[Blood cadmium level and the change of cadmium exposure risk in Chinese urban school-age children in 2002 and 2012].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the blood cadmium concentrations and the related change in Chinese urban children derived from the China Nutrition and Health Survey 2002 and 2012(CNHS 2002 and CNHS 2012). METHODS: The Chinese urban children aged 6-11 years were selected according to gender, age and regional distribution using the multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, as well as the corresponding whole blood samples. The blood cadmium concentration was carefully determined by the quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) and the percentage of blood cadmium over 2 µg/L was subsequently estimated. In addition, the upper limit values of the 95%CI of the 95th percentiles of available blood cadmium data was assessed as the threshold of cadmium exposure. RESULTS: Totally, 2182 Chinese urban children were included, and of these, 1036 children were from the CNHS 2002 and 1146 children were from the CNHS 2012. From the CNHS 2002 to the CNHS 2012, the median blood cadmium concentration was increased from 0.28 µg/L to 0.95 µg/L, and the percentage of blood cadmium with over 2 µg/L was elevated from 1.45% to 10.47%. In addition, the new estimated threshold of blood cadmium was ascended from 1.24 µg/L up to 2.89 µg/L. CONCLUSION: The risk of cadmium exposure in Chinese urban children aged 6-11 years was increasingly aggravated from the CHNS 2002 to the CNHS 2012.

Is Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Needed in Patients Undergoing Knee Arthroscopy? A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Although rare, deep vein thrombosis is a potentially life-threatening complication of knee arthroscopy. There are scanty literature analysing deep vein thrombosis after arthroscopy in Nepal. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy without chemoprophylaxis postoperatively at 2 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively. The study also aimed to estimate the risk of deep vein thrombosis in these patients by using Caprini Risk Assessment Model. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted at AKB center, B and B Hospital, Gwarko, Lalitpur, over a period of 16 months. All patients who underwent arthroscopy knee surgeries fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The primary outcome measure was the prevalence of deep vein thrombosis as diagnosed by compression color-coded ultrasonography of the popliteal vein and calf vein at 2 weeks and 6 weeks postoperatively. The secondary outcome measure was the prevalence of deep vein thrombosis in the risk groups according to Caprini Risk Assessment Model. RESULTS: Out of 612 patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgeries during the study period, 2 patients (0.33%) developed deep vein thrombosis at 6 weeks follow-up as diagnosed with ultrasonography of the popliteal and calf veins. The prevalence rate in high-risk group was 0.33% (1 in 307) and in very high-risk group was 5.88% (1 in 17). CONCLUSIONS: There was a low prevalence of deep vein thrombosis without chemoprophylaxis following knee arthroscopy in our study. There was higher prevalence of deep vein thrombosis in very high-risk group patients, so close monitoring of such patients during follow-up is recommended.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among First-Degree Relatives of Patients with Premature Cardiovascular Disease in Malta. Baseline Findings from the CRISO Project.

Purpose: A family history of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) confers a greater risk of developing ASCVD. However, the prevalence of ASCVD risk factors among asymptomatic Maltese adults with parental or fraternal history of premature ASCVD is unknown. The study aimed to evaluate and compare their risk with the general population. Patients and Methods: Posters to market the project were distributed in cardiac rehabilitation areas. Patients with premature cardiovascular disease facilitated recruitment by informing their relatives about the project. Medical doctors and cardiac rehabilitation nurses referred first-degree relatives. Posters were put up in community pharmacies, and an explanatory video clip was shared on social media for interested individuals to contact researchers. Those eligible were enrolled in a preventive cardiology lifestyle intervention. Their data were compared with the risk in the general population. Results: Many first-degree relatives had a suboptimal risk profile, with 60% (N = 89) having a total cholesterol level of >5.0 mmol/L; 54% having a low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level of >3 mmol/L; 70.5% being overweight/obese, with 62% having a waist circumference greater than the recommended values; 34.8% having hypertension; 56.2% being inadequately adherent to the Mediterranean diet; 62% being underactive, with 18% being sedentary; and 25.8% being smokers. First-degree relatives had significantly higher proportions of underactive lifestyle (p = 0.00016), high body mass index (>25kg/m2) (p = 0.006), and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.001) than the general population, with 30% having metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: This study determined the prevalence of lifestyle, biochemical, physiological, and anthropometric cardiovascular risk factors among asymptomatic first-degree relatives of Maltese patients with premature ASCVD. First-degree relatives had considerable prevalences of an underactive lifestyle, hypertension, and obesity, suggesting better screening and early risk factor intervention are needed to modify their risk of ASCVD.

