A new bioindicator, shell of Trachycardium lacunosum, and sediment samples to monitors metals (Al, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni, V, Co, Cr and Cu) in marine environment: The Persian Gulf as a case

Lactational Exposure of Human Infants to Metal (loid)s: A Comparison of Industrial and Urban Inhabitants in North of the Persian Gulf

In this study, postnatal metal (loid)s (MLs) exposure was compared between the petrochemical and gas area of Asaluyeh (PGA) and urban area of Kaki (UA) in Bushehr province, Iran. Two hundred human breast milk (BM) samples from the industrial and urban areas were analyzed for MLs using Inductivity Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) were found at the highest levels in both study areas. Adjusted multiple linear regression models revealed that the mean concentration of total MLs in BM samples collected from the PGA was statistically significantly greater than that of the UA (655.85 vs. 338.17 µg/L). Also, the mean concentrations of all detected MLs in BM samples collected from the PGA were statistically significantly higher than those collected from the UA. The hazard index (HI) of combined MLs in the PGA and UA illustrated non-cancer risk for infants. Lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) in the PGA and Cr in the UA showed the risk of cancer. So it can be concluded that nursing infants from an industrial area are most at risk for MLs exposure during entire lactation course than those from an urban area.

Plankton diversity and its heavy metal content in Ratai Bay of Pesawaran district, Lampung, Indonesia

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activity in Way Ratai River produces heavy metal wastes; therefore, further information regarding heavy metal concentrations in the water was needed, especially in plankton samples. Furthermore, the determination of plankton diversity was also carried out in the waters of Way Ratai to determine the bioconcentration factor (BCF). Eight sampling sites were chosen along the river reaching the coast of Way Ratai. The research was conducted in November 2020 and March 2021. Ten heavy metals, Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn that are commonly found in mining areas, were determined in the water and plankton samples by using ICP-OES. The results indicated that the highest concentration found was Fe in plankton samples (0.725 mg/L in the river and 1.294 mg/L on the coast). Meanwhile, contents of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in the river exceeded the predetermined water quality standards, while Ag and Pb metals were not detected. The Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn content in seawater also exceeded quality standards. The highest BCF value (12.96) was found for Fe at station G, whereas the lowest BCF value (0.13) was found for Ag at stations G and H.

Potential toxic elements in costal sediment of the Persian Gulf: a systematic review-meta-analysis, non-dietary risk assessment and ecological risk assessment

Potential toxic element (PTE) contamination in the Persian Gulf has become an important health concern in recent decades. This investigation aimed to meta-analyses of potential toxic elements including lead (Pb), inorganic arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and mercury (Hg) in the coastal sediment of the Persian Gulf. In this study, an attempt was made to retrieve papers conducted on the concentration of PTE in the coastal sediment of the Persian Gulf by searching in international databases including Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and PubMed. Meta-analysis concentration of PTE in the coastal sediment of the Persian Gulf was conducted using random effects model based on the country subgroup. Additionally, non-dietary risk assessment including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact routes and ecological risk assessment was estimated. Seventy-eight papers with 81 data-reports (1650 sample size) were included in our meta-analysis. The rank order of heavy metals in coastal sediment of the Persian Gulf based on pooled concentration was Ni (65.44 mg/kg) > Pb (58.35 mg/kg) > As (23.78 mg/kg) > Cd (1.75 mg/kg) > Hg (0.77 mg/kg). The highest concentration of As, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Hg was observed in the coastal sediment of Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, respectively. Although the I_geo index in coastal sediment of the Persian Gulf was in grade 1 (uncontaminated) and grade 2 (slightly contaminated) but total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) of adults and adolescent was higher than 1 value in Iran, Saudi Arabic, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Total cancer risk (TCR) for adults and adolescent due to As was higher than 1E-6 in Iran, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar but TCR for adolescents due to As was higher than 1E-6 in Saudi Arabic. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the concentration of PTE and implementation of programs to reduce the emission of PTE from resources in the Persian Gulf.

