Fate of caffeine in mesocosms wetland planted with Scirpus validus

Uptake, accumulation and translocation of caffeine by Scirpus validus grown in hydroponic condition were investigated. The plants were cultivated in Hoagland’s nutrient solution spiked with caffeine at concentrations of 0.5–2.0 mg L^?1. The effect of photodegradation on caffeine elimination was determined in dark controls and proved to be negligible. Removal of caffeine in mesocosms without plants showed however that biodegradation could account for about 15–19% of the caffeine lost from solutions after 3 and 7 d. Plant uptake played a significant role in caffeine elimination. Caffeine was detected in both roots and shoots of S. validus. Root concentrations of caffeine were 0.1–6.1 μg g^?1, while the concentrations for shoots were 6.4–13.7 μg g^?1. A significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation between the concentration in the root and the initial concentrations in the nutrient solution was observed. The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of caffeine for roots ranged from 0.2 to 3.1, while BAFs for shoots ranged from 3.2 to 16.9. Translocation from roots to shoots was the major pathway of shoot accumulation. The fraction of caffeine in the roots as a percentage of the total caffeine mass in solution was limited to 0.2–4.4% throughout the whole experiment, while shoot uptake percentage ranged from 12% to 25% for caffeine at the initial concentration of 2.0 mg L^?1 to 50–62% for caffeine at the initial concentration of 0.5 mg L^?1. However, a marked decrease in the concentration of caffeine in the shoots between d-14 and d-21 suggests that caffeine may have been catabolized in the plant tissues subsequent to plant uptake and translocation.     

Effects of aqueous stable fullerene nanocrystals (nC60) on Daphnia magna: Evaluation of sub-lethal reproductive responses and accumulation

Concerns exist regarding the inadvertent release of engineered nanomaterials into natural systems, and the possible negative ecosystem response that may occur. Understanding sub-lethal effects may be particularly important to determining ecosystem responses as current levels of nanomaterial release are low compared to levels projected for the future. In this work, the sub-lethal effects and bioaccumulation of water stable, nanocrystalline fullerenes as C₆₀, (termed nC₆₀) were studied in Daphnia magna, a globally distributed, parthenogenetic zooplankton. Sub-lethal concentrations were first determined for both mature mother (LD₅₀ = 0.4 mg L⁻¹) and neonate (gestating) daphnids (0.2 mg L⁻¹) in standard 48 h exposure tests. Subsequent experiments focused on the accumulation and effects (at temperatures of 18–28 °C) of nC₆₀, during the D. magna reproductive cycle. The results demonstrate that upon sub-lethal exposure, the mortality rates of gestating daphnids increased with time and developmental stage. The maturation of daughter daphnids was negatively impacted. The mother daphnids were unable to reproduce again after exposure during pregnancy, and differential bioaccumulation occurred as a function of lipid content in the daphnia with the highest accumulation level of 7000 mg kg⁻¹ wet weight. Taken together, these results not only describe the accumulation and sub-lethal effects of nC₆₀ on exposed daphnia, but also highlight the importance of sub-lethal exposure scenarios, which are critical to fully understanding the potential impact of fullerenes and other engineered nanoscale materials on natural systems.     

Preliminary data suggest that venlafaxine environmental concentrations could be toxic to plants

Venlafaxine hydrochloride is a structurally novel antidepressant. Its occurrence in surface waters and drinking water has only been reported in recent works. The aim of this work is to assess the acute and chronic sublethal toxicity of venlafaxine in relevant taxa of riparian ecosystems. We used the fern Polystichum setiferum during the critical life stage of development. Reliable biomarkers of cell viability (mitochondrial activity), plant physiology (chlorophyll), and growth (DNA content) were assessed as sensitive endpoints of toxicity. About DNA quantification, our results show that venlafaxine induces acute lethal phytotoxicity at 24 and 48 h (LOECs 1 μg L^?1 and 0.1 μg L^?1, respectively). At 24 h, hormetic effects in spores of P. setiferum mitochondrial activity mask lethality and adverse effects are observed (LOEC 1 μg L^?1). At 48 h a reduction in the mitochondrial activity happens (LOEC 10 μg L^?1). In chronic exposure of 1 week, LOEC for DNA is 0.1 μg L^?1. Mitochondrial activity showed a strong hormetic stimulation of a surviving spore population (LOEC 10 μg L^?1). Changes were not observed in chlorophyll autofluorescence. Environmental concentrations of venlafaxine can be deleterious for the development of significant populations of sensitive individuals in riparian ecosystems.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls hot and cold seasons distribution in see water,sediment, and fish samples in the Khour-e-Mousa (Mah-Shahr), Iran

