate the use method of artificial neural networks (ANNs) which enable to eliminate data inhomogeneity and also potential data errors. Through method of ANNs, we are able to determine the order of influence of chemical elements on health indicators as well as to define limit values for the influential elements at which the health status of population is the most favourable (i.e. the lowest mortality, the highest life expectancy). For determination of dependence between the groundwater contents of chemical elements and health indicators, we recommend to create 200 ANNs. In further calculations performed for identification of order of influence of chemical elements as well as definition of limit values, we propose to work with median or mean values from calculated 200 ANNs. The ANN represents an appropriate method to be used for environmental and health data analysis in medical geochemistry.     

黄河下游地区河水主要离子和锶同位素的地球化学特征

对黄河下游地区河水主要阴阳离子、锶元素及其同位素组成进行了分析.结果发现其水化学组成主要以Ca~(2+),Na~+,HCO_3~-和SO_4~(2-)离子为主,分别占阴阳离子组成的75%以上.干流与支流间在化学组成上存在显著差异,黄河干流的SO_4~(2-),NO_3~-和Cl~-具有共同的来源,而支流河水中的SO_4~(2-),NO_3~-和Cl~-来源不同.黄河下游具有较高的锶含量及较低的锶同位素组成,锶含量变化范围在0.0429 mg·l~(-1)-0.936mg·l~(-1)之间,平均含量为0.394 mg·l~(-1),锶同位素组成变化范围在0.70986-0.71139之间,平均值为0.71118,其中黄河人海口的锶同位素组成(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr=0.70986)与现代海水锶同位素比值(0.70916)相近,表明其锶同位素组成受海水作用影响较大.对主要元素、微量元素锶及其同位素组成分析研究发现,黄河下游地区河水锶同位素组成主要源于蒸发盐岩和碳酸盐岩的风化溶解作用,而人类活动的影响相对较小.由锶同位素平衡方程计算得出,黄河下游地区河水锶同位素组成由大气降水和岩石风化作用混合而成,其中大气降水对黄河下游地区~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr的贡献率约为30%,而岩石风化对其贡献率约为70%.     

Multidisciplinary work on barium contamination of the karstic upper Kupa River drainage basin (Croatia and Slovenia); calling for watershed management

The present work was designed as an extension of a previous study of a barium anomaly observed in stream sediments of the Kupa River. In its upper part the Kupa River drains a region underlain by a trans-boundary aquifer. The river is a significant water resource in a region of tourism, sport, and fishing in both Croatia and Slovenia. The contamination source is situated in Homer (Lokve), Croatia, where barite was mined until 10 years ago. The barium processing waste material (<3-mm fraction) was carelessly deposited in gardens, forests, and into a sinkhole, which has an underground link with the Kupica River, a tributary of the Kupa River. Barium waste and stream sediments were analyzed using comparative techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Mössbauer spectroscopy, and grain size analysis. XRD of the waste material identified the major minerals quartz, barite, and dolomite and the Fe-containing minor minerals muscovite and goethite. Barite was identified as a minor or trace mineral in the Kupica River sediments. XRF analysis of the waste material has shown Ba and Fe to be the predominant elements, Ca and K to be minor elements, and Mn, Zn, Sr, Pb, Co, Cu, As, Zr, Rb, Y, and Mo to be trace elements. Mössbauer spectroscopy performed at room temperature (RT) was used to study iron minerals, particularly to obtain information on the valence status of Fe ions. Grain size analysis of the waste material (<63-μm fraction) has shown that it contains 23.5% clay-size material in comparison with 7–8% clay-size material in stream sediments. It is our aim to combine geochemical and medical methods to investigate the possible impact of waste disposal on human health in Lokve. At this stage of the work, concentrations of Ba and other toxic elements in the water compartment of the Kupica River (a source of drinking water) have not been monitored by Croatian Waters (name of the Croatian water authorities). The necessity of such measurements in future studies has been highlighted. A preliminary study of diseases diagnosed in Lokve shows that about 18% of the total inhabitants have serious medical problems. Diseases of the circulatory system, endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases, neoplasms, and respiratory diseases predominate. This paper calls for further multidisciplinary research on the health effects of barium and trace elements, as well as for bioremediation of contaminated gardens and for watershed management of vulnerable karstic aquifers.     

