PTA wastewater molecular toxicity detected with gene chip

The purified terephthalic acid （PTA） petrochemical wastewater molecular toxicity detected by use of Mouse Genome 430A 2.0 GeneChip was conducted in this research. The toxic dose to male mice was 0.03 g/（kg, d） of PTA in the wastewater. The mice liver total RNA was isolated as the temple for synthesis of eDNA and then the cDNA as the temple for synthesis of cRNA. Hybridizing the cRNA with the target genes on the gene chip, there were 232 genes expression levels up-regulated and 74 genes down-regulated discovered obviously. The foremost 40 genes for both the highest and the lowest expression levels involved endogenetic steroid and hormone metabolism, immune system, the leukocyte activity and inflammation, detoxification in liver, reproduction and growth hormone, regulation immune factors of anti-tumor and anti-infection and cancer to the mice sampled. The data suggest the PTA wastewater contained over 5 aromatics and their toxicities integrated were much higher than the pure chemical PTA. And the pure chemical PTA toxicities data cannot be used to evaluate the toxicity of the PTA wastewater instead.     

GIS-based analysis of population exposure to PM2.5 air pollution—A case study of Beijing

PM_(2.5), formally defined as particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 μm, is one of most harmful air pollutants threatening human health. Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that both short-term and long-term exposures to PM_(2.5) are strongly linked with respiratory diseases. In this study, various types of spatio-temporal data were collected and used to estimate the spatio-temporal variation of PM_(2.5) exposure in Beijing in 2014. The seasonal and daily variation of the population-weighted exposure level(PWEL) in 2014 was estimated and compared. The results show that the population exposure to ambient air pollution differs significantly in the four seasons, and the exposure levels in winter and spring are notably higher than the other seasons; the exposure level changes greatly from North to South, and each sub-district maintains similarity to neighboring sub-districts.     

Adverse effects of triclosan on kidney in mice: Implication of lipid metabolism disorders

Triclosan (TCS) is a ubiquitous antimicrobial used in daily consumer products. Previous reports have shown that TCS could induce hepatotoxicity, endocrine disruption, disturbance on immune function and impaired thyroid function. Kidney is critical in the elimination of toxins, while the effects of TCS on kidney have not yet been well-characterized. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of TCS exposure on kidney function and the possible underlying mechanisms in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally exposed to TCS with the doses of 10 and 100 mg/(kg•day) for 13 weeks. TCS was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and diluted by corn oil for exposure. Corn oil containing DMSO was used as vehicle control. Serum and kidney tissues were collected for study. Biomarkers associated with kidney function, oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis were assessed. Our results showed that TCS could cause renal injury as was revealed by increased levels of renal function markers including serum creatinine, urea nitrogen and uric acid, as well as increased oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic markers in a dose dependent manner, which were more significantly in 100 mg/(kg•day) group. Mass spectrometry-based analysis of metabolites related with lipid metabolism demonstrated the occurrence of lipid accumulation and defective fatty acid oxidation in 100 mg/(kg•day) TCS-exposed mouse kidney. These processes might lead to lipotoxicity and energy depletion, thus resulting in kidney fibrosis and functional decline. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that TCS could induce lipid accumulation and fatty acid metabolism disturbance in mouse kidney, which might contribute to renal function impairment. The present study further widens our insights into the adverse effects of TCS.     

