Abstract Pesticides negatively impact human health and environment, resulting in a high number of deaths annually. The objective of the present study was to measure the impact of an educational intervention on safe handling of pesticides in subsistence farmers in rural communities in Mexico. In a participatory non-randomized controlled community trial subsistence farmers were surveyed on safe handling

Abstract Exposure to mercury (Hg), especially methylmercury (MeHg), through the consumption of seafood is a major public health concern. St. Vincent & the Grenadines (Eastern Caribbean) supports two related whaling operations, which produce food from cetaceans for human consumption. Recent data suggest that Hg concentrations in cetacean tissue samples exceed recommended consumption limits. Our objective

Abstract The fragile landscape of Himalaya harbors a wide range of natural resource dependent communities. However, they are the primary receivers for any adverse social and environmental changes. The study explored the impact of climate variability, disaster, migration, and wildlife on resource utilization pattern of two natural resource dependent Socio-Ecological Systems (SESs) in the Central Himalaya

Abstract Ecological risk assessments of substances with limited ecotoxicity datasets typically employ an assessment factor (AF) method to determine a predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) needed for risk characterization. A PNEC is usually derived by dividing the lowest toxicity value in the substance’s dataset by a certain assessment factor. The AF method, in its various iterations, has been used

Abstract The goal of this study was to evaluate the age-differentiated health risks associated with exposure to mercury in drinking water from artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sites on nearby communities in Yolombo, Colombia. In 2017, nine samples were collected from a local regulatory agency to report mercury concentrations in locations near mining sites. We performed a risk assessment to

Abstract Dinitroanisole (DNAN), 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO), and nitroguanidine (NQ) are constituents of insensitive munitions being developed to minimize the acute hazards associated with non-intentional detonation of warheads. Although a reference dose (RfD) has been established for NQ and occupational exposure levels have been developed for all three compounds, current state-of-the science

Abstract The high concentration of fluorides, nitrates, and nitrites in water causes methemoglobinemia and gastrointestinal cancer. The purpose of this research is to investigate the physiochemical analysis and concentration of fluoride, nitrate, and nitrite with interconnected health hazards due to potable water. The potable water samples were collected from 48 different rural and urban areas of district

Abstract Fluoride (F−) in the environment has appealed the contemplation of numerous researchers across the globe; which is an essential element for human health within certain limits and toxic beyond that. Therefore, knowledge of variation of F− is thus a necessity for taking preventative measures. In view of this, 60 samples were collected to study health risk assessment from Ambadongar area representing

Abstract Historic land changes reflect human pressure in aquatic ecosystems. The value of littoral and riparian zones for lakes is of outmost importance for their hydrology, ecology and support of ecosystem services. The last 75 years altered the landscape mosaic of Lake Pamvotis affecting those habitats. In such an ancient, urban, Mediterranean shallow lake, historic black and white aerial photographs

Abstract To analyze the anthropogenic activities on water-environment conditions, sampling campaigns and isotope measurement for precipitation, river water and groundwater were conducted in Jinjiang River System, Chengdu, China for one year. The results show that runoff is the main factor affecting the isotopic composition in natural-state rivers, while in rivers affected by human activities, the isotopic

Abstract Several countries currently lack common recommendations specific to Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) of contaminated sediments and stakeholders report inconsistencies between currently used approaches. The objective of this study was to provide an increased understanding of how ERAs of contaminated sediments are conducted in comparison to established guidelines. For this, we use Sweden as

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the spatio-seasonal variations in water quality and suitability of the Shitalakhya river, an economically important and ecologically critical urban river in Bangladesh, along with associated influencing factors and possible sources of water pollution. Therefore, surface water samples were collected monthly from five sampling sites, and fourteen water

Abstract Fluoride and nitrate are the most widespread toxic pollutant elements present in groundwaters in large parts of India. The study assessed the groundwater quality and non-carcinogenic health risk due to fluoride and nitrate. Groundwaters were alkaline in reaction with the predominance of sulfate > bicarbonate > chloride > nitrate > fluoride. About 83.8% of the samples were poor in water quality

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of short-term ambient environmental exposure to fine particles and heavy metals (HMs) on neural biomarkers of people within dust storm conditions. From 44 healthy volunteers, who had already been identified, blood and urine samples were taken 24 h before the dust storm. Their blood and urine samples were taken 24 h after exposure. Vanillylmandelic

Abstract Parabens are widely used in personal care products (PCPs) as antimicrobial factors due to their biocide property. These compounds have estrogenic activities and act as endocrine disruptors against biological systems. This study aimed to measure the urinary concentration of methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP), and to evaluate their association with

Abstract Groundwater is widely recognized as an essential source of water for drinking and irrigation uses in the South India. It is essential to evaluate the characterization of groundwater for drinking and irrigation uses. A total of 67 samples were collected in different locations of study area from tube wells for physio-chemical analysis. Water quality index (WQI), nitrate pollution index (NPI)

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess contamination and potential human health risks of heavy metals in street dust from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H). In total, 117 street dust samples were analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Health risk assessment was applied to determine potential health risks, non-carcinogenic and

Mercury (Hg) contamination is a frequently debated issue in environmental research. In this study, the distribution and the ecological and health risk of Hg in soil and outdoor dust from 19 kindergartens from Vanadzor city were investigated. In comparison with other cities, Hg concentrations in dust and soil samples retrieved from Vanadzor were significantly low constituting 0.03–0.42 mg/kg and 0.025–0

Cross-sectional surveys, despite their value, are unable to probe dynamics of risk perceptions over time. An earlier longitudinal panel study of Americans’ views on Ebola risk inspired this partial replication on Americans’ views of Zika risks, using multilevel modeling to assess temporal changes in these views and inter-individual factors affecting them, and to determine if similar factors were influential

Bayan Obo deposit is the largest light rare earth ore deposit in the world, which releases a lot of heavy metals to the surrounding environment during the long-term mining process. To make efficient protection plan, it is necessary to investigate the concentration, spatial distribution, contamination sources, and environmental-health risks of heavy metals surrounding the Bayan Obo deposit. A total

Risk assessment studies due to the renewed global concerns regarding the environment are more necessary than ever. Like this article, the ultimate goal of such studies is to protect the environment, reduce costs, and save time by utilizing better technologies of risk assessment. This article, first after evaluating activities and various processes of a power plant, identifies environmental risks, and

Pipeline transportation of heavy oil poses significant risk to the environment and the human population. Though remarkable progress has been made in developing both qualitative and quantitative techniques for assessing pipeline risk, the potential threat to the bodies of water has not been well studied in the literature. In this study, we focus on three bodies of water, that is, river, lake, and aquifers

Sugarcane farmers and cutters have been reported to be at high risk of acute kidney injury. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess acute kidney injury biomarkers, and cross-shift change among 150 sugarcane cutters and 98 sugarcane farmers in Thailand. Physical health examination, environmental measurements, and measured urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) were assessed. Cross-shift

Pesticides optimize agricultural and livestock activity but their improper management damages health and the environment. The objective of this study was to carry out a baseline study of future intervention and reference locations to implement an intervention program. Two intervention locations and a third reference location were selected. Subsistence farmers and their relatives were surveyed on socio-demographic

Agriculture in Thailand, which employs over 30 percent of the workforce and contributes significantly to the country’s gross domestic product, is a key sector of its economy. Import and use of pesticides has increased over the past decade due to Thailand's major role as a leading exporter of food and agricultural products. The widespread and poorly regulated use of pesticides presents a potential risk

The smaller cities in India are facing acute problems due to air pollution but remain unaccounted due to lack of effort in highlighting them through studies. Ambient pollution data and climate data of one tier 2 Indian city, Guwahati, were collected for three years, i.e., 2016–2018 and analyzed. It showed that the winter season was very harsh from the air pollution point of view as almost 99% of the

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, is located near two closed gold mines. Elevated arsenic concentrations reported in fish are a public health concern. We collected 180 samples of three species of commonly consumed fish in 2013–2018 and analyzed arsenic species, including inorganic arsenic (As(III) and As(V)), monomethylarsonate (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and arsenobetaine. The average

In Thailand, glyphosate is popular herbicide to control pests in the agricultural sector. This study aimed to measure glyphosate exposure concentrations through inhalation, dermal contact, and urinary glyphosate concentrations among 43 vegetable farmers spraying glyphosate in Bungphra Subdistrict, Phitsanulok Province. Four types of spraying equipment were used, manual pump backpack (n = 3), motorized

This study is conducted in Dharapuram, a water-stressed semi-arid region in south India with an aim to understand the hydrochemistry of F-rich groundwater and perform a systematic human health risk assessment. Results indicate that groundwater is alkaline, dominated with Na, Mg, HCO3, and Cl. Gibb’s plot shows that groundwater is influenced by rock–water interaction and evaporation processes. The concentration

The risk prioritization process is one of the most crucial steps for risk evaluation of potential hazards. The Fine-Kinney method has been commonly applied to controll risks in practice, while the classical Fine-Kinney has limitations in the determination of important degrees of risk parameters. In addition, current risk prioritization approaches for Fine-Kinney overlook the bounded rational behavior

For the large producers of farmed fish, the utilization of fish by-products as ingredients of food is important and thus their characterization, in terms of chemical composition and safety, becomes necessary. In this study, eleven trace metal concentrations in by-products (head, gills, guts, trimmings, bones and skin) of two Mediterranean farmed fishes, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and the

PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have attracted considerable attention due to their carcinogenicity to humans. As the “copper city” of China, Baiyin has unique natural geographical conditions, but there have been few studies on PM2.5-bound PAHs pollution characteristics. Therefore, the pollution characteristics, sources and health risks of PM2.5-bound PAHs in Baiyin were studied

Abstract Environmental problems such as soil and water pollution, geohazards, land degradation, and desertification are seriously constraining the sustainable development of human society. Finding effective measures to meet these environmental challenges is critical. This article introduced the background of editing this special issue, and the main environmental challenges faced by human were briefly

Geogenic contamination of Arsenic (As) poses major health threat to people living in Indus Plain of Pakistan particularly in Punjab. In this paper, we described in detail the hydrogeochemistry of As contaminated groundwaters in selected sites from Lahore, Kasur and Okara districts and its associated potential health risks. Sampling was done in 2019 and 141 groundwater samples were collected. High variability

Different functions of various POIs result in different concentrations of PM2.5 at their locations and a different number of people gathering near them. This study divided the Baoding into 500 m × 500 m grids and studied several representative moments. The frequency of 16 kinds of POIs in each grid was calculated, and the kriging interpolation model was used to simulate PM2.5 concentration. The average

Khlong Saen Saep in Bangkok is a polluted canal whose water quality fails to meet standard criteria in many areas. We hence assessed the effects of pollution on the striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) commonly found in polluted areas of the canal. Fish were sampled from two stations in Khlong Saen Saep: Masjid Kamalulislam and Wat Bumpennue. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and biochemical

The mean concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments of Burullus Lake shoreline follow a descending order of Mn > Fe > Zn > Co > Cu > Cd > Ni > Pb > Cr. Where concentrations of Cd indicated that 100% of samples were higher than the limits of SQGs and the reverse to Cr that its concentration is within those limits. The mean probable effect level quotient mPELq and mean effect range median quotient

Abstract Resilience provides an adaptive approach for dealing with environmental change, natural risks and public health emergencies. Urban spatial resilience is an interpretation of resilience in the spatial dimension. However, studies on urban spatial resilience and the relationship between resilience and urban space are limited. This study tries to understand urban spatial systems and to establish

Abstract The transport characteristics of manganese was investigated by soil columns experiments and provide essential data for aquifer remediation and groundwater protection in Yinchuan City. Soil column experiments involved a solution of manganese chloride in which the chloride ion was the chemical tracer. In the two column experiments, the breakthrough curve (BTC) for Cl– revealed the average linear

Heavy metals leaching from municipal solid waste landfills have resulted in severe environmental pollution and may influence human health status. This study aimed to determine the total concentrations of metals, environmental risk and evaluate the potential human health risk including non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. Soil samples were collected from the open municipal solid waste landfill

Data on the presence and distribution of endocrine-disrupting pesticides (EDPs) in aquatic environments and biota are important for ecological and human health risk assessment. Compared with that in developed countries, little attention has been paid on environmental EDPs pollution in developing countries including China. Thus, the EDPs in carps (Carassius auratus) from Qiantang River in China were

Extensive use of pesticides in agricultural production results in increased health risks and health costs, productivity loss, and degradation of the environment. Farmers’ risk perceptions of pesticide residues can help mitigate these issues. This paper applies an ordered probit model to analyze farmers’ perceptions of pesticide residues using a cross-sectional dataset of 209 vegetable cultivators in

Groundwater chemistry data play an essential role to identify the water quality status and assess the exposure to human health. Therefore, in the present research, combined approaches used to assess the geochemistry, sources of ions and human health risk in the groundwater of the Tronzano Vercellese. Moreover, a geographic information system (GIS) technique was applied to identify locations have the