This study was done to evaluate factors that can increase the risk of heart disease in siblings and offspring of Maltese patients who developed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) at a young age. Relatives were invited to meetings during which a risk evaluation was performed. The researchers found that relatives had a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors, meaning they were at increased risk of developing the disease. The researchers have concluded that reducing the risk of ASCVD in individuals at increased risk requires developing and testing potentially sustainable risk factor modification strategies.

A novel approach to assess temporal baseline levels of trace metal contamination in the mussel M. galloprovincialis in the Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Seas.

This study reports, for the first time, the baseline levels for fifteen trace metals in M. galloprovincialis tissue from around the Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Seas. The environmental quality in the surrounding seawater was assessed i.e., a mussel farm was investigated by using CF and DC indices, and the water quality was qualified as good for the aquacultural activities. A strong Cu-regulation in the transplanted mussels was observed and it ranged between 3.20 and 3.60 µg/g d.w. The highest bioavailability and bioconcentration of the particulate Fe fraction could present a health risk to consumers with a low risk level (1 < THQ < 9.9). Cr is considered the limiting metal for mussel consumption (< 2 kg/day). The metal contamination gradient was assessed using TEPI and TESVI indices that identified seven reference stations on the large scale and revealed that Cd is the most investigated metal in the literature databases, and found that Pb was the most bioavailable contaminant in the areas examined.

Probabilistic risk assessment of residential exposure to electric arc furnace steel slag using Bayesian model of relative bioavailability and PBPK modeling of manganese.

Electric arc furnace (EAF) slag is a coproduct of steel production used primarily for construction purposes. Some applications of EAF slag result in residential exposures by incidental ingestion and inhalation of airborne dust. To evaluate potential health risks, an EAF slag characterization program was conducted to measure concentrations of metals and leaching potential (including oral bioaccessibility) in 38 EAF slag samples. Arsenic, hexavalent chromium, iron, vanadium, and manganese (Mn) were identified as constituents of interest (COIs). Using a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) approach, estimated distributions of dose for COIs were assessed, and increased cancer risks and noncancer hazard quotients (HQs) at the 50th and 95th percentiles were calculated. For the residents near slag-covered roads, cancer risk and noncancer HQs were <1E - 6 and 1, respectively. For residential driveway or landscape exposure, at the 95th percentile, cancer risks were 1E - 6 and 7E - 07 based on oral exposure to arsenic and hexavalent chromium, respectively. HQs ranged from 0.07 to 2 with the upper bound due to ingestion of Mn among children. To expand the analysis, a previously published physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was used to estimate Mn levels in the globus pallidus for both exposure scenarios and further evaluate the potential for Mn neurotoxicity. The PBPK model estimated slightly increased Mn in the globus pallidus at the 95th percentile of exposure, but concentrations did not exceed no-observed-adverse-effect levels for neurological effects. Overall, the assessment found that the application of EAF slag in residential areas is unlikely to pose a health hazard or increased cancer risk.

Heavy metal contamination from fuel station run-off and carwash wastewater: An assessment of ecological risk and experimental treatment.

Fuel station run-off (FSR) and carwash wastewater (CWW) are potential sources of heavy metals contamination in surface waters. High levels of heavy metals can have dire consequences on the ecosystem in receiving waterbodies. Ghanaians demand (and supply) of fuel and vehicle cleaning services has increased sharply with population and economic growth and the trend will continue. In this study, a microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer was used to analyze the levels of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in CWW and FSR from ten fuel stations and ten carwash facilities in the Oforikrom and Ejisu Municipalities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. An experimental sand filter bed augmented with charcoal was used to treat the CWW and FSR. The efficacy of the treatment and the potential ecological risk posed by the untreated CWW and FSR were assessed using single- (contamination factor, CF) and multi-element ecological risk indicators (potential ecological risk index, PERI). The findings showed that CWW contained 0.07 mg/L Cr, 0.20 mg/L Cu, 0.02 mg/L Ni, 1.16 mg/L Pb, and 0.58 mg/L of Zn, while, FSR contained 0.05 mg/L Cr, 0.09 mg/L Cu, 0.17 mg/L Ni, 0.31 mg/L Pb, and 0.18 mg/L Zn. Copper levels in CWW and FSR were positively correlated (0.8), suggesting similar sources of contamination. CF revealed that Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in CWW and FSR posed low to medium risk, while Pb posed high risk. The PERI also ranked Pb in all samples as extreme pollution, and Ni as severe pollution in FSR. The charcoal augmented sand filter effectively removed Pb (96%), Cu (61%), and Zn (79%) in both CWW and FSR. Therefore, Ghana EPA and Department of Urban Planning policies should include the construction of a charcoal-augmented sand filtration system at FS and CW facilities to intercept and treat wastewater and run-off before discharge.

