Plomo y mercurio en personas víctimas del conflicto armado en Bojayá, Chocó: estudio descriptivo / Lead and mercury in victims of the armed conflict in Bojayá, Chocó: a descriptive study / Chumbo e mercúrio em vítimas do conflito armado em Bojayá, Chocó: um estudo descritivo

Introducción: En los contextos del conflicto armado convergen actividades que potencialmente pueden producir toxicidad por metales pesados; inclusive, muchas víctimas de artefactos explosivos improvisados portan esquirlas residuales interiorizadas, de composición y potencial toxicidad desconocidas. Ello ha sido poco estudiado. Objetivo: Describir los niveles biológicos de plomo y mercurio en civiles supervivientes de la masacre de Bojayá, su eventual exposición actual, así como signos y síntomas compatibles con toxicidad crónica. Metodología: Estudio observacional descriptivo, tipo serie con 13 casos. Resultados: El 38.46 % de los casos tuvo niveles de plomo en sangre superiores o cercanos al valor límite superior, sin fuentes específicas identificadas. Un 46.15 % tuvo niveles mercuriales superiores o cercanos al límite de referencia, y se los considera exposición ambiental por minería aurífera regional. La valoración clínica toxicológica mostró síntomas y signos clínicos potencialmente asociados con toxicidad crónica por metales. Conclusión: Hubo presencia de residuos de artefactos explosivos en personas con hallazgos sugestivos de toxicidad por plomo o mercurio, sin que pueda afirmarse una relación directa y específica entre los dos aspectos; algunos casos sugieren exposición ambiental para mercurio, y exposición a proyectiles para el plomo, relacionadas con dinámicas del conflicto armado. Son necesarios estudios adicionales para afirmar la existencia de asociaciones causales.

Introduction: In the contexts of armed conflict, activities converge that can potentially produce heavy metal toxicity; including many victims of improvised explosive devices carry internalised residual shrapnel, of unknown composition and potential toxicity. This has been little studied. Objective: To describe the biological levels of lead and mercury in civilian survivors of the Bojayá massacre, their possible current exposure, as well as signs and symptoms compatible with chronic toxicity. Methodology: Descriptive observational study, serial type with 13 cases. Results: 38.46 % of the cases had blood lead levels above or close to the upper limit value, with no specific sources identified. 46.15 % had mercury levels above or close to the reference limit, and were considered environmental exposure from regional gold mining. Clinical toxicological assessment showed clinical signs and symptoms potentially associated with chronic metal toxicity. Conclusion: There was a presence of explosive ordnance residues in individuals with findings suggestive of lead or mercury toxicity, without a direct and specific relationship between the two; some cases suggest environmental exposure for mercury, and projectile exposure for lead, related to the dynamics of the armed conflict. Further studies are needed to affirm the existence of causal associations.

Introdução: Nos contextos de conflito armado, convergem atividades que podem potencialmente produzir toxicidade por metais pesados; Na verdade, muitas vítimas de dispositivos explosivos improvisados carregam lascas residuais internalizadas de composição desconhecida e potencial toxicidade. Isto tem sido pouco estudado. Objetivo: Descrever os níveis biológicos de chumbo e mercúrio em civis sobreviventes do massacre de Bojayá, sua eventual exposição atual, bem como sinais e sintomas compatíveis com toxicidade crônica. Metodologia: Estudo observacional descritivo, tipo série com 13 casos. Resultados: 38.46 % dos casos apresentaram níveis de chumbo no sangue superiores ou próximos ao valor limite superior, sem fontes específicas identificadas. 46.15 % apresentaram níveis de mercúrio superiores ou próximos ao limite de referência e são considerados exposição ambiental devido à mineração regional de ouro. A avaliação clínica toxicológica mostrou sintomas e sinais clínicos potencialmente associados à toxicidade crônica por metais. Conclusão: Houve presença de resíduos de artefatos explosivos em pessoas com achados sugestivos de toxicidade por chumbo ou mercúrio, sem que se pudesse afirmar uma relação direta e específica entre os dois aspectos; Alguns casos sugerem exposição ambiental ao mercúrio e exposição a projéteis de chumbo, relacionadas com a dinâmica do conflito armado. Estudos adicionais são necessários para confirmar a existência de associações causais.

