Cumulative Pollution Research Articles

Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate enhances the adverse effects of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on the mussel Mytilus coruscus

Microplastics (MPs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have recently become ubiquitous and cumulative pollutants in the oceans. Since OPFRs are added to or adsorbed onto MPs as additives, it is necessary to study the composite contamination of OPFRs and MPs, with less focus on bio-based PLA. Therefore, this study focused on the ecotoxicity of the biodegradable MP polylactic acid (PLA) (5 μm, irregular fragments, 102 and 106 particles/L), and a representative OPFRs tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP, 0.5 and 50 μg/L) at environmental and high concentrations. The mussel Mytilus coruscus was used as a standardised bioindicator for exposure experiments. The focus was on examining oxidative stress (catalase, CAT, superoxide dismutase, SOD, malondialdehyde, MDA), immune responses acid (phosphatase, ACP, alkaline phosphatase, AKP, lysozyme, LZM), neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase, AChE), energy metabolism (lactate dehydrogenase, LDH, succinate dehydrogenase, SDH, hexokinase, HK), and physiological indices (absorption efficiency, AE, excretion rate, ER, respiration rate, RR, condition index, CI) after 14 days exposure. The results of significantly increased oxidative stress and immune responses, and significantly disturbed energy metabolism and physiological activities, together with an integrated biomarker response (IBR) analysis, indicate that bio-based PLA MPs and TCPP could cause adverse effects on mussels. Meanwhile, TCPP interacted significantly with PLA, especially at environmental concentrations, resulting in more severe negative impacts on oxidative and immune stress, and neurotoxicity. The more severe adverse effects at environmental concentrations indicate higher ecological risks of PLA, TCPP and their combination in the real marine environment. Our study presents reliable data on the complex effects of bio-based MP PLA, TCPP and their combination on marine organisms and the environment.

Contamination Status of Residential and Farmland Surface Soils Within the Sunyani Municipality of Ghana

Exposure to heavy metals poses serious human health and ecological threats, especially in developing countries where ecological risk assessment and remediation are often ignored. While many studies have reported heavy metal toxicities in rapidly urbanizing cities with increased anthropogenic activities, limited information exists on metal toxicities and their ecological risks in soils within the Sunyani Municipality. Top soils were sampled from residential and farmland surface soils and analyzed for the concentration and potential risks for nine heavy metals within Sunyani Municipality. Apart from As and Mn, the two study sites generally recorded elevated levels of all metals than the pristine soil samples from the University of Energy and Natural Resources botanical garden. Levels of chromium, copper, lead, and zinc were however marginally higher in residential surface soils than in the farmlands. The soil contamination factor and geoaccumulation index both revealed moderate As, Hg, and Mn contamination at the two study locations. Furthermore, the soil enrichment factor showed significant enrichment for arsenic and moderate enrichment for cadmium in residential soils, while the farmland soils revealed moderate enrichment of As, Hg, and Mn. The potential ecological risk indices also showed considerable risk at both study locations, while the pollution load index revealed higher cumulative pollution in residential areas (PLI = 0.48) compared to the farmland surface soil (PLI = 0.40). The study therefore recommends the regulation of human activities and the use of chemicals that are possible sources of metal contamination to maintain the metals’ baseline levels in the soil, and reduce their health and environmental impacts.

Potential Toxic Metal Concentration and Risk Assessment in Agricultural Soil and Lentil Crop (Lens culinaris Medik) in Dawunt Woreda, Northwest Wollo, Ethiopia.

