Ppm Lead Research Articles

Lead Poisoning in a Mother and Her Four Children Using a Traditional Eye Cosmetic - New York City, 2012-2023.

Even low levels of lead in children's blood are associated with developmental delays, difficulty learning, and behavioral issues. Adults are also vulnerable to the detrimental health effects of lead exposure. The New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene receives blood lead test results for NYC residents and conducts investigations of lead poisoning cases. Blood lead testing of a child aged 4 years in 2012 led to the discovery of blood lead levels above the CDC blood lead reference value of 3.5 μg/dL in the child as well as four other family members over a period of 11 years, including the child's mother and three younger siblings born during 2012-2016. The only potential source of lead exposure identified for all cases was the use of surma, a traditional eye cosmetic, which was found to contain 390,000 ppm lead. The cases in this report highlight the challenges of risk communication when deeply ingrained cultural practices, such as the use of surma, persist despite health warnings. Moreover, they highlight the intergenerational nature of such practices and the need for comprehensive family follow-up once a member is identified as being at risk. These products continue to be available globally, even in places such as the United States where sales are prohibited. Multistakeholder efforts involving local and global engagement could promote reformulation of these products at the countries of origin to eliminate lead as an ingredient.

Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches - North Carolina, June 2023-January 2024.

Lead exposure is toxic even at low levels, resulting in impairments that can affect a child's lifelong success. In North Carolina, testing for lead is encouraged for all children at ages 1 and 2 years and required for children covered by Medicaid; investigations are performed to identify potential exposure sources for children with blood lead levels (BLLs) ≥5 μg/dL. During June-August 2023, routine lead testing identified four asymptomatic North Carolina children with BLLs ≥5 μg/dL. Home investigations identified only WanaBana brand apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches as a potential exposure source; product samples contained 1.9-3.0 ppm of lead. An expanded nationwide investigation led to identification of approximately 500 cases of childhood lead exposure believed to be linked to consumption of apple cinnamon purees, including 22 cases in North Carolina. Fewer than one half (45%) of the 22 North Carolina cases were among children covered by Medicaid. A coordinated multiagency communication strategy was implemented in North Carolina to notify consumers of the hazard and provide recommendations for preventing further exposure. The Food and Drug Administration issued a nationwide public health advisory on October 28, 2023; 2 days later, the manufacturer issued a voluntary recall. Routine testing of young children for lead exposure, combined with thorough environmental investigations, can identify emerging sources of lead exposure and limit further harm.

Lead Decreases Bone Morphogenetic Protein-7 (BMP-7) Expression and Increases Renal Cell Carcinoma Growth in a Sex-Divergent Manner.

Both tissue and blood lead levels are elevated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. These studies assessed the impact of the subchronic lead challenge on the progression of RCC in vitro and in vivo. Lead challenge of Renca cells with 0.5 μM lead acetate for 10 consecutive passages decreased E-cadherin expression and cell aggregation. Proliferation, colony formation, and wound healing were increased. When lead-challenged cells were injected into mice, tumor size at day 21 was increased; interestingly, this increase was seen in male but not female mice. When mice were challenged with 32 ppm lead in drinking water for 20 weeks prior to tumor cell injection, there was an increase in tumor size in male, but not female, mice at day 21. To investigate the mechanism underlying the sex differences, the expression of sex hormone receptors in Renca cells was examined. Control Renca cells expressed estrogen receptor (ER) alpha but not ER beta or androgen receptor (AR), as assessed by qPCR, and the expression of ERα was increased in tumors in both sexes. In tumor samples harvested from lead-challenged cells, both ERα and AR were detected by qPCR, yet there was a significant decrease in AR seen in lead-challenged tumor cells from male mice only. This was paralleled by a plate-based array demonstrating the same sex difference in BMP-7 gene expression, which was also significantly decreased in tumors harvested from male but not female mice; this finding was validated by immunohistochemistry. A similar expression pattern was seen in tumors harvested from the mice challenged with lead in the drinking water. These data suggest that lead promotes RCC progression in a sex-dependent via a mechanism that may involve sex-divergent changes in BMP-7 expression.

