Elucidating the Environmental and Health Risks of Trace Element Pollution in Red Sea Fish from Nuweiba City, Aqaba Gulf, Egypt.

Trace element bioaccumulation in marine organisms is a rising international issue due to possible health concerns for humans. Thirteen trace elements were analyzed in the sediment, water, and muscular tissue of Red Sea fish. Additionally, the average daily intake (EDI), the cancer risk (CR), the hazard index (HI), and the target hazard quotient (THQ) of those elements have been taken into consideration when evaluating any possible health concerns related to their consumption. All species presented quantifiable values in muscle for all the analyzed elements (arsenic (As), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), boron (B), iron (Fe), barium (Ba), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg), except for Cd and Hg, being Fe and Zn the most accumulated elements in all species. Conversely, in water samples, most elements were undeleted except for aluminum, boron, iron, and zinc. All Red Sea fish, however, had concentrations of Zn, Ni, Fe, Cu, and Mn below the upper limit allowed, although most species had higher levels of As, Cr, and Pb (0.48 ± 0.83-5.10 ± 0.79, 1.97 ± 0.46-5.25 ± 0.67 and 2.12 ± 1.01-6.83 ± 0.93 µg/g, respectively).The studied Red Sea fish showed contamination degrees (CD) of Mn, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Pb were ≤ 1, indicating minimal contamination, with As and Cr showing higher contamination degrees. However, the pollution index values (MPI-elements) can be represented according to ascending order: Lethrinus ramak < Cephalopholis hemistiktos < Pagellus affinis < Trachurus japonicus < Cheilinus lunulatus < Siganus luridus < Parupeneus forsskali < Caesio suevica. The study found that edible tissues are safe for human consumption, with HI values for children and adults less than ten, indicating negligible non-cancer hazards. However, fish consumption presents health risks due to chromium, lead, and arsenic, with THQ values several times greater than 1, and CR-Ni, CR-Cr, and CR-As values exceeding the acceptable 10-4 value in all studied species. This study provides critical insights into trace element contamination in marine fish species, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and proactive measures to ensure safe marine fish consumption in the Aqaba Gulf.

Safety improvement of the open sun dried Egyptian Siwi dates using closed solar dryer.

Egyptian Siwi dates dried using the open sun drying is exposed to different contaminants. So, the current study aims to use the closed solar dryer to improve Siwi date safety. The impact of washing and closed solar drying on the levels of microbial load, aflatoxins and heavy metals in Egyptian Siwi dates (ESD), in comparison to traditional open sun drying methods were examined. Two different drying techniques were employed to dry 300 kg of ESD. The microbial load was assessed following the two drying procedures. The levels of aflatoxins and heavy metals were analyzed using High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) techniques, respectively, after both drying methods. Additionally, the influence of storage time on the microbial load of the ESD was also evaluated using standard methods. The findings of the current study demonstrated that the closed solar drying significantly reduced the total bacterial and fungal counts by 96 % and 93 %, respectively, when compared to open sun-drying. No aflatoxins were detected in both fresh Siwi dates and Siwi dates dried using closed solar drying. However, after open sun drying, two aflatoxins; aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), were detected in the ESD, with concentrations of 0.95 and 0.23 µg kg-1, respectively. The closed solar drying significantly decreased the levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) in the dried dates by 96 %, 94 %, 48 %, 71 %, 64 %, 4 %, 26 %, and 7 %, respectively, when compared to open sun drying. The stored Siwi dates that was exposed to the open sun drying showed a higher increase in bacterial (4.86 log CFU/g) and fungal (4.46 log CFU/g) counts. However, the stored Siwi dates that was exposed to the closed solar dryer showed a lower increase in bacterial (3.21 log CFU/g) and fungal (2.51 log CFU/g) counts. So, the duration of storage significantly impacted the microbial loads of the closed solar dried dates as compared to open sun drying. Overall, closed solar drying reduced the levels of investigated contaminants and extended the shelf life of ESD, thereby enhancing their safety for human consumption.

Biosorption of Uranium from aqueous solution by green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana.

Uranium and its compounds are radioactive and toxic, as well as highly polluting and damaging the environment. Novel uranium adsorbents with high biosorption capacity that are both eco-friendly and cost-effective are continuously being researched. The non-living biomass of the fresh water green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana was used to study the biosorption of uranium from aqueous solution. The biosorption of uranium from aqueous solutions onto the biomass of microalga C. sorokiniana was investigated in batch studies. The results showed that the optimal pH for uranium biosorption onto C. sorokiniana was 2.5. Uranium biosorption occurred quickly, with an equilibrium time of 90 min. The kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order rate equation, and the biosorption process fit the Langmuir isotherm model well, with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 188.7 mg/g. The linear plot of the DKR model revealed that the mean free energy E = 14.8 kJ/mol, confirming chemisorption adsorption with ion exchange mode. The morphology of the algal biomass was investigated using a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The FTIR spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that functional groups (carboxyl, amino, and hydroxyl) on the algal surface could contribute to the uranium biosorption process, which involves ion exchange and uranium absorption, and coordination mechanisms. Thermodynamic simulations indicated that the uranium biosorption process was exothermic (ΔH = -19.5562 kJ/mol) and spontaneous at lower temperatures. The current study revealed that C. sorokiniana non-living biomass could be an efficient, rapid, low-cost, and convenient method of removing uranium from aqueous solution.

Nanocarbon hybrid for simultaneous removal of arsenic, iron and manganese ions from aqueous solutions.

Heavy metal contamination is a severe problem with serious ecological and human health effects due to its toxic effect and tendency to accumulate throughout the food chain. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the simultaneous removal of arsenic, iron and manganese ions from aqueous solutions using Nanocarbon hybrid (NCH). Nanocarbon hybrid (NCH) of carbon xerogel decorated with 1wt% multi-walled carbon nanotubes was prepared by carbonization at 850 °C for 2 h. The TEM, SEM, EDX, FTIR, and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements were used to characterize the prepared NCH. NCH is enriched with surface oxygen functional groups and micropores as well as it have total surface area of 162 m2/g and total pore volume of 0.129 cm3/g. The adsorption of metal ions onto NCH, which confirmed by EDX, happened quickly, with 30%, 97%, and 41% of As, Fe, and Mn adsorbed in less than 10 min, however the equilibrium time was achieved in less than 30 min. The maximum adsorption capacities for As, Fe, and Mn ions onto NCH were 20, 48, and 21 mg/g, respectively. The experimental adsorption results of the three metal ions showed linearly fitting with Freundlich isotherms. In addition, the computed adsorption energies for Fe, Mn, and As ions were 4.08, 1.95, and 2.42 kJ/mol, indicating physical adsorption. NCH are easily regenerated and reusable sorbent owing to the adsorption-desorption studies. Conclusively, NCH is promising material for removing mixture of metal ions from aqueous media.

Effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation (Cuminum cyminum) on bacterial susceptibility of diabetes-induced rats.

Diabetic patients are at risk of acquiring infections. Chronic low-grade inflammation is an important factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic complication. Diabetes causes generation of reactive oxygen species that increases oxidative stress, which may play a role in the development of complications as immune-deficiency and bacterial infection. The study aimed to investigate the role of a natural antioxidant, cumin, in the improvement of immune functions in diabetes. Diabetes was achieved by interperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Bacterial infection was induced by application of Staphylococcus aureus suspension to a wound in the back of rats. The antioxidant was administered for 6 weeks. Results revealed a decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats (p < 0.001), in addition to improving immune functions by decreasing total IgE approaching to the normal control level. Also, inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF) levels, as well as total blood count decreased in diabetic rats as compared to the control group. Thus, cumin may serve as anti-diabetic treatment and may help in attenuating diabetic complications by improving immune functions. Therefore, a medical dietary antioxidant supplementation is important to improve the immune functions in diabetes.