A method for studying the influence of Mn oxyhydroxides on the trace element content of aquatic bryophytes.

The main objective of this study was to develop and test a method of separating externally deposited Mn oxyhydroxides and co-precipitated elements from samples of aquatic moss (the moss Fontinalis antipyretica). The method, which uses 0.1 M hydroxylamine to dissolve the oxyhydroxides, was tested with samples collected in rivers with slightly acidic, well­oxygenated waters, where high rates of Mn precipitation occur. The method was effective (it extracted up to 84 % of the Mn) and selective (Fe oxyhydroxides were not extracted). The elements Ba, Cd, Zn and Ni were associated with the Mn oxyhydroxides, while Al, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg and Pb were not. Deposition of Mn therefore increased the concentration of some elements in the moss samples. However, as Mn precipitation depends on Eh and pH, which are independent of the concentrations of the elements in water, the relationship between water and moss element concentrations is not clear (i.e. the data are noisy). This is a problem in biomonitoring studies, which assume a close relationship between element concentrations in moss and water. The value of the proposed extraction method is that it can be used to correct the effect of Mn deposition. We present an example of this correction applied to the Cd concentrations in the test data. We found that the noise introduced by the Mn, including age-related effects (observed by comparing concentrations in 0-2.5 and 2.2-5.0 cm sections from the shoot apex), can be reduced. Additionally, the correction revealed recent increases in Cd concentrations in one site that were not observed in the uncorrected data. Another finding of interest was the low content of total Mn and different extractability (of most elements) observed in moss samples collected in alkaline waters. Finally, we discuss how future studies designed for different environmental scenarios can benefit from application of the proposed method.

Manganese exposure from spring and well waters in the Shenandoah Valley: interplay of aquifer lithology, soil composition, and redox conditions.

Manganese (Mn) is of particular concern in groundwater, as low-level chronic exposure to aqueous Mn concentrations in drinking water can result in a variety of health and neurodevelopmental effects. Much of the global population relies on drinking water sourced from karst aquifers. Thus, we seek to assess the relative risk of Mn contamination in karst by investigating the Shenandoah Valley, VA region, as it is underlain by both karst and non-karst aquifers and much of the population relies on water wells and spring water. Water and soil samples were collected throughout the Shenandoah Valley, to supplement pre-existing well water and spring data from the National Water Information System and the Virginia Household Water Quality Program, totaling 1815 wells and 119 springs. Soils were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence and Mn K-Edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Factors such as soil type, soil geochemistry, and aquifer lithology were linked with each location to determine if correlations exist with aqueous Mn concentrations. Analyzing the distribution of Mn in drinking water sources suggests that water wells and springs within karst aquifers are preferable with respect to chronic Mn exposure, with < 4.9% of wells and springs in dolostone and limestone aquifers exceeding 100 ppb Mn, while sandstone and shale aquifers have a heightened risk, with > 20% of wells exceeding 100 ppb Mn. The geochemistry of associated soils and spatial relationships to various hydrologic and geologic features indicates that water interactions with aquifer lithology and soils contribute to aqueous Mn concentrations. Relationships between aqueous Mn in spring waters and Mn in soils indicate that increasing aqueous Mn is correlated with decreasing soil Mn(IV). These results point to redox conditions exerting a dominant control on Mn in this region.

Temperature-resilient and sustainable Mn-MOF oxidase-like nanozyme (UoZ-4) for total antioxidant capacity sensing in some citrus fruits: Breaking the temperature barrier.

Current nanozyme applications rely heavily on peroxidase-like nanozymes and are limited to a specific temperature range, despite notable advancements in nanozyme development. In this work, we designed novel Mn-based metal organic frameworks (UoZ-4), with excellent oxidase mimic activity towards common substrates. UoZ-4 showed excellent oxidase-like activity (with Km 0.072 mM) in a wide range of temperature, from 10 °C to 100 °C with almost no activity loss, making it a very strong candidate for psychrophilic and thermophilic applications. Ascorbic acid, cysteine, and glutathione could quench the appearance of the blue color of oxTMB, led us to design a visual-based sensing platform for detection of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in cold, mild and hot conditions. The visual mode successfully assessed TAC in citrus fruits with satisfactory recovery and precisions. Cold/hot adapted and magnetic property will broaden the horizon of nanozyme applications and breaks the notion of the temperature limitation of enzymes.

