Source Of Metal Contamination Research Articles

Spice-Induced Metal Contamination and Microbiological Risk Assessment of Instant Noodles Prepared for Human Consumption.

With the rising worries of potential metal contamination in cooked noodles, this study aimed at unravelling, for the first time, the possible source of metal contamination in cooked noodles. Noodles cooked with full spices (CWFS), cooked with half spices (CWHS), cooked with quarter spices (CWQS), and cooked with no spices (CWNS: control) and their spices were analysed for metals using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The microbiological quality of the noodles was also evaluated. Metal concentrations in cooked noodles varied with spice quantity. Noodles CWFS had the highest significant (p < 0.05) concentration of Pb (0.36 ± 0.12mg/kg), Ni (1.05 ± 0.01mg/kg), Cd (0.07 ± 0.04mg/kg), Co (0.02 ± 0.002mg/kg), and Na (9.45 ± 0.04mg/kg), compared to the control (CWNS). The mean Pb and Ni of spice and cooked noodles were above the WHO acceptable limits for food and could be harmful to consumers. Pearson's correlation and PCA showed that packed noodle spices introduced metals into the cooked noodles. Although the hazard indices (adults and children) in all noodle's groups were less than 1, children still had the potential to contract cancer from Ni exposure because the carcinogenic risk values of CWQS (2.87 × 10-4), CWHS (3.03 × 10-4), and CWFS (3.21 × 10-4) were greater than 10-4. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of potential pathogens that showed multidrug resistance and the ability to elaborate protease and amylase enzymes. Given the impending chronic health risks inherent in processed noodles, consistent consumption should be avoided.

Effects of heavy metals on bacterial growth parameters in degradation of phenol by an Antarctic bacterial consortium.

Antarctica has often been perceived as a pristine continent until the recent few decades as pollutants have been observed accruing in the Antarctic environment. Irresponsible human activities such as accidental oil spills, waste incineration and sewage disposal are among the primary anthropogenic sources of heavy metal contaminants in Antarctica. Natural sources including animal excrement, volcanism and geological weathering also contribute to the increase of heavy metals in the ecosystem. A microbial growth model is presented for the growth of a bacterial cell consortium used in the biodegradation of phenol in media containing different metal ions, namely arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), aluminium (Al), nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), lead (Pb) and cobalt (Co). Bacterial growth was inhibited by these ions in the rank order of Al < As < Co < Pb < Ni < Cd < Ag. Greatest bacterial growth occurred in 1 ppm Al achieving an OD600 of 0.985 and lowest in 1 ppm Ag with an OD600 of 0.090. At a concentration of 1.0 ppm, Ag had a considerable effect on the bacterial consortium, inhibiting the degradation of phenol, whereas this concentration of the other metal ions tested had no effect on degradation. The biokinetic growth model developed supports the suitability of the bacterial consortium for use in phenol degradation.

Agricultural abandoned lands as emission sources of dust containing metals and pesticides in the Sonora-Arizona Desert.

This investigation examines the transport of metal- and pesticide-polluted dust emitted by one of the most relevant agricultural areas of Northwestern Mexico. In the contaminated area, an excessive water extraction of the aquifer and seawater intrusion caused the abandonment of fields, which are pollutant-loaded dust emitters. We used air mass forward trajectories (HYSPLIT) model to obtain particle trajectories in the wind and the use of banned pesticides as geochemical tracers for dust transported by wind. Fifty dust samples from 10 agriculture fields and 26 roof dust of a city close to the agricultural area were analyzed for their contents of zirconium, lead, arsenic, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, vanadium, and titanium, by portable X-ray fluorescence. Nine pesticides were analyzed in the roof dust and agricultural soil samples by gas chromatography. Results show that the distribution of metals was significantly different between active and abandoned fields. Arsenic-lead-copper was mainly concentrated in abandoned fields, while zinc-iron-manganese-titanium was dominant in active fields. Two potential sources of metal contamination were found by principal component analysis (PCA): (I) a mixture of traffic and agricultural sources and (II) a group related to agricultural activities. The occurrence of banned pesticides in dust deposited on roofs collected at nearby cities confirms the atmospheric transport from the agricultural area. The HYSPLIT results indicated that the dust emitted from agricultural fields can reach up to the neighboring states of Sonora, Mexico, and the USA. The impacts that these emissions can have on human health should be studied in future research.

