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Purpose: The presence of toxic heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural crops ‎can be considered as a noteworthy threat for consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the content of HMs ‎(Pb, As, Cr, Cd, Co, Hg, and Ag) and their potential health risk in summer crops and vegetables (watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, melon, tomato, onion, ‎potato, raw and stewed vegetables) in Ilam province, Iran. Methods: Totally, 31 crop samples were collected from local farms during the 2019 harvest ‎season and the elements ‎ content were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The non-carcinogenic health risk of HMs to the adults and children was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation method and target hazard quotients (THQs). Results: In general, the results showed that the concentration of Cr in the studied ‎agricultural crops was higher than other HMs. As well as, the carcinogenic risk (CR) obtained for adults and children were more than the acceptable range for As. Also, CR for As in raw vegetable was the most (‎8.19E-1) and violated the threshold risk limit. The total carcinogenic risk of HMs in children was higher than that in adults. Conclusion: These results suggest that the agricultural crops were not safe for human consumption with potential risks associated. Due to the possible health effects of such products consumption, proper action should be taken to avoid chronic exposure, prevention of further pollution and consequent adverse health implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rising concern about heavy metals in settled dust, a risk assessment of Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) has been conducted using multiple exposure paths, including oral ingestion, direct skin contact, and inhalation of dust around lake Urmia in Iran for the time period of 2020. Metal concentrations were assessed and sources were identified based on the enrichment factor and Pearson correlation coefficient. The metal concentrations were in the following order: Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd > As with arithmetic means of 3.5, 4.8, 57, 33, 25 and 83 mg/kg, respectively, which are within the range of Iran-EPA soil guideline values. A very weak correlation (r < 0.7) was found between the studied elements. The average enrichment factor (EF) for As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn was 0.7, 4, 1.8, 0.5, 3.2 and 0.8, respectively, suggests minor enrichment for metals and influence from anthropogenic activity. The lifetime cancer risks (LTCR) due to exposure (three routes of inhalation) to metals were in the negligible risk category. The oral route had the highest hazard index (HI) between all of exposure paths. The HI was less than 1 for all three exposure paths. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis showed that exposure duration (ED) for As and Ni and exposure frequency (EF) for Cd and Pb had the highest impacts on LTCR values. Therefore, this study suggests the continuous monitoring of heavy metals in settled dust around the Lake Urmia as it is associated with the high health risk for the neighbourhood in the Lake Urmia's basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are the most considerable pollutants of marine organisms due to their toxic and cumulative properties. The heavy metal (lead: Pb, cadmium: Cd, mercury: Hg, and tin: Sn) contents were examined in 92 samples of canned tuna from the market in eight Iranian cities using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In addition, the estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ) and total hazard quotient (THQ) were calculated. None of the tested samples exceeded the Iran National Standards Organization (INSO) and Codex limits for Cd and Sn. The amount of Pb in the samples from the city of Qom exceeded the allowable limit. HQ percentile 95% of heavy metal for Sn, Hg, Pb, and Cd was equal to 0.0096, 0.185, 0.0099 and 0.0021, respectively. The HQ and THQ was lower than one for all tested heavy metals suggesting that health risk associated with the consumption of canned tuna in major cities of Iran is negligible. Due to the fact that in some samples, and especially that the samples collected from a particular city have a higher level of heavy metals than the standard limits, it is recommended authorities take more control measures to maintain public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to heavy metals can result in various adverse health effects. Tehran is rated as one of the world's most polluted cities. Green space workers are continuously exposed to such pollutants in this city. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the health risks caused by exposure to heavy metals among green space workers. Eighty-eight workers and office personnel in two regions with different air quality levels were chosen for sampling. Air samples were collected using the NIOSH-7300 method and analyzed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) instrument. The hazard quotient (HQ) and the lifetime cancer risk (LTCR) were calculated to assess carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk levels. The results revealed that the rank order of heavy metals was determined as Zn, Pb, Mn, Ni, Co, and Cd. Workers were subjected to higher concentrations of Ni, Pb, Zn, and Co than office personnel. Furthermore, the Cd, Co, and Zn exposure levels stood significantly higher in region 6 than in region 14. Non-carcinogenic risk levels for all participants fell within the acceptable range. Moreover, no employee had a carcinogenic risk level within the acceptable range when exposed to Cd. Also, 2.3% of individuals demonstrated Ni's acceptable carcinogenic risk level. Owing unacceptable risk levels, proper interventions are required to minimize occupational exposure to heavy metals. These interventions include optimizing shift schedules, using personal protective equipment, and conducting regular health assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monitoring of essential and toxic elements in patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) undergoing methadone treatment (MT) is important, and there is limited previous research on the urinary levels of these elements in MT patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze certain elements in the context of methadone treatment compared to a healthy group. In this study, patients with opioid use disorder undergoing MT (n = 67) were compared with a healthy group of companions (n = 62) in terms of urinary concentrations of some essential elements (selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca)) and toxic elements (lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr)). Urine samples were prepared using the acid digestion method with a mixture of nitric acid and perchloric acid and assessed using the ICP-MS method. Our results showed that the two groups had no significant differences in terms of gender, education level, occupation, and smoking status. Urinary concentrations of Se, Cu, and Fe levels were significantly lower in the MT group compared to the healthy subjects. However, the concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, Mn, Cr, and Ca in the MT group were higher than in the healthy group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was established between the levels of Zn in the two groups (p = 0.232). The results of regression analysis revealed that the differences between the concentration levels of all metals (except Zn) between two groups were still remained significant after adjusting for all variables (p < 0.05). The data obtained in the current study showed lower urinary concentrations of some essential elements and higher levels of some toxic elements in the MT group compared to the healthy subjects. These findings should be incorporated into harm-reduction interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of heavy metals in aquatic meat can have a destructive role in food safety and is also closely related to the water and feed consumed by animals. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the heavy metals in three aquatic species and their relationship with water and food. Fresh samples included 65 trout, 40 carp, and 45 shrimp, and their water and food were collected from Kermanshah aquaculture. After the preparation phase, the concentration of heavy metals was determined by using inductively-coupled plasma-mass-spectrometry. Lead in carp, arsenic in shrimp, cadmium, and mercury in trout had the highest concentrations of toxic metals. The lead, arsenic, and mercury concentrations in all three farmed aquatic species were higher than the maximum permissible limits. A significant correlation coefficient was observed between the concentration of these metals in the meat and their consumed water and food (p≤0.001). Of the essential metals, except for selenium in trout, and zinc in all three aquatic species, the concentration of other metals was higher than that of the permissible consumption limit. There was also a significant correlation between the concentration of essential metals and their consumed feed (p<0.001). The target hazard quotient of toxic metals was less than 1, but the target cancer risk for arsenic and mercury was in the range of carcinogenicity. Thereby, it is vital to monitor the quality of aquatic meat and pay special attention to their water and feed sources in this region of Iran, which will consequently guarantee human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs; Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), and Cadmium (Cd) Pb, Ni, and Cd), using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was measured in fifty surface coastal sediment samples collected from 5 points coastal sediment of Bandar Abbas city, Iran besides the potential ecological