Evaluation of possible health risks of heavy metals by consumption of foodstuffs available in the central market of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh

Considering the human health risk due to the consumption of foodstuffs, the concentrations of heavy metals (lead, manganese, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic) are investigated in vegetables, fruits, and fish species collected from the central market (called Shaheb Bazar) of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. The foodstuffs examined for metal constituents are the basis of human nutrition in the study area. The highest concentrations of Mn and As in vegetables (onion and pointed gourd, respectively), Cr and Cd in fruits (black berry and mango, respectively), and Pb in fish (catla) are recorded. Health risks associated with these heavy metals are evaluated due to dietary intake. Target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) are calculated to evaluate the non-carcinogenic health risk from individual and combined heavy metals. The THQ values for individual heavy metals are below 1, suggesting that people would not experience significant health risks if they ingest a single heavy metal from one kind of foodstuff (e.g., vegetables). However, consumption of several of the foodstuffs could lead a potential health risk to human population since HI value is higher than 1. The relative contributions of vegetables, fishes, and fruits to HI are 49.44, 39.07, and 11.53 %, respectively. Also, the relative contributions of Pb, Cd, As, Mn, and Cr to HI are 51.81, 35.55, 11.73, 0.85, and 0.02 %, respectively. The estimation shows that the carcinogenic risk of arsenic exceeds the accepted risk level of 1?×?10^?6. Thus, the carcinogenic risk of arsenic for consumers is a matter of concern.     

Cyclone Aila,livelihood stress,and migration: empirical evidence from coastal Bangladesh

This paper investigates why households migrated as a unit to Khulna City from the affected Upazilas of Dacope and Koyra in Khulna District, Bangladesh, following Cyclone Aila on 25 May 2009. The study reveals that households migrated primarily because of the livelihood stress that resulted from the failure to derive a secure income like before the event from the impacted areas—other push and pull factors also played a part in their migration decision. Despite all of the Aila‐induced losses and problems, all households wanted to avoid migration, but they were unable to do so for this principal reason. The findings also demonstrate that, if livelihoods cannot be restored, some form of widespread migration is inevitable after a disaster such as this one. In addition, they show that migration has the potential to serve as a key adaptive response to environmental events, as evidenced by the improved economic conditions of a substantial number of the migrated households.     

Glycerol-mediated synthesis of nanoscale zerovalent iron and its application for the simultaneous reduction of nitrate and alachlor

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - NZVI has long been used for the remediation of different groundwater contaminants but their tendency to get oxidized easily has always been a barrier...     

Artificial neural network (ANN) modeling of adsorption of methylene blue by NaOH-modified rice husk in a fixed-bed column system

In this study, rice husk was modified with NaOH and used as adsorbent for dynamic adsorption of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. Continuous removal of MB from aqueous solutions was studied in a laboratory scale fixed-bed column packed with NaOH-modified rice husk (NMRH). Effect of different flow rates and bed heights on the column breakthrough performance was investigated. In order to determine the most suitable model for describing the adsorption kinetics of MB in the fixed-bed column system, the bed depth service time (BDST) model as well as the Thomas model was fitted to the experimental data. An artificial neural network (ANN)-based model was also developed for describing the dynamic dye adsorption process. An extensive error analysis was carried out between experimental data and data predicted by the models by using the following error functions: correlation coefficient (R ²), average relative error, sum of the absolute error and Chi-square statistic test (χ ²). Results show that with increasing bed height and decreasing flow rate, the breakthrough time was delayed. All the error functions yielded minimum values for the ANN model than the traditional models (BDST and Thomas), suggesting that the ANN model is the most suitable model to describe the fixed-bed adsorption of MB by NMRH. It is also more rational and reliable to interpret dynamic dye adsorption data through a process of ANN architecture.     

An assessment of macroinvertebrate assemblages in mosquito larval habitats—space and diversity relationship

The aquatic bodies designated as mosquito larval habitats are diverse in size and species composition. The macroinvertebrate predators in these habitats are elements that influence the abundance of mosquito species, providing a basis for biological control. Assessment of species assemblage in these habitats will indicate the possible variations in the resource exploitation and trophic interactions and, therefore, can help to frame biological control strategies more appropriately. In the present study, the species composition is being investigated in five different mosquito larval habitats at a spatial scale. A random sample of 80 each of the habitats, grouped as either small or large, was analyzed in respect to the macroinvertebrate species assemblage. The species composition in the habitats was noted to be an increasing function of habitat size (species number = 1.653 + 0.819 habitat size) and, thus, the diversity. The relative abundance of the mosquito immatures varied with the habitat, and the number of useful predator taxa was higher in the larger habitats. In the smaller habitats—plastic and earthen structures and sewage drains, the relative and absolute number of mosquito immatures per sampling unit were significantly higher than the pond and rice field habitats. This was evident in the cluster analysis where the smaller habitats were more related than the larger habitats. The principal component analysis on the species diversity yielded four and six components, respectively, for the smaller and larger habitats for explaining the observed variance of species abundance. The species composition in the habitats was consistent with the earlier findings and support that the abundance of coexisting macroinvertebrate species regulates the relative load of mosquito immatures in the habitats. The findings of this study may be further tested to deduce the relative importance of the habitats in terms of the productivity of mosquito immatures at a temporal scale.     

