Heavy Metal Contamination in Arable Soils and Vegetables around a Sulfuric Acid Factory,China

This study was designed to investigate heavy metal (Tl, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni) contamination levels of arable soils and vegetables grown in the vicinity of a sulfuric acid factory in the Western Guangdong Province, China. Health risks associated with these metals by consumption of vegetables were assessed based on the hazard quotient (HQ). The soils show a most significant contamination of Tl, followed by Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni. The heavy metal contents (µg/g, dry weight basis) in the edible parts of vegetables range from 5.60 to 105 for Tl, below detection limit to 227 for Pb, 5.0–30.0 for Cu, 10.0–82.9 for Zn, and 0.50–26.0 for Ni, mostly exceeding the proposed maximum permissible level in Germany or China. For the studied vegetables, the subterranean part generally bears higher contents of Tl and Zn than the aerial part, while the former has lower contents of Cu and Ni than the latter. In addition, the results reveal that Tl is the major risk contributor for the local people since its HQ values are mostly much higher than 1.0. The potential health risk of Tl pollution in the food chain and the issue of food safety should be highly concerned and kept under continued surveillance and control.     

Landfill Leachate Treatment: A Case Study for Istanbul City

One of the most important problems arising from landfilling solid wastes is the leachate which contains high amount of pollution. Discharge of leachate without treatment causes negative effects on environmental and public health. In this study, parameters of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH₄‐N), and total phosphorus (TP) were examined in the samples taken from the influent and effluent of leachate treatment plant, where Odayeri landfill leachate is treated. Obtained results showed that the treatment plant, which consisted of preanoxic biological treatment system, ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) units were operating with high efficiency. Among the examined parameters during study, COD, TN, NH₄‐N, and TP were found to be treated at the rate of 99, 94.5, 99, and 93.8%, respectively. Landfilling is increasing rapidly in the world and this consequently brings the need of leachate treatment facilities. Therefore, this study is considered to be a guide for construction and operation stages of proposed new treatment plants.     

Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals Using the Bivalve Molluscs in Sunderban Mangrove Wetland,Northeast Coast of Bay of Bengal (India): Possible Risks to Human Health

The suitability of using four bivalve molluscs (Sanguinolaria acuminata, Anadara granosa, Meretrix meretrix, and Pelecyora trigona) in biomonitoring of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Hg) collected from intertidal regions of the Sunderban mangrove wetland, northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, were evaluated. Both speciesdependent variability and temporal variations were pronounced. A high degree of organ specificity was evident in the bivalves where gill and mantle exhibited higher metal accumulation due to ion exchange property of the mucous layer covering these organs while shells represent very poor accumulation. Elevated values of Zn and Cu reflect high potential for biomagnification through marine food chain. Metal concentrations in different body size groups of the bivalves do not follow uniform trend. Correlation coefficient between different metal couplings as tested statistically revealed significant coupling for Pb–Zn, Pb–Cu, Zn–Cu, and Hg–Cu. Concentrations of all the metals in specific organs (visceral mass, mantle and gill) of the bivalves exceeded the safe levels according to the international standards for metals compiled by Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and would be of great risk for human consumption. It is concluded that the mussel and clam are suitable biomonitors to employ in programs designed to assess changes in metal pollution in the Sunderban mangrove wetland.     

沈阳市街道灰尘中重金属的环境影响与健康风险评价

采集中国沈阳市区主要交通干道街道灰尘样品,在对其重金属Cd、Cu、Pb和Zn环境影响分析的基础上,应用美国EPA人体暴露风险评估方法对街道灰尘重金属的健康风险进行评估。结果表明,手-口接触行为是人体(儿童和成人)摄入街道灰尘重金属的最主要途径,其次为皮肤吸收和呼吸吸入。重金属对人体的非致癌风险表现为：Pb大于Cd大于Cu大于Zn,均小于非致癌风险阈值1,对人体不会造成健康危害,且儿童的非致癌风险大于成人。重金属Cd目前尚未形成致癌风险,但其对儿童的潜在生态危害值得重视。     

Distribution of arsenic and other minor trace elements in the groundwater of Ischia Island (southern Italy)

The island of Ischia belongs to the active volcanic area of Naples. It is formed from Quaternary volcanic rocks and exhibits intense hydrothermal activity, which is manifested through numerous springs, fumaroles and sporadic geysers. The content of minor and trace elements in groundwater has been analyzed, including some elements that are considered toxic for humans. Mean concentrations of As, B, Fe, Mn, Sb, and Se in samples from 43 aquifer points exceed the WHO recommended values and the limits set by European and Italian legislation (98/83/CE and DM 471, respectively). In general, the spatial distribution of the elements follows a common pattern: it is governed by a marked structural control, which favors hydrochemical processes that liberate the elements into the water.     

