Assessing the genotoxicity of urban air pollutants using two in situ plant bioassays

Genotoxicity of urban air has been analysed almost exclusively in airborne particulates. We monitored the genotoxic effects of airborne pollutants in the urban air of Perugia (Central Italy). Two plant bioindicators with different genetic endpoints were used: micronuclei in meiotic pollen mother cells using Tradescantia-micronucleus bioassay (Trad-MCN) and DNA damage in nuclei of Nicotiana tabacum leaves using comet assay (Nicotiana-comet). Buds of Tradescantia clone # 4430 and young N. tabacum cv. Xanthi plants were exposed for 24 h at three sites with different pollution levels. One control site (indoor control) was also used. The two bioassays showed different sensitivities toward urban pollutants: Trad-MCN assay was the most sensitive, but DNA damage in N. tabacum showed a better correlation with the pollutant concentrations. In situ biomonitoring of airborne genotoxins using higher plants combined with chemical analysis is thus recommended for characterizing genotoxicity of urban air.     

Bioconcentration and Phytotoxicity of Cd in Eichhornia crassipes

Plants of Eichhornia crassipes grown at various levels of cadmium ranging from 0.1 to 100 μg ml⁻¹ accumulated Cd in a concentration and duration dependent manner. At all levels, Cd accumulation by various plant tissues followed the order roots shoot leaves. Approximately 80% of total Cd was accumulated by plant at highest concentration (100 μg ml⁻¹) used in the experiment. Cadmium induced phytotoxicity appears at 25.0 μg ml⁻¹ resulting into reduced levels of chlorophyll, protein and in vivo nitrate reductase activity of the plant. However, a slight induction of these physiological variables was obtained at lowest Cd (0.1 μg ml⁻¹) concentration. In contrast, carotenoid content increased at highest Cd concentration i.e., 100 μg ml⁻¹. Similar effects at low and high levels of Cd was obtained with respect to mitotic index and micronuclei in root meristem of the plant. It could be inferred that Cd toxicity in plant is differential depending upon the low and high concentration of Cd in the medium.     

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Increases the Genotoxicity of Cyclophosphamide in the Micronucleus Assay with V79 Cells: Further Proof of Alterations in Cell Membrane Properties Caused by PFOS (3 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; C8F17SO3-) is a fully fluorinated organic compound which has been manufactured for decades and was used widely in industrial and commercial products. The recent toxicological knowledge of PFOS mainly concerns mono-substance exposures of PFOS to biological systems, leaving the potential interactive effects of PFOS with other compounds as an area where understanding is significantly lacking. However, a recent study, reported the potential of PFOS to enhance the toxicity of two compounds by increasing cell membrane permeability. This is of particular concern since PFOS has been reported to be widely distributed in the environment where contaminants are known to occur in complex mixtures. In this study, PFOS was evaluated alone and in combination with cyclophosphamide (CPP) to investigate whether a presence of PFOS leads to an increased genotoxic potential of CPP towards hamster lung V79 cells. Genotoxicity was investigated using the micronucleus (MN) assay according to the recent draft ISO/DIS 21427-2 method. PFOS alone demonstrated no genotoxicity up to a concentration of 12.5 mg/L. However, PFOS combined with two different concentrations of CPP, with metabolic activation, caused a significant increase in the number of micronucleated cells compared to treatments with CPP only. These results provide a first indication that PFOS has the potential to enhance the genotoxic action of CPP towards V79 cells, suggesting that together with the alterations in cell membrane properties shown previously, that genotoxicity of complex mixtures may be increased significantly by changes in chemical uptake. Together with an earlier study performed by the own working group it can be concluded that PFOS alone is not genotoxic in this bioassay using V79 cells up to 12.5 mg/L, but that further investigations are needed to assess the potential interaction between PFOS and other substances, in particular regarding the impact of membrane alterations on the uptake of toxic substances. Materials and Methods: - Results: - Discussion: - Conclusions: - Recommendations and Perspectives: -     

A simple spectroscopic method to determine dimethoate in water samples by complex formation

Abstract

A simple and rapid method for the determination of dimethoate in water was developed based on the monitoring of the complex formation between bis 5-phenyldipyrrinate of nickel (II) and the herbicide dimethoate. The method showed a short response time (10?s), high selectivity (very low interference from other sulfate and salts), high sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD) 0.45?µM, limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 1.39?µM), and a K_d of 2.4?µM. Stoichiometry experiments showed that complex formation occurred with a 1:1 relation. The method was applied to different environmental water samples such as lagoon, stream, urban, and groundwater samples. The results indicated that independently from the water source, the method exhibited high precision (0.25–2.47% variation coefficient) and accuracy (84.42–115.68% recovery). In addition, the method was also tested using an effluent from a wastewater treatment plant from Mexico; however, the results indicated that the presence of organic matter had a pronounced effect on the detection.     

