Cd Levels Research Articles

Assessment of Cadmium and Mercury Contamination of Milk and Dairy Products in Vietnam

Background: Milk and dairy products are nutritious and can play a significant role in a healthy diet. The safety of milk decreases with increase in concentration of Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg). The aim is to evaluate the status of Cd and Hg contamination regarding milk and dairy products in some provinces and cities of Vietnam. Methods: 367 samples of liquid milk, yogurt, cheese, milk cake and milk powder were collected in six large cities and provinces of Vietnam, then Cd and Hg levels were quantitatively analyzed. Samples were digested before analysis to remove organic compounds, and the heavy metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: The average concentrations of Cd and Hg in liquid milk were 64.55 and 29.99 ppb; in yogurt, 49.09 and 24.72 ppb; in cheese, 115.81 and 33.75 ppb; in milk cake, 84.44 and 18.08 ppb; and in milk powder, 61.78 and 43.21 ppb, respectively. Conclusion: Hg concentrations in 19.3% of liquid milk, 9.49% of yogurt, 14.29% of cheese, 9.09% of milk cake, and 22% of milk powder were higher than the maximum permitted levels according to national regulations. In contrast, Cd concentrations of all the samples were less than the maximum permitted levels so as not to affect the health of consumers of milk and dairy products produced and processed in Vietnam.

FeONPs alleviate cadmium toxicity in Solanum melongena through improved morpho-anatomical and physiological attributes, along with oxidative stress and antioxidant defense regulations

In this study, various constraints of Cd toxicity on growth, morpho-anatomical characters along with physiological and biochemical metabolic processes of Solanum melongena L. plants were analyzed. Conversely, ameliorative role of iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) was examined against Cd stress. For this purpose, the following treatments were applied in completely randomized fashion; 3 mM CdCl2 solution applied with irrigation water, 40 and 80 ppm solutions of FeONPs applied via foliar spray. Regarding the results, Cd caused oxidative damage to plants’ photosynthetic machinery, resulting in elevated levels of stress-markers like malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and electrolytic leakage (EL) along with slight increase in antioxidants activities, including glutathione (GsH), ascorbate (AsA), catalases (CAT), peroxidases (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidases (APX). Also, high Cd level in plants disturb ions homeostasis and reduced essential minerals uptake, including Ca and K. This ultimately reduced growth and development of S. melongena plants. In contrast, FeONPs supplementations improved antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) defenses which in turn limited ROS generation and lowered the oxidative damage to photosynthetic machinery. Furthermore, it maintained ionic balance resulting in enhanced uptake of Ca and K nutrients which are necessary for photosynthesis, hence also improved photosynthesis rate of S. melongena plants. Overall, FeONPs foliar spray effectively mitigated Cd toxicity imposed on S. melongena plants.

NZVI@BC as a Soil Amendment and Its Effects on Potted Rice Growth and Soil Properties

This study investigated the effects of nano zero-valent iron-modified biochar (nZVI@BC) as a soil amendment on potted rice growth, soil properties, and heavy metal dynamics. Seven treatments with varying amounts of soil conditioner, biochar, and nZVI@BC were applied to potted rice. Results showed that nZVI@BC application significantly improved rice agronomic traits, with the 15 g·kg−1 treatment increasing the panicle formation rate by 15% and 100-grain weight by 8% compared to the control. Soil fertility was enhanced, with available phosphorus increasing from 137 to 281 mg·kg−1 in the most effective treatment. Heavy metal analysis revealed that nZVI@BC application did not increase soil heavy metal content, with Cd levels remaining below 0.3 mg·kg−1 across treatments. Notably, the 10 g·kg−1 nZVI@BC treatment showed potential for slight Cd immobilization, reducing its concentration from 0.32 to 0.26 mg·kg−1. Microbial community analysis showed that nZVI@BC altered soil microbial diversity and composition, with the 10 g·kg−1 treatment resulting in the highest fungal diversity (Chao1 index: 294.219). The relative abundance of the beneficial fungal class Agaricomycetes increased from 40% to 55% with optimal nZVI@BC application. These findings suggest that nZVI@BC has potential as an effective soil amendment for improving rice cultivation while maintaining soil health, microbial diversity, and potentially mitigating heavy metal contamination.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination of Groundwater in Rural Areas of Duhok City, Iraq

