Non-carcinogenic Human Health Risks Research Articles

Probabilistic human health risk assessment of commercially supplied jar water in Gopalganj municipal area, Bangladesh

Every day, the amount of quality fresh water decreases notably due to contamination of drinking water. As a result, people use commercially supplied jar water in the southern part of Bangladesh as well as in the Gopalganj municipal area. This study aims to investigate the physicochemical parameters, trace elements, and microbial parameters for assessing human health risks from oral ingestion of these elements. This study gathered commercially supplied jar water samples from 15 companies in the Gopalganj municipal area during the post-monsoon season. Temperature, potential of hydrogen (pH), total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and salinity showed significant variation among the samples, and the level was within the national and international standard limits. The concentrations of iron (Fe) and arsenic (As) were measured using a UV–VIS spectrophotometer and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), respectively. The microbial analysis was conducted by the membrane filtration method. The study found that the water samples had an average concentration of 0.16 mg/L in terms of Fe and 0.016 mg/L in terms of As, with the mean value of As exceeding the standard limits. On the other hand, the mean Fe concentration value did not exceed the standards. Probable human health risk from heavy metal in the jar water was determined by hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) assessments. A child (HI = 3.5914) is more vulnerable to non-carcinogenic human health risks than an adult (HI = 1.6931). Furthermore, pollution in water samples was found to pose a high carcinogenic risk, with children (CR = 1.6 × 10−3) being more vulnerable to carcinogenic risk than adults (CR = 7.5 × 10−4). In the microbial analysis, 100% of the samples exceeded the total coliform and fecal coliform standard limits, and 80% of the samples exceeded the Escherichia coli standard limits. Among the samples, 7% present high risk, around 47% present medium risk, 26% show low risk, and 20% show no risk based on the E. coli standard limits. This study did not find any samples that exceeded the extremely high limit for E. coli concentration. This study found that drinking jar water samples had inadequate quality, which may increase the risk of water-borne infections such diarrhea as well as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. As a result, the manufacturer of drinking water in jars must carry out the essential quality control procedures, and the government should regularly monitor the procedures.

Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Metal(loids) Consumed Through Plant-Based Anti-diabetic Therapeutics Collected in the Northern Divisional City of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

The present study investigates human health risks upon consumption of herbal medicines in terms of ten toxic metalloids in 20 plant-based anti-diabetic therapeutics. The analysis of metalloids was determined by an atomic absorption spectrometer after microwave-assisted digestion. The computation of hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard indexes (HI) of metalloids leads to the assessment of non-carcinogenic health risks. Carcinogenic risk was assessed based on cancer slope factor (CSF) and chronic daily intake (CDI) values. Comparison with WHO regulatory cut-off points for each metalloid: seven samples for Mn, 12 samples for Hg, three samples for Cu, eight samples for Ni, four samples for Cd, two samples for Pb, one sample for Cr, and eight samples for Zn are unsafe to consume. Non-carcinogenic human health risk is predicted for Mn in seven samples, Fe in one sample, Hg in ten samples, Cu in three samples, Ni in one sample, and Pb in two samples. HI values greater than 1 predict non-carcinogenic health risk in thirteen samples. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) remains for As (inorganic) in 12 samples, Cr (+ 6) in one sample, and Pb in no samples. To guarantee consumer safety, the implementation of strict monitoring is suggested.