Process Development and Research Status of Tibetan Medicine Zuotai(Mercury Preparation) / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Zuotai(mercury preparation)is considered the treasure of Tibetan medicine and is commonly referred to as the"King of Medicines".It is widely utilized in clinical practice as a core ingredient in the precious Tibetan medicine compounds,which possesses multiple therapeutic properties such as disease treatment,detoxification,health maintenance,and tonic effect.This paper conducted a comprehensive review of the classical Tibetan medical literature and recent research literature to elucidate the historical development and modern applications of the"Zuotai"concoction method.There are three main representative approaches of Zuotai concoction,including the mercury concoction method in the"Four Medical Tantras"by Udo-Yundan Pao(708-833),the concoction method in the"Mercury Concoction Classics"by Dongshun Nu Gyatso(13th century),and the mercury concoction method by Master Tsuru Tsering(1926-2004),who has imparted the Zuotai concoction process since the establishment of New China.In addition,Zuotai has been extensively studied by researchers in the fields of modern pharmacochemistry,pharmacokinetics,and toxicology.Overall,this paper provides a comprehensive review of the concoction methods of"Zuotai"in the classical Tibetan medical literature and modern pharmacological and toxicological research,so as to provide important reference value for in-depth understanding of the origin and history of"Zuotai".

Research progress on environmental heavy metal exposure during pregnancy and children's physical development level and growth trajectory / 环境与职业医学

Low-level exposure to environmental heavy metals during pregnancy is common, and the effects of such exposure on the growth and development of the fetus may continue after birth. In this paper, we reviewed the epidemiological studies on heavy metal exposure during pregnancy and children's physical development at home and abroad in recent years, focusing on the associations between four common heavy metals, namely, cadmium, mercury, lead, and arsenic, and children's physical development levels and growth trajectories. The results of existing studies showed that cadmium and mercury exposure during pregnancy was associated with early childhood obesity, lead exposure during pregnancy may lead to dual effects of childhood obesity and growth retardation, and arsenic exposure during pregnancy was associated with childhood growth retardation. At the same time, cadmium and lead exposure during pregnancy had a more significant effect on boys, and there was a sex effect. Most studies of children's growth trajectory showed that exposure to cadmium, arsenic, and lead during pregnancy was often associated with lower childhood body mass index (BMI)/weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) and height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) growth trajectories, even into adolescence, where the first trimester and the third trimester may be critical windows for cadmium and lead exposure, respectively. The results of mercury exposure during pregnancy associated with children's growth trajectories were controversial due to differences in methods for evaluating mercury exposure. In addition, there may be certain combined effects of mixed exposure to heavy metals during pregnancy on the physical growth and development of children. There is still a need to further elucidate the effects of single metal and multiple heavy metal interactions on children's physical development by combining population-based epidemiological studies with multiple sample sources and time points, and to strengthen basic research to broaden the new understanding of involved mechanisms.

Research progress on cognitive dysfunction induced by occupational noise and combined exposure to heavy metals / 中国职业医学

Exposure to occupational noise and heavy metals are common occupational hazards in workplaces. Occupational noise exposure not only leads to noise-induced hearing loss but also cognitive dysfunction. Exposure to common heavy metals such as lead, manganese, and cadmium during work is closely related to cognitive dysfunction in workers. Combined exposure to noise and heavy metals is common in workplaces. However, current research on the combined effects of exposure to occupational noise with lead or manganese on workers' cognitive function is not comprehensive or systematic. The method for cognitive dysfunction identification varies, leading to a lack of comparability. And the causality between occupational exposure and cognitive dysfunction in workers has not been clarified. Therefore, studying the cognitive dysfunction due to combined exposure to noise and common heavy metals is of great significance for workers' occupational health. In the future, it is necessary to unify the method for cognitive dysfunction identification and conduct systematic and comprehensive research on the effects, mechanisms, and combined effects of exposure to occupational noise with lead, manganese, cadmium, and other heavy metals on workers' cognitive dysfunction, to ensure the occupational health rights and interests of workers.

Heavy metal and genetic diversity studies in three populations of Snail (Achatina achatina Linnaeus, 1758) from Southwest, Nigeria / Estudos de heavy metal e diversidade genética em três populações de Snail (Achatina achatina Linnaeus, 1758) do sudoeste da Nigéria

Environmental pollutants may often alter the genetic components of natural populations. In this study, heavy metals and genetic diversity in land snail (Achatina achatina) from three populations of south-western Nigeria were investigated, using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and DNA Sequencing technology respectively. Metal analysis revealed that the snails accumulated lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) in high concentrations in two of the three states, while cadmium (Cd) was the least detected. Editing and alignment of the sequences of all snail accessions generated a range of 384bp to 419 bp. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) in all 18 accessions was low at only 16%. The query coverage (QC) ranged between 96% and 100%, with 14 (77.8%) of the 18 accessions showing 100% identity. Pairwise comparison of the accessions studied also showed a high genetic similarity. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) generated two main clusters. Cluster I was unique and contain one sample (AaOy06) while the other cluster are very closely related and can be further sub-divided into sub-clusters. The similarity index of between the clusters is 0.5357. The close similarity among the accessions may be due to the geographical proximity of the three states. The uniqueness of accession AaOy06 in comparison to other accessions might be due to the negative influence of heavy metal, particularly lead. The determination of evolutionary relationships among snail populations may be useful towards the breeding efforts of the species in Nigeria.