Toxic effects of perfluorononanoic acid on the development of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Perfluorononanoic acid(PFNA) is a nine-carbon perfluoroalkyl acid widely used in industrial and domestic products. It is a persistent organic pollutant found in the environment as well as in the tissues of humans and wildlife. There is a concern that this chemical might be a developmental toxicant and teratogen in various ecosystems. In the present study,the toxic effects of PFNA were evaluated in zebrafish(Danio rerio) embryos. One hour post-fertilization embryos were treated with 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 350, and 400 μmol/L PFNA for 96 hr in 6-well plates. Developmental phenotypes and hatching rates were observed and recorded. Nineteen genes related to oxidative stress and lipid metabolism were examined using Quantitative RT-PCR and confirmed by whole mount in situ hybridization(WISH). Results showed that PFNA delayed the development of zebrafish embryos, reduced the hatching rate, and caused ventricular edema and malformation of the spine. In addition, the amount of reactive oxygen species in the embryo bodies increased significantly after exposure to PFNA compared with that of the control group. The Quantitative RT-PCR and WISH experiments demonstrated that m RNA expression of the lfabp and ucp2 genes increased significantly while that of sod1 and mt-nd1 decreased significantly after PFNA exposure. The m RNA expression levels of gpx1 and mt-atp6 decreased significantly in the high concentration group. However, the m RNA expression levels of both ppara and pparg did not show any significant variation after exposure. These findings suggest that PFNA affected the development of zebrafish embryos at relatively low concentrations.     

Exposure to air pollutants in Vietnam: Assessing potential risk for tourists

Tourism can form an important component of a nation's GDP,and Vietnam is among the most visited countries in Southeast Asia.Most studies on personal exposure focus on the general population,or occupational cohorts with exposure to specific pollutants.However,short-term exposure to air pollutants while visiting regions with high levels of air pollution can lead to acute health effects.A personal exposure study was conducted across three cities in Vietnam to estimate exposure to particulate matter(PM_(2.5)) and black carbon for tourists.Measurements were conducted during the wet season in 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City,Da Lat and Nha Trang using portable instrumentation.Average 24-hr PM_(2.5) and BC exposures were estimated as 18.9 ± 9.24 and 3.41 ± 1.33 μg/m~3 and among the three cities,Ho Chi Minh was found to have the highest PM_(2.5) concentrations.Environmental tobacco smoke,commuting and street food stands were found to contribute to highest levels of exposure to PM_(2.5) and BC across all cities.     

An integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression in the brains of Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice after real-world PM2.5 exposure

Fine particulatematter (PM2.5) is associated with increased risks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD),yet the toxicologicalmechanisms of PM2.5 promoting AD remain unclear. In this study,wildtype and APP/PS1 transgenic mice (AD mice) were exposed to either filtered air (FA) or PM2.5 for eight weeks with a real-world exposure system in Taiyuan, China (mean PM2.5 concentration in the cage was 61 μg/m3). We found that PM2.5 exposure could remarkably aggravate AD mice’s ethological and brain ultrastructural damage, along with the elevation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), Aβ-42 and AChE levels and the decline of ChAT levels in the brains. Based on high-throughput sequencing results, some differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and DE miRNAs in the brains of AD mice after PM2.5 exposure were screened.Using RT-qPCR, seven DEmiRNAs (mmu-miR-193b-5p, 122b-5p, 466h-3p, 10b-5p, 1895, 384–5p, and 6412) and six genes (Pcdhgb8, Unc13b, Robo3, Prph, Pter, and Tbata) were evidenced the and verified. Two miRNA-target gene pairs (miR-125b-Pcdhgb8 pair and miR-466h-3p-IL-17Rα/TGF-βR2/Aβ-42/AChE pairs) were demonstrated that they were more related to PM2.5-induced brain injury. Results of Gene Ontology (GO) pathways and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways predicted that synaptic and postsynaptic regulation, axon guidance, Wnt, MAPK, and mTOR pathways might be the possible regulatory mechanisms associated with pathological response. These revealed that PM2.5- elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and PM2.5-altered neurotransmitter levels in AD mice could be the important causes of brain damage and proposed the promising miRNA andmRNA biomarkers and potentialmiRNA-mRNA interaction networks of PM2.5-promoted AD.     

