Potential Human Health Hazards Research Articles

Risk assessment of endocrine-disrupting pesticides exposure through consumption of Carassius auratus collected from Qiantang River, China

Data on the presence and distribution of endocrine-disrupting pesticides (EDPs) in aquatic environments and biota are important for ecological and human health risk assessment. Compared with that in developed countries, little attention has been paid on environmental EDPs pollution in developing countries including China. Thus, the EDPs in carps (Carassius auratus) from Qiantang River in China were investigated to assess the potential human health hazards of these contaminants. Among the EDPs, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were found in C. auratus. The mean concentrations of DDTs (7.71 ± 6.46 µg/kg ww) were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those of HCHs (0.17 ± 0.25 µg/kg ww), which could be attributed to the extension utilization in history and high lipophilicity of DDTs. Although the highest concentrations of ΣHCHs and ΣDDTs in analyzed samples were lower than the corresponding maximum limits set by Chinese authorities, the estimated daily intake was less than 1% of the acceptable daily intake and the hazard ratio value was below 1 × 10−4. It could be concluded that consumption of C. auratus from Qiantang River posed low health risk of EDPs exposure.

Potential human health hazard due to bioavailable heavy metal exposure via consumption of plants with ethnobotanical usage at the largest chromite mine of India.

Usage of native plant species for traditional medicine or nutritional supplement is a popular practice among various cultures. But consumption of plants growing on polluted soil can cause serious human health hazard due to bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals. Present study deals with the ecological and human health impact of heavy metals, in six native plant species with ethnobotanical significance growing at the largest chromite mine of India. Exchangeable, oxidizable, reducible and residual fractions of the metals in plant rhizosphere were analyzed. Only 2-6% of total Cr (270-330mg/kg) and Ni (150-190mg/kg) at the mining site is bioavailable. Cd showed highest bioavailability (~ 60%) in mining site posing very high ecological risk (1055-5291) followed by Ni (1297-2124) and Cr (309-1105). The heavy metals in the shoot of the targeted plants were about 0.7 to 80 times higher than the standard limit as per Indian statutory body. The total hazard quotient (THQ) by the consumption of plants growing in mining region was very high (> 1) and varied from 2.6to 5.9 in adult and 0.6-1.3 in children, while in non-mining region the THQ of same plants indicates low risk (< 1). This study indicates THQ (adult) in the order of, Euphorbia hirta (5.9) > Calotropis procera (4.9) > Argemone mexicana (3.6) > Vernonia cinerea (3.5) > Pteridium latiusculum (3.4) > Tridax procumbens (2.6) through consumption pathway growing in mine soil. This study concludes that consumption of plants growing in heavy metal polluted soil should be avoided due to their potential health hazard.

Soil and Sand Contamination with Canine Intestinal Parasite Eggs as a Risk Factor for Human Health in Public Parks in Niš (Serbia).

SummaryRegarding geographical distribution and clinical relevance, the most common canine geohelminths are Toxocara canis, ancylostomatids, and Trichuris vulpis. Canine intestinal parasites from the soil and sand present an important potential serious human health hazard, especially for the children preschool and school – age. This paper aimed to establish the degree of contamination of soil and sand with zoonotic parasites from the canine feces and the degree of risk they could pose for human health in public places and playgrounds in the city of Niš. Our parasitological study involved 200 soil samples and 50 sand samples from the public parks in the city of Niš in southeastern Serbia (43°19′15″N, 21°53′45″ E). From several locations, about 100 g of soil and sand was collected based on the bioclimatic indices. Parasitological diagnosis was performed using conventional qualitative and quantitative coprological methods, abiding by the recommendations about the diagnosis of parasitic diseases. In 38 – 46 % of soil samples and 40 % of sand samples seven species of endoparasites were diagnosed. In the samples of soil, a medium and high degree of contamination with the ascarid T. canis (14 – 22 %) was detected, as well as a low and medium degree of contamination with ancylostomatids (4 – 12 %), and in the samples of sand, a variable degree of contamination with the helminths T. canis (26 %) and A. alata (16 %) was found. A statistically significant difference was found in the contamination with A. alata eggs between the samples of sand and samples of soil. The studied public surfaces represent the reservoir of zoonotic parasites, which is a public health problem requiring a synergistic action of several factors to be successfully resolved, i.e. the implementation of prevention, surveillance, and control measures.

