Impact of waste of COVID-19 protective equipment on the environment,animals and human health: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - During the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, protective equipment, such as masks, gloves and shields, has become mandatory to prevent person-to-person...     

环境中微/纳米塑料的污染现状、分析方法、毒性评价及健康效应研究进展

微塑料是粒径小于5 mm的塑料颗粒,纳米塑料是粒径小于1 μm的塑料颗粒.微/纳米塑料广泛存在于各种环境介质中,由于其粒径小、比表面积大,很容易被直接吸入、经口食入或皮肤浸入至体内,造成毒害作用,危害健康.本文主要总结了环境中微/纳米塑料在水、大气、土壤和食品中的污染现状,阐述了其对生物体可能产生的毒性效应,探讨了其对...     

Transport and dynamics of toxic pollutants in the natural environment and their effect on human health: research gaps and challenge

The source–pathway–receptor (SPR) approach to human exposure and risk assessment contains considerable uncertainty when using the refined modelling approaches to pollutant transport and dispersal, not least in how compounds of concern might be prioritised, proxy or indicator substances identified and the basic environmental and toxicological data collected. The impact of external environmental variables, urban systems and lifestyle is still poorly understood. This determines exposure of individuals and there are a number of methods being developed to provide more reliable spatial assessments. Within the human body, the dynamics of pollutants and effects on target organs from diffuse, transient sources of exposure sets ambitious challenges for traditional risk assessment approaches. Considerable potential exists in the application of, e.g. physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. The reduction in uncertainties associated with the effects of contaminants on humans, transport and dynamics influencing exposure, implications of adult versus child exposure and lifestyle and the development of realistic toxicological and exposure data are all highlighted as urgent research needs. The potential to integrate environmental with toxicological models provides the next phase of research opportunity and should be used to drive empirical and model assessments.     

Source identification,environmental risk assessment and human health risks associated with toxic elements present in a coastal industrial environment,India

This study investigated the source and contamination levels of toxic elements (Cd, Cr, As, Pb, Ni and Hg) present in a coastal environment, Paradip—an industrial hub of the east coast of India. The ecological risk assessment indices and human exposure models were used to evaluate the pollution status. Enrichment factor indicated that all the metal(loid)s found in the sediment are mostly derived from the anthropogenic source. According to the sediment quality quotient, 8.33% of sediments have crossed the ERM limit for Ni that can be fatal to biota. Meanwhile, 66.66, 41.66 and 8.33% of sediments have exceeded PEL range for Cr, Ni and As, respectively, that can register frequent lethal toxicity to benthic biota. As had the highest potential ecological harm coefficient (Er_f?>?80), and Hg had moderate ecological harm coefficient (40?<?Er_f?<?80). Summarily, the sediment quality of this site is moderate to heavily toxic to benthic organisms. The concentration of toxic metals in seawater was below the permissible limit (CCC and CMC) set by USEPA indicating that water is relatively safer for free floating aquatic biota. The health risk index of toxic metal (loid)s present in soils of the residential sites has confirmed that there is a severe non-carcinogenic threat for children (HI child?>?1) and a borderline carcinogenic risk for both adult and children. THQ_Cr possesses highest non-carcinogenic threat, which contributed approximately 50% to HI followed by THQ_As. The contribution of carcinogenic risk of chromium (CR_Cr) to TCR is approximately 60%. Cr is the significant contaminant of this site that has highest health effects. Highest exposure risks were associated with ingestion pathway accounting for about 85% of the total for most of the elements.     

Tertiary-butyl acetate metabolism,toxicity, and human health considerations

Tertiary-butyl acetate (TBAC) (CAS No. 540-88-5) is an organic solvent with a potential for occupational and environmental exposure as a result of its use in industrial coatings, adhesives, inks, and degreasers. The objective of these studies was to extend the toxicological database upon which health hazard and risk assessments of TBAC can be made. The metabolism of TBAC was studied in rats exposed by inhalation for 6?h to concentrations of 100 or 1000?ppm. There was an evidence of partial saturation of TBAC absorption and metabolism at some concentration below 1000?ppm. Approximately 5% of the low dose and 26% of the high dose was expired without change within 12?h, while the retained material was rapidly metabolised and excreted, mostly in the urine, within 24?h. Very little radioactivity remained in the tissues after day 7. The metabolism of TBAC appears to follow two major routes: hydroxylation of the tertiary-butyl moiety to form 2-hydroxymethylisopropyl acetate and ester hydrolysis to form tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA). A minor route involves oxidation of the acetate moiety. Based on the proportion of metabolites that can clearly be assigned to one or the other major pathway, hydroxylation of the tertiary-butyl moiety prevails at 100?ppm, while hydrolysis of the ester bond predominates at 1000?ppm.

