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Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) arise from a complex interplay between genetic predisposition and various environmental factors, leading to diverse and intricate conditions. Over recent decades, there has been a noticeable increase in autism prevalence. Thus, the main objective of this exploratory investigation is to evaluate the effects of heavy metal poisoning on the metabolic and nutritional profiles of 20 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Morocco. Based on the descriptive statistical methods and the chi-square (χ²) test, we analyzed the results of the study, which involved around 100 biological parameters conducted in the United States (Mosaic Diagnostics). The results revealed that variations in neurotransmitter production, dysbiosis, yeast overgrowth, elevated oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased oxalate levels, and deficiencies in vitamins and minerals among the children were connected to heavy metal poisoning and intoxication. These findings underscored the link between metabolic profiles and heavy metal poisoning, highlighting the need for individualized and multidisciplinary care approaches for children with ASD. Further research and controlled clinical trials are necessary to validate these interventions comprehensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are widely known pollutants with a bioaccumulative nature that can be transferred and accumulated in biota, such as mullet fish (Mugil sp.). The heavy metals Cd and Cu have different anthropogenic and natural sources. Heavy metals can potentially absorb existing biota, such as mullet fish. Fish absorb metals from the water in the body through gills, skin surfaces, and food. This study aims to identify Cd and Cu metals in distributed water, sediment, and mullet fish in the Plawangan Timur, Segara Anakan lagoon, Cilacap, Central Java, and the relationship between aquatic media and sediment and mullet fish. The study used a research method with a targeted random sampling method at five stations with four replications. The survey was conducted from April to September 2022. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively using the ANOVA test, including F-test, regression, and correlation. The results showed that the Cd and Cu content in water, sediment, and mullet fish showed variation values between stations. The correlation between the Cd and Cu metals in water, sediment, and mullet fish showed a positive correlation with moderate to strong proximity. The content of heavy metal Cd in mullet fish media in Plawangan Timur Segara Anakan Cilacap has exceeded the specified quality standard based on the national standard of water quality, while heavy metal Cu in mullet fish is still below the specified quality standard namely 0.01 mg/dm3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to measure and compare the contents of three elements (chromium, uranium, and aluminum) in water, sediments, and oysters (Unio tigridis and Sinanodonta woodiana) from three stations in different seasons. The results showed that the concentration of these elements varied widely while exhibiting some trends and patterns. Chromium had very low concentration in water as well as oysters yet there was an increase in sediments during winter until autumn. Uranium had low concentrations in water plus oysters however its concentration increased significantly during summer including autumn season in water as well as sediments. Aluminum exhibited wide variations among stations and seasons with no clear trend or pattern both in water, sediments and oysters. Several factors might have caused variations of these elements such as; natural geochemical background, anthropogenic activities, hydrological conditions, biological processes and analytical methods used. It is therefore necessary to conduct more research on these variations so that their causes could be identified as well as their effects while assessing the potential ecologic impacts plus human health risks within the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air dust is a host medium for potentially harmful substances in atmospheric emissions. Contaminated air with metals causes serious threats to human health. This research aimed to examine the features of road dust pollution and evaluate related heavy metals' health risks. All samples were collected from outdoor environments by including fifty different places in Ramadi using a soft plastic brush. Five heavy metals were evaluated in this study, including nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb). Roadside dust pollution in urban Ramadi streets was assessed using the ecological risk index (RI). Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) calculations were performed for all three exposure pathways (dermal contact, ingestion, and inhalation). The results showed that copper (mean = 49.520 mg/kg) and chromium (mean = 34.742 mg/kg) had the highest heavy metal concentrations, followed by nickel, lead, and cadmium. Even though cadmium was the lowest, however; its ecological risk index was higher than other heavy metals, as cadmium was determined to be higher for dermal adsorption of dust than for inhalation or ingestion in adult people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration levels of Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu were evaluated in the gonads and fillets of Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) collected from Ghazaouet bay. The results showed the accumulation of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in the gonads and fillets. The metal concentrations in the fillets and gonads decreased in the following order: Zn >Cd >Pb >Cu and Zn >Cd >Cu >Pb, respectively. The levels of essential metals (zinc and copper) in both target organs generally complied with the recommended value for fish while the levels of non-essential metals like cadmium and lead, which are toxic and present in traces, greatly exceeded the recommended values in both target organs, which are ascribed mainly to the industrial pollution in Ghazaouet area. Therefore, it can be concluded that these heavy metals in different tissues of Horse mackerel, which is highly consumed in the Algerian coastal regions, could pose adverse health effects on consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Korea tends to be increasing. It has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasing evidence shows heavy metals are associated with increased CVD risk. We aimed to determine the association between the serum heavy metal levels and 10-year risk of CVDs and to predict risks of CVDs based on marginal effects. Heavy metals were measured by a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and direct mercury analyzer. The results show a significant relationship between the increase in cadmium, lead, mercury, hs-CRP levels and the 10-year risk of CVD after adjustment for serum cotinine, age group, sex, body mass index, a family history of CVDs, diabetes or hyperlipidemia, high-risk drinking, physical activity, and diabetes. A doubling of serum cadmium, lead, mercury, and hs-CRP was associated with the increase in the 10-year risk of CVD by 0.14%, 0.10%, 0.11% and 0.22%, respectively. Therefore, a special concern should be given to the harmful impacts of heavy metals on the 10-year risk of CVD. It is important to develop a prevention strategy targeting the high-risk population to slow down this progression to risk factors related to heavy metals and reduce prevalence. Remarkedly, hs-CRP is the most validated and widely used inflammatory marker, and could be a potential clinical value in predicting and monitoring CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to determine the effect of exposure to heavy metals in pregnant women in Beijing, China. We also evaluated the association of these heavy metals with birth weight and length of newborns. We measured the levels of 10 heavy metals, including lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), stannum (Sn), vanadium (V), and arsenic (As), in 156 maternal and cord blood pairs. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method was used for measurement. Pb, As, Ti, Mn, and Sb showed high detection rates (> 50%) in both maternal and cord blood. Fourteen (9%) mothers had blood Pb levels greater than the United States Center for Disease Control allowable threshold limit for children (50 μg/L). In prenatal exposure to these heavy metals, there was no significant association between any heavy metal and birth weight/length. Moreover, we estimated the placental transfer efficiency of each heavy metal, and the median placental transfer efficiency ranged from 49.6% (Ni) to 194% (Mn) (except for Cd and Sn). The level and detection rate of Cd in maternal blood were much higher than that in cord blood, which suggested that Cd had difficulty in passing the placental barrier. Prospective research should focus on the source and risk of heavy metals in non-occupationally exposed pregnant women in Beijing. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent pregnancy loss is define as the spontaneous loss of three or more successive pregnancies before 24 weeks of gestation. Heavy metal may play a role in recurrent pregnancy loss. Case control study included 90 women, thirty of them were patients diagnosed with recurrent pregnancy loss between (7-20) weeks of gestation and the other sixty controls were ( 30 ongoing pregnant women and 30 non-pregnant ). Serum levels of Chromium (VI) and Manganese was measured by using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer technique. While total serum iron was measured by colorimetric method. The result were expressed as mean ± standerd error of mean. P value of < 0.01 was considered to be statistically significant. The levels of serum chromium and manganese were significantly higher in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss compared to control groups, while the concentration of total serum iron was significantly lower in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss compared to control group. As conclusion, it can be concluded that high levels of chromium (VI), manganese and low level of iron increase the risk of spontaneous pregnancy loss in Iraqi women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect physiology is affected by the presence of toxins in the surrounding environment of insects as well as their food sources. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of heavy metal exposure to two low concentrations (50 μg/g and 150 μg/g) of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) through artificial diet to the larvae on biological parameters of Asian armyworm (Spodoptera litura Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Both Pb and Zn, even at low concentrations, had relatively high toxic effects on S. litura larvae (P < 0.01). S. litura larval weight and length suffered the maximum reduction when the larvae were fed on diet mixed with the high Pb concentration (150 μg/g) tested compared to the other treatments. At the same Pb concentration (150 μg/g), values of larva growth index, pupa growth index, immature growth index, standardized growth index, and fitness index were 4.66, 7.33, 7.82, 5.35, and 10.00 times lower, respectively, than those of control. At the same Zn concentration (150 μg/g), values of larval growth index, pupal growth index, immature growth index, standardized growth index, and fitness index were 5.61, 3.00, 3.04, 3.23, and 9.24 times lower, respectively, than those of control. The survival rate of S. litura larvae was also lower (12.5%) when the larvae were fed on diet mixed with Pb at 150 μg/g after 10 days of observation. Overall, the presence of those heavy metals in the environment, even at low concentrations, would exert an adverse impact on larvae development of this insect. From this point of view, findings could provide a basis for long-term evaluation of heavy metal risk and its impact on populations of important agricultural pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals testing remains an ongoing challenge for diagnosing acute or chronic exposure to heavy metals. In this study, we determined the positivity rates of single element and panel testing for toxic elements, and evaluated the potential utility of an expanded detection protocol for screening of toxic element exposures. The retrospective analysis included data from urine (n = 19,343) and blood (n = 196,019) specimens tested using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury (blood), and arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc (urine). Lead industrial monitoring in blood and cadmium exposure in blood and urine were included to represent directed single element ordering. The percent of positive results, defined as results greater than the upper limit of the reference interval was determined. For blood, the highest positivity was observed for lead occupational exposure monitoring (26.2%) whereas for urine, the highest positivity was observed for zinc testing (28.1%). Remarkably, reanalysis using an expanded panel, of 120 blood and 174 urine specimens originally negative identified 42% (50 of 120) of the blood specimens with at least one elevated result and 48% (83 of 174) of the urine specimens with at least one elevated result. Our results indicate that a broad elemental screening panel may help ensure easier identification of elemental exposure and may eliminate the need for additional follow-up sample collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human health risks of five different heavy metals were assessed in nine typical areas in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of arsenic (As) in Hyderabad (HB), cadmium (Cd) in Veles (VL), and lead (Pb) in Murcia (MC) were found to be 5, indicating extreme contamination. This is related to their high concentrations in soil. The concentration of As in wheat in Niger Delta (ND) and European Union (EU) areas were 3.3 and 2.55 mg/kg, which were 22 and 17 times respectively of the World Health Organization (WHO)/Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) criteria. In general, the concentrations of heavy metals in wheats were higher than those in corns, indicating that heavy metals were easier to accumulate in wheats than in corns. The human risks induced by the carcinogenic metals As and Cd were much higher than those induced by noncarcinogenic metals in different exposure ways. The human health risks of heavy metals in different exposure ways were Rw-ing > Rc-ing > Rs-ing > Rs-der > Rs-inh. The human health risks induced by wheat ingestion for adults and children accounted for 67.75–97.52% and 69.52–98.04%, respectively, of the total human health risks. The total human health risks in the VL and MC areas were 1.58 × 10−4 a−1 and 1.3 × 10−4 a−1 for adults and 1.14 × 10−4 a−1 and 9.47 × 10−5 a−1 for children, respectively, which were significantly high according to the Environmental Protection Agency and International Commission on Radiological Protection. The ranking of the total human health risks in different areas were RVL > RMC > RND > REU > RHB > RKY > RTB > RMLV > RNHM. The total human health risks of adults were higher than those of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study explored the effects of maternal exposure to e-waste environmental heavy metals on neonatal DNA methylation patterns. Neonatal umbilical cord blood (UCB) samples were collected from participants that resided in an e-waste recycling area, Guiyu and a nearby non-e-waste area, Haojiang in China. The concentrations of UCB lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation at 473, 844 CpG sites (CpGs) were assessed by Illumina 450 K BeadChip. The differential methylation of CpG sites from the microarray were further validated by bisulfite pyrosequencing. Bioinformatics analysis showed that 125 CpGs mapped to 79 genes were differential methylation in the e-waste exposed group with higher concentrations of heavy metals in neonatal UCB. These genes mainly involve in multiple biological processes including calcium ion binding, cell adhesion, embryonic morphogenesis, as well as in signaling pathways related to NFkB activation, adherens junction, TGF beta and apoptosis. Among them, BAI1 and CTNNA2 (involving in neuron differentiation and development) were further verified to be hyper- and hypo-methylated, respectively, which were associated with maternal Pb exposure. These results suggest that maternal exposure to e-waste environmental heavy metals (particularly lead) during pregnancy are associated with peripheral blood differential DNA methylation in newborns, specifically the genes involving in brain neuron development. Highlights • The concentration of Pb, Cd, Mn and Cr in umbilical cord blood (UCB) was measured. • Epigenome-wide DNA methylation levels in neonatal UCB were assessed. • Differential DNA methylation was found in UCB with maternal exposure to heavy metals. • Specific differential methylation of genes in neonatal UCB were validated. • Differential methylation of BAI1 and CTNNA2 were correlated to Pb exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization in India has necessitated for undertaking remedial measures to minimize the alarming air pollution levels and consequent health effects. Promotion of vegetation that is tolerant to air pollutants is considered as an ecological sustainable strategy for mitigation of ill effects of particulate matters. In this regard the levels of four heavy metals viz. zinc (Zn) , lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) and its effects on antioxidants levels (Catalase activity), phytochemicals (Protein, Proline, Gallic acid) and lipid peroxidation were studied in six commonly growing plants- O.sanctum, L. aspera, L.camara, V. rosea, B. spectabilis and R. communis from polluted (Zone I) and unpolluted (Zone 2) environments of Bangalore. Mean levels of heavy metals were comparatively higher in plants from polluted environments. Mean levels of Total protein (6.57±1.71 v/s 8.35±1.27 mg/g), gallic acid (15.79 ± 22.51 v/s 22.95 ± 25.66mg/g) and Catalase activity (66.72±17.95 v/s 78.94± 15.24 mU/g) was comparatively decreased in plants from polluted sites compared to non polluted control sites. Mean Proline (3.11±0.46 v/s 2.63±0.66 mg/g) and Malonaldehyde (19.07±13.86 v/s 16.62±13.49 nmol/g) levels, indicators of oxidative stress, was comparatively increased in plants from polluted sites. Positive correlation of lipid peroxidation in leaves was observed with heavy metals copper (r=0.961, P<0.005 in control sites; r=0.881, P<0.05 in polluted sites) and chromium (r=0.792 in control sites; r=0.758 in polluted sites). Zn levels showed statistically significant (P<0.05) positive correlation with gallic acid content in plant leaves (r= 0.871 in control sites: r= 0.937 in polluted sites). Total protein content showed significant