Value At Risk Research Articles

The environmental capacity of rare heavy metal calculation in the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau region via multifractal analysis.

Accurate assessments of the soil environmental capacity are important for evaluating heavy metal pollution levels, facilitating effective prevention and control measures against such pollution. However, due to the lack of risk screening values for certain key elements, such as Rb, Sn, and Th, the assessment of the soil environmental capacity is not comprehensive. Therefore, in this study, the Menyuan-Huangzhong area of Qinghai Province was selected as the research area, and local background and risk values were established via multifractal analysis, thereby systematically examining the environmental capacity. The findings indicated that within the study area, the static environmental capacity values of 15 elements could be ranked as follows: Ba, Cu, Zn, Cr, Rb, Ni, La, Pb, Th, As, U, Sn, Tl, Cd, and Hg. In general, the residual capacity distribution of the various elements varied across the study area, with lower values primarily found in the northern and central regions and higher values obtained in the northwestern and southwestern regions. Between 2018 and 2068, there was a notable and rapid decline in the dynamic environmental capacity of Hg, Cu, and Cd in the study area. In the Menyuan-Huangzhong area of Qinghai, the average comprehensive soil environmental capacity index reached 0.91, indicating a moderate environmental capacity and slight associated health risks. The findings of this study could serve as a valuable reference for soil heavy metal pollution assessment, early warning, and management in this area; enhance the study of soil environmental capacity methods; and provide a theoretical foundation for subsequent research.

Enhancing mental well-being of undergraduates: establishing cut-off values and analyzing substitutive effects of physical activity on depression regulation.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of physical activity (PA), sleep quality, and sedentary behavior on subthreshold depression (StD) among undergraduates. This study included 834 undergraduates and assessed the impact of PA time, sleep quality, and sedentary behavior on depression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine cut-off values for StD risk, while the isochronous substitution analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of different activities on depression regulation. Gender, age, and academic grade had no significant influence on depression levels among undergraduates (p > 0.05). However, students engaging in sedentary behavior for more than 12.1 h per day or with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score above 3.5 were at an increased risk of subclinical depression. Additionally, the isochronous substitution of light-intensity physical activity for other activities (sleep, sedentary behavior, moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity) showed statistically significant effects (p < 0.05) in both 5-min and 10-min substitution models, demonstrating a positive effect on alleviating depression. The findings indicate that specific lifestyle factors, particularly high levels of sedentary behavior and poor sleep quality, are crucial determinants of subclinical depression among undergraduates, independent of demographic variables such as gender, age, and academic grade. Notably, light-intensity PA plays a key role in StD regulation, as substituting it with more intense physical activities or improving sleep quality substantially reduces depression scores. Furthermore, the benefits such substitution became more pronounced with the increase in duration of the activity.

Comparative chemometric modeling of fresh and dry cannabis inflorescences using FT-NIR spectroscopy: Quantification and classification insights.

Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences are rich in cannabinoids and terpenes. Traditional chemical analysis methods for cannabinoids and terpenes, such as liquid and gas chromatography (using UV or MS detectors), are expensive and time-consuming. This study explores the use of Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric approaches for classifying cannabis chemovars and predicting cannabinoid and terpene concentrations for the first time in freshly harvested (wet) cannabis inflorescence. The study also compares the performance of FT-NIR spectroscopy on wet versus dry cannabis inflorescences. Spectral data from 187 samples across seven cannabis chemovars were analyzed using partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and partial least squares-regression (PLS-R) models. The PLS-DA models effectively classified chemovars and major classes using only two latent variables (LVs) with minimal overfitting risk, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values approaching 1. Despite the high water content in wet cannabis inflorescence, the PLS-R models demonstrated good to excellent predictive capabilities for nine cannabinoids and eight terpenes using FT-NIR spectra for the first time, achieving cross-validation and prediction R-squared values greater than 0.7, ratio of performance to interquartile range (RPIQ) exceeding 2, and a RMSECV/RMSEC ratio below 1.24. However, the low-cannabidiolic acid submodel and (-)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol model showed poor predictive performance. Some cannabinoid and terpene prediction models in wet cannabis inflorescence exhibited lower predictive capabilities compared with previously published models for dry cannabis inflorescence. These findings suggest that FT-NIR spectroscopy can be a viable rapid on-site analytical tool for growers during the inflorescence flowering stage.