Os poluentes ambientais podem frequentemente alterar os componentes genéticos das populações naturais. Neste estudo, metais pesados e diversidade genética em caramujos terrestres (Achatina achatina) de três populações do sudoeste da Nigéria foram investigados, usando a tecnologia de espectrometria de absorção atômica e sequenciamento de DNA, respectivamente. A análise dos metais revelou que os caramujos acumularam chumbo (Pb) e níquel (Ni) em altas concentrações em dois dos três estados, enquanto o cádmio (Cd) foi o menos detectado. A edição e o alinhamento das sequências de todos os acessos de caramujos geraram uma faixa de 384pb a 419pb. A análise de variância molecular (AMOVA) em todos os 18 acessos foi baixa em apenas 16%. A cobertura da consulta (QC) variou entre 96% e 100%, com 14 (77,8%) dos 18 acessos apresentando 100% de identidade. A comparação pareada dos acessos estudados também mostrou alta similaridade genética. O método de grupo de pares não ponderados com média aritmética (UPGMA) gerou dois clusters principais. O cluster I era único e contém uma amostra (AaOy06), enquanto o outro cluster está intimamente relacionado e pode ser subdividido em subclusters. O índice de similaridade entre os clusters é 0,5357. A grande semelhança entre os acessos pode ser devido à proximidade geográfica dos três estados. A singularidade do acesso AaOy06 em comparação com outros acessos pode ser devido à influência negativa de metais pesados, particularmente chumbo. A determinação das relações evolutivas entre as populações de caramujos pode ser útil para os esforços de reprodução da espécie na Nigéria.

Quantitative determination of selected heavy metals and micronutrients in branded dairy products sold in Nigeria using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)

Quantitative analysis of heavy metals and nutrients in food helps indicate the safety and quality of food for final consumers. The present study was conducted to assess the presence of heavy metals (arsenic, copper, mercury, chromium, and lead) and the nutritional value of calcium in branded milk and yogurt to evaluate health risks for consumers. Ten (10) samples of branded milk and dairy products manufactured in Nigeria were purchased. The metal contents of the samples were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The concentrations of calcium in the milk samples were between 9.33 ± 0.0023 and 18 ± 0.0071 ppm and were detected in all samples. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.45 ± 0.00042 to 2.48 ± 0.00064 ppm in eight branded samples but were undetected in two samples. Chromium levels were undetected in most samples, except for two with concentrations of 0.12±0.00049 ppm and 0.23±0.00021 ppm, respectively. Copper ranged from 0.032±0.00021 ppm to 0.129±0.00021 ppm in six samples. Mercury levels were detected in six samples at a concentration of 1.0±1.0 ppm. Lead concentrations ranged from 0.15±0.00064 to 0.29±0.00028 ppm in three samples. The study found heavy metals above the ideal concentration in branded milk and dairy products in Nigeria, highlighting the need for quality control measures during production to prevent contamination.

Limitations of allometry, morphometry, and fluctuating asymmetry in detecting environmental stress caused by lead soil contamination in aphids under field conditions

ABSTRACT One of the tools used to investigate the influence of environmental contaminants and other stresses on the development of organisms is the analysis of morphometric traits used to detect changes in growth and size patterns. To evaluate the effects of the heavy metal lead (Pb) present in experimentally contaminated soil on the morphometric traits of the aphid Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) reared on cultivated Brassica oleracea L. (var. acephala), we analyzed three different metrics: morphometry, allometry, and fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Additionally, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of these analyses in detecting environmental stress. We cultivated kale plants in soil contaminated with the maximum allowable limit of Pb for local soils in Brazil, and the colonization of plants by aphids occurred naturally under field conditions. After collection, we photographed and measured the antennae, tibiae, and total body length of aphids from the control and contaminated treatments. We observed no significant differences in the allometry and morphometric analysis, and the presence of the contaminant did not result in any observed FA. The study demonstrated that the morphometric trait analyses employed were not effective in detecting environmental stress resulting from field exposure of aphids to Pb in soil, since these insects suffered a reduction in their population density in the presence of Pb, as indicated in our previous findings. This result diverges from those found in studies conducted under laboratory conditions. We discussed mechanisms of metal accumulation, detoxification in aphids, and population aspects in natural conditions.

