Contamination of water is a critical threat to human health at a global level. Water pollutants, such as heavy metals, can have adverse effects on the well-being of humans, animals, and the natural ecosystem of a region.
Murree is the most visited tourist destination in Pakistan. The rural population of Murree uses natural spring water for drinking, household use, and irrigation.
This study assessed the elemental concentration of water from 20 natural springs in Murree using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy. Source apportionment and spatial distribution of heavy metals were assessed using statistical approaches such as Pearson's correlation coefficient, principal component analysis, and interpolation. The study assessed the quality of water for drinking and irrigation in Murree's natural spring water using the metal index, sodium absorption ratio, magnesium absorption ratio, percentage sodium, Kelly's ratio, and salinity hazard. The health risks associated with heavy metals were assessed by computing Average daily dose, Hazard quotient, Hazard Index, and Cancer Risk.
The mean concentration of metals in mgL-1 varied in the following order: Ca (51.23) > Na (22.3) > Mg (16.26) > Si (6.51) > K (1.59) > Se (1.17) > Sr (0.48) > Ba (0.209) > Al (0.060) > Li (0.015) > Zn (0.005) > Fe (0.0033) > Ni (0.0032) > Cr (0.001). Metal index was calculated for Al (0.3), Ba (0.29), Cr (0.024), Ni (0.14), Fe (0.004), Zn (0.002), Sr (0.07), Mg (0.32), and Ca (0.25), revealing low levels of metal pollution. The geology of the study area was identified as the primary source of heavy metals in the water. The estimated values of health hazards showed that ingestion is the primary exposure pathway, with children having a higher risk. The health hazards posed by the heavy metal contact from the waters of Murree are not alarming. Quality indices show that the irrigation water sourced from the natural springs is of satisfactory quality.
The study concluded that the spring water of Murree has low concentrations of heavy metals; their concentration is dependent upon the geology of the study area and is good for drinking and irrigation.
The reduced use of herbicides such as glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine), as an effective method for weed control in the field, is an important goal, which may be achieved by using sustainable strategies for crop production. In the arid and semi-arid areas due to the use of ground water for crop production, water hardness may affect glyphosate efficiency, which is of economic and environmental significance.
The objective was to investigate how water hardness (0 (W1), 200 (W2), 300 (W3) and 400 mg l-1 (W4)) affect the efficiency of glyphosate (0 (G1), 100 (G2), 150 (G3), 200 g ha-1 (G4)) (0, 75, 112.5, 150 g ha-1 acid equivalent) on weed growth (Convolvulus arvensis, Malva sylvestris and Cynodon dactylon) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) yield in the field using a factorial experiment on the basis of a complete randomized block design with three replicates.
The single and the interaction effects of water hardness and glyphosate significantly affected different weeds (158 g weed weight for W2G1, and 25.3 g for W1G4) and tomato plant measured parameters. Increasing water hardness decreased glyphosate efficiency in controlling weeds, but it enhanced plant height. Higher water hardness increased tomato leaf area, however, higher glyphosate rates decreased it. Treatments W1G2 (1617 g plot-1) and W1G4 (220.8 g plot-1) resulted in the highest and the least tomato yield, respectively. At the highest level of glyphosate, W2 resulted in the highest tomato yield, compared with the other treatments. The highest and the least plant dry weight was resulted by W4G2 (232.7 g) and W1G4 (196.8 g), respectively.
The proper concentrations of water hardness and glyphosate may efficiently control weeds and results in optimum tomato yield in the arid and semi-arid areas.
Lead has been associated with human activities since time immemorial and is reported to induce antioxidant and neurobehavioral impairments in animals and humans. The present study examined and compared the protective activity of aqueous Zingiber officinale root (ZO) and Theobroma cacao seed (TC) extracts against Pb-induced cerebellar toxicity.