Human health as a motivator for climate change mitigation: results from four European high-income countries

Invoking health benefits to promote climate-friendly household behavior has three unique advantages: (i) health co-benefits accrue directly to the acting individual, they are "private goods" rather than public ones; (ii) the evidence base for, and magnitude of health co-benefits is well-established; and (iii) the idea of a healthy life-style is well-engrained in public discourse, much more so than that of a climate-friendly life-style. In previous research, assessing the influence of information on health effects on people’s motivation to adopt mitigation actions, health co-benefits for the individual were typically confounded with collective health co-benefits, for example from pollution reduction. The present research aims to overcome this limitation by providing information on individual health co-benefits that are unconditional on the actions of others (direct health co-benefits). We report effects of this kind of health information on stated willingness to adopt mitigation actions as well as on simulation-based carbon emission reductions in a pre-registered experimental setting among 308 households in 4 mid-size case-study cities in 4 European high-income countries: France, Germany, Norway and Sweden. For each mitigation action from the sectors food, housing, and mobility, half of the sample received the amount of CO₂equivalents (CO₂-eq) saved and the financial costs or savings the respective action generated. The other half additionally received information on direct health co-benefits, where applicable. For households receiving information on direct health co-benefits, we find a higher mean willingness to adopt food and housing actions, and a greater proportion very willing to adopt one or more mitigation actions (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.1, 3.12); and a greater simulated reduction in overall carbon footprint: difference in percent reduction -2.70%, (95% CI -5.34, -0.04) overall and -4.45%, (95% CI -8.26, -0.64) for food. Our study is the first to show that providing information on strictly unconditional, individual health co-benefits can motivate households in high-income countries to adopt mitigation actions.     

新冠肺炎疫情下健康码政策的空间扩散机制分析

新冠肺炎疫情作为突发公共卫生事件,在全球范围造成了灾难性后果。自2020年2月,中国各地政府出于防控疫情蔓延和促进复工复产的目的,相继出台健康码政策,迄今已成为中国有效防控疫情的重要手段和经验。本文通过对全国295个地级及以上市的健康码政策扩散时间及其影响因素进行事件史分析,探究该项首创于地方政府的应急政策迅速扩散至全国范围的时空过程及其机制。研究发现：① 数字化水平和经济实力优越的城市采取健康码政策的反应速度更快。② 邻近城市政府间的“学习”和“竞争”行为会提高健康码政策扩散速度,而省级政府的垂直指导压力所发挥的作用不显著。③ 政策企业家是加快健康码政策扩散的有力推手。④ 各市疫情状况以及与疫情热点地区的地理距离会对健康码政策扩散产生影响。本文通过分析新冠肺炎疫情背景下健康码政策的扩散动因,为理解公共危机情境下应急政策的制定和扩散机制提供经验总结和政策启示。     

Valuing the health benefits of physical activities in the marine environment and their importance for marine spatial planning

The marine environment provides a number of services which contribute to human well-being including the provision of food, regulation of climate and the provision of settings for cultural gains. To ensure these services continue to be provided, effective management is required and is being strategically implemented through the development of marine spatial plans. These plans require an understanding of the costs and benefits associated with alternative marine uses and how they contribute to human well-being. One benefit which is often difficult to quantify is the health benefit of engaging with the marine environment. To address this, the research develops an approach which can estimate the contribution aquatic physical activities makes to quality adjusted life years (QALYs) in monetary and non-monetary terms. Using data from the Health Survey for England, the research estimates that physical activities undertaken in aquatic environments at a national level provides a total gain of 24,853 QALYs. A conservative estimate of the monetary value of a QALY gain of this magnitude is £176 million. This approach provides estimates of health benefits which can be used in more comprehensive impact assessments, such as cost-benefit analysis, to compare alternative marine spatial plans. The paper concludes by discussing future steps.     

Evolution trend of the water quality in Dongping Lake after South-North Water Transfer Project in China

To investigate the evolution trend of water quality in Dongping Lake after South-North Water Transfer Project operation as well as to ensure the safe usage of the water receiving areas, water samples were collected and determined before and after water delivery in different hydrological seasons. Then, comprehensive pollution index method, comprehensive nutrition state index method and health risk assessment model were utilized to evaluate the quality, nutrition, and health risk of Dongping Lake water. Results showed that the quality of Dongping Lake water still met level III (light pollution) no matter before or after water delivery. The nutrition state was improved from light eutropher before water delivery to mesotropher after water delivery. The health risk level was reduced from high-medium before water delivery to medium level after water delivery. In summary, the operation of the eastern route of South-North Water Transfer Project is beneficial for water environment improvement of Dongping Lake.     

辽宁省大气污染对人体健康的危害及研究展望

概述了大气污染对人体健康产生的严重危害,分析了辽宁省大气污染特征及居民健康水平的变化趋势,针对大气污染对人体健康影响的研究现状,提出了辽宁省大气污染与人体健康的研究展望。