Arsenic mobilization across the sediment-water interface of the Three Gorges Reservoir as a function of water depth using DGT and HR-Peepers, a preliminary study.

The artificial regulation of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) creates large water level fluctuation zones (WLFZ) that may change the behavior of metals and metalloid in sediment, particularly redox sensitive elements. Mobilization of As, Fe and Mn across the sediment-water interface (SWI) in the TGR as a function of different water depth (periodically and permanently submerged sediments, respectively) was in situ determined by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) and high-resolution dialysis technique (HR-Peeper), respectively. The results showed that the mobilization of As was significantly affected by Fe/Mn especially Mn, across the SWI. Duo to the oxic-anoxic transitional state in near bottom water, the reduced Fe and Mn in sediment pore water could be oxidized and precipitated again, leading to the co-precipitation of As with Fe/Mn oxides (hydroxides). Consequently, concentrations of As, Fe and Mn in labile phases and pore water were generally low across the SWI, then they sharply increased at a few centimeters below the SWI. Considering different water depth, various trends were found in labile phase, whereas concentrations of As, Fe and Mn in pore water in permanently submerged sediments were significantly higher than those in periodically submerged sediments. The dry-re-wetting alternation processes in the WLFZ may play vital roles in the resupply capacity of sediments as it was found that periodically submerged sediments with longer re-wetting time had higher Fe/Mn resupply capacity than those with shorter re-wetting times and permanently submerged sediments.

Assessing the health risks of heavy metals and seasonal minerals fluctuations in Camellia sinensis cultivars during their growth seasons.

The risk assessment of heavy metals in tea is extremely imperative for the health of tea consumers. However, the effects of varietal variations and seasonal fluctuations on heavy metals and minerals in tea plants remain unclear. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to evaluate the contents of aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and antimony (Sb) in the two categories of young leaves (YL) and mature leaves (ML) of tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivars throughout the growing seasons. The results showed significant variations in the contents of the investigated nutrients both among the different cultivars and growing seasons as well. Furthermore, the average concentrations of Al, Mn, Mg, B, Ca, Cu, Co, Fe, Na, Zn, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Sb in YL ranged, from 671.58-2209.12, 1260.58-1902.21, 2290.56-2995.36, 91.18-164.68, 821.95-5708.20, 2.55-3.80, 3.96-25.22, 37.95-202.84, 81.79-205.05, 27.10-69.67, 0.028-0.053, 0.065-0.127, 2.40-3.73, 10.57-12.64, 0.11-0.14 mg kg-1, respectively. In ML, the concentrations were 2626.41-7834.60, 3980.82-6473.64, 3335.38-4537.48, 327.33-501.70, 9619.89-13153.68, 4.23-8.18, 17.23-34.20, 329.39-567.19, 145.36-248.69, 40.50-81.42, 0.089-0.169, 0.23-0.27, 5.24-7.89, 18.51-23.97, 0.15-0.19 mg kg-1, respectively. The contents of all analyzed nutrients were found to be higher in ML than in YL. Target hazard quotients (THQ) of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Sb, as well as the hazard index (HI), were all less than one, suggesting no risk to human health via tea consumption. This research might provide the groundwork for essential minerals recommendations, as well as a better understanding and management of heavy metal risks in tea.

Evaluation of urinary trace element levels in patients with opioid use disorder undergoing methadone treatment in western Iran.

The monitoring of essential and toxic elements in patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) undergoing methadone treatment (MT) is important, and there is limited previous research on the urinary levels of these elements in MT patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze certain elements in the context of methadone treatment compared to a healthy group. In this study, patients with opioid use disorder undergoing MT (n = 67) were compared with a healthy group of companions (n = 62) in terms of urinary concentrations of some essential elements (selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca)) and toxic elements (lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr)). Urine samples were prepared using the acid digestion method with a mixture of nitric acid and perchloric acid and assessed using the ICP-MS method. Our results showed that the two groups had no significant differences in terms of gender, education level, occupation, and smoking status. Urinary concentrations of Se, Cu, and Fe levels were significantly lower in the MT group compared to the healthy subjects. However, the concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, Mn, Cr, and Ca in the MT group were higher than in the healthy group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was established between the levels of Zn in the two groups (p = 0.232). The results of regression analysis revealed that the differences between the concentration levels of all metals (except Zn) between two groups were still remained significant after adjusting for all variables (p < 0.05). The data obtained in the current study showed lower urinary concentrations of some essential elements and higher levels of some toxic elements in the MT group compared to the healthy subjects. These findings should be incorporated into harm-reduction interventions.

