Major and minor element contents of calabash clay (nzu) from Abia State,Nigeria: evaluation of potential intake benefits and risks

Major and trace elements were determined in nzu (calabash clay) from Abia State, Nigeria, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean calcium content was 1900 ± 100 mg/kg dry weight, followed by Na 1400 ± 96, Fe 1500 ± 480, K 260 ± 150, and Mg 100 ± 48 mg/kg. The mean concentration of Zn was 35 ± 5, Cu 16 ± 2.0, Mn 17 ± 5.0, Cr 10 ± 1.0, Ni 9.0 ± 2.0, Cd 4.3 ± 1.7, Co 3.9 ± 1.1, and Pb 3.0 ± 0.8 mg/kg. The contents of Ba and V were <0.4 mg/kg. The mean Pb content was higher than the WHO safe limit (0.4 mg/kg) and EU (1 mg/kg) limit for food. Estimates of daily intake of Cd, Cr, Fe, and Ni upon consuming 30–80g of nzu were above the recommended daily intake values. The Ba, Ca, Co, K, Mg, Na, and Zn contents should not exceed the recommended daily intake while Cd, Ni, and Pb would pose health risks, especially in pregnancy. The total target hazard quotient indicated potential health risks to consumers.     

Drinking water quality at Isoko North communities of the Niger Delta Region,Nigeria

Groundwater samples from boreholes and open-hand-dug wells of six communities in the Isoko North Local Government Area of Nigeria were analyzed in respect to physicochemical factors, biological factors, and the metals Na, K, Mg, Ca, Ba, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Fe for eight consecutive months to give mean values for the wet (July to October 2010) and the dry seasons (November 2010 to February 2011) for each location. The physicochemical parameters complied with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, except for the pH being lower and the concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Ba, being higher than the permissible limits of WHO. Total coliform counts indicated bacterial contaminations, especially in one location. The presence of Pb in the drinking water of all communities seemed to be associated with oil exploration and processing activities.     

Antioxidant role of ascorbic acid on oxidative stress induced by sub-acute exposure of lead and cypermethrin in erythrocytes of Wistar rats

This study aimed to evaluate the reparative potential of ascorbic acid (AA, 100 mg/kg, orally for 28 days) in sub-acute lead (Pb, 100 ppm in drinking water for 28 days) or cypermethrin (CPM, 50 mg/kg, orally in vehicle for 28 days) poisoning alone and as binary mixture on the basis of oxidative stress parameters in erythrocytes of Wistar rats. Both Pb and CPM produced significant increase in lipid peroxidation along with elevated glutathione-S-transferase and catalase activity individually but not as a binary mixture. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly increased but glutathione levels were significantly reduced irrespective of single or co-exposure while the activity of superoxide dismutase and erythrocytic protein content were not significantly affected. Co-exposure led to a comparatively lower level of oxidative stress than that induced by Pb or CPM alone indicating an antagonistic toxicodynamic profile in rat erythrocytes. Co-administration of AA along with Pb and/or CPM significantly restored the oxidative stress parameters to normal values. Overall results indicated that co-exposure induces a lower level of oxidative stress and AA ameliorates Pb- and/or CPM-induced oxidative damage in rat erythrocytes.     

Metals in the indoor environment

There is a growing recognition that individual exposures to a broad spectrum of metal, inorganic and organic pollutants exceed those from ambient and in some cases from the vicinity of industry environments. The agents often found in indoor environments are mostly known to be hazardous in high concentrations, but the lower limit of their dose response relationships are poorly defined.

The major sources of metals in indoor environments are cigarette smoke (mainstream and side stream), fuel combustion, house dust and consumer products with arsenic, cadmium, lead and nickel being of primary toxicological potential (i.e. carcinogenic, genotoxic and reproductive development). Aspects of levels and duration of human exposure to these elements in relation to existing body burdens and subsequent bioavailability and interactions are generally poorly known from inhalation sources.

Although the magnitude of indoor health hazards to metallic constituents is not now known, mounting evidence suggests that both identification of agents and the measurement of indoor exposures are critical for a more realistic assessment of the effect of this aspect of air pollution on human health.     

Cadmium and lead bioaccumulation in male chickens for high food concentrations

Cadmium and lead bioaccumulation in broilers fed on rations containing high concentrations of Cd and Pb was studied. The degree of bioaccumulation was assessed by using klark of concentration (Kc). It was established that the 100 and 200 fold increase of lead and cadmium in the ration resulted in their increase in the muscles, the bones and the liver, but the degree of bioaccumulation was considerably lower than the increase of both of the heavy elements in the ration indicated by the lower Kc. A conclusion was drawn that the organism possesses adaptation mechanisms for limitation of cadmium and lead bioaccumulation through these mechanisms are not efficient enough for high ration doses of both elements. High ration doses resulted in bioaccumulation exceeding the safe for humans concentrations of lead in the bones and of cadmium in the muscles (for doses 200 fold higher than the highest Bulgarian State standard 13426–77 permissible concentrations /HPC/) and in the liver for doses 100 fold higher than HPC.     

