High Levels Of Chromium Research Articles

Cumulative characteristics and ecological risk source analysis of soil potentially toxic elements in the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

To understand the soil toxic and hazardous elements content, pollution level, and ecological risk status in the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, we collected and analyzed 8273 sets of surface soil samples. Evaluations were conducted using the single-factor pollution index, geo-accumulation, pollution load, and potential ecological risk indices, and source identification correlation and principal component analysis. The results revealed that, compared with the background levels in China, the accumulation of soil arsenic, cadmium, nickel, and chromium was greater in the surface soil of the study area. Additionally, in comparison with Qinghai Province, more mercury accumulated in the surface soil of the study area and owing to the influence of anthropogenic activities. Benchmarking against soil environmental quality standards, the study area exhibited pollution control zones primarily dominated by arsenic and cadmium (3.9%). The spatial distribution revealed distinct zones: a ridge mountain type characterized by arsenic-cadmium-chromium-nickel, a Daban mountain type with solely cadmium presence, and a Longyangxia-Jianzha South type dominated by arsenic. Compared with the Qinghai Province soil background values, evaluations using the Pollution loading index, Geological Cumulative Index, and Potential Ecological Risk Index methods revealed varying degrees of potentially toxic element content exceedance. From an ecological risk perspective, the individual element with the highest potential ecological risk coefficients were mercury, followed by cadmium and arsenic; however, the region's overall ecological risk index was classified as low. Three distinct sources were identified: natural sources leading to high background levels of chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, and mercury; mixed natural and industrial/agricultural sources contributing to elevated cadmium levels; and human activity-related mercury enrichment. Based on the evaluation results, synergistic monitoring of soil and biota in naturally occurring risk zones is recommended to ensure the safety of agricultural and pastoral products. Additionally, ecological impact assessments and pollution source mitigation studies should be conducted in regions influenced by human activities to curb the further degradation of soil ecological quality.

A Deep Learning Approach for Chromium Detection and Characterization from Soil Hyperspectral Data.

High levels of chromium (Cr) in soil pose a significant threat to both humans and the environment. Laboratory-based chemical analysis methods for Cr are time consuming and expensive; thus, there is an urgent need for a more efficient method for detecting Cr in soil. In this study, a deep neural network (DNN) approach was applied to the Land Use and Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS) dataset to develop a hyperspectral soil Cr content prediction model with good generalizability and accuracy. The optimal DNN model was constructed by optimizing the spectral preprocessing methods and DNN hyperparameters, which achieved good predictive performance for Cr detection, with a correlation coefficient value of 0.79 on the testing set. Four important hyperspectral bands with strong Cr sensitivity (400-439, 1364-1422, 1862-1934, and 2158-2499 nm) were identified by permutation importance and local interpretable model-agnostic explanations. Soil iron oxide and clay mineral content were found to be important factors influencing soil Cr content. The findings of this study provide a feasible method for rapidly determining soil Cr content from hyperspectral data, which can be further refined and applied to large-scale Cr detection in the future.

Metal Ion Release in Cancer Patients Following Megaprosthesis Salvage Surgery

BackgroundMegaprostheses contain many more modular components than conventional total hip and knee arthroplasty, which may lead to higher serum levels of metal ions. The aim of this study was to determine serum concentrations of titanium, chromium, and cobalt ions in cancer patients after limb salvage surgery with a megaprosthesis. MethodsA retrospective, descriptive cohort analysis consisting of patients who underwent cancer-related limb salvage surgery with a megaprosthesis at our hospital between 2010 and 2020 was conducted. Baseline and follow-up data were extracted from clinical and surgical records. Blood samples were prospectively obtained. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis. ResultsA total of 71 patients underwent limb salvage surgery during the study period. Of these, 22 (10 women, 12 men) were included in the study. The mean age was 52 years (range, 21 to 80). Most cases (n = 16; 72.7%) involved the femur. Most patients (n = 14, 63.6%) underwent total knee megaprosthesis surgery. Implant revision surgery was required in 45% of cases (n = 10), with a mean interval of 4.32 years between the initial and revision surgeries. The mean follow-up time after revision surgery was 4.05 years. High levels of chromium were observed in 22.7% of patients (n = 5). High cobalt levels were found in 68.2% (n = 15) of patients, with toxic levels in 9.1% (n = 2). Titanium levels were high in 77.3% (n = 17) of cases and toxic in 22.7% (n = 5). Postoperative chemotherapy was significantly associated with titanium levels (P = .017). No correlation was observed between metal ion levels and time from primary or revision surgery or time from the first to revision surgery. ConclusionsThis study shows that cancer-related limb salvage surgery with megaprosthesis is associated with metal ion levels that exceed established safe thresholds. Compared to conventional hip arthroplasty, a higher proportion of the patients in this cohort presented elevated levels of metal ions. Level of evidenceIII.