Comparison of the Effect of Kombucha and Vitamin C on Coronary Arteries in Rabbits Exposed to Lead and High-cholesterol Diet

Background: Vitamin C and kombucha contain a high amount of glucuronic acid that can prevent cholesterol accumulation and convert cholesterol to a more water-soluble compound. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of kombucha and vitamin C on the coronary arteries and aorta of male rabbits exposed to lead acetate fed with a high-cholesterol diet. Methods: Forty male rabbits were divided randomly into four groups of 10 animals. Group 1 served as a control group. Rabbits in group 2 received water containing 547 ppm of lead acetate and a high-cholesterol diet (1%). Group 3 received water containing 547 ppm lead acetate and a high-cholesterol diet (1%) in combination with ascorbic acid (500 mg/kg), and group 4 rabbits were treated with water containing 547 ppm lead acetate and kombucha extract (10 ml/kg) for 40 days orally on a high-cholesterol diet (1%). Results: The results showed that in groups 3 and 4, no significant atherosclerotic plaques could be detected in coronary arteries, compared to the control animals. However, large atherosclerotic plaques were observed in the aortas of those treated only with kombucha. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical methods. The mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) triglyceride (TG) serum levels in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 122.70 ± 66.77, 280.60 ± 88.66, 120.10 ± 8.33, and 107.86 ± 8.61 mg/dL, respectively. The mean ± SEM TG serum levels in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 67.80 ± 10.33, 67.90 ± 10.10, 60.80 ± 8.16, and 58.71 ± 4.78 mg/dL, respectively. The mean ± SEM TG serum levels in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 194.50 ± 6.58, 182.60 ± 13.75, 178.30 ± 18.01, and 166.00 ± 7.65 mg/dL, respectively. P-values for low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and TG were reported as P < 0.001, P = 0.077, and P < 0.001, respectively. Conclusions: It could be concluded that kombucha, unlike vitamin C, cannot prevent the formation of large plaques in the aorta, although it seems that it can prevent atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries. Therefore, further studies are required to evaluate the long-term use of kombucha to assess whether higher doses are beneficial in preventing atherosclerotic events or not.

Modulation of Kynurenic Acid Production by N-acetylcysteine Prevents Cognitive Impairment in Adulthood Induced by Lead Exposure during Lactation in Mice.

Lead (Pb2+) exposure during early life induces cognitive impairment, which was recently associated with an increase in brain kynurenic acid (KYNA), an antagonist of NMDA and alpha-7 nicotinic receptors. It has been described that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) favors an antioxidant environment and inhibits kynurenine aminotransferase II activity (KAT II, the main enzyme of KYNA production), leading to brain KYNA levels decrease and cognitive improvement. This study aimed to investigate whether the NAC modulation of the brain KYNA levels in mice ameliorated Pb2+-induced cognitive impairment. The dams were divided into four groups: Control, Pb2+, NAC, and Pb2++NAC, which were given drinking water or 500 ppm lead acetate in the drinking water ad libitum, from 0 to 23 postnatal days (PNDs). The NAC and Pb2++NAC groups were simultaneously fed NAC (350 mg/day) in their chow from 0 to 23 PNDs. At PND 60, the effect of the treatment with Pb2+ and in combination with NAC on learning and memory performance was evaluated. Immediately after behavioral evaluation, brain tissues were collected to assess the redox environment; KYNA and glutamate levels; and KAT II activity. The NAC treatment prevented the long-term memory deficit exhibited in the Pb2+ group. As expected, Pb2+ group showed redox environment alterations, fluctuations in glutamate levels, and an increase in KYNA levels, which were partially avoided by NAC co-administration. These results confirmed that the excessive KYNA levels induced by Pb2+ were involved in the onset of cognitive impairment and could be successfully prevented by NAC treatment. NAC could be a tool for testing in scenarios in which KYNA levels are associated with the induction of cognitive impairment.

