Blood Lead Levels in Females of Childbearing Age in Flint, Michigan, and the Water Crisis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare blood lead levels in females of childbearing age, 12-50 years, living within and adjacent to Flint, Michigan, before, during, and after the Flint River water exposure and compare the levels to those that have been shown to cause fetal loss and preterm birth. METHODS: The switch in the community water source to the Flint River occurred on April 25, 2014, and was reverted to the original source on October 15, 2015. Using a retrospective cross-sectional study design using geocoded blood lead levels obtained from all females of childbearing age available from a single hospital database, we compared blood lead levels for the following 18-month time periods: April 25, 2012-October 15, 2013 (PRE), April 25, 2014-October 15, 2015 (DURING), and April 25, 2016-October 15, 2017 (POST). RESULTS: Results are reported as geometric mean (95% CI). Within Flint, PRE blood lead levels in females of childbearing age were 0.69 micrograms/dL (95% CI 0.63-0.75), DURING blood lead levels were 0.65 micrograms/dL (95% CI 0.60-0.71), and POST blood lead levels were 0.55 micrograms/dL (95% CI 0.54-0.56). DURING Flint River water exposure blood lead levels were not significantly different than the PRE Flint River water time period. POST Flint River water exposure blood lead levels were significantly lower than both PRE and DURING levels. Overall, lower blood lead levels were found outside the Flint boundary in all cohorts. CONCLUSION: Blood lead levels in Flint females of childbearing age did not increase during the Flint River water exposure and subsequent 18-month time period. Mean blood lead levels during the Flint River water exposure are not consistent with the markedly higher blood lead levels reported in the literature to be associated with fetal loss, low birth weight, or preterm birth.

A 30-year monitoring of changes in coral community structure following anthropogenic disturbances in Tolo Harbour and Channel, Hong Kong.

Coral communities in Tolo Harbour and Channel, northeastern Hong Kong, suffered from tremendous degradations in 1980s due to excessive sewage pollutions. This study examined changes in coral community structures over the last 30 years including period before, at the height of and after implementation of abatement measures of pollution impacts. Signs of coral degradations finally stopped in inner harbour and some corals started to reappear, likely due to sewage export scheme since 1998. Yet, the coral cover remained very low (<2%) in 2012. Natural recovery is limited by very low coral recruitment success other than that of Oulastrea crispata. The outer coral communities, which suffered least in 1980s, continued to decline, possibly due to new biological disturbances like sea urchin predation and bioerosion. This long-term study clearly revealed how coral communities could so easily be destroyed and yet natural recovery could be so difficult and unlikely.

Historical Records and Source Apportionment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Over the Past 100 Years in Dianchi Lake, a Plateau Lake in Southwest China.

Two sediment cores were collected from Dianchi Lake, a plateau lake in Southwest China, to study the temporal trends and to investigate the sources of sedimentary deposited polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. The ΣPAH16 concentration in the two sediment cores ranged from 172.5 to 2244.8 ng/g and from 211.4 to 1777.8 ng/g, with mean values of 1106.2 and 865.1 ng/g, respectively. Three temporal trends for the ΣPAH16 concentration and the composition of PAHs in Dianchi Lake all showed three typical changing stages: (1) slight changes in deeper segments before the 1950s; (2) a rapid increase in PAH concentrations between the 1960s and 1990s; and (3) a slight reduction from the 1990s onward. These trends differ from those observed in developed countries due to differences in the timing of industrialization and urbanization processes. According to the results of the molecular ratios and principal component analysis, the PAH deposition was dominated by coal combustion, wood combustion, and vehicle emissions before and after the 1960s, respectively.

Historical legacies of river pollution reconstructed from fish scales.