Metagenomics analysis of water samples collected from the Yamuna River of Agra city, India.

Yamuna River water in Agra city of India is contaminated with toxic pollutants, including heavy metals that cause damage to the environment and human health. At present, the direct use of river water for drinking purposes and household activities lead to the direct exposure of society to the contaminants. In this study, Yamuna River water samples were collected from three different sites in Agra city during the monsoon, summer, and winter seasons. The physico-chemical parameters were estimated along with heavy metals. In physico-chemical parameter, the values found were mostly above the permissible limits. The results water samples contain high levels of cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel above the desirable levels in most cases. The metagenomic analysis revealed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, and Planctobacteria were the most abundant phyla with a relative abundance of 61%, 9.34%, 5.23%, 4.64%, and 4.3%, respectively. The Comamonadaceae, the most abundant family consists of the genera involved in hydrogen oxidation, iron reduction, degraders of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and fermentation. The presence of Pseudomonas, Nitrosomonas sp., Thauera humireducens and Dechloromonas denitrificans (decomposition of sewage and organic matter) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa indicates the presence of heavy metal degrading bacteria in water sample. Functional prediction showed the presence of genes responsible for different metabolic pathways that could help developing new bioremediation strategies. The study concludes the status of water contamination, the presence of complex microbial community and suggests the futuristic use and their role in bioremediation.

Effect of riboflavin on redox balance, osmolyte accumulation, methylglyoxal generation and nutrient acquisition in indian squash (Praecitrullus fistulosus L.) under chromium toxicity.

The presence of high chromium (Cr) levels induces the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in hindered plant development. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is produced by plants, fungi, and microbes. It serves as a precursor to the coenzymes flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN), which play a crucial role in cellular metabolism. The objective of this work was to clarify the underlying mechanisms by which riboflavin alleviates Cr stress in Praecitrullus fistulosus L. Further, the role of riboflavin in growth, ions homeostasis, methylglyoxal detoxification, and antioxidant defense mechanism are not well documented in plants under Cr toxicity. We found greater biomass and minimal production of ROS in plants pretreated with riboflavin under Cr stress. Results manifested a clear abridge in growth, chlorophyll content, and nutrient uptake in Indian squash plants exposed to Cr stress. Findings displayed that Cr stress visibly enhanced oxidative injury reflected as higher malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radical (O2•‒), methylglyoxal (MG) levels alongside vivid lipoxygenase activity. Riboflavin strengthened antioxidant system, enhanced osmolyte production and improved membrane integrity. Riboflavin diminished Cr accumulation in aerial parts that led to improved nutrient acquisition. Taken together, riboflavin abridged Cr phytotoxic effects by improving redox balance because plants treated with riboflavin had strong antioxidant system that carried out effective ROS detoxification. Riboflavin protected membrane integrity that, in turn, improved nutrient uptake in plants.

Healthy lifestyle and essential metals attenuated association of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with heart rate variability in coke oven workers