negative correlation (P<0.005) with Cu (r=-0.846) and Cr (r=-0.943) in control sites, but non-significant negative correlation in plants from polluted sites. The study revealed that plants responded to stress induced by air pollutants and produced phenolic compounds to tolerate and mitigate the oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heavy metal contamination of environmental media in mining area is a global major concern because of its potential threat for human health through food chain. However, the comparison of exposure level and health risk is scarce among people living in the vicinity of mining area with different pollution source. In this study, the concentrations of Mn, Cd, As, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr and Ni in soil, air, water, rice, vegetable, fish, poultry meat and pork from a Pb-Zn mining area and a Mn mining area in Huayuan county, China were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results showed that the environmental media and foodstuffs in the two areas were contaminated by Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr and Ni. However, the pollution was more serious in Pb-Zn mining area than Mn mining area. The total hazard index (HI) was 6.59 and 4.55 in Pb-Zn mining area and Mn mining area, respectively, indicating a moderate non-carcinogenic risk of local people. As intake via rice ingestion was the predominant contributor to the total HI in the two mining areas, accounting for 25% and 35%, respectively. For Pb-Zn mining area, Cd intake through vegetable consumption and Mn intake via air inhalation appeared to be another two important components contributing to HI. This study highlights the multi-element and multi-pathway exposure assessment to evaluate the potential health risk and emphasizes concerns to reduce As and Cd in agricultural products as well as Mn in air to decrease the detrimental health effects of local resident. Highlights • Heavy metal pollution was more serious in Pb-Zn mining area than Mn mining area. • Heavy metal pollution posed a moderate non-carcinogenic risk to local people. • Health risks in the two mining areas were mainly attributed to As via rice ingestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test effects of metal contamination on beetles morphology, specimens from species representing herbivores (Strophosoma capitatum), carnivores (Carabus arcensis and C. violaceus) and detritivores (Anoplotrupes stercorosus) were collected from an area polluted with zinc, lead and cadmium and from a control site. Both the length and width of elytra and pronotum were compared. Females of all species from the polluted area were smaller than those from the control site with the average difference of 2.7% (range 0.7%-6%). In contrast, males responded less consistently among species: A. stercorosus showed lower size of elytra and pronotum at the polluted area, while in C. arcensis only the elytra length and pronotum width were smaller. C. violaceus males exhibited smaller elytra length and pronotum length and width at the polluted area. In contrast, no differences between the two sites were found for S. capitatum males. Sex differences may originate from different energy investment strategies in females and males related to the reproduction needs. Even if the observed differences in body size were small, the smaller body size in females of all studied species, irrespectively of the guild, is striking and may indicate on lower fitness of a range of species inhabiting metal polluted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In a world where industrial pollution is increasing day by day, heavy metals are one of the important factors threatening human health. The rates of pregnancy loss and subfertility are continuously increasing. This study aims to explain the effects of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) levels on the etiology of abortions. Material and Methods: The study was designed as a case-control study with two groups: healthy volunteers (n=20) and miscarriage (n=29) group. The pregnant women with similar demographic characteristics were divided into two groups and peripheral venous blood samples of the study subjects were collected. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to examine the blood samples and the levels of heavy metal. Results: While the Pb level was found to be higher in the miscarriage group (p=0.038), there was no statistical difference between Cd and Hg levels (p>0.005) in the two groups. On comparing the laboratory values of pregnant women in the control and miscarriage groups, blood progesterone values were observed to be lower in the miscarriage group (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study indicates that heavy metals, even below the toxic dose limits, can cause miscarriage. Higher blood Pb levels were found in the miscarriage group while Hg and Cd levels were not different between the two groups. This research points out that the high levels of lead may have an effect on pregnancy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we aim by using plant biotechnology to study the effect of heavy metals Cd and Pb on the regeneration capacity of Sedum telephium ssp. maximum L. plant species that grows spontaneously in our country and can also be cultivated for ornamental purposes. The results obtained at different concentrations of each metal will be compared to establish, from a morphological point of view, the existence of a dose-response relationship. According to the rules of the USA Energy Department, the hyperaccumulator plants have to fulfill the following characteristics: rapid growth and large biomass; pest and disease resistance; inedible for humans and animals; easy to harvest; very branched root system; accumulation of different types of heavy metals. Following preliminary results (in vitro and ex vitro) we considered that this species fulfils the above conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The egg is considered one of the most nutritious animal origin foods, being a perfectly balanced source of protein, easily digestible fats, energy, minerals, and vitamins. Significant differences between organic and conventional eggs cover feed, medication, and animal welfare of hens. The study's purpose was the quantitative determination of Cd, Pb, and Zn from organic eggs and conventional eggs, and also from the organic feed. The heavy metals levels in organic eggs, conventional eggs, and organic feed samples were evaluated by AAS. Zn registered levels below the method's detection limit in organic eggs samples, and its levels were significantly lower compared to the maximum allowed level in EU for it in eggs, but higher compared to recommended levels in organic feed. Cd was significantly lower in organic eggs compared to their levels in conventional eggs. Pb registered significantly lower levels in organic feed, and Cd was higher compared to the maximum allowed level in EU for it in this type of feed. Conventional purchased eggs exceed the maximum EU allowed level for Pb and Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The growth and development of living organisms is programmed in genes, but exogenous factors (e.g. cadmium) may modulate endogenous information. Heavy metals may disturb physiological functions and accumulate in the tissues. The insects under prolonged heavy metal stress show some modifications in their metabolism management. The aim of this study was to compare the reproduction and development between individuals of S. exigua from the strain, exposed over 130 generations to sublethal concentration of cadmium (44 mg Cd/kg dry weight of larval diet), and the individuals from the control strain, both additionally exposed to different concentration of cadmium (22-704 mg Cd/kg dry weight of larval diet). The exposure to various cadmium concentrations in the diet revealed survival difference between the cadmium and the control animals at the larvae stage. The differences between adults were not evident. The telomere length (responsible for the duration of a lifespan) in the cadmium strain was shorter in the females than in the males and the individuals from the control strain. TERF1 gene expression (indirectly responsible for the telomere length) was higher in the individuals from the cadmium strain 24 hrs after eclosion. The significant reduction in the larvae body mass was observed in both strains, when the metal concentration was equal to or higher than 264 mg/kg dry weight of larval diet. The EC50 values (defined as of body mass loss), calculated 48 hours after cadmium exposure of individuals from control and cadmium strains, were respectively 632 and 725 mg Cd/kg dry weight of diet. However, some difference in reproduction (the total number of eggs laid and the oviposition time) between the strains appeared only in the groups fed on the uncontaminated diet. The control females laid almost two times more eggs than those from the cadmium strain, and the control ones had more than two times longer oviposition time than the females from the cadmium strain. The fluctuation was also noted in the size of eggs and the hatching success on the following days when both strains were compared, while the hatching success was higher for the insects from the cadmium strain. In conclusion, the insects from the cadmium strain are more resistant to cadmium contamination, as it is evidenced by the EC50 parameter. However, the females from the cadmium strain start laying eggs