Dioxin levels in the breast milk and estradiol and androgen levels in the saliva of Vietnamese primiparae

Human exposure to polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF), especially 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), was investigated in Vietnam since initial severe adverse health effects were reported in the late 1970s. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of dioxin exposure on steroid hormones of primiparae in an Agent Orange/dioxin hot-spot and a non-exposed area in Vietnam. Sixteen primiparae (8 at each site), all of whom were aged between 20 and 30 years with infants aged between 4 and 16 weeks, agreed to participate in this study. The mean dioxin levels in breast milk of primiparae from the hot-spot area, in terms of PCDD, PCDF, and PCDD?+?PCDF toxic equivalents (TEQ), were significantly higher than those for the non-exposed area. PCDD TEQ, PCDF TEQ, and PCDD?+?PCDF TEQ levels showed a significant correlation with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione (A-dione), and estradiol (E2) in the saliva of primiparae in a combination of hot-spot and non-exposed areas in Vietnam. The dose–response curve between salivary E2 or A-dione levels and dioxin levels was U-shaped in humans. This study provides an overview of studies regarding dioxin hot-spots and effects on human health and steroid hormone levels in particular, with a focus on the toxicity attributed to dioxins and furans. Furthermore, causal evidence regarding the effects of dioxins on endocrine disruption in humans is provided.     

Production of hydrogen and value-added carbon materials by catalytic methane decomposition: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Dihydrogen (H2), commonly named “hydrogen”, is attracting research interest due to potential applications in fuel cells, vehicles, pharmaceuticals and...     

Developments in forward osmosis and membrane distillation for desalination of waters

Membrane technology has become a common separation technology over the past decennia. Membranes are used more and more for the production of drinkable water from groundwater, surface water and wastewater. Membranes are now competitive versus conventional techniques. Desalination is predominantly used to eradicate the problem of water scarcity. The sustainability of all desalination processes depends mainly on the reduction of energy costs (production cost) and the increase in water recovery. Forward osmosis and membrane distillation are emerging technologies for sustainable desalination. Here we review membrane processes of forward osmosis and membrane distillation and the advancements in membrane material and modules. We also discuss the capability of membrane distillation in treating highly concentrated aqueous solutions derived from other desalination processes. Furthermore, the advancements in fabrication of high-performance membrane is reviewed and the performance of different membranes and optimization of membrane distillation process are summarized.     

Application and validation of a biotic ligand model for calculating acute toxicity of lead to Moina dubia in lakes of Hanoi,Vietnam

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - It is increasingly being recognized that biotic ligand models (BLMs) can successfully predict the toxicity of divalent metals toward aquatic biota...     

Mixtures modeling identifies heavy metals and pyrethroid insecticide metabolites associated with obesity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - We aim to examine the association between chemical mixtures and obesity. Blood and urinary levels of tween-six chemicals were measured in adults who...     

Characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air of a tropical mega-area,Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam: concentration,distribution, gas/particle partitioning,potential sources and cancer risk assessment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This is the first investigation on overall characteristics of 25 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (15 PAHs regulated by US-EPA (excluding...