Whether adopting healthy lifestyles and maintaining moderate levels of essential metals could attenuate the reduction of heart rate variability (HRV) related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure are largely unknown. In this study, we measured urinary metals and PAHs as well as HRV, and constructed a healthy lifestyle score in 1267 coke oven workers. Linear regression models were used to explore the association of healthy lifestyle score and essential metals with HRV, and interaction analysis was performed to investigate the potential interaction between healthy lifestyle score, essential metals, and PAHs on HRV. Mean age of the participants was 41.9 years (84.5% male). Per one point higher healthy lifestyle score was associated with a 2.5% (95% CI, 1.0%–3.9%) higher standard deviation of all normal to normal intervals (SDNN), 2.1% (95% CI, 0.5%–3.6%) higher root mean square of successive differences in adjacent NN intervals (r-MSSD), 4.3% (95% CI, 0.4%–8.2%) higher low frequency, 4.4% (95% CI, 0.2%–8.5%) higher high frequency, and 4.4% (95% CI, 1.2%–7.6%) higher total power, respectively. Urinary level of chromium was positively associated with HRV indices, with the corresponding β (95% CI) (%) was 5.17 (2.84, 7.50) for SDNN, 4.29 (1.74, 6.84) for r-MSSD, 12.26 (6.08, 18.45) for low frequency, 12.61 (5.87, 19.36) for high frequency, and 11.31 (6.19, 16.43) for total power. Additionally, a significant interaction was found between healthy lifestyle score and urinary total hydroxynaphthalene on SDNN (Pinteraction = 0.04), and higher level of urinary chromium could attenuate the adverse effect of total hydroxynaphthalene level on HRV (all Pinteraction <0.05). Findings of our study suggest adopting healthy lifestyle and maintaining a relatively high level of chromium might attenuate the reduction of HRV related to total hydroxynaphthalene exposure.

Influence of Fabrication Route and Copper Content on Nature and Kinetics of 475 °C‐ Embrittlement in Cu‐Containing Super Duplex Stainless Steels

The influence of hot‐rolling, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), welding, as well as copper content on 475 °C‐embrittlement is studied in super duplex stainless steels. The as‐received samples are solution annealed and quenched. Then, to study the kinetics and nature of phase transformations during fabrication, the samples are aged for a very short duration of 5 min at 475 °C. Atom probe tomography results reveal that the processes involving more plastic deformation such as hot rolling and HIP accelerate chromium and iron phase separation and cause precipitation of copper‐rich particles (CRPs) in ferrite, resulting in significant toughness loss. In contrast, the weld does not show a high level of chromium and iron phase separation or CRPs precipitation, preserving its toughness after the short aging. The experiment and the inverse interdiffusion calculations reveal that raising the copper content slow down chromium and iron phase separation but significantly increase the CRP number density and decrease the toughness of the HIPed material. Precipitation simulation of CPRs show that the model must be modified based on each processing condition. It is concluded that hot rolling and HIP accelerate 475 °C‐embrittlement, which cannot be prevented by raising the copper content.

Bioaccumulation of contaminants in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at sites polluted by coal combustion residuals and radiocesium

Anthropogenic contamination from coal-fired power plants and nuclear reactors is a pervasive issue impacting ecosystems across the globe. As a result, it is critical that studies continue to assess the accumulation and effects of trace elements and radionuclides in a diversity of biota. In particular, bioindicator species are a powerful tool for risk assessment of chemically contaminated habitats. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and auto-gamma counting, we analyzed trace element and radiocesium contaminant concentrations in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles (Order: Coleoptera), important taxa in decomposition and nutrient cycling, at contaminated and reference sites on the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, U.S. Our results revealed variability in trace element concentrations between Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at uncontaminated and contaminated sites. Compared to Scarabaeidae, Silphidae had higher levels of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn). Unexpectedly, concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Ni were higher in both taxa at the uncontaminated sites. Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at the coal combustion waste site consistently had high concentrations of arsenic (As), and Scarabaeidae had high concentrations of selenium (Se). Of the 50 beetles analyzed for radiocesium levels, two had elevated radioactivity concentrations, both of which were from a site contaminated with radionuclides. Our results suggest carrion beetles may be particularly sensitive to bioaccumulation of contaminants due to their trophic position and role in decomposition, and thus are useful sentinels of trace element and radionuclide contamination.

Exploring the Potential of Bacillus velezensis, an Endophytic Bacteria Isolated from Alternanthera philoxeroides for Plant Growth Promotion and Bioremediation Properties

