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Aklilu T, Sahilu G, Ambelu A. Public health risks associated with drinking water consumption in the upper Awash River sub-basin, Ethiopia, sub-Saharan Africa. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24790. [PMID: 38314286 PMCID: PMC10837571 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The Upper Awash sub-basin characterized by urban, industrial, agricultural and population growth, has impacted the quality of its water sources. This study focuses on the assessment of public health risks associated with drinking water sources in the sub-basin. In accordance with WHO guidelines, 120 water samples were collected from 60 water supply schemes in dry and wet seasons located in areas with low and high water pollution risk (WPR). Multi-meter, Photometer, Digital Arsenator, and Microbiological test kit measured the concentration of parameters. The assessment uses methods of hazard identification, exposure and dose-response analysis, and risk characterization, including Hazard Quotient (HQ), Cancer Risk (CR), Hazard Index (HI), and probability of infection. Monte Carlo simulation analyzes non-cancer risks from Nitrite, Nitrate, Chromium, Iron, Fluoride, and Arsenic, and CRs from Chromium and Arsenic, and infection risks from Escherichia coli (E.coli). As a result, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) of Nitrate was beyond unity (HQ > 1) in the dry season for all groups. HQ of Chromium was HQ > 1 for Women (1.1E+00) and Children (1.4E+00) in the wet season in the high WPR area. Chromium HQ > 1 for children (1.4E+00) in the wet season and Fluoride (HQ > 1) for Children (3.2E+00) in the dry season in the low WPR area. Arsenic CR was above 1 in 10,000 persons for children in the dry season, for all groups, and for women and children in the wet season in the high WPR areas. The CR of chromium ranged from 1 in 1000 persons, which is beyond the limit. Moreover, the Hazard Index (HI) was higher than the unity (HI > 1) for most cases. All E coli infection risks daily and annually exceeded the acceptable risks. Therefore, Public health concerns in the Sub-basin were quantified, and evidences were generated for risk management to undertake source protection through integrated watershed management and appropriate water treatment technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesfa Aklilu
- Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
| | - Geremew Sahilu
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
| | - Argaw Ambelu
- Environmental Health, Division of Water and Health, Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
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Hu J, Wang Z, Williams GDZ, Dwyer GS, Gatiboni L, Duckworth OW, Vengosh A. Evidence for the accumulation of toxic metal(loid)s in agricultural soils impacted from long-term application of phosphate fertilizer. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167863. [PMID: 37898199 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Phosphate fertilizers may contain elevated concentrations of toxic metals and metalloids and therefore, their excessive application can result in the accumulation of both phosphorus (P) and metal(loid)s in agricultural soils. This study aims to investigate the occurrence, distribution, and potential plant-availability of metal(loid)s originating from phosphate fertilizer in a long-term experimental field at the Tidewater Research Station in North Carolina, where topsoil (10-20 cm deep) and subsoil (up to 150 cm deep) samples were collected from five plots with consistent and individually different application rates of P-fertilizer since 1966. We conducted systematic analyses of P and metal(loid)s in bulk soils, in the plant available fraction, and in four sequentially extracted soil fractions (exchangeable, reducible, oxidizable, and residual). The results show that P content in topsoils were directly associated with the rate of P-fertilizer application (ρ = 1, p < 0.05). Furthermore, P concentrations were highly correlated with concentrations of Cd, U, Cr, V, and As in the bulk topsoil (ρ > 0.58, p < 0.05), as well as the potential plant-available fraction (ρ > 0.67, p < 0.01), indicating the accumulation of the fertilizer-derived toxic metal(loid)s in the topsoil. Significant correlations (p < 0.001) of metal(loid)s concentrations between the bulk soil and the potential plant-available fraction raises the possibility that P-fertilizer application could increase the accumulation of toxic metal(loid)s in plants, which could increase human exposure. Results from sequential leaching experiments revealed that large portions of the trace elements, in particular Cd, occur in the soluble (exchangeable and reducing) fractions of topsoil with higher P-fertilizer input, whereas the levels of redox-sensitive elements (As, V, U, Cr) were higher in the reducible and oxidizable fractions of the soils. Overall, the data presented in this study demonstrate the effect of long-term P-fertilizer application on the occurrence and accumulation of a wide range of toxic metal(loid)s in agricultural topsoil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Hu
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | - Gary S Dwyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Luke Gatiboni
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Owen W Duckworth
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Avner Vengosh
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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Mohammadpour A, Emadi Z, Keshtkar M, Mohammadi L, Motamed-Jahromi M, Samaei MR, Zarei AA, Berizi E, Mousavi Khaneghah A. Assessment of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in fruits from Iranian market (Shiraz): A health risk assessment study. J Food Compost Anal 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2022.104826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Kumar S, Rahman MA, Islam MR, Hashem MA, Rahman MM. Lead and other elements-based pollution in soil, crops and water near a lead-acid battery recycling factory in Bangladesh. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 290:133288. [PMID: 34921850 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) pollution in the environment predominantly occurs through anthropogenic activities, which pose significant threats to human health and that of biota. In this study, Pb and other elements were investigated in different soils (n = 52), crops (n = 24) and water (n = 13) around a lead-acid battery (LAB) recycling workshop in southwestern Bangladesh. Most of the elements' concentrations (except Se and Ag) in soil were lower than the background concentrations. However, excessive concentrations of Pb were found in both surface (966 ± 2414 mg kg-1 at 0-15 cm) and subsurface (230 ± 490 mg kg-1 at 15-30 cm) soil. Although no definitive pattern or direction in elemental concentration in soil was observed, relatively higher concentrations of most elements were detected at the southeast part of the factory. The LAB factory, brick kiln, agricultural and geogenic activities might be the sources of these elements in soil. Extremely high amounts of Cr, As, Cd, and Pb were found in the food crops around the area. In particular, the Pb concentrations were 114 ± 155 and 665 ± 588 mg kg -1 dry weight in rice grain and straw, respectively, which reflected the emissions of Pb from the LAB recycling workshop. Moreover, 40% and 100% of the groundwater samples exceeded, respectively, the WHO provisional guideline values for As (0.01 mg L-1) and Pb (0.05 mg L-1). Consequently, a high level of Pb contamination in the soil was observed while assessing different soil pollution indices. Human health risk assessment indicated severe carcinogenic (from Pb, As, and Cr intake) and non-carcinogenic (from Pb, As, Co, Cr, Ni and Sb intake) health risks are associated with rice and groundwater consumption. It is concluded that all LAB recycling workshops should be better managed to prevent Pb pollution from seeping into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sazal Kumar
