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Ullah N, Bano SA, Habiba U, Sabir M, Akhtar A, Ramzan S, Shoukat A, Israr M, Shah S, Nizami SM, Hussain M. Environmental impacts, water footprint and cumulative energy demand of match industry in Pakistan. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251928. [PMID: 34015005 PMCID: PMC8136843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted for the matchsticks industry in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan to quantify environmental footprint, water footprint, cumulative energy use, and to identify improvement opportunities in the matchsticks manufacturing process. One carton of matchsticks was used as reference unit for this study. Foreground data was collected from the matchsticks industry through questionnaire surveys, personal meetings, and field measurements. The collected data was transformed into potential environmental impacts through the Centre for Environment Studies (CML) 2000 v.2.05 method present by default in the SimaPro v.9.1 software. Water footprint was calculated using methodology developed by Hoekstra et al., 2012 (water scarcity index) V1.02 and cumulative energy demand by SimaPro v.9.1 software. The results showed that transport of primary material (wood logs), sawn wood for matchsticks, red phosphorous, acrylic varnish, and kerosene fuel oil contributed to the overall environmental impacts. Transport of primary materials and sawn timber for matchsticks contributed significantly to abiotic depletion, global warming, eutrophication potential, ozone depletion, corrosion, human toxicity, and aquatic ecotoxicity effects. The total water footprint for manufacturing one carton of matchsticks was 0.265332 m3, whereas the total cumulative energy demand was 715.860 Mega Joules (MJ), mainly sourced from non-renewable fossil fuels (708.979 MJ). Scenario analysis was also conducted for 20% and 30% reduction in the primary material distance covered by trucks and revealed that reducing direct material transport distances could diminish environmental impacts and energy consumption. Therefore, environmental footprint could be minimized through diverting matchsticks industries freight from indigenous routes to high mobility highways and by promoting industrial forestry close to industrial zones in Pakistan. Many industries did not have emissions control systems, exceeding the permissible limit for emissions established by the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) of Pakistan. Thus, installation of emissions control system could also diminish emissions from match industry in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najeeb Ullah
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Asma Bano
- Department of Microbiology, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Ume Habiba
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Maimoona Sabir
- Department of Microbiology, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Andleeb Akhtar
- Department of Psychology, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Samreen Ramzan
- Department of Commerce, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Shoukat
- Department of Commerce, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Israr
- Department of Biology, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Sher Shah
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Syed Moazzam Nizami
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Majid Hussain
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
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Lowe NM, Zaman M, Moran VH, Ohly H, Sinclair J, Fatima S, Broadley MR, Joy EJM, Mahboob U, Lark RM, Zia MH, Ander EL, Sharp PA, Bailey EH, Young SD, Khan MJ. Biofortification of wheat with zinc for eliminating deficiency in Pakistan: study protocol for a cluster-randomised, double-blind, controlled effectiveness study (BIZIFED2). BMJ Open 2020; 10:e039231. [PMID: 33208325 PMCID: PMC7677336 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Micronutrient deficiencies, commonly referred to as 'hidden hunger', affect more than two billion people worldwide, with zinc and iron-deficiency frequently reported. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of consuming zinc biofortified flour (Zincol-2016) on biochemical and functional measures of status in adolescent girls and children living in a low-resource setting in Pakistan. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We are conducting a pragmatic, cluster-randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. A total of 482 households have been recruited from two catchment areas approximately 30-40 km distance from Peshawar. Household inclusion criteria are the presence of both an adolescent girl, aged 10-16 years, and a child aged 1-5 years. The study duration is 12 months, divided into two 6-month phases. During phase 1, all households will be provided with locally procured flour from standard varieties of wheat. During phase 2, clusters will be paired, and randomised to either the control or intervention arm of the study. The intervention arm will be provided with zinc biofortified wheat flour, with a target zinc concentration of 40 mg/kg. The control arm will be provided with locally procured wheat flour from standard varieties with an expected zinc concentration of 20 mg/kg. The primary outcome measure is plasma zinc concentration. Secondary outcomes include anthropometric measurements, biomarkers of iron and zinc status, and the presence and duration of respiratory tract infections and diarrhoea. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval was granted from the University of Central Lancashire STEMH Ethics Committee (reference number: STEMH 1014) and Khyber Medical University Ethics Committee (DIR/KMU-EB/BZ/000683). The final study methods will be published in peer-reviewed journals, alongside the study outcomes. In addition, findings will be disseminated to the scientific community via conference presentations and abstracts and communicated to the study participants through the village elders at an appropriate community forum. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN17107812; Pre-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola M Lowe
- UCLan Research Centre for Global Development, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Mukhtiar Zaman
- Department of Pulmonology, Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Victoria Hall Moran
- UCLan Research Centre for Global Development, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Heather Ohly
- UCLan Research Centre for Global Development, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Jonathan Sinclair
- UCLan Research Centre for Global Development, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Sadia Fatima
- Institute of Basic Medical sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Martin R Broadley
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - Edward J M Joy
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, London, UK
| | - Usman Mahboob
- Institute of Health Professions Education and Research, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - R Murray Lark
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - Munir H Zia
- Research and Development, Fauji Fertilizer Co Ltd, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - E Louise Ander
- Inorganic Chemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, UK
| | - Paul A Sharp
- Nutritional Sciences, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth H Bailey
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - Scott D Young
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
| | - Muhammad Jaffar Khan
- Institute of Basic Medical sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
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Khisroon M, Khan A, Ayub A, Ullah I, Farooqi J, Ullah A. DNA damage analysis concerning GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphism in gold jewellery workers from Peshawar Pakistan. Biomarkers 2020; 25:483-489. [PMID: 32615823 DOI: 10.1080/1354750x.2020.1791253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the genotoxic effects of gold jewellery fumes and its association with GSTM1 and GSTT1 genetic polymorphisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined 94 subjects including 54 gold jewellery workers and 40 controls. The DNA damage was evaluated by alkaline comet assay and genotyping by PCR. RESULTS The mean total comet score (TCS) in gold jewellery workers was significantly higher as compared to the control subjects (128.0 ± 60.6 versus 47.7 ± 21.4; p = 0.0001). Duration of occupational exposure had positive correlation (r = 0.453, p < 0.01) with DNA damage. Age and tobacco use had significant effects on the TCS of the exposed group as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The frequency of the GSTM1-null genotype in the exposed group was significant (p = 0.004) as compared to the control group. No significant association (p > 0.05) between the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes and DNA damage was found. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that there is increased DNA damage in gold jewellery workers due to their occupational surroundings. Hence there is a strong need to educate the workers about the adverse health effects of potentially hazardous chemicals and highlight the importance of using protective measures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ajmal Khan
- Department of Zoology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Asma Ayub
- Department of Zoology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Ihsan Ullah
- Department of Pharmacology, Poonch Medical College Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Javeed Farooqi
- Department of Zoology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Abid Ullah
- Department of Zoology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
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