The current work was done to analyse the bioremediation and plant growth promotion (PGP) traits of endophytic bacteria isolated from Alternanthera philoxeroides from Bellandur Lake, Bangalore, India. Twenty-nine endophytic bacteria were isolated and tested for their PGP traits like indole acetic acid (IAA), ammonia, nitrogen fixation, 1-aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylate (ACC) deaminase production, phosphate solubilization etc. Endophytic bacterium, BEBAphL1 obtained from leaves of A. philoxeroides exhibited significant plant growth promotion properties and the isolate was identified as Bacillus velezensis OQ874364 using 16S rRNA sequencing. The bacterium showed potential IAA, ammonia production, nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and ACC deaminase production. The results indicate that this endophyte is promising as a growth-promoting inoculant, reducing the reliance on chemical inputs in conventional agricultural practices while enhancing nutrient uptake and stress resilience in plants. B. velezensis exhibited tolerance to high levels of chromium (500 mg/L) and NaCl (15%) and was also able to decolourize Congo red by 70% at 0.005% concentration of dye. Characterization of dye samples pre- and post-bacterial treatment was done using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The findings of the study indicate that B. velezensis shows promise as a plant growth stimulator capable of withstanding heavy metal exposure and breaking down dyes.

Chromium(VI) Toxicity and Active Tolerance Mechanisms of Wheat Plant Treated with Plant Growth-Promoting Actinobacteria and Olive Solid Waste.

The present study aimed to assess the potential of plant growth-promoting Actinobacteria and olive solid waste (OSW) in ameliorating some biochemical and molecular parameters of wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants under the toxicity of high chromium levels in the soil. With this aim, a pot experiment was conducted, where the wheat plants were treated with a consortium of four Actinobacterium sp. (Bf treatment) and/or OSW (4% w/w) under two levels of nonstress and chromium stress [400 mg Cr(VI) per kg of soil] to estimate the photosynthetic traits, antioxidant protection machine, and detoxification activity. Both Bf and OSW treatments improved the levels of chlorophyll a (+47-98%), carotenoid (+324-566%), stomatal conductance (+17-18%), chlorophyll fluorescence (+12-28%), and photorespiratory metabolism (including +44-72% in glycolate oxidase activity, +6-72% in hydroxypyruvate reductase activity, and +5-44% in a glycine to serine ratio) in leaves of stressed plants as compared to those in the stressed control, which resulted in higher photosynthesis capacity (+18-40%) in chromium-stressed plants. These results were associated with an enhancement in the content of antioxidant metabolites (+10-117%), of direct reactive oxygen species-detoxifying enzymes (+49-94%), and of enzymatic (+40-261%) and nonenzymatic (+17-175%) components of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in Bf- and OSW-treated plants under stress. Moreover, increments in the content of phytochelatins (+38-74%) and metallothioneins (+29-41%), as markers of detoxification activity, were recorded in the plants treated with Bf and OSW under chromium toxicity. In conclusion, this study revealed that the application of beneficial Actinobacteria and OSW as biofertilization/supplementation could represent a worthwhile consequence in improving dry matter production and enhancing plant tolerance and adaptability to chromium toxicity.

Analysis of Hotspots and Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) of Polluted Habitats using ArcGIS Pro.: A Case Study in the Sea of Najaf and Surrounding Terrestrial Area

The Sea of Najaf, which is a natural groundwater. 60 samples were studied to locate the amount of 4 heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Co, and Cd) in each sample. With the analysis of three different types of pollution indicators (pollution factor, geographic accumulation index, and enrichment factor), the first heavy metal for which a significant difference can be seen is chromium. The high level of chromium was (101) μg/g, and the low was (50. 9) μg/g. This indicates that the soil was contaminated. Manganese is the second heavy metal with low to moderate contamination. It can be found in soil samples with a maximum concentration of (1022) μg/g and a minimum concentration of (254) μg/g. For cobalt and cadmium levels, the measured amounts do not differ much from the normal limit. This means that the water is not contaminated with them. Contamination indicators are placed in different areas to see what minerals could be in the sediments and where they came from. The results of the study showed that mineral levels were often higher near the edge of the lake than they were further afield. You can find the source of the mineral contamination in the sediments, some of the pollution markers were above the maximum on the beaches but were just below the maximum on the lake. The inverse distance weighted (IDW) in ArcGIS Pro approach is one of the most frequently employed interpolation techniques. It is used to estimate the value of a site that has not yet been assessed by comparing it to the values of nearby sites, the hot spot in ArcGIS Pro This program uses data queries to figure out which parameters for hot spot analysis give the best performance statistics may generate a map with event points or weighted features that show statistically significant hot and cold areas, the results show the distribution of minerals as a map Chromium and manganese are found in nearby farms in high concentrations, A pH test revealed between (7.9) to (10.5), The EC measurement showed between (2.3-4.3) ds/m for water, while the soil ranged between (6.3 – 10.1) ds/m, This indicates that the water and soil are salty. The turbidity ranged between( 13.1 - 8.5) NTU.

