Occurrence, behaviour, and human exposure pathways and health risks of toxic geogenic contaminants in serpentinitic ultramafic geological environments (SUGEs): A medical geology perspective

Microbial Community Diversity Dynamics in Acid Mine Drainage and Acid Mine Drainage-Polluted Soils: Implication on Mining Water Irrigation Agricultural Sustainability

“…Furthermore, acidification affects the structure and functioning of ecosystems (Carlson, 2013;Bonilla et al, 2018;Simate, 2021). Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of toxic HM and metalloids (e.g., As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg) along the food chains that may constitute a serious public health risk associated with AMD pollution have also been reported in literature (Emmanuel et al, 2018;Darko et al, 2019;Gwenzi, 2020;Chan et al, 2021;Yang et al, 2021). The main effects of HM on human health range from bronchitis, skin and bladder cancer, liver and kidney failure, to mental retardation in children (Rambabu et al, 2020).…”

Linking Health to Geology-A New Assessment and Zoning Model Based on the Frame of Medical Geology

“…These results show that geological features are closely related to health problems, and medical geology is a discipline that studies the relationship between speci c geological features and the development of a range of health problems (WardropLe Blond, 2015), as well as the prevention and treatment of human and animal diseases by studying the role of geological materials and processes on the distribution of these diseases (Davies, 2019). The current eld of medical geology is generally concerned with the effects on human health by contaminants generated by speci c geological activities or processes (e.g., arsenic, uoride, dust storms, volcanic activity, earthquakes) (Gwenzi, 2020). As the study of medical geology intensi es, so does the interest in regional health issues, which indicates the strong link between medicine, environmental science, health science and earth science (Orem et al, 2011).…”

Profiling metal contamination from ultramafic sediments to biota along the Albanian shoreline of Lake Ohrid (Albania/Macedonia)

“…These ecosystems are naturally characterized by high levels of potentially toxic elements (e.g., Ni, Cr, Co) and challenging edaphic conditions such as low Ca:Mg ratios and low overall concentrations of macronutrients (Bani et al, 2014;Marescotti et al, 2019). UME are found worldwide in ophiolite belts along tectonic plate margins (Circum-Pacific margin and Mediterranean Sea) and are frequent in Europe (Gwenzi, 2020). In particular, ultramafic substrates cover 11-15% of the total Albanian surface according to different estimates (Lekaj et al, 2019;Nicolas et al, 1999).…”

“…Chromium concentrations up to 30,000 mg kg -1 have been found in soil of New Caledonia (Hseu et al, 2018). High levels of the human carcinogenic Cr(VI), exceeding the WHO drinking water quality guideline of 50 µg L -1 , have also been reported in UME surface and groundwater as reviewed by Gwenzi (2020). Finally, UME are often mined for Ni and Cr ores, which can exacerbate the potential risks linked to the geogenically high elemental levels during extraction and leave a legacy of contaminated waste heaps and sediments in the absence of appropriate decommissioning procedures.…”

“…Most studies in UME have been concerned with geochemistry, terrestrial plant ecology and the ability of terrestrial plants to hyperaccumulate metals for remediation or agromining purposes (Bani et al, 2013;Vithanage et al, 2019, Gwenzi, 2020. However, none of the existing studies seems to have simultaneously examined bioavailability, mobility, potential ecotoxicity and trophic transfer of trace elements in both benthic and pelagic food chains in a given UME; although benthic and pelagic habitats are strictly coupled (Baustian et al, 2014;Vadeboncoeur et al, 2002).…”