Risk assessment of trace elements in vegetables grown in river Yamuna floodplain in Delhi.

Urban agriculture is common in fertile river floodplains of many developing countries. However, there is a risk of contamination in highly polluted regions. This study quantifies health risks associated with the consumption of vegetables grown in the floodplain of the urban river 'Yamuna' in the highly polluted yet data-scarce megacity Delhi, India.

Elemental composition of rural household dust in Brahmaputra fluvial plain: insights from SEM-EDS, receptor model, and risk assessment.

The study attempts to look into the morphological characteristics, elemental composition, contamination, source contributions, and associated health risks in household dust of Napaam, a rural region in the Brahmaputra flood plain in North East India. Morphological evidence suggests that most of the house dust particles were sourced from vehicle abrasion and soil. Three contamination indices-enrichment factor (EF), index of geo-accumulation (I), and pollution load index (PLI) indicated that Cl and four trace elements (Cu, Zn, As, and Pb) are significantly enriched in house dust with extreme pollution load.

Health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticide exposure through dietary intake of vegetables grown in the periurban sites of Delhi, India.

The study investigated the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in different types of vegetables grown in periurban area of National Capital Region (NCR), India. Vegetable sampling was carried out in winter and summer season of 2012. A total of 20 different OCPs were determined using gas chromatography (GC) assembled with electron capture detector (ECD).

Risk assessment of inhalation exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in school children.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with the inhalable fraction of particulate matter were determined for 1 year (2009-2010) at a school site located in proximity of industrial and heavy traffic roads in Delhi, India. PM10 (aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm) levels were ∼11.6 times the World Health Organization standard.

Health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals via dietary intake of vegetables grown in the vicinity of thermal power plants.

Six different vegetables grown in the vicinity of three thermal power plants and a background site in Delhi, India were analyzed for 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 7 heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe and Mn). Annual mean concentrations of PAHs and all metals were found to be significantly higher (ANOVA, p<0.001) at power plant sites as compared to the background site.

Chemical speciation of respirable suspended particulate matter during a major firework festival in India.

Ambient respirable particles (PM ≤ 10 μm, denoted by PM(10)) were characterized with respect to 20 elements, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), elemental and organic carbon (EC and OC) during a major firework event-the "Diwali" festival in Delhi, India. The event recorded extremely high 24-h PM(10) levels (317.2-616.