Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple for half the world’s population and a major component of the Nigerian diet. As domestic production lags behind rising demand, Nigeria increasingly relies on rice imports, raising food safety concerns. This study aims to determine and compare concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Cd in 36 rice samples (20 imported, 16 locally grown; short- and long-grain) collected from markets across five southeastern Nigerian states. Additionally, health risks from rice consumption were assessed. Samples were processed and analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The objectives were to quantify trace metal levels in local and imported rice, evaluate differences by grain size and location, assess potential health risks, and compare results with FAO/WHO limits and literature. Results showed a decreasing concentration trend: Zn > Cd > Cu > Pb > Cr. Mean concentrations (±SD) were 1.24±1.15 mg/kg (Zn), 0.58±1.55 mg/kg (Cd), 0.24±0.17 mg/kg (Cu), 0.18±0.23 mg/kg (Pb), and 0.12±0.27 mg/kg (Cr). All metals except Cd were below FAO/WHO maximum limits, but some samples exceeded the 0.2 mg/kg Cd threshold. Locally produced rice contained significantly higher Zn (3.6×), Pb (2.0×), and Cd (18×) than imported rice. Short-grain rice had higher Zn, Pb, and Cd than long-grain. Notably, rice from Ebonyi State (a known Pb-Zn mining region) showed extreme Cd (1.89±3.27 mg/kg), suggesting geogenic contamination. Health risk assessments indicated estimated daily intakes and hazard quotients below harmful levels for adults and children. Our findings provide important baseline data and highlight the need for continued monitoring of trace metals in rice for food safety in Nigeria. The findings suggest that rice consumed in southeastern Nigeria is generally safe, though residents of Ebonyi State who frequently consume locally produced rice may be at risk of increased cadmium accumulation. Regular monitoring of food products for metal contamination remains essential for public health protection. This study thus contributes critical baseline data to guide food safety policy and monitoring efforts in Nigeria.

Household greywater from laundry, kitchen, and bathing activities poses growing environmental and public health challenges in peri-urban areas with limited sanitation infrastructure. This study quantified and characterized greywater from 10 households in Kotei, a peri-urban community in Kumasi, Ghana, over a 10-week period in 2023. Daily greywater volumes were measured using a bucket-based method using a cross-sectional design, and physicochemical, bacterial, and chemical parameters were analyzed for laundry, kitchen, and bathroom sources. The mean daily greywater generation was 110 ± 64.2 liters per household, with bathing accounting for 58%, laundry for 23%, and the kitchen for 19%. Laundry greywater exhibited the highest organic and ionic loads (BOD₅: 5431 ± 3440 mg/L; COD: 12469 ± 7325 mg/L; EC: 3825 ± 2635 µS/cm), while kitchen greywater showed the highest bacterial contamination (total coliforms: 136 ± 66 cfu/mL; E. coli: 34 ± 24.70 cfu/mL). Phosphate levels exceeded Ghana EPA standards across all sources, and trace metals (Pb, Fe) and triclosan were detected, indicating potential ecological risks. MANOVA confirmed significant differences in greywater characteristics among sources (p < 0.001). This study advances understanding by integrating source-specific quality data from low-income households within a peri-urban context. The findings reinforce the need for cost-effective, decentralized treatment options such as household-scale biochar filters, gravel–sand filtration systems, or constructed wetlands, that can be adapted to varying socioeconomic conditions.

Background/Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading cause of death in the ageing male population across the globe, and trace metals have garnered much attention due to their sometimes-dual role in cellular mechanisms, as such contribute to the development and progression of prostate cancer. Methods: This review consolidates the results of case-control studies that investigated the concentrations of certain trace metals—Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in various biological samples. Results: There are decreased concentrations of Se and Zn and increased Cd concentrations in samples of PCa patients when compared to healthy controls. As, Hg, Ni, and Pb concentrations have proven to be insignificant. Conclusions: There are other variables to consider and limitations that need to be investigated in studies of this nature; however, the results have been consistent in that increased exposure to toxic metals such as Cd, along with a deficiency in protective essential nutrients like Zn and Se, tends to produce a prostatic environment.