Evaluation of ecosystem health and potential human health hazards in the Hangzhou Bay and Qiantang Estuary region through multiple assessment approaches

Anthropogenic pollution has become a major issue governing ecosystem and human health risks. The Hangzhou Bay and Qiantang Estuary region are facing unusual perturbation due to rapid development along the embayment in recent decades. This study evaluated the organic and inorganic pollutants in water, sediment, and from the muscles of higher trophic organisms (fish, crustacean, shellfish) during four different seasons (in 2018–2019) along the Qiantang Estuary and Hangzhou Bay region to assess the ecosystem health and potential hazard status. Dissolved inorganic phosphate and nitrogen were the major pollutants in this area, which led to severe eutrophication throughout the study period. Eutrophication signals coincided well with the phytoplankton abundance, which revels the control of nutrient enrichment on the spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton. Food availability, along with salinity and temperature, drives the zooplankton population distribution. Heavy metals were not the issue of water quality as their concentrations meet the national and international baseline standards. However, in the sediments, Copper (Cu) and Arsenic (As) concentrations were higher than the baseline value. Towards the northwestern part of the Qiantang Estuary, the overall potential risk index of sediment with higher Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) depicted delicate condition with moderate risk for the sediment contamination. The As concentration in fishes was close to the baseline standards limit irrespective of low As values within water and sediments. The higher concentrations of Zinc (Zn) and As in shellfish muscles, whereas other metals were within the limit of baseline standard in all the organisms. However, the hazard analysis (Targeted hazard quotient, THQ) values for the seafood consumption to human health indicates the potentially threatening consequences of shellfish and crustacean consumption on human health.

Thirdhand smoke exposure causes replication stress and impaired transcription in human lung cells.

Thirdhand cigarette smoke (THS) is a newly described toxin that lingers in the indoor environment long after cigarettes have been extinguished. Emerging results from both cellular and animal model studies suggest that THS is a potential human health hazard. DNA damage derived from THS exposure could have genotoxic consequences that would lead to the development of diseases. However, THS exposure-induced interference with fundamental DNA transactions such as replication and transcription, and the role of DNA repair in ameliorating such effects, remain unexplored. Here, we found that THS exposure increased the percentage of cells in S-phase, suggesting impaired S-phase progression. Key DNA damage response proteins including RPA, ATR, ATM, CHK1, and BRCA1 were activated in lung cells exposed to THS, consistent with replication stress. In addition, THS exposure caused increased 53BP1 foci, indicating DNA double-strand break induction. Consistent with these results, we observed increased micronuclei formation, a marker of genomic instability, in THS-exposed cells. Exposure to THS also caused a significant increase in phosphorylated RNA Polymerase II engaged in transcription elongation, suggesting an increase in transcription-blocking lesions. In agreement with this conclusion, ongoing RNA synthesis was very significantly reduced by THS exposure. Loss of nucleotide excision repair exacerbated the reduction in RNA synthesis, suggesting that bulky DNA adducts formed by THS are blocks to transcription. The adverse impact on both replication and transcription supports genotoxic stress as a result of THS exposure, with important implications for both cancer and other diseases.

Lead Toxicity: Health Hazards, Influence on Food Chain, and Sustainable Remediation Approaches.