Determination of lead and cadmium concentration in cosmetic products in the Saudi market

This study was undertaken to determine the cadmium and lead concentrations in low-price cosmetic products in the Saudi market. An analytical test was performed for 13 cosmetic products (five lipsticks, five foundations, and three eyeliners) using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The lead and cadmium heavy metals were determined as trace minerals in all 13 samples. The mean value for each metal in the three different products was as follows: 0.019532 (lipstick group), 0.020842 (foundation group), 0.026237 (eyeliner group) ppm for cadmium, and 0.032744 (lipstick group), 0.046466 (foundation group), 0.041903 (eyeliner group) ppm for lead. The results also indicated that the lead concentration was higher than cadmium in all samples under investigation. Moreover, the results indicated that the levels of cadmium and lead are affected by the company of the cosmetic products. Also, the results indicated that the cadmium and lead levels were within the allowable FDA values. Regular monitoring of the presence of heavy metals in cosmetic products should be continuously undertaken as these metals are reported to show harmful effects on the human body even in very small amounts.

The antioxidative influence of dietary creatine monohydrate and L-carnitine on laying performance, egg quality, ileal microbiota, blood biochemistry, and redox status of stressed laying quails

The experiment was implemented to assess the influence of dietary supplementation of laying quails with creatine monohydrate (CrM), L-carnitine (CAR) and their mixture (CrMCAR) as antioxidants against oxidative stress (OS) induced by 2.5 ppm lead acetate (LA) in drinking water on productive, physiological and microbial aspects. In total, 400 laying quail females at 10 wk of age were divided into a randomized design with 5 groups and 4 replicates of 20 birds each. Birds were fed ad libitum with a balanced diet for 8 wk. The control group was kept under no-stress conditions and was given fresh water without any additives (G1). While birds in other groups were exposed to OS induced experimentally by 2.5 ppm LA in drinking water with no feed additive (G2) or supplemented with 500 mg/kg CrM (G3) or 500 mg/kg CAR (G4) or combination of 250 mg/kg each of CrM and CAR (CrMCAR, G5) to feed mixture. Compared to G2, G5 demonstrated the reduction (P ≤ 0.05) of feed conversion ratio, feed intake, mortality and ileal total coliform, as well as serum and egg malondialdehyde and serum lipid hydroperoxide, uric acid, glucose, cholesterol, enzymatic activities (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine phosphokinase, γ-glutamyl transferase), and heterophils/lymphocytes ratio. In the meanwhile, there was an increase (P ≤ 0.05) in egg production, egg mass, and weight with the improvement of egg quality, serum sex hormones level and ileal lactic acid bacteria for G5 followed by G4 and G3. Moreover, G5 enhanced (P ≤ 0.05), the total antioxidant capacity of egg and serum glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, protein and calcium levels. Therefore, dietary CrMCAR, CAR and CrM have analogous influence to control by improving the antioxidant and physiological parameters which resulted in better productive performance and egg characteristics of stressed quails. These antioxidants, especially in their equal combination, are beneficial to alleviate oxidative stress incidence and can be recommended for poultry feeding under various aspects of environmental stresses.

Maternal Iron Deficiency and Environmental Lead (Pb) Exposure Alter the Predictive Value of Blood Pb Levels on Brain Pb Burden in the Offspring in a Dietary Mouse Model: An Important Consideration for Cumulative Risk in Development.