酶联免疫吸附法测定麻疯树核糖体失活蛋白

建立了一种检测麻疯树核糖体失活蛋白(Curcin)的简便、快速的酶联免疫吸附测定法(ELISA).ELISA条件优化试验结果显示:最佳条件为costar酶标板在紫外线下照射45 min后进行包被;抗原最适稀释度为1:640倍(2.5μg/mL);curcin抗血清最适稀释度为1:12 800倍;2%封闭用山羊血清封闭120 min;二抗最适稀释度为1:5 000倍.在此试验条件下检测curcin含量,得到回归方程y=31.722x+106.88,相关系数R2=0.993 3.Curcin浓度在0.08～11μg/mL之间,曲线呈良好的线性关系.本方法的最低检测限为0.08μg/mL.高、中、低3个浓度的添加回收率分别为95.56%、102.27%、98.40%,平均回收率为98.74%.板内和板间的平均变异系数分别为4.78%和6.71%.Curcin抗血清与2种大戟科同类蛋白均无交叉反应.利用本方法成功检测了麻疯树种仁及脱毒饼粕中的curcin含量.     

铀胁迫对大豆与玉米幼苗细胞DNA损伤的彗星试验研究

以铀浓度为1000 μmol·L-1、800 μmol·L-1、600 μmol·L-1、400 μmol·L-1、200μmol·L-1和100μmol·L-1的6组铀溶液和对照组(0μmol·L-1)培养大豆和玉米幼苗,采用彗星试验研究铀胁迫对大豆和玉米幼苗细胞DNA的损伤情况.试验结果表明,铀浓度为1 000 μ...     

软骨藻酸直接竞争ELISA方法的建立及优化

为建立软骨藻酸(domoic acid,DA)直接竞争ELISA方法快速检测样品中的软骨藻酸,本研究利用碳化二亚胺法将辣根过氧化物酶(HRP)标记软骨藻酸(DA),成功制得偶联物DA-HRP.在前期已制得抗软骨藻酸单克隆抗体的基础上,利用酶标抗原和单克隆抗体的特异性反应,对软骨藻酸进行定量分析.通过对封闭液、封闭时间和温育温度的优化,建立标准曲线.结果表明以1%明胶作为封闭液,在37℃下封闭1 h,加入单抗37℃温育1 h是直接竞争ELISA法的最佳反应条件,方法检出限为3.58 ng.mL-1,孔间变异系数均≤15%,加标回收率为80%～120%,检测速度较快,1.5 h内可检测出一批样品,适用于现场和批量检测,具有广泛的发展前景.     

Determination of estrogens and estrogenic activities in water from three rivers in Tianjin, China

Studies on estrogenic disrupting compounds(EDCs) occurrence and identification of main responsible compounds in river water discharged into the sea are of significance.In the present research,we screened estrogenic activities of 10 river water samples from 3 main rivers discharged into Bohai Sea in Tianjin using a recombinant two-hybrid yeast assay and chemical analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.All sample extracts induced significant estrogenic activity,with 17β-estradiol equivalents(EEQ) of raw water ranging from 5.72 to 59.06 ng/L.Six most concerned EDCs in the river water samples including estrone,17β-estradiol,17α-ethinylestradiol,estriol,diethylstilbestrol and estradiol valerate were determined,with their concentrations up to 50.70,31.40,24.40,37.20,2.56,and 8.47 ng/L,respectively.Through causality analysis by comparing the EEQ values of yeast assay and chemical analysis,17α-ethinylestradiol and 17β-estradiol were identified as the main contributors to the estrogenic effects of the river samples,accounting for the whole estrogenic activities(62.99% to 185.66%),and estrogen antagonistic compounds might presented in the heavy polluted water samples.The proposed approach using both chemical analysis and bioassay could be used for identification and evaluation of the estrogenic activity of EDCs in river water.     

贵州主要城市PM2.5的氧化性损伤评价

对贵州省主要城市(贵阳、安顺、遵义、都匀)按季节进行PM_2.5样品的采集,应用质粒DNA评价法研究了贵州省主要城市PM_2.5氧化性损伤能力,并与PM_2.5质量浓度、微量元素含量做相关性分析。结果表明,PM_2.5全样TD₂₀值均小于其相应的水溶样TD₂₀值;四个城市PM_2.5氧化性损伤能力均表现为冬季>秋季>春、夏季;城区PM_2.5氧化性损伤能力强于背景区;研究区内PM_2.5样品的氧化性损伤能力表现为都匀市最强,安顺市最弱;PM_2.5全样和水溶样的TD₂₀值与质量浓度之间无明显相关关系;PM_2.5水溶样的TD₂₀值与相应的12种微量元素的浓度总和呈负相关关系(P<0.05);全样Al、Mn、Cd、Pb的含量与PM_2.5全样TD₂₀值呈明显负相关关系,水溶样Cd、Pb、Cu的含量与PM_2.5水溶样TD₂₀值呈明显负相关关系,表明研究区PM_2.5氧化性损伤可能与样品中水溶性元素Cd、Pb、Cu等的含量有关。     

The Cytotoxicity of Some Organic Solvents on Isolated Hepatocytes in Monolayer Culture

The cytotoxic effects of volatile and water-insoluble organic solvents (ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethylene, n-hexane) were tested on isolated hepatocytes in monolayer culture by using the 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. All of the tested compounds inhibited metabolic activity of hepatocytes and this effect depended on the concentration of solvents in the incubatory medium. The presence of fetal calf serum in the medium did not change the cytotoxicity of xenobiotics. IC₅₀ values calculated on the basis of the MTT assay indicated that ethylbenzene was more cytotoxic than tetrachloroethylene and n-hexane. Using hepatocyte monolayer culture and the MTT assay to assess cytotoxicity of organic solvents causes many technical problems. It seems that it cannot be used as a rapid, cheap, and credible method.