In the past few decades, contamination of urban children's parks (UCPs) with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has been attracting more and more interest; however, assessment of eco-environmental and child exposure risks particularly in developing countries remains limited. The current study investigated PTE (Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) concentrations, potential sources, and their health risk assessment in UCP soils of 12 major cities in Pakistan. The results showed that the mean concentration of Ni exceeded the SEPA-permissible limit in all UCP sites, while other PTEs were found to be within acceptable limits. The soil properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, and soil particles size were determined in UCPs soils. The contamination factor and pollution load index results indicated low to moderate pollution levels (CF < 3) and (PLI<1) for all PTEs except Ni in some of the selected cities. Quantile-quantile (Q-Q) plotting determined the normal distribution line for all PTEs in the UCPs. Principal component analysis showed the mixed sources of contamination from industrial emissions, fossil fuel combustion, vehicular emissions, wastewater irrigation, as well as solid waste disposal and natural sources of soil parent materials in all park sites. ANOVA results showed that all the PTEs except Cd had moderate to higher contamination values than the reference site. The risk assessment study revealed that children had high exposure to the selected PTEs via all exposure pathways. The hazard index (HI) mean value (1.82E+00) of Ni for all exposure pathways was greater than 1, while total risk value of Cr (1.00E-03) had exceeded USEPA limit, indicating cancer risk. Consequently, the study of UCPs soils revealed PTEs contamination that could pose a potential health risk to the local population in the studied UCPs regions of Pakistan. Thus, the present study recommends that the influx of PTEs originating from natural and anthropogenic sources should be mitigated and government should implement strict enforcement of environmental regulations and proper management, as well as air quality monitoring guidelines for public health should be strictly adopted to reduce traffic- and industrial emission-related to PTEs in metropolitan areas.

• Klíčová slova
• Contamination level, Potentially toxic elements, Risk assessment, Source apportionment, Urban children's parks,
• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• kadmium analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu * analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• městské obyvatelstvo MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• odpadní voda analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• těžké kovy * analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Čína MeSH
• Pákistán MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kadmium MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu * MeSH
• odpadní voda MeSH
• půda MeSH
• těžké kovy * MeSH

OBJECTIVES: Smoking-related mortality varies over different social, environmental, and policy contexts. However, spatial patterns, examined at a small area level, have been seldom considered. Therefore, the study provides a detailed analysis of socio-spatial inequalities in premature mortality related to smoking in the contemporary Czech adult population. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND METHODS: We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study to investigate the spatial pattern of the age-adjusted smoking-related mortality across Czechia. The spatial inequalities, as measured at the municipality level, were investigated using geostatistical modeling techniques. The ecological regression of the local mortality risk on socioeconomic composition of municipalities was also conducted. The target population was defined as permanent adult residents of Czechia aged 25-64 years in the period of 2011-2015. RESULTS: Among both sexes, a significant spatial gradient in the South-East (lower relative risk) - North-West (higher relative risk) axis was detected. The local mortality risk was significantly related to the level of relative deprivation of the municipalities (a composite index comprised from unemployment rate and level of education): adjusted RR among males (for an increase by 1 SD): 1.21 [95% CI: 1.158-1.256], p < 0.001; adjusted RR among females (for an increase by 1 SD): 1.14 [95% CI: 1.090-1.186], p < 0.001. Mortality among males was approximately twice as high as opposed to females. Regarding the spatial inequalities of the phenomena, however, only rather minor sex-specific patterns were identified. Contrasted to males, mortality among females was unrelated to unemployment rates. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent spatial patterns of the premature mortality were identified. The mortality risk was significantly related to socioeconomic composition of the Czech municipalities. The higher the level of local deprivation, the higher the local mortality risk. The results of the study can be found beneficial for planning of both socially and spatially integrated public health policy.

• Klíčová slova
• Ecological approach, Mortality, Small-area analysis, Smoking, Socioeconomic determinants, Spatial epidemiology,
• MeSH
• analýza malých oblastí MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kouření * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mortalita MeSH
• předčasná smrt * MeSH
• příčina smrti MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• registrace MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

The rising and continuous pollution of the soil from anthropogenic activities is of great concern. Owing to this concern, the advent of digital soil mapping (DSM) has been a tool that soil scientists use in this era to predict the potentially toxic element (PTE) content in the soil. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a review of articles, summarize and analyse the spatial prediction of potentially toxic elements, determine and compare the models' usage as well as their performance over time. Through Scopus, the Web of Science and Google Scholar, we collected papers between the year 2001 and the first quarter of 2019, which were tailored towards the spatial PTE prediction using DSM approaches. The results indicated that soil pollution emanates from diverse sources. However, it provided reasons why the authors investigate a piece of land or area, highlighting the uncertainties in mapping, number of publications per journal and continental efforts to research as well as published on trending issues regarding DSM. This paper reveals the complementary role machine learning algorithms and the geostatistical models play in DSM. Nevertheless, geostatistical approaches remain the most preferred model compared to machine learning algorithms.

