Cadmium,lead and mercury concentrations in pathologically altered human kidneys

Heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) act as nephrotoxic agents, particularly in the renal cortex. The aim of the study was to determine the concentrations of Cd, Pb and Hg in kidneys removed from patients due to lesions of various etiologies and from patients after the rejection of transplanted kidneys. Additionally, we determined the influence of selected biological and environmental factors on the concentrations of toxic metals. The study material consisted of kidneys with tumor lesions (n = 27), without tumors (n = 7) and its extracted grafts (n = 10) obtained from patients belongs to the north-western areas of Poland. The determined metal concentrations in the renal cortex and medulla may be arranged in the following descending order: Cd > Pb > Hg. The highest concentrations of Cd and Hg were found in the cortex, while the maximum content Pb was observed in the medulla. Significant correlations were found in the concentrations of the same metals between cortex and medulla and between Pb and Hg in the renal medulla. Pb content was higher in the renal medulla of men than in the cortex of the elderly (above 60 years of age). The highest concentrations of Pb and Hg were found in the cortex and medulla, of the kidneys had not neoplastic changes, and lower content of these metals were found in the extracted kidney grafts. In summary, renal grafts accumulate less heavy metals than cancerous kidneys, what could have been caused by immunosuppressors taken by the graft recipients. Moreover, sex, age and smoking are key factors responsible for xenobiotics concentrations.     

Assessment of non-invasive techniques for monitoring mercury concentrations in species of Amazon turtles

This study determined the concentrations of mercury (Hg) in four tissues of six species of turtles from the Rio Negro in the Amazon Basin. For two species, blood and carapace tissues were correlated with concentrations in internal tissues to establish whether blood or carapace could serve as a non-lethal indicator of internal metal exposure or body burden. The four tissues’ Hg levels were also correlated to turtle size and gender. The liver in five species of turtles had the highest concentration, followed by carapace, muscle, and blood. The exception was Chelus fimbriatus, which had a higher metal concentration in the muscle than carapace. Regarding the correlation between total Hg concentrations in tissues of the two species, no significant correlation was noted for Podocnemis erythrocephala. However, for Podocnemis sextuberculata significant correlation was found between muscle?×?liver, muscle?×?blood, and liver?×?blood. For P. erythrocephala, there was a correlation between Hg concentration in carapace and turtle size. For P. sextuberculata, there was no marked correlation between Hg concentration and size, but concentration in muscle was significantly influenced by gender. The patterns of Hg accumulation in tissues of the five species followed those described for freshwater species and some species of sea turtles. The difference in C. fimbriatus may be a result of a different pattern of non-living keratin layers on the carapace tissue. The use of carapace to infer internal concentrations of Hg is common in freshwater and sea turtles, but in this study it was found that only blood might be a reliable indicator of Hg concentrations in liver and muscle tissues for P. sextuberculata. Thus blood may be used as a non-invasive method to study concentrations of Hg in liver and muscle of P. sextuberculata.     

Total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in fish from the Mojana region of Colombia

Total mercury (T-Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations have been measured in the muscle tissue of 16 fish species consumed in the Mojana region of Colombia. T-Hg analysis was performed by cold-vapor atomic-absorption spectroscopy (CV-ASS) and MeHg analysis by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Higher T-Hg and MeHg concentrations were detected in carnivorous species (T-Hg = 0.371 ± 0.172 (μg g⁻¹ fresh wt, MeHg = 0.346 ± 0.171 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt) than in non-carnivorous fish (T-Hg = 0.155 ± 0.108 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt, MeHg = 0.146 ± 0.102 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt). In the different species mercury was present almost completely as the methylated form, with percentages between 80.5 and 98.1% (mean 92.0 ± 3.4%). In 13.5% of fish-tissue samples T-Hg concentrations exceeded the maximum level recommended by the World Health Organization for human consumption (Hg = 0.5 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt). Although mean T-Hg concentrations in all fish samples (0.269 ± 0.181 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt) did not exceed this limit, risk assessment suggested that the consumption of 0.12 kg fish day⁻¹ could increase the risk of mercury poisoning of the inhabitants of this region.     

Elevated concentrations of mercury in mussels (Mytilus californianus) associated with pinniped colonies

The geographic distribution of mercury concentrations in the California mussel Mytilus californianus, collected from 1977–1978 at 43 sites along the western coastline of the continental United States is marked by consistently elevated levels at two locations. These two sites, which are relatively isolated from anthropogenic inputs and mercuryrich minerals, both contain large pinniped and marine bird populations. The relatively elevated mercury levels measured in the excrement of a pinniped from one of those locales indicate that the concentrated discharge of mercuryrich waste products from the marine ecosystem's top carnivores is contaminating lower trophic levels.     

Diffusive gradient in thin films with open and restricted gels for predicting mercury uptake by plants

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The presence of mercury (Hg) in the environment is a major concern because mercury is toxic for living organisms. Estimating the Hg toxicity of environmental...     

The role of stable isotopes and mercury concentrations to describe seabird foraging ecology in tropical environments

Nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and carbon (δ¹³C) stable isotopes and contaminants, such as mercury, have been widely used to characterise foraging ecology of temperate and polar seabirds. In this study, for the first time, we used isotopic signatures and mercury levels of feathers and blood of eight tropical seabird species, that forage in a range-gradient between inshore and offshore areas, to describe the foraging habits of a large tropical seabird community (from two neighboring islands of the Seychelles archipelago, western Indian Ocean) during both the breeding and inter-breeding periods. Overall, we found a high overlap in both δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C signatures among species. The high inter-specific overlap in δ¹⁵N values was expected, given the similarities in the diet of the species from this community. However, several unexpected results, such as (1) the consistently higher δ¹⁵N signatures of white terns (Gygis alba), (2) the large variation in inter-specific differences in δ¹⁵N signatures among the sampling groups (season, age, island and tissue) and (3) the consistent low δ¹⁵N values of breeding birds during the northwest monsoon (austral summer), suggest that δ¹⁵N signatures cannot be used as indicators of seabird trophic levels in this community. The high inter-specific overlap in δ¹³C signatures and the absence, during the breeding season, of a δ¹³C gradient that follows the inshore-offshore foraging gradient within the community can be explained by the habitat homogeneity of the Seychelles continental shelf and suggest that birds forage mostly within the limits of this “plateau”. On the other hand, the similarities in δ¹³C values between the breeding and inter-breeding periods in species that are known to show post-breeding dispersal, strongly support the hypothesis of a lack of latitudinal variation in δ¹³C signatures of POM in the central Indian Ocean, and the consequent inaccuracy of δ¹³C values to track seabird movements within this geographic area. Inter-specific differences in mercury levels seem to be related to prey size, while consistent higher mercury concentrations in one of the studied islands suggest different island mercury-backgrounds and possible segregation in foraging areas between the seabirds of the two islands. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

广州城郊环境梯度下马尾松针叶元素质量分数变化特征

城市化、工业化迅速发展及人类活动的加剧给城市及其周边地区森林生态系统带来前所未有的干扰和压力。植物冠层是植物与大气直接进行气体交换的界面,冠层叶组织化学分析已成为评价环境污染对森林树木健康的影响,指示环境污染的有效手段。文章以广州黄埔工业区(丹水坑风景区)、城郊接壤区(华南植物园)和近郊(帽峰山森林公园)这一环境梯度为对象,在各研究点上选定自然生长的、成熟健康的马尾松(Pinus massonianaL.)5株,分别采集树冠中部向阳枝条上的当年生(Current,C)和一年生(Current 1,C 1)针叶,然后将每组针叶区分为带叶鞘针叶、去叶鞘针叶和叶鞘3个组分进行样本制备,测定N、Al、Cu、Cd、Pb、Zn、Cr、Ni元素质量分数,旨在探讨利用马尾松针叶不同组分的元素质量分数用于指示城郊梯度环境质量变化的适宜性和可靠性。研究结果表明:①当年生带叶鞘针叶中Al质量分数显著高于当年生去叶鞘针叶(p<0.05),其余元素在当年生和一年生的去叶鞘针叶与带叶鞘的完整针叶间均无显著差异;②Ni在当年生针叶及其叶鞘间没有显著差异(p<0.05),其它被测定的金属元素无论在当年生还是一年生针叶中,均表现为叶鞘中的元素质量分数均显著高于去叶鞘针叶(p<0.05),体现了针叶与叶鞘在形态结构上的差异引起重金属积累的差异;而非金属元素N质量分数则针叶显著高于叶鞘;③一年生针叶中Ni质量分数显著低于当年生针叶,但Al、Pb、Zn质量分数显著高于当年生针叶,一年生叶鞘中所有金属元素的质量分数都显著高于当年生叶鞘,表现出随暴露时间和针叶寿命的延长而持续累积的特征;而营养元素N质量分数在当年生针叶和一年生针叶以及当年生叶鞘和一年生叶鞘间无显著差异;④城乡环境梯度下生长的马尾松为研究环境质量演变提供了一个天然的实验室,受人类活动干扰大的城区马尾松一年生针叶的Cd和N质量分数及其叶鞘中的Cu、Cr、Ni质量分数显著高于受人为干扰较少的郊区,表明植物组织中元素化学特征反映了城市发展过程中人类活动的足迹。在城市环境尤其是重金属污染的监测中,成熟的一年生叶鞘更具指示意义,效果更显著。     

