Comprehensive evaluation of nitrogen contamination in water ecosystems of the Miyun reservoir watershed, northern China: distribution, source apportionment and risk assessment.

Miyun Reservoir plays a vital role as a source of drinking water for Beijing, however it grapples with nitrogen contamination issues that have been poorly understood in terms of their distribution, source, and associated health risks. This study addresses this knowledge gap by employing data on nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), chloride (Cl-), dual isotopic compositions of NO3- (δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-) data in water ecosystems, systematically exploring the distribution, source and health risk of nitrogen contaminants in Miyun reservoir watersheds. The results showed that over the past 30 years, surface water runoff has exhibited a notable decrease and periodic fluctuations due to the combined influence of climate and anthropogenic activities, while the total nitrogen (TN) concentration in aquatic ecosystems presented an annual fluctuating upward trend. The TN concentration in the wet season was predominantly elevated because a large amount of nitrogen contaminants migrated into water ecosystems through heavy rainfall or river erosion. The concentration of NO3--N, the main contaminant of the water ecosystems, showed distinct variations across different watersheds, followed as rivers over the Miyun reservoir. Moreover, NO3--N levels gradually increased from upstream to downstream in different basins. NO3--N in surface water was mainly derived from the mixture of agricultural ammonia fertilizer and sewage and manure, with a minority of samples potentially undergoing denitrification. Comparatively, the main sources of NO3--N in groundwater were soil N and sewage and manure, while the denitrification process was inactive. The carcinogenic risks caused by NO3--N in groundwater were deemed either nonexistent or minimal, while the focus should predominantly be on potential non-carcinogenic risks, particularly for infants and children. Therefore, it is crucial to perform proactive measures aimed at safeguarding water ecosystems, guided by an understanding of the distribution, sources, and associated risks of nitrogen contamination.

Identifying the genetic mechanism of medium-low temperature fluoride-enriched geothermal groundwater by the self-organizing map and evaluating health risk in the Wugongshan area, southeast China.

Fluoride-enriched groundwater is a serious threat for groundwater supply around the world. The medium-low temperature fluoride-enriched geothermal groundwater resource is widely distributed in the circum-Wugongshan area. And the fluoride concentration of all geothermal samples exceeds the WHO permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L. The Self-Organizing Map method, hydrochemical and isotopic analysis are used to decipher the driving factors and genetic mechanism of fluoride-enriched geothermal groundwater. A total of 19 samples collected from the circum-Wugongshan geothermal belt are divided into four clusters by the self-organizing map. Cluster I, Cluster II, Cluster III, and Cluster IV represent the geothermal groundwater with the different degree of fluoride concentration pollution, the different hydrochemical type, and the physicochemical characteristic. The high F- concentration geothermal groundwater is characterized by HCO3-Na with alkalinity environment. The δD and δ18O values indicate that the geothermal groundwater origins from the atmospheric precipitation with the recharge elevation of 1000-2100 m. The dissolution of fluoride-bearing minerals is the main source of fluoride ions in geothermal water. Moreover, groundwater fluoride enrichment is also facilitated by water-rock interaction, cation exchange and alkaline environment. Additionally, the health risk assessment result reveals that the fluorine-enriched geothermal groundwater in the western part of Wugongshan area poses a more serious threat to human health than that of eastern part. The fluoride health risks of geothermal groundwater for different group show differentiation, 100% for children, 94.74% for adult females, and 68.42% for adult males, respectively. Compared with adult females and adult males, children faced the greatest health risks. The results of this study provide scientific evaluation for the utilization of geothermal groundwater and the protection of human health around the Wugongshan area.

Two Decades of Air Pollution Health Risk Assessment: Insights From the Use of WHO's AirQ and AirQ+ Tools.

Objectives: We evaluated studies that used the World Health Organization's (WHO) AirQ and AirQ+ tools for air pollution (AP) health risk assessment (HRA) and provided best practice suggestions for future assessments. Methods: We performed a comprehensive review of studies using WHO's AirQ and AirQ+ tools, searching several databases for relevant articles, reports, and theses from inception to Dec 31, 2022. Results: We identified 286 studies that met our criteria. The studies were conducted in 69 countries, with most (57%) in Iran, followed by Italy and India (∼8% each). We found that many studies inadequately report air pollution exposure data, its quality, and validity. The decisions concerning the analysed population size, health outcomes of interest, baseline incidence, concentration-response functions, relative risk values, and counterfactual values are often not justified, sufficiently. Many studies lack an uncertainty assessment. Conclusion: Our review found a number of common shortcomings in the published assessments. We suggest better practices and urge future studies to focus on the quality of input data, its reporting, and associated uncertainties.