Many rivers have been impacted by heavy metal pollution in the past but the long-term legacies on biodiversity are difficult to estimate. The River Ulla (NW Spain) was impacted by tailings from a copper mine during the 1970-1980s but absence of baseline values and lack of subsequent monitoring have prevented a full impact assessment. We used archived fish scales of Atlantic salmon to reconstruct levels of historical copper pollution and its effects on salmon fitness. Copper bioaccumulation significantly increased over baseline values during the operation of the mine, reaching sublethal levels for salmon survival. Juvenile growth and relative population abundance decreased during mining, but no such effects were observed in a neighbouring river unaffected by mining. Our results indicate that historical copper exposure has probably compromised the fitness of this Atlantic salmon population to the present day, and that fish scales are suitable biomarkers of past river pollution.

Luiz Rau creek and the city of Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul / O arroio Luiz Rau e a cidade de Novo Hamburgo/RS

This article presents a reflection on the past and current history, uses, and significance of the Luiz Rau creek to the municipality of Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul. Its waters have always been important to the region, quenching the thirst of the local population and their livestock and providing venues for shared social interactions, but also as a destination for municipal industrial and household waste, which has polluted the waters of the creek. Our primary objective is to present and discuss these aspects with the purpose of elucidating the historical importance of this watercourse to the city of Novo Hamburgo. Toward that end, we conducted an exploratory survey to obtain the necessary inputs for such a discussion. We also employed texts from the now-defunct Jornal 5 de Abril and from Jornal NH, the highest-circulating newspaper in the region, to illustrate some situations experienced by the community. We found that municipal waste continues to be dumped into the creek, which has made it rather unloved by the local residents, but it remains firmly present in their daily lives.

Resumo Este artigo apresenta uma reflexão a respeito da história, dos usos e dos significados que o Arroio Luiz Rau teve/tem para o município de Novo Hamburgo. Suas águas, desde sempre tiveram grande importância para a região, pois serviram para suprir a sede dos moradores e seus animais, assim como para dividir espaços de sociabilidade, mas também para a liberação dos resíduos industriais e domésticos, oriundos do município, gerando poluição em suas águas. O objetivo principal, então, é apresentar esses aspectos, discuti-los, com o propósito de elucidar a importância histórica desse curso d’água para a cidade de Novo Hamburgo. Para a realização desse propósito, elaboramos uma pesquisa exploratória, a fim de termos subsídios suficientes para essa discussão. Além disso, utilizamos textos jornalísticos, do extinto, Jornal 5 de Abril e do Jornal NH, que tem a maior circulação na região, para ilustrarmos algumas situações vividas pela comunidade. O que observamos, atualmente, é que o arroio continua recebendo dejetos da cidade, tornando-se um espaço pouco querido pelos habitantes, mas ainda muito presente no cotidiano de seus moradores.

Atmospheric pollution history at Linfen (China) uncovered by magnetic and chemical parameters of sediments from a water reservoir.

We studied magnetic and chemical parameters of sediments from sediments of a water reservoir at Linfen (China) in order to quantitatively reconstruct the atmospheric pollution history in this region. The results show that the main magnetic phases are magnetite and maghemite originating from the surrounding catchment and from anthropogenic activities, and there is a significant positive relationship between magnetic concentration parameters and heavy metals concentrations, indicating that magnetic proxies can be used to monitor the anthropogenic pollution. In order to uncover the atmospheric pollution history, we combined the known events of environmental improvement with variations of magnetic susceptibility (χ) and heavy metals along the cores to obtain a detailed chronological framework. In addition, air comprehensive pollution index (ACPI) was reconstructed from regression equation among magnetic and chemical parameters as well as atmospheric monitoring data. Based on these results, the atmospheric pollution history was successfully reconstructed.

Luiz Rau creek and the city of Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul.

This article presents a reflection on the past and current history, uses, and significance of the Luiz Rau creek to the municipality of Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul. Its waters have always been important to the region, quenching the thirst of the local population and their livestock and providing venues for shared social interactions, but also as a destination for municipal industrial and household waste, which has polluted the waters of the creek. Our primary objective is to present and discuss these aspects with the purpose of elucidating the historical importance of this watercourse to the city of Novo Hamburgo. Toward that end, we conducted an exploratory survey to obtain the necessary inputs for such a discussion. We also employed texts from the now-defunct Jornal 5 de Abril and from Jornal NH, the highest-circulating newspaper in the region, to illustrate some situations experienced by the community. We found that municipal waste continues to be dumped into the creek, which has made it rather unloved by the local residents, but it remains firmly present in their daily lives.

