Toxic effects of selected trace elements contained in make-ups on female university students in Nigeria

Environmental health science research: opportunities and challenges for some developing countries in Africa

Due to ongoing developmental projects, there is a need for regular monitoring of the impact of pollutants on the environment. This review documented the challenges and opportunities in the field of environmental health sciences in some African countries. A systematic review was used to investigate opportunities and challenges in the field of environmental health science in Africa by examining published work with a specific focus on Africa. The reports showed that funding and infrastructure as the major problems. The study also highlighted recruiting study participants, retention, and compensation as a bane in the field in Africa. The absence of modern equipment also hinders research. The review, however, noted research collaboration from the region including studies on emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microplastic (MPs) as great opportunities. The study concluded that collaboration with other continents, exchange programs and improved governmental interventions may help.

Beryllium contamination and its risk management in terrestrial and aquatic environmental settings

Beryllium (Be) is a relatively rare element and occurs naturally in the Earth's crust, in coal, and in various minerals. Beryllium is used as an alloy with other metals in aerospace, electronics and mechanical industries. The major emission sources to the atmosphere are the combustion of coal and fossil fuels and the incineration of municipal solid waste. In soils and natural waters, the majority of Be is sorbed to soil particles and sediments. The majority of contamination occurs through atmospheric deposition of Be on aboveground plant parts. Beryllium and its compounds are toxic to humans and are grouped as carcinogens. The general public is exposed to Be through inhalation of air and the consumption of Be-contaminated food and drinking water. Immobilization of Be in soil and groundwater using organic and inorganic amendments reduces the bioavailability and mobility of Be, thereby limiting the transfer into the food chain. Mobilization of Be in soil using chelating agents facilitates their removal through soil washing and plant uptake. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the sources, geochemistry, health hazards, remediation practices, and current regulatory mandates of Be contamination in complex environmental settings, including soil and aquatic ecosystems.

Heavy metals research in Nigeria: a review of studies and prioritization of research needs

Nigeria is experiencing continuous economic and industrial transformations, typical of many developing nations. In addition to its well-established oil industry, which is infamous for exuding various kinds of pollutants, there are increased mining operations, indiscriminate disposal and burning of wastes, illegal oil refinery and terroristic insurgency, all poised to increase the levels of heavy metal contaminants in the Nigerian environment. A recent revelation indicates that about 2 million people in South-western Nigeria alone could potentially be poisoned by lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg), emanating from illegal mining operations. This further underscores the importance of investigations of toxic trace metal levels in the country. The current review of 148 research articles was conducted to provide an understanding of the scope of heavy metals research in Nigeria and to prioritize needed research. The review recognized that the scope of heavy metals studies has been wide, covering matrices such as cosmetics, human blood, hair, medicines, foods, beverages, water, air, soil and crude oil. However, important toxic metals, especially mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb), are largely under-investigated. Also, there is a need for more studies to be conducted in the northern part of the country. Furthermore, studies need to focus on marine environments rather than the freshwater ecosystems alone. Techniques such as the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analyses are herein recommended to bridge the data gap and to overcome limitations in trace metals analyses in the Nigerian total environment.

Plasma Thallium Concentration, Kidney Function, Nephrotoxicity and Graft Failure in Kidney Transplant Recipients

The nephrotoxic effects of heavy metals have gained increasing scientific attention in the past years. Recent studies suggest that heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, and arsenic, are detrimental to kidney transplant recipients (KTR) even at circulating concentrations within the normal range, posing an increased risk for graft failure. Thallium is another highly toxic heavy metal, yet the potential consequences of the circulating thallium concentrations in KTR are unclear. We measured plasma thallium concentrations in 672 stable KTR enrolled in the prospective TransplantLines Food and Nutrition Biobank and Cohort Study using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In cross-sectional analyses, plasma thallium concentrations were positively associated with kidney function measures and hemoglobin. We observed no associations of thallium concentration with proteinuria or markers of tubular damage. In prospective analyses, we observed no association of plasma thallium with graft failure and mortality during a median follow-up of 5.4 [interquartile range: 4.8 to 6.1] years. In conclusion, in contrast with other heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic, there is no evidence of tubular damage or thallium nephrotoxicity for the range of circulating thallium concentrations observed in this study. This is further evidenced by the absence of associations of plasma thallium with graft failure and mortality in KTR.