Assessment of Human Health Risk Caused by Heavy Metals in Kiln Dust from Coal-Fired Clay Brick Factories in Türkiye

AbstractHeavy metal (HM) pollution from natural processes and different anthropogenic activities pose significant human and environmental health risks because of their stability, non-degradable properties, and high toxicity. HM released into the air in the form of dust can enter the human body via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Keeping in mind the significance of estimating the risk from HM in different environments, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks to workers caused by HM in kiln dust (KD) samples collected from coal-fired clay brick factories in the Western Black Sea Region of Türkiye were assessed for the first time in this study. The concentrations of major and minor oxides and HMs in the collected KD samples were analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The average concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, V, Zn, Cu, As, Co and Pb analyzed in thirty-three KD samples were determined as 65444, 768, 251, 249, 248, 122, 60, 52, 42 and 16 mg/kg dw, respectively. The average levels of Ni, As, Cr, Co and Cu exceed the maximum contaminant levels recommended in the Turkish Regulation on Control of Soil Pollution. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risk assessments for workers via three exposure pathways were carried out, estimating the hazard index (HI) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) index, respectively. The HI values (< 1) revealed no possible non-carcinogenic health risk due to exposure to all HMs in the studied KD samples. The average TCR value revealed that the potential cancer risks for Ni, As, Cr, and Pb were slightly above the safe limit and required monitoring and further investigation for these HMs.

Estrogenic compounds in drinking water: A systematic review and risk analysis

Estrogenic compounds are the endocrine disruptors that receive major attention because of their ability to imitate the natural female hormone, 17β-estradiol and cause adverse effects on the reproductive system of animals. The presence of estrogenic compounds in drinking water is a warning to assess the risks to which human beings are exposed. The present work has the objectives of carrying out a systematic review of studies that investigated estrogenic compounds in drinking water around the world and estimate the human health and estrogenic activity risks, based on the concentrations of each compound reported. The systematic review returned 505 scientific papers from the Web of Science®, SCOPUS® and PubMED® databases and after careful analysis, 45 papers were accepted. Sixteen estrogenic compounds were identified in drinking water, from the classes of hormones, pharmaceutical drugs and personal care products, plasticizers, corrosion inhibitors, pesticides and surfactants. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was the compound found at the highest concentration, reaching a value of 1.43 mg/L. Non-carcinogenic human health risk was classified as high for 17α-ethynilestradiol and DEHP, medium for dibutyl phthalate, and low for bisphenol A. The estrogenic activity risks were negligible for all the compounds, except DEHP, with a low risk. None of the estrogenic compounds presented an unacceptable carcinogenic risk, due to estrogenic activity. However, the risk assessment did not evaluate the interactions between compounds, that occurs in drinking water and can increase the risks and adverse effects to human health. Nonetheless, this study demonstrates the need for improvement of drinking water treatment plants, with more efficient technologies for micropollutant removal.

Groundwater quality assessment in the La Mojana region of northern Colombia: implications for consumption, irrigation, and human health risks

Water quality is one of the most relevant issues related to water management, with water pollution and access to clean water for drinking and irrigation being common issues in developing countries. Groundwater is an available water source, especially where surface sources are scarce or unsuitable. In this sense, studies to improve knowledge of aquifers should be undertaken where information on groundwater resources is not available. In the current study, 50 groundwater samples were collected from rural and urban wells used by local communities for human consumption and to irrigate local crops. Several indices for drinking water and irrigation use have been used for the assessment of water quality. Conversely, the carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic human health risks due to exposure to heavy metals in the groundwater were estimated, as were the predominant hydrochemical characteristics. The groundwater water quality index (GWQI) shows values < 100 for all the samples; groundwater is recommended for drinking after disinfection. By contrast, the irrigation water quality index (IWQI) shows that 80% of groundwater samples pose a potential threat to irrigation, with restriction categories ranging from high to severe. The individual hazard quotients were < 1. However, the multielement and multipathway hazard index (HI) for children and adults were > 1, whereas As and Mn had a higher contribution to the HI. The Piper trilinear diagram shows that hydrochemical facies of Ca2+ and HCO3− are significantly dominant. By contrast, weathering of rocks and atmospheric precipitation is the dominant factors regulating the chemistry of groundwater in the aquifer system of La Mojana. Our findings indicate that there are significant potential noncarcinogenic health risks for local populations exposed to groundwater.

