High Levels Of Cu Research Articles

Estimation of Trace and Toxic Metals from Cannabis Sativa Plant in District, Kech Baluchistan, Pakistan

Background: Cannabis sativa, a plant indigenous to the Kech district in Baluchistan, Pakistan, is traditionally used for medicinal purposes. Understanding its trace and toxic metal content is crucial for evaluating its safety and therapeutic potential. Objective: The primary aim of this study is to estimate the levels of trace and toxic metals in various parts of Cannabis sativa plants grown in the Kech district and assess the potential health risks associated with their consumption. Methods: The leaves, stems, and roots of Cannabis sativa were analyzed for metals including Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na), Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), and Nickel (Co). Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy was employed to quantify the metal content. Results: The plant exhibited high levels of Fe (20.34 ppm in leaves), Zn (24.14 ppm in leaves), Ca (9.29 ppm in leaves), Cu (14.40 ppm in leaves), K (10.56 ppm in leaves), Mg (13.47 ppm in leaves), and Na (12.25 ppm in leaves). Conversely, lower concentrations of Cd (0.65 ppm in leaves), Co (2.29 ppm in leaves), As (0.53 ppm in leaves), and Pb (1.60 ppm in leaves) were detected. The leaves contained higher concentrations of these metals compared to the stems and roots. Conclusion: The presence of beneficial trace metals like Fe, Cu, Zn, and Ca in significant amounts suggests Cannabis sativa's potential for treating diseases related to deficiencies of these metals. However, the low levels of toxic metals indicate minimal health risks, affirming its safety for medicinal use.

Reactive, Proactive, Relational, and Slow Dissipation of Aggression in Children

This study investigated the associations between aggression subtypes (reactive, proactive, relational, and slow dissipation of aggression), callous-unemotional traits (CU), irritability (IRR), and sex among children. The sample included 508 children 5 to 12 years of age, rated by their mothers. A 4-factor model of aggression subtypes (reactive, proactive, relational, slow dissipation) provided a good fit to the data. Correlations between aggression subtypes and demographic variables were generally nonsignificant, except for a unique association between relational aggression and sex, with girls exhibiting higher scores, and proactive aggression was associated with younger age. Both CU and IRR correlated positively with all types of aggression. Slow dissipation of aggression showed a unique association with IRR, whereas reactive aggression was uniquely associated with both CU and IRR. Regressions showed an interaction between CU, IRR, and sex for slow dissipation and relational aggression. Interactions showed that boys with high levels of both CU and IRR demonstrated slower dissipation of aggression, indicating a tendency to hold grudges, and that sex differences in relational aggression depended on the co-occurrence of CU and IRR. This study sheds light on the interplay among aggression subtypes, CU, IRR, and sex in children. Findings emphasize the need for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals to consider the multifaceted nature of aggressive behavior and the role of CU and IRR when assessing aggressive children or developing treatment plans for them. Further research is warranted to examine these relationships longitudinally and across diverse populations. •Recognize the different types of aggression: Look beyond angry outbursts and consider reactive, proactive, relational, and slow dissipation of aggression to target intervention.•Emotional traits matter: Assess for callous-unemotional traits and irritability alongside aggression. High levels of both, especially in boys, may indicate greater difficulty managing anger and holding grudges.•Gender differences exist: Girls may be more prone to relational aggression compared to boys.•Proactive aggression might be more common in younger than in older children. Tailor interventions accordingly.

Fugitive Dust Associated with Scrap Metal Processing

Fugitive dust (FD) is a nuisance and potential health issue, particularly in environmental justice communities that can experience high levels of contaminated FD. This community-initiated study examined FD from a scrap metal processor in Detroit, Michigan, to determine whether the FD was contaminated, how it migrated through the community, whether wipe or composite road dust samples were preferable, and whether literature profiles adequately characterized this source. The study was motivated by community concerns, as well as a massive subsidence/upheaval event resulting from excessive accumulation of mill scale, which is a type of scrap metal, at the facility. We collected 57 wipe samples from windows and other surfaces, and 20 composite road dust and surface soil samples, which were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence. Concentrations were expressed using the fraction of the reconstructed mass. We also compared results to air quality monitoring data and calculated pollution indices and enrichment factors. Samples collected near the processor had high levels of Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Sr, and Zn compared with background soils, and levels remained elevated in residential areas several blocks distant. Composite road dust/sediment samples appeared preferable to wipe samples for chemical characterization. The available chemical profiles did not match the FD composition, suggesting the need for local profiles. The high level of Fe, which is consistent with mill scale, was a novel finding and caused the road dust to exceed health protection screening levels. Numerous metal scrap facilities operate locally and nationally, and our results show the need to improve controls to limit or eliminate FD emissions from industrial sources using enforced policies that reduce dust generation and truck track-out.