Putting pharmaceuticals into the wider context of challenges to fish populations in rivers.

The natural range of fish species in our rivers is related to flow, elevation, temperature, local habitat and connectivity. For over 2000 years, humans have altered to varying degrees the river habitat. In the past 200 years, we added to the environmental disruption by discharging poorly treated sewage, nutrients and industrial waste into our rivers. For many rivers, the low point arrived during the period of 1950s-1970s, when rapid economic development overrode environmental concerns and dissolved oxygen concentrations dropped to zero. In these more enlightened times, gross river pollution is a thing of the past in the Developed World. However, persistent legacy chemical contaminants can be found in fish long after their discharge ceased. Changes in habitat quality and morphology caused and continue to cause the disappearance of fish species. The range of fish stressors has now increased as temperatures rise, and non-native fish introductions bring new diseases. The threat from pharmaceuticals to fish populations remains hypothetical, and no studies have yet linked change in fish populations to exposure.

Lead in ancient Rome's city waters.

It is now universally accepted that utilization of lead for domestic purposes and water distribution presents a major health hazard. The ancient Roman world was unaware of these risks. How far the gigantic network of lead pipes used in ancient Rome compromised public health in the city is unknown. Lead isotopes in sediments from the harbor of Imperial Rome register the presence of a strong anthropogenic component during the beginning of the Common Era and the Early Middle Ages. They demonstrate that the lead pipes of the water distribution system increased Pb contents in drinking water of the capital city by up to two orders of magnitude over the natural background. The Pb isotope record shows that the discontinuities in the pollution of the Tiber by lead are intimately entwined with the major issues affecting Late Antique Rome and its water distribution system.

The impact of the Nitrates Directive on nitrogen emissions from agriculture in the EU-27 during 2000-2008.

A series of environmental policies have been implemented in the European Union (EU) to decrease nitrogen (N) emissions from agriculture. The Nitrates Directive (ND) is one of the main policies; it aims to reduce nitrate leaching from agriculture through a number of measures. A study was carried out to quantify the effects of the ND in the EU-27 on the leaching and runoff of nitrate (NO3(-)) to groundwater and surface waters, and on the emissions of ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) and dinitrogen (N2) to the atmosphere. We formulated a scenario with and a scenario without implementation of the ND. The model MITERRA-Europe was used to calculate N emissions on a regional level in the EU-27 for the period 2000-2008. The calculated total N loss from agriculture in the EU-27 was 13 Mton N in 2008, with 53% as N2, 22% as NO3, 21% as NH3, 3% as N2O, and 1% as NO(x). The N emissions and leaching in the EU-27 slightly decreased in the period 2000-2008. Total emissions in the EU in 2008 were smaller with implementation of the ND than without the ND, by 3% for NH3, 6% for N2O, 9% for NO(x), and 16% for N leaching and runoff in 2008. However, regional differences were large. The lower emissions with ND were mainly due to the lower N inputs by fertilizers and manures. In conclusion, implementation of the ND decreased both N leaching losses to ground and surface waters, and gaseous emissions to the atmosphere. It is expected that the ND will result in a further decrease in N emissions in EU-27 in the near future, because the implementation of the measures for the ND is expected to become more strict.

Dynamics of the lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin, China, since late nineteenth century.

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin have the most representative and largest concentration of freshwater lakes in China. However, the size and number of these lakes have changed considerably over the past century due to the natural and anthropogenic impact. The lakes, larger than 10 km(2) in size, were chosen from relief maps and remotely sensed images in 1875, 1950, 1970, 1990, 2000, and 2008 to study the dynamics of lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin and to examine the causes and consequences of these changes. Results indicated that there was a dramatic reduction in lake areas, which decreased by 7,841.2 km(2) (42.64 %) during the study period (1875-2008), and the number of lakes in this region changed moderately. Meanwhile, a large number of lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin were directly converted into paddy fields, ponds, building lands, or other land-use types over the study period. Therefore, all kinds of lake reclamation should be identified as the major driving factors for the loss of lake in this region. Furthermore, flooding, soil erosion, and sedimentation were also the main factors which triggered lake changes in different periods. Some wetland conservation and restoration projects have been implemented since the 1970s, but they have not reversed the lake degradation. These findings were of great importance to managers involved in making policy for the conservation of lake ecosystems and the utilization of lake resources.

