Shamsh Pervez

Enrichment and exposure of particulate lead in a traffic environment in India.

Enrichment of lead in respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and exposure of human blood to particulate lead in traffic environment were investigated. Samples of RSPM, non-respirable suspended particulate matter (NRSPM) and total suspended particulate matter (TSPM) were collected in 10 sampling sites located on National Highway No. 6, Durg–Bhilai section of Chhattisgarh State of India. Forty blood samples, out of which 20 of highway traffic personnel with chronic exposure and other 20 of general population who were residing more than 10 km away from the National Highway, were collected. Samples of particulate matter were weighed and analysed for particulate lead. Results have shown a higher concentration of average RSPM and TSPM in all the sampling sites compared to the Indian permissible limits. Geometric mean of lead levels was found in the range of 0.880–1.414 µg/m3 (TSPM) in the study sites. Concentrations of lead in RSPM have shown a higher enrichment (range 2.645–3.171) relative to NRSPM. Blood lead levels in traffic personnel and general population were found in the range of 56.70–101.17 µg/dL and 7.92–31.22 µg/dL, respectively.

Toxic metals status in kidneys and gallstones of workers in a steel plant environment.

Samples of kidney stones and gallstones obtained from patients who were workers at a steel plant, or residents of the steel plant township area and those unrelated to the steel plant and steel plant township area were analysed for the presence of toxic metals (Zn, Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Hg, Cd and Mn) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Other constituents (moisture, organic matter, oxalate, phosphate, fluoride and calcium) were also determined in each sample. In most of the samples the highest occurrence of toxic metals was found in the samples obtained from workers of the steel plant who were also residents of the steel plant township area. In samples obtained from patients who were non-workers of the plant but residents of the steel plant township area, the concentrations of the toxic metals were smaller, but higher than in those cases who were unrelated to the steel plant environment.

Spatio-temporal measurement of indoor particulate matter concentrations using a wireless network of low-cost sensors in households using solid fuels

Abstract Many households use solid fuels for cooking and heating purposes. There is currently a knowledge gap in our understanding of the variations in indoor air quality throughout the household as most of the studies focus on the areas in the close proximity of the cookstove. A low‐cost wireless particulate matter (PM) sensor network was developed and deployed in households in Raipur, India to establish the spatio‐temporal variation of PM concentrations. The data from multiple sensors were acquired in real‐time with a wireless system. Data collected from the sensors agreed well (R2 =0.713) with the reference data collected from a commercially available instrument. Low spatial variability was observed within the kitchen due to its small size and poor ventilation – a common feature of most rural Indian kitchens. Due to insufficient ventilation from open doors and windows, high PM concentrations similar to those found in the kitchen were also found in the adjoining rooms. The same household showed significantly different post‐extinguished cookstove PM concentration decay rates (0.26 mg/m3‐min and 0.87 mg/m3‐min) on different days, owing to varying natural air exchange rates (7.68 m3/min and 37.40 m3/min). HighlightsWireless network of low‐cost PM sensors for spatio‐temporal field measurements.Good agreement between the low‐cost PM sensor and commercial high‐cost PM sensor.Exposure to cookstove emissions is not limited to the kitchen area and the cook.Indoor air quality in the same household varies greatly with natural ventilation.

Nanogram level quantification of molybdenum(VI) by novel hyphenated SDME/DRS-FTIR in human biological fluid

A novel hyphenated single-drop micro-extraction (SDME) diffuse-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (DRS-FTIR) technique was employed for the quantification of hexavalent molybdenum, i.e., Mo(VI) in human blood serum and urine. Mo(VI) was extracted as the Mo(VI) : HDPBA complex into a single-drop of dichloroethane solution of N1-hydroxy-N1,N2-diphenylbenzamidine (HDPBA). Mo(VI) formed a 1 : 2 complex in the organic phase with HDPBA in acidic medium, which was further analyzed by diffuse-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (DRS-FTIR). The factors affecting the SDME process, such as extraction solvent, size of the acceptor drop volume, pH, reagent concentration, extraction time and stirring rate, were optimized for better extraction efficiency. The extracted micro-drop was analyzed using DRS-FTIR, the most steady and the strongest vibrational IR peak at 911 ± 2 cm−1 (υ1) corresponding to the asymmetric stretching mode of MoO42− was selected for the quantification of Mo(VI). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were 8.0 ng mL−1 and 26.4 ng mL−1, respectively. The absorbance and peak area were determined by the SDME/DRS-FTIR method, which showed excellent linearity with a correlation coefficient value of 0.99 for the concentration range of 1–100 ng mL−1. The standard deviation (SD) and relative standard deviation (RSD) for 10 replicate measurements were found to be 0.13 ng mL−1 and 1.3%, respectively, at a level of 10 ng mL−1 Mo(VI) in the aqueous phase.