Sorption and leaching behavior of hexaconazole as influenced bysoilproperties

Sorption and leaching behavior of hexaconazole in four different soils (alluvial, red, laterite, and black) was studied using a batch equilibration technique. The values of the Freundlich adsorption constant 1/n_ads ranged from 0.75 to 0.85 for all four soils, showing strong non-linear behavior. Upon stepwise desorption with CaCl₂ solution (10 mmol·L^?1), release of hexaconazole was maximum with the first elution, the amount decreasing with each subsequent one. The leaching behavior under saturated flow conditions was also studied with soil columns packed in polythene tubes. The mobility of hexaconazole was maximum in sandy loam and minimum in black soil.     

Metalaxyl—its persistence and metabolism in soil

Different biotic and abiotic factors were found to play a vital role in attenuating metalaxyl residues in soil. In addition to metalaxyl many other products were found by HPLC and GC‐MS analysis while studying its soil metabolism in presence of natural sunlight. Three compounds were identified and characterized: 2,6‐dimethylaniline, 2,6‐dimethyl‐N‐ethylacetanilide and N‐(2,6‐dimethyl phenyl) alanine methyl ester.     

The uptake and translocation of selected elements by cole (Brassica) grown using oasis soils in pot experiments

Pot experiments were conducted on cole (Brassica) grown in soils jointly treated with traces of two heavy metals cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn). As the concentration of heavy metals in the soil increased, the uptake of these metals by the plants rose. However, the ratio of heavy metal concentration in soil to uptake by plants increased at a slower rate. Bioavailability of heavy metals considered between the roots and soil using non-linear regressions was shown to be statistically significant. Similarly, the bioavailability of these two heavy metals between leaves and roots using a linear regression was also statistically significant. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for Cd and Zn were 0.282 and 4.289, respectively. Significant variation of BCF with the heavy metal bioavailability in soil was noted from non-linear models. The transfer factors (TFs) were 4.49 for Cd and 1.39 for Zn. The Zn concentration in leaves under all treatments did not exceed threshold set standards, but Cd levels exceeded these standards when the concentration of Cd in the soil was more than 1.92 mg kg^?1 dry weight (dw). Data indicate that cole (Brassica) is not a suitable crop for oasis soils because of plant contamination with heavy metals, especially Cd.     

Adsorptive separation of phosphate oxyanion from aqueous solution using an inorganic adsorbent

Phosphate removal from aqueous solution was explored using granular ferric hydroxide (GFH) as an inorganic adsorbent. Adsorption, desorption and kinetic studies were conducted on laboratory scale to evaluate the performance of GFH as an adsorbent for low concentrations of phosphate solution. The effect of pH on adsorption was investigated, and phosphate uptake was shown to decrease with an increase in solution pH, with maximum removal seen to occur at pH 3. The experimental data best fit the Temkin isotherm at both pH 3 and 4. Uptake of phosphate by GFH follows second-order kinetics, with the small particle range (76–200 μm) removing phosphate from the solution more rapidly than the larger particle range (710–850 μm). The kinetic results suggest that intra-particle diffusion is an important factor in phosphate adsorption onto GFH. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS°) were evaluated, and the results indicated that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. This study demonstrates that GFH has potential to be used as a cost-effective adsorbent for phosphate removal from aqueous solution.     

Natural radioactivity and radiation exposure in the high background area at Chhatrapur beach placer deposit of Orissa, India

A high natural background radiation area is reported for the Chhatrapur beach placer deposit of Orissa state, on the southeastern coast of India, due to the presence of radiogenic heavy minerals. The average activity concentrations of radioactive elements 232Th, 238U and 40K were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry using a HPGe detector, and found to be 2500 +/-1850, 230 +/- 140 and 120 +/- 35 Bq kg-1, respectively, for the bulk sand samples. The absorbed gamma dose rates in air due to the naturally occurring radionuclides varied from 375 to 5000 nGy h-1, with an average value of 1625 +/- 1200 nGy h-1. The external annual effective dose rate of the region ranged from 0.46 to 6.12 mSv y-1, with an average value of 1625 +/- 1200 mSv y-1. The absorbed gamma dose rate levels of Chhatrapur beach area were similar to the monazite sand-bearing high background radiation areas of southern and southwestern coastal tracts of India and other similar areas of the world. The major contributors to the enhanced level of radiation are monazite and zircon sands.