A review on heavy metal biosorption utilizing modified chitosan.

Heavy metal pollution in water bodies is a global concern. The prominent source of metal contamination in aqueous streams and groundwater is wastewater containing heavy metal ions. Elevated concentrations of heavy metals in water bodies can have a negative impact on water quality and public health. The most effective way to remove metal contaminants from drinking water is thought to be adsorption. A deacetylated derivative of chitin, chitosan, has a wide range of commercial uses since it is biocompatible, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Due to its exceptional adsorption behavior toward numerous hazardous heavy metals from aqueous solutions, chitosan and its modifications have drawn a lot of interest in recent years. Due to its remarkable adsorption behavior toward a range of dangerous heavy metals, chitosan is a possible agent for eliminating metals from aqueous solutions. The review has focused on the ideas of biosorption, its kinds, architectures, and characteristics, as well as using modified (physically and chemically modified) chitosan, blends, and composites to remove heavy metals from water. The main objective of the review is to describe the most important aspects of chitosan-based adsorbents that might be beneficial for enhancing the adsorption capabilities of modified chitosan and promoting the usage of this material in the removal of heavy metal pollutants.

Assessment of soil quality along river Ng'ombe impacted by battery recycling factory at Ubungo in Dar-es-Salaam

Urban soils and streams contaminated with heavy metals have grown ubiquitous around the world throughout the industrialization age, severely reducing the quality and diversity of life. Industrial waste, such as chemical-releasing factories, is one of the primary anthropogenic sources of heavy metal contamination in soil and water bodies. To analyze the impact of industries to heavy metal contamination, the study assessed the soil quality along the heavy metals polluted river Ng'ombe near the battery recycling plant in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's commercial city. The research looked at three heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and Zn) in a total of eight samples. Soils were found contaminated with both metals i.e., Copper, Lead, and Zinc at 4.68, 4.08 mg/L and, 5.79, respectively. Based on the soil samples taken surrounding the industry, it is possible to establish that the industry contributes significantly to the contamination in the soil and river Ng'ombe stream. Pb contamination was found to be fairly equally distributed across the area (2 to 6 mg/kg), as opposed to Zn (0.8 to 17 mg/kg) and Cu (0.04 to 19 mg/kg), which were shown to vary greatly on soil samples obtained around the area. Different pollution indices including geo-accumulation index, Potential contamination index, Contamination factor, Pollution load index and Modified degree of contamination were also used to investigate the impact of soil contamination, and all of them revealed that industrial discharges were an influence. However; study found the levels to be in permissible limit, but still, it exposes the community to cumulative consequences of metals bioaccumulation.

Accumulation of heavy metals in leaves of tree species on the ash and slag dumps of the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant

Thermal power plant (TPP) facilities are considered as one of the major reasons for environmental pollution. Ash and slag dumps as a special construction for storage of combustion wastes of TPPs are recognized as sources of heavy metals (HMs) contamination for surrounding ecosystems. The present study is the first report of analyzing HMs contamination of the ash and slag dumps of the Burshtyn TPP.&#x0D; The aim of the study is to estimate the content of HMs in the technogenic substrates of ash and slag dumps and investigate soil-plant interactions through analyzing potential of HMs accumulation in the leaves of native dominant woody species.&#x0D; Materials and methods of research. Soil sampling was carried out in the period of July 2021 at previously determined points. The most common woody species (Populus tremula L., Betula pendula Roth., Salix caprea L.) were selected for testing of HMs accumulation abilities. Samples of plants and soil were subjected to an atomic absorption spectrometer for being analyzed for heavy metals: Cd, Zn, Ni, Cu, Pb, Mn and Fe.&#x0D; Results of research and discussion. The results showed that the substrates of ash and slag dumps of the Burshtyn TPP were mainly contaminated by lead, copper and cadmium. All tested species concentrated high amounts of magnesium, iron, zinc and low concentration of cadmium. Bioaccumulation factor reflected the highest abilities of accumulation of zinc in all tested species and low level of bioaccumulation of cadmium. The highest index of biochemical activity showed Betula pendula. Salix caprea were found as a promising species for remediation due to intensive accumulation of such elements like cadmium, lead, copper, zinc and nickel.&#x0D; Conclusions and prospects for further research. We consider plant organisms particularly useful for analyzing HMs accumulation as they can provide a cost-effective and long-term approach for bioindication and monitoring HMs pollution. Moreover, vegetation covers could be used for remediation of HMs contaminated sites

The Level of Selected Metals in Made Tea and Tea Infusion from the Roadside Tea Plants and Health Risk Assessment.

The effects of human activities are becoming clearer every year, with multiple reports of struggling and eroded ecosystems resulting in new threats of plant and animal extinctions throughout the world. It has been speculated that roadside tea-growing soils impact on metal dynamics from soil to tea plants and subsequently to tea infusion which may be threatened by increasingly unpredictable and dangerous surroundings. Furthermore, heavy metals released from vehicles on the national highway (NH) could be a source of metal contamination in roadside tea soils and tea plants. This study was articulated to realize the effect of NH on a buildup of selected metals (Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) in made tea along with repeated tea infusion. In general, metal concentration was found significantly higher in made tea prepared from the young shoots collected from the vicinity of NH. The results also showed that distance from the NH and infusion process significantly influenced to content of the analysed metal in tea infusions. The mean average daily intake (ADI) and hazard quotient (HQ) values of analysed tea samples were found in the orderMn˃Fe˃Zn˃Cu˃Ni˃Cdand Mn˃Cu˃Zn˃Fe˃Ni˃Cd, respectively. The HQ values of all analysed metals were found << 1, indicating that ingestion of tea infusion with analysed heavy metals should not cause a danger to human health. However, this study further demonstrates the consumption of tea infusion prepared from made tea around the vicinity of NH may contribute to a significantly higher quantity of metal intake in the human body. From the hierarchical cluster analysis, it has been observed that there are three homogenous groups of analysed heavy metals.

An In Silico Bioremediation Study to Identify Essential Residues of Metallothionein Enhancing the Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Microorganisms are ubiquitously present in the environment and exert significant influence on numerous natural phenomena. The soil and groundwater systems, precipitation, and effluent outfalls from factories, refineries, and waste treatment facilities are all sources of heavy metal contamination. For example, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, has alarmingly high levels of lead and cadmium. The non-essential minerals cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) have been linked to damage to vital organs. Bioremediation is an essential component in the process of cleaning up polluted soil and water where biological agents such as bacteria are used to remove the contaminants. It is demonstrated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolated from activated sludge was able to remove Cd and Pb from water. The protein sequence of metallothionein from P. aeruginosa was retrieved to explore it for physicoparameters, orthologs, domain, family, motifs, and conserved residues. The homology structure was generated, and models were validated. Docking of the best model with the heavy metals was carried out to inspect the intramolecular interactions. The target protein was found to belong to the "metallothionein_pro" family, containing six motifs, and showed a close orthologous relationship with other heavy metal-resistant bacteria. The best model was generated by Phyre2. In this study, three key residues of metallothionein were identified that participate in heavy metal (Pb and Cd) binding, viz., Ala33, Ser34, and Glu59. In addition, the study provides an essential basis to explore protein engineering for the optimum use of metallothionein protein to reduce/remove heavy metals from the environment.

Natural enrichment of Cd and Tl in the bark of trees from a rural watershed devoid of point sources of metal contamination

To help understand the bioaccumulation of Cd and Tl in beaver tissue, we examined the enrichment of these metals in vegetation available to the animals. Bark was collected from 40 species of trees and shrubs, along with a complete soil weathering profile, within a small watershed devoid of trace metal contamination. Weathering resulted in a 5x enrichment of Cd in the soils relative to the underlying sediments, and a 6x Tl depletion: while Cd was lost from calcite and accumulates in the organic matter and oxyhydroxide fractions, Tl occurred only in the residual fraction. Soil processes alone, however, cannot explain the anomalous concentrations and enrichments of Cd in willow and poplar which contain up to 8.5 mg/kg Cd. The concentrations of Cd and Tl in the dissolved fraction (<0.45 μm) of the Wye River are similar (1.2 ± 0.4 and 1.6 ± 0.1 ng/L, respectively), and are taken to estimate their bioavailability in soil solutions. Normalizing the Cd/metal ratios in bark to the corresponding ratios in water yields the Stream Enrichment Factor: this novel approach shows that all plant species are enriched in Cd relative to Ni; 33 relative to Cu, 13 relative to Zn, and 7 relative to Mn. Thus, many plants preferentially accumulate Cd, especially willow and poplar, over these essential micronutrients. Clearly, the enrichment of Cd over Tl in bark is not a reflection of differences in bioavailability, but rather on the preferential uptake of Cd by the plants. The profound natural bioaccumulation of Cd in the bark of willow and poplar, the two favourite foods of the beaver, has ramifications for the use of these aquatic mammals as biomonitors of environmental contamination, as well as for the direct and indirect consumption of bark for traditional food and medicine.

Hexavalent chromium bioreduction by chromium-resistant sporulating bacteria isolated from tannery effluent

The main polluting source of heavy metal contamination of water is the leather tanning industry, which uses chrome powder and discharges it into the nearby ecosystem. In this investigation, chromium-resistant bacterial strains were isolated and characterized from tannery effluent. Based on morphological and biochemical characterization, the predominant sporulating Bacillus sp. was isolated and identified as Bacillus subtilis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Chromium degradation by the bacterial strain was evaluated using the flask culture method at three different concentrations (300, 600, and 900 µg/ml) of Cr (VI), and the reduction potential of the isolated bacterium was analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. A maximum reduction of approximately 78% was found at 24 hrs of incubation at pH 7 and at a constant temperature of 30°C. More than 50% of the Cr(VI) was decreased in 24 hours when the Cr(VI) concentration varied from 300 to 900 g/ml. FTIR analysis showed the involvement of hydroxyl and amine groups in chromium adsorption. As an outcome, this strain could be a promising bioagent for the environmentally friendly elimination of toxic Cr(VI) from polluted environments.

Levels of toxic and trace metals in the breast milk of lactating mothers in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Background and objectivesBreast milk is an essential source of nutrients and energy for infants. The study analyzed for the levels of essential, toxic and rare earth elements in the breast milk of lactating mothers within Abeokuta metropolis. Materials and methodsThirty-seven (37) breast milk samples were collected with consents of lactating mothers at Ogun State General Hospital in Abeokuta. The samples were digested using standard method and analyzed for essential, toxic and rare earth elements using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The data were subjected to descriptive analysis. ResultsThe results showed higher concentrations of toxic elements than essential elements in the breast milk of lactating mothers, where five toxic metals: Ag, Ti, V, Pb and Ba were observed to be present in 11, 14, 15, 17 and 23 breast milk samples respectively. Two essential (P and S) and two toxic (Cd and Hg (except sample 19)) elements were observed to be present in all the breast milk samples. Rare Earth Elements (except Sr, U and Rb) were below the detection limit of the instrument. Though three breast milk samples (12, 14 and 17) were observed safe, they contained two toxic (Cd and Hg) and a rare earth trace (Rb) element. ConclusionIt could be concluded that despite the inherent benefits of human breast milk with essential elements to the infants, it can still be a source of toxic and trace earth metals contamination.

Health Risk Assessment of Some Heavy Metals Contamination in Vegetables Sold at Bichi Local Government Area, Kano State – Nigeria

Vegetables are the source of essential nutrients for health maintenance and treatment of various diseases. However, they are a major source of heavy metals contamination. This study evaluates the levels of heavy metals in selected vegetables sold in Bichi and their potential health risks. The collected samples were ashed using concentrated HNO3 and analyzed using AAS. The concentrations of the heavy metals detected were in the range of 0.18 to 0.04; 1.64 to 0.63; 0.01; 3.44 to 0.67, and 0.17 to 0.06 mg/kg, for Cu, Fe, Cd, Pb, and Zn respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals were below WHO/FAO recommended levels except Pb, which is above the tolerable limit. The highest concentration of Pb (3.44 mg/kg) where detected in pepper, and the least in carrots (0.67 mg/kg). The Estimated Daily Intake values of individual heavy metals from the consumption of vegetables were 1.08 × 10−3, 1.66 × 10−2, 1.42 × 10−, 3.52 × 10−2, and 1.36×10−3mg/kg body weight/day for Cu, Fe, Cd, Pb, and Zn respectively which were less than the Maximum tolerable daily intake. The Hazard Index of all vegetables is 6.83 × 10−2 which is less than 1, indicating that, the consumption of these vegetables may result in non- carcinogenic health risks. The Target Cancer Risks value of Pb was 2.99 × 10−7, which is less than the standard risk limit (10−6). This shows that, despite the high concentration of Pb in the samples, the calculated parameters have clearly indicated that, there are no carcinogenic health risks to consumers.

