Mitochondrial toxicity and in vitro biological effects of ambient PM2.5 from an urban site in China

Abstract

The roles of PM_2.5-induced mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress on mast cell degranulation were examined in vitro. Mast cells were treated with suspensions of PM_2.5 in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium at concentrations from 25 to 200?mg/L in the absence or presence of 10?mmol/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Biological effects and mitochondrial function were assessed by determining cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, interleukin-4 secretion, reactive oxygen species generation, adenosine triphosphate production, potential alteration of mitochondrial membrane, and activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes I and III. Exposure of mast cells to PM_2.5 induced reduction of adenosine triphosphate production, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibition of the activity of complex III. Co-treatment of mast cells exposed to PM_2.5 with N-acetyl-L-cysteine attenuated cytotoxicity and the production of reactive oxygen species, and decreased the release of β-hexosaminidase and interleukin-4. Evidently, PM_2.5-induced oxidative stress plays an essential role in mitochondrial toxicity and mast cell activation.     

Epigenetic effect of long-term bisphenol A exposure on human breast adenocarcinoma cells

In this research, epigenetic effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells were analyzed. Genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression were analyzed in MCF-7 cells exposed to BPA (10^?5 and 10^?6 mol/L for 5 weeks). No significant changes in the global level of 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine and 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytidine were observed. DNA methylation profiling analysis indicated that BPA exposure resulted in the hypermethylation of FOXK2, LKB1, LMX1A and CUGBP2 and the hypomethylation of PTPRN2, TRIM27, BCAS3 and ZNF423. Decreased expression of apoptosis genes (P38 and BCL2L1) and increased expression of chemokine (Cxcl2 and ccl20) were detected. Changes of these genes were speculated to affect the ERα-related cell growth as well as cell apoptosis.     

Pressurized liquid extraction of six tetracyclines from agricultural soils

Veterinary antibiotics used in agriculture can be introduced into the environment through land application of animal manure, accumulating in soils and groundwaters and posing a significant risk to human health and animal well-being. As the analysis of tetracyclines in soil is challenging due to their strong interaction with soil minerals and organic carbon, the objective of this study was to develop a reliable and reproducible method for quantitative analysis of chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline, and their respective metabolites in soils. A method based on pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) with in-cell clean-up was developed for the extraction of chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline and four likely metabolites from a set of four soils. Optimized conditions included a cell size of 22?mL, soil loading of 5?g, pH of 8.0, methanol:water ratio of 3:1, 50?°C, and two cycles. Soil extracts were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with ion trap mass spectrometry (MS). Recoveries of seven tetracyclines from soil ranged from 41% to 110%. The limits of detection for tetracyclines were 0.08–0.3 µg g^?1 soil, and intra- and inter-day variation ranged from 0.12–0.34%. The proposed PLE method is suitable for quantification of tetracyclines in agricultural soils at typical concentrations expected in contaminated environments.     

磷酸三苯酯(TPP)和磷酸三(2-氯异丙基)酯(TCPP)诱导人胚肾细胞HEK293凋亡的机制研究

磷系阻燃剂对人体的潜在毒性作用引起了国内外研究者的广泛关注。肾脏是机体重要的排毒器官,若肾脏细胞受损,可能影响肾脏功能的正常发挥。本研究以人胚肾细胞HEK293为研究对象,结合传统毒理学实验,筛选出磷酸三苯酯(TPP)及磷酸三(2-氯异丙基)酯(TCPP)诱导人胚肾细胞HEK293凋亡的关键靶标基因p53。在此基础上采用分子对接模拟和光谱法分析发现,TPP和TCPP分别以嵌插方式和沟槽方式结合p53-DNA,改变基因片段的框架结构,启动分子起始事件,通过影响相关基因(Bax、Hrk、Bcl-2和Bad)的表达量,导致线粒体途径释放cyt c,最终激活Caspase 7实现细胞凋亡。研究结果阐明了此类污染物诱导凋亡的作用机制,为毒害化学品的污染防控提供理论依据。     

加速溶剂萃取-固相萃取-高效液相色谱/三重四级杆质谱法测定土壤中6种喹诺酮类抗生素残留

为测定污染土壤中的6种低残留喹诺酮类抗生素(氧氟沙星、培氟沙星、恩诺沙星、环丙沙星、诺氟沙星、恶喹酸),全面优化了一种联合加速溶剂萃取(ASE)、固相萃取(SPE)和高效液相色谱/三重四级杆质谱(HPLC/MSMS) 3种检测技术的分析方法。样品采用甲醇和0.1 mol/L EDTA-McIlvaine缓冲液(1∶1)进行加速溶剂萃取,经Bond Elut Plexa型HLB固相萃取小柱富集纯化,土壤中6种喹诺酮类抗生素的基质效应因子控制在0.84～1.04。在0.2～100.0μg/L(以恶喹酸计)质量浓度范围内,目标化合物的线性关系良好(r0.999),6种目标化合物的检出限为0.09～0.75μg/kg,加标回收率为60.9%～89.9%。该方法自动化程度和准确度较高,可极大程度地降低基质效应,提高测定方法的灵敏度,适用于土壤中喹诺酮类抗生素残留的检测。     

