Effect of PM2.5 exposure on adhesion molecules and systemic nitric oxide in healthy adults: The role of metals, PAHs, and oxidative potential.

Since there is limited evidence on the impact of PM2.5 content on cardiovascular biomarkers, we conducted a cross-sectional study on 89 healthy adults from October 12 to November 21, 2021. We measured daily PM2.5 in two distinct regions during different time windows: a high-traffic urban area and an industrial suburb. The concentrations of metals, PAHs, and oxidative potential (OP) were determined using ICP-MS, GC-MS, and dithiothreitol (DTT), respectively. Systemic biomarkers, including NO, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, MDA, and CRP, were quantified in each subject simultaneously. A generalized linear model was used to examine the association between PM2.5 toxicity and each health endpoint. Our findings indicated that daily PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the WHO-recommended level by approximately sevenfold. We found that PM2.5 exposure was associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Moreover, exposure to PM2.5 mass, total PAHs, and certain trace metals (Ni, Fe, V, As, and Pb) resulted in a decline in serum NO levels. At lag 3, exposure to PM2.5 mass resulted in a significant decrease in NO levels [1.32% (95% CI: -2.27, -0.12)] and total PAHs [2.05% (95% CI: -3.93, -0.12)]. In contrast, OP exhibited a mild correlation with NO level increases. Positive associations were observed between PM2.5 and its chemical constituents (PAHs, As, Cu, OP) and adhesion molecules at different lag times. An increase of 0.16 ppb in PAH concentrations at an interquartile range was associated with a 4.74% decline (95% CI, -7.80, -0.55) in the sVCAM-1 level. However, our study did not reveal any significant trend between pollutants and other biomarkers (sICAM-1, MDA, and CRP). Consequently, our findings suggest that different PM2.5 chemical compositions exhibit diverse behavior in biological responses.

Spatial trend and probabilistic health risk assessment of heavy metals, nitrate, and fluoride in groundwater resources, West Azerbaijan province, Iran.

The quality of water resources used for drinking and their health effects is vitally important. The present study investigated the concentrations of F-, NO3-, and metal elements like Hg, Mn, As, and Pb in the groundwater resources and their health risk assessment on the west margin of Urmia Lake, Iran. Sampling points were selected and taken from 121 groundwater resources in the summer of 2014. Heavy metals (Pb, As, Mn, and Hg) were measured by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer, model: Arcos, Germany), and some ions (Na+, NO3-, F-, and Cl-) by flame photometer and spectrophotometer according to the standard methods, respectively. The nitrate concentration range in groundwater samples measured from 1.7 to 137 mg/L and fluoride from 0.4 to 4.5 mg/L. The probabilistic method and Monte Carlo simulation were used to estimate carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks. The concentration of study elements in most samples was obtained in the WHO (World Health Organization) recommended range. The order of HM (heavy metal) concentration is based on the overall mean: Mn > As > Hg > Pb. The HI (hazard index ) level was found to be more than 1 for noncarcinogenic risk for As and NO3- and permissible risks for the other elements and fluoride. ELCR (excess lifetime cancer risk) levels of As were acceptable, except for some sampling points, the central region in the study area, near the seashore of Urmia Lake. Finally, it can be stated that the groundwater resources in the studied area are acceptable for drinking in most places. Still, due to the effects of As and NO3- contaminated water, the quality is unacceptable for drinking in some places. So, monitoring water quality is recommended by finding contamination sources to decrease the health risks of drinking consumption.

Cumulative health risk assessment of pesticide residues in apple products in the Northwest of Iran using Monte Carlo simulation.

Pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables cause serious health issues, especially among children. This research was carried out to monitor and evaluate the risks of organophosphate pesticide residues in Maragheh County apple products from 2020. The Monte Carlo Simulation approach (MCS) was used to evaluate the non-cancerous effects of exposure to pesticide residues in adults and children. Apple samples were taken every two weeks at the Maragheh central market during the summer and fall months. In this study, seventeen pesticide residues in 30 apple samples were estimated using a modified QuECheRS extraction technique coupled with GC/MS. Of the seventeen organophosphate pesticides, thirteen were identified as pesticide residues (76.47%). The highest concentration found in the apple samples was associated with chlorpyrifos pesticide at 1.05 mg/kg. Pesticide residues exceeding the maximum residue limits (MRLs) were found in 100% of apple specimens, and more than 75% of the samples contained ten or more pesticide residues. Approximately 45%-80% of pesticide residues on apple samples were removed after washing and peeling. Chlorpyrifos pesticide had the highest health quotient (HQ) for men, women, and children with values of 0.046, 0.054, and 0.23, respectively. Cumulative risk assessment (CRA) of non-carcinogenic effects indicates that there is no significant health risk in the adult age group from apple consumption (HI < 1). Nevertheless, children are at high non-cancer risk from eating unwashed apples (HI = 1.3). This finding shows that high levels of pesticide residues in apple samples, especially unwashed apples, can be a serious concern for the health of children. To better protect consumer health, continuous and regular monitoring, strict regulations, training, and awareness of farmers, especially control pre-harvest interval (PHI) is recommended.

Oxidative stress indices induced by industrial and urban PM2.5-bound metals in A549 cells.

The detrimental effects of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on human health are of major global concern. PM2.5-bound metals are toxic compounds that contribute to cellular damage. To investigate the toxic effects of water-soluble metals on human lung epithelial cells and their bioaccessibility to lung fluid, PM2.5 samples were collected from both urban and industrial areas in the metropolitan city of Tabriz, Iran. Oxidative stress indices, including proline content, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), cytotoxicity, and DNA damage levels of water-soluble components of PM2.5, were evaluated. Furthermore, an in vitro test was conducted to assess the bioaccessibility of various PM2.5-bound metals to the respiratory system using simulated lung fluid. PM2.5 average concentrations in urban and industrial areas were 83.11 and 97.71 µg/m3, respectively. The cytotoxicity effects of PM2.5 water-soluble constituents from urban areas were significantly higher than in industrial areas and the IC50 was found to be 96.76 ± 3.34 and 201.31 ± 5.96 µg/mL for urban and industrial PM2.5 samples, respectively. In addition, higher PM2.5 concentrations increased the proline content in a concentration-dependent manner in A549 cells, which plays a protective role against oxidative stress and prevents PM2.5-induced DNA damage. Also, the partial least squares regression revealed that Be, Cd, Co, Ni, and Cr, were significantly correlated with DNA damage and proline accumulation, which caused cell damage through oxidative stress. The results of this study showed that PM2.5-bound metals in highly polluted metropolitan city caused substantial changes in the cellular proline content, DNA damage levels and cytotoxicity in human lung A549 cells.

Sex-specific association of exposure to air pollutants and Nrf2 gene expression and inflammatory biomarkers in exhaled breath of healthy adolescents.

Studies investigating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression levels in the respiratory system of healthy subjects are scarce. Moreover, separate studies on the health-related outcomes of air pollution for each sex are limited. The current panel study investigated sex-specific Nrf2 expression levels and related oxidative stress and inflammatory responses among healthy adolescents exposed to PM2.5, PM10, O3, and PM2.5-bounded metals in a high traffic region. Forty-nine healthy nonsmoking subjects participated in the study for five consecutive months (Nov. 2019 to Feb. 2020). Each subject was asked to provide 1 mL of exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. The results showed that PM10, PM2.5, O3, and PM2.5-bounded metals were negatively linked to Nrf2 expression level in EBC of females with -58.3% (95% CI: 79.5, -15.4), -32.1% (95% CI: -50.3, -7.1), -76.2% (95% CI: -92.6, -23.9), and -1.9 (95% CI: -3.4, -0.4), respectively. While our results presented no significant association between the studied pollutants and Nrf2 gene expression in males, significant associations were observed between the pollutants and total nitric oxide (NOx), interleukins 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the EBC of females. In the case of males, only EBC cytokines showed a significant association with air pollutants. Overall, this study suggests that exposure to ambient air pollutants may affect the respiratory system with biologically different mechanisms in males and females. PM2.5 concentration had a positive correlation with exhaled TNF-α and IL6 values in females while positive correlation with TNF-α and negative correlation with IL6 values in males. O3 had a negative correlation with TNF-α in males.