A model of mercury contamination in a woodland stream

A model for the accumulation of mercury in four compartments of woodland stream has been set up. The four components considered are sediments, detritus, invertebrates and fish. The model inputs are concentrations of dissolved monomethyl mercury and dissolved inorganic mercury (Hg²⁺) in the water. The model predicts that some reevaluation of current safe mercury concentrations in water may be needed in order to keep mercury concentrations in fish below current actions levels.     

A review of mercury contamination in marine fauna in Thailand

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous environmental toxin that produces a wide range of adverse health effects in humans. Bioaccumulation of mercury in the aquatic food chain is a public concern for many countries. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of Hg contamination in marine fauna in Thailand.     

上海市公园绿地常见落叶树木叶片汞浓度时空特征及环境意义

植物叶片汞浓度与大气气态单质汞(GEM/Hg0)浓度的线性关系表明叶片汞浓度大小可用于指示植物生长区内GEM浓度的高低水平.通过分析上海市绿地公园(25座)中常见落叶树木樱花、水杉、法桐叶片汞浓度的时空变化特征,探究区域内GEM含量水平及分布特征.2017年5-10月对7座公园中这3种树木叶汞浓度进行连续监测,结果显示...     

汞污染及人体负荷研究进展

汞污染是个全球性的问题,汞在一些厌氧微生物的作用下会生成毒性较大的甲基汞,对人体健康产生威胁.本文综述了汞污染以及人体负荷的一些研究进展,包括汞对人体的危害、生物学指标、普通人群甲基汞暴露的两条主要途径等.之前普遍认为食用鱼贝类等水产品是造成人体甲基汞暴露的主要途径,但最近有研究发现大米中甲基汞含量偏高,食用大米会造成潜在甲基汞暴露风险.目前大米甲基汞暴露研究大多集中在我国贵州地区,未来非常有必要在更多的地区开展大米中甲基汞水平的调查,评价大米中低剂量甲基汞长期暴露的风险,以保障大米的安全性.     

A review of atmospheric mercury emissions,pollution and control in China

Mercury, as a global pollutant, has significant impacts on the environment and human health. The current state of atmospheric mercury emissions, pollution and control in China is comprehensively reviewed in this paper. With about 500-800 t of anthropogenic mercury emissions, China contributes 25%-40% to the global mercury emissions. The dominant mercury emission sources in China are coal combustion, non-ferrous metal smelting, cement production and iron and steel production. The mercury emissions from natural sources in China are equivalent to the anthropogenic mercury emissions. The atmospheric mercury concentration in China is about 2-10 times the background level of North Hemisphere. The mercury deposition fluxes in remote areas in China are usually in the range of 10-50μg·m^-2·yr^-1. To reduce mercury emissions, legislations have been enacted for power plants, non-ferrous metal smelters and waste incinerators. Currently mercury contented in the flue gas is mainly removed through existing air pollution control devices for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particles. Dedicated mercury control technologies are required in the future to further mitigate the mercury emissions in China.     

A model of the emergence of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus in Scottish salmon farms 1996–2003

Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) is an increasingly common pathogen in farmed Scottish Atlantic salmon; over 80% of marine sites are now infected, although most do not suffer clinical disease. The increasing prevalence of this pathogen in farms over the period 1996–2003 is modelled using a simple susceptible–infected (SI) epidemic model. Because salmon production approximately doubled over this period, population-dependent and -independent transmission models are compared. The model generates mean R₀ (increase ratio) of 1.41 in fresh and 1.45 in marine water farms at the national level; higher values apply with time under population-dependent transmission (1.58, freshwater, 1.80 marine by 2003). Regional differences in R₀ are mostly moderate, indicating similar regional processes in spite of substantial difference in prevalence. Prevalence of IPNV for marine sites was further increased by the use of smolts (young salmon) from multiple freshwater sources. The model suggests that prevalence is entering dynamic equilibrium and will stabilise or only increase slowly as population increases. Cutting freshwater transmission is the most effective single strategy at reducing IPNV prevalence, but a combination of strategies (including reducing the number of sources of smolts) is better and indeed is required for eradication. Eradication would require cuts in transmission of at least 30–45% and this is unlikely to be practicable.     

