Innocent Mugudamani

Urban geochemical alteration and transformation are complex processes that affect air, water, and soil, potentially posing serious health risks to the residents. Our health is determined by where we live now, and where we have previously lived and how long we have been there. This review explores patterns of urban environmental pollution and public health risks associated with potentially harmful elements. Academic databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were used to find pertinent peer-reviewed papers, reports, and case studies. It discusses urban environmental and medical geochemistry, focusing on toxic heavy metals of public health concern and their urban sources. Case studies on geochemical anomalies in street dust, atmospheric, lithochemical, and hydrochemical contexts are critically examined. The review evaluates the effectiveness of geochemical indices in assessing pollution and health risk patterns in road dust, soil, air, and water, emphasizing the importance of geochemical background in urban geochemistry and medical geology. Strategies to reduce toxic heavy metal pollution in urban areas are also reviewed to protect public health. Finally, it offers conclusions and recommendations for future research. It is obvious that the environmental geochemistry of soil, street dust, water, and air contain a wealth of information about the state of urban environments. The outcomes of this study will help to raise public awareness of urban pollution and associated health risks, promoting environmental preservation and health protection in urban settings.

Winery wastewater, characterized by high organic load, fluctuating pH, and seasonal variability, presents a major environmental challenge for sustainable water management in viticulture regions. Recent advances in bio-based polymer composites, particularly those incorporating cellulose and chitosan matrices blended with synthetic polymers such as polyacrylamide (PAM), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG), provide promising possibilities for effective wastewater treatment and water reuse in irrigation. This review critically explores the synthesis, structural properties, and functional performance of cellulose/chitosan-based composites, with a particular emphasis on their adsorption, flocculation, and biodegradability in the context of winery effluent treatment. Evidence from recent laboratory- and pilot-scale studies highlights the significance of pH-responsive functional groups, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding in controlling pollutant capture and regeneration efficiency. While notable removal efficiencies of these composites have been demonstrated to exceed 85–95% for COD, 80–98% for turbidity, and >90% for heavy metals, challenges remain in terms of regeneration, long-term field applicability, and scale-up. Overall, biopolymer composites represent a promising pathway toward sustainable wastewater treatment and irrigation reuse in winery operations.

Urban community gardens are valued for promoting sustainable food production, yet the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in city soils can present both ecological and public health risks. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the environmental and health risks of toxic heavy metals in community gardens soil contaminated by an industrial fire hazard in New Brunswick, Canada. Both top and subsoil soil samples were collected at Carleton community garden. The collected samples were examined for toxic heavy metals using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Ecological risks were evaluated through the ecological risk factor and the potential ecological risk index, while human health risks were determined using a standard human health risk assessment approach. The mean concentration of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Sn exceeded permissible limits when compared to the Canadian soil quality guidelines and upper continental crust values. Findings from the ecological risk assessment showed that all metals were associated with low risk, except for nickel, which posed a high ecological risk across both soil layers. PERI results revealed a low overall ecological threat. The human health risk analysis indicated that children could face non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from As exposure, while adults were not at risk from any of the studied metals. These findings identify arsenic as the primary contaminant of concern, with children representing the most vulnerable population, emphasizing the necessity for targeted mitigation strategies and protective measures to reduce their exposure. The results of this study can inform interventions aimed at safeguarding both environmental and public health, while also raising awareness about the presence and risks of toxic heavy metals, ultimately contributing to the protection of human health and the broader ecosystem.