Semi-quantitative health risk assessment of heavy metal dust exposure among nail technicians using the SQRA technique and Monte Carlo simulation.

Nail technology, including the application of artificial nails and nail care, is a developing sector of the global beauty industry. Nail technicians are exposed to a variety of chemical substances through inhalation, as they spend extended periods of time in close proximity to these materials. This study aimed to evaluate the semi-quantitative health risk of dust-containing heavy metals among nail technicians. This analytical descriptive study employed the risk assessment method provided by the Singapore Occupational Health Department to evaluate the health hazards of lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium, and manganese. Dust samples from nail filing were collected from the respiratory zone of 20 nail technicians following the NIOSH 7300 method. The samples were analyzed using ICP-OES instrumentation. Monte Carlo simulation was utilized to characterize the risk and its uncertainties. Manganese and cadmium had the highest and lowest mean concentrations, respectively. The risk scores of the metals ranked from highest to lowest were as follows: Ni>Cr>Cd>Mn>Pb. All five metals had risk rankings below 2.8, signifying a minimal risk level. Sensitivity analysis using Spearman's correlation coefficient demonstrated a positive relationship between concentration, daily hours of exposure, and the number of workdays per week with the risk score (RR) and exposure level (ER). Conversely, the variable of weekly working hours (W) showed a negative correlation with these parameters. Despite the low-risk level of the examined metals, continuous exposure and potential long-term effects on nail technicians warrant preventive measures. Recommendations include implementing local exhaust ventilation systems, using table fans, establishing work-rest cycles, wearing N95 dust masks, and using reputable and high-quality nail polishes.

Pollution indices of selected metals in tea (Camellia sinensis L.) growing soils of the Upper Assam region divulge a non-trifling menace of National Highway.

The study investigated the influence of a National Highway (NH) traversing tea estates (TEs) on heavy metal (HM) contamination in the top soils of Upper Assam, India. The dispersion and accumulation of six HMs, viz. cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn), within tea-growing soils were assessed using diverse indices: contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (DC), enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), modified degree of contamination (MDC), Nemerow pollution index (PINemerow), pollution load index (PLI), potential ecological risk factor (Eri), and potential ecological risk index (RI). The order of HM prevalence was Fe > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cu > Cd. Elevated Cd levels near the NH prompted immediate attention, while Cd and Zn showed moderate pollution in CF, EF, and RI. The remaining metals posed minimal individual risk (Eri< 40), resulting in an overall contamination range of "nil to shallow," signifying slight contamination from the studied metals. From MDC values for investigated metals, it was found to be "zero to very low degree of contamination" at all locations except the vicinity of NH. Soil pollution, as determined by PLI, indicated unpolluted soils in both districts, yet PINemerow values indicated slight pollution. The statistical analysis revealed that there is a significant decrease in most of the indices of HM as the distance from NH increases. The application of multivariate statistical techniques namely Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis showed the presence of three distinct homogenous groups of distances based on different indices. This investigation underscores NH-associated anthropogenic effects on TE soil quality due to HM deposition, warranting proactive mitigation measures.

