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The biochemical composition of sapropels from Maloe Simaginskoe Lake, which were studied using modern methods of atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), is presented. This source of organic matter is now the least in demand in the country; many deposits have been abandoned. However, such organic colloids and their humic extracts are not inferior in their spectrum of action to extracts from peat or coal. The predominance of the proportion of potassium and sodium in the gross composition of macroelements is shown. Among microelements, both in bulk and in mobile forms, iron and manganese ions dominated. Apparently, the Fe cation is bound in polyligand forms with carboxylic acids. The ratio of these two elements in the samples averaged 10 : 1—Fe : Mn. The content of heavy metals was within the limits acceptable for sapropel fertilizers according to GOST R 54000-2010. The results obtained during this study can be used further in the biotechnology of intensive crop production, when growing crops in a hydroponic environment while minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers. In addition, since carbohydrates were found in all samples of the raw materials studied, the extracts can be used to develop modified nutrient media in agricultural microbiology to stabilize the titer of beneficial rhizobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of presented study was to test nutritional properties of potato tubers and silver ions accumulation pattern after foliar application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) during potato vegetation. Potato plants were sprayed with different concentration of Ag nanoparticles (0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg·dm−3) synthesized with incorporation with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sodium citrate as stabilizing agent. The lowest amounts of silver ions were transported to the tubers after spraying with AgNPs synthesized with SDS, rather than with citrate. Nevertheless silver ions accumulation in tubers was negligible. SDS method of synthesis was more favourable in terms of nutritional properties of potato tubers. The highest tested concentration of AgNPs_SDS had a favourable effect on a variety of macro- and micronutrients, ascorbic acid and soluble sugars. In turn, lower concentrations of AgNPs_SDS increased the content of phenolic compounds and free radical scavenging efficiency of tubers. These correlations were also confirmed by Principal Component Analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fenugreeks (Trigonella L. spp.), are well-known herbs belonging to the family Fabaceae, whose fresh and dried leaves have nutritional and medicinal value. In the present study, the content of phytochemical traits (essential oil, diosgenin, trigonelline, total phenol, total flavonoid, total saponins, and total tannins), bitterness value, pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoid, β-carotene, and anthocyanin), vitamins (group B vitamins and ascorbic acid), minerals, and antioxidant activity of thirty cultivated populations belonging to ten Trigonella species were evaluated. The species and populations were significantly different in all studied parameters. A significant positive and negative correlation (p < 0.05) was also observed between the studied parameters. In total, T. teheranica, T. elliptica, and T. foenum-graecum were distinguished as superior species. The results showed that fenugreeks leaves can be considered as a valuable source of food and phytochemical compounds. The obtained data can be help to expand the inventory of wild and cultivated Trigonella species for further exploitation of rich chemotypes in the new foods and specific applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study primarily investigated the variations in stable isotope ratios and elemental fingerprints in tea leaves, which are influenced by multiple factors such as tea cultivars, plant parts, geographical areas, and harvest times. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in isotope and elemental profiles among tea cultivars. By employing advanced statistical methods, such as principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), we achieved 100% accuracy in classifying tea cultivars. Additionally, different parts of the tea plant and geographical areas exhibited substantial impacts on the concentrations of stable isotopes and elements. The variation in harvest times further indicated the regulation of isotope fractionation and element accumulation. The variations in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) isotopes among different tea tree parts illuminated the pathways of nutrient transport within the plant. Overall, plant parts were identified as the most crucial factor affecting tea quality, followed by geographical areas and tea cultivars. These findings provide scientific evidence for tea classification and quality control, while also enhancing the understanding of the nutritional metabolism mechanisms in tea plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of quercetin on the alterations of serum elements in perimenopausal depression rat model induced by ovariectomy combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress (OVX-CUMS) and possible mechanisms. According to the results of the sucrose preference test, the rats were randomly assigned to four groups: sham, OVX-CUMS, OVX-CUMS + 17β-estradiol (17β-estradiol: 0.27 mg/kg.bw), and OVX-CUMS + Quercetin (Quercetin: 50 mg/kg.bw). At the end of experiment, serum and prefrontal cortex of rats were collected. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis showed that levels of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), cobalt (Co) and zinc (Zn) decreased, and levels of iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) increased in serum and prefrontal cortex of OVX-CUMS rats compared with sham group (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, the levels of the above elements in prefrontal cortex had correlation with behavioral characteristics in OVX-CUMS rats (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). The abnormal elements in serum may cross blood–brain-barrier into the brain and induce oxidative stress, leading to ferroptosis. Furtherly, the expressions of ferroptosis-related protein including GPX4 and SLC7A11 were decreased in prefrontal cortex of OVX-CUMS rats (p < 0.01), which confirmed the above results. Quercetin treatment restored the above abnormal indicators (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) induced by OVX-CUMS in rats. Our study suggested that quercetin regulated variation of elements in serum and prefrontal cortex, further inhibiting ferroptosis in prefrontal cortex through alleviating oxidative stress in OVX-CUMS rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, increased attention has been paid to the raw materials of plants as a source of biologically active substances. Black rosehip (Rosa pimpinellifolia L.) fruits could be a good resource for potential functional components in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Also, drying can influence the composition of heat-sensitive phytochemicals. However, less attention is given to comparing black rosehip bioactive compounds particularly compositions of fatty acid, amino acids, and phenolic content in fresh and dried fruits. So in this study, the amino acid constituents (by amino acid analyzer), fatty acids (by GC–MS), mineral elements (by atomic absorption spectrometer), antioxidant (by DPPH) and phenolic compounds (by HPLC) present in fresh and dried fruits of black rosehip naturally grown in Iran were comprehensively investigated. The results showed that dried fruits had a lower level moisture by 51.55%, and a higher level of total phenolic compounds and total sugar by 786.20 mg GAE/100 g and 15.77 g/100 g, respectively. Chlorogenic acid and gallic acid were the major phenolic compounds (109.3 mg/g). Whilst, linoleic acid, oleic acid, and arachidic acid (85.34%) were the most dominant fatty acids. The most dominant amino acids were glutamic acid, phenylalanine, and arginine (29.41 g/100 g). Also, Fe and Mn as micro-elements were the most dominant elements. In general, the results illustrated the potentials and differences of black rosehip fruits grown in the Arasbaran region as promising resources for food sources, pharmaceutics, cosmetics, and breeding programs. Also, these findings confirm that black rosehip fruits contain significant amounts of secondary metabolites that may positively affect human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than one billion people face malnourishment worldwide and majority of them are from Asia and Africa. The nutrition insecurity challenges in the third world countries could be addressed by considering entomophagy as an alternative to increase nutritional intake and meet the increasing nutrient demands of growing populations. Crickets are the most consumed orthopteran in the world and are good sources of protein and other essential nutrients. This study was conducted to identify the edible crickets and their nutritional composition in two regions of Nigeria. The edible crickets found in the study areas are Brachytrupes membranaceus Drury 1770, Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer 1773, Teleogryllus commodus Walker 1869, Teleogryllus sp. and Scapsipedus icipe Hugel and Tanga 2018. The values of moisture in the crickets ranged from 66.34 g/100 g in Teleogryllus sp. to 76.79 g/100 g in B. membranaceus. The ash in the crickets ranged from 0.63 g/100 g in B. membranaceus to 2.35 g/100 g in G. bimaculatus. The crude protein in the crickets ranged from 16.34 g/100 g in S. icipe to 23.38 g/100 g in T. commodus. The crude protein was significantly higher in T. commodus when compared with the other crickets (p < 0.05). Among the amino acids analysed, tryptophan, valine, and methionine were significantly higher in Teleogryllus sp. than the other crickets (p < 0.05). Calcium and phosphorus contents were highest in T. commodus but only calcium was significantly higher than in the other crickets (p < 0.05). Iron ranged from 0.05 µg/100 g in G. bimaculatus to 0.10 µg/100 g in S. icipe. Magnesium contents ranged from 0.05 µg/100 g in S. icipe to 0.34 µg/100 g in B. membranaceus. The crickets analysed were rich in protein, amino acids, and other essential nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PM2.5 and PM10 particles were characterized in terms of morphology (size and shape) and surface elemental composition at two different (traffic and industrial) locations in urban region of India and further linked to different morphological defining parameters. The overall PM2.5 and PM10 showed significant daily variability indicating higher PM10 as compared to PM2.5. PM2.5/PM10 ratio was found to be 0.58 ± 0.10 indicating the abundance of PM2.5. Soot aggregates, aluminosilicates, and brochosomes particles were classified based on morphology, aspect ratio (AR), and surface elemental composition of single particles. The linear regression analysis indicates the significant correlation between area equivalent (Daeq) and feret diameter (Dfd) (R2 0.86–0.98). Higher aspect ratio (1.48 ± 0.87–1.43 ± 0.50) was noted at traffic site as compared to industrial site (1.33 ± 0.58–1.29 ± 0.30), while circularity showed the opposite trend. Fractal dimension (Df) of soot aggregates estimated by the soot parameters method (SPM) were found to be 1.70, 1.72, and 1.88, mainly attributed to vehicular emissions, biomass, and industrial emission/coal burning, respectively. This further inferred that freshly emitted soot particles exhibited lacey in nature with spherical shape (Df 1.70) at traffic site, while at industrial location, they were different with compact shapes (Df 1.88) due to particle aging processes. This study inferred the synoptic changes in mass, chemical characteristics, and morphology of aerosol particles which provide the new insights into individual atmospheric particle and their dynamic nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the overall association between trace elements and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its types in humans. A total of 5101 participants' blood samples from the 2011–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. Biochemical data were collected from laboratory tests conducted at mobile screening centers. After assessing linearity, weighted logistic regression estimated the association between trace elements and various CVD types. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and quantile-based g-computation (Qgcomp) evaluated the overall relationship between biological trace elements and CVD types. After fully adjusting for confounding factors, the odds ratios of overall CVD morbidity corresponding to the second, third, and fourth quartiles of higher selenium (Se) concentration were 0.711 (95% CI, 0.529–0.956, p = 0.024), 0.734 (95% CI, 0.546–0.987, p = 0.041), and 0.738 (95% CI, 0.554–0.983, p = 0.038), respectively. Moreover, an increase in the concentration of copper (Cu) was associated with an increased risk of stroke (95% CI, 1.012–1.094, p = 0.01), heart failure (95% CI, 1.001–1.095, p = 0.046), and heart attack (95% CI, 1.001–1.083, p = 0.046). As the concentration of trace elements in the body increased, there was a significant positive association between Cu and CVD prevalence. On the other hand, Se and zinc were negatively associated with CVD prevalence. A nonlinear relationship between Se and CVD was found, and an appropriate Se intake may reduce the risk of CVD. Cu levels positively correlated with CVD risk. However, prospective cohort studies are warranted to confirm the causal effects of the micronutrients on CVD and its types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the amounts of some elements and water-soluble vitamins in Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) samples grown in different regions were analyzed by ICP-OES and HPLC, respectively. The maximum amount of Na, K, Mg, and P was determined in the sumac samples of Kadana, Sheladize, Maraş, and Derishke regions, respectively. The richest regions in terms of trace elements such as Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, Mn, Cr, Mo, Ni, and B were Charput, Derishke, Ranya, Charput, Ranya, Derishke, Elazığ, Derishke, and Kadana, respectively. The highest amount of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in sumac samples were determined in Kadana, Kadana, Trawanish, and Charput regions, respectively, while the lowest amounts were determined in Maraş, Sheladize, Elazig, and Trawanish regions sumac samples. Since target hazard coefficient (THQ) and total target hazard coefficient (TTHQ) values calculated for minor, toxic and heavy metals investigated in sumac samples are well below one; therefore, they do not pose a health risk. From the result obtained, sumac is a good food additive spice in terms of water-soluble vitamins except ascorbic acid. The amounts of ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotine amide, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid, and cyanocobalamin in sumac samples varied between 78.90–36.57, 173.57–61.11, 518.4–182.3, 314.0–105.6, 1292.1–788.7, 779.2–301.7, 385.8–133.4, 826.2–473.1, and 192.6–73.9 µg/g dw, respectively. Differences in the amount of elements and water-soluble vitamins among sumac samples from different regions may be due to geographical and ecological reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: When resources are extracted and used by society, they are not necessarily lost for future generations. Therefore, recent publications on impact assessment of abiotic resource use in life cycle assessment focus on a decreased accessibility of resources due to dissipation, rather than depletion. In a previous study, dissipation was defined as a function of the global change in accessible stock due to human actions, and the global amount of the accessible stock, assuming a very long-term time perspective (more than 500 years). In this paper, a short-term time perspective (25 years) is adopted. Methods: The same generic characterization model is used, but different choices are outlined to derive characterization factors for a short-term perspective (25 years). To illustrate how the short term might be approached, a preliminary set of characterization factors is developed, based on assumptions and estimates. Results: The problem of resource use is defined as follows: the decrease of accessibility on a global level of primary and/or secondary elements over the short term due to the net result of compromising actions (i.e., emissions, dissipation in the technosphere, occupation in use, and exploration for new stocks). Characterization factors are derived based on assumptions, like the following: the accessible stock is based on present estimates of accessible stocks in the environment and the technosphere; estimates of accessible stocks in the technosphere are based on past extractions and generic recycling rates; all flows that are presently not recycled are assumed to be inaccessible. Finally, weighting between elements and the functions they have for the present society is based on the added value of the economic sector that is affected due to the decreased accessibility. Discussion and conclusion: A preliminary set of characterization factors is proposed for 55 elements. They assess the impact of the present use of resources on the decreased accessibility in the short term due to emissions and dissipation in the technosphere. However, calculation of impact category scores is still hampered by a lack of appropriate data for dissipative flows in life cycle inventory databases. The presented calculations are based on several simplifications and proxies. A more detailed distinction of dissipative flows and estimates of stocks in the technosphere may be possible based on (dynamic) SFA modelling of elements in different applications. To derive a more mature set of characterization factors, it is recommended to use the presented model as a basis and further elaborate or replace the proxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil amounts of raw and roasted mustard seeds were reported between 12.05 (control) and 16.30% (oven). Total phenolic and flavonoid amounts of untreated (control) and roasted mustard seeds were recorded to be between 473.90 (control) and 569.96 mgGAE/100 g (oven) to 345.48 (control) and 479.76 mg/100 g (microwave), respectively. Antioxidant capacity results