Health implications for the population due to consuming contaminated crops have been a great concern worldwide. This study aimed to measure the levels of potential toxic elements in lentils and their growing soil in Dawunt Woreda, Ethiopia. Accordingly, 15 soil samples along with the lentil samples were collected to measure the level of potential toxic elements, including chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co), by using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer and for assessing the potential ecological and human health risk. The wet digestion method using aqua regia (HCl/HNO3 3 : 1) was employed for soil and lentil sample preparation. The mean concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Cr in the lentil sample were 60.4, 9.68, 0.75, 5.7, 0.25, 0.9, and 1.15 mg/kg, respectively. In soil, the mean concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Cr were 649, 19.9, 3.32, 40.0, 15.2, 1.83, and 69.1 mg/kg, respectively. All of the potential toxic metals in agricultural soil and lentil samples were found to be below the reference level set by the World Health Organization, except Cd, in the soil samples. Five single metal and three cumulative pollution index parameters were employed for the data and results showed that Fe, Cu, and Cr moderately pollute the soil and are highly contaminated by Cd. The cumulative pollution indices also confirmed that the extent of soil pollution varied from highly contaminated to moderate contamination. The possible health risks at various exposure routes have also been estimated. The single-metal and cumulative-metals health risks (cancer and noncancer) of adults and children due to chronic exposure to soil and consumption of lentils were estimated using the health quotient and health index values as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Thus, the results revealed no significant adverse health risks (cancer and noncancer) for adults and children. Therefore, the inhabitants in the study area have no significant health impacts due to either the consumption of lentil crops or exposure to agricultural soil particles.

Distribution Characteristics, Ecological Risk Assessment, and Source Tracing of Heavy Metals in the Sediments of Typical Lakes in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River

In this study, surface sediment samples were collected from Dongting Lake, Honghu Lake, and Chihu Lake, and the concentrations of 10 heavy metals were measured. Then, the potential risk of heavy metal accumulation was evaluated using the cumulative pollution index (Igeo), the enrichment factor (EF), and the potential ecological risk index (RI), and the sources were traced using correlation analysis (Pearson) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the pollution and potential ecological risk of Cd were the most serious. The mean values of Cd in East Dongting Lake, Honghu Lake, and Chihu Lake were 2.85, 1.59, and 3.57 mg·kg-1, respectively. The concentrations of Cd were 25.87, 11.36, and 37.58 times higher than the soil background values of the corresponding provinces, which exceeded the risk screening value (0.6 mg·kg-1). Particularly, the Cd concentration of Chihu Lake exceeded the risk control value (3.0 mg·kg-1). Besides Cd, the concentration of As in Honghu Lake was also of concern. At the same time, the Cu, As, Zn, and Pb in Chihu Lake should not be neglected. The potential ecological risks of the three lakes were ranked as follows:Chihu Lake (RI=1 127)>East Dongting Lake (RI=831)>Honghu Lake (RI=421). The primary sources of heavy metals were industrial mining, agricultural production, and aquaculture, and some heavy metals (Mn and Cu) were from natural sources. This study was of great significance for the prevention and control of heavy metals in the sediments of typical lakes in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Spatial Distribution, Source Analysis, and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Farmland of Tangwang Village, Huainan City, China

The impacts of heavy metal pollution in arable soil on agricultural production, environmental health, and the wellbeing of urban and rural residents cannot be overlooked. It has become a significant bottleneck in achieving comprehensive rural revitalization. To accurately grasp the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in suburban cultivated soil, Tangwang Village (a suburb of Huainan City) was subjected to scrutiny. The contents of heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Zn) in the topsoil of cultivated land in this area were detected, and their spatial distribution characteristics were analyzed using inverse distance spatial interpolation. (1) After conducting a comprehensive analysis and thorough examination of the PMF model sources, it was determined that Cu, Cd, and Zn exhibit a direct correlation with agricultural practices, collectively contributing to a cumulative percentage of 21.10%. Meanwhile, Cr is derived from a combination of sources, including both natural parent materials and human activities, accounting for a total proportion of 24.45%. Notably, lead emissions from automobile exhausts constitute a significant source, while arsenic is primarily associated with dispersed factories and their respective operations, contributing to respective proportions of 36.38% and 18.07%. It is evident that agricultural practices, transportation, and industrial activities are the main reasons for heavy metal pollution in arable soil. (2) The evaluation of geological accumulation indicators reveals that the level of soil arsenic accumulation pollution is mild to moderate (1.199). On the other hand, the cumulative pollution level of Cd, Hg, Cr, and Cu was relatively low (0.462→0.186), whereas the levels of Pb and Zn were below the threshold. (3) The assessment of the ecological risk index revealed that the predominant elements posing potential ecological risks in the investigated region were Hg, As, and Cd, with average Ei values of E(Hg) = 86.81, E(As) = 80.67, and E(Cd) = 67.83, respectively. (4) The human health risk assessment revealed significant differences in the single non-carcinogenic risk values of heavy metals generated by different exposure pathways, with oral ingestion > dermal contact > oral nasal inhalation. Children were more susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metals compared to adults. Both As and Cr caused an increased risk of cancer in both children and adults, which is a matter of great concern. The results of this study contribute to a more accurate description of the sources of heavy metals in farmland soil. This study indicates that the application of PMF for soil source analysis yields clear results that can be further applied. This research also has potential policy significance as it can help to improve the sustainability of ecosystems by coordinating both environmental and human activities.

