1
|
Joshi K, Rabari V, Patel H, Patel K, Rakib MRJ, Trivedi J, Paray BA, Walker TR, Jakariya M. Microplastic contamination in filter-feeding oyster Saccostrea cuccullata: Novel insights in a marine ecosystem. Mar Pollut Bull 2024; 202:116326. [PMID: 38583217 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a pressing global concern. Oysters are well-known filter feeders who ingest food by filtering microscopic particles suspended in the surrounding water. Along with organic matter, filter-feeding also causes accidental ingestion of MP by oysters. Hence, the aim of the current investigation is to understand the MP contamination in filter-feeding oysters. A total of 500 specimens of oyster Saccostrea cuccullata collected from the intertidal zone of five sampling locations on the Gujarat coast, India. Specimens underwent analysis following established protocols. Each specimen was found to exhibit MP contamination, showing an abundance of 2.72 ± 1.98 MPs/g. A negative relationship was found between shell length and MP abundance. Predominantly, fibers were documented across all study sites. Black, blue, and red-colored MPs with 1-2 mm sizes were most dominant. MP polymer composition was identified as polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene. Findings provide baseline information on levels of MPs contamination, which can be used to monitor future effects of MP pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Komal Joshi
- Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan 384265, Gujarat, India
| | - Vasantkumar Rabari
- Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan 384265, Gujarat, India
| | - Heris Patel
- Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan 384265, Gujarat, India
| | - Krupal Patel
- Marine Biodiversity and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390002, Gujarat, India
| | - Md Refat Jahan Rakib
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh.
| | - Jigneshkumar Trivedi
- Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan 384265, Gujarat, India..
| | - Bilal Ahamad Paray
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tony R Walker
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Islam MA, Rakib SH, Bhattacharya P, Jakariya M, Haque MM, Tiwari A. Integrated strategy: Identifying SARS-CoV-2 strains in communities via wastewater monitoring and clinical diagnosis. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:168617. [PMID: 37977368 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Md Aminul Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh; Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Sakhawat Hossen Rakib
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Asia Pacific, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research @KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Md Masudul Haque
- Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Anand Tiwari
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hasan MN, Islam MA, Sangkham S, Werkneh AA, Hossen F, Haque MA, Alam MM, Rahman MA, Mukharjee SK, Chowdhury TA, Sosa-Hernández JE, Jakariya M, Ahmed F, Bhattacharya P, Sarkodie SA. Insight into vaccination and meteorological factors on daily COVID-19 cases and mortality in Bangladesh. Groundw Sustain Dev 2023; 21:100932. [PMID: 36945723 PMCID: PMC9977696 DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2023.100932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 contagious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 has disrupted global public health, businesses, and economies due to widespread infection, with 676.41 million confirmed cases and 6.77 million deaths in 231 countries as of February 07, 2023. To control the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, it is crucial to determine the potential determinants such as meteorological factors and their roles. This study examines how COVID-19 cases and deaths changed over time while assessing meteorological characteristics that could impact these disparities from the onset of the pandemic. We used data spanning two years across all eight administrative divisions, this is the first of its kind--showing a connection between meteorological conditions, vaccination, and COVID-19 incidences in Bangladesh. We further employed several techniques including Simple Exponential Smoothing (SES), Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average with explanatory variables (ARIMAX), and Automatic forecasting time-series model (Prophet). We further analyzed the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on daily cases and deaths. Data on COVID-19 cases collected include eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh spanning March 8, 2020, to January 31, 2023, from available online servers. The meteorological data include rainfall (mm), relative humidity (%), average temperature (°C), surface pressure (kPa), dew point (°C), and maximum wind speed (m/s). The observed wind speed and surface pressure show a significant negative impact on COVID-19 cases (-0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.62 to -0.21) and (-1.31, 95%CI: 2.32 to -0.29), respectively. Similarly, the observed wind speed and surface pressure show a significant negative impact on COVID-19 deaths (-0.87, 95% CI: 1.54 to -0.21) and (-3.11, 95%CI: 4.44 to -1.25), respectively. The impact of meteorological factors is almost similar when vaccination information is included in the model. However, the impact of vaccination in both cases and deaths model is significantly negative (for cases: 1.19, 95%CI: 2.35 to -0.38 and for deaths: 1.55, 95%CI: 2.88 to -0.43). Accordingly, vaccination effectively reduces the number of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities in Bangladesh. Thus, these results could assist future researchers and policymakers in the assessment of pandemics, by making thorough efforts that account for COVID-19 vaccinations and meteorological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Nayeem Hasan
