Evaluation of air quality and health risks associated with trace elements in respirable particulates (PM2.5) from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Fine atmospheric particulates are associated with numerous environmental and health issues as they can penetrate deeply in the respiratory tract thereby adversely affecting the human health. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations of trace elements in the respirable (PM2.5) fraction of the atmospheric particulates and to understand their pollution status and health risks. The samples were collected from Islamabad, and the metals were extracted using HNO3 and HCl based extraction method. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was employed to quantify the concentrations of selected trace elements. PM2.5 exhibited considerable variations in their minimum (4.737 µg/m3) and maximum (108.1 µg/m3) levels. The significant contributors among the selected elements bound to PM2.5 were Ca (1016 ng/m3), K (759.8 ng/m3), Mg (483.0 ng/m3), Fe (469.7 ng/m3), and Zn (341.1 ng/m3), while Ag (0.578 ng/m3) was found at the lowest levels with an overall descending order: Ca > K > Mg > Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd > Mn > Sr > Cr > Co > Li > Ag. Multivariate PCA and CA identified industrial activities, combustion processes and automobile emissions as the main anthropogenic contributors to particulate pollution. Enrichment factors and geoaccumulation indices were computed to assess the pollution status. The results also revealed that among the trace elements, Cd showed extremely high contamination, followed by Ag, Zn, and Pb, which showed moderate to high contamination in the atmospheric particulates. Carcinogenic health risks from Pb and Ni were found to be within the safe limit (1.0 × 10-6); however, Cr, Co, and Cd exposure was linked to significant cancer risks. The present elemental levels in PM2.5 were also compared with the reported levels from other regions around the world.

Appraisal of contamination, source identification and health risk assessment of selected metals in the agricultural soil of Chakwal, Pakistan.

Contamination of metals in agricultural soil is a serious global threat but there are limited reports related to their risks in major agronomic areas. The current study is aimed to assess the distribution of selected macroelements and essential/toxic trace metals (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Sr, Li, Ag, Fe, Zn, Co, Cu, Mn, Cd, Cr, Pb and Ni) in the agricultural soil of Chakwal, Pakistan, in order to appraise their contamination status, source identification and probable human health risks. Quantification of the metals was performed by AAS employing aqua regia digestion method. Among the selected metals, dominant mean concentrations were observed for Ca (48,285 mg/kg) and Fe (30,120 mg/kg), followed by Mg (9171 mg/kg), K (973.3 mg/kg), Mn (399.0 mg/kg) and Na (368.9 mg/kg). The correlation study indicated strong mutual relationships among the metals as well as physicochemical properties. Multivariate analysis (PCA/CA) of the metal levels revealed their diverse anthropogenic sources in the soil. Various pollution indices indicated extremely high contamination/enrichment of Cd, followed by moderate enrichment/contamination of Ag in the soil. The HQ values for most of the metals manifested insignificant non-cancer risks. The average CR value of Cr was exceeding the safe limit (1.0E-06) for both ingestion and inhalation exposure, indicating a considerable lifelong cancer risk for the population. The results of this study will provide a better understanding related to the contamination of agricultural soil and its effects on human health and to promote effective actions to reduce the soil pollution.

Sequential extraction of selected metals to assess their mobility, pollution status and health risk in roadside soil.

Assessment of the mobility and contamination of trace metals in the roadside soil is important to explore the environmental quality and potential risks to the public health. The contents of selected metals (Ca, Mg, Sr, K, Na, Li, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ag, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb) in the roadside soil collected from major highways/roadsides of Lahore, Pakistan were quantified employing mBCR sequential extraction. Among the metals, Ca, Sr and Na showed highest contribution in exchangeable fraction, Pb in the reducible fraction and K, Li, Fe, Ag, Ni, Cu and Cr in the residual fraction. However, Mg and Mn exhibited relatively higher contents in exchangeable and residual fractions while Cd, Co and Zn showed relatively higher concentration in all four fractions. Comparatively higher mobility and availability in the soil was shown by Ca followed by Sr, Pb, Na, Cd, Zn, Co, Mn, Cu, Ag and Ni. Principal component analysis demonstrated considerable anthropogenic contributions of the trace metals in the roadside soil. The pollution indices showed that the soil was heavily to extremely polluted by Cd and Ag, followed by significant to very high contamination for Co, Ni and Pb. The modified degree of contamination (4.60 and 3.99 in summer and winter, respectively) revealed an overall high degree of contamination. The health risk assessment revealed that the calculated risks were within the safe limit thereby indicating insignificant non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic heath risk to the populace.