Effects of Seasonal Variations on the Heavy Metal and Proximate Composition of Prawn Samples from Two Locations in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Prawn is widely consumed seafood harvested in the riverine parts of Nigeria providing a source of proteins, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Oil production activities in the Niger Delta region have significantly affected water bodies with resultant effect on seafood production and consumption. Prawn samples were collected from Nembe and Azuzuama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria and analyzed for comparison of heavy metal and proximate composition over the dry and wet seasons. High levels of cadmium (0.033 ppm and 0.027 ppm) and chromium (0.021 ppm and 0.020 ppm) were reported although they were below the recommended permissible limits. The proximate composition of the prawn samples were within the documented range. However, carbohydrate and energy content increased during the wet season while protein and lipid content reduced. The results were significant at p(0.05) r(cal)0.814&lt;r(tab)0.974. Further studies at regular intervals are recommended for effective monitoring in a region of increasing oil production activities.

Sustainable wastewater treatment by RO and hybrid organic polyamide membrane nanofiltration system for clean environment

One of the environmental pollution is happened by the discharge of industrial wastewater that needs to be adequately filtered. Given that the effluent from the leather industry contains high levels of chromium, heavy metals, lipids, and Sulphur, it is one of the wastewater disposals that are most damaging. This experimental study focuses on reverse osmosis and hybrid organic polyimide membrane for nanofiltration for sustainable wastewater treatment. In the RO and organic polyamide Nano-porous membranes, a thin film of polyamide membrane was used for efficient filtration. Taguchi analysis optimized process parameters such as pressure, temperature, pH, and volume reduction factor. The outcome shows an 89% reduction in total wastewater hardness, an 88% reduction in sulfate, and an 89% efficiency reduction in COD. As a result, the proposed technology significantly increased filtration efficiency.

Geoecological Analysis of Threats of Using Phosphogypsum in Construction of Roads

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The problem of recycling and storage of phosphogypsum is relevant for many coun- tries of the world, as it is associated with environmental problems such as pollution of water bodies, soil and atmosphere. This study analyzes the possibility of using phosphogypsum for the construction of roads. The objective was a geoecological analysis of the danger of phos-phogypsum stockpiles and a study of the possibility of using phosphogypsum in road construction to solve the problem of its accumulation in the environment. The chemical composition of phosphogypsum samples of the Sumyhimprom and Rivneazot companies was studied using the method of X-ray diffractometry. The content of heavy metals (HM) was analyzed using atomic absorption spectros-copy. An extremely high level of chromium was determined, accounting for more than 20-33 Maximum Concentration Values (MCV). The content of cuprum in the phosphogypsum samples of Rivneazot was 2 MCVs. The contents of other heavy metals did not exceed the MCVs, the synergistic effect should be taken into account. Migration of heavy metals is one of the main problems associated with phosphogypsum stockpiles. The increased acidity of phosphogypsum promotes the formation of soluble HM compounds. Depending on the solubility of toxicants, they accumulate in the ecosystem or migrate, dissolve, and enter plants. The traditional methods of storing phosphogypsum, both from an environmental and economic points of view, are less acceptable than the methods of its recycling and reuse in various sectors of the national economy. The paper theoretically substantiates that the reuse of accumulated phosphogypsum and the implementation of new technological solutions in road construction would reduce the level of technogenic loading that phos- phogypsum imposes on the environment. Based on the analysis of the content of heavy metals and the development of concentration logarithmic diagrams, mobile forms of metals were studied and the harmful effect of metals leaching from phosphogypsum was considered. We determined the positions of toxic substances in the engineering road construction – environment. We recommended dividing hydroxides and hydroxocomplexes of heavy and toxic metals into three groups according to their solubility, having the ability to migrate in acidic, neutral and alkaline environments, respectively. Strict regulations are needed to protect soil cover in areas with acidic soils. We grouped soils on which it is not recommended to use engineered road structures with phosphohypsum due to increased migration of HMs into the ecosystem: sandy; soils rich in humus components, acidic soils (sod-podzolic) or in case of existing proba- bility of an increase in soil acidity (unorganized ingress of industrial waste, acid rain, etc.); acidic soils salinized with chlorides; soils containing ammonia; soils containing sulfates.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Assessment of selected metals (chromium, lead and cadmium) in the hair of tannery workers at Hemayetpur, Bangladesh

