Cryoconites as biogeochemical markers of anthropogenic impact in high mountain regions: analysis of polyaromatic pollutants in soil-like bodies

The globalisation and omnidirectional character of anthropogenic processes has challenged scientists around the world to estimate the harmful effects of these processes on ecosystems and human health. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is one the most infamous group of contaminants, originated both from natural and anthropogenic processes. They could transport to high latitudes and altitudes through atmospheric long-distance transfer and further enter ecosystems of these vulnerable regions by deposition on terrestrial surfaces. An interesting object for tracking transboundary contamination processes in high mountain ecosystems is called cryoconite. Cryoconite, a dark-coloured supraglacial sediment which is abundant in polar and mountain environments, is considered as a storage of various pollutants, including PAHs. Thus, it may pose a risk for local human health and ecosystem through short-distance transfer. Studied cryoconite sediments were collected at the surface of Skhelda and Garabashi glaciers, Central Caucasus high-mountain region, as well as mudflow, moraine material and local soils at the Baksan Gorge in order to examine levels of their contamination. We analysed the content of 15 priority polyaromatic compounds from the US EPA list and used the method of calculation of PAHs isomer ratios with the purpose of identifying their source. To estimate their potential toxicity, Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalents were calculated. Maximum concentration was defined for NAP (84 ng×g-1), PHE (40 ng×g-1) and PYR (47 ng×g-1), with the minimum concentration for ANT (about 1 ng×g-1). The most polluted material is a cryoconite from Garabashi glacier because of local anthropogenic activities and long-distance transfer. High-molecular weight PAHs are dominated in PAHs composition of almost all samples. The most common sources of PAHs in studied materials are combustion processes and mixed pyrolytic/petrogenic origin. Toxicity levels of separate PAHs did not exceed the maximum permissible threshold concentrations values in most cases. However, the sum of PAHs in BaP equivalents exceed the threshold values in all samples, in some of them more than twice.

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Physicochemical and bacteriological characterization of hospital effluents and their impact on the environment

10.31221/osf.io/rbka9 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chem Int

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Fecal Coliforms ◽

Chemical Pollution ◽

Hospital Effluents ◽

Biological Contaminants ◽

Almost All ◽

Direct Discharge ◽

Significant Chemical

Liquid effluents discharged by hospitals may contain chemical and biological contaminants whose main source is the different substances used for the treatment of patients. This type of rejection can present a sanitary potentially dangerous risk for human health and can provoke a strong degradation of diverse environmental compartments mainly water and soils. The present study focuses on the quality of the liquid effluents of Hassani Abdelkader’s hospital of Sidi Bel-Abbes (West of Algeria). The results reveal a significant chemical pollution (COD: 879 mgO2/L, BOD5: 850 mgO2/L, NH4+ : 47.9 mg/l, NO2- : 4.2 mg/l, NO3- : 56.8 mg/l with respect to WHO standard of 90 mgO2/L, 30 mgO2/L, 0.5 mg/l, 1 mg/l and 1 mg/l respectively). However, these effluents are biodegradable since the ratio COD/BOD5 do not exceeded the value of 2 in almost all samples. The presence of pathogen germs is put into evidence such as pseudomonas, the clostridium, the staphylococcus, the fecal coliforms and fecal streptococcus. These results show that the direct discharge of these effluents constitutes a major threat to human health and the environment.

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Assessment of Groundwater Geochemistry of Vel River basin, Western Maharashtra, India

Hydrospatial Analysis ◽

10.21523/gcj3.2020040102 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 14-28

Author(s):