An integrated overview of metals contamination, source-specific risks investigation in coal mining vicinity soils.

Heavy metals in soil are harmful to natural biodiversity and human health, and it is difficult to estimate the effects accurately. To reduce pollution and manage risk in coal-mining regions, it is essential to evaluate risks for heavy metals in soil. The present study reviews the levels of 21 metals (Nb, Zr, Ag, Ni, Na, K, Mg, Rb, Zn, Ca, Sr, As, Cr, Fe, Pb, Cd, Co, Hg, Cu, Mn and Ti) in soils around Barapukuria coal-mining vicinity, Bangladesh which were reported in literature. An integrated approach for risk assessments with the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, source-oriented ecological and health hazards were applied for the study. The contents of Rb, Ca, Zn, Pb, As, Ti, Mn, Co, Ag, Zr, and Nb were 1.63, 1.10, 1.97, 14.12, 1.20, 3.13, 1.22, 3.05, 3.85, 5.48, and 7.21 times greater than shale value. About 37%, 67%, 12%, and 85% of sampling sites posed higher risks according to the modified contamination factor, Nemerow pollution index, Nemerow integrated risk index, and mean effect range median quotient, respectively. Five probable metal sources were computed, including industrial activities to coal mining (17%), agricultural activities (33%), atmospheric deposition (19%), traffic emission (16%), and natural sources (15%). Modified Nemerow integrated risk index reported that agricultural activities, industrial coal mining activities, and atmospheric deposition showed moderate risk. Health hazards revealed that cancer risk values computed by the PMF-HHR model with identified sources were higher than the standard value (1.0E-04) for children, adult male, and female. Agricultural activities showed higher cancer risks to adult male (39%) and children (32%) whereas traffic emission contributed to female (25%). These findings highlight the ecological and health issues connected to potential sources of metal contamination and provide useful information to policymakers on how to reduce such risks.

Assessment of the state of the ecosystem of the Lipetsk region

The characteristics of the state of the ecosystem of the Lipetsk Region are presented on the basis of official statistical reporting by the Office of Rospotrebnadzor for the Lipetsk Region, the Lipetsk Center for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring - a branch of the Central Chernozem UGMS, the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Lipetsk Region. Environmental problems of the Lipetsk region are associated with pollution of atmospheric air,drinking water, soil, and food products by toxic substances. Sources of environmental pollution are ferrous metallurgy, chemical industry, motor vehicles, agricultural production, including livestock. Anthropogenic anomalies of the habitat are becoming one of the main causes of veterinary problems in modern animal husbandry. The purpose of the study: to assess the state of the ecosystem of the territory of the Lipetsk region, including monitoring of surface watercourses in the area of the city of Lipetsk: the rivers Matyra, Voronezh, Lipovka and the Matyr reservoir. For the analysis of water sources for heavy metal contamination with an atomic absorption spectrometer with electrothermal authorization "MGA-1000". Sampling of natural water was carried out according to GOST 17.1.5.05-85. The volume of the sample taken was 250 ml, the filtrate was preserved with nitric acid. Statistical processing of analytical data was carried out by conventional methods.Up to 90% of emissions of harmful substances from stationary and mobile sources of pollution are accumulated by soil, from where toxins migrate into water and plants. The content of zinc slightly exceeded the maximum permissible level in 35% of the selected samples, %, manganese - in 32% and aluminum - in 34% of the selected samples. So the highest content of iron and lead was recorded in the river. Voronezh and in the region of Lipetsk, exceeding the MPC by 1.5 times. To a lesser extent, increases in MPC r. Matyr and Matyr-sky reservoir.