Analysis of Inundation Flow Characteristics and Risk Assessment in a Subway Model Using Flow Simulations

Subway station platforms are vulnerable to flood damage. Thus, an investigation of inundation in subway platforms is required to ensure the safety of citizens against flooding. This study analyzed and validated the inundation characteristics and safety areas in a subway station model using experimental inundation depth measurements and numerical simulations. Then by using the simulation, the effects of increased inflow to water velocity and depth were analyzed, and its impact on human models was found by using risk assessments which included specific force (M0), Flood Hazard Degree (FD), Flood Intensity Factors (FIF), toppling velocity, and sliding velocity. The flood risk assessment analysis results show that assessments using M0 could increase uncertainty by broadening the evaluation of risky areas compared to other indices. Also, the drag force applied to the human models was calculated using the simulations, which provided inundation risk values to people in subway stations. Overall, the risk assessments would provide a criterion for flood situations in subway stations.

Pollution Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Topsoil of Counties Along the Shandong Section of the Yellow River

The 25 counties along the Shandong section of the Yellow River are the core areas for promoting the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River in Shandong Province. Moreover, it is of great significance to study the current situation, sources, and potential risks of heavy metal pollution in the topsoil in this region. In this study, 103 soil samples were collected from the 25 counties along the Shandong section of the Yellow River, and the contents of eight heavy metals （As, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, Cd, and Hg） were determined. The pollution characteristics of heavy metals were analyzed and evaluated using the geological accumulation index and potential ecological risk index. Correlation analysis and the positive matrix factorization （PMF） model were used to analyze the sources of heavy metals. The results showed that the average contents of Cu and Cr were lower than that of the background values of soils, whereas the average contents of As, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd, and Hg were 1.16, 1.42, 1.05, 1.14, 2.29, and 1.85 times higher than that of the background values, respectively, and the average contents of all eight elements were lower than the screening value of soil pollution risk in agricultural land. In terms of different heavy metal variations, the coefficient of variation （CV） of Cu and Cd was higher than 0.500, indicating high variations, whereas As, Pb, Cr, Zn, Ni, and Hg showed moderate variation. Cd and Hg were slightly polluted, whereas the other six elements were not polluted. Cd and Hg had a moderate potential ecological risk level, whereas the other six elements were at a low level. Correlation analysis and PMF model showed that the sources of heavy metals in the study area were influenced by four factors, i.e., agricultural activities, natural sources, industrial emissions, and atmospheric dust from coal combustion and vehicle exhaust emissions, and the relative contribution rates were 32.4%, 34.9%, 16.5%, and 16.2%, respectively.

Assessing the risk of consuming fish from Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu), India: An evaluative study on bioaccumulated heavy metals in different fish species using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Environmental pollutants which are developing an alarming situation in the contemporary world captured attention in the present research. When it comes to food safety and security concerns it becomes an important field to be studied rigorously as food contributes majorly to human and animal health. The pollution of aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals (HMs) ultimately results in adverse effect on the food chain, which is covered in the current study. Fish is considered to be one of the main components of a balanced diet plate due to its high-quality protein, which sets it apart from other dietary sources. On the other hand, it is also susceptible to the absorption and bioaccumulation of HMs at toxic levels. In our study, we have considered three different species (Nemipterus japonicus, Oreochromis mossambicus, and Lates calcarifer) of fish collected from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu (India). Three organs namely liver, gill, and muscle were taken into consideration for the HM profiling using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Mercury (Hg) and Lead (Pb) were found to be in varied concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1.13, 0.89–1.45, 9.95–30.66, 0.14–1.62, and 24.69–189.5 µg/kg respectively, in the studied organs of fish. Carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risk assessments were also done indicating a notable level of Pb and Cr in selected fish species. The Hazard Index (HI) for Oreochromis mossambicus was >1 for adults and children, indicating future possibility of probable health hazards on daily consumption of these fish. In Oreochromis mossambicus, the cancer risk (CR) values for Cr and As were significantly high, particularly for children, indicating a possible occurrence of acute health risk as it exceeded the threshold of 1 × 10−3 and suggesting a significant concern. Though consumption of fish on daily basis in such significant quantity is practically impossible both for adult and children, rendering these species safe.