Analysis of lead in tongkat Ali hitam herbal preparations in Malaysia

The DCA (Drug Control Authority), Ministry of Health, Malaysia implemented the phase three registration of traditional medicines on January 1st, 1992. As such, a total of 100 products in various pharmaceutical dosage forms of a herbal preparation obtained in Malaysia, containing tongkat Ali hitam, either single or combined preparations, were analyzed for the contamination of a heavy toxic metal, lead, using atomic absorption spectrophotometer, after performing a simple random sampling to enable each sample an equal chance of being selected in an unbiased manner. Results showed that 17% of these products contained 10.3–20.3?ppm of lead, and therefore, do not comply with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia. The quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia is not exceeding 10?ppm for lead. Out of these 17 products, 7 products have been registered with the DCA, Malaysia whilst the rest, however, have not registered with the DCA, Malaysia. Although this study showed that 83% of the products complied with the quality requirement for traditional medicines in Malaysia pertaining to lead, however, they cannot be assumed safe from lead contamination because of the risk of batch-to-batch variability.     

Prevalence of anaemia among children living in five communities in and near Karachi,Pakistan

The primary objectives of this research were to estimate the prevalence of anaemia and low haematocrit among preschool children living in Karachi. Through a geographically stratified design, 349 children aged 36–60 months were selected, from five communities in and near Karachi. Blood samples were drawn from children and a questionnaire was administered to evaluate various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression procedures were used to compare the prevalence of anaemia and low haematocrit among various strata. The overall prevalence of anaemia and low haematocrit were 55.9 and 48.4%, respectively. Children living in the rural community had the highest prevalence of anaemia (78.7%) and low haematocrit (63.8%). Children aged 36–48 months had also higher prevalence of anaemia and low haematocrit. Children's nutritional status was significantly associated with both anaemia and low haematocrit. We recommend appropriate interventions to reduce the burden of these conditions in Pakistan.     

Classification of occupations at risk in Thailand for lead exposure using blood lead levels as a biomarker

Lead (Pb) exposure is of particular concern because of the ongoing exposure of thousands of workers in industrial plants. Monitoring of Pb exposure among the at-risk workers is recommended and amongst various biomarkers, and it is well-established that blood lead (BPb) determination is utilized for biomonitoring. There are some previous reports on the BPb levels among several at-risk occupations in Thailand; however, there has been no comparison among these occupations with respect to metal levels in the blood. The aim of this study was to correlate at-risk occupations with Pb exposure and BPb levels. In order to compare between occupations, it was not possible to obtain a direct correlation as there are several confounding factors, especially for occupational conditions and lab measurement techniques. In this study, the exposure risk ratio from five previously available reports regarding BPb determination in at-risk occupations in Thailand is presented. Of interest, the high risk occupations are those in which individuals directly inhaled Pb in environmental ambient air. The cutoff median of exposure risk ratio was found to be 12.6 and this may be a useful value in determining whether exposed workers are at high risk in future studies.     

In vitro effects of lead on fatty acid composition,oxidative stress biomarkers and quality of ram spermatozoa

The sperm quality and several parameters associated with oxidative stress were evaluated in ram (Ovis aries) spermatozoa suspensions incubated with 0, 50 or 500 ng/mL Pb during 0, 1, 3 or 6 h. The presence of Pb during incubation, reduced the integrity of the acrosome, % sperm motility and integrity, and the functionality of membrane. On the contrary, % polyunsaturated fatty acids and the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the spermatozoa suspensions were not affected by Pb. Moreover, glutathione peroxidase activity was decreased and the fatty acid composition changed due to the relative increase in % stearic acid during the incubation time independently on Pb presence. Data showed that several effects of Pb on sperm quality usually observed in vivo also occurred in vitro, but without any relationship with oxidative stress biomarkers.     

Experimental investigations of five different mosses on accumulation capacities of Cu,Pb and Zn

Uptake of Pb, Cu and Zn by different epiphytic moss species Floribundaria floribunda (Doz. &; Molk.) Fleisch., Taxiphyllum giraldii (C. Muell.) Fleisch. and Thuidium sparsifolium (Mitt.) Jaeg., an epilithic moss Thuidium delicatulum (L.) Mitt. and a leafy liverwort Ptychanthus striatus (Lehm. &; Linderb.) Nees. was studied experimentally. The plant bodies were treated with single metal and mixed metal solutions of Pb(NO₃)₂, CuCl₂ and ZnCl₂ at different concentrations ranging from 10^?10 to 10^?2 mol L^?1. Higher uptake of Pb, Cu and Zn by T. giraldii, T. sparsifolium and P. striatus than by F. floribunda and T. delicatulum was shown in both treatments. Compared with the single metal treatment, the uptake of Zn was very low at higher concentrations in the mixed metal treatment. A slight depletion of Zn was noticed in the long-term exposure. Leaching of naturally accumulated Zn from the mosses and leafy liverwort was also observed when treated with higher concentrated (10^?4, 10^?2 mol L^?1) Pb(NO₃)₂ and CuCl₂ solutions. Similarly, the leaching of naturally accumulated Cu was observed in leafy liverwort P. striatus with 10^?2 mol L^?1 Pb(NO₃)₂ and ZnCl₂ treatments. However, insignificant changes were observed on naturally accumulated Pb and Cu in mosses. From these experiments, the epiphytic mosses T. giraldii and T. sparsifolium, which have high Cation exchange capacity and large leaf surface area, have been found to be suitable for assessing heavy metal concentration in a moderately or slightly contaminated environment.