Lead (Pb) toxicity has been a subject of interest for environmental scientists due to its toxic effect on plants, animals, and humans. An increase in several Pb related industrial activities and use of Pb containing products such as agrochemicals, oil and paint, mining, etc. can lead to Pb contamination in the environment and thereby, can enter the food chain. Being one of the most toxic heavy metals, Pb ingestion via the food chain has proven to be a potential health hazard for plants and humans. The current review aims to summarize the research updates on Pb toxicity and its effects on plants, soil, and human health. Relevant literature from the past 20 years encompassing comprehensive details on Pb toxicity has been considered with key issues such as i) Pb bioavailability in soil, ii) Pb biomagnification, and iii) Pb- remediation, which has been addressed in detail through physical, chemical, and biological lenses. In the review, among different Pb-remediation approaches, we have highlighted certain advanced approaches such as microbial assisted phytoremediation which could possibly minimize the Pb load from the resources in a sustainable manner and would be a viable option to ensure a safe food production system.

An integrated transcriptomic- and proteomic-based approach to evaluate the human skin sensitization potential of glyphosate and its commercial agrochemical formulations

We investigated the skin sensitization hazard of glyphosate, the surfactant polyethylated tallow amine (POEA) and two commercial glyphosate-containing formulations using different omics-technologies based on a human dendritic cell (DC)-like cell line. First, the GARD™skin assay, investigating changes in the expression of 200 transcripts upon cell exposure to xenobiotics, was used for skin sensitization prediction. POEA and the formulations were classified as skin sensitizers while glyphosate alone was classified as a non-sensitizer. Interestingly, the mixture of POEA together with glyphosate displayed a similar sensitizing prediction as POEA alone, indicating that glyphosate likely does not increase the sensitizing capacity when associated with POEA. Moreover, mass spectrometry analysis identified differentially regulated protein groups and predicted molecular pathways based on a proteomic approach in response to cell exposures with glyphosate, POEA and the glyphosate-containing formulations. Based on the protein expression data, predicted pathways were linked to immunologically relevant events and regulated proteins further to cholesterol biosynthesis and homeostasis as well as to autophagy, identifying novel aspects of DC responses after exposure to xenobiotics. In summary, we here present an integrative analysis involving advanced technologies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind DC activation in the skin sensitization process triggered by the investigated agrochemical materials. SignificanceThe use of glyphosate has increased worldwide, and much effort has been made to improve risk assessments and to further elucidate the mechanisms behind any potential human health hazard of this chemical and its agrochemical formulations. In this context, omics-based techniques can provide a multiparametric approach, including several biomarkers, to expand the mechanistic knowledge of xenobiotics-induced toxicity. Based on this, we performed the integration of GARD™skin and proteomic data to elucidate the skin sensitization hazard of POEA, glyphosate and its two commercial mixtures, and to investigate cellular responses more in detail on protein level. The proteomic data indicate the regulation of immune response-related pathways and proteins associated with cholesterol biosynthesis and homeostasis as well as to autophagy, identifying novel aspects of DC responses after exposure to xenobiotics. Therefore, our data show the applicability of a multiparametric integrated approach for the mechanism-based hazard evaluation of xenobiotics, eventually complementing decision making in the holistic risk assessment of chemicals regarding their allergenic potential in humans.

Fabrication and topochemically controlled diacetylene-based polymer and its colorimetric application toward HCl detection

The detection of highly toxic HCl fumes in a convenient, fast and reliable manner is essential due to its potential human health hazards. For this purpose, we have used polydiacetylenes (PDAs) due to their unique colorimetric transition of blue-to-red in response to various stimuli. In the present work, we prepared diynediamides (DAs) functionalized with tertiary amines bearing alkylene chains of different lengths. The colorimetric responses of various DAs in the PVC polymer matrix upon exposure to UV light and HCl gas were investigated using UV–vis absorption and Raman spectroscopy. The topochemical polymerization of DA monomers was also explored using DFT calculations, and the findings fail to support the odd-even rule. Furthermore, spin coating was used because it allows the rapid and facile preparation of homogeneous thin films, and the time-dependent color transitions in the presence of HCl gas were recorded. Moreover, using an inkjet printer, a single-component ink solution containing DCDA-DMPDA was used to prepare lightweight, inexpensive and flexible sensing systems with tailored patterns. Paper based test strips embedded with poly(DCDA-DMPDA) can be used to detect HCl with lower concentrations up to 0.1 mM.