Estimating the Toxicity of Radionuclides in Soil Stored in Drums in the Tuwaitha Area for Determining the Harmful Effects on Humans and Environment

Radioactive waste management is a fundamental issue when using nuclear energy. Therefore, it is necessary to study the health and biological effects on human and environment that these radionuclides cause. The aim of the present study is to estimate the radiotoxicity for radioactive waste in stocked soil in Al-Twaitha city. The radiotoxicity was calculated for each radionuclide, present in the waste, using their dose factor due to ingestion, which is given by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) compendium. For the purpose of calculating radiation toxicity, a scenario was built that 20% of the radioactivity during radioactive waste handling processes is in the form of dust that can be inhaled or entered through the mouth or eyes. Drums Characterization System (DCS) provided with portable HPGe hand-held radioisotope identifier was used for the characterization and identification of the radionuclides in the drums and the dose rate was measured by Ludlum radiation detector. The absorbed dose rate ranged from 134.904nGy h-1 to 788400 nGy.h-1, the internal hazard index from 0 to 0.035, representative gamma index from 0 to 0.068, representative alpha index ( from 0 to 0.017, excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) value ranged from 0.66× 10-6 to 3.86×10-3 and the range of AEDE from 0.19 mSv to 1103.76 mSv.

Which organic contaminants should be paid more attention: Based on an improved health risk assessment framework

The increasing chemical pollution of the drinking water is widely concerned. Large number of organic contaminants cannot be removed by conventional water treatment technology due to their low concentration, and long-term exposure may pose significant risks to human health. Which organic contaminants in drinking water should be given more attention has been a topic of great concern in recent years. To identify the organic contaminants that need attention, this research proposes an improved health risk screening method to quantitatively analyze the risks of accumulation, persistence, toxicity, and antibiotic resistance. Compared with conventional method, 26 compounds were added to the improved screening list, including 9 DBPs (e.g., NDMA), 3 antibiotics (e.g., oxytetracycline), PFNA and other compounds. Overall, antibiotics and plasticizers rose in the risk rankings. From the perspective of the proportion of total risk value, a single risk plays a decisive role (more than 99%) in the ranking. This change suggests that antibiotic resistance and the accumulation of organic matter are as important as their toxic risks to humans. 58 compounds were recommended for the priority control organic contaminants list in drinking water. This list provides the necessary information for authoritative regulations to monitor, control, assess, and manage the risks of environmentally relevant compounds in drinking water in China.

Occurrence Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Antibiotics in Reclaimed Water-receiving Rivers in Beijing

Taking Liangshui River, the reclaimed water-receiving river in Beijing, as the research area, the types, detection frequencies, and concentrations of 16 antibiotics in water and sediment were analyzed, and their temporal-spatial variation and occurrence characteristics were discussed. The results showed that nine and 13 target antibiotics were detected in the water and sediment of Liangshui River, with the antibiotic concentration ranges of ND-116.68 ng·L-1 and ND-235.42 ng·g-1, respectively. The main antibiotics in water were ofloxacin and clarithromycin, and the main antibiotic in sediment was ofloxacin. The total concentration of antibiotics in water and sediment showed a gradual decrease from the upstream to the downstream in the Liangshui River mainstream, and the concentration of antibiotics in tributaries was higher than that in the mainstream. The inflow of tributaries had an obvious impact on the antibiotic concentration in water for the Liangshui River but had little impact on its sediment. The total concentration of antibiotics in water and sediment during the dry season was generally higher than that during the wet season. The detected antibiotics with the highest concentration were quinolones in water during the wet season and macrolides in the dry season. Quinolones had the highest concentration in sediment in both seasons. The ecological risk assessment results showed that clarithromycin had a low risk in water in the dry season and sediment in both seasons, whereas the other antibiotics had no risk. The combined ecological risk and the most sensitive trophic level ecological risk assessment showed that all sampling sites had low risk or no risk, and the risk of the dry season was generally greater than that of the wet season. The risk values of some sampling points were close to the medium risk threshold during the dry season, which requires further attention.

