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Monitoring of pesticides and heavy metals in cucumber fruits produced from different farming systems
Abstract
A total of 216kg of cucumber samples, representing three different types of farming production [e.g., conventional (C), greenhouse (G) and organic (O)], were collected from different locations in Giza governorate (Egypt), and subjected to pesticide residue and heavy metal analyses. Residues of some organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), such as hexachlorobenzene (HCB), heptachlor, aldrin, endrin, dieldrin and o,p'-DDT, as well as organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), such as chlorpyrifos-methyl, thiometon and phorate were found in a number of samples at concentrations exceeding their MRLs. Lindane was detected in 33.3%, 50.0% and 25.0% of samples from C, G and O cucumber, respectively, without violation. The insecticide methamidophos showed high frequency in the analyzed samples of C, G and O cucumber accounting to 66.7%, 41.7% and 50.0%, respectively, without violation. The majority of the analyzed samples contained detectable concentrations of Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni and Co. Only, Pb and Cd were found in a number of samples at concentrations exceeding their MLs. Contamination among the three types of cucumber either by pesticides or heavy metals varied from a season to another. Generally, the greenhouse cucumber contained the highest value of total pesticide residues (1.016mgkg(-1)), followed by organic (0.442mgkg(-1)) and then conventional (0.415mgkg(-1)) cucumbers. Heavy metal contamination in the three cucumber types accounted to 4.968, 5.350 and 6.248mgkg(-1), respectively. The study shed light to the problem of multi toxicants in a food commodity such as cucumber; a common element in the daily human diet.
... Previously, in several studies [15,28,29,48,56], the trace metals such as Cd, Cr and Pb cause significant lethal effects on plant growth and contamination to plant-soil environment in some important cities of Pakistan like Peshawar, Gujranwala, Haripur, Sargodha; these toxic metals are dangerous to the ecosystem and human health via their entry into the food chain. Heavy metal contamination was evaluated in cucumber cultivated under a conventional, greenhouse and organic production system from Egypt [57]. Results showed significantly higher toxicity due to metal bioaccumulation, while Cd and Pb were present in higher concentrations than the permissible limits. ...
... Results showed significantly higher toxicity due to metal bioaccumulation, while Cd and Pb were present in higher concentrations than the permissible limits. Meanwhile, the conventional system was prone to more metal contamination than other production systems [57]. ...
Exposure to toxic metals (TMs) such as cobalt (Co) can cause lifelong carcinogenic disorders and mutagenic outcomes. TMs enter ground water and rivers from human activity, anthro-pogenic contamination, and the ecological environment. The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of sewage water irrigation on cobalt (Co) toxicity and bioaccumulation in a soil-plant environment and to assess the health risk of grazing livestock via forage consumption. Cobalt is a very necessary element for the growth of plants and animals; however, higher concentrations have toxic impacts. Measurement of Co in plant, soil and water samples was conducted via wet digestion method using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The Co pollution severity was examined in soil, forage crops (Sorghum bicolor Kuntze, Sesbania bispinosa (Jacq.) W. Wight, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Suaeda fruticosa (L.) Forssk. and Tribulus terrestris L.) in blood, hair and feces of sheep, cow and buffalo from district Toba-Tek-Singh, Punjab, Pakistan. Three sites were selected for investigation of Co level in soil and forage samples. Highest concentration of Co was 0.65 and 0.35 mg/kg occurring in S. bicolor at site I. The sheep blood, cow hair and sheep feces samples showed highest concentrations of 0.545, 0.549 and 0.548 mg/kg, respectively at site I and site II. Bioconcentration factor, pollution load index, enrichment factor and daily intake were found to be higher (0.667, 0.124, 0.12 and 0.0007 mg/kg) in soil, S. bicolor, S. fruticosa and in buffalo, respectively, at site I. It was concluded that forage species irrigated with wastewater are safe for consumption of livestock. However, though the general values were lower than the permissible maximum limit, it was observed that the bioaccumulation in the forage species was higher. Therefore , soil and food chain components should be avoided from trace metal contamination, and other means of nonconventional water resources should be employed for forages irrigation.
... Organophosphates are a group of pesticides extensively used in agriculture worldwide (Singh and Walker, 2006;Wu et al., 2009;Montuori et al., 2016;Liu et al., 2019). Their residues have been frequently detected in soil, food crops, surface waters, drinking water and groundwater (Mansour et al., 2009;Liu et al., 2019;Sahin and Karpuzcu, 2020). At the beginning mistakenly held as less toxic than their predecessors organochlorines, their high toxicity is now well established. ...
... At the beginning mistakenly held as less toxic than their predecessors organochlorines, their high toxicity is now well established. Detrimental effects were proven in plants and aquatic life as well as in humans, where they cause an array of carcinogenic, mutagenic, neurological, respiratory and reproductive health problems (Singh and Walker, 2006;Mansour et al., 2009;Yu et al., 2018;Liu et al., 2019;Onwona et al., 2020). ...
h i g h l i g h t s g r a p h i c a l a b s t r a c t Sorption efficiency and site energy distribution depended on organic matter content. Breakthrough curves parameters were correlated to soil physico-chemical properties. Higher organic matter/humic acids content and CEC diminish leaching potential. Mathematical model for prediction of leaching potential was formulated. A model for dimethoate sorption/ transfer is proposed. a b s t r a c t Dimethoate is an organophosphorus insecticide still used in Croatia and worldwide, with polar structure and high water solubility that make it prone to leaching. This study analyzed how physico-chemical properties of soils affected dimethoate sorption and mobility. For that purpose, five soil samples were collected from three Croatian regions (two coastal and one mountain region). Dimethoate sorption process was analyzed using the batch procedure while its mobility and leaching potential was investigated by column experiment. The results showed that dimethoate sorption can be adequately described by Freundlich model. All isotherms were of L-type with varying degrees of non-linearity, indicating different sorption efficiencies and distribution of sorption sites energies among the soils. Energy distribution was broader in soils richer in organic matter (OM). K F values indicated relatively low sorption efficiency for all soils, with an increase of K F values proportional to OM content. Mechanisms involved in dimethoate sorption and mobility were analyzed by fitting the breakthrough curves (BTCs) with two mathematical models, namely one-site equilibrium (ELM) and two-site nonequilibrium sorption model (NELM). Correlations were quantified by Kendall-Tau test, which revealed the strongest correlation of K F value with OM content, cation exchange capacity and the humic acid content, while correlations with pH, clay content and A465nm/A665nm ratio were negative and insignificant. Based on these findings, a model for prediction of leaching potential was formed. A simplified model for dimethoate sorption/ transport was proposed.
... Uptake and bioaccumulation of these substances can cause a broad array of toxic and mutagenic effects on target organs [18,20]. Inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) can cause circulatory, nervous and enzymatic problems, as well such as lung cancer, skin cancer, bone fractures and kidney dysfunction [15,[21][22][23][24]. ...
Heavy metals are chemical contaminants, toxic, potentially carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, stable, persistent and are of concern in the food chain. The risk to the consumer of the presence of inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in five varieties (Bourbon, Típica, Catimor, Caturra and Pache) of parchment coffee from five regions (Amazonas, Cajamarca, Cusco, Huánuco and San Martín) was investigated in this study. A predictive model of the stages of coffee bean hulling, roasting and infusion was built to simulate the process. The results by region showed significant differences in which San Martín had the highest iAs, Cr and Pb values. The variety was only significant for Cr, of which Pache presented the highest concentration. The Cd and Hg values were below the detection limits. The hazard index (HI) was less than 1 for iAs, Cd, Cr and Hg and the combination of margin of exposure and the probability of exceedance (MOE-POE) for Pb indicated that an adverse health effect was not likely. The cancer risk (CR) for iAs and Pb in the 95th percentile was considered as both high and acceptable, respectively.
... Accumulation of various heavy metals in fishes can severely affect human health as a result of consumption of these contaminated fishes [10,11]. Therefore, food safety research has caught the attention of the researchers due to the associated risk from metals contaminated food consumption [12,13]. ...
Heavy metal contamination in aquatic environment is a serious concern throughout the world. Metal contamination are responsible for the accumulation of metals within the fish body. And, consumption of these contaminated fish possess serious threat to the associated consumers. In this current study, five commonly cultured freshwater fishes (rui, Labeo rohita; mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala; silver carp, Hypophthalmicthys molitrix; bata, Labeo bata, and sarpunti, Puntius sarana) were collected from a commercial fish farm of Natore district, Bangladesh to analyze metals levels in edible portion (flesh), and to assess the associated human health risk. Several heavy metals such as zinc (Zn); cadmium (Cd); chromium (Cr); arsenic (As); lead (Pb); and nickel (Ni) were analyzed by a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Besides, the target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and lifetime cancer risk (TR) were also estimated for assessing the associated human health risk. In this study, concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cr, As, Pb and Ni in different fish species were found 6.36±1.48 to 13.31±1.33; 0.017±0.01 to 0.049±0.02; 0.654±0.04; 0.015±0.01 to 0.033±0.01; 0.534±0.11 and 0.08±0.05, respectively. All the analyzed values were within the recommended level except Cr in C. mrigala. The THQ, HI and TR values of all the analyzed metals in the fishes indicated that no associated cancer risk resulting from the consumption of those fishes. Therefore, the current study revealed that fishes of the target area might be free from associated metals contamination and hence, might be safe for human consumption.
... Numerous researchers have also documented metal accumulation in other fish tissues, including the gills, gonads, liver, kidney, and muscle (Moiseenko and Kudryavtseva, 2001). Nutriment wellbeing is a major alarm for nutritionists and environmentalists Carvalho, 2006;Mansour et al., 2009). The risk of hazardous metals being consumed through contaminated water and food products, particularly fish, has been raised globally (Weldegebriel et al., 2012;Fleming et al., 2006). ...
Marine hazardous contaminants, such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), pose significant risks to both human health and aquatic organisms. Traditional methods may not remove contaminants to safe levels, leading to the release of hazardous materials into marine environments. This research proposes polymeric membrane bioreactors as a potential solution to this problem. We determined Cd and Pb levels in three freshwater fish species (Rita, Ompok bimaculatus, and Heteropneustes fossils) from two distinctive regions (Zone 1 and Zone 2). Additionally, Cd and Pb concentrations in feeding materials, water, and sediments were analyzed to estimate daily intake and potential hazardous effects of these contaminants on the fish species. These findings underscore the need for effective regulatory measures and policies to reduce the discharge of hazardous contaminants into freshwater and marine environments, protecting both human health and the environment. Implementing polymeric membrane bioreactors in wastewater treatment and industrial facilities could mitigate the risks associated with consuming contaminated fish species. Significantly, the Cd and Pb levels in all three fish species from both fishponds exceeded the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) maximum permissible limits. These findings carry important implications for policymakers, regulators, and industries, urging them to act appropriately to ensure the safety of the environment and public health. This study suggests that polymeric membrane bioreactors are a promising technological approach to address marine contamination, emphasizing their potential role in safeguarding human health and aquatic ecosystems.
... The mycorrhizal infection has been demonstrated in specific field research to boost plant growth and survival, although many reports have little or even adverse effects [13]. Sondergaard and Lindegaard were the first to report mycorrhizas in aquatic plants, and Since aquatic macrophytes colonized lakes and streams have been found to have mycorrhiza [14]. The existence of VAM in freshwater wetlands suggests that the biology and ecology of this interaction warrant additional study, particularly about the function of fungi in plant nutrition and environmental conditions tolerance [15]. ...