BackgroundThe goal of this study was to measure the concentrations of chromium (III) (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in the scalp hair of tannery workers. It also sought to establish a correlation between the levels of these metals and the length of time the workers had been employed. High level of exposures of these metals are associated with several diseases. MethodsHuman hair samples from 18 tannery workers at Hemayetpur, Savar, Bangladesh, were collected and evaluated for metals (Cr, Pb, and Cd) using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric technique (AAS). ResultsThe findings showed that the concentrations of chromium (III) (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in hair samples from tannery workers were ranged between 0.25 to 19.85 mg kg−1 (average value 6.254 mg kg−1), 0.50 to 9.25 mg kg−1 (average value 3.873 mg kg−1), and 0.025 to 0.20 mg kg−1 (average value 0.044 mg kg−1), respectively. ConclusionIn comparison to the allowable limits, there were appreciably high levels of chromium and lead, and low levels of cadmium. A positive correlation was also obtained between Cr-Cd pair from Pearson's correlation study. The results of the investigation suggest that the tannery workers had very high levels of chromium in their hair samples that indicated their hazardous working circumstances induced to their numerous illnesses, including high blood pressure, skin infections, and respiratory disorders.

Use of potential bacterial strains to remove Hexavalent Chromium from an aqueous medium and the Periyar River sediments

Chromium is one of the most abundant metals in the earth's crust mined as chromites. Industries that widely use compounds containing chromium as Cr(III) in the tanning process generally release effluents with high chromium levels into natural water resources, frequently without appropriate effluent treatment. Though physical and chemical methods of chromium removal are adopted, the processes are expensive, use a lot of energy and generate secondary toxic waste. The removal of chromium by biological resources on the other hand is more environmentally friendly, less expensive, and lacks the release of secondary pollutants. The present study is aimed towards the assessment of the Cr(VI) reduction capability of two bacterial strains, Alcaligenes sp. (S11) and Listeria sp. (S18) used as a consortium. These bacterial strains were isolated from the Periyar river of Kerala, India. Batch mode studies were carried out by live bacterial cells and an integrated study was carried out to test the bacterial strains on chromium-contaminated water and sediments through bioreactor and column study respectively under optimized conditions. The phytotoxicity of the treated water was studied on black gram. In the bioreactor study, the maximum Cr(VI) reduction capacity of bacterial consortium (S11 and S18) was found to be 97%. The successive experiment for the toxicity of treated water on the black gram indicated that there was no toxicity in the growth parameters of the plant.

Associations between High Blood Levels of Copper, Nickel and Chromium and Indicators of Their Adverse Effects on Respiratory Organs, Blood and the Immune System

Introduction: An urgent hygienic problem in the regions with intensive industrial development is the persistence of ambient air pollutants and their adverse health outcomes in the population leading to higher incidence rates of non-communicable diseases and their chronicity. Objective: To substantiate the relationships between high blood levels of copper, nickel, and chromium and biomarkers of their adverse effects on blood, respiratory and immune systems for the tasks of early detection and prevention of poor health outcomes of the combined inhalation exposure to copper, nickel and chromium oxides on the example of the adult population at risk. Materials and methods: We carried out a hygienic assessment of ambient air quality in residential areas and analyzed general population incidence and prevalence for 2016–2020. We also examined the health status of women of reproductive age environmentally exposed to nickel, chromium and copper oxides in the area of residence and of relatively unexposed controls. About 5,000 chemical, clinical, immunological, and biochemical tests were done in 2022. Results: We established associations between higher blood levels of copper, nickel, and chromium and changes in the indicators of adverse health effects. Biomarkers of nonspecific and specific sensitization, chronic inflammation accompanied by an imbalance in the humoral and cellular immunity were hyperproduction of eosinophils in the nasal mucus, blood lymphocytes, specific IgG to copper, a decrease in the phagocytic index and number; lower ferritin marked disorders of iron homeostasis, higher malondialdehyde indicated induction of oxidative processes, and a decrease in antioxidant activity gave evidence of depletion of the total antioxidant activity. Conclusions: It is expedient to use our findings for early detection and subsequent substantiation of targeted measures aimed at preventing disorders of the respiratory and immune systems, blood, and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism, etiopathogenetically related to the combined exposure to the metal oxides tested.

