Is micronucleus assay in oral exfoliated cells a suitable tool for biomonitoring children exposed to environmental pollutants? A systematic review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this review was to evaluate if micronucleus assay in oral exfoliated cells is a suitable tool for biomonitoring children exposed to...     

Impact of Perceived Importance of Ecosystem Services and Stated Financial Constraints on Willingness to Pay for Riparian Meadow Restoration in Flanders (Belgium)

The strategic importance of ecosystem service valuation as an operational basis for policy decisions on natural restoration has been increasingly recognized in order to align the provision of ecosystem services with the expectation of human society. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is widely used to quantify various ecosystem services. However, two areas of concern arise: (1) whether people value specific functional ecosystem services and overlook some intrinsic aspects of natural restoration, and (2) whether people understand the temporal dimension of ecosystem services and payment schedules given in the contingent scenarios. Using a peri-urban riparian meadow restoration project in Flanders, Belgium as a case, we explored the impacts of residents’ perceived importance of various ecosystem services and stated financial constraints on their willingness-to-pay for the proposed restoration project employing the CVM. The results indicated that people tended to value all the benefits of riparian ecosystem restoration concurrently, although they accorded different importances to each individual category of ecosystem services. A longer payment scheme can help the respondents to think more about the flow of ecosystem services into future generations. A weak temporal embedding effect can be detected, which might be attributed to respondents’ concern about current financial constraints, rather than financial bindings associated with their income and perceived future financial constraints. This demonstrates the multidimensionality of respondents’ financial concerns in CV. This study sheds light on refining future CV studies, especially with regard to public expectation of ecosystem services and the temporal dimension of ecosystem services and payment schedules.     

基于腐蚀电流的加速腐蚀关系可靠性模型

目的通过对加速腐蚀关系的研究,为飞机的日历寿命的确定提供依据。方法首先提出基于腐蚀电流的加速腐蚀关系可靠性模型,并通过测试极化曲线的方法得到LY12和ZL115两种飞机常用铝合金材料在蒸馏水及不同浓度Na Cl溶液中的腐蚀电流。结果由于材料缺陷分布的随机性,铝合金的腐蚀电流具有随机特征,且随着盐浓度的增加而增大。两种铝合金材料的加速腐蚀关系系数在统计上存在较大的差异,在3.5%盐浓度下(温度)考虑95%置信度的加速腐蚀关系系数,LY12铝合金为3.53、ZL115为2.32。结论本文基于腐蚀电流的加速腐蚀关系的研究可以很好地为飞机日历寿命确定提供依据。     

Occurrence and Trend of Hepatitis A Virus in Bivalve Molluscs Production Areas Following a Contamination Event

The aim of this study was to assess the trend of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a coastal zone impacted by a contamination event, providing data for the development of management strategies. A total of 352 samples, including four bivalve mollusc species (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Solen vagina, Venus gallina and Donax trunculus), were taken over a period of 6 months from 27 production areas of the coast and analysis were performed according to ISO/TS 15216-1:2013. HAV presence was detected in 77 samples from 11 production areas and all positive results were related to samples collected in the first 3 months of the surveillance, during which HAV prevalence was 39.9% and values as high as 5096 genome copies/g were detected. A progressive reduction of viral contamination was evident during the first trimester of the monitoring, with prevalence decreasing from 78.8% in the first month, to 37.8% in the second and 3.9% in the third and quantitative levels reduced from an average value of 672 genome copies/g to 255 genome copies/g over a period of 4 weeks (virus half-life: 21.5 days). A regression analysis showed that, during the decreasing phase of the contamination, the data fitted a reciprocal quadratic model (Ra² = 0.921) and, based on the model, a residual presence of HAV could be estimated after negativization of the production areas. The statistical analysis of the results per shellfish species and per production area showed that there were limited differences in contamination prevalence and levels among diverse bivalve species, while a statistically significant difference was present in quantitative levels of one production area. These data could be useful for the development of both risk assessment models and code of practice for the management of viral contamination in primary production.     

One-year Surveillance of Human Enteric Viruses in Raw and Treated Wastewaters,Downstream River Waters,and Drinking Waters

Human enteric viruses are a major cause of waterborne diseases, and can be transmitted by contaminated water of all kinds, including drinking and recreational water. The objectives of the present study were to assess the occurrence of enteric viruses (enterovirus, norovirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A and E virus) in raw and treated wastewaters, in rivers receiving wastewater discharges, and in drinking waters. Wastewater treatment plants’ (WWTP) pathogen removal efficiencies by adenovirus quantitative real-time PCR and the presence of infectious enterovirus, by cell culture assays, in treated wastewaters and in surface waters were also evaluated. A total of 90 water samples were collected: raw and treated wastewaters (treated effluents and ultrafiltered water reused for industrial purposes), water from two rivers receiving treated discharges, and drinking water. Nested PCR assays were used for the identification of viral DNA/RNA, followed by direct amplicon sequencing. All raw sewage samples (21/21), 61.9 % of treated wastewater samples (13/21), and 25 % of ultrafiltered water samples (3/12) were contaminated with at least one viral family. Multiple virus families and genera were frequently detected. Mean positive PCRs per sample decreased significantly from raw to treated sewage and to ultrafiltered waters. Moreover, quantitative adenovirus data showed a reduction in excess of 99 % in viral genome copies following wastewater treatment. In surface waters, 78.6 % (22/28) of samples tested positive for one or more viruses by molecular methods, but enterovirus-specific infectivity assays did not reveal infectious particles in these samples. All drinking water samples tested negative for all viruses, demonstrating the effectiveness of treatment in removing viral pathogens from drinking water. Integrated strategies to manage water from all sources are crucial to ensure water quality.     