risk index (RI) estimated the environmental health risk. The rank order of PTEs was Pb (52.090 ± 4.113 mg/kg dry weight) > Ni (34.940 ± 8.344 mg/kg dry weight) > Cd (2.944 ± 0.013 mg/kg dry weight). RI due to PTEs in sediments for A, B, C, D, and E points were 187.655, 190.542, 191.079, 189.496, and 192.053, respectively. RI for sampling points A to E was at moderate risk (150 ≤ RI < 300). Therefore, it is recommended to carry out control programs to reduce the amount of PTEs in the coastal sediment of the Persian Gulf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the symbiotic relationship between arbuscular mycorrhizae (Funneliformis mosseae) and the ability of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) to mitigate urban traffic pollution. A factorial experiment with three replications and three factors (inoculated/non-inoculated with G. mosseae, traffic volume, and pot type) was conducted in Shiraz, a metropolis in south-central Iran. Inoculation with F. mosseae led to a 33% increase in root weight and a 20% increase in root length under a traffic volume of 4,200 Vehicles/H. Additionally, as traffic volume increased, stem length and dry weight of the entire plant inoculated with the fungus increased by 8.33% and 29.53%, respectively. The presence of fungus in the rosemary plant decreased the accumulation of Cd and increased the accumulation of Pb by 12.82% and 55.82%, respectively under traffic conditions of 4,200 Vehicles/H. The transfer factor (TF) of Cd and Pb in rosemary plant inoculated under these traffic conditions decreased by 25.74% and 25.24%, respectively. These findings indicate that mycorrhiza-inoculated rosemary plants can thrive in Cd- and Pb-contaminated soils, effectively remediating heavy metals, particularly Pb, with a TF >1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study focuses on ensuring food safety and hygiene, investigating vancomycin resistance in raw milk from livestock farms in Kurdistan. The research, involving 160 milk samples, explores the correlation between resistance and heavy metals. Our findings reveal that 8.75% of samples contain Staphylococcus aureus, with 28.58% exhibiting vancomycin resistance. Significant variations in arsenic, iron, zinc, sodium, and aluminum concentrations were noted between resistant and sensitive samples. Elevated arsenic, iron, and aluminum, coupled with decreased zinc, showed a significant association with vancomycin resistance. The lead, cadmium, mercury, zinc, and iron levels exceeded permissible limits. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for cadmium indicated a high non-carcinogenic risk, while the Target Risk (TR) for arsenic fell within the carcinogenic range. Accumulation of heavy metals could impact antibiotic resistance in milk, stressing the need to control arsenic residues for national safety. In today's food landscape, the paramount focus is on ensuring food safety and hygiene. Recognizing the pivotal role of the environment and its management in safeguarding animal products, this study explores vancomycin resistance in raw milk from livestock farms in the Kurdistan province and its correlation with metal and heavy metal. One hundred and sixty raw milk samples were collected from various locations, with heavy metal concentrations analyzed using ICP-MS. Identification of Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistance testing were conducted through culture and the Kirby–Bauer method. This study investigates the relationship between resistance and heavy metal levels, revealing that 8.75% of milk samples contained Staphylococcus aureus, with 28.58% exhibiting vancomycin resistance. Significant variations in arsenic, iron, zinc, sodium, and aluminum concentrations were observed between resistant and sensitive samples (p < 0.01). The increase in arsenic, iron, and aluminum, along with the decrease in zinc, demonstrated a significant association with vancomycin resistance (p < 0.001). Levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, zinc, and iron exceeded permissible limits (p < 0.05). The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) for cadmium indicated a high non-carcinogenic risk, while the Target Risk (TR) for arsenic fell within the carcinogenic range. Accumulation of heavy metals has the potential to impact antibiotic resistance in milk, underscoring the imperative to control arsenic residues for national safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of toxic elements were analyzed by using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FAAS). Moreover, the human health risk was estimated by Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ) and Cancer Risk (CR) in Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) technique. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) of Cd (0.08 ± 0.08), Pb (0.23 ± 0.46), and As (0.06 ± 0.04), were in a good compliance with ISO (Iranian standard organization). TTHQ for adults and children was equal to 0.009 and 0.042, respectively and also mean CR in adults and children consumers was equal to 9.73E–7 and 9.08E–7, respectively. Consequently, the concentration of toxic elements (Cd, Pb, and As) in cocoa powder did not pose any safety concerns. Moreover, probabilistic health risk assessment revealed that both adults and children were not at considerable non-carcinogenic (THQ and/or TTHQ ≤ 1) and carcinogenic risk (CR ≤ 1E–6). Even though, seeking for mitigating solutions and applying them to suppress the dangers of food containing toxic elements is a critical subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global threat resulting in heavy metal contamination of medicinal plants is considered a serious concern. The quantitative evaluation of four heavy metals, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu), was investigated frequently sold medicinal plants in the markets of Iran. Two medicinal plants, Mentha piperita L., and Zataria multiflora Boiss. were selected from six different herbalists of six districts of Shiraz, Iran. The dissolution of the sample was performed by a conventional wet acid digestion method, and heavy metal levels were determined using Polarograph. Statistical Analysis was used by SPSS.21. According to the achieved results in M.piperita the levels of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu were in the range of 2.66 ± 0.76 mg/kg, 0.017 ± 0.009 mg/kg, 0.092 ± 0.069 mg/kg, and 0.237 ± 0.080 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu in Z. multiflora samples were 1.46 ± 0.74 mg/kg, 0.019 ± 0.004 mg/kg, 0.11 ± 0.05 mg/kg, and 0.41 ± 0.17 mg/kg, respectively. There was a correlation between Zn with Cu in our finding (r = 0.9). Based on these results, we found that the concentration of heavy metals in these two medicinal plants was not more than the standard concentration reported for similar plants. It appears that these plants are generally safe in usual doses. The finding of this study can be used to determine standard heavy metals limits in M.piperita and Z.multiflora in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the trace elements lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) quantity have been investigated using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) residual by iodometric titration method in raisin samples in different regions of Iran. The results showed that the concentration of Cu, Zn and Fe were in the range of 0.053–0.212 mg/kg, 0.048–0.170 mg/kg and 0.541–0.843 mg/kg, respectively, whereas Cd, Ni, As and Pb concentrations in the samples were less than detection limit (LOD). The SO2 residual in raisin samples was between 30 and 843.33 mg/kg. The LOD of Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and As were 0.022 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, 0.047 mg/kg, 0.04 mg/kg, 0.019 mg/kg, 0.024 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg, respectively. The Monte Carlo simulation results showed that the indexes of target hazard quotient (THQ) due to ingestion of SO2 residues estimated lower than the safe level (THQ < 1) in all samples, except in the Raisin-B and Raisin-D samples. Accordingly, to ensure consumer health and improve international trade, continuous control and adaptive regulation of sulphur dioxide residues and trace elements in dried fruit are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was performed to assess the concentration and health risk of eight trace elements (manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As)) in animal product samples (n = 120) in Markazi province of Iran by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Some trace elements such as Mn, Hg, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Zn were detected in samples while Cd and As non-detected. Fe had the highest mean level of trace elements in meat samples (1551.28 ± 83.25 μg/kg). The levels of Pb and Hg in some samples were upper than the limit of the European Commission (EC) and the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI), International/National Standards for Heavy Metals, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Deterministic and probabilistic health risk assessment approaches to evaluate of the target hazard quotients (THQ) and carcinogenic risks (CR) index were applied. The Monte Carlo probability distributions revealed that the rank order of total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) was milk > meat > egg. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic index of toxic elements indicated that exposed population in Markazi province was safe (1> THQ, 10−4> CR), except Hg exposure for children in milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution of soils and groundwater by heavy metal pollutants is a widespread environmental problem, particularly in Iran. One cost-effective method to remediate the polluted soils is phytoremediation, in which different plants are used to extract the heavy metals from soil and accumulate them in their organs. In this study, the phytoremediation potential of native plants of Southwestern Iran in removing nickel and lead from polluted soil was assessed separately and in combination with organic amendments of compost and biochar.Hence, the pot experiments were conducted in the greenhouse using soil gathered from the Pazanan oil refineryin Gachsaran, located at Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. Then, the hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to classify the different treatments of amendments.The results indicated that the phytoremediation strength of three native species for Ni uptake was C. procera> St. Plumosa > M. sativa; and for Pb uptake was St. Plumosa > C. procera> M. sativa. Also, the utilisation of organic materials originated from urban waste caused to increase in the Ni and Pb accumulation in root and shoot of these species as well as the residual concentration of the metals in soil. Based on the cluster analysis, the treatment of biochar 2% showed the most effect on the residual concentration of heavy metals in soil (1128.00 mgkg−1);the treatment of biochar 1% represented the highest accumulation of metals at the root (158.82 mgkg−1), while all treatments of different amounts of amendments have the same effect on the accumulation of heavy metals in the shoot (151.38 mgkg−1). In general, cluster analysis showed that the organic amendments, especially biochar even at low amounts can improve the phytoremediation capability of the studied native species in removing Ni and Pb from polluted soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of landfill leachate into the subsoil contaminates soil and groundwater and has a negative effect on health. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the quality and health risk of groundwater around Saravan landfill in Guilan province. To determine the effects of landfill on groundwater, leachate and water sampling of 5 wells around Landfill were performed according to standard procedures. The sampling was repeated 2 times and the samples were run through 0.45 Wattman filters to measure heavy metals. Then physico-chemical parameters were analysed and the results were compared with WHO standard and Environmental Protection Organization of Iran. Finally, the water quality index and potential health risks in children and adults were calculated. The results showed that the high pH of the leachate indicates the long life of the landfill. The concentrations of chromium, lead and manganese were higher than the allowed amount. The results of non-carcinogenic cumulative risk assessment in children and adults were 4.77 and 2.48 and the result of carcinogenic cumulative risk assessment in children and adults were 11 × 10 −3 and 23 × 10 −3, respectively Also, the health risk index of heavy metals for lead and manganese in gastrointestinal and cutaneous exposure in children was more than 1, respectively. Water quality index of 68.935 was obtained which was lower than recommended. According to the findings, the waste burial in Saravan landfill has led to a decrease in the quality of adjacent groundwater. The results of heavy metal concentrations and their health risk assessment showed the potential for pathogenic risk to the health of groundwater consumers in the study area. Therefore, due to the proximity of water wells to Saravan landfills and possible changes in the concentration of heavy metals, continuous monitoring is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The content of the prioritised heavy metals including lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) was measured in water and tissues of ChelonSaliens- the most hunted and consumed fish- in an international wetland, Gomishan, located in Iran. Also, the health risk attributed to consuming the fish was assessed. The concentration of heavy metals in water and fish samples was obtained using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results were calculated in terms of mg/kg for fish and ppm for water samples, respectively. The concentration of the heavy metals in water decreased in the following order: Pb>Ni>As>Cr>Cd. The content of heavy metals in the fish tissues was 0.01–0.013 mg/kg, 0.005–0.01 mg/kg, 0.011–0.014 mg/kg, 0.004 mg/kg, and 1.5–1.6 mg/kg for As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) for all the heavy metals in the fish samples were below the permissible range of EDI for foodstuffs. Concerning health risks related to consumingChelonSaliens by people living around the wetland, only the non-carcinogenic target hazard quotient (THQnon-carcinogenic) of Pb for children was more than one and THQnon-carcinogenic for other heavy metals was distinctly less than one. Similarly, THQcarcinogenic for Pb was remarkably more than the safe range, i.e. 10−6-10−4, and those of other heavy metals were acceptable. It seems that consuming thefish hunted from GomishanWetlandcan make a health effect, especially for children, since a regular monitoring programme is required for assessing the contamination of heavy metals in water, soil, and fish in GomishanWetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead do no degrade and/or metabolize in vital systems, and accumulate in different organs of the body such as muscles, adipose tissue, bones, and joints. In this study, we measured concentration of four elements of copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead in canned fish. Materials and methods: At first, 54 canned fish samples were purchased from local market in Tehran (capital city of Iran). For analysis, 2 g of each sample was weighted and mixed with 65% nitric acid. The mixture was heated at 450 °C, and dry ash was used for voltametric analysis. In this work, direct determination of heavy metals in canned fish was carried out by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) technique at hanging mercury dropping electrode (HMDE). Results and conclusion: Quantitative measurement limits were 0.045, 0.006, 0.004, and 0.013 mg/kg for zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper, respectively. The results showed that mean concentration was 1.41 ±0.948 mg/kg for zinc, 0.050 ±0.038 mg/kg for cadmium, 0.146 ±0.119 mg/kg for lead, and 0.082 ±0.065 mg/kg for copper. The mean value obtained for each heavy metal was compared with the values authorized by the National Standard Organization of Iran, World Health Organization, and Food and Agriculture Organization, through which all concentrations were below the maximum permitted values. Concentration of cadmium, copper, and zinc showed significant relationships with brand of the samples. This indicates significant differences in concentration of these elements among different brands, which needs to be investigated by the competent authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of nanotechnology and its application in various sciences, scientists have investigated the use of nanoparticles as adsorbents to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions all over the world. So far, the results of many of these studies have been published in reputable journals. Obviously, reviewing these articles and summarizing the results of these studies from different aspects will provide new perspectives for the development of this technology for heavy metals removal from water. So the current study was performed to review the results of the published studies between 1/January/1980 to 1/January/2022. The focus of the study is on the analysis of these studies and their classification. In addition, a more detailed investigation was carried out. Among the 5155 articles, 576 articles were included based on Cochrane protocols. Results show that most of the studies (90.8%) were conducted on a laboratory scale and used synthetic solutions. Most studies were performed for Pb, Cd and Cu, removal respectively. Compared to other countries, authors with affiliation from China and Iran have published more articles. The ranking of the use of various nanomaterials were: nanocomposites > metal oxide nanomaterials > metal-based nanomaterials > carbon-based nanomaterials > dendrimers, with the wide range of sizes from less than 10 nm to several hundreds of nanometers. The required amount of carbon-based nanoparticles to remove many heavy metals were lower than other nanoparticles. In most studies, pH ≤ 7 has been reported as optimal. Most studies have been followed pseudo second-order and pseudo first-order reactions and have been more agreement with Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms respectively. The results of studies show that the synthesis and optimization of new nanomaterials can be considered as a new and competitive technology. However, more studies are needed to investigate the removal of heavy metals in real samples and to overcome some challenges in the full-scale application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to compare levels of six micro-elements and six potentially toxic elements in the breast milk of non-smoking women compared to those found in women who smoke tobacco and women exposed to second-hand smoke during pregnancy and lactation. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 100 lactating women in western Iran. The studied subjects were in three groups: passive smokers, active smokers, and a control group. Concentrations of selected trace elements in breast milk (essential and non-essential metals) were determined using ICP-MS. Our results indicated that the parameters of education, fruit consumption, and cosmetics usage had a significant difference among the groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, for trace elements, the Kruskal–Wallis test was statistically significant for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) (p < 0.05). The post hoc Dunn test revealed a significant difference in the levels of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb between non-smoker and passive/active smoker groups (p < 0.05). Our findings illustrate that exposure to cigarette smoke can cause an increase in the level of potentially toxic elements in human milk, which is dangerous for the consumption of premature newborns, but more research is needed to evaluate the potential toxic mechanisms of toxic metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the concentration and risk of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic causes due to skin and drinking exposure with water in 27 points of potable water in Shiraz. The total samples were 162 the studied variables included fluoride and heavy metals (HMs). The results showed that the concentration of all parameters in winter was higher than in summer (p value < 0.05). However, the concentration in this study was lower than the standards of Iran, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United state environmental protection agency (USEPA). The average fluoride (F−) concentration in summer and winter was 462 and 588 µg/L, respectively. The lead concentration in winter (8.91 µg/L) was higher than in summer (5.86 µg/L). So, in 40% of the samples, it was higher than the WHO standard. Zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations were lower than allowed, and only 70% and 15% of winter samples were above the WHO standard. The chronic daily intake (CDI) for variable was F− > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > As > Cd but HQ < 1 for all HMs. The risk of cancer and non-cancer caused by HMs in children due to dermal and drinking exposure has been higher than in other groups. Chromium (Cr) cancer risk (1.84 × 10−4) in children has been 30 times higher than the allowable limit. The highest risk of non-carcinogenic risk was caused by arsenic in the children group. Overall, the best chemical quality of water was in the centre to the west of the city. So that most of the parameters were in optimal condition. However, cancer and non-cancer risk through drinking have been significant, especially in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since heavy metals (HM) exist in the soil due to industrial activity and the usage of pesticides and fertilizers, monitoring the content of these pollutants is very significant. The current research aimed to determine the concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the tea plant leaves, black tea, and soil and look for their correlations. Twenty-seven (27) samples were divided into three groups of tea plant leaves, black tea, and soil from the same tea plantations originating from Lahijan, Iran. The concentrations of Pb and Cd in samples were determined using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. After that, some analyses were conducted to find the correlation between the content of Pb and Cd in tea plant leaves, black tea, and soil, and their health risks were evaluated. In leaves, black tea, and soil, the mean contents for Cd were 0.001, 0.044, and 0.044 ppm, whereas those for Pb were 0.501, 0.939, and 2.093 ppm, respectively. The results showed that Cd and Pb concentration means in tea plant leaves, black tea, and soil samples were lower than the guidelines recommended by EU, WHO, and national Iranian standards (P < 0.05). The values of the non-carcinogenic hazard quotients (HQ) and the hazard index (HI) were below 1, indicating that these two HMs will not adversely affect consumers' health through the oral pathway of drinking tea. However, more attention should be paid to monitoring the content of HMs in soil. This research recommends that soil Pb contamination should be managed to ensure safe tea production in the study area. An effective management strategy appears necessary to ensure the quality and safety of tea plantations, as well as to reduce the risk of the accumulation of HMs in tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at investigating pollution sources and indicators in three study sites, namely, an industrial town (It), landfill (Lf), and wastewater treatment plant (WTP) in the vicinity of Ilam city, west of Iran. To achieve this objective, the sampling was performed from the topsoil (0–10 cm) of three sites (It, Lf, and WTP) with pollution potential. Some soil physico-chemical properties and total concentration of HMs including Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Co, pollution indicators and sources of pollution were evaluated by statistical analysis. The results of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), and pollution load index (PLI) showed that the studied areas were contaminated with HMs. The highest average of Cd and Pb were 1.45 and 440.19 mg kg–1, respectively, in the Lf. Whereas, the highest average of Ni and Cr were 106.53 and 43.50 mg kg–1, respectively, in the IT, while the highest average of Co was 81.69 mg kg–1 in the WTP. According to the results of the principal components analysis (PCA) and clustering, a small part of the Pb, Ni, and Co amounts in the soils had the natural origin, while the results confirmed that a significant proportion of Pb, Cd, and Cr concentrations associated with human-caused hazards. Moreover, all areas (especially Lf and WTP sites) were highly contaminated with Cd. Due to the higher mobility of Cd and its human health hazards, this metal should be given more attention in the study sites of Ilam city. In general, based on our results, more paying attention needs to be considered by decision-makers and stakeholders to manage and control pollution production sources in the soils of the study sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran is located in a dry climate zone, and climate change has substantially reduced its precipitation and water resources. Reusing wastewaters from urban communities can meet some requirements for irrigation and fertilization of tree plantations in arid environments, leading to sustainable wastewater recycling, enhanced biomass production, and reduced land degradation. The objective of this study was to test the growth, biomass, nutrition, and heavy-metal accumulation of poplars [Populus nigra L. "62/154," P. alba L. "20/45," P. euramericana (Dode) Guinier "92/40"], and willow (Salix excelsa S.G. Gmel) in a pot experiment at four and eight months after planting when grown in soils irrigated with tap water (SITW) and wastewater (SIWW). After four months, SIWW treatment had no significant effect on growth, biomass, nor absorption of macronutrients. After eight months, SIWW treatment of poplars and willow significantly (p = 0.000) increased: (1) height, (2) leaf area, (3) root, stem, leaf, and total biomass, and (5) phytoextraction and phytoaccumulation of macro-/micro-nutrients and heavy metals in tree tissues, over trees receiving the SITW treatment. There were significant differences in growth, biomass, and accumulation of micronutrients and heavy metals in poplar versus willow tissues, with the highest biomass production and tissue-specific content of heavy metals in P. nigra trees, and the greatest total concentrations of heavy metals in P. alba and S. excelsa trees. In contrast, uptake of Fe, Cu, Ni, Cr and Pb were similar between poplar and willow, and phytoaccumulation of these elements was primarily in the roots. Leaf concentrations were highest for Zn and Mn. While P. nigra outperformed all other species overall, tolerance index (TI; defined as the tolerance to the heavy metals as calculated by the ratio of the biomass of SIWW trees relative to SITW trees) values exceeding 100% for all one-year-old poplar and willow trees demonstrated that they can be considered for planting in soil affected by urban wastewaters with similar contaminant profiles as in the current study. Since the species would differ in their growth, biomass, and phytoremediation responses to the nutrient and heavy metal concentrations of the wastewater over time, this research is important for the development of silvicultural prescriptions of these fast-growing trees that support effective wastewater reuse strategies throughout heterogeneous landscapes and across variable human community resources and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the traditional approach is vital in environmental studies, satellite images have recently become one of the main tools for estimating soil pollution due to their advantages. Among sources of soil pollution, heavy metals (HMs) play a crucial role; in this regard, evaluating the soil contamination anomaly is indispensable due to an enormous number of HMs mines and agricultural land irrigation by industrial sewage in developing countries. Therefore, the main goals of this study are: to evaluate Landsat-8 image capability for estimating HMs content (Cr, Cd, Co, and AS) of the soil, performance evaluation of linear and nonlinear regression models, and topographic influence on the estimation accuracy of heavy metals. To do so, we applied multivariate-linear, partial least square, exponential regression, and neural network models to achieve a relation between the HMs content and soil spectral reflectance. Regarding the R2 value of models, the neural network demonstrated a more acceptable performance than other models. The results show that topographic correction improves the accuracy of HMs estimation; for example, the Minnaert model obtained the highest score (equal to 30.02), which is sufficient to support the preceding sentence. Furthermore, the neural network and Minnaert (with a score of 17.56) would produce the best results for estimating HMs content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to determine three heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cr) concentrations in cheese samples in Iraq markets that are produced in Iran and Turkey. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Human health risk parameters, such as Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI), and Carcinogenic risk (CR) due to heavy metals were calculated in all cheese samples of the present study. The average value concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr in cheese samples made manufactured in Iran were 4.33±0.57 mg/kg, 0.135±0.03, mg/kg, and 0.183±0.12 mg/kg, respectively. While those which were made in Turkey, the values were found to be 3.89±0.63 mg/kg, 0.167±0.032 mg/kg, and 0.105±0.07 mg/kg, respectively. The average values of HI in Iranian and Turkish cheese samples were 0.526±0.07 and 0.483±0.26, respectively. While the average values of CR×10-6 for Pb, Cd, and Cr in Iranian cheese samples were 0.006±0.0007, 1.13±0.0007, and 0.0056±0.7, respectively. But in Turkish cheese samples were 0.005±0.0008, 0.37±0.07, and 0.65±0.4, respectively. The heavy metal concentrations in the present study were found to be of no statistical significance, compared to the Iranian and Turkish cheese samples, where P-value was (P > 0.05). Most values for Pb, Cd and Cr concentrations were found to be higher than the allowed limits according to EU Regulations, while the health risk parameters were within the accepted worldwide average limits. Therefore, it can be concluded that most cheese samples have no health risks by consuming this cheese by consumers in Iraq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted for the spatial distribution and concentration evaluation of heavy metals, including Cu, Cd, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Pb, within 102 soil samples collected from Kushk Mine in Bafgh, Iran. This work employed hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and spatial distribution patterns, to perform element distribution evaluation within the area. The distributions of heavy metals in the entire area were exhibited in the form of maps. The average concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Pb were found to be 0.39, 0.26, 5.3, 4.1, 51.9, and 40.9 mg.kg−1, respectively. Based on the PCA and HCA findings, the heavy metals were divided into two groups. The first group included Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu. In the first group, altered threshold‐surpassing anthropogenic and lithogenic pollution was found to be the main factor accounting for Pb and Zn. The second group involved Fe and Mn, which could be impacted by either anthropogenic and lithogenic factors. Furthermore, the geo‐statistical results demonstrated higher contents of the heavy metals in the south of the mine and in the vicinity of the mine tailings. It may be concluded from the results that the heavy metal contents of the area are impacted by anthropogenic and lithogenic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the mare's milk has been introduced as a rich source of nutrients with hypoallergic characteristics which is widely used for Iranian infants. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the heavy metal concentration of mare's milk and its consumption risk assessment. Methods: About 88 mare's milk was collected from Yazd, the centre of Iran, during the summer of 2020. The raw mare's milk was digested and analysed for mineral and heavy metal content (As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb and Zn) by ICP‐OES. To estimate the health hazard for consumers the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) of heavy metals were determined. Results: The Ca ranged from 260.52 to 201.43 mg/L, which was the highest mineral in mare's milk followed by P and Mg. By increasing the age, P and Ca content was increased. The obtained ranges of Cu, Co, Fe, Mn and Zn were 72.12–75.11, 1.12–9.3, 180.69–230.21, 31.24–47.13 and 1060–1200 μg/L, respectively. The Cd and Arsenic content of mares' 8–11 years of age had higher concentrations. The highest Pb content was reported in mares 4–7 years old (10 μg/L). Although, Pb, Cd and As content of the mare's milk was evaluated lower than the permissible limit. Also, the HQ value was As > Cd > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cu for infants, toddlers and adults. The HI of mare's milk was 0.16, 0.15 and 0.022 for infants, toddlers and adults, respectively. Conclusions: Mare's milk could be an effective nutrition source for infants and children suffering from milk protein allergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hen egg is one of the main sources of cheap, great quality, and nutritious food. This study aimed at determining the level of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in hen eggs and at assessing the carcinogenic and non‐carcinogenic risks caused by the consumption of hen eggs collected in Iran. A total of 42 hen eggs from 17 major brands were randomly sampled from supermarkets. Lead and cadmium concentrations were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). Additionally, using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method to calculate dietary exposure, target hazard quotient (THQ), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), the related human health risk associated with ingesting these hazardous metals for adults was evaluated. The average Pb and Cd concentrations in whole eggs were 7.16 ± 0.248, and 2.83 ± 0.151 μg kg−1, respectively, which were less than the maximum permitted levels, established by FAO/WHO and the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI). Pb and Cd concentrations were significantly correlated at the 0.05 level (r = 0.350). Regarding the levels of Pb and Cd in eggs, overall, the estimated weekly intake (EWI) of these metals for adults by egg consumption was determined 0.014 and 0.007 mg/week, respectively, which were lower than the risk values suggested. The carcinogenic and non‐carcinogenic indexes of Cd and Pb indicated that the adult population in Iran was safe (THQ Pb and Cd <1, ILCR <10−6 Pb). It should be emphasized that this research primarily focuses on egg consumption, which may account for a relatively small portion of Iranian consumers' overall exposure to Pb and Cd. Therefore, a comprehensive study on the risk assessment of these metals through whole‐diet foods is recommended. The findings showed that lead and cadmium levels in all evaluated eggs were suitable for human consumption. Adults' Pb and Cd exposure from eating eggs was significantly lower than the risk levels established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), per the exposure assessment. According to the THQ values of these dangerous metals, which were below one value, egg eating by Iranian consumers does not present a non‐carcinogenic risk. In addition, this finding provides accurate and reliable information for policymakers to improve food safety status to reduce public health hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental contamination of heavy metals has grown over the last several decades along with global industrialization and now constitutes a serious threat to human health. In this research, high cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) resistant bacteria that were chosen for heavy metal biosorption were isolated from the Industries Factory in Sari, Mazandaran, Iran. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was recognized as the isolated bacterium based on its morphological, physiological, biochemical, antibiotic resistance testing, and 16S rRNA sequences. The bacteria had the highest concentrations of resistance to Cd (up to 1600 ppm) and Ni, according to the Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) test (up to 2000 ppm). Single-factor studies in single and binary systems were used to examine the effects of temperature, contact duration, pH value, starting Cd and Ni concentration, and biomass dose on the Cd and Ni adsorption by P. aeruginosa. The Cd and Ni biosorption in binary solutions was optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Design (CCD). The investigation revealed that at pH 7.0, 45 °C, and 1.5 gL−1 biomass dose, the greatest biosorption efficiency for Cd and Ni was 92.43 percent and 88.45 percent, respectively. According to the adsorption of Cd and Ni in urban water, under these similarly extreme conditions, Cd adsorption drops to 54% and Ni to 60%. Analysis Potential functional groups involving interactions between cells and metal ions were identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Different compounds and heavy metal ions were found to have been adsorbed to the surface of the biosorbent by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). It was determined that P. aeruginosa had a high rate of Cd and Ni adsorption and that variations in pH level had a greater impact than other parameters. The findings imply that P. aeruginosa biomass may be an effective, economical, and environmentally friendly method for removing Cd and Ni from contaminated settings. It also has a reasonable capacity for biosorption in both a natural environment and a laboratory environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the human health risk of some toxic metals/metalloids [lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and arsenic (As)] on infants via consumption of the breast milk of women living in urban areas of Kermanshah city, west of Iran. After collecting milk samples, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment as well as uncertainty analysis of toxic metal levels were carried out. The order of concentration of heavy metals/metalloids in the breast milk samples was Cr (41.07 ± 23.19) > Ni (19.25 ± 11.81) > Pb (11.5 ± 4.48) > As (1.96 ± 2.04) > Cd (.72 ± 0.42) > Hg (0.31 ± 0.26). The results revealed that the levels of Cr and Pb in the breast milk samples were exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) tolerable daily intake. In the breast milk samples a high levels of one of the trace elements As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni were observed (over 73%) and in 40% of them the levels of Cr, Pb, Cd, As, and Ni were all above WHO tolerable daily intake. Moreover, the As-related point assessment