VAM fungi play a vital role in improving the nutrient quality in the plants, increasing the plants’ growth, helping protect plants against the pathogen, and helps in protecting them from salinity and drought. Their functions range from stress reduction to bioremediation in heavy metal-polluted soils. The current review paper focuses on heavy metal absorption, accumulation, and the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in alleviating heavy metal stress in plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important soil microbial resources that assist host plants in dealing with a variety of abiotic stresses. It gives up-to-date information about AMF responses to abiotic stress. The significance of mycorrhiza against pathogenic populations is well documented, and the advantages of these relationships have been proven to minimize root system vulnerabilities by minimizing abiotic stresses, as well as boosting plant variety's ecological fitness in the soil environment. This review paper represents lipids as essential nutrients for AMF. This paper gives an overview of AM fungi's potential as bio-protection agents against soil-borne diseases and discuss about Modes of mycorrhizae-mediated disease control. The present review included reducing the impacts of biotic and abiotic stress through AMF, the mechanisms of AMF to improve the host plant’s capacity to endure stress, and the strategies employed by AM fungus to support plant” survival in stressful conditions.
... The health hazards associated with this pollution have been known for ages, and the risks have been steadily increasing in many countries over the last century (Bhargava et al., 2017). This has led to increased research on food safety, specifically concerning health risks from the consumption of food contaminated with heavy metals (Mansour et al., 2009;Saha and Zaman, 2013). Recently, public health risks from exposure to intake of pollutants are now evident enough that the regulation topic due to the gradually higher values of toxic metals in the environment is very crucial (Ihedioha et al., 2016). ...
... Food consumption has been identified as the primary method by which people are exposed to heavy metals, and thus poses a hazard to public health (Gomaa and Elhadidy,2020). Research on the dangers of eating food polluted with heavy metals has accelerated due to the rising need for food safety (Mansour et al., 2009). Foods that are damaged or tainted because they either contain microorganisms, such as bacteria or parasites, or toxic compounds that render them unsafe for consumption are often referred to as "contaminated foods". ...
... Estimated, 90% of the HMs exposure to consumers occurs through contaminated food (Martorell et al., 2011), which contributes up to 30% of cancer in human along with other health disorders (Mansour et al., 2009). Foods either fresh or processed are contaminated with HMs (Hajeb et al., 2014), that become noxious when ingested above the tolerable limit (Dghaim et al., 2015). ...
... Rice cultivation is the second consumer of pesticides after cotton [19]. Human oral intake of pesticides can lead to toxicity and chronic consequences, such as genetic mutation and dysfunction and blood, reproductive, and endocrine disorders [20][21][22][23][24][25]. ...
Rice is a widely consumed food worldwide; however, it can be a source of pollutants, such as potentially toxic elements (PTEs), mycotoxins, and pesticides. Sixty rice samples imported from Pakistan (PAK), India (IND), and Thailand (THAI), as well as domestic Iranian (IRN) rice, were collected from Bushehr, Iran, and investigated for the contamination of PTEs, including arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni); pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, trichlorfon, diazinon, fenitrothion, and chlorothalonil; mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), and deoxynivalenol (DON); and molds. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) of pollutants and hazard index (HI) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of rice types for the Iranian adult population were calculated. The content of PTEs in Iranian rice was not higher than Iran’s national standard limits. In contrast, other types of rice (imported) had at least one PTE above the permissible level. OTA content was below the detection limit, and all other mycotoxins were within the allowable range in all rice types. Thai rice was the only group without pesticides. The HI order of rice types was as follows: HIPAK = 2.1 > HIIND = 1.86 > HIIRN = 1.01 > HITHAI = 0.98. As was the biggest contributor to the HI of Iranian and Thai rice, and diazinon in the HI of Pakistani and Indian rice. The calculation of ILCR confirmed that the concentrations of Ni and Pb in Pakistani and Ni and As in Indian, Thai, and Iranian rice were not acceptable in terms of lifetime carcinogenic health risks.
... Mice exposed to 0.005 and 0.5 mg/kg phorate had obvious hyperglycaemia. Phorate is a potential risk factor for human health, and the acceptable daily intake recommend by the WHO is 0.0005 mg/kg bw/day [14]. Occupational exposure of farmers to phorate increases their daily intake of pesticides, with a median exposure of 0.69 μg/kg bw/day, the equivalent of which is 0.006279 mg/kg bw/day in mice [5]. ...
Phorate is a systemic, broad-spectrum organophosphorus insecticide. Although it is commonly used worldwide, phorate, like other pesticides, not only causes environmental pollution but also poses serious threats to human and animal health. Herein, we measured the blood glucose concentrations of high-fat-diet-fed mice exposed to various concentrations of phorate (0, 0.005, 0.05, or 0.5 mg/kg); we also assessed the blood glucose concentrations of high-fat-diet-fed mice exposed to phorate; we also assessed the distribution characteristics of the resistance genes in the intestinal microbiota of these mice. We found that 0.005 and 0.5 mg/kg of phorate induced obvious hyperglycaemia in the high-fat-diet-fed mice. Exposure to phorate markedly reduced the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila in the mouse intestine. The resistance genes vanRG, tetW/N/W, acrD, and evgS were significantly upregulated in the test group compared with the control group. Efflux pumping was the primary mechanism of drug resistance in the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Synergistetes, Spirochaetes, and Actinobacteria found in the mouse intestine. Our findings indicate that changes in the abundance of the intestinal microbiota are closely related to the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the intestinal tract and the metabolic health of the host.
... Food safety is considered a greatest significant issue by scientists due to public health concerns. Mainly, the human body is beings exposed to heavy metals via food consumption and about 90% of exposure are occurred through eating than other routes such as dermal and inhalation (Mansour et al., 2009). At present, heavy metals associated with health risk by consumption of contaminated foodstuffs have been drawing more attention among researchers (Shaheen et al., 2016). ...
This study was intended to assess heavy metal contents and sources in commonly consumed vegetables and fish collected from the Jashore district of Bangladesh and to evaluate the probable human health risks via the ingesting of those vegetables and fish species. A total of 130 vegetable and fish samples were analyzed for As, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Pb concentration by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Metals and metalloids like As, Pb, and Cr in vegetable species were greater than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC), while Pb and Cu in fish species exceeded the MAC. Pollution evaluation index values were ranges from 0.40-10.35 and 1.53-2.78 for vegetable and fish species, respectively, indicating light to serious pollution. Lactuca sativa followed by Cucurbita moschata, Amaranthus gangeticus for vegetables and Channa punctate, Oreochromis mossambicus, followed by Dendrobranchiata for fish are the most contaminated food items. The positive matrix factorization model showed that As (81.9%), Ni (48%), Cr (49.6%), Mn (46%), Pb (44.3%), and Cu (44.4%) for vegetable species and As (86.9%), Ni (90.5%), Mn (67.6%), Pb (65.3%), Cr (57%) and Cu (46.2%) for fish species were resulting from agrochemical, atmospheric emission, irrigation, contaminated feed, and mixed sources. The self-organizing map and principle component analysis indicates three spatial patterns e.g., As-Mn-Cu, Pb-Cr, and Ni in vegetables and As-Mn-Cr, Cu-Ni, and Pb in fish samples. The THQ values for single elements were less than 1 (except As for vegetables and Pb for fish species) for all food items but the HI values for all of the vegetables (2.18E+00 to 2.04E+01) and fish (1.07E+00 to 9.39E+00) samples were exceeded the USEPA acceptable risk level (HI>1E+00). While the cancer risks only induced by As for all vegetables and fish species, which exceeded the USEPA safe level (TCR>1E-04). Sensitivity analysis indicates that metal concentration was the most responsible factor for carcinogenic risk.
... Plus de 90% des polluants sont absorbé s via l'alimentation, comparés à l'inhalation et à la voie percutané e (Fries, 1995). Ceux-ci pourraient être à l'origine de plus de 30% des cancers liés à une exposition certes faible mais chronique via l'alimentation (Mansour et al., 2009). ...
(FR)Actuellement l’utilisation d’automobile augmente fortement, et cause des conséquences importantes comme la pollution atmosphérique. Les HAP fait une partie importante dans cette pollution. Ils sont largement étudiés dans plusieurs domaines. Dans ce travail on s’intéresse au développement d’une méthode pour extraire les HAP àpartir des fruits soumis àla pollution atmosphérique, et l’appliquer dans une expérience ex-situ. Trois méthodes d’extraction (soxhlet, sonication et SPE) choisies appliquée dans ce travail selon les littératures. Les résultats analysés montrent que la SPE a une bonne performance pour extraire les HAP lourds, cependant àcause de la grande volatilité, l’extraction des HAP légers est toujours faible dans toutes les méthodes. Pourtant selon la quantité récupérée et l’analyse statistique de notre travail, le soxhlet et la sonication apparaissent mieux pour extraire ces genres de HAP.
(EN)Currently the usage of automobile increases significantly, and it cause serious consequences such as air pollution. PAH is an important part in this pollution, they are widely studied in several areas. In this work we are interested in developing a method to extract PAHs from the fruit submitted to this pollution, and apply it in an ex - situ experiment. Three selected extraction methods (Soxhlet , sonication and SPE) are applied in this work according to the literature. The analyzed results show that the SPE has a good performance for extract heavy PAHs, however, because of the high volatility, the extraction of light PAH is always weak in any way. But depending on the recovered quantity and the statistical analysis of our work, soxhlet and sonication appear better to extract these kinds of PAHs.
... µg·kg −1 , whereas DDTs, heptachlor, and dieldrin was also detected [6]. The maximum (max) residues of OCPs in cucumbers could reach 1.628 µg·kg −1 [7]. The monitoring results of OCPs in vegetables which were sold in Beijing (China) markets showed that the residues of DDTs and HCHs were up to 10.4 µg·kg −1 and 58.8 µg·kg −1 , respectively [8]. ...
In this study, eleven organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in fresh vegetables in the Changchun suburb were investigated, and their potential health risks were evaluated. The average concentrations of OCPs in edible parts of vegetables were found in the following descending order: Σhexachlorocyclohexanes (ΣHCHs) (6.60 µg·kg−1) > Σdichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (ΣDDTs) (5.82 µg·kg−1) > ΣChlordanes (2.37 µg·kg−1) > heptachlor (0.29 µg·kg−1). Moreover, OCPs in different types of vegetables exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs), and the exceeding rates in various vegetables decreased in the following order: leafy vegetables (19.12%) > root vegetables (18.75%) > fruit vegetables (3.85%). The proportions of OCPs exceeding MRL in different vegetables were found in the following descending order: Welsh onion (22.50%) > radish (18.75%) > Chinese cabbage (14.29%) > pepper (6.90%) > cucumber (3.23%) > eggplant (2.94%) > tomato (2.78%). The sources’ identification results showed that DDTs in vegetables came mainly from newly imported technical DDTs and dicofol, while HCHs originated mainly from lindane. For both adults and children, the average target hazard quotients (avg. THQ) were all less than 1, and the average hazard index (avg. HI) values were 0.043 and 0.036, respectively. There were no significant health risks associated with OCP exposure for the inhabitants of the study area.
... Application of contaminated water for irrigation, consumption of pesticides and fertilizers containing metals, industrial emissions, crop-reaping, transporting, postharvest keeping, and selling are the important entranceways of HMs into the plants. Plants adsorb HMs from contaminated soils, sediments, and air (Mansour et al., 2009). Due to the variety of HMs entranceways, the presence of HMs in fruits is inevitable. ...
The concentrations of PTEs in fruits (sold in Iranian markets) were evaluated in the present study. The highest mean concentrations (µg/kg) of aluminum (519), chromium(VI) (20.6), iron (803), nickel (60.4), lead (35.5), copper (208), cobalt (6.79), mercury (4.38), zinc (857), manganese (666), arsenic (7.50), and cadmium (4.40) were obtained in black plum, nectarine, black plum, peach, black plum, cherry, pear, cherry, banana, banana, cherry, and cherry, respectively. The highest (34.50) and the lowest (25.56) heavy metal pollution index were observed in mango and apple, respectively. PTEs were positively and negatively correlated with each other. Total chronic daily intake of PTEs was lower than tolerable daily intake for consumers. Target hazard quotient, total target hazard quotient, and hazard index were lower than one (safe limit) for children and adults. The cancer risk of individual toxic PTEs was within the safe limit for children and adults (except Ni), and the cumulative cancer risk of PTEs in some apples and peach was not safe for adults (> E-04). The results of the Monte Carlo Simulation showed that intake rate was the most efficient parameter in the target hazard quotient and cancer risk. PTEs were grouped in three clusters based on their sources.
... Therefore, the food safety concept has become a big worry in recent years as the eating of fish has grown in popularity among health-conscious people due to its high protein content, low saturated fat content, and omega fatty acid concentration, all of which are known to promote excellent health [15]. As a result, the growing demand for food safety has spurred studies to consider the risk of consuming heavy metal-contaminated food [16]. In the haor regions of Bangladesh, where fish and water had a low to extraordinarily high bio-accumulation factor, a study was undertaken to determine the amounts of heavy metals in fish, sediment, and water. ...
Food safety is currently a serious concern due to the health risks associated with food
intake, particularly due to heavy metal contamination. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the heavy metals concentration in water and fishes collected from Hakaluki haor, Bangladesh. Three important fish species, Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus cirrhosis, and Labeo calbasu, together with water samples, were analyzed for heavy metals (Pb, Cr, and Cd), respectively. Considering four seasons, namely the monsoon, post-monsoon, winter, and pre-monsoon, a total of 72 fish samples were collected from three fishing stations from June 2017 to May 2018. The results showed that the total mean concentration of metals in water (mg L−1) was found to be in the order of Pb (0.125 ± 0.058) > Cr (0.026 ± 0.012) > Cd (0.001 ± 0.0002) within the maximum permissible limits
set by the EU and WHO, except for Pb concentrations. Similarly, the total mean concentrations of Pb in fish (µg g−1) were found in order of L. rohita (0.388 ± 0.291) > Cirrhinus cirrhosus (0.334 ± 0.236) > L. calbasu (0.251 ± 0.117) greater than the maximum permissible limits (0.3 µg g−1) set by FIQC, except for L. calbasu. However, the mean concentrations of Cr and Cd in fish were found to be below the maximum permissible limits of FAO and FIQC, respectively. The quantity of heavy metal contamination in this haor indicates that the situation is worrying for the region’s biota and residents. However, to protect public health and reduce environmental risk, the appropriate authorities should oversee and monitor it with strong hands.
... The soil to crop/food transfer of heavy metals is the main way of human exposure to heavy metals, which may occur in everyone's daily life (Rai et al., 2019). Some studies have estimated that 90% of consumers' exposure to heavy metals arises from polluted food whereas this exposure is responsible for up to 30% of cancerogenic diseases and other health disorders in humans (Mansour et al., 2009;Martorell et al., 2011). For example, excessive ingestion of Pband Cd-polluted food may develop several diseases, e.g., renal and liver dysfunction, memory loss and Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and even death (Paz et al., 2019;Rai et al., 2019). ...
The contamination of agroecosystems with heavy metals, caused by the long-term agricultural practices (e.g., the application of extensive agrochemical), has become a high-priority issue for soil-food-human health. Our study aimed to estimate the effect of the agricultural activities on contamination severity and health risk potential of heavy metals in the soil-urban apple orchards versus control soils across various soil types and apple cultivars. This research assessed pollution index (PI), pollution load index (PLI), ecological risk (ER), bio-concentration factor (BCF), hazard quotient (HQ), and overall hazard index (HI). The results revealed a significant increase in the concentration of all metals of the orchard soils, ranging 30–51%, 19–24%, 70–137%, 25–33%, and 16–23% for Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Ni, respectively, versus those in the control soils. Compared to the control soils, PI, PLI, and ER reflected a significant increase in the orchard soils ranging 13–67%, 18–45%, and 18–33%, respectively, which has downgraded their scoring class by one grade. Cd and Pb were not detected in the samples collected from the apple cultivars ‘Golden Delicious’ (GD) and ‘Red Delicious’ (RD), indicating no toxic levels of Cd and Pb. Compared to the GD, the concentration of Zn, Cu, and Ni was comparatively higher in RD, implying varying heavy metal accumulation potentials in two different apple cultivars. The mean HQ and HI were in the low category (0.1 ≤ HQ and HI < 1) in both GD and RD cultivars, meaning that GD and RD are safe for local residents to be consumed and do not pose a significant potential risk to the health of consumers. However, HQ and HI were significantly higher in the RD cultivar than in the GD cultivar in most apple samples.
... Furthermore, the majority of metals were deposited in the vegetative parts of crops, but a significant proportion was also transferred to the edible component. In Egypt, Mansour et al. [68] looked at different metal concentrations in cucumber grown in three different production systems (conventional, greenhouse, and organic). They discovered high levels of heavy metals in cucumber, as well as greater levels of Cd and Pb than expected. ...
Cobalt (Co) bioaccumulation, contamination, and toxicity in the soil environment, plant growth, and cattles’ health are becoming a severe matter that can cause unembellished consequences in environmental safety and human health. The present research was conducted for the assurance of cobalt (Co) amassing in three forage plant species (Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, Trifolium alaxandrium), from four ecological sites, and sewage water and in buffaloes blood was investigated. The analysis of variance showed significant differences for Co concentration in the soil and sewage water collected from all ecological sites. Meanwhile, summer and winter seasons and forage ecotypes significantly influenced the quantity of Co. The forage pastures also vary significantly in the concentration of Co in the above-ground parts. The highest Co level was present in Trifolium alaxandrium at ecological site-5. Cobalt taken from wastewater had a higher concentration in Trifolium alaxandrium during the winter. The samples which are collected from site-V and site-IV have the maximum concentration of Co because these areas receive highly contaminated water for irrigation. Cobalt tends to be bioaccumulated in the food chain and can cause serious problems in humans and animals. Bioaccumulation of cobalt in collected samples could be accredited to anthropogenic activities. Pollution load index values for all samples fell in the range below 1. The health risk index indicated the probability of health damage caused by the ingestion of contaminated fodder. An increase of Co concentration in soil, fodder, and blood owing to wastewater irrigation to crops was indicated as an outcome of this investigation. The results indicate that the Co toxicity in forage crops is attributed to Co bioaccumulation, transfer, and pollution load in the soil–water-cattle triangle. Efforts should be extended to avoid contamination of the food chain via Co-rich sewage water. Other nonconventional water resources should be used for forage irrigation.
... Rice cultivation is the second consumer of pesticides after cotton [19]. Human oral intake of pesticides can lead to toxicity and chronic consequences, such as genetic mutation and dysfunction and blood, reproductive, and endocrine disorders [20][21][22][23][24][25]. ...
Black tea is a popular and widely consumed beverage in Iran. Due to the possibility of transferring heavy metals and mycotoxins to the food chain, its potential hazards should be considered. In this study, forty samples of black tea imported to Bushehr port were collected. The physicochemical and microbial properties and their contamination with heavy metals including copper, lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium, as well as Aflatoxin B1 were evaluated. Moreover, to evaluate the health effects of exposure to heavy metals, both Hazard Index (HI) and Hazard Quotient (HQ) values were calculated. The concentration of lead, cadmium, arsenic and copper were: 0.63, 0.061, 0.01, 29.93 mg kg⁻¹ in Sri Lankan, 0.65, 0.063, 0.11, 21.3 mg kg⁻¹ in Indian, 0.61, 0.055, 0.085, 14.82 mg kg⁻¹ in Kenyan and 1.71, 0.06, 0.1, 37.87 mg kg⁻¹ in Vietnamese tea samples, respectively. No Hg contamination was observed. Aflatoxin B1 was only detected in Kenyan and Vietnamese samples (24.33 and 42.66 ng g⁻¹, respectively). The calculation of HQ value for all heavy metals and HI value for all brands, which all were below one, showed that there is no non-carcinogenic adverse health effect through consuming these black teas for the adult consumers.
... Food safety is a major concern at present. The increasing demand of food safety has accelerated research regarding the risk associated with food consumption contaminated by trace metals [12]. The rate at which trace metals are accumulated in the soil depends on the physicochemical properties of the soil and the relative efficiency of crops to remove the metals from the soil. ...
... Some light industries, such as alloy, components and lubricants, can result in significant copper and chromium emissions (Yeung et al. 2003;Mirbagheri & Hosseini 2005). At the same time, Cd is closely related to fertilizers, pesticides and disinfectants (Mansour et al. 2009). The Fenghe River Basin runs through the city center and suburbs of Xi'an city, and some enterprises, residents, farmland Uncorrected Proof and orchards (vineyards and strawberry fields) are distributed around the sampling site, which may be the main sources of Cu, Cr and Cd pollution. ...
This paper combines environmental science, inorganic chemistry, water quality monitoring and other disciplines to analyze and assess the heavy metals in the water bodies and sediments of the Fenghe River Basin (FRB) in Shaanxi Province, and reveal their sources. The Water Quality Index (WQI), Nemero Index (Pn), Geological Accumulation Index (I-geo) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI) are used to assess heavy metals in water and sediments. Pearson correlation analysis (CA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) models are used to study the relationship and source of heavy metals. The results show that most of the residual heavy metals in the water are below the corresponding environmental quality standards for surface water. Most of the heavy metals in the sediment exceed the background value of the soil. The factors or sources of heavy metals in water and sediment are revealed in detail through PMF models. The main sources of pollution in the region are urban construction and transportation, the electronics industry, machinery manufacturing and tourism. In water, the average contribution rates of these four sources to heavy metals were 36.8%, 11.7%, 9.4% and 42.0%, and in sediments were 8.0%, 29.2%, 23.9% and 38.9%. Therefore, these sectors should be given sufficient attention. HIGHLIGHTS
Only Mn and Cr exceed the national water quality standards.;
Most heavy metals in the sediment exceed the national standard value, except Ni.;
The main sources of pollution are urban construction, industry and agriculture.;
Use CA, HCA and PCA methods to confirm the results of water and sediment analysis.;
PMF model is used to reveal the factors or sources of heavy metals in the watershed.;
... The organochlorine pesticides are recognized to induce changes in reproductive growth, behaviour or function in wildlife, and have been prohibited in developed countries but still in use in most Africa countries [23]. Organochlorine pesticides also reported to be associated with alteration of local environment and death of farm animals [24]. ...
The study determined the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues and assesses health risks linked with the consumption of vegetables cultivated in the Yamaltu area in Gombe, Nigeria. OCPs residues were solvent extracted and analyzed with a high performance liquid chromatography equipped with UV/VIS Detector. The mean concentrations of ten detected OCPs residues were almost all above the set limit of EU/WHOMRL. The estimated daily intake of OCPs from samples was below the acceptable daily intake, hazard index estimated were <1, indicated no probable non-carcinogenic health effect, while the carcinogenic health effect showed that children were more vulnerable for the consumption of the contaminated vegetables.
... Over the past couple of decades, a rapid increase in the quantity and use of different pesticides in the agricultural sector has been observed and this growth trend is expected to continue for the next decades due to several socio-economic and technological developments (Bempah et al., 2011). However, pesticide use has also been associated with several concerns, including the potential risks to human health from both occupational and non-occupational exposures, the death of farm animals and alteration of the local environment (Mansour et al., 2009). Many of these compounds can cause moderate to severe respiratory and neurological damage or act as genotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic agents, endocrine disruption etc., through routes that include consumption of dietary residues (Hayat et al., 2011). ...