Integrated risk assessment and human health hazards via dietary intake of OCPs from cereal crops cultivated across river chenab

The current study aimed to employ integrated risk assessment models to estimate carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from Pakistan. GIS-based geostatistical technique was used to classify OCPs' polluted risk zones using risk indexes. The residual level of ∑OCPs detected in wheat and rice ranged from 1.78 to 12.46 ng g−1 and 4.92–18.19 ng g−1, respectively with the prevalence of DDD, DDE and HCH. The distribution pattern revealed a significantly higher concentration towards downstream region, suggesting industrial and agricultural activities as a pollution source in the area. Single pollution index (SPI) was employed for the identification of pollution zones. The findings of SPI for detected OCPs were found (0.7 < Pi < 1), respectively, depicting minimal pollution at the studied sites. Furthermore, risk assessment results reflected non-cancer risk (>1) for studied ∑OCPs. However, the suggested USEPA value for tolerable carcinogenic risk is < 10−6 (one in a million) which was found higher for DDD, DDE, HCH, CT, and HC in the current study. Consequently, the carcinogenic risk in the study area indicated the need for an assessment, monitoring, and reporting program grounded on laws that can reduce pollution and exposure levels to pesticides in Pakistan for good health and well-being.

Element contamination of the Orange-Vaal River basin, South Africa: a One Health approach

Numerous low-income groups and rural communities depend on fish as an inexpensive protein source worldwide, especially in developing countries. These communities are constantly exposed to various pollutants when they frequently consume polluted fish. The largest river basin in South Africa is the Orange-Vaal River basin, and several anthropogenic impacts, especially gold mining activities and industrial and urban effluents, affect this basin. The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries in South Africa has approved the much-anticipated National Freshwater (Inland) Wild Capture Fisheries Policy in 2021. The aims of this study were (1) to analyze element concentrations in the widely distributed Clarias gariepinus from six sites from the Orange-Vaal River basin and (2) to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks associated with fish consumption. The bioaccumulation of eight potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) was assessed in C. gariepinus from sites with different anthropogenic sources. The human health risks were determined to assess the potential risks posed by consuming contaminated C. gariepinus from these sites. Carcinogenic health risks were associated with fish consumption, where it ranged between 21 and 75 out of 10,000 people having the probability to develop cancer from As exposure. The cancer risk between the sites ranged between 1 and 7 out of 10,000 people to developing cancer from Cr exposure. A high probability of adverse non-carcinogenic health risks is expected if the hazard quotient (HQ) is higher than one. The HQ in C. gariepinus from the six sites ranged between 1.5 and 5.6 for As, while for Hg, it was between 1.8 and 5.1. These results highlight the need for monitoring programs of toxic pollutants in major river systems and impoundments in South Africa, especially with the new fisheries policy, as there are possible human health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated fish.Graphical

Hydrogeochemical evolution processes, groundwater quality, and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of nitrate-enriched groundwater to human health in different seasons in the Hawler (Erbil) and Bnaslawa Urbans, Iraq

The main objectives of this research are to assess groundwater, a primary source of drinking water in the urban areas of Hawler (Erbil) and Bnaslawa in northern Iraq, and the non-carcinogenic human health risks of nitrate contamination associated with drinking water quality. For this purpose, twenty-seven groundwater samples were collected from wells to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics and groundwater quality for both natural and anthropogenic purposes during the wet (May 2020) and dry (September 2020) seasons. During the wet and dry seasons, NO3− in groundwater ranged from 14.00 to 61.00 mg/L and 12.00 to 60.00 mg/L, with an average value of 35.70 and 29.00 mg/L, respectively. Approximately 25.92% of the samples exceeded the permissible limit of the WHO (2011) drinking water standard. The ratios of NO3−/Na+ vs. Cl−/Na+ and SO42−/Na+ vs. NO3−/Na+ indicate the effect of agricultural activities and wastewater leaking from cesspools or septic tanks on the quality of groundwater during the wet and dry seasons. The entropy weighted water quality index method ranked 62.5% and 75% of the urban groundwater as not recommended for drinking, and the remaining samples are moderately suitable in both wet and dry seasons. The non-carcinogenic human health risk assessment displayed that during the wet and dry seasons, 29.6% and 25.9% of adults, 48% and 30% of children, and 48.1% and 29.6% of infants were exposed to increased concentrations of nitrate in groundwater. Due to high nitrate in drinking water, non-carcinogenic human health risk levels vary as infant > child > adults. The main findings obtained from this study can assist policymakers in better understanding the hydrogeochemical properties of groundwater in terms of drinking water safety, thereby facilitating the management of water resources to take the necessary measures.

