[Determination of 24 elements migration in Yixing clay pottery by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an analytical method for determining the migration of 24 elements in Yixing clay pottery in 4% acetic acid simulated solution by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. METHODS: Four types of Yixing clay pottery, including Yixing clay teapot, Yixing clay kettle, Yixing clay pot, and Yixing clay electric stew pot, were immersed in 4% acetic acid as a food simulant for testing. The migration amount of 24 elements in the migration solution was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Lithium, magnesium, aluminum, iron, and barium elements with a mass concentration of 1000 µg/L; Lead, cadmium, total arsenic, chromium, nickel, copper, vanadium, manganese, antimony, tin, zinc, cobalt, molybdenum, silver, beryllium, thallium, titanium, and strontium elements within 100 µg/L there was a linear relationship within, the r value was between 0.998 739 and 0.999 989. Total mercury at 5.0 µg/L, there was a linear relationship within, the r value of 0.995 056. The detection limit of the elements measured by this method was between 0.5 and 45.0 µg/L, the recovery rate was 80.6%-108.9%, and the relative standard deviation was 1.0%-4.8%(n=6). A total of 32 samples of four types of Yixing clay pottery sold on the market, including teapots, boiling kettles, casseroles, and electric stewing pots, were tested. It was found that the migration of 16 elements, including beryllium, titanium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, zinc, silver, cadmium, antimony, total mercury, thallium, tin, copper, total arsenic, molybdenum, and lead, were lower than the quantitative limit. The element with the highest migration volume teapot was aluminum, magnesium, and barium; The kettle was aluminum and magnesium; Casserole was aluminum, magnesium, and lithium; The electric stew pot was aluminum. CONCLUSION: This method is easy to operate and has high accuracy, providing an effective and feasible detection method for the determination and evaluation of element migration in Yixing clay pottery.

Evaluate the aluminum concentrations in whey milk samples of cows from different areas using deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method.

This study investigates the contamination of cow milk with aluminum (Al) and its potential health implications, particularly for children. Cow milk samples were collected from both nonexposed and exposed areas in Sindh, based on the source of livestock drinking water (fresh canals and groundwater). An environmental friendly deep eutectic solvent (DES) was used with ultrasonic-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UDLLµE) to enrich trace amounts of Al in whey milk and water samples. The enriched samples were then analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Certified reference materials were employed to validate the methodology, and the experimental results exhibited acceptable conformity. The DES-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method was environmental friendly, devoid of acids and oxidizing agents, and used safe and inexpensive components for routine trace metal analysis in diverse samples. The resulting data revealed that Al in whey milk samples was observed in the range of 31-45 %, corresponding to (160-270) µg L-1 and (700-1035) µg L-1 in nonexposed and exposed whole cow milk samples, respectively. Additionally, it was observed that milk boiling in Al utensil for 10-20 min enhanced the Al levels from 3 to 8% of its total contents in milk samples.

Association between the Composition of Drinking Water and Cognitive Function in the Elderly: A Systematic Review.

The prevalence of dementia increases with nearly 10 million new cases each year, with Alzheimer's disease contributing to 60-70% of cases. Environmental factors such as drinking water have been evaluated to determine if a relationship exists between trace elements in drinking water and the risk of developing cognitive disorders in the elderly. The purpose of the current systematic review was to evaluate an association between the composition of drinking water and cognitive function in the elderly. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a literature search was conducted using PubMed and CINAHL databases. A total of 10 studies were included in the current systematic review. Aluminum is the most commonly evaluated trace element in studies (n = 8), followed by silica (n = 5), calcium (n = 4), and fluoride (n = 4). Aluminum exposure showed an increased risk of cognitive decline in four studies, with no association reported in the other studies. Higher silica and pH levels were shown to be protective against a decline in cognitive function. A similar protective effect of calcium was found in two studies. Future research should measure multiple trace mineral levels in all water sources to evaluate the impact on cognitive function.

Development of a water-soluble fluorescent Al3+ probe based on phenylsulfonyl-2-pyrone in biological systems.