of untreated and roasted mustard seeds were determined to be between 6.71 (oven) and 6.97 mmol/kg (control). Total phenolic and flavonoid amounts of oven-roasted seeds were higher than those of control and microwave-roasted seeds. L* values of mustard seeds varied between 35.04 and 65.52. Heat treatment caused a decrease in L* values. The lowest L* value was observed in the sample dried in conventional oven. The quantitative values of gallic and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acids of mustard seeds were recorded to be between 8.47 (control) and 117.31 mg/100 g (microwave) to 2.16 (control) and 11.79 mg/100 g (microwave), respectively. Erucic acid values of the oils extracted from raw and roasted mustard seeds were reported between 41.38 (control) and 42.81% (microwave). Oleic and linoleic acid amounts of mustard oils differed between 26.06 (microwave) and 26.90% (control) and between 13.08 (oven) and 13.98% (control), respectively. The oven roasting system had the most effect on the element and protein contents of the seeds, followed by the microwave in decreasing order. As with the bioactive components of the seeds, the amounts of phenolic constituents of roasted mustard seeds increased significantly compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban road dust (URD) is one of the most important non-point sources of pollution in agglomerations. The aim of this study was to assess the seasonal toxic effects of URD runoff in two regions of Poland. The concentrations of elements in URD and leachate were studied. The impact of pollutants in URD runoff on water organisms was evaluated using Daphtoxkit F and Rotoxkit F (LC50). The acute toxicity tests for crustaceans and rotifers were selected as the response of these taxa reflects the impact on zooplankton, a key component of aquatic ecosystem and the basis of most food webs. The concentrations of elements were found to vary depending on the site, although URD samples collected in Katowice agglomeration (Upper Silesia) had higher values of elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, As) compared to Wrocław (Lower Silesia). The concentrations of Mn, Zn, As, Cr, and Mg in water-soluble fraction of URD were higher in summer and winter in the Upper Silesia region due to rainwater runoff resulting from traffic, industries, post-industrial waste, and the presence of old heating systems. When comparing the content of elements in the water-soluble fraction between seasons, Zn, As, Cr, and Al concentrations were slightly higher in winter. The highest mortality of Daphnia magna and Brachiouns calyciflorus was observed in URD from both agglomerations in winter. However, the mortality is likely due to the concentration of elements or/and the coexistence of an unknown compound or a synergistic effect of the studied elements. This study highlights the alarming seasonal sources of elements in URD runoff, which will directly enter the food chain and affect the entire ecosystem, and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural vitality is the life force expressed by a combination of endogenous dynamics and external influences. Exploring the complex relationship between rural functions, elements and flows could achieve sustainable rural development. This study constructed a theoretical framework guided by the four functions of production, living, ecology and culture with the support of mobile big data. Furthermore, the network centrality of villages was estimated to reflect the intensity of urban-rural social mobility ties. The results indicated marked spatial disparities in rural vitality, and the coupling of ecological-cultural vitality has a high degree of coherence. Four rural vitality grades were identified: high level (38, 14.08%), medium-high level (66, 24.44%), medium-low level (110, 40.74%) and low level (56, 20.74%), covering 270 administrative village units. The flow intensity of social linkage elements is consistent with rural vitality and the socioeconomic spillover effect of urban centers on neighboring villages was noticeable. Topographic complexity negatively affected the living function, mainly in the T1 and T2 terrain gradients; the rural ecological function was not fully correlated with urban adjacency, and proximity could lead to adverse effects such as urban sprawl and resource destruction. The application of this study is to explore the importance of "flow" by utilizing mobile big data to refine the evaluation unit to the village scale. Accelerating the construction of network coverage and information interconnection and promoting the elemental flow of people, transportation and information between urban and rural areas are important ways to enhance rural vitality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on the elemental analysis of road dust in Guwahati, the largest city of Assam and the largest metropolis of Northeast India during the Diwali festival. Road dust samples were collected on pre-Diwali (PD), the Day after Diwali (DaD), and one week after Diwali (WaD) from two sites (Lankeshwar; LKW and Patharquarry; PTQ). Three composite samples were collected from 3 points at each site. The elemental concentration was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations of Ba and Sr increased by 1.6 and 1.7 times, respectively, after Diwali. Among other firework-related elements (FREs), Mg, Al, K, and Cu increased at LKW following Diwali (both DaD and WaD), whereas Mg, Al, and K increased in DaD dust at PTQ. The average concentration of Traffic Related Elements (TREs) at PTQ was significantly higher than at LKW (p < 0.05; 75.40 mg/kg vs 63.96 mg/kg). Cd had the highest enrichment (EF), followed by Ni and Zn. EF for Cd, Ni, and Zn ranged from high to extremely high enrichment. Ni and Cd exhibited moderate contamination (CF). The ecological risk (ER) values for Cd at LKW and PTQ were 54.32 and 56.71, respectively, indicating a moderate ER. Pearson's correlation was performed to study the relationship between elements, while PCA analysis was used to identify the main sources of these elements. Although the health hazard indices presently do not suggest any immediate danger, hazard quotient (HQ) values for ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure were higher for children than adults. In children, the contribution of HQing to HI (total risk) was the highest, accounting for more than 65% of all elements. There is no apparent lifetime cancer risk due to road dust exposure through inhalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determinate the content of some elements in a specific dairy product, mozzarella, in a particular area of western Slovakia and to evaluate the estimation of the risk to the consumers based on the contribution to the provisional tolerable weekly intake. The consumption of mozzarella can contribute to the intake of important elements in the diet, such as calcium and magnesium, along with others. The contents of some toxic and trace elements were low and have not exceeded the permitted limit. In addition, the contribution to PTWI was found to be very low, which means that the consumption of mozzarella possesses no risk to humans. It is concluded that the data obtained in this study can help as a valuable addition to methodological and scientific material in the field of food safety of dairy products and their positive impact on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to examine the morphological, elemental and physical characteristics of PM10 over the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) using FTIR and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analysis. The study aimed at source identification of PM10 by exploring the inorganic ions, organic functional groups, morphology and elemental characteristics. The pollution load of PM10 was estimated as 63 ± 22 μg m−3; 53 ± 16 μg m−3; 67 ± 26 μg m−3 and 55 ± 11 μg m−3 over Mohal-Kullu, Almora, Nainital and Darjeeling, respectively. ATR-FTIR spectrum analysis revealed the existence of inorganic ions (SiO44−, TiO2, SO42−, SO3−, NO3−, NO2−, CO32−, HCO3−, NH4+) and organic functional groups (C–C, C–H, C=C, C≡C, C=O, N-H, C≡N, C=N, O-H, cyclic rings, aromatic compounds and some heterogeneous groups) in PM10 which may arise from geogenic, biogenic and anthropogenic sources. The morphological and elemental characterization was performed by SEM-EDX, inferring for geogenic origin (Al, Na, K, Ca, Mg and Fe) due to the presence of different morphologies (irregular, spherical, cluster, sheet-like solid deposition and columnar). In contrast, particles having biogenic and anthropogenic origins (K, S and Ba) have primarily spherical with few irregular particles at all the study sites. Also, the statistical analysis ANOVA depicts that among all the detected elements, Na, Al, Si, S and K are site-specific in nature as their mean of aw% significantly varied for all the sites. The trajectory analysis revealed that the Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, the Thar Desert, Himachal Pradesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sikkim, the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) and the Bay of Bengal (BoB) contribute to the increased loading of atmospheric pollutants in various locations within the IHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green