This study investigates the quality of groundwater sources in the rural areas of Duhok City, Iraq, with a particular focus on heavy metal contamination, chemical composition, and properties of water. Water samples from 14 wells, serving as the main water source for the surrounding areas, were collected and analyzed. Water quality parameters including calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), chloride (Cl⁻), potassium (K⁺), and sulfate (SO₄²⁻) values ranged from 24 to 105.6 mg/L, 6.832 to 50.752 mg/L, 18 to 34 mg/L, 1 to 7 mg/L, and 3.4 to 38 mg/L respectively. Common heavy metals like manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co) exhibited varying concentrations. Most parameters meet the WHO standards, except for the elevated potassium in one sample, requiring attention. Additionally, 50% of the sampled wells showed elevated cadmium (Cd) levels. Possible sources of contamination include industrial activities, agricultural runoff, and geological factors, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and targeted interventions to ensure access to clean and safe water.

Cadmium exposure and its association with oxidative stress, MT1A methylation, and idiopathic male infertility in Egypt: A case-control study

Idiopathic male infertility, a significant health concern, lacks a clear etiology. Cadmium (Cd), a widespread environmental pollutant known to impact male reproductive health negatively, can accumulate in mussels, a common food source in Egypt. This study investigated the link between ecological Cd exposure, oxidative stress, MT1A methylation, and idiopathic male infertility in two regions of Alexandria. Thirty-three infertile men and 33 fertile controls were included. Cd levels were measured in mussels from the study sites and in participants' blood and semen. Biomarkers reflecting Cd exposure and its effects were assessed. Mussel Cd levels exceeded regulatory limits. Infertile men revealed significantly higher blood and semen Cd levels, reduced semen quality, increased oxidative stress, and elevated MT1A methylation compared to controls. MT1A methylation was inversely correlated with sperm count and is the strongest predictor of idiopathic male infertility, demonstrating the lowest p-value and considerable effect size. This study suggests that environmental Cd exposure, potentially through mussel consumption, may contribute to idiopathic male infertility in Egypt by increasing oxidative stress, inducing epigenetic modifications, and impairing semen quality. These findings underscore the need for further research into the mechanisms underlying Cd-induced male infertility and the development of preventative strategies.

Investigation of the Relationship Between Heavy Metals (Cadmium, Arsenic, and Lead) and Metallothionein in Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders. Metals are important for the maintenance and preservation of homeostasis and dysregulated metal homeostasis has an impact on neurodegeneration. Environmental factors are considered to contribute to MS risk and progression. Heavy metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) are widely found in the environment and because of their toxic nature, they pose a great danger to human health. Metallothioneins (MTs) play important roles in metal homeostasis and detoxification of heavy metals. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between levels of heavy metals (As, Cd, and Pb) andMT levels in MS patients and also to assess the oxidative stress status of patients. Fifty subjects (20 healthy subjects and 30 MS patients) were included. Demographic characteristics of the patients, plasma MT levels, blood Cd, As, and Pb levels, as well as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) levels, were determined. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were investigated as a marker of oxidative stress. MT levels were slightly higher in the MS group (p > 0.05). As Cd and Pb levels were significantly higher in the control subjects. MDA levels were significantly higher in MS patients. Our results support the relevance of MT and MDA levels in MS. Further clinical studies with larger cohorts will provide more insights into these factors.

Effect of cadmium toxicity on growth, physiochemical parameters and antioxidant system of castor seedlings