Spatio-temporal distribution and source contributions of the ambient pollutants in Lucknow city, India.

Clean air is imperative to the survival of all life forms on the planet. However, recent times have witnessed enormous escalation in urban pollution levels. It is therefore, incumbent upon us to decipher measures to deal with it. In perspective, the present study was carried out to assess PM10 and PM2.5 loading, metallic constituents, gaseous pollutants, source contributions, health impact and noise level of nine-locations, grouped as residential, commercial, and industrial in Lucknow city for 2019-21. Mean concentrations during pre-monsoon for PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 were: 138.2 ± 35.2, 69.1 ± 13.6, 8.5 ± 3.3 and 32.3 ± 7.4 µg/m3, respectively, whereas post-monsoon concentrations were 143.0 ± 33.3, 74.6 ± 14.5, 12.5 ± 2.1, and 35.5 ± 6.3 µg/m3, respectively. Exceedance percentage of pre-monsoon PM10 over National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) was 38.2% while that for post-monsoon was 43.0%; whereas corresponding values for PM2.5 were 15.2% and 24.3%. Post-monsoon season showed higher particulate loading owing to wintertime inversion and high humidity conditions. Order of elements associated with PM2.5 is Co < Cd < Cr < Ni < V < Be < Mo < Mn < Ti < Cu < Pb < Se < Sr < Li < B < As < Ba < Mg < Al < Zn < Ca < Fe < K < Na and that with PM10 is Co < Cd < Ni < Cr < V < Ti < Be < Mo < Cu < Pb < Se < Sr < Li < B < As < Mn < Ba < Mg < Al < Fe < Zn < K < Na < Ca. WHO AIRQ + ascertained 1654, 144 and 1100 attributable cases per 0.1 million of population to PM10 exposure in 2019-21. Source apportionment was carried out using USEPA-PMF and resolved 6 sources with highest percent contributions including road dust re-entrainment, biomass burning and vehicular emission. It is observed that residents of Lucknow city regularly face exposure to particulate pollutants and associated constituents making it imperative to develop pollution abetment strategies.

Health risk and germ cell toxicity of five commercially available sachet waters in Nigeria: a public health concern.

Background: Sachet water is the most common form of portable water commercially available in Nigeria. Methodology: Using the murine sperm count and sperm abnormality assay, the germ cell toxicity of five common commercially available sachet waters in Nigeria was assessed in this study. The levels of hormones such as Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Total Testosterone (TT); and activities of catalase (CAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated. The heavy metal and physicochemical parameters of the sachet waters were also analyzed. Healthy male mice were allowed to freely drink the sachet waters for 35 days after which they were sacrificed. Results: The findings indicated that the concentrations of some heavy metals (As, Cr, and Cd) in the sachet waters exceeded the limit by regulatory organizations. The data of the total carcinogenic risk (TCR) and total non-carcinogenic risk (THQ) of some heavy metals associated with the ingestion of sachet water for adults and children showed that the values exceeded the acceptable threshold, and thus, is indicative of a high non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. The data of the sperm abnormality assay showed that in the exposed mice, the five sachet waters induced a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in abnormal sperm cells and a significantly lower mean sperm count. Additionally noted were changes in the serum activities of TT, FSH, ALP, AST, ALT, and LH. Conclusion: Thus, the sachet waters studied contained agents that can induce reproductive toxicity in exposed humans. This is of public health importance and calls for immediate action by regulatory bodies.

Elemental Composition and Health Risk Assessment of Deep-Sea Teleost's of the Levantine Basin.