Parabens are used as antimicrobial preservatives in a wide range of cosmetics, foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals. There is increasing evidence that has linked paraben exposure to adverse health effects. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the determinants of urinary parabens concentration among Iranian pregnant women. The urinary concentrations of methylparaben (MeP), ethylparaben (EtP), propylparaben

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate occupational hazards, health conditions and personal protective equipment used among healthcare workers. Information from the sample size of 1,128 healthcare workers were collected using questionnaires. The healthcare workers participated in this study were from five departments including inpatient, outpatient, surgery and anesthesia, nutrition service and

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics, processes, and factors that control the groundwater chemistry in Jinghui canal irrigation district of China. Water quality was assessed by comparing with the Chinese national guidelines and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking and irrigation. Impacts of Cr6+ on human health were also quantified

Abstract Biochar is a promising adsorption amendment on reducing the bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soils. A greenhouse pot experiment was carried out to study the influence of wheat straw biochar (WSB) at different application rates (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 5% w/w) on pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) extractable concentrations of Cd

The leaf anatomy of the Nitraria roborowskii Kom., Nitraria sibirica Pall., and Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. populations from southern Xinjiang, China, were studied. Cross-sections of the leaves were made, and the structural characteristics were determined. Seven major traits of the leaf cross-sections were analyzed by cluster analysis. The leaf morphology and anatomical structure of Nitraria leaves from

Abstract Groundwater resources in North China are scarce, and nitrogen pollution, especially ammonia nitrogen pollution, in groundwater is a severe environmental challenge for this area. In this context, the effects of differentaquifer media on ammonia nitrogen adsorption in Hutuo river plain, north China were investigated in the study. In particular, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence

Abstract To study rainfall forecast error’s influence on flood operation, short-term (24 hours ahead) rainfall forecast accuracy in Qian river basin were analyzed, probabilities of event on flood operation risk were estimated based on Bayesian theory, and the dynamic control scheme was discussed. Results show that, accuracy rate and missing report rate decreased while vacancy rate increased with the

Abstract How to quantitatively evaluate the groundwater environment is an important question. In this paper, the groundwater environment was defined by considering both groundwater quantity and quality, and taking human activities into consideration. Two multiobjective comprehensive evaluation methods were applied to quantitatively evaluate the groundwater environment. Factors influencing the groundwater

How to quantitatively evaluate the groundwater environment is an important question. In this paper, the groundwater environment was defined by considering both groundwater quantity and quality, and taking human activities into consideration. Two multiobjective comprehensive evaluation methods were applied to quantitatively evaluate the groundwater environment. Factors influencing the groundwater environment

We conducted a probabilistic risk assessment for seven nitrosamines (i.e., N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodibuthylmine (NDBA), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosomorpholone (NMOR) and N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA)) to assess the cancer risk posed by dietary intake of nitrosamines for Korean people. The estimated cancer risks were

Heavy metal pollution poses a serious hazard to the soil bacterial community. In this study, the 16 s rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze bacterial diversity and structure of dry field soil at different levels of heavy metal pollution. Further, the relationships between soil parameters and bacterial community were analyzed. Based on the study findings, we classified the levels

Due to the impact of human agricultural production and climate and environmental changes, the suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes has attracted widespread attention. In order to quantify the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in Hailun and evaluate its suitability for drinking purposes, 55 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed. The results show that groundwater in aquifers

Taking the system dynamics model as the modeling technology and Tianjin as the research area, the DPSIR analysis framework is used to construct the Tianjin green development system innovation and policy simulation model. The model consists of three subsystems, including the economic population subsystem, the resource energy subsystem, and the environmental assessment subsystem. This study designed

Modern agricultural activities and more production, endanger the health of farmers, and food safety and may cause environmental pollution. In this study, we aimed to determine the knowledge and practice of Pistachio farmers in Kashmar in field of Pistachio pesticide safety. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 380 pistachio farmers of Kashmar and data were gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire

Reservoirs play a pertinent role in providing potable water to humans and aquatic animals. Exposure to trace metal pollution in water may threaten aquatic ecosystem and human health. In this study, total and dissolved trace metals pollution and health risk they posed to humans in water sampled from the Barekese reservoir in Kumasi were investigated. Levels of Hg, As, Ni, and Cr in the water exceeded

Forced vital capacity (FVC) of children in the age group 10–12 years are reported as a function of quantum increase in PM2.5 level in ambient air. The data are reported for the children in the categories based on their respective body mass index (BMI). FVC (% predicted) values decreased with increasing level of PM2.5. The subjects are found to respond in a selective manner as plateau was observed for