Assessing levels of selected heavy metals with other pollutantsin soil and water resources in Nandom District in the semi-arid northwestern Ghana.

This study assessed heavy metal contaminations of soils in cultivated fields (or farms) and water samples from rivers, boreholes, and dug-out wells in Nandom District in semi-arid northwestern Ghana. Other parameters of water from the three sources were also measured and then compared to the permissible limits in the literature. The results showed that soils in farms across the study communities significantly (P ≤ 0.05) had higher levels of chromium (Cr = 0.456 ± 0.132mgkg-1), iron (Fe = 214.8 ± 1.52mgkg-1), lead (Pb = 0.854 ± 0.03mgkg-1), nickel (Ni = 2.813 ± 0.4mgkg-1), and arsenic (As = 1.753 ± 0.42mgkg-1) when compared to permissible limits set by World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) for food crops. Water from the study sites significantly (P ≤ 0.0001) had lower levels of heavy metals than the permissible limits set by FAO for irrigation of growing crops. Thus, the water sources appear to be safe for irrigation in the study area. Nonetheless, these sources of water in Nandom District had significantly higher levels of total suspended solids, turbidity, and coliforms that were above the maximum limits indicated in the guidelines of WHO and the Government of Ghana for drinking water. Therefore, treatments of water for drinking are required to minimize any potential threats to public health.

Estimation of some trace elements in serum of children with jaundice

The objective of this study was to measure the alterations in serum trace elements copper (Cu), chromium (Cr) and zinc (Zn) in children with jaundice and compare them with the results of healthy individuals by using AAS. Significant low serum levels of Zn and high level of serum Cu and chromium were observed in children with jaundice as compared with normal healthy controls.. The study showed that Cu, Zn and Cr concentrations in serum of jaundice were (175.6±47,5 μg /dL ,95±67μg /dL and 7.98±0.54 μg /dL)respectively. In healthy individuals these concentrations were 109.3±13.72 μg /dL,106.55±11.7 μg /dL and3.8 ±0.48 μg /dL) respectively.

Effects of Free Amino Acids, Metallothionein, and Chemical Forms of Heavy Metals on the Accumulation and Detoxification of Cadmium and Chromium in Chinese Goldthread (Coptis chinensis Franch.)

Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis Franch.) is an important medicinal plant worldwide. However, its clinical safety is negatively impacted by high cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) levels. Understanding the accumulation pattern and detoxification mechanism of heavy metals, such as Cd and Cr, is important for regulating their transportation and reducing their accumulation in plants. Free amino acids (FAAs), metallothioneins, and chemical forms of heavy metals are closely associated with heavy metal accumulation and detoxification mechanisms. In the present study, we evaluated the uptake of Cd and Cr in Chinese goldthread and characterized the changes in FAA levels, CcMT2, a metallothionein gene, expression under Cd and Cr stress, and Cr chemical forms in various tissues of Chinese goldthread. The majority of Cd and Cr was retained in the roots; this might be the tolerance strategy utilized by Chinese goldthread to protect the aboveground photosynthetic tissues. A chemical continuous extraction method was utilized to analyze the chemical forms of Cr, and the results suggested that Cr was primarily fixed by oxalate in all tissues, and after Cr treatment, Cr tended to combine with phosphate to form an insoluble complex that reduced the toxicity and bioavailability of Cr in Chinese goldthread. The accumulation of Cd and Cr was significantly positively correlated with valine, histidine, threonine, tyrosine, and serine levels and significantly negatively correlated with glutamic acid and alanine levels. The variation in proline levels under Cd stress was different than that under Cr stress. FAAs might affect the accumulation of and resistance to Cd and Cr through various detoxification strategies, such as chelation with heavy metals ions and conversion into the required products. Furthermore, CcMT2 was isolated for the first time and found to be dominantly expressed in leaves. CcMT2 was induced under Cd and Cr stress in all plant tissues, indicating its role in the accumulation of and tolerance to Cd and Cr.