The determination of metal(loid) (As, Fe, Al, Sr, Zn, Pb, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Cd) levels in the muscle tissue of 23 different deep-sea bony fish sampled off Mersin Bay (NE Levantine Basin) and the assessment of health risks for human consumption were aimed. Tissue metal(loid) concentrations were determined as dry weight and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The tissue metal(loid) concentrations (µg g dw) were converted to wet weight prior to health risk assessment calculations. Standard mathematical formulas were used to determine the health risk assessment. There was a statistically significant difference between the fish species in terms of tissue metal(loid) levels (p < 0.05). The highest metal(loid) level was found in C. sloani among other species. As and Fe had the highest and Cd the lowest tissue concentrations in the examined species (p < 0.05). The relationships between the metal(loid)s analyzed in the tissue were significant (p < 0.01;0.05). Fe had an antagonistic effect with Cd, while other metal(loid)s had a synergetic effect with each other. Risk assessment analyses were performed for the consumable species, and it was found that the estimated daily and weekly intakes were below the tolerable limits established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The target hazard quotient (THQ) values exceeded the threshold of 1 (THQ > 1) only for As. The target cancer risk (TCR) was below the tolerable limits (> 10-5) except for As, Cd, and Al.

Biomonitoring of pesticide exposure and its health implications in agricultural areas of Telangana, India: A brief data report.

The dataset represent the results of a cross-sectional study conducted in Telangana, India, to investigate the effects of pesticide exposure in agricultural regions. This study includes 341 pesticides exposed participants and 152 controls in three districts of Telangana including 15 farming villages. Blood and urine samples were analysed to determine various pesticide concentrations present in blood including organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids group of pesticides, and six dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites, including dimethyl phosphate (DMP), diethyl phosphate (DEP), dimethyl thiophosphate (DMTP), dimethyldithiophosphate (DMDTP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP) and diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP) were analysed in urine samples.In addition the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were measured using advanced analytical methods. The data provide information on pesticide profiles, exposure biomarkers and the relationship between exposure duration and AChE activity. These study results emphasise the importance and addressing pesticide-related health problems in farmers for proactive measures to mitigate the harmful effects of pesticide exposure in agriculture.

Source Identification of Urban dust Heavy Metals Using in Situ and Satellite Data in Three Mega Cities of Iran.

The aim of this study was an integrative assessment of heavy metals associated with urban dust data in Iran (Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Shiraz). Samples of urban dust from four sites (traffic, industrial, residential, and Greenland) were collected, and ten heavy metal concentrations were determined using ICP_MS in each sample. The highest average concentrations of metals were at the traffic site for the Mn, Zn, and Cr metals. The PMF model indicates a higher percentage of Pb participation, which shows the importance of traffic resources. The highest non-carcinogenic risk (HI) was for the Cr and the carcinogenic risk was tolerable. To evaluate aerosol and its effects on urban dust, Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) data were used during 2003-2023. According to the Mankendall test, the trend of AOD has been increasing in Esfahan (p_value < 0.05) and Shiraz. Although Ahvaz's AOD is about two times greater than other cities, the aerosol trend in Ahvaz is decreasing.

Toxicological risk assessment using spring water quality indices in plateaus of Giresun Province/Türkiye: a holistic hydrogeochemical data analysis.

Water scarcity is a growing concern due to rapid urbanization and population growth. This study assesses spring water quality at 20 stations in Giresun province, Türkiye, focusing on potentially toxic elements and physicochemical parameters. The Water Quality Index rated most samples as "excellent" during the rainy season and "good" during the dry season, except at stations 4 (40° 35' 12″ North/38° 26' 34″ East) and 19 (40° 44' 28″ North/38° 06' 53″ West), indicating "poor" quality. Mean macro-element concentrations (mg/L) were: Ca (34.27), Na (10.36), Mg (8.26), and K (1.48). Mean trace element values (µg/L) were: Al (1093), Zn (110.54), Fe (67.45), Mn (23.03), Cu (9.79), As (3.75), Ni (3.00), Cr (2.84), Pb (2.70), Co (1.93), and Cd (0.76). Health risk assessments showed minimal non-carcinogenic risks, while carcinogenic risk from arsenic slightly exceeded safe limits (CR = 1.75E-04). Higher arsenic concentrations during the rainy season were due to increased recharge, arsenic-laden surface runoff, and human activities. Statistical analyses (PCA, PCC, HCA) suggested that metals and physico-chemical parameters originated from lithogenic, anthropogenic, or mixed sources. Regular monitoring of spring water is recommended to mitigate potential public health risks from waterborne contaminants.

Dietary exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons of the Hong Kong population.