基于电化学阻抗的航空有机涂层加速老化动力学规律研究

目的研究有机涂层的加速老化动力学规律。方法针对某飞机实际服役环境条件特点,编制有机涂层加速老化试验谱,开展0~9 a的当量加速老化试验。借助PARSTAT 4000电化学工作站,测试老化试验后涂层试件的电化学阻抗值。结果得到了不同老化周期有机涂层的Bode图、等效电路、孔隙率、吸水率和电化学阻抗,表征了加速试验条件下的老化动力学规律。结论低频阻抗|Z|0.01可以作涂层防腐蚀性能的评价指标,涂层老化过程大致可分为初期、中期和后期三个阶段,分别对应三个不同等效电路。     

Assessment of the effects of Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb soil contamination by ecotoxicological tests

This study aimed to assess soil quality by chemical and ecotoxicological investigations and to check the correspondence between soil metal concentrations and ecotoxicity. For these purposes, surface soils collected at four adjacent roadside urban parks and at a former industrial area were characterized for C/N, organic matter content, texture, and pH. Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb, chosen among the most representative soil metal contaminants, were measured as total content and as available and water soluble fractions. In addition, the total concentrations of the investigated metals were used to calculate two chemical indices: the contamination and the potential ecological risk factors. The toxicity of the investigated soils was evaluated by an ecotoxicity test battery carried out on both soil samples (Vibrio fischeri, Heterocypris incongruens and Sinapis alba) and elutriates (Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna and Selenastrum capricornutum). The findings, both by the chemical and ecotoxicological approaches, would suggest that the soils with high metal contamination pose ecological risks. On the other hand, moderately metal contaminated soils did not exclude soil ecotoxicity. In fact, toxic effects were also highlighted in soils with low metal content, toxicity being affected by metal availability and soil characteristics. Moreover, the results suggest the importance of using a battery of tests to assess soil ecotoxicity.     

Atmospheric deposition of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in Guangzhou, China: seasonal variations and sources

The atmospheric deposition of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) was investigated at four locations in different suburban and urban functional districts of Guangzhou City. The annual deposition fluxes of total PBDD/Fs (eight 2,3,7,8-substituted tetra- to hexa-BDD/Fs) were in the range of 36-51 (mean 46) pg m(-2) day(-1), and the corresponding TEQ fluxes were estimated to range between 7.9 and 11.3 (mean 10.3) pg I-TEQ m(-2) day(-1), indicating a noticeable pollution level. The deposition fluxes of PBDD/Fs during the wet season were 2-4 times as high as those during the dry season. Both rainfall and temperature positively correlated with PBDD/F deposition fluxes. Ambient gas/particle partition coefficients (K(p)) were predicted with SPARC. It appears seasonal variations of PBDD/F deposition fluxes were influenced by meteorological parameters and the local usage of brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The congener profiles of PBDD/Fs at four locations were similar either spatially or temporally, indicating that the main PBDD/F emission sources were similar to one another. Seasonal variations and congener patterns of PBDD/Fs indicated the possible sources included electronic waste recycling, industrial waste incinerators and products containing BFRs.     

Risk assessment of soils contaminated by mercury mining, Northern Spain

Analytical results of soil samples taken in three different mercury mining sites in Northern Spain are studied to assess the potential adverse health effects of the exposure to trace elements associated with the mining process. Doses contacted through ingestion and inhalation and the dose absorbed through the skin were calculated using USEPA's exposure parameters and the US Department of Energy's toxicity values. The results of the risk assessment indicate that the highest risk is associated with ingestion of soil particles and that the trace element of major concern is arsenic, the exposure to which results in a high cancer risk value for all the sites ranging from 3.3 × 10(-5) to 3.6 × 10(-3), well above the 1 × 10(-5) probability level deemed unacceptable by most regulatory agencies. Regarding non-cancer effects, exposure to polluted soils yields an aggregate hazard index above the threshold value of 1 for all three sites, with As and Hg as the main contributors. Risk assessment has proven to be a very useful tool to identify the contaminants and exposure pathways of most concern in the soils from metal mining sites, as well as to categorize them in terms of action priority to ensure fitness for use.