5 research outputs found
Health Risk Assessment of Consumption of Heavy Metals in Market Food Crops from Sialkot and Gujranwala Districts, Pakistan
<div><p>ABSTRACT</p><p>This study was performed to investigate the potential health risk of heavy metals (HMs) through consumption of market food crops (MFCs) in the Sialkot and Gujranwala districts, Pakistan. Both study areas are located in industrialized regions of the country, where atmospheric pollution is a problem and irrigation of food crops is mostly practiced on the use of wastewater/contaminated water. For the purpose of this study, MFCs samples were collected and assessed for HMs (Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Fe) by using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Concentration of HMs such as Pb and Cd exceeded the Food and Agriculture/World Health Organization's recommended limits in all MFCs, while Cr in most of the vegetables of the Sialkot and Gujranwala districts also exceeded that limit. The health risk index was >1 in <i>Triticum aestivum</i> for Pb and Cd intake in the Sialkot district and only Pb in the Gujranwala district. Therefore, this study suggests pretreatment of wastewater and its utilization for lawns and green belts irrigation, rather than for food crops. This study also suggests a regular monitoring of HMs in the irrigation water, subsequent soil, air, and MFCs in order to prevent or reduce health hazards.</p></div
Arsenic and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Drinking Water in Pakistan and Risk Assessment: A Case Study
<div><p>ABSTRACT</p><p>The present study was performed to assess drinking water quality and potential health risk in the Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. For this purpose drinking water samples were collected from local available sources and analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics, arsenic (As) and heavy metals. Results revealed high levels of toxic heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and As contaminations in the drinking water. Results were evaluated for chronic risk including average daily intake (ADI) and hazard quotient (HQ). Among heavy metals the HQ values were highest for Cd (5.80) and As (2.00). Therefore, populations in the study area may be at a low level of chronic toxicity and carcinogenic risk. Statistical analyses showed that contribution of different drinking water sources to the mean contaminant levels in the study area was insignificant (<i>p =</i>.53). Correlation analysis further revealed that anthropogenic activities were the main sources of contamination, rather than geogenic. This study strongly recommends the treatment of urban and industrial wastewater in the vicinity of the study area and provision of safe drinking water.</p></div
Health and carcinogenic risk evaluation for cohorts exposed to PAHs in petrochemical workplaces in Rawalpindi city (Pakistan)
<p>This study presents the analyses of urinary biomarkers (1-OHPyr, α- and β-naphthols) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure and biomarkers of effect (i.e. blood parameters) in petroleum-refinery workers (RFs) and auto-repair workers (MCs). Exposed subjects had higher concentrations of white blood cell (WBC) count than control subjects (CN) subjects (5.31 × 10<sup>3</sup> μL<sup>−1</sup> in exposed vs. 5.15 × 10<sup>3</sup> μL<sup>−1</sup> in CN subjects), while the biomarker of oxidative DNA damage (8-OHdG) was significantly higher in MCs. The exposure among these two cohorts could be influenced by the ambience of the workplaces; in fact, MCs’ shops are relatively damp and enclosed workplaces in comparison with the indoor environment of refineries. PAHs in the dust samples from mechanical workshops probably originated from mixed sources (traffic exhaust and petroleum spills), while the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for MCs showed moderate-to-low cancer risk from exposure to dust-bound PAHs. The study shows that increasing PAH exposure can be traced in MC workstations and needs to be investigated for the safety of public health.</p
E‑Waste Driven Pollution in Pakistan: The First Evidence of Environmental and Human Exposure to Flame Retardants (FRs) in Karachi City
Informal
e-waste recycling activities have been shown to be a major
emitter of organic flame retardants (FRs), contributing to both environmental
and human exposure to laborers at e-waste recycling sites in some
West African countries, as well as in China and India. The main objective
of this study was to determine the levels of selected organic FRs
in both air and soil samples collected from areas with intensive informal
e-waste recycling activities in Karachi, Pakistan. Dechlorane Plus
(DP) and “novel” brominated flame retardants (NBFRs)
were often detected in high concentrations in soils, while phosphorus-based
FRs (OPFRs) dominated atmospheric samples. Among individual substances
and substance groups, decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) (726 ng/g),
decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) (551 ng/g), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)
ethane (BTBPE) (362 ng/g), and triphenyl-phosphate (∑TPP) (296
ng/g) were found to be prevalent in soils, while OPFR congeners (5903–24986
ng/m<sup>3</sup>) were prevalent in air. The two major e-waste recycling
areas (Shershah and Lyari) were highly contaminated with FRs, suggesting
informal e-waste recycling activities as a major emission source of
FRs in the environment in Karachi City. However, the hazards associated
with exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> appear to exceed those attributed
to exposure to selected FRs via inhalation and soil ingestion
Screening of Atmospheric Short- and Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in India and Pakistan using Polyurethane Foam Based Passive Air Sampler
Production
and use of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) have been increasing
in India. Distribution of CPs in the area and vicinity have become
a great concern due to their persistency and toxicity. Polyurethane
foam based passive air samplers (PUF-PAS) was deployed in order to
screen the presence of short- and medium- chain chlorinated paraffins
(SCCPs and MCCPs) in the outdoor atmosphere at many sites in India
(in winter 2006) and Pakistan (in winter 2011). Concentrations of
SCCPs and MCCPs ranged from not detected (ND) to 47.4 and 0 to 38.2
ng m<sup>–3</sup> with means of 8.11 and 4.83 ng m<sup>–3</sup>, respectively. Indian concentrations showed higher average levels
of both SCCPs and MCCPs India (10.2 ng m<sup>–3</sup> and 3.62
ng m<sup>–3</sup>than the samples from Pakistan (5.13 ng m<sup>–3</sup> and 4.21 ng m<sup>–3</sup>). Relative abundance
patterns of carbon number are C10 > C11 > C12 ∼ C13 for
SCCPs
and C14 > C15 > C16 C17 for MCCP with similarity to the profiles
of
samples from China, the biggest CPs producer in the world. Principal
Component Analysis suggested that detected SCCPs and MCCPs in this
study originated from the same emission source