The research was aimed to determine the potential impact of cadmium contamination on Ricinus communis. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity in the root was highest when exposed to 0.2 mM of Cd, with an increase of 15.63 % and 14.48 % at 0 and 24 h, respectively, compared to its control. However, citrate synthase (CS) activity declined in leaves, in contrast, to root, i.e., 12.22 % at 48 h of Cd stress. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) activity was maximum in leaves at 0.2 mM of Cd at 0 and 24 h, i.e., 12.36 % and 13.08 % respectively, and later decreased in activity was seen in roots and leaves as the Cd stress increased. Moreover, the level of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) declined in leaves as the Cd level increased, while activity increased in roots at 0.4 mM of Cd i.e., 17.21 %, 17.52 %, and 10.53 % at 0, 24, and 48 h respectively. The important metabolite, glutathione level in the roots of SKP 84 was higher than in the leaf extract. A decline in biomass of up to 28.70 % and 30.91 % and plant length of up to 20.80 % and 26.10 % in shoot and roots, respectively, tolerance index was maximum at 0.2 mM, i.e., 98.62 % was seen. The leaves had 35.40 % catalase (CAT) activity, while the roots had 78.26 % guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity at 0.6 mM of Cd. At 0.2 mM of Cd, the maximum activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was observed, with 67.32 % and 62.85 % activity in roots and leaves respectively. However, a reduction in the SOD activity was seen as the Cd stress increased. Increased Cd levels decreased chlorophyll but increased MDA and proline content in leaves at 0.8 mM of Cd, i.e., 82.92 % and 21.7 %, respectively. It indicated that R. communis SKP 84, a fusarium wilt resistance line, is also tolerant to Cd and can be used for phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated areas.

The toxicological analysis and safety assessment of heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, and As) in food for special medical purposes (FSMP) available in Polish pharmacies for oncological patients

The presence of heavy metals in food products may seem an archaic concern; however, our study reveals that the risk is significant, unexpectedly in Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) for oncology patients available in Polish pharmacies. This investigation fills that gap through a detailed toxicological analysis and health risk assessment of these heavy metals in FSMP products (n = 23) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our comprehensive risk assessment involved evaluating (1) the concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb in both liquid and powdered FSMP formulations, (2) the amount of heavy metals ingested per serving as specified by the manufacturer, and (3) the cumulative daily and weekly intake adjusted for body weight, benchmarked against the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). While most samples were below PTWI limits, Cd levels raised concerns due to potential cumulative exposure risks, particularly for oncology patients consuming these products regularly. This study underscores the hidden dangers of heavy metal contamination in FSMP, emphasizing the need for vigilant monitoring and stringent regulatory frameworks to ensure patient safety. By uncovering these latent risks through meticulous toxicological assessment, our research provides crucial insights that could safeguard vulnerable populations. This study is significant due to concerns related to the complex risk assessment of FSMP for cancer patients, considering the complexity of oncological diseases and other comorbid factors, as well as the verification of available legal and regulatory acts of FSMP at the European Community level.

A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA.

Contamination of cocoa containing products, such as dark chocolate, with heavy metals including lead, cadmium and arsenic has been reported in the US. However, a formal exploration into the significance of this contamination, nor multi-year trends in the degree or scope remain unresolved. From 2014 to 2022, 72 consumer cocoa-containing products were purchased and analyzed for heavy metal contamination with lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) in 4 distinct cohorts (2014, 2016, 2019, 2022). The thresholds used to assess heavy metal contamination were set to Prop 65 maximum allowable dose levels (MADLs) of 0.5 mcg/day, 4.1 mcg/day, 10 mcg/day for Pb, Cd, and As, respectively. Our analysis reports that 43, 35, and 0% of the products tested exceed Prop 65 MADLs for heavy metal concentrations, respectively, of Pb, Cd, and As, while 97.2% (70 of 72) fall below US FDA IRL limits established for Pb. Median concentrations of each metal tested were lower than even the conservative Prop 65 MADLs, indicating a potentially large effect of product outliers. This indicates that heavy metal contamination-in more than half of products tested-may not pose any appreciable risk for the average person when consumed as a single serving; however, consuming some of the products tested, or more than one serving per day in combination with non-cocoa derived sources heavy metals, may add up to exposure that would exceed the Prop 65 MADLs. Notably, "organic" products were significantly more likely to demonstrate higher levels of both Cd and Pb.

Protein Hydrolysates from Salmon Heads and Cape Hake By-Products: Comparing Enzymatic Method with Subcritical Water Extraction on Bioactivity Properties.