Current progress on manganese in constructed wetlands: Bibliometrics, effects on wastewater treatment, and plant uptake.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are a pollutant treatment design inspired by natural wetlands and are widely utilized for the removal of common pollutants. The research focus lies in the circulation of manganese (Mn) in the environment to enhance pollutant removal within CWs. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in understanding the role and effects of Mn in chemical weapons, based on literature retrieval from 2002 to 2021. Ecological risk assessment and heavy metals within CWs emerge as current areas of research interest. Mn sources within CWs primarily include natural deposition, heavy metal wastewater, and intentional addition. The cycling between Mn(II) and Mn(IV) facilitates enhanced wastewater treatment within CWs. Moreover, employing a Mn matrix proves effective in reducing ammonia nitrogen wastewater, organic pollutants, as well as heavy metals such as Cd and Pb, thereby addressing complex pollution challenges practically. To comprehensively analyze influencing factors on the system's performance, both internal factors (biological species, design parameters, pH levels, etc.) and external factors (seasonal climate variations, precipitation patterns, ultraviolet radiation exposure, etc.) were discussed. Among these factors, microorganisms, pollutants, and temperature are the most important influencing factors, which emphasizes the importance of these factors for wetland operation. Lastly, this paper delves into plant absorption of Mn along with coping strategies employed by plants when faced with Mn poisoning or deficiency scenarios. When utilizing Mn for the regulation of constructed wetlands, it is crucial to consider the tolerance levels of associated plant species. Furthermore, the study predicts future research hotspots encompass high-efficiency catalysis techniques, matrix-filling approaches, and preparation of resource utilization methods involving Mn nanomaterials.

[Bibliometric and visual analysis of neurological damage caused by electrical welding operations].

Objective: To analyze and summarize the trends and hot spots in the field of neurological damage caused by electric welding operations, and to provide ideas for new researches by searching the domestic and international literature. Methods: In December 2022, using Web of Science Citation Index (Web of Science), China Journal Full-Text Database (CNKI) and Wanfang Database as search databases, literature search was conducted on the Chinese and English search terms related to eletrical welding operations and neurological damage. The bibliometric analysis software VOSviewer 1.6.18 and CiteSpace 6.1.6 were used to visualize the publication year, publication quantity, country, research institution and key words of the literature. Results: A total of 309 articles (112 in Chinese and 197 in English) were included in this study. The first domestic and international papers were published in 1976 and 1994 respectively, and the number of papers reached the peak in 2006 and 2018, and then showed a downward trend to varying degrees. In China, Shandong First Medical University (including Shandong Institute of Occupational Health and Occupational Disease Prevention and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences) and Wuhan University of Science and Technology had the largest number of publications. The 309 articles were from 52 Chinese journals and 86 English journals. The co-occurrence analysis of key words showed that the domestic research mainly focused on eletrical welding operation, welding workers, neurobehavioral function and manganese, and the nervous system damage caused by manganese in welding smoke was the field of international attention. Long term exposure, risk, and performance were key buzzwords in the field. Conclusion: The research focus in the field of nervous system damage caused by electric welding operation has an obvious trend of time evolution, gradually transiting from clinical manifestations to its toxic mechanism and early biomarkers.

The combined effects of lanthanum-modified bentonite and Vallisneria spiralis on phosphorus, dissolved organic matter, and heavy metal(loid)s.

The use of lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) combined with Vallisneria spiralis (V∙s) (LMB + V∙s) is a common method for controlling internal phosphorus (P) release from sediments. However, the behaviors of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) under LMB + V∙s treatments, as well as the associated coupling effect on P, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and heavy metal(loid)s (HMs), require further investigations. Therefore, we used in this study a microelectrode system and high-resolution dialysis technology (HR-Peeper) to study the combined effects of LMB and V∙s on P, DOM, and HMs through a 66-day incubation experiment. The LMB + V∙s treatment increased the sediment DO concentration, promoting in-situ formations of Fe (III)/Mn (IV) oxyhydroxides, which, in turn, adsorbed P, soluble tungsten (W), DOM, and HMs. The increase in the concentrations of HCl-P, amorphous and poorly crystalline (oxyhydr) oxides-bound W, and oxidizable HMs forms demonstrated the capacity of the LMB + V∙s treatment to transform mobile P, W, and other HMs forms into more stable forms. The significant positive correlations between SRP, soluble W, UV254, and soluble Fe (II)/Mn, and the increased concentrations of the oxidizable HMs forms suggested the crucial role of the Fe/Mn redox in controlling the release of SRP, DOM, and HMs from sediments. The LMB + V∙s treatment resulted in SRP, W, and DOM removal rates of 74.49, 78.58, and 54.78 %, which were higher than those observed in the control group (without LMB and V∙s applications). On the other hand, the single and combined uses of LMB and V·s influenced the relative abundances of the sediment microbial communities without exhibiting effects on microbial diversity. This study demonstrated the key role of combined LMB and V∙s applications in controlling the release of P, W, DOM, and HMs in eutrophic lakes.