tea infusions are a source of many bioactive compounds as well as elements, both nutrients and toxic ones. In this study, we assessed the content of elements in green tea infusions depending on the brewing time and their pH values. In instrumental analysis we used atomic absorption spectrometry. Elements such as Ca (calcium), Cu (copper), K (potassium), Mg (magnesium), Na (sodium), Fe (iron), Mn (manganese), Zn (zinc), and toxic Al (aluminium) were quantified in green tea infusions with pH = 6 and pH = 2, and after infusion times of 5, 10, and 20 min. The mean value of the elements in 250 mL of beverage was the following: (mg) K—114.68 ± 33.27, Ca—18.48 ± 334.24, Na—4.00 ± 0.92, Mg—2.71 ± 0.65, and (µg) Al 1266.53 ± 0.56, Mn—488.19 ± 320.46, Zn—46.65 ± 5.18, Fe—34.30 ± 10.96, Cu—5.00 ± 0.01. From 1 g of raw material, the following amounts of elements were leaching, µg/g: Al—ND-1479.89, Ca—190.42–7650.09, Fe—9.52–42.30, K—42108.07–108337.90, Mg—661.14–1760.73, Mn—58.82–931.19, Na—ND-1959.09, Zn—2.50–16.83. Cu content was at the LOD of the method. Based on the statistical analyses, significant differences between the sample series were found. Al and Mn significantly positively correlated with most of the elements studied. Both pH and brewing times affected the amount of extracted elements, especially in the case of Al, Ca, and Mn. The amount of K did not change much during the preparation of the brews. The acidic environment allows a large amount of leaching of Al and Mn into the infusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of treated municipal wastewater in agricultural irrigation has become commonplace throughout the world for many years. So far, numerous research has been accomplished on the harms and benefits behind this work. This study was carried out in two parts to investigate the following issues: First, calculating 14 irrigation indices to ensure the appropriateness of using treated municipal wastewater in agricultural land irrigation, and second, conducting soil column experiments along with numerical modeling to predict contaminant transport in soil using HYDRUS-1D software and to investigate the possibility of using treated municipal wastewater in irrigation without harming groundwater resources. The results revealed that although most indices display the suitability of Wastewater for irrigation, some show the opposite. Accordingly, four indices of Magnesium Hazard (mean = 53.3%), Kelly's Ratio (mean = 1.06 meq / L ), Corrosivity Ratio (mean = 2.3), and Total Hardness (mean = 245.8 mg / L ) are higher than the allowable limit of irrigation standards. Hence, wastewater reuse can cause problems concerning the physicochemical and microbial properties of soil as well as crop production. Finally, hydraulic conductivity (K = 252.73 cm / day ), porosity (Φ = 38%), saturated soil water content ( θ s = 0.27), bulk density ( ρ b = 1.81 g / cm 3 ), and longitudinal dispersivity ( D l = 14.81 m ) were given as input data to the model. The transport modeling determined that heavy metals' mobility in the soil is as follows Ti > Mn > Al > Sb > Sn > Fe = V > Zr > Co . Thus, Ti and Co have the highest and lowest mobility, respectively. As a result, it can be said that Ti has the highest possibility of leaching and contaminating groundwater in the long run due to its high mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we continue to review the phonetic similarity of trivial names of chemical substances, in the particular, the names of isotopes of selected elements (H, He, C, F, U) of the periodic table. Thermochemical properties are explicitly considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we continue to review the phonetic similarity of trivial names of chemical substances and the names of the elements in the periodic table. Thermochemical properties are explicitly considered. We review elements from francium (Fr) to oganesson (Og), Z = 87 to 118. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we continue to review the phonetic similarity of trivial names of chemical substances and the names of the elements in the periodic table. Thermochemical properties are explicitly considered. We review elements from potassium (K) through xenon (Xe) (Z = 19 to 54). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionome is essential for maintaining body function and health status by participating in diverse key biological processes. Nevertheless, the distribution and utilization of ionome among different organs and how aging impacts the ionome leading to a decline in egg white quality remain unknown. Thus, we used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to analyze 35 elements and their isotopic contents in eight organs of laying hens at 35, 72, and 100 weeks. Moreover, the magnum proteome, amino acids in egg white, and egg white quality were analyzed in laying hens at three different ages using 4D proteomics techniques, an amino acid analyzer, and an egg quality analyzer. Across the organs, we identified varying distribution patterns among macroelements (Mg24, Ca43/44, K39, and P31), transition metals (Zn64/66, Cu63/65, Fe56/57, and Mn55), and toxic elements (Pb208, Ba137, and Sr86). We observed an organ-specific aging pattern characterized by the accumulation of toxic elements (Pb208, Ba137, and Sr86) and calcification in the small intestine. Additionally, a decrease in the utilization of essential trace elements selenium (Se78/82) and manganese (Mn55) was noted in the oviduct. By analyzing ionome in tandem with egg quality, egg white amino acids, and proteome, we unveiled that the reduction of selenium and manganese concentrations in the magnum during the aging process affected amino acid metabolism, particularly tryptophan metabolism, thereby inhibiting the amino acid synthesis in the magnum. Furthermore, it accelerated the senescence of magnum cells through necroptosis activation, leading to a decline in the albumen secretion function of the magnum and subsequently reducing egg white quality. Overall, this study provides insights into the evolution of 35 elements and their isotopes across 8 organs of laying hens with age. It also reveals the elemental composition, interactions, and utilization patterns of these organs, as well as their correlation with egg white quality. The present study highlights the significance of ionome and offers a comprehensive perspective on the selection of ionome for regulating the aging of laying hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we continue to review the phonetic similarity of trivial names of chemical substances and the names of the elements in the periodic table. Thermochemical properties are explicitly considered. We review elements from cesium to radon (Cs-Rn) Z = 55–86. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city of Istanbul is constantly exposed to air pollution due to its high population, heavy traffic — sea and air transport — and urban industry. This study basically aims to determine the recent level of airborne heavy metals, using lichen biomonitoring method. The cosmopolitan foliose lichen Xanthoria parietina growing abundantly on trees was sampled from 16 urban green spaces in 8 districts on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Multi-element analysis by ICP-MS was applied to measure the accumulation of 10 potentially toxic trace elements in lichen samples. Spatial distributions of element levels in the air in the sampling areas are shown by mapping. According to the analysis data, the sequence of element deposition levels in lichen samples was as follows; Al > Fe > Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > V > Ni > As. Most of the measured atmospheric element amounts yielded results much higher than the reference material in all areas. It was detected that the highest pollution in terms of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ni elements was in Elmasburnu Nature Park area in Beykoz district, which is a touristic place by the sea. Changes in the city's air quality over the years have been evaluated by comparing element levels in these locations in a previous biomonitoring study and some differences were found. The resulting data is valuable for periodic monitoring of toxic elements in the air, for determining causes of air pollution, and for taking precautions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-systematic and even trivial names are commonly used by the chemical community because of complicity of systematic names. But the differences between the expected and the actual composition are surprising in most cases. In this article, which is Part 1 (of a planned 4 articles), we consider elements from hydrogen (H) to argon (Ar) (Z = 1 to 18) and related compounds chosen for phonetic similarity of sound. A brief overview of the chemical energetics, most generally the enthalpy of formation, is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetables, which are an important part of human nutrition, are very rich in minerals necessary for human health, and heavy metals can be found in vegetables at high rates because they can be easily taken by plant roots and leaves. In this study, the macro, micro element and heavy metal element concentrations accumulated in different parts of some carrot and radish types were investigated. The element