Origin, spatial distribution, sediment contamination, ecological and health risk evaluation of trace metals in sediments of ship breaking area of Bangladesh

Eleven trace metals (Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, As, Pb, and Ag) in sediments of Bangladesh’s ship breaking area were measured by an atomic absorption spectrometer to determine origin, contamination extent, spatial distributions, and associated ecological and human health hazards. This study found considerable quantities of Pb, Cd, Mn, Zn, and Cu when compared with standards and high levels of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, As, and Ag contamination according to pollution evaluation indices. Different indices indicate most of the sampling sites were highly polluted. However, spatial distribution maps indicate that trace metals were predominantly deposited in the northern and southern region. The ecological risk index revealed that Cd has the highest while Pb and As had moderate risk. Based on the health index values, Zn for both adults and children were higher than the safe limit while Mn, Pb, Cr, As, Fe, Cu, Ni, and Co for children were close to the threshold. The mean total carcinogenic risk values of Cr, As, and Ni for children and Ni for adults exceeded the permissible threshold. The cancer risk possibilities were further assessed using Monte Carlo simulation. Most trace metals have anthropogenic origins, which were attributed to ship breaking activities.

Combined exposure to multiple essential elements and cadmium at early pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study.

Minerals and trace elements were involved in the pathogenesis and progression of diabetes. However, the association of mixed exposure to essential elements and toxic elements with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is poorly understood. This study aims to examine the associations between serum calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in early pregnancy and GDM risk in Chinese pregnant women. A total of 1,168 pregnant women were included in this prospective cohort study. The concentrations of serum elements were measured using the polarography method before 14 gestational weeks and an oral glucose tolerance test was conducted at 24-28 gestational weeks to diagnose GDM. Binary logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic spline were applied to evaluate the association between serum individual element and GDM. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were used to assess the associations between mixed essential elements and Cd exposure and GDM risk. The mean concentrations of Zn (124.65 vs. 120.12 μmol/L), Fe (135.26 vs. 132.21 μmol/L) and Cu (23.33 vs. 23.03 μmol/L) in the GDM group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Single-element modeling results suggested that second and fourth-quartile maternal Zn and Fe concentration, third and fourth-quartile Cu concentration and fourth-quartile Ca concentration were associated with an increased risk of GDM compared to first-quartile values. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed U-shaped and non-linear relationships between Cd and GDM. According to the BKMR models and WQS analyses, a six-element mixture was significantly and positively associated with the risk of GDM. Additionally, Cd, Zn, and Cu contributed the most strongly to the association. Serum Zn, Cu, Fe, and Ca exposure during early pregnancy showed a positive association with GDM in the individual evaluation. The multiple-evaluation showed that high levels of elements mixture, particularly Cd, Zn, and Cu, may promote the development of GDM.

Accumulation and Origin of Phosphorus and Heavy Metals in Citrus Orchard Soils in Jeju Island, South Korea: Potential Ecological Risks and Bioavailability

This study investigated the accumulation of total phosphorus (TP) and heavy metals (HMs; Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, and Ni) in citrus orchard soils in Jeju Island, Korea, identifying potential soil pollution sources using statistical analysis. Anthropogenic HM pollution was evaluated using the geoaccumulation index and enrichment factors, whereas HM bioavailability was assessed via single extraction. TP, Zn, Cu, and Cr concentrations in citrus orchard topsoil were significantly higher than those in forestland soils, indicating their accumulation in the surface layer. Statistical analyses confirmed that elements with high concentrations were closely related to potential pollution sources accumulated on the surface layer of citrus orchards owing to agricultural activities. Particularly, Zn and Cu accumulation was confirmed to originate from intensive compost and pesticide use in citrus orchards. Cu showed the highest contamination and enrichment of all HMs. However, Zn and Cu fractions, determined via an availability assessment, were dominated by acid or complex compounds, indicating that labile Zn and Cu have potential bioavailability for plants. Nevertheless, their fractions accounted for a small proportion (mean < 15%). Therefore, despite the high pollution levels of Zn and Cu, their availabilities were extremely low, indicating a negligible bioavailability in crops and no impact on aquatic ecosystems.