Groundwater is critical for supplying drinking water to billions of people worldwide. However, their excessive permeability makes them more vulnerable to retaining and spreading contamination. Assessing groundwater vulnerability is crucial for sustainable management, as it aids in reducing the risks associated with contamination of this valuable resource. As a result, the primary aim of this paper is to critically review and synthesize recent advances in groundwater vulnerability and risk assessment using hydrogeochemical parameters. A summary of groundwater contamination, sources, and consequences is presented. Information on hydrogeochemical factors and groundwater vulnerability is summarised. A review of the most commonly used groundwater vulnerability assessment methods is covered. It also covers the assessment of groundwater vulnerability using hydrogeochemical parameters and statistical approaches. Furthermore, these approaches are supported by global case studies. Finally, the limitations, conclusion, and future recommendations are presented. It can be concluded that integrating hydrogeochemical parameters with groundwater vulnerability models is an effective method for assessing the risk of groundwater contamination and developing management plans. Researchers in the fields of health, earth sciences, environmental studies, and water sciences will find this comprehensive review to be a valuable reference, as it offers an in-depth understanding of the current knowledge on the integration of hydrogeochemical parameters in groundwater vulnerability and risk assessment studies.

One of the crucial elements that is directly tied to the quality of living organisms is the quality of the water. However, water quality has been adversely affected by plastic pollution, a global environmental disaster that has an effect on aquatic life, wildlife, and human health. To prevent these effects, better monitoring, detection, characterisation, quantification, and tracking of aquatic plastic pollution at regional and global scales is urgently needed. Remote sensing technology is regarded as a useful technique, as it offers a promising new and less labour-intensive tool for the detection, quantification, and characterisation of aquatic plastic pollution. The study seeks to supplement to the body of scientific literature by compiling original data on the monitoring of plastic pollution in aquatic environments using remote sensing technology, which can function as a cost saving method for water pollution and risk management in developing nations. This article provides a profound analysis of plastic pollution, including its categories, sources, distribution, chemical properties, and potential risks. It also provides an in-depth review of remote sensing technologies, satellite-derived indices, and research trends related to their applicability. Additionally, the study clarifies the difficulties in using remote sensing technologies for aquatic plastic monitoring and practical ways to reduce aquatic plastic pollution. The study will improve the understanding of aquatic plastic pollution, health hazards, and the suitability of remote sensing technology for aquatic plastic contamination monitoring studies among researchers and interested parties.

Introduction: Emerging contaminants are present in the water and need to be monitored and managed as they are of major environmental and health concern universally. Exposure to emerging contaminants in water sources can pose a significant risk to both aquatic species and human health. This study assessed the risks of emerging contaminants in urban and natural water sources. Methods: A high-performance liquid chromatography connected to a hybrid triple quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer was used to analyse the targeted emerging contaminants. The ecological and human health risk assessment methods were used to assess the possible risks of contaminants. Results: Emerging contaminants such as 17-ethinyl-estradiol, simazine, ibuprofen, atrazine, carbamazepine, terbuthylazine, and metolachlor showed the possibility of high ecological risks to aquatic species. Risk mixture values in all water sources showed that the aquatic species are at high risk in all seasons. The non-carcinogenic risk of all selected herbicides in all water sources showed risk quotient values below 1 for the entire population, signifying that the population is safe. Atrazine is the only contaminant that showed high carcinogenic risk to the adult group in river water during the summer season. Conclusion: It can be concluded that aquatic species and public health are at risk. The outcomes of the study may aid in the development of environmental quality standards for regulatory and environmental sustainability purposes

Pesticides are an important tool for maintaining and improving the global population’s standard of living. However, their presence in water resources is concerning due to their potential consequences. Twelve water samples from rivers, dams/reservoirs, and treated drinking water were collected from Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in South Africa. The collected samples were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography linked to a QTRAP hybrid triple quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The ecological and human health risks were assessed by risk quotient and human health risk assessment methods, respectively. Herbicides, such as atrazine, metolachlor, simazine and terbuthylazine, were analysed in water sources. The average concentrations of simazine in rivers (1.82 mg/L), dams/reservoirs (0.12 mg/L), and treated drinking water (0.03 mg/L) were remarkable among all four herbicides detected. Simazine, atrazine, and terbuthylazine posed high ecological risks for both acute and chronic toxicity in all water sources. Moreover, simazine is the only contaminant in the river water that poses a medium carcinogenic risk to adult. It can be concluded that the level of herbicide detected in water sources may affect aquatic life and human beings negatively. This study may aid in the development of pesticide pollution management and risk reduction strategies within the municipality.