Human health risk from Heavy metal via food crops consumption with wastewater irrigation practices in Pakistan

The current study was designed to investigate the potential human health risks associated with consumption of food crops contaminated with toxic heavy metals. Cadmium (Cd) concentration in surface soils; Cd, lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) in the irrigation water and food crops were above permissible limits. The accumulation factor (AF) was >1 for manganese (Mn) and Pb in different food crops. The Health Risk Index (HRI) was >1 for Pb in all food crops irrigated with wastewater and tube well water. HRI >1 was also recorded for Cd in all selected vegetables; and for Mn in Spinacia oleracea irrigated with wastewater. All wastewater irrigated samples (soil and food crops) exhibited high relative contamination level as compared to samples irrigated with tube well water. Our results emphasized the need for pretreatment of wastewater and routine monitoring in order to avoid contamination of food crops from the wastewater irrigation system.     

用幼苗法指示污泥和土壤中重金属的植物有效性

利用小麦幼苗与黑麦幼苗研究了污泥和土壤中重金属的植物有效性,并对二者进行了比较。结果表明, 在两种污灌区土壤、四种污泥以及一种污泥施用于两种清洁土壤中,黑麦和小麦测定的Cd,Pb,Cu,Zn,Ni五种重金属有效性的顺序,以及有效性大小的数量级上是一致的;除了在污泥中,二者的茎Pb,Ni及根Zn相关不显著,以及在Lou土中施用污泥后,两种植物各部位相关不好外,在污泥及污泥施于赤红壤各处理中黑麦与小麦相关均匀为极显著。上述结果表明,应用小麦幼苗可以替代黑麦幼苗指标土壤中重金属的植物有效性,但同时也应考虑不同植物间的差异。     

Heavy Metal Distribution in Valley Sediments in Wadi Al-Karak Catchment Area, South Jordan

Valley sediments samples collected from the major and minor valleys of Al-Karak catchment area (southern Jordan) were leached with hot dilute HCl and analysed for their heavy metals content. The results of leachable metal concentrations indicated the absence of anomalous values for metal occurrences. However, appreciable contamination of the sediments with Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr was observed. Using an index of pollution the extent of contamination was better delineated. The geographical distribution of the samples showed higher Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cr concentrations mainly around heavily inhabited areas indicating an anthropogenic source of contamination. Lithological influence indicated from the anomalies of Fe and Mn was found to be very low.     

Coal-Mine Hollow Fill and Settling Pond Influences on Headwater Streams in Southern West Virginia, USA

The influences of coal-mine hollow fills and associated settling ponds in three headwater streams were assessed in southern West Virginia, USA. Fill drainage waters had elevated conductivities and metal concentrations, compared to a regional reference. Benthic macroinvertebrate richness was not affected consistently by the hollow fill drainages, relative to a regional reference, although a more tolerant community, lacking in Ephemeroptera taxa at most locations, was evident. Collector-filterer populations were elevated at monitoring stations directly below the settling ponds, indicating that the ponds’ presence influenced macroinvertebrate community structure by means of organic enrichment. Corbicula fluminea growth was enhanced in monitoring locations directly below the settling ponds, also an apparent result of organic enrichment. Results of acute water column toxicity testing with Ceriodaphnia dubia, sediment chronic toxicity testing with Daphnia magna, and in-situ ecotoxicological assessments with C. fluminea demonstrated no mortality or toxic influence at most of the sites tested below the ponds. The settling ponds appear to serve as sinks in collecting some, but not all, trace metals.     

Magnetic susceptibility measurements as proxy method to monitor soil pollution: development of experimental protocols for field surveys

In the framework of the development of new methods for measuring and monitoring soil pollution, this paper deals with the use of magnetic methodologies to monitor the heavy metals presence in soils. In particular it shows a procedure for collecting magnetic susceptibility measurements in order to interpret them as proxy variable for monitoring heavy metals in soils. Magnetic measurements are carried out using a magnetic susceptibility meter with two different probes for in situ field surveys. The experimental procedure is divided in two parts. In the first part we carry out laboratory tests aimed to evaluate, for both the probes, the effective investigation depth for soil, the measurement reproducibility under different conditions, and the influence of water content. We complete this part comparing in situ measurements obtained by means of two probes with different characteristics. In the second part we carry out tests to evaluate the relationships between heavy metal levels and magnetic susceptibility values of soil samples. We investigate the variability of the magnetic susceptibility measurements contaminating different soil samples with well known concentration of heavy metals. Moreover we study the correlation between magnetic susceptibility values and metal concentrations, determined by means of AAS, in soil samples collected during a field survey. Results suggest that a careful check of the experimental procedure play a crucial role for using magnetic susceptibility measurements for heavy metals in situ monitoring. This is very helpful both for improving the quality of data and for making simpler data interpretation.     

