Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A-toxic\/hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering最新文献

To promote the resource utilization of steelmaking slag (SS) and reduce peat consumption, this study investigated the partial substitution of peat with modified steelmaking slag (MSS) for coriander cultivation. SS and iron tailings (1:1 w/w) were modified at 1550 °C to mitigate alkalinity and heavy metal risks. MSS of two particle sizes (20-60 mesh and 60-100 mesh) replaced peat in a standard mix (peat: perlite: vermiculite = 1:1:1 v/v/v) at weight ratios of 10%-40%. The results demonstrated that the modification significantly optimized the medium pH, EC, and heavy metal leaching profiles to meet coriander growth requirements. Optimal performance was observed at a 20% weight substitution ratio using 20-60 mesh MSS, where coriander growth parameters and soluble content matched commercial control levels. In conclusion, MSS serves as a safe and effective peat substitute within specific particle sizes (20-60 mesh) and weight replacement ratios (≤20%). This strategy not only mitigates ecological risks from slag alkalinity and heavy metals but also enhances the economic viability of soilless cultivation by reducing peat dependency and material costs.

This study investigated the influence of seasonal meteorological conditions and physicochemical parameters on the mobilization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in harvested rainwater across Ondo State, Nigeria, a petroleum impacted region. Rainwater samples were collected monthly from April to August 2024 and analyzed for sixteen United States Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs, alongside pH and electrical conductivity. The objective was to evaluate the combined effects of rainfall intensity and water chemistry on PAH occurrence and associated health risks. Total PAH concentrations increased markedly during the mid wet season, particularly between July and August, coinciding with intense rainfall. Both low and high molecular weight PAHs, including fluoranthene, pyrene, phenanthrene and anthracene, were dominant. Significant positive correlations were observed between total PAHs and pH and electrical conductivity, indicating strong physicochemical control on PAH behavior in rainwater. Health risk assessment showed hazard quotients exceeding unity for oral and dermal exposure, while incremental lifetime cancer risk values surpassed recommended limits, especially for children. Diagnostic ratios suggested predominantly pyrogenic sources. Overall, seasonal rainfall and water chemistry jointly regulate PAH mobilization and associated health risks in harvested rainwater.

Phthalates, widely used as plasticizers, pose significant health risks due to their endocrine-disrupting properties. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of 11 phthalate derivatives, including diethyl phthalate (DEP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate, and dimethyl phthalate, in wet wipe samples using LC-MS/MS. A total of 15 wet wipe samples were randomly selected from supermarkets and restaurants. DEP was detected in all samples, with the highest concentration observed in one sample, while five samples contained additional phthalate derivatives. A risk assessment was conducted to evaluate non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with dermal exposure to phthalates. The Margin of Safety values for non-carcinogenic effects were within acceptable limits, and the lifetime cancer risk for DEHP remained below the accepted safety threshold. LC-QTOF/MS analysis revealed additional undeclared compounds, including potential allergens and irritants, raising concerns about product safety. However, despite these risk-based findings, the detection of DEHP and DBP represents regulatory noncompliance, as these substances are explicitly prohibited in cosmetic products under European Union and Turkish regulations. Packaging assessment showed that six out of fifteen samples failed to meet national labeling requirements. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for stricter regulatory enforcement and transparent labeling to ensure consumer safety.

With increasing globalization and industrialization, reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions has become a critical global challenge. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of coal-derived activated carbon (AC) for CO₂ adsorption under environmentally relevant conditions. In the present study, AC derived from peat and lignite coal was synthesized by a chemical activation method using a wide range of KOH with impregnation ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, and 1:8), enabling precise control over micropore development. This study identifies the optimum impregnation ratio that maximizes the ultra-micropore volume, which is directly responsible for enhanced CO₂ adsorption. The prepared materials were systematically characterized by proximate and ultimate analyses, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area measurements, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. CO₂ adsorption experiments were conducted by the Autosorb iQ gas sorption analyzer at near-ambient temperature and pressure. The lignite-derived AC at a 1:8 impregnation ratio showed the highest CO₂ uptake (46.27 mg g^-1) with a breakthrough time of 204.7 min. The most important novelty of our work is the productive utilization of low-grade coal, as a viable precursor and aim is to convert such low-grade coal for the production of high-performance and cost-effective CO₂ adsorbents, which aligns with sustainable materials development and carbon management.

A combined risk index (CRI) was applied to evaluate cumulative pollution risk from surface water and soil contamination by 12 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) associated with gold mine tailings in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, South Africa. Surface water and soil samples (n = 15 each) were collected during the 2018 wet season at varying distances from tailings. PTEs were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and pollution levels were quantified using single-factor and Nemerow indices for surface water and soil, subsequently integrated into the CRI. The CRI classified low to moderate pollution risk at 60% of the sites, mainly at locations further from mining activities. Sites close to intensive mining and tailings accumulation presented exceptionally high pollution risk (CRI > 200). Elevated risk was driven primarily by As and Se in surface water and by Cd, Cu, Zn, and Se in soils. These findings confirm that gold mine tailings are a significant source of PTE contamination in the MLM area and demonstrate the benefit of integrating surface water and soil assessments for cumulative environmental risk evaluation. The CRI provides a practical and transferable tool for identifying pollution hotspots and supporting environmental monitoring and management in mining-affected regions.

