Biomonitoring of potentially toxic elements in mosses: a case study of cities in Perm region, Russia.

Concentration of potentially toxic elements in soils of an intensively agricultural and industrial watershed

Soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) can alter the structure and functioning of ecosystems and pose risks to public health. In this context, micro.watersheds are important units of analysis, as they integrate natural and anthropogenic processes that influence the distribution of these elements in the environment. In general, environmental agencies establish soil quality guidelines valid for large territorial areas, such as states or countries.However, studies at smaller scales are still limited, especially in micro–watersheds. Our objectives were to quantify the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, lead, nickel, and zinc in the soils of the Guamium river watershed, located in a Brazilian region with metalwork, boiler making and foundry industries, steel mills, sugarcane and ethanol plants, and the automotive sector; to compare these concentrations with the guidelines established by the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo; and to establish quality reference values for PTEs in the micro–watershed. Arsenic and cooper presented the highest concentrations, with values equal to or greater than the prevention value established by the environmental agency. The study contributes to the understanding of the natural and anthropogenic variability of PTEs in tropical soils and provides support for environmental monitoring, risk assessment, and the definition of more representative reference values on a regional scale.

Moss in situ biomonitoring technique for the assessment of air pollution by potentially toxic elements in urban and rural areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Preliminary Study of Potentially Toxic Elements in Moss Bags Exposed to Urban Atmospheric Deposition: A Case Study of Çanakkale, Türkiye

Geochemistry, sources, human health and ecological risk of trace elements in soil from the Mirsarai export processing zone, southeastern coast of Bangladesh

Rapid industrial growth in Export Processing Zones (EPZs) has intensified concerns regarding trace element accumulation in soils and its environmental consequences. This study quantified twelve trace elements in soils from the Mirsarai Export Processing Zone using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to evaluate contamination status, spatial distribution, potential sources, and associated ecological and human health risks. The results revealed significant enrichment of all trace elements except Fe, with pollution indices and spatial analysis indicating considerable contamination and heterogeneous distribution across the study area. Pearson correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that elevated trace element concentrations were primarily associated with industrial waste inputs. Ecological risk assessment identified Se as the dominant contributor (ER = 601.40), followed by As (149.85) and Hg (106.45). An innovative Source-Pathway-Receptor (SPR) model linked industrial activities with contaminant transport and environmental risks, identifying textile dyeing, leather processing, electroplating, battery manufacturing, metal finishing, and electronics industries as the principal sources of As, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Co. Non-carcinogenic risk assessment showed that Co posed the highest risk to children (HI = 8.54), followed by Mn (2.62), Cr (2.05), and As (1.45), whereas only Co exceeded the acceptable threshold for adults (HI = 2.25). Children experienced approximately 3.1-fold higher carcinogenic risk than adults, with Ni, Cr, and As exceeding the USEPA acceptable limit (1.0E−04). Monte Carlo simulation further confirmed a mean total carcinogenic risk of 1.58E−04 for children, highlighting the urgent need for pollution control and sustainable environmental management in rapidly industrializing EPZs.

Assessment of physicochemical and metal characteristics of effluent in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, implications for aquatic ecosystem health and food security

Industrial and domestic effluent discharge contributes significantly to surface and groundwater pollution. Industrialisation in rapidly urbanising regions of Sub-Saharan Africa often impacts the environment, leading to severe aquatic degradation. This study presents a comprehensive physicochemical, metal, and toxicological characterisation of industrial effluents within Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Twenty-nine representative samples were collected from strategic discharge points: nine from the Royal Salt processing area, which doubles as a lead-zinc mining region; four each from abattoirs, the building material market area, the Iyiudele River, and municipal drainage canals; and four from control (unpolluted reference) sites. Analysis was conducted for eighteen parameters following the 24th edition of the American Public Health Association (APHA, 2023) Standard Methods and ASTM D3370-18 sampling protocols, including heavy metal speciation by spectrophotometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. Results indicated a critical state of pollution, with several parameters significantly exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) permissible limits. Notably, arsenate (As) and lead (Pb) exhibited mean concentrations of 0.07 mg/L and 0.105 mg/L, respectively, representing substantial exceedance of safety thresholds. Organic loading was equally severe, with five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) averaging 88.5 mg/L, corresponding to a Contamination Factor (CF, the ratio of the observed mean concentration to the permissible limit) of 2.95, while dissolved oxygen (DO) fell to a hypoxic mean of 1.85 mg/L. Nutrient enrichment was extreme, with total phosphate (5.29 mg/L) exceeding the guideline value more than ten-fold, signalling a high risk of irreversible eutrophication in receiving water bodies such as the Iyiokwu River. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA, p < 0.05) confirmed significant spatial variation in contaminant plumes, linking the Royal Salt processing zone to metal toxicity and abattoir discharge to organic hypoxia. The study concludes that uncontrolled discharge of untreated effluents poses an immediate threat to the regional “One Health” framework, necessitating urgent bio-remediation strategies such as phytoremediation and low-cost adsorption treatment, alongside stricter enforcement of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) discharge permits. These findings provide baseline data for future longitudinal studies on the biomagnification of neurotoxic metals within the local food chain.

BIOACCUMULATION OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION IN MOSSES OF THE TOWN OF GUBAKHA

The paper compares data on the accumulation of a number of potentially toxic elements (hereinafter – PTE) in mosses in the town of Gubakha, Perm Region. The aim of the work was to determine the content of PTE in mosses in the territory of Gubakha, one of the centers of chemical, fuel and energy, and metallurgical industry of Perm Krai. Industrial enterprises and dumps of closed mines of the Kizel (Kizelovsky) Coal Basin are located here; at the same time, the territory is a development point for sports, tourism, and recreation in the region. At the stage of field work, 44 samples of Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. and Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Bruch et al. were collected in the afforested part of the town according to the Moss survey protocol standard methodology. The Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research determined the concentrations of 16 PTEs in the moss samples. Median concentrations (mg/kg) of accumulated PTEs have been found to decrease in the following series: P (2003) > S (1493) > Fe (748.25) > Al (585) > Mn (215.65) >Zn (61.74) > Ba (46.28) > Sr (19.81) > Cu (6.94) > Pb (3.6) > Ni (2.35) > V (1.97) > Cr (1.84) > Co (0.5) > Cd (0.44) > Hg (0.032). The spatial distribution of the obtained PTE values in mosses, as well as the results of statistical and factor analysis, indicate a possible relationship between high concentrations of Al, Fe, V, Cr, Co, and Ni and emissions from organic chemistry enterprises. Increased values of Hg, S, and Cu are associated with emissions from coking coal production facilities. The values obtained for Cd are presumably due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. The obtained data significantly add to the qualitative and quantitative picture of aerotechnogenic pollution of Gubakha relative to the classical data received from permanent observation posts that monitor the state of atmospheric air in the built-up part of the town.