Trace Amounts Of Heavy Metals Research Articles

Using Small Molecules for Targeting Heavy Metals in Neurotoxicity and Neuroinflammation.

Pharmaceutical drugs, natural toxins, industrial chemicals, and various environmental toxins negatively impact the nervous system. A significant cause of many neurodegenerative diseases is neurotoxicity. Although trace amounts of heavy metals are required for the proper functioning of several metabolic pathways, their dysregulation can cause many cellular and molecular alterations, which can enhance the risks associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. For example, high levels of heavy metals like manganese (Mn) affect the central nervous system with implications in both higher-order cognitive and motor functions. In addition, the buildup of amyloid aggregates and metal ions in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease is associated with disease pathogenesis. Small molecules capable of targeting neuroinflammation and neuroprotection pathways would be valuable to elucidate the pathological pathways associated with metal toxicity in neurogenerative disease. This chapter will summarize the necessary steps involved in (1) culturing of cell lines and maintenance of animal models, (2) design and preparation of samples of small molecules and treatment methodologies, (3) RNA and protein isolation and preparation of tissue and cell culture samples for quantitative studies, and (4) quantitative estimation of cellular products.

Life Cycle Assessment of Rice Production in Muda Granary Area, Kedah Malaysia

Rice is a crucial part of everyday Malaysian diet. The demand for rice in year 2030 is projected to be around 533 million ton of milled rice and known to be a high-water consuming crop. It is mainly cultivated in Kedah of Malaysia under irrigated conditions. It is responsible for the environmental degradation due to inefficient use of factors of production, low yield as well as being grown under ponded conditions. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the environmental impacts of rice production in Muda Granary Area in Kedah using life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Data was collected from Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) and one of rice milling’s factory in order to identify the environmental impacts with different phase of production. It was observed that different production practices and different levels of input consumption contributed to the different environmental impacts. The LCA considered the entire system required to produce 1 kg of rice. All impact assessment categories were considered and the sensitivity analysis was performed to test the cut-off criteria set for the chemical input by increasing the solvent input to 15% and including trace amounts of heavy metals. Results from ReCiPe impact assessment methods concur that the top impact categories are rice plantation compared to rice milling and land preparation phase. These include climate change, eutrophication, ecotoxicology, and water depletion. As a result, it is concluded that the fertilizers used were excessive and should be examined further. The study concludes that the greatest impacts of rice production in a Muda Granary area in Kedah are from rice planting phase. It is learnt that the quantity of fertilizers used were excessive and must be looked into. The results of the study will likely provide a good basis for future LCA research on paddy cultivation, especially in terms of nutrient management.

Insight into the reaction characteristics of H2-reduction decomposition of gypsum: Experimental and isothermal kinetic analysis

In addition to its primary component, calcium sulfate, industrial by-product gypsum also contains trace amounts of heavy metals and soluble salts. When accumulated or landfilled over an extended period, this can lead to soil and groundwater pollution. Utilizing the H2 reduction decomposition of industrial by-product gypsum not only addresses the challenge of managing this waste but also offers a low CO2 emission method for producing quicklime. This study investigates the influence of reaction temperature, H2 concentration, and the PCO2/PH2 partial pressure ratio on the reductive decomposition of CaSO4 through experimental analysis. Subsequently, it delves into the kinetic characteristics of CaO production from the reductive decomposition of CaSO4 by H2, employing isothermal kinetic approaches. Finally, the feasibility of employing industrial by-product gypsum reduction and decomposition technology for quicklime preparation is explored. The results reveal that CaSO4 can be entirely decomposed into CaO when the temperature exceeds 1000 °C, H2 concentration is ≥ 2%, and the PCO2/PH2 ≥ 8. The interaction of CaS with CaSO4 is identified as the primary secondary reaction within the intermediate product CaS. When CaSO4 is decomposed in an atmosphere comprising 2% H2, 20% CO2, and N2, the apparent activation energies for the reaction, as determined by both the model-free and model-fitting methods, are 41.56 kJ/mol and 49.34 kJ/mol, respectively, with a modified reaction order of n = 1.748 and a modified model function of G(α) = [−ln (1-α)]0.572. Furthermore, the overall reaction rate is governed by the nucleation and growth rates of CaO. Lastly, the product quicklime obtained from the reductive decomposition of desulfurization gypsum and phosphogypsum using H2 contains over 90% CaO, complete absence of CaS, and conforms to the first-grade construction quicklime standards.

