Anogenital distance and its application in environmental health research

Anogenital distance (AGD), a useful anthropometric measurement for genital development in both animals and humans, was originally found by reproductive toxicologists in rodent experiments. As an easy-to-measure and sensitive marker, AGD has become a bioassay of fetal androgen action and a well-established reproductive toxicity endpoint in animals. It is generally accepted that AGD is sexually dimorphic in many mammals, with males having longer AGD than females. Exposure to proposed endocrine disruptors may result in reduced AGD; thus, it has been used to measure health effects of compounds with endocrine-altering properties or endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in environmental toxicology. Moreover, AGD is an important clinical measure to address endocrine-sensitive endpoints in the first year of life and to assess the adverse impact of in utero exposure to environmental EDCs. Recently, AGD has been identified as one of the endpoints in the US Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for reproductive toxicity studies in humans, but use of AGD in human studies is still rare, and the results remain mixed and inconclusive due to many reasons. In order to achieve a breakthrough, researchers are endeavoring to standardize the measurement of AGD, normalize age-specific population data in different ethnic groups, and conduct more in-depth human researches in this field.     

Lead (Pb) exposure and heart failure risk

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal with widespread industrial use, but it is also a widespread environmental contaminant with serious toxicological...     

Assessment of cadmium exposure for neonates in Guiyu, an electronic waste pollution site of China

This study aimed to determine the levels of placental cadmium (PCd) and cord blood cadmium (CBCd) and the resulting expression of placental metallothionein (MT) in neonates and to investigate cadmium (Cd) exposure levels in neonates and mothers who live in Guiyu, China, an electronic waste (e-waste) pollution site. Among the 423 mothers included in the study from 2004/2005 to 2007, 289 lived in Guiyu (exposed group) and 134 lived in Chaonan, located 10 km away from Guiyu (controls) and had never been exposed to e-waste pollution. CBCd and PCd levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Placental MT was examined by immunohistochemistry. Information on maternal and neonatal characteristics and exposure conditions was obtained from hospital records and by personal interviews. For the 3 years, the median CBCd was higher for Guiyu neonates than for controls (3.61 vs. 1.25 ??g/L), with 25.61% of Guiyu subjects exhibiting a median CBCd that exceeded the safety limit defined by the World Health Organization (5 ??g/L), as compared with 14.18% of control neonates (p < 0.01). In Guiyu, the mean PCd was higher than that for controls (0.17 ± 0.48 vs. 0.10 ± 0.11 ??g/g, p ?? 0.01). The high levels of CBCd and PCd were significantly associated with parents?? occupational and environmental exposure to e-waste recycling pollutants. Staining for MT was positive and dense for 67.00% (67/100) of Guiyu neonates as compared with 32.69% (17/52) of controls (p < 0.01). Exposure to e-waste recycling pollutants increased Cd exposure in neonates, which was accompanied by increased placental MT expression.     

四氯化硅综合利用模式的建立与可行性分析

随着国内多晶硅产业的快速发展,多晶硅主要副产物四氯化硅的环境污染问题日益突出,有效利用四氯化硅、减少环境污染是当前急需解决的问题。提出了采用循环经济理念,建立以多晶硅产业为中心的生态工业园区来解决四氯化硅综合利用难题,并从技术、经济和政策上作可行性分析,得出建立以多晶硅产业为中心的生态工业园区是解决我国多晶硅行业四氯化硅综合利用难题的有效方法和途径。     

MicroRNAs and their role in environmental chemical carcinogenesis

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, noncoding RNA species that play crucial roles across many biological processes and in the pathogenesis of major...     

Air pollution and body burden of persistent organic pollutants at an electronic waste recycling area of China

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - This paper reviews the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in atmosphere of an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling town, Guiyu, in...     

聚氨酯合成革生产中N,N-二甲基甲酰胺的回收利用

采用自行设计的收集、吸收方法回收湿法聚氨酯（Pu）合成革生产废气中的N，N-二甲基甲酰胺（DMF），废气由集气罩收集，经填料吸收塔被水吸收后，出口废气中DMF质量浓度小于14．5mg／m^3，远低于国家标准40mg／m^3的排放要求，整个吸收塔DMF的吸收率达95％。采用自主开发的节能型三塔工艺回收废水中的DMF，废水处理能力达13．8t／h，DMF回收率达99％以上，回收的DMF纯度为99．95％。以3条湿法PU合成革生产线计，采用节能型三塔回收工艺，预计每年可增加效益354．3万元。     

城市电站库区湖泊水环境影响研究

城市河流上的水电工程的库区可以形成人工湖泊,并作为城市的重要组成部分有助于完善城市功能布局,提升城市形象.水环境对于湖区体现生态景观的价值起着至关重要的作用.以遂宁观音湖为例,就完善水环境管理,对其区域水环境影响进行研究分析;并对已经污染的水体采取相应治理措施;同时做好流域防洪规划,建设防洪设施;对城市水体景观进行统一打造,实现湖区的可持续发展.     

Interactions between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and epoxide hydrolase 1 play roles in asthma

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Asthma, as one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adults, is a consequence of complex gene–environment interactions. Polycyclic...     

清洁生产标准指标体系在审核中的作用

清洁生产审核已成为企业实施清洁生产的有效手段,清洁生产标准指标体系在审核工作中具有举足轻重的作用。文章分析了清洁生产标准指标体系在审核中的作用:判断企业清洁生产潜力,确定审核重点;设置科学合理的清洁生产目标;对审核产生的绩效进行评估;建立长期持续的清洁生产计划。同时,以某制革企业为例,说明清洁生产标准体系的具体应用。