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.     

Effects of exposure to ED contaminants (TPT-Cl and Fenarimol) on crinoid echinoderms: comparative analysis of regenerative development and correlated steroid levels

Regenerative phenomena reproduce developmental processes in adult organisms and are regulated by neuro-endocrine mechanisms. They can therefore provide sensitive tests for monitoring the effects of exposure to endocrine disrupter contaminants (EDs) which can be bioaccumulated by the organisms causing dysfunctions in steroid hormone metabolism and activities and affecting reproduction and development. Echinoderms are prime candidates for this new ecotoxicological approach, since (1) they offer unique models to study physiological regenerative processes and (2) in echinoderms vertebrate-type steroids can be synthesized and used as terminal hormones along the neuro-endocrine cascades regulating reproductive, growth and developmental processes. We are currently exploring the effects on the regenerative potential of echinoderms of different classes of compounds that are well known to have ED activity. The present paper focuses on the possible effects of well-known compounds with suspected androgenic activity such as TPT-Cl (Triphenyltin-chloride) and Fenarimol [(±)-2,4-dichloro-α-(pyrimidin-5-yl) benzhydryl alcohol]. The selected test-species is the crinoid Antedon mediterranea, a tractable and sensitive benthic filter-feeding species which represents a valuable experimental model for investigation on the regenerative process from the macroscopic to the molecular level. The present investigation employs an integrated approach which combines exposure experiments and biological analysis utilizing microscopy, immunocytochemistry and biochemistry. The experiments were carried out on experimentally induced arm regenerations in semistatic controlled conditions with exposure concentrations comparable to those of moderately polluted coastal zones. The bulk of results obtained so far provide indications of significant sublethal effects from exposure to TPT-Cl and Fenarimol and mechanisms of toxicity related to developmental physiology, which are associated with variations in steroid levels in the animal tissues. The results indicate that these two substances (1) affect growth and development by interfering with the same basic cellular mechanisms of regeneration, such as cell proliferation, migration and differentiation/dedifferentiation, which are possibly controlled by steroid hormones; and (2) can induce a number of significant modifications in the timing, modalities and pattern of arm regeneration, which may involve the activation of cell mechanisms related to steroid synthesis/metabolism. Physical and Chemical Impacts on Marine Organisms, a Bilateral Seminar Italy-Japan held in November 2004     

Analytical evaluation of mesoscale fluxes and pressure field

Terrain in natural areas is never homogeneous: there may be a variety of vegetation types and patches of vegetated and unvegetated areas which can modify the mesoscale atmospheric flow. Moreover, horizontal thermal inhomogeneities in the planetary boundary layer are a well known source of mesoscale circulation systems such as land and sea breezes, mountain-valley winds, and urban heat island circulations. Since those phenomena are not resolved in regional scale numerical models, therefore an analytic procedure able to evaluate the relative importance of mesoscale and turbulent heat fluxes associated with surface thermal heterogeneities is of crucial importance in the optic of developing a parameterization of mesoscale effects generated by these heterogeneities for use in larger scale models. In the present paper we analyze how small a horizontal variation in surface heating can be and still produce a significant mesoscale circulation, how the heat and momentum fluxes associated to mesoscale flows can penetrate deeply into the mid-troposphere, and how they modify tropospheric relevant climate parameters, such as the atmospheric static stability. In addition, we evaluate the terms of the pressure gradient force, nonlinear and linear, non-hydrostatic and hydrostatic, as function of time and space scales of the mesoscale flow. The present paper is mainly a review of analytical results, the numerical comparison and verification using RAMS is in progress.     

Aerosol particle number concentration measurements in five European cities using TSI-3022 condensation particle counter over a three-year period during health effects of air pollution on susceptible subpopulations

In this study, long-term aerosol particle total number concentration measurements in five metropolitan areas across Europe are presented. The measurements have been carried out in Augsburg, Barcelona, Helsinki, Rome, and Stockholm using the same instrument, a condensation particle counter (TSI model 3022). The results show that in all of the studied cities, the winter concentrations are higher than the summer concentrations. In Helsinki and in Stockholm, winter concentrations are higher by a factor of two and in Augsburg almost by a factor of three compared with summer months. The winter maximum of the monthly average concentrations in these cities is between 10,000 cm(-3) and 20,000 cm(-3), whereas the summer min is approximately 5000-6000 cm(-3). In Rome and in Barcelona, the winters are more polluted compared with summers by as much as a factor of 4-10. The winter maximum in both Rome and Barcelona is close to 100,000 cm(-3), whereas the summer minimum is > 10,000 cm(-3). During the weekdays the maximum of the hourly average concentrations in all of the cities is detected during the morning hours between 7 and 10 a.m. The evening maxima were present in Barcelona, Rome, and Augsburg, but these were not as pronounced as the morning ones. The daily maxima in Helsinki and Stockholm are close or even lower than the daily minima in the more polluted cities. The concentrations between these two groups of cities are different with a factor of about five during the whole day. The study pointed out the influence of the selection of the measurement site and the configuration of the sampling line on the observed concentrations.     

Heavy Metals in Liver and Muscle of Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Caught in the Straits of Messina (Sicily, Italy)

The present investigation was carried out on the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) collected during the month of April 2003 from the Straits of Messina. The aim of this study is to determine heavy metal levels (Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn) in liver and muscle tissues of 14 Thunnus thynnus of different age and sex and to investigate the relationships between fish sex and size (length and weight and metal concentrations in the tissues. The concentrations of the various metals were determined by a Varian atomic absorption spectroscopy instrument. The results showsignificant variations (p < 0.01) for Hg and Zn concentrations in muscle than in liver samples. Concentrations of Cd and Pb are below the instrumental detection limits in almost all muscle samples. Levels of Hg (3.03 + 0.55 μg/g) are above the MRLs only in muscle (1μg/g) establishing toxicological risks for the consumer. Regression analysis shows a negative correlation between mercury level and weight and length in samples from both female and male. No significant difference between mean heavy metals concentrations and male or female tuna is seen. For greater food safety, it would be advisable to reduce the mercury intake by selecting safer fish, species and size and by the avoidance of tuna fish consumption by pregnant women, young children and old people, who are more sensitive to mercury exposure.     

Chemical and mineralogical transformations caused by weathering in anti-tank DU penetrators ("the silver bullets") discharged during the Kosovo war

A depleted-uranium penetrator, shot in 1999 at Djakovica, Western Kosovo, and there collected in June 2001, shows evident alteration processes, perceivable as black and yellow coatings. XRD indicates that the black coating mostly consists of uraninite, UO2, with possible presence of other more oxidized uranium forms, such as U3O8. The yellow material is mostly amorphous, with variable weak diffraction lines, due to minor embedded uraninite grains, or possibly to schoepite, UO3 x 2H2O. SEM-EDS reveals only uranium. Whereas uraninite does not show any crystal shape, the yellow material recrystallizes to flattened pseudo-hexagonal prisms, approximately 2-10 microm wide and 1-4 microm long. Raman spectra of the yellow material have peaks at 3474 and 3222 cm(-1), indicative for OH groups, plus at 812 and 744 cm(-1), indicative for UO2(2+) uranyl ions. Based on the different data, the yellow material covering the depleted-uranium dart is an oxidized corrosion product, containing uranyl ions and hydroxyls and/or water molecules, akin to schoepite. Therefore, the Djakovica dart shows evident oxidation and leaching processes, progressively releasing mobile uranium forms. As uranium will be progressively dispersed far from the impact sites, at a rate controlled by the presence of effective fixing mechanisms, we feel necessary to maintain long term geochemical control of water pollution within the battlefield surroundings.     

Evaluation of the Biodegradation of Starch and Cellulose Under Controlled Composting Conditions

In order to verify the response of the controlled composting test method (i.e., the ISO/DIS 14855:1997, the ASTM D 5338-92, or the CEN counterpart) to starch at different concentrations, the maximum amount prescribed by the test method (100 g) and lower amounts (60 and 30 g), as if starch were a coingredient in a blend, were tested. After 44 days of incubation (at a constant temperature of 58°C) the biodegradation curves were in a plateau phase, displaying the following final values (referred to a nominal starch initial amount of 100 g): starch 100 g, 97.5%; starch 60 g, 63.7%; and starch 30 g, 32.5%. The data show a CO₂ evolution roughly equal, in each case, to the theoretical maximum, indicating a complete starch mineralization. We cannot discern whether the deviations found at lower concentrations are caused by a priming effect. In any case, the extent of the deviations is not high and is acceptable in biodegradation studies. The average biodegradation of cellulose, obtained gathering four independent experiments with 11 biodegradation curves, turned out to be 96.8 ± 6.7% (SD) after 47 ± 1 days. The data indicate that the controlled composting is a reliable test method also for starch and cellulose and, consequently, for starch-based and cellulose-based materials.     

Adaptation and mitigation strategies in agriculture: an analysis of potential synergies

As climate changes due to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, agriculture will be one of the key human activities affected. Projections show that while overall global food production in the coming decades may keep pace with the food requirements of a growing world population, climate change might worsen existing regional disparities because it will reduce crop yields mostly in lands located at lower latitudes where many developing countries are situated. Strategies to enhance local adaptation capacity are therefore needed to minimize climatic impacts and to maintain regional stability of food production. At the same time, agriculture as a sector offers several opportunities to mitigate the portion of global greenhouse gas emissions that are directly dependent upon land use, land-use change, and land-management techniques. This paper reviews issues of agriculture and climate change, with special attention to adaptation and mitigation. Specifically, as adaptation and mitigation strategies in agriculture are implemented to alleviate the potential negative effects of climate change, key synergies need to be identified, as mitigation practices may compete with modifications to local agricultural practices aimed at maintaining production and income. Under future climate and socio-economic pressures, land managers and farmers will be faced with challenges in regard to selecting those mitigation and adaptation strategies that together meet food, fiber and climate policy requirements.     

A human embryonic stem cell-based in vitro model revealed that ultrafine carbon particles may cause skin inflammation and psoriasis

Air pollution has been linked to many health issues,including skin conditions,especially in children.Among all the atmospheric pollutants,ultrafine particles have been deemed very dangerous since they can readily penetrate the lungs and skin,and be absorbed into the bloodstream.Here,we employed a human embryonic stem cell(h ESC)-based differentiation system towards keratinocytes,to test the effects of ultrafine carbon particles,which mimic ambient ultrafine particles,at environment related concentrations.We found that10 ng/mL to 10 μg/mL ultrafine carbon particles down-regulated the expression of the pluripotency marker SOX2 in h ESCs.Moreover,1 μg/mL to 10 μg/mL carbon particle treatments disrupted the keratinocyte differentiation,and up-regulated inflammationand psoriasis-related genes,such as IL-1β,IL-6,CXCL1,CXCL2,CXCL3,CCL20,CXCL8,and S100 A7 and S100 A9,respectively.Overall,our results provide a new insight into the potential developmental toxicity of atmospheric ultrafine particles.     

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA): A controversial environmental pollutant

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants and is extensively used in electronic equipment, furniture, plastics, and textiles. It is frequently detected in water, soil, air, and organisms, including humans, and has raised concerns in the scientific community regarding its potential adverse health effects. Human exposure to TBBPA is mainly via diet, respiration, and skin contact. Various in vivo and in vitro studies based on animal and cell models have demonstrated that TBBPA can induce multifaceted effects in cells and animals, and potentially exert hepatic, renal, neural, cardiac, and reproductive toxicities. Nevertheless, other reports have claimed that TBBPA might be a safe chemical. In this review, we re-evaluated most of the published TBBPA toxicological assessments with the goal of reaching a conclusion about its potential toxicity. We concluded that, although low TBBPA exposure levels and rapid metabolism in humans may signify that TBBPA is a safe chemical for the general population, particular attention should be paid to the potential effects of TBBPA on early developmental stages.