Design and Feasibility Evaluation of a Prototype Setup for Contemporary Easy Nitrates and Nitrites UV Detection in Water for Agriculture.

Evaluation of heavy metal contamination in landfills from e-waste disposal and its potential as a pollution source for surface water bodies

Persistence and movement of phorate at high concentrations in soil

Human health risks of five different heavy metals were assessed in nine typical areas in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of arsenic (As) in Hyderabad (HB), cadmium (Cd) in Veles (VL), and lead (Pb) in Murcia (MC) were found to be 5, indicating extreme contamination. This is related to their high concentrations in soil. The concentration of As in wheat in Niger Delta (ND) and European Union (EU) areas were 3.3 and 2.55mg/kg, which were 22 and 17 times respectively of the World Health Organization (WHO)/Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) criteria. In general, the concentrations of heavy metals in wheats were higher than those in corns, indicating that heavy metals were easier to accumulate in wheats than in corns. The human risks induced by the carcinogenic metals As and Cd were much higher than those induced by noncarcinogenic metals in different exposure ways. The human health risks of heavy metals in different exposure ways were Rw-ing > Rc-ing > Rs-ing > Rs-der > Rs-inh. The human health risks induced by wheat ingestion for adults and children accounted for 67.75-97.52% and 69.52-98.04%, respectively, of the total human health risks. The total human health risks in the VL and MC areas were 1.58 × 10-4 a-1 and 1.3 × 10-4 a-1 for adults and 1.14 × 10-4 a-1 and 9.47 × 10-5 a-1 for children, respectively, which were significantly high according to the Environmental Protection Agency and International Commission on Radiological Protection. The ranking of the total human health risks in different areas were RVL > RMC > RND > REU > RHB > RKY > RTB > RMLV>RNHM. The total human health risks of adults were higher than those of children.

Sources of very high heavy metal content in soils of volcanic island (La Réunion)

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic, non-essential element for living organisms, frequently present in high concentrations in soils from industrial areas. The total, dissolved, and labile Hg concentrations in garden soils and their accumulation in edible vegetables (onion, garlic, lettuce, and parsley) grown on contaminated soils in localities situated a former mining area were evaluated. The labile Hg fraction was estimated by diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT). The soil-to-vegetable transfer factors, as well as the health risk by exposure to Hg, were calculated based on the labile Hg concentration in soil. The total Hg concentration in soil varied widely (0.11-3.77 mg kg-1), Hg in soil solution ranged between 2.14 and 20.2 μg L-1 and labile Hg between 1.13 and 18.6 μg L-1. About 36-96% (84% on average) of the Hg concentration in soil solution was found in labile form. Multivariate analysis revealed significant correlations between the labile Hg concentration in soil and Hg accumulated in vegetables. The hazard indices showed that, although the study area is affected by legacy pollution, exposure to soil and consumption of locally grown vegetables do not pose health risks.

Community gardens and allotments are being trialled as a nature-based solution to mitigate multiple health and social, economic, and environmental/climate issues in Belfast. However, working in close proximity to urban lead-contaminated soils and ingestion of site-grown produce may pose significant health risks to community members unless remediating action is undertaken. Current research indicates that organic soil amendments adsorb common urban metal contaminants, particularly lead, and thus may limit plant/crop uptake and consequent human health risks after ingestion. This research seeks to investigate health risks associated with ingesting soils and vegetables grown in lead-contaminated and biochar-remediated soils in Lower Botanic Gardens, Belfast, using controlled pot experiments and concurrent field plots. Pots and plots will comprise combinations of high and low lead concentrations in soil, high and low lead concentrations in soil amended with 5%w/w biochar, and seeded with leaf (lettuce), bulb (garlic), and root (carrot) vegetables. Following a standard growth period, the pre- and post-growth soils, and vegetables will be tested using the Unified BARGE Method in vitro bioaccessibility methodology to determine the bioaccessible fraction for lead derived from soils and vegetables with and without biochar remediation. This will then give an indication of ingestion risk associated with biochar-amended and non-amended lead-contaminated soils, and different soil-grown vegetables. It is anticipated that there may be a mild-moderate risk of lead absorption in the gut after ingestion of non-amended contaminated soils; followed by a reduced risk posed by ingestion of site-grown vegetables with a risk hierarchy of carrot > garlic > lettuce; and a further reduced risk from produce grown in biochar-amended soils. These results would support the use of soil amendments to improve the scope of greening nature-based solutions on typically unfeasible contaminated sites, with the ultimate goal of enhancing health and social, economic, and environmental/climate conditions in urban areas.

The accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in water, soil and vegetables can pose a severe threat to the respective organisms and lead to human health risks upon exposure. Water, soil and vegetable samples were collected from the Mokolo River and its vicinity. Total concentration quantification and speciation analysis of chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As) were performed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS), respectively. The total concentrations of Cr and As were below the maximum permissible levels (MPLs) set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and South Africa’s Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) for drinking water. The soil quality guideline value of 64.0 µg/g for Cr was surpassed in most sites and posed a great risk to the vegetables growing in it, whereas the guideline value of 12.0 µg/g for As was surpassed in one sampling site. The observed high concentrations in soil could be linked to the use of fertilizers and atmospheric deposits introduced through coal burning by power stations. In vegetables, the total Cr concentration surpassed the recommended MPL of 0.5 µg/g, rendering the vegetables unsafe for human consumption. Concentrations ranging from 197 to 1180 ng/g and 374 to 17400 ng/g were detected for Cr(VI) and Cr(III), respectively. The consumption of vegetables containing high levels of Cr and As would result in health risks in adults and children as the total hazard quotient (THQ) exceeded 1. The consumption of some vegetables particularly by children could cause serious health risks as the THQ > 10 was observed for some Cr-contaminated vegetables. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) threshold of 1 × 10−4 was exceeded, indicating that the overall consumption of vegetables had high cancer risks for adults and children. This study suggests that the consumption of vegetable samples would lead to health risks in the population.

Metal uptake by homegrown vegetables – The relative importance in human health risk assessments at contaminated sites

Eighty soil cores were collected from a residential area adjacent to an automobile battery manufacturing facility to determine the level and variability of lead concentrations in the soil. Results of ICP-MS on HNO3 digestions showed lead concentrations in the residential soil as high as 2760 mg kg-1. High variability of lead concentrations of two to three times over short distances, less than a meter, indicated the necessity of remediating the entire soil area based on a clean-up level of 400 mg kg-1. To delineate areas of soil requiring no remediation at a high level of confidence would have required a more extensive soil sampling survey. High lead concentrations in the residential soil to a depth of approximately 15 cm indicated remediationof residential soil to at least this depth may be necessary. Overall, the high variability of lead concentrations in the residential soil was consistent with a soil having been disturbed by residential activity and illustrated the difficulty in using a single sample per residentialyard for making correct remediation decisions.

A baculovirus of the soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), was applied at a rate of 247 LE/ha to soybean. Larval population levels, virus induced larval mortality and viral concentration in the soil and on the foliage were monitored from August 1975 until August 1977. Viral applications resulted in epizootics in soybean looper populations reducing larval numbers. A significant reduction in larval numbers did not occur until 12 to 13 days after treatment. The virus persisted at high concentrations in soil from 2 weeks posttreatment through the fall. Viral concentration in the soil was reduced by November 1975. In 1976–1977, viral concentration in soil remained high (1.13 × 10 14 PIB/ha) through May, after which it declined. Viral concentration in soil was not sufficient to initiate an epizootic in P. includens the following summer. By 72 h after treatment, viral concentration on foliage was low when compared with concentration immediately after virus application. After a substantial proportion of larvae had died, 6 to 7 days after treatment, high viral concentrations were detected on the foliage.

Metals and micronutrients – food safety issues

Critical mercury concentration in tropical soils: Impact on plants and soil biological attributes

The potential of Zea mays L. in remediating copper and zinc contaminated soils for grapevine production

This investigation is the part of more wide research program of Almaty region ecological factors effects on animal and human populations. Two territories were chosen as more polluted, where abandoned and destroyed storages of pesticides are present (Kyzyl Kayrat and Bes Kaynar villages in Talgar district) and more clean territory was used as control (Taukaraturyk village of Enbekshikazakh district). Besides pesticides toxical effect on human populations and animals can be produced by heavy metals penetrating into the human and animal organisms. This penetration is confirmed by their accumulation in the sheep wool. The collection of accumulated heavy metals, their absolute (mg/kg) and relative (comparing with other metals) concentrations in the sheep wool from polluted and control territories were the object of this investigation. These data supplement the knowledge about the ecotoxicology of the investigated territories. Microelements spectrum of sheep wool (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr) was studied using mineralization of 36 wool specimens and investigating them by Minotaur-2 microwave system according to PU 12=2009 method and atomic absorbtion spectrophotometer MGA-915. In the sheep wool from the control territory Cd, Co, Pb и Ni concentration is 13 times higher, Cr concentration is 6 times, and Cd, Co, Pb , Ni 2-3 times higher than in the soil, and only Cu concentration in the wool was 3 times lower, than in the soil. In the soils of polluted territories Zn concentration is 2-4 times higher than in control territory. In the wool from polluted territories Zn and Cu concentration is higher (3-4 times) than in the wool from control territory, in spite of the fact that in the both polluted soils Cu concentrations was not higher than in control territory soil. So Cu concentra-tion in the soil does not directly determine Cu concentration in the wool. Serious disturbances of metals concentrations range order in wool from polluted territories comparing with the order in wool from control territory is evident for Cu and Cd (higher concentration in polluted territories) while in the soils range order disturbance is evident for Cu and Pb (lower concentration in polluted territories). Large disturbances of range order of metals concentrations in the wool comparing with analogous order in soils of the same territories are evident for Cu (high concentration in soil and low in the wool) and for Cr (low concentration in the soil and high in the wool) both in the control territory. In the polluted territories the differences between range orders for the soil and wool were much less and the maximal is evident for Cu. So the factors determining Cu concentration in the soils and wool are unlike the factors of other metals concentrations.

The present work has been conducted to study the level of pollutants in six sectors at southeastern soil of Nile delta of Egypt. The level of major, minor and trace metals were surveyed by conventional atomic emission spectroscopy. Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to study Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb in both soil and irrigating water at different depths up to 100 cm. Results indicate that heavy metals were found with higher concentrations in soil that is irrigated with untreated wastewater. Some samples from locations irrigated with clean surface water also showed higher metal concentrations because of uncontrolled use of fertilizers. The level of metals in surface samples down to 100 cm depth, indicate the possible mobilization of heavy metals that subsequently transported to groundwater and/or the drainage water in these areas. The possible pollution of groundwater and/or drainage water leads to further contamination of soil in other areas through infiltration and diffusion causing wide deterioration of Nile delta agricultural land.