Based on nose-only inhalation exposure of rats to TBAC for 6?h, the LC50 for males and females combined is approximately 4200?ppm. Clinical signs included exaggerated breathing, staggering, tremors, and lethargy approximately 1?h after the exposure, but all surviving rats appeared normal from 24?h until the end of the 14?day observation period. An LC₅₀ was not identified for mice. After exposure of whole body for 6?h to 3000?ppm, the highest concentration tested, all mice were prostrate for most of the exposure time, but there were no deaths.

Groups of five male and five female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed nose-only to 0, 100, 400, or 1600?ppm TBAC 6?h?day^?1 5 days?wk^?1 for 2?weeks. There were no effects on body weight, feed or water consumption, or necropsy findings. Male rats exposed to 1600?ppm had increased liver weights and hypertrophy of centrilobular hepatocytes. An increased proportion of cortical tubule cells with hyaline droplet accumulation was observed in all treated groups of males. Groups of five male and five female CD-1 mice were exposed whole body to 0, 190, 375, 750, or 1500?ppm TBAC 6?h?day^?1 for 14 consecutive days. There were no effects on body weight, feed consumption, or necropsy findings. Liver weights were increased in female mice at 750 and 1500?ppm. Minimal hypertrophy of centrilobular hepatocytes was found in female mice at 375, 750, and 1500?ppm and in male mice at 1500?ppm TBAC.

TBAC did not induce gene mutations in bacterial tests with strains of S. typhimurium and E. coli. Further, there was no evidence of clastogenic activity from tests either for the induction of chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes in vitro in the presence or absence of S9 mix or for the induction of micronuclei in bone marrow cells of rats exposed by inhalation for 6?h to 1600?ppm TBAC.

These results are relevant to human health risk assessment and are discussed in the context of previous studies. The weight of the scientific evidence supports the conclusion that TBAC has lower acute toxicity than previously suggested, that it is rapidly excreted when inhaled, and that neither TBAC nor its TBA metabolite are genotoxic or potential human carcinogens.     

Trace elements in the human environment: Problems and risks

Early studies on the possible influences of environmental geochemistry and health were concerned with major diseases such as cancer or multiple sclerosis. They were generally confined to simple comparisons of geochemical and epidemiological maps and corresponding rural areas. Subsequently, studies of dental health produced evidence for the roles of environmental fluoride, selenium, molybdenum and lead in the aetiology of caries. In recent decades lead has been closely studied. Most people in the western world live in urban areas, rather than rural areas, and research on lead has yielded much information on the distribution of the element in streets, parks and gardens of cities and in the home environment. The role of lead in human health has thereby been better understood. Cadmium, selenium and aluminium are good candidates for future study but success will depend on applying appropriate methods of investigation and here the experiences from research on lead are a valuable model to follow.This paper is based on a keynote lecture at the start of the SEGH conference.     

Dioxins: Sources of environmental load and human exposure

Polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) represent a class of tricylic, almost planar, aromatic ethers with 1 to 8 chlorine atoms. Congeners with substituents in the positions 2, 3, 7, and 8 are of special concern due to their toxicity, stability, and persistence. These compounds have been identified in almost all environmental compartments and humans.

Dioxins are a potent carcinogen for animals and—at the moment—considered a probable carcinogen for humans. Actual toxicological risk assessment for humans are based on 2,3,7,8‐Cl4DD carcinogenicity studies on rodents. Tumorigenic effects were found for 2 strains of rats and 2 strains of mice. All dioxins and furans elicit common toxic and biological responses, starting with a specific binding to a protein receptor, but existing epidemiologic data do not provide definitive data on human health effects.

Toxicity equivalency factors (TEFs) have been developed by several agencies as a provisional method of risk assessment for complex mixtures of PCDD/PCDF.

Dioxins have never been produced intentionally and have never served any useful purpose. They are formed in trace amounts as by‐products in industrial processes; for instance within the chemical industry, of the pulp and paper industry, metallurgical processes, processes for reactivation of granular carbon, dry cleaning, and the manufacture of flame‐retarded plastics.

The main pathway for dioxins to enter the environment is via combustion processes. Incineration is of special importance since PCDD/PCDF are directly released to the atmosphere from either stationary sources, such as municipal, hazardous and hospital waste incinerators, the combustion of sewage sludge, and scrap metal recycling, or diffuse sources, e.g. automobile exhausts, private home heating with fossil fuels, forest fires, and cigarette smoking. Furthermore, fires with PCB and PVC have additionally contributed to the total dioxin load. The emission gases can undergo long‐range transport, so that dioxins have been found even in remote areas.

Besides the two primary sources (industrial processes and combustion processes) the release of dioxins from contaminated areas and waste dumps via the leachate and the application of sewage sludge for fertilization represents a third source of PCDD/PCDF.

After more than 10 years of dioxin research the most important sources of PCDD/PCDF have been identified and analytical methods have been developed for their quantification in trace levels and in complex matrices.

Various efforts have been undertaken to reduce the emission of dioxins: for example, optimization of combustion processes for municipal waste incineration, use of unleaded gasoline, ban of chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pentachlorophenol (PCP). More detail is provided in the pulp and paper section where changes have been initiated to significantly reduce the sources of PCDD/PCDF.

However, relatively little is known about transport and transformation processes, so only rough estimates can be made. Photodegradation has been found to be the primary process for 2,3,7,8‐Cl4DD breakdown. A half‐life of 3–4 days has been estimated for photochemical degradation under oxidative conditions. Field studies on the fate of 2,3,7,8‐Cl4DD in soil gave a half‐life of 9.1 (Seveso) and 12 years (under special conditions: sand, erosion), respectively. Biodegradation seems to be negligible. Transfer factors soil‐plants for PCDD/PCDF have been determined—with a high degree of uncertainty—to be less than 0.1.

Human exposure primarily occurs via ingestion whereas inhalation is a minor pathway. Dermal absorption can be neglected although skin contact to polluted surfaces may occur. Due to the lipophilicity of PCDD/PCDF and their potential for accumulation, foods such as meat and especially dairy products contribute most to the dioxin body burden of humans.

Both national agencies and international organizations have recognized the significance of this problem and as a result have initiated regulations, recommendations and research programmes (1) to understand where and how PCDD/PCDF are formed, (2) to reduce their impact on the environment and to humans, and (3) to start remedial action on contaminated areas.     

Interactions between environment, species traits, and human uses describe patterns of plant invasions

Although invasive alien species (IAS) are a major threat to biodiversity, human health, and economy, our understanding of the factors controlling their distribution and abundance is limited. Here, we determine how environmental factors, land use, life-history traits of the invaders, residence time, origin, and human usage interact to shape the spatial pattern of invasive alien plant species in South Africa. Relationships between the environmental factors and the extrinsic and intrinsic attributes of species were investigated using RLQ analysis, a multivariate method for relating a species-attribute table to an environmental table by way of a species presence/absence table. We then clustered species according to their position on the RLQ axes, and tested these groups for phylogenetic independence. The first three axes of the RLQ explained 99% of the variation and were strongly related to the species attributes. The clustering showed that, after accounting for environmental factors, the spatial pattern of IAS in South Africa was driven by human uses, life forms, and reproductive traits. The seven clusters of species strongly reflected geographical distribution, but also intrinsic species attributes and patterns of human use. Two of the clusters, centered on the genera Acacia and Opuntia, were phylogenetically non-independent. The remaining clusters comprised species of diverse taxonomic affinities, but sharing traits facilitating invasion in particular habitats. This information is useful for assessing the extent to which the potential spread of recent introductions can be predicted by considering the interaction of their biological attributes, region of origin, and human use.     

Geochemistry,mining and the environment

This paper reviews literature on the sources of lead-zinc mining pollution, and specifically deals with the water and air pollution aspects of these operations. Problems associated with mining and the environment are also discussed. The problems are geochemical in nature but also economic, social, political and legal. Individuals doing research in these boundary conditions are poorly publicised and rarely recognised outside of their own narrow industry.The paper notes that it is possible to have both an economical mining operation and a clean environment. The New Lead Belt region of Southern Missouri, the world's largest lead-mining region lies underneath a national forest with a pure, pristine, undisturbed ecosystem having high recreational value to the nearby cities. By early cooperation between governmental scientists, mining industry, environmental scientists and engineers of the University of Missouri and other universities it was possible to develop this deposit and at the same time keep the pristine nature of the surrounding forest without spending a single day in court or litigation. Problems did arise, but problem-solving sessions dealt with them, not lawyers.     