Assessment of water quality, trace metal pollution, source apportionment and health risks in the groundwater of Chakwal, Pakistan.

Groundwater quality evaluation is the main concern in the regions like Chakwal where it is major source of water for drinking and irrigation due to low storage capacity of the surface water and lack of proper irrigation system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate various physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, TDS, DO, TA, TH and chlorides) and selected essential/toxic trace metal concentrations (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Sr, Li, Ag, Zn, Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, Cr, Cd, and Pb) in order to explore their distribution, correlation, spatial variations and health risk assessment. Average concentration of some trace metals (Co, Cd and Pb) and physicochemical parameters (EC, TDS, and alkalinity) were found to exceed the national/international standards. Multivariate methods of analysis showed strong associations among Fe-Li-K, Sr-Mg-Ca, Cd-Mn, Cu-Zn, Ag-Co, and Cr-Pb-Na which were significantly contributed by anthropogenic activities. Irrigation water quality index exhibited intermediate suitability of the groundwater for irrigation purpose. Health risk evaluation of the trace metals revealed significant non-carcinogenic risks for Cd, Co and Pb (HQing > 1) especially for children. Similarly, significant carcinogenic risk was found to be associated with Pb and Cr which exceeded the safe limit, suggesting the lifetime carcinogenic risk associated with these metals in the groundwater. The present health risk problems should be considered on top priority and immediate actions should be taken to safeguard the water quality in the study area.

Elemental Analysis of Laryngeal Cancer Patients in Comparison with Controls Using Scalp Hair as an Analytical Tool.

Laryngeal cancer, a rare form of head and neck cancer, is more common in men, and various factors play important roles in its etiology. In the current study, trace elemental contents in the scalp hair of laryngeal cancer patients and healthy subjects were evaluated. Selected essential and toxic elements were measured using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry after the hair samples were digested with HNO3-HClO4. The mean/median levels of Pb in the scalp hair of patients were significantly higher than the healthy donors, but Sr, Zn, and Co exhibited comparatively lower levels in the laryngeal cancer patients. In comparison to healthy donors, the correlation pattern among the elements in the hair of the patients exhibited diverse mutual relationships. The multivariate apportionment of the elemental levels in the scalp hair of both donor groups was significantly divergent. The average elemental levels varied significantly among the cancer types (glottic, supraglottic, transglottic, and subglottic) as well as the cancer stages (I, II, III, IV). The average levels of the elements also exhibited considerable variations depending on the donors' habitat, gender, food, and smoking habits. Overall, the study revealed significantly divergent disparities among the elemental contents in the scalp hair of the laryngeal cancer patients in comparison with counterpart controls.

Investigation of imbalances in essential/toxic metal levels in the blood of laryngeal cancer patients in comparison with controls.

Laryngeal carcinoma is one of the common types of head and neck cancer, with men being more likely than women to develop it. Diet, age, gender, smoking habits, and environmental factors play important roles in its development. The goal of this study was to ascertain if there were imbalances in essential and toxic trace metals owing to the initiation and progression of laryngeal cancer. Atomic absorption spectrometry was employed to quantify selected macroelements, and essential/toxic trace metals in blood of the cancerous patients and matching controls. Significantly higher concentrations of Pb, Cu, Fe, and Sr while substantially lower levels of Na, K, Ca, and Mg were observed in the cancer patients compared with the controls. Considerably disparate mutual relationships among the macroelements, and essential/toxic trace metals in the patients and controls were manifested by their correlation coefficients. Similarly, multivariate apportionment of the metal levels showed appreciably diverse associations and grouping in the patients and controls. The laryngeal cancer patients exhibited significant disparities in the metal levels among various sub-types (supraglottic, subglottic, transglottic, and glottic cancer) and stages (I, II, III, and IV) of the disease. Most of the metals revealed distinct differences based on the gender, habitat, age, eating preferences, and smoking habits in both donor groups. Overall, the study demonstrated significant imbalances among the macroelements, and essential/toxic trace metal levels in the blood of laryngeal cancer patients compared to the controls.

