Research Publications (Food Safety)

High arsenic groundwater has been observed throughout the world, which poses severe health impacts on human beings. It urgently needs effective adsorbents to lower arsenic concentration from the target groundwater for the purpose of drinking. In this study, siderite-modified biochar (SID-BC) was synthesized with the hydrothermal method as an adsorbent for arsenate (As(V)) removal from aqueous solution.

Organic residue is a good resource of organic matter and nutrients to improve soil physico-chemical properties, but the toxic trace elements, including cadmium (Cd), borne with it may limit its suitability for arable land. This study aimed to develop regression models for Cd critical concentration in the soils amended with Cd-containing organic residue in view of food safety.

Lead (Pb) is a widely occurring heavy metal employed in industrial products and hence released into the environment, causing several environmental health risk concerns. This study comprehensively surveyed the literature on Pb contamination in different agricultural foods and food products commonly consumed by Bangladeshi inhabitants and assessed associated cancer and non-cancer health risks.

The presented study sheds light on the applicability of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for the multielement analysis of naturally obtained water. The technique mainly focused on the determination of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) which are considered to be toxic metals and have deteriorating health impacts.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological characteristics and rhizofiltration potential of Talinum paniculatum cuttings subjected to lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) excess. The cuttings excised from T. paniculatum were transferred to a nutrient solution, to which different concentrations of Pb (0, 10, 50, 100, and 200 mg L−1) and Mn (0, 10, 50, 100, and 150 mg L−1) were added.

Abstract Heavy metals (HMs), among the components of air pollution that is one of the utmost critical concerns our world has faced, are one of the biggest threats to living organisms. The plants, as a biomonitor, offer the most effective solution in tracking the change of HM concentration on earth and taking them under control.

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) and fluoride (iF) are the main inorganic pollutants in groundwater. The purpose of this study was to determine the iAs and iF concentrations in water available to the population to estimate the non-carcinogenic risks of iAs and iF exposure and the carcinogenic risk iAs exposure in residents of Tula de Allende municipality, Hidalgo, Mexico. Water iAs concentrations ranged from 8.5 to 331 µg/L, and iF concentrations ranged from 0.86 to 3.2 mg/L.

Although several grasses have been evaluated for cadmium (Cd) phytoextraction, there are few studies assessing how Cd is accumulated and distributed in the tissues of Panicum maximum grown in mildly spiked soils. The evaluation of tillering, nutritional status and biomass yield of this grass, mainly along successive shoot regrowths, is not well studied so far. Thus, P. maximum Jacq. cv.

Water quality is a growing concern throughout the developing world and the effects of water pollution can be both harmful and costly. Increasing levels of fecal pollution and associated waterborne pathogens pose a potential economic constraint and hardship for Caribbean islands as their economies primarily depend on a thriving coastal tourism industry.

Excavated soils from construction activities contaminated with geogenic arsenic (As) are increasing concerns owing to after disposal impact on ecosystem and human health. Washing remediation with chelators, e.g., ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), has been evaluated widely to treat contaminated soil. However, prolonged persistence and noxiousness of EDTA and its homologs evoke eco-concerns.

Availability of clean and safe freshwater has become a looming global concern. The accelerated demography, industrialization, and climate changes contaminate the meager freshwater reserves. Pollution of water bodies is significantly detrimental to health, ecology, economy, and society.

Five populations of Typha domingensis Pers. were evaluated for their tolerance to different regimes of cadmium (Cd). Plants were collected from different sites in Punjab province of Pakistan viz. Jaranwala (S1), Farooq Abad (S2), Chiniot (S3), Khurianwala (S4), and Sidhnai (S5). Collected plants were established for three months and then subjected to Cd levels, i.e., 0, 50, 100, and 150 µM L−1.

Permeable pavements (PPs) are used to address water quality impacts from urban roads. However, the effectiveness of different structure combinations in removing runoff pollutants throughout the permeable system remains unclear. In this study, 26 PP structures were tested to investigate their pollutant removal efficiency by the self-developed laboratory apparatus to provide a quantitative understanding of these combinations.