Alterations of endogenous metabolites in urine of rats exposed to decabromodiphenyl ether using metabonomic approaches

There is large usage of polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） especially for decabromodiphenyl ether （BDE-209, Deca-BDE） in controlling the risks of fire. The toxicological effects of PBDEs are worth being concerned about. Female SD rats were daily gavaged with BDE-209 ether at the dose of 100 mg/kg for 20 days. Histological observation was performed for the screening of the target organs for BDE-209 exposure. The distribution and metabolism of PBDEs in the exposed main organs were evidenced by HRGC-HRMS. Alterations of the endogenous metabolite concentrations in urine were investigated using metabonomic approaches based on IH NMR spectrum. Histopathological changes including serious edema in kidney, hepatocellular spotty necrosis and perivasculitis in liver indicated that BDE-209 caused potential influences on endogenous metabolism in the exposed liver and the kidney. BDE-209 was found to be highly accumulated in lipid, ovary, kidney and liver after 20 days＇ exposure. Occurrence of other lower brominated PBDEs in the rats demonstrated that reductive debromination process happened in vivo. Hydroxylated and methoxylated-BDEs, as metabolism products, were also detected in the rat tissues. A total of 12 different endogenous metabolites showed obvious alterations in urine from the exposed rats, indicating the disturbance of the corresponding internal biochemical processes induced by BDE-209 exposure. These findings in vivo suggested the potential health risk might be of concern due to the toxicological effects of BDE-209 as a ubiquitous compound in the environment.     

Identification of differentially expressed genes response to TCDD in rat brain after long-term low-dose exposure

Several cohort studies have reported that dioxin and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls might impair the nervous system and lead to neurological or neurodegenerative diseases in the elder people, but there is limited research on the involved mechanism. By using microarray analysis, we figured out the differentially expressed genes between brain samples from SD rats after low-dose(0.1 μg/(kg?bw)) dioxin exposure for six months and controls. To investigate the function changes in the course of dioxin exposure, Gene Ontology(GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were performed on the differentially expressed genes. And the changes of several picked genes have been verified by real-time PCR. A total of 145 up-regulated and 64 down-regulated genes were identified. The metabolic processes, interleukin-1 secretion and production were significantly associated with the differentially expressed genes. And the genes regulated by dioxin also clustered to cholinergic synapse and long-term potentiation. Candidate biomarker genes such as egr1, gad2, gabrb3, abca1, ccr5 and pycard may be toxicological targets for dioxin. Furthermore, synaptic plasticity and neuro-immune system may be two principal affected areas by dioxin.     

PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Beijing: Seasonal variations, sources, and risk assessment

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) have been of health concern due to its carcinogenesis and mutagenesis. In this study, we aimed to assess the variations, sources, and lifetime excessive cancer risk(ECR) attributable to PAHs bound to ambient particulate matters with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm(PM_(2.5)) in metropolitan Beijing, China. We collected24-hour integrated PM_(2.5) samples on daily basis between November 2014 and June 2015 across both central heating(cold months) and non-heating(warm months) seasons, and further analyzed the PAH components in these daily PM_(2.5) samples. Our results showed that total concentrations of PM_(2.5)-bound PAHs varied between(88.6 ± 75.4) ng/m~3 in the cold months and(11.0 ± 5.9) ng/m~3 in the warm months. Benzo[a]pyrene(Ba P), the carcinogenic marker of PAHs,averaged at 5.7 and 0.4 ng/m~3 in the cold and warm months, respectively. Source apportionment analyses illustrated that gasoline, biomass burning, diesel, coal combustion and cooking were the major contributors, accounting for 12.9%, 17.8%, 24.7%, 24.3% and 6.4% of PM_(2.5)-bound PAHs, respectively. The BaP equivalent lifetime ECR from inhalation of PM_(2.5)-bound PAHs was 16.2 cases per million habitants. Our results suggested that ambient particulate reduction from energy reconstruction and adaption of clean fuels would result in reductions PM_(2.5)-bound PAHs and its associated cancer risks. However, as only particulate phased PAHs was analyzed in the present study, the concentration of ambient PAHs could be underestimated.     

