Informal E -waste recycling in nine cities of Pakistan reveals significant impacts on local air and soil quality and associated health risks.

The global increase in electronic waste (e-waste) has led to a rise in informal recycling, emitting hazardous heavy metals (HMs) that threaten human health and ecosystems. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of HM levels in dry deposition and soils at proximity of forty (40) informal e-waste recycling sites across Pakistan, between September 2020 to December 2021. Findings reveal that Zn (1410), Pb (410) and Mn (231) exhibited the higher mean deposition fluxes (µg/m2.day), derived from air samples, particularly in Karachi. Similarly, soils showed higher mean concentrations (µg/g dw) of Mn (477), Cu (514) and Pb (172) in Faisalabad, Lahore, and Karachi, respectively. HMs concentrations were found higher in winter or autumn and lower in summer. In addition, HM levels were significantly (p = 0.05) higher at recycling sites compared to background sites year-round, highlighting the e-waste recycling operations as the major source of their emissions. The Igeo index indicated moderate to extremely contaminated levels of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni in Karachi, Lahore and Gujranwala. Ingestion was found as a leading human exposure route, followed by dermal and inhalation exposure, with Pb posing the greatest health risk. The Cumulative Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) model suggested moderate to low cancer risks for workers. Strategic interventions recommend mitigating health and environmental risks, prioritizing human health and ecosystem integrity in Pakistan's e-waste management.

Gaseous elemental mercury emissions from informal E-Waste recycling facilities in Pakistan.

Detrimental effects of mercury (Hg) on ecosystems and human health have been well-documented. Whereas emissions of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) from e-waste recycling have been reported in developed countries, much less is known about the situation in the Global South. Using a total of 132 passive air samplers, seasonally resolved concentrations of GEM in air were measured continuously at 32 informal e-waste recycling facilities and background location in Pakistan for a period of one year between September 2020 and December 2021. Annual average GEM concentrations at the studied locations ranged from 1.8 to 92 ng m-3. Among the studied cities, higher concentrations were measured in Karachi (mean ± s.d: 17 ± 22, range: 4.2-92 ng m-3), Lahore (16 ± 4.2, 8.2-22 ng m-3) and Peshawar (15 ± 17, 4.9-80 ng m-3), while lower levels were measured in Hyderabad (6.9 ± 6.2, 3.1-25 ng m-3), consistent with a higher rate of informal recycling activities in metropolitan areas. Seasonally, higher GEM levels occurred during autumn (15 ± 16: 3.3-92 ng m-3) and summer (13 ± 8.7: 1.8-80 ng m-3) than in winter (12 ± 8.4: 2.5-49 ng m-3) and spring (9.2 ± 7.3: 1.8-80 ng m-3), possibly reflecting enhanced volatilization at higher temperatures and/or varying magnitude of recycling operations in different seasons. Policies and strict regulations related to e-waste management should be developed and implemented urgently in the country.

Association analysis between ARG1 gene polymorphisms and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

The current study aimed at investigate the potential association of ARG1 polymorphisms in subjects affected by idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM).We have investigated 352 subjects affected by IDCM and 352 population-matched healthy controls by exploiting case-control study. The serum lipids were quantified using spectrophotometric assay, serum arginase activity was done by enzyme colorimetric assay and 2 polymorphisms (rs2781666 and rs2781667) in ARG1 were typed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) to find out disease associate allele/haplotype segregating in subjects affected by IDCM.Significantly high arginase activity was found to be associated with IDCM subjects when compared with population-matched healthy controls (P < .0001). The higher arginase level in IDCM subjects is negatively correlated with nitrite and nitrate (r = -0.4687, and r = -0.6435, respectively) in our study. There was a significant difference in the distribution of rs2781666 and rs2781667 genotypes of ARG1 polymorphism in patients and controls (P < .0001). Similarly, variant allele T at both loci showed a significant association with the disease phenotypes (P < .0001). Haplotype TT at rs2781666G/T and rs2781667C/T also showed a significantly association (P < .0001).To our knowledge, this is the first report to show a significant involvement of ARG1 polymorphisms to produce IDCM symptoms in subjects originating in Pakistan.

