scholarly journals Human Health Risk Assessment of Air Pollution in the Regions of Unsustainable Heating Sources. Case Study—The Tourist Areas of Southern Poland

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 615
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Gruszecka-Kosowska ◽  
Jacek Dajda ◽  
Ewa Adamiec ◽  
Edeltrauda Helios-Rybicka ◽  
Marek Kisiel-Dorohinicki ◽  
...  

Air pollution is one of the main factors affecting human health. Air quality is especially important in the tourist areas developed with facilities for outdoor activities. During the winter season of 2017/2018, the concentrations of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1), CO, O3, and NO2 were studied in 12 attractive tourist villages in the surroundings of the Czorsztyn Reservoir in southern Poland. Air pollutant measurements were performed continuously, using a single ground-based Alphasense air sensor. Our assessment of human health risk (HHRA), arising from inhalation exposure to air contaminants, was calculated for both local inhabitants and tourists, based on actual measured values. It was found that pollutant concentrations exceeded both permissible and recommended levels of PM10 and PM2.5. The mean total noncarcinogenic risk values were equal to 9.58 (unitless) for adults and 9.68 (unitless) for children and infants, under the resident exposure scenario. However, under the tourist exposure scenario, the mean total risk was equal to 1.63 (unitless) for adults and 1.64 (unitless) for children and infants. The risk to tourists was lower than that to inhabitants due to shorter exposure times. The target non-carcinogenic value of 1, calculated for PM10, PM2.5, and NO2, was significantly exceeded in total risk, under the residential exposure scenario, in reference to all the local subpopulations. In the majority of the investigated locations, the total risk exceeded the value of 1, under the tourist scenario, for all the subpopulations analysed. PM2.5 was recognised to be the most important contaminant in our risk analysis, in view of its share in the total risk value.

Author(s):  
Agnieszka Gruszecka-Kosowska

The presence of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in popularly consumed fruits in Poland was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, Sb, Tl, and Zn contents were investigated in 21 fruit species grouped as berry, pome, stone, and shell fruits. The PHE contents belonged to the following ranges (mg/kg wet weight): Cd < limit of detection (LOD)–0.116, Co < LOD–0.062, Cu < LOD–15.5, Ni < LOD–2.23, Pb < LOD–2.07, Sb < LOD–0.240, Tl < LOD–0.110, and Zn 0.37–37.7. Their concentrations exceeded the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) set by European Union regulation for Pb only. Bioconcentration coefficient (BC) values, calculated in accordance to the PHE contents in exchangeable and acid soluble forms in soil after first step of the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction procedure, revealed that berry fruits had potential for accumulation of Cu, Ni, Sb, and Tl; stone fruits—Cu, Sb, and Tl; pome fruits—Cu, Ni, and Sb, and shell fruit (walnut)—Cu. Human health risk assessment associated with the intake of PHEs in fruits was evaluated in terms of daily intake rates (DIR), and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk by cancer risk (CR) and hazard quotient (HQ), respectively. For Pb margin of exposure (MOE) approach was used for health risk evaluation. Daily intake rates for all PHEs were below the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) values. The mean total non-carcinogenic risk values were the following: berry fruits HQ = 0.47, pome fruits HQ = 0.36, stone fruits HQ = 0.42, and shell fruits (walnut) HQ = 0.22, indicating no health hazards. The carcinogenic risk for As in walnut only under an adult intake scenario (CR = 1.98 × 10−6) was found to be above the acceptable risk level. The mean Pb health risk, according to Polish statistical intake rates, was acceptable low as the MOE value was equal to 15.7 for adults. In reference to the intake rates recommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), MOE values for Pb indicated acceptable low risk both for adults (MOE = 14.0) and children (MOE = 1.64). In general, the finding of this research revealed no health risk arising from PHE consumption with fruits for the population of Poland.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 3405
Author(s):  
Yahia A. Othman ◽  
Amani Al-Assaf ◽  
Maher J. Tadros ◽  
Abeer Albalawneh