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Md Aminur Rahman
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Zonal Laboratory, Khulna, 9100, Bangladesh
| | - Md Rashidul Islam
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Md Abul Hashem
- Department of Leather Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna, 9203, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
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Wang X, Blake WH, Taylor A, Kitch J, Millward G. Evaluating the effectiveness of soil conservation at the basin scale using floodplain sedimentary archives. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 792:148414. [PMID: 34146818 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Evaluation of the spatial and temporal composition of floodplain sediments and soils is critical in the creation of soil management strategies for impacted riverine catchments. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution, and to identify the sources, of particulate trace elements and fallout radionuclides in the catchment of the River Avon (SW England), where sedimentary processes had been altered by reservoir construction in the 1950s. The catchment was compartmentalized into its main functional units namely, cultivated land, pasture, woodland, wet moorland, and channel bank. Surface soils were collected in each unit, along with four strategically-placed cores, all of which were analyzed for particle size, fallout radionuclides and elemental concentrations. Sediment particle sizes and sediment accumulation rates were affected by the construction of the reservoir, specifically the distributions of silt and clay. The concentrations of fertilizer constituent Cr and P were highly correlated in the mid-catchment but were unrelated downstream due to elevated concentrations of Cr from geological deposits. Copper, As, Pb and Sn had variable down-core distributions, with pulses in concentrations due to mining inputs. The contributions of the end-member sources of particulate elements in the sedimentary mixtures were evaluated, quantitatively, using a Bayesian Mixing Model and the cultivated land was identified as a significant contributor to the mixtures, independent of space and time. The results contribute to advances in soil quality and conservation measures as components of a catchment management plan for the Avon, an approach maybe applicable to other small catchments in the UK and internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolei Wang
- School of Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing 211171, China; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; Consolidated Radio-isotope Facility (CORiF), University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - William H Blake
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; Consolidated Radio-isotope Facility (CORiF), University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Alex Taylor
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; Consolidated Radio-isotope Facility (CORiF), University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Jessica Kitch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; Consolidated Radio-isotope Facility (CORiF), University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Geoffrey Millward
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; Consolidated Radio-isotope Facility (CORiF), University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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Tumolo M, Ancona V, De Paola D, Losacco D, Campanale C, Massarelli C, Uricchio VF. Chromium Pollution in European Water, Sources, Health Risk, and Remediation Strategies: An Overview. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E5438. [PMID: 32731582 PMCID: PMC7432837 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Chromium is a potentially toxic metal occurring in water and groundwater as a result of natural and anthropogenic sources. Microbial interaction with mafic and ultramafic rocks together with geogenic processes release Cr (VI) in natural environment by chromite oxidation. Moreover, Cr (VI) pollution is largely related to several Cr (VI) industrial applications in the field of energy production, manufacturing of metals and chemicals, and subsequent waste and wastewater management. Chromium discharge in European Union (EU) waters is subjected to nationwide recommendations, which vary depending on the type of industry and receiving water body. Once in water, chromium mainly occurs in two oxidation states Cr (III) and Cr (VI) and related ion forms depending on pH values, redox potential, and presence of natural reducing agents. Public concerns with chromium are primarily related to hexavalent compounds owing to their toxic effects on humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms. Risks for human health range from skin irritation to DNA damages and cancer development, depending on dose, exposure level, and duration. Remediation strategies commonly used for Cr (VI) removal include physico-chemical and biological methods. This work critically presents their advantages and disadvantages, suggesting a site-specific and accurate evaluation for choosing the best available recovering technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Tumolo
- Water Research, Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.T.); (D.L.); (C.C.); (C.M.); (V.F.U.)
- Department of Biology, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Valeria Ancona
- Water Research, Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.T.); (D.L.); (C.C.); (C.M.); (V.F.U.)
| | - Domenico De Paola
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Italian National Research Council (IBBR-CNR), 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Daniela Losacco
- Water Research, Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.T.); (D.L.); (C.C.); (C.M.); (V.F.U.)
- Department of Biology, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Claudia Campanale
- Water Research, Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.T.); (D.L.); (C.C.); (C.M.); (V.F.U.)
| | - Carmine Massarelli
- Water Research, Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.T.); (D.L.); (C.C.); (C.M.); (V.F.U.)
| | - Vito Felice Uricchio
- Water Research, Institute-Italian National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), 70132 Bari, Italy; (M.T.); (D.L.); (C.C.); (C.M.); (V.F.U.)
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