Air Quality Levels and Health Risk Assessment of Particulate Matters in Abuja Municipal Area, Nigeria

This study focuses on assessing the health risk by particulate matter (PM) inhalation within the Abuja municipal area, Nigeria. Particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10), HCHO and VOCs were collected by A handheld portable smart air quality detector BR-SMART-126. A hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model for backward trajectory was applied to tract the air flow (transportation) and potential sources. Health risk was estimated by comparing with the air quality index (AQI) stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The result shows that the daily averaged concentrations of PM2.5 varied from 15.30 µg/m3 to 70.20 µg/m3. The top four most-polluted locations (Locations 10, 14, 17 and 18) of the twenty locations were found to be above the acceptable (25 µg/m3) AQI limit stipulated by WHO, which all fell far under the unhealthy AQI value index level. In general, business/commercial locations had the highest PM2.5 level followed by transport/market, offices/mixed use and residential. The results from the backwards trajectories show that the source of local particles for the four most-polluted locations is long-range air transport originating from the Atlantic Ocean. The results of the health-risk assessment implies that for PM2.5, the AQI varied from 73.2 to 280.8 in this assessment. Based on this, the population of workers within the business location are at health risk based on the relatively poor air quality in these areas—especially location 10 and 17. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the regulatory and enforcement agency needs to develop a more robust monitoring mechanism, regulations and enforcement. Furthermore, there is need for a national drive on renewable energy, clean energy for business/commercial district to help reduce fumes from generators and to form cleaner air initiatives in order to ensure a safe environment to live in as well as reduce particulate matters in the city.

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Bioaccumulation potential and health risk assessment of heavy metals in Corchorus olitorius L. (Malvaceae) and Amaranthus hybridus L. (Amaranthaceae) obtained from a selected dump site in Akure, Nigeria

Brazilian Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.21472/bjbs.061214 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (12) ◽

pp. 149-160

Author(s):

Foluso Ologundudu ◽

Adegbite Tobi ◽

Omotola Fopeyemi

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Heavy Metal ◽

Health Risk ◽

World Health Organization ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

World Health ◽

Corchorus Olitorius ◽

Amaranthus Hybridus ◽

Health Organization

Heavy metal contamination of polluted site has become a recurring decimal globally posing a threat to human life and biodiversity. This study was carried out to investigate the bioaccumulation potential and health risk assessment associated with the consumption of two indigenous vegetables Corchorus olitorius L. (Malvaceae) and Amaranthus hybridus (Amaranthaceae) in Akure. Initial pre soil analysis showed that the heavy metal concentration were above the safe limit as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). The heavy metals investigated include Cr, Ni, Cd, Fe and Pb for their bioaccumulation factor to provide baseline data regarding environmental safety and suitability of the vegetables for human consumption. Translocation factor, Daily Intake of Metal (DIM), Health Risk Index (HRI) and Oral Refrence Dose (RFD) were calculated following standard methods. This study concludes that different vegetables accumulate and translocate variable amount of heavy metals from the soil into their tissues. Hence, it is not advisable to consume vegetable samples collected from this site based on the permissible limits as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO).

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Health Risk Assessment of Mercury Exposure from Fish Consumption in Munduruku Indigenous Communities in the Brazilian Amazon

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157940 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7940

Author(s):

Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos ◽

Gustavo Hallwass ◽

Jaqueline Gato Bezerra ◽

Angélico Nonato Serrão Aciole ◽

Heloisa Nascimento de Moura Meneses ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Health Risk ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Fish Consumption ◽

Daily Intake ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Trophic Levels ◽

World Health ◽

Health Organization

Fish serves as the principal source of animal protein for the indigenous people of the Amazon, ensuring their food and nutritional security. However, gold mining causes mercury (Hg) contamination in fish, and consequently increases health risks associated with fish consumption. The aim of this study was to assess the health risk attributed to the consumption of mercury-contaminated fish by Munduruku indigenous communities in the Middle-Tapajós Region. Different fish species were collected in the Sawré Muybu Indigenous Land to determine mercury levels. The health risk assessment was carried out according to the World Health Organization (WHO 2008) methodology and different scenarios were built for counterfactual analysis. Eighty-eight fish specimens from 17 species and four trophic levels were analyzed. Estimates of Hg ingestion indicated that the methylmercury daily intake exceeds the U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2000) reference dose from 3 to 25-fold, and up to 11 times the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)/WHO (2003) dose recommendation. In all situations analyzed, the risk ratio estimates were above 1.0, meaning that the investigated Munduruku communities are at serious risk of harm as a result of ingestion of mercury-contaminated fish. These results indicate that, at present, fish consumption is not safe for this Munduruku population. This hazardous situation threatens the survival of this indigenous population, their food security, and their culture