Acute responses of airway oxidative stress, inflammation, and hemodynamic markers to ambient PM2.5 and their trace metal contents among healthy adolescences: A panel study in highly polluted versus low polluted regions.

Particulate air pollutants are known contributors to global cardiorespiratory mortality through several pathways. We examined the effects of varied exposure to PM2.5 and trace metals on biological markers of airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and hemodynamic function of young individuals living in two different exposure settings. We enrolled and followed a panel of 97 healthy nonsmoking participants aged 15-18 years living in a highly polluted metropolitan city of Tabriz (TBZ) and a much less polluted semi-urban town of Hadishahr (HDS). For five consecutive months, the subjects were examined by a physician, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels (FENO) were measured. Samples of exhaled breath condensation (EBC) were obtained for measuring interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and total nitric oxide (NOx). We measured daily outdoor PM2.5 mass concentration in a fixed station in each location for all this period. The PM-metal content was analyzed by ICP-MS. The linear mixed-effects regression models were applied for data analysis. The averages of PM2.5 mass and total metals in TBZ were nearly two and four times higher than in HDS, respectively. In TBZ, an increased IQR of PM2.5 mass during 0-5 days was -correlated with a significant rise in diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, TNF-α, FENO, and NOx and reduction of IL-6. Moreover, exposure to low PM2.5 concentration is significantly -correlated with an elevation in diastolic blood pressure in HDS. We also observed that exposure to metal constituents in the highly polluted region is correlated with increased TNF-α and IL-6 with 131.80% (95% CI: 56.01, 244.39) and 47.51% (95% CI: 33.01, 62.05) per IQR of Hg, respectively. This study suggests that exposure to ambient PM2.5 and their metal contents in highly polluted areas may incite significant changes in airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and hemodynamic parameters in healthy subjects.

Air pollution-related asthma profiles among children/adolescents: A multi-group latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the asthma profile among children/adolescents and the relationship of the prevalence of air pollution profiles using latent class analysis (LCA). OBJECTIVES: In this cross-sectional study, a case rural community was selected in an industrial area, and two rural control communities were selected in unexposed areas. METHODS: Hourly concentrations of PM10, SO2, NO2, and total volatile organic compounds were obtained from the records of a fixed air quality monitoring station, and the concentrations of benzene, toluene, xylenes styrene were measured during six campaigns. Asthma data was collected using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood in 7-18 years old children/adolescents. The modeling was conducted using LCA. RESULTS: A higher amount of air pollution indices were observed in the case than both control communities. LCA divided the participants into three clusters; "healthy" (92.8%), "moderate" (2.8%), and "severe" (4.4%). A higher probability of severe asthma (6.8%) was observed in the case than control communities (2.6% and 1.8%). Additionally, after adjusting for possible confounders, the odds of asthma was lower in the control communities than the case in both moderate and sever classes (Odds Ratios in the range of 0.135-0.697). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates asthma profiles of children/adolescents and the higher prevalence of severe class in the area, explaining the possible effect of air pollution.

The priority setting of factors affecting a crash severity using the Analytic Network Process.

BACKGROUND: The original step in reducing crash severity is recognition of the involved factors. The aim of this paper is to prioritize the factors affecting crashes severity. The current study was carried out in 2018 in Iran. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study focuses on factors affecting the crash severity. Due to the complicated nature of traffic accidents, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making methods can be considered as an effective approach. In this work, the factors affecting a crash severity were identified and then attained factors were scored by ten traffic safety experts. To prioritize and weigh these factors, the Analytic Network Process method and Super Decisions program were used. RESULTS: The results showed four main factors and 60 sub-factors in which the main factors in the order of priority were the safety (the most important sub-factor: speed over the upper limit), the other factors (the most important sub-factor: road user type), the health (the most important sub-factor: drowsiness), and the environment (the most important sub-factor: slipping the road). CONCLUSIONS: In order to control the crash severity, the presented factors in this study could help traffic safety experts to prioritize and perform controlling actions.

Association of long term exposure to outdoor volatile organic compounds (BTXS) with pro-inflammatory biomarkers and hematologic parameters in urban adults: A cross-sectional study in Tabriz, Iran.