Ecological risk assessment, source identification and spatial distribution of organic contaminants in terms of mucilage threat in streams of Çanakkale Strait Basin (Türkiye)

In this study, the spatial distributions of organic contamination stressors in water of fluvial habitats in the Çanakkale Strait (ÇS) watershed were investigated and the data were assessed in terms of human health and mucilage threat. Seven significant riverine ecosystems flowing into the ÇS were defined in the basin. Water samples were taken in the spring season (2023), when the phytoplankton communities reach their highest densities. Then they were tested for a total of 8 limnological parameters.The Nutrient Pollution Index (NPI) and Water Quality Index (WQI) were applied to assess the comprehensive quality characteristics of waters. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) were applied to indicate the prospective non-carcinogenic human health risks of organic stressors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) were applied to categorize the investigated habitats and define the sources of investigated contamination parameters. Also, Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to make an effective assessment through visualization.The determined spatial mean values of the measured variables in ÇS watershed as follows: 18.21 °C for temperature, 8.51 mg/L for DO, 4.57 NTU for turbidity, 3.95 mg/L for suspended solids, 1.11 mg/L for NO3–N, 0.012 mg/L for NO2–N; 0.173 mg/L for PO4–P and 2.32 mg/L for BOD. It has been determined that the organic pollution loads and water temperature values of the investigated sub-basins increase from the upstream to the downstream locations and Çanakkale Stream was recorded as the riskiest fluvial habitat for the ÇS watershed. According to the results of health risk assessment indices, non-carcinogenic risks of organic pollutants would not be expected for all age groups.

Pesticide residues in drinking water treatment plants and human health risk assessment: a case study from Northern Iran.

These days, the presence of pesticide residues in drinking water sources is a serious concern. In drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), various methods have been proposed to remove pesticide residues. This study was designed with the objectives of monitoring the occurrence and seasonal variations of pesticides in the output of drinking water treatment plants in two Northern provinces of Iran, Gilan and Golestan, and identifying their human health risks. Seventeen pesticide residues from different chemical structures were determined by using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results showed that only Alachlor, Diazinon, Fenitrothion, Malathion, and Chlorpyrifos were detected. The pesticide concentrations ranged from ND to 405.3ng/L and were higher in the first half-year period. The total non-carcinogenic human health risks was in safe range for infants, children, and adults (HI < 1). The carcinogenic human health risks of Alachlor for infants, children, and adults were in the range of 4.3 × 10-7 to 1.3 × 10-6, 2.0 × 10-7 to 9.6 × 10-7, and 1.1 × 10-7 to 5.5 × 10-7, respectively. These values do not pose health risks for adults and children, but may present a possible cancer risk for infants in two DWTPs of Golestan. In conclusion, considering the possibility of exposure to these pesticides through other routes, simultaneously, it is suggested to carry out a study that examines the level of risk by considering all exposure routes. We also propose stricter regulations for the sale and use of pesticides in Iran.

Representative coal gangue in China: Physical and chemical properties, heavy metal coupling mechanism and risk assessment

Based on the source and distribution of coal gangue (CG) in China, this study introduces the current situation of CG storage in China and the problems existing in the process of CG utilization. For the benefit of solve the difficulty of CG utilization and the risk control of heavy metals (HMs), representative CG samples were selected, and the chemical composition of CG was analyzed according to the microscopic test results. The main reasons for the difficulty of mineral composition and resource utilization were revealed, and the specific environmental protection utilization regulation model of CG samples was constructed, the carbon emission value of CG products was studied by life cycle method, and the broad prospects of CG products under the background of the times were revealed. The heavy metal leaching amount of CG samples in representative areas was detected. Three kinds of HM soil safety evaluation methods and human health risk assessment (HHRS) methods were used to evaluate soil environmental safety, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks. The results showed that the characteristic HMs in CG were As, Pb and Cr. The valence states of As, Pb and Cr in CG were As3+, As5+, Pb2+, Pb4+, Cr3+ and Cr6+, respectively. The valence states of As, Pb and Cr in CG were mainly carbonate-bound state and metal oxide-bound state, which exist in the layered silicate minerals of a triclinic system dominated by kaolinite. Considering that the HMs in CG are finally ingested into the human body through the soil, while constructing a complete HM environmental safety control system, based on the relevant environmental quality standards and the HHRS of HMs, the risk control system and control limits of characteristic HMs in CG resource utilization were established, in order to provide theoretical guidance for the high-value environmental protection utilization of CG.

Risk surveillance with spatial distribution of Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) from sedimentary samples of Chenab River

A pioneering study employed a holistic geostatistical approach to predict the spatial variability of a non sampled area in the Chenab River, Pakistan, using kriging interpolation for organochlorine pesticide (OCP)-polluted risk zones. The Present research intended to investigate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks, contamination levels, and spatial variation of OCPs in the Chenab River, Pakistan. The residual OCP content in sediment samples (n = 120) ranged from 0.056 to 32.14 ng/g. DDE and α-HCH were prevalent among all the samples analyzed, with mean concentrations of 15.84 ± 8.02 and 12.45 ± 6.72 ng/g, respectively. The order of magnitude of OCPs in sediment samples was DDTs > α-HCH > chlorothalonil > heptachlor > endosulfan > aldrin > dieldrin. The findings of the single (SPI) and Nemerow (Nel) pollution index of α-HCH, heptachlor, and aldrin depicted the Chenab River as a serious pollution risk zone. The outcomes of the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis represent the positive correlation among all OCPs, revealing the common origin. Distribution trends showed substantially higher (p < 0.05) contents of analyzed OCPs along the downstream zone. With regards to USEPA human health hazard assessment model, the estimated non-carcinogenic (ΣHI) and non-carcinogenic (ΣTCR) risk ranged from 1.1 × 10−5 to 1.0 × 10−1, 4.0 × 10−8 to 3.2 × 10−4 respectively. TCR >10−4 illustrated a substantial cancer health risk posed by α-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, and dieldrin in the downstream zone. We recommend the urgent cessation of the ongoing discharge of OCPs into the Chenab River, which needs to be highlighted owing to the significant cancer risk to public health to ensure the good health and wellbeings.

Development of machine-learning-based models for identifying the sources of nitrate and fluoride in groundwater and predicting their human health risks

AbstractThis research aimed to identify the main sources of groundwater pollution and assess the non-carcinogenic human health risk resulting from nitrate and fluoride contamination. These goals were achieved by employing unsupervised and supervised machine algorithms, including principal component analysis (PCA) and multilayer perceptron artificial neural networks (MLP-ANN). Thirty-seven groundwater samples were analyzed for twelve physical and chemical parameters, including pH, EC, TDS, TH, Cl, F, SO4, NO3, Ca, Mg, Na, and HCO3, and the initial investigation indicated that except for Cl, F, Ca, and Mg, all the parameters are above the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). PCA indicated that mineral dissolution is the main source of F, while high NO3 concentration primarily resulted from agricultural operation due to extensive use of nitrogen and calcium-based fertilizers. Consequently, the non-carcinogenic human health risk (HHR) for children and adults is evaluated based on NO3 and F. The conventional approach for assessing HHR is time-consuming and often associated with errors in calculating hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard indices (HI). In this research, MLP-ANN is suggested to overcome these limitations. In the MLP-ANN modeling, the data were divided into two parts training (80%) and validation (20%), with NO3 and F concentration as inputs and HQ and HI as outputs. The performance of the resulting models was tested using root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2). The model provided a satisfactory result with a maximum RMSE of 4% and R2 higher than 97% for training and validation. As a result, obtained HIs suggested that 97.3% of the groundwater samples in the study area are suitable for human consumption. The non-carcinogenic HHR is successfully assessed using machine learning algorithms, and the results have led to the conclusion that this approach is highly recommended for effectively managing groundwater resources.

Hydrochemical Appraisal and Driving Forces of Groundwater Quality and Potential Health Risks of Nitrate in Typical Agricultural Area of Southwestern China

Elucidating the hydrogeochemical processes and quality assessment of groundwater holds significant importance for its sustainable development. In this paper, 53 groundwater samples were collected from a typical agricultural area in the northeastern Chongqing municipality in SW China. The integration of multivariate statistical analysis, ion ratio analysis, geomodelling analysis, the entropy water quality index, health risks assessment, and sensitivity analysis was carried out to explore the hydrochemical processes and quality assessment of groundwater in this study. The statistical results reveal that the cationic concentrations followed the order of Ca2+ &gt; Mg2+ &gt; Na+ &gt; K+, while the anionic components were in the order of HCO3− &gt; SO42− &gt; NO3− &gt; Cl−. Based on the Piper trilinear diagram, the hydrochemical types were shown as Ca-HCO3 and Ca-Mg-HCO3 types. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that the groundwater samples could be categorized into three groups. The hydrochemical compositions were primarily influenced by water–rock interactions (e.g., carbonate dissolution and silicate weathering). In terms of irrigation suitability, the sodium adsorption ratios (SARs) ranged from 0.05 to 1.82, and the electrical conductivity (EC) varied from 116 to 1094 μs/cm, indicating that most groundwater samples were suitable for irrigation. The entropy-weighted water quality index ranged from 15 to 94, suggesting that the groundwater samples were suitable for drinking purposes. Non-carcinogenic human health risks followed the order of children &gt; adult females &gt; adult males, within the average values of 0.30, 0.21, and 0.18, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that the parameters had the weight order of NO3 &gt; body weight (BW) &gt; ingestion rate (IR) &gt; exposure frequency (EF). Hence, we recommend prioritizing the management of areas with high salinity levels, while avoiding the excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers, raising awareness among local residents about safe groundwater, and providing robust support for the sustainable development of groundwater in typical agricultural areas.

A validated ICP-MS method for the screening and quantitative analysis of heavy metal contaminants in home-brewed alcoholic beverages of Botswana

A method for the analysis of heavy metals in homemade alcoholic beverages using an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed and validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection and quantification. Linearity was discovered to be in the concentration range of 10–50 (ppb) with correlation coefficient (R2) of above 0.99 for all the seven detected metals. The method is precise with %RSD values ≤ 5 %. Limits of detection and quantification were 0.01–0.16 and 0.10–1.6 (ppb), respectively. The accuracy ranged from 95.1 % to 105.3 %. Thirty-two samples of locally brewed homemade alcoholic beverages and five commercial samples were subsequently analysed using the method. The detected metals included manganese, cobalt, chromium, copper, zinc, aluminium, and lead. The concentrations of Aluminium and Lead in some homemade samples exceeded the set maximum allowable limits (MAL) of the World Health Organisation. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risk assessments were also performed for the detected heavy metals. The carcinogenic risk analysis revealed that chromium and lead values were above the safety level of 10−4 set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in some samples. This suggests that the two metals can pose potential cancer risks to consumers. There were no apparent non-carcinogenic health risks associated with the studied heavy metals. The results obtained from this study will contribute to the growing body of literature regarding the safety of homemade alcoholic beverages around the world.

Non-carcinogenic Health Risk Assessment of Fluoride and Nitrate of Groundwater – A Case Study of the Central Dry Zone of Chikkanayakanahalli Taluk, Tumkur District, Karnataka

Abstract Forty-two groundwater samples were randomly collected from Chikkanayakanahalli taluk during the pre-monsoon season of 2022 and were analysed for Fluoride and Nitrate levels using APHA standard methods. USEPA method was employed to assess the non-carcinogenic health hazards associated with exposure to NO3– and F– from drinking water consumption by computing estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ) and total hazard index (THI). HQnitrate &amp;gt; 1 through the ingestion pathway was observed in 14.28 and 4.76 % of the groundwater samples, respectively, for children and Teenagers, while HQfluoride &amp;gt; 1 for children was reported in 16.66% of the groundwater samples. Higher mean values of HQFluoride over HQNitrate supported added contribution of fluoride in groundwater of the study area in the non-carcinogenic human health risk over nitrate among different age groups of the local population. Overall, the average THI values were 0.205, 1.452, 1.025 and 0.821, respectively, for Infants, children, Teenagers, and Adults, and their trend was in the order: children &amp;gt; Teenagers &amp;gt; Adults &amp;gt; Infants. It was found that 90.5%, 54.8%, and 14.3% of the samples progressed beyond the standard limit (THI = 1) for children, Teenagers, and adults, respectively, illustrating that children are more prone to non-carcinogenic risks than other age groups. Further, NHHR of F- and NO3- in groundwater was higher for children, attributed to their lower body weight over teenagers and adults, besides average water consumption rates.

Hydro-chemometrics of the Nubian Aquifer in Sudan: an integration of groundwater quality index, multivariate statistics, and human health risk assessment

This research employed the groundwater quality index (GWQI), multivariate statistical methods, and human health risk assessment model to investigate the suitability of groundwater for domestic uses in northern Khartoum state, Sudan. The groundwater samples were analyzed for eleven physiochemical parameters, including pH, EC, TDS, TH, Cl−, SO42−, NO3−, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, HCO3− and the primary investigation indicated the deviation of these parameters from World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The hydrochemical analysis revealed different groundwater facies with the dominance of Ca–Mg–HCO3 water type. Consequently, the groundwater samples were classified, based on GWQI, into three categories as 76.4% of the samples fall in the excellent water class, 17.6% are projected in the good water class, and 5.9% of groundwater samples are considered unsuitable for human consumption. The multivariate statistical methods were applied, including Pearson’s correlation analysis, principal component analyses (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Three principal components (PCs) explaining 86.07% of total variances are extracted. These PCs indicated that rock-water interactions and agricultural practices influence groundwater quality in the study area. Additionally, HCA is used to categorize groundwater samples based on the concentration of the physiochemical parameters. Consequently, three types of groundwater were identified as low, medium, and highly mineralized. In the final stage, the non-carcinogenic human health risk was assessed based on the concentration of NO3− using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) models. The obtained hazard quotient for children indicated that 64.7% of groundwater samples are beyond the permissible limit (1 <), and the use of these samples may result in health consequences. Therefore, remedial measures are suggested for the sustainable use of groundwater.

Similarity in human health risk assessment using models of soil-blood lead levels (IEUBK) and non-carcinogenic condition (US EPA 2002)

Soil lead (Pb) concentrations in Sydney estuary (Australia) catchment are substantially elevated and strongly associated with traffic networks. This study compared the health risk predictions of blood Pb levels (BLL) in children using the soil IEUBK model and an independent, non-carcinogenic human health risk (NCR) assessment using the soil US EPA 2002 model. The predictions by the two models were significantly correlated (p < 0.001) and showed similar spatial distributions, but the NCR model may be more stringent in protection of human health when exposed to soil Pb in relation to adverse health effect, as the warning soil Pb concentration from the BLL was 4.6-fold higher than that from the NCR. The empirical IEUBK model considers gastric phase adsorption only and of the three exposure pathways (ingestion, inhalation and dermal) assessed by the theoretical NCR model, ingestion was the major exposure route. The reason for the similarity in outcomes of the two models is unknown, however the close correlation may be due to broadly similar formulations and, or that neurological and non-carcinogenic risks may be related to the adverse effects of Pb on bodily function. Parallel studies of human health risk based on BLL and NCR models have not been attempted previously and this opportunity to compare results from the two health risk assessments employing the same soil metal data is therefore unique.

Potential toxic element contamination and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of groundwater from rapidly growing urban areas in Telangana, India.

Groundwater is a critical resource for drinking purposes that is under pressure and polluted with multiple inorganic contaminants. Among various contaminants, potentially toxic element contamination in groundwater has significant public health concerns due to their toxicity at a low level of exposure. This investigation aimed to assess the toxic element contamination and associated non-carcinogenic human health risk at rapidly growing urban centers in Telangana to ensure potable water and to generate baseline data in the study province. Thirteen potential toxic trace elements (Al, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) were determined in 35 groundwater samples collected from the Karimnagar and Siddipet smart cities in lower Manair River basin using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The trace element concentration is found in the range for Al (1-112µg/L), As (2-8µg/L), B (34-438µg/L), Cd (bdl-2µg/L), Co (bdl-17µg/L), Cr (bdl-4µg/L), Cu (bdl-216µg/L), Fe (4-420µg/L), Mn (bdl-3311µg/L), Ni (5-31µg/L), Pb (bdl-62µg/L), Se (1-18µg/L), and Zn (3-1858µg/L). Analytical data of groundwater revealed the occurrence of toxic elements observed as above the acceptable limits of Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking purposes found in the order of Al > Ni ≥ Mn > Se ≥ Cu ≥ Pb > Fe with 26% > 14% ≥ 14% > 9% ≥ 9% ≥ 9% > 6% of samples, respectively. The non-carcinogenic health risk to humans upon groundwater ingestion has been evaluated and found to be non-hazardous for all the individual elements studied except for aresenic. However, cumulative hazard quotient observed as > 1 in the category of infants and children might be a major potential health concern. This study provided baseline data and suggested implementing preventive measures to protect human health around the urban areas of lower Manair river basin, Telangana, India.

Impacts of seasonal variations and wastewater discharge on river quality and associated human health risks: A case of northwest Dhaka, Bangladesh

Surface water pollution caused by the discharge of effluents from industrial estates has become a major concern for Dhaka (Bangladesh). This study aims to have a concise look at the severe river water pollution, mainly from effluents discharged from the tannery village. Effluent samples were collected from five ejected points, including the central effluent treatment plant (CETP), twenty adjacent river water, and two pond water nearby Hemayetpur, Savar. Thirty-one parameters have been observed at these sampling points for three seasons, from April 2021 to January 2022. The results obtained from water quality indices, i.e., water quality index (WQI), entropy water quality index (EWQI), and irrigation water quality index (IWQI), show that most studied surface water samples ranked “unsuitable” for consumption, irrigation, and anthropogenic purposes. The highest health risk was observed downstream of Hemayetpur city at the Savar CETP discharge site, indicating higher levels of heavy metal in the river water following the tannery village. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks could be triggered mainly by water consumption as concentrations of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) exceeded the upper benchmark of 1 × 10−4 for adults and children. The results of the carcinogenic risk assessment revealed that children were more vulnerable to health hazards, and quick corrective action is required to control the increased levels of heavy metals at all sample locations. Therefore, through bioaccumulation, human health and the environment are affected in these areas. Using river water for consumption, household work, or even irrigation purposes is not advisable. This study's result highlighted that properly implementing compatible policies and programs is required to improve effluent treatment methods and provide biodegradability to the Dhaleshwari River.