Environmental Health Challenges Research Articles

Molecular simulation of Cu, Ag, and Au-decorated Si-doped graphene quantum dots (Si@QD) nanostructured as sensors for SO2 trapping

In view of the numerous environmental hazards and health challenges linked to sulfur (iv) oxide (SO2), an indirect greenhouse gas, and the resultant need to develop efficient gas nanosensor devices, this research had as its principal focus on the theoretical evaluation of the gas sensing potential of metals: Ag, Au and Cu functionalized silicon-doped quantum dots (Si@QD) for the detection and adsorption of SO2 gas investigated using the first-principles density functional theory (DFT) computation at the B3LYP-D3(BJ)/def2-SVP level of theory. Eight (8) possible adsorption modes: SO2_O_Si@QD, SO2_O_Ag_Si@QD, SO2_O_Au_Si@QD, SO2_O_Cu_Si@QD, SO2_S_Si@QD, SO2_S_Ag_Si@QD, SO2_S_Au_Si@QD, and SO2_S_Cu_Si@QD were considered based on SO2 interactions with the studied materials at the -S and -O sites of the SO2 molecule. The counterpoise correction (BSSE) showed that five of the eight interactions had favorable Ead + BSSE values ranging from −0.31 to −1.98 eV. All the eight interactions were observed to be thermodynamically favorable with ΔG and ΔH ranging from −129.01 to −200.24 kcal/mol and −158.26 to −229.73 kcal/mol respectively. Results from the topology analysis reveal that van der Waals forces occurred the greatest at the gas-sensor interphase while SO2_S_ Cu_Si@QD is predicted to have the highest sensing potency based on the conductivity and recovery time estimations. These results confirm the potential efficient feasibility of real-world device application of the metals (Ag, Au, Cu) functionalized Si-doped QDs.

ENABLING KNOWLEDGE SHARING BY MANAGING DEPENDENCIES AND INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN INTERLINKED SPATIAL KNOWLEDGE GRAPHS

Abstract. Knowledge sharing is increasingly being recognized as necessary to address societal, economic, environmental, and public health challenges. This often requires collaboration between federal, local, and tribal governments along with the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education. To achieve this, there needs to be a move away from data-centric to knowledge sharing architectures, such as a Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure (GKI). Data from multiple organizations need to be properly contextualized in both space and time to support geographically based planning, decision making, cooperation and coordination. A spatial knowledge graph (SKG) is a useful paradigm for facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration. However, interoperability between independently developed SKGs from different organizations that reference the same geographies is often not automated in a machine-readable way due to a lack of standardization. This paper outlines an architecture that automates interoperability and dependency management between SKGs as they are formally published by version and period of validity. We are calling this approach a spatial knowledge mesh (SKM), as it is a specialization of the data mesh architecture along with the concept of a common geo-registry to facilitate knowledge sharing more easily. The initial implementation, called GeoPrism Registry, is being developed as an open-source spatial knowledge infrastructure as a platform to help countries meet their NSDI and GKI objectives. It was fist funded and deployed to support ministries of health and is more recently being utilized in GeoPlatform.gov.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH QUALITY AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF URBANIZATION: A REVIEW

Urbanization is a worldwide trend that has changed economies, landscapes, and communities. It alludes to the process of population concentration in urban regions, which fosters the development of cities and the enlargement of their infrastructure. This article highlights the effects of urbanization on numerous facets of society along with urbanization's causes, products, and implications. Push and pull variables work together to cause urbanization. People are pushed out of rural regions by various circumstances, including a lack of work prospects, poor agricultural production, poverty, and natural catastrophes. Factors that attract people, on the other side, are the allures and possibilities provided by metropolitan regions, such as increased career chances, access to healthcare, education, and attributes of life enhancements. Urbanization has a serious effect on environmental health quality, both positive and negative. While urban areas can provide numerous economic and social opportunities, they also place considerable stress on the environment, leading to various environmental health challenges.