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment and food. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives concluded 13 individual PAHs are carcinogenic and genotoxic in vitro and in vivo. Food is recognized as the main source of exposure to PAHs for adult non-smokers, which contributed to more than 90% of total exposure. In this study, 300 food samples were collected in Hong Kong, analysed the levels of 16 European Union priority PAHs, the dietary exposure to these PAHs by the local adult population from these food items, and the associated health risk. The most predominant detectable PAH was chrysene (CHR) (14.4%), followed by benzo[c]fluorene (11.2%), benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) (10.6%) and benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbFA) (7.8%). The dietary exposures for average consumers of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and PAH4 (sum of BaP, CHR, BaA and BbFA) were 0.13-0.90 and 1.4-4.2 ng/kg bw/day respectively for lower and upper bound approaches. Cereal and its products contributed more than 50% to BaP and PAH4 for average consumers in a lower-bound approach. The margin of exposure (MOE) approach was used to assess the health risks of consumers. The calculated MOE values for both BaP and PAH4 of the average and high consumers (90th percentile) were >50,000, indicating a low concern for the health of the Hong Kong population.

Dietary exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated Talinum Triangulare grown along polluted river.

The research aims to evaluate the source, dispersion, and human health risk assessment of PAH-contaminated Talinum Triangulare grown along the polluted Ikpoba River. The freeze-dried vegetables were sonicated with dichloromethane for an hour and then concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The extract was purified using a glass column with anhydrous Na2SO4 and silica gel and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The distribution of the contaminants showed that Pyrene < Benzo(a)anthracene ≤ Fluorene < Phenathrene ≤ Naphthalene ≤ Acenaphthene < Anthracene ≤ Acenaphthylene, while Pyrene < Benzo(a)anthracene < Fluorene < Phenathrene < Acenaphthalene ≤ Naphthalene < Anthracene < Acenaphthylene in wet and dry periods, respectively. The average ∑8 PAHs was 0.85 mg/kg and 0.75 mg/kg in wet and dry periods, respectively, and showed a decrease of 17.64% from wet to dry periods. The daily average dose revealed that the infant male and the adult female consumed the least and highest doses of T. Triangulare (TT), respectively. Furthermore, the hazard quotient and hazard index were < 1 for all the target groups, with adult females having higher values in both seasons. However, the incremental life cancer risk of the target group was between potential and high-potential cancer risk, with adolescent males and adult females more prone to low and high cancer risk, respectively. The isomer ratio and multivariate statistics revealed the sources of the PAH-contaminated TT to be more from pyrolysis.

Hydrogeochemical characteristics, driving factors, and health risk assessment of karst groundwater in Southwest Hubei Province, China.

In South China, karst groundwater is an important water resource for industrial, agricultural, and drinking purposes. However, karst aquifers are highly vulnerable to pollution, leading to deteriorating karst groundwater quality and posing potential health risks to local residents. In this study, 22 groundwater samples were collected from a karst aquifer in the southwestern part of Hubei Province. The hydrogeochemical characteristics and their controlling factors were examined, and the potential health risks associated with groundwater pollutant concentrations in karst groundwater were assessed. The results showed that the groundwater is slightly alkaline with low chemical oxygen demand values, indicating good water quality. The groundwater facies type was identified as HCO3-Ca at most sample spots, showing low total dissolved solids concentrations. Substantial spatial variations in Na+, CO3 2-, and NO2 - concentrations were found, whereas spatial variations in the K+, Ca2+, Cl-, HCO3 -, and F- concentrations were small. In addition, the dissolution of gypsum deposits and magnesium carbonate sedimentary rocks at sampling sites resulted in groundwater facies types of HCO3•SO4-Ca and HCO3-Ca•Mg, with low total dissolved solids concentrations. The karst groundwater chemistry in the study area was mainly controlled by water-rock interactions, as well as by the dissolution of gypsum deposits and magnesium carbonate sedimentary rocks at specific groundwater sampling sites. The groundwater Cl- concentrations were mainly affected by atmospheric precipitation. NO3 - was mainly derived from atmospheric precipitation, domestic sewage, septic tanks, and industrial activities, whereas SO4 2- was derived from atmospheric precipitation, sulfate rock dissolution, and sulfide mineral oxidation. These results highlight the absence of potential human health risks of NO3 - and F- to infants, children, and adults, as their concentrations are below the corresponding regional background values. In contrast, the potential health risks of Cl- cannot be ignored, particularly for infants. This study offers scientific guidelines for protecting and allocating local groundwater resources.