The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were assessed at four sites in Khour-e-Mousa (Mah-Shahr), Iran. Sea water, sediment and fish (cynoglossus bilineatus) samples were taken at each site and were analysed for PCB levels. To investigate the possible source of PCBs found in fish samples, sediments and waters were collected from four sites (D1, D2, D3, and D4) and studied. The relationship between PCB concentrations in sediment, water and fish is discussed. The results indicate that PCBs are detected in all fish samples and its concentration range from 3.2 to 102.7 μg kg^?1 dry weight and 5.4–149.7 μg kg^?1 dry weight in cold and warm seasons, respectively. The D2 and D4 sites were found to have the highest and lowest levels of PCB concentrations, respectively. Total congener PCB (CB, 28, 52, 44, 101, 149, 118, 153, 138, and 180) concentrations at the sediment samples for D1, D2, D3, and D4 sites ranged from 1.6 to 30.9 μg kg^?1 dry weight and 2.3–47.1 μg kg^?1 dry weight in cold and warm seasons, respectively. The total PCB concentrations for D2 site were found to be significantly higher than other three sites. Total water congener PCB (CB, 28, 52, 44, 101, 149, 118, 153, 138, and 180) concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.25 μg L^?1 and 0.02–0.39 μg L^?1 in cold and warm seasons, respectively.     

Detection,occurrence and fate of 22 psychiatric pharmaceuticals in psychiatric hospital and municipal wastewater treatment plants in Beijing,China

The liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometer (LC–MS/MS) method coupled with an automated solid-phase extraction procedure has been developed to identify 22 psychiatric pharmaceuticals, including seven anxiolytic-sedative-hypnotics, six antidepressants, and nine anti-schizophrenia drugs, in wastewater samples from two psychiatric hospital wastewater treatment plants (P-WWTPs) and three municipal wastewater treatment plants (M-WWTPs) in Beijing, China. Analyte recoveries from spiking experiments in the WWTP influent and effluent at three concentrations ranged from 70% to 110%, excluding sulpiride, ziprasidone, and olanzapine. Method detection limits for five, eight, and nine analytes in the WWTP influent and effluent were 20–80, 1–16, and <1 ng L^?1, respectively. High psychiatric pharmaceutical concentrations (e.g., ～942 ng L^?1oxazepam, 5552–12,782 ng L^?1 clozapine, 2762–9832 ng L^?1sulpiride, and 2030–4967 ng L^?1quetiapine) were frequently observed in P-WWTP influent compared to M-WWTPs. Although P-WWTPs typically had higher removal rates, significantly higher concentrations of the target compounds were observed in the P-WWTP secondary effluent than in the M-WWTP influent (e.g., ～752 ng L^?1oxazepam, ～8183 ng L^?1 clozapine, ～10,833 ng L^?1sulpiride, and ～1168 ng L^?1quetiapine). Thus, the discharge control of psychiatric pharmaceuticals from psychiatric hospitals requires improvement.     