Antiplatelet De-Escalation Strategies in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Dual antiplatelet therapy-the combination of aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor-remains the standard antiplatelet regimen recommended to prevent ischemic complications immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention. Nonetheless, recent advances in stent technologies, percutaneous coronary intervention techniques, adjunctive pharmacotherapy for secondary prevention, and the rising awareness of the prognostic impact of bleeding, which are inevitably associated with dual antiplatelet therapy, led to the investigation of alternative antiplatelet regimens related to fewer bleeding and a preserved ischemic protection. Thrombotic complications occur mostly in the first months after percutaneous coronary intervention, while the risk of bleeding remains stable over time; this observation laid the foundation of the concept of antiplatelet de-escalation, consisting of a more intense antiplatelet regimen early after percutaneous coronary intervention, followed by a less potent antiplatelet therapy thereafter. According to new definitions proposed by the Academic Research Consortium, de-escalation can be achieved by discontinuation of 1 antiplatelet agent, switching from a potent P2Y12 inhibitor to clopidogrel, or by reducing the dose of antiplatelet agents. This review discusses the rationale and the evidence supporting antiplatelet de-escalation, provides practical guidance to use these new regimens, and gives insights into future developments in the field.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on forensic risk assessment.

Risk assessment instruments are used to estimate risk of recidivism and aid in decision-making and treatment planning. However, many of these instruments, including the Level of Service/Risk, Need, Responsivity (LS/RNR), are validated on predominantly Western populations, and research has questioned whether the factors included in the LS/RNR adequately capture the experiences and needs of non-Western communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The current study aimed to canvas the opinions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community justice workers as to the suitability of the LS/RNR for use with this population. A general qualitative methodology was adopted to gain in-depth information through the facilitation of a focus group, and data were analysed thematically. Whilst participants agreed that the LS/RNR risk factors are relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders, they reported that the instrument did not adequately capture relevant culturally specific considerations and made suggestions to improve the LS/RNR.

Staff supported community outings among forensic mental health patients: patient characteristics, rehabilitative goals, and (the absence of) adverse outcomes.

Mental health professionals are tasked with making difficult clinical decisions in treatment settings. In the forensic system, decision making regarding staff supervised community outings (SSCOs) provides a significant challenge due to the need to balance patient liberties, mental health recovery, and public safety. This study explored the characteristics and rehabilitative nature of SSCOs, characteristics of patients attending SSCOs, and any adverse events that occurred during the outings. Employing a cross-sectional design, 110 patients who participated in SSCOs over a one-year period from a Canadian Forensic Psychiatric Hospital were included. Clinical records were reviewed to capture patient and SSCO variables. Descriptive analyses were used to calculate participant, risk, SSCO, and adverse event characteristics. Qualitative analysis was used to explore the purpose of SSCOs and rehabilitative progress that occurred during the outings. Patients attending SSCOs were comprised of long-stay patients with over half having committed a violent index offence. Almost 75% of patients had a moderate/high risk for violence and 50% of the patients had a moderate/high risk of absconding. During the study period, 463 SSCOs were completed. Most outings focused on developing skills for daily living and staff comments suggested many patients developed skills in these areas. Despite considerable risk profiles and public concern regarding forensic patients having community access, there was a single occurrence of unauthorized leave and no instances of violence or substance use. This research can disrupt stigma, demonstrating that SSCOs support a specific rehabilitative intent, promote community reintegration, and maintain public safety.

Levels and Health Risk Assessments of Heavy Metals in Khat and Its Support Soil in Algesachi, Ilu Ababor, Ethiopia.

Background: Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) is a stimulant plant grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Heavy metal pollution has been a global concern due to its acute and chronic health effects and the major route of exposure is the consumption of contaminated foods. In this study, the determination and health risk assessment of heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cd, and Pb) in khat and its support soil samples was carried out. Materials and Methods: Khat and its support soil were analyzed for the levels of 7 toxic heavy metals by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Samples were randomly collected from 3 districts of khat farming kebeles and digested using mixture of strong acids. Results: The concentrations (mg/kg) of analytes in soil and khat samples were: Cu (6.78-35.80); Zn (24.30-199.02); Mn (7.59-1855.40); Ni (6.37-64.80); Cr (0.82-169.20); Cd (14.2-38.8), and Pb (ND). Among the analyzed heavy metals in soil, Mn was with the highest concentration, followed by Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Cd while that of Zn was the maximum followed by Cu, Mn, and Cr in khat. The levels of Zn, Cr, and Cd in soil samples from all study sites and detected concentrations of Cr in khat samples exceeded the recommended FAO/WHO levels. Conclusion: The hazard index (HI) of metals in khat from study areas was less than 1 indicating a less likelihood of non-carcinogenic toxicological health effects. However, the presence of these toxic chemicals in soil and khat indicates product contamination and needs extensive further investigation involving other heavy metals.

Scenario-based assessment of fecal pathogen sources affecting bathing water quality: novel treatment options to reduce norovirus and Campylobacter infection risks.

Wastewater discharge and runoff waters are significant sources of human and animal fecal microbes in surface waters. Human-derived fecal contamination of water is generally estimated to pose a greater risk to human health than animal fecal contamination, but animals may serve as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. In this study, quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) tools were used to evaluate the hygienic impact of sewage effluents and runoff water from municipalities and animal farms on surface and bathing waters. The human-specific microbial source tracking (MST) marker HF183 was used to evaluate the dilution of fecal pathogens originating from the sewage effluent discharge to the downstream watershed. As novel risk management options, the efficiency of UV-LED disinfection and wetland treatment as well as biochar filtration was tested on-site for the contamination sources. According to the dilution pattern of the MST marker HF183, microbes from wastewater were diluted (2.3-3.7 log10) in the receiving waters. The scenario-based QMRA revealed, that the health risks posed by exposure to human-specific norovirus GII and zoonotic Campylobacter jejuni during the bathing events were evaluated. The risk for gastroenteritis was found to be elevated during wastewater contamination events, where especially norovirus GII infection risk increased (1-15 cases per day among 50 bathers) compared with the business as usual (BAU) situation (1 case per day). The noted C. jejuni infection risk was associated with animal farm contamination (1 case per day, versus 0.2-0.6 cases during BAU). Tertiary treatment of wastewater with wetland treatment and UV-LED disinfection effectively reduced the waterborne gastroenteritis risks associated with bathing. Based on the experiences from this study, a QMRA-based approach for health risk evaluations at bathing sites can be useful and is recommended for bathing site risk assessments in the future. In case of low pathogen numbers at the exposure sites, the MST marker HF183 could be used as a pathogen dilution coefficient for the watershed under evaluation. The full-scale implementation of novel tertiary treatment options at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as well as on-site runoff water treatment options should be considered for infection risk management at locations where scenario-based QMRA implies elevated infection risks.

The 10-year cardiovascular risk of physicians estimated by the Thai CV risk score and its association with current coronary artery disease: A retrospective study.

Background and Aims: To assess the 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Thai physicians. The risk compared to the general population and their relationship with the current coronary artery disease (CAD) were also examined. Methods: This retrospective study collected data of Thai physicians who underwent cardiovascular assessments between February 14, 2022, and October 31, 2022. The CVD risk was calculated using the Thai CVD risk (TCVR) score, which incorporated variables of age, gender, smoking, diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and total cholesterol. Additional collected data included family history of CAD, weekly work hours, fiber diet, exercise, body mass index, coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, and presence of CAD. The association between the risk levels with presence of CAD and clinical features including CAC score were analyzed. Results: Of 1225 physicians, the risk for CVD development was categorized as low in 80.0%, moderate in 11.2%, high in 4.9%, and very high in 3.9%. Among these, 33.6% were found to have higher relative risk compared to the general population of the same age and gender. The overall prevalence of CAD was 11.2%. This prevalence was escalated by risk or relative risk groups: 4.9% in low-, 33.8% in moderate-, 35.1% in high-, and 46.8% in very high-risk groups or 7.2% in lower risk, 8.0% the same risk, and 18.4% higher relative risk groups. Conclusions: Approximately, 20% of Thai physicians in the study exhibited a moderate to very high 10-year risk of CVD. Furthermore, 33.6% of the physicians had higher risk than individuals of the same age and gender in the general population. The prevalence of CAD increased with higher CVD risk and higher relative risk.

[Characteristics, Sources Apportionment, and Health Risks of PM2.5-bound PAHs and Their Derivatives Before and After Heating in Zibo City].

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives are a global problem that influences the environment and threatens human health. To investigate the characteristics, sources, and health risk assessment of PM2.5-bound PAHs and their derivatives, PM2.5 were collected at an urban site in Zibo from November 5 to December 26, 2020, and the concentrations of 16 conventional PAHs, nine NPAHs, and five OPAHs in PM2.5 were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Source apportionment of PAHs and their derivatives was conducted using diagnostic ratios and a PMF model, and the health risks of PAHs and their derivatives to adult men and women were evaluated using the source-dependent incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) model. The results showed that the average concentrations of ∑16pPAHs, ∑9NPAHs, and ∑5OPAHs in PM2.5 of Zibo City during the sampling period were (41.61 ± 13.40), (6.38 ± 5.70), and (53.20 ± 53.47) ng·m-3, respectively. The concentrations of the three PAHs increased significantly after heating, which were 1.31, 2.04, and 5.24 times larger than those before heating. During the sampling period, Chr, BaP, and BaA were the dominant components of pPAHs; 9N-Ant and 2N-Flt + 3N-Flt were the dominant components of NPAHs; and ATQ and BZO were the dominant components of OPAHs. Source apportionment results showed that motor vehicles were the main source of PAHs and their derivatives in PM2.5 before heating, whereas after heating, the main sources were the mixed source of coal and biomass combustion and secondary formation. The total BaP equivalent (TEQ) was 14.5 ng·m-3 during the sampling period, and the TEQ increased significantly after heating, which was approximately 1.2 times of that before heating. Assisted by the individual PAH source apportionment results, the ILCR of PM2.5-boundPAHs and NPAHs in Zibo City had a certain potential carcinogenic risk for adult males (1.06 × 10-5) and females (9.32 × 10-6). Among them, the health risks of PAHs from gasoline vehicles, diesel vehicles, and coal/biomass combustion were significantly higher than those from other emission sources.

[Effects of Pesticides Use on Pesticides Residues and Its Environmental Risk Assessment in Xingkai Lake（China）].

Xingkai Lake, located in Heilongjiang Province, is an important fishery and agricultural base and is seriously polluted by agricultural non-point sources. To clarify the residual status of many pesticides in the surface water of Xingkai Lake, 27 types of pesticides, herbicides, and their degradation products were analyzed in rice paddy, drainage, and surface water around Xingkai Lake (China) during the rice heading and maturity periods. The results showed that all 27 types of pesticides, herbicides, and their degradation products were detected during the rice heading period, and the total concentration ranged from 247.97 to 6 094.49 ng·L-1. Additionally, 25 species were detected during the rice maturity period, and the total concentration ranged from 485.36 to 796.23 ng·L-1. In comparison, more pesticides, herbicides, and derived degradation products were detected during the heading period, and their total concentration was higher as well. During the rice heading period, atrazine, simetryn, and paclobutrazol were the main detected pesticides, atrazine and isoprothiolane were the main pesticides detected during the maturity period. The distribution characteristics of pesticides and herbicides in the surface water around Xingkai Lake (China) was similar to that in drainage, so they were probably imported from the drainage and rice paddy. The average risk quotient (RQ) values of atrazine, simetryn, prometryn, butachlor, isoprothiolane, and oxadiazon were higher than 0.1 in drainage and Xingkai Lake (China), which showed a potential risk to aquatic organisms.

[Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soils of a City in Guangdong Province Based on Source Oriented and Monte Carlo Models].