Maternal and fetal exposure to metal (loid)s, maternal nutrition status, and impact on prenatal growth in an energy rich zone and an urban area along the Persian Gulf

The main purposes of the study were to determine whether maternal and cord blood (MB and CB) levels of metal (loid)s (MLs) are different between industrial and urban areas. Subjects were derived from the petrochemical and gas area (PGA) of Asaluyeh County and the urban area (UA) of Bushehr County in Iran. Adjusted models revealed significant differences between the PGA and UA for maternal Fe, Cu, Mg, Cd, Zn, Ni, V and Pb levels, likewise cord Cu, V, Pb and Ni levels, which were higher in the PGA. Unadjusted models revealed there were decreases in neonatal weight and head circumference by 16.550 g and 0.059 cm, respectively for each Ln unit increase in maternal Cr levels. The mean blood levels of MLs significantly associated with food consumption frequency. The MLs were detected at higher levels in the body's fetuses and their mothers who resided in the PGA than those from the UA. So, the fetuses of mothers living in an industrial areas may be at higher risk from anthropometric measures. The impact of prenatal exposure to MLs on prenatal growth should be considered for better understanding in the further studies.

Health risk assessment of commercial fish and shrimp from the North Persian Gulf

BACKGROUND

Bioaccumulation of trace metals in the food web demands continuous monitoring of seafood safety. Here, the food safety of commercial fish bluespot mullet Crenimugil seheli, deep flounder Pseudorhombus elevates, and Jinga shrimp Metapenaeus affinis was assessed from commercial and industrial region of the West Bandar Abbas, the North Persian Gulf, for the first time.

METHODS

For this purpose, concentrations of trace metals Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb, and their health risks were investigated.

RESULTS

Results showed the average concentration of all trace metals in all species was below concentrations proposed by WHO/FAO/USEPA. The finding on risk assessment of three species indicated three species are safe for daily consumption. Long-term consumption of three species would not pose potential non-carcinogenic health risk. However, it would result in carcinogenic effects from the ingestion of trace metals Ni, Cr, and Cd.

CONCLUSIONS

The data emphasizes the need for the continuous monitoring in this industrial region in the future to manage and control pollutant sources and to ensure the quality of seafood.

Evaluation of ecological risk, source, and spatial distribution of some heavy metals in marine sediments in the Middle and Eastern Black Sea region, Turkey

In the present study, the concentration levels of heavy metals such as Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Pb in sediment samples collected from 16 sampling locations in the Middle and Eastern Black Sea regions, Turkey, were measured using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF). Various pollution parameters and methods, such as the enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (I_geo), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), ecological risk index (RI), and geo-spatial distribution patterns, were used to assess the pollution status, ecological risks, and sources of metals in sediment in detail. The mean concentrations of Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Pb were found to be 565.38, 46,000, 34.38, 104.06, 109.88, 87.31, and 32.31 mg/kg, respectively. Results showed that the mean concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Pb exceeded the crustal shale value, with the exception of Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cr. According to the calculated pollution parameters, although minimal or moderate pollution was detected in the area investigated, it was determined that there was a very low ecological risk. Multivariate statistical analysis results showed that Cu, Zn, and Pb levels in the investigated region were slightly influenced by anthropogenic inputs such as mining and agricultural practices. In addition, the geo-spatial distributions of Cu, Zn, Fe, and Pb were found to be higher in this region due to the mining activities carried out in the Eastern Black Sea region.

Trophic transfer of heavy metals in the marine food web based on tissue residuals

Trophic transfer of metals has been well researched in aquatic food webs; however, most studies have examined the presence of metal residuals in the entire body of marine organisms and but not in specific tissues. In this study, we determined the concentrations of Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni in various organs of 17 marine species, including crustaceans, gastropods, bivalves, and fishes, with different trophic levels (TLs), which were collected from the Liaodong Bay, China, in July 2019. Results showed that the liver, gill, and muscle tissues of marine species are ideal indicators for analyzing Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni contamination in marine environments. When the entire bodies of these marine species were considered, a bio-dilution in Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Ni was observed in the studied food web. In contrast, the metal tissue-specific bio-magnification in the entire studied food web showed different results. In the liver and gill tissues, negative correlations were found between the concentrations of cadmium and TLs, while copper bio-dilution was also observed in gill tissue. In the muscle tissues, Cu, Pb, and Ni showed bio-dilution and trophic magnification factors of Cu, Pb, and Ni ranged from 0.44 to 0.73. This study highlights the importance of tissue-specific considerations to obtain further accurate information on metal trophodynamics and trophic transfers in marine food webs, thereby enhancing the risk assessment of many elements in wildlife and human health.