Status of Local Populations of Isolated Mountain Lakes in the Altai by Histological Parameters and Elemental Composition of the Eye Lens of Peled Fish <i>Coregonus peled</i>

This paper examines the state of the population of a native fish species in three lakes of the Altai Mountains. Analysis of the age and weight composition showed that in the studied water bodies in conditions of oligotrophic mountain lakes the pelad Coregonus peled Gmelin, 1788 population showed different growth dynamics. The age distribution of fish varied in different lakes, so in Lake Kedelu-Kol individuals of four age groups (1+ …4+) were present, and in Lake Kidelu only yearlings were caught. Histological examination of the liver and gills of fish showed the absence of significant abnormalities, both of parasitic and toxicological nature. Calculation of the histopathological index showed that the prevalence and severity of pathological abnormalities were significantly lower (p 0.05) in Lake Kidelu. The analysis of the elemental composition of peled lens confirmed the absence of a significant level of pollution in the studied water bodies and the high quality of the aquatic environment. The presence in some samples of trace amounts of heavy metals may be associated with the geomorphological features of the region involved in the formation of the hydrochemical composition of the water of the studied lakes. The data obtained in the study indicate that the peled populations in the isolated mountain lakes of the

Heavy Metal Content in Substrates in Agricultural Biogas Plants

Abstract The content of heavy metals in soil should be continuously monitored, especially in organic crops. Exceeding the permissible concentrations of these elements may lead not only to inhibition of plant growth but also to ingestion into the organisms of animals that feed on these plants. Heavy metals usually enter the soil via precipitation or manure. There is a noticeable increase in interest in digestate for fields fertilization. Therefore, the authors decided to test the heavy metal content in substrates (slurry and solid input) and digestate. The 15x3 samples tested showed that only trace amounts of heavy metals were present. The study shows that the content of these elements in the digestate is not the sum of the elements supplied to the digester with the substrates. In most of the samples tested, lead concentrations did not exceed 5 mg‧kg−1. The lowest amounts of cadmium (an average of 0.28 mg‧kg−1) were observed in the slurry, and the highest (an average of 0.34 mg‧kg−1) in the solid substrate fed to the digester. Slurry had the lowest mercury and cadmium contents (average 0.012 mg‧kg−1and 5.8 mg‧kg−1). The highest concentration of chromium was registered in the digestate (average 3 mg‧kg−1) and this was on average 0.3 mg‧kg−1 higher than the feedstock and 0.5 mg‧kg−1 than the slurry

Effects of dietary inclusion of Seaweed in regular commercial fish feed on proximate composition, minerals and fatty acid profiling of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Feed formulation is important to improve the quality of feed by adding nutritive ingredients. The use of seaweed in fish feed is not usual in our country though these are cultivated in Cox`s Bazar and Saint Martin`s Island for human consumption. This study investigated the effects of seaweed (Hypnea sp.) as supplementation on the meat quality of Nile tilapia. The current study was continued for 3 months using 30 days old more or less similar-sized 30 tilapia fingerlings/aquarium (total of 10 aquariums). Commercial feed was selected based on its easy availability and is frequently used by farmers in rural areas. Collected seaweed was mixed with the formulated feed at four percentages. Finally, five different treatments were applied to the fishes where – T1 (5% seaweed), T2 (10% seaweed), T3 (15% seaweed), T4 (20% seaweed), and T5 (Commercial feed as control) with twoa sets of replications for each. After 3 months of rearing, fish were harvested for proximate composition, minerals, and lipid extraction as well as for the determination of the quantity of different fatty acids in the sample with a trace amount of heavy metals. Heavy metals were detected in tilapia meat at a trace level which is not harmful for human consumption. The findings have a clear indication that a 10% seaweed mixed diet can be considered the optimum amount as supplementary feed for Nile tilapia to improve their nutrient composition.

Evaluation of Predrying Steps, Cadmium, and Pesticide Residues on Dried Powders from Romaine Lettuce Outer and Heart Leaves

Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia) outer leaves are discarded in fields during harvest and present a prime upcycling opportunity. Although Romaine lettuce is abundant in healthy nutrients, it may contain trace amounts of heavy metals, mainly cadmium (Cd), and pesticides that could lead to acute poisoning. Physical attributes, total soluble phenolics, antioxidant capacity, Cd, and pesticides in powders with different predrying treatments for hearts and outer leaves of two varieties of Romaine lettuce from farms with different Cd content in soils were quantified. Lettuce powders from the Valencia variety had a higher greenish color and true density than the Duquesne variety. Heart leaves from Valencia variety presented higher total soluble phenolics. However, outer leaves from Valencia and Duquesne varieties presented similar levels of total soluble phenolics. Valencia outer and heart leaves presented higher antioxidant capacity. Infrared dry blanching resulted in lower color parameters, total soluble phenolics, and antioxidant capacity, evidencing thermal degradation during this predrying step. Cd concentrations were 10 times higher in the soil where Duquesne Romaine lettuce variety was grown. Accordingly, Duquesne had significantly higher levels of Cd in outer or heart leaves. Outer leaves had higher levels of Cd compared to heart leaves. No differences in pesticides were found in lettuce from both harvesting fields. It is possible to obtain edible powders from Romaine lettuce outer leaves from low-Cd soils and controlled pesticide management, and it may be an alternative way to reduce nitrogen leaching in agricultural soils.

The role of the drying method on fish oil entrapment in a fish muscle protein ̶ κ-carrageenan ̶ fish protein hydrolysate wall matrix and the properties of colloidal dispersions

In an attempt to produce a dry functional ingredient from marine origin, salt-soluble fish muscle protein (MP), κ-carrageenan (C) and a fish protein hydrolysate (H) were used as wall material for fish oil (FO) microencapsulation, which was performed comparing two drying methods (spray-drying and heat-drying). Dry powders were initially obtained from MP and C separately and from the mixture of both (CMP), without and with addition of fish hydrolysate (MP-H, C–H, CMP-H). Finally, fish oil was entrapped in the most complex formulation (CMP-HFO). Composite powders with relatively low water solubility (≈50%) were obtained with both drying methods. The drying method strongly influenced the drying yield, as well as the rheological flow properties of the rehydrated dispersions. The mixture of fish muscle protein and/or fish hydrolysate with κ-carrageenan led to the formation of protein-polysaccharide interactions, deduced from the ζ potential, rheological properties, and submicron particle size analyses, which varied depending on the wall composition and drying method. Fish oil strongly interfered with such interactions, leading to highly heterogeneous microparticles and particle aggregates, which were much smaller when spray-dried than when heat-dried (D 4,3 = 8.13 ± 7.41 and 263.9 ± 15.08 μm, respectively). Fish oil remained highly entrapped by both methods (≥84%) and led to stable colloidal dispersions, the heat-dried sample presenting lower water resistance, noticeable higher viscosity and lower extent of lipid oxidation. Traces of residual heavy metals in the dry powders could be a limiting factor when using these marine-origin preparations as functional ingredients, depending on the quantities employed. • Stronger protein-carrageenan interactions in heat-dried samples. • Fish oil strongly interfered protein-carrageenan interactions in both dry powders. • Heat-dried CMP-HFO had lower water resistance and higher viscosity after dispersion. • Spray-drying induced higher lipid oxidation compared with heat-drying. • Trace amounts of heavy metals in both dry powders.

Environmental factors of utilizing steel slag as building materials and backfill materials

This study aims to present about national and international regulations, standards reletated to environment parameters when using steel slag as building materials and backfill materials. As a part of this research, environmetal tests were undertaken to determine the hazardous components, natural radioactivity and potential of leaching heavy metals of steel slag samples. The laboratory test results shown that steel slag is classified as a non-hazardous industrial waste. In terms of natural radioactivity, steel slags were found to pose no environmetal risks for use as building materials and backfill material. Although trace amount of heavy metals was found in steel slag components, leachable heavy metals analysis implied the low possibility of leaching issue for steel slag applications. To give out a comprehensive conclusion on the environment impact of the use of steel slag, further environmental tests under actual conditions need to be performed. However, this initial laboratory test results demonstrated that steel slags have a great potential for use as building materials and backfill material without environmetal risks surrounding the area of use.