Groundwater health risk assessment and its temporal and spatial evolution based on trapezoidal fuzzy number-Monte Carlo stochastic simulation: A case study in western Jilin province.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Four-step-Method (FSM) is a straightforward and extensively utilized tool for evaluating regional health risks, However, the complex and heterogeneous groundwater environment system causes great uncertainty in the assessment process. Triangular stochastic simulation (TSS) possesses certain advantages in solving uncertainty problems, but its inadequacy with discrete data reveals limitations in this aspect. To solve the above problems, this study proposes to construct trapezoidal fuzzy number-Monte Carlo stochastic simulation (TFN-MCSS) to compensate for the shortcomings of the first two methods. This method adopted trapezoidal fuzzy number (TFN) analysis to comprehensively consider the characteristics of a large dispersion of water quality monitoring data and the uncertainty of the human health risk assessment (HHRA) process. Concurrently, to overcome the subjectivity and uncertainty of artificially determining the interval of TFN in traditional methods, the slope was used to select the most probable interval value (TMPIV) of TFN combined with the α-truncated set technique (α-TST) and MCSS. Based on these, a TFN-MCSS was constructed and applied to groundwater HHRA in western Jilin Province. First, the groundwater chemical characteristic determination and water quality evaluation in western Jilin were performed to identify the main pollution indicators, and the health risk effects of pollutants in groundwater of different aquifers at different time periods on adults and children were evaluated using the TFN-MCSS. The uncertainty and sensitivity were analyzed, and the primary risk control indicators were identified and compared to FSM and TSS. The results reveal that TFN-MCSS was more sensitive to data and could reduce the uncertainty of assessment process. It indicated that over a 10-year period, the health risks associated with unconfined groundwater (UW) and confined water (CW) decreased by greater than 52 %. However, the highest total non-carcinogenic risk index (THI) was 1.3-fold higher than the safety threshold, and this posed a health risk.

Integrated assessment of groundwater quality dynamics and Land use/land cover changes in rapidly urbanizing semi-arid region.

Rapid urbanization worldwide, poses numerous environmental challenges between escalating land use land cover (LULC) changes and groundwater quality dynamics. The main objective of this study was to investigate the dynamics of groundwater quality and LULC changes in Sargodha district, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater hydrochemistry reveals acceptable pH levels (<8) but total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) and HCO3- showed dynamic fluctuations by exceeding WHO limits. Piper diagrams, indicated dominance by magnesium and bicarbonate types, underscoring the influence of natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Major ion relationships in 2010, 2015, and 2021 showed a high correlation (R2 > 0.85) between Na+ and Cl-, suggesting salinization. whereas, the poor correlation (<0.17) between Ca2+ and HCO3- does not support calcite dissolution as the primary process affecting groundwater composition. The examination of nitrate contamination in groundwater across the years 2010, 2015, and 2021 was found to be high in the municipal sewage zone, suggesting a prevailing issue of nitrate contamination attributed to urban activities. The Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI) reveals a concerning trend, with a higher proportion of samples classified under moderate to high pollution categories in 2015 and 2021 compared to 2010. The qualitative assessment of nitrate concentration on spatiotemporal scale showed lower values in 2010 while a consistent rise from 2015 to 2021 in north-east and western parts of district. Likewise, NPI was high in the north-eastern and south-western regions in 2010, then reduced in subsequent years, which may be attributed to effective waste management practices and alterations in agricultural practices. The health risk assessment of 2010 indicated Total Health Hazard Quotient (THQ) within the standard limit, while in 2015 and 2021, elevated health risk was observed. This study emphasizes the need to use multiple approaches to groundwater management for sustainable land use planning and regulations that prioritize groundwater quality conservation.

Occurrence, evaluation, and human health risk assessment of ochratoxin a in infant formula and cereal-based baby food: a global literature systematic review.

This study reviews global levels of ochratoxin A (OTA) in infant formula and cereal-based foods, using Monte Carlo simulation to assess risks. The review found 24 studies on global OTA levels in infant food and cereal-based products, using databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase until March 2024. We estimated OTA exposure in infant food based on concentration, intake and body weight. The exposure and hazard quotient margin were calculated using BMDL10 and TDI values. Monte Carlo simulation evaluated human health risks from OTA in infant formula and cereal-based foods. A global study from 14 countries shows varying levels, surpassing EU limits in Tunisia, Ecuador, the USA, and generally in Africa, notably in infant cereals, which had higher levels than formula. Globally, OTA was present in 29.3% of the 3348 samples analyzed, with Lebanon at 95.2% and Brazil at 0%. Analysis indicates only non-carcinogenic risk for infants. While health risks for infants are mostly low, ongoing research and monitoring are vital to minimize OTA exposure in infant food.