Potential health risks of metals in skin care products used by Chinese consumers aged 19-29 years

Metal contamination of skin care products that occurs during their production poses potential health risks, which are of increasing concern, to consumers. Here, we collected 570 responses to an online survey to analyze the usage pattern of skin care products across China. Then a total of 30 commonly used skin care products with various prices and applications were purchased. The concentrations of metals (Al, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Hg, and Cd) and metalloid As, were determined. Next, we improved the frequency calculation method and used the weighted exposure frequency to calculate the dermal absorption dose (DAD). The amounts of Zn, Cr, and Al that were assimilated by the human body via uptake were approximately 2 orders of magnitude greater than those of Pb, Hg, Cd, Ni and metalloid As. In addition, younger consumers were at higher risk of metals exposure than older consumers because of their higher frequency of use of skin care products. Al and Zn posed higher risk to consumers because of its high DAD. There was no significant chronic non-carcinogenic health risk (hazard index < 1) posed by skincare product use.

Decay and persistence of empty bivalve shells in a temperate riverine system

Bivalve shells can persist over a geological time, acting as important physical resources to the associated fauna. However, few studies have investigated their relevance as persistent long-term ecological attributes to the ecosystem. As such, it is relevant to investigate the shell decays in riverine systems subjected to different environmental conditions. Towards this end, shells of four bivalve species (Anodonta anatina, Corbicula fluminea, Potomida littoralis and Unio delphinus) were made available individually and in clusters of different sizes. The effects of river flow and seasonality were assessed by recording the decay rates of shells in lentic and lotic habitats throughout the year. Our results evidenced that the decays varied among species and depend on shell size, water flow and season. Thin shelled species (A. anatina and U. delphinus) showed the highest mean percentage of decay per month, 3.17% (lotic) and 2.77% (lotic), respectively, and thick shelled species (C. fluminea and P. littoralis) the lowest, 2.02% (lotic) and 1.83% (lotic), respectively. Size was a relevant variable explaining decays, with the smallest shells presenting the highest values, 1.2-2.0 times higher compared to the other size classes. Also, robustness showed to be the most relevant feature explaining the decays in thick shelled species. River flow was also a relevant descriptor of the decays, with higher decays observed in the lotic compared to the lentic habitats. Furthermore, lower decays were observed mainly during summer (lentic site), and autumn (lotic site) associated to the burial effect of leaves. In summary, shells of the native species A. anatina and U. delphinus are expected to persist and contribute less as habitat engineering species, than shells of the native P. littoralis and invasive C. fluminea species. This is especially valid to lotic habitats where the decays were up to 2.13 times higher than in lentic habitats.

The effect of land use configurations on concentration, spatial distribution, and ecological risk of heavy metals in coastal sediments of northern part along the Persian Gulf

In the present study, a total of 41 sediment samples were collected from the areas with different land uses: industrial (IS), urban (US), agricultural (AGS), and natural field (NS) in the northern coasts along the Persian Gulf from November 2016 to January 2017. Samples were analyzed to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni). The mean concentration of Ʃ6 heavy metals in the samples taken from IS, US, AGS, NS were 2300.24, 251.02, 553.21, and 40.93 mg/kg, respectively. The predominant metals were Zn, Cu, and Pb and the mean concentrations of Ʃ3 metals (Zn, Cu, and Pb) in IS, US, AGS, NS areas were 2245.6, 241.44, 529.61, and 36.98 mg/kg, respectively. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of Ʃ6Metals/Ʃ3 metals in the IS and AGS samples were significantly higher than US and NS samples (p < 0.05). Heavy metal levels (mg/kg. dry weight) in all four land uses were as follows: industrial region: Pb (1347.44) > Cu (465.00) > Zn (427.16) > Cr (34.20) > Cd (19.45) > Ni (7.09); urban region: Zn (97.45) > Cu (79.90) > Pb (64.09) > Cr (5.30) > Ni (2.55) > Cd (1.73); agricultural region: Zn (247.88) > Pb (164.89) > Cu (116.84) > Cr (11.09) > Ni (7.45) > Cd (5.06); and natural fields: Zn (27.43) > Cu (6.34) > Pb (3.18) > Cr (1.94) > Ni (1.18) > Cd (0.83). According to geo-accumulation index (I-geo), the IS, US, and AGS were classified into "highly-extremely polluted", "unpolluted-moderately polluted" and "highly polluted", respectively. Similarly, in accordance with the ecological risk index (ERI), the IS and AGS fell into the very high and considerable categories, respectively, while US land uses area was categorized as low risk. Based on the results obtained from the present study, it can be concluded that the sediments of Asalouyeh coasts in the northern part of the Persian Gulf are heavily contaminated with heavy metals, causing serious negative effects on both the human being and environment.

