scholarly journals Are heavy metals in urban garden soils linked to vulnerable populations? A case study from Guelph, Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Montaño-López ◽  
Asim Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Potential Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Community Gardens ◽  
Human Consumption

AbstractWith increasing population, there is growing concern for food security in urban areas. Though, urban gardening has gained popularity, several studies have found higher concentrations of contaminants in urban soils, especially heavy metals, often at toxic levels, which pose a potential risk for human health. Moreover, heavy metal polluted sites have been strongly associated with areas populated by low-income families, newcomers and racial minorities. In this study, heavy metals in the soils of community gardens in the city of Guelph, ON were examined as a case study and their relationship with vulnerable populations. We analyzed soil samples at two depths for a range of heavy metals and characterized their spatial patterns to see if they were related to disadvantaged communities. We estimated the pollution levels using two index-based approaches and assessed their potential risk for human health, although concentrations of most heavy metals were below the limits established by Canadian regulations, metals like Cd, Pb, Se and Zn exhibited a mild degree of pollution, whereas As exhibited a severe degree. Their association with vulnerable populations were weak, but hotspots were mainly located in low-income areas. This case study provides scientific evidence that could help to expand our understanding around the interconnection between pollution and poverty/racial inequality. Also the importance of generating strategies for the protection of human health and sustainable soil management practices in urban areas where food for human consumption is grown.

scholarly journals Energy Rehabilitation of Social Housing in Vulnerable Areas. Case study: a 1950s Building in a Medium-sized Mediterranean City

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Ruá María José ◽  
Huedo Patricia ◽  
Cabeza Manuel ◽  
Saez Beatriz ◽  
Civera Vicente
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Performance Simulation ◽  
Urban Level

In the urban context, buildings play a key role as they are energy consumers. In well-established cities with a high percentage of aged building stock, the focus should lie on sensitive urban areas where the weakest population sectors and the worst physico-economic conditions are usually encountered. In this work, the energy refurbishment of social housing is proposed. A block of municipally owned buildings is selected as a case study to consider that public buildings play an exemplary role according to Directive 2012/27/EU. The group is formed by 12 buildings, which account for 120 dwellings.This study is grounded on two levels. First the urban level. The building is located in a prioritised urban Area of Rehabilitation, Renovation and Urban Regeneration (ARRU), according to the new local Land Plan. This area presents multidimensional vulnerability and considers urban, building, socio-demographic and socio-economic features. Second, the building presents very low energy performance. It was built in 1959 when a high demand of dwellings and the economic resources then available led to low-quality buildings that are far from meeting today’s standards.Some proposals are made, having in mind the specific features of the urban context. The energy refurbishment of the building is proposed, selecting the optimal solution, considering technical, environmental and economic criteria. The energy performance simulation shows a remarkable improvement of the energy performance, resulting in an improvement of the thermal comfort of the dwellers. Besides, a reduction in the energy consumption is reached, which would reduce the energy bills and, on the other hand, a reduction of the carbon emissions to the atmosphere, contributing to a better environment quality. Having in mind that the building is intended for social housing, energy poverty situations could be avoided, as dwellings are inhabited by low-income dwellers.

scholarly journals Human health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils and commonly consumed food crops from quarry sites located at Isiagwu, Ebonyi State

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uchechi Bliss Onyedikachi ◽  
Donatus Chuka Belonwu ◽  
Mattew Owhonda Wegwu
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Human Health Risk ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Absorption Spectrometry ◽  
Carcinogenic Risk ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Us Epa ◽  
Bioaccumulation Index

Abstract In view of ensuring healthy agricultural foods for human consumption, this study assessed the human health risk implicated in selected heavy metals in some commonly consumed vegetables, tubers, nuts and fruits grown around the quarry sites at Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Samples from agriculture area of Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, constituted the control. The concentration of Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cd, and Pb, were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The potential non-carcinogenic health risk for consumers which included Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) for Pb, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd and Cu while carcinogenic health risk using Cancer Slope Factors (CSF) was established for Cd and Pb. Relative abundance of heavy metals across the locations and all samples was in the order Fe > Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd. There was statistical significant effect of quarrying activities on the concentration of the heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cd) at p < 0.05 level. Based on the observed bioconcentration factors, cassava showed more hyperaccumulation potential compared to other samples. Pumpkin and bitter leaf also could be used in remediation owing to their high bioaccumulation index for Pb and Zn. THQ obtained for Mn and Pb were >1 indicating that the residents at the quarry site may be exposed to potential non-carcinogenic health risk due to Mn and Pb intoxication. With respect to US EPA prescriptions, average carcinogenic risk values obtained for Pb and Cd in this study indicated a lifetime (70 years) probability of contracting cancer suggesting that they be placed for further consideration as chemicals of concern with respect to the assessed locals.