• Klíčová slova
• Algorithms, Digital soil mapping, Geostatistics, Machine learning, Potentially toxic elements, Soil pollution, Spatial prediction,
• MeSH
• algoritmy MeSH
• bibliometrie MeSH
• geologické sedimenty analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• půda * MeSH
• strojové učení MeSH
• znečištění životního prostředí analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• půda * MeSH

This study presents an analysis of soil contamination caused by Ni, Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb at municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, with a focus on ecological risk assessment. The approach aims to assess how different landfill practices and environmental conditions affect soil contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and associated environmental risks. Soil samples were collected from MSW landfills in Poland and the Czech Republic. The research included a comprehensive assessment of PTEs in soils in the context of global environmental regulations. The degree of soil contamination by PTEs was assessed using indices: Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Single Pollution Index (Pi), Nemerow Pollution Index (PN), and Load Capacity of a Pollutant (PLI). The ecological risk was determined using the Risk of PTEs (ERi) and Sum of Individual Potential Risk Factors (ERI). The maximum values of the indicators observed for the Radiowo landfill were as follows: Igeo = 4.04 for Cd, Pi = 24.80 for Cd, PN = 18.22 for Cd, PLI = 2.66, ERi = 744 for Cd, ERI = 771.80. The maximum values of the indicators observed for the Zdounky landfill were as follows: Igeo = 1.04 for Cu, Pi = 3.10 for Cu, PN = 2.52 for Cu, PLI = 0.27, ERi = 25 for Cd, ERI = 41.86. The soils of the tested landfills were considered to be non-saline, with electrical conductivity (EC) values less than 2,000 μS/cm. Varying levels of PTEs were observed, and geostatistical analysis highlighted hotspots indicating pollution sources. Elevated concentrations of Cd in the soil indicated potential ecological risks. Concentrations of Cu and lead Pb were well below the thresholds set by the environmental legislation in several countries. In addition, Ni concentrations in the soils of both landfills indicated that the average levels were within acceptable limits. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed common sources of PTEs. The identification of specific risk points at the Radiowo and Zdounky sites contributes to a better understanding of potential hazards in landfill environments. By establishing buffer zones and implementing regular maintenance programs, emerging environmental problems can be addressed in a timely manner.

• MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu * analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• odpadky - odstraňování MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• skládková zařízení * MeSH
• těžké kovy analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• tuhý odpad analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Polsko MeSH

BACKGROUND: Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) are important zoonotic agents transmitted by Ixodes ricinus ticks, which are widely distributed across Central Europe. Understanding the spatial distribution of these pathogens' prevalence will help identify areas with increased infection risk and facilitate the implementation of effective preventive measures. METHODS: We analysed 12,955 I. ricinus ticks collected from 142 towns in the Czech Republic between 2016 and 2018. The ticks were pooled into 2591 groups of five and tested using duplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and B. miyamotoi. For each location, we estimated the overall prevalence of both agents using the EpiTools Epidemiological Calculator for pooled samples and calculated the minimum infection rate (MIR). To assess the potential risk of infection, we combined data on the abundance of nymphs and females with pathogen prevalence at each sampled site. Using a geographic information system (GIS), we mapped the MIR and infection risk of both Borrelia species across all 142 sampled locations and employed a geostatistical method (ordinary kriging) to predict MIR values and infection risk as continuous surfaces across the entire country. RESULTS: We detected B. miyamotoi in 110 localities and B. burgdorferi s.l. in all 142 localities. The estimated prevalence of B. miyamotoi and B. burgdorferi s.l. in the collected ticks was 2.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-2.3) and 27.1% (95% CI 26.0-28.3), respectively. For B. miyamotoi, we identified previously unknown, geographically distinct hotspots of MIR up to 8.3%, with MIR slightly higher in females (2.3%) than in males (1.9%) and nymphs (1.8%), though the difference was not statistically significant. In contrast, B. burgdorferi s.l. exhibited ubiquitous presence, with consistently high prevalence nationwide, showing similar MIRs in females (16.2%) and males (16.1%), and slightly lower in nymphs (15.6%). The highest infection risk for B. miyamotoi was 12.4 infected vectors per hour in southeastern Moravia, while the highest risk for B. burgdorferi s.l. reached 78.6 infected vectors per hour in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. CONCLUSIONS: Borrelia miyamotoi is widespread, forming distinct high-prevalence areas in certain regions. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. demonstrates consistently high prevalence across most of the country, except for a few localized areas such as southwestern Czechia. Both pathogens exhibit natural nidality, forming regions with elevated prevalence and infection risk. Long-term time-series data are needed to confirm the spatio-temporal stability of these hotspots.