- Department of Statistics, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Joint Rohingya Response Program, Food for the Hungry, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab,Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
- Advanced Molecular Lab, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Sarawut Sangkham
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Phayao, Muang District, 56000, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Adhena Ayaliew Werkneh
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, P. O. Box 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia
| | - Foysal Hossen
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab,Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Atiqul Haque
- Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonoses of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, 5200, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Morshad Alam
- Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank, Dhaka, 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Md Arifur Rahman
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab,Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Sanjoy Kumar Mukharjee
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab,Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmid Anam Chowdhury
- Department of Geography and Environment, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Firoz Ahmed
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab,Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research @KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Islam MA, Rahman MA, Jakariya M, Bahadur NM, Hossen F, Mukharjee SK, Hossain MS, Tasneem A, Haque MA, Sera F, Jahid IK, Ahmed T, Hasan MN, Islam MT, Hossain A, Amin R, Tiwari A, Didar-Ul-Alam M, Dhama K, Bhattacharya P, Ahmed F. A 30-day follow-up study on the prevalence of SARS-COV-2 genetic markers in wastewater from the residence of COVID-19 patient and comparison with clinical positivity. Sci Total Environ 2023; 858:159350. [PMID: 36265620 PMCID: PMC9576909 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) is an important tool to fight against COVID-19 as it provides insights into the health status of the targeted population from a small single house to a large municipality in a cost-effective, rapid, and non-invasive way. The implementation of wastewater based surveillance (WBS) could reduce the burden on the public health system, management of pandemics, help to make informed decisions, and protect public health. In this study, a house with COVID-19 patients was targeted for monitoring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic markers in wastewater samples (WS) with clinical specimens (CS) for a period of 30 days. RT-qPCR technique was employed to target nonstructural (ORF1ab) and structural-nucleocapsid (N) protein genes of SARS-CoV-2, according to a validated experimental protocol. Physiological, environmental, and biological parameters were also measured following the American Public Health Association (APHA) standard protocols. SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding in wastewater peaked when the highest number of COVID-19 cases were clinically diagnosed. Throughout the study period, 7450 to 23,000 gene copies/1000 mL were detected, where we identified 47 % (57/120) positive samples from WS and 35 % (128/360) from CS. When the COVID-19 patient number was the lowest (2), the highest CT value (39.4; i.e., lowest copy number) was identified from WS. On the other hand, when the COVID-19 patients were the highest (6), the lowest CT value (25.2 i.e., highest copy numbers) was obtained from WS. An advance signal of increased SARS-CoV-2 viral load from the COVID-19 patient was found in WS earlier than in the CS. Using customized primer sets in a traditional PCR approach, we confirmed that all SARS-CoV-2 variants identified in both CS and WS were Delta variants (B.1.617.2). To our knowledge, this is the first follow-up study to determine a temporal relationship between COVID-19 patients and their discharge of SARS-CoV-2 RNA genetic markers in wastewater from a single house including all family members for clinical sampling from a developing country (Bangladesh), where a proper sewage system is lacking. The salient findings of the study indicate that monitoring the genetic markers of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater could identify COVID-19 cases, which reduces the burden on the public health system during COVID-19 pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Aminul Islam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh; Advanced Molecular Lab, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Md Arifur Rahman
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Newaz Mohammed Bahadur
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Foysal Hossen
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Sanjoy Kumar Mukharjee
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Salim Hossain
- Department of Pharmacy, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Atkeeya Tasneem
- Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Atiqul Haque
- Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonoses of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh
| | - Francesco Sera
- Department of Statistics, Informatics, Applications, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Iqbal Kabir Jahid
- Department of Microbiology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
| | - Tanvir Ahmed
- Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Nayeem Hasan
- Department of Statistics, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
| | | | - Amzad Hossain
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Ruhul Amin
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Ananda Tiwari
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Health Security, Expert Microbiology Research Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
| | - Md Didar-Ul-Alam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Kuldeep Dhama
- Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh 243122, India
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE 10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Firoz Ahmed
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Lab, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jakariya M, Ahmed F, Islam MA, Al Marzan A, Hasan MN, Hossain M, Ahmed T, Hossain A, Reza HM, Hossen F, Nahla T, Rahman MM, Bahadur NM, Islam MT, Didar-Ul-Alam M, Mow N, Jahan H, Barceló D, Bibby K, Bhattacharya P. Wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance to monitor the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in developing countries with onsite sanitation facilities. Environ Pollut 2022; 311:119679. [PMID: 35753547 PMCID: PMC9225114 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a valuable approach for forecasting disease outbreaks in developed countries with a centralized sewage infrastructure. On the other hand, due to the absence of well-defined and systematic sewage networks, WBE is challenging to implement in developing countries like Bangladesh where most people live in rural areas. Identification of appropriate locations for rural Hotspot Based Sampling (HBS) and urban Drain Based Sampling (DBS) are critical to enable WBE based monitoring system. We investigated the best sampling locations from both urban and rural areas in Bangladesh after evaluating the sanitation infrastructure for forecasting COVID-19 prevalence. A total of 168 wastewater samples were collected from 14 districts of Bangladesh during each of the two peak pandemic seasons. RT-qPCR commercial kits were used to target ORF1ab and N genes. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic materials was found in 98% (165/168) and 95% (160/168) wastewater samples in the first and second round sampling, respectively. Although wastewater effluents from both the marketplace and isolation center drains were found with the highest amount of genetic materials according to the mixed model, quantifiable SARS-CoV-2 RNAs were also identified in the other four sampling sites. Hence, wastewater samples of the marketplace in rural areas and isolation centers in urban areas can be considered the appropriate sampling sites to detect contagion hotspots. This is the first complete study to detect SARS-CoV-2 genetic components in wastewater samples collected from rural and urban areas for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. The results based on the study revealed a correlation between viral copy numbers in wastewater samples and SARS-CoV-2 positive cases reported by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) as part of the national surveillance program for COVID-19 prevention. The findings of this study will help in setting strategies and guidelines for the selection of appropriate sampling sites, which will facilitate in development of comprehensive wastewater-based epidemiological systems for surveillance of rural and urban areas of low-income countries with inadequate sewage infrastructure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Firoz Ahmed
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh; Advanced Molecular Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah Al Marzan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Nayeem Hasan
- Department of Statistics, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Maqsud Hossain
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Tanvir Ahmed
- Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Ahmed Hossain
- Department of Public Health, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Hasan Mahmud Reza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Foysal Hossen
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Turasa Nahla
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Moshiur Rahman
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Newaz Mohammed Bahadur
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Tahmidul Islam
- WaterAid Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1213, Bangladesh; COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Md Didar-Ul-Alam
- Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Nowrin Mow
- WaterAid Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1213, Bangladesh
| | - Hasin Jahan
- WaterAid Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1213, Bangladesh
| | - Damiá Barceló
