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It is widely believed that an increasing trend in the production and consumption of vegetables has led to a dramatic rise in the use of pesticides potentially threatening the health of consumers around the world. This systematic study along with meta-analysis has mainly centered on the evaluation of the quantity of three well-known pesticides namely, Malathion (MLT), Diazinon (DZN) and Chlorpyrifos (CPF) in vegetables. In this regard, a comprehensive literature search has been performed over the last decade (January 1, 2011 to June 21, 2020) within the scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Of 1239 articles identified through the database screening, 22 plus 37 data report were retained and included in the meta-analysis phase. Additionally, the probabilistic human health risks for the consumers due to the intake of CPF, DZN and MLT from eating vegetables were estimated by the Monte Carlo Simulated (MCS) method. According to the findings, the maximum quantities of MLT, DZN and CPF in the vegetables were observed in Pakistan (222 μg/kg, 95%CI = 214.94-229.08), Thailand (245.00, 95% CI = 235.2-254.8) and South Korea (440 μg/kg, 95% CI = 437.19-442.81), while the lowest concentration levels were reported in China (1.7 μg/kg, 95% CI = 1.56-1.84), Poland (0.57, 95% CI = 0.46-0.68) and Poland (5.78 μg/kg, 95% CI = 4.40-7.12), respectively. The results of the Egger's and the Begg's tests revealed that no bias with regard to the potential publication was observed. Finally, non-carcinogenic risk assessment results demonstrated that the exposure to the studied pesticides thorough vegetables consumption could not threaten the health of consumers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Water, forages, and soil contamination with potentially toxic metals (PTMs) through anthropogenic activities has become a significant environmental concern. It is crucial to find out the level of PTMs in water, soil, and forages near industrial areas. The PTMs enter the body of living organisms through these sources and have become a potential risk for humans and animals. Therefore, the present study aims at the health risk assessment of PTMs and their accumulation in soil, water, and forages of three tehsils (Kallar Kahar, Choa Saidan Shah, and Chakwal) in district Chakwal. Samples of wastewater, soil, and forages were collected from various sites of district Chakwal. PTMs detected in the present study were cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni), and their levels were measured through atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAs GF95 graphite furnace auto sampler). Pollution load index (PLI), bio concentration factor (BCF), soil enrichment factors (EF), daily intake value (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) in sheep, cow, and buffalo were also analyzed. The results revealed that the mean concentration (mg/L) of Cd (0.72–0.91 mg/L), Cr (1.84–2.23 mg/L), Pb (0.95–3.22 mg/L), Co (0.74–2.93 mg/L), Cu (0.84–1.96 mg/L), and Ni (1.39–4.39 mg/L) in wastewater samples was higher than permissible limits set by WHO, NEQS, WWF, USEPA, and Pakistan in all three tehsils of district Chakwal. Similarly, in soil samples, concentrations of Cd (1.21–1.95 mg/kg), Cr (38.1–56.4 mg/kg), and Ni (28.3–55.9 mg/kg) were higher than their respective threshold values. The mean concentration of PTMs in forage samples (Parthenium hysterophorus, Mentha spicata, Justicia adhatoda, Calotropis procera, Xanthium strumarium, Amaranthaceae sp.) showed that maximum values of Cd (5.35–7.55 mg/kg), Cr (5.47–7.51 mg/kg), Pb (30–36 mg/kg), and Ni (12.6–57.5 mg/kg) were beyond their safe limit set for forages. PLI, BCF, and EF were > 1.0 for almost all the PTMs. The DIM and HRI for sheep were less than < 1.0 but for cows and buffalo were > 1.0. The current study showed that soil, water, and forages near coal mines area are contaminated with PTMs which enter the food chain and pose significant harm to humans and animals. In order to prevent their dangerous concentration in the food chain, regular assessment of PTMs present in soil, forages, irrigating water, and food is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates macro-nutrient (MN) and prevailing heavy metal (HM) concentrations in wild edible morels (WEM) species viz., Morchella crassipes, Morchella pulchella, and Morchella eohespera and the associated soil that were collected from different altitudinal zones (Azad Kashmir, Murree, Swat, and Skardu) of Pakistan. A special emphasis on potential health risk analysis for HM in WEM consumption was also explored. In general, MN concentration in fruiting bodies and their associated soil samples were in the following order: potassium (K) > magnesium (Mg) > calcium (Ca) > sodium (Na) and Ca > Mg > K > Na, respectively. The concentration for HM in WEM ranged between 20.0 and 78.0 mg/kg, 1.09 and 22.1 mg/kg, 2.1 and 22.1 mg/kg, 0.26 and 13.1 mg/kg, 0.43 and 9.1 mg/kg, 1.07 and 7.0 mg/kg, 1.01 and 5.4 mg/kg, and BDL and 3.1 mg/kg for zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), respectively, and those in underlying soil samples, lowest and highest HM concentration were recorded for Zn (33.7-113.6 mg/kg), Cu (13.0-40.8 mg/kg), Ni (3.1-23.0 mg/kg), Pb (1.3-22.0 mg/kg), Co (2.9-5.6 mg/kg), Cr (2.7-11.1 mg/kg), Mn (2.0-7.1 mg/kg), and Cd (1.1 mg/kg 7.6). Although, Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in some of the WEM samples and Cd in the soil had exceeded the permissible limits set by different organizations. The greater