S. K. Gaikwad ◽

N. D. Pathan ◽

N. S. Bansode ◽

S. P. Gaikwad ◽

Y. P. Badhe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Geochemical Data ◽

Total Hardness ◽

Groundwater Geochemistry ◽

Average Value ◽

Rock Water Interaction ◽

Good For ◽

Almost All ◽

Geological Control

To study the chemistry of major ion in groundwater from Vel (Velu) River basin, sixty (60) samples of dug wells and bore wells were collected and analyzed using standard techniques given by APHA. It shows order of dominance for cations, Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ and in anionic concentration as HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- in groundwater. The pH of groundwater is slightly alkaline (range: pH 7.0 - 8.1), while average values of Electrical Conductivity (EC) is about 2641 µS/cm indicating high mineralization of groundwater. In general, the cationic concentration (Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) of the groundwater increase in the downstream side (from Northwest to South east), suggesting geological control on the composition of groundwater while highest concentration is in lower part of the basin are generally associated with the high salinity. In the major anions, bicarbonate (HCO3-) is higher due to rock-water interaction. Average value of chloride is about of 235 mg/L due to discharge zones along with anthropogenic activities. The geochemical data plotted on Piper Trilinear Diagram is showing dominant hydro-chemical facies: Ca2++Mg2+, Na++ K+, Cl-+ SO42- -HCO3- found in 83.3 % samples indicating the alkaline earth exceeding the alkalis and the strong acids exceeds the weak acids. The pH, Total Hardness (TH) and Magnesium (Mg2+) of the samples show more proportion of samples falling above desirable limit. Otherwise the quality of groundwater is good for drinking. The irrigation indices like SAR, KR and SSP were considered to evaluate groundwater suitability for irrigation. Comparing with SAR parameter all samples are excellent to good for irrigation. In SSP, 33.3 % samples are within permissible, while 66.6% samples are doubtful for irrigation purpose. In KR almost all samples (excluding 04 samples in lower side of basin) are suitable for irrigation. So, variations in climate, geology with anthropogenic activities are modifying the groundwater geochemistry of Vel River Basin.

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Anthropogenic nitrate in groundwater and its health risks in the view of background concentration in a semi arid area of Rajasthan, India

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88600-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Abdur Rahman ◽

N. C. Mondal ◽

K. K. Tiwari

Keyword(s):

Health Risk ◽

Human Health ◽

Health Risks ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Probabilistic Approach ◽

Hazard Index ◽

Arid Area ◽

Oral Exposure ◽

Background Concentration ◽

Semi Arid

AbstractAn increased nitrate (NO3−) concentration in groundwater has been a rising issue on a global scale in recent years. Different consumption mechanisms clearly illustrate the adverse effects on human health. The goal of this present study is to assess the natural and anthropogenic NO3− concentrations in groundwater in a semi arid area of Rajasthan and its related risks to human health in the different groups of ages such as children, males, and females. We have found that most of the samples (n = 90) were influenced by anthropogenic activities. The background level of NO3− had been estimated as 7.2 mg/L using a probabilistic approach. About 93% of nitrate samples exceeded the background limit, while 28% of the samples were beyond the permissible limit of 45 mg/L as per the BIS limits. The results show that the oral exposure of nitrate was very high as compare to dermal contact. With regard to the non-carcinogenic health risk, the total Hazard Index (HITotal) values of groundwater nitrate were an average of 0.895 for males, 1.058 for females, and 1.214 for children. The nitrate health risk assessment shows that about 38%, 46%, and 49% of the samples constitute the non-carcinogenic health risk to males, females, and children, respectively. Children were found to be more prone to health risks due to the potential exposure to groundwater nitrate.

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Measurements of Local Sources of Particulates with a Portable Monitor along the Coast of an Insular City

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13010261 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 261

Author(s):

Christos Petsas ◽

Marinos Stylianou ◽

Antonis Zorpas ◽

Agapios Agapiou

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Significant Contribution ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Portable Monitor ◽

Traffic Jam ◽

Modern Cities ◽

Anthropogenic Processes ◽

The City ◽

Coastal Front

The air quality of modern cities is considered an important factor for the quality of life of humans and therefore is being safeguarded by various international organizations, concentrating on the mass concentration of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10, 2.5 and 1 μm. However, the different physical and anthropogenic processes and activities within the city contribute to the rise of fine (<1 μm) and coarse (>1 μm) particles, directly impacting human health and the environment. In order to monitor certain natural and anthropogenic events, suspecting their significant contribution to PM concentrations, seven different events taking place on the coastal front of the city of Limassol (Cyprus) were on-site monitored using a portable PM instrument; these included both natural (e.g., dust event) and anthropogenic (e.g., cement factory, meat festival, tall building construction, tire factory, traffic jam, dust road) emissions taking place in spring and summer periods. The violations of the limits that were noticed were attributed mainly to the various anthropogenic activities taking place on-site, revealing once more the need for further research and continuous monitoring of air quality.

