Journal of Health and Pollution最新文献

Background: There is no safe level of human exposure to lead (Pb). Detecting common early symptoms of low threshold Pb poisoning can help to prevent the damaging effects of higher doses and chronic low dose exposures. Panel beaters or auto body mechanics are exposed to Pb through their occupational duties.

Objectives: The present study aimed to determine common early symptoms associated with lower threshold Pb poisoning among roadside and organized panel beaters in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria.

Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study of 428 panel beaters in Enugu metropolis. A multi-stage sampling method was used to select 214 respondents each from the roadside and organized sectors. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Samples were collected under aseptic procedures. Blood Pb samples were extracted using the conventional wet acid digestion method and analyzed using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (wavelength 283.3 nm). Comparative analysis was performed using the chi - square and Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results: Median Pb levels were 3.0 ug/dL and 16.0 ug/dL among roadside and organized panel beaters, respectively, with a significant difference. Numbness of limbs (P = 0.010) and fatigue (χ² = 5.294, P = 0.023) were found to be associated with roadside panel beaters, while weakness (χ² = 6.185, P = 0.019) and fatigue (χ² = 4.206, P = 0.046) were associated with organized panel beaters.

Conclusions: Nonspecific constitutional symptoms were common early symptoms of Pb poisoning irrespective of workplace occupational practices. These symptoms will help in early detection and control of occupational lead exposures.

Participant consent: Obtained.

Ethics approval: Ethics approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: Respirable dust, diesel particulate matter, crystalline silica and noise pollution are the most common causes of health issues experienced by underground mine workers. Assessment of exposure levels in relation to standard regulatory body permissible levels is essential for the safety of mine workers.

Objectives: The present study compared exposure levels of diesel particulate matter, crystalline silica dust and noise experienced across different underground mine worker job titles.

Methods: Subjective sampling was employed using gravimetric air samplers over an 8-hour time weighted average for two periods designated as period 1 (first half of the year) and period 2 (second half of the year). A comparative analysis of exposure levels between job titles and in relation to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) permissible exposure levels (PELs) was performed.

Results: In the present study, 90% of the selected job titles were over-exposed to noise and 80% were over-exposed to diesel particulate matter. The highest exposures for crystalline silica dust and diesel particulate matter were found in the 40-49-year-old age group.

Conclusions: The present study of exposure levels of diesel particulate matter, respirable dust, crystalline silica, and noise during underground gold mining demonstrates that better control mechanisms are needed to protect workers.

Participant consent: Obtained.

Ethics approval: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is known to alter sperm morphology, but information is limited on the most susceptible stage(s) of spermatogenesis, especially in mice.

Objectives: This study investigated the reproductive, biochemical, and hematological changes caused by exposure to BPA in male albino mice. The genotoxicity of BPA to the six stages of spermatogenesis in mice was determined.

Methods: Mice were exposed orally to BPA at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 mg/kg bw doses for 5 days and assessed for sperm morphology after 35 days. Based on the result, the second group of mice was exposed to BPA at 1.0 mg/kg bw dose for 5 days, their spermatozoa were assessed for sperm morphology based on BPA exposure at the 6 maturation stages of spermatogenesis: spermatozoa, elongating spermatids, round spermatids, secondary spermatocytes, primary spermatocytes, and spermatogonia. Biochemical and hematological analyses of the blood of exposed mice were also carried out.

Results: The results showed that BPA induced concentration-dependent, significantly (p<0.05) increased sperm cell abnormalities at three of the four concentrations tested, with the exception of 0.5 mg/kg bw, in comparison with the negative control. The highest frequency of sperm aberrations was induced in spermatozoa exposed to BPA while at the primary spermatocytes. The order of induced sperm abnormality at the different stages of exposure was: primary spermatocytes > elongating spermatids > spermatozoa > spermatogonia > round spermatids > secondary spermatocytes. The results of the biochemical analysis showed significantly (p<0.05) increased serum urea, creatinine, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities with a concomitant decrease in total protein content at the various stages of spermatogenesis. In addition, the results for hematological parameters showed several significant (p<0.05) modulations in mice exposed to BPA.

Conclusions: These data showed that BPA is most toxic to primary spermatocytes and alterations of biochemical and hematological parameters might be the mechanisms of induced toxicity.

Ethics approval: The Research Ethics Committee, Federal University of Technology, Akure approved the study protocols.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: The improper recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) by informal recyclers often leads to contamination of the environment. E-waste contains organic and inorganic compounds along with heavy metals and trace elements. These pollutants can have a negative effect on humans. Biomonitoring can provide information on the sources, amount, geographical distribution, and adverse health effects of contaminants.

Objectives: The present study aimed to assess risks to the health of informal e-waste recyclers in Payatas, the Philippines due to their exposure to e-waste toxicity by examining the presence of micronuclei in buccal epithelium cells.

Methodology: Frequencies of binucleated cells (BNc) and abnormal cells were obtained from the buccal epithelium of the study population composed of e-waste exposed recyclers (n=40) and a control group (n=52). Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed for the data analysis.

Results: Participants' gender, occupation, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and the number of karyolitic cells of both groups were significantly associated. Only occupation in e-waste recycling and length of e-waste exposure were significantly associated in terms of the number of abnormal cells and micronuclei. Similar trends were found in the linear regression analysis drawn from participants' length of e-waste exposure with a significance of R²= 7346, indicating that as the length of e-waste exposure increased, the number of micronuclei found in the participants' buccal epithelium cells increased as well.