• Klíčová slova
• Ixodes ricinus, Estimated prevalence, Geostatistical analysis, Minimum infection rate, Ordinary kriging, Relapsing fever, Risk maps,
• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi komplex izolace a purifikace   genetika   MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi izolace a purifikace   genetika   MeSH
• Borrelia * izolace a purifikace   genetika   MeSH
• klíště * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymeská nemoc epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   přenos   MeSH
• nymfa * mikrobiologie   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

The environmental assessment and identification of sources of heavy metals in Zn-Pb ore deposits are important steps for the effective prevention of subsequent contamination and for the development of corrective measures. The concentrations of eight heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in soils from 40 sampling points around the Jinding Zn-Pb mine in Yunnan, China, were analyzed. An environmental quality assessment of the obtained data was performed using five different contamination and pollution indexes. Statistical analyses were performed to identify the relations among the heavy metals and the pH in soils and possible sources of pollution. The concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn were extremely high, and 23, 95, 25, and 35% of the samples, respectively, exceeded the heavy metal limits set in the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB15618-1995, grade III). According to the contamination and pollution indexes, environmental risks in the area are high or extremely high. The highest risk is represented by Cd contamination, the median concentration of which exceeds the GB15618-1995 limit. Based on the combination of statistical analyses and geostatistical mapping, we identified three groups of heavy metals that originate from different sources. The main sources of As, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu are mining activities, airborne particulates from smelters, and the weathering of tailings. The main sources of Hg are dust fallout and gaseous emissions from smelters and tailing dams. Cr and Ni originate from lithogenic sources.

• Klíčová slova
• Environmental risk assessment, Heavy metals, Multivariate analysis, Pollution indexes, Soil contamination, Spatial distribution,
• MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• olovo analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• rtuť analýza   MeSH
• těžké kovy analýza   MeSH
• zinek analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Čína MeSH
• Názvy látek
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• olovo MeSH
• půda MeSH
• rtuť MeSH
• těžké kovy MeSH
• zinek MeSH

In this geostatistical analysis we present the results of interrelation between unemployment rate and lung cancer incidence ratios in the Province of Opole, Poland. In the study, unemployment statistics and population data were analyzed together with the registered (histopathologically confirmed) lung cancer cases (C34, ICD10) in sex-stratified working age population (18-65 years). The data were collected in the years 2006-2008 in the Statistical Office in Opole and Opole Cancer Registry, Poland. The statistically significant positive correlation/interrelation between unemployment rate and lung cancer incidence ratios in male population was established; in females, this effect was statistically insignificant. The obtained results are consistent with the most up-to-date reports supporting the thesis that a higher burden of disease is observed in more deprived areas. The statistics may have practical relevance in terms of improving health status of the local population following economic reforms.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• nádory plic epidemiologie   MeSH
• nezaměstnanost statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Polsko epidemiologie   MeSH

UNLABELLED: Addressing undesirable changes associated with the driving forces of land use cover change are critical to sustainable land management, and the future modeling of land use systems in developing countries. The study accentuates local drivers of land use cover change in Southwestern Ghana using a mixed-method approach. The approach aided in identifying key land-use drivers, using different research strategies for comparisons through confidence level analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process. We used expert interviews, existing literature and geostatistical tools to ascertain the driving forces triggering such unprecedented changes. Landsat imagery 5 MSS, 4 and 5 TM, 7 ETM + and 8 OLI/TIRS were acquired from the United States Geological Survey's website. Land-use analysis revealed a decline in forests (- 82.41%) and areas covered by waterbodies (- 27.39%). A fundamental drift in built-up (+ 1288.36%) and farmlands/shrubs (+ 369.81%) areas were also observed. The contribution rate of change analysis revealed built-environment and increasing population contributed the most to surface temperature and land-use change. A steady increase in surface temperature can be attributed to the undesirable changes associated with land-use systems over the past 50 years. Socio-economic development in Southwestern Ghana is fuelling interest in studies related to land use cover change. Biophysical, cultural and technological factors are considered key drivers despite the "medium-to-very low confidence" in results generated. They could potentially impact climate-sensitive sectors that significantly modify land-use systems from the pessimists' and optimists' perspectives. Standpoints established through this study will enrich basic datasets for further studies at the continental level. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12665-022-10481-y.

• Klíčová slova
• AHP, Confidence level, Contribution rate, Driving forces, Ghana, Land use,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH