Exploration of the metabolic flexibility of glycogen accumulating organisms through metatranscriptome analysis and metabolic characterization

Glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) are closely related to the deterioration of enhanced biological phosphorus removal systems. However, the metabolic mechanisms that drive GAOs remain unclear. Here, the two-thirds supernatant of a reactor were decanted following the anaerobic period to enrich GAOs. Long-term monitoring demonstrated that the system was stable and exhibited typical characteristics of GAOs metabolism. Acetate was completely consumed after 60 min of the anaerobic phase. The level of glycogen decreased from 0.20 to 0.14 g/gSS during the anaerobic phase, whereas the level of glycogen significantly increased to 0.21g/gSS at the end of the aerobic period. Moreover, there was almost no phosphate release and absorption in the complete periods, thus confirming the successful construction of a GAOs enrichment system. Microbial community analysis demonstrated that Ca. Contendobacter was among the core functional genera and showed the highest activity among all of the communities. Furthermore, our study is the first to identify the involvement of the ethyl-malonyl-CoA pathway in the synthesis of polyhydroxyvalerate via croR, ccr, ecm, mcd, mch and mcl genes. The Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway was preferentially used via glgP. Furthermore, the glyoxylate cycle was the main source of ATP under anaerobic conditions, whereas the tricarboxylic acid cycle provided ATP under aerobic conditions. aceA and mdh appeared to be major modulators of the glyoxylate pathway for controlling energy flow. Collectively, our findings not only revealed the crucial metabolic mechanisms in a GAOs enrichment system but also provided insights into the potential application of Ca. Contendobacter for wastewater treatment.     

Benzene Exposure Assessment at Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Levels. The French Contribution to the Life MACBETH Programme

Many VOC represent hazards to human health through chronic exposure. Recent European and world-wide legislation proposes limit values for ambient concentrations of these compounds. However, very little experimental data exists for true population exposure. In 1996, the European MACBETH initiative set out to measure population exposure to benzene in six European cities. This study details the French contribution to this program. Six campaigns were carried out, each comprising measurements at 100 outdoor sites and the participation of 50 non-smoking volunteers who wore personal samplers and had passive monitors installed in their homes. Iso-concentration maps were drawn for each campaign and the results showed that outdoor concentrations were significantly lower than indoors. Almost 75% of the volunteers were exposed to mean concentrations higher than the limit value of 5µgm³. It is demonstrated that personal exposure levels cannot be deduced simply by combining indoor and outdoor background concentrations. It is also shown that there is need for better knowledge of the contributions to overall exposure of outdoor microenvironments and the authors hope that future European directives will take this into account.     

Characterisation of Particulate Matter Sampled during a Study of Children's Personal Exposure to Airborne Particulate Matter in a UK Urban Environment

The personal exposure of children aged 9 – 11 years to particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) was carried out between January and September 1997 in the London Borough of Barnet. Personal sampling along with home, garden and classroom microenvironmental monitoring was completed for all ten children. Each child was monitored for five days during winter, spring and summer. All children completed daily time activity diaries to provide information on any potential activities that could influence their exposure to particulate matter. Each evening a household activity questionnaire was also completed by the parents. Personal Environmental Monitors were used to sample personal exposure to PM₁₀ and PM_2.5. Harvard Impactors were used for the microenvironmental sampling of both size fractions. The children's mean personal exposure concentrations for PM₁₀ during winter, spring and summer were 72, 54 and 35 µg/m³ respectively and for PM_2.5 22, 17 and 18 µg/m³ respectively. In order to determine the potential sources of particulate matter, analysis of the Teflon filters has been undertaken. The physical characteristics of the particles have been identified using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The relationships between personal exposure concentrations and the different microenvironments will be discussed.     

毒死蜱生态毒理与风险研究综述

毒死蜱被认为是一种高效、安全和广谱的含氮杂环类杀虫杀螨剂,被广泛应用于农业生产病虫害的防治中。在中国,毒死蜱曾被列为取代高毒农药的重要品种,并被农业部推荐用于无公害农产品生产的专用杀虫杀螨剂。近年来,由于不断发现的毒死蜱生物毒性及其产生的环境安全问题,美国和欧盟国家已经在某些范围内禁用毒死蜱。综合近几年文献,从环境介质含量、转化行为、生物活性检测以及国外水质基准等方面,对其分别叙述,旨在为今后中国地区毒死蜱的环境健康风险评价、生态风险评价和水质基准制定提供基本参考依据。     

