Butyl Benzyl Phthalate in Urban Sewage by Magnetic-Based Immunoassay: Environmental Levels and Risk Assessment

A magnetic-based immunoassay (MBI) combined with biotin-streptavidin amplification was proposed for butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) investigation and risk assessment. The values of LOD (limit of detection, IC10) and IC50 were 0.57 ng/mL and 119.61 ng/mL, with a detection range of 0.57–24977.71 ng/mL for MBI. The specificity, accuracy and precision are well demonstrated. A total of 36 environmental water samples of urban sewage from Zhenjiang, China, were collected and assessed for BBP contamination. The results show that BBP-positive levels ranged from 2.47 to 89.21 ng/mL, with a positive rate of 77.8%. The health effects of BBP in the urban sewage were within a controllable range, and the ambient severity for health (ASI) was below 1.49. The highest value of AS for ecology (ASII) was 7.43, which indicates a potential harm to ecology. The entropy value of risk quotient was below 100, the highest being 59.47, which poses a low risk to the environment and ecology, indicating that there is a need to strengthen BBP controls. The non-carcinogenic risk of BBP exposure from drinking water was higher for females than that for males, and the non-carcinogenic risk from drinking-water and bathing pathways was negligible. This study could provide an alternative method for detecting BBP and essential information for controlling BBP contamination.

Multiphasic screening of priority chemical compounds in drinking water by process control and human health risk

Background The residual chemical pollutants in drinking water may cause adverse effects on human health. Chemical compounds potentially affecting human health have been widely explored, while the multiphasic evaluation of chemical compounds by process control and human health risk is still rarely reported. In the present study, we used multiphasic criteria to assess the health risk including effluent concentration, accumulation index, purification index for the removal efficiency during the drinking water treatment processes, carcinogen classification based on the International Agency for Research on Cancer standards, non-carcinogenic health hazards and carcinogenic risk. Results Among the monitored chemicals, 47 and 44 chemical compounds were detected in raw water and treated water, respectively. The generation and removal of chemical compounds implied that the migration and transformation of chemicals during the purification processes affected the effluent concentration, posing a direct potential health risk. Of these compounds, 41 contaminants’ profiles were screened as priority chemical compounds (PCCs). Conclusions The top eight PCCs with high carcinogenic risk were highlighted. Some effective steps, such as protecting the raw water sources, improving the removal performance and reducing the disinfection by-products during the purification process by introducing advanced treatment technologies, were suggested to maintain drinking water security. Collectively, our findings provided novel scientific supports for the sustainable management of drinking water to promote human health. Graphical Abstract

Sources of airborne particulate matter-bound metals and spatial-seasonal variability of health risk potentials in four large cities, South Korea

Fifteen airborne particulate matter-bound metals were analyzed at 14 sites in four large cities (Seoul, Incheon, Busan, Daegu) in South Korea, between August 2013 and June 2017. Among the seven sources resolved by positive matrix factorization, soil dust and marine aerosol accounted for the largest and second largest portions in the three cities; however, in Seoul, soil dust and traffic occupied the largest and the second largest, respectively. Non-carcinogenic risk assessed by inhalation of eight metals (Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, As, Al, Mn, and V) was greater than the hazard index (HI) of 1 at four sites located at or near the industrial complexes. Cumulative incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) due to exposure to five metals (Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, and As) exceeded the 10−6 cancer benchmark at 14 sites and 10−5 at six sites, which includes four sites with HI greater than 1. The largest contributor to ILCR was coal combustion in Seoul, Incheon, and Daegu, and industry sources in Busan. Moreover, industry sources were the largest contributors to non-carcinogenic risk in Seoul, Busan, and Daegu, and soil dust was in Incheon. Incheon had the highest HI in spring because of the higher contribution of soil dust sources than in other seasons. The higher ILCR in Incheon in spring and winter and higher ILCR and HI in Daegu in autumn were mainly due to the influence of industry or coal combustion sources. Statistically significant differences in the ILCR and HI values among the sampling sites in Busan and Daegu resulted from the higher contribution of industry sources at a certain site in the respective city.

Source apportionment and health risk assessment of indoor volatile organic compounds

In extremely cold areas with long winter months and exceptionally cold weather, classrooms are inadequately ventilated, resulting in the continuous accumulation of indoor air pollutants that may endanger human health. This article uses adsorption tube sampling-thermal desorption-gas chromatography mass spectrometry to analyze the type and concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the classroom. The source analysis and health risk assessment were performed, and the real-time concentration of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) was computed using the multifunctional ventilation. The result shows that the air in the classroom contains 25 kinds of VOCs. Among them, the carcinogenic risk value of seven kinds of VOCs (3.40 × 10-5) exceeds the acceptable risk value (1 × 10-6) given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). There are 17 kinds of VOCs that pose a certain non-carcinogenic risk to the human body. After quantitative analysis by the principal component analysis (PCA) and the characteristic quantity concentration ratio method, human activities, furnishings, outdoor penetration, etc., were found to be main sources of VOCs in the classroom. In addition, TVOC concentration is directly proportional to class time. In winter, classrooms in severely cold areas must take necessary measures to reduce the concentration of VOCs and ensure students' health.