Along with the widespread use of pesticides in the world, concerns over human health impacts are rapidly growing. There is a large body of evidence on the relationship between the exposure to pesticides and the elevated rate of chronic diseases such as different types of cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson, Alzheimer, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), birth defects, and reproductive disorders. This research assessed the health risk of pesticide residues by the dietary intake of vegetables collected from the agro-based markets of Dhaka, Bangladesh. As some of the banned pesticides were also found in vegetable samples, they may pose a higher risk because of cheaper availability and hence the government of Bangladesh should take strong measures to control these banned pesticides. Five organo phosphorus (chlorpyrifos, parathion, ethion, acephate, fenthion) and two carbamate (carbaryl and carbofuran) pesticide residues were identified in twenty four samples of two common vegetables (tomato and brinjal). The pesticide residues ranged from below a detectable limit (< 0.01) to 0.36 mg·kg-1. Acephate, chlorpyrifos, ethion, and carbaryl were detected in only one sample, while co-occurrence occurred twice for parathion. Continuous monitoring and strict regulation should be enforced regarding the control of pesticide residues in fresh vegetables and other food commodities in Bangladesh.
... In addition, incubation of DDT could disrupt lysosomal membranes in liver of rats and fish (Köhler et al., 2002;Rogers et al., 1976). Thus, it is also important to study the combined effect of Cd and DDT on lysosomal morphology and function since both DDT and Cd are persistent chemical materials and could coexist in the environment with people probably simultaneously exposed to the two chemicals from food, water, soil, and other environmental media or agricultural products (Mansour et al., 2009;Abdallah and Morsy, 2013;Gaw et al., 2008;Huang et al., 2011;Zhu et al., 2012). However, different toxicants may interact with each other and cause different toxicity compared with their individual toxicity. ...
The organochlorine insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and heavy metal cadmium (Cd) are widespread environmental pollutants. They are persistent in the environment and can accumulate in organisms. Although the individual toxicity of DDT and Cd has been well documented, their combined toxicity is still not clear. Since liver is their common target, in this study, the individual and combined toxicity of DDT and Cd in human liver carcinoma HepG2 and human normal liver THLE-3 cell lines were investigated. The results showed that DDT and Cd inhibited the viability of HepG2 and THLE-3 cells dose-dependently and altered lysosomal morphology and function. Intracellular reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation levels were induced by DDT and Cd treatment. The combined cytotoxicity of DDT and Cd was greater than their individual cytotoxicity, and the interaction between Cd and DDT was additive on the inhibition of cell viability and lysosomal function of HepG2 cells. The interaction was antagonistic on the inhibition of cell viability of THLE-3 cells. These results may facilitate the evaluation of the cumulative risk of pesticides and heavy metal residues in the environment.
... This situation extensively controls the increased nature of toxic metals on fish or pangas. Eating fish (pangas) with deposited toxic elements could enhance the highly critical health issues of a human being (Mansour et al. 2009). ...
In this study, pangas and feed samples were analyzed to estimate the levels of metallic elements and to profile the human health risks due to consumption of contaminated fish. This investigation confirmed significant variations in heavy metal concentrations among different tissues of pangas in the order of Ni > Cu > Pb > Cd > Cr in pre-monsoon and Ni > Cd = Cu > Pb = Cr in post-monsoon. Considerably higher concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Cr were estimated in liver; and Cd and Ni were detected in muscle than in other organs (p > 0.05). Statistically significant higher amounts of Cd, Ni, and Cu were observed in pre-monsoon than in post-monsoon. Furthermore, three metal pairs showed significant association (Pb–Ni and Pb–Cu involved positively; Cd–Ni acted negatively). In pre-monsoon, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cu concentrations of feed significantly differed than those of pangas contents, whereas only Cu varied during the post-monsoon. Regression analysis revealed the significant effect of Ni content in feed on the Cu deposition of pangas (p-value 0.027, that was < 0.05). For the assessment of potential human health risk of the studied metals, estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) indices were calculated. Studied EDI indicated that an average adult ingested a higher amount of Ni and Cu than the recommended intake limit. Nevertheless, only the higher EDI of Ni increases the value of THQ and HI than standard limit indicates adverse non-carcinogenic risk. However, lower CR of Pb confirmed no serious health hazard due to the ingestion of pangas. Factor analysis through principal component and cluster analysis suggested that higher concentrations of Pb and Ni may be regulated by the feed used, geochemical properties, or rapid industrialization in the study area. A proper monitoring for controlling the quality of fish feed with sustainable planning for industrialization could secure the booming of pangasius aquaculture in Bangladesh.
... Food consumption might be the key pathway for the exposure of human beings to pollutants including toxic elements. More than 90% of exposure to public health occurred by ingestion compared to other routes of exposure like dermal and inhalation [1]. Different types of vegetables play a significant role in human nourishment and fresh vegetables may make up an enormous extent of a healthy human diet as vital sources of nutrients, minerals, and fiber. ...
Monitoring of heavy metal content in commonly consumed vegetables is of high priority for food safety, and public health risk assessment. Vegetables were collected from industrial, non-industrial, arsenic contaminated region and one of popular vegetable markets of Bangladesh for analyzing heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) with standard digestion procedure. Results showed significant variations of heavy metal content among vegetables and most of cases the metals (except Cu and some of Zn) revealed several times higher concentrations than that of maximum permissible level (MPL) values, which indicated the vegetables were contaminated through either natural or anthropogenic activities. The dietary intake of metals are responsible for association of health risk that evaluated by target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and target carcinogenic risk (TR) calculations. Estimated daily intake (EDI) for all metals were below the maximum tolerable daily intake (MTDI) values of all vegetables. The THQs for single metals were less than 1 (except As and Pb for few vegetables), indicating the inhabitant would not possess health hazard for single metal through vegetables consumption. However, the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) of all metals were >1 (except Cu and Zn for industrial and non-industrial sites), suggesting potential health risk. HI values were found more than 1 (36.24 for industrial site, 16.74 for non-industrial site, and 15.03 for local market) representing the selected vegetables intake might be affected quality of food safety of densely populated Bangladesh. The prob-abilistic risk, individual, and total cancer risk (TR) for As and Pb were exceeded the threshold level (10 À4) and safe limit (10 À6), respectively, indicating peoples who have been consuming these vegetables long time, they might be exposed by lifetime cancer risk. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the metal concentration has high influence on carcinogenic risks.
... Due to the high temperature and humidity and the relatively closed conditions in greenhouses, the probability of the occurrence of diseases and insect pests is greatly increased with this practice (Lee and Oda 2010;Amaro et al. 2018;He et al. 2017;Chi et al. 2019). Therefore, the excessive and repeated use of pesticides to protect cucumbers from fungi, including pests, ultimately leads to an increasing risk of pesticide residues (Mansour et al. 2009;Zhao et al. 2020). Pesticide residues in food, water, and soil may cause a potential threat to the ecological environment and human health (Li et al. , 2018c(Li et al. , 2019a. ...
Pyraclostrobin (PYR), a fungicide of the strobilurin class, is used to control many different kinds of fungal diseases in greenhouses and on agricultural fields. In the present study, an efficient method was established for simultaneously determining PYR and its metabolite BF 500-3 in cucumber fruits, leaves, and soil matrices using QuEChERS pretreatment coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). The residue levels and dissipation kinetics of PYR were determined under greenhouse conditions. The recoveries ranged from 89.8 to 103.6% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 3.6–7.5% at three spiking levels. The results demonstrated that PYR dissipated quickly in the cucumber field with half-lives (DT50) of 2.14–4.17 days on different sites and in different matrices. The residue of its metabolite BF 500-3 was very low and showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The degradation rate of PYR in soil was the fastest, followed by that on cucumber fruits and leaves. The terminal residue of PYR at an application rate of 150 g a.i. ha−1 (the maximum recommended rate) in cucumber fruits was below the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.5 mg/kg established in China. However, the application of the fungicide at 225 g a.i. ha−1 (1.5× the maximum recommended rate) resulted in residues that were above the MRL 1 day after the final application, which is an unacceptable risk. Therefore, the application dosage of PYR at the recommended rates was safe to human beings and animals.
... Mixed pollution, or co-contamination, is becoming a relevant problem since more than one-third of the affected places suffer with more than one type of pollutant (Mansour et al., 2009). In the present study, Cr(VI) and lindane were used as organic and inorganic contaminant models of co-contaminated soils due to: ...
Soils contaminated by organic and inorganic pollutants like Cr(VI) and lindane, is currently a main environmental challenge. Biological strategies, such as biostimulation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation and vermiremediation, and nanoremediation with nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) are promising approaches for polluted soil health recovery. The combination of different remediation strategies might be key to address this problem. For this reason, a greenhouse experiment was performed using soil without or with an organic amendment. Both soils were contaminated with lindane (15 mg kg⁻¹) and Cr(VI) (100 or 300 mg kg⁻¹). After one month of aging, the following treatments were applied: (i) combination of bioaugmentation (actinobacteria), phytoremediation (Brassica napus), and vermiremediation (Eisenia fetida), or (ii) nanoremediation with nZVI, or (iii) combination of biological treatments and nanoremediation. After 60 days, the wellness of plants and earthworms was assessed, also, soil health was evaluated through physico-chemical parameters and biological indicators. Cr(VI) was more toxic and decreased soil health, however, it was reduced to Cr(III) by the amendment and nZVI and, to a lesser extent, by the biological treatment. Lindane was more effectively degraded through bioremediation. In non-polluted soils, nZVI had strong deleterious effects on soil biota when combined with the organic matter, but this effect was reverted in soils with a high concentration of Cr(VI). Therefore, under our experimental conditions bioremediation might be the best for soils with a moderate concentration of Cr(VI) and organic matter. The application of nZVI in soils with a high content of organic matter should be avoided except for soils with very high concentrations of Cr(VI). According to our study, among the treatments tested, the combination of an organic amendment, biological treatment, and nZVI was shown to be the strategy of choice in soils with high concentrations of Cr (VI) and lindane, while for moderate levels of chromium, the organic amendment plus biological treatment is the most profitable treatment.
... In contrast, the pesticide residues in all vegetables reached the lowest levels in Shuangliu during July and in Pidu during April. It is found that pesticide residues have obvious seasonal regularity [32], which is related to crop growth cycle and pest activity. According to the growth cycle of the sample vegetables, starchy vegetables in September and October are usually planted in July and August, when the temperature in Chengdu is the highest and pest activity usually peaks. ...
Pesticides are chemicals that can improve the efficiency of agricultural production, but also cause harm to human health and the environment. Besides effective supervision means, prevention work is also indispensable for pesticide residue safety in agricultural products. The Shuangliu and Pidu districts of Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province, China, were selected as the focus areas. Pesticide residue levels in leafy and starchy vegetables were measured for 15 months, analyzed with paired-sample t-tests to construct four ARIMA time series models. The results showed that pesticide residue levels of different types of agricultural products in the same area as well as those of the same agricultural products in different areas differed within the same time interval. Meanwhile, the pesticide residue levels of different agricultural products and areas showed distinct seasonal characteristics and variations. The ARIMA models were effective for short-term forecasting of agricultural pesticide residue levels. They could be used in related fields to predict crop pesticide residue levels pre-emptively based on actual usage patterns, crop type, season, and other parameters. The findings in this study may help government and traceability agencies releasing early warnings of potential agricultural product pesticide contamination. It may also help mitigate the risk of crop and environmental contamination as well as consumer health endangerment.