Oil droplet fouling on lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) eggshells does not enhance the crude oil induced developmental toxicity

The oil industry's expansion and increased operational activity at older installations, along with their demolition, contribute to rising cumulative pollution and a heightened risk of accidental oil spills. The lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) is a keystone prey species in the North Sea and coastal systems. Their eggs adhere to the seabed substrate making them particularly vulnerable to oil exposure during embryonic development. We evaluated the sensitivity of sandeel embryos to crude oil in a laboratory by exposing them to dispersed oil at concentrations of 0, 15, 50, and 150 µg/L oil between 2 and 16 days post-fertilization. We assessed water and tissue concentrations of THC and tPAH, cyp1a expression, lipid distribution in the eyes, head and trunk, and morphological and functional deformities. Oil droplets accumulated on the eggshell in all oil treatment groups, to which the embryo responded by a dose-dependent rise in cyp1a expression. The oil exposure led to only minor sublethal deformities in the upper jaw and otic vesicle. The findings suggest that lesser sandeel embryos are resilient to crude oil exposure. The lowest observed effect level documented in this study was 36 µg THC/L and 3 µg tPAH/L. The inclusion of these species-specific data in risk assessment models will enhance the precision of risk evaluations for the North Atlantic ecosystems.

Pollution indices as useful tools for comprehensive evaluation of the soil contamination degree in the vicinity of mining and metallurgical complexes

Soil pollution levels in the copper mining and metallurgical area were evaluated at 14 sampling sites in the City of Bor and its surroundings in regard to Al, As, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn contents, as well as single and integrated pollution indices. The significance of single pollution indices provides information about pollution by a specific element, while integrated pollution indices offer an insight into cumulative pollution by the examined elements. The mean soil concentrations of As, Cu, Pb and Zn were several times higher than the world average values. The exceedances of soil remediation values were most pronounced for As (at seven sites) and Cu (at eleven sites), more than 3 and 13 times, respectively. According to the geoaccumulation index, the enrichment factor and the contamination factor, the highest soil contamination was with As and Cu, especially at the urban-industrial site. Pollution load index, Nemerow pollution index and the improved Nemerow index confirmed that the most contaminated soils were from the sites in the vicinity of the metallurgical complex and flotation tailing ponds, as well as from the sites in the prevailing wind directions compared to the less polluted soils affected by the ore mining processes. The areas affected by the serious cumulative contamination from the pyrometallurgical copper production need continuous pollution prevention, monitoring and remediation measures.

Particulates Matter: The Influence of Cumulative Local Air Pollution Exposure on Sixth-Grade Academic Achievement in California

Particulates Matter: The Influence of Cumulative Local Air Pollution Exposure on Sixth-Grade Academic Achievement in California

A Comparative Assessment and Decision-Making Approach of Water Quality Evaluation of Mahanadi Basin, Odisha

The Mahanadi River is one of Odisha's biggest rivers and is vital to the region's ecosystem and economy. Rapid water use, however, causes significant water contamination. However, the primary goal of this study is to assess surface water using the Critic Water Quality Index (CWQI), with a goal of collecting 20 samples from 19 monitoring stations over the course of a year (2021-2022). Inverted Distance Weighted (IDW) in ArcGIS 10.5 was used to create the spatial distribution maps. Multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDMs), such as MOORA, were developed to offer a reliable and impartial portrayal of the cumulative pollution levels of each sample location. The physicochemical results were categorized in accordance with WHO drinking water threshold levels. The range of the CWQI value for surface water quality, which represents the excellent to very poor categories, was determined to be 36 to 290.8. It demonstrates that 84.21% of samples fit into the best drinking groups. Using the MOORA-recommended assessment scores, the Paradeep (St. 9) was discovered to be the most polluting site in contrast to other places, followed by 2nd (Cuttack D/s) and 3rd (Choudwar D/s). The factors responsible of the decline in water quality at St. 8, 9 and 19, respectively, were found to be runoff from waste material, unprocessed effluents, and several other anthropogenic factors. The paper's detailed discussion of water quality methods can also give readers a general understanding of indexing for further study.