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry Unit (ENFOCHEM), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C. Jordi Giron 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Islam MA, Haque MA, Rahman MA, Hossen F, Reza M, Barua A, Marzan AA, Das T, Kumar Baral S, He C, Ahmed F, Bhattacharya P, Jakariya M. A Review on Measures to Rejuvenate Immune System: Natural Mode of Protection Against Coronavirus Infection. Front Immunol 2022; 13:837290. [PMID: 35371007 PMCID: PMC8965011 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.837290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, a novel Corona virus strain, was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. As of December 16, 2021, almost 4,822,472 people had died and over 236,132,082 were infected with this lethal viral infection. It is believed that the human immune system is thought to play a critical role in the initial phase of infection when the viruses invade the host cells. Although some effective vaccines have already been on the market, researchers and many bio-pharmaceuticals are still working hard to develop a fully functional vaccine or more effective therapeutic agent against the COVID-19. Other efforts, in addition to functional vaccines, can help strengthen the immune system to defeat the corona virus infection. Herein, we have reviewed some of those proven measures, following which a more efficient immune system can be better prepared to fight viral infection. Among these, dietary supplements like- fresh vegetables and fruits offer a plentiful of vitamins and antioxidants, enabling to build of a healthy immune system. While the pharmacologically active components of medicinal plants directly aid in fighting against viral infection, supplementary supplements combined with a healthy diet will assist to regulate the immune system and will prevent viral infection. In addition, some personal habits, like- regular physical exercise, intermittent fasting, and adequate sleep, had also been proven to aid the immune system in becoming an efficient one. Maintaining each of these will strengthen the immune system, allowing innate immunity to become a more defensive and active antagonistic mechanism against corona-virus infection. However, because dietary treatments take longer to produce beneficial effects in adaptive maturation, personalized nutrition cannot be expected to have an immediate impact on the global outbreak.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Aminul Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh.,Department of Microbiology President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Bangladesh
| | - Md Atiqul Haque
- Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonoses of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh
| | - Md Arifur Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Foysal Hossen
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Mahin Reza
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Abanti Barua
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah Al Marzan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Tuhin Das
- Department of Microbiology, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | | | - Cheng He
- Key Lab of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonoses of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Firoz Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, Bangladesh
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ahmed F, Islam MA, Kumar M, Hossain M, Bhattacharya P, Islam MT, Hossen F, Hossain MS, Islam MS, Uddin MM, Islam MN, Bahadur NM, Didar-Ul-Alam M, Reza HM, Jakariya M. First detection of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the vicinity of COVID-19 isolation Centre in Bangladesh: Variation along the sewer network. Sci Total Environ 2021. [PMID: 33652314 DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.14.20194696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
We made the first and successful attempt to detect SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the vicinity wastewaters of an isolation centre i.e. Shaheed Bhulu Stadium, situated at Noakhali, Southeastern Bangladesh. Owing to the fact that isolation centre, in general, always contained a constant number of 200 COVID-19 patients, the prime objective of the study was to check if several drains carrying RNA of coronavirus are actually getting diluted or accumulated along with the sewage network. Our finding suggested that while the temporal variation of the genetic load decreased in small drains over the span of 50 days, the main sewer exhibited accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Other interesting finding displays that probably distance of sampling location in meters is not likely to have a significant impact on the detected gene concentration, although the quantity of the RNA extracted in the downstream of the drain was higher. These findings are of immense value from the perspective of wastewater surveillance of COVID-19, as they largely imply that we do not need to monitor every wastewater system, and probably major drains monitoring may illustrate the city health. Perhaps, we are reporting the accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material along with the sewer network i.e. from primary to tertiary drains. The study sought further data collection in this line to simulate conditions prevailed in most of the developing countries and to shed further light on decay/accumulation processes of the genetic load of the SARS-COV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Firoz Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh.
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Manish Kumar
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India.
| | - Maqsud Hossain
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, NSU Genome Research Institute (NGRI), North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Md Tahmidul Islam
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Foysal Hossen
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Shahadat Hossain
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Sydul Islam
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Main Uddin
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Nur Islam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Newaz Mohammed Bahadur
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Didar-Ul-Alam
- Professor and Honorable Vice-Chancellor, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Hasan Mahmud Reza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ahmed F, Islam MA, Kumar M, Hossain M, Bhattacharya P, Islam MT, Hossen F, Hossain MS, Islam MS, Uddin MM, Islam MN, Bahadur NM, Didar-Ul-Alam M, Reza HM, Jakariya M. First detection of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the vicinity of COVID-19 isolation Centre in Bangladesh: Variation along the sewer network. Sci Total Environ 2021; 776:145724. [PMID: 33652314 PMCID: PMC7870435 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
We made the first and successful attempt to detect SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the vicinity wastewaters of an isolation centre i.e. Shaheed Bhulu Stadium, situated at Noakhali, Southeastern Bangladesh. Owing to the fact that isolation centre, in general, always contained a constant number of 200 COVID-19 patients, the prime objective of the study was to check if several drains carrying RNA of coronavirus are actually getting diluted or accumulated along with the sewage network. Our finding suggested that while the temporal variation of the genetic load decreased in small drains over the span of 50 days, the main sewer exhibited accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Other interesting finding displays that probably distance of sampling location in meters is not likely to have a significant impact on the detected gene concentration, although the quantity of the RNA extracted in the downstream of the drain was higher. These findings are of immense value from the perspective of wastewater surveillance of COVID-19, as they largely imply that we do not need to monitor every wastewater system, and probably major drains monitoring may illustrate the city health. Perhaps, we are reporting the accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material along with the sewer network i.e. from primary to tertiary drains. The study sought further data collection in this line to simulate conditions prevailed in most of the developing countries and to shed further light on decay/accumulation processes of the genetic load of the SARS-COV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Firoz Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh.
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Manish Kumar
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India.
| | - Maqsud Hossain
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, NSU Genome Research Institute (NGRI), North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Md Tahmidul Islam
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Foysal Hossen
- Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Shahadat Hossain
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Sydul Islam
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Main Uddin
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Nur Islam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Newaz Mohammed Bahadur
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Didar-Ul-Alam
- Professor and Honorable Vice-Chancellor, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Hasan Mahmud Reza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Jakariya M, Alam MS, Rahman MA, Ahmed S, Elahi MML, Khan AMS, Saad S, Tamim HM, Ishtiak T, Sayem SM, Ali MS, Akter D. Assessing climate-induced agricultural vulnerable coastal communities of Bangladesh using machine learning techniques. Sci Total Environ 2020; 742:140255. [PMID: 32721709 PMCID: PMC7297150 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The agricultural arena in the coastal regions of South-East Asian countries is experiencing the mounting pressures of the adverse effects of climate change. Controlling and predicting climatic factors are difficult and require expensive solutions. The study focuses on identifying issues other than climatic factors using the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) to measure agricultural vulnerability. Factors such as monthly savings of the farmers, income opportunities, damage to cultivable lands, and water availability had significant impacts on increasing community vulnerability with regards to agricultural practice. The study also identified the need for assessing vulnerability after certain intervals, specifically owing to the dynamic nature of the coastal region where the factors were found to vary among the different study areas. The development of a climate-resilient livelihood vulnerability assessment tool to detect the most significant factors to assess agricultural vulnerability was done using machine learning (ML) techniques. The ML techniques identified nine significant factors out of 21 based on the minimum level of standard deviation (0.03). A practical application of the outcome of the study was the development of a mobile application. Custom REST APIs (application programming interface) were developed on the backend to seamlessly sync the app to a server, thus ensuring the acquisition of future data without much effort and resources. The paper provides a methodology for a unique vulnerability assessment technique using a mobile application, which can be used for the planning and management of resources by different stakeholders in a sustainable way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bangladesh.