accumulation/or transfer potential for Zn, Co, Ni, and Cu were recorded in WEM from their associated soil. The health risk index (HRI) for HM in all assessed samples of WEM was < 1, predicting no risk to the consuming population. Furthermore, the correlation analyses depicted that the power of hydrogen (pH), low organic matter contents, and sandy texture are likely to be responsible for HM transfer to the lower pool of soil. But the increasing concentration of HM in WEM warrants threats and suggests further monitoring and future policy plan and implementation to avoid the potential health risks via its regular consumption., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Facies models are essential tools for imaging subsurface geobodies and for reducing exploration and development risks efficiently. The Lower Goru Formation is one of the principal formations in the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan. Its substantial hydrocarbon potential is unexplored, as most of the wells within the Sawan gas field are facing relatively low production yields. This study aimed to delineate subsurface geobodies by developing a facies model to study the depositional processes and facies distributions that have been neglected previously. The interactive approaches used in this research consisted of petrophysical, mineral composition, well-log facies, and horizon attribute analyses, as well as an unsupervised vector quantizer artificial neural network (UVQ–ANN) and sequential indicator simulation (SIS) modeling. A series of E–W-oriented lenticular geobodies were delineated. These geobodies had variable thicknesses, and they pinch out to the NW and prograde to the NE. The results of the SIS, UVQ–ANN, petrographic analysis, and attribute analysis show a fluvial fan-delta sedimentary system. The reservoir sands were deposited in distributary mouth bars and deltaic channels in proximal delta front settings. The coarse- to very fine-grained reservoir sands prograde toward the NE. Thinly laminated beds of fine-grained black shales and lime muddy siltstones were deposited under low-energy conditions in mid-shelf marine settings. The adopted methodology for the generated facies model can be extended to different basins within Pakistan with the same geological settings, and it can be used for prospect evaluation, future drilling, and development plans within the Sawan gas field in the Lower Indus Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal(loid)s (HM) contaminations in the soil poses threats to the human and ecological community due to their bioaccumulation, toxicity, and persistent nature in the ecosystem. This review was designed to know about the HM contamination in soils, ecological risk, distribution, and potential health risks. Soil HM concentrations published in the last 30 years were collected from Springer, Science Direct, Willey, Mendeley, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, etc. HM concentrations were used for the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor, as well as integrated indices such as spatial distribution of ecological risk index. Similarly, the Igeo pattern was observed in Sindh > Baluchistan > Punjab > Khyber Pakhtunkhwa > Gilgit-Baltistan > Islamabad. Moreover, the high ecological risk mean values ranged (160 < ERI < 320) due to cadmium (Cd) was exhibited in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and Islamabad. Non-carcinogenic risk like hazard quotient was found higher for children (1.59) of Punjab due to arsenic (As) ingestion, whereas the lower risk was observed due to Zn (2.5E-08) for adults of Punjab province via inhalation pathway. Similarly, the health index (HI) from exposure to As (1.61) in soil was higher than the rest of the HM. Moreover, cancerous risk was determined and found in the tolerable range (10 -4 -10 -6 ). This study recommended that HM contaminants in the soil need to be monitored on regular basis, especially in Baluchistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Sindh provinces., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the uptake and accumulation of heavy metals including cadmium, chromium, iron, nickel, and lead in 8 food crops irrigated with industrial wastewater and correlate the levels with potential human health risks. The concentrations of these metals in the food crops irrigated with wastewater decreased in the order iron (Fe) ˃ chromium (Cr) ˃ cadmium (Cd) ˃ nickel (Ni) ˃ lead (Pb). In all cases, the metallic contents in the vegetables exceeded the safe limits recommended by FAO/WHO. The highest bioaccumulation factor was recorded for cadmium. Further, the health risk indices of cadmium and lead were greater than 1 in seven food crops. For nickel, health risk was exceeded only for Pisum sativum and Solanum tuberosum. The indices for various food crops were in decreasing order: Cd > Pb > Ni > Cr > Fe. Out of 8 food crops, only Cantiquorum antiquorum showed risk indices lower than 1 for all 5 metals. Data demonstrated that food crops irrigated with wastewater in this study area are highly metal contaminated and may constitute a serious health risk to the local human and animal populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to investigate the concentrations of potential toxic metals (PTMs) in agricultural soil (n = 25) and their bioaccumulation in wheat crop (n = 25) collected from alongside the Kurram River, Pakistan. The highest concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in soil samples were 0.16, 19.5, 14.7, 46.5, 13.5, 14.5, 14.0, and 19.7 mg kg−1, respectively. In the