Non-destructive pollution exposure assessment in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus): II. Hair and spines as indicators of endogenous metal and As concentrations

The role of hair and spines of the European hedgehog as non-destructive monitoring tools of metal (Ag, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) and As pollution in terrestrial ecosystems was investigated. Our results showed that mean pollution levels of a random sample of hedgehogs in Flanders are low to moderate. Yet, individual hedgehogs may be at risk for metal toxicity. Tissue distribution analyses (hair, spines, liver, kidney, muscle and fat tissue) indicated that metals and As may reach considerable concentrations in external tissues, such as hair and spines. Positive relationships were observed between concentrations in hair and those in liver, kidney and muscle for Al, Co, Cr, Cu, and Pb (0.43 < r < 0.85). Spine concentrations were positively related to liver, kidney and muscle concentrations for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu and Pb (0.37 < r < 0.62). Hair Ag, As, Fe and Zn and spine Ag, Al, As and Fe were related to metal concentrations in one or two of the investigated internal tissues (0.31 < r < 0.45). The regression models presented here may be used to predict metal and As concentrations in internal tissues of hedgehogs when concentrations in hair or spines are available. The present study demonstrated the possibility of using hair and spines for non-destructive monitoring of metal and As pollution in hedgehogs.     

Hair analysis: another approach for the assessment of human exposure to selected persistent organochlorine pollutants

Hair analysis was used for the assessment of exposure to organochlorine pollutants in specimens from Greece, Romania and Belgium. A simple method (using 3 N HCI as incubation reagent, liquid-liquid extraction with hexane/ dichloromethane (DCM), alumina/acid silica clean-up and GC-ECD/GC-MS analysis) was used for screening of specimens. The highest organochlorine load (up to 148 ng/g hair for the sum of PCB, DDT and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers) was found in samples from a group of Greek women with past occupational exposure to pesticides. DDTs were the main organochlorine pollutants in Greek samples (up to 70%), while in Belgian hair samples their contribution was reduced to 40%. PCB mean concentration was higher in Belgian specimens (up to 14 ng/g hair). Lindane (y-HCH) was the main HCH isomer found in the samples (up to 82% in the Greek samples). Contribution of p,p'-DDT to the sum of DDTs was higher in Greek samples and indicates recent exposure to technical DDT. Similar PCB 153/sum PCBs ratios were found for each of the three countries suggesting similar sources of pollution with PCBs (mainly dietary). Artificially coloured hair samples were found to have lower, but not statistically significant concentrations of organochlorine pollutants than the non-coloured hair.     

European risk assessment of LAS in agricultural soil revisited: species sensitivity distribution and risk estimates

Linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) is used at a rate of approximately 430,000 tons/y in Western Europe, mainly in laundry detergents. It is present in sewage sludge (70-5,600 mg/kg; 5-95th percentile) because of its high usage per capita, its sorption and precipitation in primary settlers, and its lack of degradation in anaerobic digesters. Immediately after amendment, calculated and measured concentrations are <1 to 60 mg LAS/kg soil. LAS biodegrades rapidly in soil with primary and ultimate half-lives of up to 7 and 30 days, respectively. Calculated residual concentrations after the averaging time (30 days) are 0.24-18 mg LAS/kg soil. The long-term ecotoxicity to soil microbiota is relatively low (EC10 >or=26 mg sludge-associated LAS/kg soil). An extensive review of the invertebrate and plant ecotoxicological data, combined with a probabilistic assessment approach, led to a PNEC value of 35 mg LAS/kg soil, i.e. the 5th percentile (HC5) of the species sensitivity distribution (lognormal distribution of the EC10 and NOEC values). Risk ratios were identified to fall within a range of 0.01 (median LAS concentration in sludge) to 0.1 (95th percentile) and always below 0.5 (maximum LAS concentration measured in sludge) according to various scenarios covering different factors such as local sewage influent concentration, water hardness, and sewage sludge stabilisation process. Based on the present information, it can be concluded that LAS does not represent an ecological risk in Western Europe when applied via normal sludge amendment to agricultural soil.     