The dynamic evolution characteristics of PM2.5 concentrations and health risk assessment during typical forest fires in China

In the context of climate change, increasingly frequent wildfire events are exacerbating the air quality crisis in China and have become a significant source of atmospheric PM2.5. This study selected 12 major forest wildfire events in China from 2018 to 2023. Using atmospheric pollutant and component concentration data, as well as meteorological data, the study employed MK trend analysis, forward trajectory simulation, potential source contribution function (PSCF), and health risk indices to investigate the evolution patterns of PM2.5 concentrations before and after each wildfire event. The study explored the driving role of meteorological factors in this evolution process and quantitatively analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of health risks in surrounding cities post-wildfire. The results indicated that: 1) PM2.5 levels changed significantly before and after each wildfire event, although the proportion of components remained relatively stable. 2) PM2.5 concentrations exhibited varying characteristics within different buffer zones of the wildfire areas. In the forest wildfire events in Foshan, Guangdong Province, and Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, the average PM2.5 concentrations within the 50 km buffer zones reached approximately 90 μg/m3, about 4–5 times the multi-year average for these areas. 3) Wildfire emissions were mainly influenced by meteorological and topographical factors. Wind field dependence diagrams showed that PM2.5 tended to accumulate in all wind directions, particularly at lower wind speeds of 0–5 m/s 4) Potential source analysis revealed that PM2.5 emissions from wildfires posed significant risks to surrounding areas. Multiple events had high-risk areas (WPSCF ≥0.8), and among the cities in these high-risk areas, the health risk value (ΔM) for Ya'an City reached an extremely high 85.1. This study provides a theoretical basis for policymakers to develop locally tailored wildfire management policies, ensuring the protection of the public's right to breathe clean air.

Echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular function and right ventriculoarterial coupling in tricuspid regurgitation.

Echocardiographic evaluation of the cardiopulmonary unit is difficult in case of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and combined echocardiographic parameters could be useful. This study aimed to assess the variation of simple and combined echocardiographic parameters analysing the cardiopulmonary unit according to the severity of TR. TR was graded according to Hahn's classification in 179 patients. Classical morphological, function and load parameters analysing right ventricle were assessed. Combined parameters of function and load; morphology and load; and morphology-load-function index were calculated. We used ROC curve analysis to analyze the diagnostic value of echocardiographic parameters to predict potential high or low surgical risk of mortality according to TRISCORE in 82 patients. Simple parameters were significatively different among groups with a nonlinear progression between the 5 levels of severity of TR. Combined parameters were also significatively different among groups. Among them, myomechanical index (MMI = RV-RA mean pressure gradient x RVFWS/indexed RAED area × 10-2) and morphology-load-function index (MLF = RVED length/area x TR TVI x RVFWS) had a linear progression between the 5 groups and had the best predictive value for TRISCORE high and low risk. Combined parameters are relevant to evaluate cardiopulmonary unit in patients with various degrees of TR, especially when combining morphology, function, and load parameters, and are potentially interesting in their prognostic assessment, as shown by the good predictive value for TRISCORE risk.

A navigational risk evaluation of ferry transport: Continuous risk management matrix based on fuzzy Best-Worst Method.

Ferry transport has witnessed numerous fatal accidents due to unsafe navigation; thus, it is of paramount importance to mitigate risks and enhance safety measures in ferry navigation. This paper aims to evaluate the navigational risk of ferry transport by a continuous risk management matrix (CRMM) based on the fuzzy Best-Worst Method (BMW). Its originalities include developing CRMM to figure out the risk level of risk factors (RFs) for ferry transport and adopting fuzzy BWM to estimate the probability and severity weights vector of RFs. Empirical results show that twenty RFs for ferry navigation are divided into four zones corresponding to their risk values, including extreme-risk, high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk areas. Particularly, results identify three extreme-risk RFs: inadequate evacuation and emergency response features, marine traffic congestion, and insufficient training on navigational regulations. The proposed research model can provide a methodological reference to the pertinent studies regarding risk management and multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA).

Comparison of Drug-Free Remission after the End of Phase III Trials of Three Different Anti-IL-23 Inhibitors in Psoriasis.