In this study, PBET (Physiologically Based Extraction Test), IVG (In Vitro Gastrointestinal), and SBRC (Solubility Bioavailability Research Consortium) were used to compare the bioavailability of Cd in 10 potato varieties and evaluate the risks to human health. The results show that the dissolved Cd content in the gastric and small intestine phase under the three methods is IVG > SBRC > PBET.

The physical and chemical factors can affect the activities of microorganisms, urease activity, and the removal effect of heavy metal ions. The Bacillus mucilaginosus was cultured and mineralized to remove Cd2+ ions from aqueous solution under different environmental conditions. The effects of time, temperature, pH, volume ratio, and Cd2+ concentration on the mineralization of Cd2+ ions were studied.

The Big River, in the Old Lead Belt, southeast Missouri, experienced large-scale contamination of channel sediments and floodplain soils from over 200 years of lead mining pollution. Sediments of gravel bars downstream of mining in Big River are contaminated with Pb and Zn and have higher metal concentrations than upstream sites. Plants on these contaminated gravel bars are thus exposed to high metal concentrations and can accumulate metals.

Peat bogs are effective archives of magnetic particles. The diamagnetic properties of organic matter with a zero or slightly negative value of magnetic susceptibility provide an excellent background to even small amounts of magnetic particles associated with anthropogenic activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of the technogenic magnetic particle (TMP) and potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination derived from peat archives of the study area.

The principal problem in dense cities is air pollution and the damage to the environment caused by air pollution. Roadside landscape plants are exposed to air pollutants, especially in small urban centers caused by congested traffic, heating, and industrial enterprises. According to the type of landscape plants, being a good biomonitor varies according to their absorbing capacity of air pollutants.

Arsenic (As) is a carcinogenic element and the As-contamination in drinking water is considered a major health problem. Thus, we assessed the As-removing ability of the aqueous solution of six synthetic minerals: 2-line ferrihydrite (2ℓFh), goethite (Gt), hematite (Hm), layered double hydroxide (LDH), calcined layered double hydroxide (cLDH), and poorly crystallized aluminum hydroxide (pAlHyd).

Historical underground storage sites for decommissioned capacitors containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were import sources of high-concentration PCB contaminants. However, few studies have delved into the characteristics of these sites. We investigated the wastes and cleaned-up soil, soil PCB contamination, and potential risks of 16 underground PCB-capacitor storage sites in China.

Bioaerosols in commercial livestock barns threaten the health of animals and humans. To better understand microbial dynamics in the layer house, we characterized and compared the size-segregated bacterial community of the manure cleaning process in a typical commercial laying hen house equipped with an H-type manure removal belt and negative pressure tunnel ventilation system in Ningbo, China by using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences.

This paper describes a simple, quick, and solvent-free multi-residue method to determine 90 pesticides in groundwater samples from 30 different chemical groups. The extraction was carried out by solid-phase microextraction in direct immersion mode (DI-SPME) using a polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene fiber (65 µm thickness) followed by GC–MS detection.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are distributed in the environment worldwide. These pollutants are found ubiquitously in the environment, including commercially valuable aquatic organisms. Vietnam is one of the world’s largest exporters of seafood, including bivalves. At the same time, comprehensive monitoring studies of aquatic ecosystems in Vietnam are insufficient and not coordinated and are mainly aimed at detecting heavy metals.

The role of iron plaque in Miscanthus sacchariflorus seedling growth and cadmium ion (Cd2+) uptake, translocation, and tolerance was explored. The seedlings were cultivated for 10 d in half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution containing 0 mg L−1, 1.0 mg L−1, 5.0 mg L−1, 10.0 mg L−1, and 20.0 mg L−1 Cd2+ after iron plaque formation induced by 30 mg L−1 ferrous ion (Fe2+).

Forest soils play an important role in the global ecosystem, providing many beneficial services. Protection of forests and their soils from anthropogenic impacts is therefore of utter importance to conservation efforts. Lead (Pb) is one of the most widespread anthropogenic pollutants and has been introduced into forests of the Czech Republic since medieval times, mostly from smelting, coal burning, and later also leaded gasoline.