Investigating the ultrastructural and viscoelastic characteristics of whole blood after exposure to the heavy metals cadmium, lead and chromium, alone and in combination

ABSTRACT In recent years, heavy metal exposure has become a serious health concern as more humans are being exposed to heavy metals on a daily basis. Most of the environmental contamination and human exposure result from anthropogenic activities such as mining and smelting. The industrial and agricultural sectors also play a big role. Cigarette smoke in particular contains trace amounts of heavy metals that put chronic smokers at serious risk. Previous studies have determined that there is a strong correlation between heavy metal exposure and adverse effects on the coagulation system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cadmium, lead and chromium alone and in combination on erythrocytes and fibrin networks that form part of the coagulation system as well as the viscoelastic properties of thrombus formation by using thromboelastography®. The choice of metals for this study was based on a previous study that compared the levels of metals between smokers and nonsmokers and found significantly higher levels of cadmium, lead and chromium in the platelet-rich fibrin of smoking individuals. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that the cadmium and chromium combination groups caused the highest degree of echinocyte formation and fibrin network alterations. These findings were supported by the thromboelastography® analysis that indicated a significant decrease in reaction-time and split point values for the chromium-containing group, suggesting a shorter initiation time for clot formation. The findings of this study support the hypothesis that the coagulation pathway is a potential target for heavy metal toxicity.

Energy and resource‐efficient reverse osmosis system with tunable recovery for brackish water desalination and heavy metal removal

AbstractThe resource efficiency of a conventional domestic reverse osmosis system is low because it operates at a low water recovery and energy efficiency. Besides, the quality of permeate cannot be controlled, leading to unusual taste, which may result in adverse health effects. In this article, a new system design and operational method of a domestic reverse osmosis system have been studied analytically and experimentally. The study shows that it is possible to tune the permeate quality, and a high water recovery can be achieved with this design and operational method. In addition, specific energy consumption can be reduced. This system is particularly useful in the case of low salinity feed with a trace amount of heavy metals. A synthetic feed solution of As+5 in pure water was used as a feed to verify the same. It was observed that a high water recovery (>85%) could be achieved while removing As+5 from the water. With global rise in decentralized desalination systems, the proposed system design and operational method can be used not only to tune the product recovery and quality but also to reduce the specific energy consumption as well. Hence, this work is in line with United Nations Sustainable Development goals (SDGs).

Fabrication of AuNPs/MWCNTS/Chitosan Nanocomposite for the Electrochemical Aptasensing of Cadmium in Water.

Cadmium (Cd2+) is one of the most toxic heavy metals causing serious health problems; thus, designing accurate analytical methods for monitoring such pollutants is highly urgent. Herein, we report a label-free electrochemical aptasensor for cadmium detection in water. For this, a nanocomposite combining the advantages of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and chitosan (Cs) was constructed and used as immobilization support for the cadmium aptamer. First, the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with CNTs-CS. Then, AuNPs were deposited on CNTs-CS/GCE using chrono-amperometry. Finally, the immobilization of the amino-modified Cd-aptamer was achieved via glutaraldehyde cross-linking. The different synthesis steps of the AuNPs/CNTs/CS nano assembly were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed for cadmium determination. The proposed biosensor exhibited excellent performances for cadmium detection at a low applied potential (−0.5 V) with a high sensitivity (1.2 KΩ·M−1), a detection limit of 0.02 pM and a wide linear range (10−13–10−4 M). Moreover, the aptasensor showed a good selectivity against the interfering ions: Pb2+; Hg2+ and Zn2+. Our electrochemical biosensor provides a simple and sensitive approach for Cd2+ detection in aqueous solutions, with promising applications in the monitoring of trace amounts of heavy metals in real samples.

