Cytotoxicity and DNA damage of five organophosphorus pesticides mediated by oxidative stress in PC12 cells and protection by vitamin E

Previous studies have demonstrated that pesticides could induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in vivo and in vitro, and that oxidative stress may be an important factor involved. However, investigations comparing the capability of different organophosphorous (OP) compounds to induce cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and oxidative stress are limited. Hence, the aim of this paper was to access the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of five OPs or metabolites, Acephate (ACE), Methamidophos (MET), Chloramidophos (CHL), Malathion (MAT) and Malaoxon (MAO), and to clarify the role of oxidative stress, using PC12 cells. The results demonstrated that MET, MAT and MAO caused significant inhibition of cell viability and increased DNA damage in PC12 cells at 40 mg L^?1. MAO was more toxic than the other OPs. ACE, MET, MAT and MAO increased the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) at 20 mg L^?1 and 40 mg L^?1 to different degrees. Pre-treatment with vitamin E(600 μM)caused a significant attenuation in the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect; pre-treatment reversed subsequent OP-induced elevation of peroxidation products and the decline of anti-oxidant enzyme activities. These results indicate that oxidative damage is likely to be an initiating event that contributes to the OP-induced cytotoxicity.     

Enhanced degradation of azo dye alizarin yellow R in a combined process of iron–carbon microelectrolysis and aerobic bio-contact oxidation

Purpose

With the aim of enhanced degradation of azo dye alizarin yellow R (AY) and further removal of the low-strength recalcitrant matter (LsRM) of the secondary effluent as much as possible, our research focused on the combination of aerobic bio-contact oxidation (ABO) with iron/carbon microelectrolysis (ICME) process.

Materials and methods

The combined ABO (with effective volume of 2.4?l) and ICME (with effectively volume of 0.4?l) process were studied with relatively short hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4 or 6?h.

Results

At the HRT of 6?h with the reflux ratio of 1 and 2, the AY degradation efficiency in the final effluent was >96.5%, and the total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency were 69.86% and 79.44%, respectively. At the HRT of 4?h and the reflux ratio of 2, TOC removal efficiency and AY degradation efficiency were 73.94% and 94.89%, respectively. The ICME process obviously enhanced the total AY removal and the generated micromolecule acids and aldehydes then that wastewater backflow to the ABO where they were further biodegraded.

Conclusion

The present research might provide the potential options for the advanced treatment azo dyes wastewater with short HRT and acceptable running costs.     

零价铁复合有机膨润土处理染料废水的研究

针对目前印染废水处理现状及膨润土在水处理中回收困难等问题，提出将零价铁复合到有机膨润土中制成零价铁复合有机膨润土(ZVI-OB)，以达到高效吸附并降解污染物的目的。以染料废水(Orange II) 作为研究对象，考察了废水中染料的初始浓度、pH以及吸附时间对ZVI-OB去除染料效率的影响，并研究了吸附后降解过程中时间和pH对污染物降解的影响以及降解前后膨润土层结构的变化。研究结果表明，ZVI-OB相对于CTMAB改性的有机膨润土而言，其吸附量有所降低，但ZVI-OB在吸附污染物之后能有效降解有机物。ZVI-OB在饱和吸附Orange II后经催化氧化，总有机碳含量降低为原来的19%，可以重复利用。     

Toxicological responses of earthworm (Eisenia fetida) exposed to metal-contaminated soils

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicological responses of earthworm (Eisenia fetida) induced by field-contaminated, metal-polluted soils. Biochemical responses and DNA damage of earthworm exposed to two multi-metal-contaminated soils in a steel industry park and a natural reference soil in Zijin Mountain for 2, 7, 14, and 28 days were studied. Results showed that three enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and cellulase, in earthworm in metal-contaminated soils were significantly different from those of the reference soil. Cellulase and AChE were more sensitive than SOD to soil contamination. The Olive tail moment of the comet assay after 2-day exposure increased 56.5 and 552.0 % in two contaminated soils, respectively, compared to the reference soil. Our findings show that cellulase and DNA damage levels can be used as potential biomarkers for exposure of earthworm to metal-polluted soils.     

Dynamics of the lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin, China, since late nineteenth century

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin have the most representative and largest concentration of freshwater lakes in China. However, the size and number of these lakes have changed considerably over the past century due to the natural and anthropogenic impact. The lakes, larger than 10 km² in size, were chosen from relief maps and remotely sensed images in 1875, 1950, 1970, 1990, 2000, and 2008 to study the dynamics of lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin and to examine the causes and consequences of these changes. Results indicated that there was a dramatic reduction in lake areas, which decreased by 7,841.2 km² (42.64 %) during the study period (1875–2008), and the number of lakes in this region changed moderately. Meanwhile, a large number of lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin were directly converted into paddy fields, ponds, building lands, or other land-use types over the study period. Therefore, all kinds of lake reclamation should be identified as the major driving factors for the loss of lake in this region. Furthermore, flooding, soil erosion, and sedimentation were also the main factors which triggered lake changes in different periods. Some wetland conservation and restoration projects have been implemented since the 1970s, but they have not reversed the lake degradation. These findings were of great importance to managers involved in making policy for the conservation of lake ecosystems and the utilization of lake resources.     