This study evaluated Molybdenum (Mo) accumulation and potential health risks associated with four rice varieties (Super Kernel, Kainat, Basmati, and Irri 6) irrigated with tube well water (T₁) and mixed wastewater (T₂). Rice and irrigation water samples were analyzed for Mo concentrations by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Mo concentrations varied by variety and irrigation water source, increasing from 0.014 mg/kg under T₁ to 0.0274 mg/kg under T₂, while Kainat accumulated the lowest levels under both treatments. Molybdenum concentrations in rice grains remained low, ranging from 0.00073 to 0.012 mg/kg. Enrichment and transfer indices were consistently low, reflecting weak Mo enrichment and mobility within the soil-plant system. Serum Mo concentrations varied among age groups, ranging from 0.00162 to 0.01433 mg/L, with relatively higher values observed under mixed-water irrigation. The health risk assessment showed that the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for all age groups was below 1, with a maximum THQ of 0.00572, indicating no appreciable non-carcinogenic health risk associated with rice consumption. Although mixed-water irrigation resulted in higher Mo concentrations and THQ values, these differences represent increased estimated exposure rather than confirmed adverse health effects, supporting routine monitoring rather than implying chronic exposure risk.

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) drives millions of global premature deaths via respiratory and systemic effects, exacerbated by bound trace elements. In South Africa, studies prioritize metros, overlooking midsized cities like Bloemfontein, where biomass burning, industry, and dust elevate pollution. The first age-stratified inhalation health risk assessment of PM_2.5 and trace elements in this setting was conducted using samples collected over 14 months (June 2020-August 2021) at Pelonomi Hospital and University of the Free State (UFS). Gravimetric analysis measured mass; and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence quantified trace elements from UFS samples. U. S. EPA methods assessed non-carcinogenic (hazard quotients, HQs) and carcinogenic risks (CRs) for infants, children, and adults. Annual PM_2.5 averaged 6 µ m^-3 at Pelonomi (12× WHO's 5 µg m^-3 guideline) and 11 µg m^-3 at UFS (2.2×). Vanadium (V) showed the highest non-carcinogenic risk across ages, and chromium (Cr) had a CR of 4.32 × 10^-5. V ranked Category A (priority), while Cl, Mn, Si, S, Cr, Ni, Fe, and Cu ranked Category B. Winter increased PM_2.5 concentrations and associated risks by 40%, underscoring regulatory shortfalls and the need for emission controls, clean energy transitions, and alignment of national standards with WHO guidelines to reduce pediatric risks (SDGs 3, 7, 11).

A growing body of evidence links prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to adverse fetal outcomes, including neurodevelopmental disorders, reproductive abnormalities, and metabolic diseases. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research trends in EDCs and fetal development from 2014 to 2024, highlighting key research areas and emerging hotspots. A total of 7,758 publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R software. The analysis revealed the USA, China, and Canada as the leading contributing countries, with major institutions including the University of California System and Harvard University. Prominent journals publishing in this field were PLoS ONE, Scientific Reports, and Environment International. Core research themes, identified through keyword analysis, centered on "prenatal exposure," "birth weight," and "growth." Notably, burst keyword analysis since 2020 identified emerging research frontiers such as "management," "impact," "transport," "proteins," "invasion," and "nutrition." These themes reflect a shift toward understanding the molecular mechanisms, broader ecological impacts, and potential mitigation strategies of EDC exposure. This analysis offers a valuable overview of the research landscape, underscoring the need for future interdisciplinary investigations that integrate toxicology, developmental biology, and public health to effectively address the risks of prenatal EDC exposure.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate esters (PAEs), and bisphenol A (BPA) are persistent environmental contaminants commonly encountered in aquatic environments. In this study, we report a sensitive and reproducible method for the simultaneous quantification of 16 priority PAHs, six PAEs, and BPA in surface water. The samples were treated by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using C18 cartridges prior to gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) analysis in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. The developed method was validated for accuracy, precision, and linearity for the 23 organic compounds found in the range of 0.1-200 ng/mL with good linearity (R² = 0.9936-0.9993), while limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were shown to be in the ranges LOD = 0.01-0.54 ng/mL and LOQ = 0.03-1.63 ng/mL. Recoveries are satisfactory (76.4-115.2%) with relative standard deviations less than 10%. This method allows the simultaneous extraction and quantification of multiple organic contaminants in a single run, and hence, significantly reduces the analysis time and solvent usage. The results confirmed that the method is accurate, highly precise, and suitable for routine monitoring of trace organic pollutants in environmental water samples.

This study evaluated the heavy metal-induced enhancement of azo dye degradation using three bacterial strains: Acinetobacter sp. SS1, Acinetobacter baumannii SS3, and Bacillus cereus SS2. Under normal monoculture (NM) conditions, dye degradation efficiencies ranged from 22.2% to 26.7%. Under 2.5% heavy metal stress, efficiencies increased to 32.8%-39.0%, indicating a ∼1.5-fold increase. The most significant improvement was observed in stress-adapted consortia, where degradation efficiencies ranged from 52.3% to 59.0%, representing a nearly 2.4-fold increase compared with those in NMs. Fourier-transform infrared analysis revealed more than 10 stress-specific functional groups, including nitriles, amides, and sulfonates, confirming metabolic reprogramming. Auto-aggregation reached a maximum of 41.6% in B. cereus SS2 after 16 h, while molecular docking of Dyp peroxidase (7YZT) and azoreductase (3W77) yielded binding energies of -24.7 kcal mol^-1, supporting high enzyme interaction stability. Phytotoxicity assays showed 100% seed germination and enhanced stem height (by ∼45%) in plants treated with stress-consortia-remediated effluent. Two-way analysis of variance yielded statistically significant results across treatment groups (P < 0.01), and principal component analysis showed distinct clustering of stress-consortia performance in the first principal component (PC₁ = 2.2693 for C1). These results confirm that microbial consortia preconditioned with metal stress exhibit significantly enhanced bioremediation capabilities in complex dye-contaminated systems.