Survey of polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in the atmosphere over the northeast Atlantic Ocean

High volume air sampling in Bermuda, Sable Island (Nova Scotia) and along a cruise track from the Gulf of Mexico to northeast coast of the USA, was carried out to assess air concentrations, particle-gas partitioning and transport of polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in this region. Samples were collected in the summer of 2007. Targeted compounds included the neutral PFCs: fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FOSAs) and perfluoroalkyl sulfonamido ethanols (FOSEs).Among the FTOHs, 8:2 FTOH was dominant in all samples. Sum of the concentration of FTOHs (gas+particle phase) were higher in Bermuda (mean, 34 pg m^?3) compared to Sable Island (mean, 16 pg m^?3). In cruise samples, sum of FTOHs were highly variable (mean, 81 pg m^?3) reflecting contributions from land-based sources in the northeast USA with concentrations reaching as high as 156 pg m^?3.Among the FOSAs and FOSEs, MeFOSE was dominant in all samples. In Bermuda, levels of MeFOSE were exceptionally high (mean, 62 pg m^?3), exceeding the FTOHs. Sable Island samples also exhibited the dominance of MeFOSE but at a lower concentration (mean, 15 pg m^?3). MeFOSE air concentrations (pg m^?3) in cruise samples ranged from 1.6 to 73 and were not linked to land-based sources. In fact high concentrations of MeFOSE observed in Bermuda were associated with air masses that originated over the Atlantic Ocean.The partitioning to particles for 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH, MeFOSE and EtFOSE ranged from as high as 15 to 42% for cruise samples to 0.9 to 14% in Bermuda. This study provides key information for validating and developing partitioning and transport models for the PFCs.     

Simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) and oxidation of As(III) by Bacillus firmus TE7 isolated from tannery effluent

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] and arsenite [As(III)] are the most toxic forms of chromium and arsenic respectively, and reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and oxidation of As(III) to As(V) has great environmental implications as they affect toxicity and mobility of these toxic species. Bacillus firmus strain TE7, resistant to chromium and arsenic was isolated from tannery effluent. The strain exhibited ability to reduce Cr(VI) and oxidize As(III). It reduced 100 mg L^?1 Cr(VI) within 60 h in nutrient broth and oxidized 150 mg L^?1 As(III) within 10 h in minimal medium. It also completely reduced 15 mg L^?1 Cr(VI) and oxidized 50 mg L^?1 of As(III) simultaneously in minimal medium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first bacterial strain showing simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) and oxidation of As(III) and is a potential candidate for bioremediation of environments contaminated with these toxic metal species.     

Air–water exchange fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the tropical coast,Taiwan

Air–water exchange fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were simultaneously measured in air and water samples from two sites on the Kenting coast, located at the southern tip of Taiwan, from January to December 2010. There was no significant difference in the total PAH (t-PAH) concentrations in both gas and dissolved phases between these two sites due to the less local input which also coincided to the low levels of t-PAH concentration; the gas and dissolved phases averaged 1.29 ± 0.59 ng m^?3 and 2.17 ± 1.19 ng L^?1 respectively. The direction and magnitude of the daily flux of PAHs were significantly influenced by wind speed and dissolved PAH concentrations. Individual PAH flux ranged from 627 ng m^?2 d^?1 volatilization of phenanthrene during the rainy season with storm–water discharges raising dissolved phase concentration, to 67 ng m^?2 d^?1 absorption of fluoranthene during high wind speed periods. Due to PAH annual fluxes through air–water exchange, Kenting seawater is a source of low molecular weight PAHs and a reservoir of high molecular weight PAHs. Estimated annual volatilization fluxes ranged from 7.3 μg m^?2 yr^?1 for pyrene to 50 μg m^?2 yr^?1 for phenanthrene and the absorption fluxes ranged from ?2.6 μg m^?2 yr^?1 for chrysene to ?3.5 μg m^?2 yr^?1 for fluoranthene.     

Determination of priority pesticides in water samples combining SPE and SPME coupled to GC–MS. A case study: Suquía River basin (Argentina)

This study reports a combined method using solid phase extraction (SPE), followed by solid phase microextraction (SPME) to concentrate different pesticides, including chlorinated, organophosphorus, triazines, pyretroids and chloroacetamides, present at trace levels in water samples. Identification and quantification was carried out by gas chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). The optimized methodology showed LOQs at ng L^?1 levels (ranging 0.2–3.5 ng L^?1) in addition to acceptable precision and robustness (recoveries ranged 63–104%, RSD from 4% to 23%), presenting a novel method to reach trace levels, similar to that obtainable using EC detector, with structural confirmation by MS during the analysis of a wide range of environmental pollutants.This method was applied to the study of temporal and spatial distribution of pesticides in the Suquía River basin (Córdoba-Argentina). As expected, highest levels of agrochemicals were observed in areas with intensive agricultural practices, being atrazine (max. = 433.9 ng L^?1), alpha-cypermetrine (max. = 121.7 ng L^?1) and endosulfan sulfate (max. = 106.7 ng L^?1) predominant. In urban areas, the prevalent pesticide was alpha-cypermethrine. These results draw attention to the need of pesticide monitoring programs in rivers, considering both urban and rural sections.     

Measurement and analysis of atmospheric ammonia emissions from anaerobic lagoons

Ammonia-nitrogen flux (NH₃-N=(14/17)NH₃) was determined from six anaerobic swine waste storage and treatment lagoons (primary, secondary, and tertiary) using the dynamic chamber system. Measurements occurred during the fall of 1998 through the early spring of 1999, and each lagoon was examined for approximately one week. Analysis of flux variation was made with respect to lagoon surface water temperature (∼15 cm below the surface), lagoon water pH, total aqueous phase NH_x(=NH₃+NH₄⁺) concentration, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN). Average lagoon temperatures (across all six lagoons) ranged from approximately 10.3 to 23.3^°C. The pH ranged in value from 6.8 to 8.1. Aqueous NH_x concentration ranged from 37 to 909 mg N l⁻¹, and TKN varied from 87 to 950 mg N l⁻¹. Fluxes were the largest at the primary lagoon in Kenansville, NC (March 1999) with an average value of 120.3 μg N m⁻² min⁻¹, and smallest at the tertiary lagoon in Rocky Mount, NC (November 1998) at 40.7 μg N m⁻² min⁻¹. Emission rates were found to be correlated with both surface lagoon water temperature and aqueous NH_x concentration. The NH₃-N flux may be modeled as ln(NH₃-N flux)=1.0788+0.0406T_L+0.0015([NH_x]) (R²=0.74), where NH₃-N flux is the ammonia flux from the lagoon surface in μg N m⁻² min⁻¹, T_L is the lagoon surface water temperature in ^°C, and [NH_x] is the total ammonia-nitrogen concentration in mg N l⁻¹.     

Urinary metabolite levels of pyrethroid insecticides in infants living in an agricultural area of the Province of Jiangsu in China

Pyrethroid insecticides are extensively and increasingly applied in agricultural and residential environments in China. Children’s exposure to pesticides attracted global concerns because of their particular vulnerability. Several studies have reported residual pyrethroid levels in urine both in adults and in children. However, few published data focused on very young infants. The study aimed to assess exposure to pyrethroid insecticides in young infants and investigate the potential influence factors on pyrethroid exposure levels. Data on pyrethroids exposure was based on questionnaire items and measurement of urinary metabolite levels among 481 infants. We detected pyrethroid metabolites of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), cis- and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (cis-DCCA and trans-DCCA) in urine using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Median values for urinary pyrethroid metabolites in these infants were 0.39 μg L^?1 for 3-PBA, 0.18 μg L^?1 for cis-DCCA, 0.92 μg L^?1 for trans-DCCA, respectively. About 60.9% of the infants had urinary concentrations of three pyrethroid metabolites that were above the level of 0.10 μg L^?1 (limit of detection, LOD). These findings of the urinary metabolites were comparable or slightly higher than those children from the other countries. From questionnaire, we learned that more than 70% of households reported that they or family members had applied mosquito repellents in infants. Above data indicated the need to assess the potential adverse effects of pyrethroids exposure on infants in order to take adequate measures to protect them from pesticide exposures during early childhood.     

A highly resolved anion-exchange chromatographic method for determination of saccharidic tracers for biomass combustion and primary bio-particles in atmospheric aerosol

An improved high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) method is developed and validated for simultaneous determination of atmospherically relevant sugar alcohols, monosaccharides, and monosaccharide anhydrides. The improved method enables the separation of levoglucosan and arabitol which were not or insufficiently separated by the previous HPAEC–PAD methods. Reproducibility of the method was tested for both standard solutions and atmospheric aerosol samples. The peak area relative standard deviation (RSD%) of standard solutions were found to be lower than 1.5% for consecutive analyses (n = 3) and lower than 4% for day to day variation (n = 9). The peak area RSD% of atmospheric samples with typical European wintertime monosaccharide concentrations (n = 9) was found to be similar to that of standard solutions. Limits of detection ranged from 0.002 mg L^?1 for inositol to 0.08 mg L^?1 for fructose. The developed method offers a simple, reliable and cost effective determination of atmospheric tracers for biomass combustion and for selected bio-aerosol components at sub-nanogram per cubic-meter-air concentration levels for routine analysis.     

Biogenic emission of dimethylsulfide (DMS) from the North Yellow Sea,China and its contribution to sulfate in aerosol during summer

Seawater, atmospheric dimethylsulfide (DMS) and aerosol compounds, potentially linked with DMS oxidation, such as methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and non-sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO₄^2?) were determined in the North Yellow Sea, China during July–August, 2006. The concentrations of seawater and atmospheric DMS ranged from 2.01 to 11.79 nmol l^?1 and from 1.68 to 8.26 nmol m^?3, with average values of 6.20 nmol l^?1 and 5.01 nmol m^?3, respectively. Owing to the appreciable concentration gradient, DMS accumulated in the surface water was transferred into the atmosphere, leading to a net sea-to-air flux of 6.87 μmol m^?2 d^?1 during summer. In the surface seawater, high DMS values corresponded well with the concurrent increases in chlorophyll a levels and a significant correlation was observed between integrated DMS and chlorophyll a concentrations. In addition, the concentrations of MSA and nss-SO₄^2? measured in the aerosol samples ranged from 0.012 to 0.079 μg m^?3 and from 3.82 to 11.72 μg m^?3, with average values of 0.039 and 7.40 μg m^?3, respectively. Based on the observed MSA, nss-SO₄^2? and their ratio, the relative biogenic sulfur contribution was estimated to range from 1.2% to 11.5%, implying the major contribution of anthropogenic source to sulfur budget in the study area.     

Exposure of German residents to ethylene and propylene glycol ethers in general and after cleaning scenarios

Glycol ethers are a class of semi-volatile substances used as solvents in a variety of consumer products like cleaning agents, paints, cosmetics as well as chemical intermediates.We determined 11 metabolites of ethylene and propylene glycol ethers in 44 urine samples of German residents (background level study) and in urine samples of individuals after exposure to glycol ethers during cleaning activities (exposure study).In the study on the background exposure, methoxyacetic acid and phenoxyacetic acid (PhAA) could be detected in each urine sample with median (95th percentile) values of 0.11 mg L^?1 (0.30 mg L^?1) and 0.80 mg L^?1 (23.6 mg L^?1), respectively. The other metabolites were found in a limited number of samples or in none.In the exposure study, 5–8 rooms were cleaned with a cleaner containing ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE), propylene glycol monobutyl ether (PGBE), or ethylene glycol monopropyl ether (EGPE). During cleaning the mean levels in the indoor air were 7.5 mg m^?3 (EGBE), 3.0 mg m^?3 (PGBE), and 3.3 mg m^?3 (EGPE), respectively. The related metabolite levels analysed in the urine of the residents of the rooms at the day of cleaning were 2.4 mg L^?1 for butoxyacetic acid, 0.06 mg L^?1 for 2-butoxypropionic acid, and 2.3 mg L^?1 for n-propoxyacetic acid.Overall, our study indicates that the exposure of the population to glycol ethers is generally low, with the exception of PhAA. Moreover, the results of the cleaning scenarios demonstrate that the use of indoor cleaning agents containing glycol ethers can lead to a detectable internal exposure of residents.     

Enantioselective toxicokinetics study of the bioaccumulation and elimination of α-hexachlorocyclohexane in loaches (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) and its environmental implications

The enantioselective bioaccumulation and elimination of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) in loaches (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) were studied for the first time. Valid chiral residue analysis methods for α-HCH enantiomers in water and loach samples were established using gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detector and a BGB-172 chiral column. A rapid accumulation process was found during the 39-d bioaccumulation experiment. The α-HCH in loaches reached its maximum on the fourth day, after which it fluctuated slightly, reflecting a balance between elimination and reuptake. The maximum bioaccumulation factor was 728 at the 10 μg L^?1 exposure level. The enantiomeric fraction (EF) values showed that the bioaccumulation was enantioselective with enantioenrichment of (+)-α-HCH in the loaches. The elimination experiment indicated that the degradation kinetics of α-HCH fitted a typical first-order kinetics model, and the half-life was about 5 d. Significant enantioselectivity was observed during the elimination process, with the EFs declining from higher than 0.5–0.39, suggesting (+)-α-HCH is preferentially biotransformed than (?)-α-HCH in loaches. The results reveal a high capacity for α-HCH bioconcentration by loaches and that biotransformation is the main route of decontamination.     

Decolorization of azo dye reactive black B by Bacillus cereus strain HJ-1

Reactive black B (RBB) is a group of azo dyes that are widely used in the textile industry. In this study, a new microbial strain was isolated from azo dye contaminated river sediment which is capable of degrading RBB. The strain was identified as Bacillus cereus strain HJ-1 by 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis. The optimal conditions for RBB decolorization by B. cereus strain HJ-1 are: 25 °C, pH 8, 1 CMC of triton X-100, 0.15 g L^?1 of added yeast extract, 0.125 g L^?1 of added glucose and static culture. Then the toxicity of RBB on the green algae Chlorella vulgaris was determined. The results showed that the median effective concentration (EC₅₀) of RBB for C. vulgaris is 48 mg L^?1 and toxicity will really decrease after decolorization. In the end, B. cereus strain HJ-1 was amended into the origin river sediment and analyzed the whole microbial community structure of river sediment samples by PCR-DGGE technique. The result showed that B. cereus strain HJ-1 could survive in the river sediment after 12 d of incubation. Based on this work, we hope that these findings could provide some useful information for applying the decolorization of RBB in our environment.     

Polyfluorinated compounds in ambient air from ship- and land-based measurements in northern Germany

Neutral volatile and semi-volatile polyfluorinated organic compounds (PFC) and ionic perfluorinated compounds were determined in air samples collected at two sites in the vicinity of Hamburg, Germany, and onboard the German research vessel Atair during a cruise in the German Bight, North Sea, in early November 2007. PUF/XAD-2/PUF cartridges and glass fiber filters as sampling media were applied to collect several fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOH), fluorotelomer acrylates (FTA), perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FASA), and perfluoroalkyl sulfonamido ethanols (FASE) in the gas- and particle-phase as well as a set of perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCA) and sulfonates (PFSA) in the particle-phase. This study presents the distribution of PFC in ambient air of the German North Sea and in the vicinity of Hamburg for the first time. Average total PFC concentrations in and around Hamburg (180 pg m^?3) were higher than those observed in the German Bight (80 pg m^?3). In the German Bight, minimum–maximum gas-phase concentrations of 17–82 pg m^?3 for ΣFTOH, 2.6–10 pg m^?3 for ΣFTA, 10–15 pg m^?3 for ΣFASA, and 2–4.4 pg m^?3 for ΣFASE were determined. In the vicinity of Hamburg, minimum–maximum gas-phase concentrations of 32–204 pg m^?3 for ΣFTOH, 3–26 pg m^?3 for ΣFTA, 3–18 pg m^?3 for ΣFASA, and 2–15 pg m^?3 for ΣFASE were detected. Concentrations of perfluorinated acids were in the range of 1–11 pg m^?3. FTOH clearly dominated the substance spectrum; 8:2 FTOH occurred in maximum proportions. Air mass back trajectories, cluster, and correlation analyses revealed that the air mass origin and thus medium to long range atmospheric transport was the governing parameter for the amount of PFC in ambient air. Southwesterly located source regions seemed to be responsible for elevated PFC concentrations, local sources appeared to be of minor importance.     