Determination of Nickel in Selected Surface Waters of the Bonaberi Industrial Zone, Douala IV Council, Littoral Cameroon

Aims: To assess the source and level of Nickel in selected surface waters and its impact on the community of the Bonaberi industrial zone. Study Design: Cross-sectional study design that involved semi-quantitative and qualitative data collection method. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the area of Bonaberi industrial zone, Douala IV district between February 2019 to August 2020. Methodology: 25 Different surface water samples were collected from 5 sampling sites. Water samples were collected in polyethylene bottles previously washed with deionized water and rinsed with sample to be collected from different sites and acidified with 5 ml concentrated nitric acid. The contents of the metal were analyzed using Colorimetric merck microquant procedure. Two way ANOVA test and a P-value (<0.05) was considered significant. Results: Spring Water had a significant concentration of nickel in the various sites (0.06 mg/L), industrial waste (0.05 mg/L), River (0.04 mg/L), Well (0.03 mg/L), Tap waters (0.02 mg/L). Conclusion: Nickel is one of the most toxic naturally occurring metal(s) that is very dangerous to environmental sustainability when present in high concentrations. The study justifies the need to ascertain the long-term effects of Nickel contaminant(s) at waste dumping sites. Strengthening waste management systems and water quality monitoring should be implemented in the watersheds to minimize the health effects and deterioration of the aquatic ecosystem. Adequate measures should be taken to educate the community on heavy metals pollution on surface water and their effects to health and environment.

Phenylpropanoid pathway in plants and its role in response to heavy metal stress: a review / 生物工程学报

Phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway is one of the most important secondary metabolic pathways in plants. It directly or indirectly plays an antioxidant role in plant resistance to heavy metal stress, and can improve the absorption and stress tolerance of plants to heavy metal ions. In this paper, the core reactions and key enzymes of the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway were summarized, and the biosynthetic processes of key metabolites such as lignin, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins and relevant mechanisms were analyzed. Based on this, the mechanisms of key products of phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway in response to heavy metal stress were discussed. The perspectives on the involvement of phenylpropanoid metabolism in plant defense against heavy metal stress provides a theoretical basis for improving the phytoremediation efficiency of heavy metal polluted environment.

Health Impact Assessment of the Mining Industry / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

@#Health impact assessment is a means of evidence-based policy-making for improvement in health. It is a combination of methods whose aim is to assess the health consequences to a population of a policy, project, or program that does not necessarily have health as its primary objective. It is described as being “the leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision-making regarding policies, programs, plans and projects”. In recent years, much evidence was revealed that the mining, metal mining, and processing industry has a greatly impact on humans. Residing population has affected directly and indirectly influenced to the health and wellbeing of human. </br>The mining, metal mining and processing industries play an important role in the economic and social development of Mongolia. With the rapid development of the mining industry in Mongolia, environmental protection and environmental rehabilitation have become a priority. Currently, there are 27 laws governing environmental legal acts in our country, and chapter 3 of the Hygiene Law covers environmental and health impact assessment. As stated the implementation of the law shall be financed from the state and local budgets, the central state administrative organization and the Governor at the appropriate level shall order the relevant professional organizations to carry out environmental research and analysis work and to develop projects, and in addition to financing with budget funds, as well as conducting research with their funds for interested citizens, enterprises, and organizations were are arrangements to support the implementation of the laws and its regulation. </br>However, Within the scope of the Law on Environmental Protection and Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures, the negative impact on the environment is identified but in the area of health impact, it is a lack of information on how the activities are conducted, and health impact assessments are not conducted according to procedures and methods. Thus, there are need to conduct health impact assessments of the mining area and its affected population.

Research progress of epigallocatechin gallate in radiation protection / 中国辐射卫生

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a major polyphenol component in green tea. EGCG has high free radical scavenging activity, radiation protection efficiency, and metal-chelating capacity due to its unique structure with hydroxyl groups. EGCG and its derivatives have been reported in various fields. This paper reviews the effects of EGCG, including radiation protection, heavy metal ion adsorption, and promotion of heavy metal ion excretion. EGCG has the potential to be used as an ideal radiation protection agent, heavy metal adsorbent, and even excretion promoting agent.