A pilot study on the feasibility of testing residential tap water in North Carolina: implications for environmental justice and health

In 2015 alone, community water systems serving about 21 million Americans violated the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (US-EPA) water quality standards. While water at community treatment and distribution centers is regularly monitored and tested, little is known about pollutants in the water systems at the household level. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of (1) testing for the presence and concentration of 14 contaminants and physicochemical parameters in household tap water in a low-income neighborhood and (2) using community engagement for recruitment and citizen science approaches to data collection. We used a multistage approach that included geo-mapping to delineate testing sites, community engagement for recruitment and citizen science approaches to increase the response rate. We used a 14-in-one dipstick test designed to measure trace amounts of heavy metals, non-metallic elements, and physicochemical water properties in drinking water in a sample of 70 homes. In 50%, 25%, and 7% of water samples tested, the concentration of mercury, lead, and chromium, respectively, were higher than US-EPA drinking water standards. Citizen science approaches were effective for increasing response rates and low-income household participation in water quality testing. The overlap between poverty, older homes, and high concentrations of potentially toxic metals in drinking water presents concerns for community health. Our pilot community engagement and citizen science approaches are likely scalable and would be of benefit to both the scientific community and to municipalities with constrained budgets. Future studies may examine the role of the principles of environmental justice in the distribution and prevalence of toxic elements in drinking water.

A Switchable Solvent-Based Liquid Phase Microextraction Method for the Detection of Cadmium in Water Samples with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

The natural concentration of trace elements in water and soil depends on the geological, geomorphological, and climate characteristics of the region. The rapid increase of technology in recent years has increased concentrations of trace elements in nature. Separation and enrichment methods are needed to detect trace amounts of heavy metals that cannot be detected due to the detection limit of the instruments or the matrix effect in samples. Recently, low hazard solvents compatible with green chemistry have been used in preconcentration/separation studies of Cd(II). Switchable solvent-based liquid phase microextraction is an environmentally-friendly, simple, and fast procedure for the determination of Cd(II) ions in environmental samples combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The switchable polarity solvent was prepared with N,N-dimethyl-n-octylamine. 2-(5-Bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-(diethylamino) phenol was used as the complexing agent. Important parameters such as pH, amount of switchable polarity solvent and NaOH, as well as ligand and sample volume, all of which might affect the microextraction efficiency were optimized. Under optimal experimental conditions, linear range was found to be between 5 and 500 µg/L. The limit of detection, preconcentration factor, and relative standard deviation were 0.89 μg/L, 150, and 3.2%, respectively. The accuracy of our method was confirmed by the analysis of certified reference material SPS-WW1 Batch 106 (Waste Waters). The developed procedure was successfully applied to determine the cadmium contents of environmental water samples. We believe that this environmentally-friendly method will be useful in detecting Cd(II) ions in water samples.

A Mineral By-Product from Gasification of Poultry Feathers for Removing Cd from Highly Contaminated Synthetic Wastewater

Ash from poultry feather gasification was investigated as an adsorbent for Cd removal from synthetic wastewater under a range of operational conditions: initial pH (2–8) and salinity (8–38 mS/cm) of wastewater, ash dosage (2.5–50 g/L), Cd concentration (25–800 mg/L) and contact time (5–720 min). The ash was highly alkaline and had low surface area and micropores averaging 1.12 nm in diameter. Chemical/mineralogical analysis revealed a high content of P2O5 (39.9 wt %) and CaO (35.5 wt %), and the presence of calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite and calcium. It contained only trace amounts of heavy metals, BTEX, PAHs and PCBs, making it a safe mineral by-product. Cd adsorption was described best with Langmuir and pseudo-second order models. At pH 5, an ash dosage of 5 g/L, 40 min contact time and 100 mg Cd/L, 99% of Cd was removed from wastewater. The salinity did not affect Cd sorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd was very high (126.6 mg/g). Surface precipitation was the main mechanism of Cd removal, possibly accompanied by ion exchange between Cd and Ca, coprecipitation of Cd with Ca-mineral components and Cd complexation with phosphate surface sites. Poultry ash effectively removes high concentrations of toxic Cd from wastewater.

