Uptake, translocation, and accumulation of manufactured iron oxide nanoparticles by pumpkin plants

Rapid development and application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology make assessment of their potential health and environmental impacts on humans, non-human biota, and ecosystems imperative. Here we show that pumpkin plants (Cucurbita maxima), grown in an aqueous medium containing magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, can absorb, translocate, and accumulate the particles in the plant tissues. These results suggest that plants, as an important component of the environmental and ecological systems, need to be included when evaluating the overall fate, transport and exposure pathways of nanoparticles in the environment.     

Occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical and personal care products in a sewage treatment works

The occurrence and fate of eight pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) during sewage treatment has been studied in a pilot-scale treatment plant, comprising a primary settler (2.85 m(3)), an aeration tank (1.845 m(3)) and a secondary clarifier (0.5 m(3)), placed on site at a wastewater treatment works in the north west of the UK. It was fed both with raw sewage and the return liquor produced after sludge centrifugation, thus representing the most common configuration for a municipal sewage treatment plant based on the activated sludge process. Samples were taken at six different locations, including the return liquor stream, and analysed for musk fragrances and pharmaceutically active compounds belonging to various therapeutic groups such as anti-inflammatory drugs, tranquillisers and antiepileptics. Mass balances were conducted for those PPCPs that were quantifiable. The fate of the PPCPs was found to differ according to their physical-chemical characteristics. Anti-inflammatories underwent a degradation process and were almost completely removed from sewage during the biological treatment step. Musk fragrances were only partially removed, through adsorption onto the primary suspended solids and the biomass in the aerobic process, due to their strong lipophilic characteristics. The results of this study provide increasing evidence that the partial removal of these substances through the sewage treatment process contribute to the environmental occurrence of PPCPs. Consequently, existing STPs should be upgraded in order to attenuate the release of these substances into the aquatic environment.     

Occurrence of perfluorosulfonates and other perfluorochemicals in dust from selected homes in the city of Ottawa, Canada

A series of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been recently measured in a variety of environmental samples and biological matrices. In order to better understand the human exposure routes of these chemicals, levels of PFOS, PFOA, perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHS) and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA) in house dust samples were investigated. The data revealed a correlation between the concentrations of PFCs and the percentage of carpeting in the house; older houses tended to have less carpeting, hence lower levels of these perfluorinated compounds in their dust.     

Presence of steroid hormones and antibiotics in surface water of agricultural, suburban and mixed-use areas

The occurrence of pharmaceutically active chemicals (PACs) in the natural aquatic environment is recognized as an emerging issue due to the potential adverse effects these compounds pose to aquatic life and humans. This study presents the monitoring of two major categories of PACs in surface water: steroid hormones and antibiotics. Surface water samples were collected in the fall season from 21 locations in suburban (4), agricultural (5) and mixed (12) use suburban and agricultural areas. The water samples collected were analyzed using GC/MS for aqueous concentration of eleven steroid hormones: six natural (17alpha-estradiol, 17beta-estradiol, estrone, estriol, 17alpha-dihydroequilin, progesterone) and five synthetic (gestodene, norgestrel, levonorgestrel, medrogestone, trimegestone). In addition, 12 antibiotics (oxytetracycline, chlorotetracycline, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, trimethoprim, lincomycin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, roxithromycin, erythromycin, tylosin tartrate) were analyzed using LC/MS. Steroid hormones detected in surface water were: 17alpha-estradiol, 17beta-estradiol, 17alpha-dihydroequilin, estriol, estrone, progesterone and trimegestone. Estrone had the highest detection frequency of >90% with concentrations ranging from 0.6 to 2.6 ng/l. The second most frequently detected estrogen was estriol (>80%) with concentrations ranging from 0.8 to 19 ng/l. The detection frequency varied at different sampling locations. No antibiotics were detected in the 21 streams sampled. This study aims to give a better understanding on the presence, fate and transport of PACs derived from humans and animals.     