Twenty-four rats, divided into four equal groups, received as follows: 1 ml H2O/day; 100 mg.kg-1 body weight (BW)/day of lead acetate (Pb) only; 500 mg.kg-1 BW/day of ZO and 100 mg.kg-1 BW/day of Pb; and 500 mg.kg-1 BW/day of TC and 100 mg.kg-1 BW/day of Pb, orally for twenty-eight days. Afterwards, neurobehavioural tests were conducted and the harvested cerebellums were used for antioxidant enzymes activity, Pb and lipid peroxidation concentrations as well as histological evaluations, following the sacrifice of experimental rats.
Findings revealed significant neurobehavioural and antioxidant enzymes impairment, elevated levels of cerebellar Pb and lipid peroxidation, and microstructure alterations in the cerebellum of Pb-exposed rats. Although pretreatment with ZO and TC significantly attenuated these Pb-induced effects, ZO was more potent in its neuroprotective activity than TC.
Taken together, ZO and TC can be further developed as novel neuroprotective agents against Pb toxicity.
Plasma transports nutrients and composes more than half of the volume of blood. A few prior studies suggest that plasma volume fluctuations may impact certain micronutrient concentrations. We hypothesized a slight negative correlation between plasma volume and micronutrient biomarkers throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy women of reproductive age (n = 45).
The study involved three visits during one menstrual cycle where fasting blood samples were taken to measure biomarker concentrations for zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, iron, ferritin, retinol, and hemoglobin. A bolus dose of indocyanine green (ICG; equivalent to 0.25 mg.kg-1 of body weight) was injected to measure plasma volume. The total circulating micronutrient biomarker mass was calculated using the plasma volume and biomarker concentration. We used Spearman's correlation and fractional polynomial regression techniques to assess the relationship between plasma volume and biomarker concentration and mass.
Plasma volume ranged from 1210 to 3520 mL. During all three visits, the correlation between micronutrient biomarker concentrations and plasma volume ranged from -0.05 to 0.10 (all P > 0.05); However, there was a strong positive correlation between biomarker mass and plasma volume, ranging from 0.26 to 0.95 (all P < 0.05). Five of the eight biomarkers examined (zinc, copper, magnesium, retinol, and hemoglobin) showed a correlation coefficient > 0.70 (P < 0.001) between mass and plasma volume.
Our findings indicate that biomarker concentrations are maintained across a range of plasma volume, suggesting that plasma volume may not be necessary to interpret micronutrient status in healthy non-pregnant women of reproductive age.
Grass tetany or hypomagnesemia is a metabolic syndrome causing acute neurological manifestations in periparturient ruminants grazing on rapidly grown green pastures or cereal crops with high potassium or nitrogen content and low magnesium levels. Clinical reports of naturally occurring grass tetany in goats are least described in the literature and it is considered to be a rare disease. The present study documents the clinical manifestation and management of hypomagnesemia-associated excitatory neuropathy in two Theileria spp. infected Malabari goats presented to the small ruminant medicine OP unit of the University Veterinary Hospital and Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
The first goat was in the last trimester of pregnancy and was showing signs of hyperesthesia, limping, difficulty in standing, and inappetence for the last six hours. The second goat was kidded six weeks back and was showing recurrent epileptic seizures and hyporexia from the previous day. Both the goats were kept on extensive grazing from the forest areas with unidentified lush vegetation. On clinical evaluation, both the goats were showing persistent excitatory neurological signs. Fecal examination, peripheral blood smear examination, PCR screening panel for hemoparasites, Complete Blood Count, and serum levels of calcium, magnesium, and glucose were evaluated.
A significant reduction in serum magnesium levels was noted in both cases along with the varied glucose levels. Theileria spp. infection was noticed in blood smear examination and confirmed by PCR. The goats responded well to the therapy using MIFEX™ and other supportive medications and showed uneventful recovery.
It is suggested that the farmers should be vigilant enough while allowing goats to graze in unknown vegetation and prevent indiscriminate fodder intake during periods of drought. This is the first documented report of hypomagnesemic excitatory neurologic symptoms in Theileria spp. infected periparturient Malabari goats and showing response to appropriate therapy.