... Kundu et al. (2017) examined concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd and Na) in fish feed and cultured fish in Muktagacha Upazilla of Mymensingh District. In recent years the increasing demand of food safety has accelerated research initiatives regarding the risk associated with consumption of food contaminated by heavy metals (Mansour et al., 2009). So, it has become an urgent issue to analyze the heavy metals in primary produce and raw materials. ...
Contamination of feed stuffs and ingredients with heavy metals has become a global issue due to the transmission of toxic substances within the human food chain. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the concentration of heavy metals in broiler and fish feed from some selected markets of Mymensingh and Tangail districts. Nine broiler feeds (Swadhin, Paragon, BP feed, Adnan Agro grower, Adnan Agro Sonali, Nourish, United, Sonali Grower and New hope) and six fish feeds (Stella S-3 small size, Stella S-3 big size, Mega 102, Ruposhi Bangla Shift-A 2/P/F, Ruposhi Bangla Shift-A T/G and Mega 301) were selected for this study. Cadmium, lead and chromium concentration of all samples were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Shimadzu AA-7000). The detected maximum and minimum concentrations of these elements ranged from 0.012-0.027 ppm for cadmium, 0.09-0.17 ppm for lead and >0.05-334.8207 ppm for chromium. The concentrations of heavy metals in feeds were the highest for Cr and the lowest for Pb. It was observed that lower concentrations of Cd and Pb were found in broiler and fish feeds, all of which were below detection limit according to the World Health Organization and European Commission for food safety. Concentrations of Cr in two samples (one fish feed, Stella S-3 small size and one broiler feed, Swadhin feeds) exceeded the standard limits, which indicate that not all the feed samples are safe for human health and Cr may be bio-accumulated to human body through consumption of broiler or fish contaminated with Cr. [J Bangladesh Agril Univ 2020; 18(5.000): 839-844]
... Atmospheric deposition, livestock compost, irrigation with wastewater, sewage sludge-based amendments, metal-based herbicides, pesticides and phosphate-based fertilizers are the sources of metals in environment and agriculture ( Fig. 11.1) (Cai et al. 2009;Mansour 2009;Elgallal et al. 2016;Woldetsadik et al. 2017). ...
Food safety is a priority concern and the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal No. 2) have been established to overcome all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, both qualitatively and quantitatively. In recent years, the quality of crop has been adversely impacted by the different contaminants which resulted in poor food quality and also endangered the human health. Heavy metals and metalloids like Cadmium, Chromium, Arsenic, Lead and Mercury are among the significant contaminants of the environment. Though, some metal elements are crucial (in micro concentrations) for the plant growth. Conversely, if the concentration of these metals (micronutrients) reaches the threshold level in soil, can obstructs growth of the underground and above ground plant parts. Some plants develop metal specific defence mechanisms against these contaminants, in addition there are several other methods also available to clean up the environment from these toxins. One of the effective, affordable and eco-friendly way out for the remediation of toxic metals is phytoremediation techniques. In this chapter, we have discussed the difference between nutrient and contaminant, their accumulation in crops. It also describes the health effects and some standard equation for risk assessment. Finally, we have discussed some eco-friendly options such as phytoremediation techniques, source reduction, role of genetic engineering and application of nanotechnology. These methods are proposed for the management of toxic heavy metals from soil.
... Estimated, 90% of the HMs exposure to consumers occurs through contaminated food (Martorell et al., 2011), which contributes up to 30% of cancer in human along with other health disorders (Mansour et al., 2009). Foods either fresh or processed are contaminated with HMs (Hajeb et al., 2014), that become noxious when ingested above the tolerable limit (Dghaim et al., 2015). ...
Present study was intendant to assess heavy metals (HMs) concentration and associated health risk in processed fruits' products sold in the local markets of North Pakistan. In total seven metals viz. cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were quantified in 345 samples of different brands categorized into eight groups (Sauces, Ketchup, Juices, Jams, canned fruits, tomato paste, marmalades and pickles). On the comparative basis, Fe was dominating with highest concentration in pickles, canned fruits and sauces at 143.3 ± 43.2, 83.64 ± 23.19 and 50.17 ± 15.1 mg/kg, respectively), followed by Cd in sauces (22.94 ± 6.91 mg/kg), Cr in juices (12.97 ± 3.91 mg/kg) and Pb in pickles (12.53 ± 3.77 mg/kg). Measured levels of these metals varied significantly and were relatively higher than their permissible limits. Univariate and multivariate analysis depicted strong association among Cr, Co, Pb and Fe and confirmed HMs contamination through natural and anthropogenic sources in processed foods. Health risk index (HRI) for Cd, Cr and Pb was greater than unity (<1.0), particularly in sauces, jams and canned fruits. Target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) of Cd, Cr and Pb were relatively high. But target cancer risk (TCR) assessment indicates that these metals were within the acceptable limit, except for Cd concentration in sauces, jams and canned fruits that may cause cancer to consumers.
The consumption of contaminated finfish from the polluted river channel of Turag-Tongi-Balu, Kamarpara site, Dhaka poses significant health hazards to humans. We used mass spectrometry on chemically digested liquid samples from five fish species from Turag-Tongi-Balu to estimate the concentrations of 10 elements (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Fe, and Pb). Except M. vittatus, the mean concentrations of Cd, Mn, Pb, and Se exceeded the Food Safety Guideline (FSG) value in all fish species. Among the species studied, L. rohita, C. punctata, C. batrachus, H. fossilis, and M. vittatus exhibited higher Mn concentrations surpassing the FSG threshold, thus elevating the non-carcinogenic risk across all species. There were statistically significant differences (p < .05) in the mean concentrations of heavy metals among fish species. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) value of Mn poses a significant non-carcinogenic risk to human health, while the hazard of other metals is negligible. Except for M. vittus, the Hazard Index value (HI ≥ 1) revealed the risk that all metals exceed the limit and pose a threat to human health. Cd, As, and Ni metals pose a significant carcinogenic risk to human health from the consumption of fish samples, which is a particularly alarming target cancer risk (TCR). In conclusion, regular dietary consumption of fish from this polluted ecosystem of the Turag-Tongi-Balu River channel's Kamarpara site poses a significant health risk and is indicated as cancer. This study emphasizes the significance of monitoring heavy metal contamination in finfish and minimizing the risk to human health with effective measures. K E Y W O R D S carcinogenic risk, fish, heavy metal, water pollution
More than 1,154 fishing ports are widely distributed in China's coastal areas. To date, however, few studies on the pollution and ecological risks of heavy metals in these fishing ports have been reported. In this study, the heavy metals of 148 sediment samples collected from 37 fishing ports along the coasts of the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea were detected. The results showed that the average contents of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd were 53.58 ± 44.53, 27.90 ± 18.10, 143.52 ± 74.72 and 0.28 ± 0.15 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and the potential ecological risk index (RI), we found that fishing ports were the most severely polluted by Cu, but Cd had the highest ecological risk, and most of fishing ports were in moderate potential ecological risk. The positive correlation between heavy metals and total organic carbon indicated that heavy metals in fishing ports were mainly affected by anthropogenic activities.
The accumulation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in plants is considered one of the most serious threats faced by mankind because of their persistence in the environment and their carcinogenic and teratogenic effect on human health. The concentrations of sixteen priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (16 PAHs) were determined in four types of edible vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, and cucumbers), irrigation water, and agriculture soil, where samples were collected from the Jordan Valley, Jordan. The mean total concentration of 16 PAHs (∑16PAHs) ranged from 10.649 to 21.774 µg kg−1 in vegetables, 28.72 µg kg−1 in soil, and 0.218 µg L−1 in the water samples. The tomato samples posed the highest ∑16PAH concentration level in the vegetables, whereas the zucchini samples had the lowest. Generally, the PAHs with a high molecular weight and four or more benzene rings prevailed among the studied samples. The diagnostic ratios and the principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the PAH contamination sources in soil and vegetables mainly originated from a pyrogenic origin, traffic emission sources, and biomass combustion. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) for ∑16PAHs have been observed in the order of tomatoes > cucumbers and eggplants > zucchini. A potential cancer risk related to lifetime consumption was revealed based on calculating the incremental lifetime cancer risk of PAHs (ILCR). Therefore, sustainable agricultural practices and avoiding biomass combusting would greatly help in minimizing the potential health risk from dietary exposure to PAHs.
The objective of this study is conducted for health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticide residues including Heptachlor, Dieldrin, Aldrin and p,p'-DDE in vegetable samples collected from selected local-open markets and organic stores in Phnom Penh City by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) standard method for pesticide. The concentrations of pesticide residues of vegetables from organic stores were higher than in those sold in the local-open markets, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05). The pesticides name Heptachlor, Dieldrin and p,p'-DDE were found in almost vegetable samples; some presented above the maximum residue limits (MRLs). Health risk assessments were conducted on Dieldrin in yard-long bean samples in which, all locations presented exceeded the acceptable limit (HHI >1), indicated of potential threat to human health in both men and women groups. Dieldrin in cucumber samples can also pose a health risk to women (HHI > 1). This present study suggests that a wide range and regularly studies on monitoring agricultural commodities should be undertaken to ensure food safety and protect and minimize the health risks for the consumer.
This study was conducted to determine the effect of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn) contamination on soil physic-chemical properties around Mojo, Meki and Ziway farmlans area. The air dried soil was digested, using wet digestion method for heavy metals and physico-chemical properties of soil such as pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, organic matter and particle size were determined. The levels of the heavy metals were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometer. Applying statistical packages, analysis of variances and correlation between heavy metals levels and soil physic-chemical properties were evaluated.The pH values of the soil samples range from 8.09 - 8.34 which shows the soils of Mojo, Meki and Ziway are moder ately alkaline (8.4–7.9).The result show that pH is positively correlated with OC, CEC, Clay and Cd but negatively correlated with Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn, silt, sand and Fe.
Intake of fruits is important for health. However, it can be a contamination source of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The present study aimed to investigate the concentration of PTEs such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and Iron (Fe) in various fresh and processed fruits. All the studies related to the concentration of PTEs in fresh and processed fruits by international databases including were included and non-carcinogenic risks assessment was evaluated based on the total hazard quotient (TTHQ). According to findings highest concentrations of As, Cd and Pb were observed in pineapple, mango, and cherry, while the lowest concentrations of these metals were found in berries, pineapple, and berries. Regarding trace elements, peach and cucumber represented the highest and lowest concentrations of Fe, respectively. Moreover, the highest and lowest concentrations of Cu were related to plum and banana, respectively. Considering the type of continents, the highest concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ni, and Cu among fresh and processed fruits belonged to Pan American Health Organization (EMRO), EMRO, African Region (AFRO), European Region (EURO), AFRO, and Western Pacific Region (SEARO). Eventually, the non-carcinogenic risk assessment of the heavy metal in fresh and processed fruits indicated that the risk pattern was different in various countries and the calculated TTHQ level in infants was below 1. Overall, the consumption of fresh and processed fruits is safe and does not pose a risk to the health of consumers.