Multi-route risk assessment from trihalomethanes in drinking water supplies

The USA is entering an era of energy diversity, and increasing nuclear capacity and concerns focus on accidents, security, waste, and pollution. Physical buffers that separate outsiders from nuclear facilities often support important natural ecosystems but may contain contaminants. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses nuclear reactors; the applicant provides environmental assessments that serve as the basis for Environmental Impact Statements developed by NRC. We provide a template for the types of information needed for safe siting of nuclear facilities with buffers in three categories: ecological, fate and transport, and human health information that can be used for risk evaluations. Each item on the lists is an indicator for evaluation, and individual indicators can be selected for specific region. Ecological information needs include biodiversity (species, populations, communities) and structure and functioning of ecosystems, habitats, and landscapes, in addition to common, abundant, and unique species and endangered and rare ones. The key variables of fate and transport are sources of release for radionuclides and other chemicals, nature of releases (atmospheric vapors, subsurface liquids), features, and properties of environmental media (wind speed, direction and atmospheric stability, hydraulic gradient, hydraulic conductivity, groundwater chemistry). Human health aspects include receptor populations (demography, density, dispersion, and distance), potential pathways (drinking water sources, gardening, fishing), and exposure opportunities (lifestyle activities). For each of the three types of information needs, we expect that only a few of the indicators will be applicable to a particular site and that stakeholders should agree on a site-specific suite.     

Contamination by perfluorinated compounds in water near waste recycling and disposal sites in Vietnam

There are very few reports on the contamination by perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in the environment of developing countries, especially regarding their emission from waste recycling and disposal sites. This is the first study on the occurrence of a wide range of PFCs (17 compounds) in ambient water in Vietnam, including samples collected from a municipal dumping site (MD), an e-waste recycling site (ER), a battery recycling site (BR) and a rural control site. The highest PFC concentration was found in a leachate sample from MD (360 ng/L). The PFC concentrations in ER and BR (mean, 57 and 16 ng/L, respectively) were also significantly higher than those detected in the rural control site (mean, 9.4 ng/L), suggesting that municipal solid waste and waste electrical and electronic equipment are potential contamination sources of PFCs in Vietnam. In general, the most abundant PFCs were perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUDA; <1.4–100, <1.2–100, and <0.5–20 ng/L, respectively). Interestingly, there were specific PFC profiles: perfluoroheptanoic acid and perfluorohexanoic acid (88 and 77 ng/L, respectively) were almost as abundant as PFOA in MD leachate (100 ng/L), whereas PFNA was prevalent in ER and BR (mean, 17 and 6.2 ng/L, respectively) and PFUDA was the most abundant in municipal wastewater (mean, 5.6 ng/L), indicating differences in PFC contents in different waste materials.     

Evaluation of soil contamination in intensive agricultural areas by pesticides and organic pollutants: south-eastern Spain as a case study

A comprehensive survey of the occurrence and fate of pesticides and organic contaminants in soils from an intensive agricultural area devoted to horticultural production in plastic-based greenhouses has been performed to determine if the operation under integrated pest management practices has contributed to reduce the levels of these compounds. Almería province (south-eastern Spain) was selected for the case study. 38 agricultural soil samples (each sample corresponds to an independent private greenhouse) of areas working under integrated pest management (IPM) programs have been analyzed in order to evaluate their contamination fate. Sampling was designed to cover an area of about 400 km(2). Pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phenolic compounds and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) were monitored. The obtained results were compared to other studies reported in Spain and Europe. Among relevant persistent pesticides, DDTs and endosulfans were mainly found and the results indicated historical application, although recent application of endosulfan was rarely detected. PAHs were also found but to a lesser extent and derived from pyrogenic sources. DEHP levels were considerably higher in comparison to the other monitored analytes. The evaluation revealed that despite the use of IPM programs, pesticide and organic contaminants are still being detected in this type of agricultural soil, although at relatively low concentration levels. In general, the contamination rate was similar or lower in comparison to other agricultural areas from nearby regions or countries. However, further monitoring studies should be carried out to establish the possible reduction in contamination by the selected compounds.     