Mobility, bioaccessibility, pollution assessment and risk characterization of potentially toxic metals in the urban soil of Lahore, Pakistan.

The present study is based on the measurement of potentially toxic metal contents employing various extraction methodologies aimed at the evaluation of their mobility, bioaccessibility and bioavailability in the urban soil (n = 56) of Lahore, Pakistan. Selected metal levels in the soil were quantified using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. On the average basis, aqua regia and glycine extracts revealed comparatively higher contents for most of the metals; average concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Co and Cd were found at 1566, 451.1, 114.8, 52.84, 39.15, 24.82, 12.59 and 3.953 mg/kg in aqua regia extract, while in glycine extract the metal levels were found at 579.6, 174.2, 74.72, 49.74, 19.28, 7.103, 4.692 and 3.357 mg/kg, respectively. However, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn showed significantly higher mobility and bioavailability in the soil, while Co, Fe and Mn were least mobile/bioavailable. The pollution index was assessed in terms of enrichment factor and modified degree of contamination which revealed severe to significant contamination and anthropogenic enrichment of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn. Multivariate analysis showed mostly anthropogenic contributions for Zn-Cu-Cr-Pb-Cd. Health risk assessment revealed relatively higher exposure of the metals through ingestion, while only minor contributions were noted for inhalation and dermal contact. Hazard quotient index was within the safe limit (< 1.0) in all soil extractions, thereby indicating no significant non-carcinogenic health risks. The incremental lifetime cancer risk for Cr (4.1E-06) through ingestion was comparatively higher than the safe limit which showed significant lifetime cancer risk to the local population.

Evaluation of Potentially Toxic Trace Metals and Associated Health Risk Assessment in Buffalo Milk.

The contamination of toxic trace metals in the food chain is one of the major threats to human health. Milk is part of a balanced diet, which is essential for proper growth, but the ingestion of contaminated milk may cause chronic health disorders. The present study is focused on the assessment of contamination of toxic trace metals in buffalo milk and the associated health risks to the consumers of Abbottabad, Pakistan. Standard analytical methods were employed to quantify the metal contents in the milk samples collected from various shops and homes in the months from June 2021 to October 2021. Health risk assessment was accomplished by computing estimated daily intake (EDI), health risk index (HRI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and target cancer risk (TCR). On a comparative basis, the mean concentration of Cr was found to be highest in both shop and home milk samples (101.3 ± 45.33 and 54.11 ± 24.20 mg/L, respectively), followed by Pb, Zn, Ni, and Cd levels. In buffalo milk collected from homes, the highest concentration of the metals was found in October, followed by July, September, June, and August. In shop milk, the increasing trend of metal contents was July > October > September > June > August. Significantly strong positive relationships were noted between the metal concentrations in the milk samples. Multivariate cluster analysis and principal component analysis exhibited significant anthropogenic contributions of the metals in buffalo milk. Mostly, the EDI and HRI values were exceeding the recommended limits; however, THQ, HI, and TCR showed that the intake of these metals through milk consumption was within the safe limit and thus revealed no significant carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic risks to the consumers. It is high time to ensure the continuous monitoring of organic/inorganic toxins in the milk and concerned authorities should take strict measures to control the contamination of milk and other food products.

Variations in Total Phenolic, Total Flavonoid Contents, and Free Radicals' Scavenging Potential of Onion Varieties Planted under Diverse Environmental Conditions.