Exploring the impact of transportation on heavy metal pollution: A comparative study of trains and cars

This study aimed to investigate the impact of road and rail traffic on the soil through the analysis of the presence of heavy metals in soil samples collected next to a busy highway, local roads, and next to an active railway line. Results showed that cars emitted higher levels of heavy metals than trains. Soil samples near the highway had higher levels of Cu, Ni, and Hg. The values of the calculated indices like geo-accumulation index, potential toxicity response index, ecological risk factor, contamination factor, pollution load index, Nemerow's pollution index, and degree of contamination confirm that the soil samples sampled near the highway are the most polluted and highway have the greatest negative impact on the soil environment. These results suggest that controlling car emissions through strict regulations and promoting public transportation could effectively reduce the heavy metal concentrations in soil, particularly from highway emissions.

Trace Elements Status and Their Associations With Related Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis

It remains ambiguous as to whether the status of trace elements would affect their related enzyme activities toward defending a possible higher oxidative stress in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) or hemodialysis (HD) treatment. We investigated copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) status in patients receiving PD or HD treatments and further determined the association of these trace elements with their related antioxidant capacities in those patients. Sixty PD and 80 HD patients before and after HD treatment had their blood drawn. Demographic, clinical, and 24-hour diet recall data were recorded and collected. Plasma trace elements, oxidative stress indicators, and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured. Patients receiving PD or HD treatments experienced similar Zn and Cu intakes. PD and HD patients displayed adequate mean plasma Cu, Zn, and Se levels. Patients receiving PD treatment showed significantly higher levels of Cu, Zn, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, but had significantly lower levels of Se and total antioxidant capacity when compared to levels in the HD patients at the pre-HD session. The levels of 3 trace elements and AOPP increased significantly, while the levels of glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), GPx, and SOD activities decreased significantly after receiving HD treatment than did the levels in the pre-HD session. Plasma Cu, Se, and Zn levels had a different correlation with plasma AOPP level, GPx, and SOD activities during PD, pre- or post-HD sessions. Plasma Cu, Zn, and Se levels did not have any association with their associated enzyme activities in patients with PD, while plasma Cu and Zn levels may have influenced SOD activity in HD patients. An adequate Cu, Zn, and Se status is required in order to help their associated enzyme activity cope with increased oxidative stress during PD or HD sessions.

Assessment of 13 essential and toxic trace elements in tumor and peritumoral brain tissues from human glioblastoma.

Trace elements within the brain are important for proper neurological function, but their imbalance has been rarely investigated in glioblastoma. This study enrolled a total of 14 patients with glioblastoma, and the tumor and peritumoral brain tissues were collected while undergoing surgery. The concentrations of Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, As, Cd, Tl and Pb were determined using a well-evaluated ICP-MS method. The Cu- and Cd-binding proteomes were further analyzed using the anatomic transcriptional atlas from Ivy GAP. Histological evaluation was based on rubeanic acid staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The 13 trace element concentrations were obtained, and the highest were Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu, ranging from a few to dozens of ug/g. Correlation analysis suggested the existence of two intra-correlated clusters: essential metals (Cu-Ca-Zn-Mg) and heavy metals (Pb-As-Cd-Tl-Co-Cr-Mn). Compared to the tumor samples, significantly higher levels of Cu and Cd were observed in the peritumoral region. Further analysis of the Cu- and Cd-binding proteins from the anatomic view suggested that DBH and NOS1 were obviously increased in the leading edge than the central tumor region. Consistent with the above findings, histological evaluation of Cu and DBH further confirmed more copper and DBH expressions in the peritumoral area compared to the tumor core. Trace elements differ in tumor and peritumoral brain zone in glioblastoma, which may associate with tumor angiogenesis.