Manganese promotes stability of natural arsenic sinks in a groundwater system with arsenic-immobilization minerals: Natural remediation mechanism and environmental implications.

Arsenic (As)-immobilizing iron (Fe)-manganese (Mn) minerals (AFMM) represent potential As sinks in As-enriched groundwater environments. The process and mechanisms governing As bio-leaching from AFMM through interaction with reducing bacteria, however, remain poorly delineated. This study examined the transformation and release of As from AFMM with varying Mn/Fe molar ratios (0:1, 1:5, 1:3, and 1:1) in the presence of As(V)-reducing bacteria specifically Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. Notably, strain CN32 significantly facilitated the bio-reduction of As(V), Fe(III), and Mn(IV) in AFMM. In systems with Mn/Fe molar ratios of 1:5, 1:3, and 1:1, As bio-reduction decreased by 28%, 34%, and 47%, respectively, compared to the system with a 0:1 ratio. This Mn-induced inhibition of Fe/As bio-reduction was linked to several concurrent factors: preferential Mn bio-reduction, reoxidation of resultant Fe(II)/As(III) due to Mn components, and As adsorption onto emergent Fe precipitates. Both the reductive dissolution of AFMM and the bio-reduction of As(V) predominantly controlled As bio-release. Structural equation models indicated that reducing bacteria destabilize natural As sinks more through As reduction than through Mn(II) release, Fe reduction, or Fe(II) release. Systems with Mn/Fe molar ratios of 1:5, 1:3, and 1:1 showed a decrease in As bio-release by 24%, 41%, and 59%, respectively, relative to the 0:1 system. The observed suppression of As bioleaching was ascribed to both the inhibition of As/Fe bio-reduction by Mn components and the immobilization of As by freshly generated Fe precipitates. These insights into the constraining effect of Mn on the biotransformation and bioleaching of As from AFMM are crucial for grasping the long-term stability of natural As sinks in groundwater, and enhance strategies for in-situ As stabilization in As-afflicted aquifers through Nature-Based Solutions.

Probabilistic risk assessment for determining nonessential metals in commercial infant formula products in Taiwan.

During the early months of life, infant formula plays a crucial role as a primary source of both food and essential nutrients for infants, serving as a replacement for or supplement to breast milk. However, nonessential metals in infant formulas are a concern because infants are highly vulnerable to chemical exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate infant exposure to nonessential metals in infant formula products in Taiwan and assess the associated health risks. In this study, concentrations of arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and vanadium (V) in 45 formula products for 0-1-year-old infants were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The mean As, Ba, Cd, Mn, Pb, and V concentrations were 6.42, 280, 3.72, 1425, 20.4, and 21.9 µg/kg, respectively. According to our probabilistic simulation of the estimated daily intake of metals, the proportion of hazard quotients exceeding one was 7.69% for As and 3.29% for Mn, and that of hazard index (HI) values exceeding 1 was >17% for metals. Arsenic had the largest HI contribution (46.9%), followed by Mn (22.3%) and Pb (12.7%). The nonessential metals content in infant formula raises potential noncarcinogenic health concerns for infants in Taiwan. Therefore, regulations for nonessential metals must be imposed on related food products in Taiwan, with a particular focus on As and Mn.

Association between exposure to heavy metals in atmospheric particulate matter and sleep quality: A nationwide data linkage study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated that long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) is associated with poor sleep quality. However, no studies have linked PM constituents, particularly heavy metals, to sleep quality. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between exposure to heavy metals in PM and sleep quality. METHODS: We obtained nationwide data from the Korean Community Health Survey conducted in 2018 among adults aged 19-80 years. Sleep quality was evaluated using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Poor sleep quality was defined as PSQI ≥5. One-year and three-month average concentrations of heavy metals (lead, manganese, cadmium, and aluminum) in PM with diameter ≤10 µm were obtained from nationwide air quality monitoring data and linked to the survey data based on individual district-level residential addresses. Logistic regression analyses were performed after adjusting for age, gender, education level, marital status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, history of hypertension, and history of diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: Of 32,050 participants, 17,082 (53.3%) reported poor sleep quality. Increases in log-transformed one-year average lead (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.20), manganese (1.31; 1.25-1.37), cadmium (1.03; 1.00-1.05), and aluminum concentrations (1.17; 1.10-1.25) were associated with poor sleep quality. Increases in log-transformed three-month average manganese (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.17) and aluminum concentrations (1.28; 1.21-1.35) were associated with poor sleep quality. CONCLUSION: We showed for the first time that exposure to airborne lead, manganese, cadmium, and aluminum were associated with poor sleep quality. This study may be limited by self-reported sleep quality and district-level exposure data.