| | - Md Sajadul Alam
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bangladesh
| | - Md Abir Rahman
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bangladesh
| | - Silvia Ahmed
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University, Bangladesh
| | - M M Lutfe Elahi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University, Bangladesh
| | | | - Saman Saad
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bangladesh
| | - H M Tamim
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University, Bangladesh
| | - Taoseef Ishtiak
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University, Bangladesh
| | - Sheikh Mohammad Sayem
- Department of Agricultural Statistics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh
| | - Mirza Shawkat Ali
- Department of Environment, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
| | - Dilruba Akter
- Department of Environment, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
The phytoaccummulation of arsenic by Brassica juncea (L.) was investigated for varying concentrations selected within the range that is evident in Bangladeshi soil. B. juncea (Rai and BARI-11) was grown in the hydroponic media under greenhouse condition with different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 15, 30, 50 and 100 ppm) of sodium arsenite. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) was used to analyze the data. Mapping of potential area of phytoaccumulation of arsenic by B. juncea was done using Geographic information system (GIS). Arsenic was detected at lower concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 ppm) only at root system of the plant. For higher concentrations (15, 30, and 50 ppm) arsenic was detected both in the root and shoot systems. The results suggested that at 15 and 50 ppm uptake was higher compared to 30 ppm. For 100 ppm of arsenic no plant growth was observed. In Bangladesh, where concentration of arsenic is at lower level and present only at rooting zone, B. juncea may be used for phytoaccumulation of arsenic keeping usual agronomic practices. However, for higher concentrations, B. juncea can be regarded as a good accumulator of arsenic where uptake of arsenic was up to 1% of total biomass of the plant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moupia Rahman
- a Environmental Science and Management, North South University , Dhaka , Bangladesh
| | - Md Jakariya
- a Environmental Science and Management, North South University , Dhaka , Bangladesh
| | - Nazmul Haq
- b School of Civil Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton , Southampton , United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad Amirul Islam
- c Department of Agricultural Statistics , Bangladesh Agricultural University , Mymensingh , Bangladesh
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nazia N, Ali M, Jakariya M, Nahar Q, Yunus M, Emch M. Spatial and population drivers of persistent cholera transmission in rural Bangladesh: Implications for vaccine and intervention targeting. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2018; 24:1-9. [PMID: 29413709 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We identify high risk clusters and measure their persistence in time and analyze spatial and population drivers of small area incidence over time. The geographically linked population and cholera surveillance data in Matlab, Bangladesh for a 10-year period were used. Individual level data were aggregated by local 250 × 250 m communities. A retrospective space-time scan statistic was applied to detect high risk clusters. Generalized estimating equations were used to identify risk factors for cholera. We identified 10 high risk clusters, the largest of which was in the southern part of the study area where a smaller river flows into a large river. There is persistence of local spatial patterns of cholera and the patterns are related to both the population composition and ongoing spatial diffusion from nearby areas over time. This information suggests that targeting interventions to high risk areas would help eliminate locally persistent endemic areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nushrat Nazia
- Department of Environmental Science & Management, North South University Plot # 15, Block # B, Bashundhara, Dhaka-1229, Bangladesh.
| | - Mohammad Ali
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
| | - Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science & Management, North South University Plot # 15, Block # B, Bashundhara, Dhaka-1229, Bangladesh
| | - Quamrun Nahar
- icddr,b, 68,Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Yunus
- icddr,b, 68,Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Michael Emch
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
|
13
|
von Brömssen M, Häller Larsson S, Bhattacharya P, Hasan MA, Ahmed KM, Jakariya M, Sikder MA, Sracek O, Bivén A, Dousová B, Patriarca C, Thunvik R, Jacks G. Geochemical characterisation of shallow aquifer sediments of Matlab Upazila, Southeastern Bangladesh - implications for targeting low-As aquifers. J Contam Hydrol 2008; 99:137-149. [PMID: 18619706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2008.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2008] [Revised: 05/12/2008] [Accepted: 05/14/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