Assessment of heavy metal contamination in leafy vegetables: implications for public health and regulatory measures.

Heavy metal contamination in leafy vegetables poses significant health risks, highlighting the urgent need for stringent monitoring and intervention measures to ensure food safety and mitigate potential adverse effects on public health. This study investigates the levels of heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu), in locally grown and commercially available leafy vegetables, comparing them to the safety limits established by WHO/FAO. The results revealed that levels of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb in the vegetables exceeded WHO/FAO limits, while Zn and Cu remained within permissible bounds. Marketed vegetables exhibited higher metal concentrations than those from nearby farms. For Cu (0.114-0.289 mg/kg) and Zn (0.005-0.574 mg/kg), the daily intake of metals (DIM) was below the dietary intake (DI) and upper limit (UL). Cd's DIM (0.031-0.062 mg/kg) remained below the UL but exceeded the DI. Marketed kale and mint surpassed both DI and UL limits for Ni, while local produce only exceeded the DI. All vegetables had DIM below the DI, except for mint and kale. For Pb, every vegetable exceeded DI limits, with market samples contributing significantly. Cr's DIM ranged from 0.028 to 1.335 mg/kg, for which no set maximum daily intake exists. The health risk index (HRI) values for Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb suggested potential health risks associated with leafy greens, while Cr's HRI was below 1. The study underscores the need for stringent monitoring and intervention measures to mitigate the health risks posed by heavy metal contamination in leafy vegetables. These findings suggest that consuming these leafy greens may put consumers at considerable risk for health problems related to Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn exposure.

Evaluation of potential human health risks arising from nitrate and fluoride in the groundwater of Aurangabad, Bihar using GIS and chemometric analysis.

This study employed the groundwater pollution index to assess the appropriateness of groundwater for human consumption. Additionally, the hazard index was utilized to evaluate the potential non-carcinogenic risks associated with fluoride and nitrate exposure among children, women, and men in the study region. A total of 103 samples were collected from the Aurangabad district of Bihar. The analyzed samples were assessed using several physicochemical parameters. Major cations in the groundwater are Ca2+ > Mg2+ and major anions are HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- > NO3- > F- > PO43-. Around 17% of the collected groundwater samples surpassed the allowable BIS concentration limits for Nitrate, while approximately 11% surpassed the allowed limits for fluoride concentration. Principal component analysis was utilized for its efficacy and efficiency in the analytical procedure. Four principal components were recovered that explained 69.06% of the total variance. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) of nitrate varies between 0.03-1.74, 0.02-1.47, and 0.03-1.99 for females, males, and children, respectively. The HQ of fluoride varies between 0.04-1.59, 0.04-1.34, and 0.05-1.82 for females, males, and children, respectively. The central part of the district was at high risk according to the spatial distribution maps of the total hazard index (THI). Noncarcinogenic risks due to THI are 47%, 37%, and 28% for children, females, and males, respectively. According to the human health risk assessment, children are more prone to getting affected by polluted water than adults. The groundwater pollution index (GPI) value ranges from 0.46 to 2.27 in the study area. Seventy-five percent of the samples fell under minor pollution and only one fell under high pollution. The spatial distribution of GPI in the research area shows that the central region is highly affected, which means that this water is unsuitable for drinking purposes.

Environmental and human health risk assessment of soils in areas of ore mineralization and past gold-mining activity.