Groundwater fluoride contamination,probable release,and containment mechanisms: a review on Indian context

Fluoride contamination in the groundwater has got great attention in last few decades due to their toxicity, persistent capacity and accumulation in human bodies. There are several sources of fluoride in the environment and different pathways to enter in the drinking water resources, which is responsible for potential effect on human health. Presence of high concentration of fluoride ion in groundwater is a major issue and it makes the water unsuitable for drinking purpose. Availability of fluoride in groundwater indicates various geochemical processes and subsurface contamination of a particular area. Fluoride-bearing aquifers, geological factors, rate of weathering, ion-exchange reaction, residence time and leaching of subsurface contaminants are major responsible factors for availability of fluoride in groundwater. In India, several studies have reported that the groundwater of several states are contaminated with high fluoride. The undesirable level of fluoride in groundwater is one of the most natural groundwater quality problem, which affects large portion of arid and semiarid regions of India. Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and West Bengal are the relatively high-fluoride-contaminated states in India. Chronic ingestion of high doses of fluoride-rich water leads to fluorosis on human and animal. Over 66 million Indian populations are at risk due to excess fluoride-contaminated water. Therefore, groundwater contamination subject to undesirable level of fluoride needs urgent attention to understand the role of geochemistry, hydrogeology and climatic factors along with anthropogenic inputs in fluoride pollution.     

Geochemistry,mineralogy, solid-phase fractionation and oral bioaccessibility of lead in urban soils of Lisbon

An urban survey of Lisbon, the largest city in Portugal, was carried out to investigate its environmental burden, emphasizing metallic elements and their public health impacts. This paper examines the geochemistry of lead (Pb) and its influence on human health data. A total of 51 soil samples were collected from urban recreational areas used by children to play outdoors. The semi-quantitative analysis of Pb was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after an acid digestion. X-ray diffraction was used to characterize the soil mineralogy. The solid-phase distribution of Pb in the urban soils was investigated on a subset of 7 soils, out of a total of 51 samples, using a non-specific sequential extraction method coupled with chemometric analysis. Oral bioaccessibility measurements were obtained using the Unified BARGE Method developed by the Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe. The objectives of the study are as follows: (1) investigation of Pb solid-phase distribution; (2) interpretation of Pb oral bioaccessibility measurements; (3) integration of metal geochemistry with human health data; and (4) understanding the influence of geochemistry and mineralogy on oral bioaccessibility. The results show that the bioaccessible fraction of Pb is lower when major metal fractions are associated with less soluble soil phases such as Fe oxyhydroxides, and more increased when the metal is in the highly soluble carbonate phase. However, there is some evidence that the proportion of carbonates in the soil environment is also a key control over the oral bioaccessibility of Pb, irrespective of its solid-phase fractionation.     

Medical geology in tropical countries with special reference to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka provides an ideal opportunity for the study of the effect of geology on human health. The vast majority of the people of Sri Lanka still live in rural areas within areas termed geochemical provinces. Very broadly, one could say that a geochemical province has characteristic chemical composition in soil, water stream sediments and rocks, enabling their delineation from others. The chemical composition is presumed to be have an impact on the health of the inhabitants of the particular geochemical province, particularly because of the fact that their food and water are obtained mostly from the terrain itself. This leads to the concept of “diseases of geochemical origin”. Among these are dental fluorosis, iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) and selenium-based diseases. The Dry Zone of Sri Lanka has several areas rich in groundwater fluoride, the ingestion of which leads to dental fluorosis. Iodine deficiency diseases are more common in the Wet Zone, though their aetiologies are more complicated. Interestingly, it has also been observed that significant proportions of the female population of Sri Lanka are selenium-deficient, which could well be related to the geological environment. Chronic renal failure (CRF) has been observed in some areas of the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka, where there is a relationship of CRF with the mineral content of drinking water. This subject matter falls under the auspices of Medical Geology, a scientific discipline still in its infancy, and much more concerted studies are needed to attract the attention of medical research.     

Trace elements distributions at Datoko-Shega artisanal mining site,northern Ghana

Environmental geochemistry classifies elements into essential, non-essential and toxic elements in relationship to human health. To assess the environmental impact of mining at Datoko-Shega area, the distributions and concentrations of trace elements in stream sediments and soil samples were carried out. X-ray fluorescence analytical technique was used to measure the major and trace element concentrations in sediments and modified fire assay absorption spectrometry in soils. The results showed general depletion of major elements except titanium oxide (TiO₂) compared to the average crustal concentrations. The retention of TiO₂ at the near surface environment probably was due to the intense tropical weathering accompanied by the removal of fine sediments and soil fractions during the harmattan season by the dry north-east trade winds and sheet wash deposits formed after flash floods. The results also showed extreme contamination of selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg), plus strong contaminations of arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) in addition to moderate contamination of lead (Pb) in the trace element samples relative to crustal averages in the upper continental crust. However Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations tend to be high around the artisanal workings. It was recognised from the analysis of the results that the artisanal mining activity harnessed and introduces some potentially toxic elements such as Hg, Cd and Pb mostly in the artisan mine sites. But the interpretation of the trace element data thus invalidates the elevation of As concentrations to be from the mine operations. It consequently noticed As values in the mine-impacted areas to be similar or sometimes lower than As values in areas outside the mine sites from the stream sediment results.