High arsenic (As) concentrations in groundwater pose a serious threat to the health of millions of people in Bangladesh. Reductive dissolution of Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides and release of its adsorbed As is considered to be the principal mechanism responsible for mobilisation of As. The distribution of As is extremely heterogeneous both laterally and vertically. Groundwater abstracted from oxidised reddish sediments, in contrast to greyish reducing sediments, contains significantly lower amount of dissolved arsenic and can be a source of safe water. In order to study the sustainability of that mitigation option, this study describes the lithofacies and genesis of the sediments within 60 m depth and establishes a relationship between aqueous and solid phase geochemistry. Oxalate extractable Fe and Mn contents are higher in the reduced unit than in the oxidised unit, where Fe and Mn are present in more crystalline mineral phases. Equilibrium modelling of saturation indices suggest that the concentrations of dissolved Fe, Mn and PO(4)(3-)-tot in groundwater is influenced by secondary mineral phases in addition to redox processes. Simulating As(III) adsorption on hydroferric oxides using the Diffuse Layer Model and analytical data gave realistic concentrations of dissolved and adsorbed As(III) for the reducing aquifer and we speculate that the presence of high PO(4)(3-)-tot in combination with reductive dissolution results in the high-As groundwater. The study confirms high mobility of As in reducing aquifers with typically dark colour of sediments found in previous studies and thus validates the approach for location of wells used by local drillers based on sediment colour. A more systematic and standardised colour description and similar studies at more locations are necessary for wider application of the approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattias von Brömssen
- Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 76, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Jakariya M, Bhattacharya P. Use of GIS in local level participatory planning for arsenic mitigation: a case study from Matlab Upazila, Bangladesh. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng 2007; 42:1933-1944. [PMID: 17952794 DOI: 10.1080/10934520701567221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A Participatory Geographical Information System (PGIS) has been developed recently to design and adapt Geographic Information System (GIS) that draws on the diversity of experiences associated with "participatory development" and involves communities in the production of GIS data and spatial decision-making tools. Participatory approach in the development of GIS helps to develop local knowledge processes. This knowledge process creates a channel of coordination between local people and the experts. The paper deals with the possibility of using spatial maps in consultation with local communities to develop an effective and sustainable distribution planning to maximize as well as ensure safe water coverage for the arsenic (As) exposed population in Matlab Upazila in southeastern Bangladesh. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods along with GIS were used to obtain relevant information from the field. Participants from different focus-groups were asked to determine their "own priorities" for spatial planning of alternative As-safe drinking water options. The study reveals that about 70% of the alternative safe water options were distributed after consultation with people. These distributed options were found to be superimposed within the existing safe water buffer zones which otherwise could have been avoided and thus increased the safe water coverage if the spatial maps were also consulted before selection of final installation sites. The study based on the community perspectives on demand-based safe water options thus reveals the suitability of using PGIS techniques for rational distribution of safe water options. The process of participatory mapping within focus-groups further makes a platform to enhance information about community needs of suitable safe water options in the study area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Jakariya
- KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
von Brömssen M, Jakariya M, Bhattacharya P, Ahmed KM, Hasan MA, Sracek O, Jonsson L, Lundell L, Jacks G. Targeting low-arsenic aquifers in Matlab Upazila, Southeastern Bangladesh. Sci Total Environ 2007; 379:121-32. [PMID: 17113133 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2005] [Revised: 03/24/2006] [Accepted: 06/21/2006] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater with high concentration of geogenic arsenic (As) occurs extensively in the Holocene alluvial aquifers of Bangladesh. Local drillers in Matlab Upazilla are constructing deeper tubewells than in the recent past, primarily because of low concentrations of dissolved Fe and As. Locally a thick layer of black to grey sediments overlies an oxidised unit of yellowish-grey to reddish-brown sediments. The correlation between the colour of both units and the groundwater redox conditions was investigated to provide an easy tool for targeting low-arsenic groundwater. Based on the sediment colour at the screen depths described by local drillers, 40 domestic shallow tubewells were selected for water sampling. Four colours were used to describe the sediments: black, white, off-white (buff) and red. Generally, the groundwater was anoxic and the As concentrations ranged from less than 5.2 to 355 microg/L. Water derived from the black sediment is characterized by relatively higher concentrations of dissolved NH(4)(+), DOC, Fe, P, As and by low Mn and SO(4)(2-) concentrations. The off-white and red sediments had high concentration of Mn and low NH(4)(+), DOC, Fe, P and As concentrations. The water abstracted from the black sediments indicated the most reducing environment, followed by white, off-white and red respectively. Three boreholes verified the driller's perception of the subsurface lithologic conditions. Discrepancies between the driller's and the research team description of the sediment colours were insignificant. This study shows that sediment colour is a reliable indicator of high and low-As concentrations and can be used by local drillers to target low-arsenic groundwater.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattias von Brömssen
- KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Jakariya M, Vahter M, Rahman M, Wahed MA, Hore SK, Bhattacharya P, Jacks G, Persson LA. Screening of arsenic in tubewell water with field test kits: evaluation of the method from public health perspective. Sci Total Environ 2007; 379:167-75. [PMID: 17258792 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.11.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2006] [Revised: 10/03/2006] [Accepted: 11/23/2006] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need for Bangladesh to identify the arsenic (As) contaminated tubewells (TWs) in order to assess the health risks and initiate appropriate mitigation measures. This will involve testing water in millions of TWs and raising community awareness about the health problems related to chronic As exposure from drinking water. Field test kits offer the only practical tool within the time frame and financial resources available for screening and assessment of the As contaminated TWs as well as their monitoring than that of the laboratory measurement. A comparison of field test kit and laboratory measurements by AAS as "gold standard" for As in water of 12,532 TWs in Matlab Upazila in Bangladesh, indicates that the field kit correctly determined the status of 91% of the As levels compared to the Bangladesh Drinking Water Standard (BDWS) of 50 microg/L, and 87% of the WHO guideline value of 10 microg/L. Nevertheless, due to analytical and human errors during the determination of As by the field test kits, some misclassification of wells is inevitable. Cross-checking of the field test kit results, both by Field Supervisor and by the laboratory analyses reveal considerable discrepancies in the correct screening mainly at As concentration ranges of 10-24.9 microg/L and 50-99.9 microg/L, critical from a public health point of view. The uncertainties of misclassification of these two groups of TWs have severe public health implications due to As exposure from drinking water sources. This can be reduced through proper training of the field personnel, cross verification of the field test kit results with laboratory analyses and further development of the field test kits to determine As at low concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Jakariya
- Research and Evaluation Division, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, 75 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
van Geen A, Trevisani M, Immel J, Jakariya M, Osman N, Cheng Z, Gelman A, Ahmed KM. Targeting low-arsenic groundwater with mobile-phone technology in Araihazar, Bangladesh. J Health Popul Nutr 2006; 24:282-97. [PMID: 17366770 PMCID: PMC3013249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation and Water Supply Program (BAMWSP) has compiled field-kit measurements of the arsenic content of groundwater for nearly five million wells. By comparing the spatial distribution of arsenic inferred from these field-kit measurements with geo-referenced laboratory data in a portion of Araihazar upazila, it is shown here that the BAMWSP data could be used for targeting safe aquifers for the installation of community wells in many villages of Bangladesh. Recent experiences with mobile-phone technology to access and update the BAMWSP data in the field are also described. It is shown that the technology, without guaranteeing success, could optimize interventions by guiding the choice of the drilling method that is likely to reach a safe aquifer and identifying those villages where exploratory drilling is needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A van Geen
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, 10964, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kwok RK, Kaufmann RB, Jakariya M. Arsenic in drinking-water and reproductive health outcomes: a study of participants in the Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Programme. J Health Popul Nutr 2006; 24:190-205. [PMID: 17195560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
This study examined 2,006 pregnant women chronically exposed to a range of naturally-occurring concentrations of arsenic in drinking-water in three upazilas in Bangladesh to find out relationships between arsenic exposure and selected reproductive health outcomes. While there was a small but statistically significant association between arsenic exposure and birth-defects (odds ratio=1.005, 95% confidence interval 1.001-1.010), other outcomes, such as stillbirth, low birth-weight, childhood stunting, and childhood under-weight, were not associated with arsenic exposure. It is possible that the association between arsenic exposure from drinking-water and birth-defects may be a statistical anomaly due to the small number of birth-defects observed. Future studies should look more closely at birth-defects, especially neural tube defects, to elucidate any potential health effects associated with arsenic exposure from drinking-water. Further, given the knowledge that serious health effects can result from chronic arsenic exposure, efforts to find alternatives of safe drinking-water for the population must continue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard K Kwok
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, PO Box 12194, 3040 Cornwallis Road, NC 27709, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
|