Cost pass-through to higher ethanol blends at the pump: Evidence from Minnesota gas station data

We examine the pass-through of wholesale prices to retail prices in the market for E85, which contains 51%–83% ethanol, and in the much larger market for E10, which contains 10% ethanol. We use a panel dataset consisting of monthly observations from 2007 to March 2015 on wholesale and retail prices for 274 Minnesota gas stations that sell both E10 and E85. Consistent with prior research, the cumulative pass-through coefficient for E10 is 1.00 after one month. In contrast, the E85 market is sparse, and although pass-through increased over time, we estimate it to be only 0.53 statewide from 2012 to 2015. Pass-through is higher at stations with more local E85 competitors. In the Twin Cities, which has a high density of E85 stations, pass-through is nearly complete, but outside the Twin Cities slightly less than half the wholesale discount of E85, relative to E10, is passed on to the consumer.     

连续流双室微生物燃料电池处理工业废水

以实际中药废水作为阳极基质、实际含镉废水作为阴极电解液,构建了连续流双室微生物燃料电池(MFC),考察了其产电性能及对两种废水的处理效果。78 d的运行数据表明:系统可实现最大输出电压417mV、最大体积功率密度11.8 W/m3,最大体积功率密度运行条件下的库伦效率为18.5%;在阳极进水有机物浓度变化较大的情况下,实现了阳极对中药废水中有机物的有效去除,平均COD去除率为81.5%;阴极对含镉废水中Cd2+的去除率为79.4%～84.8%。这表明MFC同步处理中药废水及重金属废水具有一定的可行性。     

Oxidative and genotoxic effects of bisphenol A on primary gill cell culture of Lake Van Fish (Alburnus tarichi Güldenstädt, 1814)

Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey. The lake limits lifespan due to its high pH and brackish water. For this reason, only a single species of fish (Van Fish) is living in the lake that has been adapted to these conditions. In the present study, we investigated the total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), malondialdehyde (MDA) level and DNA damage effect of bisphenol A (BPA) (10^?7, 10^?6 and 10^?5?M) on primary gill cell culture of Van Fish for 24 and 48?h of incubation periods. TAS levels were not changed when compared to those of the control group, but TOS levels were decreased in both 24 and 48?h. The MDA level increased only at the highest concentration (10^?5) at the end of 12 and 24?h (p?.05). DNA damage increased only at the 10^?5?M concentration after 48?h. At the end of the experiment, BPA exposure caused lipid peroxidation and genotoxic effect. These results indicate that high levels of BPA exposure induced oxidative stress and DNA damage by time- and concentration-dependent fashion in the gill cell culture of Van Fish. Gill cell culture is a useful model for the rapid identification of the harmful effects of chemicals in the aquatic environment.     

通过式固相萃取/超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定蔬菜中18种农药残留

建立了超高效液相色谱-串联质谱(UPLC-MS;MS)快速测定蔬菜中18种农药残留的方法.样品经乙腈提取后,经Oasis PRiME HLB固相萃取柱净化,采用ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 C18(50 mm×2.1 mm,1.8μm)色谱柱进行分离,以0.1%甲酸水溶液和乙腈作为流动相进行梯度洗脱.采用电喷雾电离源、正离子模式下以多反应监测(MRM)进行定性和定量分析.结果表明,18种农药在0.5—50μg·L^-1范围内线性关系良好(r2>0.995),方法最低检出限为0.4—1.5μg·kg^-1,最低定量限为1.4—5.0μg·kg^-1.在韭菜、芹菜、番茄、白菜基质中,5、10、50μg·kg^-1添加水平下的加标回收率为60.2%—126.9%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.4%—21.6%(n=3).     

Validation of liquid nitrogen vaporisation rate by small scale experiments and analysis of the conductive heat flux from the concrete

The vaporisation of a liquid nitrogen pool spilled on concrete ground was investigated in small scale field experiments. The pool vaporisation rate and the heat transfer from the concrete ground were measured using a balance and a set of embedded heat flux sensors and thermocouples. The ability to predict the concrete's thermal properties based on these measurements was investigated. This work showed that a simple, one-dimensional theoretical model, assuming heat conduction through a semi-infinite ground with ideal contact between the cryogenic liquid and the ground, commonly used to describe the heat transfer from a ground to the LNG, can be used to match the observed vaporisation rate. Though estimated parameters, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, do not necessary represent real values. Although the observed vaporization rate follows a linear trend, and thus can be well represented by the model, the overall model prediction seems to be overestimated. The temperature profile inside the concrete is slightly over-predicted at the beginning and under-predicted at later stage of the spill. This might be an effect of the dependence of the concrete's thermal properties on the temperature or may indicate an incorrect modelling and a varying temperature of the ground surface.