concentrations in the samples were analyzed by Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES; Varian-Vista Model) equipment. P, K, Ca, Mg and S contents of the head of orange and black carrot samples were determined as 602.30 and 727.23 mg/kg, 19,790.91 and 22,230.21 mg/kg, 1765.66 and 1609.41 mg/kg, 580.34 and 660.79 mg/kg and 376.21 and 4444.46 mg /kg respectively. Also, exterior parts of orange and black carrots contained 281.65 and 336.43 mg/kg P, 7768.37 and 10,109.44 mg/kg K, 169.88 and 272.18 mg/kg Ca, 112.08 and 189.28 mg/kg Mg and 135.43 and 217.60 mg/kg S, respectively. P and K contents of the head parts of radish samples (white, red and black radish) were determined between 302.14 (red radish) and 1111.53 mg/kg (black radish) to 13,717.2 (red radish) and 22,202.4 mg/kg (white radish), respectively. Fe amounts of the roots of radish samples changed between20.47 (red radish) and 45.93 mg/kg (white radish). As and Ba were the most abundant heavy metals in both carrot and radish parts. The Ni contents of the parts of the carrots contain more than 50% lower than the head part. Also, while Pb contents of the parts of orange carrot change between 0.189 µg/g (interior of body) and 0.976 µg/g (shell), Pb amounts of the black carrot parts were recorded between 0.136 (head) and 0.536 µg/g (interior of body). The results obtained differed according to the vegetable type and parts. The head part of the radishes was the richest in zinc, followed by root, shell, exterior of body and interior of body in descending order. In general, the parts where heavy metals were most localized were the head and shell parts. The most localized parts of heavy metals in radishes were the head, shell and root parts. As a result, the most of the edible inner parts of carrots and radishes are thought to have a positive effect on human health, since their heavy metal content is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elements accumulation in crayfish is proportional to the increase in bioavailability (direct contact) with the surrounding water, sediment, and feeding. Five heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Ag) and lithium (Li) were analyzed in the sediment, water, and crayfish tissues. Elements (heavy metals and lithium) concentrations in sediment, water, and crayfish tissues showed significant differences between the two sampling stations (El-Qanatir and El-Rahawi drain). However, the levels of elements in crayfish tissues were arranged in declining order as hepatopancreas > gills > exoskeleton > muscles for Cu and Cr; hepatopancreas > exoskeleton > gills > muscles for Ni and Ag; and exoskeleton > gills > hepatopancreas > muscles for Li and Mn. The human health hazard evaluation of heavy metals and lithium exposure via edible tissue consumption was assessed for both children and adult consumers. The target hazard quotient THQ values of crayfish edible tissues (less than 1) will not impose any health implications for consumers who ingest edible tissues in sufficient quantities. Furthermore, the hazard index (HI) values reported for children and adult consumers were lower than one, indicating non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic hazards, suggesting that crayfish edible tissues are safe for human ingestion. This evidence also found that Procambarus clarkii could be a good bio-indicator organism for monitoring potentially metals in aquatic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Çökelek samples what 30 different were collected from randomly local bazaars to investigate heavy metal contaminant and mineral levels and some physicochemical and microbiological properties of samples. While the Pb was identified in 6 of the 30 samples, the As was only found in 4 of the samples. The mean major and trace element contents of Çökelek samples were ordered as Na > P > Ca > K > Mg and Al > Zn > Ni > Cu, respectively. The physicochemical properties indicated a high deviation among samples. The mean total solids, ash, salt, fat, protein waters soluble nitrogen contents, and sample ripening index were 29.83%, 1.88%, 0.68%, 4.31%, 19.84%, 0.33%, and 1.79%, respectively. The mean total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB) count of Çökelek samples was found as 8.26 log CFU g−1. The coliform bacteria and yeast-mold counts were detected in 11 and 27 of 30 samples, respectively. The mean coliform and yeast-mold counts were 1.82 log CFU g−1 and 7.11 log CFU g−1, respectively. Traditional cheeses are not mentioned in legal laws such as the Turkish Food Codex. So, there is no legal limit and standard production processes. This situation is a problem in terms of traditional cheese quality. For this reason, traditional cheese should perform further studied, and determine the legal limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace elements and rare earth elements (REEs) of two kinds of organic facies samples representing marginal and more basin-center deposits from Pleistocene lacustrine mudstones in the central Qaidam Basin were studied to understand the provenance, palaeotectonic setting, hydrothermal activity, palaeoredox conditions and sedimentary rate. The results show that the lacustrine mudstones were mainly derived from felsic sources with little contribution from ancient crustal sediments and no ultramafic (ophiolitic) source. The mudstones were deposited in a continental island arc tectonic setting, which is consistent with the tectonic evolution of the Cenozoic basin. Both two organic facies samples were hydrothermal in origin based on the ternary diagram of Ni-Zn-Co and normalized REE patterns. However, this does not mean that the water column in paleolake was affected by hydrothermal fluids in situ. This signal might indicate hydrothermal origins from hot springs related to active faults around the basin rather than the deep hydrothermal fluids entering the sediments via deep faculties based on the comprehensive analyses of normalized REE patterns, negative Euanom (Eu anomaly), Y/Ho, Sm/Yb, and Eu/Sm. Redox proxies including U/Th, Ni/Co, and Mnanom values, are more sensitive for the studied samples indicating that most of the organic facies A samples were deposited under an oxygen-depleted condition, while the organic facies B samples were deposited under oxygen-rich conditions. Redox proxies of Ceanom values are unavailable for the organic facies B samples due to hypersaline environments, and V/Cr and V/(V + Ni) are invalid for the organic facies A samples, possibly because of their organism composition. The low Lan/Ybn values indicate high sedimentation rates, which is consistent with the average sedimentation rates of approximately 0.43 to 1.1 km/Ma. However, the Lan/Ybn is more likely affected by the provenance of the studied samples, so it should be used with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fatal intoxications, both accidental and intentional, are a global issue. In the Western world, intoxications with pharmaceuticals dominate, but in other parts of the world, other substances are more common. In a forensic setting, elemental intoxications are of great importance when investigating both accidental, suicidal, and homicidal deaths. The current study presents normal postmortem reference concentrations of 68 elements in femoral blood and urine. In addition, possible sources of error such as contamination from sample tubes, preservative potassium fluoride (KF) solution, and storage time are evaluated. Methods: Paired femoral blood and urine samples from 120 cases of death by suicidal hanging in Sweden were collected. Additionally, multiple batches of sample tubes and multiple batches of KF solution were also analyzed. Concentrations of elements were determined by double focusing sector field ICP-MS. Results: Key descriptive statistics for 68 elements are provided in blood and urine. Contamination from sample tubes was minor compared to the overall mean elemental concentrations in both blood and urine. KF solution contained a large assortment of elements, but the overall contribution is relatively minor for most elements given the small amounts of solution added to samples. There were significant differences for 22 elements in blood and 17 elements in urine between samples with short and long storage time. Conclusion: The present study provides an important tool when evaluating postmortem elemental concentrations. It fills a needed gap between large antemortem population studies and postmortem case reports or small case series of elemental intoxications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace metal pollution is a vital issue in ecological problems (air, soil, and water), and it threatens human health in many urban areas worldwide. The accumulation of heavy metals released from various sources can readily occur on plants and impairs their growth. Therefore, monitoring metal concentration is extremely important when released into the atmosphere from one place to another urban environment. Biomonitor is one of the passive methods used to track selected elements. Chromium (Cr) has adverse effects on plants when it is in high concentrations; therefore, the variation of its concentration in plants is important to be assessed. Another target element, zinc (Zn), has different essential metabolic functions in plants and is