Evaluation of phytoextracting cadmium and lead by sunflower, ricinus, alfalfa and mustard in hydroponic culture

Soil contaminated with heavy metals cadmium(Cd)and lead(Pb)is hard to be remediated.Phytoremediation may be a feasible method to remove toxic metals from soil,but there are few suitable plants which can hyperaccumulate metals.In this study,Cd and Pb accumulation by four plants including sunflower(Helianthus annuus L.),mustard(Brassica juncea L.),alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.), ricinus(Ricinus communis L.)in hydroponic cultures was compared.Results showed that these plants could phytocxtract heavy metals, the ability of accumulation differed with species,concentrations and categories of heavy metals.Values of BCF(bioconcentration factor)and TF(translocation factor)indicated that four species had dissimilar abilities of phytoextraction and transportation of heavy metals.Changes on the biomass of plants,pH and Eh at different treatments revealed that these four plants had distinct responses to Cd and Pb in cultures.Measurements should be taken to improve the phytoremediation of sites contaminated with heavy metals,such as pH and Eh regulations,and so forth.     

Oxidation of As(Ⅲ) by potassium permanganate

The oxidation of As(Ⅲ) with potassium permanganate was studied under conditions including pH, initial As(Ⅲ) concentration and dosage of Mn(Ⅶ). The results have shown that potassium permanganate was an effective agent for oxidizing of As(Ⅲ) in a wide pH range. The pH value of tested water was not a significant factor affecting the oxidation of As(Ⅲ) by Mn(Ⅶ). Although theoretical redox analyses suggest that Mn(Ⅶ) should have better performance in oxidization of As(Ⅲ) within lower pH ranges, the experimental results show that the oxidation efficiencies of As(Ⅲ) under basic and acidic conditions were similar, which may be due to the adsorption of As(Ⅲ) on the Mn(OH)2 and MnO2 resulting from the oxidation of As(Ⅲ).     

Chlorobenzenes in waterweeds from the Xijiang River （Guangdong section） of the Pearl River

The Xijiang River is the major source of water for about 4.5 millions of urban population and 28.7 millions of rural population. The water quality is very important for the health of the rural population. The concentration and distribution of chlorobenzenes (CBs) in both water and waterweeds collected from 4 stations in the Xijiang River (Gangdong section) of the Pearl River in April and November were determined. The result showed that nearly every congener of CBs was detected. The total contents of CBs (∑CBs) in the river water ranged from 111.1 to 360.0 ng/L in April and from 151.9 to 481.7 ng/L in November, respectively. The pollution level of CBs in the water in April was higher than that in November. The contents of ∑ CBs in waterweeds ranged from 13.53×102 μg/g to 38.27×102μg/g dry weight (dw). There was no significant difference between April and November in waterweeds. The distribution of CBs in roots, caulis, and leaves of Vallisneria spiralis L. showed different patterns. The leaves mainly contained low-molecular-weight CBs(DCBs), whereas the roots accumulated more PCBs and HCBs. The average lgBCFlip (bioconcentration factor) of CBs ranged from 0.64 to 3.57 in the waterweeds. The spatial distribution character of CBs in the Xijiang River was: Fengkai County ＜ Yunan County ＜Yun'an County ＜ Gaoyao County according to the ∑CBs, and the pollution deteriorated from the upstream to the downstream of the Xijiang River. Further analysis demonstrated that the discharge of waste containing CBs may be the main source of CBs pollution in the Xijiang River.     

Degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol with a novel TiO2/Ti-Fe-graphite felt photoelectrocatalytic oxidation process

Degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol(2,4-DCP)was studied in a novel three-electrode photoelectrocatalytic(PEC)integrative oxidation process,and the factors influencing the degradation rate,such as applied current,flow speed of O_2,pH,adscititious voltage and initial 2,4-DCP concentration were investigated and optimized.H_2O_2 was produced nearby cathode and Fe~(2 )continuously generated from Fe anode in solution when current and O_2 were applied,so,main reactions,H_2O_2-assisted TiO_2 PEC oxidation and E-Fenton reaction,occurred during degradation of 2,4-DCP in this integrative system.The degradation ratio of 2,4-DCP was 93% in this integrative oxidation process,while it was only 31% in E-Fenton process and 46% in H_2O_2-assisted TiO_2 PEC process.So,it revealed that the degradation of 2,4-DCP was improved greatly by photoelectrical cooperation effect.By the investigation of pH,it showed that this integrative process could work well in a wide pH range from pH 3 to pH 9.     

