Spatial distribution and health risks assessment of heavy metals in e-waste dumping sites from Pakistan.

The present study focused on to determine the concentration and health risk of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Hg, Cr) in e-waste contaminated soils collected from different provinces of Pakistan. Further, the impact of heavy metals on soil enzyme activities and microbial community was also investigated. The concentration (mg/kg) of Hg, Zn, Fe, Cu, Pb, Cd, and Cr ranged between 0-0.258, 2.284-6.587, 3.005-40.72, 8.67-36.88, 12.05-35.03, 1.03-2.43, and 33.13-60.05, respectively. The results revealed that Lahore site of Punjab province indicated more concentration of heavy metals as compared to other sites. The level of Cr at all sites whereas Hg at only two sites exceeds the World Health Organization standards (WHO) for soil. Soil enzyme activity exhibited dynamic trend among the sites. Maximum enzyme activity was observed for urease followed by phosphatase and catalase. Contamination factor (Cf), Pollution load index (PLI), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) results showed that all the sites are highly contaminated with Cu, Cd, and Pb. Hazard index (HI) was less than 1 for children and adults suggesting non-carcinogenic health risk. Principle component analysis results depicted relation among Cr, Fr, catalase, and actinomycetes; Cd, OM, urease, and bacteria, and Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg, and phosphatase, suggesting soil enzymes and microbial community profiles were influenced by e-waste pollution. Therefore, there is a dire need to introduce sustainable e-waste recycling techniques as well as to make stringent e-waste management policies to reduce further environmental contamination.

Evaluating aflatoxins and Sudan dyes contamination in red chili and turmeric and its health impacts on consumer safety of Lahore, Pakistan.

Spices are contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs) and Sudan dyes which are classified as class Group 1 and Group 3 human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) respectively and their prolonged exposure may raise a human health concern. A total of 474 samples of red chili and turmeric were collected from Lahore city and were subjected to quantitative and qualitative AFs and Sudan dyes analysis by thin layer chromatography (TLC) respectively. The number of red chili and turmeric samples with ≥10 µg/kg of total AFs (European Union standard limit) were 70% and 33% respectively and considered unfit for human consumption. The presence of Sudan dyes in red chili and turmeric samples was 67% and 27% respectively. The mean estimated daily intake (EDI) among females and males was 0.0019 µg/kg bw/day, 0.0012 µg/kg bw/day for red chili, and 0.0008 µg/kg bw/day, 0.0006 µg/kg bw/day for turmeric respectively. The mean value of margin of exposure (MOE) among females and males for ingestion of AFs-contaminated red chili and turmeric was 210.25, 332.13, 501.02, and 699.31 respectively. Therefore, the current study demands a continuous monitoring plan and the implementation of novel techniques to enhance the product's quality and protect public health.

Geochemical distribution and environmental risk assessment of trace metals in groundwater released from e-waste management activities in Lahore, Pakistan.

Non-sustainable e-waste recycling and dumping activities release trace metals into the ambient environment where they may threaten the biological communities and human health. A total of 45 groundwater and 21 leachate samples were collected from seven recycling, seven dumping, and one reference site in Lahore, Pakistan, and analyzed for Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, and Fe in atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Comparing the results with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards of drinking water, only the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe at all sites were found to be within the permissible limits, i.e., 2, 3, 0.5, and 1 mg/L, respectively. In leachates, only Cd and Mn at one site (0.204 and 8.636 mg/L, respectively) exceeded the allowable limits of National Environmental Quality Standards of Municipal and Liquid industrial effluents. Geo-accumulation index, contamination factor, contamination degree, and pollution load index values showed no to moderate contamination. The ecological risk index did not exceed 150, depicting low risk to nearby biological communities. The non-carcinogenic health risk assessment showed a hazard index value greater than 1 at all sites for children (2.04) and adults (1.52), with Pb being the major contributor to adverse health impacts via ingestion and dermal route. Children (1.21 × 10-4) were at a more significant threat of carcinogenic risk from Pb and Cd as compared to adults (8.10 × 10-5). Therefore, there is a dire need to introduce sustainable e-waste recycling and managing techniques to reduce further groundwater contamination via the percolation of trace metals and to reduce the current contamination level.

