Lead distribution in rats following respiratory exposure to lead-contaminated soils

Two preliminary experiments were performed to explore the use of an intratracheal instillation technique as a cost-effective method of determining the biokinetics of lead (Pb) following respiratory exposure to Pb-contaminated soils. A novel intratracheal instillation procedure was refined and used to deliver a defined dose of Pb-contaminated soil or PbAc to the lower respiratory tract of rats. In the first experiment, rats were sacrificed at numerous time intervals post-dosing, and liver, kidney, blood, and bone tissues were collected for Pb analysis. In the second experiment, rats were dosed with Pb-contaminated soil or PbAc via intratracheal instillation or gastric gavage. All rats were sacrificed 96 h after dose administration and tissues were collected for lead analysis. Data from these experiments indicate Pb is well-absorbed following intratracheal instillation of Pb-contaminated soil, and the intratracheal instillation technique could be used as a cost effective method for exploring the biokinetics of Pb in Pb-contaminated soils following respiratory tract exposure.     

Lead(II) and cadmium(II) removal from aqueous solution using processed walnut shell: kinetic and equilibrium study

The biosorption potential of processed walnut shell for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions was explored. The effects of pH, contact time, initial ion concentration, and amount of dried adsorbent were studied in batch experiments. The maximum adsorption was achieved within the pH range 4.0–6.0. The equilibrium data were well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacities were found to be 32?g?kg^?1 and 11.6?g?kg^?1 for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions, respectively. Kinetic data were best described by the pseudo-second-order model. The structural features of the adsorbent were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which confirmed the involvement of hydroxyl (–OH), carboxyl (–COO^–), and carbonyl (C=O) groups in metal sorption. This readily available adsorbent is efficient in the uptake of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from an aqueous solution and could be used for the treatment of wastewater streams bearing these metal ions.     

Protective role of epigallocatechin 3-gallate against lead-induced toxicity in human neuroblastoma cells

Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal, known to induce oxidative stress and produce damage to the antioxidant defence system ultimately leading to cell death. Antioxidants such as epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, was shown to play a protective role during Pb-exposure. In this study, human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were exposed to different concentrations (0.01–10?µM) of Pb for 48?h to determine effects on the viability of cells. It was observed that IC₅₀ was at 5?µM and at this concentration the cells exhibited a significant increase in caspase-3 activity, an indicator of apoptosis at least by 10-fold and the decrease of 59.4% in glutathione (GSH) content. The total cellular prostaglandin-E₂ (PGE₂) level was found to be elevated at least 10-fold upon Pb exposure. However, the effects of Pb on cells pre-incubated with 50?µM EGCG followed by 5?µM Pb showed 40% inhibition in cell viability, 17.3% decrease in caspase-3 activity, 23% increase in GSH content, and 11.4% fall in PGE₂ levels when compared with cells exposed to Pb only. Data suggest that EGCG exerted a significant protection to cell viability in preventing cell death and elevation in levels of GSH in cells exposed to Pb. However, EGCG did not elicit any significant effect on release of PGE₂ indicating the nature of EGCG as an effective anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent.     

The use of the embryo‐culture techniques in the research on the Teratogenic and Mutagenic properties of metals†

Actually, embryos can be cultured from the one‐cell stage up to the blastocyst stage, and their development can be easily monitored at any time: severe effects caused by toxic compounds are traduced by rapid embryonic death, less pronounced effects can be expressed by a lowered cleavage activity or by an arrest of the development from a particular stage. The system can be improved by transferring the embryos at the blastocyst stage in another more complete medium where they can “implant”; and form an inner cell mass with differentiated ectoderm and endoderm. Since last years, it has also become possible to culture postimplantation rodent embryos for short periods involving a number of particularly critical stages of organogenesis, such as the formation and closure of the anterior neuropore. Embryo‐culture also represents a useful system to study cytogenetic effects of chemicals which are often linked to lethal or teratogenic effects. These different possibilities are illustrated by examples of studies already performed with metals, and dealing with their teratogenic and/or cytogenetic effects on pre‐ and postimplantation rodents.     

Mechanistic aspects of the thermal formation of halogenated organic compounds including polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins. Part V†: Hypotheses and summary

The hypotheses on the de novo syntheses of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs), based on known literature, are presented. Polychlorinated benzenes and polychlorinated phenols are probably key intermediates.

In the present article, hypotheses that may account for the presence of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDDs) in the effluents from municipal and industrial incinerators are put forward. These hypotheses are based on the previously surveyed literature (Ref. 203–206) and experimental results on laboratory scale and thermodynamic calculations are considered. The interconnections of various reaction steps are speculative and no technological information was added to account for conditions in real incinerators. Conclusion of the discussions on the related subject matter, presented in the Parts I‐IV (Ref. 203–206), are also described in this paper.     

Essential and nonessential elements in the red-crowned crane Grus japonensis of Zhalong Wetland,northeastern China

The concentrations of four essential (Ca, Mg, Zn, and Cu) and two nonessential elements (Pb and Cd) in feathers and kidneys, livers, gut walls, and muscles of eight carcasses of migratory red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) from Zhalong Wetland, northeastern China, were examined. The concentrations of Cd in the feathers were between 0.4 mg kg^?1 dry weight (dw) and 3.1 mg kg^?1 dw, in the livers between 0.4 and 4.4 mg kg^?1 dw, the maximum of which exceeded a level considered to be environmental exposure risk (i.e., 3 mg kg^?1 dw in the liver or kidney). High Pb levels (0.4–3.2 mg kg^?1 dw, with an average of 1.8 mg kg^?1) were also detected in livers, which exceeded a level considered toxicosis in birds (1.7 mg kg^?1 dw). Pb and Cd had the highest scores in principal component analysis. Relatively high Pb and Cd concentrations in the migratory cranes were thought to be associated with their habitat and prey.     