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Evaluation of Chemical Parameters of Urban Drinking Water Quality along with Health Risk Assessment: A Case Study of Ardabil Province, Iran

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105179 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5179

Author(s):

Reza Aghlmand ◽

Saeed Rasi Nezami ◽

Ali Abbasi

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Health Risk ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Hazard Quotient ◽

Hazard Index ◽

World Health ◽

Study Region

In recent years, in addition to water resources’ quantity, their quality has also received much attention. In this study, the quality of the urban water distribution network in northwestern Iran was evaluated using the water quality index (WQI) method. Then, some important trace elements were investigated, and finally, the health risk assessment was evaluated for both carcinogenic elements (Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, and As) and non-carcinogenic elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, F, NO3, and Cu) using carcinogenic risk (CR) and hazard quotient (HQ), respectively. In the present study, the WQI was calculated based on both World Health Organization (WHO) and Iranian drinking water standards. Comparing the results of these standards revealed that the WQI based on the Iranian standard was slightly higher. Regarding the calculated WQI for the study region, the status of water quality for drinking consumption is in the good water quality class (25 < WQI < 50). It was observed that Cu and Cd have the highest and lowest concentrations in all sampling points, respectively. Hazard Index (HI) results showed that the non-carcinogenic substances studied had a low risk for both adults and children (<1.0). However, the CR results showed that Ni, Cd, and As were above the desired level for both children and adults. The results of this study can be applied for efficient water management and human health protection programs in the study area.

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In vitro bioaccessibility and health risk assessment of heavy metals in atmospheric particulate matters from three different functional areas of Shanghai, China

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.074 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 610-611 ◽

pp. 546-554 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Huang Huang ◽

Ying Jiang ◽

Xiaoyun Xu ◽

Xinde Cao

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Health Risk ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

Particulate Matters ◽

Atmospheric Particulate ◽

In Vitro Bioaccessibility ◽

Functional Areas

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Developing a Public Health Risk Assessment Toolkit for Mass Gatherings and Trialling for an International Multi-Sport Mass Gathering Event

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x19002474 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (s1) ◽

pp. s116-s116

Author(s):

Ellen Bloomer ◽

Tina Endericks

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Health Risk ◽

Health Risk Assessment ◽

Health Risks ◽

Planning Process ◽

Assessment Process ◽

World Health ◽

Public Health Risk ◽

Mass Gatherings

Introduction:Risk assessment for mass gatherings (MGs) is undertaken to enable public health authorities to systematically identify and assess the generic characteristics of an MG, which introduce or enhance particular threats and develop measures to reduce or mitigate these threats. The World Health Organization Collaborating Centres on Mass Gatherings and Global Health Security (WHO CCs) produced a comprehensive guide to MGs called “Public Health for Mass Gatherings: Key Considerations” (KC2). This is being converted into an eLearning resource. A public health risk assessment toolkit is being developed by the WHO CCs to complement and guide organizers in their planning process for the health risks associated with an MG event. Preparations for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (BCG) are underway and it is important to involve a public health element in the planning for the BCG.Aim:To develop a public health risk assessment toolkit for MGs and pilot it as part of the planning process for the BCG.Methods:Based on KC2 principles, methods included developing and finalizing a public health risk assessment toolkit for MGs. This study also piloted the toolkit for the BCG.Results:A toolkit will be developed. Key learning will be documented on how the toolkit can be improved. The pilot will identify the key public health risks for the BCG, and assess how to mitigate them.Discussion:The development of this toolkit will be an innovative contribution to the resources available for those organizing MGs. It will support organizers to conduct risk assessments and thus maximize the potential for health from the event. Piloting the toolkit for the BCG is an opportunity for validating it, and provides valuable learning for its use in future events. It will support the risk assessment process for the BCG and share learning regarding the key risks for this event.

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