Genetic diversity and Agro-climatic conditions contribute significantly to the agronomic and morphological features of the food plant species, and their nutraceutical potential. The present study was intended to evaluate the impact of growing conditions on total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, and in vitro antioxidant potential in the bulbs and leaves of onion varieties planted under diverse environmental conditions. Standard analytical methods were used to quantify total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and free radicals' scavenging/antioxidant capacity. The impact of climatic and soil conditions was assessed using statistical tools. In general, onion varieties cultivated at three different locations viz. Kalar Kahar, Lahore and Swabi exhibited significant variations in TPC and TFC, and antioxidant activities. The bulbs and leaves of Mustang (V1) variety planted at Lahore and Swabi had significantly (p < 0.05), high levels of TPC (659.5 ± 6.59, and 631.1 ± 8.58 mg GAE/100 g, respectively). However, leaves of Red Orb (V2) and bulbs of Mustang (V1), and Golden Orb (V6), harvested from Kalar Kahar depicted the highest concentration of TFC (432.5 ± 10.3, 303.0 ± 6.67, and 303.0 ± 2.52 mg QE/100 g DW, respectively). Likewise, bulbs of V1 planted at Kalar Kahar, Lahore and Swabi exhibited maximum inhibition of DPPH, ABTS, and H2O2 radicals (79.01 ± 1.49, 65.38 ± 0.99, and 59.76 ± 0.90%, respectively). Golden Orb (V6) harvested from Lahore had the highest scavenging of OH radical (67.40 ± 0.09%). Likewise, bulbs of V1 variety planted at KalarKahar and Swabi had significant capacity to scavenge ferric ions (415.1 ± 10.6 mg GAE/100 g DW), and molybdate ions (213.7 ± 0.00 mg AAE/100 g DW). Conversely, leaves of Amazon (V8), planted at Lahore and Swabi depicted significant levels of DPPH, ABTS, H2O2 radical scavenging (90.69 ± 0.26, 63.55 ± 1.06, 51.86 ± 0.43%, respectively), and reduction of ferric ions (184.2 ± 6.75 mg GAE/100 g DW). V6 leaves harvested from Lahore and that of Super Sarhad (V3) from Swabi showed the highest inhibition of OH radical (61.21 ± 0.79%), and molybdate ions (623.6 ± 0.12 mg AAE/100 g DW), respectively. Pearson correlation and principal component analysis revealed strong relationships of climatic conditions, soil properties and elevation with TPC, TFC and free radicals' scavenging potential in the bulbs and leaves of onion varieties. The variations in the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant potential of different varieties, and their associations with climatic and soil factors revealed the complexity of the growing conditions and genetic makeup that imposed significant impacts on the synthesis of secondary metabolites and nutraceutical potential of food and medicinal plant species.

Evaluation of Contamination Status and Health Risk Assessment of Essential and Toxic Metals in Cyprinus carpio from Mangla Lake, Pakistan.

Although fish as a diet has many health benefits, metal accumulation in fish has been an increasing public health concerns across the world. The Cyprinus carpio samples were collected from Mangla Lake, Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, and analyzed for 18 essential and toxic trace metals. In edible muscles of the fish, average concentration (µg/g) of K (3002) was the highest, followed by Na (648), Ca (435), Mg (227), and Zn (161). Relatively lower levels (µg/g) were noted for Fe (16.9), Pb (6.05), Sr (4.01), Se (3.49), Co (2.90), Ni (2.37), Mn (2.29), As (1.48), and Cu (1.37), while least levels (µg/g) were found for Cr (0.61), Cd (0.52), Hg (0.15), and Li (0.09) in muscles. Majority of the metals revealed higher accumulation in gills compared with those in scales and muscles. Mean levels of Zn, Mn, Co, Pb, As, and Cd in Cyprinus carpio muscles were found to be exceeding most of the international permissible limits in muscles for safe human consumption. Estimated daily/weekly intakes and hazard quotients/index suggested a high risk related to the intake of Cyprinus carpio from Mangla Lake due to heavy metal contamination. Likewise, target cancer risk (TCR) also indicated significant lifetime carcinogenic health risks to the consumers.

Study of Essential and Toxic Metal Imbalances in the Scalp Hair of Thyroid Cancer Patients in Comparison with Healthy Donors.