This study evaluates water quality and human health risks at the Betwa-Yamuna confluence in Hamirpur District, India, using monthly data collected from June 2023 to May 2024. Physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, TDS, temperature) and trace metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Zn) were assessed against WHO and USEPA standards. Arsenic ranged from 0.001-0.011mg/L and exceeded the WHO limit (0.01mg/L) in several samples, while Pb (0.0004-0.012mg/L) occasionally exceeded its guideline. EC exceeded 1200 µS/cm and TDS surpassed 500mg/L during pre-monsoon months, indicating strong solute enrichment under low-flow conditions. Non-carcinogenic risk assessment showed median HQ values for arsenic of 0.98 for children and 0.42 for adults, with 95th percentiles reaching 2.28 and 0.97, respectively. Children's HI values exceeded 1.0 in all seasons and surpassed 2.0 during pre-monsoon. Carcinogenic risk for arsenic exceeded the USEPA threshold (1 × 10⁻4) in 38% of adult and 9% of child Monte Carlo simulations. Probabilistic analysis (10,000 iterations) indicated HI > 1 in 67% of child runs and 23% of adult runs. The results demonstrate substantial health risks, particularly for children, and highlight the urgent need for arsenic and lead source control, seasonal water quality monitoring, and community-level drinking water treatment, with priority given to child-focused risk protection.

Elevated fecal silver, lithium, and platinum in cognitive impairment: A pilot exploration of microbiota-metal interactions.

Trace metals and metal homeostasis play an essential role in cell metabolism, and an imbalance in this careful balance leads to pathological changes. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, trace metals and metal species are increasingly recognized as key factors in disease progression in mechanisms such as ferroptosis. In this study, we combined modern analytical techniques like Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) with metal-free high-pressure liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) to analyze metabolomic and metallomic changes in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans under conditions of induced metal homeostasis imbalance. Our results identified zinc as a key player in the regulation of free metal species of iron and manganese. Furthermore, iron exposure resulted in distinct metabolomic patterns indicative of impaired energy metabolism, suggesting an exhaustion of cellular metabolic energy capacity.

Combined effects of temperature and metals on immunity of juveniles of European oyster Ostrea edulis.

Integrated hydrochemical and radiological assessment of groundwater in the Seridó crystalline basement (Brazil): Evidence of geogenic influences on 226,228Ra and trace elements.

Developmental Toxicity of Metals: Three Decades of Insights into Mechanisms, Epigenetics, and Transgenerational Inheritance.

Sediment properties dominate the spatial distribution of DGT-labile trace metals in China's coastal sediments at a continental scale.

Optical properties of dissolved organic matter play pivotal roles in mediating trace metal forms in a mangrove-dominated tidal estuary.

Spatial and species-specific variation in trace metal contamination in beach bivalves unveils complex environmental and food safety risks.

Bioaccumulation of trace metals and health risk assessment in Commerson's dolphins, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, from the Southwestern Atlantic.

Sensitive elemental analysis of edible oil samples using a hydrophilic eutectic mixture as green solvent in electrochemically controlled liquid-liquid microextraction.

Chemical contamination of black soldier fly larvae raised on EU-authorized or unauthorized substrate.

Metallic trace elements in wild and farmed fish from the Aveiro Region (Portugal).

Radon (222Rn) as a geochemical tracer for submarine groundwater discharge (SGD): Measuring techniques, source to sink mass balance model and practical constraints.

Predicting sediment contamination in Tunisia's coastal lagoons using an OP-LSTM deep learning model: A case study from the Bizerte basin, southwest Mediterranean region.

Co-based magnetic eutectic mixture for the extraction of trace metals in essential oils used in cosmetic industry prior to analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

Comprehensive source health risks of PM2.5-bound trace metals in urban and rural areas of the North China Plain