Taking a city in Guangdong Province as the research area, the concentration and spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals in the surface soil were studied to clarify the situation of soil heavy metal pollution and priority control factors, providing basic data for the prevention and control of soil heavy metal pollution in the city. The content characteristics of heavy metals in 221 soil samples in the city were analyzed, and the potential health risk assessment and source analysis were carried out through the Monte Carlo model, the potential health risk assessment (HRA) model, and the PMF receptor model. It was found that heavy metals ω(As), ω(Hg), ω(Cd), ω(Pb), ω(Cr), ω(Cu), ω(Ni), and ω(Zn) in the soil of the city were 18.16, 0.43, 1.46, 68.57, 98.34, 64.19, 26.53, and 257.32 mg·kg-1, respectively, with a moderate to high degree of variation. Except for Ni concentration, the soil concentrations of other heavy metal elements exceeded the background values of soil in Guangdong Province to a certain extent, and the concentrations of Cd and Zn exceeded the national secondary standards, resulting in severe heavy metal pollution; the main sources of heavy metals were industrial sources, and natural parent materials, lead battery manufacturing, transportation, artificial cultivation, and pesticide and fertilizer inputs also had an undeniable impact on the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil. Heavy metals in the soil had a certain degree of tolerable carcinogenic health risk for both children and adults, whereas non-carcinogenic risks could be ignored. The potential health risk of children was greater than that of adults, and the main exposure route was through oral intake. The input sources of pesticides and fertilizers and As should be the main controlling factors for the health risks of heavy metals in the city's soil, followed by mixed sources and Cr. There were differences in the spatial distribution characteristics and relative pollution levels of heavy metals, and it is necessary to deepen zoning monitoring and control, strengthen soil pollution prevention and control, and reduce human input of heavy metals in soil.

Determination of pesticide residue content in fruits and vegetables from Lagos, Nigeria.

Developing countries like Nigeria are increasingly employing pesticides to boost the productivity of their agriculture and food supply, despite the fact that doing so poses a health risk to the general populace. The purpose of this study was to assess pesticide residue levels in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 18 samples from three neighbourhood markets were collected, and they were then examined for the presence of organochlorine (Endosulfan I, Pentachlorophenol, Heptachlor epoxide, and Endosulfan II) and organophosphate (Dichlorvos, Dimethoate, Phorate, and methyl parathion) residues. During the pre-treatment, the multi-residue Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS citrate) method with the addition of acetonitrile was used, and then samples were analysed using GC-MS. All of the samples contained dichlorvos, but the orange sample's concentration was below the limit of quantification, making quantification impossible. Dimethoate concentrations were below MRLs except waterleaf sample. With a concentration of 0.043 µg/mL, Waterleaf had the highest quantity of dimethoate in the sample. The findings of this study indicate that in order to safeguard the health of consumers, it is necessary to closely monitor organochlorine and organophosphate use nationwide, along with other related pesticides, and to test for pesticide residues in food products.

Ecological pollution features and health risk exposure to heavy metals via street dust and topsoil from Nkpor and Onitsha in Anambra, Nigeria.

The manuscript presents the investigation results on the pollution and risk of metal mines, and it is considered an important report on environmental pollution near mines in Nigeria, with archival value. The research involved soil sampling and heavy metal analysis for about 12 months in three metal mines. Based on these results, the paper provides information on pollution levels and hazards using well-known methods like pollution and ecological risk indexes. The increasing population in urban communities attracted by various industrial, economic and social activities causes contamination of atmospheric environment that can affect human health. We investigated heavy metal distributions, correlation coefficient among elements, ecological indices and probable health risk assessment in street dust and topsoil from Nkpor and Onitsha urban suburb, Nigeria. The mean concentration of heavy metals in car dust from Onitsha and Nkpor suburb follows thus: Fe > Mn > Cu > As > Pb > Ni > Cr. The decreasing trend of heavy metal in rooftop dust from both area: Fe > Mn > Cu > Pb > As > Ni > Cr whereas metal contents in topsoil were: Fe > Mn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > As for both areas. The degree of pollution indices was characterized by contamination factor (CF), geo-accumulation factor (I-geo), pollution load index (PLI), Nemerow (PN), ecological and potential ecological risk index (ER and PERI) which indicated low pollution in the urban street environment. The results of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) showed that the estimated heavy metals displayed sources from atmospheric deposition, natural origin and anthropogenic sources. Risk assessment revealed that ingestion of dust and soil was the significant route for heavy metals exposure to the populace followed by inhalation, then dermal contact. Considering all factors, non-cancer risk was more prominent in children than adults and no significant health hazard could be attributed to both aged groups as of the period of study except for As and Ni that needs constant monitoring to avoid exceeding organ damaging threshold limit of 1 × 10-4.