Thyroid cancer is among the most common type of head and neck cancer; diet, age, gender and environmental factors play vital roles in its malignancy. The present study was carried out to assess the imbalances in the contents of trace metals due to onset and progression of thyroid cancer. Scalp hair was used as matrix for the evaluation of toxic and trace metals. Quantification of the metals was done through atomic absorption spectrometry. In comparison with healthy subjects, the thyroid cancer patients revealed significantly higher median levels of Mn (71%), Co (64%), Cr (55%), K (49%), Fe (45%), Mg (42%), Pb (36%), Na (30%), and Ni (26%), while the median level of Zn was considerably lower in the patients. The correlation coefficients among the metals in the patients demonstrated significantly different communal relationships compared with the healthy counterparts. Multivariate methods exhibited noticeably dissimilar apportionment among the metals in the patients than the controls. Significant disparities in the metal levels were also noticed for various types (anaplastic thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, and medullary thyroid cancer) as well as stages (I, II, III, and IV) among the thyroid cancer patients. Majority of the metals revealed perceptible disparities in their contents based on gender, habitat, dietary habits, and smoking habits of the patients and controls. Overall, the study showed significantly divergent distribution and associations of the essential and toxic metal levels in the scalp hair of the patients in comparison with the levels in controls.

Appraisal of Metal Imbalances in the Blood of Thyroid Cancer Patients in Comparison with Healthy Subjects.

Cancer incidence and mortality rates have been increasing rapidly worldwide. A growing body of evidence revealed that exposure to trace metals is the most important aetiology for development of the cancer. Therefore, present study was intended to evaluate the imbalances in the concentrations of selected metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Sr, Li, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, Ag, Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb) in the blood of newly diagnosed thyroid cancer patients in comparison with counterpart healthy subjects/controls. Concentrations of the metals were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry by employing nitric acid/perchloric acid-based wet digestion method. Average concentrations of Pb (774.6 µg/dL), Cr (757.9 µg/dL), Cd (472.5 µg/dL) and Ni (360.5 µg/dL) were found to be significantly higher in the blood of cancer patients than controls. Correlation study and multivariate analysis showed strong mutual relationships among Fe-Cd-Ca-Mg-Pb, Co-Sr-Zn, Li-Ag-Na-K and Cu-Ni in the blood of thyroid cancer patients while Na-K-Fe-Co-Pb, Zn-Sr-Cr, Ca-Mg and Li-Ag-Cu-Ni exhibited strong mutual associations in the blood of healthy donors. Significant variations in the trace metal levels were observed with the age, gender, habitat, food habits and smoking habits of both donor groups. Metal levels also exhibited considerable disparities with the stages and types of thyroid cancer. Multivariate analysis of the metal data revealed significantly divergent apportionment of the metals in the blood of cancer patients compared with the healthy group.

Phytochemical profiling, antioxidant and HepG2 cancer cells' antiproliferation potential in the kernels of apricot cultivars.

Phytochemical composition, in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activity against HepG2 cells were studied in the kernels of apricot cultivars grown in the northern areas of Pakistan. Relatively, the kernel of Habbi cultivar/AP-12 depicted significant potential to scavenge DPPH and ABTS+ free radicals as well as oxygen radical absorbance capacity along with highest contents of total flavonoids, phenolics, chlorogenic and syringic acids on dry weight basis. The average concentration of quercetin ranged 0.072-1.343 mg/100 g, and of EGCG from 0.713 to 6.521 mg/100 g with maximum concentration in Hulappa/AP-3 and Kho Chali-Khatta 3/AP-17, respectively. Amygdalin content was highest (1145 mg/100 g) in the kernel of Balaani/AP-14. Highest inhibition of HepG2 cells was found in the kernel of Waflu Chuli/AP-9 (EC50 = 15.70 ±â€¯3.77 mg/mL). The PCA showed significant contributions of polyphenols and flavonoids towards biochemical assays, while CA revealed similarities and associations among various cultivars. Our study revealed that Habbi, Waflu Chuli, Thukdeena and Balaani kernels are rich sources of bioactive compounds and possess significant antioxidant and anticancer activity and can contribute considerably in the prevention and treatment of chronic health disorders.

Study of Trace Metal Imbalances in the Scalp Hair of Stomach Cancer Patients with Different Types and Stages.