The patterns of the potentially toxic elements (PTEs: Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Pb, Hg) distribution in soils were studied together with the health risk assessment in the area of ore mineralization, past gold activity, and tailing effects of the Sarala gold-ore group located in the Republic of Khakassia, Russia. High PTE concentrations were found in soils with the presence of potential negative impact on human health based on the following: local background investigation, according to statistics; geochemical, environmental, and human health risk calculations; and comparative analysis using international and local reference, such as continental crust, clarke, and permissible concentrations. Sources of PTE soil enrichment and pollution were statistically identified in ascending order of degree: geogenic (local background) < geogenic-technogenic (sites with geological exploration traces - trenches) < technogenic (waste tailings). The main pollutants are Hg and As which showed moderate to significant ecological risk. Negative impact of Cr on soils was found. The pollution degree and toxicity (moderate to significant) of other PTEs increase in the location of ore mineralization zone with exploration trenches and waste tailings. Arsenic poses a carcinogenic risk to adults and children upon contact with polluted soils and non-carcinogenic effect on children in areas affected by tailings and ore mineralization zone. The non-carcinogenic effect of Fe on children was found in soils of all sites. The results provide useful information regarding the studied PTEs and their impact on the environment and human health. Such information can be helpful for the state-level decision-making process when addressing solutions for contaminated areas.

Investigating the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health hazards of heavy metal ions in Spinacia oleracea grown in agricultural soil treated with biochar and humic acid.

This study addressed the bioaccumulation and human health risk among the consumption of Spinacia oleracea grown in agricultural soil treated with humic acid (189-2310 ppm) and biochars (0.00-5.10%.wt). The biochars came from two local feedstocks of rice-husk (RH) and sugar-beet-pulp (SBP) pyrolyzed at temperatures 300 and 600 °C. Total concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Ni found in both the soil and biomass/biochar exceeded global safety thresholds. The bioaccumulation levels of HMs in spinach leaves varied, with Fe reaching the highest concentration at 765.27 mg kg-1 and Cd having the lowest concentration at 3.31 mg kg-1. Overall, the concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Ni in spinach leaves exceeded the safety threshold limits, so that its consumption is not recommended. The assessment of hazard quotient (HI) for the HMs indicated potential health hazards for humans (HI > 1) from consuming the edible parts of spinach. The biochar application rates of 4.35%wt and 0.00%.wt resulted in the highest (3.69) and lowest (3.15) HI values, respectively. The cumulative carcinogenic risk (TCR) ranged from 0.0085 to 0.0119, exceeding the cancer risk threshold. Introducing 5.10%wt biomass/biochar resulted in a 36% rise in TCR compared to the control. The utilization of humic acid alongside HMs-polluted biochars results in elevated levels of HMs bioaccumulation exceeding the allowable thresholds in crops (with a maximum increase of 49% at 2000 ppm humic acid in comparison to 189 ppm). Consequently, this raised the HI by 46% and the TCR by 22%. This study demonstrated that the utilization of HMs-polluted biochars could potentially pose supplementary health hazards. Moreover, it is evident that the utilization of HMs-polluted biochars in treating metal-contaminated soil does not effectively stabilize or reduce pollution.

A comprehensive perspective on potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) bound with particulate matters in ambient air of landfill sites: a systematic review and probabilistic risk assessment.

Air pollution from Potentially Hazardous Elements bound with particulate matter (PHEs bound PM) in landfill air is a significant concern for human health. To date, no comprehensive research has focused on the health risks of PHEs bound to PM in landfill air. This systematic review aimed to examine PHEs, including Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Arsenic (As), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn) bound with PM in landfill air and assess the health risk for workers and waste management personnel. The systematically search was made in different electronic databases. After the screening, 18 most relevant studied focused on PHEs bound PM in landfill air were selected. The data extraction analysis indicated that mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Ni, and Zn in landfill air were 0.3037, 0.0941, 0.4093, 0.0221, 0.2768, and 0.7622 µg/m3, respectively. Except for Pb, the concentrations of other PHEs bound to PM exceeded USEPA air quality standards. In addition, Non-carcinogenic risks from Cd, Cr, and Ni exposure exceeded permissible limits (HQ > 1), while As had an HQ value of 0.401. Carcinogenic risks from As, Cd, Ni, and Pb exposure were 1.31 × 10-5, 5.10 × 10-4, 3.51 × 10-5, and 2.03 × 10-6, respectively. Notably, the lifetime carcinogenic risk for workers exposed to Cr in polluted air (6.17 × 10-3) exceeded permissible limits (10-4 to 10-6). In conclusion, given the high carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of some PHEs bound PM in landfills, it is necessary to conduct more research on the health effects of interaction with these PHEs bound PM on communities and the environment in different countries. Also, it is necessary to evaluate the role of different landfill operational activities on atmospheric dispersion of PHEs bound PM) in landfill air.