of target risk factor (THQ) was higher than the allowable limit only for 1-month-old male neonates and 2-month-old female neonates (THQ > 1). In addition, Cr-related THQ scores were higher at all age and gender groups (THQ > 1). In conclusion, our findings suggest a potential risk of some metals for infants via the consumption of mothers' breast milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term exposure to heavy metals (HM) extracted from PM10 on CB in workers' population in an outdoor space located in southern Iran during a dust storm. At first, 44 healthy and non-smoking workers were selected. Then PM10 and Blood samples were collected before and after the dust storm. Finally, HMs associated with PM10 measured by ICP-MS and its effect on the CB, including fibrinogen, CRP, TNF-α, and BP were estimated by ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and Odd Ratio (OR) in SPSS23. Based on the results, the concentration of PM10 and extracted HM such as Cr, As, and Cd was higher than the WHO/EPA standards in dust storms they increased the CB and BP remarkably. Moreover, the level of fibrinogen, blood pressure (BP) and TNF-α in dust storms were higher than in normal conditions (p < 0.05, OR > 3). In addition, As and Cd decreased fibrinogen concentration and systolic BP, respectively. Whereas, TNF-α was associated with concentration of Pb (R = − 0.85) on normal days. Consequently, the HM on PM10 such as As, interferes with the level of investigated CB. These results considered a potential risk for the residents in the southern regions of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intake of heavy metals from food in high doses will have adverse effects on human health. In Iran, traditional foods constitute a major portion of peoples' daily diet. Hence, the present study has attempted to evaluate the levels of heavy metals and their carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity in traditional foods served in the restaurants of Isfahan, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 20 different types of food were selected from 19 restaurants. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used to measure the levels of heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in the prepared samples. Moreover, the risk non-carcinogenicity of heavy metals in traditional foods was determined for children and adults by applying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method. Among the heavy metals studied, only Ni and Cu had lower levels than permissible limits. Also, the Pb levels in the examined foods range from 0.05 to 0.79 m m-1; which are higher than the safe limits proposed by FAO/WHO. On the other hand, the mean concentration of Fe was higher than the maximum permissible limit (48 m m-1) in 4 food samples only. The target hazard quotient (THQ) values range from 0.005-53.65 and 0.01-156.50, for adults and children, respectively. Hence THQ for adults and children was found to be above 1 in 64% and 75% of food samples, respectively. This study recommends that food consumers in Iran should be careful about the overconsumption of traditional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During last decade, drying of Lake Urmia and salty dust emission could be contaminated soil in northwest of Iran. This study aimed to assess the concentration and spatial analysis of toxic metals (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn)in surface soils. Soil samples were taken from the top 30 cm of soil and analysed for heavy metals content using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). As results of Moran's I model, distribution pattern for As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were random (z-score ranged between −1.17 and 1.09). Indicated that these elements could be emitted from different potential sources. Spatial analysis shows that Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn, have similar distribution trends with non-identical values which indicated that their sources could be identical. Based on degree of contamination (Cdeg) index, soil samples from north, northwest and northeast were categorised at very strong contamination degree. Finally, in northwest of Iran, drying Lake Urmia, agricultural and industry activity could be lead to soil and air pollution in terms of heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the human impact on the mangrove forest in the Qeshm Geopark on the Qeshm Island in the south of Iran from 1986 to 2020. The area of mangrove forests increased by 14% from 5,131 hectares in 1986 to 5,472 hectares in 2000, and to 5,967 hectares in 2020. The mangrove forest is threatened by oil and gas facilities and a zinc smelter located on the island. The average concentration of nickel in sediment (97.2 µg/g) and in leaves (3.1 µg/g) was higher than the average concentration of vanadium in sediment (38.7 µg/g) and in leaves (0.5 µg/g). The results showed that the transfer coefficient of nickel and vanadium from root to leaf on the dry side of the Qeshm habitat (r = 0.597 and r = 0.516, respectively) was positively correlated with pH. Therefore, increasing the pH leads to an increased metal transfer from the root to the leaf, which endangers the mangrove habitat on the island. The mangrove forest in the vicinity of the zinc factory is threatened by high concentrations of lead (244.2 ppm), zinc (3172.8 ppm), arsenic, and cadmium found in the soil sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Soil contamination with heavy metals is the most important challenge and common environmental, economic, and public health issue in the world. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate the contamination and source identification of Fe, Zn, Cd, and Cr in the surface soils of Khorramabad county, west of Iran in 2020. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, after dividing the study area into 11 homogeneous units, a total of 65 surface soil samples were collected. After preparing the samples, the content of the elements was determined using inductively coupled plasmaoptical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Also, enrichment factor (EF), pollution factor (CF), and Nemrow integrated pollution index (NIPI) were calculated. Statistical analyses of the data were performed using SPSS statistical software. Results: The results showed that the average content of Fe, Zn, Cd, and Cr (mg/kg) in soil samples were 3.14, 1.13, 0.021, and 0.529, respectively. The EF values showed that the enrichment of Zn, Cd, and Cr was "extremely severe" and the average values of EF for the elements followed the descending order of Cd > Cr > Zn. The average values of CF and NIPI varied from 3.30×10-5 to 0.182 and 0.043-0.136, respectively, indicating the level of "low pollution" and quality conditions of "no pollution" in all the studied stations. Based on the results of multivariate statistical analysis (PCC, PCA and HCA), Fe has a geological origin; while, Zn, Cd, and Cr mainly originated from a combination of geological processes and anthropogenic activities. Conclusion: Although the average values of CF and NIPI showed that the study area has an acceptable soil quality, the values of EF indicated the impact of anthropogenic activities on soil contamination. Therefore, regular and periodic monitoring of soil samples as well as management and control of pollutant emission sources is recommended for maintaining environmental and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill leachate contains heavy metals that contaminate water and soil near the landfill site. Phytoremediation is a process of decontaminating soil or water by using native plants to adsorb and accumulate or break down pollutants. This study aimed to evaluate absorption and accumulation of heavy metals from simulated landfill soil by nettle. Nettle seeds were collected from the Tonekabon landfill site and planted in 243 pots. After reaching the 6-leaf stage, the plants were exposed to three concentrations of four heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, and Ni) during the growing season. An atomic absorption spectrometer was used to measure the concentrations of the heavy metals in nettle plants and the morphological features of nettle fibers. The results showed that increases in the concentrations of the heavy metals in the soils led to their higher concentrations in all organs of the nettle plants (Pb> Ni> Cd> Ar), and larger quantities of the heavy metals were accumulated in the aerial parts of the plants. In parallel with this result, the dry weights of stem, leaf and root, and leaf area index also decreased. Values of TF> 1 and BAC <1 in plant organs showed the ability of nettle to accumulate more heavy metals when they were present at higher concentrations in the soil. Bioremediation using native plants for removal of heavy metals from soil and their accumulation in these plants is a low-cost and environmentally friendly technology. Nettle is a plant that grows wild in the landfills in northern Iran and, due to its ability to accumulative heavy metals in its organs, is a suitable plant species for their removal from soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarettes are known as the most popular tobacco in the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals in smoked and non-smoked cigarette butts (CBs) from ten cigarette brands (including five Iranian brands) and human health risk assessment associated with inhalation exposure. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) was used for heavy metals measurement after CBs digestion. The results showed that the highest concentrations of heavy metals in non-smoked and smoked cigarette butts are related to Pb (0.63 ± 0.21 µg/g) and Ni (0.81 ± 1.48 µg/g), respectively. The concentration of all heavy metals in smoked CBs is significantly higher than in non-smoked. According to the results, Ni and Cd elements in 60% of Iranian brands and 80% of other brands have HI > 1, which indicates a potential non-carcinogenic risk for consumers. Also, the carcinogenic risk of Cr in all brands is higher than 1.00E-4, which indicates the carcinogenic risk of the consumer in case of continuous exposure to cigarette smoke. Heavy metals in CBs can have potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects on the health of smokers exposed to inhalation. Therefore, continuous monitoring and regulation of the ingredients of domestically produced and imported cigarettes are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution is one of the environmental problems and one of the critical concerns of food hygiene. Consumption of tea as a pleasant drink and food habit is common among Iranians.The presence of these metals in tea can be an essential source of contamination in food.This study aimed to investigate the levels of lead, chromium, nickel, cadmium, aluminium, and arsenic in samples of dry black tea and Infusionsin the market of Neyshabur in 2019.Samples were digested with nitric acid and perchloric acid, and the concentration of the desired metals was read by the spectrometric method.All experiments were performed in 3 replications.Then, the Provisional Tolerable Daily index (PTDI) and Hazard Quotient (HQ) levels of heavy metal intakes were calculated to estimate the health hazard for consumers.The Mean concentrations of Pb, Cr, Ni, As,Al, and Cd in the tea leavesand Infusions were 1.96, 3.05, 3.68, 0.048, 2.195, 0.03 mg/kg and 0.07, 0.17, 0.88, 0.03, 0.53, 0.003 mg/kg, respectively.The results also showed that the target hazard quotient (THQ) for Cr and Alis more than one. In the samples of dry tea and their Infusions, concentrations ofCrand Alwere exceeded from Iran's Ministry of Health and WHO guidelines. The two elements of Ni and Pb are more than the Iranian National Standards Organisation'sinstructions.HQ values for chromium and aluminium obtainedhigher than one, which indicatedadverse effectson tea consumers' health. Therefore, continuous monitoringis essential to determine the toxic metals'concentrationsin tea samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination of milk and its products with heavy metals has toxic and dangerous effects on human health. This study aimed to determine the heavy metal concentration and health risk assessment resulting from them in four different brands of Pasteurized milk consumed in Gorgan city, Iran. This study was performed during three seasons (summer, autumn and winter). Sixty different samples of pasteurized milk of four common brands were selected and analysed. Samples were digested in the laboratory by using nitric acid method digestion, and the heavy metal concentration was measured by using the linear regression based on the height of the peaks of the voltammograms. Also, health risk assessment was analysed by Oracle® Crystal Ball. According to the results, the overall mean (n = 60) concentration of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in all of the analysed milk samples was 0.02, 0.023, 0.97 and 4.31 µg/g, respectively. Based on these results, about 67% had Pb content lower than the codex limits, almost 70% of all milk samples had Cd content higher than the permissible limit, and Cu concentration in all milk samples was under the mentioned permissible limits. Zn concentrations in all samples were exceeded the permissible limits. HRI values in adults and children via consumption of pasteurized milk in all of the analysed samples were within the safe limits (HRI < 1). Based on these findings, monitoring of contaminants in milk and other dairy products prevented the probably side effects of these heavy metals on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most trace metals (essential and toxic metals) in very low concentrations are needed for living organisms, especially humans, but if they exceed the recommended limit, they can lead to toxicity in humans. The aim of this study was to determinate of concentration of 12 trace metals including; aluminium(Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn), in 90 samples of sesame seeds from three varieties of black, yellow and white purchased from markets different cities of Iran (2019) using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) technique. Also, Probabilistic risk assessment (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks) was estimated by models include target hazard quotient (THQ) and cancer risk (CR) in the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) model. The recoveries estimated from 94% to 106%. The maximum mean value was obtained for Zn element (1707 ± 22 µg kg−1), while concentrations of Al and Hg were non-detected (ND). The concentration of five toxic metals Al, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb as average in sesame seed samples were reported as ND, 11.464 ± 1.71, 1.15 ± 0.04, ND and 16.14 ± 1.60 μg kg−1, respectively. Analyzes showed that no significant difference in the amount of trace metals between sesame varieties (black, brown and white). In most of the sesame seed samples, trace metals have been measured at lower levels than the standard limits. The results of MCS showed that the rank order of toxic metals based on 95% THQ index for both adults and children was As > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cd. The uncertain analysis of human health risk (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks) indicated that there is no serious risk (THQ >1 and CR >1E-4) for adults and children by ingestion of sesame seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to potentially hazardous trace elements (PHTEs) through drinking water consumption can endanger the health of the consumer. In this study, the concentration of Aluminium (Al), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu) and Manganese (Mn) among 288 water samples were collected (March to February 2016) from water distribution networks of Ilam city was measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) instrument and the health risk was estimated using the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. The rank order of PHTEs in the drinking water was Cu (0.200 ± 0.200 mg/l)> Fe (0.096 ± 0.094 mg/l)> Al (0.040 ± 0.060 mg/l) > Mn (0.017 ± 0.020 mg/l).The rank order of PHTEs based on the non-carcinogenic risk for the adult consumers were Cu (0.250) > Mn (0.0069) > Fe (0.0067) >Al (0.0027) while the corresponding values for children wereCu (0.310) > Mn (0.0087) > Fe (0.0084) >Al (0.0034).The percentile 95% total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) correlated with the investigated PHTEs in the children and adults were equal to 0.3205 and 0.2600, respectively. Therefore, the exposed population is at the acceptable non-carcinogenic risk due to the relatively low concentration of PHTEs in tap drinking water in Ilam city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and the human health risk of the metals were estimated through drinking water consumption. Totally, 48 samples of groundwater were collected and analyzed during 2019. Health risk indices were estimated using chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ) and, hazard index (HI), as well as cancer risk (CR). Except for As (66.6% of the areas were above permissible limits), the concentrations of other three heavy metals were within the US EPA and WHO permissible limits. ∑ HI values in 100% and 75% of the areas were above 1 for children and adults, implying non-carcinogenic risk from sum of heavy metals. Children total cancer risk (CRt) in all areas (except one area with acceptable risk) fell within unacceptable risk. Adults CRt in all areas (except one area with unacceptable risk) were in acceptable risk category. As was the highest contributor to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks both for children and adults. Our results showed that children were more exposed to health risks, due to intake of drinking water containing As, Cr, and Pb in the study areas. The study can provide a basis for local governments to properly manage drinking water quality and provide a reference for water quality management in neighborhood areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial development is the main cause of environmental pollution with various substances such as antibiotics and heavy metals. Many heavy metals with antimicrobial properties could contribute to antibiotic resistance and the emergence of antibiotic resistance genes due to the co-selection phenomenon. The aim of this study was to investigate the concurrent presence and correlation between several heavy metals and the erythromycin resistance genes in six aquatic ecosystems of Iran. Distribution and assessment of 11 erythromycin resistance genes were investigated using specific primers and online enrichment and triple-quadrupole LC–MS/MS. The concentration of heavy metals was measured using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy by Thermo electron corporation. Principal component analysis was performed to globally compare and to determine the similarities and differences among different aquatic ecosystems in different parts of the world in terms of the concentration of zinc and lead in their water. The results of the simple logistic regression analysis for the correlation between erythromycin resistance genes and heavy metals concentrations revealed the most significant correlation between erythromycin resistance genes and Pb concentration, followed by Co and Zn concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of irrigation water sources can significantly affect the concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) in cultivated vegetables. This study aimed to investigate the effect of various water resources, including treated wastewater effluent (TWE), river water (RW), and well water with chemical fertilizer (WW+F), on the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in the three most widely consumed edible vegetables (Coriander, Radish, and Basil) in Iran. A total of 90 samples of edible vegetables, 13 samples of irrigation water, and 10 soil samples were collected to determine HMs concentrations. Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni,) and Arsenic (As) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Eventually, the Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ) for the toxic metals of As, Pb, and Cd was determined. The results revealed that the TTHQ of toxic metals in vegetables was less than the allowable limits (TTHQ = 1). Also, TWE was the best irrigation water type since the HMs content of vegetables was low. By comparing the results with national and international standards, it can be concluded that the Gharasou RW for irrigation of edible vegetables was inappropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals contamination is a major concern because of its serious threat to human health. The primary aim of this study was to examine potential health risks for national (adults and children) and international (Arab population) inhabitants that were exposed to heavy metals (Cd and Pb) through ingestion of wheat flour. A total of 300 wheat flours samples (<0.25 mm) of five commercial brands have been collected from 2016 to 2018 from Khuzestan province, Iran. The possible health risk was estimated based on the Hazard Quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI or non-carcinogenic risk), and carcinogenic Risk (CR) indices. The average concentrations of the Pb and Cd were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the safety limit in all seasons for three years. However, 2.3% of Pb in the total samples exceeded the European Commission and FAO/WHO standards. All estimated values for non-carcinogenic risk were in the safe range (HQ < 1) among all consumers. The mean value of total CR for Pb was 1.23x10-6, 1.75x 10-6, and 8.03 x 10-7 for adult, children, and Arab populations, respectively. For Cd exposure, the total CR value was 2.2x10-4, 3.13x10-4 and 1.44 x10-4 for adult, children, and Arab populations, respectively. Cancer risk values determined for Cd were generally in the unsafe range during three years, indicating that there was CR for all consumers by ingestion intake of Cd contained in wheat flour in this study area. The results obtained indicated that the government requires implementing more remediation or intervention to control and mitigate the contamination burden of Cd in agricultural crops to reduce its associated carcinogenic risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is one of the most staple foods in the diet of people all over the world and the second most consumed food among the people in Iran. Therefore, it is expected this product be offered in suitable quality to the household food basket. In this study, microbial contamination, as well as concentrations of mycotoxins and heavy metals in imported rice samples available in the market of Ahvaz, were evaluated and the health risk of exposure to heavy metals was assessed in three groups of children, women, and men. According to the results, the contamination of rice with Bacillus cereus in all the samples was within the acceptable level set by Iran National Standards Organisation, but mold and yeast contamination in 14.28% of the samples was more than the acceptable level. Examination of mycotoxins showed that 71.42% of the samples contained aflatoxin B1 and total. Aflatoxin G1 and ochratoxin A were observed in 50% and 35.71% of the samples, respectively; the amount of these toxins in all the samples was less than the limit set by International NGO Safety Organization (INSO). Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and arsenic in the rice samples were 0.042±0.01, 0.14±0.03, and 0.13±0.03 (mg kg-1), respectively. Estimation of daily intake (EDI) of the elements through rice was less than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) recommended by Codex. Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values were less than 1 in all three groups of women, men, and children. However, the cumulative risk of cancer for children, women, and men were 2.14x10³, 7.40x10-4, and 6.86x10-4, respectively. Therefore, the imported rice was safe in terms of the amount of mycotoxins, but it can be a potential source for exposure to heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anemia patients are more susceptible to environmental contaminations such as heavy metals. The present study aimed at risk assessment of heavy metals in edible mushrooms and Anemia.The databases searched in those articles were Google Scholar, SID, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, and ISI. Related human health risks were calculated using the target hazard quotient (THQ). THQ ratio of Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Mn were 3x10-3, 2.31, 8.43x10 -1, 2.35, 2.92x10-1, 6.6x10-2 and 1.96x10-1 m m-1 respectively. The highest non-carcinogenic diseases risk for adults were found in Pb (2.35 m m-1) while the lowest value was observed in Cd (3x10- 3 m m-1). The risk of carcinogenicity of lead was at the level of acceptable (10-4 to 10-6 m m-1). There is no concern about the noncarcinogenic risk of consuming heavy metals in edible mushrooms, in Iran except Cu and Pb. In some countries, adults and children can be exposed to non-cancerous foods by eating mushrooms. And can aggravate anemia in the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mill flower is one of the by-products that is produced in significant volumes. Mill flour is often mixed with mill ash from bagasse baking, which together forms the bulk of mill waste in sugar factories for disposal. Low levels of nutrients and high humidity make mill flour a dilute source of nutrients, and the demand for mill flour as a valuable material is higher from farmers and biotechnology companies, which leads to the accumulation of mill mud in most factories. The obvious use of mill mud is its use in sugarcane fields. As a result, the continued use of high-rate mill mud and ash, without proper knowledge of soil conditions and crop needs, has caused much concern in recent years. The risk of over-fertilization and heavy metal contamination on sugarcane fields and concerns about the off-site effects of leakage into waterways have raised questions about the excessive use of mill mud in industry. In this regard, this study examines the issues related to the responsible management of mill flowers produced in sugar or sucrose factories from sugarcane (a case study of sugarcane factories in southern Iran) and its cost-effectiveness in a wider range of farms away from mills. Reported as a means to minimize environmental hazards. Thus, the estimated size of food resources in the mill produced by Farabi and Dehkhoda sugarcane companies is 7300 tons of nitrogen and 4500 tons of phosphorus per year. This represents 60% of the 7700 tonnes of phosphorus estimated as fertilizer on sugarcane fields in 1400. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mentha aquatica L., Eryngium caucasicum Trautv., and Froriepia subpinnata Ledeb are native plants in Iran. Lead (Pb) is one of the most dangerous heavy metals that damages to plant growth process. In the present study, we investigated the biochemical response of M. aquatica, E. caucasicum and F. subpinnata to Pb stress in the three separate pot experiments. Experimental treatments were different concentrations of Pb including 0, 125, 250, 375, and 500 mg/kg of Pb in the soil. Chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), carotenoid, phenol, flavonoid, DPPH, and Pb concentration in the shoot was measured. The result showed that Pb stress significantly affected photosynthesis pigments. The minimum Chl a, Chl b, and carotenoid content was produced at 500 mg/kg of Pb in the soil in all three plants. Total phenol and flavonoid compounds and antioxidant capacity of plants increased with enhancement of Pb concentration in soil. M. aquatica produced the maximum total phenol and total flavonoid compounds, and antioxidant activity compared to E. caucasicum and F. subpinnata. Enhancement of antioxidant compounds production due to the Pb stress could be a defense mechanism to tolerate Pb stress. The concentration of Pb in the shoot of all three plants was increased linearly with the enhancement in the concentration of Pb in soil. M. aquatica had the lowest concentration of Pb in the shoot. Also, M. aquatica was more resistant to Pb stress than the other two plants due to the lower effect of Pb stress on photosynthetic pigments and higher antioxidant compounds content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paint sludge is considered hazardous waste due to its heavy metals and high organic compounds. Incineration and landfilling are the methods of disposing of sludge collected from the paint spray of an automotive factory in Iran. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from water-based paint sludge using Bushnell-Haas medium and identified by chemical and molecular methods. A two-step bioleaching experiment using the Response surface methodology was used to investigated P. aeruginosa to mobilize the contaminant zinc metal from the paint sludge. Variables included temperatures from 32 to 37 °C, the rotation speed of shaker from 120 to 180 rpm, particle sizes from 1 to 3 mm, and bacteria were adapted to a pulp density of 7 g/L. When the bioleaching process was optimized at pH 7, temperature 32 °C, particle size 3 mm, and 180 rpm, the concentration of zinc decreased to 28.71%. A decrease in zinc of 27% was confirmed by repeating the experiment three times. The ANOVA test confirmed the most effective parameters were temperature and particle size. The most efficient process to remove zinc was achieved as a result of the effect between temperature and pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]