Preliminary Evaluation of the Use of Phosphogypsum for Reef Substrate. I. A Laboratory Study of Bioaccumulation of Radium and Six Heavy Metals in an Aquatic Food Chain

Phosphogypsum (PG), a solid by-product of phosphoric acid production, contains radionuclides and trace metals in concentrations which may pose a potential hazard to human health and the environment. to investigate the possibility of bioaccumulation of radium and six heavy metals over time when aquatic organisms experience both trophic and environmental exposure to PG, we designed a laboratory experiment representing three levels of an aquatic food chain. During the 135 day experiment, a meiobenthic copepod species (Amphiascoides atopus) was cultured in the presence of PG. the copepods were subsequently fed to grass shrimp (Palaemonetes vulgaris and P. pugio) which were in turn fed to gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis); both the grass shrimp and the killifish also experienced an environmental PG exposure. Other than elevated radium levels in the experimental grass shrimp, the experiment demonstrated little effect of environmental or trophic exposure to PG on microinvertebrates, macroinvertebrates, or fishes that could be attributed to PG. in all cases where increased concentrations were indicated within the experimental group, roughly equivalent increases in metal concentrations also occurred in the control group.     

Correlation between lead and iron in children's blood in Jordan

A total of 200 Jordanian children were classified into two groups: 100 Fe replete and 100 Fe deficient with ages ranging between 3.0 and 12.0 years (6.9 ± 2.7 years). All participants were chosen according to proper selection criteria followed by the sample collection: the samples were analyzed for hemoglobin and red blood cells; ferritin, an immunoassays-based instrument; and levels of Pb, Cu, and Zn. There were no significant differences between genders regarding Fe-deficiency (p = 0.57 and χ2 = 0.33), with a significant association of younger individuals (3.0–9.1 years) with Fe-deficiency (p < 0.05 and χ2 = 22.7).

In addition, there is a significant positive correlation between Fe-deficiency with blood levels of Pb, Cu, and Zn (p < 0.05), (r = 0.43, 0.35, and 0.42, respectively) as compared to control group, this findings supported, by comparing the levels of the examined metals in both groups, in individuals whom close to heavy metals source (highway traffic or oil gas station), and found that the mean of the heavy metals level in close Fe-deficient group higher than in close Fe-replete group.     

1980—2007年我国燃煤大气汞、铅、砷排放趋势分析

基于文献调研,对1980—2007年我国汞、铅、砷3种主要燃煤大气重金属排放清单进行归纳,计算了3种重金属的逐年平均排放量,并分析排放量与燃煤量的相关性、单位煤耗大气重金属污染物排放量的变化趋势及原因. 结果表明:1980—2007年我国燃煤大气汞、铅、砷排放量与燃煤量增长趋势基本一致,均呈显著正相关(R2分别为0.911、0.971、0.996),但燃煤大气汞排放量与燃煤量间的相关性却比铅、砷排放量与燃煤量的相关性小很多,这主要是燃煤电厂对汞协同脱除能力比对铅、砷强,以及电厂汞排放所占比例较大所致. 燃煤大气汞排放量在2005年后趋于稳定,而铅、砷排放量在2000年后快速增长,年均增速均超过10%,其中电厂和工业锅炉是重金属排放的重点行业. 在燃煤量不断增长的背景下,单位煤耗的大气汞、铅排放量均呈下降趋势,其中汞排放量在2005—2007年年均降低5.0%,铅排放量在1996—2007年年均降低1.7%. 这与我国主要燃煤行业除尘、脱硫、脱硝等大气污染控制装置对重金属的协同脱除能力不断增强有密切关系.      

铅对赤子爱胜蚓抗氧化酶活性的影响

研究了老化和未经老化土壤中Pb(NO₃)₂对赤子爱胜蚓(Eisenia fetida)体内SOD(超氧化物歧化酶)、CAT(过氧化氢酶)、POD(过氧化物酶)活性的影响. 结果表明:在测试范围(w〔Pb(NO₃)₂〕为200~1000 mg/kg)内,Pb(NO₃)₂对蚯蚓体内3种抗氧化酶的活性均有显著性影响. 暴露于未经老化土壤1、14、21d时,蚯蚓体内SOD和CAT活性均随土壤中w〔Pb(NO₃)₂〕的增加而降低,高w〔Pb(NO₃)₂〕下,与对照组相比这2种抗氧化酶活性均降低了约40%. POD活性除第1、3天在高w〔Pb(NO₃)₂〕中显著变化外,其他暴露时间、暴露水平中均无显著性变化. 暴露于老化(28d)土壤1d后,蚯蚓体内SOD、POD、CAT活性均随土壤中w〔Pb(NO₃)₂〕的增加而升高,高w〔Pb(NO₃)₂〕下,与对照组相比这3种抗氧化酶活性分别升高了359%、147%和233%;然而,随着暴露时间的延长,3种抗氧化酶活性又呈显著降低趋势. 总体上,蚯蚓体内CAT和SOD活性变化趋势基本一致. 研究显示,土壤老化对铅毒性产生了影响,因此在进行毒性试验时应予以考虑.