城市自来水中挥发性有机氯污染物检测及健康风险评价初步研究

水质安全是饮用水安全的重中之重,直接关系到人体健康。采用健康风险评价模式,对某市饮用水进行了分析和评价。研究结果表明,该市通过饮水途径引起的非致癌健康风险中四氯化碳最大,三氯甲烷次之,两者风险水平在10-5～10-6,远低于美国环境保护署推荐的最大可接受风险水平。通过饮水途径所致健康风险中,四氯乙烯所引起的致癌风险最大(1.2×10-8),但远远低于美国环境保护署推荐的通过饮水途径最大可接受风险水平(5×10-5)。根据美国环境保护署的推荐值,初步认为目前该市饮用水中挥发性有机污染物不会对人体产生明显的健康危害。     

Levels of hexachlorobenzene and other organochlorine compounds in cord blood: exposure across placenta

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is an organochlorine compound widespread in the environment, highly lipophilic, that accumulates in biological systems. It has been suggested that it should be classified as a dioxin-like compound. Newborns are exposed to organochlorine compounds across the placenta and through breastfeeding. Although HCB is one of the most common organochlorine compounds, the transplacental transference of HCB from mother to fetus during pregnancy has been scarcely documented. This study reports the levels of HCB, dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolite p,p'DDE, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH) in 72 maternal blood samples at delivery and in 69 cord blood samples, from which 62 corresponded to mother infant pairs born between May 1997 and September 1999 in a rural area highly exposed to HCB. Results show that all newborns presented detectable levels of HCB, PCBs, and p,p'DDE, and, to a lesser extent, of beta-HCH, the HCB levels being the highest. The geometric mean of HCB was 1.1 ng/ml, ranging from 0.3 to 5.7 ng/ml. Concentrations of HCB levels in cord blood (log ng/ml) were positively associated with concentrations in maternal blood (log ng/ml) (coefficient = 0.45, P < 0.01). Gestational age was not associated with the transplacental transfer of HCB. Maternal p,p'DDE and beta-HCH levels were also associated with newborn levels, but levels of PCBs were not. We conclude that HCB, similar to other organochlorinated compounds, has a transplacental transfer.     

Uncertainties and data needs in risk assessment of three commercial polybrominated diphenyl ethers: probabilistic exposure analysis and comparison with European Commission results

Some environmental monitoring programs have reported increasing levels of certain polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) isomers in aquatic biota and in human breast milk. The commercial PBDE products are known as penta-, octa-, and deca-brominated diphenyl ethers (PeBDE, OBDE and DBDE, respectively). Aside from the current European Commission's risk assessment initiative and efforts underway in Sweden, Canada and elsewhere to evaluate environmental levels, little is understood about sources of exposure and risks to humans. In this study, a multi-pathway human health risk assessment was performed to predict theoretical chronic daily intakes (CDIs) of PeBDE, OBDE, and DBDE by five different age groups: 0-2, 2-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-70 years. Sources of exposure included air, drinking water, consumption of fish, vegetables, meat and dairy products, and ingestion of breast milk by infants. In addition to a deterministic analysis, the risk assessment included a probabilistic analysis to derive the probability density functions describing the range of plausible exposures associated with eight different pathways, as well as aggregate lifetime exposures for each age group. The results were compared to CDI point estimates calculated by the European Chemicals Bureau as part of the European Commission's Existing Substances Programme. The major sources of uncertainties are discussed, including environmental sources, levels in different environmental compartments, toxicity, and human exposure. This paper also discusses the limitations in the current state-of-the-science and provides recommendations for improving the scientific relevance and accuracy of future environmental risk assessments of PBDEs.     

Regional distribution of cadmium minerals and risk assessment for potential cadmium pollution of soil in China

系统地分析和评价了中国镉矿的区域分布及长期采选冶活动所带来的土壤镉污染风险.研究结果表明,截至2005年底,中国累计探明镉资源储量约为719.47kt,保有镉资源储量约为587.37 kt,且多与铅矿、锌矿等以共、伴生形式存在.中国镉矿主要分布在中部、西南部及华东地区,这些地区的镉资源探明储量占中国累计探明总储量的88.0％,保有储量占中国总保有储量的87.1％.据统计,中国镉采出量约为136.10 kt,主要集中在西南地区,其镉采出量占中国总采出量的59.4％.镉污染事件主要发生在镉矿相对丰富及采选冶活动较密集的云南、广东、湖南、贵州等地区,大部分矿冶区及周边土壤呈现重度镉污染,农作物中含镉量超出《食品中污染物限量》(GB2762-2005)中限值.     

