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Adeniji AO, Okaiyeto K, George MJ, Tanor EB, Semerjian L, Okoh AI. A systematic assessment of research trends on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different environmental compartments using bibliometric parameters. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:1289-1309. [PMID: 35933629 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01353-2] [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: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of diverse hazardous organic compounds that are relatively stable and widely distributed throughout the world's ecosystems due to various anthropogenic activities. They are generally less soluble in water and have a low vapour pressure, but dissolve easily in adipose tissues; and they bioaccumulate into high concentrations in aquatic animals, thereby exerting a variety of hazardous and lethal effects. Despite the plethora of research studies on these pollutants, only few bibliometric reviews on the subject have been documented in the literature. As a result, the present study aimed to assess the research growth on PAHs-related studies across different ecosystems. Science Citation Index-Expanded of Web of Science was explored to obtain the research studies that were conducted between 1991 and 2020, and RStudio was utilized for the data analysis. Annual productivity increased arithmetically over the years, with a 9.2% annual growth rate and a collaboration index of 2.52. Foremost among the trend topics in this field of study include soil, sediments, biodegradation, bioremediation, bioavailability, and source apportionment. China, USA, Spain, France and Germany were the five top-ranked countries in terms of publications and citations over the three decades investigated; however, Korea, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada were ranked as the five leading countries in terms of collaboration per published article (MCP ratio). Therefore, efforts to strengthen international collaboration in this field of study especially among the less participating countries and continents are thus encouraged. The findings of this study are expected to provide future direction for the upcoming researchers in identifying the hot spots in this field of study as well as research leaders whom to seek collaboration in their future research plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abiodun O Adeniji
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Lesotho, P. O. Roma 180, Roma, Lesotho.
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa.
| | - Kunle Okaiyeto
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa
- Phytomedicine and Phytochemistry Group, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
| | - Mosotho J George
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Lesotho, P. O. Roma 180, Roma, Lesotho
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Emmanuel B Tanor
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Lesotho, P. O. Roma 180, Roma, Lesotho
| | - Lucy Semerjian
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anthony I Okoh
- SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, 5700, South Africa
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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Pillay V, Moodley B. Assessment of the impact of reforestation on soil, riparian sediment and river water quality based on polyaromatic hydrocarbon pollutants. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 324:116331. [PMID: 36202033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116331] [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: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the impact of the eThekwini Municipality reforestation project on the quality of the soil within the reforestation sites, and water from the nearby rivers (White and Black Mhlasini Rivers) situated at the reforested Buffelsdraai area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This was the first evaluation of the effect of reforestation on the reduction of selected organic pollutants to be conducted in this area. The sixteen polyaromatic hydrocarbons analysed are on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of priority pollutants. The soil and sediment samples were extracted using ultrasonication, and liquid-liquid extraction was utilised for the water samples. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) was used to analyze the PAHs. PAH recoveries ranged between 60 and 110%. The PAH LOD values were between 0.30 and 0.69 μg g-1 and LOQ values ranged between 0.99 and 1.9 μg g-1. The total PAH concentrations determined were between 4.258 and 6.426 μg g-1 in the soil samples, 2.210-13.900 μg g-1 in sediment, and 6.360-85.468 ng L-1 in river water. A comparison between all samples and their respective control, showed that reforestation is potentially reducing the concentration of PAH pollutants. The concentration of pollutants was determined to be lower within the reforestation boundaries and higher outside the reforestation boundary. The total concentration for specific PAHs was above the threshold value for most sampling sites according to Canadian environmental guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishalan Pillay
- School of Chemistry & Physics, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University Road Westville, Private Bag X 54001, Durban 4000, South Africa.
| | - Brenda Moodley
- School of Chemistry & Physics, Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University Road Westville, Private Bag X 54001, Durban 4000, South Africa.