The effects of antibiotic cocktails at environmentally relevant concentrations on the community composition and acetate biodegradation kinetics of bacterial biofilms

Antibiotics and antibacterials are present in water bodies worldwide but little is known about their effects on the biological processes often used to treat water. In this research, the effect of antibiotics on bacterial activity and community structure was investigated by growing biofilms in the presence and absence of a mixture of three compounds (sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin) in a continuous-flow rotating annular bioreactor fed acetate as a carbon and energy source. Steady-state, surface area-normalized substrate utilization rates for all antibiotic treatments (all at 0.33 μg L^?1, all at 3.33 μg L^?1, and 1 at 3.33 μg L^?1 with the other 2 at 0.33 μg L^?1) were similar to the control experiments. Higher attached biomass levels in the experiments with ciprofloxacin at 3.33 μg L^?1 resulted in lower steady-state biomass-normalized substrate utilization rates in comparison to other runs. Microbial community analyses via automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis revealed significant shifts in community structure for the experiments dosed with the highest concentrations of ciprofloxacin, suggesting that the antibiotic selected for more resistant bacterial strains. The results of this research also suggest that mixtures of antibiotics at the sub-μg L^?1 concentrations typically observed in surface waters are unlikely to affect biological process performance, at least in terms of the degradation of easily assimilable compounds. Conversely, changes to community structure and biofilm quantity might be expected with ciprofloxacin at μg L^?1 concentrations.     

Bioanalytical and instrumental analysis of estrogenic activities in drinking water sources from Yangtze River Delta

The estrogenic activities of source water from Yangtze River, Huaihe River, Taihu Lake and groundwater in Yangtze River Delta in the dry and wet season were determined by use of reporter gene assays based on African green monkey kidney (CV-1) cell lines. Higher estrogenic activities were observed in the dry season, and the estrogenic potentials in water samples from Taihu Lake were greater than other river basins. None of the samples from groundwater showed estrogen receptor (ER) agonist activity. The 17β-Estradiol (E2) equivalents (EEQs) of water samples in the dry season ranged from 9.41 × 10^?1 to 1.20 × 10¹ ng E2 L^?1. In the wet season, EEQs of all the water samples were below the detection limit as 9.00 × 10^?1 ng E2 L^?1 except for one sample from Huaihe River. The highest contribution of E2 was detected in Yangtze River as 99% of estrogenic activity. Nonylphenol (NP, 100% detection rate) and octylphenol (OP, 100% detection rate) might also be responsible for the estrogenic activities in water sources. Potential health risk induced by the estrogenic chemicals in source water may be posed to the residents through water drinking.     

Dietary intake of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs from the Chinese total diet study in 2007

Concentrations of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) were measured in 96 food composite samples from eight varieties of food groups from the Chinese total diet study (TDS) in 2007. The concentrations of samples, expressed as WHO toxic equivalents (TEQ), ranged from 0.001 pg TEQ g^?1 to 0.85 pg TEQ g^?1 (fresh weight). Dietary intake of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs of 12 age/gender subgroups of the Chinese population subsequently estimated ranges from 15.4 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1 to 38.7 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1 for average population and from 68.5 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1 to 226.1 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1 for high consumers (the 97.5th percentile). Dietary exposure of children (mean: 32.5 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1) is significantly higher than that of the adults (mean: 21.5 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1) (p < 0.01) presumably due to more food consumed by children relative to their body weight compared to adults. There is no difference of dietary exposure, expressed as pg TEQ kg^?1 bw, found between different genders. Across various regions in China, there are large differences of dietary exposure of adult population and pattern of contribution of food groups to total exposure due to different contamination level and food habits. Dietary exposures of average population of various subgroups were all below the PTMI recommended by JECFA, but those of higher consumers were found exceeding or comparable to the PTMI.