Maternal iron deficiency (ID) and environmental lead (Pb) exposure are co-occurring insults that both affect the neurodevelopment of offspring. Few studies have investigated how ID affects brain-region-specific Pb accumulations using human-relevant Pb concentrations. Furthermore, how these Pb exposures impact blood and brain Fe levels remains unclear. Importantly, we also wanted to determine whether the use of blood Pb levels as a surrogate for the brain Pb burden is affected by underlying iron status. We exposed virgin Swiss Webster female mice to one of six conditions differing by iron diet and Pb water concentration (0 ppm, 19 ppm, or 50 ppm lead acetate) and used Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to measure the maternal and offspring circulating, stored, and brain Pb levels. We found that maternal ID rendered the offspring iron-deficient anemic and led to a region-specific depletion of brain Fe that was exacerbated by Pb in a dose-specific manner. The postnatal iron deficiency anemia also exacerbated cortical and hippocampal Pb accumulation. Interestingly, BPb levels only correlated with the brain Pb burden in ID pups but not in IN offspring. We conclude that ID significantly increases the brain Pb burden and that BPb levels alone are insufficient as a clinical surrogate to make extrapolations on the brain Pb burden.

Stabilization of Lead and Zinc Nitrate-Contaminated Low Plasticity Clayey Soil Using Metakaolin Geopolymer

ABSTRACT Contamination of soil threatens the environment and can have a negative effect on soil strength parameters. Soil stabilization is one way to address this issue. In the present study, metakaolin geopolymer was used to stabilize contaminated clay. Initially, the effects of the concentration on the soil parameters was investigated. A combination of lead nitrate and zinc nitrate at a 1:1 ratio was used to contaminate the soil by introducing 1000, 5000 and 10,000 ppm of contaminants. The samples were subjected to a 7-day curing period after which the Atterberg limits, compaction, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), California bearing ratio (CBR) and pH tests were conducted. The results showed that the addition of 10,000 ppm of contaminant to the base soil decreased the CBR, UCS and pH by 21.07%, 23.37% and 15.51%, respectively. The most critical contaminant concentration was found to be 10,000 ppm. Next, soil samples contaminated with 10,000 ppm of lead and zinc nitrates was stabilized with 5%, 10% and 15% metakaolin geopolymer at curing times of 7, 14 and 28 days. After stabilization, the tests initially conducted on the contaminated samples without stabilizer were performed on samples stabilized with metakaolin geopolymer. The outcomes revealed that the soil strength parameters increased significantly with increases in the metakaolin geopolymer content and curing time. An increase in the curing time was shown to increase the UCS. The findings demonstrated that, after 28 days of curing, the soil pH of the stabilized samples with 5%, 10% and 15% metakaolin geopolymer increased by approximately 43.4%, 49.2% and 50.65%, respectively, in comparison with the soil containing 10,000 ppm of contaminants without stabilizer.

Heavy metals analysis of S. schall and O. niloticus fish species sold at Otuocha Market, Anambra State, Nigeria

The potentials of heavy metal pollution in natural environments have necessitated the need to determine the presence of heavy metal pollutants in the surface waters and possible bioaccumulation in the inhabiting fish species and other aquatic organisms. This study thus aimed to determine the heavy metal species that occur outside their recommended ranges in the test fish species and two Cichlid fish species namely, Synodontis schall and Oreochromis niloticus were selected for the analysis. Water samples were taken to assess the concentrations of these heavy metals in the river while tissues and organs of the test fish samples were extracted for further analysis to determine the cumulative tendencies of these metals in the organisms. All the heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb) were detected in the fish organs except copper (Cu) which was not detected in the fillet/tissue. The metals occurred in the order; Pb > Zn > Cd > Cu > Mn in both fish species. The gill emerged as the organ with the highest concentration of heavy metal with a value of 100.92ppm of lead in Synodontis schall and 111.34 ppm in Oreochromis niloticus. The high concentrations of Zinc and Lead found in the fish organs were compared with the habitat and discovered that the concentrations were high compared to the lower levels found in the river water. Although Zn occurred at very high concentrations, they were still below the threshold recommended by WHO/FAO. However, Cadmium and Lead exceeded their permissible limits, Lead occurred in outrageous amounts while other metals tested (Mn, Zn, Cu) fell within acceptable ranges. Nonetheless, care should be taken and environmental laws and policies guiding the use and discharge of harmful substances put in place to check the influx and accumulation of these toxicants which pose as threat to man. Metal pollution results in abnormal physiological function of the body cells when they exceed these limits and so guidelines on the use of related products and industrial discharge of effluents should be adhered to and penalty measures taken out on defaulters.