A fast and reliable method for quantitative determination of total mercury in vegetables

A cloud-point extraction (CPE) process using the nonionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol tert octylphenyl ether (Triton X-114) was employed for determination of Hg(II) ions in aqueous solutions. The method is based on the ion-pairing reaction of Hg(II) with Pyronin B (PyrB⁺) in the presence of excess iodide at pH 6.0 and extraction of the complex formed. The chemical variables affecting CPE efficiency were studied, and the analytical characteristics of the method were obtained. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 1–40 μg L^?1 with the detection limits of 0.35 and 0.30 μg L^?1 at 556 and 521 nm. Selectivity was also tested. The coefficients of variation of the method are 2.4% and 5.2% for five replicate measurements of mercury at levels of 10 and 25 μg L^?1, respectively. The results obtained for two certified reference samples were in a good agreement with the certified values. The method was applied to the determination of total mercury in vegetable samples.     

低剂量Aroclor 1254和BDE-209单一和复合暴露的甲状腺干扰作用

本文旨在探讨低剂量PCBs和PBDEs单一暴露和复合暴露的甲状腺干扰作用.非洲爪蟾46期蝌蚪单独或共暴露于100 ng·L-1Aroclor 1254和BDE-209至62期.暴露结束后检测变态时间、甲状腺组织学结构、甲状腺相关基因表达水平等指标.结果发现,Aroclor 1254和BDE-209单独暴露使蝌蚪变态发育呈现一定的延迟趋势,而复合暴露却显著抑制蝌蚪变态发育;所有的暴露处理均导致蝌蚪甲状腺组织代偿性改变,表现为胶质面积减少,甲状腺滤泡上皮细胞高度显著增加;Aroclor 1254单独暴露显著抑制甲状腺激素受体(TRA)、Ⅱ和Ⅲ型脱碘酶(DI-2,DI-3)的表达,BDE-209单独暴露仅抑制DI-2的表达,但BDE-209协同促进Aroclor1254对肝脏内TRA表达的抑制作用.综上,低剂量Aroclor 1254和BDE-209单独暴露和复合暴露对非洲爪蟾变态发育具有一定的甲状腺抑制作用,复合暴露的抑制作用明显高于单一暴露的作用.鉴于甲状腺系统在脊椎动物生长发育过程中的重要作用,低剂量PCBs和PBDEs复合暴露的甲状腺干扰效应应该受到格外关注.     

Distribution and behaviour of radiocaesium in Scottish freshwater loch sediments

The distribution and behaviour of radiocaesium have been studied in the sediments of two contrasting freshwater lochs: Round Loch of Glenhead, an acidified loch in south-west Scotland, with organic-rich sediments (≈20%C) and Loch Lomond, 35 km north-west of Glasgow, where sediments are low in organic matter (1–6%C, southern basin), but with a relatively high clay content. In the sediments of Scottish freshwater lochs,¹³⁷Cs [half life (t_1/2) = 30.23 yr] originates from fallout from nuclear weapons’ testing (1950s and 1960s) and from the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986, which is also the source of the shorter-lived¹³⁴Cs [half life (t_1/2) = 2.05 yr]. Use of the characteristic¹³⁴Cs/¹³⁷Cs activity ratio of radiocaesium emitted from Chernobyl enables resolution of sedimentary radiocaesium profiles into the two component sources. In the organic-rich sediment of Round Loch, downward diffusion of radiocaesium in porewaters obscures its pattern of input to the loch. In the more clay-rich sediments of Loch Lomond, separate radiocaesium concentration peaks, related to atmospheric deposition maxima, are clearly discernible, although an influence of partial mixing is apparent. While the derived Chernobyl fallout inventory of radiocaesium in Round Loch sediments is broadly comparable with that for Loch Lomond, the corresponding weapons testing inventory is an order of magnitude lower than in Loch Lomond. Although Round Loch is situated in an area of known elevated Chernobyl deposition, the inventory is much lower than literature values of atmospheric deposition, indicating significant loss of radiocaesium from this loch. The weapons testing inventory in Round Loch is also lower than reported estimates, whereas in Loch Lomond the established inventories from both sources are similar to, or greater than, fallout deposition. The differences between the distribution and inventories in the two lakes confirms that radiocaesium is much less efficiently bound and is correspondingly much more mobile in the organic sediments of Round Loch of Glenhead than in the more clay-rich sediments of Loch Lomond.     