Heavy Metals and Probabilistic Risk Assessment via Pheretima (a Traditional Chinese Medicine) Consumption in China

Earthworms are known to accumulate inorganic contaminants from the soil; they are also used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) called Pheretima, which might cause safety problems with long-term exposure. Here, this study was conducted to determine and analyze the level of heavy metal contamination such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) in Pheretima and then explore the probabilistic health risks caused by 8 heavy metals in 98 batches of Pheretima using Monte Carlo simulation. A risk assessment strategy was conducted to assess heavy metal–associated health risk of Pheretima based on consumption data. For random consumption sampling, the results found that the non-carcinogenic risk of As is higher than the acceptable level, and the carcinogenic risk levels of As and Cr exceeded the acceptable risk recommended by the USEPA. Cr and As were regarded as the priority metals for risk control in the present study. Finally, it was recommended that the dosing frequency should be less than 24 d/y. In general, this study conducted a probabilistic risk assessment of heavy metals in Pheretima, which would be of significance for policy makers to take effective strategies to improve the quality and safety of Pheretima.

Development of cancerogenic risk index maps for the territory of Vladikavkaz

В последние годы наблюдается значительный рост численности населения, которому соответствуют ускоренные темпы индустриализации. Это сопровождается всё более значительным загрязнением окружающей среды тяжелыми металлами. Наибольший вклад в загрязнение окружающей среды Республики Северная Осетия – Алания долгие годы вносила горнодобывающая промышленность, в последнее же время к ней, в качестве не менее весомого источника загрязнения присоединились нестационарные источники. Загрязнение тяжелыми металлами создает серьезную опасность для здоровья населения и окружающей среды из-за их токсичной природы. Цель исследования. Разработка карт пространственного распределения загрязняющих веществ является основой в оценке уровня загрязнения окружающей среды. Цель настоящего исследования – разработка карт индекса канцерогенного риска и установление его взаимосвязи с онкозаболеваемостью населения. Методы исследования. В процессах создания карт используются методы интерполяции, так как количество проб и измерений содержания вредных веществ в той или иной среде, как правило, весьма ограничено. Согласно зарубежным исследованиям, для большинства наиболее часто используемых методов интерполяции обеспечивается одинаково высокая точность. В настоящей работе при расчёте индексов канцерогенного риска использовался метод обратного взвешивания расстояний. Результаты работы Отобран материал по заболеваемости населения злокачественными образованиями по различным районам г. Владикавказа. Основной удельный вес вновь зарегистрированных злокачественных новообразований приходится на возрастные группы свыше 60 лет. Анализ онкозаболеваемости показал, что в тех районах г. Владикавказа, где уровень загрязнения окружающей среды выше, выше и показатели онкозаболеваемости. Проведен расчёт индекса риска для здоровья населения при воздействии химических веществ загрязняющих окружающую среду. По всем исследуемым показателям наблюдается значительное превышение предельно допустимых значений, за исключением ртути. Полученные данные о высоком уровне канцерогенного риска согласуются с высоким уровнем онкологической заболеваемости на территории города, что говорит о тесной взаимосвязи заболеваемости и индекса канцерогенного риска. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the population, which is matched by the accelerated rate of industrialization. This is accompanied by increasingly significant pollution of the environment with heavy metals. For many years, the mining industry has made the greatest contribution to the environmental pollution of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania, non-stationary sources have recently joined as an equally significant source of pollution. Heavy metal pollution poses a serious threat to public health and the environment due to its toxic nature. Aim. The development of maps of the spatial distribution of pollutants is the basis for assessing the level of environmental pollution. The aim of this study is to develop maps of the carcinogenic risk index and to establish its relationship with the incidence of cancer in the population. Methods. In the process of creating maps, interpolation methods are used, since the number of samples and measurements of the content of harmful substances in a particular environment is usually very limited. According to foreign studies, for most of the commonly used interpolation methods, equally high accuracy is provided. In the present work, we used the method of the inverse weighting of distances for calculating the indices of carcinogenic risk. Results. The material on the incidence of malignant neoplasms in the population in various districts of Vladikavkaz was selected. The main share of newly registered malignant neoplasms falls on the age groups over 60 years old. The analysis of cancer morbidity showed that in those areas of Vladikavkaz where the level of environmental pollution is higher, the indicators of cancer morbidity are also higher. The calculation of the risk index for public health under the influence of chemical substances polluting the environment has been carried out. For all the studied indicators, there is a significant excess of the maximum permissible values, with the exception of mercury. The obtained data on the high level of carcinogenic risk is consistent with the high level of cancer incidence in the city; it indicates a close relationship between the incidence and the carcinogenic risk index.