1,2-Dichlorobenzene Marine Risk Assessment with Special Reference to the Osparcom Region: North Sea

This risk assessment on 1,2-dichlorobenzene was carried out for the marine environment, following methodology given in the EU risk assessment Regulation (1488/94) and Guidance Document of the EU New and Existing Substances Regulation (TGD, 1996). Data from analytical monitoring programmes in large rivers and estuaries in the North Sea area were collected and evaluated on effects and environmental concentrations. Risk is indicated by the ratio of predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) for the marine aquatic environment. In total, 26 data for fish, 24 data for invertebrates and 17 data for algae were evaluated. Acute and chronic toxicity studies were taken into account and appropriate assessment factors used to define a final PNEC value of 37 microg/l. All available monitoring data indicate that 1,2-dichlorobenzene levels in estuaries are below 0.1 microg/l. Worst case concentrations in rivers are below 0.45 microg/l. With this value, calculated PEC/PNEC ratios give safety margins of 100 to 300, taking no account of dilution in the sea. 1,2-dichlorobenzene is not a 'toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate' substance sensu the Oslo and Paris Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (OSPAR-DYNAMEC) criteria. Environmental fate and effects data indicate that current use of 1,2-dichlorobenzene poses no risk to the aquatic environment.     

The environmental behaviour of polychlorinated phenols and its relevance to cork forest ecosystems: a review

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been used as a herbicide, biocide and preservative worldwide since the 1930s and as a result, extensive and prolonged contamination exists. The environmental impact increases when its many degradation products are taken into consideration. A number of chloroanisols and their related chlorophenols have been found in cork slabs collected from Portuguese oak tree forests before stopper manufacturing, and contamination by PCP and polychlorinated anisole (PCA) has been detected in Canadian forests. It is suggested that the use of polychlorinated phenols, in particular PCP, is thought to be a cause of the cork taint problem in wine, a major socio-economic impact not only for industry but on sensitive and highly biodiverse ecosystems. It also highlights particular issues relating to the regional regulation of potentially toxic chemicals and global economics world wide. To fully understand the impact of contamination sources, the mechanisms responsible for the fate and transport of PCP and its degradation products and assessment of their environmental behaviour is required. This review looks at the current state of knowledge of soil sorption, fate and bioavailability and identifies the challenges of degradation product identification and the contradictory evidence from field and laboratory observations. The need for a systematic evaluation of PCP contamination in relation to cork forest ecosystems and transfer of PCP between trophic levels is emphasised by discrepancies in bioaccumulation and toxicity. This is essential to enable long term management of not only transboundary contaminants, but also the sustainable management of socially and economically important forest ecosystems.     

Occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in river water in Japan and assessment of their environmental risk

The existence of pharmaceuticals in the water environment is thought to be a potential problem for aquatic organisms. In this study, we conducted a nationwide survey to clarify the occurrence of 24 selected pharmaceuticals in major Japanese rivers and evaluated their environmental risk to aquatic organisms. We found a total of 22 substances in river waters at concentrations from several nanograms per liter to several micrograms per liter. We found the highest, which was 2.4 μg/L of caffeine, followed by 1.5 μg/L of crotamiton and 1.4 μg/L of sulpiride. We conducted an environmental risk assessment of the 22 pharmaceuticals detected in river water, for which predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) values for crustacea and algae had been obtained. The measured environmental concentration/PNEC values of four substances, caffeine, carbamazepine, clarithromycin, and ketoprofen, exceeded 0.1 with the maximum value of 9.0 for clarithromycin. As clarithromycin exhibits a high environmental risk to aquatic organisms, particular attention is required.     