CHALLENGES CONFRONTING LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF DANGAMVURA RESIDENTIAL AREA, MUTARE, ZIMBABWE

Solid waste management has become one of the major challenges in both public circles and environmental health at the global level. The extent of the problems being faced as a result of improper solid waste management cannot be understated for example the illegal dumping and burning of municipal waste has become a common phenomenon in most Zimbabwean towns and cities. Studies regarding solid waste management have been widely researched by various scholars across the globe. In Zimbabwe, studies regarding solid waste management have been studied by scholars like Mlaudzi (2017) and Mutsvanga, et al. (2018) among others. Most of the studies focus on major urban centres and lack much information on residential areas. This study focuses on the challenges faced by local authorities in solid waste management in Dangamvura, Mutare. The main objectives of the study include: exploring the challenges being faced by the city of Mutare in solid waste management within the Dangamvura residential area, determining how these challenges are affecting the community and assessing the strategies and policies adopted by the city council to address these challenges. The researcher employed the mixed method of data collection and 60 participants took part in the research. The key informants were drawn from the city of Mutare. The main challenges which were being faced by the council in solid waste management in Dangamvura included poor community engagement, understaffing, urban sprawl, political interference, shortage of resources and natural hazards. These challenges affected the residents in a number of ways which included: disease outbreaks through water contamination, loss of natural beauty of the area and inconsistency in refuse collection. Various efforts were made to improve the state of service delivery in Dangamvura which included environmental education, law enforcement, motorizing cleansing, purchasing new refuse trucks and provisions of bins. The recommendations that have been provided include depoliticizing the issue among others that have been listed at the end of this study.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0009/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Integrated working in local authority decision-making about air quality: a qualitative study in Southwest England.

Exposure to poor air quality is one of the most significant environmental public health challenges. In the UK, local authorities (LAs) are responsible for monitoring and managing air quality. This article explores the need and mechanisms for cross-departmental working in LAs to make decisions about air quality issues. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with public health, environmental health and transport staff from LAs within the Southwest of UK. Interviews were conducted between April and August 2021 and analysed using a thematic approach. In sum, 24 staff from 7 LAs participated. Local authority staff in public health, environmental health and transport teams recognized that managing air quality was a cross-departmental issue. To enable effective integrated working staff described four successful mechanisms: (i) policy commitments and political support; (ii) dedicated air quality steering groups; (iii) existing governance and oversight groups; and (iv) networking and relationships. This study has identified mechanisms that LA staff have found support cross-departmental and integrated working on air quality issues. These are mechanisms that have helped environmental health staff work towards achieving compliance with pollution limits, and that have helped public health staff get air quality considerations recognized as a wider health issue.

Plasma-Activated Hydrogels for Microbial Disinfection.

A continuous risk from microbial infections poses a major environmental and public health challenge. As an emerging strategy for inhibiting bacterial infections, plasma-activated water (PAW) has proved to be highly effective, environmental-friendly, and non-drug resistant to a broad range of microorganisms. However, the relatively short lifetime of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and the high spreadability of liquid PAW inevitably limit its real-life applications. In this study, plasma-activated hydrogel (PAH) is developed to act as reactive species carrier that allow good storage and controlled slow-release of RONS to achieve long-term antibacterial effects. Three hydrogel materials, including hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carbomer 940 (Carbomer), and acryloyldimethylammonium taurate/VP copolymer (AVC) are selected, and their antibacterial performances under different plasma activation conditions are investigated. It is shown that the composition of the gels plays the key role in determining their biochemical functions after the plasma activation. The antimicrobial performance of AVC is much better than that of PAW and the other two hydrogels, along with the excellent stability to maintain the antimicrobial activity for more than 14 days. The revealed mechanism of the antibacterial ability of the PAH identifies the unique combination of short-lived species (1 O2 , ∙OH, ONOO- and O2 - ) stored in hydrogels. Overall, this study demonstrates the efficacy and reveals the mechanisms of the PAH as an effective and long-term disinfectant capable of delivering and preserving antibacterial chemistries for biomedical applications.

Insights into parents' and teachers' support for policies promoting increased plant-based eating in schools

Global environmental and public health challenges related to current food systems call for large-scale shifts towards increasingly plant-based diets, especially in Western meat-centric societies. School meal systems can play a role in these changes due to their widespread prevalence and multi-sectoral impact. However, there is a lack of evidence about how adults involved in the school meals system perceive school-based pro-environmental food policies, which limits the ability to align those policies with the needs and expectations of the school community. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by exploring parents' (n = 104) and teachers' (n = 252) support for policies to promote increased plant-based eating in public schools in a highly meat-centric EU country (Portugal). Overall, teachers seemed to be slightly more supportive of such policies and displayed more favorable (injunctive and dynamic) norms toward plant-based eating, more negative appraisals of meals with meat (i.e., perceived healthiness, naturalness, and sustainability), and lower attachment to meat consumption. Furthermore, injunctive norms in favor of plant-based meals were linked with higher support for measures promoting plant-based meals in schools, in both samples (parents, teachers). Lower meat attachment and favorable perceived meal attributes (e.g., perceptions about plant-based and fish meals) were associated with teachers' support for measures promoting plant-based meals in schools. These findings suggest that future efforts and research with parents and teachers to enable less meat-centric and more flexitarian food practices in schools should consider social and motivation variables relevant to plant-forward transitions.

A satellite-driven model to estimate long-term particulate sulfate levels and attributable mortality burden in China

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution is a major environmental and public health challenge in China. In the recent decade, the PM2.5 level has decreased mainly driven by reductions in particulate sulfate as a result of large-scale desulfurization efforts in coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities. Emerging evidence also points to the differential toxicity of particulate sulfate affecting human health. However, estimating the long-term spatiotemporal trend of sulfate is difficult because a ground monitoring network of PM2.5 constituents has not been established in China. Spaceborne sensors such as the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument can provide complementary information on aerosol size and type. With the help of state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, we developed a sulfate prediction model under support from available ground measurements, MISR-retrieved aerosol microphysical properties, and atmospheric reanalysis data at a spatial resolution of 0.1°. Our sulfate model performed well with an out-of-bag cross-validationR2 of 0.68 at the daily level and 0.93 at the monthly level. We found that the national mean population-weighted sulfate concentration was relatively stable before the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan was enforced in 2013, ranging from 10.4 to 11.5 µg m−3. But the sulfate level dramatically decreased to 7.7 µg m−3 in 2018, with a change rate of −28.7 % from 2013 to 2018. Correspondingly, the annual mean total non-accidental and cardiopulmonary deaths attributed to sulfate decreased by 40.7 % and 42.3 %, respectively. The long-term, full-coverage sulfate level estimates will support future studies on evaluating air quality policies and understanding the adverse health effect of particulate sulfate.

Addressing Environmental Health Challenges for Sustainable Development in China.

Addressing Environmental Health Challenges for Sustainable Development in China.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Residues in Hides of animals Singed with Tyres, and Public Health Implications Associated with such Practice in Lokoja Metropolis

The safety of food has been an issue of concern in developing countries like Nigeria where the processing method can pose some environmental health challenge. The use of scrap automobile tires to singe meat has been reported to possess some toxic materials that can pose health challenge to humans. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the concentration of heavy metals in meat singed with fire wood and scrap tires in Lokoja, Nigeria. Samples of cattle hides singed with firewood and scrap tires were collected from four (4) different abattoirs and analyzed for the concentration of Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. There was significant increase in the concentration of Cu, Zn and Pb of the cattle hides singed with firewood and scrap tires when compared to the unsinged. The concentration of heavy metals for firewood singed cattle hide is within recommended Maximum Permissible Levels (MPLs) of the European Commission Regulations while the concentration of scrap tires is above the recommended Maximum Permissible Levels (MPLs) of the European Commission Regulations for Cu, Zn and Fe. Though there was increase in the concentration of Fe it is within the recommended Maximum Permissible Levels. The presence of heavy metals concentration above the permissible levels in cattle hides singed with scrap tires makes it unsafe for human consumption hence safer method should be adopted by the abattoirs.

Characterisation of ambient air quality over two urban sites on the South African Highveld