statistically later, have shorter telomeres and slightly reduced TERF1 gene expression, but hutching success in the strain is significantly higher when compared with the control individuals. Highlights • Cadmium may cause selecting pressure for the insects. • Spodoptera exigua was selected toward cadmium resistance for over 130 generations. • Reproduction and development parameters show slightly different trends in both cadmium and control strains. • The telomere length and TERF1 gene expression between the breeding strains differ. • Individuals from the cadmium strain have better cadmium resistance compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mobility of heavy metals at contaminated sites is mainly influenced by the soil physicochemical properties and environmental conditions, therefore assessing heavy metals (HMs) and metalloids fractionation can provide insights into their potential risk and the mechanisms that regulate bioavailability. A 12-months mesocosms experiment was setup to investigate the effect of physicochemical factors (pH, moisture, and temperature) and weathering (time) on HMs and metalloids fractionation in three different multi-contaminated soil matrices (low, medium, and high contamination) collected from a soil treatment facility located in the United Kingdom, and two rural contaminated soil samples. The study demonstrates that even though Pb and Zn were found associated with the exchangeable fraction in the soil with the highest contamination (total average Pb 3400 mg/kg, and total average Zn 2100 mg/kg in Soil C), neither the condition applied nor the weathering caused an increase in their mobility. Although it was expected that lower pH (4.5) would favours the dissociation of HMs and metalloids, no significant differences were observed, potentially due to the initial alkaline pH of the genuine-contaminated soil samples. The results show that even though total concentration of Pb, Cu, and Zn exceed the soil standards and guideline values, HMs were predominantly associated with the non-exchangeable fraction, while only 5% were dissolved in the pore water fraction (potentially bioavailable). In addition, the mobility and bioavailability of HMs remained constant over the 12 months monitoring, suggesting that these soils pose negligible risk to the environment. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Assessing HMs fractionation is key for understanding their environmental impact. • HMs total concentration exceeded the SGVs but bioavailable fraction was low. • pH, moisture, and temperature did not affect HMs bioavailable fraction over time. • Cement stabiliser was able to reduce HMs solubility and bioavailability, reducing risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Heavy metal exposure (Cd, Mn and iAs) inhibits glucose stimulated insulin secretion. • Oxygen consumption rate is inhibited by iAs and Mn in INS-1 832/13 cells. • Cd has no significant effect on oxygen consumption rate in INS-1 832/13 cells. • Zn exposure doesn't inhibit either GSIS or oxygen consumption rate at levels tested. • Cd, Mn, and iAs impair β-cell function, but appear to do so by different mechanisms. Abstract Susceptibility to type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is determined, in part, by a variety of environmental factors, including exposure to metals. Heavy metals including inorganic arsenic (iAs), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and cadmium (Cd) have been reported to affect glucose homeostasis or DM risk in population-based and/or laboratory studies. Previous evidence from our lab has shown that iAs can increase DM risk by impairing mitochondrial metabolism, one of the key steps in the regulation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in pancreatic β-cells. The goal of the current study was to compare the effects of iAs on GSIS and mitochondrial function in INS-1 832/13 β-cells with those of Cd, Mn, and Zn, and to evaluate effects of binary mixtures of these metals. As expected, 24-hour exposure to iAs (arsenite, ≥1 μM) significantly inhibited GSIS as did Cd (5 μM) and Mn (12.5, 25, or 50 μM). Zn had no effects on GSIS at concentrations up to 50 μM. Mitochondrial function was assessed by measuring oxygen consumption rate (OCR) after glucose stimulation and during simulated mitochondrial stress. While both iAs and Mn impaired mitochondrial function (inhibiting OCR, maximal respiration, and/or spare respiratory capacity of mitochondria), no significant effects were found in cells exposed to Cd. Interestingly, no additive or synergistic effects on GSIS or OCR were observed in binary mixtures of iAs with either Mn or Cd. These data suggest that Mn, like iAs, may inhibit GSIS by impairing mitochondrial function, whereas Cd may target other mechanisms that regulate GSIS in β-cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effluents from a pulp and paper mill in India were analyzed for various physicochemical parameters and heavy metals. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to interpret the data obtained and predict the toxicity of each component to Cyprinus carpio L. fingerlings. The results showed that most of these parameters exceeded recommended levels set by various agencies, and the effluent was not suitable for discharge into agricultural fields or water bodies without further treatment. The results of static renewal toxicity tests revealed median lethal concentrations at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h to be 42, 25, 18.6 and 14.5%, respectively, and the fingerlings exhibited severe behavioral anomalies. The sublethal dose of 2.9% (v/v) caused alterations in the gill and liver at durations of 7, 14, 21, and 28 d. Anomalies such as mucous secretion, leucocyte infiltration, curling of the secondary lamellae tip, clubbing, and the fusion of the secondary lamellae, aneurism, etc. were prominent. The liver showed inflammatory infiltration, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies, vacuolar degeneration, fatty degeneration, pyknosis, karyolysis, distorted pancreatic area, and piecemeal necrosis, among other pathological symptoms. The study concluded that the effluent, even in greatly diluted form, was highly toxic and the severity of responses depended on the length of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research was performed to detect the heavy metal amounts (Hg, As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn) in one of the most common fish species (Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758) captured from the south shores of the Black Sea during the fishing season in 2016. Heavy metals were examined by using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrophotometer). The amounts of the metals (Hg, Pb and Cd) in some specimen were under the detection limits. The maximum levels of all measured metals are as low the recommended limit by the admitted organizations. It was shown that the measured metal amounts in edible tissue of the S. porcus were under the wellbeing levels for people consumption for the average Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Hazarded Index (HI<1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants face different types of biotic and abiotic stresses during their life span. Heavy metal (HM) stress is considered as one of the most challenging and emerging threats to sustainable agricultural development and overall economic yield of various plant species. Increasing levels of HMs in arable soils is a main environmental issue due to their deleterious effects on plant growth and productivity. The exogenous application of different plant growth regulators is a well-known strategy to alleviate the adverse effects of HMs stress on plants. In the present review, the role of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in the alleviation of HM stress in different plants is elaborated. 5-Aminolevulinic acid is identified as a highly efficient ameliorating agent to sustainably neutralize the harmful effects of abiotic stresses in plants. In particular, the role of ALA has been increasingly recognized in improving plant HM stress-tolerance via ALA-mediated control of principal plant-metabolic processes. However, various underlying mechanisms that unravel ALA-induced plant HM stress-tolerance remain unexplored. The application of ALA on HM-stressed plants improves plant height, root length, chlorophyll pigments, antioxidant enzyme activities, nutrient uptake and soluble protein contents and minimizes ultra-structural damage, oxidative stress and HM uptake. Furthermore, it triggers modification of glutathione reductase, ascorbic acid and GSH contents in HM-stressed plants. The lower concentration of ALA proved to be more beneficial in stress amelioration. The cost-effectiveness and efficiency of ALA in improving growth and production of plants under varying growth conditions is still not clear. Nevertheless, over-accumulation of ALA through genetic manipulation can enhance stress-tolerance in plants which is the key area to be investigated. This review article elaborates the potential role of ALA in HM tolerance and highlights the future research dimensions in the related ambits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Early-life exposure to heavy metals and/or trace metal imbalances can have negative developmental effects. Here we sought to characterize exposure profiles for 20 heavy metals and trace elements in umbilical cord blood plasma and identify demographic