Risk of exposure to Hg and pesticides residues in a traditional fishing community in the Amazon: a probabilistic approach based on dietary pattern

Exposure to mercury (Hg) and pesticides (o.p’DDT, p.p’DDT, o.p’DDE, and p.p’DDE) in the Amazon through eating fish is of concern due to the large participation of this food in the diet of traditional fishing communities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the estimated daily intake (EDI) and the incremental lifetime cancer risk associated with Hg and o.p’DDT, p.p’DDT, o.p’DDE, and p.p’DDE in an Amazonian community. The results showed that for Hg, the EDI from carnivorous and detritivorous fish had the highest values, while for pesticides, the EDI from detritivorous fish intake had the highest value. The incremental lifetime cancer risk was below the permitted limit. A recommendation for controlling the high risk of exposure includes the reduction of detritivorous fish ingestion and/or replacement with herbivorous fish, which had lower EDI. We highlight the importance of investigating the human dietary patterns when estimating risk of exposure to Hg and pesticides.

     

An efficient simultaneous degradation of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim by photoelectro-Fenton process under non-modified pH using a natural citric acid source: study of biodegradability,ecotoxicity, and antibacterial activity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this work, the use of natural organic wastes (orange and lemon peels) as sources of citric acid was evaluated along with the application of the...     

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Coffee Capsule Recycling Process and Its Composites Reinforced with Natural Fibers

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The present research aims to propose a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between the coffee capsules recycling process and the process of obtaining...     

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.     

Temporal and spatial assessment of groundwater contamination with nitrate using nitrate pollution index (NPI), groundwater pollution index (GPI), and GIS (case study: Essaouira basin,Morocco)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Groundwater aquifers in Morocco’s coastal regions are under serious threat as a result of climate change. This study was conducted to evaluate...     

Substitution of urea–formaldehyde by renewable phenolic compound for environmentally appropriate production of particleboards

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In recent years, research has been conducted in search of alternative adhesives that are less harmful to human health and the environment. Cardanol...     

Phosphorus removal in denitrifying woodchip bioreactors varies by wood type and water chemistry

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Denitrifying woodchip bioreactors are a practical nitrogen (N) mitigation technology but evaluating the potential for bioreactor phosphorus (P)...