Levels and control of welding fume exposure to total particulate, hexavalent chromium, and manganese in contracted activities in an oil refinery setting (2008-2018).

In response to increasing focus on occupational exposures to welding fume, a 10-year series of personal exposure measurements was analyzed for the two main welding processes (Shielded Metal Arc Welding or Stick and Tungsten Inert Gas welding or TIG) used in an oil refinery setting. Exposures from ancillary gouging and grinding were also analyzed. The operations were conducted under a permit-to-work system, which stipulated control measures in the form of ventilation and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) depending on the work environment, base metal, and welding process. The analysis focused on three health hazards of interest: total particulate (TP); hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)); and manganese (Mn). The study's aims were the analysis of exposure levels related to operational conditions to verify the adequacy of required control measures and the generation of quantitative information for the development of predictive exposure models. Arithmetic mean exposures were 2.01 mg/m3 for TP (n = 94), 13.86 µg/m3 for Cr (VI) (n = 160), and 0.024 mg/m3 for Mn (n = 95). Requirements and practices for ventilation and use of RPE appeared adequate for maintaining exposure levels below maximum use concentrations. Predictive models for mean exposure levels were developed using multiple linear regression. Different patterns emerged for TP, Cr (VI), and Mn exposure determinants. Enclosed or confined work environments were associated with elevated exposure levels, regardless of the provision of local exhaust or general dilution ventilation. Carbon arc, used with gouging and grinding, contributed significantly to TP exposure (p = 0.006). The relative TP source strengths of the two main welding processes were comparable to the literature data. For Cr (VI), stick welding was associated with approximately 50-fold (p < 0.001) higher exposure potential than TIG welding. For Mn, this difference was approximately 2.5-fold. Differences were observed across the three analytes in exposure reduction efficiency of local exhaust ventilation (LEV) compared to natural ventilation, possibly due to ineffective use in confined spaces. These findings contribute to the overall understanding of TP, Cr (VI), and Mn exposures from welding and required controls in an oil refinery setting.

Exploring the association between two groups of metals with potentially opposing renal effects and renal function in middle-aged and older adults: Evidence from an explainable machine learning method.

BACKGROUND: Machine learning models have promising applications in capturing the complex relationship between mixtures of exposures and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed at introducing an explainable machine learning (EML) model to assess the association between metal mixtures with potentially opposing renal effects and renal function in middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: This study extracted data from two cycle years of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants aged 45 years or older with complete data on six metals (lead, cadmium, manganese, mercury, and selenium) and related covariates were enrolled. The EML model was developed by the optimized machine learning model together with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to assess the chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk with metal mixtures. The results from EML were further compared in detail with multiple logistic regression (MLR) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). RESULTS: After adjusting for included covariates, MLR pointed out the lead and arsenic were generally positively associated with CKD, but manganese had a negative association. In the BKMR analysis, each metal was found to have a non-linear association with the risk of CKD, and interactions can exist between metals, especially for arsenic and lead. The EML ranked the feature importance: lead, manganese, arsenic and selenium were close behind in importance after gender, age or BMI for participants with CKD. Strong interactions between mercury and lead, manganese and cadmium and arsenic and manganese were identified by partial dependence plot (PDP) of SHAP and bivariate exposure-response effect plots of BKMR. The EML model determined the "trigger point" at which the risk of CKD abruptly changed. CONCLUSION: Co-exposure to metals with different nephrotoxicity could have different joint association with renal function, and EML can be a powerful method for studying complex exposure mixtures.

Biomonitoring of arsenic, lead, manganese and mercury in hair from a presumably exposed Uruguayan child population.