Air pollution is an environmental-health challenge that many developing and developed countries are struggling to deal with. The purpose of our study was to characterise the ambient air quality during the year 2019–2020 over two urban sites of DiepKloof and Vanderbijilpark which are located on the South African Highveld. The study characterised PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and O3. Findings were that PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 ambient concentrations predominantly peaked during the winter season in June, July and August with mean concentrations of 48.6 µg/m3, 29.2 µg/m3, 38.6 µg/m3 and 12.6 µg/m3, respectively for the DiepKloof site while for the Vanderbijilpark site, winter mean for PM10, PM2.5 and SO2 were recorded at 124 µg/m3, 50.7 µg/m3 and 22.1 µg/m3, respectively. The average daily pollutant concentrations of the majority of pollutants were elevated above the WHO air quality guideline limits. Analysis of variance showed the seasonal variations had a significant (all p-values less than 0.01) effect on the variability of pollutant concentrations in both sites. The study attributes these elevated ambient pollutant levels to industrial, domestic and vehicular emission sources that are scattered over the South African Highveld. The study also highlighted the impact of the first lockdown period in South Africa indicating that the first three-week lockdown had a significant (p-values less than 0.001) impact on the variability of pollutant concentrations in both Diep Kloof and Vanderbijlpark. The study also established that pollutant concentrations were more significantly affected by wind direction in the more industrialized Vanderbijlpark than in Diep Kloof. The study contributes towards air quality monitoring and management policy formulation both in South Africa and other African countries. Furthermore, the study contributes towards the academic body of knowledge. To curtail pollutant emissions governments have several options including tightening the air quality regulatory frameworks as well as establishing and supporting community-based air quality advocates. Air quality advocates can act as a conduit in raising general public awareness regarding the impact of air pollution on human health.

Assessing the efficacy of male Wolbachia-infected mosquito deployments to reduce dengue incidence in Singapore: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDengue is a severe environmental public health challenge in tropical and subtropical regions. In Singapore, decreasing seroprevalence and herd immunity due to successful vector control has paradoxically led to increased transmission potential of the dengue virus. We have previously demonstrated that incompatible insect technique coupled with sterile insect technique (IIT-SIT), which involves the release of X-ray-irradiated male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, reduced the Aedes aegypti population by 98% and dengue incidence by 88%. This novel vector control tool is expected to be able to complement current vector control to mitigate the increasing threat of dengue on a larger scale. We propose a multi-site protocol to study the efficacy of IIT-SIT at reducing dengue incidence.Methods/designThe study is designed as a parallel, two-arm, non-blinded cluster-randomized (CR) controlled trial to be conducted in high-rise public housing estates in Singapore, an equatorial city-state. The aim is to determine whether large-scale deployment of male Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes can significantly reduce dengue incidence in intervention clusters. We will use the CR design, with the study area comprising 15 clusters with a total area of 10.9 km2, covering approximately 722,204 residents in 1713 apartment blocks. Eight clusters will be randomly selected to receive the intervention, while the other seven will serve as non-intervention clusters. Intervention efficacy will be estimated through two primary endpoints: (1) odds ratio of Wolbachia exposure distribution (i.e., probability of living in an intervention cluster) among laboratory-confirmed reported dengue cases compared to test-negative controls and (2) laboratory-confirmed reported dengue counts normalized by population size in intervention versus non-intervention clusters.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence from a multi-site, randomized controlled trial for the efficacy of IIT-SIT in reducing dengue incidence. The trial will provide valuable information to estimate intervention efficacy for this novel vector control approach and guide plans for integration into national vector control programs in dengue-endemic settings.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05505682. Registered on 16 August 2022. Retrospectively registered.

Emotional and behavioral attitudes of Tunisian youth towards childhood leukemia: health education and primary prevention in perspective

BackgroundGiven the increasing blood cancer incidence in Tunisia and recent discoveries proving the involvement of environmental factors, this study examined the environmental health literacy (EHL) of Tunisian secondary school students concerning not only this disease, but also their emotional and behavioral attitudes towards leukemia risks.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among Tunisian youths (N = 372, 16–20 years; 68% females, 32% males). Data collection took place in four representative public secondary schools in the North, Center, and South of Tunisia. Students completed a paper and pencil questionnaire and described their EHL level of blood cancer, as well as their attitudes and interests in this disease. The statistical software (SPSS, v.25.0) was used to analyze the data collected.ResultsThe results indicated low EHL levels of leukemia. Most youths failed to identify all the leukemogenic (except tobacco and pollution) and non- leukemogenic risk factors. Pesticide use and exposure to low frequency electromagnetic radiation were not considered risk factors. Proximity to heavy-traffic roads and benzene exposure were not perceived by youth as risk factors. Despite these low levels, most participants were interested in having more information about leukemia and cancers in general.ConclusionThis investigation shows a lack of knowledge about leukemia. Low EHL levels will incite educational actors and curriculum designers to optimize content and innovate ICT adapted to this environmental health challenge.

How can policymakers incorporate uncertainty (as modelled through foresight) into policy evaluation?