Lead contamination and source in Shanghai in the past century using dated sediment cores from urban park lakes.

Lead contamination becomes of importance to urban resident health worldwide, especially for child health and growth. Undisturbed lake sediment cores are increasingly employed as a useful tool to backdate environmental contamination history. Five intact sediment cores collected from lakes in five urban parks were dated using (210)Pb and analyzed for total Pb content and isotope ratio to reconstruct the Pb contamination history over the last century in Shanghai, China. Total Pb content in the sediment cores increased by about 2- to 3-fold since 1900s. The profile of Pb flux in each sediment core revealed a remarkable increase of Pb contamination in Shanghai over the past century, especially in the latest three decades when China was experiencing a rapid economic and industrial development. Significant correlations were found between Pb fluxes in sediment cores and Pb emission from coal combustion in Shanghai. Coal combustion emission dominated anthropogenic Pb sources during the past century contributing from 52% to 69% of total Pb in cores, estimated by a three-end member model of Pb isotope ratios. Leaded gasoline emission generally contributed <30% of total Pb, which was banned by 1997 in the Shanghai region. Our results implicate that coal combustion-based energy consumption should be replaced, or at least partially replaced, to reduce health risks of Pb contamination in Shanghai.

Historical change of mercury pollution in remote Yongle archipelago, South China Sea.

We collected three ornithogenic coral sand sedimentary profiles from Jinyin Island, Jinqing Island and Guangjin Island of Yongle archipelago, South China Sea and reconstructed the deposition flux of anthropogenic Hg over the past 700 years in the study area. On the whole, the anthropogenic Hg flux is relatively low; it remained at a low level before the Industrial Revolution with a small peak at about 1450-1550 AD, which may record the enhanced metallurgy activity in Ming Dynasty of China. During the 20th century, the deposition flux of anthropogenic Hg increased rapidly, but two troughs occurred during the periods around 1940s and 1970s, corresponding to the economic depression caused by World War II, Civil War in China (1945-1949), and the Culture Revolution (1966-1976) in China. Since the 1970s the deposition flux of anthropogenic Hg has been persistently increasing, apparently the result of fast economic development in East and Southeast Asia countries around South China Sea.

Effect of recent climate change on Arctic Pb pollution: a comparative study of historical records in lake and peat sediments.

Historical changes of anthropogenic Pb pollution were reconstructed based on Pb concentrations and isotope ratios in lake and peat sediment profiles from Ny-Ålesund of Arctic. The calculated excess Pb isotope ratios showed that Pb pollution largely came from west Europe and Russia. The peat profile clearly reflected the historical changes of atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic Pb into Ny-Ålesund, and the result showed that anthropogenic Pb peaked at 1960s-1970s, and thereafter a significant recovery was observed by a rapid increase of (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios and a remarkable decrease in anthropogenic Pb contents. In contrast to the peat record, the longer lake record showed relatively high anthropogenic Pb contents and a persistent decrease of (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios within the uppermost samples, suggesting that climate-sensitive processes such as catchment erosion and meltwater runoff might have influenced the recent change of Pb pollution record in the High Arctic lake sediments.

Local to regional scale industrial heavy metal pollution recorded in sediments of large freshwater lakes in central Europe (lakes Geneva and Lucerne) over the last centuries.