scholarly journals Affordability of water supply in Mongolia: empirical lessons for measuring affordability

Water Policy ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Gawel ◽  
Katja Sigel ◽  
Wolfgang Bretschneider
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Policy Issue ◽  
Household Data ◽  
The World ◽  
Residual Income Approach ◽  
Insight Into

Affordability of water services is a pressing water policy issue for both the developed and, in particular, for the developing world. Despite its well-known theoretical shortcomings, affordability analysis of water supply has, up to now, been widely based on the ratio of a household's water expenditure to its income, the Conventional Affordability Ratio (CAR). However, in the housing sector, alternative concepts for measuring affordability have been developed, among them being the ‘Potential Affordability Approach’ (PAA) and the ‘Residual Income Approach’ (RIA). Against this background, this paper compares these three prominent affordability measures (CAR, PAA, RIA) on the basis of an empirical case study of a peri-urban, low-income area in the second largest Mongolian city of Darkhan, using household data from a survey conducted in 2009. Thus we gain insight into both the water-related affordability situation of people in Mongolia, checking the World Bank's finding of an absence of water affordability problems in peri-urban areas in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, as well as into the comparative functionality of different affordability measures. It is shown that affordability problems do occur but have to be distinguished depending on the economic causation. We argue that none of the regarded measures give a satisfyingly contoured notion of affordability properly distinguished from the adjacent problems of poverty and access.

scholarly journals Heavy Metal Contamination in a Protected Natural Area from Southeastern Mexico: Analysis of Risks to Human Health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Alejandra Aguilar ◽  
Yunuen Canedo ◽  
Carlos Montalvo ◽  
Alejandro Ruiz ◽  
Rocio Barreto
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Heavy Metal Contamination ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Natural Area ◽  
Commercial Species ◽  
Protected Natural Area ◽  
Fishery Products

In this chapter, a little of the history of Carmen City, Mexico is addressed; this island is immersed in a Protected Natural Area and in the “Campeche Sound” an oil extraction site. Fishing natural resources were for many years the pillar of the development of the area; the most commercially important species are still shrimp, oysters and scales. Nowadays, although the volumes of capture have decreased considerably, different species of high commercial value are still extracted. The considerable development of the oil industry has brought with its economic development and a better quality of life for its inhabitants; however, the ravages of pollution, rapid population growth, and deforestation have been the unwanted factor. This chapter addresses the effects of heavy metals on human health through a risk analysis, based on the criteria of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that was carried out for different commercial species based on carcinogenic factors and not carcinogenic; the results show that the risk from consumption of these species is “potentially dangerous” for human health, especially in those species that, due to their eating habits (mollusks, bivalves, clams) tend to bio-accumulate heavy metals, such as cadmium, which it has been considered by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a risk factor; for this reason, the importance of periodically evaluating and monitoring oyster extraction banks, clams and, in general, all fishery products. Mexican legislation and various international legislations dictate the maximum permissible and tolerable levels of heavy metals in fishery products; the organisms considered in this study exceeded the permissible limits in copper and nickel, which represents a risk for human consumption.

scholarly journals Heavy metals in vegetables and potential risk for human health

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Guerra ◽  
Anderson Ricardo Trevizam ◽  
Takashi Muraoka ◽  
Nericlenes Chaves Marcante ◽  
Solange Guidolin Canniatti-Brazaca
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Potential Risk

scholarly journals Shared Sanitation Management and the Role of Social Capital: Findings from an Urban Sanitation Intervention in Maputo, Mozambique

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess Shiras ◽  
Oliver Cumming ◽  
Joe Brown ◽  
Becelar Muneme ◽  
Rassul Nala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Formal System ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Change Models

Shared sanitation—sanitation facilities shared by multiple households—is increasingly common in rapidly growing urban areas in low-income countries. However, shared sanitation facilities are often poorly maintained, dissuading regular use and potentially increasing disease risk. In a series of focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, we explored the determinants of shared sanitation management within the context of a larger-scale health impact evaluation of an improved, shared sanitation facility in Maputo, Mozambique. We identified a range of formal management practices users developed to maintain shared sanitation facilities, and found that management strategies were associated with perceived latrine quality. However—even within an intervention context—many users reported that there was no formal system for management of sanitation facilities at the compound level. Social capital played a critical role in the success of both formal and informal management strategies, and low social capital was associated with collective action failure. Shared sanitation facilities should consider ways to support social capital within target communities and identify simple, replicable behavior change models that are not dependent on complex social processes.

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