Chemical Pollutants (Aromatic Compounds and Heavy Metals) from Industrial Wastes which Impacted on Planted Vegetables

The chemical pollutants (aromatic compounds and heavy metals) in the waters of the Tigris River were studied for the two sites of the Dora power station and the site of the vegetable oil plant during the summer season of 2021. The study included measuring some physical and chemical properties such as (acid function, temperature, turbidity, total dissolved salts, magnesium, calcium, chloride and potassium and sodium and determination of heavy metals such as (lead, cadmium) and the results were (0.06 ppm lead at the cycle electricity site, 0.04 ppm lead in the vegetable oil site), (0.1 ppm cadmium at the cycle electricity site, 0.1 ppm cadmium at the vegetable oil site), the aromatic compounds of the river water were estimated, and the heavy elements of soil and plants (lead, cadmium) were estimated. The results indicated that the water quality was low in salinity and low in soda, and the results of soil tests showed that the concentrations of lead and cadmium elements were (61.75 ppm lead at the Dora electricity site, 55.11 ppm for lead in the vegetable oil site), and it was (14.45 ppm cadmium at the Dora electricity site)., 13.75 ppm for cadmium in the vegetable oil site) and thus exceeded the permissible limits of the specifications of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2003). vegetable oils site, exceeding the permissible limits of the Food and Health Organization (2007, WHO/FAO) standard of mg kg-1 dry matter. The study showed the presence of some aromatic hydrocarbon compounds in the water of the Tigris River for the two study sites, through the technique of Coupled Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GS-MS), and the results of the examination recorded the presence of different concentrations, where the concentration of naphthalene compound reached 35 ppm and benzo compound ( ghi) perylene concentration reached 70 ppm for water, which indicates the pollution of river water, which is deposited and remains at the bottom of the river by the effect of sewage, wastes of stations and oil installations, and waste of laboratories.

Assessing the Tolerance Impact of Fungal Isolates against Lead and Zinc Heavy Metals under Controlled Conditions

Now a day’s cultivated lands are being polluted with heavy metals which is become very common issue in the country as well as across the globe due to increase in geologic and anthropogenic activity. Because of human activity, there is excess release of heavy metals like cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, and/are going on increasing up to alarming level which may significantly affects the crop yield and soil micro flora as well. Reports revealed that biological treatments, especially filamentous fungi are playing an important role in removal of heavy metals from the contaminated environment of the ecosystem. Hence, in present study we have isolated filamentous fungi viz., Trichoderma spp. and Aspergillus niger from contaminated soil with heavy metals with aim to find their tolerance properties towards selective heavy metals such as, Lead and Zinc. Findings of our study highlighted that Trichoderma spp. have greater ability to grow under varying Zinc and Lead concentration and shows greater tolerance limit of 0.98 at 5mM of Zinc concentration and 0.83 tolerance limits at 100 ppm lead concentration. Similarly, the fungi Aspergillus niger has ability to grow faster at high lead concentration and shows tolerance limit of 1.07 at 200 ppm of lead concentration. Thus, it is concluded that the filament fungi namely Trichoderma spp. and Aspergillus niger are efficient in removal of toxic heavy metals from the polluted soil. Hence, we can employ these fungi individually or in consortium as effective agents for bioremediation of the contaminated soil in order to crop cultivation and enhancing the yield of useful crop plants for supplying the demand of growing population.

The effect of lead (Pb) on the growth rates of two aquatic macrophyte species; Limnobium laevigatum (Humb & Bonpl. ex Willd) Heine and Egeria densa Planch. grown in different experimental media

Anthropogenic causes contribute to toxic pollutants in aquatic environments and heavy metal pollution. As a heavy metal, Lead (Pb), is one of the most common causes of pollution in water. Heavy metals must be removed from the aquatic environment because they adversely affect health and all living things in each environment. In this study we aimed to determine the effects of lead (Pb) exposure on the growth rates and biomass of two aquatic macrophyte species, E. densa and L. laevigatum. Plants grown in in two different experimental media. For this purpose, both plants were exposed to 3 different concentrations of lead (1 ppm, 5 ppm, 15 ppm). Samples were measured on the 1st, 4th and 7th days, and the first and last weights of the plants were compared. Bioexperiments were run in triplicate. Positive values were observed in the growth rates of both plants, except for the negative growth rates observed on the 1st day at 1 ppm and 5 ppm lead concentrations in the pond water environment. Both plants showed positive growth in 25% Hoagland medium at all concentrations and days, except for the 1 ppm lead concentration, being observed for E. densa. As a result of our study, lead exposure did not significantly alter the growth rates of E. densa and L. laevigatum in the experimental media used for short-term (up tp 7 days) durations.

Identifikasi Timbal dan Verifikasi Destruksi dengan Metode Spiking Pada Sampel Kangkung Darat Di Kota Pontianak

Water spinach is a vegetable that is rich in benefits, apart from the benefits it has, it can also be a mediator for the spread of heavy metals to humans. One of the contaminants that can contaminate Water spinach is lead (Pb). Lead (Pb) is a pollutant that occurs in big cities and has toxic properties. Lead (Pb) contamination in water spinach can occur due to the influence of motor vehicle exhaust, waste, fertilizers and pesticides containing metals. Lead (Pb) contamination in vegetables such as Water spinach can have adverse effects on health such as poisoning and can cause various kinds of disorders such as digestive tract disorders. This study aims to identify lead (Pb) in Water spinach and find out whether the sample preparation method used is good and correct by using spiking method. The samples used in this study amounted to 5 samples spread at different market locations in Pontianak city using the technique purposive sampling. Water spinach samples were prepared using the wet destruction method, then qualitatively tested using 1N NaOH reagent. Method Spiking carried out by taking a standard solution of 1,000 ppm lead (Pb) as much as 1 ml and putting it into the sample to be prepared. The sample that has been prepared is then measured and the value is calculated %Recovery. The results of the qualitative test showed that after the sample was dripped using 1N NaOH reagent there was no white precipitate. The Result obtained in verification of destruction using the spiking method were concentration of 18.7515 ppm and a value %Recovery of 106.8833%. All samples of Water spinach that were tested qualitatively did not contain lead (Pb) and the preparation method used for analysis of ground kale was good and correct.

Exploration and remediation ability test of indigenous bacteria from rice field pemalang regency on lead (Pb) contamined soil

The research aims to obtain isolates and determine the morphological characteristics of bacteria that are resistant to Lead (Pb) contamination. The materials and tools used were soil from conventional rice farming land, Nutrient Agar (NA) medium, alcohol 70%, aquades, PbNO3 solution, aluminum foil, cling wrap, heat-resistant plastic, spiritus, physiological solution of 0.85% NaCl, autoclave, test tubes, petri dishes, erlenmeyer flasks, measuring cylinder, beaker glass, laminar air flow (LAF), shaker, magnetic stirrer, micropipette, refrigerator, analytical balance, ose needle, pH meter, vortex, ice box, shovel , tube racks, bunsen, stationery, labels, and other supporting materials and equipment. This research is a sampling research and continued with laboratory tests including bacterial isolation, colony count calculation and macromorphological characterization. The data obtained from morphological observations are presented in the form of descriptions, while quantitative data are presented in the form of numbers and are used as primary data. The results of isolating bacteria with NA medium added with 5 ppm lead, there are five bacterial isolates were selected, namely KMPb O, KT1Pb C, KT2Pb H, KB1Pb H, and KB2Pb K. Based on the TPC (Total Plate Count) test with a range of 30-300 colonies, the number of bacterial colonies ranged from 10,45 x 106 – 28,9 x 106 CFU/ml. The colony morphological characteristics of the five bacterial isolates were dominated by round in shape, smooth texture and flat elevation.