Stomach cancer is among the most common forms of cancers, and diet and environmental factors play important roles in its malignancy. This study was conducted to evaluate the trace metal contents in the scalp hair of stomach cancer patients and healthy donors to investigate probable relationship between metal imbalances and cancer. The samples were digested in HNO3-HClO4 mixture and the metals were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Median level of Cr was found to be significantly higher in the patients than in the controls, while median levels of Fe, Mn and Cd were considerably reduced. The correlation pattern of metals in the patients manifested significantly divergent mutual relationships compared with the controls. Multivariate analyses showed appreciably diverse apportionment of the metals in the patients and healthy donors. Variations in the metal levels were also observed for various types (adenocarcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumour) as well as stages (I, II, III and IV) of stomach cancer patients. Most of the metals revealed noticeable disparities in their levels based on gender, habitat, dietary habit and smoking habit of patients and controls. Accordingly, the essential/toxic metals exhibited significant imbalance due to pathogenesis of stomach among the patients.

Disparities in the Concentrations of Essential/Toxic Elements in the Blood and Scalp Hair of Lymphoma Patients and Healthy Subjects.

Lymphoma is one of the fastest growing malignancies worldwide and imbalance in the concentrations of trace elements can play a significant role in the onset and progression of the disease. Selected essential and toxic elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb) were analysed in the blood & scalp hair of lymphoma patients (n = 59 & 58, respectively) and controls (n = 61 & 60, respectively) by atomic absorption spectrometry. On the average, Ni, Cr, Cu and Cd revealed significantly higher contents in the blood and scalp hair of the patients than the controls (p < 0.05). The correlation study showed significantly diverse relationships among the elements in blood & scalp hair of the two donor groups. Variations in the elemental levels with different types of lymphoma (non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin) were also evaluated. Disparities in the elemental concentrations were also investigated for various types of non-Hodgkin (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma and peripheral T-cell lymphoma) and Hodgkin lymphoma (mixed cellularity, nodular lymphocyte predominant and nodular sclerosing), as well as for different stages (I, II, III & IV) of the cancer. Multivariate statistical analysis showed considerably divergent associations of the elements in the patients and controls. The study indicated profound alteration of the elemental levels in the patients; it may be implicated in elemental-induced disorders including lymphoma.

Evaluation of antioxidant activities and essential/toxicmetal levels and their health risk assessment in citrus fruits from Pakistan.

Fruits are important components of human diet, and their contamination by environmental pollutants is an emerging challenge nowadays. The present study is based on the measurement of selected essential and toxic trace metals including Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Co, Sr, Li, Ni, Pb, and Cd in commercially available citrus fruits from Pakistan. The samples were digested in HNO3 and HCLO4 mixture, and the metal contents were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Highest concentration was found for Ca (609.0-3596 mg/kg), followed by relatively higher levels of K (277.6-682.1 mg/kg), Mg (53.65-123.4 mg/kg), Na (1.173-52.14 mg/kg), and Fe (0.236-10.57 mg/kg), while Li, Ni, and Cd showed the lowest contributions in most of the samples. In addition, antioxidant activities such as DPPH radical scavenging assay, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, ferrous chelating activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, and phosphomolybdenum assay were also evaluated in the fruit samples. Considerably higher antioxidant activities were shown by grapefruit, mandarin, sweet lime, and tangerine. Most of the antioxidant assays were significantly correlated with Na, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Cu levels in the fruits. Human health risk was evaluated in terms of health risk index (HRI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and target cancer risk (TCR) which revealed insignificant health risks; thus, the consumption of these fruits can be considered as safe for human diet.

Evaluation of Polyphenolics Content and Antioxidant Activity in Edible Wild Fruits.

Plant diversity is a basic source of food and medicines for the local communities of the Himalayas. Current study was intended to assess polyphenolics content and antioxidant potential in edible wild fruits used as food and to treat various diseases by the inhabitants of Himalayan region of Pakistan. The fruits of 20 plant species were evaluated using standard protocols, whereas information on medicinal uses was gathered through semistructured interviews. Comparatively, Prunus domestica and Rubus ellipticus fruits exhibited highest levels of phenolics and flavonols contents (113.55 ± 0.61 mg GAE/100 g and 200.06 ± 1.57 mg RtE/100 g FW, respectively) in acetone extract. Nevertheless, flavonoids were maximum in the water extract of Rosa moschata (194.82 ± 3.46 mg RtE/100 g FW). Contrary, Duchesnea indica fruit depicted significant potential to scavenge DPPH and H2O2 radicals at 94.66 ± 8.89% in acetone extract and 83.54± 9.37% in water extract, while acetone extract of Rubus ellipticus had maximum potential to reduce ferric ions (133.66 ± 15.00 µM GAE/100 g FW). Additionally, total antioxidant capacity was highest in the acetone extract of Berberis lycium fruit (332.08 ± 21.90 µM AAE/100 g FW). The relationships between polyphenolics and antioxidant activity revealed synergistic role of secondary metabolites in the prevention of diseases. Our study revealed that wild fruits consumed by the local communities of Himalayas are rich in health beneficial phytochemicals and hold significant potential to treat chronic diseases, particularly associated with free radicals.