This study aimed to compare the hematologic variables and pro-inflammatory biomarkers in urban adults living in Tabriz, Iran, facing various levels of outdoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Of all 219 people (212 male and 7 female), 71 were from the low traffic area and 148 were from high traffic and industrial areas. To validate the exposure levels, 93 air samples were taken to determine the target VOCs (benzene, toluene, xylenes, and styrene collectively called BTXS) concentrations in the studied areas. ANOVA and Tukey's tests were used for statistical analysis. Based on the results, significant differences were observed between the mean concentrations of BTXS with the following order of abundance: industrial > high traffic > low traffic. The Considerable decrease was observed in red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin, hematocrit, and eosinophils of 0.324 ( × 106/µL), 0.57 g/dL, 1.87%, and 0.17 ( × 103/µL), respectively in industrial area participants as compared to the low traffic area. However, a significant increase was observed in white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophils number, neutrophils percent, TNF-α and INF-γ of 0.88 ( × 103/µL), 0.80 ( × 103/µL), 3.53%, 34.2 ng/mL, and 40.06 ng/mL, respectively in the same groups. The comparison of low and high traffic areas showed significant differences in RBC (p = 0.034), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (p < 0.001), and interferon gamma (INF-γ) (p < 0.001). On the contrary, no significant difference was observed in TNF-α and INF-γ among the high traffic and industrial areas. In conclusion, the results showed that the samples from high traffic and industrial areas were regularly exposed to higher values of BTXS due to traffic and industrial pollutants as compared to the samples residing in low traffic regions. Based on the results living in both high traffic and industrial regions can increase adverse effects on hematologic parameters and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Performance of on-site Medical waste disinfection equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran.

Background: The number of studies available on the performance of on-site medical waste treatment facilities is rare, to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of onsite medical waste treatment equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: A various range of the on-site medical waste disinfection equipment (autoclave, chemical disinfection, hydroclave, and dry thermal treatment) was considered to select 10 out of 22 hospitals in Tabriz to be included in the survey. The apparatus were monitored mechanically, chemically, and biologically for a six months period in all of the selected hospitals. Results: The results of the chemical monitoring (Bowie-Dick tests) indicated that 38.9% of the inspected autoclaves had operational problems in pre-vacuum, air leaks, inadequate steam penetration into the waste, and/or vacuum pump. The biological indicators revealed that about 55.55% of the samples were positive. The most of applied devices were not suitable for treating anatomical, pharmaceutical, cytotoxic, and chemical waste. Conclusion: Although on-site medical waste treating facilities have been installed in all the hospitals, the most of infectious-hazardous medical waste generated in the hospitals were deposited into a municipal solid waste landfill, without enough disinfection. The responsible authorities should stringently inspect and evaluate the operation of on-site medical waste treating equipment. An advanced off-site central facility with multi-treatment and disinfection equipment and enough capacity is recommended as an alternative.

The implementation of data reconciliation for evaluating a full-scale petrochemical wastewater treatment plant.

Data reconciliation and mass balance analysis were conducted for the first time to improve the data obtained from a petrochemical wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and the results were applied to evaluate the performance of the plant. Daily average values for 209 days from the inlet and outlet of the plant obtained from WWTP documentation center along with the results of four sampling runs in this work were used for data reconciliation and performance evaluation of the plant. Results showed that standard deviation and relative errors in the balanced data of each measurement decreased, especially for the process wastewater from 24.5 to 8.6 % for flow and 24.5 to 1.5 % for chemical oxygen demand (COD). The errors of measured data were -137 m3/day (-4.41 %) and 281 kg/day (7.92 %) for flow and COD, respectively. According to the balanced data, the removal rates of COD and 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5) through the aeration unit were equal to 37 and 46 %, respectively. In addition, the COD and BOD5 concentrations were reduced by about 61.9 % (2137 kg/day) and 78.1 % (1976 kg/day), respectively, prior to the biological process. At the same time, the removal rates of benzene, toluene, and styrene were 56, 38, and 69 %, respectively. The results revealed that about 40 % of influent benzene (75.5 kg/day) is emitted to the ambient air at the overhead of the equalization basin. It can be concluded that the volatilization of organic compounds is the basic mechanism for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and it corresponds to the main part of total COD removal from the WWTP.

Quality modeling of drinking groundwater using GIS in rural communities, northwest of Iran.

Given the importance of groundwater resources in water supply, this work aimed to study quality of drinking groundwater in rural areas in Tabriz county, northwest of Iran. Thirty two groundwater samples from different areas were collected and analyzed in terms of general parameters along with 20 heavy metals (e.g. As, Hg and …). The data of the analyses were applied as an attribute database for preparing thematic maps and showing water quality parameters. Multivariate statistical techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (CA) were used to compare and evaluate water quality. The findings showed that hydrochemical faces of the groundwater were of calcium-bicarbonate type. EC values were from 110 to 1750 µs/cm, in which concentration of salts was high in the east and a zone in north of the studied area. Hardness was from 52 to 476 mg/l and CaCO3 with average value of 185.88 ± 106.56 mg/L indicated hard water. Dominant cations and anions were Ca(2+) > Na(+) > Mg(2+) > K(+) and HCO3 (-) > Cl(-) > SO4 (2-) > NO3 (2), respectively. In the western areas, arsenic contamination was observed as high as 69 µg/L. Moreover, mercury was above the standard level in one of the villages. Eskandar and Olakandi villages had the lowest quality of drinking water. In terms of CA, sampling sites were classified into four clusters of similar water quality and PCA demonstrated that 3 components could cover 84.3% of the parameters. For investigating arsenic anomaly, conducting a comprehensive study in the western part of studied area is strongly recommended.

Pesticides residue in drinking groundwater resources of rural areas in the northwest of iran.

BACKGROUND: The majority of rural population in Iran depends on groundwater resources for drinking purposes. In recent years, pesticide contamination of limited water resources has become a serious challenge worldwide. This study quantified the pesticides residue in rural groundwater resources in the northwest of Iran. METHODS: A total of 78 groundwater samples were collected in June and Sep-tember 2011 from all 39 drinking water wells. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) followed by Gas Chroma9tography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to determine the selected pesticides. RESULTS: Detection frequencies of profenofos, malathion, diazinon, endosulfan, trifluralin, deltamethrin, methyl parathion, and fenitrothion were determined with the concentrations exceeded 0.1 µg/L in 2.6, 17.9, 15.4, 10.3, 2.6, 2.6, 7.7, and 44.9% of the samples, respectively. Total pesticides residue was also ob-served in 26.9% of the samples with concentrations exceeded 0.5 µg/L. Among them, profenofos, malathion and diazinon were detected as the most frequently observed pesticides with the maximum concentrations of 0.542, 0.456 and 0.614 µg/L, respectively. CONCLUSION: Higher pesticides residue than European Economic Commission (EEC) guidelines occurred in a number of monitored resources.

Corrosion and scaling potential in drinking water distribution system of tabriz, northwestern iran.

BACKGROUND: This paper discusses the corrosion and scaling potential of Tabriz drinking water distribution system in Northwest of Iran. Internal corrosion of piping is a serious problem in drinking water industry. Corrosive water can cause intrusion of heavy metals especially lead in to water, therefore effecting public health. The aim of this study was to determine corrosion and scaling potential in potable water distribution system of Tabriz during the spring and summer in 2011. METHODS: This study was carried out using Langlier Saturation Index, Ryznar Stability Index, Puckorius Scaling Index, and Aggressiveness indices. Eighty samples were taken from all over the city within two seasons, spring, and summer. Related parameters including temperature, pH, total dissolved solids, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity in all samples were measured in laboratory according to standard method manual. For the statistical analysis of the results, SPSS software (version 11.5) was used RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation values of Langlier, Ryznar, Puckorius and Aggressiveness Indices were equal to -0.68 (±0.43), 8.43 (±0.55), 7.86 (±0.36) and 11.23 (±0.43), respectively. By survey of corrosion indices, it was found that Tabriz drinking water is corrosive. CONCLUSION: In order to corrosion control, it is suggested that laboratorial study with regard to the distribution system condition be carried out to adjust effective parameters such as pH.