Development and application of LC–APCI–MS method for biomonitoring of animal and human exposure to imidacloprid

Imidacloprid (IMI) is a relatively new neuro-active neonicotinoid insecticide and nowadays one of the largest selling insecticides worldwide. In the present study a LC–APCI–MS based method was developed and validated for the quantification of imidacloprid and its main metabolite 6-chloronicotinic acid (6-CINA) in urine and hair specimens. The method was tested in biomonitoring of intentionally exposed animals and subsequently applied for biomonitoring of Cretan urban and rural population.     

Contamination of nonylphenolic compounds in creek water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, and sediments from Lake Shihwa and vicinity, Korea: comparison with fecal pollution

Nonylphenolic compounds (NPs), coprostanol (COP), and cholestanol, major contaminants in industrial and domestic wastewaters, were analyzed in creek water, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and sediment samples from artificial Lake Shihwa and its vicinity, one of the most industrialized regions in Korea. We also determined mass discharge of NPs and COP, a fecal sterol, into the lake, to understand the linkage between discharge and sediment contamination. Total NP (the sum of nonylphenol, and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates) were 0.32-875 μg L⁻¹ in creeks, 0.61-87.0 μg L⁻¹ in WWTP effluents, and 29.3-230 μg g⁻¹ TOC in sediments. Concentrations of COP were 0.09-19.0 μg L⁻¹ in creeks, 0.11-44.0 μg L⁻¹ in WWTP effluents, and 2.51-438 μg g⁻¹ TOC in sediments. The spatial distributions of NPs in creeks and sediments from the inshore region were different from those of COP, suggesting that Lake Shihwa contamination patterns from industrial effluents differ from those from domestic effluents. The mass discharge from the combined outfall of the WWTPs, located in the offshore region, was 2.27 kg d⁻¹ for NPs and 1.00 kg d⁻¹ for COP, accounting for 91% and 95% of the total discharge into Lake Shihwa, respectively. The highest concentrations of NPs and COP in sediments were found in samples at sites near the submarine outfall of the WWTPs, indicating that the submarine outfall is an important point source of wastewater pollution in Lake Shihwa.     

Population Trends in Pacific Oceanic Sharks and the Utility of Regulations on Shark Finning

Accurate assessment of shark population status is essential for conservation but is often constrained by limited and unreliable data. To provide a basis for improved management of shark resources, we analyzed a long‐term record of species‐specific catches, sizes, and sexes of sharks collected by onboard observers in the western and central Pacific Ocean from 1995 to 2010. Using generalized linear models, we estimated population‐status indicators on the basis of catch rate and biological indicators of fishing pressure on the basis of median size to identify trends for blue (Prionace glauca), mako (Isurus spp.), oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus), and silky (Carcharhinus falciformis) sharks. Standardized catch rates of longline fleets declined significantly for blue sharks in the North Pacific (by 5% per year [CI 2% to 8%]), for mako sharks in the North Pacific (by 7% per year [CI 3% to 11%]), and for oceanic whitetip sharks in tropical waters (by 17% per year [CI 14% to 20%]). Median lengths of silky and oceanic whitetip sharks decreased significantly in their core habitat, and almost all sampled silky sharks were immature. Our results are consistent with results of analyses of similar data sets. Combined, these results and evidence of targeted fishing for sharks in some regional fisheries heighten concerns for sustainable utilization, particularly for oceanic whitetip and North Pacific blue sharks. Regional regulations that prohibit shark finning (removal of fins and discarding of the carcass) were enacted in 2007 and are in many cases the only form of control on shark catches. However, there is little evidence of a reduction of finning in longline fisheries. In addition, silky and oceanic whitetip sharks are more frequently retained than finned, which suggests that even full implementation of and adherence to a finning prohibition may not substantially reduce mortality rates for these species. We argue that finning prohibitions divert attention from assessing whether catch levels are sustainable and that the need for management of sharks should not be addressed by measures that are simple to implement but complex to enforce and evaluate. Tendencias Poblacionales de Tiburones del Océano Pacífico y la Utilidad de Regulaciones sobre Cercenamiento de Aletas     

A Cumulative Energy Demand indicator (CED), life cycle based,for industrial waste management decision making

Life cycle thinking is a good approach to be used for environmental decision-support, although the complexity of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies sometimes prevents their wide use. The purpose of this paper is to show how LCA methodology can be simplified to be more useful for certain applications.In order to improve waste management in Catalonia (Spain), a Cumulative Energy Demand indicator (LCA-based) has been used to obtain four mathematical models to help the government in the decision of preventing or allowing a specific waste from going out of the borders. The conceptual equations and all the subsequent developments and assumptions made to obtain the simplified models are presented.One of the four models is discussed in detail, presenting the final simplified equation to be subsequently used by the government in decision making.The resulting model has been found to be scientifically robust, simple to implement and, above all, fulfilling its purpose: the limitation of waste transport out of Catalonia unless the waste recovery operations are significantly better and justify this transport.     

基于"脱钩"模式的低碳城市评价

由于历史及现状等诸多因素,以二氧化碳减排绝对量为基础的低碳城市评价模式并不适用于中国;本研究从经济发展、物质消耗与污染物排放相互关系的视角,以"脱钩"模式为目标层,经济发展、碳排放、污染物排放与经济发展为准则层,CO2排放等8个具体指标为指标层建立低碳城市评价指标体系,定量描述经济发展过程中单位GDP污染物排放降低的态势,进而表征城市发展过程中的经济、资源、环境变化的历史趋势并反映城市低碳建设现状.针对沈阳市的案例研究表明,沈阳市2001年至2008年总体的生态效率与资源利用效率呈现逐渐提高的态势,沈阳市现阶段的低碳城市建设水平处于"相对脱钩"阶段,与目前中国经济宏观发展态势相符合.本研究表明,"脱钩"评价模式可以避免基于污染物总量的评价模式中忽略经济发展因素而产生的片面性,可以表征中国当前经济高速发展前提下的城市低碳建设水平,为目前的"低碳城市"评价方法提供有益尝试.     