铜陵某富硫尾矿库周边土壤重金属污染特征及风险评价

铜陵某尾矿库堆积大量富硫尾矿,为研究其氧化状况及对周边土壤的污染情况,在尾矿库和周边采集尾矿及土壤样品,测试分析尾矿及土壤样品典型重金属(Hg、As、Cr、Cd、Pb、Zn)含量和赋存形态,并基于单因子污染指数法和内梅罗综合污染指数法对土壤污染状况进行了评价。结果表明:(1)尾矿中Fe_2O_3平均占比达到38.08%(质量分数,下同),S平均占比达到5.34%;(2)尾矿库周边土壤中Cd、As、Zn、Hg严重超标,分别为《土壤环境质量农用地土壤污染风险管控标准(试行)》(GB 15618—2018)风险筛选值的6.3、3.7、1.8、1.5倍;(3)土壤中重金属主要以残渣态形式存在,但Cd、Hg、Zn的非残渣态平均占比均达到25%以上,生物有效性较高,对周边环境存在潜在危害;(4)两种污染指数法评价结果表明,尾矿库周边土壤以Cd、As、Zn污染为主,该富硫尾矿库已对周边环境造成重度污染。     

Cadmium and mercury accumulation in European hare (Lepus europaeus): age-dependent relationships in renal and hepatic tissue

A total of 63 European hares have been collected from five Serbian agricultural regions. The hares assayed were divided into four age groups (3–6 months, 12 months, 12–24 months, and 24–36 months) and investigated upon presence at cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) in the kidney and liver. The positive significant correlation (Ps—Pearson’s coefficient) between Cd concentrations in the kidney and liver within age group the 3–6 months was found (Ps?=?0.81, p?p?p?>?0.05). Statistically significant differences were registered between Hg content in the liver of the hares aged 24–36 and 12 months (p?p?>?0.05). The strong statistically significant associations were registered between Cd and Hg content in the liver (Cd L/Hg L) in the age group 3–6 and 12–24 months (Cd L/Hg L, Ps?=?0.94; p?Ps?=?0.91; p?相似文献   

Detection and quantitative analysis of organochlorine compounds (PCBs and DDTs) in deep sea fish liver from Mediterranean Sea

Background, aim and scope  

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) concentrations were determined in the liver of two deep sea fish species, Mediterranean slimehead and blackfin sorcerer, from the Adriatic Sea (southeastern Mediterranean Sea).     

Human exposure to dioxins and furans: application of the substance flow analysis to health risk assessment

Substance Flow Analysis (SFA) is an important instrument that allows for the undertaking of environmental management for a specific contaminant. 'Control Analysis' is a tool that assesses the effect on a target flow of changes in flows forming part of a control basis set. The purpose of the present study was to perform a modeling of the annual PCDD/F flows in Tarragona Province and to apply the model for human health risk assessment. The validation of the model has been evaluated by comparing estimated fluxes with experimental values. Eleven subsystems, as well as a set of 88 flows of the system in Tarragona Province were considered. The total PCDD/F accumulation in Tarragona Province was between 62.6 and 159.5 g I-TEQ/y. Accumulation in sediments (27.9-74.6 g I-TEQ/y) and soils (35.0-80.8 g I-TEQ/y) are the two principal modes of deposition. Estimated flow in human adipose tissue means a mean intake of PCDD/F (via ingestion and inhalation) of 243 pg I-TEQ/person/day. The food chain pathway accounts for 99% of the total daily intake. As a result of the simulation, a 100% decrease in industrial emissions would cause a 1.7% reduction in the PCDD/F accumulation in humans. In turn, a 100% reduction of PCDD/Fs in the industrial waste waters would cause only an insignificant 0.1% decrease in the accumulation of PCDD/Fs in humans.     

Outdoor air pollution exposure and the risk of asthma and wheezing in the offspring

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - According to the “fetal origin of disease” hypothesis, air pollution exposure in pregnancy may play an important role in stimulating the...     

