Toxicity of tire debris leachates

Data on the indicators of environmental impact of tire debris, originated from the tire abrasion on roads, are extremely scarce, while it is well known that tires may produce deleterious effects. Tire debris contains significant quantities of zinc (Zn) which may be released by tire rubber. We have used tire particles (TD) produced in laboratory from new rubber. Two sets of experiments were set up to obtain eluates. One set used 50 and 100 g/L TD to produce eluates at pH 3-7. The Zn quantity was measured with a Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry. The eluates at 1%,10%,50%,100% concentrations in culture media were tested on Raphidocelis subcapitata, Daphnia magna and Xenopus laevis embryos (FETAX test). The other set of experiments was performed putting 250 mg/L TD in a column with glass beads to control particle dispersion during the elution process. We demonstrate that factors such as pH, size and particles aggregation deeply influence the elution process, that the amount of Zn leached from particles is related to their aggregation rather than their quantity. These results, even though do not reflect the real environmental toxicity of the leachates, can be successfully used for comparative purposes allowing an initial assessment of the potential effect of tire derived particles.     

Organic compounds in tire particle induce reactive oxygen species and heat-shock proteins in the human alveolar cell line A549

Debris produced from the attrition of tires of motor vehicles constitutes 5-7% of the atmospheric particulate matter (PM10). Debris particles are indeed small enough to enter human lung and thus morphological and chemical characterization has been performed. We demonstrated that the organic fraction of tire debris induces a dose-dependent increase in cell mortality, DNA damage, as well as a significant modification of cell morphology at the dose of 60 microg/ml, which may correspond to the quantity present in the air humans inhale daily. The present research aims at investigating if reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and Hsp70 expression are involved in the cascade of toxic effects produced on the A549 cell line, as it has been suggested for the ultrafine atmospheric particles and diesel exhaust. To this end, cells were exposed at the doses of 10, 50, 60, 75 microg/ml of TD organic extract (TDOE) and analyzed at different exposure time. ROS were detected by the oxidation of 2'7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate to dichlorofluorescein, and fluorescence was measured by flow cytometry. Hsp70 protein expression was determined by immunochemical analysis, and protein expression quantification performed by optical densitometry. ROS production was analysed after 2 h of treatment. A statistically significant increase in fluorescence was observed and the intensity of the stress response was parallel to the increasing concentrations used. An evident increase of Hsp70 expression at lower doses (10, 50 microg/ml) and at longer exposure times (72 h) was observed, during the time that our previous studies showed that cell viability, plasma membrane integrity, and DNA molecules were not affected. Thus it can be deduced that the increase in Hsp70 expression protected the cells from those damages, which became evident at the higher doses, and that this parameter might be used as a sensitive indicator of exposure. These data suggest that ROS production may be the first event caused by A549 exposure to TDOE and this result is in line with other evidences provided for the role of ROS generation in ultrafine PM toxicity. It can be suggested that this event induces an overexpression of Hsp70 only at the lower doses and longer exposure time, when cells still appear unaffected. Subsequently when ROS generation reaches high levels, a general inhibition of protein synthesis probably occurs, culminating in cell toxicity.     

玄武湖沉积物中重金属的垂直分布

选取中国典型城市内湖--南京玄武湖为研究对象,采用目前运用较为广泛的欧洲标准测试分析委员会(now the Standards,Measurements and Testing Programme)推荐的BCR连续提取法对沉积物中Pb、Cd、Ni、Zn、Cr和Mo 6种重金属形态在垂向上的分布进行测定,并对其潜在迁移风险进行讨论。结果表明：玄武湖沉积物中6种重金属总量由大到小的顺序为：Zn＞Cr＞Mo＞Ni＞Pb＞Cd,含量分别为14880~24412、11255~13578、5519~7730、4142~4981、857~2005和129~173 mg/kg,除Pb外均高于南京土壤环境背景值。在50 cm的柱状沉积物样品中,Pb与Cd主要以可氧化态和残渣态存在,Mo、Ni、Zn和Cr主要以残渣态为主要的存在形态。6种重金属的总量与不同形态在垂向上的分布因金属种类不同有所差异。玄武湖沉积物中含有丰富的有机质(80%~110%),且pH值为偏酸性至近中性(582~713),沉积物中的重金属具有较高的潜在迁移风险,在城市湖泊污染治理中应予以足够的重视     

湖北省主要植烟区土壤肥力状况及分析

2005年以来测土配方施肥项目获取了大量土壤数据,通过对湖北省2009和2010年所获取的植烟区土壤养分数据进行抽样分析,并划分以十堰为核心的环神农架、以恩施为核心的鄂西南、神农架及以襄阳、宜昌为核心的鄂西北4个烟区,分别探讨不同烟区、不同土壤类型植烟土壤养分丰缺状况。结果表明,目前湖北省烟区土壤pH值、有机质、碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾含量分别为62、233 g/kg、1097 mg/kg、195 mg/kg和1236 mg/kg;569%的土壤pH适宜烟草生长,617%的土壤有机质含量在15～35 g/kg,土壤碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾缺乏面积分别为481%、363%和574%;各养分元素在不同烟区的分布存在一定差异,土壤pH以鄂西南最低,有机质含量鄂西南及神农架烟区明显高于环神农架和鄂西北地区,土壤碱解氮、有效磷含量鄂西南明显高于其余3个烟区,而土壤速效钾含量又以鄂西南烟区最低;湖北省烟区90%以上土壤为黄棕壤、水稻土、黄壤、石灰土、紫色土和棕壤,其中棕壤肥力水平较高,紫色土有机质及碱解氮含量低,水稻土有效磷和速效钾含量低。本研究还说明,充分利用测土配方施肥项目的资料对土壤养分数据进行系统分析,可全面掌握区域性土壤肥力现状并能指导科学施肥     

长江口沿岸碎波带刀鲚仔稚鱼摄食习性与浮游动物分布的相关性研究

为探明长江口沿岸碎波带浮游动物的分布与刀鲚仔稚鱼摄食的关系,2006年7~12月每月大潮期间在长江口沿岸碎波带设置13个站位点,用浮游Ⅰ型生物网(口径30 cm,网目0.2 mm)在表层拖曳采集浮游动物78次,采集到浮游动物72种,平均密度 3 278.95 个/网;用小型拖网(1 m×4 m,网目1 mm)拖曳234次,采集到刀鲚仔稚鱼 37 170 尾,平均密度158.85尾/网。通过胃含物分析共鉴定刀鲚仔稚鱼饵料生物15种(类)(浮游动物11种,浮游幼体4类),平均摄食密度1.306个/尾。研究结果表明:前弯曲期仔鱼偏好摄食哲水蚤、剑水蚤和枝角类;弯曲期仔鱼偏好摄食猛水蚤和桡足类桡足幼体;后弯曲期仔鱼除偏好摄食桡足类幼体以外,也偏好摄食游泳能力较强的糠虾;稚鱼对糠虾有极强的偏好。水温和盐度对刀鲚仔稚鱼的摄食量影响较小;浮游动物分布并不直接影响刀鲚仔稚鱼分布,相关性较小。     

铜绿微囊藻对有机毒物菲的生理生态响应研究

选取富营养化湖泊蓝藻水华常见优势种铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa,M. aeruginosa）为研究对象,采用室内暴露培养实验考察多环芳烃（Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs）化合物菲（Phenanthrene,Phe）对铜绿微囊藻生长及生理特性的影响效应和作用机制。研究结果表明,低浓度Phe（0.05~0.2 mg/L）对铜绿微囊藻细胞生长有不同程度的促进作用,0.2 mg/LPhe促进作用最为显著（P＜0.05）;高浓度Phe（0.5~1.0 mg/L）显著抑制铜绿微囊藻生长（P＜0.05）。铜绿微囊藻典型生理指标细胞光合作用率（Fv/Fm）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷氨酰胺还原酶（GR）酶活性以及丙二醛（MDA）含量同步分析结果显示,低浓度Phe通过增强SOD、GR酶活性,降低铜绿微囊藻细胞内MDA含量,提高藻细胞光合作用率,进而促进细胞增殖;高浓度Phe则通过降低SOD、GR酶活性,增加藻细胞内MDA产量,减弱细胞光合作用,从而抑制细胞生长。对不同暴露时刻藻细胞的生长抑制率进行回归分析可得EC50（半抑制浓度）随着污染暴露时间增加而减低,1day EC50为1.27 mg/L,12day EC50降至0.65 mg/L,即高剂量Phe（0.5~1.0 mg/L）对微囊藻细胞生长的抑制作用随时间延长逐渐增强。结合低剂量浓度下Phe对铜〖JP+2〗绿微囊藻生长的促进作用分析,湖泊生态系统Phe污染长期暴露对铜绿微囊藻生长生理特性及优势种的形成和维持具有不可忽视的作用。其中,铜绿微囊藻细胞主要生理指标SOD与GR对Phe污染胁迫反应灵敏,可用作评价PAHs等有机毒物对浮游藻类生理生态影响的生物标记物     

基于流域演化的泥石流敏感性分析

基于泥石流来源于某些处于特殊演化阶段的分支小流域的理论,分析了面积高程曲线及其参数与泥石流活动的关系。面积高程曲线积分值S表征流域内松散固体物质量,S/2对应的相对高差比值K表征流域源地面积在不同高程的分布,以S和K为参数提出泥石流敏感性分析思路。针对汶川县主要公路(都汶公路和省道303)沿线泥石流敏感性分析,在Arcgis、Matlab等软件的支持下,基于震前1:50 000地形数据,计算了研究区泥石流流域的S和K。根据计算结果,初步判定了各流域的地貌发育阶段,以及流域源地汇水区的高程位置。并根据震后泥石流实际活动情况,对于S小于0.5但又属于震后频发型,或者S值大于0.5但其面积较大且分支较多泥石流沟,进行了次一级子流域的面积高程值计算,判定其易发生泥石流具体源地。最后,根据流域面积高程值S得出了研究区泥石流敏感性分级图,分析结果基本反应了地貌演化对泥石流发生能力的潜在影响。     

博落回植物与肥料复合的杀螺效应及对水稻生长影响

探索一种杀螺施肥双效作用的新型杀螺剂。将博落回植物粉末分别与氮、磷、钾肥复合制成植物3种单肥复合杀螺剂(简称MPF),与3种肥料混合配成植物混合肥复合杀螺剂(简称MCF)。采用浸杀法进行杀螺试验, 同时检验该复合杀螺剂对水稻萌发及生长的影响。结果显示,3种MPF(博落回植物分别与氮、磷、钾肥复合杀螺剂)处理钉螺,48 h钉螺死亡率分别为100%、533%、667%;作用于水稻,能明显促进种子萌发和幼苗生长,如3种MPF使水稻种子萌发率分别为100%、80%和53%,分别比对照（40%）提高了60%、40%和13%;水稻幼苗分别增长了1268%、707%和605%。MCF随处理浓度增加及处理时间延长,钉螺死亡率上升,较低浓度（200 mg/L）处理48 h 和72 h,钉螺死亡率分别为733%和867%;较高浓度（400 mg/L）复合处理48 h和72 h,钉螺死亡率分别为833%、100%。然而,低浓度（200 mg/L）MCF对水稻萌发和生长有促进作用,如水稻幼苗比对照增长了876%,但高浓度（400 mg/L）则有一定抑制作用。因此,MPF对钉螺具有较好的杀螺活性,同时能促进水稻萌发和生长,其中植物氮肥复合杀螺剂效果最佳;MCF对钉螺均有杀螺活性,但低浓度对水稻有促进作用,而高浓度则有抑制作用     

Radionuclide and chemical concentrations in mineral waters at Saratoga Springs, New York

A project to characterize the radionuclide and chemical components in natural spring waters in the vicinity of Saratoga Springs, New York (USA) has been completed. As a result of the measured radionuclide and chemical content, eight springs were labeled as mineral waters, whereas three springs contained very low concentrations of these components. The mineral waters were highly enriched in alkaline and alkaline-earth elements, as well as chloride ions. Three isotopes of radium ((224)Ra, (226)Ra, (228)Ra) were detected in the mineral waters and reached concentrations of 1, 20, and 2 Bq/L, respectively. Overall, the (226)Ra isotope constituted about 80% of the total radioactivity measured in the water samples. Dissolved uranium concentrations in the mineral waters were very low (mean approximately 50 mBq/L).     

Fate of glutaraldehyde in hospital wastewater and combined effects of glutaraldehyde and surfactants on aquatic organisms

Glutaraldehyde (GA), an aliphatic dialdehyde disinfectant, and surfactants, one of the major components of detergents, are widely used in hospitals in order to eliminate pathogenic organisms causing nosocomial infectious diseases. After their use, disinfectants and surfactants reach the wastewater network together. The discharge of chemical compounds from hospital activities into wastewater is also a well-known problem, causing pollution of water resources and constituting an ecological risk for aquatic organisms. In this study, the chemistry and toxicology of GA and surfactant mixtures were reviewed in order to estimate their fate in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, their joint effects on aquatic organisms were experimentally assessed in the laboratory. A simple model of the additive joint action of toxicants was used to determine combined acute toxicity effects on the bacteria luminescence and Daphnia mobility of three mixtures containing GA at 1.5 x EC50 24 h [in mg/L] on Daphnia and anionic, cationic and nonionic surfactants at twice their critical micellar concentration (CMC). The mixture of GA and a cationic surfactant gave an EC50 30 min on Vibrio fischeri of 0.158%, with a concentration of 0.04 mg GA/L and 1.04 mg CTAB/L, which provided an additive action. The interaction between GA and an anionic surfactant on V. fischeri produced an antagonistic joint action with an EC50 30 min of 3.95%, containing 1.06 mg GA/L and 33.2 mg SDS/L. A synergistic action with an EC50 30 min of 8.4% on V. fischeri was observed for the mixture containing GA and a nonionic surfactant. Antagonistic interactions were observed for the joint action between GA and the surfactants studied on Daphnia. The mixture of GA and CTAB was more toxic (EC50 24 h=0.02%) than the two other mixtures (EC50 24 h GA+SDS=6%; EC50 24 h GA+TX 100=10%). This study provides new data on the toxicity of certain hospital pollutants entering the aquatic environment and detected in surface and groundwaters. It is necessary to study the joint effects of GA and surfactant mixtures following chronic and sublethal standard bioassays in order to estimate the contribution of the additive joint action models in assessing the environmental risk of hospital wastewater (HW).     

灭螺药氯硝柳胺急性暴露对斑马鱼胚胎/幼鱼代谢能力的影响

氯硝柳胺（Niclosamide, NIC）是我国目前使用最久,也是使用量最多的化学灭螺药物,其带来的环境问题和生物安全问题逐渐引起人们重视。我们前期研究证实,NIC急性暴露会干扰斑马鱼幼鱼脂代谢途径,该研究在此基础上,进一步深入研究环境相关浓度NIC急性暴露对胚胎/幼鱼代谢水平的干扰效应。将受精2 h内的健康斑马鱼胚胎暴露于环境相关浓度的NIC（浓度依次为0,5,10,20和40 μg/L）至120 h。结果表明,和对照组相比,40 μg/L NIC暴露会显著改变幼鱼体内代谢产物,如葡萄糖和乳酸含量（P < 0.05 和P < 0.05）;另外,NIC暴露还会显著抑制幼鱼体内柠檬酸合成酶（CS）活力,而乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）活力被显著增强（P < 0.05 和P < 0.05）。代谢相关过氧化物酶体增值剂激活受体（PPAR）家族中的两个基因,pparα和pparγ,在NIC暴露组中其mRNA的相对表达水平都被显著上调（P < 0.05 和P < 0.05）。上述结果说明,环境相关浓度的NIC急性暴露会对早期胚胎的发育及幼鱼体内代谢水平造成干扰,表现为改变体内代谢相关基因的表达水平,并对代谢相关酶的活力和代谢产物的含量造成影响。     

武汉月湖和莲花湖表层沉积物中持久性有机物的污染状况

采用气－质联用技术分析了武汉汉阳月湖和莲花湖的4个表层沉积物样品中的有机污染物,探讨了两湖沉积物受持久性有机物污染的程度。月湖中共检测出124种有机物,其中属环境优先控制污染物和美国EPA筛选的内分泌干扰物19种;莲花湖中共检测出186种有机物,环境优先控制污染物和美国EPA筛选的内分泌干扰物34种。主要污染物包括：酞酸酯、酯类、酚类、杂环和苯及其衍生物等。污染物浓度顺序为L1＞L2＞Y2＞Y1,莲花湖中有机物浓度明显高于月湖。两湖邻苯二甲酸酯的含量最高,占了污染物总量的96%~98%,邻苯二甲酸乙基己基酯（平均值 17 59903 ng/g 干重）和邻苯二甲酸二丁酯（平均值 2 515.76 ng/g 干重）是两湖沉积物中的主要酞酸酯类污染物。     

水布垭水库水体碳时空变化特征及其影响因素分析

为了评估大型水库对河流碳循环的拦截作用,选择清江流域最上游水布垭水库为典型案例,采用德国元素公司vario TOC分析仪对定期采集水样进行分析,研究新建大型水库水体碳时空分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明,水布垭水库表层水体总碳、总无机碳、溶解有机碳和颗粒有机碳平均含量分别为26.665、24.089、2.141和0.438 mg/L,在水库年内蓄水阶段呈现显著的峰值,其空间分布格局在支流库湾和坝前典型断面表现出显著的差异,在水体碳中总无机碳占据主导地位,与湖泊水体碳时空分布特征极为相似。由于受到人类活动和自然环境的双重影响,水体无机碳则与水体电导率指标具有较强的相关性,溶解有机碳则与水体温度具有直接的关系,而数量最少的颗粒有机碳则与水体叶绿素含量具有弱相关关系。研究成果可以为理解水库碳循环过程机制提供数据支持,对于开展大坝建设的河流碳循环影响评估具有重要参考意义。     

