Urinary cadmium concentrations in a population downstream: from a zinc mining area in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand

Enhancing cadmium phytoremediation of Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques by applying cadmium-resistant bacterial tablet

This study aims to formulate bacterial tablets of cadmium (Cd)-resistant Micrococcus sp. MU1, an indole-3-acetic acid-producer, for soil inoculation to improve Cd phytoremediation by Chlorophytum comosum (Thunb.) Jacques. The viability of Micrococcus sp. MU1 in tablets after storage at room temperature and 4 °C was determined. The ability of Micrococcus sp. tablets and cell suspensions on stimulating growth and Cd accumulation in C. comosum was compared. The results found that the viability of Micrococcus sp. tablets stored at room temperature and 4 °C for 2 months were 29.2 and 97.9%, respectively. After 2 months of growth in pots, the dry biomass weights of C. comosum amended with Micrococcus sp. tablet and cell suspension were greater than that of uninoculated control by 1.4- and 1.3-fold, respectively. Cd concentrations in the roots and shoots of C. comosum inoculated with bacterial tablet and bacterial suspension were not significantly different (p < 0.05) and were greater than that of the uninoculated plants. In addition, plants inoculated with Micrococcus sp. tablet and cell suspension exhibited superior phytoextraction performance, bioaccumulation factor, and translocation factor, indicating equal performance of both bacterial forms on boosting Cd phytoremediation efficiency in C. comosum. These findings suggest that soil inoculation with Micrococcus sp. tablet as a ready-to-use inoculum is a novel approach to promote phytoremediation of C. comosum in Cd-contaminated agricultural soil.

Effects of natural organic matter on cadmium mobility in paddy soil: A review

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy soil has caused public concern. The uptake of Cd by rice plants depends on soil Cd mobility, which is in turn substantially influenced by organic matter (OM). In this review, we first summarize the fate of Cd in soil and the role of OM. We then focus on the effects of OM on Cd mobility in paddy soil and the factors influencing the remedial effectiveness of OM amendments. We further discuss the performance of straw incorporation in the remediation of Cd-contaminated paddy soils reported in laboratory and field studies. Considering the huge production of organic materials (such as straw) in agriculture, the use of natural OM for soil remediation has obvious appeal due to the environmental benefits and low cost. Although there have been successful application cases, the properties of OM amendments and soil can significantly affect the remedial performance of the OM amendments. Importantly, straw incorporation alone does not often decrease the mobility of Cd in soil or the Cd content in rice grains. Careful evaluation is required when considering natural OM amendments, and the factors and mechanisms that influence their remedial effectiveness need further investigation in paddy soil with realistic Cd concentrations.

Simultaneous biosurfactant-assisted remediation and corn cultivation on cadmium-contaminated soil

Phytoremediation using economic crops is an alternative treatment option for contaminated areas that are being utilized by people. In this study, phytoextraction with a local economic crop (corn) that allows simultaneous Cd contamination reduction and corn biomass utilization is proposed. Biosurfactants, rhamnolipid (RL) and saponin (SP), were introduced to enhance Cd phytoextraction. The optimum RL and SP dose was 4 mmol kg^-1. Cd uptake and corn biomass were higher with biosurfactant addition than in the control (without biosurfactants addition), by 2.7 and 2.3-fold, respectively, on the 30th day of corn plantation. The optimum biosurfactant doses were applied to phytoextraction experiments with corn at different corn growth stages (7th, 45th, and 80th day). The highest Cd uptake levels were recorded on day 45, and the maximum uptake was achieved with RL addition (39.06 mg Cd kg^-1). These results were confirmed by bioaccumulation factors, which indicated that RL enhanced soil Cd uptake by corn plants to the highest extent. However, Cd concentration in corn kernels from RL-assisted phytoextraction exceeded the standards for animal feed. On the other hand, although Cd uptake by corn plants in the presence of SP was lower, Cd content in the resulting corn kernels were within the allowable standard limit for animal feedstock. Moreover, compared to RL and control treatments, SP treatment resulted in higher Cd levels in the shoot than in the root, as confirmed by translocation factors. Meanwhile, SP could significantly promote soil Cd removal efficiency; Cd removal efficiencies on day 80 were in the order of SP (18.80%) > RL (11.33%) > control (4.59%). In addition, Cd leaching after addition of RL and SP was investigated. The two surfactants caused much lower Cd leaching from soil than ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The results of this study indicate that SP-assisted Cd phytoextraction using corn is applicable for the remediation of Cd-contaminated areas in Mae Sot District.

Association between prenatal cadmium exposure and cognitive development of offspring: A systematic review

Due to the lack of substantial and reliable evidence on the relationship between prenatal cadmium (Cd) exposure and cognitive development of offspring, we conducted the present systematic review. Leading electronic databases-including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection-were searched on February 14, 2019. There was no date, study design or language limit imposed in our search. All of the included studies satisfied our predetermined study population (pregnant mothers and their offspring), exposure (prenatal Cd exposure), and outcome measurements (adverse effects on cognitive development). The quality assessment for the included studies was conducted with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Nine prospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria, and six of them were assessed to be of high quality based on the NOS (NOS score ≥ 7). The prenatal Cd exposure was tested in maternal blood samples (4/9), umbilical cord blood samples (4/9), or maternal urinary samples (3/9). Among the nine studies included, six reported at least one inverse association between prenatal Cd exposure and the cognitive development of offspring, mainly in terms of language development (4/8), performance ability development (3/5), and general cognitive development (3/8). Furthermore, among six studies with high methodological quality (NOS score ≥ 7), prenatal Cd exposure was reported to be associated with language development in three studies (3/5), performance ability development in three studies (3/4), and general cognitive development in three studies (3/5). This systematic review provides convincing evidence that prenatal exposure to Cd is inversely associated with neurodevelopment of offspring. Larger prospective studies using standardized criteria and assessments of cognitive development are needed to confirm the dose-response effect and gender difference of prenatal Cd exposure on cognitive development of offspring.