ICP-MS Analysis of Elemental Composition in Soil and Forage Plant Irrigated with Sewage water and Bore Well Water

Ensuring sufficient nutrition for livestock is crucial for maximizing livestock productivity besides bridging the widening gaps between demand and supply of green fodder. The cumbu napier hybrid grass, known for its high biomass yield per unit area and wider adaptability has played a vital role in managing the green fodder requirement to a substantial extent is the focus of the current study. Present research aims to explore the impact of sewage wastewater on the growth of Cumbu Napier hybrid grass. The findings revealed that elevated levels of heavy metals viz., 37.77 ppm (parts per million) of lead and 10.46 ppm of tin accumulation in Cumbu Napier hybrid grass grown in soil irrigated with sewage water was recorded as compared to those irrigated with borewell water where 7.73 ppm of lead and 1.92 ppm of tin were registered. Hence, the results indicated that recycling the sewage water for high water demanding forage crops such as cumbu napier hybrid grass found to accumulate more heavy metals than bore well water. The order of mean concentrations of heavy metals in the soil obtained was Sn>Sb>As>Pb>Cd.

Fructobacillus trapaeoli - A fructophilic lactic acid bacteria isolated from Manilkara zapota

The study was undertaken to isolate and characterize fructophilic lactic acid bacteria from the fruit Manilkara zapota (chikoo). Microscopic, phenotypic, biochemical and molecular characterisation of the isolates was done. The Gram-positive thin rods (5 μm length and 0.25 μm thickness) were catalase and oxidase negative and did not hydrolyze arginine. The carbohydrate fermentation studies showed that the isolate preferred fructose similar to glucose as an energy source. The isolate had an optimum growth at 37ºC and also had grown at 45ºC. 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed the isolate as Fructobacillus tropaeoli DMM03 (NCBI accession number MT158673). There are very few reports of isolation and characterization of Fructobacillus from India. The osmotolerant nature of the isolate was established by its ability to grow in pH 5, 8 per cent NaCl, 35 per cent D-Fructose and 50 per cent D-Glucose. The isolate had also shown growth in the presence of heavy metals with a maximum concentration of 60 ppm cadmium and 2425 ppm lead. An autoaggregation of 46.3 per cent and cell surface hydrophobicity value of 22 per cent with apolar solvent xylene suggested the high adhesion potential. The isolate was found to be non-haemolytic and not liquefying gelatin which implies its safety in use for product preparation. The results point out a prospective area for future research in Fructobacillus tropaeoli DMM03 for tapping its potential in the field of probiotics and bioremediation.

Early-life low-level lead exposure alters anxiety-like behavior, voluntary alcohol consumption and AC5 protein content in adult male and female C57BL/6 J mice

