Study of sorptive properties of trap systems for selective enrichment of volatile organic compounds from tobacco smoke samples

There is a dearth of data on the consumer product concentrations of iron, lead, and nickel for accurate comparison to be made. The levels of these elements were determined in 85 samples of six different classes of personal care products commonly used in Nigeria using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results of the analysis showed that the range of the mean concentrations of Fe was 0.485–1.108 ppm, Pb ND–0.163 ppm, and Ni ND-0.160 ppm. The analytical data have demonstrated that the selected consumer products are possible sources of iron, lead, and nickel exposure. Users can be exposed to these metals directly through dermal contact or inhalation. The regulations relating to cosmetic products give no limit values for heavy metals in cosmetic products, hence, it was difficult to establish if the values obtained in this study are safe or not. Prolonged use of soaps, creams, and detergent containing these elements may pose threat to human health and the environment. This could be responsible for various skin diseases such as allergic skin, follicular and pigmentary disorders, which are common among the users (exposed groups) of these products in Nigeria. A body of evidence has presented a rare example of systemic allergic dermatitis caused by topical application of a mercury-containing cosmetic to the upper lip of a 32-year-old Turkish patient.     

Alterations in some renal parameters of rats induced by aqueous soil extracts

Soil ingestion can be an important route of exposure to contaminants present in the environment. This study examined the effects of exposure to contaminants in aqueous soil extracts from an industrial urban settlement in renal biochemical parameters of treated rats. Male Wistar rats were gavaged with an aqueous soil extract, from the municipality of Rio Grande, Southern Brazil. After exposure, plasma and urine concentrations and plasma protein were assessed compared to rats treated with aqueous soil from relatively unpolluted site (control soil). There was increase in plasma creatinine and total protein in urine, and a decreased glomerular filtration rate in treated rats compared to control. It is possible that Cd, Cr, As, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni analyzed in the soil samples and unidentified components may have provoked the observed changes in renal biochemistry of the exposed rat. This may suggest that exposure to contaminated soils can cause damage to the viscera in mammals and it is of public health importance.     

Short-term influence of nutrient availability on the uptake and translocation of phenanthrene in mangrove seedlings

Abstract

The uptake and distribution of phenanthrene, a typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, in plant tissues of Aegiceras corniculatum and Avicennia marina and the relationship with nutrient (nitrate, ammonium, and soluble reactive phosphorus) availability were investigated. After 12?h of exposure, enhancements in the concentration of nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus markedly decreased the residual level of phenanthrene in roots, while the addition of ammonium significantly increased the residual concentration. Due to the similar enzymatic degradation potential between treatment groups, the variation of phenanthrene concentration in mangrove roots may result from the H⁺/phenanthrene cotransport at the root surface that was influenced by nutrient uptake. Moreover, both nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus amendments significantly increased translocation of phenanthrene from roots to leaves, which likely resulted from the change of hydraulic conductivity in mangrove plants triggered by different nutrient availability.     

Effect on benthic communities of a major input of organic matter and other pollutants (coast off Barcelona,Western Mediterranean)

Benthic communities on soft bottoms off Barcelona, at and around two main pollution sources, the mouth of the Besòs River and the outlet of the submarine pipeline draining wastewater and organic sludges from the wastewater treatment plant of Sant Adrià del Besòs, have been studied. Samples were obtained with a Van Veen grab from 36 stations covering a 100 km² grid, between 10 and 70 m in depth. The effect of both pollution sources is clearly seen both at the species (the following macrofauna groups have been studied: Polychaeta, Mollusca, Echinodermata and Crustacea Decapoda) and community levels. The distribution of species and individuals numbers, species diversity and a pollution index, and of some selected (indicator) polychaeta species, all clearly define the degree of environmental degradation and the extent of the areas under the influence of the organic pollution.     

Singlet molecular oxygen—mediated photooxidation of monochloro and mononitrophenols. A kinetic study

A kinetic and mechanistic study on the aerobic dye sensitized photooxidation of the mono—nitro and chlorophenols was carried out. A singlet molecular oxygen mechanism operates in the photooxidation. Solvent and substituent effects, suggest the intermediacy of a complex with partial charge transfer character, as has been postulated for other phenols.