Wastewater is actively used for irrigation of vegetable and forage crops in arid lands due to water scarcity and cost advantages. The objective of this review was to assess the effect of wastewater (mixture sources) reuse in irrigation on soil, crop (vegetable and forage crops), animal products, and human health. The metadata analysis of 95 studies revealed that the mean of toxic heavy metals including nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in untreated wastewater were higher than the world standard limits in wastewater-irrigated regions. Although heavy metals in treated wastewater were within the standard limits in those areas, the concentration of those toxic elements (Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, and As) exceeded the allowable limits in both soil and vegetables’ edible parts. In fact, the concentration of heavy metals in vegetables’ edible parts increased by 3–9 fold when compared with those irrigated with fresh water. Escherichia coli in wastewater-irrigated soil was about 2 × 106 (CFU g−1) and about 15 (CFU g−1) in vegetables’ edible parts (leaf, bulb, tuber and fruit) while the mean total coliforms was about 1.4 × 106 and 55 (CFU g−1) in soil and vegetables’ edible parts, respectively. For human health risk assessment, the estimated daily intake (EDI) and human health risk index (HRI) ranged from 0.01 to 8 (EDI and HRI > 1.0 associated with adverse health effects). Although the mean of EDI for heavy metals from wastewater-irrigated vegetables were less than 1, the HRI for Cd and Pb were above the limits for safe consumption. Overall, heavy metal levels in wastewater that used for irrigation of agricultural crops could be within the recommended levels by the world standards, but the long-term use of this reused water will contaminate soil and crops with several toxic heavy metals leading to potential carcinogenic risks to humans. Therefore, rigorous and frequent testing (wastewater, soil, and plant) is required in cultivated farms to prevent the translocation of heavy metals in the food chain.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yizhen Li ◽  
Long Ma ◽  
Jilili Abuduwaili ◽  
Yaoming Li ◽  
Salamat Abdyzhapar uulu

Abstract To determine the spatiotemporal distributions and human health risks of fluoride and arsenic in the rivers of Kyrgyzstan as influenced by mining and other industries, 169 water samples were collected from the main rivers and tributaries of Kyrgyzstan from 2016 to 2018. Through the use of cold and hot spot analysis, multivariate statistical analysis and health risk assessment model, the results indicated that the fluorine and arsenic concentrations in river waters increased year by year from 2016 to 2018. In total, 2.38%, 3.26% and 10.64% of the analyzed samples exceeded the drinking water standard of a maximum permissible limit of 1 mg/L for fluoride, and 0%, 1.09% and 2.13% of the samples exceeded the limit of 10 µg/L for arsenic in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The gathering areas for high fluorine concentrations were mainly distributed in the Issyk-Kul Basin, Chu River Valley and Fergana Basin, and the gathering areas for high arsenic concentrations were mainly concentrated in the Chu River Valley and southern Fergana Basin. Although fluorine and arsenic were not found to exceed the limits simultaneously, the two pollutants accumulated high values in the southern Fergana Basin in 2018, which indicated the risk of joint poisoning. The distributions of high fluorine and arsenic were found to be determined by mining, industrial and agricultural activities, but not by natural sources. From 2016 to 2018, arsenic concentrations in the river water of Kyrgyzstan created a high risk of carcinogenesis by the ingestion intake exposure route, which resulted in the total risk of health hazards to children and adults caused by fluoride and arsenic to exceed the maximum acceptable ranges. Therefore, further monitoring and management are urgently needed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 125 ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charu Gangwar ◽  
Ranjana Choudhari ◽  
Anju Chauhan ◽  
Atul Kumar ◽  
Aprajita Singh ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somdeep Ghosh ◽  
Madhurima Bakshi ◽  
Shouvik Mahanty ◽  
Tanushree Gaine ◽  
Subarna Bhattacharyya ◽  
...  

Abstract River Hooghly, an offshoot of river Ganges is one of the major rivers of Asia having traditional, social, economic, religious and spiritual values. Water samples were collected from eighteen sampling locations of river Hooghly during summer, monsoon, and winter season, and analysed for basic physico-chemical properties and selected potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Several PTEs such as Al, Fe, Ni and Pb were above the permissible limits, prescribed by national and international guidelines. The trend of variation in the mean PTE concentrations showed the following order: Cd < Pb < Co < Cr < Ni < Cu < Zn < Mn < Fe. Due to the presence of high total dissolve solid (TDS) and PTE contents, the water quality of river Hooghly is not suitable for direct human consumption. The evaluated Water Quality Index (WQI) value showed a distinct spatio-temporal variation indicating very severe condition of water quality, which is deteriorating gradually from upstream to downstream. In summer, monsoon and winter, the highest WQI values were observed in Maushuni Island (S15), Petuaghat (S18) and Tapoban (S17) respectively. However, the non-carcinogenic human health risk in terms of Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index values of PTEs indicates no immediate adverse impact on human health due to exposure of PTE contaminated water from river Hooghly through ingestion or dermal route. Though these risk values for children were higher than adults warranting the adoption of a long-term management plan to cope with potential human health risks. The result suggests implementation of a combination of stringent socio-legal regulations and software based models for sustainable water related health risk management in river Hooghly.


2016 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 691-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Emmanouil ◽  
Eumorfia Drositi ◽  
Vasiliki Vasilatou ◽  
Evangelia Diapouli ◽  
Konstantinos Krikonis ◽  
...  

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