Association between combined exposure of heavy metals and biomarkers of early renal damage in occupational population / 中国职业医学

Objective: To investigate the effect of combined exposure to four heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury) on early kidney injury in occupational population. Methods: A total of 384 workers exposed to combined heavy metals in a non-ferrous metal smelting plant in Guangdong Province were selected as the research subjects using judgment sampling method. The levels of blood lead, urinary cadmium and urinary arsenic were detacted by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, while urinary mercury levels were measured using cold atomic absorption spectroscopy (acidic tin chloride reduction method). The levels of biomarkers such as urinary β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spearman correlation analysis, linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were used to analyze the association between the exposure to the four heavy metals and early kidney injury biomarkers. Results: The median of blood lead, urinary cadmium, urinary arsenic and urinary mercury were 0.47 μmol/L and 4.450, 27.790 and 0.520 μg/gCr, respectively. The median of urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL were 62.960, 1.130 and 18.150 μg/gCr, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis showed that urinary levels of β2-MG, Kim-1, and NGAL were weakly correlated with blood lead and urinary mercury levels (all P<0.01), but not correlated with urinary cadmium and urinary arsenic (all P>0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that urinary mercury was positively correlated with urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL (all P<0.01), urinary arsenic was positively correlated with urinary β2-MG level (P<0.01), and blood lead was negatively correlated with urinary β2-MG and Kim-1 (all P<0.05). The WQS regression analysis showed that the combined effect of the four heavy metals was positively correlated with urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL (all P<0.01), with mercury having the highest impact and lead the lowest. BKMR model analysis showed the increasing trend in urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL with the increasing levels of the combined exposure to the four heavy metals. Urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL decreased when urinary mercury level increased from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile and the other metals were correspondingly fixed at a certain level. When the blood exposure levels of other metals remained at the corresponding median levels, urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL levels were positively correlated with urinary arsenic level, but no significant linear dose-response relationship was observed with the other three heavy metals. Conclusion: sLead, arsenic, and mercury are independently associated with early kidney injury biomarkers in occupational population from non-ferrous metal smelting. The four heavy metals had positive combined effects on urinary β2-MG, Kim-1 and NGAL, with mercury having the greatest impact.

Cholesterol reduction and heavy metal assimilation characteristics of Pediococcus pentosaceus strains isolated from pickle and moor-kuzhambu

Aims@#Consumption of fermented foods are known to provide various health benefits. The present study was aimed to isolate novel potent probiotic strains from the homemade fermented Indian recipe Moor Kuzhambu and Pickle and its characterization to elucidate the efficacy of isolate in cholesterol and heavy metal reduction. @*Methodology and results@#Cultures isolated from Pickle (CK2) and Moor Kuzhambu (CK3) were identified as different strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus using the 16S rDNA sequence-based bacterial identification method. The study analysed the survival of probiotic strains under the influence of various chemical and natural stimulants.The isolated strains exhibited tolerance to gastric juice and were able to exhibit a broad range of tolerance to varying temperatures, pH, NaCl, solvent, phenol, trypsin and artificial gastric juice. Microencapsulation studies were conducted using alginate and chitosan to increase the shelf life of the isolated probiotic. Preliminary analysis regarding cell surface studies such as autoaggregation, co-aggregations and cell surface hydrophobicity determined the ability of the strains to aggregate on to intestinal cell surface and manifest competitive pathogen displacement.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#Remarkable biofilm reduction of 48% to 80% was observed in the probiotic-supplemented samples. Similarly, a reduction of 80% to 85% free cholesterol was noted in cholesterol assimilation assays and heavy metal (Cu+, Pb+, Zn+ and Fe+) assimilation ability was observed. Further studies are required to characterize the nature of the secretory products and their mode of action in the survival and immune enhancement in animal models.

Relationship between mixed exposure to heavy metals and seminal fructose in men of childbearing age / 环境与职业医学