BACKGROUND: Al exists naturally in the environment and is an important component in acidic soils, which harm almost all plants. Furthermore, Al is widely used in food additives, cosmetics, and medicines, resulting in living organisms ingesting traces of Al orally or dermally every day. Accordingly, Al accumulates in the body, which can cause negative bioeffects and diseases, and this concern is gaining increasing attention. Therefore, to detect and track Al in the environment and in living organisms, the development of novel Al-selective probes that are water-soluble and exhibit fluorescence at long wavelengths is necessary. RESULTS: In this study, an Al3+-selective fluorescent probe PSP based on a novel pyrone molecule was synthesized and characterized to detect and track Al in biological systems. PSP exhibited fluorescence enhancement at 580 nm in the presence of Al3+ in aqueous media. Binding analysis using Job's plot and structural analysis using 1H NMR showed that PSP formed a 1:1 complex with Al3+ at the two carbonyl groups of the dimethyl malonate of the pyrone ring. Upon testing in biological systems, PSP showed good cell membrane permeability, detected intracellular Al3+ in human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), and successfully imaged accumulated Al3+ in Microcystis aeruginosa and the larvae of Rheocricotopus species. SIGNIFICANCE: The novel Al3+-selective fluorescent probe PSP is highly effective and is expected to aid in elucidating the role of Al3+ in the environment and living organisms.

Trace metals and nutrient analysis of marine fish species from the Gwadar coast.

Trace metals are naturally occurring metals found in very small concentrations in the environment. In the context of fish flesh, metals such as copper, calcium, potassium, sodium, zinc, iron, and manganese are absorbed by fish and play vital roles in various physiological functions. However, if these metals exceed the recommended limits set by WHO/FAO, they are termed 'toxic metals' due to their harmful impacts on both the fish and its consumers. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the levels of protein, lipids, and certain metals-Aluminum (Al), Sodium (Na), Zinc (Zn), Titanium (Ti), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Potassium (K), and Calcium (Ca) in three commercially important marine fishes i.e. Rastrelliger kanagurta, Sardinella abella, and Otolithes ruber. The study also aims to assess their potential impact on human health. The macro-Kjeldhal method and Soxhlet apparatus were used to estimate protein and lipid contents, while atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to estimate trace metals found in fishes. The study found that these fish species are valuable sources of protein, lipids, and certain essential minerals. The protein content (CP) in these three species ranged from 63.35 to 86.57%, while lipid content was from 21.05 to 23.86%. The overall results of the trace metal concentrations analyzed in the present study revealed that Aluminum (Al), Sodium (Na), Zinc (Zn), Titanium (Ti), Copper (Cu), Potassium (K), and Calcium (Ca) were found in low concentration or traces and also within suitable ranges as set by WHO/FAO. However, Iron (Fe) was absent in all three species. Moreover, both copper and potassium were found in all three species, while Zinc was present in Rastrelliger kanagurta and Sardinella abella, calcium in Sardinella abella, and sodium in Otolithes ruber only. Titanium was recorded for the first time in S. abella. However, the total health risk assessment associated with these fish food consumption was measured by THQ and TTHQ and found to be less than 1, which shows no potential risk related to trace metals found in these fishes on human health upon their consumption. In conclusion, these commercially important marine fish species were found valuable sources of protein, lipids, and essential trace minerals that are necessary for human health. Thus, the current study provides useful information for the local population to make informed decisions about their daily diets and highlights the importance of sustainable fishing practices to maintain these valuable marine resources by periodical monitoring of their ecosystem.

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.

External aluminium supply regulates photosynthesis and carbon partitioning in the Al-accumulating tropical shrub Melastoma malabathricum.

Aluminium (Al) is toxic to most plants, but recent research has suggested that Al addition may stimulate growth and nutrient uptake in some species capable of accumulating high tissue Al concentrations. The physiological basis of this growth response is unknown, but it may be associated with processes linked to the regulation of carbon assimilation and partitioning by Al supply. To test alternative hypotheses for the physiological mechanism explaining this response, we examined the effects of increasing Al concentrations in the growth medium on tissue nutrient concentrations and carbon assimilation in two populations of the Al-accumulator Melastoma malabathricum. Compared to seedlings grown in a control nutrient solution containing no Al, mean rates of photosynthesis and respiration increased by 46% and 27%, respectively, total non-structural carbohydrate concentrations increased by 45%, and lignin concentration in roots decreased by 26% when seedlings were grown in a nutrient solution containing 2.0 mM Al. The concentrations of P, Ca and Mg in leaves and stems increased by 31%, 22%, and 26%, respectively, in response to an increase in nutrient solution Al concentration from 0 to 2.0 mM. Elemental concentrations in roots increased for P (114%), Mg (61%) and K (5%) in response to this increase in Al concentration in the nutrient solution. Plants derived from an inherently faster-growing population had a greater relative increase in final dry mass, net photosynthetic and respiration rates and total non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in response to higher external Al supply. We conclude that growth stimulation by Al supply is associated with increases in photosynthetic and respiration rates and enhanced production of non-structural carbohydrates that are differentially allocated to roots, as well as stimulation of nutrient uptake. These responses suggest that internal carbon assimilation is up-regulated to provide the necessary resources of non-structural carbohydrates for uptake, transport and storage of Al in Melastoma malabathricum. This physiological mechanism has only been recorded previously in one other plant species, Camellia sinensis, which last shared a common ancestor with M. malabathricum more than 120 million years ago.

New materials-based on gelatin coordinated with zirconium or aluminum for ecological retanning.

Ecological retanning agent is an effective way to solve the pollution source of leather manufacturing industry. In this study, the gelatin from chrome-containing leather shavings in the leather industry was used to realize sustainable leather post-tanning. The gelatin hydrolysate (GH) coordinated with Zr4+ or Al3+ to prepare eco-friendly retanning agents GH-Zr and GH-Al. The successful coordination between GH and metal ions was characterized by FTIR and XPS. The retanning agents were characterized by FTIR curve-fitting and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The results showed that the conformation of the secondary structure of the polypeptide became ordered and stable after coordinating with the metal ions. The particle size and weight average molecular weight of the retanning agents were ~1700 nm and ~2100, respectively, measured by nanoparticle size analyzer and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The retanning agents were applied to retanning of chrome tanned leather and glutaraldehyde tanned leather. The abundant free amino from retanning agents can consume the free formaldehyde. Meanwhile, retanning agents can effectively improve the multiple binding sites, resulting in favorable thickening rate (>110 %) and excellent dye and fatliquor absorption rate with ~99.91 % and ~93.18 %. Thus, this strategy can provide a viable choice for solid leather waste and sustainable development of the leather industry.

The role of plants in ironstone evolution: iron and aluminium cycling in the rhizosphere.

The Carajás plateaus in Brazil host endemic epilithic vegetation ("campo rupestre") on top of ironstone duricrusts, known as canga. This capping rock is primarily composed of iron(III) oxide minerals and forms a physically resistant horizon. Field observations reveal an intimate interaction between canga's surface and two native sedges (Rhynchospora barbata and Bulbostylis cangae). These observations suggest that certain plants contribute to the biogeochemical cycling of iron. Iron dissolution features at the root-rock interface were characterised using synchrotron-based techniques, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. These microscale characterisations indicate that iron is preferentially leached in the rhizosphere, enriching the comparatively insoluble aluminium around root channels. Oxalic acid and other exudates were detected in active root channels, signifying ligand-controlled iron oxide dissolution, likely driven by the plants' requirements for goethite-associated nutrients such as phosphorus. The excess iron not uptaken by the plant can reprecipitate in and around roots, line root channels and cement detrital fragments in the soil crust at the base of the plants. The reprecipitation of iron is significant as it provides a continuously forming cement, which makes canga horizons a 'self-healing' cover and contributes to them being the world's most stable continuously exposed land surfaces. Aluminium hydroxide precipitates ("gibbsite cutans") were also detected, coating some of the root cavities, often in alternating layers with goethite. This alternating pattern may correspond with oscillating oxygen concentrations in the rhizosphere. Microbial lineages known to contain iron-reducing bacteria were identified in the sedge rhizospheric microbiome and likely contribute to the reductive dissolution of iron(III) oxides within canga. Drying or percolation of oxygenated water to these anaerobic niches have led to iron mineralisation of biofilms, detected in many root channels. This study sheds light on plants' direct and indirect involvement in canga evolution, with possible implications for revegetation and surface restoration of iron mine sites.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote arsenic accumulation in Pteris vittata L. through arsenic solubilization in rhizosphere soil and arsenic uptake by hyphae.

The introduction of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is considered an effective strategy for improving the arsenic phytoremediation efficiency of Pteris vittata L. (P. vittata). However, how hyphae take up arsenic and translocate it to the root cells of P. vittata in the symbiotic mycorrhizal structure is currently unclear. In this study, the role of hyphae in arsenic enrichment in P. vittata and the mechanism of arsenic species transformation in the rhizosphere were studied via a compartmented cultivation setup. After Claroidoglomus etunicatum (C. etunicatum) colonization, the arsenic content of P. vittata increased by 234%. Hyphae contributed 32% to the accumulation of arsenic in symbionts. C. etunicatum promoted the conversion of iron and aluminum oxides to crystalline states in rhizosphere soil, promoted the desorption of arsenic bound to iron and aluminum oxides, and increased the content of available arsenic in rhizosphere soil by 116%. The transfer of arsenic from arbuscular structures to root cells was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM)/scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDS) analysis. This study demonstrated that C. etunicatum inoculation enhances the phytoremediation efficiency of P. vittata in arsenic-contaminated soils through hyphal uptake, plant growth promotion, and alteration of the rhizosphere environment.

Interstitial pulmonary disease and aluminum trihydrate exposure: A single case report and detailed workplace analysis.

Exposure to aluminum compounds is clearly associated with pulmonary function decrements, and several animal models document possible mechanisms of aluminum- compound-induced pulmonary toxicity. Nevertheless, disagreements remain about the precise mechanism by which exposures lead to damage. We present a strong case for attributing a case of interstitial pulmonary disease to occupational exposure to aluminum trihydrate. This report follows a 2014 publication of another case of interstitial pulmonary disease following a similar exposure. Our patient eventually underwent double lung transplantation nearly 5 years postexposure. Detailed pulmonary particulate elemental analysis suggested that aluminum metal, including aluminum trihydrate, was the most likely cause. A detailed assessment of the worker's relevant occupational exposures accompanies this case report.

All that glitters is not gold: X-ray fluorescence analysis of a fixed dental prosthesis from Colecção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI, Portugal (CEI/XXI).

Access to better health care anticipates that more medical devices can be found alongside skeletal remains. Those employed in oral rehabilitation, with available brands or batch/series, can prove useful in the identification process. A previous study in the Colecção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI described macroscopically the dental prostheses. An unusual case of a dental device with chromatic alterations demonstrated to require a more detailed analysis. The individual, a 53-year-old male, exhibited, at both arches, a fixed tooth-supported rehabilitation, with gold colouring classified initially as a gold-palladium alloy. Simultaneously, a green pigmentation deposit was observable in bone and prosthesis. This investigation aimed to verify the elemental composition of the dental prosthesis alloy. Elemental analysis was performed by X-ray fluorescence in two regions (labial surface of the prosthetic crown and the root surface of the lower right lateral incisor). Both the spectra and the qualitative results found higher levels of copper and aluminium, followed by nickel, iron, zinc, and manganese. No gold or palladium was detected. The most probable assumption is that a copper-aluminium alloy was used, as its elemental concentration corresponds to those measured in similar devices. Dental prostheses of copper-aluminium alloys have been made popular since the 1980s, particularly in the USA, Japan, and Eastern Europe. Apart from the biographical information, it was also known that the individual's place of birth was an Eastern European country, which highlighted the usefulness of this type of information when dealing with missing people cases.

Aluminum Concentrations in Breast Milk Samples Obtained from Breastfeeding Women from a Resource-Limited Country: A Study of the Predicting Factors.

This study assessed aluminum concentrations in breast milk samples obtained from breastfeeding women in resource-limited countries, estimated daily intake of aluminum by breastfed infants, and identified predictors of higher breast milk aluminum concentrations. A descriptive analytical approach was used in this multicenter study. Breastfeeding women were recruited from different maternity health clinics in Palestine. Aluminum concentrations in 246 breast milk samples were determined using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric method. The mean breast milk aluminum concentration was 2.1 ± 1.5 mg/L. The mean estimated daily intake of aluminum by infants was 0.37 ± 0.26 mg/kg body weight/day. Multiple linear regression showed that breast milk aluminum concentrations were predicted by living in urban areas, closer to industrial areas, waste disposals, frequent use of deodorants, and less frequent use of vitamins. Breast milk aluminum levels among Palestinian breastfeeding women were comparable to those previously determined in occupationally unexposed women.

Contrasting effects of MgAl- and MgFe-based layered double hydroxides on phosphorus mobilization and microbial communities in sediment.