In-vitro bioaccessibility and bioavailability of heavy metals in mineral clay complex used in natural health products

Commercial mineral clays that claim to have healing properties are also known to contain trace amounts of heavy metals, albeit the risk of consuming many of them is not entirely known. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro bioaccessibility and bioavailability of Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) in mineral clay samples collected from the Sierra Mountains (USA) using the Unified Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe (UBM) method and the Caco-2 permeability assay, respectively. After UMB-gastric (UBM-G) digestion, As and Pb bioaccessibility were lower compared to Cd and decreased further in the UMB-gastrointestinal (UBM-GI) assay. Bioavailability estimates using the Caco-2 cell showed very low to non-detectable permeability for all 3 heavy metals. Thus, while initial heavy metal ranged from 3.8–17 ppm, 0.024–0.061ppm, and 5.8–20 ppm for As, Cd, and Pb, respectively, the bioavailability for these metals was reduced to very low levels that followed: non-detectable values of As, <0.007ppm of Cd, and <0.1ppm of Pb. Using UBM-digestion to mimic bioaccessibility, followed by Caco-2 cell bioavailability enabled us to conclude that in vitro assessment of heavy metal exposure associated with mineral clay-based natural health products does not pose a potential hazard to consumers.

Exploring the Pharmacognostic Features, Anti-oxidant and Lipid Lowering Potential of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. Seed

Background: Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. is a herb consumed as food and has medicinal value. It is a rich source of bioactive nutrients which cure and prevent many ailments. Traditionally, it is used to treat hypertension, diabetes, constipation, cancer etc. Methods and Objective: Present work illustrates morphological, microscopic and physicochemical parameters of Fagopyrum esculentum seeds as per WHO guidelines, in vitro antioxidant activity; assessed by DPPH scavenging method, hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay and β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching method and study of lipid lowering potential of the ethyl acetate and ethanol extract of seeds on normal diet fed Wistar rats. Results: Morphological studies delineated the triangular shape, dark brown colour, 8 mm length and 6 mm width of the seed. The microscopic examination of the transverse section of seed depicted features like testa or pericarp (seed coat), the endosperm, embryo and sclerenchyma cells. Study of physiochemical parameters exhibited 0.3±0.02% of foreign matter and 1.44±0.51% crude fibre content. Total ash, acid insoluble ash and water soluble ash value were 6.7±1.7%, 1.9±0.23% and 3.9± 0.31% respectively. Alcohol soluble and water soluble extractive value came out to be 65.02± 3.21 mg/g and 12.7±1.24 mg/g respectively. Foaming index was less than 100, swelling index was found to be 0.5±0.01 ml/g. Loss on drying was 4.02±1.27%. Phytochemical screening of ethyl acetate and ethanol extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, phytosterols and flavonoids. Trace amount of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Pesticide residue analysis confirmed the presence of nontoxic pesticides like dimethipin, hymexazol, phenothrin-2, methoprene, triadimenol, prohydrojasmon- 1, jasmolin ii, triademinol, jasmolin i, prohydrojasmone i, cyromazine in both the extracts by gc-ms spectrometer. The ethyl acetate and ethanol extract has shown significant in-vitro antioxidant activities demonstrated by the DPPH method (IC50 = 94.37±2.51 and 216.04±4.39 μg/ml respectively), hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay (IC50 = 83.72±3.72 and 193.47±5.05 µg/ml respectively) and β-carotene bleaching method (IC50 = 100.67±4.01 and 205.39±2.89 µg/ml respectively). Lipid lowering study performed on Wistar rats demonstrated a significant (p&lt;0.001) decrease in serum Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG) and increase in High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) level as compared to normal group. Both the extracts have shown a non significant difference in the level of TG as compared to standard drug atorvastatin, depicting that the efficacy of extracts is at par with that of standard drug atorvastatin. Conclusion: Pharmacognostical study of the plant can be a very good tool for identification as well as authentication of a herb. Moreover, these parameters may be helpful in the development of monograph of the plant. Pharmacological activity confirmed Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. seed to be a good antioxidant and have lipid lowering potential.

Frequency and etiology of tubulo-interstitial nephritis in an adult renal biopsies in a tertiary renal care hospital: A single-center study.

