Aerosols near by a coal fired thermal power plant: chemical composition and toxic evaluation

Environmental impacts of Indian coal thermal power plants and associated human health risk to the nearby residential communities: A potential review

Worldwide, harmful emissions from coal power plants cause many illnesses contribute to premature deaths burden. Despite its high impact on human health and being a major source of toxic pollutants, coal has been considered a component of global energy for decades. Hence, this work was envisaged to understand the rising environmental and multiple health issues from coal power plants. Studies on the adverse impacts of coal power plants on the environment, including soil, surface water, groundwater and air, were critically evaluated. The health risk from exposure to different pollutants and toxic metals released from the power plant was also demonstrated. The study also highlighted the government initiatives and policies regarding coal power operation and generation. Lastly, the study focused on guiding coal power plant owners and policymakers in identifying the essential cues for the risk assessment and management. The current study found an association between environmental and human health risks due to power generation, which needs intervention from the scientific and medical fields to jointly address public concerns. It is also suggested that future research should concentrate on exposure assessment techniques by integrating source-identification and geographic information systems to assess the health effects of different contaminants from power plants and to mitigate their adverse impact.

Radionuclide and trace metal accumulation in a variety of mosses used as bioindicators for atmospheric deposition

Mosses can be used as biological monitors to study metal pollution and the depositional fluxes of radionuclides. In this study, we analysed the concentrations of radionuclides (²¹⁰Pb (²¹⁰Pb_ex), ⁷Be, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁸Th) and metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Al, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, V and Mn) in moss and soil samples from two different regions. The metal concentrations were higher in mainland China than in the Arctic region, and this is likely associated with the comparatively lower rates of industrial production and human activity in the Arctic region. Principal component analysis and correlation results revealed two radionuclides sources types in mosses, i.e., soil (⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²²⁸Ra) and atmospheric (²¹⁰Pb (²¹⁰Pb_ex), ⁷Be ¹³⁷Cs). Clustering and correlation analyses showed that different sources such as traffic (suspended dust), fossil fuels, dry and wet deposition (atmosphere and rainfall), and soil contributed to metal accumulation in mosses. The correlation between radionuclides and metals supported these observations, confirmed the accuracy of our results, and suggests that radionuclides are useful for identifying the source of metals in moss samples. The concentration ratios (CR) values of the radionuclides and the bioaccumulation factor (BCF) and enrichment factor (EF) values of metals in mosses helped identify the most environmentally sensitive moss, i.e., BS (Bryum paradoxum), which can be used for screening and monitoring radionuclides and metal pollution in urban atmospheres. These results support the use of analysing radionuclides in mosses to identify metal sources, and the potential use of mosses can to determine the atmospheric deposition fluxes of radionuclides.

Source apportionment of fine atmospheric particles using positive matrix factorization in Pretoria, South Africa

In Pretoria South Africa, we looked into the origins of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), based on 1-year sampling campaign carried out between April 18, 2017, and April 17, 2018. The average PM_2.5 concentration was 21.1 ± 15.0 µg/m³ (range 0.7-66.8 µg/m³), with winter being the highest and summer being the lowest. The XEPOS 5 energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy was used for elemental analysis, and the US EPA PMF 5.0 program was used for source apportionment. The sources identified include fossil fuel combustion, soil dust, secondary sulphur, vehicle exhaust, road traffic, base metal/pyrometallurgical, and coal burning. Coal burning and secondary sulphur were significantly higher in winter and contributed more than 50% of PM_2.5 sources. The HYSPLIT model was used to calculate the air mass trajectories (version 4.9). During the 1-year research cycle, five transportation clusters were established: North Limpopo (NLP), Eastern Inland (EI), Short-Indian Ocean (SIO), Long-Indian Ocean (LIO), and South Westerly-Atlantic Ocean (SWA). Local and transboundary origin accounted for 85%, while 15% were long-range transport. Due to various anthropogenic activities such as biomass burning and coal mining, NLP clusters were the key source of emissions adding to the city's PM rate. In Pretoria, the main possible source regions of PM_2.5 were discovered to be NLP and EI. Effective control strategies designed at reducing secondary sulphur, coal burning, and fossil fuel combustion emissions at Southern African level and local combustion sources would be an important measure to combat the reduction of ambient PM_2.5 pollution in Pretoria.