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How can drone imagery and dendrogeomorphology contribute to GLOF hazard assessment in remote areas? A case study from Chilean Patagonia.

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-10821 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Gorsic ◽

Alberto Muñoz-Torrero Manchado ◽

Jérôme Lopez-Saez ◽

Simon K. Allen ◽

Juan A. Ballesteros-Canovas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

High Energy ◽

High Mountain ◽

Remote Areas ◽

Mountain Environments ◽

Outburst Floods ◽

Object Based ◽

Detection Approach ◽

Chilean Patagonia ◽

San Rafael

With the substantial glacier mass reduction projected by the end of the century, the formation and rise of periglacial lakes has to be expected. Even though these changes often occur in remote areas, they can nevertheless have catastrophic impacts on populations and infrastructure through processes such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). GLOFs are the result of complex geomorphic changes and subject to various timescales, thus urging the need for a multidimensional approach. The present study combines two approaches to analyze natural hazards in the secluded San Rafael National Park in Chilean Patagonia (North Patagonian Icefield). The Grosse glacier outlet was chosen after interpreting satellite imagery and historical pictures showing a historical emptying of a lateral lake, which was also supported by local testimonies. Dendrogeomorphology was primarily used with an automatic detection approach to identify possible dates of occurrence of past GLOFs at the Grosse outlet. A total of 105 disturbed Nothofagus trees were sampled highlighting 6 event years between 1958 and 2011. The second method aimed at complementing the tree-ring-based findings with UAV imagery acquired during fieldwork and the mapping of geomorphic evidence of past GLOFs. Huge boulders and deposits are one of the signs recognized as remnants of past lake outbursts and were thus used to differentiate small, rainfall-induced floods from high magnitude events. More precisely, through an object-based strategy, we mapped deposits and extrapolated a theoretical flow orientation. Whereas the first method allowed to select dates of potential events, the second facilitated identification and mapping of the spatial extent of past high-energy events. Analysis of imagery also allowed detection of the occurrence of a 200-m wide breach in the frontal moraine as well as the vanishing of a lateral lake estimated to be 1.8 &#215; 106 m2 in the 1950s, which we date to 1958 using tree-ring records. When used together the two approaches can represent a valuable contribution to historical records and help future assessments of natural hazard at Grosse glacier, but also in other high-mountain environments.

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Interdisciplinary Approaches to Reconstructing Early Population History in the High Himalayas of Nepal

Bioarchaeology International ◽

10.5744/bi.2020.1068 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Jacqueline Eng ◽

Mark Aldenderfer

Keyword(s):

Material Culture ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Interdisciplinary Approach ◽

High Elevation ◽

Population History ◽

High Mountain ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Mountain Environments ◽