Rate evaluation of marble damage by SO2-acidity in the vicinity of stacks

A laboratory modelling for the assessment of damage to marble by the SO2-acidity in the vicinity of stacks has been devised. The modelling is based on the role of metal oxide particulates (also emitted by smoke-stacks) which catalytically convert SO2 to SO3 forming H2SO4 (in presence of water), which has an excessively high selectivity, compared with HNO3, for corroding marble. The requisites of the modelling are: (1) determination of composition of the marble, (2) immersion of samples of marble blocks (after measurement of surface areas) in H2SO4 solutions of known concentrations, maintaining pH and temperature at their initial values, (3) determination of concentrations of Ca and Mg (major components of marble) in the leachate, and thereby evaluating the mass loss of the marble, in terms of mg marble cm−2 day−1, for each level of H2S04 concentration, (4) application of derived data for evaluation of duration (in years) for the decay of 1 cm thickness of marble block by the process of surface corrosion. From the modelling, it was found that the duration for the damage of 1 cm thickness of the marble sample used here by SO2 acidities of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 ppm are 83.01, 69.02, 31.24, 8.19 and 4.31 years respectively.

A direct DRS-FTIR probe for rapid detection and quantification of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in poultry egg-yolk

We report a novel diffuse reflectance-Fourier transforms infrared (DRS-FTIR) spectral monitoring of fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (CIP) and norfloxacin (NOR) for their quantification in poultry egg-yolks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the rapid quantitative determination of fluoroquinolone antibiotics in poultry egg samples using DRS-FTIR. The characteristic absorption peaks obtained at 1627 and 1026 cm-1 were used for optimization and determination of CIP and NOR, respectively. The linearity range obtained for the determination of CIP and NOR in egg samples was 0.05-0.50 ng mL-1 with limit of detection and limit of quantification of 0.032 and 1.551 ng mL-1 and 0.028 and 0.194 ng mL-1, respectively. Good recoveries were obtained in the range of 83.1-102.3% from poultry eggs samples using DRS-FTIR method. The advantages of the DRS-FTIR method are its simplicity, sensitivity and suitability for high-throughput analysis towards the food samples.

Determination of Selenium by Single-Drop Microextraction and Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT A simple and convenient assay based on single-drop microextraction with infrared spectroscopy is reported for the determination of selenium. The extraction conditions were carefully optimized and selenium was preconcentrated through single-drop microextraction in 1,2-dichloroethane containing N-hydroxy-N-phenyl-N′-(o-tolyl) benzimidamide. The method is selective and almost all common ions including molybdenum(VI), chromium(VI), and tungsten(VI) did not interfere with the isolation protocol. The selenite band at 875 ± 2 cm−1, which is assigned to the asymmetric vibrational stretch (υ3), was used for the quantification of selenium. Low limits of detection and quantification of 2.0 and 6.6 µg L−1 demonstrate the sensitivity of the method. Good precision was evaluated by the standard deviation (2.0 µg L−1) and relative standard deviation (0.5%) for 8 µg L−1 was achieved for 10 measurements. The method was used to analyze human blood, urine, and water for selenium.

Deleterious effects of incense smoke exposure on kidney function and architecture in male albino rats

Abstract Context: Previous studies, including ours, have shown adverse effects of incense smoke on human health. However, the effect of incense smoke on kidney function and structure remains unknown. Objective: To evaluate possible adverse effects of incense smoke on kidney function and architecture in albino rats after chronic exposure to Arabian incense. Materials and methods: Emission characteristics including particle size distribution, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by gravimetric and GCMS analyses. Kidney functional markers, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were measured by standard or ELISA based procedures. Ultrastructural changes in kidney were examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the gene expression of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes including cytochrome P-450-1A1 (CYP1A1) and CYP1A2 were studied by real time PCR. Results: Rats exposed to incense smoke demonstrated a significant increase in serum creatinine, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels and a significant decline in tissue reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase activity. Incense smoke exposed rats also displayed marked ultrastructural changes in kidney tissue. Further, a significant increase in tissue gene expression of both CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 was noted in exposed rats. Discussion: Changes to kidney functional markers and architecture appear to be mediated through augmented oxidative stress and inflammation. Conclusion: Long-term exposure to incense smoke may have deleterious effects on kidney function and architecture. Though, inhalation is the rout of exposure, findings of this study underscore that incense smoke may also have an effect on non-pulmonary tissues.

Solubilisation effect of spent wash on oxide-ores of manganese and iron.

Samples of iron ore (haematite) and manganese ore (pyrolusite) of known compositions were equilibrated with aliquots of analysed sample of spent wash. The concentrations of iron(II), iron(III), complexed iron, manganese(II) ions and complexed Mn-ions were determined after increasing durations. One litre of the spent wash was found to extract out 141 mg of total iron and 161 mg of total manganese. In case of iron, the predominance was of iron(II) (92%), whereas in case of manganese it was of the complexed form (95%).