Abstract Background Using a robust policy evaluation framework is critical to inform policymakers about the relevance of a policy in a structured way, clarifying its implications and providing arguments and criteria to compare competing options and decide which policy should be prioritised. In the current context of complex societal, environmental and public health challenges, decision-makers demand tools that allow a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of multisectoral policies and their comparison under different scenarios. Methods This presentation will detail a socio-technical “desirability-doability” framework (2xD). In 2xD, an additive value model is constructed to measure the desirability of public policies, and their doability is appraised under two contrasted scenarios. For these purposes, the MACBETH approach is used in developing the three group modelling phases of 2xD: (I) Structuring facilitated workshops, (II) Evaluation decision conference, and (III) Desirability-doability decision conference. Tailor-made interactive protocols or questioning procedures are used to elicit group judgements, based on which objective-specific value scores are assigned to the policies, and the objectives are weighted (in II). Finally, we elicit doability scores for the policies under each scenario (in III). Results We present how the 2xD framework was applied in Lisbon's urban health policymaking setting and discuss case insights regarding the role of scenario analysis in the appraisal and selection of policies. Conclusions The 2xD framework advances knowledge on how to assist policymakers in evaluating and selecting policies and contributes to the literature on overall policy formulation and evaluation. Specifically, the framework enabled a group of policymakers to balance (multicriteria) desirability versus doability of policies under the light of two contrasting scenarios, therefore incorporating uncertainty in their decision-making process.

The lure of novel biological and chemical entities in food-system transformations

Synthetic chemicals and biologically engineered materials are major forces in today's food systems, but they are also major drivers of the global environmental changes and health challenges that characterize theAnthropocene. To address these challenges, we will need to increase assessment activity, promote alternative production practices with less reliance on such technologies, and regulate social campaigns and experiments.

High time-resolution measurements of ultrafine and fine woodsmoke aerosol number and surface area concentrations in biomass burning kitchens: A case study in Western Kenya.

Indoor air pollution associated with biomass combustion for cooking remains a significant environmental health challenge in rural regions of sub-Saharan Africa; however, routine monitoring of woodsmoke aerosol concentrations continues to remain sparse. There is a paucity of field data on concentrations of combustion-generated ultrafine particles, which efficiently deposit in the human respiratory system, in such environments. Field measurements of ultrafine and fine woodsmoke aerosol (diameter range: 10-2500 nm) with field-portable diffusion chargers were conducted across nine wood-burning kitchens in Nandi County, Kenya. High time-resolution measurements (1Hz) revealed that indoor particle number (PN) and particle surface area (PSA) concentrations of ultrafine and fine woodsmoke aerosol are strongly temporally variant, reach exceedingly high levels (PN > 106 /cm3 ; PSA > 104 μm2 /cm3 ) that are seldom observed in non-biomass burning environments, are influenced by kitchen architectural features, and are moderately to poorly correlated with carbon monoxide concentrations. In five kitchens, PN concentrations remained above 105 /cm3 for more than half of the day due to frequent cooking episodes. Indoor/outdoor ratios of PN and PSA concentrations were greater than 10 in most kitchens and exceeded 100 in several kitchens. Notably, the use of metal chimneys significantly reduced indoor PN and PSA concentrations.

Pressing issues of environmental health and medical challenges in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions

The paper concentrates on reviewing results of studies that address the influence exerted by climate change in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions on local population health, ecological situation and ongoing sanitary-epidemiological processes. The systemic review includes research articles available in PubMed (maintained by The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health), Scopus (the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature), WoS (the abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature) and BVS (Virtual Health Library) that were published over the period from 1960 to 2021. The review covers pressing environmental, sanitary-hygienic and social issues and identifies priority risk factors for public health and wildlife. Global pollution and communicable diseases are shown to pose threats for indigenous people living in the Arctic. These threats are likely to be greater than those faced by populations living elsewhere in the world. We suggest certain solutions to the existing issues. Our conclusion is that climate is changing faster in the Arctic than anywhere else on the planet. Global pollution and communicable diseases pose threats for public health, including the health of indigenous people living in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. It is necessary to intensify cooperation among different states to reduce external influences on the Arctic environment and to maintain public health.