Low-frequency noise aggravates the toxicity of cadmium in sea slug Onchdium reevesii

Industrial development not only triggers heavy metal pollution but also introduces a less easily discernible disturbance: low-frequency noise pollution. Low-frequency noise can disrupt wildlife behavior, potentially exerting complex effects through interacting with heavy metals. Nevertheless, the cumulative impacts of low-frequency noise and cadmium (Cd) pollution on marine organisms remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the immune defense response of sea slugs (Onchdium reevesii) exposed to Cd (1.32 mg/L) and low-frequency noise (500 Hz, 1000 Hz). Our results show that Cd exposure results in Cd2+ accumulation in the sea slug's hepatopancreas, leading to a decrease in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and a significant increase in enzyme activities, including glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and aspartate transferase (AST). Additionally, there is a substantial upregulation in the expression of genes related to tumor protein p53 (p53), Cytochrome C (CytC), Caspase 3, and Caspase 9, as well as metallothionein (MT) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) genes. Concurrently, an excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) occurs in the hemocytes, resulting in apoptosis and subsequent diminished cell viability, with these effects positively correlating with the exposure duration. Furthermore, when sea slugs were exposed to both Cd and low-frequency noise, there was a decrease in the hepatopancreas's antioxidant capacity and an enhancement in hemocytes immune responses, which positively correlated with low-frequency noise frequency. The comprehensive assessment of biomarker responses highlights that low-frequency noise has the potential to amplify the deleterious effects of Cd on sea slug physiology, with this negative impact positively linked to noise frequency. Consequently, our study underscores that the combined influence of low-frequency noise and Cd pollution magnifies the effects on sea slug health. This could potentially disrupt the population stability of this species within its natural habitat, providing fresh insights into the evaluation of cumulative environmental pollution risks.

Spatial Variation, Ecological Risk, and Point Sources of Environmental Trace Metals in Lacustrine Ecosystems: An Assessment of Natural and Urban Inputs

ABSTRACT To gain insights into the spatial distribution, ecological risk and origins of heavy metals in surface sediments of lacustrine ecosystems in Cameroon, the content of 7 trace metals (Fe, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cd) in sediments from 60 sampling stations in 5 lacustrine environments of different formation contexts. The selected metals were investigated based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results revealed that the average concentrations of Cr, Cu and Cd were higher than the geochemical Threshold values. On the basis of the spatial variation, the studied metals vary quantitatively in the following order: Fe > Cr > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd. The calculated enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) showed that, sediments from large cities and industrial sites had moderate enrichment (3 < EF ≤ 5) and were moderately to severely contaminated (2 < Igeo < 3) while those from low population and rural areas had minor enrichment (1 < EF ≤ 3) and were moderately contaminated (1 < Igeo < 2). With regards to cumulative pollution, the pollution load index (PLI) and the sediment pollution index (SPI) coupled with the potential ecological risk factor (Er) and the potential ecological risk index (RI), the sediments of the lakes are polluted (SPI and PLI > 1) to some extent but with a low ecological risk (Er < 40 and RI < 150). The results of Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA) identified three main sources: Ni would have a natural source; Pb from anthropogenic sources, and the other metals (Fe, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Cd) could have a mixed source (anthropogenic and natural). These findings serve as a scientific foundation for the advancement and use of these lake environments, which are the most attractive sites.

Quantifying urban heat island and pollutant nexus: A novel geospatial approach

The interaction between Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects and air pollution in urban areas significantly impacts both the well-being of inhabitants and the delicate balance of urban ecology and climate. This study investigates the interactions between UHI effects and pollutants (CO, HCHO, aerosols, NO2, O3, and SO2) distribution in Hyderabad over four years (2019–2022) within spatial and thermal interfaces. The study identified that there is a significantly higher concentration of pollutants in the urban areas compared to the rural areas. In urban areas, the UHI indicator shows a strong positive correlation with pollutants like CO, NO2, and O3, a weaker positive correlation with HCHO, and aerosols, and a weak negative correlation with SO2. A comprehensive framework to analyse the combined impact of pollutants, yielding insights into cumulative atmospheric pollution levels - UPI indicator is proposed in this study. The subsequent generation of pollution risk map identified that around 80 % of the urban expanse is highly contaminated zones. The conjunction of thermal hotspots and high contamination zones highlights nuanced UHI-pollution associations, unveiling high-risk zones with elevated temperatures and pollutants. The high-risk zones exhibit elevated annual average concentrations of NO2, aerosols, HCHO, and CO, surpassing the non-high-risk zone by 53.535 %, 21.707 %, 7.561 %, and 1.194 %, respectively. Additionally, the high-risk zones experience a temperature higher than the non-high-risk zone by 2.601 °C. This research informs urban planning and policies, contributing to a holistic understanding of UHI-pollution dynamics and their implications.

Co-exposure to multiple air pollutants, genetic susceptibility, and the risk of myocardial infarction onset: a cohort analysis of the UK Biobank participants.

The relationship between the long-term joint exposure to ambient air pollution and incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) and modification by genetic susceptibility remain inconclusive. We analysed 329 189 UK Biobank participants without MI at baseline. Exposure concentrations to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were obtained. Air pollution score assessing the joint exposure was calculated, and its association with MI was evaluated via Cox model under the P value aggregation framework. Genetic susceptibility to MI was evaluated by incorporating polygenic risk score (PRS) into models. Risk prediction models were also established. During a median follow-up of 13.4 years, 9993 participants developed MI. Per interquartile range increase of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOx resulted in 74% [95% confidence intervals (CIs) 69%-79%], 67% (63%-72%), 46% (42%-49%), and 38% (35%-41%) higher risk of MI. Compared with the lowest quartile (Q1) of air pollution score, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95%CIs) of Q4 (the highest cumulative air pollution) was 3.50 (3.29-3.72) for MI. Participants with the highest PRS and air pollution score possessed the highest risk of incident MI (HR = 4.88, 95%CIs 4.35-5.47). Integrating PRS, air pollution exposure, and traditional factors substantially improved risk prediction of MI. Long-term joint exposure to air pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOx is substantially associated with increased risk of MI. Genetic susceptibility to MI strengthens such adverse joint association. Air pollutions together with genetic and traditional factors enhance the accuracy of MI risk prediction.

Improving evaluation of groundwater heavy metal(loid)s pollution efficiencies: Insights from novel Shannon entropy-weight and one-way ANOVA analysis

This study explores the hydrogeochemical behaviour of heavy metal(loid)s [HMs] in groundwater, their seasonal variations in enrichment and depletion, and adverse effects on human health in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, a part of the Ghaghara River basin, India. The Shannon's Entropy-Weighted Heavy Metal(loid)s Index (EW-HMI), a novel tool, has been applied to quantify cumulative groundwater pollution levels at each 42 monitoring sites, including critical evaluation of existing conventional pollution indices. Results from One-way ANOVA analysis indicate a significant seasonal difference in the mean concentrations of As, Fe, and Mn, demonstrating that monsoonal recharge is a governing factor for observed seasonal variation. The computation of EW-HMI reveals that >50% of sites are marked by ‘poor’ to ‘extremely poor’ water quality in Pre-monsoon 2022 (Pre-M). Distinctly, there is a notable improvement in 'excellent water quality', increasing from 9.5 to 57.1% in Post-monsoon 2022 (Post-M). This pattern of temporal change in EW-HMI, in contrast to HPI, is clearly depicted by the GIS-based spatial distribution maps. Thus, EW-HMI is a robust index and more effectively addresses apparent flaws in conventional indexing systems that could be used for wider applications. Health risk assessments (HRA) show that both children and adults in the Bahraich district are at risk of non-carcinogenic (NCR) and carcinogenic (CR) health effects from drinking contaminated groundwater. Children are anticipated to have a higher total CR mean value of 3.6 and 1.7 per 1000 children while adults estimated to have relatively low total CR mean values of 2.3 and 1.1 per 1000 adults in Pre-M and Post-M, respectively. This research offers valuable findings that can guide policymakers and stakeholders in identifying priority areas to facilitate the implementation of sustainable water resource management initiatives on both national and global scales.