Neuro-toxic and Reproductive Effects of BPA.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide. It has recognized activity as an endocrine-disrupting chemical and has suspected roles as a neurological and reproductive toxicant. It interferes in steroid signaling, induces oxidative stress, and affects gene expression epigenetically. Gestational, perinatal and neonatal exposures to BPA affect developmental processes, including brain development and gametogenesis, with consequences on brain functions, behavior, and fertility.Methods: This review critically analyzes recent findings on the neuro-toxic and reproductive effects of BPA (and its ana-logues), with focus on neuronal differentiation, synaptic plasticity, glia and microglia activity, cognitive functions, and the central and local control of reproduction.Results: BPA has potential human health hazard associated with gestational, peri- and neonatal exposure. Beginning with BPA’s disposition, this review summarizes recent findings on the neurotoxicity of BPA and its analogues, on neuronal dif-ferentiation, synaptic plasticity, neuro-inflammation, neuro-degeneration, and impairment of cognitive abilities. Furthermore, it reports the recent findings on the activity of BPA along the HPG axis, effects on the hypothalamic Gonadotropin Releas-ing Hormone (GnRH), and the associated effects on reproduction in both sexes and successful pregnancy.Conclusion: BPA and its analogues impair neuronal activity, HPG axis function, reproduction, and fertility. Contrasting re-sults have emerged in animal models and human. Thus, further studies are needed to better define their safety levels. This re-view offers new insights on these issues with the aim to find the “fil rouge”, if any, that characterize BPA’s mechanism of action with outcomes on neuronal function and reproduction.

Jellyfish summer outbreaks as bacterial vectors and potential hazards for marine animals and humans health? The case of Rhizostoma pulmo (Scyphozoa, Cnidaria).

Jellyfish represent an important component of marine food webs characterized by large fluctuations of population density, with the ability to abruptly form outbreaks, followed by rarity periods. In spite of considerable efforts to investigate how jellyfish populations are responding globally to anthropogenic change, available evidence still remains unclear. In the last 50 years, jellyfish are seemingly on the rise in a number of coastal areas, including the Mediterranean Sea, where jellyfish blooms periodically become an issue to marine and maritime human activities. Their impacts on marine organism welfare have been poorly quantified. The jellyfish, Rhizostoma pulmo, is an outbreak-forming scyphomedusa whose large populations spread across the Mediterranean, with increasing periodicity and variable abundance. Studies on cnidarian jellyfish suggested being important vectors of bacterial pathogens. In the present study, by combination of conventional culture-based methods and a high-throughput amplicon sequencing (HTS) approach, we characterized the diversity of the bacterial community associated with this jellyfish during their summer outbreak. Three distinct jellyfish compartments, namely umbrella, oral arms, and the mucus secretion obtained from whole specimens were screened for specifically associated microbiota. A total of 17 phyla, 30 classes, 73 orders, 146 families and 329 genera of microbial organisms were represented in R. pulmo samples with three major clades (i.e. Spiroplasma, Mycoplasma and Wolinella) representing over 90% of the retrieved total sequences. The taxonomic microbial inventory was then combined with metabolic profiling data obtained from the Biolog Eco-Plate system. Significant differences among the jellyfish compartments were detected in terms of bacterial abundance, diversity and metabolic utilization of 31 different carbon sources with the highest value of abundance and metabolic potential in the mucus secretion compared to the umbrella and oral arms. Results are discussed in the framework of the species ecology as well as the potential health hazard for marine organisms and humans.

Estimation of cadmium content in Egyptian foodstuffs: health risk assessment, biological responses of human HepG2 cells to food-relevant concentrations of cadmium, and protection trials using rosmarinic and ascorbic acids.