Effect of copper on the degradation of pesticides cypermethrin and cyhalothrin

The influence of coexisting copper (Cu) ion on the degradation of pesticides pyrethroid cypermethrin and cyhalothrin in soil and photodegradation in water system were studied.Serial concentrations of the pesticides with the addition of copper ion were spiked in the soil and incubated for a regular period of time,the analysis of the extracts from the soil was carried out using gas chromatography (GC).The photodegradation of pyrethroids in water system was conducted under UV irradiation.The effect of Cu~(2 ) on the pesticides degradation was measured with half life (t_(0.5)) of degradation.It was found that a negative correlation between the degradation of the pyrethroid pesticides in soil and Cu addition was observed.But Cu~(2 ) could accelerate photodegradation of the pyrethroids in water.The t_(0.5) for cyhalothrin extended from 6.7 to 6.8 d while for cypermethrin extended from 8.1 to 10.9 d with the presence of copper ion in soil.As for photodegradation,t_(0.5) for cyhalothrin reduced from 173.3 to 115.5 rain and for cypermethrin from 115.5 to 99.0 min.The results suggested that copper influenced the degradation of the pesticides in soil by affecting the activity of microorganisms.However, it had catalyst tendency for photodegradation in water system.The difference for the degradation efficiency of pyrethroid isomers in soil was also observed.Copper could obviously accelerate the degradation of some special isomers.     

Effects of arsenic on seed germination and physiological activities in wheat seedlings

The effects of arsenic(As)were investigated on seed germination,root and shoot length and their biomass and some other factors to elucidate the toxicity of As.The results showed low concentrations of As(O-1 mg/kg)stimulated seed germination and the growth of root and shoot,however,these factors all decreased gradually at high concentrations of As(5-20 mg/kg).The contents Of O2-,MDA,soluble protein and peroxidase(POD)activity all increased with increasing As concentrations.Soluble sugar content,ascorbate peroxidase(APX),and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activities decreased at low concentrations of As,and increased at high concentrations of As.While acetylsalicylic acid(ASA)and chlorophyll contents,catalase(CAT)activity displayed increasing trend when the concentrations of As was lower than 1 mg/kg,and then decreasing trend.By polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(PAGE).As induced the expression of POD isozymes of wheat seedlings.As induced the expression of CAT isozymes but inhibited the expression of SOD isozymes of wheat seedlings at concentrations lower than 1 mg/kg.However,As inhibited the expression of CAT isozymes but induced the expression of SOD isozymes at concentrations higher than 5 mg/kg.The results indicated As could exert harmfulness in the early development stage of wheat at inappropriate concentrations.     

Sustainability： A view from the wind-eroded field

This article explores the assessment of sustainability in fields subject to wind erosion. In the first part, simple sustainability audits are examined, as of soil depth and nutrients. Direct measurement of these characteristics has many problems, largely because of huge variability in space and time at all scales. Modelling still has its problems, but it may be possible to overcome many of them soon. It is true that wind erosion preferentially removes soil nutrients, but there are imponderables even here. The nutrient balance in many of these soils includes considerable input from dust. In West Africa, it has been shown that the amounts of calcium and potassium that are added in dust are sufficient to fertilize dispersed crops. In mildly acidic sandy soils, such as those found on the widespread palaeo- aeolian deposits, much of the phosphorus is fixed and unavailable to plants by the time it is removed by wind erosion, so that erosion has no added downside. Most of the nutrients carried by dust have been shown to travel close to the ground （even when they are attached to dust-sized particles）, and so are trapped in nearby fallow strips, and are thus not lost to the farming system. Second, the sustalnabillty of a whole semi-arid farming system is explored. Wind erosion in semi-arid areas （like China, the Sahel and Norflawestern Europe） generally takes place on aeolian deposits of the recent geological past. Most of these soils are deep enough to withstand centuries of wind erosion before they are totally lost to production, and some of these soils have greater fertility at greater depth （so that wind erosion may even improve the soil）. Finally some remarks are made about environmental change in relation to sustainability.     