predictors of exposure. Twenty metals were measured in cord plasma from 357 Chinese infants using ICP-MS. Relationships between demographic variables and metals were analyzed using generalized linear models and logistic regression. Ten metals (antimony [Sb], cobalt [Co], cesium [Cs], copper [Cu], lead [Pb], molybdenum [Mo], rubidium [Rb], selenium [Se], strontium [Sr], titanium [Ti], zinc [Zn]) were detected in all samples. Season of birth was the strongest predictor of metals in cord blood across analyses. Infants born in the spring had 0.1–0.2 μg L-1 higher logAs and logCo in their cord blood (β [95%CI] = 0.22 [0.01,0.42], p = 0.04; 0.11 [0.01,0.22], p = 0.04), while infants born in the summer had higher Sb, logB, logHg, and logZn (β [95%CI] = 0.74 [0.24,1.24], p = 0.004; 0.11 [0.00,0.21], p = 0.04; 0.29 [0.08,0.49], p = 0.007; 0.18 [0.06,0.31], p = 0.005), compared to those born in fall/winter. Prenatal heavy metal exposure and/or trace metal deficiencies are global concerns because of increasing awareness of downstream developmental effects. Highlights • Exposure to heavy metals or trace metal deficiencies/excesses can impact health. • We measured 20 toxic and essential metals in the cord blood of Chinese infants. • 10 metals (Sb,Co,Cs,Cu,Pb,Mo,Rb,Se,Sr,Ti,Zn) were detected in all blood samples. • Birth season and parent occupation were associated with infant cord blood metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen of human and other mammals that is of increasing clinical and veterinary importance due to its ability to rapidly develop antimicrobial resistance. The injudicious use of antibiotics has given rise to the emergence of antibiotic resistant S. aureus strains, most importantly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The emergence of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) has highlighted the importance of directed research toward its prevention, as well as the need for the discovery and development of more efficient treatment than is currently available. Furthermore, the treatment of MRSA is complicated by the co-selection of heavy metal and antibiotic resistance genes by microorganisms. Livestock and livestock production systems are large reservoirs of heavy metals due to their use in feed as well as environmental contaminant, which has allowed for the selection of LA-MRSA isolates with heavy metal resistance. The World Health Organization reported that Africa has the largest gaps in data on the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, with no reports on rates for LA-MRSA harboring heavy metal resistance in South Africa. This review aimed to report the emergence of LA-MRSA in South Africa, specifically the most frequent sequence type ST398, globally. Furthermore, we aimed to highlight the importance of LA-MRSA in clinical and food security, as well as this research gap in South Africa. This review sheds light on the prevalence of heavy metals in livestock farms and abattoirs, and focuses on the phenomenon of the co-selection of heavy metal and antibiotic resistance genes in MRSA, emphasizing the importance of a focused direction for research in humans, animals as well as environment using one-health approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional risk assessment methods may be defective for more effective health risk assessment due to ignoring heavy metal species and the accuracy and integrity of sampling and analysis results. Using the accurate and integral data to quantify the human health effects of metal species can provide great support for more effective health risk assessment. This study presents a new methodology to optimize sampling and analysis results for implementing the spatial human health risk of heavy metal species in contaminated sites. The method integrated Entropy method and Inverse Distance to a Power (IDW) for obtaining the effective risk, and mapping the visual risk distribution of metal species. The results of its application with ingesting arsenic via oral route on adults showed that carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of As were influenced by its species. The risk of HAsO 4 −2 , H 3 AsO 3 , H 2 AsO 4 − , H 2 AsO 3 − and AsS(OH)HS − exceeded threshold that was significantly harmful to human health in study area. This method broadened the scope of human health risk assessment and provided a basis for government policy-making and site remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out to estimate the concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) and to assess the human health risk. Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI) and Target Cancer Risk (TCR) were measured and the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were calculated. The concentrations of Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn except Cd and Pb were below the permission limit proposed by the joint FAO/WHO. Transfer factor of heavy metals from soil to vegetables was calculated and the decreasing order was Cu (0.786) > Cd (0.759) > Zn (0.569) > Pb (0.432) > Mn (0.167) > Fe (0.050). Assessment of non-carcinogenic health hazards by THQ indicated no concern for individual Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn except Cd and Pb. But the combined impact of all metals (HI = 8.64775) was very high than the acceptable limit of 1.0 for all vegetables. So, the consumption of these vegetables were the prime concern for non-carcinogenic health effects and all metals together may affect the human health as revealed by HI. The probability of developing cancer from the consumption of studied vegetable was greater than USEPA threshold risk limit (>10-5) for Mn (2.8E-3), Pb (1.17E-4) and Cu (9.5E-4); (> 10-3) for Zn (2.15E-2) and Fe (1.45E-1). These values indicated moderate cancer risk for Mn, Cu and Pb, high cancer risk for Fe and Zn whereas Cd showed low cancer risk from this study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For investigating the physiological responses of herbivores to the heavy metal–stressed woody host plants, the activities of antioxidant, detoxifying, and digestive enzymes in the gypsy moth larvae, Lymantria dispar, that were fed with different heavy metal–stressed poplar seedling (Populus alba berolinensis) leaves were studied. The heavy metal treatments included Cd-treated pot soil (1.5 mg/kg), Zn-treated pot soil (500 mg/kg), and Pb-treated pot soil (500 mg/kg), plus an untreated pot soil as the control. Our results showed that compared with the untreated control, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in Cd or Zn treatment group were gradually suppressed with the increases of larval ages, but Pb treatment had no significant effects on SOD activities and significantly increased the CAT activities in both fourth and fifth instar larvae; acid phosphatase (ACP) activities were gradually activated and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities were gradually inhibited with the increases of larval ages in Cd or Pb treatment group, but Zn treatment significantly increased the activities of ACP and AKP both in fourth and in fifth instar larvae. All three heavy metals tested did not show any significant effects on the amylase and protease activity in the fourth instar larvae but increased their activities in fifth instar larvae. These results suggest that antioxidant, detoxifying, and digestive enzymes constituted the basic defense system for gypsy moth larvae to resist the toxicity originated from the accumulated Cd, Zn, or Pb in poplar leaves, but their defense level varied with metals investigated and larval developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Multi-antibiotic resistant (MAR) bacteria cost billions in medical care and tens of thousands of lives annually but perennial calls to limit agricultural and other misuse of antibiotics and to fund antibiotic discovery have not slowed this MAR deluge. Since mobile genetic elements (MGEs) stitch single antibiotic resistance genes into clinically significant MAR arrays, it is high time to focus on how MGEs generate MAR and how disabling them could ameliorate the MAR problem. However, to consider only antibiotics as the drivers of MAR is to miss the significant impact of exposure to non-antibiotic toxic chemicals, specifically metals, on the persistence and spread of MAR. Toxic metals were among the earliest discovered targets of plasmid-encoded resistance genes. Recent genomic epidemiology clearly demonstrated the co-prevalence of metal resistances and antibiotic multi-resistance, uniquely in humans and domestic animals. Metal resistances exploit the same, ancient "transportation infrastructure" of plasmids, transposons, and integrons that spread the antibiotic resistance genes and will continue to do so even if all antibiotic misuse were stopped today and new antibiotics were flowing from the pipeline monthly. In a key experiment with primates, continuous oral exposure to mercury (Hg) released from widely used dental amalgam fillings co-selected for MAR bacteria in the oral and fecal commensal microbiomes and, most importantly, when amalgams were replaced with non-metal fillings, MAR bacteria declined dramatically. Could that also be happening on the larger public health scale as use of amalgam restorations is curtailed or banned in many countries? This commentary covers salient past and recent findings of key metal-antibiotic resistance associations and proposes that the shift from phenotyping to genotyping in surveillance of resistance