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that can get entry into human body via ingestion of contaminated foods causing multiple organ damage. This study aimed at monitoring Cd residues in 20 foodstuffs of animal origin that are commonly consumed in Egypt. Health risk assessment was conducted via calculation of Cd dietary intakes and non-carcinogenic target hazard quotient. An in vitro approach was performed to investigate the constitutive effects of Cd on human hepatoma (HepG2) cells under food-relevant concentrations. Trials to reduce Cd-induced adverse effects on HepG2 cells were done using rosmarinic (RMA) and ascorbic acids (ASA). The achieved results indicated contamination of the tested foodstuffs with Cd at high levels with potential human health hazards. Cd at food-relevant concentrations caused significant cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells. This may be attributed to induction of oxidative stress and inflammation, as indicated by the overexpression of stress and inflammatory markers. At the same time, Cd downregulated xenobiotic transporters and upregulated the proliferation factors. Co-exposure of HepG2 cells to Cd and micronutrients such as RMA and ASA led to recovery of cells from the oxidative damage, and subsequently cell viability was strongly improved. RMA and ASA ameliorated the biological responses of HepG2 cells to Cd exposure.

Temporal and spatial trends of conventional and unconventional oil and gas waste management in Pennsylvania, 1991–2017

The significant development of oil and gas from the Marcellus Shale and other geological formations in Pennsylvania over the last decade has generated large volumes of liquid and solid waste. In this paper we use data reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to examine temporal and spatial trends in generation and management of liquid and solid waste from both conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities in Pennsylvania between 1991 and 2017. While previous assessments have examined this waste inventory in part, no complete assessment of waste quantity, waste types, waste handling practices, and spatial waste tracking has been undertaken using all currently available years of Pennsylvania oil and gas waste data. In 2017 more than half of oil and gas wastewater by volume was reused at well pads to facilitate more hydrocarbon production while the majority of solid waste by volume was disposed of at in-state landfills. The spatial resolution of wastewater generation and handling from unconventional operations has improved substantially with recent regulations and reporting requirements; however, conventional oil and gas development was not held to more stringent reporting requirements and thus spatially-explicit data on wastewater generation and handling from conventional oil and gas development is still lacking. In addition, a third of the liquid waste across all years in the inventory lack a reported final destination. Spatially explicit cradle-to-grave reporting of waste generation and waste handling from both conventional and unconventional oil and gas development is critical to assess potential environmental and human health hazards and risks associated with oil and gas development.

SCIENTIFIC PREDICTION OF MAGNESIUM OXIDE NANOPARTICLES TOXICITY AND ASSESSMENT OF ITS HAZARD FOR HUMAN HEALTH

Aim: To study biological effects of magnesium oxide nanoparticles on human health. Methods: Toxicity and potential hazards of magnesium oxide nanoparticles exposure was performed using mathematical models containing data on physical, chemical, molecular biological, biochemical, cytological and ecological properties with calculation of coefficients of hazard (D) and incompleteness of data evaluation (U) of magnesium nanoscale. Size and shape of the nanomaterial were defined using dynamic laser light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. Surface area was determined by the Brunauer, Emmet and Taylor method. Results: Magnesium oxide nanoparticles have a size of 5-100 nm and specific surface area of 64,5 m2/g. They are insoluble in water, can have hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties and have an effective positive charge. They can generate reactive oxygen species, damage DNA, interact with protein structures, destroying cell membrane, cause mitochondrial dysfunction, morphological changes and cell death, impact on proteomic and metabolic profiles, increasing the concentration digestive enzymes, carbohydrates, amino- acid and fatty acids. Besides, the material under investigation has such long-term effects of action: allergenicity, mutagenicity and embryotoxicity. D-coefficient was 1, 872. Conclusions: Magnesium oxide nanoparticles have a high degree of potential hazard for human health. The results warrant toxicological studies and assessment of toxicological-hygienic characteristics of magnesium oxide nanoparticles at various routes of intake for development of effective measures to prevent negative effect of magnesium oxide nanoparticles on human health.

