Analysis of heavy metals in drinking water of rural schools in Shaanxi Province / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand the status and trend of heavy metal indicators of drinking water in rural schools in different regions of Shaanxi Province, so as to provide scientific basis for safety of drinking water in rural schools.@*Methods@#In 2017-2019, 697 rural school water supply projects in Shaanxi Province were tested for heavy metal indicators in the peripheral water. According to the sanitary standard for drinking water (GB 5749—2006), five heavy metal indicators, including arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead and mercury, were analyzed and evaluated in different years and regions.@*Results@#A total of 2 298 valid water samples were collected and analyzed in 3 years. Except that lead and mercury are all up to standard, the standard rates of other heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium and hexavalent chromium were 98.83%, 99.91% and 96.95% respectively. Compared with the Northern Shaanxi plateau and Qinba mountain area, the standard rate of water arsenic in Guanzhong Plain was lower (χ2=5.67, 13.59,P<0.01). The standard rate of hexavalent chromium was the highest in Qinba mountain area, followed by Guanzhong Plain, and the lowest in Northern Shaanxi plateau (χ2=20.48, 17.05, 48.32, P<0.01). Two samples of cadmium exceeding standard were from the Northern Shaanxi plateau.@*Conclusion@#The heavy metal index of drinking water in rural schools in Shaanxi Province exceeds the standard, which has obvious regional characteristics. We should focus on the harm of arsenic, hexavalent chromium and other heavy metals to the health of students in the Northern Shaanxi plateau and Guanzhong Plain. Cadmium and mercury in drinking water in local areas should be paid continued attention. Safety of drinking water in schools should be ensured from the aspects of water source selection and water treatment technology.

Drinking water current situation among Guanzhong area rural primary and secondary schools in 2018 / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate and analyze the drinking water quality among rural primary and secondary schools in Guanzhong area in 2018, and to provide a basis for the targeted improvement of water supply facilities.@*Methods@#Develop a questionnaire on the basic situation of centralized water supply in rural schools, according to the Standard Test Method for Drinking Water (GB/T 5750—2006) and the Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water (GB 5749—2006) for the rural school network in Guanzhong area. The peripheral water collection and testing carried out single factor and multifactor statistical analysis on the relationship between water quality influencing factors and water quality pass rate.@*Results@#The total qualified rate of drinking water quality in rural schools in Guanzhong area was 59.1%. Univariate analysis showed that water quality rate was affected by four factors including water source type, engineering type, sanitation permit and disinfection equipment use, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Unconditional two-class logistic regression analysis showed that disinfection (OR=3.14), engineering type (OR=2.05), and sanitation permit (OR=1.99)(P<0.05) affected the water quality pass rate.@*Conclusion@#It is recommended to further strengthen the investment in the renovation of water supply for rural schools in Guanzhong area, and specifically strengthen water supply treatment and standard disinfection.

Drinking water and toilet sanitation of rural primary schools and middle schools in the northern，southern and central regions of Shaanxi during 2016-2018 / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand the environmental sanitation situation of rural schools in different geographical areas of Shaanxi, and to provide scientific basis for improving hygiene and sanitation in Chinese rural schools.@*Methods@#Each year during 2016 to 2018, 150 townships in 30 counties of rural areas were randomly selected in various districts and cities throughout the province. In each township one junior high school and one elementary school were randomly selected, and the data was obtained through resource access, interviews, and on-site observations. The data was statistically analyzed and evaluated according to the northern, central and southern regions.@*Results@#The differences of drinking ways among students in the schools were of statistical significance(χ2=25.89,P<0.01). The major drinking water method of students in the monitoring schools of the three regions all was providing boiled water, accounting for 56.16%, 65.88%, 50.39%, all of which have direct drinking unboiled water phenomenon; The water supply method of the self-provided centralized water supply school is mainly precipitation filtration in the central and southern regions, accounting for 38.46%, 53.21%, and untreated in the northern region(60.61%); The differences of the proportions of having sanitary toilets, detached toilets in schools, having toilets in teaching buildings, and having toilets in dormitory buildings in three regions were of statistical significance(χ2=32.04, 12.73, 20.78, 33.11, P<0.01) The proportion of schools with squat toilets in men’s toilets was greater than that of women’s(χ2=86.53, 44.77, 21.88, P<0.01). The differences of the proportion of schools with faucets available in toilets and within 5 meters around toilets, with sinks in or around the toilets, with sinks equipped with soap in or around the toilets were of statistical significance(χ2=90.02, 10.40, 41.96, P<0.01).@*Conclusion@#During 2016 to 2018, the environment sanitation of the three major rural primary and middle schools in Shaanxi Province needs to improve corresponding supporting facilities, and increase publicity to improve teachers and students’ awareness of health and safety.

Serum bilirubin is negatively associated with white blood cell count

OBJECTIVE: Bilirubin is considered an important antioxidant, anti-inflammatory factor and immunomodulator. The current investigation aimed to explore the association between bilirubin and white blood cell (WBC) count in a large Chinese cohort. METHODS: A total of 61091 participants (29259 males, 31832 females) were recruited from a Chinese tertiary hospital. Data were sorted by sex, and the association between bilirubin and WBC count was analyzed after dividing bilirubin levels into quartiles. RESULTS: Most parameters (including age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides and WBC count) were significantly higher in men than in women. Bilirubin displayed significant negative relationships with most other measured variables. Linear logistic regression analysis further indicated their negative relationships. Females showed a significantly higher frequency of leucopenia than males. Significant associations of leucopenia with high bilirubin quartiles were shown in binary logistic regression models for both sexes, with a much closer association in men than in women. For instance, for men with bilirubin levels in quartile 4, the adjusted likelihood of leucopenia was 1.600-times higher than that of men with values in quartile 1. For women with bilirubin levels in quartile 4, the adjusted likelihood of leucopenia was 1.135-times higher than that of women with values in quartile 1. CONCLUSION: Bilirubin is negatively related to WBC count. Significant associations exist between leucopenia and high bilirubin quartiles, and these associations are more obvious in men than in women.