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Koelmel JP, Lin EZ, DeLay K, Williams AJ, Zhou Y, Bornman R, Obida M, Chevrier J, Godri Pollitt KJ. Assessing the External Exposome Using Wearable Passive Samplers and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry among South African Children Participating in the VHEMBE Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2191-2203. [PMID: 35089017 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Children in low- and middle-income countries are often exposed to higher levels of chemicals and are more vulnerable to the health effects of air pollution. Little is known about the diversity, toxicity, and dynamics of airborne chemical exposures at the molecular level. We developed a workflow employing state-of-the-art wearable passive sampling technology coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry to comprehensively measure 147 children's personal exposures to airborne chemicals in Limpopo, South Africa, as part of the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies, and Their Environment (VHEMBE). 637 environmental exposures were detected, many of which have never been measured in this population; of these 50 airborne chemical exposures of concern were detected, including pesticides, plasticizers, organophosphates, dyes, combustion products, and perfumes. Biocides detected in wristbands included p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p'-DDD), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), propoxur, piperonyl butoxide, and triclosan. Exposures differed across the assessment period with 27% of detected chemicals observed to be either higher or lower in the wet or dry seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy P Koelmel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Elizabeth Z Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Kayley DeLay
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Antony J Williams
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Yakun Zhou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A2, Canada
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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Seopela MP, McCrindle RI, Combrinck S, Augustyn W. Occurrence, distribution, spatio-temporal variability and source identification of n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and sediment from Loskop dam, South Africa. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 186:116350. [PMID: 32882453 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the spatial and temporal variations in the levels of C8-C40 n-alkanes and 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and sediment from Loskop Dam (Mpumalanga Province South Africa), were investigated between 2015 and 2017. In addition, their sources, which have not been well defined, were also studied over the period. This water body is sourced from a historically contaminated water body, the Olifants River, which flows through areas where a range of industrial and agricultural activities take place. Mass crocodile and fish mortalities have been recorded in this aquatic system, and contamination by organic pollutants were highlighted as a contributing factor. The total average n-alkane concentrations in water and sediments ranged from 0.574±00811 to 18.8±1.39 µg/L and 4760±243 to 30700±906 µg/kg, respectively. Similarly, PAHs were detected at total average concentrations of between 0.150±00494 and 49.8±6.86 µg/L in water and 61.6±5.95 to 2618±300 µg/kg. n-Alkane and PAH diagnostic ratios indicated a mixture of sources of these compounds, attributed to terrestrial, submerged and floating plant material, as well as petrogenic and pyrogenic combustion. Inlet, middle and upper segment site clustering was observed with non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), mainly driven by the prevalence of PAHs at the inlet sites and n-alkanes in the upper reaches. By using indicator compounds, the sources of contamination could be predicted. The strategy described here can be applied to any water body for continuous long-term monitoring of pollutant levels and to identify sources attributing to water pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathapelo Pearl Seopela
- Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524 Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa.
| | - Robert Ian McCrindle
- Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Sandra Combrinck
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Wilma Augustyn
- Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
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S. A. N, P. B. C. F. Development of a turn-on graphene quantum dot-based fluorescent probe for sensing of pyrene in water. RSC Adv 2020; 10:12119-12128. [PMID: 35497633 PMCID: PMC9050712 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra10153e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially harmful pollutants that are emitted into the environment from a range of sources largely due to incomplete combustion. The potential toxicity and carcinogenic effects of these compounds warrants the development of rapid and cost-effective methods for their detection. This work reports on the synthesis and use of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as rapid fluorescence sensors for detecting PAHs in water. The GQDs were prepared from two sources, i.e. graphene oxide (GO) and citric acid (CA) – denoted GO-GQDs and CA-GQDs, respectively. Structural and optical properties of the GQDs were studied using TEM, Raman, and fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopy. The GQDs were then applied for detection of pyrene in environmental water samples based on a “turn-off-on” mechanism where ferric ions were used for turn-off and pyrene for turn-on of fluorescence emission. The fluorescence intensity of both GQDs was switched on linearly within the 2–10 × 10−6 mol L−1 range and the limits of detection were found to be 0.325 × 10−6 mol L−1 and 0.242 × 10−6 mol L−1 for GO-GQDs and CA-GQDs, respectively. Finally, the potential application of the sensor for environmental water samples was investigated using lake water and satisfactory recoveries (97–107%) were obtained. The promising results from this work demonstrate the feasibility of pursuing cheaper and greener environmental monitoring techniques. Graphene quantum dots provide a more environmentally friendly fluorescence sensor for pyrene.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Nsibande S. A.
- Chemistry Department
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
- University of Pretoria
- South Africa
| | - Forbes P. B. C.
- Chemistry Department
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
- University of Pretoria
- South Africa
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Adegoke O, Forbes PBC. L-cysteine-capped core/shell/shell quantum dot-graphene oxide nanocomposite fluorescence probe for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon detection. Talanta 2015; 146:780-8. [PMID: 26695330 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2015.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental pollutants, such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), become widely distributed in the environment after emission from a range of sources, and they have potential biological effects, including toxicity and carcinogenity. In this work, we have demonstrated the analytical potential of a covalently linked L-cysteine-capped CdSeTe/ZnSe/ZnS core/shell/shell quantum dot (QD)-graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite fluorescence probe to detect PAH compounds in aqueous solution. Water-soluble L-cysteine-capped CdSeTe/ZnSe/ZnS QDs were synthesized for the first time and were covalently bonded to GO. The fluorescence of the QD-GO nanocomposite was enhanced relative to the unconjugated QDs. Various techniques including TEM, SEM, HRSEM, XRD, Raman, FT-IR, UV/vis and fluorescence spectrophotometry were employed to characterize both the QDs and the QD-GO nanocomposite. Four commonly found priority PAH analytes namely; phenanthrene (Phe), anthracene (Ant), pyrene (Py) and naphthalene (Naph), were tested and it was found that each of the PAH analytes enhanced the fluorescence of the QD-GO probe. Phe was selected for further studies as the PL enhancement was significantly greater for this PAH. A limit of detection (LOD) of 0.19 µg/L was obtained for Phe under optimum conditions, whilst the LOD of Ant, Py and Naph were estimated to be ~0.26 µg/L. The fluorescence detection mechanism is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwasesan Adegoke
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Lynnwood Road, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
| | - Patricia B C Forbes
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Lynnwood Road, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
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