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.     

太湖饮用水源地水环境健康风险评价

介绍了水环境健康风险评价方法,并根据太湖饮用水源地水环境质量监测数据,对4个饮用水源地通过饮水途径引起的水环境健康风险进行了评价。结果表明,2005～2009年,4个饮用水源地水环境健康个人年风险多数超过国际辐射防护委员会(ICRP)推荐的标准,主要风险因子为化学致癌物六价铬和砷;化学致癌物对人体健康危害个人年风险度远高于非化学致癌物;化学致癌物所致健康危害的个人年风险呈波动降低变化,非化学致癌物所致健康危害的个人年风险基本保持稳定。     

土壤残留滴滴涕、六六六的人群健康风险评价 ———以江苏省无锡市为例

摘要：选择土壤中残留的滴滴涕（DDTs）和六六六（HCHs）这两种有机氯农药,分亚群计算人群暴露量,应用于江苏省无锡市的人群健康风险的评价,并剖析人群健康风险水平以及风险来源。结果表明,无锡土壤的综合致癌风险为5.38×10^-5,综合非致癌风险为0.176。江苏无锡土壤残留的HCHs和DDTs对人体健康的平均风险较小。     

某废弃农药生产场地地下水挥发性有机物污染健康风险评价

对常州某废弃农药生产场地地下水中挥发性有机物污染状况和健康风险进行了调查评价。结果表明,该场地地下水中挥发性有机物污染以苯系物、氯代苯类和氯代烃类为主;部分点位地下水健康风险评价结果超出可接受范围,可能危害人体。     

张家口市洋河、桑干河流域水环境健康风险评价

张家口市洋河、桑干河流域近几年来水质持续改善,为逐步恢复流域水质和下游官厅水库饮用水备用水源功能提供了条件.文章利用水环境健康风险评价模型,选取了2006年该流域水质监测数据,对流域内10个监测断面由饮水途径引起的水环境健康风险进行了评价.结果表明,该流域水体对人体健康危害最大的是化学致癌物Cr(VI),在各个监测断面中Cr(VI)的个人年风险均超过ICRP推荐的标准.同时,化学致癌物对人体健康危害的个人年风险超过非致癌物的个人年风险;因此对该流域水体的含化学致癌物Cr(VI)和As废水进行控制和治理是降低水环境健康风险的有效途径.     

大气气溶胶中痕量金属元素的研究进展

综述了近年来国内外学者对大气气溶胶中痕量金属元素的研究进展,介绍了痕量金属元素的地球化学行为,以及大气气溶胶中痕量金属的源解析方法、在环境中的循环与污染、生物有效性及对人体的健康效应。建议研发更可靠的分析方法或在线检测仪器,避免采样和样品前处理过程中痕量金属的污染和损失;建立监测网络,形成区域性的大气监测模式,更全面地分析污染来源;与监测超级站建设、空气污染流行病学设计和毒性机制研究相结合,建立更加完善的研究体系。     

南宁市河流型水源地重金属污染调查与健康风险评价

通过对南宁市河流型水源地水体中Pb、Cd、Hg、As浓度调查与健康风险评价研究,结果表明:这4种元素在水体中的质量浓度较低,均达到《地表水环境质量标准》(GB 3838-2002)Ⅱ类标准;经饮水途径引起的健康风险从大到小依次为AsCdPbHg,说明As是南宁市饮用水源中的主要风险因子;4种元素通过饮水途径引起的平均个人年健康致癌风险值为1.48×10-6a-1~13.75×10-6a-1,非致癌风险值为7.05×10-10a-1,均低于美国环保局和国际辐射防护委员会的推荐值。     

Comparative Electrochemical Methods to Determine Fluoride Traces in NaCl

Fluoridated salt is an effective method to reduce dental decay in the population at large, in particular in settings where the more frequently used method of fluoridated water is not feasible due to unreliable water supplies. A salient problem of regular dosage and monitoring of fluoride in salt is its variable level at the industrial level. To evaluate the relative advantages of the present monitoring method used in Mexico, samples of domestic fluoridated salt were analysed by two comparative methods to determine their fluoride content. One of the methods employed was the relevant Mexican Offcial Norm (based on an acetic acid, sodium chloride, trans-1,2-diamine, cyclohexane N,N,N',N' tetracetic acid buffer solution) and the other was an alternative electrochemical methodology (based on an acetic acid, sodium chloride, sodium citrate buffer solution). The cost of the chemicals involved and simplicity of the alternative method, along with the equivalent precision of its results, makes it an interesting choice for the large scale analysis of fluoridated salt.     

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediment and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in fishes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin

The concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Hg, Cu, Zn, Pb and As) in the water, sediment, and fish were investigated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Potential ecological risk analysis of sediment heavy metal concentrations indicated that six sites in the middle reach, half of the sites in the lower reach, and two sites in lakes, posed moderate or considerable ecological risk. Health risk analysis of individual heavy metals in fish tissue indicated safe levels for the general population and for fisherman but, in combination, there was a possible risk in terms of total target hazard quotients. Correlation analysis and PCA found that heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn) may be mainly derived from metal processing, electroplating industries, industrial wastewater, and domestic sewage. Hg may also originate from coal combustion. Significant positive correlations between TN and As were observed.     

Incidence of thyroid disease following exposure to polybrominated biphenyls and polychlorinated biphenyls, Michigan, 1974-2006

Thyroid hormones, which influence body metabolism and development, could be affected by persistent organic pollutants. We sought to examine the relationship between polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and thyroid disease. We employed incidence density sampling to perform a nested case control analysis of the Michigan Long-Term PBB Cohort. Cohort members (n = 3333) were exposed to PBBs through contaminated cattle feed in 1973-1974 and to PCBs through daily life. Those with detectable serum PBB and PCB concentrations at enrollment were categorized into tertiles of PBB and PCB exposure. Case-patients were cohort members answering “Yes” to “Has a healthcare provider ever told you that you had a thyroid problem?” during follow-up interviews; control-patients were cohort members answering “No”. We used odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to compare odds of thyroid disease by PBB and PCB exposure and by various risk factors. Total cumulative thyroid disease incidence after 33 years was 13.9% among women and 2.6% among men. After adjusting for body mass index, we found no statistically significant differences in odds of any type of thyroid disease among women or men with elevated PBB or PCB exposure. Compared to control-patients, women with thyroid disease had increased odds of being overweight/obese (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.94-4.11) and developing infertility (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.08-2.69), diabetes (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.04-2.51), or arthritis (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.18-2.50) during follow-up. Additional research should explore potential associations between PBBs/PCBs and thyroid disease among children exposed in utero.