The present study developed a prolonged oxidizable sulfur(IV)/ferrate(VI) system for the generation of hydroxyl radical (·OH) and sulfate radical (SO4⁻·) within 120 min, and proposed a reaction mechanism. In the presence of H⁺ in solution, the S(IV)/Fe(IV) system provided excellent oxidation performance of refractory organics O,O-dimethyl-S-methylcarbamoyl methyl phosphorothioate (dimethoate, a widely used organophosphorus pesticide) within 120 min. The degradation efficiency of dimethoate in the bisulfite/Fe(VI) system (e.g., 90.06% dimethoate) was higher than that in the sulfite/Fe(VI) system (e.g., 51.03% dimethoate), while Fe(VI) alone degraded 27.81% of dimethoate. In the S(IV)/Fe(VI) system, the active species consisted of Fe(VI) (including the highly-reactive iron-based intermediate species, i.e. Fe(V) and Fe(IV)), ·OH and SO4⁻·, with ·OH being identified as the main active species, contributing more than half of the total. The degradation mechanism of dimethoate in the S(IV)/Fe(VI) system mainly included the cleavage of the S-P bond, C-S bond and the oxidation of the P=S bond. Two plausible degradation pathways were proposed based on the detected transformation products. Dimethoate could be efficiently degraded when the [bisulfite]/[Fe(VI)] molar ratio was 4:1 with a low Fe(VI) dosage (218 µM), the changes in HA and HCO3⁻ concentrations affected the transformation of dimethoate, the presence of Cl⁻, SO4²⁻ and NO3⁻ had a negligible effect, and the S(IV)/Fe(VI) system performed well in real waters. The S(IV)/Fe(VI) system has excellent oxidation performance for the removal of organic pollutants in water, with a final pH (pH = 6.6) close to neutral and ultimate products of SO4²⁻ and Fe(OH)3, which has great potential for engineering applications.
In recent decades safety of food has played a pivotal role from raw material till it reaches the consumer. The food consumed
may contain unwanted contaminants, which may impose severe health implications on the consumers. Instrumental
techniques like HPLC, GCMS, LCMS, AAS, FTIR, and NIRS detect the contaminants, but the need for low cost, continuous,
specifc, real-time, and rapid contaminant detection method is required. To meet these essentials, a biosensor stands as a
powerful tool. Its applications express more scope and potential with progress in research, including studies on biosensing
and uploading the data to the internet cloud. Several advancements have been made in biosensors for detecting multicomponents in the food system. This review provides insights into the recent advancements made in the development of
biosensors to detect chemical contaminants in foods for ensuring safety and quality. This article emphasizes the notable
chemical contaminants, including naturally available substances, intentional or unintentionally added substances like
pesticides, heavy metals in the fresh produces, veterinary drug residues like antibiotic residues in animal products, and
food additives in processed food products.
A residue of a parent drug or chemical and its metabolites may accumulate and be deposited or stored within the plant or animal (meat) tissues and organs following: the use of drugs or chemicals to control diseases; the use of drugs or chemicals to treat diseases; the use of feed additives to promote growth and improve feed efficiency.
In order to evaluate the levels of heavy metal concentration in various species of onions, this study was implemented using three varieties of onion bulbs (Bermuda onion, Spring onion, Vidalia onion), gotten from some local markets within Niger State, They were analysed for their content of Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn and Fe using dry ashing and wet digestion methods. Variation in trend of mean concentrations of heavy metals obtained in the order: Fe (312.57ppm) > Zn (18.50 mg/kg) > Cu (13.50 mg/kg) > Cr (12.88 mg/kg) > Cd (4.85 mg/kg) and Fe (312.12 mg/kg) > Zn (17.98 mg/kg) > Cu (13.10 mg/kg)> Cr (12.15 mg/k ) > Cd (4.71 mg/kg) for results obtained after dry and wet ashing digestion methods respectively. There was no significant difference between the concentrations of heavy metals obtained both digestions method and between the concentrations of metals among the three species of onions. However, concentrations of Cd and Cr were above the FAO/WHO recommended limits for metals concentrations in vegetables.
Objective
The purpose of this study was to determine the safety behavior predictors related to the food safety of greenhouse products among the greenhouse owners of Jiroft city based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT).
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted with a descriptive-correlation approach in 2018 on 228 greenhouse owners. A researcher-made questionnaire that included demographic variables, PMT structures, and safety behavior was administered.
Results
Of the surveyed greenhouse owners, 98.2% were men. The participants were aged from 21 to 70 years. The mean scores of all PMT constructs other than response costs, and safety behaviors other than that of preventing the prevalence of pests were at a moderate level. The prediction rate of safety behaviors by PMT constructs was 74.4%. Meanwhile, perceived costs' construct (β = −0.349), response efficacy (β = 0.251), and protection motivation (β = 0.424) had important roles.
Conclusion
Given the predictive power of PMT constructs for safety behaviors related to food safety, educational interventions based on this theory are required.
Insecticides and other agrochemicals have become indispensable components of the agricultural system to ensure a notable increase in crop yield and food production. As a natural consequence, chemical residues result in significantly increased contamination of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The present study evaluated the teratogenic, genotoxic, and oxidative stress effects of residual-level lufenuron exposure on pregnant rats during the organogenesis gestational period of both mother and fetus. The tested dams were divided into three groups; control (untreated), low-dose group (orally administered with 0.4 mg/kg lufenuron) and high-dose group (orally administered
with 0.8 mg/kg lufenuron). The dams of the two treatment groups showed teratogenic abnormalities represented by the asymmetrical distribution of fetuses in both uterine horns, accompanied by observed resorption sites and intensive bleeding in the uterine horns, whereas their fetuses suffered from growth retardation, morphologic malformations, and skeletal deformations. Histologic examination of the liver and kidney tissues obtained from mothers and fetuses after lufenuron exposure revealed multiple histopathologic changes. DNA fragmentation and cell cycle perturbation were also detected in the liver cells of lufenuron-treated pregnant dams and their fetuses through comet assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Moreover, lufenuron-induced oxidative stress in the liver of mothers and fetuses was confirmed by the increased malondialdehyde levels and decreased levels of enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). Taken together, it can be concluded that lufenuron has a great potential in exerting teratogenic, genotoxic, and oxidative stresses on pregnant rats and their fetuses upon chronic exposure to residual levels during the organogenesis gestational period. The obtained results in the present study imply that women and their fetuses may have the same risk.
In this study, pangas and feed samples were analyzed to estimate the levels of metallic elements and to profile the human health risks due to consumption of contaminated fish. This investigation confirmed significant variations in heavy metal concentrations among different tissues of pangas in the order of Ni> Cu> Pb> Cd> Cr in pre-monsoon; and Ni> Cd= Cu> Pb= Cr in post-monsoon. Considerably higher concentrations of Pb, Cu and Cr were estimated in liver; and Cd and Ni were detected in muscle than other organs (p>0.05). Statistically significant higher amount of Cd, Ni, and Cu were observed in pre-monsoon than post-monsoon. Furthermore, three metal pairs showed significant association (Pb-Ni and Pb-Cu involved positively; Cd-Ni acted negatively). In pre-monsoon, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu concentrations of feed significantly differed than pangas contents; whereas only Cu varied during the post-monsoon. Regression analysis revealed the significant effect of Ni content in feed on the Cu deposition of pangas (p-value 0.027, that was <0.05). For the assessment of potential human health risk of the studied metals, estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR) indices were calculated. Studied EDI indicated that an average adult ingested a higher amount of Ni and Cu than the recommended intake limit. Nevertheless, only the higher EDI of Ni increases the value of THQ and HI than standard limit indicates adverse non-carcinogenic risk. However, lower CR of Pb confirmed no serious health hazard due to the ingestion of pangas. Factor analysis through principal component and cluster analysis suggested that higher concentrations of Pb and Ni may regulate by the feed used, geochemical properties or rapid industrialization in the study area. A proper monitoring for controlling the quality of fish feed with sustainable planning for industrialization could secure the booming of pangasius aquaculture in Bangladesh.
This paper combines environmental science, inorganic chemistry, water quality monitoring and other disciplines, and uses several representative evaluation methods (WQI, Pn, I-geo, RI) for heavy metals in water and sediments. A preliminary assessment and source analysis of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Ti, Ni, Cu, As, Pb, Sr) in water and surface sediments of the Fenghe River Basin, Shannxi Province, China was carried out in this study. Results indicate that most of the heavy metals in water are below national water quality standards. Exceptions include Mn, which exceeds national tertiary standards and Cr, which exceeds national drinking water standards. Most heavy metals in the sediments exceed the environmental standard values except Ni. Water quality index (WQI) and Nemero index (Pn) showed the same trend in contamination levels of sampling sites. According to the Geological Accumulation Index method (I-geo) and the Potential Ecological Risk Index method (RI), high concentrations of Cd poses a high ecological risk in some sampling locations. Pearson Correlation Analysis (CA), Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) models are used to explore the relationships and sources of heavy metals. In general, upstream sources are similar, and middle and lower reaches are easily clustered into a large category except for some specific sampling points. For example, metals in sampling site FHK mainly come from surrounding residents and farms and heavy metals attributes in sampling site SLQ relate to the fact that municipal sewage is collected and treated. The factors or sources of heavy metals in water and sediment are revealed in detail through PMF models. In the water, the average contribution rate of these four source factors for heavy metals is 36.8%, 11.7%, 9.4% and 42.0%, while the average proportion of these four factors for heavy metals in sediment is 8.0%, 29.2%, 23.9% and 38.9% respectively. Results show that the main sources of pollution in the region are urban construction and transportation, electronics industry, machinery manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. These sectors should therefore be given sufficient attention in the prevention and management of heavy metal pollution.
Abstract Insecticides and other agrochemicals have become indispensable components of the agricultural system to ensure a notable increase in crop yield and food production. As a natural consequence, chemical residues result in significantly increased contamination of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The present study evaluated the teratogenic, genotoxic, and oxidative stress effects of residual-level lufenuron exposure on pregnant rats during the organogenesis gestational period of both mother and fetus. The tested dams were divided into three groups; control (untreated), low-dose group (orally administered with 0.4 mg/kg lufenuron) and high-dose group (orally administered with 0.8 mg/kg lufenuron). The dams of the two treatment groups showed teratogenic abnormalities represented by the asymmetrical distribution of fetuses in both uterine horns, accompanied by observed resorption sites and intensive bleeding in the uterine horns, whereas their fetuses suffered from growth retardation, morphologic malformations, and skeletal deformations. Histologic examination of the liver and kidney tissues obtained from mothers and fetuses after lufenuron exposure revealed multiple histopathologic changes. DNA fragmentation and cell cycle perturbation were also detected in the liver cells of lufenuron-treated pregnant dams and their fetuses through comet assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Moreover, lufenuron-induced oxidative stress in the liver of mothers and fetuses was confirmed by the increased malondialdehyde levels and decreased levels of enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). Taken together, it can be concluded that lufenuron has a great potential in exerting teratogenic, genotoxic, and oxidative stresses on pregnant rats and their fetuses upon chronic exposure to residual levels during the organogenesis gestational period. The obtained results in the present study imply that women and their fetuses may have the same risk.
Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), a kind of effective insecticide, have attracted extensive attention of researchers because of the high toxicity and refractory character of their degradation products. Given the ubiquity of manganese dioxide (MnO2) and bisulfite (HSO3⁻) in environmental media, the abiotic degradation of several typical OPPs by the MnO2-HSO3⁻ reaction system was investigated in batch experiments. As a representative OPP, methyl parathion (MP) was chosen to be the focus of the study. The removal rate of MP was remarkably improved by adding bisulfite (HSO3⁻) to the MnO2 single-reaction system, and the oxidation product methyl paraoxon was below the detection limit. The primary active substances generated from the reaction system were determined to be Mn(III) species by adding excess radical scavengers or complexants (methanol and pyrophosphate) to the reaction system. On the basis of the metabolic products of MP identified by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC/HRMS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS), the transformation pathway of MP in the MnO2-HSO3⁻ reaction system was elicited, which included the predominant processes of hydrolysis and oxidation. Furthermore, the typical OPPs with different structures were also degraded efficiently by the reaction system because of the oxidative degradation of Mn(III). This study offers significative information related to the abiotic oxidation of manganese minerals and the fate and dissipation of OPPs in the actual environment.