Conclusions: Longer exposure to e-waste materials may induce genotoxic damage in human cells which is a serious concern, leading to adverse effects to human health.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: Landfill leachate is a source of environmental pollution and a major concern for human health because it contains high concentrations of organic and inorganic contaminants.

Objectives: The objective of the present study is to validate the efficiency of the forced aeration treatment technique, which consists of intensively injecting a continuous oxygen flow of 16.75 kg/m³/h for 30 days using a bubble air diffuser in a relatively small volume of 1 m³. The principle of the technique is essentially based on acceleration of the degradation of the effluent as well as reduction of the organic and nitrogenous matter contents.

Methods: Forced aeration technology was used for the treatment of leachate from the Mohammedia-Benslimane landfill. The sample was treated by injecting a flow of oxygen to accelerate the biodegradability of the pollutants by the microorganisms.

Results: The physicochemical characterization of the raw leachate at the inlet of the aeration tank showed high values for chemical oxygen demand (COD) (38,600 mg O₂/l), biological oxygen demand (BOD5) (24,000 mg O₂/l), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) (5,932.45 mg/L). The proposed treatment technique allowed relatively high purification yields to be achieved, with abatement rates for the major elements COD, BOD5 and TKN of 73%, 98%, and 85%, respectively.

Conclusions: The treatment of leachate by intensive aeration technology reduces considerably the pollutant load and achieves a high purification yield.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: Refinement of crude vegetable oil generates a large amount of wastewater and is a source of water pollution due to the presence of surfactants and phenols. Phenols are toxic aromatic compounds that can be lethal to fauna and flora, entraining the deceleration or blocking of the self-purification of biological treatments. In addition, surfactants can limit biological processes by inhibiting microorganisms that degrade organic matter.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the treatment of refinery rejects loaded with phenols and detergents by coagulation flocculation using cactus pads (genus Opuntia) as a bio-flocculant and 30% iron(III) chloride (FeCl₃) for surfactant and phenol removal. In addition, operating costs were evaluated for these pollution mitigation methods.

Methods: The effectiveness of cactus pads as a bio-flocculant and 30% FeCl₃ for surfactant and phenol removal were studied using a jar test. The study was conducted on vegetable oil refinery wastewater from a refinery company in Casablanca, Morocco.

Results: The pollution load in wastewater varied widely from day to day. We evaluated the effect of cactus juice and 30% FeCl₃ on high and low pollution loads. Opuntia pads showed a favorable potential for the treatment of low pollution load wastewater, with 78% and 90% of surfactant and phenol removed, respectively. However, the removal of high pollution load was less effective (42% and 41% removal of surfactant and phenol, respectively). The turbidity of low and high pollution load was reduced by 98.85% and 86%, respectively. The results demonstrate that 30% FeCl₃ can effectively treat both low and high pollution loads (90% and 89% phenol removal, respectively, and 90% and 70% surfactant removal, respectively (optimal concentration 1.48 g/l). The turbidity was reduced by over 96% for both high and low pollutants.

Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that cactus as a natural flocculant and reject rich in FeCl₃ could be effectively used for the low-cost effective treatment of crude vegetable oil refinery rejects.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: Lead (Pb(II)) exposure from drinking water consumption is a serious concern due to its negative health effect on human physiology. A commercially available filter uses the adsorption potential of activated carbon for removing heavy metals like Pb(II). However, it has some constraints since it uses only surface area for the adsorption of these contaminants. Biochar produced via slow pyrolysis of biomass shows the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups on its surface that take part in the adsorption process, with higher removal potential compared to activated carbon.

Objectives: The current study examined the adsorption kinetics and mechanisms of Pb(II) removing potential of biochar from water using a fixed-bed continuous flow adsorption system.

Methods: The effect of initial Pb(II) concentration, mass of adsorbent (bed depth), and flow rate on adsorption potential were evaluated. The Adams-Bohart model, Thomas model, and Yoon-Nelson model were applied to the adsorption data.

Results: The maximum removal efficiency of Pb(II) was 88.86 mg/g. The result illustrated that the Yoon-Nelson model is the best fit to analyze the adsorption phenomena of Pb(II) in a fixed-bed biochar column.

Conclusions: The breakthrough data obtained from this study can be utilized to design a point of use filter that would be able to effectively remove Pb(II) from drinking water.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Background: Lead poisoning is a chronic health condition arising from prolonged ingestion and exposure to lead above permissible limits. Although reported globally, developing countries like India and neighboring countries are amongst the most affected by lead.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate lead poisoning associated with herbal health supplements in a suspected case.

Materials and methods: A 31-year-old male reported consuming sixteen different herbal health supplements. The case and supplements were assessed for lead levels. The patient came from one of the metro cities of Uttar Pradesh state, India.

Results: The blood lead level of the case was found to be 78.40 μg/dL, which was much higher than the permissible limit of ≤5 μg/dL. Moreover, one of the supplements was found to have a very high lead content.

Conclusions: The present study demonstrated a case of lead poisoning which was very likely due to high lead content present in one of the supplements. The case had typical neurological signs of lead toxicity such as irritability, frequent headache, mental dullness, generalized pain, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling, and twitching and shaking of the legs while sleeping.

Patient consent: Obtained.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.