loci will allow a test of whether declining exposure to this leading source of Hg is accompanied by a decline in MAR compared to countries where amalgam is still used. If this hypothesis is correct, the limited success of antibiotic stewardship practices may be because MAR is also being driven by continuous, daily exposure to Hg, a non-antibiotic toxicant widely used in humans. Highlights • Hg leaking from amalgam dental fillings enriched commensal bacteria with plasmids bearing Hg (HgR) and multiple antibiotic (MAR) resistances. • Recent genomic epidemiology confirmed widespread HgR-MAR plasmids in human commensal bacteria. • As Europe phases out amalgams, genomic epidemiology can ask if linked HgR-MAR falls there vs. the US and UK which promote amalgams. • If Hg exposure is spreading MAR, eliminating it could render antibiotic stewardship efforts more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of heavy metals by Streptomyces rimosus has been the subject of many investigations. This review paper focuses on the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution through Streptomyces rimosus , produced from pharmaceutical industry as solid waste, as adsorbent, and discusses the effect of various process parameters like pH, temperature, metal concentration etc., on the metal removal efficiency of this bacterium. The paper also evaluates the different kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic models used in Streptomyces rimosus sorption of heavy metals. Biomass characterization and sorption mechanisms as well as elution of metal ions are also discussed. The literature revealed that Streptomyces rimosus had a good affinity for binding lead and iron compared with other heavy metals. The adsorption of heavy metals is well described by Langmuir isotherm, which expresses the existence of monolayer adsorption. The kinetic data followed both pseudo first order and pseudo second order models. Thermodynamic studies showed spontaneous and exothermic nature of the sorption processes in most case. Dilute acids (HCl and H 2 SO 4 ) are quite effective in desorption of heavy metals. Ion exchange played the chief role in the adsorption mechanism of metal, and carboxyl groups are mainly involved in this mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to characterise Moringa oleifera (Mo) and Moringa peregrina (Mp), grown in Saudi Arabia, based on nutritional and molecular markers. Seven genotypes per species were evaluated using 1-year-old trees. The nutritional characterisation included chlorophyll, protein, macronutrients, micronutrients, and heavy metals. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) was applied using nine primers for genetic characterisation. Significant differences in nutritional content were found between the two species and among the genotypes of each species. Mp had more chlorophyll content, however Mo contained higher protein, Fe and Zn. Correlations among nutritional characteristics allowed representative classification of genotypes based on these pertinent indicators only. Cluster analysis separated the genotypes of each species in independent group, but three Mo genotypes and two Mp genotypes were distinguished for their variability in nutritional properties. Most Mo genotypes amplified the nine SSR primers, however 6/9 primers only produced bands in Mp genotypes. The number of amplified primers per Mp genotype varied from zero to six. A strong relationship was found between nutritional and molecular classifications of genotypes. The efficient classification based on four chemical characteristics could be beneficial for Moringa evaluation. The correlation between genetic and nutritional variability could serve in improving Moringa and identifying genetic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inorganic pollutants in milk and beef are of major public health concern; however, information in Africa is still limited due to low food safety monitoring practices. In this study, we established levels of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in milk and beef and obtained the estimated daily intake (EDI) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) as measures of risk to the Ugandan population.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which a total of 40 samples of milk and beef were collected from Bushenyi district in southwestern Uganda. Samples were analyzed by atomic absorbance spectrophotometer, and the EDI and ILCR were computed using the US EPA reference values.Results and Discussion: Heavy metal concentrations were highest in the order of Zn > Fe > Pb > Cu in milk samples, while in beef samples, concentrations were highest in the order of Zn > Pb > Fe > Cu and no Cd was detected. Furthermore, beef had significantly higher (P < 0.05) Pb and Fe concentrations than milk. The EDI was highest in children, and this was followed by very high ILCR levels, showing that milk and beef are not safe for children in Uganda. Bearing in mind that a high HI was shown, beef and milk from these regions are not recommended for consumption especially by children although more studies remain to be conducted.Conclusion: Heavy metals in milk and beef of Uganda may predispose the indigenous community to cancer and other health-related illnesses, showing a need for improved food safety screening to promote food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The former lead-zinc mine at Mestersvig, Greenland, continues to contaminate the surrounding environment despite its operations ceasing over 50 years ago. Elevated concentrations of heavy metals are found in water, sediment and biota in the terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. To shed light on the present contamination and its potential effects on local fish we investigated gill and liver histology of sculpins ( Myoxocephalus spp.) around the former mining area. Two species of sculpins were caught; shorthorn sculpins ( M. scorpius ; n = 16) and fourhorn sculpins ( M. quadricornis ; n = 17) at a contaminated site, Nyhavn, and shorthorn sculpins ( M. scorpius ; n = 25) at the reference site. In a previous study we found histopathological changes in the tissues of the sculpins, and we suspected this to be related to elevated heavy metal tissue concentrations. Concentrations of Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Se and Zn were significantly higher in sculpins at Nyhavn compared to the reference site. Reference NOED and LOEC thresholds for biochemistry, tissue lesions, growth, survival and reproduction for hepatic Hg, As, Cd and Pb from the ERED database were exceeded in both sculpin species. Histopathological investigations of the sculpins gills revealed significant increases in the prevalence of hyperplastic epithelium, inflammation, intensity of neutral and total mucus cells and chloride cells along with an increased infection of colonial Peritricha. At the contaminated Nyhavn site, fourhorn sculpins had a significantly higher prevalence of chondroplastic tissue and intensity of neutral, mixed and total mucus cells in the gills compared to the shorthorn sculpins. The data indicate that both sculpin species could be useful indicator species for environmental monitoring of metal pollution in Arctic areas. However, confounding effects of gender and species should be investigated further. Effects on other biomarkers as well as baseline measurements should be included in future environmental monitoring efforts around mining activities in Greenland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined heavy metal contamination in six edible wild mushroom species obtained from twenty-one stations in Turkey’s Black Sea region. Heavy metals were analyzed ICP-MS. Concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc were measured in the ranges of 0.08–3.37, 0.01–2.50, 0.36–6.26, 17.5–122, 97.2–3919, 4.61–102, 12.7–24.2, 0.15–1.80 and 34.4–225 mg/kg, respectively. The highest metal was iron in all of the examined species from the stations; and differences among metal levels across all of stations were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Moreover, the maximum provisional tolerable weekly intake limits for edible mushroom species was calculated and assessed for the purpose of human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine arsenic and heavy metal concentrations (lead, mercury, copper, cadmium, zinc, iron and manganese) in snail tissues (foot and digestive gland) obtained from snail farms in Serbia (near urban areas). Snail samples were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A total of 730 individual snail samples were included in this study. Snails were packed into plastic bags and transported to the laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade. The levels of arsenic and mercury in the examined snail tissues were below the detection limit of the analytical method. Concentrations of heavy metals were higher in digestive gland tissues than in foot tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Chromhidrosis is a rare condition of which there are only a few case reports in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical, laboratory, and possible environmental factors in 13 patients with chromhidrosis to elucidate causative agents. Methods: Data were obtained from the medical records of 13 patients with colored sweating between October 2015 and November 2016 (7 infants <1 year of age, 5 adults, 1 adolescent). Results: Physical examination was normal in all patients. Nine of 12 had high calculated serum free copper (75%). Urine glutamine was measured in 13 patients and was high in 11 (84.6%). Ten patients drank natural mineral water from Uludag Mountain, and two were exposed to an intrauterine device containing copper. One patient (8%) was not exposed to Uludag Mountain natural water or an intrauterine device. Conclusion: We propose that chronic exposure to water or devices that contain high amounts of heavy metal and ammonium may contribute to CH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the extensive use of feed additives and drugs, heavy metal residues in pig manures of large-scale farms increased. In order to reduce the pollution of heavy metals in pig manures, the influence of the passivating agent on the content and morphological transformation of As in the fermentation process was clarified, so as to provide a scientific basis for the safe and rational utilization of the biogas residue. The study focused on the heavy metal As, pig manure fermentation raw materials, the anaerobic fermentation technology. The orthogonal tests with three factors and 3 levels of each factor were designed, using BCR extraction method to analyze the heavy metal morphology. Different types of passivating agents (fly ash, diatomaceous earth, activated carbon), addition ratios of passivating agents (2.5%, 5%, 7.5% in pig manures) and fermentation temperatures (25, 30, 35 ℃) were studied. The influence of heavy metal passivation results showed that: 1) After anaerobic fermentation of pig manures, most of the heavy metal As remained in the biogas residue, and the content range in the biogas residue was between 5.50-6.56 mg/kg. The effects of passivating agents and their adding ratio and fermentation temperature on the content of As in biogas residue were not significant. In the 9 groups of experimental treatment, under 2.5% fly ash and fermentation temperature of 25 ℃, the proportion of oxidizable state could be increased to the maximum, which accounted for 7.94%, and was 5.14% higher than that before fermentation. Under the conditions of activated carbon and fermentation temperature of 35 ℃, the residual state of As accounted for the most, which was 84.27%, and was 21.66% higher than that before fermentation. Therefore, addition of different kinds of passivating agents during anaerobic fermentation for pig manure could decrease the effectiveness of heavy metal As. 2) The order of influencing factors on the passivation effect of heavy metal As were follows: passivation agent, addition ratios of passivating agent and fermentation temperature. The passivation effect of passivating agent types on the effective state of heavy metal As in biogas residue was significant, and the passivation effects of passivation agent addition ratio and fermentation temperature were not significant. Therefore, adding passivation agent with optimal content during the anaerobic fermentation of pig manure could transform the effective state of As to a stable state. 3) The treatment with the best passivation effect of As was 7.5% activated carbon and the fermentation temperature of 30 ℃. According to the verification test, the passivation effect could reach 62.34%, which was not significant different with the best treatment (61.46%) in the 9th group of the orthogonal test. The addition of passivating agent during the anaerobic fermentation of pig manures can improve the passivation effect of heavy metal As in biogas residue, which can effectively promote the sustainable development of biogas project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic (lead, cadmium and mercury) and essential trace (copper and zinc) metals were measured in muscle, liver and kidney samples of bovine and their relationships with heavy metal concentrations in consumed feed were studied. A total of 216 tissue samples from 72 cows and 216 feed samples from 18 farms were collected during four seasons and analyzed for heavy metals by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry after wet digestion. The arithmetic mean concentrations (mg/Kg wet weight) of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and mercury were respectively, 0.221, 0.028 and 0.003 in muscle, 0.273, 0.047 and 0.002 in liver and 0.244, 0.114 and 0.003 in kidney. All measured concentrations (with the exception of Pb in muscle) were below the European Union maximum residual limits (MRL). The Cd contents of the kidney were significantly higher than which observed in other tissues. Although, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels in all of samples were below MRL, but results showed that many cattles may be suffering from Cu and/or Zn deficiency. Significant and positive correlations between Pb (p < 0.05, r = 0.163) and Cd (p < 0.01, r = 0.303) concentrations in feed and studied organs were observed. As a considerable amount of metals above MRL were noticed in our study, continuous monitoring of these metals is recommended to avoid hazardous transfer to human through the food of animal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd) may exert detrimental impacts on the immune responses of marine bivalve species. However, the immunotoxicity of Cd on blood clams remains unknown to date. Furthermore, though Cd 2+ is known to compete with calcium (Ca 2+ ) ions for their binding sites in cells and inhibit Ca 2+ influx, whether Cd 2+ weakens the immune responses of marine bivalves through inducing intracellular Ca 2+ disorders still remains unclear. Therefore, the immunotoxicity of Cd 2+ at different waterborne Ca 2+ concentrations on blood clam, Tegillarca granosa , were investigated in the present study. Results obtained demonstrated that the total number, phagocytic activity, and red granulocytes ratio of the haemocytes were all significantly reduced after 10 days exposure of individuals to 25 μg/L Cd 2+ . However, when the waterborne Ca 2+ concentrations were elevated by 10% and 20% (approximately 370 and 410 mg/L, respectively), mitigation effects on the immune responses of individuals were detected. In addition, though the expressions of genes from the Ca 2+ signaling and Ca 2+ -related apoptosis pathways were significantly altered by Cd 2+ exposure, the expression patterns of these genes were similar to that of the control when the waterborne Ca 2+ concentrations were elevated, suggesting a relieving effect of waterborne Ca 2+ on Cd 2+ induced toxicity to haemocytes. The results obtained in the present study revealed that waterborne Cd 2+ may hamper the immune responses of T. granosa through influencing Ca 2+ signaling and Ca 2+ -related apoptosis pathways, which can be partially mitigated by elevating the waterborne Ca 2+ concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy metal content of cosmetics may be a cause for concern in that exposure to these metals is associated with adverse consequences. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess consequences attributed to exposure to heavy metals in cosmetics as determined by non-cancer, cancer, and sensitization risks methodologies. The quantification and exposure assessments of aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), and titanium (Ti) were performed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The non-cancer risk assessment of Al, Cr3+, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Sb, and Ti in cosmetic samples resulted in a margin of safety (MOS) greater than 100 or a hazard index (HI) of less than 1. However, the probability of lifetime cancer risk (LCR) resulting from dermal exposure to heavy metals from cosmetics exceeded the acceptable risk levels (LCR > 10-5). An exposure-based sensitization quantitative risk assessment determined that the ratios of acceptable exposure level to consumers for Ni, Co, Cu, or Hg were above 1, suggesting an absence of skin-sensitizing potential. For an average daily user of lip cosmetics, the estimated intakes of heavy metals were within the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The percentage of heavy users for which metal intakes exceeded ADIs were 20.37% for Pb, 9.26% for Mn, 1.85% for Cr3+, and 1.85% for Cr6+, respectively. Data suggested that the heavy metals present in cosmetics do not appear to pose a serious risk to health. However, for heavy users of lip cosmetics, contamination with some heavy metals, such as Pb, Mn, and Cr needs to be minimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, heavy metals are the major pollutants present in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Increase in their concentration due to various anthropogenic activities is a matter of concern. Higher concentration of these metals is known to be toxic due to their non-biodegradable nature. Eukaryotic microorganisms, ciliates can be used as cellular tools to assess and study the various mechanisms to overcome heavy metal toxicity. Here we discuss, at cellular level, the effect of heavy metal toxicity on growth rate, behavioural and morphological changes of ciliates. At the molecular level, changes in stress genes like hsp70, metallothionein and expression of various antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) adopted by ciliates have also been deliberated. It is also being argued that ciliates can be used as biosensor/cellular tools for detecting heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, pollution of freshwater and riverine ecosystems is indorsed to heavy metals contamination. Among various causes, heavy metals are the most concern. Many aquatic organisms have the ability to inhabit in contaminated environments, due to their defense mechanisms that allow detoxification, excretion, anti-oxidant protection and stress response. Lamellidens marginalis have the potential to accumulate the heavy metals. In the present study, the mussels were exposed to 1, 5, 10 and 15 ppm concentration of mercuric chloride for 96 hrs. Enzymatic and antioxidant parameters including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), hydrogen peroxide (HP) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were used as effective criteria. All the parameters showed responses in gills, abductor muscle, mantle tissue, gills and gonads with exposure to HgCl2. Collectively, these parameters could be used as biomarker for heavy metals contamination in aquatic system using L. marginalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- has rapidly emerged and it is isolated with high frequency in the swine food chain. Although many studies have documented the epidemiological success of this serovar, few investigations have tried to explain this phenomenon from a genetic perspective. Here a comparative whole-genome analysis of 50 epidemiologically unrelated S. 4,[5],12:i:-, isolated in Italy from 2010 to 2016 was performed, characterizing them in terms of genetic elements potentially conferring resistance, tolerance and persistence characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses indicated interesting distinctions among the investigated isolates. The most striking genetic trait characterizing the analyzed isolates is the widespread presence of heavy metals tolerance gene cassettes: most of the strains possess genes expected to confer resistance to copper and silver, whereas about half of the isolates also contain the mercury tolerance gene merA. A functional assay showed that these genes might be useful for preventing the toxic effects of metals, thus supporting the hypothesis that they can contribute to the success of S. 4,[5],12:i:- in farming environments. In addition, the analysis of the distribution of type II toxin-antitoxin families indicated that these elements are abundant in this serovar, suggesting that this is another factor that might favor its successful spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mariculture fish contains a rich source of protein, but some species may bioaccumulate high levels of heavy metals, making them unsafe for consumption. This study aims to identify heavy metal concentration in Lates calcarifer (Barramudi), Lutjanus campechanus (Red snapper) and Lutjanus griseus (Grey snapper). Three species of mariculture fish, namely, L. calcarifer , L. campechanus and L. griseus were collected for analyses of heavy metals. The concentration of heavy metal (As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn) was determined using inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The distribution of heavy metals mean concentration in muscle is Zn > Fe > As > Se > Cr > Cu > Mn > Pb > Ni > Cd for L. calcarifer , Fe > Zn > Cr > As > Ni > Mn > Se > Cu > Pb > Cd for L. campechanus and Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni > Se > Cu > As > Mn > Pb > Cd for L. griseus . Among all of the species under investigation, the highest concentration of Fe was found in the muscle tissue of L. campechanus (19.985 ± 1.773 mg kg −1 ) and liver tissue of L. griseus (58.248 ± 8.736 mg kg −1 ). Meanwhile, L. calcarifer has the lowest concentration of Cd in both muscle (0.007 ± 0.004 mg kg −1 ) and liver tissue (0.027 ± 0.016 mg kg −1 ). The heavy metal concentration in muscle tissue is below the permissible limit guidelines stipulated by the Food & Agriculture Organization, 1983 and Malaysia Food Act, 1983. The concentration of heavy metals varies significantly among fish species and tissues. L. campechanus was found to have a higher ability to accumulate heavy metals as compared to the other two species (p < .00). Among all the studied fish, liver tissue has a higher concentration of heavy metals compared to muscle tissue (p < .05). The findings from this study can serve as baseline information for future monitoring and risk assessment studies. Periodic monitoring of heavy metal concentration in mariculture fish must be performed to prevent acute and chronic food intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of Homo sapiens, the pollution of the environment at that time was of marginal scale, however, the development of world industry and mining activities are also impacting the Republic of Kosovo, given that the latter is starting to feel the environment pollution. The environment impact emerged as a result of poor management of urban waste and the circulation of over 500 000 cars in the streets of Kosovo. Over 85% of cars do not have catalytic converter; they are produced before 1980, whereas the other 15% are produced after 1980. The worst polluted municipalities in Kosovo are Mitrovica and Obiliq as a result of industrial activities such are: Trepca mine and the power plants of Kosovo with the heavy emissions in nature without prior treatment such are: Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cd. The uncontrolled, heavy utilization of pesticides and herbicides has a great contaminating effect in agricultural produce such is potato, the latter represents a highly consumed produce in Kosovo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is concern in healthcare-associated infections. On the other hand, bacterial tolerance to other antimicrobials, like heavy metals, has been neglected and underestimated in hospital pathogens. Silver has long been used as an antimicrobial agent and it seems to be an important indicator of heavy metal tolerance. To explore this perspective, we searched for the presence of acquired silver resistance genes (sil operon: silE, silS, silR, silC, silF, silB, silA, and silP) and acquired extended-spectrum cephalosporin and carbapenem resistance genes (blaCTX-M and blaKPC) in Enterobacter cloacae Complex (EcC) (n = 27) and Enterobacter aerogenes (n = 8) isolated from inpatients at a general hospital. Moreover, the genetic background of the silA (silver-efflux pump) and the presence of other acquired heavy metal tolerance genes, pcoD (copper-efflux pump), arsB (arsenite-efflux pump), terF (tellurite resistance protein), and merA (mercuric reductase) were also investigated. Outstandingly, 21/27 (78%) EcC isolates harbored silA gene located in the chromosome. Complete sil operon was found in 19/21 silA-positive EcC isolates. Interestingly, 8/20 (40%) E. hormaechei and 5/6 (83%) E. asburiae co-harbored silA/pcoD genes and blaCTX-M-(15,2,or9) and/or blaKPC-2 genes. Frequent occurrences of arsB, terF, and merA genes were detected, especially in silA/pcoD-positive, multidrug-resistant (MDR) and/or CTX-M-producing isolates. Our study showed co-presence of antibiotic and heavy metal tolerance genes in MDR EcC isolates. In our viewpoint, there are few studies regarding to bacterial heavy metal tolerance and we call attention for more investigations and discussion about this issue in different hospital pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the heavy metal (HM) concentration of the gangue and HM pollution of the soil in a coal mining area. On the basis of determination of the concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) in the samples from the gangue and surface soils, the spatial distribution of toxic metals, contamination sources, potential ecological risks, potential health risks were studied. The content of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in the surface soils exceeded China National Standard (CNS, GB15618-1995). The spatial distributions of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn are similar, exhibiting a declining trend from the gangue dump to the surrounding farmland. Results of Pearson correlation matrix and principal component analysis indicate that the origin of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn elements is the gangue dump. The potential ecological risk index ranges from 97.2 to 619.5, and its spatial distribution is similar to those of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn. Our results indicate that the HMs exceeded the corresponding CNS and posed noticeable ecological risks, which suggest that monitor and remediation measures should be taken in order to protect the health of the residents and the safety of the crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Especially after the industrial revolution, the amount of contaminants released in aquatic ecosystems has considerably increased. For this reason, the necessity to carry on research on the existence of contaminants, specifically heavy metals, has emerged. In this study, heavy metal concentrations in muscle tissues of Aegean chub, which was an endemic species of south western part of Turkey, gathered from Tersakan River were examined. Heavy metal concentrations of the samples were analyzed with ICP-MS. Estimated daily intakes (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR) of elements were calculated. The heavy metals detected in muscle tissues were Zn > Cu > Cr > Mn > Pb > Cd, consecutively. According to the results of the applied health risk assessment (EDI, THQ and CR) for heavy metal exposure from fish consumption in children and adults, it was determined that there was no any significant threat to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]