Identification of the highest potential human health and environmental hazard in contaminated sediment near the point sources in the northwest Persian Gulf

The overall goal of this work was to determine the concentration levels and the potential ecological risks of 30 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Persian Gulf sediments, Iran. The study also predicted the bioaccumulation of PAHs using the Monte Carlo simulation. For these goals, 68 surface sediment samples were collected from the Persian Gulf in January 2017. Then, the experiments were performed with Soxhlet system, chromatographic column and GC-MS instrument. According to the Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines, 35.29% of sampling sites exhibited high potential adverse biological effects and 79.41% of samples have a low probability of toxicity. The mean bioaccumulated concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs in the Persian Gulf were predicted as 207.78 ± 262.23, 116.06 ± 146.47 and 69.26 ± 87.41 ng g–1 for mollusks, shrimps and crabs, respectively. The mean Toxic Equivalency and Mutagenic Equivalent Quotient for sediments was 702.06 ± 1012.37 and 500.37 ± 665.71 ng g−1, respectively. The 95th percentile carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks calculated for children and adults were lower than the threshold values of 10−6 and 1.0, respectively, revealing no potential health risk. The highest potential risks for toxicity were observed at sampling sites close to the Nowruz oil field and Mahshahr petrochemical economic zone based on the highest TEQcarc and MEQcarc values in this area.

Bromate in Bottled Water – Potential Hazard for Human Health

In the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification, bro­mates (by-products of water treatment) are categorized as Class 2B carcino­gens; i.e., substances that are possibly carcinogenic to humans. The maximal concentration of bromate in drinking water must not be higher than 10 μg/L, while the WHO recommends that bromate levels should be as low as possible. Investigations undertaken in several countries have revealed the presence of bromate in bottled water, too. The main factor responsible for the presence of bromate is ozonation during the manufacturing process or bromate-contam­inated substances used in the water disinfection.The regulations currently in force in Poland forbid the addition of bacteriostatic agents and the application of treatment processes that alter the microflora in water. On the other hand, raw water can be filtered, aerated, or treated with air enriched in ozone – although only in the amounts required to remove iron, manganese, arsenic compounds, and sulfides. However, during the manufacturing process, bottled water may be exposed to ozone from electric-powered ionizers used in the process of the dry-cleaning of bottles or PET preforms. The maximal admissible bromate contents in bottled water is 3 μg/L. The cur­rent regulations in Poland effectively reduce hazards due to the presence of bromate in water. However, the results of investigations undertaken in other countries indicate that this aspect should be brought to the attention of both water manufacturers and regulatory bodies.

Slaughterhouse Survey on the Frequency of Pathologies Found in Bovine Post-mortem Inspections

The aim was to reveal the prevalence of post-mortem lesions in two large-scale bovine slaughterhouses found in Romania so as to point out the potential hazards for human health. The proper examination of animal carcasses and organs that are destined for human consumption is essential in order to ensure food safety but not all the time properly made due to lack of time during the process of slaughter. The results showed that the most frequent lesions found within the examined organs were caused by parasitic infestation (Echinococcus granulosus; Dyctiocaulus viviparus) and the highest prevalence was found in the lungs. The pathology of lesions found in bovine organs is very variable in the slaughterhouse, being able to report strange aspects such an ectopic liver in the lung parenchyma. Measures should be taken in the farms due to this high prevalence of parasites which causes both health problems as well as economical losses.

Thermo and pH-responsive methylcellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose hydrogels containing K2SO4 for water retention and a controlled-release water-soluble fertilizer

Hydrogel as commercial soil conditioner has the potential to improve soil properties and reduce water scarcity in growing plants. However, use of polyacrylamide-based hydrogel in agriculture pose potential human health hazards. Hydrogel systems were prepared from temperature-responsive methylcellulose (MC) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) blended with potassium sulfate (K2SO4, K-containing fertilizer). Blended K2SO4 in hydrogels affects the hydrophobic interaction of MC and HPMC, and hydrogels prepared in 0.25 M K2SO4 decrease the gelation temperatures of MC and HPMC from 55.6 and 67.4 °C to 27.8 and 35.1 °C, respectively. The equilibrium swelling ratio (St) of MC and HPMC hydrogels was increased 15 times and hydrogels maintained a steady appearance. The swelling kinetics of the MC and HPMC hydrogels followed Schott's second-order model and kinetic parameters indicated that adding K2SO4 can improve the initial swelling rate. K2SO4 decreases the pore size of the MC and HPMC hydrogel from 26.8 and 21.5 μm to 14.7 and 14.2 μm. A plant growth assessment indicated inhibition in plant growth occurred without the application of the hydrogels. Adding K2SO4 increases mechanical properties of the hydrogels. Treatment with 0.5% hydrogel considerably improves the water-holding and water-retention capacities of sandy soil. The 20-20-20 fertilizer release results revealed at that at 35 °C and a pH below 7, the hydrogel systems reduce the release rate of the fertilizer. The best result was observed with the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, indicating that the fertilizer transport mechanism involves Fickian diffusion and swelling-controlled release. This study discovered that environmentally responsive cellulose-based hydrogels have potential for use as soil conditioners and as controlled release devices in horticulture and agriculture.

Automated Time Series Measurement of Microbial Concentrations in Groundwater-Derived Water Supplies.

Fecal contamination by human and animal pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, is a potential human health hazard, especially with regards to drinking water. Pathogen occurrence in groundwater varies considerably in space and time, which can be difficult to characterize as sampling typically requires hundreds of liters of water to be passed through a filter. Here we describe the design and deployment of an automated sampler suited for hydrogeologically and chemically dynamic groundwater systems. Our design focused on a compact form to facilitate transport and quick deployment to municipal and domestic water supplies. We deployed a sampler to characterize water quality from a household well tapping a shallow fractured dolomite aquifer in northeast Wisconsin. The sampler was deployed from January to April 2017, and monitored temperature, nitrate, chloride, specific conductance, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter on a minute time step; water was directed to sequential microbial filters during three recharge periods that ranged from 5 to 20 days. Results from the automated sampler demonstrate the dynamic nature of the household water quality, especially with regard to microbial targets, which were shown to vary 1 to 2 orders of magnitude during a single sampling event. We believe assessments of pathogen occurrence and concentration, and related assessments of drinking well vulnerability, would be improved by the time‐integrated characterization provided by this sampler.

Characteristics and potential human health hazards of charged aerosols generated by high-voltage power lines

We investigated the characteristics of charged aerosols produced by high-voltage power lines (HVPLs) to explore the effects on respiratory disease incidence among those who handle HVPLs. Charged aerosol currents and charged aerosol concentrations were measured over 24 h at 12 sites. Aerosol current effective levels were 2.7 times higher compared to exposed and control sites. This pattern of relative enhancement at exposed sites was seen consistently in all measurements and the difference was 1.7 higher at exposed sites. Correlation analysis among all important variables revealed strong positive correlations between currents and concentration, currents and magnetic field, humidity and concentration, and humidity and particles of 10 µm or less (PM10), while negative correlations were observed between charged aerosol concentrations and wind velocity and between wind velocity and humidity. Estimated production of charged aerosols from HVPLs found that people who work with HVPLs are highly likely to be exposed to charged aerosols.

Effect of Method of Administration Of 17β-Estradiol On Hormonal Residues in Chicken Meat, Livers and Kidneys

Administration of hormones to broiler chickens for performance- enhancing purposes may lead todeposit of residues in their carcasses. This could be a potential human health hazard up on exposureto these residues. Therefore this study was performed on sixty chicks (one day old) were rearedunder the same condition. At 10 day old age the chicks were divided into 4 groups (control, I/Madministrated group, oral administrated group and withdrawal group). Then hormonal residues weredetected in chick’s carcasses and their livers and kidneys using Enzyme-linked immune sorbentassay (ELISA) method. The results obtained that mean values of estradiol 14.2±0.20, 20.20±0.30and 22.29±0.70 ppb in muscle, liver and kidneys of chicken, respectively. .The public healthsignificance and recommendations for the use of hormones were discussed.