Background The human body is usually exposed to a variety of heavy metals at the same time, and different types and concentrations of heavy metals may have complex interactions during their absorption and metabolism in the human body. Seminal fructose is an important energy source for sperm movement. A large number of studies have shown that metal exposure may impair semen quality, and seminal fructose is an important factor affecting male reproduction, so it is necessary to investigate the relationship between mixed heavy metal exposure and seminal fructose to explore the mechanism of semen quality damage caused by metal exposure. Objective To understand the status of common heavy metal exposure in men of childbearing age in Puyang City, Henan Province, and to study the relationship between mixed exposure to heavy metals and seminal fructose, as well as potential interactions among heavy metals. Methods Volunteers were recruited from the Puyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital Reproductive Center for a cross-sectional survey on general demographic characteristics, smoking, alcohol consumption, and other information. Semen samples were collected to detect 12 metals such as vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), barium (Ba), thallium (Tl), iron (Fe), and lead (Pb) in seminal plasma and seminal fructose. After correcting for selected confounding factors, a Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model was used to evaluate the impact of seminal plasma heavy metal mixed exposure and its interactions on seminal fructose. Results A total of 825 adult males were enrolled. The concentrations in M (P25, P75) of V, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Se, Ag, Cd, Ba, Tl, Fe, and Pb in seminal plasma were 0.39 (0.28, 0.54), 12.31 (8.92, 17.52), 0.26 (0.18, 0.38), 5.15 (3.32, 8.64), 182159.80 (121847.80, 199144.50), 13.61 (10.55, 17.68), 0.03 (0.02, 0.04), 0.34 (0.27, 0.46), 8.64 (5.94, 13.43), 0.06 (0.05, 0.08), 168.74 (114.17, 259.45), and 1.69 (1.15, 2.36) μg·L−1 respectively. The Spearman correlation results indicated that there was a negative correlation between V, Mn, Co, Zn, Se, Ba, Tl, or Fe in seminal plasma and seminal fructose (P<0.05), and the values of r (95%CI) were −0.044 (−0.087, −0.001), −0.129 (−0.171, −0.087), −0.055 (−0.099, −0.012), −0.099 (−0.143, −0.056), −0.053 (−0.097, −0.010), −0.068 (−0.111, −0.025), −0.095 (−0.138, −0.052), and −0.082 (−0.125, −0.039), respectively. The results of multiple linear regression indicated that there was a negative correlation between the exposure level of Cd, Mn, Zn, Ag, Ba, Tl, or Fe in seminal plasma and seminal fructose (P<0.05), the values of associated β (95%CI) were −0.551 (−0.956, −0.147), −0.315 (−0.419, −0.212), −0.187 (−0.272, −0.103), −0.161 (−0.301, −0.021), −0.188 (−0.314, −0.062), −1.159 (−2.170, −0.147), and −0.153 (−0.230, −0.076), respectively. The BKMR model analysis showed that seminal fructose level decreased with the increase of plasma metal mixed exposure concentration. Compared with all metal exposure at P50, the seminal fructose level decreased by 0.2374 units when all metal exposure was at P75. Seminal plasma Zn [posterior inclusion probabilities (PIPs)=1.0000] had the strongest effect on seminal fructose, followed by Mn (PIPs=0.5872), Se (PIPs=0.5656), and Ba (PIPs=0.5398). The univariate exposure-response curve showed a negative approximate linear correlations between Ba or Mn and seminal fructose, a positive linear correlation between Se and seminal fructose, and an approximate inverted U-shaped association between Zn and seminal fructose. No significant interaction between studied metals was found. Conclusion Mixed metal exposure may lead to decrease of seminal fructose, in which Zn, Mn, Se, and Ba may play an important role. Mn and Zn exposure may reduce the level of seminal fructose, Se may increase the level of seminal fructose, and there may be a threshold effect between Zn exposure and seminal fructose level. No interaction between different metals on seminal fructose is found.

Characteristics and source analysis of heavy metal pollution in environment in Guizhou Province / 环境与职业医学

Heavy metal pollution poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. Guizhou is a province with apparent regional features of heavy metal pollution such as lead, zinc, mercury, and arsenic in agriculture and mining soils. The coefficient of variation results showed that heavy metal pollution in the soils of agricultural planting areas and mine caves was closely related to human activities, and arsenic and zinc were greatly affected by human activities. In the water environment, mercury pollution presents in mine cave water samples, and cadmium, mercury, and lead pollution present in scenic park water samples. The results of single-factor pollution index showed that mercury in mine cave water samples and cadmium, mercury, and lead in scenic park water samples were graded as severe pollution. The results of Nemero pollution index showed the highest comprehensive pollution level of heavy metals was in scenic park water samples. In atmospheric dust fall, cadmium, mercury, lead are the most prominent pollution. Potential risks to ecological environment were identified for cadmium and mercury in all study areas and lead in other areas outside Wanshan. The results of integrated potential ecological risk index indicated a high-risk level of heavy metal pollution in atmospheric dust fall in the current study area. At present, the heavy metal pollutants in the environment of Guizhou are mainly originated from natural factors such as geological background content and soil-forming parent material, and human activities such as mining, metal smelting, agricultural activities, and sewage irrigation. The analysis showed serious heavy metal pollution in the environment of Guizhou, which caused harm to the local environment. It is crucial that environmental protection measures be taken during human activities.

