Comparison of sediment bioavailable methods to assess the potential risk of metal(loid)s for river ecosystems.

A heavily impacted river basin (Caudal River, NW Spain) by Hg and Cu mining activities, abandoned decades ago, was used to evaluate the environmental quality of their river sediments. The obtained results compared with reference values established by the US EPA and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for river sediments, have shown that the main elements of environmental concern are arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and, to a lesser extent, copper (Cu), which reach concentrations up to 1080, 80 and 54 mg kg, respectively. To understand the role that river sediments play in terms of risk to ecosystem health, a comparison has been made between the total content of metal(oid)s in the sediments and the bioavailable contents of the same elements in pore water, passive DGT (Diffusive Gradients in Thin films) samplers and the sediment extractant using acetic acid.

Intraspecific variation for host immune activation by the spider mite .

Many parasites can interfere with their host's defences to maximize their fitness. Here, we investigated if there is heritable variation in the spider mite for traits associated with how they interact with their host plant. We also determined if this variation correlates with mite fecundity.

Methodology for a Comprehensive Health Impact Assessment in Water Supply and Sanitation Programmes for Brazil.

Based on the broader concept of health proposed by the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/ WHO), 2018, and the absence in the literature of indices that translate the causal relationship between sanitation and health, a methodology for assessing the health impact of a water and sanitation programmes, known as a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), was developed, specifically in the Brazilian context, and focused on a school in the northeast of the country. Through exploratory and descriptive evidence, and using documentary research as a method, a retrospective survey was carried out from 2000 to 2022 using documents proposing evaluation methodologies. A single document was found to fit the research objective, which was used to develop the proposed HIA methodology.

The Potential to Address Disease Vectors in Favelas in Brazil Using Sustainable Drainage Systems: Zika, Drainage and Greywater Management.

Residents of informal settlements, the world over, suffer consequences due to the lack of drainage and greywater management, impacting human and environmental health. In Brazil, the presence of the mosquito in urban areas promotes infections of the Zika virus as well as companion viruses, such as dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. By using observation and interviews with the community, this paper shows how a simple sustainable drainage system approach could prevent the accumulation of on-street standing water, and thus reduce opportunities for the mosquito to breed and reduce infection rates.

Seasonal occurrence, source apportionment, and cancer risk assessment of PAHs in the second largest international holy metropolitan: Mashhad, Iran.

Street dust resuspension is one of the main sources of particulate matter with impacts on air quality, health, and climate. This research was aimed to determine the concentration, source, and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in street dust of Mashhad city. To this end, USEPA-regulated 16 PAHs were measured in 84 dust samples using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS).