Levels and health risk assessment of twenty-one current-use pesticides in urban and riverside waters of the Brazilian Amazon Basin.

In Brazil, the favorable weather conditions and abundant land contribute to the thriving agricultural production. Brazilian crops extensively employ pesticides due to their high efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and permissive regulatory framework. However, pesticide use also endangers water resources, animal organisms, and human health. Due to the lack of data on pesticide use in the Amazonas forest-based Brazil, the present study aimed to assess the levels of twenty-one current-use pesticides (CUPs) from five different classes in river waters collected from urban and riverside areas in this region. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic risks associated with water consumption were also characterized. Thirteen CUPs were detected in concentrations above the limit of detection (LOD) in at least one of the water samples, and most pesticides were detected in riverside areas. In contrast, only 18% of the analyzed samples were considered "clean," with only one compound detected. Fenitrothion showed the highest concentration, with a mean value of 4.86 ng/mL (0.30-14.3 ng/mL). Up to 33% of the samples showed levels of fipronil above the LOD, an issue of environmental and human health concern, mainly because of the adverse effects observed in honeybees. Despite this, the human health risk assessment showed a target hazard quotient below one (HQ < 1) in adults for all substances, suggesting that pesticide exposure through water consumption should not mean risk for the riverside populations. Taking into account the large extension of Brazil, as well as its different agricultural practices throughout the country, it would be of great importance to conduct extensive research in other areas. It would help to gain knowledge in this field and to promote eco-friendly alternatives to mitigate pesticide use and, consequently, to reduce their potential adverse effects on human health and the ecosystems.

Blood levels of 21 metals and metalloids in riverside villagers of the Brazilian Amazon: A human biomonitoring study with associations with sociodemographic, dietary, and lifestyle factors.

Human biomonitoring of toxic and essential trace elements is critically important for public health protection. Amazonian riverine communities exhibit distinctive dietary patterns, heavily reliant on locally sourced fish, fruits, and vegetables. These habits may result in unique exposure profiles compared to urban populations. However, comprehensive assessments of their exposure to toxic and essential metals are lacking, representing a critical gap in understanding the health risks faced by these communities. This study aimed to establish baseline levels of 21 metals and metalloids in human blood and explore the influence of sociodemographic factors, dietary habits, and lifestyle choices as potential sources of exposure to these elements. A cross-sectional biomonitoring investigation was conducted with 1,024 individuals from 13 communities in the Tapajós and Amazon Basins (Pará, Brazil). Most of the elements in study was determined for the first time in the region. Blood samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The levels of all elements were summarized by quantiles and compared with cutoff values from other Brazilian populations. Multiple linear regression was used to assess possible associations between element concentrations and sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, and lifestyle choices. High detection rates (64%-100%) were observed, indicating the widespread presence of these elements. Elevated blood concentrations were found for mercury (median 21.1 µg.L-1, interquartile range: 12-34 µg.L-1), selenium (median 166 µg.L-1, interquartile range: 137-208 µg.L-1), and lead (median 34 µg.L-1, interquartile range: 20.8-64 µg.L-1). Regression analysis revealed a positive association between mercury levels and fish consumption, while manioc flour intake showed no relationship to lead levels. In conclusion, our findings emphasize the need for continued monitoring and public policy development for these vulnerable populations. Further studies should assess long-term trends and investigate the health implications of prolonged exposure to diverse chemicals in Amazonian riverside communities.

Molecular mechanisms of environmental pollutant-induced cartilage damage: from developmental disorders to osteoarthritis.

The objective of the present study was to review the molecular mechanisms of the adverse effects of environmental pollutants on chondrocytes and extracellular matrix (ECM). Existing data demonstrate that both heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As), as well as organic pollutants, including polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), bisphenol A, phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), pesticides, and certain other organic pollutants that target cartilage ontogeny and functioning. Overall, environmental pollutants reduce chondrocyte viability through the induction apoptosis, senescence, and inflammatory response, resulting in cell death and impaired ECM production. The effects of organic pollutants on chondrocyte development and viability were shown to be mediated by binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling and modulation of non-coding RNA expression. Adverse effects of pollutant exposures were observed in articular and growth plate chondrocytes. These mechanisms also damage chondrocyte precursors and subsequently hinder cartilage development. In addition, pollutant exposure was shown to impair chondrogenesis by inhibiting the expression of Sox9 and other regulators. Along with altered Runx2 signaling, these effects also contribute to impaired chondrocyte hypertrophy and chondrocyte-to-osteoblast trans-differentiation, resulting in altered endochondral ossification. Several organic pollutants including PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PAHs, were shown to induce transgenerational adverse effects on cartilage development and the resulting skeletal deformities. Despite of epidemiological evidence linking human environmental pollutant exposure to osteoarthritis or other cartilage pathologies, the data on the molecular mechanisms of adverse effects of environmental pollutant exposure on cartilage tissue were obtained from studies in laboratory rodents, fish, or cell cultures and should be carefully extrapolated to humans, although they clearly demonstrate that cartilage should be considered a putative target for environmental pollutant toxicity.

Regulatory compliance of PCDD/F emissions by a municipal solid waste incinerator. A case study in Sant Adrià de Besòs, Catalonia, Spain.

Despite incineration is an important emission source of toxic pollutants, such as heavy metals and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), it is still one of the most widely used methods for the management of municipal solid waste. The current paper summarizes the results of a 20-year follow-up study of the emissions of PCDD/Fs by a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Sant Adrià de Besòs (Catalonia, Spain). Samples of ambient air, soils and herbage were periodically collected near the facility and the content of PCDD/Fs was analyzed. In the last (2017) survey, mean levels in soil were 3.60 ng WHO-TEQ/kg (range: 0.40-10.6), being considerably higher than the mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs in soil samples collected near other MSWIs in Catalonia. Moreover, air PCDD/F concentrations were even higher than those found in a previous (2014) survey, as they increased from 0.026 to 0.044 pg WHO-TEQ/m3. Ultimately, the PCDD/F exposure would be associated to a cancer risk (2.5 × 10-6) for the population living in the surrounding area. Globally, this information indicates that the MSWI of Sant Adrià de Besòs could have had a negative impact on the environment and potentially on public health, being an example of a possible inappropriate management for years. The application of Best Available Techniques to minimize the emission of PCDD/Fs and other chemicals is critical.

Levels of Rare Earth Elements in Food and Human Dietary Exposure: A Review.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group consisting of the following 17 metals: Ce, Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Nd, Pr, Pm, Sc, Sm, Tb, Tm, Y and Yb. In the current century, the number of applications of REEs has significantly increased. They are being used as components in high technology devices of great importance industrial/economic. However, information on the risk of human exposure to REEs, as well as the potential toxic effects of these elements is still limited. In general terms, dietary intake is the main route of exposure to metals for non-occupationally exposed individuals, which should be also expected for REEs. The current paper aimed at reviewing the studies -conducted over the world- that focused on determining the levels of REEs in foods, as well as the dietary intake of these elements. Most studies do not suggest potential health risk for consumers of freshwater and marine species of higher consumption, or derived from the intake of a number of vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, as well as other various foodstuffs (honey, tea, rice, etc.). The current estimated daily intake (EDI) of REEs does not seem to be of concern. However, considering the expected wide use of these elements in the next years, it seems to be clearly recommendable to assess periodically the potential health risk of the dietary exposure to REEs. This is already being done with well-known toxic elements such as As, Cd, Pb and Hg, among other potentially toxic metals.

Human exposure to elements through consumption of raw and cooked fish in an urban region of the central Brazilian Amazon biome: Health risks.

Fish is an important source of animal protein for local communities in the Amazon basin, whose food safety must be assured. However, certain potential toxicants elements, can bioaccumulate in fish species, which inhabit anthropogenically polluted waters, ultimately posing a risk to human health. In the present study, the concentrations of nine elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in raw and cooked samples of eight fish species consumed in Santarém (northern Brazil, Amazon biome). The potential for non- carcinogenic human health risks linked to the consumption of cooked fish were evaluated for adults and children in two different scenarios. Four carnivores, three omnivores and one detritivore, all of them regularly marketed and consumed by the Santarém population, were the target species. The safety reference values set by national and international guidelines for humans, in both raw and cooked preparations, were used. In most cases, the cooking process showed a trend to increase elements concentrations compared to raw samples, however the differences were not significant. Moreover, the risk assessment showed danger for children in relation to Hg from the consumption of fish, in both scenarios evaluated. For adults, in one of the scenarios, there was a health risk associated to Hg as a result of carnivorous fish consumption. In a context of combined exposure to all elements, children were at risk when consuming fish, especially carnivorous and omnivorous species. For adults, the mixture of elements posed a risk to health human only for carnivorous fish consumption. The results reveal an environmental scenario of Hg contamination, which requires monitoring actions to preserve the aquatic biodiversity and human health in the Brazilian Amazon biome.