Bidirectional interaction between heavy metals and intestinal microorganisms / 环境与职业医学

There is a bidirectional interactive relationship between heavy metals and intestinal microorganisms. Single exposure to common heavy metals (Cd, Cr, As, Pb, etc.) may cause intestinal microecological damage and related diseases by losing the diversity and relative abundance of intestinal microorganisms. However, heavy metals in the environment are usually mixed exposure and an overall toxic effect is presented. Published studies have suggested a synergistic effect between most heavy metals, so the impact of mixed exposure on intestinal microorganisms is expected to be more significant than that of single exposure. Intestinal microorganisms are the first line of defense against heavy metals entering the body, and can reduce inflammation and oxidation caused by heavy metals via changing protein synthesis, intestinal PH, enzyme activity, etc. At the same time, the colonization of oral probiotics in the intestinal tract has a significant detoxification effect on heavy metals entering the body through synergy with intestinal microorganisms, which can promote the elimination of heavy metals, reduce the production of oxides and inflammatory mediators, reverse the changes in the relative abundance of intestinal microorganisms, and then reduce the damage of heavy metals to intestinal microecology. Therefore, probiotics may have better prospects than traditional heavy metal antidotes. In the future, more in-depth research on the mechanism of bidirectional interactive relationship between heavy metals and intestinal microorganisms is needed to provide new ideas for clinical heavy metal detoxification.

Analysis of the of Pb, Cd and As in decoction of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. by PBET digestion in vitro/Caco-2 cell model and their cumulative risk assessment / 药学学报

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to determine the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. The physiologically based extraction test (PBET) digestion in vitro/Caco-2 cell model was established to investigate the bioaccessible contents of Pb, Cd and As in decoction of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. The target-organ toxicity dose modification of HI method (TTD) was used to evaluate the cumulative risk caused by the combined exposure of the total levels of Pb, Cd and As in Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. and the bioaccessible contents in the decoction. The results showed that the total contents of Pb, Cd and As in 4 batches of samples were in the range of 2.901-3.872, 1.299-1.800 and 0.062-0.216 mg·kg-1, respectively. After transportation by Cacco-2 cells, the bioaccessible contents of Pb, Cd, and As in the decoction were in the range of 0.045-0.080, 0.070-0.112 and 0.004-0.018 mg·kg-1. The results of risk assessment showed that calculated by the total amounts of heavy metals in the Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm., for the end points of nervous system, the cumulative risks of co-exposure of heavy metals in 3 batches of samples were of concern. After decoction and transportation by Caco-2 cells, for the end points of cardiovascular system, blood, nervous system, kidney and testis, the TTD modification of HI values of all batches of samples were less than 1, and the health risks were acceptable. The study provided methodology basis for a more objective assessment of the health risks of heavy metals and harmful elements in traditional Chinese medicine and for a more scientific limit standard of heavy metals and harmful elements.

Health risk and spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metal exposure in typical abandoned mining area in Liuzhou, Guangxi / 环境与职业医学

Background Exposure to heavy metals has potential adverse impacts on human health, and the concentration of heavy metals in abandoned mining areas may still be higher than that in general areas, so the health risk assessment in such areas cannot be ignored. Objective To explore the health risk of heavy metal exposure and the spatial distribution characteristics of associated main metals in a typical abandoned mining area. Methods Environmental samples of irrigated soil, rice, and drinking water were collected from 13 natural villages under the jurisdiction of a township in Liuzhou, Guangxi from November to December 2019, where a typical abandoned mining was located. Finally, 13 irrigation soil samples, 11 rice samples, and 13 drinking water samples were collected. The concentrations of six metals and metalloid elements in each environmental sample were detected by inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), including cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). At the same time, 251 local residents were recruited for health risk assessment. Model parameters such as body weight, rice intake, and drinking water intake of local residents were obtained through field survey, and the median metal concentration of each environmental sample was taken as the risk assessment parameter of the region. The health risk of heavy metal exposure of local residents was assessed by using oral health risk assessment model of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The spatial distribution characteristics of health risks associated with heavy metals were evaluated by empirical Bayes interpolation method using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. Results The positive rates of Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn in the irrigated soil samples were 100.00%. The positive rate of Pb was 63.64% in the rice samples, while the rates of other metals were 100.00%. The positive rates of Cd, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn in the drinking water samples were 53.85%, 76.92%, 92.31%, 15.38%, 84.62%, and 100.00%, respectively. The results of non-carcinogenic risk assessment of oral exposure to heavy metals suggested that the contribution of heavy metals causing non-carcinogenic risk from high to low was As (70.52%) > Cd (18.03%) > Zn (6.63%) > Cu (4.12%) > Pb (0.64%) > Cr (0.06%), and the corresponding estimated non-carcinogenic risk values were 3.54 × 100, 9.05 × 10−1, 3.33 × 10−1, 2.07 × 10−1, 3.23 × 10−2, and 5.42 × 10−4, respectively. The results of carcinogenic risk assessment of oral exposure to heavy metals suggested that the contribution of studied metals from high to low was Cd (87.00%) > As (10.24%) > Cr (2.60%) > Pb (0.16%), and the estimated carcinogenic risks were 4.35× 10−3, 5.12 × 10−4, 1.30 × 10−4, and 3.08 × 10−7, respectively. Rice was the leading media associated with non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk (99.4% and 99.8% respectively). The spatial distribution characteristics of GIS showed no obvious regularity in the distribution of As in irrigated soil, rice, and drinking water. In rice and irrigated soil, the content of Cd in the villages adjacent to the mining area was obviously higher than that in the other villages, while in drinking water, the content in the villages far away from the mining area was higher. Conclusion As and Cd are the main heavy metals that increase the health risk of local residents in a typical abandoned mining area, and the distribution characteristics of the two heavy metals in different environmental media are not completely consistent.

Nickel contamination status in food and dietary exposure assessment: a review / 预防医学

Abstract@#With the rapid development of emerging industries and industrialization in China, soil nickel contamination has become a serious concern, with food being the primary source of nickel exposure to the human body. The level of nickel contamination in food is gennerally higher in developed regions of China. Among different food categories, grains, legumes and aquatic products exhibit relatively higher nickel content and detection rates. Currently in China, the methods for studying nickel dietary exposure risk are relatively conservative, primarily employing point assessment, simple distribution and probability assessment to calculate daily exposure levels among residents and quantifying cumulative exposure risks using the hazard index method. It is found that there is still a certain risk of dietary nickel among residents with younger age groups and under extreme conditions of high consumption or high pollution. Additionally, the cancer risk among the rural population is higher than that among the urban population. This article reviews the research progress on the current status of nickel contamination in Chinese food and the assessment of dietary exposure risk for residents, based on literature from databases such as CNKI and PubMed up to 2023, aiming at providing a reference for future research into nickel exposure and risk assessment in food.

Chemical and microbiological properties of Lake Aygir in Turkey and usage of drinking, fisheries, and irrigation / Propriedades químicas e microbiológicas do lago Aygir na Turquia e uso de bebidas, pescarias e irrigação

Abstract Since water is one of the essentials for life, the presence and quality of water in the habitat is extremely important. Therefore, water quality change and management of Lake Aygır was investigated in this study. For this, water samples collected from the lake and the irrigation pool between May 2015 and May 2016 were analyzed monthly. Spectrophotometric, titrimetric and microbiological methods were used to determine the water quality. According to some water quality regulations, HCO3, NH4, Cu, Mo, Br, fecal coliform and total suspended solid (TSS) values were found above the limit values. The other 29 parameters comply with Turkish national and international legislations. Lake Aygır was negatively affected by the surrounding settlements and agricultural activities. It is thought that the water resource should be monitored periodically and remedial studies should be done to prevent parameters exceeding the limits. However, Lake Aygır was generally suitable for drinking, use, fishing and irrigation.

Resumo Como a água é um dos elementos essenciais para a vida, a presença e a qualidade da água no habitat são extremamente importantes. Portanto, a mudança da qualidade da água e a gestão do lago Aygır foram investigadas neste estudo. Para isso, amostras de água coletadas no lago e na piscina de irrigação entre maio de 2015 e maio de 2016 foram analisadas mensalmente. Métodos espectrofotométricos, titulométricos e microbiológicos foram usados para determinar a qualidade da água. De acordo com alguns regulamentos de qualidade da água, os valores de HCO3, NH4, Cu, Mo, Br, coliformes fecais e total sólido suspenso (TSS) foram encontrados acima dos valores limite. Os outros 29 parâmetros estão em conformidade com as legislações nacionais e internacionais turcas. O lago Aygır foi afetado negativamente pelos assentamentos e atividades agrícolas ao redor. Pensa-se que o recurso hídrico deve ser monitorado periodicamente e estudos corretivos devem ser feitos para evitar que os parâmetros ultrapassem os limites. No entanto, o lago Aygır era geralmente adequado para beber, usar, pescar e irrigar.