Heavy Metals and Nutrients Loads in Water, Soil, and Crops Irrigated with Effluent from WWTPs in Blantyre City, Malawi

Heavy metals may cause acute and chronic toxic effects to humans and other organisms, hence the need to treat wastewater properly, as it contains these toxicants. This work aimed at assessing zinc, copper, cadmium, and chromium in water, soil, and plants that are irrigated with effluent from Manase and Soche Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Blantyre, Malawi. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to assess the heavy metals. Heavy Metal Health Risk Assessment (HMHRA) on plants (vegetables) around both WWTPs was also conducted. Average daily dose (ADD) and target hazard quotients (THQ) were used to assess HMHRA. Physicochemical parameters were determined using standard methods from American Public Health Association (APHA). The heavy metal ranges were below detection limit (BDL) to 6.94 mg/L in water, 0.0003 to 4.48 mg/kg in soil, and 3 to 32 mg/L in plants. The results revealed that plants irrigated with effluent from WWTP had high values of aforementioned metals exceeding the Malawi Standards and WHO permissible limits. Furthermore, the health risk assessment values showed that vegetables consumed for a long period of time from Manase WWTP were likely to cause adverse health effects as compared to those from Soche WWTP.

An Appraisal of Borehole Water Quality Index in Selected Areas within Owerri Metropolis, Imo State, Southeastern Nigeria

Borehole water is one of the major sources of potable water in most developing countries of the world. Therefore, it becomes imperative to evaluate the continuing portability of these sources of water to the populace. The present study was undertaken to appraise the water quality of selected boreholes in Owerri Metropolis using the water quality index (WQI) method. Samples were collected from five different locations under stringent protocols. The water samples were analyzed for selected physicochemical properties and compared with WHO permissible limits and American Public Health Association. Results showed that the assayed parameters were within WHO permissible limits except Turbidity in Locations 2, 3 and 4. Water quality index ranged from 24.91 to 70.06. This study revealed that the investigated borehole waters are mostly portable and can be consumed. Nonetheless, the sources identified to be of poor quality should be treated before consumption.

Pesquisa de coliformes e Escherichia coli em água de coco (Cocos nucifera L.) comercializada por ambulantes em Fortaleza-CE

O objetivo do trabalho foi pesquisar Coliformes e Escherichia coli em águas de coco comercializadas por ambulantes na cidade de Fortaleza, Ceará. Para isso, foram adquiridas, na qualidade de consumidor, cinco amostras de água de coco comercializada por ambulantes em semáforos de avenidas movimentadas. As amostras foram levadas ao laboratório de análises de alimentos de um Centro Universitário para pesquisar a presença ou ausência de coliformes e Escherichia coli, empregando a metodologia descrita pelo Compendiun of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods da American Public Health Association (APHA, 2001). Observou-se que a qualidade microbiológica da água de coco em questão notificou irregularidades, mas com apenas uma amostra totalmente fora do padrão. Considerando os resultados, percebe-se a necessidade da aplicação de boas práticas de manipulação durante a extração, envase e armazenamento da água de coco comercializada por ambulantes para que assim haja mais segurança no consumo desse produto pela população.

Widowhood and Health Status Among Chinese Older Adults: The Mediation Effects of Different Types of Support

Although many studies have suggested that widowhood is related to worse health conditions among older adults, few have examined the mediation effects of social support between widowhood and health. Employing mediation analysis to a sample of data from the 2014 wave of China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study examined the mediation effects of social support, including emotional support, instrumental support, and companionship, in the widowhood-health association among older adults. The results indicated that the negative effect of widowhood on older adults' health was in part attributable to decreased emotional support and companionship. Specifically, emotional support exerted a significant role in the widowhood-mental health association, and companionship exerted a significant role in widowhood-physical health and widowhood-mental health associations. In the subsample analysis, the mediation effects were only significant among female older adults, and among rural older adults. Our findings highlight the importance of emotional support and companionship in maintaining health among widowed older adults and strategies should pay more attention to female and rural widowed older adults.

Climate and health concerns of Montana’s public and environmental health professionals: a cross-sectional study

Background Rural health professionals stand at the forefront of community response to climate change, but few studies have assessed their perceptions of the threat. Further, no previous study has compared the opinions of environmental to public health professionals or extensively analyzed the factors related to these experts’ climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and issue prioritization. Methods In conjunction with the Montana Climate Assessment’s 2021 Special Report on Climate Change and Human Health, the 479 members of the Montana Public Health Association and Montana Environmental Health Association were surveyed during September–October 2019, with 39% completing the survey. We summarized descriptive data about their perceptions of local climate-related changes and their beliefs that global warming is happening, is mostly human-caused, is a risk to human health, and that their offices and others should take action. We also evaluated which sociodemographic and risk perception factors related to these climate beliefs, risk perceptions, and workplace issue prioritization. Results Health professionals in Montana, a politically conservative state, demonstrated high levels of awareness that global warming is happening, human-caused, and a threat to human health, well above reported rates of public concern. Eighty-eight percent said that global warming is occurring and 69% that it is mostly anthropogenic. Sixty-nine percent said that their own health was already affected by climate, and 86% said they were already seeing at least one climate change-related event in their communities. Seventy-two percent said that their departments should be preparing to deal with climate change’s health effects, but just 30% said that it is currently happening. We found no statistically significant differences between Montana environmental health and public health professionals in regression models predicting climate beliefs, risk perception, and prioritization. As in studies of the public, political ideology and the observation of local climate-related changes were the strongest factors. Conclusions Montana environmental and public health officials said that departmental action was needed on climate change, indicating the readiness of rural health professionals to take action. Further studies of health professionals in rural regions are warranted.

Assessment of phytoplankton composition and physicochemical parameters of Omasi rice field, Anambra State, Nigeria

The microalgae and physicochemical parameters of floodwater of Omasi rice field in Anambra State, Nigeria were studied. Samples for the studies were collected at monthly intervals. The microalgae were studied using light microscopy and identified with taxonomic keys, text books and photograph materials from the internet. The physicochemical parameters and coliform content of the floodwater were analysed using the methods described by the American Public Health Association. Simple means of the parameters and percentages of the algal populations were calculated, while Pearson correlation (p ≤ 0.05) was used to check for significance of the relationships between the investigated parameters. A total of 12 algal taxa belonging to Chlorophyta (48.99%), Cyanophyta (32.89%), Euglenophyta (10.07%), and Bacillariophyceae (8.05%) were recorded in decreasing order of abundance. Water temperature ranged from 26-38 °C with mean of 33.3 ± 2.56 °C; colour ranged from 15-175 Hazen units with mean of 86.25 ± 33.19 Hazen units; depth of water ranged from 7-10.5 cm with mean of 9.38 ± 0.8 cm. Ranges of nitrates and phosphates with their respective means were 0.5-1.8 mg/l (0.86±0.31 mg/l) and 0.79-1.96 mg/l (1.18±0.28 mg/l). Omasi rice field supported the growth of diverse algal groups and species; this may be as a result of available nutrients and good climate as can be deduced from the correlation analyses. Omasi rice field is typical of tropical freshwaters and some tropical rice fields that have been studied in terms of microalgal diversities and some physicochemistry