Trace metals in zooplankton from the northern Persian Gulf

This work is the first study on the spatial and temporal distribution of metals in zooplankton collected along the Persian Gulf. The rank order distribution of metals in terms of their overall average concentration in the zooplankton was observed to be Fe > Zn > Cu > Cd > Ni > Cr > Pb > Co > V. No clear pattern and no statistical differences were detected among the areas and the sampling stations. The highest concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Pb were observed in summer while the highest concentration levels of Fe and Ni were observed in winter. The highest mean zooplankton metal concentration level was found to be Fe with 10.42 μg/g (in winter) and the lowest levels were for V (in spring and summer) and Co (in winter), both of which had a level of 0.01 μg/g. The results can be used to establish base-line data for the trace metal content of zooplankton in the northern region of the Persian Gulf.

Zinc incorporation in marine bivalve shells grown in mine-polluted seabed sediments: a case study in the Malfidano mining area (SW Sardinia, Italy)

Zinc incorporation into marine bivalve shells belonging to different genera (Donax, Glycymeris, Lentidium, and Chamelea) grown in mine-polluted seabed sediments (Zn up to 1% w/w) was investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, soft x-ray microscopy combined with low-energy x-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These bivalves grew their shells, producing aragonite as the main biomineral and they were able to incorporate up to 2.0-80 mg/kg of Zn, 5.4-60 mg/kg of Fe and 0.5-4.5 mg/kg of Mn. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis revealed that for all the investigated genera, Zn occurred as independent Zn mineral phases, i.e., it was not incorporated or adsorbed into the aragonitic lattice. Overall, our results indicated that Zn coordination environment depends on the amount of incorporated Zn. Zn phosphate was the most abundant species in Donax and Lentidium genera, whereas, Chamelea shells, characterized by the highest Zn concentrations, showed the prevalence of Zn-cysteine species (up to 56% of total speciation). Other Zn coordination species found in the investigated samples were Zn hydrate carbonate (hydrozincite) and Zn phosphate. On the basis of the coordination environments, it was deduced that bivalves have developed different biogeochemical mechanisms to regulate Zn content and its chemical speciation and that cysteine plays an important role as an active part of detoxification mechanism. This work represents a step forward for understanding bivalve biomineralization and its significance for environmental monitoring and paleoreconstruction.

Data on diversity and abundance of zooplanktons along the northern part of the Persian Gulf, Iran

In this data article, we aimed to evaluate and compare the biological diversity and relative abundance of zooplankton communities in 3 different areas along the northern part of the Persian Gulf in 3 different seasons. Data showed that Centropages spp and Fish larvae were the highest and lowest species among the groups identified in summer in Lavare Saheli and Nakhle Taghi with relative abundances of 87% and 2.7% respectively. In winter, Cyphonautes larvae and Corycaeus spp. were the highest and lowest species in Kangan and Lavare Saheli with relative abundances of 57.1% and 1.88%, respectively. Also Decapoda larvae spp. and Gastropoda larvae were the highest and lowest species in spring in Kangan with relative abundances of 62.5% and 4.7% respectively. Data may serve as benchmarks for other groups working in the field of pollution control, aquatic ecosystem, and toxicology.

Characterization of plastic debris and association of metals with microplastics in coastline sediment along the Persian Gulf

This study reports number, size and color distribution, and metal contents of microplastics as well as adherent sediments along the Persian Gulf. Samples were collected from 9 stations in summer 2015 with a sampling time interval of 10 days. Plastic size of 2-5 mm, and ≤0.25 mm with 45 and 33% and white and colorless plastics with 62 and 33% had the highest abundance considering number per m², respectively. In general, the majority of collected plastics (79%) were smaller than 5 mm (defined size for microplastics). The mean Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu contents of plastic fragments were 115, 531, 32.2, 0.035, 0.915, 2.03, 4.59, and 3.6 μg g^-1, respectively while the mean Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu contents of sediments were 186, 3050, 127, 0.81, 5.01, 14.5, 48.6 and 5.43 μg g^-1 respectively. There were significant differences between the abundance of plastic items as well as the all examined metal concentrations of microplastics and sediments at different sampling times. As there is no regular cleanup program in the studied areas, significant differences between plastic items number at different sampling times (with higher plastic items number at the first day of sampling) showed that a large number of plastic items may enter from beaches to the sea and become available to marine organisms.