The impact of air pollution on outpatient medical service utilization and expenditure in a clean air city

BackgroundAlthough there's increasing research on the health effects of air pollution in China, its direct influence on health-related expenditures, particularly during less severe pollution episodes, is still not well-understood. This study aims to quantify impact of three air pollutants (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter) on individual healthcare spending in a city with relatively clean air. MethodsUsing transaction-level medical social insurance data and temperature inversion as the instrumental variable, we estimate the current and cumulative effects of air pollutants on outpatient visits and medical expenses in an eastern city in China. ResultsWe find a significantly positive effect on outpatient visits for 15-day moving average, and a significantly positive effect on outpatient expenditure for 25-day moving average. Therefore, the cumulative effect of pollutants on medical expenditure should not be ignored. The effects on total outpatient expenditure are larger for the elderly and men. The cumulative pollution exposure increases the visits to respiratory department but also increases the expenditure on non-respiratory diseases in the long term. ConclusionOur findings provide empirical evidence that even for cities with good air quality, further improvements can improve patients’ quality of life and lessen the expenditure burden on medical insurance.

Toxic elements pollution risk as affected by various input sources in soils of greenhouses, kiwifruit orchards, cereal fields, and forest/grassland

Increasing food demand has led to more intensive farming, which threatens our ecosystem and human health due to toxic elements accumulation. This study aimed to estimate the vulnerability of different agricultural systems with unequal high fertilizer input practices regarding toxic element pollution in the greenhouse, kiwifruit orchard, cereal field, and forest/grassland. Soil samples were collected from 181 sites across Shaanxi Province, China, and analyzed for selected characteristics and toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn). The contamination factor (CFx) represents the ratio of the measured value of the toxic element in the soil over the soil background values. The CFx values of all the toxic elements were above background values, while Cd and Hg contamination levels were more severe than those of Zn, Cu, As, Cr, and Pb. Kiwifruit orchards and greenhouse soils were contaminated with Cd, Hg, Cu, and Zn, but cereal fields and forest/grassland soils were contaminated with As, Cd, Hg, and Hg. Overall, the cumulative pollution load (PLI) of toxic elements indicated moderate contamination. The cumulative ecological risk (RI) results indicated that greenhouse (178.81) and forest/grassland (156.25) soils were at moderate ecological risks, whereas kiwifruit orchards (120.97) and cereal field (139.72) soils were at low ecological risks. According to a Pearson correlation analysis, Cd, Hg, Cu, and Zn were substantially linked with soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), and total potassium (TK). The primary sources of toxic elements were phosphate and potash fertilizers, manure, composts, and pesticides in a greenhouse, kiwifruit orchards, and cereal fields, whereas, in forest/grassland soils parent material and atmospheric deposition were the sources identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF). Furthermore, the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) demonstrated that agriculture inputs largely influenced toxic elements accumulation. We conclude that high fertilizer inputs in greenhouse soils should be considered carefully so that toxic element pollution may be minimized.

Cumulative Neurotoxicological Air Pollution Exposure Is Associated with Lower Reading Improvement and Diminished Benefits of Literacy Interventions for Urban Elementary Students of Color.

The cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with air pollution exposure may have far-reaching negative effects on children's scholastic achievement. Moreover, air pollution may be conditioning the success of educational investments that support students who face greatest levels of societal adversity. This study examined the direct main effects of cumulative neurotoxicological exposure on annual reading improvement. We also tested the statistical interaction (i.e., moderation) of neurotoxicological exposure and academic intervention sessions on annual reading improvement for a large sample of ethnic minority (95%) elementary school children (n = 6080, k-6th grade) enrolled in a standard literacy enrichment program. These children were all behind grade level in reading and attended predominantly low-income schools (n = 85) in urban settings across the state of California. Multi-level modeling assessments accounted for random effects associated with school and neighborhood environments, and incorporated extensive individual, school, and community level covariates. Findings show individual elementary students of color to progress less in reading when exposed to greater accumulations of neurotoxin air pollution in their home and school environments, with the average deficit equivalent to 1.5 weeks of learning delay per year. Findings also show neurotoxicological exposure to diminish the efficacy of literacy intervention sessions received on reading improvement throughout the school year. Results suggest that pollution abatement can be a salient strategy to help bridge the child educational achievement gap. In addition to several methodological strengths, this study is one of the first to show that ambient pollution can undermine program efficacy of a literacy enrichment program.