Fish by-products can be converted into high-value-added products like fish protein hydrolysates (FPHs), which have high nutritional value and are rich in bioactive peptides with health benefits. This study aims to characterise FPHs derived from salmon heads (HPSs) and Cape hake trimmings (HPHs) using Alcalase for enzymatic hydrolysis and Subcritical Water Hydrolysis (SWH) as an alternative method. All hydrolysates demonstrated high protein content (70.4-88.7%), with the degree of hydrolysis (DH) ranging from 10.7 to 36.4%. The peptide profile of FPHs indicated the breakdown of proteins into small peptides. HPSs showed higher levels of glycine and proline, while HPHs had higher concentrations of glutamic acid, leucine, threonine, and phenylalanine. Similar elemental profiles were observed in both HPHs and HPSs, and the levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg were well below the legislated limits. Hydrolysates do not have a negative effect on cell metabolism and contribute to cell growth. HPSs and HPHs exhibited high 2,2'-azino-bis(3 ethylbenzthiazoline-6)-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, Cu2+ and Fe2+ chelating activities, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, with HPHs generally displaying higher activities. The α-amylase inhibition of both FPHs was relatively low. These results indicate that HPHs are a promising natural source of nutritional compounds and bioactive peptides, making them potential candidates for use as an ingredient in new food products or nutraceuticals. SWH at 250 °C is a viable alternative to enzymatic methods for producing FPHs from salmon heads with high antioxidant and chelating properties.

Use of Hair as Matrix for Trace Elements Biomonitoring in Cattle and Roe Deer Sharing Pastures in Northern Italy.

Intensive cattle breeding's environmental challenges are prompting shifts to extensive, pasture-based systems, influencing nutrient and pollutant uptake. PTEs are essential and non-essential elements, regularly found in the environment and organisms, and in which unbalances lead to health issues. Hair analysis, a non-invasive method, provides retrospective PTE exposure evaluation. This study aims to understand exposure and species-specific accumulation patterns of PTEs in cattle and roe deer sharing pastures in Northern Italy using the hair analysis. Aluminum, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Mg, Fe, and Zn were quantified through the use of ICP-OES. Findings show As levels significantly higher in roe deer due to their selective feeding, while Cd and Pb levels align with other studies. Essential elements like Cu, Fe, and Zn are lower in cattle, possibly due to diet differences. Higher Cr and Ni levels in cattle suggest contamination or physiological differences in accumulation patterns. In conclusion, hair analysis is valuable for monitoring environmental PTE exposure, highlighting significant interspecies differences and the potential of both animals as bioindicators in shared grazing areas.

Alzheimer's Disease and Circulatory Imbalance of Toxic Heavy Metals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Studies.

The role of heavy metals on human health has often been discussed regarding disease pathogenesis and risk factors. Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disease, is no exception. We conducted a comprehensive examination to assess the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) in biological samples of AD patients in comparison with a group of individuals without AD, with the objective of our study being to perform a systematic review on this topic. We performed this systematic review by searching various databases/search engines, including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, until December 7, 2022. Relevant studies were scrutinized for eligibility. Meta-analysis was performed on studies with sufficient data using STATA software. Twenty-seven out of 3349 studies met pre-defined eligibility criteria and were included in our systematic review. For the meta-analysis, 22 studies with 3346 participants (1291 AD patients and 2055 healthy controls) had sufficient data for inclusion in the analysis. Using a random-effects model, we found that pooled data indicated patients with AD had significantly higher levels of Cd in their biological samples compared to controls (Hedges' g, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.11, 1.54; p = 0.023). However, other heavy metals were not significantly different in circulatory samples of AD patients compared to healthy controls (p > 0.05). This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that Cd concentrations in AD patients were significantly higher than in healthy controls. Other included heavy metals may not be directly associated with increased risk of AD.

Health risk assessment of surface water resources in the Nandom Municipality of Ghana

In Northern Ghana, reservoirs/dug-outs provide immeasurable services regardless of the season. A study was conducted in Kokoliguo and Nandom-Guo to evaluate health risks from exposure to surface waters. Samples were analyzed for pH, turbidity, conductivity, zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). Kokoliguo revealed mean levels of 7.52 pH units, 124 NTU, 89.6 µS/cm, 0.004 mg/L (Zn), 0.210 mg/L (Fe), 0.219 mg/L (Mn), 0.007 mg/L (Cu), 0.007 mg/L (Cd) and 0.001 mg/L (Pb). Nandom-Guo recorded mean levels of 7.72 pH units, 11.6 NTU, 240 µS/cm, 0.0375 mg/L (Zn), 0.601 mg/L (Fe), 0.220 mg/L (Mn), 0.009 mg/L (Cu), 0.003 mg/L (Cd) and 0.182 mg/L (Pb). The chronic daily intakeoral for Kokoliguo and Nandom-Guo users occurred in the order; Cu < Cd < Zn < Mn < Fe and Cu < Cd < Zn` < Mn < Fe, respectively. Dermal exposure for Kokoliguo and Nandom-Guo occurred in the order; Zn < Cu < Cd < Mn < Fe and Cd < Zn < Cu < Mn < Fe, respectively. Except for Kokoliguo, hazard index derm/oral fell below 1. Cancer riskoral level of Cd exceeded 10e−04 among users. On the contrary, cancer riskoral levels of Pb ranged from 10e−04 to 10e−07 whereas dermal exposure levels ranged from 10e−09—10e−07. The cancer riskoral values predict the risk of carcinogenesis due to Cd toxicity. This study recommends crop farmers desist from the use of synthetic fertilizers. Again, improved water sources should be developed for the communities for domestic uses.

Controlling exposure to As and Cd from rice via irrigation management

Irrigation management controls biogeochemical cycles in rice production. Under flooded paddy conditions, arsenic becomes plant-available as iron-reducing conditions ensue, while oxic conditions lead to increased plant availability of Cd in acidic soils. Because Cd enters rice through Mn transporters, we hypothesized that irrigation resulting in intermediate redox could simultaneously limit both As and Cd in rice grain due to As retention in soil and Mn competition for Cd uptake. In a 2 year field study, we used 6 irrigation managements that varied in extent and frequency of inundation, and we observed strong effects of irrigation management on porewater chemistry, soil redox potentials, plant As and Cd concentrations, plant nutrient concentrations, and methane emissions. Plant As decreased with drier irrigation management, but in the grain this effect was stronger for organic As than for inorganic As. Grain organic As, but not inorganic As, was strongly and positively correlated with cumulative methane emissions. Conversely, plant Cd increased under more aerobic irrigation management and grain Cd was negatively correlated with porewater Mn. A hazard index approach showed that in the tested soil with low levels of As and Cd (5.4 and 0.072 mg/kg, respectively), irrigation management could not simultaneously decrease grain As and Cd. Many soil properties, such as reducible As, available Cd, soil pH, available S, and soil organic matter should be considered when attempting to optimize irrigation management when the goal is decreasing the risk of As and Cd in rice grain.

Biochar with KMnO4-hematite modification promoted foxtail millet growth by alleviating soil Cd and Zn biotoxicity

The excessive accumulation of Cd and Zn in soil poisons crops and threatens food safety. In this study, KMnO4-hematite modified biochar (MnFeB) was developed and applied to remediate weakly alkaline Cd-Zn contaminated soil, and the heavy metal immobilization effect, plant growth, and metal ion uptake of foxtail millet were studied. MnFeB application reduced the phytotoxicity of soil heavy metals; bioavailable acid-soluble Cd and Zn were reduced by 57.79% and 35.64%, respectively, whereas stable, non-bioavailable, residual Cd and Zn increased by 96.44% and 32.08%, respectively. The chlorophyll and total protein contents and the superoxide dismutase (SOD)activity were enhanced, whereas proline, malondialdehyde, the H2O2 content, glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) activities were reduced. Accordingly, the expressions of GR, APX, and CAT were downregulated, whereas the expression of MnSOD was upregulated. In addition, MnFeB promoted the net photosynthetic rate and growth of foxtail millet plants. Furthermore, MnFeB reduced the levels of Cd and Zn in the stems, leaves, and grains, decreased the bioconcentration factor of Cd and Zn in shoots, and weakened the translocation of Cd and Zn from roots to shoots. Precipitation, complexation, oxidation-reduction, ion exchange, and π-π stacking interaction were the main Cd and Zn immobilization mechanisms, and MnFeB reduced the soil bacterial community diversity and the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Planctomycetota. This study provides a feasible and effective remediation material for Cd- and Zn-contaminated soils.

Resource partitioning influences levels of toxic trace elements in sympatric tropical seabirds

Morphologically similar species that occupy resource-limited environments tend to differ in their ecological traits in order to coexist, which may result in differential exposure to environmental threats. For instance, partitioning of feeding resources may influence contaminant exposure and bioaccumulation in marine predators through different diets or foraging habitats. Here, we sampled three tropical seabird species breeding in sympatry in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean for blood and feather trace element concentrations (As, Hg, Cd, Pb), and assessed their foraging ecology with bio-logging (GPS tracks and time-depth recorders), analysis of regurgitated prey, and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope mixing models. Red-billed tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus), brown (Sula leucogaster) and masked (S. dactylatra) boobies differed in their preferred foraging locations, the range of foraging trips, diving parameters and diets. In addition, interspecific differences were detected in blood or feathers for all trace elements analyzed, suggesting influence of the differences observed in diet and space use. Red-billed tropicbirds had the largest foraging range over the continental shelf and over the slope, suggesting lower exposure to continental sources of metals. Brown and masked boobies had higher Hg concentrations than tropicbirds, higher δ15N values (a proxy for trophic level), and δ15N correlated with Hg levels, suggesting biomagnification of Hg along the food chain. Nonetheless, red-billed tropicbirds showed comparable levels of As and Cd in blood or feathers, and higher levels of Pb in both tissues in comparison to boobies, which may suggest overall exposure of seabirds in the region, through their diets and foraging areas. Resource partitioning is critical for allowing coexistence of different seabird species in shared breeding sites where they act as central-place foragers. Nonetheless, in scenarios of environmental pollution, these species-specific strategies lead to differential bioaccumulation, and thus distinct effects of pollution on populations are expected.

Elemental Impurity Analysis in Five Different Types of Coffee: Assessment of Carcinogenic and Non-carcinogenic Risks

In the study, the levels of Cd, Pb, As, and Hg elemental impurities potentially present in coffee bean samples from Indonesia, Kenya, Colombia, Guatemala, and Türkiye were determined using chromatographic analysis, and the analysis results were utilized to assess the risks on human health. The risk assessment of coffee was calculated for one or three servings per day for 365 days a year. Exposure to coffee consumption was calculated according to age groups of young adults and middle-aged adults (20-65 years). When Cd, Pb, As and Hg levels in coffee samples were analyzed, Cd in coffee samples was found to be in the range of approximately 3.70 - 5.89 µg/kg, Pb in the range of 25.68-41.11 µg/kg, As in the range of 1.45-6.64 µg/kg and Hg in the range of 1.06-5.06 µg/kg. Hazard Index (HI) values for all elements in the assessment of non-carcinogenic risks were found to be &amp;lt;1.0. When the cancer risk (CR) value was calculated for Cd, Pb, and As, it was found that the CR value did not exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) criteria in all coffee samples in both scenarios. Considering the assessment of the health risks of elemental impurities in five different coffee bean samples, it was concluded that all samples' CR and HI values did not exceed the USEPA criteria.

Heavy metals in dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) collected from Medina and Dhaka City markets, and assessment of human health risk

BackgroundConstantly eaten foods (such as fruits, vegetables, cereal, etc.) that contain excessive concentrations of heavy metals pose a major risk to human health and deplete the food supply. The amounts of heavy metals in different date varietiies were measured after they were collected from three wholesale markets in the major cities of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Medina. In order to look at the health risks associated with heavy metal consumption after intake of dates, the Average Daily Intake (ADI), Hazard Quotient (HQ), and Hazard Index (HI) were also calculated.ResultsCopper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn) levels were evaluated. Several analyses of date fruit exhibited levels of Pb and Cd in different date varieties that beyond the Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL). In the majority of the samples, ADI was below the upper authorized tolerated daily consumption. The likelihood of a health risk from the regular eating of the investigated date fruits is revealed by the hazardous indexes of samples taken from New Market and Badamtali that surpassed unit value as a result of excessive air pollution brought on by greater industrial and vehicle traffic. According to the study, the majority of the analyzed heavy metals were identified in date samples and those from later samples at levels that were less harmful than the maximum acceptable threshold (MAL).ConclusionsSome samples included higher levels of Pb and Cd. As a result, eating dates that contain more metal has a higher chance of harming your health. Additionally, it has been recommended that regular testing for heavy metals in date fruits may be useful in preventing health risks associated with eating fruits that are contaminated with heavy metals.

Isolation and assessment of the beneficial effect of exopolysaccharide-producing PGPR in Triticum aestivum (L.) plants grown under NaCl and Cd -stressed conditions

Exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing beneficial bacteria play a multifaceted role in improving plant growth and adaptive responses against different stressors. In this study, we isolated 25 bacterial strains from pea nodules and were further studied for their sodium chloride (NaCl) and cadmium (Cd) stress tolerance. Based on our results, Rhizobium fabae SR-22 (NCBI Accession number: MG063739.1) showed better tolerance toward salinity and Cd stress and produced a wide range of plant growth-promoting compounds. However, the amount of EPS varies during NaCl and Cd stress. It was important to note that NaCl and Cd beyond the tolerant level, affected the morphology and cellular viability of R. fabae. Interestingly, plant growth-promoting (PGP) substances (indole-3-acetic acid, ammonia, siderophore, and ACC deaminase) released by R. fabae were increased with increasing NaCl concentrations. In contrast, PGP substances were greatly decreased by increasing Cd dosages. Further, the beneficial effect of EPS-producing R. fabae in Triticum aestivum grown in soil treated with different levels of NaCl and Cd was assessed. Inoculation of R. fabae in wheat seedlings grown under higher NaCl and Cd concentrations showed improved growth compared to non-inoculated plants. R. fabae exhibited maximum effect in wheat plants grown under 2% NaCl and increased seed germination (8%), root length (13%), vigor indices (19%), root biomass (20%), chlorophyll-a (31%), total chlorophyll (27%) and carotenoid content. Additionally, R. fabae increased Cd and NaCl tolerance in wheat seedlings and improved their antioxidative responses. Conclusively, this work demonstrated that EPS-producing R. fabae showed a promising role in mitigating salinity and Cd-stress in wheat possibly by reducing salt and HM stress-induced abrasions and growth promotion via inorganic phosphate solubilization, and increased nutrient absorption. In the future, R. fabae equipped with these distinguishing characteristics may be used as effective bio-inoculants/bio-formulations in agriculture to address salinity and HM stress issues.

Quantitative Soil Characterization for Biochar-Cd Adsorption: Machine Learning Prediction Models for Cd Transformation and Immobilization.

Soil pollution with cadmium (Cd) poses serious health and environmental consequences. The study investigated the incubation of several soil samples and conducted quantitative soil characterization to assess the influence of biochar (BC) on Cd adsorption. The aim was to develop predictive models for Cd concentrations using statistical and modeling approaches dependent on soil characteristics. The potential risk linked to the transformation and immobilization of Cd adsorption by BC in the soil could be conservatively assessed by pH, clay, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, and electrical conductivity. In this study, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU), and 5-layer CNN Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) were applied for risk assessments to establish a framework for evaluating Cd risk in BC amended soils to predict Cd transformation. In the case of control soils (CK), the BiGRU model showed commendable performance, with an R2 value of 0.85, indicating an approximate 85.37% variance in the actual Cd. The LSTM model, which incorporates sequence data, produced less accurate results (R2=0.84), while the 5-layer CNN model had an R2 value of 0.91, indicating that the CNN model could account for over 91% of the variation in actual Cd levels. In the case of BC-applied soils, the BiGRU model demonstrated a strong correlation between predicted and actual values with R2 (0.93), indicating that the model explained 93.21% of the variance in Cd concentrations. Similarly, the LSTM model showed a notable increase in performance with BC-treated soil data. The R2 value for this model stands at a robust R2 (0.94), reflecting its enhanced ability to predict Cd levels with BC incorporation. Outperforming both recurrent models, the 5-layer CNN model attained the highest precision with an R2 value of 0.95, suggesting that 95.58% of the variance in the actual Cd data can be explained by the CNN model's predictions in BC-amended soils. Consequently, this study suggests developing ecological soil remediation strategies that can effectively manage heavy metal pollution in soils for environmental sustainability.