Evaluation and environmental risk assessment of heavy metals in the soil released from e-waste management activities in Lahore, Pakistan.

In developing regions, electronic waste either gets recycled by using crude and primitive techniques in recycling centers or dumped in dumping grounds that result in the leaching of heavy metals into the ambient environment. The objective of this study is to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, and Fe) in the surface soil of recycling centers and dumping sites in Lahore, Pakistan, and to quantify and compare the environmental risk. The mean concentration (mg/kg) of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd was 722.96, 446.81, 378.76, and 4.11, respectively in the surface soil of recycling centers, and only the mean concentration of Cu (214.09 mg/kg) from dumping sites were above permissible limits of World Health Organization. Results of the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and contamination factor (Cf) revealed that the surface soil is highly contaminated with Cu, Pb, and Cd. The Cd content (701.24) caused a very high potential ecological risk (Er) (> 320) to nearby biological communities. The noncarcinogenic risk was only expected from Pb to children (1.70) living near recycling centers, whereas no risk was observed for adults living either near recycling centers (0.23) or dumping sites (0.01). There is a high probability of carcinogenic health risks to children (1.085 × 10-2) and adults (1.195 × 10-3) from Cu. Hence, all the results suggest that e-waste recycling and dumping activities were a significant source of heavy metals to the surrounding environment, children, and adults, so it is strongly recommended to take action for sustainable management of e-waste.

Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome Presenting With Anemia: A Case Report.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominant condition characterized by hamartomatous polyps, primarily in the gastrointestinal tract and mucocutaneous pigmented macules. PJS patients are at an increased lifetime risk of malignancies and complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding from polyposis. Routine screening is critical in patients diagnosed with PJS in order to avoid complications. We report a case of a 30-year-old female with PJS who had no family history presenting acutely due to gastrointestinal bleeding and poor surveillance of her condition.

Methylphenidate treatment for cognitive symptoms associated with ADHD in a pediatric epilepsy patient following resection of a left frontal cortical dysplasia.

We present data on a 10-year-old patient with drug-resistant epilepsy who was treated with methylphenidate for symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that developed after she underwent surgical resection of a left frontal cortical dysplasia. . The patient's parents reported methylphenidate was helpful in improving their child's reading performance. Based on parents' report, we examined benefits of methylphenidate on our patient's cognitive problems in a controlled setting. The patient underwent a neuropsychological evaluation completed in three sessions over a five-day period. Methylphenidate was administered prior to the second testing session only and was associated with improvements in the patient's attention, executive function, processing speed, and short-term memory performances. In comparison, word-reading performance, a task less susceptible to neurological impairment, was stable over the three sessions. The patient remained seizure-free after surgery and use of methylphenidate did not reduce seizure threshold. These findings support the use of methylphenidate in treating targeted cognitive problems associated with ADHD emerging after epilepsy surgery in children.

Patients' satisfaction and spectacle independence after cataract surgery with multifocal intraocular lens implantation in a tertiary care hospital.

This single group cohort study, undertaken at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from Jan 2012 to September 2013, assessed patients' satisfaction, spectacle independence and visual disturbance after implantation of multifocal IOLs. A total of 39 patients who underwent bilateral cataract surgery with multifocal IOL implantation were included for telephonic interviews. The mean age of participants was 55.5 ± 8.1 years. The mean follow up time was 9.60 ± 3.19 months. The overall satisfaction rate after surgery was found to be 84.6% and there was no statistically significant association of satisfaction with gender, age or education. In all 84.6%, 94.9% and 84.6% people had spectacle independence for far, intermediate and near, respectively. More than half of participants (59%) had some degree of visual disturbance. In this study, multifocal IOL implantation provided high levels of satisfaction and spectacle independence despite notable risk of halo or glare symptoms at night. Therefore, careful patient selection and preoperative counselling regarding possible risks and benefits is recommended.