Spatial and temporal variability of dissolved metal(loid)s in water of the karst ecosystem: consequences of long-term exposure to wastewaters

The metal(loid) variability in the sensitive karst ecosystem was addressed as possible indicator of short- and long-term exposure to the wastewaters, recognized as the main metal contamination sources. Industrial and municipal wastewaters are released without proper purification only 2 km upstream from the Krka National Park (KNP) in Croatia. The variability of dissolved metal(loid)s was studied in four seasons and eight locations: Krka River source (reference site, KRS), municipal wastewaters from the Town of Knin (KRK), industrial wastewaters from the screw factory (IWW), Brljan Lake in the KNP (KBL), and the tributaries Krčić (TKR), Kosovčica (TKO), Orašnica (TOR) and Butišnica (TBU). Water taken directly from IWW had several times higher concentrations of all elements than other locations and indicated industrial wastewater as the primary Mn, Zn, Co, Cs, and Fe source. Tributary Orašnica, flowing by IWW, was the most affected site, although higher metal concentrations were also found at other locations compared to KRS. Overall, spatial metal contamination followed the order: TOR>KRK>TKO>TBU>KBL>KRS. Seasonality was not pronounced, although the highest levels for most metals were observed in summer, dry season when the self-purification processes are reduced. Almost all elements had low tendency to bind with particles, therefore showing high presence in dissolved fraction and confirming their bioavailability and potential toxicity. Although metal concentrations increased over time, they were still low compared to metal-contaminated rivers. However, observed metal exposure and inter-site differences present a warning and indicate the need for the targeted continuous monitoring of potential hotspots to protect this karst ecosystem.

Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) Related to Potential Ecological Risk Indexes (RI) of Heavy Metals Accumulation in Urban Area

Heavy metal contamination in protected areas can cause sensitive ecosystems to be at risk. Bioindicators for monitoring heavy metal contamination need to be investigated. The objectives of this study were to determine heavy metal residues in soil in an urban area, and also lichens diversity. Twenty-two sampling plots of 1 km x 1 km size were selected in Nong Saeng sub-district, Pak Phli district in Nakhonayok province, Thailand. Lichens diversity was investigated, and soil samples were collected to analyze the amount of heavy metal residues in the soil. Afterwards, the potential ecological risk indexes (RI) and index of atmospheric purity (IAP) were presented. The results indicated that trace element concentrations in forest (For), urban (Urb) and agriculture (Agr) soils were not significantly different, and that land use type did not affect heavy metal contamination. However, two areas with high RI values of 358.27 and 483.76 were designated as being at considerable ecological risk. These values related to the lowest air quality index in distribution mapping of IAP. The relationship between index of atmospheric purity and potential ecological risk indexes (RI) of heavy metal accumulation in urban area implied that long-range transboundary air pollution may be a source of heavy metals contamination in some areas. The highest RI value related to Hg concentration in low land implied that it was possible that concentrations of heavy metals could have been affected by the discharge of wastewater into the low land, and especially in the study area that had acidic soil.

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish collected from the Eastern Coast of Saudi Arabia and Human Health Implications

Saudi Arabia’s coast of the Arabian Gulf is seeing rapid industrial growth, which may be a source of heavy metal contamination for marine life. The present study is important for the environment’s water quality and the health of the biota as well as from the standpoint of human health safety. The amount of heavy metals (As, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Cd) in water samples and fish samples taken from the area around the Ras Al Khair desalination plant have been evaluated in the current study. The close fluctuations along the studied locations can be seen in the levels of Cd (0.04-0.08 μg/l), Pb (0.25–0.29 μg/l), As (4.42–4.88 μg/l l), Cu (3.47–3.74 μg/l), and Cr (9.62–9.91 μg/l). The three primary metals that accumulated in the examined fish samples were As, Cu, and Cr. Aethaloperca rogaa had the lowest level of As (0.17 μg/g) while Cephalopholis hemistiktos had the highest level (1.02 μg/g). The current analysis demonstrates that the THQ value of As is greater than one in Cephalopholis hemistiktos and lower than one in all other instances, placing it on the safe side. In most instances, the health risk assessment demonstrates that the conditions are safe. However, there are concerning circumstances in the As and Cr cases.