crucial in protein and carbohydrate synthesis. It directly affects the plant due to its protein and carbohydrate synthesis role. This study aimed to determine the variation of the Cr and Zn concentration ratio in the organs of Picea pungens Engelm. from Ankara, Türkiye. According to organ, age, washing status, and location, Picea pungens Engelm. showed significant differences (p < 0.05) for Cr and Zn pollution on the road shoulders. Their location on the tree can easily determine the age of the needles and branches. The total values of bark for Cr and Zn were calculated as 23,887 ppb and 672,012 ppb in barks in unwashed samples. The result of the Cr and Zn content was significantly evaluated using ANOVA and Duncan test. The P. pungens is an excellent passive sampler as a biomonitor for the Cr and Zn distribution in the local atmospheric environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study attempts to look into the morphological characteristics, elemental composition, contamination, source contributions, and associated health risks in household dust of Napaam, a rural region in the Brahmaputra flood plain in North East India. Morphological evidence suggests that most of the house dust particles were sourced from vehicle abrasion and soil. Three contamination indices—enrichment factor (EF), index of geo-accumulation (Igeo), and pollution load index (PLI) indicated that Cl and four trace elements (Cu, Zn, As, and Pb) are significantly enriched in house dust with extreme pollution load. Principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) revealed 3 potential major sources of elements in house dust—traffic + re-suspension of road dust (35.8%), soil dust (22.2%), and river sediment deposit (16.4%). Two minor sources—biomass burning (13.3%), and construction activities (12.3%) were also identified. Based on health risk assessment (HRA), both children and adult were found to be susceptible to non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the decrease in anthropogenic emissions, haze episodes were still frequent in the Fenwei Plain, which was identified as one of the three key areas for air pollution control. Herein, PM2.5 samples were collected to investigate the influence of festival effect during the Chinese Spring Festival from February 2rd to 13th, 2019, in Linfen on the Fenwei Plain. The characteristics of element pollution, enrichment factor, source apportionment, regional transport of PM2.5, and health risk assessment were discussed. Meanwhile, the simulated lung fluid method (SLF) was carried out to accurately assess the inhalation risks of heavy metals (HMs). Results indicated that the average concentration of PM2.5 was 195.6 μg·m−3 during the studying period. Road fugitive dust (15.6%), firework burning source (25.6%), industrial emission (30.5%), and coal combustion (28.3%) were identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF) modeling. Using the HYSPLIT trajectory model, air masses from the central Shaanxi, southern Hebei, and northern Henan were the dominant transport paths during the Spring Festival, which contributed 21.9 and 41.2% of total trajectories, respectively. The findings that high PSCF and CWT levels were found in central Shaanxi, southern Hebei, and northern Henan were confirmed. The SLF mean bioaccessibility (%) of the solubility of particulate metals was in order of Mn > Ni > Sb > Ba > Zn > Pb > Cr. However, the carcinogenic risk value of Cr was the highest, exceeding the maximum acceptable risk. The present study provided important information for further analyzing the air pollution cause of Fenwei Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution poses a serious threat to human health. The implementation of air pollution prevention and control policies has gradually reduced the level of atmospheric fine particles in Beijing. Exploring the latest characteristics of PM2.5 has become the key to further improving pollution reduction measures. In the current study, outdoor PM2.5 samples were collected in the spring and summer of Beijing, and the chemical species, oxidative potential (OP), and sources of PM2.5 were characterized. The mean PM2.5 concentration during the entire study period was 41.6 ± 30.9 μg m−3. Although the PM2.5 level in summer was lower, its OP level was significantly higher than that in spring. SO42–, NH4+, EC, NO3–, and OC correlated well with volume-normalized OP (OPv). Strong positive correlations were found between OPv and the following elements: Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, As, Cr, Sn, Cd, Al, and Mn. Seven sources of PM2.5 were identified, including traffic, soil dust, secondary sulfate, coal and biomass burning, oil combustion, secondary nitrate, and industry. Multiple regression analysis indicated that coal and biomass combustion, industry, and traffic were the main contributors to the OPv in spring, while secondary sulfate, oil combustion, and industry played a leading role in summer. The source region analysis revealed that different pollution sources were related to specific geographic distributions. In addition to local emission reduction policies, multi-provincial cooperation is necessary to further improve Beijing's air quality and reduce the adverse health effects of PM2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the impact of human activities on the natural environment, as well as the current ecological risks to the environment surrounding Zhushan Bay in Taihu Lake, the characteristics of deposited organic materials, including elements and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑16PAHs), in a sediment core from Taihu Lake were determined. The nitrogen (N), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and sulfur (S) contents ranged from 0.08 to 0.3%, 0.83 to 3.6%, 0.63 to 1.12%, and 0.02 to 0.24%, respectively. The most abundant element in the core was C followed by H, S, and N, while elemental C and the C/H ratio displayed a decreasing trend with depth. The ∑16PAH concentration was in the range of 1807.48–4674.83 ng g−1, showing a downward trend with depth, with some fluctuations. Three-ring PAHs dominated in surface sediment, while 5-ring PAHs dominated at a depth of 55–93 cm. Six-ring PAHs appeared in the 1830s and gradually increased over time before slowly decreasing from 2005 onward due to the establishment of environmental protection measures. The ratio of PAH monomers indicated that PAHs in samples from a depth of 0 to 55 cm were mainly derived from the combustion of liquid fossil fuels, while the PAHs in the deeper samples mainly originated from petroleum. The results of a principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the PAHs in the sediment core of Taihu Lake were mainly derived from the combustion of fossil fuels, such as diesel, petroleum, gasoline, and coal. The contributions of biomass combustion, liquid fossil fuel combustion, coal combustion, and unknown source were 8.99%, 52.68%, 1.65%, and 36.68%, respectively. The results of a toxicity analysis indicated that most of the PAH monomers had little impact on the ecology, and the annual increase of a small number of monomers might have toxic effects on the biological community, resulting in a serious ecological risks, that requires the imposition of control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of metals along with pH, potential redox (Eh), total dissolved solid (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) and salinity were measured for sediments of different layers, pore and surface water in the Anzali wetland. Also, the diffusive flux of metals was calculated ad compared with the values in other aquatic bodies. The abundance of metals in sediments was Al > Fe > Ca > Ti > Mn > Zn > V > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Co > As > Mo > Ag > Cd, while the pore-water results indicated a different concentration profile: Ca > Mn > Fe > Al > V > Mo > As > Ni > Cu > Co. Anzali wetland is classified within a high ecological risk. Pore-water toxicity test showed it is in non-polluted condition. Eh–pH diagrams showed that all species of elements are in a stable state in surface and pore-waters. However, Mn and Co (in some layers) are in soluble form and free ions and thus are bioavailable to the organisms. V and As are also present in the form of hydrogen compounds and Ni in the form of hydroxides, therefore, they are toxic to aquatic animals due to their solubility and ionic forms. Diffusive fluxes for As, Al, Fe, Ca, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni and V are 0.43, 1.80, 48.52, 43,147.50, 0.12, 1.47, 0.15, 1.28, 0.21 µg/m2/day, respectively. Cluster analysis showed that in a solid phase of sediments, elements such as Cr, As and Ti are of petroleum and terrestrial origin. In pore-waters, Cu is of petroleum and biological origin, and Mo, As, Cu and Co are controlled by pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we studied the elemental composition of gonads, eggs, sperm and larvae of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis during spawning, when the contents of biologically active compounds and minerals are maximal. A comparative analysis of the contents showed that the elements are involved in the mussel gametogenesis in different pathways. There were significant differences in the contents