Teil 2: PCDD/F,Biphenyle und Organochlorpestizide in Frauenmilch

After the discovery of high dioxin levels (>100 000 ng TE BGA/kg) in copper slag (Kieselrot) from a specific chlorinating roasting process performed in Marsberg, human milk samples from mothers living in Marsberg were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), dibenzofurans (PCDF) and other pollutants. PCDD/F levels in all samples were comparable with levels in human milk samples from other locations in the Federal Republic of Germany. An increase in congeners, especially of those predominating in ?Kieselrot“, could not be measured. Although several thousand tons of dioxin contaminated copper slag still lie on the slagheap, a higher burden in human milk from Marsberg could not be observed.     

Deposition, Verteilung sowie Bedeutung für den Menschen und sein Nahrungsnetz

Since the introduction of automotive exhaust catalysts in 1984, an intensive discussion started about the emission of platinum group metals and their effect on mankind and the environment. Several platinum compounds are known to be potent sensitizers, even at very small doses. In spite of both the scientific and public interest in this important field, the collection and coordination of scientific research and its conclusions continues to be a lacking. The present results from analytical chemistry, ecology, toxicology and occupational medicine are summarized here. This state of the art indicates the great need for further investigations concerning especially the assessment of emission sources and bioavailability studies for platinum as well as palladium and rhodium.     

Experiments on the origin of dialects in the short-toed tree creeper (Certhia brachydactyla)

Summary Wild short-toed tree creepers in southern Germany were exposed to tape recordings of seven song types from other dialects or song institutions and sixteen song types from thirteen handreared Middle European birds. One song type from southern Germany was used as a control. The males reacted strongly to two slightly different Spaish dialects and not at all or only feebly to one song institution from Cyprus and four from Morocco. The song types of the hand-reared birds had less effect than controls. The songs of two birds from southern Germany hand-raised together were quite similar to those from Cyprus. We conclude that Cyprus and North Africa on the outskirts of the species distribution were colonized by short-toed tree creepers who had had no opportunity to learn their songs from adult conspecifics.     

Deponiesickerwässer: Bestimmung zytotoxischer Wirkungen mit dem Pollenschlauchwachstumstest

For risk assessment of environmental samples, rapid and sensitive screening assays for detection of toxic potencies are required. Using leachates from waste deposites in the industrial region Leipzig-Halle (Germany) as an example, we present a simple test procedure suitable for the detection of cytotoxic effects of samples. This method, the pollen tube growth test (PTG), works as follows: Pollen of tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris Spegazz, & Comes) are suspended in mixtures of growth medium and buffered (pH 6,3 to 7,0) dumping ground leachates. After an 18h-incubation period, growth of pollen tubes is quantified by staining with Alcian blue and subsequent measurment of optical density in a photometer. Sample induced inhibition of pollen tube growth is calculated in relation to controls maintained in pure growth medium. The PTG test shows high sensitivity towards leachates of different chemical composition, and it shows good agreement with assay results from luminescent bacteria tests. We conclude that the PTG test is well suited to assess the hazardous potential of aqueous environmental samples.