Bioconcentration kinetics of PCBs in various parts of the lifecycle of the tadpoles Xenopus laevis

Polychlorinated biphenyls （PCBs） in Xenopus laevis have been reported only for a few congeners. Additionally, there is very little information on the ability of Xenopus laevis to bioconcentrate PCBs. To address these issues, the tadpole Xenopus laevis was exposed to Aroclor 1254 mixtures in water at room temperature for 110 d followed by an additional 110 d of nonspiked PCBs in the water for the control group. During the whole process, bioconcentration factors （BCFs） of PCBs ranged from 1180 to 15670. For most PCB congeners, the highest and lowest bioconcentrations of the kinetic curves were found to be remarkably simultaneous, respectively. All 141 PCB congeners under the same experimental conditions had no linear correlation on the lgBCF versus lgKow relationship. The relationship between lgBCFs and lgKow followed a parabolic pattern indicative of selective bioconcentration, suggesting that the kinetic curves of the PCB congeners observed in the lifecycle of the tadpoles may be concentrated due to the amphibian special species and internal metabolism. In contrast, lgBCFs for PCBs were inversely related to lgKow, suggesting that a metabolism of the higher Kow PCB congeners occurred. These results support the author＇s conclusion that the tadpole Xenopus laevis plays major roles in the bioconcentration of PCB congeners, and demonstrated that the exposure kinetic curves of PCB congeners are complex. Besides the amphibian metamorphous development, the lifecycle of the tadpole Xenopus laevis also may be of importance in determining the bioconcentration of PCB congeners.     

Amplification of plasmid DNA bound on soil colloidal particles and clay minerals by the polymerase chain reaction

Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to amplify a 600-base pair(bp)sequence of plasmid pGEX-2T DNA bound on soil colloidal particles from Brown soil(Alfisol)and Red soil(Ultisol),and three different minerals(goethite,kaolinite,montmorillonite). DNA bound on soil colloids,kaolinite,and montmorillonite was not amplified when the complexes were used directly but amplification occurred when the soil colloid or kaolinite-DNA complex was diluted,10- and 20-fold.The montmorillonite-DNA complex required at least 100-fold dilution before amplification could be detected.DNA bound on goethile was amplified irrespective of whether the complex was used directly,or diluted 10- and 20-fold.The amplification of mineral-bound plasmid DNA by PCR is,therefore,markedly influenced by the type and concentration of minerals used.This information is of fundamental importance to soil molecular microbial ecology with particular reference to monitoring the fate of genetically engineered microorganisms and their recombinant DNA in soil environments.     

Arsenic uptake and transport of Pteris vittata L. as influenced by phosphate and inorganic arsenic species under sand cu｜ture

In order to understand the similarity or difference of inorganic As species uptake and transport related to phosphorus in As-hyperaccumulator, uptake and transport of arsenate (As(Ⅴ)) and arsenite (As(Ⅲ)) were studied using Pteris vittata L. under sand culture. Higher concentrations of phosphate were found to inhibit accumulation of arsenate and arsenite in the fronds of P. vittata. The reduction in As accumulation was greater in old fronds than in young fronds, and relatively weak in root and rhizome. Moderate increases, from 0.05 to 0.3 mmol/L, in phosphate reduced uptake of As(Ⅲ) more than As(Ⅴ), while the reverse was observed at high concentrations of phosphate (≥ 1.0 mmol/L). Phosphate apparently reduced As transport and the proportion of As accumulated in fronds of P. vittata when As was supplied as As(Ⅴ). It may in part be due to competition between phosphorus and As(Ⅴ) during transport. In contrast, phosphate had a much smaller effect on As transport when the As was supplied as As(Ⅲ). Therefore, the results from present experiments indicates that a higher concentration of phosphate suppressed As accumulation and transport in P. vittata, especially in the fronds, when exposure to As(Ⅴ); but the suppression of phosphate to As transport in the root or rhizome may be insignificant when P. vittata when exposure to As(Ⅲ) under sand culture conditions. The finding will help to understand the interaction of P and As during their uptake process in P. vittata.