The effects of two types of layered double hydroxides (LDH) in-situ treatment on sediment phosphorus (P) mobilization and microbial community's structure were studied comparatively. The results presented that magnesium/aluminum-based (MA) and magnesium/iron (MF)-based LDH displayed great phosphate uptake ability in aqueous solution in a broad pH range of 3-8. The maximum phosphate sorption capacity of MA was 64.89 mg/g, around four times greater than that of MF (14.32 mg/g). Most of phosphate bound by MA and MF is hard to re-liberate under reduction and ordinary pH (5-9) conditions. In the in-situ remediation, the MA and MF capping/amendment both prevented P migration from the sediment to the overlying water (OL-water) under long-term anaerobic conditions, and MA had a better interception efficiency compared to MF in the same application mode. MA amendment significantly reduced mobile P (Mob-P) content in sediment and could remain its stable Mob-P inactivation capacity over a wide pH range. On the contrary, MF amendment increased Mob-P content in sediment and exhibited a variable ability to inactivate Mob-P under elevated pH conditions. MF can decrease Mob-P content at pH of 7 and 11 but increase Mob-P content at pH of 8-10. Under resuspension conditions, MA and MF capping groups still maintained low P levels in OL-water, while MA capping simultaneously showed a certain degree of resistance to sediment resuspension, but it had a weaker stabilizing effect for sediment than MF. Microbial community analysis manifested neither MA nor MF addition observably altered the sediment microbial diversity, but impacted the functional microorganisms' abundance and reshaped the microbial community's structure, intervening the sediment-P stabilization. Viewed from environmental friendliness, control efficiency, stability of P fixation capacity, and application convenience, MA capping wrapped by fabric is more suitable for addressing internal P loading in eutrophic lakes and holds great potential application.

How the physicochemical substrate properties can influence the deposition of blood and seminal deposits.

A comprehensive investigation into the impact of the physical and chemical variables of a substrate on the deposition was conducted to aid in the estimation of the subsequent transfer probabilities of blood and semen. The study focussed on surface roughness, topography, surface free energy (SFE), wettability, and the capacity for protein adsorption. Conjointly, evaluations of the physical and chemical characteristics of blood and seminal deposits were conducted, to assess the fluid dynamics of these non-Newtonian fluids and their adhesion potential to aluminium and polypropylene. A linear range of surface roughness parameters (0.5 - 3.5 µm) were assessed for their impact on the deposit deposition spread and adhesion height, to gather insight into the change in fluid dynamics of non-Newtonian fluids. Blood has shown to produce a uniform adhesion coverage on aluminium across all roughness categories while blood deposited on polypropylene exhibited a strong hydrophobic response from a surface roughness of 2.0 µm and beyond. Interestingly, the deposition height of blood resulted in near identical values, whether deposited onto the hydrophobic polypropylene or the hydrophilic aluminium substrate, illustrating the potential influence of a heightened fibrinogen adsorption effect. Semen deposited on aluminium resulted in concentrated localised deposition regions after reaching a surface roughness of 2.0 µm, highlighting the development of crystal formations afforded by the sodium ion concentration in the seminal fluid. The semen deposited on polypropylene conformed to the substrate contours producing a deposition film that was smoother than the substrate itself, underlining the effects of thixotropic fluid dynamics. Variables identified here establish the complexity observed for non-Newtonian fluids, and the effect protein adsorption may have on the deposition behaviour of blood and seminal deposits and inform questions in relation to the adhesion strength of said deposits and their ability to dislodge (becoming detached upon the application of an external force) from the substrate surface during a potential transfer event.

A comprehensive investigation to the fate of phosphorus in full-scale wastewater treatment plants using aluminum salts for enhanced phosphorus removal.

This study investigated the fate of phosphorus (P) in 8 full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Shanghai, China, in which both biological nutrient removal and aluminum-based chemical phosphorus removal were used. The results showed that 83.8-98.9 % P was transferred to the sludge in the 8 WWTPs by both chemical and biological reactions. P speciation analysis indicated that chemical P precipitates accounted for 84.3 % in the activated sludge, of which crystalline AlPO4 and amorphous iron­phosphorus compounds (FePs) were the main components. Sludge with more water-soluble and weakly adsorbed P was generated in the anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A/A/O) process than in other processes. Among the 8 WWTPs, the one with the largest flow rate and relatively short sludge retention time (SRT) had the best potential to release P from all types of sludge. The recovery potential of P from thickened sludge can be improved by separately thickening the sludge produced in the high-efficiency sedimentation tank or feeding it into the dewatering process directly. Different P removal chemicals and dosing points changed the amount of chemical precipitate formed but had little effect on the composition of P accumulating organisms (PAOs) at the genus level. Although aluminum-based coagulants were applied in the investigated WWTPs, Fe in wastewater had the most positive effect on the proliferation of PAOs. The synthesis of polyphosphate was also related to the metabolism of PAOs as it affected transmembrane inorganic phosphate (Pi) transport and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. The in-depth understanding of the fate of P is beneficial to improve P recovery efficiency in WWTPs.