Arginase-1 Variants and the Risk of Familial Coronary Artery Disease in Subjects Originating from Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Genetic polymorphisms in the human arginase-1 (ARG1) gene locus and their effects on cardiovascular disease have not been thoroughly elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the variant ARG1 alleles rs2781666 and rs2781667 with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: ARG1 rs2781666G/T and rs2781667C/T polymorphisms were characterized in a case-control study consisting of 200 complex Pakistani families with CAD history. Heritability of susceptibility/variant alleles was investigated from parent-offspring trios in these families. Determination of serum liped levels was performed spectrophotometrically, while serum arginase-1 activity and the concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites were detected by enzyme colorimetric assay. Genotyping of the two polymorphic sites in the ARG1 gene was performed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction analysis. RESULTS: A significant increase in arginase-1 activity was observed in CAD patients compared with controls (p < 0.0001). Arginase-1 was negatively correlated with serum nitrite and nitrate (r = -0.8137 and r = -0.8444, respectively). There was a significant difference in distribution of genotypes for rs2781666 and rs2781667 polymorphisms between patients and controls (p < 0.001 for each). Similarly, the variant T allele at both loci showed a significant association with the disease compared with subjects free of CAD (p < 0.0001 for each). The transmission-disequilibrium test revealed a significant association of rs2781666 and rs2781667 polymorphisms with CAD (p < 0.0001 for each). CONCLUSION: This report is the first to describe arginase-1 activity and an association between ARG1 gene polymorphisms and familial CAD from Pakistan.

Screening of multiclass pesticide residues in honey by SPE-GC/MSD: a pilot study.

Analytical method for the monitoring of residues of multiclass pesticides (variable chemical structure and chromatographic behavior) in honey has been optimized and in-house validated in the present study. Chemical confirmation of 35 selected pesticides (in-hive-treated pesticides and pesticides applied for agricultural practices in vicinity of apiaries) has been successfully achieved with the acetonitrile extraction/partitioning and cleanup by modified US EPA solid-phase extraction (SPE) protocol following analysis on the GC/MS DRS Pesticide Screener. The applied extraction procedure has given acceptable recoveries with an associated precision (RSD) for selected pesticides within the range as suggested by SANTE at MQL of 10 µg kg-1. Potential matrix effect for selected analytes was calculated by using honey from five different floral sources. The optimized method was used to determine levels of pesticide residues in honey samples randomly collected from 26 different apiaries in Pakistan. Residues of nine selected pesticide (dichlorvos, mevinphos, ethalfluralin, trifluralin, lindane, chlorpyrifos-methyl, dieldrin, profenofos, 4,4-DDE) were frequently detected in the ranges of 3-48.8 µg kg-1 in 26.9% of analyzed samples (n = 26) and 15.3% of the studied samples exceeded maximum residue limits (MRLs). In-hive-treated acaricides, i.e., coumaphos, tau-fluvalinate, and malathion, were not detected in any of the analyzed honey samples.

ARG1 single nucleotide polymorphisms rs2781666 and rs2781665 confer risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Genetic polymorphisms mapped in the ARG1 locus (chr6:131894344-131905472) and their functional effects on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. The present study aimed to investigate an association between variant alleles at ARG1 locus and T2DM in patients. Two ARG1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were characterized in a representative sample of 500 patients with T2DM and 500 healthy volunteers. Serum lipid profile was studied by spectrophotometric analysis, while serum arginase-1 concentrations were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The regions, encompassing target SNPs (rs2781665 and rs2781666), were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and genotypes were assigned by restriction digestions. A statistically significant increase was observed in the serum hs-CRP and arginase-1 levels in the subjects with T2DM than in controls (P <0.0001; for each). The variant genotypes of rs2781666 and rs2781665 were significantly associated with T2DM when compared with controls (P< 0.0001). Moreover, type 2 diabetic patients showed higher frequencies of T allele at rs2781666 and rs2781665 compared to the controls (OR = 1.7; 95 % CI=1.31-2.13; P <0.0001, and OR = 1.9; 95 % CI=1.45-2.38; P <0.0001, respectively). Haplotype T-T (chr6: 131893247-131893559) mapped at rs2781665-A/T and rs2781666-G/T displays higher frequency in the subjects when compared to the healthy ethnically-matched control samples (P <0.0001). We wish to propose, the first ever observation to our knowledge that concluding high levels of arginase-1 and the ARG1 polymorphisms are possible causes to confer/augment the risk of T2DM in subjects originates in Pakistan.