Children's Environmental Health in Thailand: Past, Present, and Future

Background:

There is increasing evidence of a link between environmental pollution and preventable diseases in developing countries, including Thailand. Economic development has generated several types of pollution that can affect population health. While these environmental health effects can be observed throughout life, pregnant women and children represent particularly vulnerable and sensitive groups.

Methods:

The published epidemiological literature investigating environmental chemical exposure in Thai children was reviewed, highlighting those that investigated associations between exposure and subsequent health outcomes.

Results:

The majority of the Thai epidemiological studies on environmental health in children were cross-sectional in design, with some demonstrating associations between exposure and outcome. The three main types of chemical exposure in Thai children were pesticides, heavy metals, and air pollution, which resulted from agricultural activities in countryside areas, industrial zones (both registered and unregistered establishments), mining, and traffic in inner cities. Major health outcomes included detrimental effects on cognitive function and cancer risk. Pesticide exposure was focused on, but not limited to, agricultural areas. The success of the Thai environmental policy to introduce lead–free petrol can be demonstrated by the decline of mean blood lead levels in children, particularly in urban areas. However, unregistered lead-related factories and smelters act as hidden sources. In addition, there is increasing concern, but little acknowledgement, about the effects of chronic arsenic exposure related to mining. Lastly, air pollution remains a problem in both dense city populations due to traffic and in rural areas due to contamination of indoor air and house dust with heavy metals, endotoxins and other allergens.

Conclusions:

The increasing number of published articles demonstrates an improved awareness of children’s environmental health in Thailand. Chemical hazards, including the improper use of pesticides, environmental contamination with heavy metals (lead and arsenic), and air pollution in inner cities and indoor air, continue to be growing issues.

Influence of amendments on Cd and Zn uptake and accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) in contaminated soil

Cadmium is a toxic metallic element that poses serious human health risks via consumption of contaminated agricultural products. The effect of mixtures of dicalcium phosphate and organic amendments, namely cow manure (MD) and leonardite (LD), on Cd and Zn uptake of three rice cultivars (KDML105, KD53, and PSL2) was examined in mesocosm experiments. Plant growth, Cd and Zn accumulation, and physicochemical properties of the test soils were investigated before and after plant harvest. Amendment application was found to improve soil physicochemical properties; in particular, soil organic matter content and nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) concentrations increased significantly. The MD treatment was optimal in terms of increasing plant growth; the MD and LD treatments decreased soil Cd concentration by 3.3-fold and 1.6-fold, respectively. For all treatments, all rice cultivars accumulated greater quantities of Cd and Zn in roots compared with panicles and shoots. Among the three cultivars, RD53 accumulated the lowest quantity of Cd. Translocation factors (<0.28) and bioconcentration coefficients of roots (>1) indicate that the three rice cultivars are Cd excluders. Our results suggest that a mixture of organic and inorganic amendments can be used to enhance rice growth while reducing accumulation of heavy metals when grown in contaminated soil.

A field-scale study of cadmium phytoremediation in a contaminated agricultural soil at Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand: (1) Determination of Cd-hyperaccumulating plants

The cadmium (Cd) phytoremediation capabilities of Gynura pseudochina, Chromolaena odorata, Conyza sumatrensis, Crassocephalum crepidioides and Nicotiana tabacum were determined by conducting in-situ experiments in a highly Cd-contaminated agricultural field at Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Most of these five plant species, which are commonly found in Thailand, previously demonstrated Cd-hyperaccumulating capacities under greenhouse conditions. This study represented an important initial step in determining if any of these plants could, under field-conditions, effectively remove Cd from the Mae Sot contaminated fields, which represent a health threat to thousands of local villagers. All plant species had at least a 95% survival rate on the final harvest day. Additionally, all plant species, except C. odorata, could hyperaccumulate the extractable Cd amounts present in the soil, based on their associated Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF), Translocation Factor (TF), and background Vegetation Factor (VF). Therefore, the four Cd-hyperaccumulating plant species identified in this study may successfully treat a majority of contaminated fields at Mae Sot, as it was previously reported that Cd amounts present in a number of these soils were mostly available.

Cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in school children in southwestern Spain

This study assessed the association between cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in children from a region with high industrial and mining activities in southwestern Spain. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 261 children aged 6-9 years between January and March 2012. Cadmium exposure was measured in urine and hair of children, and neuropsychological development was assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and with three computerized tests from the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS): Reaction Time Test (RTT), Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and Selective Attention Test (SAT). Multivariate linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to estimate the association between neuropsychological development and cadmium exposure measured in urine and hair samples. Geometric means of urine and hair cadmium levels were 0.75 μg/g creatinine and 0.01 μg/g, respectively. We observed that doubling of levels of cadmium in urine was associated with a reduction of two points (95% CI: -3.8 to -0.4) in the Full-Scale intelligence quotient (IQ) in boys. By domains, association was statistically significant for Verbal Comprehension (β=-2.0; p=0.04) and close to the significance level for Perceptual Reasoning (β=-1.8; p=0.06). Among girls, only Verbal Comprehension showed suggestive associations with cadmium exposure (β=-1.7; p=0.06). Cadmium exposure is associated with cognitive delays in boys in our region. Our results provide additional evidence of the neurotoxic effect of low-level postnatal cadmium exposure among children, and support the hypothesis of differences between sexes in the neurotoxic effect of metals on children.