Impact of welding occupation on serum aluminium level and its association with physical health, cognitive function, and quality of life: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: There is an occupational health concern about welders' inhalation of toxic aluminium fumes. We investigated whether serum aluminium level (SAL) and demographic variables can significantly predict physical health parameters, cognition, and quality of life (QoL) among welders. METHODS: The cross-sectional study involved 100 age- and location-matched men (50 welders and 50 non-welders). SAL obtained using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer, and data collected using blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) apparatuses, biodata form, pain rating scale, General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition, WHOQoL-BREF, and Nordic musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) questionnaire were analysed using independent samples t test, chi-square, Pearson's correlation, and hierarchical linear regression. RESULTS: Welders had significantly higher SAL (mean difference [MD] = 1.77 µg/L, p < 0.001), lower QoL (MD = 3.92, p = 0.039), and higher prevalence of MSS on the neck (χ2 = 10.187, p = 0.001), shoulder (χ2 = 9.007, p = 0.003), upper back (χ2 = 6.832, p = 0.009), and knee (χ2 = 12.190, p < 0.001) than non-welders. There was a significant bivariate association between SAL, systolic blood pressure (ß = 0.313, p = 0.002), and BMI (ß = 0.279, p = 0.005), but not pain intensity, cognition, or QoL. SAL remained a significant predictor of systolic blood pressure after adjustment for physical health and QoL parameters (ß = 0.191, p = 0.044). The association between SAL and social QoL became significant after adjustment for physical health and other QoL domains (ß = - 0.210, p = 0.032) and demographic variables (ß = - 0.233, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Welders had significantly higher SAL, musculoskeletal symptoms, blood pressure, and lower QoL than non-welders. SAL was associated with adverse physical health parameters and social-related QoL, not cognition. We recommend routine aluminium bioavailability and physical health checks among welders.

Analysis of the coupled flows of aluminum and copper in household air conditioning system.

The global "copper-poor and aluminum-rich" situation has made the possibility of "copper saving with aluminum" an important topic. This study established a framework for analyzing multiple substances' coupled flows at the product level based on material flow analysis (MFA), and took the household air conditioning system of the Chinese mainland in 2020 as an example to characterize the coupled flows of aluminum and copper. The results showed that the system consumed 0.69 million tons of aluminum and 2.10 million tons of copper, and discharged 0.17 million tons of aluminum and 0.43 million tons of copper to the environment cumulatively to achieve 13.2 million terajoules of final heat exchanged and serve 1.24 billion square meters during lifetime in mainland China alone, secondary aluminum and copper accounted for only 22.61% and 24.83% of the total consumption, and the in-use stocks increased by 0.19 million tons of aluminum and 0.70 million tons of copper. The external dependency of copper ore was 92.83%, which was significantly higher than the 44.29% of bauxite. The comprehensive utilization efficiency of copper reached 77.88%, which was slightly higher than the 70.80% of aluminum. The conclusion indicates that under the premise of meeting use requirements, promoting "replacing copper with aluminum" can improve the stability and safety of China's material supply chain, but there is a need to further boost the production efficiency of aluminum in primary production.

An integrated biological effects assessment of the discharge water into the Sunndalsfjord from an aluminium smelter.

An integrated biological effects study using field transplanted mussels was applied to determine the potential biological effects of an effluent discharge from an aluminium smelter into a Norwegian fjord. Chemical body burden and biological effects were measured in mussels positioned downstream (1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 km) from the aluminium smelters discharge for a period of 6 weeks. A suite of biomarkers, from whole organism to subcellular responses were measured. Chemical concentrations in mussel tissues were low; however, a change in the PAC (polyaromatic compound) profile from high to low pyrogenic influence provided evidence of exposure to the smelter's effluent. Overall, the biological responses observed where greater in the mussels positioned closest to the smelter (1-5 km). Lowest chemical accumulation and biomarker responses were observed in mussels positioned 10 km from the smelter and were considered as the reference field population. Mussels located furthest from the smelter (20 km) exhibited significant biomarker responses and suggested a different contaminant source within the fjord. The integrated biological response index (IBR) was applied and reflected the expected level of exposure to the smelters discharge, with highest IBR calculated in mussels positioned closest to the discharge (1-5 km). Principal component analysis (PCA) also differentiated among mussel groups, with the most impacted located closest to the smelter. Not one chemical factor could explain the biological responses observed in mussels, but the presence of PAH16, PAH41 and metals Mn, Ni and Cr were the main contributors measured to the higher stress seen in the mussels from the 1 and 5 km groups.