Tubulo-interstitial nephritis (TIN) is an important cause of acute renal failure which may progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD). TIN is often under diagnosed with there are no specific signs and symptoms. As this entity has paramount importance, so we evaluated the frequency and etiological of TIN both acute TIN (ATIN) and chronic tububulo-interstitial nephritis (CTIN) in renal biopsies. This is a retrospective observational, descriptive study carried out in the Department of Nephrology at The Kidney Centre Post Graduate Training Institute from 2004 to 2016. A total of 1560 adult renal biopsies were done during this period with 125 biopsies of TIN, of which 70 (56%) cases were ATIN and 55 (44%), were CTIN. Thirty-eight (30%) patients had a history of taking proton-pump inhibitors, use of various antibiotics in 21 (16%) cases, and 11 (8%) patients had a history of taking Hakeemi (traditional healer using herbs and sometimes trace amounts of heavy metals) medications. The incidence of TIN is higher than suspected and can be caused by variety of etiological agents. Therefore, clinical awareness will help in the diagnosis and early identification of the disease.

Silica-coated magnetic graphene oxide nanocomposite based magnetic solid phase extraction of trace amounts of heavy metals in water samples prior to determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The silica-coated magnetic graphene oxide (Fe3O4-GO@SiO2) composites were synthesized by a simple procedure in this work. The nanocomposite was characterized and applied for the rapid magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), silver (Ag) ions at trace level in environmental water samples. Various experimental parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the target metal ions by Fe3O4-GO@SiO2 were investigated and optimized, including sorbent dosage, pH of sample solution, sorption time, volume and eluent concentration, as well as elution time. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection (LODs, 3σ) for the target analytes were obtained in the range of 2.023–13.810 ng L−1. The recoveries of the target metals in four environmental water samples ranged from 83% to 109% and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were lower than 7%. Moreover, in batch adsorption experiments, the adsorption of these seven metal ions was relatively speedy and the equilibrium was established after shaking 35 min which kinetics followed the pseudo second-order model, indicating a chemisorption nature. The adsorption process was simulated by the Langmuir isotherm accurately, and the calculated maximum adsorption (qmax) capacities of Fe3O4-GO@SiO2 were 182.98 mg g−1, 116.35 mg g−1, 226.08 mg g−1, 149.59 mg g−1, 100.81 mg g−1, 168.55 mg g−1 and 141.09 mg g−1 for Cr (III), Co (II), Ni (II), Cu (II), Cd (II), Pb (II) and Ag (I), respectively. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied for simultaneous and sensitive determination of target metals at trace level in environmental water samples.

Evaluation of the Nutrient Composition of Fruits Selected From Different Markets in Lagos, Nigeria Together With Their Heavy Metals Contents

Introduction: Fruits are a form of staple food for humans obtained naturally. They contain various quantities of essential nutrients in the right proportion. Intake of fruits in the diet is usually a very heathy lifestyle as fruits prevents disease and keeps us healthy. Ingestion of trace amount of heavy metals through fruits leads to bioaccumulation producing serious health hazards. The aim of the study is to investigate the amount of heavy metals in fruits obtained from different markets in Lagos, Nigeria. Materials and methods: Five trace metals and five toxic metals were analyzed in different fruit samples obtained from Lagos, Nigeria using the atomic absorption Spectrophotometer. Proximate analysis was carried out to determine the nutrient composition of the fruits. Result: The result showed that 80% of the composition of fruits is made of moisture content. The carbohydrate content in fruits is about 10% while crude fibre makes up about 2%. From the analysis of trace metals carried out, paw paw (7.71 mg/kg) had the highest amount of zinc content followed by pineapple (6.60 mg/kg). Iron is high in pears (3.12 mg/kg) and Banana (2.26 mg/kg) while it is lowest in apple (0.59 mg/kg). Copper and Mn ranged from 0.40 t0 2.20 mg/kg. Analysis of the toxic heavy metals showed that lead ranged from 0.0 mg/kg to 0.12 mg/kg in carrot. This is high. Cd range from 0.0 in orange to 0.14mg/kg in apples. Cr ranged from 0.01mg/kg in healthyto 0.07mg/kg in orange. Nickel is highest in banana (9.21mg/kg) and lowest in water melon (0.37mk/kg). Conclusion: Bioaccumulation of these heavy metals over time can be hazardous to health. It is better for the government to check the sources of these heavy metals and remediate them so as to prevent the exposure of the populace to diseases.