Bound residues of organic compounds in the soil: the significance of pesticide persistence in soil and water: a European regulatory view

The paper discusses key aspects of the European Union (EU) regulatory policy for persistence of agricultural pesticide active substances (a.s.) in soil, which is examined in the context of the EU Authorisations Directive (91/414/EEC). For agricultural pesticide regulation within EU Member States (MS), the Authorisations Directive will gradually replace existing national systems. Discussion is concentrated on this directive, looking in particular at the Uniform Principles therein and the possible ways that these decision-making guidelines could be developed into a regulatory framework. The aim in this process of negotiated development is to identify any questions or data requirements that will be needed for persistent pesticides, over and above those generally required for all compounds. The present European regulatory position on soil non-extractable or bound residues is discussed. Finally, a brief mention of pesticide persistence in water and sediment is made.     

Integrated assessment of heavy metal (Pb, Zn, Cd) highway pollution: bioaccumulation in soil, Graminaceae and land snails

To assess the contamination induced by traffic at the vicinity of a highway (A31, France), several complementary studies were carried out on two sites, with different profiles and traffic intensity. Concentrations of zinc, lead and cadmium were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in deposits, roadside soil and autochthonous plants (Graminaceae) gathered at the vicinity of the highway (1-320 m), and in the viscera of snails Helix aspersa, transferred as sentinel in the sites. According to the results obtained for different compartments, the highway induces a contamination on the surrounding environment, up to 320 m, but with the maximum contamination observed between 5 and 20 m: the concentrations measured in plants at the vicinity of the highway were 2.1 mg Pb kg(-1) DW, 0.06 mg Cd kg(-1) DW, 62 mg Zn kg(-1) DW and the concentrations measured in snails were 21.3 mg Pb kg(-1) DW, 5.7 mg Cd kg(-1) DW, 510.8 mg Zn kg(-1) DW. The levels measured decreased with increasing distance from the highway. Results of the three metals studied indicated that lead seems to be the best metal to evaluate road transport contamination.     

One-at-a-time sensitivity analysis of pollutant loadings to subsurface properties for the assessment of soil and groundwater pollution potential

Chemical leak was numerically simulated for four chemical substances: benzene (light non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL)), tetrachloroethylene (dense NAPL), phenol (soluble in water), and pentachlorophenol (white crystalline solid) in a hypothetical subsurface leak situation using a multiphase compositional transport model. One metric ton of chemical substances was assumed to leak at a point 3.51 m above the water table in a homogeneous unconfined aquifer which had the depth to water table of 7.135 m, the hydraulic gradient of 0.00097, the recharge rate of 0.7 mm/day, and the permeability of 2.92?×?10^?10 m². For comparison, surface spill scenarios, which had a long pathway from source to the water table, were simulated. Using the model results, point-source pollutant loadings to soil and groundwater were calculated by multiplying mass, impact area, and duration above and below the water table respectively. Their sensitivity to subsurface properties (depth to water table, recharge rate, porosity, organic carbon content, decay rate, hydraulic gradient, capillary pressure, relative permeability, permeability) was analyzed, with changing each parameter within acceptable ranges. The study result showed that the pollutant loading to groundwater was more sensitive to the subsurface properties than the pollutant loading to soil. Decay rate, groundwater depth, hydraulic gradient and porosity were influential to pollutant loadings. The impact of influential parameters on pollutant loadings was nonlinear. The dominant subsurface properties of pollution loadings (e.g., decay rate, groundwater depth, hydraulic gradient, and porosity for groundwater) also affect the vulnerability, and the subsurface pollutant loadings defined in this study are dependent on chemical properties as well, which indicates that the influential hydrogeological and physicochemical parameters to pollutant loadings can be used for pollution potential assessment. The contribution of this work is the suggestion that the sensitivity of pollutant loadings can be used for pollution potential assessment. Soil and groundwater pollution potential of chemicals are discussed altogether for leak scenarios. A physics-based model is used to understand the impact of subsurface properties on the fate and transport of chemicals above and below the water table, and consequently their impact on the pollutant loading to soil and groundwater.