edible tissues of cultivated wheat crop, the highest concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 0.15, 10.00, 8.75, 22.25, 11.00, 11.25, 10.50, and 7.50 mg kg−1, respectively. The selected PTM concentrations in soil samples were observed within their respective permissible limits set by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) China, while in wheat crops, the Cr and Pb concentrations were above the permissible limits of both FAO and SEPA China. The results showed that the orders of PTMs were Fe > Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Mn in soil and Fe > Ni > Mn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Zn in wheat. The highest PTM concentrations were reported in the sample collected near dumping sites. The results of different soil pollution indices including geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), and enrichment factor (EF) indicated that the soil of the study area was moderately to severely contaminated. The ADI values of wheat crops were less than 1, while the HQ varied among different PTMs with the highest value of 2.118 for Pb, and the lowest for Zn (0.007). The results indicated that anthropogenic intervention has made a substantial contribution to soil contamination with PTMs and subsequent uptake by wheat, which may exert potential human health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational injuries and safety management at the workplace are among the crucial issues of the developing countries. This study develops index value trends of occupational injuries of internal migrant workers for different characteristics. It used twelve waves of the national representative dataset, Labour Force Survey (LFS), from 2001-02 to 2017-18 for the analysis. The research findings suggest that migrant workers in the labor markets of Pakistan face an ample burden of occupational injuries. Male migrants are more vulnerable to occupational injuries compared to their female counterparts. Similarly, those who migrate to rural areas are more likely to suffer from occupational injuries than those whose destination is urban. Higher education and on-job trainings are likely to reduce the burden of occupational injuries among internal migrants. The analysis calls for the development of synergies among worker's education, on-job training, and safety management at the workplace. This is the first study with an extensive dataset range to analyze the level and trends of occupational injuries and safety management of internal migrants in Pakistan. The study suggests the implementation of existing laws and legislation of new health policies to cope up with the challenges of occupational injuries of migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic metals and particle pollutants in urbanized cities have significantly increased over the past few decades mainly due to rapid urbanization and unplanned infrastructure. This research aimed at estimating the concentration of toxic metals and particle pollutants and the associated risks to public health across different land-use settings including commercial area (CA), urban area (UA), residential area (RA), and industrial area (IA). A total of 47 samples for both soil and air were collected from different land-use settings of Faisalabad city in Pakistan. Mean concentrations of toxic metals such as Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Co, and Cd in all land-use settings were 92.68, 4.06, 1.34, 0.16, 0.07, 0.03, and 0.02 mg kg -1 , respectively. Mean values of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and Mn in all land-use settings were found 5.14, 1.34, and 1.9 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Mn was found as the most hazardous metal in terms of pollution load index (PLI) and contamination factor (CF) in the studied area. Health risk analysis for particle pollutants using air quality index (AQI) and geoinformation was found in the range between good to very critical for all the land-use settings. The hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were higher for children in comparison to adults, suggesting that children may be susceptible to potentially higher health risks. However, the cancer risk (CR) value for Pb ingestion (1.21 × 10 -6 ) in children was lower than the permissible limit (1 × 10 -4 to 1 × 10 -6 ). Nonetheless, for Cr inhalation, CR value (1.09 × 10 -8 ) was close to tolerable limits. Our findings can be of valuable assistance toward advancing our understanding of soil and air pollutions concerning public health in different land-use settings of the urbanized cities of Pakistan., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

We, the Editors and Publisher of Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, have retracted the following article: Maria Sabeen, Qaisar Mahmood, Abdol Ghaffar Ebadi, Zulfiqar Ahmad Bhatti, Faridullah, Muhammad Irshad, Allauddin Kakar, Muhammad Bilal, Hafiz Muhammad Arshad and Naeem Shahid, 'Consequences of health risk assessment of wastewater irrigation in Pakistan Israel Affairs', Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 2019, DOI: The article is retracted due to the oversights that were made during peer review process that resulted in the article being published online in error. Further review from independent reviewers was sought. This confirmed that the central findings and methodology of the study in question are unreliable and therefore unsuitable for publication. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as "Retracted". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]