A total of 2318 domestic samples of different types of fruits and vegetables were collected from eight Egyptian local markets in six different regions of the country. All samples were examined for residues of 54 pesticides, including organophosphorus, organonitrogen, organohalogen and certain pyrethroides. However, dithiocarbamates were analysed in only 318 samples. Overall, 81.5% of the samples had no detectable pesticide residues. Of the contaminated samples, 18.5% contained detectable residues and 1.9% exceeded their maximum residue limits (MRLs). Root and leafy vegetables showed the lowest contamination rates (1.9 and 4.7%, respectively), slightly exceeding the MRLs in leafy vegetables. However, fruit samples showed a slightly higher proportion of contamination than vegetables (29 and 14.3%, respectively). Fruit also exhibited a higher level of violation than vegetables (2.3 and 1.9%, respectively). The contamination and violation rates were lower than the percentages recorded in previous years' monitoring studies. Dicofol and dimethoate were the most frequently occurring pesticide residues at 5.1 and 5.0%, respectively. Dimethoate showed higher violation levels (0.69%). However, dicofol showed a slight violation rate (0.09%) which indicates good agricultural practices for dicofol use. Dithiocarbamates residues were found in 21 of the 318 samples analysed, which when expressed as a percentage contamination was 6.6%, and only one sample exceeded the MRL.
A market basket survey was carried out with the aim to assess the levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in various fruits and vegetables sold in Egyptian markets. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to estimate and evaluate the levels of these metals. The results of this survey showed that the average concentrations detected were ranged from 0.01 to 0.87, 0.01 to 0.15, 0.83 to 18.3 and 1.36 to 20.9 mg/kg for Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn, respectively. The highest mean levels of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn were detected in strawberries, cucumber, date and spinach, respectively. The levels of the metals compare with those reported for similar fruits and vegetables from some other parts of the world. The daily intakes of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn through fruits and vegetables have also been estimated. They are found to be below the recommended tolerable levels proposed by [Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives 1999. Summary and conclusions. In: 53rd Meeting, Rome, June 1-10, 1999] and may not constitute a health hazards for consumers.
The degree of air pollution in Quetta city was determined on heavy traffic areas using roadside trees as an indicator. The leaves of Cupressus sp ., Fraxinus excelsior, Pinus longifolia, Rubinea pseudoaccasia were collected and analyzed for their macro, micro elements and heavy metal concentration. These elements were detected and estimated by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Significantly high contents of zinc, manganese, lead and cadmium were found. These are highly toxic for all living systems. The common source of these elements on tree leaves is motor vehicles. M.A. Jinnah road was found to be most polluted.
The polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (dioxins) are groups of compounds with similar chemical and toxicological properties. Carcinogenicity was considered the most serious toxic end point when setting previous regulatory policies, but recent concerns have focused on the possible endocrine-disrupting activities of the dioxins. Toxicity is related to the 2,3,7,8 pattern of chlorine substitution, a pattern that also leads to chemical and metabolic stability. Dioxins are practically insoluble in water and concentrate in lipids of biological systems, leading to low background concentrations in fat of the general human population. Major environmental sources of dioxins are emissions from industrial chlorination processes and combustion of materials containing chlorine. Inhalation and water have been ruled out as significant exposure pathways, which suggests that food is the primary source. Pathways of entry into food chains are atmospheric transport of emissions and their subsequent deposition on plants, soils, and water. The major food sources seem to be fat-containing animal products and some seafoods. This conclusion is based on evaluations of potential environmental pathways involving dioxins and related compounds. Generally, dioxins and other lipophilic compounds are not taken up and translocated by plants, so residues in foods and feeds derived from seeds should be negligible. Animals on high-roughage diets, or those that ingest contaminated soil, are the most likely to accumulate dioxin residues from the environment. The conclusion that animal products are a major source of human exposure requires verification by appropriate food sampling programs and animal metabolism studies. If it is desirable to reduce human exposure to dioxins via the food supply, reduction of sources would be a more effective strategy than changing agricultural practices and food consumption patterns.
Organophosphorus, dithiocarbamates, and some synthetic pyrethroids pesticides, which are commonly used in Egypt for pest control, were monitored, as well as persistent organochlorines, which had been prohibited from use several years ago. Fruit and vegetable samples (397) were collected from 8 local markets and examined for 52 pesticides. Of all analyzed samples, 42.8% contained detectable residues, of which 1.76% exceeded their maximum residue limits (MRLs). The rates of contamination with the different pesticides were 0-86%. However, violation rates among contaminated products were very low, ranging from 0 to 4.6%. In general, organochlorine pesticide residues were not detected in most samples. Dithiocarbamate residues were found in 70.4% of 98 samples analyzed for dithiocarbamates, but only one grape sample had residues exceeding the MRL established by the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues.
A study was made of the extent to which insecticides may be absorbed and translocated from contaminated soils into plant tissues and the relationships among absorbance of insecticidal residues, soil types, and crops. Lindane, DDT, and aldrin were absorbed into crops, the degree being dependent on the crop, the soil type in which the crop had grown, the insecticide, and its concentration within the soil. Carrots not only absorbed more insecticide than any other crop, but in the case of lindane accumulated greater quantities of the chemical than occurred in the soil. The insecticides were most readily absorbed from a sandy loam and least from a muck soil. The amounts absorbed by the same crop from the same type of soil were not in direct proportion to the concentration of the insecticide recovered from the soil, and relatively less insecticide was absorbed from soils in which the insecticide was most concentrated. Crops grown in aldrin-treated soils contained within their tissues both aldrin and dieldrin.
A study was conducted to investigate the organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables from market in Malaysia. Gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) was used to determine the concentrations of pesticide residues and SAX/PSA was used as a clean-up. Cypermethrin was detected in 38 of 302 vegetable samples with a mean value of 0.47 mg/kg. The mean value of cypermethrin for tomato, chinese parsley, chinese celery, chilli, brinjal, french beans, green mustard and capsicum ranged from 0.16 to 1.48 mg/kg. The mean values for all samples were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) allowed by the Malaysian Food Regulations except for brinjal. None of the 206 fruit samples tested showed any pesticide residue.
There is currently considerable discussion about the merits of particular forms of agriculture. The discussion has been generated by excess food production in the EC, continuing public disquiet over the use of chemicals in food production and political agitation. Much of the debate concerns the merits or otherwise of organic agriculture which is often seen by the public as producing food free of chemicals and being more environmentally friendly. This article examines these notions critically dealing with each of the individual claims frequently made for organic agriculture. The article concludes that in the UK, at least, when problems with agriculture emerge they usually hinge around poor management not mode of agriculture. In environmental terms no-till farming currently seems to be better than others. The benefits of holistic thinking by farmers are indicated.
This paper presents the state of agro-ecosystem contamination with heavy metals in relation to the level of agricultural development. For this, the Polish and Dutch agricultural situations were compared. The intensive animal and vegetable production observed in the Netherlands over the past 20–30 years was found to substantially contribute to the heavy metal input of these systems. Agriculture in Poland is on the brink of a rapid economical and technological push promoted by the recent admission of Poland to the EU. The current low levels of organic fertilization in this country are expected to increase dramatically in the next few years, leading to an increased environmental burden of heavy metals, similar to that observed in the Netherlands. Awareness of the danger of heavy metals to public health is slowly taking hold, as the EU takes up its responsibility regarding the maximum limits of some of these compounds allowed in mineral fertilizers. However, the authors would like to stress that the major contribution of heavy metals arises from the use of organic fertilizers. Proper dealing with this through means of adaptation of feed regimes and/or remediation could both safeguard the yet unpolluted soils in Poland and prove essential to halt the ongoing pollution of soils in the Netherlands.
Health risk assessment is the practice of evaluating the degree of danger associated with chemical exposure, whether the exposure is intentional (pharmacologic agents, pesticides) or unintentional (industrial/automobile by-products). Chemical exposure can either be to a single chemical or to complex mixtures such as industrial effluents, municipal wastes, jet fuels, gasoline, or mixtures of drinking water contaminants. The mixtures can be simple or complex; partially or completely characterized; and stable or varying in composition. Three different approaches are often used in health risk assessment of chemical mixtures (51 FR 33992-34054). These 3 approaches consist of (a) use of data on the specific mixture of concern; (b) use of data on a similar mixture; and (c) use of data on each component of the mixture. The individual component-based approach is by far the most often used because it allows the individual risks from each component to be combined, usually by dose or response additivity, to calculate an overall risk for the mixture. In addition, several innovative methods, such as the toxicity equivalency factor, relative potency, and even the use of indicator chemicals, are also employed. More recently, a binary weight-of-evidence approach has been proposed to evaluate potential interactions between the various components and to integrate them into the overall toxicity assessment of the mixture. Because no single approach is suitable for assessing the health risk associated with all the exposure scenarios associated with the various types of mixtures, the use of professional judgment is still imperative in conducting health risk assessments.
Pesticide residues in human milk and environmental samples from Kafr El-Zayat Governorate in Egypt were analyzed. This governorate is located near one of the biggest pesticide factories in Egypt. Organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides were monitored, including those that have been prohibited from use in Egypt. Human milk samples (31 samples) from Kafr El-Zayat were compared with 11 samples collected from Cairo. Data were compared with results from studies performed in 1987 and 1990. The present study showed that aldrin and dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide, and endrin residues have been eliminated from human milk. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of DDT complex and gamma-HCH by breast-fed infants in Kafr El-Zayat were 85.96 and 3.1% of the respective acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). beta-HCH residues showed an increasing pattern, especially in human milk samples from Cairo. DDT complex and HCH isomers in orange, spinach, lettuce, potatoes, and clover samples ranged from undetectable to very low concentrations. Higher levels of DDT and HCH were detected, but aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, and the heptachlors were not detected in food of animal origin. Residues in fish samples were below maximum residue limits established by some developed countries. Those in animal milk samples approached the extraneous residue limits of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues. HCH residues in soil were negligible, but DDT residues in soil were somewhat higher. Among water samples, groundwater samples had the highest residues of HCHs and DDTs, followed by Nile River water and then tap water. However, the organochlorine pesticide residues were found at concentrations below the maximum allowable limits set by the World Health Organization for drinking water. Among 12 organophosphorus pesticides monitored as parent compounds, dimethoate, malathion, methamidophos, and chlorpyrifos residues were detected in low concentrations in soil samples from a pesticide factory. No organophosphorus pesticide residues were found in plant samples, except for very low residues of dimethoate in an orange sample. Water samples were devoid of organophosphorus residues as parent compounds.
A market basket survey was conducted to monitor organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticide residues in potatoes, citrus fruits, and fish collected from local Egyptian markets. Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues for gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in potatoes were exceeded in 8 samples and for DDT in 2 samples. The aging of HCH and DDT indicated a recent use of both pesticides during the potato storage period between cultivation seasons. However, such use is illegal because HCH mixture isomers (gammaxane) and DDT have been officially prohibited from agricultural use in Egypt since 1980. The highest residue levels of fenitrothion (3.8 ppm) in potatoes may be due to its repeated use before and after harvest. No organochlorine pesticide residues were found in citrus fruits. None of the detected organophosphorus pesticides exceeded their MRLs. HCH and DDT residue limits were exceeded in 5 and 7 fish samples, respectively, collected from 12 markets throughout the country. The heptachlor MRL was violated in only one fish sample (3.9 ppm).
