The present study was conducted to evaluate the quality of drinking water and assess the potential health hazards due to water contaminants in selected urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan. Water samples were collected from ten sites and analyzed for different physico-chemical parameters including turbidity, color, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrates, fluoride, residual chlorine, and total hardness. Additionally, heavy metal (arsenic) and microbial parameters (E. coli) were also determined in the water samples. Drinking water quality evaluation indices, including the water quality index (WQI) for physico-chemical and biological parameters and human health risk assessment (HHRA) for heavy metal were estimated using the analytical results of the target parameters. It was found in most of the areas that the levels of arsenic, fluoride, TDS, and residual chlorine were higher than those recommended by the National Environmental Quality Standard (NEQS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. In addition to the physico-chemical parameters, microbial content (E. coli) was also found in the drinking water samples of the selected areas. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that levels of target parameters in drinking water samples are significantly different between sampling sites. The WQI for all physico-chemical and microbial parameters indicated that drinking water in most of the areas was unfit and unsuitable (WQI > 100) for drinking purposes except for the water of Bhatti Gate and Chota Gaon Shahdara with a WQI of 87 and 91, respectively. Drinking water in these areas had a very poor WQI rating. According to HHRA, drinking water from the selected sites was found to be of high risk to children and adults. The carcinogenic risk of arsenic indicated that all samples were of high risk to both adults and children (4.60 and 4.37 × 10⁻³, respectively). Regular monitoring of drinking water quality is essential, and proactive measures must be implemented to ensure the treatment and availability of safe drinking water in urban areas.

Cadmium (Cd) stress in crops has been serious concern while little is known about the copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) effects on Cd accumulation by crops. This study investigated the effectiveness of CuO NPs in mitigating Cd contamination in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation through a pot experiment, presenting an eco-friendly solution to a critical agricultural concern. The CuO NPs, synthesized using green methods, exhibited a circular shape with a crystalline structure and a particle size ranging from 8 to 12 nm. The foliar spray of CuO NPs was applied in four different concentrations i.e. control, 25, 50, 75, 100 mg/L. The obtained data demonstrated that, in comparison to the control group, CuO NPs had a beneficial influence on various growth metrics and straw and grain yields of T. aestivum. The green CuO NPs improved T. aestivum growth and physiology under Cd stress, enhanced selected enzyme activities, reduced oxidative stress, and decreased malondialdehyde levels in the T. aestivum plants. CuO NPs lowered Cd contents in T. aestivum tissues and boosted the uptake of essential nutrients from the soil. Overall, foliar applied CuO NPs were effective in minimizing Cd contents in grains thereby reducing the health risks associated with Cd excess in humans. However, more in depth studies with several plant species and application methods of CuO NPs are required for better utilization of NPs in agricultural purposes.

Contaminated drinking water poses a significant threat to public health, particularly in urban areas where industrial and environmental pollutants may affect water quality. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies that evaluate the specific health risks associated with harmful metal contaminants in drinking water. This study seeks to address this gap by assessing water quality and metal contamination using pollution indices and human health risk assessments. The findings will help to identify potential health risks for urban residents and guide the development of targeted interventions and improved water management strategies. The groundwater samples were collected from five different zones in Kasur rural area. A total of 25 samples were collected by random sampling from hand pumps during 4 months (March–June, 2021) for determining various physiochemical attributes (pH, electric conductivity, turbidity, total hardness, chloride, and phosphate) and potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, and lead) using standard protocols. Results revealed that almost all the physicochemical attributes were close to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The water quality assessment revealed that pH levels ranged from 7.4 to 9.0, electrical conductivity (EC) between 150 µS/cm and 800 µS/cm, and average turbidity of 12 ± 3.29 NTU, total hardness varied from 200 to 1000 mg/L. Chloride and phosphate concentrations averaged 304 ± 1.28 mg/L and 4.51 ± 1.99 mg/L, respectively. Cadmium levels ranged from 0.15 to 0.53 mg/L, while lead and arsenic concentrations reached up to 7.47 mg/L, exceeding the WHO guidelines. Heavy metal pollution index (HPI) values of all sites were less than critical value of 100. However, by considering the HPI classes, all the locations had high HPI (> 30) class indicating critically polluted water with heavy metals. Through exposure to drinking water, heavy metals had a significant impact on non-carcinogenic risk (HI > 1), according to the hazard index values determined by the human health risk analysis for children, infants, and adults. As compared with metals carcinogenic risk values, lead posed high risks to adults than children and infants as mean CR values for adults, children, and infants were 1.48E + 00, 1.40E + 00, and 7.60E-01, respectively. It is suggested that for drinking water supplies, there is need of installation of treatment plants in the industrial areas to minimize the risk of metal contamination and health issues.

The extensive use of lithium (Li) ion-based batteries has increased the contamination of soil and water systems due to widespread dispersal of Li products in the environment. In the current study, the influence of Li application on soil fertility and leachate was observed. Three soil samples were collected and five treatments of Li (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/L) were applied. After three months of Li treatment, leachate was collected and soil samples were subjected to physical and chemical analyses. The results showed that the mean values of soil pH were increased slightly after Li application while electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 1.2 to 5.1 µS/cm, indicating that soil was slightly saline in nature. The sodium was observed to be greater than the recommended values (0.3–0.7 mg/kg) in Li-amended soil while calcium and magnesium values decreased in soils compared to untreated soil. Mean values of phosphorus and potassium were greater before Li application and reduced considerably after Li application. Leachate analysis showed that all the parameters differed significantly except those of zinc and iron. The EC of leachate samples ranged from 2286–7188 µS/cm, which shows strong salinity. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) ranged from 1–11, which indicates that it falls into the marginal soil category. Lithium concentration in leachate samples ranged from 0–95 mg/L, which was significantly higher than the acceptable value for lithium (2.5 mg/L) in leachate. A soil sample (3) with an additional 10% organic matter showed that after Li application, the loss of nutrients in leachate was less as compared to the other two samples, demonstrating that organic matter improved soil conditions and suppressed the negative effects of Li on soil. Our results could raise concerns about risks in situations where food and fodder crops are associated with Li-contaminated waste disposal.