杭州西湖水体光学状况及影响因子分析

2004年10月8日在杭州西湖6个不同湖区共布设10个采样点进行水下光场的测定,并采集水样分析悬浮物、叶绿素a、有色可溶性有机物（CDOM）浓度。结果表明,3类主要光衰减物质总悬浮物、叶绿素a和DOC的浓度分别为3.68~42.76 mg/L、4.64~85.95 μg/L、5.19~9.22 mg/L;CDOM在440 nm波长处吸收系数为0.30~1.46 m-1;PAR衰减系数在1.13~6.04 m-1间变化,均值为4.00±1.69 m-1;对应的真光层深度为0.76~4.08 m,均值为1.54±1.11 m;仅南湖和茅家埠两个湖区真光层深度大于水深,其他湖区由于水深远大于真光层深度,在现有的光照条件和水位下要恢复沉水植物困难较大。对PAR衰减系数、真光层深度、透明度等表观光学参数与主要水色因子进行相关分析发现,水体中浮游藻类和有机颗粒物对西湖水体光学性质影响最大。     

Arsenic and other trace elements contamination in groundwater and a risk assessment study for the residents in the Kandal Province of Cambodia

Concentrations of arsenic and other trace elements in groundwater were examined at three villages (PT, POT and CHL) in the Kandal Province of Cambodia. Concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater ranged from 6.64 (in POT village) to 1543 microg/L (in PT village), with average and median concentrations of 552 and 353 microg/L, respectively. About 86% out of fifteen samples contained arsenic concentrations exceeding the WHO drinking water guidelines of 10 microg/L. Concentrations of arsenic (III) varied from 4 (in POT village) to 1334 microg/L (in PT village), with an average concentration of 470 microg/L. In addition, about 67%, 80% and 86% of the groundwater samples had higher concentrations for, respectively, barium, manganese and lead than the WHO drinking water guidelines. These results reveal that groundwater in Kandal Province is not only considerably contaminated with arsenic but also with barium, manganese and lead. A risk assessment study found that one sample (PT25) had a cumulative arsenic concentration (6758 mg) slightly higher than the threshold level (6750 mg) that could cause internal cancer in smelter workers with chronic exposure to arsenic from groundwater. High cumulative arsenic ingestion poses a health threat to the residents of Kandal Province.     

九龙江流域河水溶解态碳的时空变化

为了研究九龙江流域河流中溶解碳变化规律,分别于2017年7月与2018年1月对九龙江河水溶解无机碳（DIC）与溶解有机碳（DOC）进行了分析。丰水季河水DIC浓度为7.50~49.04 mg/L,平均值为22.12 mg/L,枯水季DIC浓度为8.84~84.91 mg/L,平均浓度41.17 mg/L,丰水季河水中的DOC浓度为0.54~2.89 mg/L,平均值为1.04 mg/L,枯水季河水中DOC浓度变化在1.34~3.56 mg/L之间,平均值为2.34 mg/L,据此计算了九龙江河水DOC、DIC的入海通量。研究结果表明九龙江河水中溶解碳具有显著的时空变化特征,通过与中国其他河流溶解碳数据对比,解释了碳酸盐岩的风化、气候变化、河流中浮游植物以及人类活动对九龙江河流溶解碳浓度的影响。     

Toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the earthworm, Eisenia fetida and subcellular fractionation of Zn

The extensive use of nanoparticles (NPs) in a variety of applications has raised great concerns about their environmental fate and biological effects. This study examined the impact of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and salts on ZnO NP dispersion/solubility and toxicity to the earthworm Eisenia fetida. To be able to better evaluate the toxicity of NPs, exposure in agar and on filter paper was proposed for enabling a comparison of the importance of different uptake routes. A dose-related increase in mortality was observed in earthworms exposed in agar with almost 100% mortality after 96 h exposure to the highest concentration (1000 mg ZnO/kg agar). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the addition of salts enhanced the aggregation of ZnO NPs in agar and consequently affected the dissolution behavior and biological availability of the particles. On filter paper, mortality was the highest at the lowest exposure concentration (50 mg ZnO/L) and seemed to decrease with increasing exposure levels. TEM images of ZnO showed that the solubility and morphology of NPs were changed dramatically upon the addition of humic acids (HA). The subcellular distribution pattern of Zn in earthworms after 96 h exposure in agar and on filter paper showed that the Zn taken up via dietary ZnO particles (from agar) was mainly found in organelles and the cytosol while the Zn accumulated as soluble Zn from filter paper was mainly distributed in cell membranes and tissues. Antioxidant enzymatic activities (SOD, CAT, and GSH-px) were investigated in the worms surviving the toxicity tests. A slight increase of SOD activities was observed at the lowest exposure dose of ZnO (50mg/kg), followed by a decrease at 100mg/kg in the agar cubes. Activities of both CAT and GSH-Px enzymes were not significantly influenced in the worms exposed to agar, although a slight decrease at 500 and 1000 mg ZnO/kg agar was observed. A similar change trend of SOD activities was observed for the earthworms on filter paper, but a significant decrease began at a higher ZnO NP concentration of 500 mg ZnO/L. The use of soil extracts instead of deionized water (DW) to simulate a realistic exposure system significantly reduced the toxicity of the ZnO NPs on filter paper, which increases the predictive power of filter paper toxicity tests for the environmental risk assessment of NPs.     

Enhancement of AhR-mediated activity of selected pollutants and their mixtures after interaction with dissolved organic matter

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in freshwaters is present at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 50 mg L?1, and consists of various organic compounds, including humic substances (HS). HS exert a variety of direct and indirect biological effects, including interaction with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). AhR is a cytosolic receptor that binds various hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) and mediates some of their toxic effects. In vitro effects of binary mixtures of various DOM (mainly HS) with various HOCs on AhR-mediated responses were studied by use of H4IIE-luc cells. Six out of 12 DOM activated the AhR even at environmentally relevant concentrations (17 mg L?1). In simultaneous exposures of H4IIE-luc cells to DOM (17 mg L?1) and each of the model compounds, 2,3,7,8-TCDD, PCB126, PCB169, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, fluoranthene, a mixture of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and a mixture of all HOCs, either significant additive or facilitative effects were observed when compared to activities of single HOCs. No significant decrease of effects due to possible sorption of HOCs to DOM was observed, even in subsequent experiments when HOCs+DOM mixtures were preincubated for six days before exposure to H4IIE-luc. Thus, DOM does not seem to protect organisms against AhR-mediated toxic effects of HOCs (as usually predicted due to sorption of HOCs on DOM), but it can actually enhance their potency for AhR-mediated effects in some situations.     

Extent of sonochemical degradation and change of toxicity of a pharmaceutical precursor (triphenylphosphine oxide) in water as a function of treatment conditions

The degradation of triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) in water, a toxic compound typically found in effluents from the pharmaceutical industry, by means of ultrasonic irradiation at 20 kHz has been investigated with emphasis on the effect of various parameters on conversion and acute toxicity. Experiments were carried out at liquid volumes of 50 and 80 ml, electric power outputs of 125, 187.5 and 250 W, initial TPPO concentrations of 10, 100 and 350 mg/L and temperatures of 5, 20, 35, 50 and 70 degrees C. TPPO conversion was found to increase with increasing power output and decreasing initial concentration and temperature. Measurements of dissolved total carbon showed that liquid-phase degradation by-products were more stable to ultrasonic irradiation than TPPO. Addition of t-butanol as a radical scavenger at a concentration of 1000 mg/L nearly completely suppressed TPPO degradation. Conversely, addition of radical promoters (Fe(2+) ions or H(2)O(2)) had a positive effect on degradation. Acute toxicity to marine bacteria vibrio fischeri was measured before and after ultrasonic irradiation. At the conditions employed in this study, irradiated TPPO samples were always more toxic than TPPO itself with toxicity levels being a function of treatment conditions.     

Rates of energy and phosphorus metabolism in Littorina snails (gastropoda)

Energy metabolism and phosphorus excretion were studied in Littorina littorea and L. saxatilis snails from the White Sea. Some elemental components of the body were determined quantitatively, and the rates of oxygen consumption and phosphorus excretion were estimated. All parameters were calculated relative to dry body weight (mg). Daily expenditures for energy metabolism in Littorina spp. averaged 3.6 ± 1.1%, and those for phosphorus metabolism were approximately four times lower (about 1%), with the total phosphorus content averaging 0.8% dry body weight. The atomic ratio of consumed oxygen to excreted phosphorus for both species averaged O: P = 1164 ± 140.