Seasonal variations, risk assessment and multivariate analysis of trace metals in the freshwater reservoirs of Pakistan.

Water samples were collected from three freshwater reservoirs of Pakistan during three seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon). The collected samples were examined for the concentrations of selected trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn) and physicochemical parameters (pH, T, EC, TDS, DO, Cl-). Among the metals, Co, Pb and Sr revealed relatively higher concentrations while Cd, Mn and Zn exhibited fairly lower contents. Most of the metals (except Co) revealed considerably higher contributions in the pre-monsoon period. The average levels of Cr, Co, Cd, Pb and Ni exceeded the national/international guideline limits. Pollution assessment highlighted significant pollution; mainly by Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb. Evaluation of health risk indicated that Cr, Cd, Co, Pb and Ni were associated with high risks (HQing > 1), especially for the children. Principal component analysis showed anthropogenic contributions of Cd, Cr, Co, Pb and Ni, while significant spatial variability was shown by cluster analysis. The highest metal pollution was found at sites near to the entrances of the reservoirs and/or near to the urbanized areas. This study revealed that priority pollutants of concern were Cr, Cd, Co, Pb and Ni; therefore, immediate remedial measures should be implemented for sustaining the healthy aquatic ecosystems.

Chemometric Evaluation of Elemental Imbalances in the Scalp Hair of Valvular Heart Disease Patients in Comparison with Healthy Donors.

The present study deals with the plausible association between the trace elemental imbalances and the emergence of valvular heart disease (VHD). A total of 14 elements including Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Sr and Zn in the scalp hair of VHD patients and healthy donors were analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrophometry employing wet acid digestion methodology. Median levels of Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Sr in the scalp hair of patients were significantly higher compared to those of the healthy donors, while the median concentrations of K and Na were found to be considerably higher in the scalp hair of the healthy donors. In addition, substantially elevated Cu/Zn value in patients indicated the prevalence of inflammatory processes inside the body. The correlation coefficients among the elements in the hair of VHD patients were significantly diverse compared to those of the healthy donors. Multivariate statistical methods showed noticeably dissimilar apportionment of the elements in the two groups. Variations in the elemental levels were also observed with gender, habitat, dietary/smoking habits and occupations of both donor groups. Overall, the study revealed significant imbalances among the essential and toxic elements in the scalp hair of VHD patients compared to those of the healthy subjects.

Evaluation of the mobility and pollution index of selected essential/toxic metals in paddy soil by sequential extraction method.

Comparative distribution and mobility of selected essential and toxic metals in the paddy soil from district Sargodha, Pakistan was evaluated by the modified Community Bureau of Reference (mBCR) sequential extraction procedure. Most of the soil samples showed slightly alkaline nature while the soil texture was predominantly silty loam in nature. The metal contents were quantified in the exchangeable, reducible, oxidisable and residual fractions of the soil by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the metal data were subjected to the statistical analyses in order to evaluate the mutual relationships among the metals in each fraction. Among the metals, Ca, Sr and Mn were found to be more mobile in the soil. A number of significant correlations between different metal pairs were noted in various fractions. Contamination factor, geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor revealed extremely severe enrichment/contamination for Cd; moderate to significant enrichment/contamination for Ni, Zn, Co and Pb while Cr, Sr, Cu and Mn revealed minimal to moderate contamination and accumulation in the soil. Multivariate cluster analysis showed significant anthropogenic intrusions of the metals in various fractions.