Potential Health Risks of Lead Exposure from Early Life through Later Life: Implications for Public Health Education.

Lead (Pb) exposure has been a serious environmental and public health problem throughout the world over the years. The major sources of lead in the past were paint and gasoline before they were phased out due to its toxicity. Meanwhile, people continue to be exposed to lead from time to time through many other sources such as water, food, soil and air.

Health Risk Analysis of Elemental Components of an Industrially Emitted Respirable Particulate Matter in an Urban Area.

Particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM) is a recognised carcinogen and a priority air pollutant owing to its respirable and toxic chemical components. There is a dearth of information in South Africa on cancer and non-cancer risks of exposure to heavy metal (HM) content of PM.

The Use of Sodium Hypochlorite at Point-of-Use to Remove Microcystins from Water Containers.

Most conventional water treatment plants are not sufficiently equipped to treat both intracellular and extracellular Microcystins in drinking water. However, the effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite in removing Microcystin in containers at the point-of-use is not yet known. This study aimed to assess point-of-use water container treatment using bleach or sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and to assess the health problems associated with microcystins.

Concentration levels and carcinogenic and mutagenic risks of PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an urban-industrial area in South Africa.

Concerns over the health effects of exposure to particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM) led the South African Government to establish the national standard for PM in the year 2012. However, there is currently no exposure limit for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PM-bound PAHs.

Current Effects of Cyanobacteria Toxin in Water Sources and Containers in the Hartbeespoort Dam Area, South Africa.

The study investigated the effects of cyanobacteria toxins such as microcystins in water sources and water stored in containers during its blooming and decaying seasons. Samples from water sources and containers near the Hartbeespoort Dam in South Africa were analysed using a microcystin ELIZA test kit. Microcystins were present in water sources used by the community, with an average of 4.

Biological Composition of Respirable Particulate Matter in an Industrial Vicinity in South Africa.

There is a growing concern that exposure to particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM) with biological composition (bioaerosols) may play a key role in the prevalence of adverse health outcomes in humans. This study determined the bacterial and fungal concentrations in PM and their inhalation health risks in an industrial vicinity in South Africa.

Carrying water may be a major contributor to disability from musculoskeletal disorders in low income countries: a cross-sectional survey in South Africa, Ghana and Vietnam.

Background: The Sustainable Development Goals include commitments to end poverty, and promote education for all, gender equality, the availability of water and decent work for all. An important constraint is the fact that each day, many millions of women and children, and much less frequently men, carry their household's water home from off-plot sources. The burden of fetching water exacerbates gender inequality by keeping women out of education and paid employment.

Health risk of inhalation exposure to sub-10 µm particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in an urban-industrial area in South Africa: an ecological study.

Objective: To assess the health risks associated with exposure to particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO), nitrogen dioxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O).

Design: The study is an ecological study that used the year 2014 hourly ambient pollution data.

Setting: The study was conducted in an industrial area located in Pretoria West, South Africa.

Health Outcomes of Exposure to Biological and Chemical Components of Inhalable and Respirable Particulate Matter.

Particulate matter (PM) is a key indicator of air pollution and a significant risk factor for adverse health outcomes in humans. PM is not a self-contained pollutant but a mixture of different compounds including chemical and biological fractions. While several reviews have focused on the chemical components of PM and associated health effects, there is a dearth of review studies that holistically examine the role of biological and chemical components of inhalable and respirable PM in disease causation.

Preliminary studies on membrane filtration for the production of potable water: a case of Tshaanda rural village in South Africa.

Ultrafiltration (UF) systems have been used globally for treating water from resources including rivers, reservoirs, and lakes for the production of potable water in the past decade. UF membranes with a pore size of between 0.1 and 0.