Portable X-ray Fluorescence as a Rapid Determination Tool to Detect Parts per Million Levels of Ni, Zn, As, Se, and Pb in Human Toenails: A South India Case Study

Chronic exposure to inorganic pollutants adversely affects human health. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is the most common method used for trace metal(loid) analysis of human biomarkers. However, it leads to sample destruction, generation of secondary waste, and significant recurring costs. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instruments can rapidly and nondestructively determine low concentrations of metal(loid)s. In this work, we evaluated the applicability of portable XRF as a rapid method for analyzing trace metal(loid)s in toenail samples from three populations (n = 97) near the city of Chennai, India. A Passing-Bablok regression analysis of results from both methods revealed that there was no proportional bias among the two methods for nickel (measurement range ∼25 to 420 mg/kg), zinc (10 to 890 mg/kg), and lead (0.29 to 4.47 mg/kg). There was a small absolute bias between the two methods. There was a strong proportional bias (slope = 0.253, 95% CI: 0.027, 0.614) between the two methods for arsenic (below detection to 3.8 mg/kg) and for selenium when the concentrations were lower than 2 mg/kg. Limits of agreement between the two methods using Bland-Altman analysis were derived for nickel, zinc, and lead. Overall, a suitably calibrated and evaluated portable XRF shows promise in making high-throughput assessments at population scales.

Relationship between renal function and metal exposure of residents living near the No. 6 Naphtha Cracking Complex: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Heavy metals impair renal function, causing chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the petrochemical industry is one of the major environmental metal emission sources. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between renal function and metal exposure among the Taiwanese residents living near a petrochemical industry site.

METHODS

We recruited residents near the No. 6 Naphtha Cracking Complex, and they were categorized into a high-exposure (HE) group (N = 190) in Taisi Village and a low-exposure (LE) group (N = 1184) in other villages of Dacheng Township in Changhua County of Taiwan. The urinary nickel, chromium, and vanadium levels of the study subjects were measured and the levels were standardized by urine creatinine, and the estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) were calculated to estimate renal function by one-time health data. Linear regression models were applied to illustrate the correlations between the distance to the complex and urinary metal levels and renal function; linear and logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the associations between urinary metal levels and renal function indicators.

RESULTS

The study subjects living closer to the petrochemical complex had significantly higher urinary nickel, chromium, and vanadium levels and worse renal function than study subjects living farther away. The urinary nickel and chromium levels of the study subjects were associated with their renal function indicators. When the subject's urinary nickel level increased 1-fold, the eGFR level significantly decreased by 0.820 ml/min/1.73 m².

CONCLUSION

Residents living closer to the petrochemical industry were exposed to higher metal levels and had worse renal function, and the nickel exposure of residents was potentially related to their decline in renal function.

Heavy metals in different moss species in alpine ecosystems of Mountain Gongga, China: Geochemical characteristics and controlling factors

Terrestrial mosses are promising tracers for research concerning metal atmospheric deposition and pollution. Concentrations of Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, Cd, Ba, and Pb in different moss species from Mountain Gongga, China were analyzed to investigate the effects of growth substrates, geographic elevation, and type of moss species on the accumulation characteristics of heavy metals, as well as to identify heavy metal sources. The ability of heavy metals to accumulate in moss varied significantly, with low concentrations of Cd and Co; medium concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Pb; and high concentrations of Zn, Sr, and Ba. Elevation significantly influenced the accumulation characteristics of heavy metals, with high concentrations found at lower elevations due to proximal pollution. Growth substrate and moss species were found to have certain influence on the bioconcentration capacities of heavy metals in moss in this study. Correlation analysis showed similar sources for Sr, Zn, and Ba, as well as for Ni, Co, and Cr. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was consistent with atmospheric deposition of Pb and Cd; substrate sources of Cr, Co, and Ni; and anthropogenic sources of Ba, Sr, and Zn. This research characterized the accumulation characteristics of heavy metals and their influence factors in different mosses found in alpine ecosystems and provides a reference for future studies in similar areas.