Chlordane is a member of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a group of chemicals characterized by extremely long residence in the environment after application. Technical chlordane, composed of a large number of components, is a synthetic organochlorine substance that was used primarily as an insecticide. Uptake by root crops of persistent soil residues of chlordane was noted early in the chronology of the material. The present report is the first comprehensive study of the uptake of weathered soil residues of chlordane and its translocation throughout the tissues of food crops under both greenhouse and field conditions. The data show that for all 12 crops chlordane is not limited to root tissue but is translocated from the root to some of the aerial tissues. Chlordane accumulation in edible aerial tissue appears to be dependent on plant physiology. As expected, chlordane was detected in the edible root tissue of the three root crops examined, carrots, beets, and potatoes. In the remaining crops chlordane was detected in the edible aerial tissue of spinach, lettuce, dandelion, and zucchini, whereas it was not detected in edible aerial tissue of tomatoes, peppers, and corn; trace amounts of chlordane were detected in the edible aerial tissue of bush beans and eggplant. Under the conditions of the field trial the data indicate that for weathered chlordane residues, the soil-to-plant uptake route dominates over the air-to-plant uptake route. This is the case even when the soil concentration of the recalcitrant, weathered residues, for which volatilization is expected to be minimal, is as high as it would be directly following application. Greenhouse trials confirm this observation for zucchini, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which bioaccumulates weathered chlordane very efficiently in its edible fruits.
Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were quantified by GC-ECD in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) during a vegetation period. Plants were harvested at 15, 60, and 151 days after seed germination. Leaves, stem, roots, and fruit (peel and flesh) were analyzed separately. The results showed that tomato plants were able to accumulate OCPs from soils, and a trend to reach the equilibrium among tissues at mature stages was also observed. Endosulfans comprised the main OCP group, probably due to its spray during summer months in the surrounding areas. Banned pesticides such as DDTs, heptachlor, and dieldrin were found. OCPs levels in the fruit were below the maximum residues limits (MRL) considered by the Codex Alimentarius. DDE/DDT and alpha-/gamma-HCH ratios of <1 would indicate recent inputs of DDT and lindane in the environment. The occurrence of OCPs in the study farm, where agrochemicals have never been used, is a result of atmospheric deposition of those pesticides.
A total of 835 samples of leafy vegetables and some aromatic medicinal plants were collected from five different areas of Egypt during 1999. Ninety-seven per cent of the leafy vegetables were contaminated with heavy metals with 39% exceeding the maximum limits for each element. Cadmium was detected in 78 of 116 samples of leafy vegetable, although without any exceeding the maximum limits. However, lead was detected in 99 samples, of which 39 exceeded the maximum limits (0.3 mg kg(-1)) and 56 medicinal plant samples of 70 had lead levels above 0.5 mg kg(-1). Copper was detected in 69 medicinal plant samples, of which 58 samples contained levels higher than 10 mg kg(-1). However, cadmium was only found in 43% of samples with only two of 70 samples above the maximum limit. Seventy-three per cent of the samples of medicinal plants were contaminated with pesticide residues, of which 44% contained amounts that exceeded maximum residue limits. Malathion was the most frequently found pesticide residue, being detected in 203 of 391 (52%.) samples, followed by profenofos, which was detected in 131 of 391 (33%) samples.
The occurrence and distribution of highly hydrophobic organochlorine pesticide (OCP) in vegetables cultivated under organic and conventional conditions were evaluated. OCP residues in aerial and subterranean tissues of two varieties of lettuce and chard together with the soil where they grown were GC-ECD analyzed. SigmaDDTs>SigmaChlordane>SigmaHeptachlor>SigmaAldrins was the OCP distribution pattern in all samples. Conventional soils had higher OCP residues than organic one, even though levels were bellow 5 ng/g dry weight, indicative of low polluted agricultural environments. Vegetables accumulated OCP efficiently with residue levels 4x to 45x fold greater than those of soils. OCP tissue-dependent distribution was found to be upon the physicochemical characteristics of the pollutants (Koa and Kow). Lettuce showed a high variability in pesticide uptake regarding varieties and tillage practices. In spite of analyzed pesticides are banned or restricted, edible tissues of vegetables from both farms showed detectable residues of these compounds even though at levels below the allowed by the Codex Alimentarius. Thus, environmental conditions like presence or absence of trees, hedgerows or nearby to conventional farms influence on OCP occurrence and levels in vegetables organically grown.
The residues of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in soils from organic farms and their uptake by four varieties of organic-produced potatoes and three varieties of organic carrots from England were investigated. Samples of the soils, crop peels and cores were all Soxhlet-extracted in triplicate, cleaned up by open-column chromatography and analysed by a multi-residue analytical method using gas chromatography with mass selective detection. The concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and OCPs in soils from organic farms ranged from 590+/-43 to 2301+/-146 microg/kg, 3.56+/-0.73 to 9.61+/-1.98 microg/kg and 52.2+/-4.9 to 478+/-111 microg/kg, respectively. Uptake by different crop varieties were 8.42+/-0.93 to 40.1+/-4.9 microg/kg sigmaPAHs, 0.83+/-0.19 to 2.68+/-0.94 microg/kg sigmaPCBs and 8.09+/-0.83 to 133+/-27 microg/kg sigmaOCPs. Residue uptake from soils depended on plant variety; Desiree potato and Nairobi carrot varieties were more susceptible to PAH contamination. Likewise, uptake of PCBs and OCPs depended on potato variety. There were significant positive correlations between the PCB and OCP concentrations (P<0.05) in soils and carrots but no significant correlation was found between the concentrations of any contaminants in soils and potatoes. Peeling carrots and potatoes was found to remove 52-100% of the contaminant residues depending on crop variety and the properties of the contaminants. Soil-crop bioconcentration factors (BCFs) decreased with increasing logK(ow) for PAHs up to about 4.5 and for PCBs up to about 6.5, above which no changes were discernible for either class of contaminants. No relationship was observed between soil-crop BCFs and logK(ow) for OCPs, most likely because their concentrations were low and variable.
Analysis of summer and winter vegetable samples during 2002-2003 for pesticidal contamination was carried out on Gas Chromatograph-Electron Capture Detector with capillary columns. The contamination levels of winter vegetables (average concentration of 4.57, 6.80 and 5.47 ppb respectively for Lindane, Endosulphan and DDT) were found to be slightly higher than the summer vegetables (average concentration of 4.47, 3.14 and 2.82 ppb respectively for Lindane, Endosulphan and DDT). The concentration of these organochlorine pesticides in summer and winter vegetables were well below the established tolerances but continuous consumption of such vegetables even with moderate contamination level can accumulate in the receptor's body and may lead to chronic effects that could be fatal.
In the present study, the cumulative exposure of 25 acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibiting pesticides through the consumption of nine fruits and vegetables by the Brazilian population was assessed. Food consumption data were obtained from a household budget survey conducted in all Brazilian states from July 2002 to June 2003. Residue data from 4001 samples were obtained from the Brazilian national monitoring program on pesticide residues. Relative potency factors (RPF) were calculated with methamidophos or acephate as index compounds (IC), using BMD(10) or NOAEL for AChE inhibition, mostly in rat brain, obtained from national and international pesticide evaluations. Monocrotophos and triazophos, in addition to aldicarb, had the highest calculated RPF in any scenario. The exposure to AChE inhibiting pesticides for the general population at P99.9, represented 33.6% of the ARfD as methamidophos and 70.2% ARfD as acephate. The exposure calculated as acephate could exceed the ARfD at the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval for this percentile. Exposure for children aged up to 6 years were, on average, 2.4 times higher than the exposure for the general population. Tomato represented about 67% of the total intake of AChE inhibiting pesticides. The highest calculated equivalent residues in tomato, which drove most of the estimated intakes at the high percentiles, were related to the illegal use of monocrotophos and triazophos in this crop.
Polyurethane foam (PUF) disks were deployed at global background sites, to test logistical issues associated with a global monitoring network for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). alpha-HCH, exhibited relatively high and uniform concentrations (17-150 pg/m3) at temperate and arctic sites with elevated concentrations associated with trans-Pacific inflow. Concentrations were much lower (<5 pg/m3) in Bermuda, Chile and Cape Grim. Concentrations for gamma-HCH, the main component of lindane, were spatially similar to the alpha-HCH pattern but lower in magnitude (typically, <10 pg/m3). Chlordane concentrations (sum of cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane and trans-nonachlor) were also low (<10 pg/m3). Dieldrin concentrations were in the range 2-25 pg/m3 at most sites but elevated in Bermuda. Back trajectories suggest that advection from Africa and the US may contribute. Endosulfan, a popular current-use pesticide, exhibited highest concentrations ranging from tens to hundreds of pg/m3. There was good agreement between duplicate samplers at each site and PUF disk-derived air concentrations agreed with high volume data. Few logistical/analytical problems were encountered in this pilot study.
Heavy metal content (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) was analysed in the edible parts of two types of horticultural crops (leaf and inflorescence crops) from 30 agricultural fields in Castellón (Spain), a representative area of the European Mediterranean region. Selected soil properties relevant to control the mobility and bioavaibility of heavy metals were analysed for the general characterisation of these agricultural soils. The levels of clay, high percentages of organic matter and the presence of carbonate seem to suggest an important retention of heavy metals by these components in most of these soils. However, the high salinity in some fields (> 4 dS/m) seems to facilitate the mobility of some heavy metals (e.g. Cu).
India is an agrarian country. The use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides were introduced in India during the mid-sixties, which are now being used on a large scale and is a common feature of Indian agriculture. The main intention of the introduction of pesticides was to prevent and control insects, pests and diseases in the field crops. Initially the use of pesticides reduced pest attack and paved way for increasing the crop yield as expected. Simultaneously, increased use of chemical pesticides has resulted in contamination of environment and also caused many long-term affect on the society. In the present study an effort has been made to evaluate the residual concentration of selected organophosphorous pesticides (methyl parathion, chlorpyriphos and malathion) in vegetables grown in different seasons (summer, rainy and winter). Data obtained was then used for estimating the potential health risk associated with the exposure to these pesticides. The pesticides residue concentrations in vegetables of different season shows that the winter vegetables are the most contaminated followed by summer and rainy vegetables. The concentration of the various pesticides were well below the established tolerances but continuous consumption of such vegetables even with moderate contamination level can accumulate in the receptor's body and may prove fatal for human population in the long term. The analysis of health risk estimates indicated that chlorpyriphos and malathion did not poses a direct hazard, however, exposure to methyl parathion has been found to pose some risk to human health.
The contributions of heavy metals in selected vegetables through atmospheric deposition were quantified in an urban area of India. Deposition rate of Zn was recorded maximum followed by Cu, Cd and Pb. The concentrations of Zn and Cu were highest in Brassica oleracea, Cd in Abelmoschus esculentus and B. oleracea, while Pb was highest in Beta vulgaris. Heavy metal pollution index showed that B. oleracea was maximally contaminated with heavy metals followed by A. esculentus and then B. vulgaris. The results of washing showed that atmospheric deposition has contributed to the increased levels of heavy metals in vegetables. Both Cu and Cd posed health risk to local population via test vegetables consumption, whereas Pb posed the same only through B. oleracea. The study concludes that atmospheric depositions can elevate the levels of heavy metals in vegetables during marketing having potential health hazards to consumers.
Evaluation of heavy metal contents and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues in Egyptian organically-farmed vegetables
- Salim
Salim, A., 2006. Evaluation of heavy metal contents and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues in Egyptian organically-farmed vegetables. J. Agric. Sci. Mansoura Univ. 31 (3), 1601–1612.
Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods
- Codex
Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Additive and Contaminants
- Codex
Heavy metals balance in Polish and Dutch agronomy: actual state and previsions for the future – review
- Dach