This research first focuses on the spatial and temporal patterns of heavy metals from contrasting environments (highly polluted to deepwater sites) of Lake Geneva. The mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) records from two deepwater sites show that the heavy metal variations before the industrial period are primarily linked to natural weathering input of trace elements. By opposition, the discharge of industrial treated wastewaters into Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva during the second part of the 20th century, involved the sedimentation of highly metal-contaminated sediments in the area surrounding the WWTP outlet pipe discharge. Eventually, a new Pb isotope record of sediments from Lake Lucerne identifies the long-term increasing anthropogenic lead pollution after ca. 1500, probably due to the development of metallurgical activities during the High Middle Ages. These data furthermore allows to compare the recent anthropogenic sources of water pollution from three of the largest freshwater lakes of Western Europe (lakes Geneva, Lucerne, and Constance). High increases in Pb and Hg highlight the regional impact of industrial pollution after ca. 1750-1850, and the decrease of metal pollution in the 1980s due to the effects of remediation strategies such as the implementation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, at all the studied sites, the recent metal concentrations remain higher than pre-industrial levels. Moreover, the local scale pollution data reveal two highly contaminated sites (>100 µg Pb/g dry weight sediment) by industrial activities, during the late-19th and early-20th centuries (Lake Lucerne) and during the second part of the 20th century (Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva). Overall, the regional scale pollution history inferred from the three large and deep perialpine lakes points out at the pollution of water systems by heavy metals during the last two centuries due to the discharge of industrial effluents.

Pre-colombian mercury pollution associated with the smelting of argentiferous ores in the Bolivian Andes.

The development of the mercury (Hg) amalgamation process in the mid-sixteenth century triggered the onset of large-scale Hg mining in both the Old and New Worlds. However, ancient Hg emissions associated with amalgamation and earlier mining efforts remain poorly constrained. Using a geochemical time-series generated from lake sediments near Cerro Rico de Potosí, once the world's largest silver deposit, we demonstrate that pre-Colonial smelting of Andean silver ores generated substantial Hg emissions as early as the twelfth century. Peak sediment Hg concentrations and fluxes are associated with smelting and exceed background values by approximately 20-fold and 22-fold, respectively. The sediment inventory of this early Hg pollution more than doubles that associated with extensive amalgamation following Spanish control of the mine (1574-1900 AD). Global measurements of [Hg] from economic ores sampled world-wide indicate that the phenomenon of Hg enrichment in non-ferrous ores is widespread. The results presented here imply that indigenous smelting constitutes a previously unrecognized source of early Hg pollution, given naturally elevated [Hg] in economic silver deposits.

Living lawns, dying waters: The suburban boom, nitrogenous fertilizers, and the nonpoint source pollution dilemma.

The March 1963 issue of Consumer Bulletin included a four-page article titled "How to grow a better lawn", the lead paragraph of which assured readers that "one does not have to be an expert or spend large sums of money to have a good lawn. It is necessary, however, to follow certain established practices in the construction and maintenance of any lawn." These two assertions may have struck readers, as I suspect they would strike lawngrowers today, as somewhat contradictory. Given the list of established practices that followed--"the construction of the lawn base, with proper grading, drainage, and preparation of the seedbed; selection of the type of grass and spreading of the seed; and maintenance, including fertilizing, mowing, and control of weeds"--it is difficult to imagine how the homeowner could have accomplished all of this without large sums of money or expertise. In fact, building lawns in the manner described by Consumer Bulletin required tremendous amounts of both. Recognizing these established practices in lawn construction and maintenance as a technological system allows us to better understand the persistence of this grassy landscape in America.

Protocol to reconstruct historical contaminant loading to large lakes: the Lake Michigan sediment record of mercury.

Samples of opportunity from Pb-210 dated sediment cores collected from Lake Michigan between 1994 and 1996 were analyzed for mercury. The storage of anthropogenic and total (post-1850) mercury in the lake is calculated to be 186 and 228 t, respectively. By setting the sum of mercury stored in a representative core equal to the mercury storage within the entire lake, the time variation of annual mercury loading to the lake is calculated. The modern (1980-2002) mercury flux to the lake represented by the surface of the core at the time of collection in 1994 was 21.4 microg/m(2)/y. The preindustrial flux (< or =1850) was 3.09 microg/m(2)/y, and the peak flux in 1946 was 53.3 microg/m(2)/y. These yield modern and peak enrichment factors of 6.92 and 17.2, respectively. Modern fluxes exceed published atmospheric deposition estimates and, therefore, include terrestrial point sources, atmospheric deposition to watersheds, and atmospheric deposition to the lake. The modern net mercury load to the lake's sediments was 1157 kg/y in 1994. The atmosphere is estimated to contribute 91% of this load directly to the lake.