Increased average annual prevalence of upper respiratory tract infection (UTRI) in the central Indian population residing near the coal-fired thermal power plants

People are vulnerable to health risks due to particulate matter generated through the coal combustion processes. The air pollution due to the thermal power plant is a primary concern among all sources of pollution. The air pollution due to the coal-fired thermal power plant is a primary concern among all the different sources of pollution. The air quality (suspended particulate matter; SPM) modeling in the study area of central India was carried out using CALAUFF model. In addition, real-time air monitoring of particulate matter PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 was carried out in the study area. Real-time air quality monitoring data showed higher concentration of particulate matter (PM1 and PM2.5) at different locations in the study area, exceeding the regulatory limits set by NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) and WHO (World Health Organization). Considering the most probable health impacts due to coal-fired thermal power plant, diseases such as chronic upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), and asthma were focused in this study. Hospital admission data were collected for respiratory disorders from six different public health centers (PHCs) located in the study area for the years 2012 and 2013. Average annual prevalence (AAP) of asthma at Dhapewada, Patansaongi, Chicholi, Satak, Droli and Kanhan PHCs was observed to be 0.581, 0.218, 0.201, 0.155, 0.377 and 0.198%, respectively, whereas AAP of UTRI at Dhapewada, Patansaongi, Chicholi, Satak, Droli and Kanhan PHCs was 24.961, 40.693, 0.769, 12.775, 28.605 and 14.898%, respectively. Thus, we conclude that the study population residing nearby the coal-fired thermal power plants may have an increased risk to upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) than asthma.

Association of emergency room visits for respiratory diseases with sources of ambient PM2.5

Previous studies have reported associations of short-term exposure to different sources of ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and increased mortality or hospitalizations for respiratory diseases. Few studies, however, have focused on the short-term effects of source-specific PM_2.5 on emergency room visits (ERVs) of respiratory diseases. Source apportionment for PM_2.5 was performed with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and generalized additive model was applied to estimate associations between source-specific PM_2.5 and respiratory disease ERVs. The association of PM_2.5 and total respiratory ERVs was found on lag4 (RR = 1.011, 95%CI: 1.002, 1.020) per interquartile range (76 μg/m³) increase. We found PM_2.5 to be significantly associated with asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ERVs, with the strongest effects on lag5 (RR = 1.072, 95%CI: 1.024, 1.119), lag4 (RR = 1.104, 95%CI: 1.032, 1.176) and lag3 (RR = 1.091, 95%CI: 1.047, 1.135), respectively. The estimated effects of PM_2.5 changed little after adjusting for different air pollutants. Six primary PM_2.5 sources were identified using PMF analysis, including dust/soil (6.7%), industry emission (4.5%), secondary aerosols (30.3%), metal processing (3.2%), coal combustion (37.5%) and traffic-related source (17.8%). Some of the sources were identified to have effects on ERVs of total respiratory diseases (dust/soil, secondary aerosols, metal processing, coal combustion and traffic-related source), bronchitis ERVs (dust/soil) and COPD ERVs (traffic-related source, industry emission and secondary aerosols). Different sources of PM_2.5 contribute to increased risk of respiratory ERVs to different extents, which may provide potential implications for the decision making of air quality related policies, rational emission control and public health welfare.

Nanominerals, fullerene aggregates, and hazardous elements in coal and coal combustion-generated aerosols: An environmental and toxicological assessment

Studies on coal-derived nanoparticles as well as nano-minerals are important in the context of the human health and the environment. The coal combustion-generated aerosols also affect human health and environmental quality aspects in any coal-fired station. In this study, the feed coals and their combustion-generated aerosols from coal-fired boilers of two tea industry facilities were investigated for the presence of nanoparticles/nano minerals, fullerene aggregates, and potentially hazardous elements (PHEs). The samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS), High resolution-transmission electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (HR-TEM/EDS) and Ultra Violet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) to know their extent of environmental risks to the human health when present in coals and aerosols. The feed coals contain mainly clay minerals, whilst glass fragments, spinel, quartz, and other minerals occur in lesser quantities. The PM samples contain potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) like As, Pb, Cd and Hg. Enrichment factor of the trace elements in particulate matters (PMs) was calculated to determine their sources. The aerosol samples were also found to contain nanomaterials and ultrafine particles. The fullerene aggregates along with potentially hazardous elements were also detected in the aerosol samples. The cytotoxicity studies on the coal combustion-generated PM samples show their potential risk to the human health. This detailed investigation on the inter-relationship between the feed coals and their aerosol chemistry will be useful for understanding the extent of environmental hazards and related human health risk.