Exposure Times to the Spring Atrazine Flush Along a Stream-Reservoir System1

Stoeckel, James A., Jade Morris, Elizabeth Ames, David C. Glover, Michael J. Vanni, William Renwick, and María J. González, 2012. Exposure Times to the Spring Atrazine Flush Along a Stream-Reservoir System. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(3): 616-634. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00633.x Abstract: We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to examine reservoir-mediated shifts in spring to fall exposure of aquatic organisms to the spring atrazine pulse over four years in a Midwestern stream-reservoir system. Peak atrazine concentrations in the major inflowing stream exceeded 10 μg/l in all four years. The reservoir had a beneficial effect in two of four years by diluting atrazine below the 10 μg/l threshold. However, during the other two years, exposure times above 10 μg/l were approximately doubled in the reservoir compared to the major inflowing stream. Thresholds of 3 and 5 μg/l were exceeded during all four years in the reservoir. The uplake and downlake reservoir sites were four to five times more likely to exceed these thresholds and aquatic organisms were subjected to longer exposure times above these thresholds compared to the inflowing stream. Release of elevated atrazine concentrations from the reservoir extended exposure times in the outflowing stream. This effect was most pronounced just below the dam. Aquatic organisms upstream of the reservoir were most likely to experience acute exposures whereas organisms within and immediately downstream of the reservoir were more likely to experience chronic exposures. The ubiquity of reservoirs and the annual spring herbicide flush highlight the importance of considering the presence and relative location of reservoirs when assessing risk to aquatic communities as well as locations of drinking water intakes.     

2005年中国气态α HCH的人体暴露和健康风险分析

为评估由我国大气中α HCH所导致的人体健康风险,利用CanMETOP 模拟的2005年日均α HCH大气浓度,基于吸入因子和致癌风险进行研究。结果表明年吸入因子呈东部>西部,北部>南部的特征，东中和东北部地区的吸入因子分别主要由人口密度和α HCH大气浓度贡献，东中和东南部地区的个体健康损失小于东北地区，东中和东南部地区年内逐月吸入因子分配较为均匀,而东北地区主要集中的夏季，东北地区个体致癌风险系数明显高于中部和南部。推测由其它污染物所形成的暴露风险具有类似的时空分布。加之夏季东北地区集中降水所形成的湿沉降以及气温升高等因素,使摄食暴露和皮肤接触暴露增大,东北地区人群的复合暴露风险将显著大于其它地区     

Assessment of population exposure to particulate matter pollution in Chongqing, China

To determine the population exposure to PM(10) in Chongqing, China, we developed an indirect model by combining information on the time activity patterns of various demographic subgroups with estimates of the PM(10) concentrations in different microenvironments (MEs). The spatial and temporal variations of the exposure to PM(10) were illustrated in a geographical information system (GIS). The population weighted exposure (PWE) for the entire population was 229, 155 and 211 microg/m(3), respectively, in winter, summer and as the annual average. Indoor PM(10) level at home was the largest contributor to the PWE, especially for the rural areas where high pollution levels were found due to solid fuels burning. Elder people had higher PM(10) exposure than adults and youth, due to more time spent in indoor MEs. The highest health risk due to particulate was found in the city zone and northeast regions, suggesting that pollution abatement should be prioritized in these areas.     

Effects of repeated exposure to malathion on growth, food consumption, and locomotor performance of the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Effects of repeated pollutant exposure on growth, locomotor performance, and behavior have rarely been evaluated in reptiles. We administered three doses of malathion (2.0, 20, or 100mg/kg body weight) to western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) over an 81day period. Eight and 23% mortality occurred at 20 and 100mg/kg (p=0.079) and 85% of lizards in the 100mg/kg group exhibited clinical symptoms of poisoning. Growth, food consumption, body condition index, and terrestrial locomotor performance were not significantly influenced by malathion. However, arboreal sprint velocity was significantly reduced in lizards receiving 100mg/kg. Fifty percent of lizards in the 100mg/kg group also refused to sprint in the arboreal setting (p=0.085). Based on these results, arboreal locomotor performance was the most sensitive metric of exposure we evaluated. Further study of compounds such as malathion is warranted due to highly variable application rates and exposure scenarios.     

放射源使用中潜在照射危险的评价与控制浅述

文章介绍了潜在照射的主要来源及危害。结合实际应用中的具体情况，对其使用实践中可能导致的潜在危害作了简单的分析，并根据ICPLP的相关建议和国家相关的具体要求，提出在放射源应用领域潜在照射控制的主要原则和措施。     

Role of nitric oxide in the genotoxic response to chronic microcystin-LR exposure in human–hamster hybrid cells

Microcystin-LR(MC-LR) is the most abundant and toxic microcystin congener and has been classified as a potential human carcinogen(Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the genotoxic effects of MC-LR during chronic exposure are still poorly understood. In the present study, human–hamster hybrid(AL) cells were exposed to MC-LR for varying lengths of time to investigate the role of nitrogen radicals in MC-LR-induced genotoxicity. The mutagenic potential at the CD59 locus was more than 2-fold higher(p 0.01) in ALcells exposed to a cytotoxic concentration(1 μmol/L) of MC-LR for 30 days than in untreated control cells, which was consistent with the formation of micronucleus. MC-LR caused a dose-dependent increase in nitric oxide(NO) production in treated cells. Moreover, this was blocked by concurrent treatment with the NO synthase inhibitor NG-methyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA), which suppressed MC-LRinduced mutations as well. The survival of mitochondrial DNA-depleted(ρ0) ALcells was markedly decreased by MC-LR treatment compared to that in ALcells, while the CD59 mutant fraction was unaltered. These results provided clear evidence that the genotoxicity associated with chronic MC-LR exposure in mammalian cells was mediated by NO and might be considered as a basis for the development of therapeutics that prevent carcinogenesis.