Knowing the remission duration after biologics discontinuation in patients with psoriasis is important, especially when disease relapse is defined as the restart of systemic agents, because it also reflects the real-world clinical practice when topical treatment alone is not adequate for disease control, and a systemic treatment, including biologic, is needed. Biologics are currently indicated for patients with psoriasis who are candidates for systemic treatments. We included 42 patients who were followed up with regularly after the end of risankizumab, guselkumab and mirikizumab trials and investigated the drug-free remission (DFR). A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression model were employed to identify the possible risk factors for relapse. Overall, 38/42 (90.5%) patients experienced relapses after discontinuing trial biologics during the follow-up period of at least 96weeks and up to 227weeks. In all patients with relapse, the median DFR was 104days. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significant 1-year drug-free survival (DFS) difference between risankizumab (Z) and guselkumab (T) + mirikizumab (M) (p = 0.0462). A difference in DFS curves was noted when patients were categorized by disease duration > or ≤ 2years (p = 0.1577) and maintenance of a psoriasis area and severity index score (PASI) of 90 at the end of trials (p = 0.1177). Univariate Cox regression model identified that age [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.030 (1.000-1.060), p = 0.0467] and disease duration [HR = 1.046(1.009-1.084), p = 0.0134] were significantly associated with relapse risk. A risk model was established on the basis of multivariable Cox regression results. Risk value = 0.021038 * Age + 0.515628 * Biologic_type (Z = 0,T/M = 1) + 0.025048 * Disease_Duration. The validated patients were divided into two groups by median risk value (1.5). The high-risk group (risk value > 1.5) had a non-significant higher relapse risk than the low-risk group (risk value < 1.5), with a hazard ratio of 1.62 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.82-3.23, p = 0.1809]. Types of biologics used, disease duration > or ≤ 2years, and PASI 90 improvement at the end of trial affect the 1-year DFS after biologics discontinuation. Further studies consisting of a larger patient number and longer follow-up period are needed to verify our findings. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers NCT02694523, NCT03047395, NCT02207224, NCT02576431, NCT03482011, and NCT03556202.

Efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represents a burgeoning treatment approach, supported by numerous preclinical studies confirming its efficacy. Our study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of both the safety and effectiveness of MSC. We conducted searches across three databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane) for randomized controlled studies up to June 23, 2024. A meta-analysis was performed on variables including adverse events, mortality, changes in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, intensive care unit (ICU), length of stay, ventilation-free days, and changes in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Relative risk (RR) values were employed for dichotomous variables, while mean difference (MD) and standard mean difference (SMD) were used for continuous variables. Risk bias was assessed using risk of bias 2 (ROB2). The meta-analysis encompassed 17 experiments involving 796 patients, with 410 undergoing MSC treatment and 386 in the control group. Primary outcomes indicated that MSC treatment did not escalate adverse events [RR =1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90, 1.19; P=0.59; I2=0%]. On the contrary, it significantly diminishes the mortality (RR =0.79; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.97; P=0.02; I2=0%). Regarding secondary outcomes, MSCs led to a significant improvement in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio for ARDS patients (SMD =0.53; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.92; P=0.007; I2=0%). However, there were no significant differences in ICU length of stay (MD =-1.77; 95% CI: -6.97, 3.43; P=0.50; I2=63%) and ventilation-free days (MD =-1.29; 95% CI: -4.09, 1.51; P=0.37; I2=0%). MSCs significantly lowered C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD =-0.65; 95% CI: -1.18, -0.13; P=0.01; I2=56%) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels compared to the control group (SMD =-0.76; 95% CI: -1.34, -0.17; P=0.01; I2=74%). However, changes in interleukin-10 (AIL-10) (SMD =-0.46; 95% CI: -1.51, 0.58; P=0.38; I2=77%), and changes in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (ATNF-α) (SMD =-1.5; 95% CI: -3.39, 0.40; P=0.12; I2=92%) levels showed no significant changes. MSC therapy demonstrates reliable safety, with a significant impact on reducing mortality and improving certain clinical symptoms. Moreover, in certain aspects, it may alleviate the inflammatory response in ARDS. Nonetheless, these findings necessitate validation through additional high-quality randomized controlled trials.

Occurrence, distribution and risk assessment of phthalate esters in dust deposited in the outdoor environment of Yazd industrial park using Monte Carlo simulation

In this study, the distribution of eight phthalate esters (PAEs), namely (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP)) were examined across fifteen sampling stations in Yazd industrial Park. All the PAEs in dust deposited in the outdoor environment were analyzed using a Gas-mass chromatography (GC-MS/MS) device. Both probabilistic and deterministic approaches were utilized to assess the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks for adult occupational population groups. These risks were associated with three exposure pathways: inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure to six phthalates in the dust samples. The findings revealed, among the fifteen sampling stations, highest and lowest concentrations of the PAEs in dust deposited in the outdoor environment were observed in S8 and S6, with BEHP (326.21 ± 4.35) μg/g and DMP (0.00 ± 0.02) μg/g, respectively. The total hazard index (HI) values were below one in all samples, indicating that the combined non-carcinogenic health risk from exposure to phthalates via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal pathways is within acceptable levels in each studied area. The total cancer risk (CR) values for BBP across all exposure routes were consistently low, with magnitudes ranging from 10- x 10−15to 10 x 10−11. The order of cancer risk from phthalate exposure in outdoor environments was ingestion > dermal > inhalation. The sensitivity analysis (SA) results indicated that the influential parameters in the carcinogenic risk in adult occupational population groups were concentration for inhalation and dermal pathways, as well as ingestion rate for the ingestion pathway. The result of this study provides new insight in to PAEs pollution and risk assessments related to the dust deposited in the outdoor environment of industrial Park. Furthermore, this finding is beneficial to the controlling the exposure and promoting steps to reduce PAEs contamination and manage health in the industrial area.

Nutrient and Heavy Metal Content of Three Leafy Vegetables (Talinum fructicosum (L.) Juss., Vernonia amygdalina Delile, Solanum macrocarpon L.) from an Effluent-Receiving Wetland in the Douala Bassa Industrial Development Zone, Cameroon: Implications for

Objective: Contamination by heavy metals in soil, water, and agricultural products is a significant concern, particularly affecting wetland ecosystems. This investigation aimed to assess the levels of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, As, Zn, and Ni) and nutritional values in three highly cultivated leafy vegetables (Talinum fructicosum (L.) Juss., Vernonia amygdalina Delile, Solanum macrocarpon L.) collected from a polluted coastal wetland. Additionally, we evaluated the potential health hazards for both adults and children.” Methods: The mature and young leaves with succulent stems were collected during the dry and rainy seasons, transported to the laboratory, processed and then analysed for nutritional contents according to standard methods, and heavy metals was measured with atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Results: The three leafy vegetables were found to be low in fat (0.85±2.19%), protein (3.01±9.06%), ash (0.68±5.03%), and carbohydrates (1.34±4.54%). During both seasons, the Cd (0.45±2.49%), Cu (208.34-927.41%), and Zn (29.39±3554.5%) content in leafy vegetables was extremely high, surpassing the WHO/FAO safe limits. The Hazard Index (HI) values were all greater than (&gt;) one (1) for both adults (32.259±67.31) and children (67.310±489.89). Total carcinogenic health risk (TCR) values for Pb, Cd, and AS due to consumption of the three vegetables for adult (0.008±0.052) and children (0.018±0.109) also exceeded the maximum threshold value of 10−4. From our findings, inhabitants who consume these contaminated vegetables are exposed chronically to metal pollution with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. Conclusion: In the light of these finding, policies and regulations should be reinforced regarding the discharge of untreated effluents into the environment and the prohibition of the growing of leafy vegetables should be strengthened.

Change and coincidence risk analysis of floods in the Mahanadi River Basin, India

ABSTRACT Coincidence flood risk due to the simultaneous flood occurrences on both mainstream and its tributary results in downstream inundation of a confluence. Therefore, this study was taken up for coincidence flood risk analysis of Mahanadi River basin considering the annual maximum (AM) and the peak over threshold (POT) series. In this study, the Mann–Kendall trend test was performed to analyze the trend in flood magnitudes, while circular statistics was used to analyze the persistence in flood timing. The joint distributions between the streams were established using bivariate copula functions considering flood magnitudes and occurrence dates as variables. The results of MK test revealed a mixture of significant and insignificant trends for AM series for the selected stations, while the trends were insignificant for POT series. Additionally, the flood occurrence dates showed a high level of persistence. It is evident from the results that the coincidence risk is high for Seorinarayan–Bamnidhi confluence point with a risk value of 7.63 × 10−3. The coincidence risk increases mostly from late July to mid-September, and the coincidence risk is high for more frequently occurring flood events. The obtained results will help in prioritizing flood hazard zones for effective flood mitigation strategies in Mahanadi River basin.