Interdisciplinary Approaches

Anthropological research in the high-elevation regions of northwestern Nepal offers insights into the populationhistory of the Himalayan arc through a multi- and interdisciplinary approach that includes not only archaeologicaldata and historic and ethnographic accounts but also genomic, isotopic, and bioarchaeologicaldata, as well as innovative use of thermal niche modeling for paleoclimate reconstruction. Together these linesof evidence have allowed us to address project questions about human settlement into the region, including(1) sources of population movements into high-elevation environments of the Himalayan arc and (2) bioculturaladaptations to high-mountain environments. In this paper we compare research at several communalmortuary sites, each with a rich assemblage of material culture and human burials: Mebrak (400 B.C.–A.D. 50),Kyang (400–175 B.C.), and Samdzong (A.D. 450–650), as well as intriguing insights from finds in the earlier (ca.1250–450 B.C.) sites of Lubrak, Chokhopani, and Rhirhi. Our genomic findings demonstrate population originsfrom the Tibetan plateau, despite South Asian material culture recovered in early sites. Bioarchaeological findingsof low frequencies of non-specific stress and trauma indicate successful biocultural adaptation to highaltitudeconditions of hypoxia, cold, and low resource availability, potentially through buffering from exchangenetworks and local cultural practices, alongside high-altitude selected alleles. An integrative, multidisciplinaryapproach thus offers significantly greater opportunities for developing a more nuanced understanding of thepast processes of migration, settlement, and biocultural adaptation in the region. La investigación antropológica de las alturas del noroeste de Nepal nos proporciona conocimientos de la historiade la población del arco Himalaya a través de un enfoque multidisciplinario e interdisciplinario que incluyeno solamente datos arqueológicos y relatos históricos y etnográficos, sino también datos genómicos, isotópicos,y bioarqueológicos, tanto como uso innovador del modelado del nicho térmico para la reconstrucción paleoclimática.En conjunto, estas líneas de evidencia nos han permitido abordar temas sobre el asentamiento humanade la región, como: (1) los orígenes del movimiento hacia ambientes en las alturas del arco del Himalaya;y (2) las adaptaciones bioculturales necesarias para vivir en las alturas. En este artículo comparamos las investigacionesde varios mortuorios comunales que ofrecen conjuntos abundantes de entierros humanos y artefactosrelacionados: Mebrak (400 a.C.–d.C. 50), Kyang (400–175 a.C.), and Samdzong (d.C. 450–650), así como loshallazgos intrigantes de sitios anteriores (ca. 1250–450 a.C.) de Lubrak, Chokhopani, y Rhirhi. Nuestros datosgenómicos sugieren orígenes de le población del altiplano tibetano, a pesar del material que deriva del sur de Asia que se ha recuperado de los sitios mas tempranos. Los hallazgos bioarqueológicos demuestran niveles bajosde estrés y trauma inespecífico, y sugieren éxito en adaptación biocultural, a pesar de las condiciones de hipoxia,frio, y los recursos escasos en este ambiente. Es posible que alelos seleccionados a las alturas, junto con sistemasde intercambio y las costumbres locales contribuyeron al éxito de la adaptación. Por lo tanto, un enfoque multidisciplinarioque integra todas las evidencias ofrece una comprensión mas detallada de los procesos de migración,asentamiento, y adaptación biocultural de la región.

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Spectroscopic and Voltammetric Analysis of Platinum Group Metals in Road Dust and Roadside Soil

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments5110120 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (11) ◽

pp. 120 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Charlton van der Horst ◽

Bongiwe Silwana ◽

Emmanuel Iwuoha ◽

Vernon Somerset

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Stripping Voltammetry ◽

Differential Pulse ◽

Platinum Group Metals ◽

Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry ◽

Good Precision ◽

Voltammetric Analysis ◽

Voltammetric Methods

The emission of toxic compounds by increasing anthropogenic activities affects human health and the environment. Heavy road traffic and mining activities are the major anthropogenic activities contributing to the presence of metals in the environment. The release of palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), and rhodium (Rh) into the environment increases the levels of contamination in soils, road sediments, airborne particles, and plants. These Pd, Pt, and Rh in road dusts can be soluble and enter aquatic environment posing a risk to environment and human health. The aim of this study is to determine the levels of Pd, Pt, and Rh with spectroscopy and voltammetric methods. Potential interferences by other metal ions (Na(I), Fe(III), Ni(II), Co(II)) in voltammetric methods have also been investigated in this study. At all the sampling sites very low concentrations of Pd, Pt, and Rh were found at levels that range from 0.48 ± 0.05 to 5.44 ± 0.11 ng/g (dry weight (d.wt)) for Pd(II), with 17.28 ± 3.12 to 81.44 ± 3.07 pg/g (d.wt) for Pt(II), and 14.34 ± 3.08 to 53.35 ± 4.07 pg/g (d.wt) for Rh(III). The instrumental limit of detection for Pd, Pt, and Rh for Inductively Coupled Plasma Quadrupole-based Mass Spectrometry (ICP-QMS) analysis was found to be 3 × 10−6 µg/g, 3 × 10−6 µg/g and 1 × 10−6 µg/g, respectively. In the case of voltammetric analysis the instrumental limit of detection for Pd(II), Pt(II), and Rh(III) for differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry was found to be 7 × 10−8 µg/g, 6 × 10−8 µg/g, and 2 × 10−7 µg/g, respectively. For the sensor application, good precision was obtained due to consistently reproduced the measurements with a reproducibility of 6.31% for Pt(II), 7.58% for Pd(II), and 5.37% for Rh(III) (n = 10). The reproducibility for ICP-QMS analysis were 1.58% for Pd(II), 1.12% for Pt(II), and 1.37% for Rh(III) (n = 5). In the case of repeatability for differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdSV) and ICP-QMS, good standard deviations of 0.01 for Pd(II); 0.02 for Pt(II), 0.009 for Rh(III) and 0.011 for Pd, 0.019 for Pt and 0.013 for Rh, respectively.