Aim: To perform an exposure assessment of arsenic, manganese, mercury and lead levels in hair samples from children from poor neighborhoods. Materials & methods: A total of 38 Caucasian children were recruited with the consent of their parents or tutors. Determinations were performed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results & conclusion: Results were 0.045-0.12 µg/g-1 (arsenic), 0.56-2.05 µg/g-1 (manganese) and 0.34-27.8 µg/g-1 (lead). Lead results did not correlate with those previously reported in blood from the same individuals, suggesting that hair is not useful for exposure assessment of this contaminant. Mercury was determined for the first time in Uruguayan children showing levels <0.083 µg/g-1. Results revealed low-to-moderate metal exposure, except for some high lead findings.

Diversity and botanical composition of native species in the Pampa biome in vineyards cultivated on soils with high levels of copper, zinc and manganese and phytoremediation potential.

Viticulture allows the preservation of native species inside vineyards in the Pampa biome. However, phytosanitary treatments in these areas can increase the levels of Cu, Zn and Mn. The study aimed to (i) verify the influence of Cu, Zn and Mn contents in Pampa biome soils; (ii) identify variables related to Cu, Zn and Mn that most contribute to the variation in richness, diversity, and dry matter production of native vegetation, (iii) investigate the phytoremediation potential of species present in vineyards. Botanical composition, Cu, Zn, Mn available in the soil, and plant nutritional composition in two vineyards (V1 and V2) and native field (NF) were evaluated. Vineyards showed higher Cu, Zn and Mn contents in the soil, resulting in the lowest biomass, richness, and diversity of native species. Mn in tissue was the most important variable in explaining the variation in dry matter. Zn in the soil helped to explain the difference in species richness and diversity. P concentration in tissue was important in elucidating the variation in species diversity. Paspalum plicatulum and Paspalum notatum have potential for phytostabilization of metals in vineyards.

Magnesium and manganese induced changes on chemical, nutritional, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the pansy and Viola edible flowers.

Pansy and viola edible flowers were grown hydroponically with different levels of Mg and Mn. The nutritional composition was determined using standard methods. Free sugars, fatty acids, organic acids, tocopherols, and phenolic compounds were analyzed using various HPLC and GC devises. The extract's antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activity were assessed. The results indicated that Mg enrichment negatively affected plant growth and mineral accumulation but improved photosynthetic performance. The edible flowers contained significant amounts of protein, low levels of fat, and varying sugar contents, such as glucose and fructose. Various fatty acids and phenolic compounds were identified, with different concentrations depending on the treatment. The flowers exhibited antioxidant potential, antimicrobial activity, cytotoxic effects, and anti-inflammatory properties. The correlations between the investigated parameters not only expand knowledge on Mg and Mn interaction but also catalyze significant advancements in sustainable agriculture and food health, fostering a healthier and more conscious future.

Highly efficient activation of periodate by a manganese-modified biochar to rapidly degrade methylene blue.

In this study, the manganese oxide/biochar composites (Mn@BC) were synthesized from Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. The Mn@BC was analyzed via techniques of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The results show that MnOx is successfully loaded on the surface of BC, and the load of MnOx can increase the number of surface functional groups of BC. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that MnOx loaded on BC mainly exists in three valence forms: Mn(Ⅱ), Mn(Ⅲ), and Mn(Ⅳ). The ability of Mn@BC to activate periodate (PI) was studied by simulating the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The degradation experiment results showed that the MB removal rate by the Mn@BC/PI system reached 97.4% within 30 min. The quenching experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed that Mn@BC can activate PI to produce iodate (IO3•), singlet oxygen (1O2), and hydroxyl radical (•OH), which can degrade MB during the reaction. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used to determine the interaction between pH, Mn@BC and PI concentration in the Mn@BC/PI system, and the optimum technological parameters were determined. When pH = 5.4, Mn@BC concentration 0.56 mg/L, PI concentration 1.1 mmol/L, MB removal rate can reach 98.05%. The cyclic experiments show that Mn@BC can be reused. After four consecutive runs, the removal rate of MB by the Mn@BC/PI system is still 82%, and the Mn@BC/PI system also shows high performance in treating MB in actual water bodies and degrading other pollutants. This study provides a practical method for degrading dyes in natural sewage.