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AbstractPakistan is a developing country and its population is growing rapidly. The trend towards economic growth and satisfying the needs of the growing population is increasing daily. For this purpose, industrial activities, vehicle emissions, and household-related activities pollute the atmospheric environment and release different types of toxic gases. Particulate matter assessments (PM2.5 and PM10) were reviewed in different cities of Pakistan. Respectively, the PM2.5 evaluation was carried out in 15 cities, while the PM10 concentration was in 18 cities in Pakistan. According to the review, the highest concentrations of PM2.5 were 302, 211.97, 88, 163.63, 113.09, 110.81, 110.81, 139.43, 126.97, 107.68, 109.81, 172, 150, 66, 354, 43.9, 2305 µg/m3 in Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi, Gujranwala, Multan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Pakpattan, Jehlum, Sargodha, Peshawar Quetta, Islamabad, Haripur, Mingora, and Mardan (Jalala). Specifically, the highest concentration of PM10 were 301, 568, 638, 160.5, 200, 384.15, 301.38, 311.61, 700 µg/m3 in Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Charsada, Karachi, Gujranwala, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Quetta. Only, these cities are the most polluted in the whole country and the concentration of PM2.5 was above the normal range those prescribed by the National Environmental Quality Standred (NEQS). Commonly, the main problem is the suspended particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in the atmosphere. The increasing level of pollution leads to different types of problems such as respiratory problems, eye irritation, throat infections, asthma, and cancer, and it also increases the level of death ratio in the country. The main reason for PM is the burning of solid waste near cities; industrial emission, vehicular emission, lack of proper green belt and solid waste management are the main reasons for atmospheric pollution. Given the existing state of the air, urgent action is required to address the low air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating presence of heavy metals (HMs) in the Panjkora River water and their impact on fish pose a significant challenge to both the ecological community and human health. Consequently, a study was conducted with the primary aim of elucidating their influence on human health-related issues. To address this, the concentrations of heavy metals, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), in both water and the fish species Crossocheilus diplocheilus were investigated across various locations within the study area. The quantification of HMs concentration was carried out utilizing an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The highest concentration in water was found as 0.060 mg/L for Pb and lowest for Fe, whereas the highest concentration in fish was 2.028 mg/kg for Pb and lowest for As. Human health risk associated with fish eating was evaluated by using health risk indices (HRI) for non-carcinogenic health risks and targeted cancer risk (TR) for carcinogenic health risks. The values of the health risk index (HRI) were found greater than 1 except Fe (0.0792), Zn (0.782), and Mn (0.541). The highest mean HRI > 1 was recorded for As (62.99), Cd (26.85), and Pb (10.56). This implies that fish consumption from river Panjkora is not safe up to some extent. Similarly, the TR value for As, Cd, and Pb was found 2.8 × 10 - 2 , 1.6 × 10 - 2 , 2.8 × 10 - 3 which showed cancer risk. There is a detected risk to human health associated with the consumption of fish from the Panjkora River. The government must implement adaptive measures to address this significant issue of water pollution in the study area. Additionally, there is a need for further extensive and prolonged research studies in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brick kilns add enormous quantities of organic pollutants to the air that can cause serious health issues, especially in developing countries; poor air quality is associated with community health problems, yet receives no attention in Northern Pakistan. The present study, therefore, assessed the chemical composition and investigated the impacts of air pollution from brick kilns on public health. A field-based investigation of air pollutants, i.e., PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, CO2, CO, NO, NO2, H2S, and NH3 using mobile scientific instruments was conducted in selected study area locations. Social surveys were conducted to investigate the impacts of air pollution on community health. The results reveal the highest concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, i.e., 3377, 2305, and 3567.67 µg/m3, respectively, in specific locations. Particulate matter concentrations in sampling points exceeded the permissible limits of the Pakistan National Environmental Quality Standard and, therefore, may risk the local population's health. The highest mean value of CO2 was 529 mg/L, and other parameters, such as CO, NO, NO2, H2S, and NH3 were within the normal range. The social survey's findings reveal that particulate matter was directly associated with respiratory diseases such as asthma, which was reported in all age groups selected for sampling. The study concluded by implementing air pollution reduction measures in brick kiln industries to protect the environment and community health. In addition, the region's environmental protection agency needs to play an active role in proper checking and integrated management to improve air quality and protect the community from air hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present research was to investigate the presence of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) in blood samples from cows raised with irrigated wastewater, as well as in the wastewater itself, in the North-western region of Pakistan. A total of 60 blood samples were collected from five different locations in Kohat, namely Tappi Road (TR), Pindi Road (PR), Gul Malik Road (GMR), Markaz Road (MR), and a control group. The samples of both i.e. cow blood and wastewater were analyzed for the concentrations of heavy metals. The highest concentration of Cd was detected in the MR site with a mean value of 0.03 mg/L, and the highest concentration of Cu (0.04 mg/L) was recorded in the TR site, while the lowest level was found in the control group with a mean of 0.002 mg/L in blood samples. The highest Cr and Pb concentrations were found at the PR site, with mean values of 0.03 and 0.07 mg/L, respectively, whereas the control group had the lowest concentrations, with mean values of 0.002 and 0.01 mg/L. Similarly, heavy metal concentrations were analyzed in wastewater used for irrigation in the study area. Results indicated elevated concentrations of Cu and Cr in wastewater, although they remained below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended values except for Cr (0.13 mg/L) in the GMR site, which exceeded permissible limits. Cd and Pb concentrations in wastewater were relatively low, but Cd concentration surpassed WHO limits, particularly with a mean concentration of 0.08 mg/L in the TR site. Comparison between heavy metal concentrations in blood and wastewater revealed higher values of Cd and Pb in blood samples than in wastewater, while Cu and Cr concentrations were higher in water compared to blood. Additionally, elevated levels of Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD), antioxidant enzyme Catalase (CAT), and oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected in blood samples. Cluster and principal component analyses were employed to assess heavy metal toxicity among the groups, indicating potential long-term adverse health effects on animals, transfer to humans, and toxicity in living organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]