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Snow is Not an Enemy, But another Road in Winter

Passive Remote Study of the Aerosol in the Upper Atmosphere of the Earth ◽

10.47363/jeesr/2020(2)126 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-2

Author(s):

Oleg Khalidullin ◽

Keyword(s):

Road Surface ◽

Long Distance ◽

Surface Formation ◽

Different Temperatures ◽

Almost All

Snowfalls and blizzards block roads and create massive congestion on city streets and long-distance routes. Considering the processes of road surface formation during snowfall, it can be noted that snow during the fall is light fluffs, which, at an indefinite time, with different intensities, at different temperatures, stacked in layers, gradually by the wheels of cars, are compacted into a slippery tuberous canvas. The rubber tread, rolling through the freshly deposited layers, compresses the snow, forming a rut. The resulting trail adheres firmly to the asphalt. Almost all cars go on the trail, therefore the wheels of the following cars condense mainly the same track. On inactive roads, leaving the track during overtaking or detour leads to smoothing and compaction of the freezing walls of the track

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COVID-19 national lockdown in Morocco: impacts on air quality and public health

10.1101/2020.07.05.20146589 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kenza Khomsi ◽

Houda Najmi ◽

Hassan Amghar ◽

Youssef Chelhaoui ◽

Zineb Souhaili

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Pollution Reduction ◽

Industrial Activities ◽

Large Cities ◽

Almost All ◽

Quality Status

AbstractOn the 20th April 2020, the end date of the first strict lockdown period in Morocco, 2 403 410 cases of the corona Virus were confirmed globally. The number of Morocco confirmed cases attended 2990, while 12 746 were suspected and 143 deaths were recorded. Due to the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 worldwide and in Morocco, almost all avoidable activities in the country were prohibited since the kingdom announced activities reduction on March 16, 2020 and then general lockdown with reduced industrial activities on March 20, 2020.This study aims at comparing the air quality status in Casablanca and Marrakech, two large cities from Morocco, before the pandemic and during the lockdown situation to show whether COVID-19 compelled-anthropogenic activities lockdown may have saved lives by restraining ambient air pollution than by preventing infection.We found that, during the quarantine, NO2 dropped by -12 μg/m3 in Casablanca and -7 μg/m3 in Marrakech. PM2·5 dropped by -18 μg/m3 in Casablanca and -14 μg/m3 in Marrakech. CO dropped by -0.04 mg/m3 in Casablanca and -0.12 mg/m3 in Marrakech. This air pollution reduction had created human health benefits and had reduced mortality and saved lives mainly from cardiovascular diseases.

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Inorganic Nanoparticles: Toxic Effects, Mechanisms of Cytotoxicity and Phytochemical Interactions

Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin ◽

10.34172/apb.2022.077 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rashid Bhatti ◽

Hadia Shakeel ◽

Kousar Malik ◽

Muhammad Qasim ◽

Mohsin Ahmad Khan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metal Nanoparticles ◽

Human Health ◽

Reducing Agents ◽

Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Toxicological Effects ◽

Prime Concern ◽

Parkinson’S Diseases ◽

Almost All ◽

Nanoparticles Toxicity

During the last few decades, nanotechnology has gained many applications in almost all fields of life because of the unique properties of nanoparticles. Nanotechnology has specially marked its name in the field of medicine. However, nanoparticles toxicity is detrimental to human health and is a prime concern in applied medicine. They can cause insomnia, vertigo, madarosis, epistaxis, hypokalemia, lymphopenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, etc. There is a gap in knowledge regarding the study of the toxicological effects of nanoparticles. Mechanisms that are responsible for this toxicity are not fully understood yet. Phytochemicals have natural therapeutic effects of reducing metal nanoparticles' toxicity by acting as stabilizers and nontoxic reducing agents. However, the interaction between phytochemicals and nanoparticles is remained to be elucidated. This review will provide in-depth knowledge about the various types of inorganic nanoparticles and their associated toxicities, key parameters determining the toxic behaviour of nanoparticles, and the mechanisms behind their cytotoxicity. It also emphasizes the need for further research to understand the interaction between various phytochemicals and nanoparticles for therapeutic purposes.

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