Copper and zinc interact significantly in their joint toxicity to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Insights from physiological and transcriptomic investigations

Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) often discharge simultaneously from industrial and agricultural sectors and cause stress to aquatic biota. Although microalgae have been extensively investigated for their responses to Cu or Zn exposure, how they cope with the mixtures of two metals, especially at transcriptomic level, remains largely unknown. In this study, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of two metals. It was found that Zn promoted the entry of Cu into the algal cells. With the increase of combined toxicity, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and cell wall functional groups immobilized significant amounts of Cu and Zn. Furthermore, C. reinhardtii adjusted resistance strategies internally, including starch consumption and synthesis of chlorophyll and lipids. Upon high level of Cu and Zn coexistence, synergistic effects were observed in lipid peroxidation and catalase (CAT) activity. Under 1.05 mg/L Cu + 0.87 mg/L Zn, 256 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involved in oxidative phosphorylation, ribosome, nitrogen metabolism; while 4294 DEGs induced by 4.21 mg/L Cu + 3.48 mg/L Zn were mainly related to photosynthesis, citric acid cycle, etc. Together, this study revealed a more comprehensive understanding of mechanisms of Cu/Zn detoxification in C. reinhardtii, emphasizing critical roles of photosynthetic carbon sequestration and energy metabolism in the metal resistance.

Heavy Metal Assessment in Water, Sediment and Biota from Ennore Creek and Vellar Estuary, Southeast India

The impact of anthropogenic activities on the accumulation of heavy metals in water, sediment and fish of both Ennore creek and Vellar estuary were observed in this study. Water and sediment sample were collected from both sampling stations and fish was collected just from only Ennore creek. Sediment and fish samples were subjected to a total digestion technique (HNO3 – HCl – HF conc.) and analysed using a spectrophotometer. Four elements Cu, Cd, Zn and Pb (trace elements) were determined. Heavy metal concentration of Ennore creek was significantly higher than the concentration of samples from Vellar estuary. The order of metal levels in water sample from Ennore creek is Cu > Zn > Cd > Pb and the sequence order of Vellar estuary water sample is Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd. The concentration of heavy metals in the sediment samples of Ennore creek showed in the following sequential order: Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd and the sequence order of Vellar estuary: Zn > Cd > Cu > Pb. In the Ennore creek, the accumulation of Zn in the muscle tissue is observed in the order, O. mosambique (7.3mg/g), M. cephalus (7.13mg/g) and A. djedaba (6.76 mg/g). M. cephalus showed high levels of Cu (5.25 mg/g) followed by A. djedaba (4.63mg/g) and O. mosambique (4.24mg/g). Based on the overall average of heavy metals present in different organs of the fish samples, trend of metal accumulation in different organs are observed as follows: Cu: Muscle > liver > gills and Zn: Muscle > liver > gills.

Metals in Callitriche cophocarpa from small rivers with various levels of pollution in SW Poland.

The anthropogenic impact of metals on aquatic environments is a risk for biota, and thus their levels must be controlled. Callitriche cophocarpa Sendtn. belongs to a genus with a potential for accumulation of elevated metal levels. Thus, it may provide consolidated evidence of contamination. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to determine Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in this species collected together with water and bottom sediments from rivers with various levels of pollution. Of these rivers, one less polluted and one more polluted was selected for the collection of C. cophocarpa for an experiment to compare its Cu and Zn concentration potential. Both metals were supplemented at concentrations 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, 0.08 and 0.14mg L-1 of Cu as CuSO4 × 5H2O and 0.4, 0.6, 0,9, 1,35, 2.03 and 3.04mg L-1 of Zn as ZnSO4 × 7H2O, and in the binary design containing (mg·L-1) 0.01Cu + 0.4Zn, 0.02Cu + 0.6Zn, 0.03Cu + 0.9Zn, 0.05Cu + 1.4Zn, 0.08Cu + 2.03 Zn and 0.14Cu + 3.04Zn. The upper concentrations of Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn in C. cophocarpa shoots from both types of rivers as well as of Ni and Pb in shoots from more polluted rivers were higher than the values typical for toxicity thresholds with no visible harmful effects, which may indicate accumulation abilities of C. cophocarpa for these metals. Both roots and shoots of C. cophocarpa may be included in the group of macroconcentrators for bottom sediments with respect to Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn and deconcentrators of Pb. Greater accumulation of most metals in roots than in shoots indicates their restricted mobility and translocation by C. cophocarpa to shoots.C. cophocarpa from the less polluted river and exposed to all experimental solutions contained significantly higher levels of Cu and Zn than that from the more polluted river exposed to identical experimental solutions. The plants collected from the more polluted river influenced by surplus of metals and living under chemical stress could probably limit further accumulation by developing a resistance mechanism. Cu and Zn contents in C. cophocarpa were higher when treated with separate metals than for binary treatment both in the more and less polluted river.Such research presenting the impact of a combination of metals could be important for understanding and explaining the interactions of these elements which may influence their bioavailability in nature as well as importance in the evaluation of the risk of environmental toxicity.