Evaluation of different wastewater treatment techniques in three WWTPs in Istanbul for the removal of selected EDCs in liquid phase

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are exogenous substances that cause adverse health effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, subsequent to the changes in endocrine function. Recent studies have shown that wastewater treatment plant effluents play an important role in the release of EDCs into aquatic environments. Therefore, in this study, influent and effluent samples from three different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Istanbul were analysed for the presence of the principal EDCs. These chemicals include steroids and synthetic organic chemicals. Thus, the occurrence and fate of EDCs of great health concern were monitored at three WWTPs in Istanbul. Furthermore, these WWTPs are employing different treatment processes. Therefore, the EDC removal performances of different treatment regimes were also evaluated. Phytosterol was the most abundant EDC in the influent samples. Second group of compounds at high influent levels were alkyl phenols. Pesticide levels of all three WWTP influent samples were low. Pasakoy Advanced WWTP is more effective at eliminating EDCs. Kadikoy Primary WWTP exhibits the lowest EDC elimination efficiencies. To the best of our knowledge, this work comprises the first detailed report on the occurrence and behaviour of both natural and synthetic EDCs in WWTPs of Istanbul and Turkey. The steroid estrogen levels of this study are higher than the previously documented values, except the levels given for Gaobeidian WWTP in Beijing, China. This is attributed to higher population densities of Beijing and Istanbul and as well as to lower individual water consumption rates in the two cities.     

Metal concentrations and potential health risk in clam (Meretrix lyrata Sowerby 1851) tissues from East Java Coast,Indonesia

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment - Global environmental changes not only contribute to the modification of global pollution transport pathways but can also alter contaminant fate within the...     

Tracing the fate of PCBs in forest ecosystems

Forests were shown to play an important role in influencing atmospheric concentrations and transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment. World forests cover more than 4 billion hectares and contain up to 80% of the above ground organic carbon. Given the lipophilic nature of POPs, this suggests that forests can influence the environmental fate of POPs at a global scale. POP accumulation in forest canopies still presents points of concern given the complexity of these ecosystems. In particular, the role of ecological parameters such as LAI (leaf area index) and SLA (specific leaf area) and their dynamics during the growing season was not sufficiently investigated yet. This paper reviews, compares and interprets a unique case study in which air and leaf concentrations and deposition fluxes for selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in three different forest types exposed to the same air masses. In order to trace the air-leaf-soil path of these compounds, a dynamic model of POP accumulation into forest canopy was applied. The dynamics of the canopy biomass strongly affected the trend of leaf concentration with time. Growth dilution effect can prevent the more chlorinated compounds from reaching the partitioning equilibrium before litter fall, while the more volatile compounds can approach equilibrium in the range of few weeks. An amount of up to 60 ng of PCBs per square metre of ground surface was predicted to be stored in each of the selected forests at fully developed canopy. Dry gaseous deposition fluxes to forest canopy were estimated to reach a maximum value of about 0.5-1.5 ng m(-2) d(-1) during the spring period.     

Assessment of multiple anthropogenic contaminants and their potential genotoxicity in the aquatic environment of Plitvice Lakes National Park,Croatia

In this study, the influence of anthropogenic pollution on the aquatic environment of Plitvice Lakes National Park (PLNP) was investigated during 2011–2012 using a combination of chemical and cytogenetic analyses. Four groups of major contaminants [(volatile organic compounds: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX); persistent organochlorine pollutants: organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); major and trace elements; anthropogenic radionuclides (⁹⁰Sr, ¹³⁴Cs, and ¹³⁷Cs)] were determined in three aquatic compartments (water, sediment, fish). Mass fractions of inorganic constituents in different compartments reflected the geological background of the area, indicating their origin from predominantly natural sources. Levels of volatile and persistent organic compounds in water and fish, respectively, were very low, at levels typical for remote pristine areas. Analysis of anthropogenic radionuclides in water and sediment revealed elevated activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in water, and measurable ¹³⁴Cs in the upper sediment layers from April 2011, possibly as a consequence of the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011. The potential genotoxicity of river and lake water and lake sediment was assessed under laboratory conditions using the alkaline comet assay on human peripheral blood lymphocytes, and measured levels of primary DNA damage were within acceptable boundaries. The results showed that despite the protected status of the park, anthropogenic impact exists in both its terrestrial and aquatic components. Although contaminant levels were low, further monitoring is recommended to make sure that they will not rise and cause potentially hazardous anthropogenic impacts.     

Application of chemometrics in understanding the spatial distribution of human pharmaceuticals in surface water

The growing interest in the environmental occurrence of veterinary and human pharmaceuticals is essentially due to their possible health implications to humans and ecosystem. This study assesses the occurrence of human pharmaceuticals in a Malaysian tropical aquatic environment taking a chemometric approach using cluster analysis, discriminant analysis and principal component analysis. Water samples were collected from seven sampling stations along the heavily populated Langat River basin on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia and its main tributaries. Water samples were extracted using solid-phase extraction and analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for 18 pharmaceuticals and one metabolite, which cover a range of six therapeutic classes widely consumed in Malaysia. Cluster analysis was applied to group both pharmaceutical pollutants and sampling stations. Cluster analysis successfully clustered sampling stations and pollutants into three major clusters. Discriminant analysis was applied to identify those pollutants which had a significant impact in the definition of clusters. Finally, principal component analysis using a three-component model determined the constitution and data variance explained by each of the three main principal components.     

Monochlorobenzene Marine Risk Assessment with Special Reference to the Osparcom Region: North Sea

This risk assessment on monochlorobenzene was carried out for the marine environment, following methodology given in the EU risk assessment Regulation (1488/94) and Guidance Document of the EU New and Existing Substances Regulation (TGD, 1996). Data from analytical monitoring programmes in large rivers and estuaries in the North Sea area were collected and evaluated for effects and environmental concentrations. Risk is indicated by the ratio of predicted environmental concentration (PEC) to predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) for the marine aquatic environment. In total, 27 data for fish, 24 data for invertebrates and 13 data for algae were evaluated. Acute and chronic toxicity studies were taken into account and appropriate assessment factors used to define a final PNEC value of 32 micro/l. Recent monitoring data indicate that monochlorobenzene levels in surface waters are below determination limits of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 microg/l used in monitoring programs. Assuming that half of the lowest determination (0.1 microg/l) is typical, a PEC of 0.05 microg/l was derived. A worst case of 0.5 microg/l is assumed. PEC/PNEC ratios give safety factors of 60 to over 500, taking no account of dilution in the sea. Monochlorobenzene is not a 'toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate' substance sensu the Oslo and Paris Conventions for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (OSPAR-DYNAMEC) criteria. Environmental fate and effects data indicate that current use of monochlorobenzene poses no unacceptable risk to the aquatic environment.     

环境中多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)的代谢转化研究现状

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)作为一种溴系阻燃剂(BFRs),在多种环境介质和生物体内广泛存在且浓度逐年增加,因而越来越多地受到研究者关注.综合PBDEs各方面研究报道,认为其在环境中存在生物和非生物两种转化方式.非生物转化主要是光降解,即PBDEs在光照条件下可通过自由基反应脱溴生成低溴同系物及多溴联苯呋喃(PBDFs).生物转化则包括微生物转化、生物体内转化和生物体外代谢,其转化代谢途径除脱溴外,还有醚键断裂、羟基化和羟基化/脱溴等.对PBDEs在环境中不同转化方式的转化速率、转化途径和转化产物等的研究现状进行综述,对今后PBDEs在环境中归趋、生态风险和健康评价研究将起到一定的指导作用.     

Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in wildlife from an urban estuary

Previous research has documented the bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in apex predators in remote locations but few studies have evaluated urban estuaries. To assess the importance of PFCs in San Francisco Bay, two apex predators in the San Francisco Bay, double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii), were sampled. Prey fish (Atherinops affinis and Menidia audens) were also evaluated to better understand potential sources of PFCs to the foodweb. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the primary PFC detected in cormorant eggs, small fish and harbor seal serum. PFOS detected in San Francisco Bay seal serum was typically an order of magnitude higher than those at the reference site. PFOS concentrations were highest in seals and cormorant eggs from the highly urbanized southern portion of the Bay. PFOS in eggs from the southern part of the Bay remained relatively constant between 2006 and 2009 despite the phase-out of perfluorosulfonyl-based compounds nationally. In addition, these levels exceed the avian predicted no effects concentration of 1.0 μg mL(-1). Concentrations of the remaining PFCs measured were substantially lower than those of PFOS.     

Indicators of ecosystem health at the species level and the example of selenium effects on fish

Chemical monitoring of aquatic ecosystems describes the chemical exposures of aquatic biota and measures the success of pollution control. However, meeting water quality criteria cannot assure that aquatic biota are protected from the effects of unexpected chemicals, mixtures and interactions between toxicity and environmental stressors.Biological monitoring is an obvious solution since aquatic biota integrate spatial and temporal variations in exposure to many simultaneous stressors. Top predators, typical of specific ecosystems (e.g. lake trout in cold water oligotrophic lakes) indicate whether environmental criteria have been met. The presence of naturally reproducing, self-sustaining and productive stocks of edible fish demonstrates a high quality environment. If these conditions are not met, there is a clear sign of environmental degradation. Specific changes in population structure and performance may also diagnose which life stage is affected and the nature of the stressor.Unfortunately, environmental managers cannot rely solely on populations, communities or ecosystems to indicate chmical effects. The lag between identifying a problem and finding a cause may destroy the resource that we wish to protect, particularly where chemicals are persistent.A solution to this dilemma is the measurement of primary or secondary responses of individual organisms to chemical exposure. Since toxicity at any level of organization must start with a reaction between a chemical and a biological substrate, these responses are the most sensitive and earliest sign of chemical exposure and effect.Application of this idea requires research on molecular mechanisms of chemical toxicity in aquatic biota and adaptation of existing mammalian diagnostic tools. Since relevance of biochemical responses to populations and ecosystems is not obvious, there is a need to study the links between chemical exposure and responses of individuals, populations and ecosystems.The recognition of chemical problems and cause-effect relationships requires the integration of chemical and biological monitoring, using the principles of epidemiology to test the strength of relationships and to identify specific research needs. The contamination of a reservoir with selenium and impacts on fish populations provide an excellent example of this approach.     

Distribution of perfluorinated compounds in water, sediment, biota and floating plants in Baiyangdian Lake, China

The distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in Baiyangdian Lake, China, was determined in this study. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the dominant PFC in lake water (1.70-73.5 ng L(-1), median 9.72 ng L(-1)), while perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the dominant PFC in sediments (0.06-0.64 ng g(-1) dry wt, median 0.19 ng g(-1) dry wt) and in aquatic animals (0.57-13.7 ng g(-1) wet wt, median 2.56 ng g(-1) wet wt). Significant differences in PFC levels were observed among various aquatic animals. We also determined, for the first time, the PFC levels in floating plants, including Ceratophyllum demersum L., Hydrocharis dubia (Bl.) Backer and Salvinia natans (L.), and we found that PFOA and PFNA were the dominant PFCs in these plants. Furthermore, floating plants were observed to have different composition profiles compared to aquatic animals. Geographical differences in PFC levels were also observed, with higher PFC levels in samples from the north part of Baiyangdian Lake than those in the south. The differences in human and industrial activities in different parts of the lake and the discharged wastewater from the Fuhe River may be the major contributors for these geographical differences.