Mining activities are generally known to enhance the concentration of primordial radionuclides in the environment thereby contributing immensely to human exposure to ionizing radiation of terrestrial origin. Thus, the abandoned Tin and Cassiterite mining site in Oyun, Kwara State, Nigeria, is believed to cause radiological implications on local residents.  Assessment of radon concentration in surface water from the study area was carried out using RAD7-Active Electronic detector big bottle system. In order to ascertain the risk or hazard incurable in consuming such water, 12 samples were analysed and used in the estimation of annual effective dose of radon. The measured maximum and minimum radon concentrations were found to be 44.95 and 21.03 Bq/L with average of 35.86 Bq/L. These values are quite greater than the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) recommended limits of 11.1.Bq/L. The estimated total effective dose (AEDEtotal) was found to be within the range of 206.52 and 441.41 μSvy-1, and an average of 352.20 μSvy-1 for Adults, 283.30 and 605.47 μSvy-1, and average of 483.10 μSvy-1 for Children, and finally, 321.70 and 687.47 μSvy-1 with average of 548.64 μSvy-1 for Infants, respectively. These values were higher than the recommended limit of 100 µSvy-1 and 200 µSvy-1 for adult and children respectively. Furthermore, worries should be noted about the probabilistic cumulative effect on the consumers of such water if the ingestion is for an extended period of time.

Accumulating evidences indicated that heavy metals may disrupt human sex hormones. However, the combined effects of heavy metals on sex hormones remain to be clarified. To explore the independent and combined associations between heavy metal exposure and serum sex hormones among adults, data of 2728 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was applied. We examined independent and combined associations of fourteen urinary heavy metals and three serum sex steroid hormones (total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)). Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate the independent associations between metal exposure and sex hormone alterations. Principle component analysis -weighted quantile sum regression (PCA-WQSR) model was performed to estimate the combined associations in our individuals. In the co-exposure model, we determined that weighted quantile sum (WQS) index of industrial pollutants was negatively associated with E2 in females (WQS Percent change₈₋ₘₑₜₐₗ = -20.6%; 95% CI: -30.1%, -9.96%), while in males WQS index of water pollutants was negatively related to SHBG (WQS Percent change₈₋ₘₑₜₐₗ = -5.35%; 95% CI: -9.88%, -0.598%). Cadmium (Cd), tin (Sn) and lead (Pb) were the dominating metals of female E2-negative association while Ba was the leading contributor related to male SHBG reduction, which was consistent with the results of multivariate linear regression. Additionally, in postmenopausal women, the associations of E2 decrease with heavy metal co-exposure remained significant while Cd and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) were identified as hazardous metals in the mixture. We concluded that the exposure to heavy metals was associated with human sex hormone alterations in independent or combined manners. Considering the design of NHANES study, further studies from other national-representative surveys are necessary.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil and crops caused by mining activities has become a prevalent concern in the world. Given that different crops have varying Cd bioaccumulation factors, crops with low Cd bioaccumulation abilities can be selected for the safe usage of Cd -contaminated lands. This study aimed to investigate Cd contamination in soil and crops and the influencing factors of soil Cd activity in a tin mining area (TMA) and control area (CA) and to put forward suggestions for the safe usage of farmlands by developing prediction models of Cd content in different crop grains. We collected 72 and 40 pairs of rice and maize grain samples, respectively, along with their rhizosphere soil samples and 6176 topsoil samples. The results showed that compared with the CA, the Cd pollution was more severe in the cultivated soil and crop grains around TMA. Furthermore, rice has a strong ability to transport Cd from soil to grains, whereas maize has a poor Cd uptake ability. The total organic carbon, CaO, pH, and Mn in soil play key roles in the transfer of Cd from soil to crop grains. Using these parameters and Cd concentration in soil, two sets of accurate Cd prediction models were developed for maize and rice. Based on the Cd concentration in the topsoil and predicted Cd concentration in crop grains, the safe utilization scheme of farmland was proposed. The proportions of priority protection, safe exploitation, planting adjustment, and strict control were 72.59%, 22.77%, 3.16%, and 1.48% in the TMA, respectively. The values reached 80.51% (priority protection), 19.12% (safe exploitation), 0.37% (planting adjustment), and 0% (strict control) in the CA. Thus, given the difference between Cd accumulation in rice and maize, adjustment of planting crops in contaminated farmlands can be applied to maximize the use of farmland resources.