Chemical (reactive) and physical interactions of the substrates with singlet molecular oxygen were discriminated. Quantum yields for photooxidation (higher for the chlorophenols) range from 3 × 10^‐2 to 2 × 10^‐3, as measured by substrate or oxygen consumption. These values indicate the viability of a singlet molecular oxygen photooxidation as a way for the degradation of nitro and chlorophenol environmental contaminants.     

化学工业园区重大环境风险源监控技术研究与应用

基于监控系统综合集成的思想,以重大环境污染事件风险源监控技术规范、重大危险源控制规章、污染源在线监测为基础,从监控指标体系、监控布点范围及监控技术筛选三方面建立化学工业园区中重大环境风险源监控技术体系. 结果表明:重大环境风险源监控指标体系主要从企业内部及企业周边敏感受体两方面进行构建;监控范围从重大环境风险源本体、缓冲区及环境敏感受体三方面确定;监控技术筛选时考虑了环境风险源的状态、监控技术方法的实用性和环境风险源/受体属性. 以上海闵行区化学工业园区为例,经调研统计,该化学工业园区共有重大风险源87个,其中罐区60个、排放口12个,其余分散在库房、生产场所等处. 根据化学工业园区企业内部风险设施及周围敏感受体的监控指标、监控范围及常用监控技术,制定了以罐区、排放口的特征风险物质为指标,以储罐的温度、压力、图像视频、液位及排放口特征风险物质浓度的传感器监控技术为主的监控方案.      

Response of benthic foraminifera to heavy metal contamination in marine sediments (Sicilian coasts,Mediterranean Sea)

To examine the suitability of benthic foraminifera and their test deformations as bioindicators of pollution in coastal marine environments, we studied foraminifera and metal concentrations in 72 marine sediment samples, collected from the inner shelf along the Sicilian coast (Gulfs of Palermo and Termini) and on the south-eastern coast of Lampedusa Island. These areas are characterised by different environmental conditions. On the basis of pollution sources and foraminiferal assemblages, we recognised different zones in the Gulf of Palermo. The most polluted zones showed high metal concentrations, and low diversity of benthic foraminifera with species typical of stressed environments. By contrast, the lowest polluted zones showed a high population density and the highest percentages of epiphytes. Epiphytes were abundant where a Posidonia oceanica meadow was present and decreased in the most polluted zones. Sediments of the Gulf of Termini and Lampedusa exhibited high percentages of benthic foraminifera typical of well-oxygenated waters and low concentrations of metals, with the exception of sites located near sewage outfalls and harbour areas. Furthermore, even though deformed tests are commonly known in natural stressed environmental conditions, this study shows that in the most polluted zones, benthic foraminifera were characterised by the highest percentages of deformed individuals.     

软骨藻酸神经毒性作用机制研究进展

在拟菱形藻引发的有毒赤潮中产生的记忆缺失性贝毒(amnesic shellfish poison,ASP)软骨藻酸,经贝类等海洋生物摄入进入食物链,在对海洋生物造成危害的同时,也对人类健康造成威胁。软骨藻酸中毒者临床上表现为呕吐、腹痛和头痛等症状,严重者出现神经系统功能紊乱,如昏迷、抽搐和记忆缺失。软骨藻酸结构上与兴奋性氨基酸谷氨酸相似,它可以通过直接活化KA(kainate)受体和AMPA(α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid)受体介导兴奋性神经毒。本文主要从线粒体功能紊乱、内质网应激和神经炎症等方面就软骨藻酸的神经毒性作用机制进行了综述。     

Capacity building for sustainable development: some Mexican perspectives

A broadly defined scientific Capacity Building (CB) for Sustainable Development (SD) is needed all around the world, and the development of innovative capacities in the developing countries is a priority. For this, first we need to know how this concept is applied in some developing countries. In this paper we present some Mexican experiences in the field of capacity building for sustainable development. The main problems are the monodisciplinary training of the specialists, the absence of a sound policy for promotion, career development and assessment of researchers, as well as of their projects when they are interdisciplinary and development-oriented. The main proposals to solve these problems are the creation of mechanisms that foster and legitimize interdisciplinary work; a decentralized planning process with the specific objective of establishing the needs and orientations on a regional basis; provide resources to long-term projects, and finally, consensus on asking international funding agencies for stronger support for public higher education institutions in developing countries in order to increase and strengthen their capacity for education and research in general, and in the field of SD in particular.