The Rhine red, the fish dead-the 1986 Schweizerhalle disaster, a retrospect and long-term impact assessment.

BACKGROUND: The November 1, 1986 fire at a Sandoz Ltd. storehouse at Schweizerhalle, an industrial area near Basel, Switzerland, resulted in chemical contamination of the environment. The storehouse, which was completely destroyed by the fire, contained pesticides, solvents, dyes, and various raw and intermediate materials. The majority of the approximately 1,250 t of stored chemicals was destroyed in the fire, but large quantities were introduced into the atmosphere, into the Rhine River through runoff of the fire-fighting water, and into the soil and groundwater at the site. The chemicals discharged into the Rhine caused massive kills of benthic organisms and fish, particularly eels and salmonids. Public and private reaction to the fire and subsequent chemical spill was very strong. This happened only a few months after the Chernobyl accident and it destroyed the myth of immunity of Switzerland regarding such catastrophes. AIM: This article reviews the damaging events of November 1986 and aims at striking stock two decades later. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In the aftermath of this once-per-century accident, the aim was to obtain new knowledge for the environmental sciences and to achieve progress for water pollution control issues. The following themes are discussed: mitigation measures by the chemical industry and by the governmental authorities, activities of environmental protection organizations, chemical and biological monitoring, alert organization, ecological damages, ecotoxicological effects assessment, recovery and alteration of the river biology, return of the salmon, drinking water supplies, research programs, education of environmental scientists, and visions for the future. CONCLUSIONS: The catastrophic pollution of the Rhine in November 1986 has triggered by the openly visible damages of the river biology that subsequently significant progress was made towards the prevention of such environmental catastrophes. The crucial risk reduction measures in the chemical industry, legal regulations and controls as well as chemical and biological monitoring of the river water quality were substantially improved. Politics and chemical industry have learned their lectures and have proceeded accordingly. RECOMMENDATIONS: A drastic acute contamination, as it has happened at Schweizerhalle in 1986, is clearly recognizable by the toxic effects, which it is causing. This can lead to mitigation activities, which are positive considering a long-term perspective. However, the less obvious effects of chronic water pollution should receive more attention as well as the ongoing alteration of the biocenosis. A high water quality must be demanded for using water from the Rhine to produce drinking water. In that context, micropollutants should also be considered and particular attention should be payed to emerging contaminants. PERSPECTIVES: The big chemical storehouse fire of 1986 had an important impact on the transboundary cooperation and has improved the willingness for international cooperation. The fire catastrophe of Schweizerhalle has triggered many activities in particular for the Rhine River. Overall, the effects are positive on the basis of a long-term perspective. The applied whole basin approach gives an example on a global basis for other river systems, which still are more heavily polluted.

Hexavalent chromium, yellow water, and cancer: a convoluted saga.

In this issue, Beaumont et al report cancer mortality rates associated with exposure to high concentrations of hexavalent chromium in well water in Liaoning Province, China. Contamination of drinking water at these levels has been reported only once before, among a small group in Mexico. The investigation in China is a convoluted tale. The first report indicated an increase in cancer mortality, while a subsequent publication with the same lead author claimed no increased risks. In 2006, the journal publishing the latter paper retracted it because of failure to disclose financial and intellectual input to the paper by outside parties (linked to chromium polluting industries). Beaumont and his colleagues now provide a further reanalysis of these data, showing increased mortality in particular from stomach cancer, but with serious limitations in the data and methods of analysis. These limitations are counterbalanced by the importance of a study of perhaps the highest exposure to hexavalent chromium in water that will ever be experienced by a population large enough to estimate risks of cancer.