Microplastic pollution is a major global environmental problem in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Pesticides are frequently applied to agricultural soil to reduce the effects of pests on crops, but may also affect the degradation of plastics. In this study, we generated microplastics from polyethylene (PE) film and biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) film and determined (1) the effect of prothioconazole on degradation of the microplastics, and (2) the adsorption and release characteristics of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Ba, and Sn) by the microplastics during degradation process. Changes of surface functional groups and morphologies were measured by FTIR and SEM, while metal concentrations were determined by ICPMS. Prothioconazole was found to promote plastic degradation. PBAT degraded faster and adsorbed more heavy metals from the soil than PE. Whether the microplastics adsorb or release heavy metals depended on the metal and their concentrations. Prothioconazole inhibited the adsorption of Cr, As, Pb and Ba by microplastics, promoted the adsorption of Cu, and had no significant effect for Sn. These results can help to assess the ecological risk of microplastic pollution from plastic mulch when combined with heavy metals.

A soil column migration trough was used to study the leaching behavior and geochemical partitioning of fifteen elements Al, As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Sn, Sb, Zn, V, Co, Mn, Pb, Ni and Cd in simulated ash reclaimed soil. According to the results of cluster analysis for the sampling stations, there were three clusters: Cluster 1 of 7 wells with relative good groundwater quality originated from the background control area, Cluster 2 of 9 wells with worst groundwater quality in the downstream parts of the simulated ash reclaimed soil, and Cluster 3 of 2 wells with representative of samples influenced by the combined effect of injection of leaching solution and the main current. Statistical analysis identified five factor types that accounted for 83.055% of the total variance, which declined in the order: ash-soil rate > leaching intensity > water depths > flow velocity > leaching time. As, Sb, Cd, Pb and Ni were the dominant contaminants. The water around ash reclaimed soil was unsuitable for drinking. As, Mn, Cd, Sb, Co and V were the largest contributors to health risks. Soils reclaimed with fly ash can consequently be a long-time source for the transfer of toxic elements into groundwater.

Five types of crop residue (rice, wheat, corn, sorghum, and sugarcane) collected from different provinces in China were used to characterize the chemical components and bioreactivity properties of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions during open-burning scenarios. Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were the most abundant components, contributing 41.7%–54.9% of PM2.5 emissions. The OC/EC ratio ranged from 8.8 to 31.2, indicating that organic matter was the dominant component of emissions. Potassium and chloride were the most abundant components in the portion of PM2.5 composed of water-soluble ions. The coefficient of divergence ranged from 0.27 to 0.51 among various emissions profiles. All samples exposed to a high PM2.5 concentration (150 μg/mL) exhibited a significant reduction in cell viability (A549 lung alveolar epithelial cells) and increase in lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and interleukin 6 levels compared with those exposed to 20 or 0 μg/mL. Higher bioreactivity (determined according to LDH and interleukin 6 level) was observed for the rice, wheat, and corn samples than for the sorghum straw samples. Pearson's correlation analysis suggested that OC, heavy metals (chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, tin, and barium), and water-soluble ions (fluoride, calcium, and sulfate) are the components potentially associated with LDH production.

Ultrafine (<100 nm) particles related to traffic are of high environmental and human health concern, as they are supposed to be more toxic than larger particles. In the present study transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is applied to obtain a concrete picture on the nature, morphology and chemical composition of non-volatile ultrafine particles in the exhaust of state-of-the-art, Euro 6b, Gasoline and Diesel vehicles. The particles were collected directly on TEM grids, at the tailpipe, downstream of the after-treatment system, during the entire duration of typical driving cycles on the chassis dynamometer. Based on TEM imaging coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, numerous ultrafine particles could be identified, imaged and analyzed chemically. Particles <10 nm were rarely detected. The ultrafine particles can be distinguished into the following types: soot, ash-bearing soot and ash. Ash consists of Ca, P, Mg, Zn, Fe, S, and minor Sn compounds. Most elements originate from lubricating oil additives; Sn and at least part of Fe are products of engine wear; minor W ± Si-bearing nearly spherical particles in Diesel exhaust derive from catalytic coating material. Ultrafine ash particles predominate over ultrafine soot or are nearly equal in amount, in contrast to emissions of larger sizes where soot is by far the prevalent particle type. This is probably due to the low ash amount per volume fraction in the total emissions, which does not favor formation of large ash agglomerates, opposite to soot, which is abundant and thus easily forms agglomerates of sizes larger than those of the ultrafine range. No significant differences of ultrafine particle characteristics were identified among the tested Gasoline and Diesel vehicles and driving cycles. The present TEM study gives information also on the imaging and chemical composition of the solid fraction of the unregulated sub-23 nm size category particles.

Coal combustion and passive smoking are two important contributors to indoor air pollution (IAP) in rural areas of northern China. Although the association between outdoor air pollutants and hypertension risk had been widely reported, fewer studies have examined the relationship between IAP and hypertension risk. This study evaluated the association between IAP and hypertension risk in housewives in rural areas of northern China and the potential mediation pathway of metal elements. Our cross-sectional study, conducted in Shanxi Province, China, enrolled 367 subjects without taking anti-hypertensive drugs, including 142 subjects with hypertension (case group) and 225 subjects without hypertension (control group). We collected information on energy use characteristics and lifestyle using questionnaires. An IAP exposure index was developed to indicate the population exposure to coal combustion and passive smoking. Scalp hair samples were collected from the housewives and various trace and major metal elements were measured. Our results revealed that the IAP index was positively correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A significant association between the IAP index and hypertension risk was found both without [odds ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) = 2.08 (1.30–3.31)] and with [OR (95% CI) = 2.52 (1.46–4.36)] adjustment for confounders. We also observed that the IAP index was positively correlated with the arsenic, lead, and rare earth element levels in hair samples, and negatively correlated with the levels of some other trace elements (i.e., chromium, cobalt, nickel, and tin) and alkaline earth elements (i.e., calcium, magnesium, and barium) with an overall p value of <0.01. We concluded that IAP may contribute to the development of hypertension in rural housewives in northern China, possibly by interfering with the uptake of metal elements.

The use of the soil can alter its functionality and influence the (bio)availability of any contaminants present. Our study considers two types of agricultural soils, rainfed and olive soils, managed according to conventional practices that apply contaminants directly to the soil (fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, etc.) and receive contaminants from the atmosphere (traffic, industry, etc.); and a forest soil that is not subject to these agricultural practices. In this scenario, we consider a mixture of 16 trace elements (As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sb, Sn, V and Zn), since their interactions with the soil can produce synergistic and/or antagonistic effects that are not considered in most studies. We studied whether the content and (bio)availability of low concentrations of a mixture of trace elements affect the soil functionality in terms of the activity of some key enzymes We analysed the total, potentially and immediately available fractions, the soil parameters and soil enzyme activity. The results show that the functionality of the soils studied was affected despite the low concentrations of trace elements. The highest concentrations of total trace elements and available fractions were found in forest soils compared to the other two uses. Soil enzyme activity is best explained by the potentially available fraction of a mixture of trace elements and physico-chemical soil variables. In our study, pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon and fine mineral particles (silt and clay) had an influence on soil enzyme activity and the (bio)available fractions of trace elements.

The work was conducted to establish contamination from improper disposal of hazardous wastes containing lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb) into nearby soils. Besides other elements in the affected area, the biological role of Sb, its behaviour in the pedosphere and uptake by plants and the food chain was considered. Wastes contained 139532 ± 9601 mg kg−1 (≈14%) Pb and 3645 ± 194 mg kg−1 (≈0.4%) Sb respectively and variability was extremely high at a decimetre scale. Dramatically high concentrations were also found for As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Sn and Zn. In adjacent natural soils metal(oid)s amounts decreased considerably (Pb 5034 ± 678 mg kg−1, Sb 112 mg kg−1) though largely exceeded the directives for a given soil use. Metal(oid)s potential mobility was assessed by using H2O→KNO3→EDTA sequential extractions, and EDTA extracts showed the highest concentration suggesting stable humus-metal complexes formation. Nevertheless, selected plants showed high absorption potential of the investigated elements. Pb and Sb values for Dittrichia viscosa grown in wastes was 899 ± 627 mg kg−1 and 37 ± 33 mg kg−1 respectively. The same plant showed 154 ± 99 mg kg−1 Pb and 8 ± 4 mg kg−1 Sb in natural soils. Helichrysum stoechas had 323 ± 305 mg kg−1 Pb, and 8 ± 3 mg kg−1 Sb. Vitis vinifera from alongside vineyards contained 129 ± 88 mg kg−1 Pb and 18 ± 9 mg kg−1 Sb, indicating ability for metal uptake and warning on metal diffusion through the food chain. The biological absorption coefficient (BAC) and the translocation factor (TF) assigned phytoextraction potential to Dittrichia viscosa and Foeniculum vulgare and phytostabilization potential to Helichrysum stoechas. Dissolved metal (oid)s in the analysed water strongly exceeded the current directive being a direct threat for livings. Data warned against the high contamination of the affected area in all its compartments. Even though native plants growing in metal-contaminated sites may have phytoremediation potential, high risk of metal diffusion may threat the whole ecosystem.