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Yang S, Zhou Q, Sun L, Sun Y, Qin Q, Song K, Zhu Z, Liu X, Xue Y. A prospective health risks analysis of regulatory limits for heavy metals in rice from representative organizations and countries worldwide: Are they protective? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:167130. [PMID: 37751841 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals contamination in rice has been one of the most public concerns globally; thus, many countries and organizations issued the maximum acceptable limits (MALs) of their concentrations in rice to regulate food safety and health risks. However, the applicability of these MALs has rarely been thoroughly evaluated. This study collected the MALs of heavy metals for rice from representative countries and organizations around the world. We assessed the critical health risks in the case of metal concentrations that reached the MALs for the first time. Results showed great variability of rice regulation limits owing to different processing methods (paddy, polished, and brown rice) and metal types (mainly focusing on inorganic As, Cd, and Pb). Risk analysis revealed that the inorganic As limits and part of Cd limits for polished rice generated relatively high health risks, indicating that their risks may be underestimated. Monte Carlo simulation further showed that the daily intake rate of rice (IRrice) is the largest contributor to total variances for the derivation of MALs, and regulation limits decreased with the augment of IRrice. Overall, we suggest a cautious reduction in the allowable limits of certain metals (such as inorganic As and part of Cd) in rice as their health risks and toxicity may be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyan Yang
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China
| | - Qianhang Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, 201418, China
| | - Lijuan Sun
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China
| | - Yafei Sun
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China
| | - Qin Qin
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China
| | - Ke Song
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China
| | - Zhengyi Zhu
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China
| | - Xingmei Liu
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yong Xue
- Eco-Environmental Protection Institution, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 201403, China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Southeastern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 201403, China.
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Neckel A, Toscan PC, Kujawa HA, Bodah BW, Korcelski C, Maculan LS, de Almeida Silva CCO, Junior ACG, Snak A, Moro LD, Silva LFO. Hazardous elements in urban cemeteries and possible architectural design solutions for a more sustainable environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:50675-50689. [PMID: 36800092 PMCID: PMC9936489 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25891-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The general objective of this study is to identify the presence of hazardous elements in the soils of five urban cemeteries in the city of Passo Fundo, in southern Brazil, and to design solutions (architecturally) for future cemeteries to be more sustainable by mitigating toxicological risks to the population residing in the area. A total of 250 soil samples were obtained from points within the cemeteries and in areas surrounding the two oldest cemeteries at a distance of up to 400 m. Twelve architects who design cemeteries primarily focused on sustainability were interviewed, and presented their suggestions for sustainable urban cemetery design. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) computer modeling system was utilized to present a visual representation of suggested architectural features by these architects. The concentration of Pb in the vicinity of cemeteries deserves special attention, as concentrations of this neurotoxin exceed the federal limits set by Brazil. Soil Pb values were found to exceed the limit of 72 mg kg-1 up to a distance of 400 m from the walls of cemeteries A and B, indicating the presence of a danger to human health even at greater distances. This manuscript highlights construction features that enable future burial structures to adequately mitigate the very real problem of contaminants entering the environment from current cemetery design. Two-thirds of the technicians interviewed for this manuscript, each of whom specialize in Brazilian cemetery design, highlighted the importance of revitalizing urban vegetation both when constructing and revitalizing urban vertical cemeteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alcindo Neckel
- Atitus Educação, 304, Passo Fundo, RS, 99070-220, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Brian William Bodah
- Atitus Educação, 304, Passo Fundo, RS, 99070-220, Brazil
- Thaines and Bodah Center for Education and Development, 840 South Meadowlark Lane, Othello, WA, 99344, USA
- Yakima Valley College, Workforce Education & Applied Baccalaureate Programs, South16th Avenue & Nob Hill Boulevard, Yakima, WA, 98902, USA
| | | | | | | | - Affonso Celso Gonçalves Junior
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Western Paraná - UNIOESTE, 1619 R, Universitária, Cascavel, PR, 85819-110, Brazil
| | - Aline Snak
- Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Western Paraná - UNIOESTE, 1619 R, Universitária, Cascavel, PR, 85819-110, Brazil
| | - Leila Dal Moro
- Atitus Educação, 304, Passo Fundo, RS, 99070-220, Brazil
| | - Luis F O Silva
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de La Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
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Wcisło E, Bronder J. Health Risk Assessment for the Residential Area Adjacent to a Former Chemical Plant. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052590. [PMID: 35270282 PMCID: PMC8909588 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A health risk assessment was carried out for the residents of Łęgnowo-Wieś settlement adjacent to a former Zachem Chemical Plant, Bydgoszcz, Poland. Due to the unique Zachem site history and contamination profile, an innovative strategy for soil sampling and contaminant selection was applied. The novelty in the developed strategy consisted of selecting substances for the health risk assessment, taking into consideration the location and boundaries of the groundwater contamination plumes in relation to contamination sources. This allowed limiting the number of the analysed contaminants. The risk assessment focused on the surface soil of a residential area, which was divided into 20 sampling sectors and 6 backyards with wells from which water was used for watering edible plants. A total of 80 inorganic and organic substances were determined, including metals, phenol, aniline, BTEX, diphenyl sulphone, chloroaniline, epichlorohydrin, hydroxybiphenyl, nitrobenzene, octylphenols, toluenediamine, toluidine, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene. For the health risk assessment, the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s deterministic method was applied. This applies conservative assumptions to obtain risk estimates protective for most of the potential receptors. Three exposure pathways were analysed: (1) incidental soil ingestion, (2) dermal contact with soil and (3) inhalation of fugitive soil particles and volatiles. In all sampling sectors and backyards, the total non-cancer risks (hazard index) were significantly lower than the acceptable level of 1. The acceptable cancer risk level for the single carcinogen of 1 × 10−5 was only insignificantly exceeded in the case of benzo(a)pyrene in three sectors and one backyard. The total cancer risks were lower than the acceptable level of 1 × 10−4 in all sampling sectors and all backyards. The findings show that the soil in the entire residential area is safe for the residents’ health and no remedial actions are required. However, since not all possible exposure pathways were analysed in this study, further research focused on assessing the health risk resulting from the consumption of locally grown food is strongly recommended.
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