Green removal of low and high levels of Cu(II) and Cr(III) cations from concentrated saline chloride medium achieved by a mixture of N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-thiocarbohydrazide-TritonX-100 micellar system via cloud point extraction process

Abstract In this work, we performed the cloud point extraction with low and high concentrations of Cu(II) and Cr(III), two particularly toxic metallic pollutants, that have been shown to have adverse effects on human health and the environment. Removal of the metal ions was achieved in the presence of Triton X-100 as a non-ionic surfactant and N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-thiocarbohydrazide as a chelating ligand in concentrated chloride medium. The behavior of the Schiff base was initially investigated in homogeneous DMSO-water and micellar Triton X-100-water media. The obtained values of the acid constants show that the extractant is more acidic in micellar media than in pure aqueous medium. The recorded cloud point temperatures of Triton X-100 are significantly impacted by the sodium chloride concentration, the surfactant concentration, and the Schiff base ligand. Under the optimised experimental conditions, a quantitative extraction of Cu(II) and a maximum extraction rate of 74 % of Cr(III) were obtained. The reduction of the metal concentration from 10−3 mol L−1 to 10−6 mol L−1 resulted in a reduction of the temperature by 10 °C and a reduction of the contact time from 10 h to 3 h.

Editable Au NCs@ZIF-8 nanomaterial-modified paper in situ as well as portable smartphone-assisted sensing assay for the highly sensitive Cu (II) detection in Wilson’s disease

High levels of Cu (II) in the human body can cause kidney dysfunction, liver cirrhosis, and many neurological diseases, such as Wilson’s disease (WD). Therefore, rapid and efficient detection of Cu (II) in urine is highly essential. First, by a simple multiple seeded growth method, the gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) embedded metal-organic framework (ZIF-8) is decorated on cellulose paper to generate a fluorescent Au NCs@ZIF-8 paper. Then the Au NCs@ZIF-8 paper is loaded on the fluidic cartridge integrated with the syringe for ultra-sensitive urine copper detection. The fluorescence paper is intercalated in a reusable fluidic cartridge and attached to a syringe, allowing the fluidic cartridge to flow a amount of samples through the paper. The interaction of Cu (II) with in situ growth of Au NCs@ZIF-8 on the paper induced fluorescence quenching, which fluorescence images can be recorded and analyzed by the portable smartphone-assisted device. Furthermore, a large amount of sample solution was flowed through the Au NCs@ZIF-8 paper, enabling more Cu (II) to react with the Au NCs@ZIF-8 paper on the novel paper-based analytical device (nPAD). Cu (II) detection can be completed by nPAD in 20 mins, and the limit of detection was as low as 9.2 nM. We show the value of the paper device for on-site detection of copper (II) and indicate that it has excellent potential for clinical applications and environmental monitoring.