膨润土接枝丙烯酸高吸水性树脂的抑尘性能研究

在微波辐射下制备了膨润土接枝丙烯酸高吸水性树脂(SAP)(一种加入聚乙烯醇(PVA),另一种不加入PVA)。结果表明:(1)红外光谱图表明,PVA与聚合网络形成了半互穿网络结构;X射线衍射图表明,膨润土与PVA、丙烯酸形成了具有无定形结构的复合产物。(2)不论是沙土堆还是尘土堆,喷洒膨润土接枝丙烯酸SAP溶液的抑尘效果明显比喷洒自来水好;喷洒膨润土接枝丙烯酸SAP溶液的尘土堆的抑尘效果好于沙土堆。(3)在温度为15℃时,考虑到节约成本的问题,首选不加入PVA的膨润土接枝丙烯酸SAP做抑尘剂;在温度为45℃时,加入PVA的膨润土接枝丙烯酸SAP适合做抑尘剂。(4)膨润土接枝丙烯酸SAP浓度越高,其耐蒸发性越高。     

电吸附对水中盐类、氨氮、COD的去除效果分析

电吸附技术作为高效、环境友好型的除盐、除氨氮技术，可应用与水的深度处理领域内。为了使污水回用达到工业用水的水质标准，对电吸附去除水中盐类、氨氮、COD的效果进行分析，结果表明，电吸附设备处理不同氨氮浓度的废水，对中低浓度的氨氮去除效果稳定，当进水氨氮浓度低于20 mg/L时，处理后出水氨氮浓度低于5 mg/L，COD浓度小于25 mg/L，达到回用标准；随着进水盐浓度的增大电吸附处理效果逐渐变差，在电导率低于2 500 μS/cm时除盐率在75%左右，氨氮去除率达到70%左右，COD去除率达到60%左右。经电吸附处理后的低氨氮浓度废水，TDS、氨氮浓度均可达到工业回用水标准。     

HRT对固定床厌氧反应器运行效果的影响

为了考察水力停留时间(HRT)对炭纤维载体固定床厌氧反应器运行效果的影响,在进水COD分别为20 000~25 000 mg/L和40 000~45 000 mg/L2个浓度范围下,研究了不同HRT对反应器运行效果的影响。结果表明,通过HRT的调整,在达到相同有机负荷(OLR)下,进水COD为20 000~25 000 mg/L的COD去除率和产气量,明显比进水COD为40 000~45 000 mg/L的运行效果好;进水COD为20 000~25 000 mg/L,HRT为14 h,相应的OLR为41.09 kgCOD/(m3.d)时,COD去除率仍然维持在68%以上,沼气容积产气率达到14.55 m3/(m3.d)。炭纤维载体固定床厌氧反应器具有较高的COD去除率、产气效率以及抵抗低pH、高负荷冲击的能力,运行过程中没有发生反应器堵塞的现象。     

Toxicological effect of MPA-CdSe QDs exposure on zebrafish embryo and larvae

Cadmium selenium (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals that hold wide range of applications and substantial production volumes. Due to unique composition and nanoscale properties, their potential toxicity to aquatic organisms has increasingly gained a great amount of interest. However, the impact of CdSe QDs exposure on zebrafish embryo and larvae remains almost unknown. Therefore, the lab study was performed to determine the developmental and behavioral toxicities to zebrafish under continuous exposure to low level CdSe QDs (0.05-31.25 mg L⁻¹) coated with mercaptopropionic acid (MPA). The results showed MPA-CdSe exposure from embryo to larvae stage affected overall fitness. Our findings for the first time revealed that: (1) The 120 h LC₅₀ of MPA-CdSe for zebrafish was 1.98 mg L⁻¹; (2) embryos exposed to MPA-CdSe resulted in malformations incidence and lower hatch rate; (3) abnormal vascular of FLI-1 transgenic zebrafish larvae appeared after exposure to MPA-CdSe including vascular junction, bifurcation, crossing and particle appearance; (4) larvae behavior assessment showed during MPA-CdSe exposure a rapid transition from light-to-dark elicited a similar, brief burst and a higher basal swimming rate; (5) MPA-CdSe induced embryos cell apoptosis in the head and tail region. Results of the observations provide a basic understanding of MPA-CdSe toxicity to aquatic organisms and suggest the need for additional research to identify the toxicological mechanism.     

扬州市城区地表水底泥重金属污染现状与风险评价

对扬州市城区地表水底泥进行等距离布点采样.分析cd、Cu、Pb、Zn 4种重金属的含量,并应用潜在生态危害指数法对重金属潜在生态风险进行了评价.结果表明:4种重金属的潜在生态风险由高到低的顺序为Cd>Pb>Cu>Zn,其中Cd的潜在生态风险程度已达很强;扬州市城区地表水底泥重金属潜在生态风险程度为强.各条河流底泥重金属潜在生态风险程度由强到弱顺序为古运河>二道河>宝带河>小秦淮河>新城河>水院池塘(对照);从空间上看,扬州市城区东部的地表水底泥重金属潜在生态风险程度高于西部,北部高于南部.