Phytoremediation Prospects for Restoration of Contamination in the Natural Ecosystems

Toxic substances have a deleterious effect on biological systems if accrued in ecosystems beyond their acceptable limit. A natural ecosystem can become contaminated due to the excessive release of toxic substances by various anthropogenic and natural activities, which necessitates rehabilitation of the environmental contamination. Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and cost-efficient method of biotechnological mitigation for the remediation of polluted ecosystems and revegetation of contaminated sites. The information provided in this review was collected by utilizing various sources of research information, such as ResearchGate, Google Scholar, the Scopus database and other relevant resources. In this review paper, we discuss (i) various organic and inorganic contaminants; (ii) sources of contamination and their adverse effects on terrestrial and aquatic life; (iii) approaches to the phytoremediation process, including phytoextraction, rhizoremediation, phytostabilization, phytovolatilization, rhizofiltration, phytodegradation, phytodesalination and phytohydraulics, and their underlying mechanisms; (iv) the functions of various microbes and plant enzymes in the biodegradation process and their potential applications; and (v) advantages and limitations of the phytoremediation technique. The reported research aimed to adequately appraise the efficacy of the phytoremediation treatment and facilitate a thorough understanding of specific contaminants and their underlying biodegradation pathways. Detailed procedures and information regarding characteristics of ideal plants, sources of heavy metal contamination, rhizodegradation techniques, suitable species and removal of these contaminants are put forward for further application. Scientists, planners and policymakers should focus on evaluating possible risk-free alternative techniques to restore polluted soil, air and water bodies by involving local inhabitants and concerned stakeholders.

A heavy burden: Metal exposure across the land-ocean continuum in an adaptable carnivore

Urbanisation and associated anthropogenic activities release large quantities of toxic metals and metalloids into the environment, where they may bioaccumulate and threaten both wildlife and human health. In highly transformed landscapes, terrestrial carnivores may be at increased risk of exposure through biomagnification. We quantified metallic element and metalloid exposure in blood of caracals (Caracal caracal), an adaptable felid inhabiting the rapidly urbanising, coastal metropole of Cape Town, South Africa. Using redundancy analysis and mixed-effect models, we explored the influence of demography, landscape use, and diet on the concentration of 11 metals and metalloids. Although species-specific toxic thresholds are lacking, arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) were present at potentially sublethal levels in several individuals. Increased use of human-transformed landscapes, particularly urban areas, roads, and vineyards, was significantly associated with increased exposure to aluminium (Al), cobalt (Co) and lead (Pb). Foraging closer to the coast and within aquatic food webs was associated with increased levels of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and arsenic, where regular predation on seabirds and waterbirds likely facilitates transfer of metals from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. Further, several elements were linked to lower haemoglobin levels (chromium, mercury, manganese, and zinc) and elevated levels of infection-fighting cells (mercury and selenium). Our results highlight the importance of anthropogenic activities as major environmental sources of metal contamination in terrestrial wildlife, including exposure across the land-ocean continuum. These findings contribute towards the growing evidence suggesting cities are particularly toxic areas for wildlife. Co-exposure to a suite of metal pollutants may threaten the long-term health and persistence of Cape Town's caracal population in unexpected ways, particularly when interacting with additional known pollutant and pathogen exposure. The caracal is a valuable sentinel for assessing metal exposure and can be used in pollution monitoring programmes to mitigate exposure and promote biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes.

Assessment of Heavy Metal(oid)s Accumulation in Eggplant and Soil under Different Irrigation Systems

Heavy metal(oid)s (HMs) contamination in soil directly related to food contamination and human health. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of HMs accumulation in eggplant irrigated through different water sources. Water samples were collected from three distinct sources, namely urban and rural sewage, urban and rural canal water, and urban and rural tube well water. A total of 20, 9, and 6 samples were obtained from each respective source. Soil samples were collected, with three replications each, from two layers i.e., 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depth. Results depicted that, in irrigation water samples, turbidity was in this order: sewage water &gt; canal water &gt; tube well samples, while average total dissolved solids TDS) was in this order: canal water &gt; sewage water &gt; and tube well water. The overall HMs concentrations in all three sources of irrigation water samples were above the permissible limits of Punjab Environmental Quality Standards PEQs). The level of HMs in vegetables varies by the ability of plants to selectively translocate from the contaminated soil to the plant’s fruit (eggplant). Overall, the translocation factor of HMs in plant samples was in this order: Cadmium (Cd) &gt; Zinc (Zn) &gt; Nickel (Ni) &gt; Iron (Fe) &gt; Lead (Pb). On the basis of this study, it is concluded that irrigation source, especially sewage, is a major source of heavy metal contamination in eggplant. The study highlights the need for further research on gaps in the implementation of policies for irrigation water quality.