Facing Hazardous Matter in Atmospheric Particles with NanoSIMS (2 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Current scientific studies and evaluations clearly show that an increase of urban dust loads, alone or combined with other pollutants und certain meteorological conditions lead to different significant health effects. Premature death, increased hospital admissions and increased respiratory symptoms and diseases as well as decreased lung function can be observed in combination with high pollutant levels. Sensitive groups like elderly people or children and persons with cardiopulmonary diseases such as asthma are more strongly affected. Because of the direct contact between fine particles and lung tissue more information concerning the surface structure (mapping of toxic elements) is required. Materials and Methods: The NanoSims50 ion microprobe images the element composition at the surface of sub-micrometer air dust particles and documents hot spots of toxic elements as a possible threat for human health. Results: The atmospheric fine dust consists of a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. Heavy metals are fixed on airborn particles in the form of hot spots in a nanometer scale. From a sanitary point of view, the hot spots consisting of toxic elements are particularly relevant as they react directly with the lung tissues. Discussion: To what extent particles can penetrate the various areas of the lungs and be deposited there depends on the one hand on their physical characteristics and on the other on breathing patterns and the anatomy of the lung, which is subject to change as the result of growth, ageing or illness. Once inhaled, some particles can reach the pulmonary alveoli and thus directly expose the lung tissues to toxic elements. Conclusions: Especially the mapping of toxic arsenic or heavy metals like copper on the dust particles shows local hot spots of pollution in the dimension of only 50 nanometers. Recommendations and Perspectives: Imaging of elements in atmospheric particles with NanoSIMS will help to identify the material sources.     

Analysis of Heavy Metals in the Endometrial Tissue Using Electron Microscope

Objective This study was done to estimate whether heavy metals in the air may affect endometrial chemical composition. Materials and Methods A total of 30 albino Wistar rats were employed and randomly divided into three groups. The rats of Group 1 and 2 were acutely and sub-chronically exposed to the gas form of heavy metals, respectively. Group 3 was used as a control group. Endometrial tissue worth of heavy metals of the groups was measured in through using scanning electron microscope. Results A statistically no significant difference was found for endometrial chemical composition of all of the heavy metals (chrome, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc and lead) between group 1 and 2 (p > 0.05). On the other hand, there was statistically significant difference for all of the heavy metals between group 1 and group 3 (p < 0.05), while there was statistically significant difference for chrome, manganese, iron, cobalt and nickel (p < 0.05), but zinc and lead (p > 0.05) between group 2 and 3. Conclusion Air pollutants of Pb and Zn resulting mostly from combustion of fossil fuels and certain special industrial process in Kirikkale may be a risk factor for the high pregnancy loses by changing endometrial homeostasis.     

Determination of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) by ICP-OES and their speciation in Algerian Mediterranean Sea sediments after a five-stage sequential extraction procedure

Surface sediment samples (n = 18) were collected from the Algerian Mediterranean coasts and analyzed for seven metals using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry in order to asses the distribution and bioavailability of metals and to study the anthropogenic factors affecting their concentrations. Sediment samples were size-fractionated into three sizes: 1,080–500 (coarse), 500–250 (medium), and <250 mm (fine). Bulk sediments were subjected to both sequential extraction and total digestion to evaluate the reliability of the sequential extraction procedure (SEP), while the fractions have been only sequentially extracted for metals speciation. The metals were sequentially extracted into five phases namely exchangeable (P1), carbonates (P2), Fe–Mn oxides (P3), organic (P4) and residual (P5). Metal recoveries in sequential extractions were ±20% of the independently measured total metal concentrations; the high recovery rates indicate the good reliability of the SEP used in this study. Correlation coefficients indicated that the grain size has an effect on the distribution of metals in the investigated samples. The order of metal levels in the fractions was medium > fine > coarse for all the metals. The average total extractable metal concentrations for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 1.1, 8.8, 4.7, 1,291.3, 13.9, 5.7 and 20.4 μg/g, respectively. The northeastern shelf had the lowest metal levels while the highest were in northwestern part mainly due to the significant tourism activities in the northwestern part. Comparison of our results to Earth’s crust values and to previous studies points out that our samples were relatively unpolluted with respect to the heavy metals investigated; most of the metals are not from anthropogenic sources. Enrichment factors as the criteria for examining the impact of the anthropogenic sources of heavy metals were calculated, and it was observed that the investigated samples were not contaminated with Cr, Cu, and Fe, moderately contaminated with Ni, Pb, and Cd, and contaminated with Cd in some sites. The P5 phase had the highest percents of Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn. Cadmium and lead were predominant in the P4 phase, while Cu, Fe and Zn were distributed in the order P5 > P3 > P4 > P2 > P1. The following order of bioavailability was found with the heavy metals Pb > Cr > Cd > Ni > Zn > Cu > Fe.     

Plant Uptake/Bioavailability of Heavy Metals from the Contaminated Soil after Treatment with Humus Soil and Hydroxyapatite

Cellulose nitrate membrane filter was used for the preconcentration-separation of Cu, Co, Cd, Pb and Cr ions. The analyte ions were collected on the membrane filter by the aid of carmine. Then membrane filter was dissolved by using nitric acid. The levels of the analytes in the final solutions were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The analytical parameters including pH, amounts of carmine, sample volumes etc. have been optimized. No influences have been observed from the matrix ions. The detection limits for analytes were in the range of 0.08 μg/l-0.93 μg/l. The validation of the procedure was checked by the analysis of standard reference sediment (GBW 07309). The present method has been successfully applied for the FAAS determinations of analyte ions in real samples including black tea and magnesium salts.     

Assessment of the Quality Characteristics of Two Lakes (Koronia and Volvi) of N. Greece

Quality parameters from 17 sampling stations from Lake Koronia and 18 from Lake Volvi were determined during sampling period of one year. Physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, DO) did not show remarkable differences neither between sampling sites nor between sampling periods. Nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) were higher in lake Koronia than in Volvi showing relatively small temporal and spatial variations. As far as heavy metals in sediments, lake Koronia is considerably more polluted than Volvi lake especially with the metals Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb and Cd. The mean total concentrations of metals in lake Koronia decrease in the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Fe > Cd. The mean total concentrations of metals in lake Volvi decrease in the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Fe $>$ Cd.