A comparative study of serum Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe levels and their association with the vulnerability of Iraqi COVID-19 patients

For the immune system to protect the body from infectious diseases such as COVID-19, it needs the ideal amount of vital trace elements. Trace element levels, especially, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and iron (Fe) levels, may affect how sensitive an individual is to COVID-19 and other viruses. The current study evaluated the level of those trace elements during stays in the isolation center and investigated their association with vulnerability to COVID-19. A total of 120 individuals, 49 males and 71 females aged between 20 and 60 years, were included in this study. Forty individuals infected with COVID-19, 40 individuals who had recovered from it, and 40 healthy individuals, were all evaluated and studied. By using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, levels of Zn, Cu, and Mg were assessed for all samples, whereas levels of Mn, and Cr were determined by a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The infected individuals had significantly lower levels of Zn, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe than recovered individuals and healthy control individuals (P<0.0001). On the other hand, the total number of infected patients was found to have much higher levels of Cu than those in the recovered group and the control group. For the recovered and healthy control groups, no significant differences were observed in the levels of trace elements (P>0.05), except for Zn (P<0.01). Also, the findings indicated no association of trace elements with age and BMI (P>0.05). These results show that an imbalance in the levels of essential trace elements could be associated with increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, additional thorough research of greater scope is required considering the severity of the infection.

Pilot-scale assessment reveals effects of anode type and orthophosphate in governing antimicrobial capacity of copper for Legionella pneumophila control

Copper (Cu) is sometimes applied as an antimicrobial for controlling Legionella in hot water plumbing systems, but its efficacy is inconsistent. Here we examined the effects of Cu (0 - 2 mg/L), orthophosphate corrosion inhibitor (0 or 3 mg/L as phosphate), and water heater anodes (aluminum, magnesium, and powered anodes) on both bulk water and biofilm-associated L. pneumophila in pilot-scale water heater systems. Soluble, but not total, Cu was a good predictor of antimicrobial capacity of Cu. Even after months of exposure to very high Cu levels (>1.2 mg/L) and low pH (<7), which increases solubility and enhances bioavailability of Cu, culturable L. pneumophila was only reduced by ∼1-log. Cu antimicrobial capacity was shown to be limited by various factors, including binding of Cu ions by aluminum hydroxide precipitates released from corrosion of aluminum anodes, higher pH due to magnesium anode corrosion, and high Cu tolerance of the outbreak-associated L. pneumophila strain that was inoculated into the systems. L. pneumophila numbers were also higher in several instances when Cu was dosed together with orthophosphate (e.g., with an Al anode), revealing at least one scenario where high levels of total Cu appeared to stimulate Legionella. The controlled, pilot-scale nature of this study provides new understanding of the limitations of Cu as an antimicrobial in real-world plumbing systems.

Chemical-analytical characterization and leaching of heavy metals associated with nanoparticles and microplastics from commercial face masks and the abundance of personal protective equipment (PPE) waste in three metropolitan cities of South America

In this study, we surveyed the presence of personal protective equipment (PPE) waste on the streets of Bogotá-Colombia, Lima-Perú, and Mar del Plata-Argentina. Furthermore, this work is also focused on the release capacity of Ag, Cu, and Zn metals associated with nanoparticles, and microplastics (MPs) from textile face masks (TFMs) and disposable face masks. According to our results, an association between low-income areas and PPE waste was found, which may be related to the periodicity of waste collection and economic activity. Polymers, like polypropylene, cotton-polyester, and additives, such as CaCO3, MgO, and Ag/Cu as nanoparticles, were identified. TFMs released high levels of Cu (35,900–60,200 μg·L−1), Zn (2340–2380 μg·L−1), and MPs (4528–10,640 particles/piece). Metals associated with nanoparticles leached by face masks did not present any antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa. Our study suggests that TFMs may leach large amounts of polluting nano/micromaterials in aquatic environments with potential toxicological effects on organisms.

Effects of Various Copper Sources and Concentrations on Performance, Skeletal Growth, and Mineral Content of Excreta in Broiler Chickens.

