No abstract

Abstract:The pollution level of Lake Bafa was investigated by collecting fish samples {Dicentrarchus labrax (sea bass), Liza ramada (mullet) and Anguilla anguilla (eel)}, surface sediment, and core samples. In all these samples, 210 Po and 210 Pb concentrations were estimated, and total annual dose rates were obtained for each species. Some heavy metal (Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, Mn, Fe, and Zn) concentration levels were obtained for the fish and a core sample. The sediment mass accumulation rate was found to be 3.27 g·m −2 ·day −1 (0.119 g·cm −2 ·y −1 ) from a core sample. The heavy metal concentrations in the vertical profile of samples from the core were also observed. The measured concentration of Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cr were between the ERL (effects range low) and ERM (effects range median) limits, while Ni concentrations were higher than the ERM limit. The observed concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in fish samples did not exceed the limits in accordance with Turkish Food Regulations. Further, the maximum effective dose equivalent of 210 Po in the area was found to be 1.169 µSv·y −1 .

No abstract

The Middle East is a hot spot of dust, and there are reports of as much as 1400 µg m−3 of dust in aerosols from Kuwait, which is among some of the highest dust loadings globally. A significant volume of literature has emerged on dust–air-quality–human-health, and the World Health Organization in its recent air quality guidelines has lowered the limit of annual PM2.5 exposure to 5 μg m−3 from the previous limit of 10 μg m−3. We present a mini-review based on a screening and search of the published data generated in Kuwait on contaminants associated with dust in different size fractions. We also include an unpublished study on organic contaminants in size-fractionated aerosols. The ΣPAHs concentrations in all the six size fractions range between 570 and 3350 pg m−3. The ∑PBDE concentration ranges from ~2 to 1307 pg m−3. The average 210Po activity in aerosol size classes varies between 2289 and 2581 Bq kg−1. The average 210Pb concentration varies between 352 and 412 Bq kg−1. The MP inventory in Kuwait’s outdoor aerosol is between 5 and 35 MP in 815 ± 5 m3 of air. The bacterial load in outdoor aerosols is between 6.05 × 103 cells m−3 and 1.24 × 108 cells m−3. The fungal load ranges between 2.11 × 102 cells m−3 and 2.66 × 106 cells m−3. The data suggest that the inhalable fraction of <2.5 µm size contains high concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 210Po, 210Pb, microplastics, and microbes. These enriched ultrafine aerosols pose a significant risk to human health. The review also highlights the scarcity of contaminant data in respirable and inhalable size fractions that are critical for a comprehensive inhalation risk assessment.

No abstract