Health and ecological risk assessment of potentially toxic metals in road dust at Lalibela and Sekota towns, Ethiopia.

The ecological and health problems resulted from heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb, As, and Cr) in the road dust in the towns of Sekota and Lalibela, Ethiopia were assessed. The average heavy metal concentrations were ranged from 0.088 (Cd) to 2.714 (Fe) mg/kg. Individual metal and cumulative metals pollution levels in both towns revealed that Lalibela is moderately polluted by Zn, Pb, and Ni and Sekota being moderately polluted by Zn, Pb, Ni, As, Hg, and Cu. Furthermore, the United States Environmental Protection Agency's health risk evaluation model showed that the total heavy metal health risk levels in the road dust ranged from 5.71 × 10-3 (adult) to 2.57 × 10-2 (children), with an average risk of 7.35 × 10-2. Lalibela was found to have higher chance of risk than Sekota. The total lifetime cancer risk varied from 4.51 × 10-9 (for adults, Sekota) to 7.75 × 10-9 (for children, Lalibela), with a mean risk of 6.12 × 10-9 implying a low chance of getting cancer. The hazard quotient and hazard index of all the metals were below the limit. In general, children were found to be more susceptible than adults.

How does the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process affect environmental performance? Unveiling EIA effectiveness in China: A practical application within the thermal power industry

Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are widely accepted by organizations worldwide, despite differences in cultural backgrounds and political and environmental management systems. In recent years, the EIA process in China has been increasingly customized to national political intent and the legislative framework. Meanwhile, the substantive effectiveness of EIAs has become a widespread concern, indicating that the effectiveness of EIAs is gauged by their capacity to reduce the negative impacts of plans, projects, and programs (PPPs). In this study, using policy analysis, we identified how EIAs influenced the effectiveness and compatibility of other environmental regulations, as well as the interrelationships between them. This study examined coordinated efforts in the national thermal power industry to reduce pollutant emissions within the constraints of EIA approval. The results revealed that the EIA process could assist in reducing pollutant emissions without impeding economic development in China, with the unique characteristics of the Chinese EIA system playing a significant role. As a mandatory policy in China, EIAs helped curb the cumulative regional pollution caused by rapid industrialization, thereby preventing the occurrence of serious environmental issues. It should be noted that EIAs not only provided a structured approach to consultations and operational experiences to resolve environmental problems, but also for a wide range application path for other environmental management policies.

Methane emissions from California dairies estimated using novel climate metric Global Warming Potential Star show improved agreement with modeled warming dynamics

IntroductionCarbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are two of the primary greenhouse gases (GHG) responsible for global warming. The “stock gas” CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere even if rates of CO2 emission decline. In contrast, the “flow gas” CH4 has an e-folding time of about 12 years and is removed from the atmosphere in a relatively short period of time. The climate impacts of cumulative pollutants such as CO2 and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) such as CH4 are often compared using Global Warming Potential (GWP), a metric that converts non-CO2 GHG into CO2-equivalent emissions. However, GWP has been criticized for overestimating the heating effects of declining SLCP emissions and conversely underestimating the heating impact of increasing SLCP emissions. Accurate quantification of the temperature effects of different CH4 emissions scenarios is particularly important to fully understanding the climate impacts of animal agriculture, whose GHG emissions are dominated by CH4.MethodsA modified GWP metric known as Global Warming Potential Star (GWP*) has been developed to directly quantify the relationship between SLCP emissions and temperature change, which GWP cannot do. In this California dairy sector case study, we contrasted GWP- versus GWP*-based estimates of historical warming dynamics of enteric and manure CH4 from lactating dairy cattle. We predicted future dairy CH4 emissions under business-as-usual and reduction scenarios and modeled the warming effects of these various emission scenarios.ResultsWe found that average CO2 warming equivalent emissions given by GWP* were greater than those given by GWP under increasing annual CH4 emissions rates, but were lower under decreasing CH4 emissions rates. We also found that cumulative CO2 warming equivalent emissions given by GWP* matched modeled warming driven by decreasing CH4 emissions more accurately than those given by GWP.DiscussionThese results suggest that GWP* may provide a more accurate tool for quantifying SLCP emissions in temperature goal and emissions reduction-specific policy contexts.