The experiment was designed to study the effect of supplemental sources and concentrations of copper on the performance and development and mineralization of tibia bones in broiler chickens. A 42-day feeding experiment was conducted utilising three copper sources, including copper sulphate (CuS), copper chloride (CuCl), and copper propionate (CuP), each with four different concentrations, i.e. 8, 100, 150, and 200mg/kg. The body weight gain with 200mg Cu/kg food was noticeably higher during the first 4-6weeks of age. Due to the interaction between Cu sources and levels, there was no significant change in the body weight gained. The feed intake during various growing phases did differ significantly neither the main effect nor the interaction between different copper sources and levels. A CuP-supplemented diet (200mg/kg food) considerably (P ≤ 0.05) improved the feed conversion ratio between 4-6 and 0-6weeks. At the end of the experiment, a total of 72 tibia bones, i.e. six for each treatment were collected. A metabolic trial was conducted to look into mineral retention in broiler chickens on the final 3days of the trial (40-42days). Increased tibia bone zinc (Zn) levels were seen with the addition of 8mg Cu/kg of Cu chloride, 100mg Cu/kg of Cu propionate, 8mg Cu/kg of Cu sulphate, and 8mg/kg of Cu propionate to the diet. At higher levels of Cu (150 and 200mg/kg diet), there was a significantly (P ≤ 0.01) reduced tibia Zn content. Cu sulphate treatment group had higher (P ≤ 0.01) tibia Cu content (8mg Cu/kg diet). Cu sulphate supplemented diet had a greater excreta Zn content (P ≤ 0.01) than Cu chloride supplemented diet, and Cu propionate supplemented diet had the lowest excreta Zn content. Excreta with a higher Fe concentration were found in diets supplemented with copper sulphate and copper chloride (P ≤ 0.05) than in diets supplied with copper propionate. Thus, it may be concluded that feeding dietary Cu concentrations up to 200mg Cu/kg diet, regardless of the different sources, had no negative effects on bone morphometry and mineralization parameters with the exception of a decrease in the tibia's zinc content.

Evaluation of metal exposure through the composition of essential and toxic micro-minerals in freshwater turtles (Phrynops geoffroanus) from a Brazilian river

This study aimed to evaluate metal exposure through the concentration of essential and toxic micro-minerals in biological samples of Phrynops geoffroanus from an anthropized river. The work was carried out in four areas with different flow characteristics and uses of the river, where individuals of both sexes were captured during the dry and rainy seasons. The elements Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were quantified in samples of serum (168), muscle (62), liver (61), and kidney (61) by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The concentration of the elements varied according to the sample type, being higher in the liver and the kidney. In the serum, many elements were below the limit of quantification, but it was possible to determine Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn. The liver showed high levels of Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn, and muscle for Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn, with most of the elements accumulated in the kidney (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, and Ni) relative to other tissues. There was no significant difference between the sexes in the accumulation of elements. Between seasons, Cu was higher in serum and Mn in muscle and liver in the dry period, while in the kidney, almost all the elements were higher in the rainy period. The concentrations of the elements in the samples indicated a high degree of environmental contamination, representing risk in the use of the river and consumption of food from local fisheries.

DETERMINATION OF HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATION IN SOME SELECTED VEGETABLES FROM MAMUDO, POTISKUM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, YOBE STATE

Soil is a vital environmental, ecological and agricultural resource that has to be protected from further degradation as an adequate supply of healthy food is needed for the world’s increasing population. Heavy metals’ accumulation in the soil is of great concern in agricultural production due to the adverse effects on food quality, crop growth and environmental health. The concentration of heavy metals [Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr)] in vegetables (Tomato fruit and Spinach leaves) and soils (Tomato and Spinach soils) were collected from different farmlands in Mamudo, Potiskum L.G.A of Yobe State and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The results revealed all the heavy metals were detected in all the samples with Zn (7.2), Fe (7.5), Pb (4.0), Cu (113.9), Cd (29.1), Cr (4.7) mg/kg respectively for the tomatoes samples and Zn (7.1), Fe (18.3), Pb (21.8), Cu (95.7), Cd (50.8), and Cr (2.7) mg/kg respectively for the spinach. The concentration of the heavy metals were within the normal range World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) safe limits of 20 – 100, 400 – 500 and 0.5 – 30 for Zn, Fe and Pb respectively in plants samples. But the concentration of the heavy metals were above the normal range WHO/FAO safe limits of 2.5 &lt; 2.4 and &lt; 0.1 – 1 for Cu, Cd, and Cr respectively in plants samples. The high concentration level of Cu, Cd and Cr could be attributed to the high level of metal work, vehicular emissions, addition of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals to the soil to enhance the agricultural crops. Therefore, the vegetables samples are not safe for consumption with regards to Cu, Cd and Cr.