Mercury enrichment in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> in response to elevated atmospheric mercury concentrations

Mercury enrichment in response to elevated atmospheric mercury concentrations in the organs of rape (Brassica napus) was investigated using an open top chamber fumigation experiment and a soil mercury enriched cultivation experiment. Results indicate that the mercury concentration in leaves and stems showed a significant variation under different concentrations of mercury in atmospheric and soil experiments while the concentration of mercury in roots, seeds and seed coats showed no significant variation under different atmospheric mercury concentrations. Using the function relation established by the experiment, results for atmospheric mercury sources in rape field biomass showed that atmospheric sources accounted for at least 81.81%of mercury in rape leaves and 32.29% of mercury in the stems. Therefore, mercury in the aboveground biomass predominantly derives from the absorption of atmospheric mercury.

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Blood concentrations of lead,cadmium, mercury and their association with biomarkers of DNA oxidative damage in preschool children living in an e-waste recycling area

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage occurs in heavy metal exposure, but the simultaneous effect on DNA repair is unknown. We investigated the influence of co-exposure of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) on 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and human repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1) mRNA levels in exposed children to evaluate the imbalance of DNA damage and repair. Children within the age range of 3–6 years from a primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling town were chosen as participants to represent a heavy metal-exposed population. 8-OHdG in the children’s urine was assessed for heavy metal-induced oxidative effects, and the hOGG1 mRNA level in their blood represented the DNA repair ability of the children. Among the children surveyed, 88.14% (104/118) had a blood Pb level >5 μg/dL, 22.03% (26/118) had a blood Cd level >1 μg/dL, and 62.11% (59/95) had a blood Hg level >10 μg/dL. Having an e-waste workshop near the house was a risk factor contributing to high blood Pb (r _s  = 0.273, p < 0.01), while Cd and Hg exposure could have come from other contaminant sources. Preschool children of fathers who had a college or university education had significantly lower 8-OHdG levels (median 242.76 ng/g creatinine, range 154.62–407.79 ng/g creatinine) than did children of fathers who had less education (p = 0.035). However, we did not observe a significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of hOGG1 between the different variables. Compared with children having low lead exposure (quartile 1), the children with high Pb exposure (quartiles 2, 3, and 4) had significantly higher 8-OHdG levels (β _Q2 = 0.362, 95% CI 0.111–0.542; β _Q3 = 0.347, 95% CI 0.103–0.531; β _Q4 = 0.314, 95% CI 0.087–0.557). Associations between blood Hg levels and 8-OHdG were less apparent. Compared with low levels of blood Hg (quartile 1), elevated blood Hg levels (quartile 2) were associated with higher 8-OHdG levels (β _Q2 = 0.236, 95% CI 0.039–0.406). Compared with children having low lead exposure (quartile 1), the children with high Pb exposure (quartiles 2, 3, and 4) had significantly higher 8-OHdG levels.     

A Critical Appraisal of Field Evidence From A Regional Survey for Acid Deposition Effects On Scottish Moorland Podzols

Samples have been collected from major horizons of 34 podzol profiles distributed throughout Scotland, all developed from granite or granitic tills and under Calluna moorland. the pH in water and calcium chloride pastes, exchangeable cations and cation exchange capacity, and extractable aluminium of the soils collected have been measured, and the results studied in relation to reported atmospheric deposition of H⁺, non-marine sulphur and nitrate. for all horizons, significant positive correlations were found between soil pH and rainfall mean pH, as might be expected when the critical load of H⁺ deposition is exceeded. Acidifying pollutant deposition also apparently increased soil extractable aluminium concentrations in the B and C horizons. However, exchangeable base cation concentrations tended to increase, rather than decrease, with increasing precipitation acidity. This effect was attributed to increases in biogeochemical cycling of base cations, increases in leaching inputs of base cations from overlying A/E horizon soils, and increases in the inputs of base cations leached from upslope. the results suggest that the simple steady state mass approach to the quantification of critical loads, as often applied, may be an oversimplification.