Urinary concentrations of phenols, oxidative stress biomarkers and thyroid cancer: Exploring associations and mediation effects

Phenols have been shown to influence the cellular proliferation and function of thyroid in experimental models. However, few human studies have investigated the association between phenol exposure and thyroid cancer, and the underlying mechanisms are also poorly understood. We conducted a case-control study by age- and sex-matching 143 thyroid cancer and 224 controls to investigate the associations between phenol exposures and the risk of thyroid cancer, and further to explore the mediating role of oxidative stress. We found that elevated urinary triclosan (TCS), bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) levels were associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer (all P for trends < 0.05), and the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) comparing the extreme exposure groups were 3.52 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.08, 5.95), 2.06 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.97) and 7.15 (95% CI: 3.12, 16.40), respectively. Positive associations were also observed between urinary TCS, BPA and BPS and three oxidative stress biomarkers measured by 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-iso-prostaglandin F_2α (8-isoPGF_2α) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid (HNE-MA), as well as between urinary 8-isoPGF_2α and HNE-MA and the risk of thyroid cancer. Mediation analysis showed that urinary 8-isoPGF_2α mediated 28.95%, 47.06% and 31.08% of the associations between TCS, BPA and BPS exposures and the risk of thyroid cancer, respectively (all P < 0.05). Our results suggest that exposure to TCS, BPA and BPS may be associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer and lipid peroxidation may be an intermediate mechanism. Further studies are warranted to confirm the findings.     

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5/PM1.0) in Beijing, China: Variations and chemical compositions as well as sources

Particulate matter (i.e., PM_1.0 and PM_2.5), considered as the key atmospheric pollutants, exerts negative effects on visibility, global climate, and human health by associated chemical compositions. However, our understanding of PM and its chemical compositions in Beijing under the current atmospheric environment is still not complete after witnessing marked alleviation during 2013–2017. Continuous measurements can be crucial for further air quality improvement by better characterizing PM pollution and chemical compositions in Beijing. Here, we conducted simultaneous measurements on PM in Beijing during 2018–2019. Results indicate that annual mean PM_1.0 and PM_2.5 concentrations were 35.49 ± 18.61 µg/m³ and 66.58 ± 60.17 µg/m³, showing a positive response to emission controls. The contribution of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium (SNA) played an enhanced role with elevated PM loading and acted as the main contributors to pollution episodes. Discrepancies observed among chemical species between PM_1.0 and PM_2.5 in spring suggest that sand particles trend to accumulate in the range of 1–2.5 µm. Pollution episodes occurred accompanied with southerly clusters and high formation of SNA by heterogeneous reactions in summer and winter, respectively. Results from positive matrix factorization (PMF) combined with potential source contribution function (PSCF) models showed that potential areas were seasonal dependent, secondary and vehicular sources became much more important compared with previous studies in Beijing. Our study presented a continuous investigation on PM and sources origins in Beijing, which provides a better understanding for further emission control as well as a reference for other cities in developing countries.     

AP9/AE9/SPM辐射环境模型研究

对辐射环境模型AP9/AE9/SPM进行了系统研究,重点分析了AP9/AE9/SPM辐射环境模型的发展历程、建模数据、模型能力、模型使用方法、模型特点和局限性以及发展趋势。总结了AP9/AE9/SPM辐射环境模型“螺旋式上升”研发途径中所发布的11个版本的特点、数据覆盖时间范围和能量范围。指出AP9/AE9/SPM辐射环境模型在研发过程中是通过不断地将最新的观测数据和理论知识进行整合,达到扩展模型能量覆盖范围、增加空间粒子分布的目的。最新的AP9/AE9/SPM辐射环境模型具备了命令行和图形用户接口应用程序2种灵活便捷的使用方式,能覆盖完整的辐射带空间,基本实现了电子和质子能量范围的全覆盖。但目前最新版本的AP9/AE9/SPM仍然存在一些局限,这些局限会随着辐射带探测数据的积累和人类对辐射带机理的进一步认知而逐渐得到改善。该研究可帮助用户快速了解并正确使用AP9/AE9/SPM辐射环境模型,为我国自主辐射环境模型研发提供重要参考。     

Highly Oriented Thermoplastic Poly (vinyl alcohol) Films by Uniaxial Drawing: Effect of Stretching Temperature and Draw Ratio

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - With the advantages of excellent processability and biodegradability, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) becomes an environmentally friendly and biocompatible...     

An antifouling catechol/chitosan-modified polyvinylidene fluoride membrane for sustainable oil-in-water emulsions separation

• Underwater superoleophobic membrane was fabricated by deposition of catechol/chitosan. • The membrane had ultrahigh pure water flux and was stable under harsh pH conditions. • The membrane exhibited remarkable antifouling property in O/W emulsion separation. • The hydration layer on the membrane surface prevented oil droplets adhesion. Low-pressure membrane filtrations are considered as effective technologies for sustainable oil/water separation. However, conventional membranes usually suffer from severe pore clogging and surface fouling, and thus, novel membranes with superior wettability and antifouling features are urgently required. Herein, we report a facile green approach for the development of an underwater superoleophobic microfiltration membrane via one-step oxidant-induced ultrafast co-deposition of naturally available catechol/chitosan on a porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) substrate. Membrane morphology and surface chemistry were studied using a series of characterization techniques. The as-prepared membrane retained the original pore structure due to the ultrathin and uniform catechol/chitosan coating. It exhibited ultrahigh pure water permeability and robust chemical stability under harsh pH conditions. Moreover, the catechol/chitosan hydrophilic coating on the membrane surface acting as an energetic barrier for oil droplets could minimize oil adhesion on the surface, which endowed the membrane with remarkable antifouling property and reusability in a cyclic oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion separation. The modified membrane exhibited a competitive flux of ~428 L/(m²·h·bar) after three filtration cycles, which was 70% higher than that of the pristine PVDF membrane. These results suggest that the novel underwater superoleophobic membrane can potentially be used for sustainable O/W emulsions separation, and the proposed green facile modification approach can also be applied to other water-remediation materials considering its low cost and simplicity.     

Bibliometric analysis of zerovalent iron particles research for environmental remediation from 2000 to 2019

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Zerovalent iron (ZVI) has been a major focus of research and has attracted great attention during the last 2 decades by international researchers...     

Preparation of montmorillonite grafted polyacrylic acid composite and study on its adsorption properties of lanthanum ions from aqueous solution

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Montmorillonite grafted polyacrylic acid composite (GNM) was prepared by using ultraviolet radiation grafting method in this work. The synthesized...     

居室玻璃表面有机质与多环芳烃分布规律研究

为探讨广州和香港市区玻璃表面薄膜上有机质和PAHs的分布特征,从2007年12月至2008年1月,利用低尘擦拭纸采集广州和香港室内外相对应的15对玻璃表面薄膜样品.结果表明,广州室内外有机质占表面薄膜重量的1.8%和1.1%,香港则分别为3.9%和1.6%.玻璃表面薄膜上Σ15PAHs浓度的最高值达到1430ng/m2,以菲,芴,荧蒽,芘等为主.室内外对比结果显示,主要以颗粒态形式存在的5~6环化合物室内外差别较大,广州室外比室内大约高1倍,而香港由于中央通风系统的过滤作用,其室外比室内高约5~10倍.根据有机质和PAHs浓度之间的相关性,认为室内外存在不同源强的有机质和PAHs来源,玻璃表面可能更有利于PAHs的光降解.     

某有色金属企业污水处理厂污水处理工艺

对有色金属冶炼过程中产生的废水按特征因子的不同进行分质处理。其中,高浓度氨氮废水采用三级氨氮吹脱、吸收工艺进行脱氨预处理;含砷酸性废水采用三段中和-铁盐混凝法预处理;经预处理废水混合后,采用石灰法分级沉淀处理废水中重金属离子;然后根据各单位对回用水水质的不同要求,对废水进行深度处理,实现了污水处理后全部回用,污水零排放的目的。并且对污水中的氨、石膏、镍等资源进行回收利用,为企业降低了运行成本,并且防止了二次污染。