The distance-to-source trend in vanadium and arsenic exposures for residents living near a petrochemical complex

Biological monitoring of vanadium (V) and arsenic (As) for residents living near a big petrochemical complex has not been previously studied. This study aims to investigate distance-to-source trends in urinary levels and dispersion-estimated concentrations of V and As in areas surrounding a petrochemical complex in central Taiwan. Our study subjects were 1424 residents living in the townships up to ~40 km from the petrochemical complex, and categorized as near (Zone A), further (Zone B) and furthest (Zone C) from the complex. Urinary and ambient V and As levels were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Two-stage dispersion model was used to estimate V and As concentrations at each study subject's address. Multiple linear regression models were used to study the effects of distance-to-source and estimated air concentrations of V and As on the urinary V and As levels of study subjects. Area-wide levels of both V and As showed a high-to-low trend in urinary levels (μg/g-creatinine) from Zone A (V with 2.86±2.30 and As with 104.6±147.9) to Zone C (V with 0.73±0.72 and As with 73.8±90.8). For study subjects, urinary V and As levels were decreased by 0.09 and 1.17 μg/g-creatinine, respectively, with 1 km away from the emission source of the petrochemical complex, and urinary V levels were significantly elevated by 0.38 μg/g-creatinine with a 1 ng/m(3) increase in estimated ambient V concentrations at their addresses. Our study concludes a distance-to-source gradient in V and As exposures exists for residents living near a petrochemical complex with oil refineries and coal-fired power plants and two-stage dispersion model can predict such a trend for V when inhalation is the major exposure route, but not for As that exposure may be from multiple sources and exposure routes.

Metabolic profiling of residents in the vicinity of a petrochemical complex

No previous studies have simultaneously measured the biomarkers of environmental exposure and metabolome perturbation in residents affected by industrial pollutants. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic effects of environmental pollutants such as vanadium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on residents in the vicinity of a petrochemical complex. The study subjects were 160 residents, including 80 high-exposure subjects exposed to high levels of vanadium and PAHs and 80 age- and gender-matched low-exposure subjects living within a 40-km radius of a petrochemical complex. The exposure biomarkers vanadium and 1-hydroxypyrene and four oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers were measured in these subjects. Plasma samples from the study subjects were also analyzed using (1)H NMR spectroscopy for metabolic profiling. The results showed that the urinary levels of vanadium and 1-hydroxypyrene in the high-exposure subjects were 40- and 20-fold higher, respectively, than those in the low-exposure subjects. Higher urinary levels of stress biomarkers, including 8-OHdG, HNE-MA, 8-isoPF2α, and 8-NO2Gua, were also observed among the high-exposure subjects compared with the low-exposure subjects. Partial least squares discriminant analysis of the plasma metabolome demonstrated a clear separation between the high- and low-exposure subjects; the intensities of amino acids and carbohydrate metabolites were lower in the high-exposure subjects compared with the low-exposure subjects. The exposure to vanadium and PAHs may cause a reduction in the levels of amino acids and carbohydrates by elevating PPAR and insulin signaling, as well as oxidative/nitrosative stress.

Dynamics of toxic heavy metals in different compartments of a highly urbanized closed aquatic system

This paper deals with the dynamics of chromium, nickel, copper and lead among the different components namely water, surface sediments, submerged and free floating macrophytes and fish of the twin manmade lakes, Upper and Lower lakes, of Bhopal (M.P., India). Some basic parameters of water and sediment have also been studied. The basin of the lake system is densely populated and the water is used for various purposes including drinking. Ni and Pb along with nitrate in both lakes are significantly higher than the drinking water quality criteria of USEPA. The concentration of the metals in the sediments is noticeably higher than that present in the adjoining rock, particularly Ni and Pb. There is a significant uptake of metals by the macrophytes (Eichhornia crassipes and Hydrilla verticillata) and fish (Labeo rohita and Oreochromis niloticus) mainly in summer. The fish of Lower lake (O. niloticus) is unfit for human consumption. The data have been statistically treated. Principle component analysis and cluster analysis were performed to define the origin of metals and to assess the relationship among the sites. Overall the Lower lake is more polluted than the Upper lake. In aggregate, the lake system is under an environmental stress due to certain practices.

The Progress in Electron Microscopy Studies of Particulate Matters to Be Used as a Standard Monitoring Method for Air Dust Pollution

The present article reviews studies on air solid particles carried out with the use of electron microscopy. Particle analysis combining scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) can be used to derive size-resolved information of the composition, mixing state, morphology, and complex refractive index of atmospheric aerosol particles. It seems that electron microscopy is more widely used in atmospheric particulate matter analysis, but the usage of this method is sometimes problematic. First of all, there is no standard methodology adapted for dust analysis, and it is difficult to compare the results coming from different laboratories. Nevertheless, it was shown that this method has potential to be used in the future as a standard monitoring procedure of air solid particles.

The mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of inorganic manganese compounds: a synthesis of the evidence

Manganese (Mn), a naturally occurring element present in many foodstuffs, is an essential trace element with many biological functions. In industry, inorganic Mn compounds have a range of different applications, although the majority of Mn is used to make alloys and steel. For the general population, the major source of exposure to Mn is dietary, although drinking water may constitute an additional source in some regions. However, in occupationally exposed humans, inhalation of Mn is likely to be an important additional route. In general, Mn and its inorganic compounds are considered to possess low mutagenic or carcinogenic potential compared with some heavy metals. In this review, an up-to-date analysis of the available published studies on the carcinogenic and genotoxic potential of inorganic Mn is provided (organic Mn compounds are not considered). The current literature indicates that Mn may be weakly mutagenic in vitro and possibly clastogenic in vivo, with unknown genotoxic effects in humans; the possible mechanisms underlying these effects are discussed. The experimental evidence on carcinogenicity (quantitative increase in incidence of thyroid tumors in mice but not rats) does not provide any clear evidence, while the available occupational and environmental epidemiological evidence is equivocal as to whether exposure to inorganic Mn is associated with a significant cancer risk. Hence, it is concluded that there is insufficient evidence to indicate that inorganic Mn exposure produces cancer in animals or humans.

Volatilization behavior of Cd and Zn based on continuous emission measurement of flue gas from laboratory-scale coal combustion

The accumulation of toxic metals generated by coal-fired power stations presents a serious threat to the environment. The volatilization behavior of two representative metals (Cd and Zn), and the influence of temperature were investigated during coal combustion. An inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric (ICP-AES) method was developed to continuously measure the heavy metal concentrations quantitatively in flue gas under combustion conditions in order to track the metal release process. This continuous heavy metal analysis system was implemented by coupling it to two types of high temperature reactors: a bubbling fluidized bed reactor and a fixed bed reactor with diameter of 0.1 m and 0.08 m respectively. For the two metals considered in this study (Cd and Zn), the experimental setup was successfully used to continuously monitor the metal vaporization process during coal combustion independent of reactor design, and at different temperatures. Cd is more easily vaporized than Zn during coal combustion. Temperature significantly influences the metal vaporization process. In general, the higher the temperature, the higher the metal vaporization, although the vaporization is not proportional to temperature. In addition to the experimental study, a thermodynamic calculation was carried out to simulate the heavy metal speciation during coal combustion process. The theoretical volatilization tendency is consistent with the experiment. The thermodynamic calculation identified the formation of binary oxides retarding heavy metal vaporization.

Seasonal variations in chemical composition and in vitro biological effects of fine PM from Milan

Fine particulate matter (PM1 and PM2.5) was collected in Milan over the summer (August-September) and winter (January-March) seasons of 2007/2008. Particles were analyzed for their chemical composition (inorganic ions, elements and PAHs) and the effects produced on the human lung carcinoma epithelial cell line A549. In vitro tests were performed to assess cell viability with MTT assay, cytokine release (IL-6 and IL-8) with ELISA, and DNA damage with COMET assay. Results were investigated by bivariate analysis and multivariate data analysis (Principal Component Analysis, PCA) to investigate the relationship between PM chemical composition and the biological effects produced by cell exposure to 12 microg cm(-2). The different seasonal chemical composition of PM showed to influence some biological properties. Summer PM samples had a high mass contribution of SO(4)(=) (13+/-2%) and were enriched in some elements, like Al, As, Cr, Cu, and Zn, compared to winter PM samples. Cell viability reduction was two times higher for summer PM samples in comparison with winter ones (27+/-5% and 14+/-5%, respectively), and the highest correlation coefficients between cell viability reduction and single chemical components were with As (R(2)=0.57) and SO(4)(=) (R(2)=0.47). PM1 affected cell viability reduction and induced IL-8 release, and these events were interrelated (R(2)=0.95), and apparently connected with the same chemical compounds. PM2.5 fraction, which was enriched in Ca(++) and Mg(++) (from soil dust), and Al, Fe, Zn, Ba Mn, produced cell viability reduction and DNA damage (R(2)=0.73).