Heavy metals and metalloid contamination and risk evaluation in the surface sediment of the Bakkhali River estuary in Bangladesh

Current state of contamination and subsequent risk of contaminated sediment of a tidal river of Bangladesh was evaluated in the present study. Sediment samples were collected from five locations in the tributary of Bakkhali River estuary during summer (April) and winter (December) season, 2020. Collected samples were processed using standard protocol and the content of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) and metalloid (As), were analyzed by the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. Sediment contamination was evaluated by pollution load index (PLI), contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (Cd), potential ecological risk index (PERI), non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk (CR) due to the dermal contact of the sediment. Multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were also applied to find out the possible sources of the contaminant in the sediment. Results showed the average concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu and Zn was 9.74 ± 3.57, 2.00 ± 0.85, 48.75 ± 8.92, 29.78 ± 8.39, 5.44 ± 2.03 and 56.94 ± 8.57 mg/kg, respectively. Concentration of Cu, Pb and Zn were within the recommended level whereas the concentration of As, Cd and Cr were suppressed the recommended level of WHO and FAO/WHO standards. PLI, CF and Cd revealed considerably low degree of contamination of the sediment. Geo-accumulation index indicated uncontaminated to moderately contaminated condition of the sediment. Although the values of enrichment factor revealed no potential enrichment for most of the metals, Cd showed a minor enrichment during the winter season. Based on the ecological risk assessment, the sediment from all of the sample locations was found to be of moderate to low risk. PCA and CA analysis revealed the origin of contaminants mainly from anthropogenic sources. Although different metals showed non-carcinogenic risk to the inhabitants, cancer risk values for dermal contact (CRderm) were much lower than 10−6 indicating no cancer risk for adult and child. However, the findings also revealed that children were more susceptible to CRderm compared to adults. The present study concluded that long term dermal contact of the sediment of Bakkhali River estuary will be contagious to the people. Therefore, regular monitoring of the estuarine environment is necessary so that contamination does not get worse.

Hazard and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Non-Alcoholic Beverage Consumed in Abia State, Nigeria

The quality of non-alcoholic beverages consumed in Aba, Abia State, southeastern Nigeria and health risk assessment of heavy metals required periodic evaluation so as to avert potential health hazard. Hence, the objective of this paper as to evaluate the hazard and health risk assessment of heavy metals in non-alcoholic beverages consumed in Abia State, Nigeria using health risk assessment models. Heavy metals concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Agilent 280FS AA). The average heavy metal concentrations of non-alcoholic drink samples ranged from 0.040 - 1.132 mg/l in ascending order of Zn &lt; Cd &lt; Co &lt; Cu &lt; Pb &lt;Cr &lt; Mn &lt; Fe respectively. The average concentrations of Mn, Cr, Cd, Fe and Pb exceeded the standard maximum permissible limits for drinking water quality. The values of estimated daily intake for Cd, Fe, Pb, Cr, Mn and Zn were within acceptable provisional tolerable daily intake and safe limits. The hazard quotient (HQ) values for Mn, Cr, Cd, Zn and Fe were within safe limit (&lt; 1.0), except for Co and Pb that had HQ values greater than one in over 37.5 % of the total samples, indicating associated potential chronic health risks. Hazard index of 72.5% of all the non-alcoholic drink samples were above the safe limit (&gt;1.0), signifying potential chronic health risk as a result of combine effects of these heavy metals. The incremental life cancer for Cr, Cd and Pb ranged from 2.59E-05 - 1.79E-03, 1.35E-04 – 2.81E-04 and 3.92E-06 - 3.24E-05 respectively. The incremental life cancer values of Pb were within the recommended safe limit of not greater than 1.0 × 10-4 and has the least likelihood of any potential cancer risks. However, Cd, and Cr had cancer risk values higher than the save limits, indicating potential life cancer health risks in both children and adult population.

Optimal planning of wind and solar complementary AC/DC microgrids under distributed power capacity constraints

Abstract The conventional AC/DC microgrid wind-solar complementary optimization planning method mainly uses the CvaR (conditional value at risk) risk value stochastic model to calculate the randomness of output electricity price, which is vulnerable to changes in load expectations, resulting in the per unit value of photovoltaic load output not meeting the actual demand of the microgrid. Therefore, under the constraints of distributed generation capacity, an optimal planning method of wind-solar complementation for AC/DC microgrids is designed. That is to say, considering the distributed generation capacity constraints, the optimal planning model of wind-solar complementation of AC and DC microgrids is constructed, and the bidirectional adjustment equation of the optimal planning of wind-solar complementation of AC and DC microgrids is generated, thus realizing the optimal planning of wind-solar complementation of AC and DC microgrids. The experimental results show that the PV output per unit value is higher and the load output per unit value is lower in the design of the wind-solar complementary optimization planning method of AC/DC microgrid considering distributed generation capacity constraints, which meets the requirements of efficient operation of the microgrid and has certain economic value.