Free Fatty Acids and Sterols in Swine Manure

Free fatty acids and sterols were assessed in fresh manure and anaerobic lagoon sludge from swine production facilities in North Carolina. Eight free fatty acids and five sterols were identified and quantified in both manure and sludge samples. Compound identification was performed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and compound quantities were determined by gas chromatography after solid phase extraction with a 50:50 mixture of diethyl ether and hexane. The free fatty acids occurring in greatest abundance in both fresh manure and lagoon sludge were palmitic, oleic, and stearic. Free fatty acid content in fresh manure ranged from approximately 3 μ g g^?1 dry weight (dw) to over 45 μ g g^?1 dw. In lagoon sludge, free fatty acid content ranged from about 0.8 μ g g^?1 dw to nearly 4 μ g g^?1 dw. Coprostanol and epicoprostanol were the sterols in largest concentrations in fresh manure and lagoon sludge samples. Total sterol content ranged from approximately 0.5 μ g g^?1 dw to around 11 μ g g^?1 dw in fresh manure and from 3.5 μ g g^?1 dw to almost 9 μ g g^?1 dw in lagoon sludge. Fresh manure and lagoon sludge both had high levels of inorganic cations (e.g., Ca, Mg, Fe) capable of binding free fatty acids and forming insoluble complexes, thereby potentially reducing fatty acid biodegradation. In anaerobic lagoons, sterols are an organic fraction of sludge that are resistant to bacterial degradation. In the case of fresh manure, fatty acids could represent a potential source of energy via the manufacture of biodiesel fuel, if efficient means for their extraction and transesterification can be devised.     

Development and field validation of an indicator to assess the relative mobility and risk of pesticides in the Lourens River catchment,South Africa

A GIS based pesticide risk indicator that integrates exposure variables (i.e. pesticide application, geographic, physicochemical and crop data) and toxicity endpoints (using species sensitivity distributions) was developed to estimate the Predicted Relative Exposure (PREX) and Predicted Relative Risk (PRRI) of applied pesticides to aquatic ecosystem health in the Lourens River catchment, Western Cape, South Africa. Samples were collected weekly at five sites from the beginning of the spraying season (October) till the beginning of the rainy season (April) and were semi quantitatively analysed for relevant pesticides applied according to the local farmers spraying programme. Monitoring data indicate that physicochemical data obtained from international databases are reliable indicators of pesticide behaviour in the Western Cape of South Africa. Sensitivity analysis identified K_OC as the most important parameter influencing predictions of pesticide loading derived from runoff. A comparison to monitoring data showed that the PREX successfully identified hotspot sites, gave a reasonable estimation of the relative contamination potential of different pesticides at a site and identified important routes of exposure (i.e. runoff or spray drift) of different pesticides at different sites. All pesticides detected during a monitored runoff event, were indicated as being more associated with runoff than spray drift by the PREX. The PRRI identified azinphos-methyl and chlorpyrifos as high risk pesticides towards the aquatic ecosystem. These results contribute to providing increased confidence in the use of risk indicator applications and, in particular, could lead to improved utilisation of limited resources for monitoring and management in resource constrained countries.     

沙尘现象与不发育荒漠化生态损失的关系探讨

本文从生态破坏因子沙尘暴，扬沙等负蚀现象入手，根据自然尘的地域来源分布及地理条件，论证了沙尘现象与不发育的荒漠化生态损失的关系，进而对内蒙古中西部生态环境的脆弱性和发展趋势进行分析。     

新民城市居民头发重金属含量测定及相关分析

文章采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES)及原子荧光光谱法(AFS)对辽宁省新民市城市居民不同年龄、性别群体头发中镉(Cd),铅(Pb),汞(Hg),砷(As)等重金属含量进行了测定,比较并分析了人发中各种重金属含量水平及与年龄、性别的关系。结果表明,新民市城市居民整体群体头发中镉,铅,砷,汞等4种重金属平均含量分别为(0.14±0.10),(3.80±2.43),(0.29±0.17),(0.39±0.21)mg/kg,均在中国居民头发中重金属含量正常值上限以下。回归分析表明,头发中所测定的重金属中只有金属Hg含量变化与年龄之间存在线性关系(R2=0.71);单因素方差(One-way ANOVA)分析表明,不同年龄群体间Cd,Pb,Hg,As等重金属含量无显著性差异(p>0.05);皮尔逊相关分析表明各重金属含量与年龄、性别之间无显著相关性(p>0.05)。     

不同特征污染源中指示性药物和个人护理品识别与筛选

通过分析我国地表水中药物和个人护理品（PPCPs）主要污染源排放特征,识别和筛选出咖啡因、卡马西平和磺胺嘧啶为我国地表水环境中的指示性PPCPs（i-PPCPs）,分别指征城镇生活污水、城镇污水处理厂出水和养殖废水三类特征污染排放源.同时,基于筛选的i-PPCPs开展了初步应用研究,结果表明,生活污水是北运河和黄浦江流域地表水中PPCPs的主要来源.研究结果为构建更综合和有效的PPCPs的溯源体系,识别我国城市地表水环境中PPCPs的主要排放源提供了理论依据.