Despite efforts to eradicate sources of environmental lead (Pb), children, predominately in lower socioeconomic areas, are still frequently exposed to unsafe levels of Pb from soils, dust, and water. Human studies suggest that Pb exposure is associated with altered drug consumption in adults; however, there is limited research at comparable exposure levels (blood Pb levels <10 μg/dL). To model how early-life, low-level Pb exposure affects alcohol consumption in adulthood, we exposed postnatal day (PND) 21 C57Bl/6 J mice to either 30 ppm or 0 ppm Lead (IV) Acetate in distilled water until PND 42, and testing began in adulthood. We predicted that mice with early-life Pb exposure would exhibit greater anxiety-like behavior and consume more alcohol in a three-week Drinking-in-the-Dark procedure (20% v/v) and a 24-h two-bottle choice procedure (10% v/v). We also predicted that Pb exposure would decrease whole-brain content of Adenylate Cyclase-5 (AC5), a protein linked to anxiety-like behaviors and alcohol drinking. There was no difference in limited-access binge-like consumption between exposure groups; however, Pb-exposed mice displayed higher two-bottle choice alcohol intake and preference. Furthermore, Pb-exposed mice exhibited greater anxiety-like behaviors in experiments conducted before an alcohol drinking history but not after. Finally, Pb-exposed mice exhibited an upregulation of whole-brain AC5 protein content. However, this difference was not found in the nucleus accumbens, dorsomedial or dorsolateral striatum. These findings conclude that early-life Pb exposure alters voluntary alcohol consumption and whole-brain AC5 protein content in adulthood. Future studies are necessary to further understand the mechanism behind how Pb exposure alters alcohol intake.

Oxidative stress in the ovaries of mice chronically exposed to a low lead concentration: A generational approach

Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal that alters the oxidation-reduction balance, affecting reproductive health and transfer during pregnancy and lactation. However, the multigenerational impact of exposure to low concentrations of Pb on mammalian ovaries has not been assessed. This study evaluated general parameters, histology, redox state (RS), protein carbonylation (PC), lipid peroxidation (LP), and hormone concentrations in the ovaries of mice (CD1® ICR) of three successive generations with both unigenerational (E1) and multigenerational (E2) exposure to 0.2 ppm lead acetate through the drinking water and a control group. Body weight, food consumption, the number of born pups, and their weight after weaning were not significantly affected by Pb exposure in E1 and E2. However, the ovaries of three successive generations of the E1 group, in which only the F0 was exposed, showed alterations in the ovarian histoarchitecture, increase in follicular atresia, decrease in the number of available follicles, and a significant RS and PC elevation that were surprisingly similar to those observed in the E2 group. LP increased in the second generation of E1 and E2, while hormone concentration was not altered. This is the first demonstration that exposure to low concentration of Pb induces multigenerational histological alterations and oxidative stress in mouse ovaries, that the termination of this exposure does not ensure the safety of later generations and that the lack of modifications in general parameters may facilitate the silent development of pathologies that affect ovarian health.

Effect of sulfide and hydroxide on the removal of heavy metal ions from hydrometallurgical zinc effluent

ABSTRACT Heavy metals removal from Specialized Industrial Park of Zinc of Zanjan effluent was tested using sulfide, hydroxide, and the combination precipitation. The initial effluent includes 200 ppm of zinc, 55 ppm of cadmium, 113 ppm of manganese, 0.85 ppm cobalt, 0.65 ppm nickel, 0.2 ppm iron, and 0.55 ppm lead. Sulfide precipitation using Na2S as a sulfide source is inefficient in the precipitation of manganese except in high concentrations of sulfide, while hydroxide precipitation using lime is not successful in cadmium removal. Combining these two methods in one and two steps is helpful in the precipitation and settling of all heavy metal ions. The optimum temperature, pH, sulfide concentration, and time were determined. The concentration of zinc, cadmium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and iron were reduced to 0.1, 0.1, 0.14, 0.23, 0.19, and 0.16 ppm, while lead was not detected in the solution in optimum condition. The experiments were repeated for effluent with higher amounts of lead, iron, and nickel, and its success in efficient removing of these ions is also confirmed. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were used to study morphologies and structures of precipitation. The concentration of Na2S plays a crucial role in removal efficiency. Excess sulfide causes the increment of ions such as manganese in the solution and decrements the efficiency discussed in this research. The lower use of lime, almost no excess sulfide ions in solution, fast kinetics, and precipitating of a wide range of metal ions are some advantages of this method.