of Li, B, Mg, Si, P, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Ge, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Mo, Pd, Sn, I, Ba and Ce in male and female gonads before and after spawning, gametes and larvae of mussels. It is likely that some of the listed elements are not only passively accumulated in the mollusk body, but are also essential, being directly involved in the reproduction process. Most of significant differences in the element contents were found between eggs and larvae and between male gonads before spawning and sperm. By spawning, mussel gonads accumulated mainly p- and d-elements, apparently due to the ability of their ions to form complexes and, consequently, to be included in the structure of enzymes. The contents of B, Mg, Si, P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Sr and Ba in male and female gonads, gametes and larvae were an order or several orders of magnitude higher than those of other elements. The contents of Ca, Fe, Sr, Sn and I in mussel larvae were significantly higher than in gonads and gametes. Sn is a technological hydropollutant, and thus, larvae can serve as a bioindicator of the aquatic environment pollution with this element. The data obtained are of practical interest for improving the biotechnology of reproduction of marine hydrobionts and obtaining functional products based on them, which is important for the optimization of aquaculture management and for addressing human health-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we have analysed the elemental composition of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to examine the seasonal changes and sources of the elements in Delhi, India from January, 2017 to December, 2021. During the entire sampling period, 19 elements (Al, Fe, Ti, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, As, Mo, Cl, P, S, K, Pb, Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, and Br) of PM2.5 were identified by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer. The higher annual mean concentrations of S (2.29 µg m-3), Cl (2.26 µg m-3), K (2.05 µg m-3), Ca (0.96 µg m-3) and Fe (0.93 µg m-3) were recorded during post-monsoon season followed by Zn > Pb > Al > Na > Cu > Ti > As > Cr > Mo > Br > Mg > Ni > Mn > and P. The annual mean concentrations of elemental composition of PM2.5 accounted for 10% of PM2.5 (pooled estimate of 5 year). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified the five main sources [crustal/soil/road dust, combustion (BB + FFC), vehicular emissions (VE), industrial emissions (IE) and mixed source (Ti, Cr and Mo rich-source)] of PM2.5 in Delhi, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic to plants and limits crop growth and productivity; it also affects the uptake and distribution of nutrients, accelerates oxidative damage, and disrupts metabolic pathways in plants. Salicylic acid (SA) is an important stress-signaling molecule that has been reported to ameliorate the deleterious effects of Cd in many plant species. In this study, the ability of 100 µM SA application to alleviate the effects of 5 µM Cd stress was investigated in ErJiuNan1 (EJN1, an early-indica rice genotype) under hydroponic culture. The results showed that the addition of SA alleviated Cd toxicity by increasing the accumulation of nutrients (Mn, Fe), increasing the activity of antioxidative defense system (e.g., superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and soluble protein), and decreasing lipid peroxidation. SA addition in Cd-stressed rice plants upregulated the expression of Cd stress tolerance genes (OsHMA3 and OsNRAMP5), which enhanced Cd tolerance, reduced the accumulation of Cd, and affected Mn accumulation. The expression of Fe-inducible genes (OsIRT1, OsNRAMP1, OsNAS3, and OsYSL15) was upregulated in response to Cd exposure but significantly down-regulated by exogenous SA treatment. Furthermore, co-application of Cd and SA upregulated the expression of the SA biosynthesis-associated genes OsICS1 and OsWRKY6. Thus, SA application might alleviate Cd toxicity by reversing the negative effects of plant growth stemming from Cd exposure and improve Cd tolerance by modulating the expression of uptake/transport-related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it was aimed to determine the elemental composition of 47 propolis samples collected from different regions of Turkey by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. According to the results, the most abundant elements in propolis samples were the Ca, K, and Si with the mean values as 1556, 1383, and 731 mg/kg, respectively. Additionally, there were high degrees of positive and strong correlations of Al with S (0.925) and Fe (0.926) and Ca with Mg (0.970). According to cluster analysis results, the Aegean, Marmara, and Mediterranean regions showed strong similarities, whereas Southeastern Anatolia propolis samples were remarkably different. The elements considered as toxic for human and environmental health such as Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, and W were at the trace amounts as < 10 mg/kg. When assuming 1 g raw propolis is consumed daily by a 60-kg adult, the analyzed propolis samples were not a source carrying the negative effects of these elements. However, they could be an indicator of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific objective of the present work is to investigate the variation in the morphological and elemental composition of atmospheric aerosols in a rural-continental environment in Northeast India. We examined particle morphology and elemental composition of Aethalometer (AE-31) filters using an SEM–EDX technique. Sixteen elements, which were categorized as carbonaceous, mineral dust, metals, sea salt, sulfate, and biogenic, have been detected and quantified in the order of C > O > Si > N > S > Fe > Na > K > B > Mg > P > Al > Ca > Cu > Cl > Br. The presence of element C in all the samples with significant contributions is one of the major observations. We examined particle shapes from regular to irregular, including spherical, triangular, capsule-like, agglomerate structures, and platy shapes ranging from 0.1 to 40 µm. We noticed that the effects of meteorology, long-range transport, and local sources result in the presence of different elements in different months. The EDX results showed the presence of a wide variety of particle shapes from natural and anthropogenic origins dominated by carbonaceous particles and aluminosilicates. Based on the EDX results, we have further classified particles into four major groups: anthropogenic, geogenic, marine origin, and biogenic group of aerosols. The major possible sources of aerosols at the study location are vehicular emissions, biomass burning, resuspended road dust, soil, biological emissions, brick kilns, and long-range transport. Planetary boundary layer height and meteorological parameters have been observed to be played a major role in the increase of aerosol during different seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban air pollution is a growing menace leading to human discomfort, increased hospitalizations, morbidity, and mortality. This study deals with deteriorated air quality due to firecracker bursting during Diwali in Lucknow. Inhalable particulates and gaseous pollutants were monitored during Diwali 2020 using air samplers. Elements, ions, and surface morphology of particles were analyzed using ICP-MS, ion chromatograph, and SEM-EDX, respectively. PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and NO2 were 558, 352, 44, and 86 μg/m3 during Diwali night and 233, 101, 17, and 40 μg/m3 on pre-Diwali night while 241, 122, 24, and 43 μg/m3 on Diwali day. Concentrations surged for PM10: 139% and 132%, PM2.5: 249% and 189%, SO2: 159% and 83%, and NO2: 115% and 100% on Diwali night compared to pre-Diwali night and corresponding Diwali day, respectively. Al, K, Ba, and B showed dominance in PM10 whereas Zn, Al, Ba, and K in PM2.5 on Diwali night. The order of metal abundance in PM2.5 was Cd < Co < Ag < As < Cr < Ni < Cu < Bi < Pb < Mn < Sr < Fe < B < Zn < Al < Ba < K. Cations NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and anions F−, Cl−, NO3−, Br−, NO2−, SO4−2, PO43− showed a 2–8 fold increase on Diwali night relative to pre-Diwali night. Average metal concentrations varied by 2.2, 1.6, and 0.09 times on Diwali than pre-Diwali in residential, commercial, and industrial areas, respectively. PM10 concentration increased by 458% and 1140% while PM2.5, 487%, and 2247% than respective NAAQS and WHO standards. Tiny firecracker particles vary in toxicity as compared to vehicular emissions and have enhanced bioavailability leading to severe threat in terms of LRI, COPD, and atherosclerosis for city dwellers. It is imperative to recognize the present status of ambient air quality and implement regulatory strategies for emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecotoxicological tests on green alga Desmodesmus subspicatus are used to determine the toxicity of environmental samples. Since green algae are among the primary producers in most of aquatic food chains, harmful pollutants accumulated in the algae can be transmitted to higher trophic levels. A method for analysing the bioaccumulation of chromium, zinc, potassium, phosphorus and sulphur (Cr, Zn, K, P, S) by the unicellular alga D. subspicatus using ICP-MS/MS has been optimized. Cr and Zn were selected as elements originating from transport; K, P and S are among the basic mineral elements. Bioaccumulation was monitored during a 72-h ecotoxicological test, which made it possible to assess the relationship between sample toxicity, accumulation of pollutants in algae and a change in the content of selected elements in algal cells. For testing, potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) and aqueous extract of contaminated sediment were selected. It was found that with increasing concentrations of the toxicant, the concentration of Cr and Zn in the algal cells increased, with the most significant increase being observed at the EC50 concentration corresponding to a 50% growth inhibition; on the other hand, the content of K in cells gradually decreased to values below the detection limit of ICP-MS/MS at the highest concentrations of the toxicant. For sulphur, the concentration in the cells was increased up to the EC50 concentration and then decreased; the content of P in cells increased with the increasing toxicant concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of biogeochemical adaptation of fish to survival in the historically contaminated Imandra Lake were studied. The role of trace elements in the protective functions of the organism and their importance in the readaptation of organisms to improving the habitat was established. An elevated S to Se ratio indicates a high antioxidant status of fish from the historically contaminated part of the lake, while an increased accumulation of Fe, Cu, and Se can serve as a marker of liver pathologies, and of Zn and Co, of kidney pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration of PAHs, hopanes, and elements in PM10 aerosol samples was measured in two Nepalese urban centers, Tulsipur (725 m above sea level; 150,000 inhabitants) and Charikot (1,550 m above sea level; 23,000 inhabitants) in the monsoon period (August 2018) and pre-monsoon period (April–May 2019). The 24-h PM10 limit value of 50 µg m−3 for human health was significantly exceeded at all locations, and the Nepal concentration limit of 150 µg m−3 was exceeded at Tulsipur-bus station, Tulsipur-village, and Charikot-hospital in the pre-monsoon season. The average daily PM10 and PAHs concentrations showed seasonal variations, with lower concentrations in the monsoon season and the higher values in pre-monsoon season. The average daily PM10 and PAHs concentrations in the both sites were 133 μg m−3 and 23.8 ng m−3 in the pre-monsoon period and 49.6 μg m−3 and 2.30 ng m−3 in the monsoon period, respectively. The average daily hopane concentration during the pre-monsoon period was 1.40 ng m−3 in Tulsipur and 0.70 ng m−3 in Charikot. The IndP / (IndP + BghiP) ratio was higher than 0.5 during monsoon period, indicating combustion of biomass and charcoal burning. IndP / (IndP + BghiP) between 0.2 and 0.5 during pre-monsoon season indicates petroleum combustion. Fla / (Fla + Pyr) ratio between 0.3 and 0.5 during pre-monsoon and monsoon periods indicates high proportion of petroleum product combustion. The biomass burning associated with dense traffic in the center of the two cities was the main source of PAHs. The average daily element concentration was 6.80 ng m−3 in both locations during the monsoon period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PM2.5 metal pollution significantly harms human health. The air quality in Wuxi is poor, especially in winter, and long-term monitoring of PM2.5 elements comprising has not been performed previously. In the present study, 420 PM2.5 samples were collected from January 2016 to December 2020. Eleven elements, including Al, Mn, Ni, Cr, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, Pb, Se, and Tl, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The mean PM2.5 level was 56.1 ± 31.0 μg/m3, with a tendency of yearly decreasing and a significant seasonal distribution variation. The concentration of 11 elements in the PM2.5 samples was 0.38 ± 0.33 μg/m3. Al was the highest element with a range of 37.5–2148 ng/m3. Meanwhile, the spatial distribution differences were compared by literatures review. Based on the Crystal Ball model, health risks were assessed dynamically using Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis. After 10,000 simulations, the mean value of the hazard index for nine elements was 0.743, and Mn contributed the most to the hazard index among elements, with a correlation of 0.3464. The average carcinogenic risk was 1.01 × 10−5, which indicated that the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were within the acceptable range. However, considerable attention should be paid to the potential health risks associated with long-term Al, Mn, and As exposure. This study provides detailed data on local atmospheric pollution characteristics, helps identify potential risk elements, and contributes to the development of effective regional air quality management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants have been identified for biological functions due to the presence of various minerals and metals in them. A study was conducted to determine selected elements in a medicinal plant dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) from selected sites of AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) by using PIXE (particle induces x-ray emission) technique. The elements detected were Al, Ca, Cl, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, S, and Zn whose concentrations respectively ranged as 4.9–33, 672–1995.6, 23–163, 0.03–1.55, 0.42–4.10, 18–75, 516–1893, 11–34.35, 3.30–11.00, 23.5–70 mg/kg. Toxic elements were not detected in studied samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baoji is a typical heavy industrial city in northwest China. Its air quality is greatly impacted by the emission from the factories. Elements in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that are greatly emitted from anthropogenic sources could pose diverse health impacts on humans. In this study, an online AMMS-100 atmospheric heavy metal analyzer was used to quantify 30 elements in PM2.5 under the weak and strong anthropogenic disturbance scenarios before the city lockdown period (from January 9th to 23rd) and the lockdown period (from January 26th to February 9th) due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. During the lockdown period, the average total concentration of total quantified elements was 3475.0 ng/m3, which was 28% and 33% lower than that of the week and strong anthropogenic disturbance scenarios during the pre-lockdown period. The greatest reductions were found for the elements of chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), and Zinc (Zn), consistent with the industrial structure of Baoji. The mass concentrations of most elements showed obvious reductions when the government post-alerted the industries to reduce the operations and production. Dust, traffic sources, combustion, non-ferrous metal processing, and Ti-related industrial processing that are the contributors of the elements in the pre-lockdown period were apportioned by the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. Substantial changes in the quantified elements' compositions and sources were found in the lockdown period. Health assessment was conducted and characterized by apportioned sources. The highest non-carcinogenic risk (HQ) was seen for Zn, demonstrating the high emissions from the related industrial activities. The concentration level of arsenic (As) exceeded the incremental lifetime carcinogenic risk (ILCR) in the lockdown period. This could be attributed to the traditional firework activities for the celebration of the Chinese New Year within the lockdown period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dongting Lake is the second-largest freshwater lake in China. To better understand the geochemical characteristics of the sediment in different seasons and identify the possible provenance, 44 sediment samples collected from East Dongting Lake (ED Lake) in summer (ED-S) and winter (ED-W) were used for elemental geochemical analysis. Geochemically, the sediment samples are classified as shale, and the chondrite normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns of the ED-S and ED-W have light REE (LREE) enriched, flat heavy REE (HREE) patterns with a negative Eu anomaly. In the present study, the correlations between certain elements show that the variations in ΣREE contents in sediments may be due to the concentrations of heavy minerals like monazite, whereas grain size is not responsible for that variations. Chemical index of alteration (CIA), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA) values, A-CN-K diagram, and Th/U ratios of the ED-S and ED-W sediment indicate a moderate to high intensity of chemical weathering in the source area. The Al2O3/TiO2 ratio, discriminant function diagram, REE patterns, and elemental ratios indicate the contribution of sediments from felsic and intermediate source rocks. The provenance index (PI) based on REEs geochemical parameters suggest that elemental compositions of sediment in East Dongting Lake approach the Upper Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]