     

The importance of solid-phase distribution on the oral bioaccessibility of Ni and Cr in soils overlying Palaeogene basalt lavas, Northern Ireland

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) including nickel and chromium are often present in soils overlying basalt at concentrations above regulatory guidance values due to the presence of these elements in underlying geology. Oral bioaccessibility testing allows the risk posed by PTEs to human health to be assessed; however, bioaccessibility is controlled by factors including mineralogy, particle size, solid-phase speciation and encapsulation. X-ray diffraction was used to characterise the mineralogy of 12 soil samples overlying Palaeogene basalt lavas in Northern Ireland, and non-specific sequential extraction coupled with chemometric analysis was used to determine the distribution of elements amongst soil components in 3 of these samples. The data obtained were related to total concentration and oral bioaccessible concentration to determine whether a relationship exists between the overall concentrations of PTEs, their bioaccessibility and the soils mineralogy and geochemistry. Gastric phase bioaccessible fraction (BAF %) ranged from 0.4 to 5.4 % for chromium in soils overlying basalt and bioaccessible and total chromium concentrations are positively correlated. In contrast, the range of gastric phase BAF for nickel was greater (1.4–43.8 %), while no significant correlation was observed between bioaccessible and total nickel concentrations. However, nickel BAF was inversely correlated with total concentration. Solid-phase fractionation information showed that bioaccessible nickel was associated with calcium carbonate, aluminium oxide, iron oxide and clay-related components, while bioaccessible chromium was associated with clay-related components. This suggests that weathering significantly affects nickel bioaccessibility, but does not have the same effect on the bioaccessibility of chromium.     

Medical geochemistry research in Spišsko-Gemerské rudohorie Mts., Slovakia

This study presents an assessment of the potential impact of geological contamination of the environment on the health of the population in Spišsko-Gemerské rudohorie Mts. (SGR Mts.). The concentration levels of potentially toxic elements (mainly As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn) were determined in soils, groundwater, surface water, and stream sediments as well as in the food chain (locally grown vegetables). A medical study included some 30 health indicators for all 98 municipalities of the study area. The As and Sb contents in human fluids and tissues were analyzed in one municipality identified to be at the highest risk. Based on element content, environmental and health risks were calculated for respective municipalities. Out of 98 municipalities 14 were characterized with extremely high environmental risk and 10 were characterized with very high carcinogenic risk from arsenic (groundwater). Extensive statistical analysis of geochemical data (element contents in soils, groundwater, surface water, and stream sediments) and health indicators was performed. Significant correlations between element contents in the geological environment and health indicators, mainly cancer and cardiovascular diseases, were identified. Biological monitoring has confirmed the transfer of elements from the geological environment to human fluids and tissues as well as to the local food chain.     

中国大气颗粒物中金属元素环境地球化学行为研究

大气颗粒物金属污染已成为目前大气污染的研究热点之一。文章梳理、分析归纳了中国近年来大气颗粒中金属元素的环境地球化学方面的研究。目前研究较多的是Fe、Ca、Mg、Si等地壳元素和Cu、Pb、Cd、Zn、Hg等污染元素;大气颗粒物中对人体有害的Cu、Pb、Cd、As、Zn等污染较严重,而Cr、Mn、Co、Ni等污染较轻。大气颗粒物中金属含量随时间分布变化显著,总体上呈现冬季〉秋季〉春季〉夏季的特点,空间分布上一般北方燃煤城市大于南方一般城市;城市内部一般工业区〉交通区〉居民区〉郊区;金属元素在细粒径颗粒（〈2μm）中高,粗颗粒（〉2μm）中低,尤其以污染元素明显。污染元素与地壳元素的垂直分布规律差异较大。大气颗粒物中金属元素的富集程度与元素种类、区域类型、季节变化、粒径大小等有关。最后,提出应加强大气颗粒物中金属元素空间分布差异、时间分布的尺度及差异性研究;同时加强超细颗粒物的研究,以便建立大气颗粒物金属元素与人类健康关系的风险模型。     

Potentially harmful elements in house dust from Estarreja,Portugal: characterization and genotoxicity of the bioaccessible fraction