Distribution, migration patterns, and food chain human health risks of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in water, sediments, and fish in the Xiangjiang River.

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in freshwater systems has garnered increasing attention. A comprehensive analysis of the migration patterns, bioaccumulation, and consumer health risks of EDCs along the Xiangjiang River due to fish consumption from the river ecosystem was provided. Twenty natural and synthetic target EDCs were detected and analyzed from the water, sediments, and fish samples collected along the Xiangjiang River. There were significant correlations between the EDC concentrations in fish and the sediments. This revealed that EDCs in sediments play a dominant role in the uptake of EDCs by fish. The bioaccumulation factor and biota-sediment accumulation factor were calculated, with the highest values observed for nonylphenol. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that bisphenol A is the most reliable biological indicator of EDC contamination in fish. Furthermore, based on the threshold of toxicological concerns and the health risk with dietary intake, crucian carp and catfish from the Xiangjiang River pose a certain risk for children and pregnant women compared to grass carp. The Monte Carlo simulation results indicated a certain risk of cumulative ∑EDC exposure for local residents due to fish consumption.

Occupational exposures to asbestos in the steel industry: An analysis of the AISI sampling campaign (1989-1997).

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) gathered data between 1989 and 1997 to build an "objective database" to further understand the occupational exposures generated by the few asbestos-containing materials remaining at various steelmaking companies at this time. This paper analyzed the 520 samples from this campaign which occurred at five different steel manufacturers: Georgetown Steel Company, Inland Steel Company, Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) Corporation, United States Steel Corporation, and Weirton Steel Corporation. This database is believed to have never previously been systematically organized. Samples were grouped based on sampling times to determine whether they should most appropriately be compared to the OSHA short-term excursion limit (EL) or the 8-hr time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL). Sampling times of 30 min or less were considered short-term samples, and samples of 180 min or greater were considered representative workday samples. Samples that did not fit into either category, with sampling times between 31 and 179 min, were considered task samples. Overall, the data indicated that the airborne concentrations were quite low in 1989 and they continued to be low through the study period which ended in 1997. Only seven out of 286 (approximately 2.5%) short-term or representative workday samples were in exceedance of the current OSHA OELs that were implemented in 1994 (short-term samples being compared to the 1 f/cc EL and representative workday samples being compared to the 0.1 f/cc 8-hr TWA PEL). Consistent with prior data, analysis of this dataset supports the view that materials containing asbestos were not used in many applications in the steel industry, and measured airborne concentrations of asbestos were almost always below the occupational exposure limits (OELs) in the post-OSHA era (1972-2000).

Integrated driving risk surrogate model and car-following behavior for freeway risk assessment.

Drivers' risk perception plays a crucial role in understanding vehicle interactions and car-following behavior under complex conditions and physical appearances. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the variability of risks involved. With advancements in communication technology and computing power, real-time risk assessment has become feasible for enhancing traffic safety. In this study, a novel approach for evaluating driving interaction risk on freeways is presented. The approach involves the integration of an interaction risk perception model with car-following behavior. The proposed model, named the driving risk surrogate (DRS), is based on the potential field theory and incorporates a virtual energy attribute that considers vehicle size and velocity. Risk factors are quantified through sub-models, including an interactive vehicle risk surrogate, a restrictions risk surrogate, and a speed risk surrogate. The DRS model is applied to assess driving risk in a typical scenario on freeways, and car-following behavior. A sensitivity analysis is conducted on the effect of different parameters in the DRS on the stability of traffic dynamics in car-following behavior. This behavior is then calibrated using a naturalistic driving dataset, and then car-following predictions are made. It was found that the DRS-simulated car-following behavior has a more accurate trajectory prediction and velocity estimation than other car-following methods. The accuracy of the DRS risk assessments was verified by comparing its performance to that of traditional risk models, including TTC, DRAC, MTTC, and DRPFM, and the results show that the DRS model can more accurately estimate risk levels in free-flow and congested traffic states. Thus the proposed risk assessment model provides a better approach for describing vehicle interactions and behavior in the digital world for both researchers and practitioners.