Assessment of long-term particulate nitrate air pollution and its health risk in China

SummaryAir pollution is a major environmental and public health challenge in China and the Chinese government has implemented a series of strict air quality policies. However, particulate nitrate (NO3−) concentration remains high or even increases at monitoring sites despite the total PM2.5 concentration has decreased. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to estimate NO3− concentration across China due to the lack of a PM2.5 speciation monitoring network. Here, we use a machine learning model incorporating ground measurements and satellite data to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of NO3−, thereby understanding the disease burden associated with long-term NO3− exposure in China. Our results show that existing air pollution control policies are effective, but increased NO3− of traffic emissions offset reduced NO3− of industrial emissions. In 2018, the national mean mortality burden attributable to NO3− was as high as 0.68 million, indicating that targeted regulations are needed to control NO3− pollution in China.

Assessing the ecological and health implications of soil heavy metals in vegetable irrigated with wastewater in calcareous environments

The introduction of heavy metals from wastewater irrigation to the soil-crop-human biological domain has become a vital environmental and human health challenge. We evaluated the impact of wastewater irrigation (WW) on the severity of heavy metal pollution and health risk potential in different vegetables under WW versus fresh water (FW) irrigation. A multifaceted assessment was conducted using the pollution index (PI), ecological risk (ER), bio-concentration factor (BCF), hazard quotient (HQ), overall hazard index (HI), carcinogenic risk (CR), the bio-concentration factor (BCF), and total carcinogenic risk (TCR). The findings revealed that WW irrigation increased metal concentrations across all soil samples and vegetables in the order of Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu and Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd, respectively., The PI and ER indices indicated a significant increase of 27–330% and 260–310%, respectively in the WW-irrigated soils compared to the FW-irrigated soils. The heavy metals concentrations in the edible tissues of vegetables and their associated BCF values under WW irrigation exhibited the orders, Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd and Zn > Cu > Cd > Pb >, respectively Cabbage had the greatest potential to take up heavy metals compared with other crops. The mean HQ and HI were in the low risk category (0.1 ≤ HQ and HI < 1). Likewise, CR and TCR values were within acceptable limits (1.00E-06–1.00E-04) by consuming veggies produced with WW to children and adults, implying that there are no significant health risks to local inhabitants. However, the levels of HQ, HI, CR, and TCR were significantly higher in vegetables grown with WW than in those irrigated with FW, suggesting that wastewater irrigation may have a detrimental impact on human health.

Physico-chemical and Microbiological Qualities of Abattoir Wastewater in Egbu, Imo State, Nigeria

Abbattoir waste water is of a complex composition. When discharged without being treated, poses a threat to human health and the environment. This is the practice common in Nigeria, and is worrisome.&#x0D; Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the physico-chemical and microbiological qualities of waste water from Egbu abattoir discharged into ‘Otamiri’ river in Owerri North local government area, Imo State, Nigeria.&#x0D; Methods: The microbial quality of abattoir wastewater was studied. The duration of the study was three months, from June to September, 2019. Sample collection was done in the morning (8-10am) and in the evening (4-6pm). A total of thirty samples (30) were collected from two sampling points, at the place of generation of the wastewater (Effluent source) and at the point of discharge into the river (POE). Standard methods were employed to assess the microbiological and physiochemical quality of the effluent. The microorganisms isolated from the samples included Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Aspergillus, Mucor, Listeria, Micrococcus and Candida species. The Total Heterotrophic Count (THC) of effluent samples, at source and POE were 8.51log10 cfu/ml and 6.15log10cfu/ml respectively, Total Coliform Count (TCC) for same samples were 6.77log10 cfu/ml and 4.56log10 cfu/ml respectively. The Total Fungal Count (TFC) of the effluent samples at source and at POE was 5.19log10 cfu/ml and 4.18log10 cfu/ml respectively. Results further revealed that the pH of the effluent at source was 6.58 while that at Point of Entry into the river was 7.30. The temperature of both samples was 25oC. The Total Dissolved Solid values of the effluent collected at source was higher, having a value of 1400mg/L against 1000mg/L at Point of Entry. Also the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) values of the effluent at source were 5.10mg/L and 8.58mg/L respectively, while the BOD and COD of the water at the POE were 4.3mg/L and 7.9mg/L respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: Abattoir wastes are becoming a major environmental health challenge and being discharged into the Otamiri River indiscriminately is of public health concern. The potential public health implications associated with discharging untreated abattoir wastewater into the environment and thus, the need for adequate treatment to ensure decontamination as well as providing wastewater treatment facility is imperative.