Due to their behavioral characteristics, young children are vulnerable to the ingestion of indoor dust, often contaminated with chemicals that are potentially harmful. Exposure to potentially harmful elements (PHEs) is currently exacerbated by their widespread use in several industrial, agricultural, domestic and technological applications. PHEs cause adverse health effects on immune and nervous systems and can lead to cancer development via genotoxic mechanisms. The present study is an integrated approach that aims at assessing the genotoxicity of bioaccessible PHEs following ingestion of contaminated house dust. A multidisciplinary methodology associating chemical characterization of five house dust samples, extraction of the bioaccessible PHEs in gastric extracts by the unified BARGE method, determination of the bioaccessible fraction and in vitro genotoxicity of gastric extracts in adenocarcinoma gastric human (AGS) cells was developed. The five gastric extracts induced dose-dependent genotoxicity in AGS cells. Copper (bioaccessible concentration up to 111 mg/kg) was probably the prevalent PHE inducing primary DNA damage (up to 5.1-fold increase in tail DNA at 0.53 g/l of gastric extract). Lead (bioaccessible concentration up to 245 mg/kg) was the most prevalent PHE inducing chromosome-damaging effects (r = 0.55; p < 0.001 for micronucleated cells induction). The association of principal component analysis and Spearman’s correlations was decisive to understand the chromosome-damaging properties of the bioaccessible PHEs in AGS cells. This methodology could be used on a larger-scale study to provide useful information for science-based decision-making in regulatory policies, and a better estimation of human exposure and associated health risks.     

Natural concentrations and reference values for trace elements in soils of a tropical volcanic archipelago

Fernando de Noronha is a small volcanic archipelago in the Southern Atlantic, some 350 km NE of the city of Natal in NE Brazil. These remote volcanic islands represent a largely pristine environment, distant from sources of anthropogenic contamination. This study was carried out to determine the natural concentrations of Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, V and Zn in the A and B horizons of soils of Fernando de Noronha. The aims of the study were twofold: determine whether there is a relationship between the bedrock geology and soils and to establish quality reference values for soils from Fernando de Noronha. Soil samples were subjected to acid digestion by the USEPA method 3051A, and metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometry. The results showed that the trace element distribution largely reflects the geochemistry of the underlying volcanic rocks of the Remedios and Quixaba Formations. The results demonstrate that the concentrations of Ba, Cr, Zn, Ni and Cu from the soils of the volcanic Fernando de Noronha archipelago are higher than those found in soils from continental Brazil. However, concentrations of Ni, Cu and Co are lower in soils of the archipelago as compared to other volcanic islands throughout the world. The elevated trace element concentrations of the volcanic parent material of Fernando de Noronha soils seem to be the main factor governing the relatively high natural concentrations of trace elements.     

The geochemistry of geophagic material consumed in Onangama Village,Northern Namibia: a potential health hazard for pregnant women in the area

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Ingestion of geophagic materials might affect human health and induce diseases by different ways. The purpose of this study is to determine the geochemical...     

广东省若干典型地方病环境地球化学病因分析

广东省是我国地方病高发省份。鼻咽癌发病率位居全国之首,肝癌发病率也大大高于全国平均水平,仅次于江苏和广西两省;地氟病也有着较广泛分布。前人尤其是流行病学工作者对广东省地方病开展了许多的医学研究,取得了一定的成果,但从环境地球化学的角度进行探讨相对不足,随着研究的深入,科学家发现地方病的发生与当地环境地球化学因素存在密切的关系,文章主要针对广东省存在的典型地方病与环境地球化学背景的关系进行探讨和研究,以期从环境地球化学角度为广东省地方病的防治工作提出新的思路。     

The Impact of the Hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake. Part I: Concentrations of Elements in Crops and Soil

In Asembagus (East Java, Indonesia) irrigation water is contaminated with effluent from the hyperacid Ijen Crater Lake resulting in a low pH and high levels of various elements. As a first step towards a risk assessment, locally produced food items (rice, maize, cassava leaf, cassava root, peanuts) were collected and concentrations of As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, Zn were compared to samples from a reference area and with literature values. Further, concentrations in rice were compared to total soil concentrations in paddy fields. Compared to the reference area, food items produced in the contaminated area had increased levels of Cd, Co, Ni and Mn in particular, while levels of Mo were lower. In contrast, total soil concentrations of Cd and Mn in particular have decreased whereas especially Mo was increased. In combination with the observed soil acidification, it is likely that the bioavailable concentration of most elements in the contaminated soil is higher (except for Mo) due to an increased weathering rate and/or input via the contaminated irrigation water. In terms of human health, concentrations in foods were generally within normal literature values. However, it was observed that essential elements (in particular Fe) known for their inhibitory effects on e.g. Cd and Mn toxicity did not accumulate in crops whereas Cd and Mn did.