基于改进微库仑法的海水可吸附有机卤素测定

对可吸附有机卤素(adsorable organic halogens,AOX)测定方法的研究主要集中在河流湖泊等饮用水相关的领域,而海水中的测定方法关注较少.受海水中高浓度的无机卤素离子的影响,传统的微库仑法在测定海水中AOX时精密度会下降并产生较大的正偏差.通过对传统的微库仑法进行改进,采用活性炭振荡吸附法-玻璃棒...     

The potential impact of geological environment on health status of residents of the Slovak Republic

In order to assess the potential impact of the geological environment on the health of the population of the Slovak Republic, the geological environment was divided into eight major units: Paleozoic, Crystalline, Carbonatic Mesozoic and basal Paleogene, Carbonatic-silicate Mesozoic and Paleogene, Paleogene Flysch, Neovolcanics, Neogene and Quaternary sediments. Based on these geological units, the databases of environmental indicators (chemical elements/parameters in groundwater and soils) and health indicators (concerning health status and demographic development of the population) were compiled. The geological environment of the Neogene volcanics (andesites and basalts) has been clearly documented as having the least favourable impact on the health of Slovak population, while Paleogene Flysch geological environment (sandstones, shales, claystones) has the most favourable impact. The most significant differences between these two geological environments were observed, especially for the following health indicators: SMRI6364 (cerebral infarction and strokes) more than 70 %, SMRK (digestive system) 55 %, REI (circulatory system) and REE (endocrine and metabolic system) almost 40 % and REC (malignant neoplasms) more than 30 %. These results can likely be associated with deficit contents of Ca and Mg in groundwater from the Neogene volcanics that are only about half the level of Ca and Mg in groundwater of the Paleogene sediments.     

Synergistic influences of phase, density, and climatic variation on the dynamics of fluctuating populations

Although ecologists have long recognized that certain mammalian species exhibit high-amplitude, often multiannual, fluctuations in abundance, their causes have remained poorly understood and the subject of intense debate. A key contention has been the relative role of density-dependent and density-independent processes in governing population dynamics. We applied capture-mark-recapture analysis to 25 years of monthly trapping data from a fluctuating prairie vole Microtus ochrogaster population in Illinois, USA, to estimate realized population growth rates and associated vital rates (survival and recruitment) and modeled them as a function of vole density and density-independent climatic variation. We also tested for phase dependence and seasonality in the effects of the above processes. Variation in the realized population growth rate was best explained by phase-specific changes in vole density lagged by one month and mean monthly temperatures with no time lags. The underlying vital rates, survival and recruitment, were influenced by the additive and interactive effects of phase, vole density, and mean monthly temperatures. Our results are consistent with the observation that large-scale population fluctuations are characterized by phase-specific changes in demographic and physiological characteristics. Our findings also support the growing realization that the interaction between climatic variables and density-dependent factors may be a widespread phenomenon, and they suggest that the direction and magnitude of such interactive effects may be phase specific. We conclude that density-dependent and density-independent climatic variables work in tandem during each phase of density fluctuations to drive the dynamics of fluctuating populations.     

Influence of industry on the geochemical urban environment of Mieres (Spain) and associated health risk

This study is concerned with the elemental composition of soils and street dust collected in an historical industrial city of approximately 27 000 inhabitants, where old Hg mining and metallurgical activities strongly affected the load of heavy metals in the urban environment. For the purpose of the study, representative samples of soils and street dust were collected at different locations in the whole urban area (3 km²). Elevated mean concentrations of As in soils and street dust (69 and 135 g g^–1, respectively), and Hg (3.07 and 4.24 g g^–1, respectively), compared to background levels and to those found in other cities, reflect the anomalous geochemical nature of these materials and the strong influence exerted by the old mining sites.     

植物挥发性气体与人类的健康安全

植物挥发性气体产生的原因主要是由于植物与自然的协同进化而产生的。一方面，植物挥发性气体的产生受昆虫、微生物、人类的干扰的影响；另一方面，植物的挥发性气体能对昆虫、微生物起到抑制作用，减少自身受伤害。目前国内外对植物挥发性气体的研究多从植物与昆虫、微生物的关系来进行，并形成了以化感作用研究为核心的化学生态学；而植物挥发性气体对人类的负面影响，特别是对人体健康安全的研究很少。文章结合作者的初步研究结果，综述植物的挥发性物质的产生原因、主要成份和对环境与生物的影响，特别是对人体健康安全的负面效应，为进一步研究植物挥发性气体和评价它们对人体健康安全的效应提供依据。