Body burden of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in pregnant women residing in a contaminated area

A large pentachlorophenol (PCP)-manufacturing plant located in southwestern Taiwan operated between 1965 and 1982. The present study was conducted to ascertain whether an increased body burden of dioxins existed in pregnant women living in an area of Tainan city contaminated by chemicals from this plant. Twenty-eight pregnant subjects, 21-39 years of age and residing in the study area between March and December of 2004 with a mean dwelling time of 6.07+/-6.11 years, were recruited. Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in serum of recruited residents were determined. Pregnant women residing in the study area >3 years had significantly higher PCDD (7.48 versus 5.13 pg-toxic equivalents [TEQ]/g-lipid) and dioxin-like PCB (6.70 versus 3.74 pg-TEQ/g-lipid) values as compared to those residing < or = 3 years. Furthermore, dioxin concentrations increased with increasing dwelling time. Statistical analyses performed according to demographic characteristics and socioeconomic and dietary habits revealed that total TEQ values were significantly associated with fish consumption and smoking status. Dioxin congeners with greater degrees of chlorine substitution (e.g., HpCDD/F and OCDD/F) partitioned to greater degrees in the subjects of this study as compared to subjects in the general Taiwanese population. The findings of this study strongly implicate the activity of the PCP manufacturing plant in the observed increase in dioxin body burden. Investigation of the health consequences of this increased body burden is recommended.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides in rice hull from a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China: temporal trend, source, and exposure assessment

The residue levels of 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 16 selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in rice and rice hull collected from a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China were investigated from 2005 to 2007. PAHs and OCPs also were measured in ten mollusk species (soft tissues) collected in an adjacent bay in 2007. Individual PAHs were frequently found in the entire sample set (including the rice, hull, and mollusk samples) with a detection rate of 73 %. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs (ΣPAHs) and 16 OCPs (ΣOCPs) were in the range of 40.8–432 ng/g dry weight (mean: 171 ng/g) and 2.35–925 ng/g (122 ng/g), respectively, which were comparable or higher than those reported in some polluted areas. Statistical comparisons suggested that the concentrations of contaminants in hull gradually decreased from 2005 to 2007 and the residue levels were generally in the order of mollusk, hull, and rice, on a dry weight basis. Principal component analysis in combination with diagnostic ratios implied that combustion of coal, wood, and plastic wastes that are closely associated with crude e-waste recycling activities is the main source of PAHs. The finding of decreasing trend of concentrations of PAHs in this area is consistent with the efforts of local authorities to strengthen regulations on illegal e-waste recycling activities. Composition analysis suggested that there is a recent usage or discharge of hexachlorocyclohexane and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane into the tested area. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of ΣPAHs and ΣOCPs (calculated from mean concentrations) through rice and mollusk consumption was 0.411 and 0.921 μg/kg body weight (bw)/day, respectively.     

Three-dimensional barricading of a predatory trap reduces predation and enhances prey capture

Animal structures come at material, energetic, time, and expression costs. Some orb-web spiders add three-dimensional barrier structures to their webs, but many do not. Predator protection is considered to be the principal benefit of adding these structures. Accordingly, it remains paradoxical why some orb-web spiders might construct the barriers while others do not. Here, we experimentally determined whether the barrier structure added to the horizontal orb web of the spider Cyrtophora moluccensis deters predators at the cost of reducing the amount of prey captured in the field. We conducted experiments by day and night to assess whether the effects vary with the time of day. We found that the three-dimensional barriers not only offered protection from predatory wasps by day but also enhanced the amount of prey captured by day and night. Moreover, the barrier structure appears particularly useful at catching moths, the largest and most energetically profitable prey that it encounters. We, therefore, concluded that reducing the energetic and time costs associated with producing and depositing extra silk threads is the principal reason why barrier structures are used intermittently among orb-web spiders.     

Distribution pattern of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in particle-size fractions of coking plant soils from different depth

The concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in four size fractions (<2, 2–20, 20–200, >200 μm) in soils at different depth from a heavily contaminated crude benzol production facility of a coking plant were determined using GC–MS. Vertically, elevated total PAHs concentrations were observed in the soils at 3.0–4.5 m (layer B) and 6.0–7.5 m (layer C), relatively lower at 1.5–3.0 m (layer A) and 10.5–12.0 m (layer D). At all sampling sites, the silt (2–20 μm) contained the highest PAHs concentration (ranged from 726 to 2,711 mg/kg). Despite the substantial change in PAHs concentrations in soils with different particle sizes and lithologies, PAHs composition was similarly dominated by 2–3 ring species (86.5–98.3 %), including acenaphthene, fluorene, and phenanthrene. For the contribution of PAHs mass in each fraction to the bulk soil, the 20–200 μm size fraction had the greatest accumulation of PAHs in loamy sand layers at 1.0–7.5 m, increasing with depth; while in deeper sand layer at 10.5–12.0 m, the >200 μm size fraction showed highest percentages and contributed 81 % of total PAHs mass. For individual PAH distribution, the 2–3 ring PAHs were highly concentrated in the small size fraction (<2 and 2–20 μm); the 4–6 ring PAHs showed the highest concentrations in the 2–20 μm size fraction, increasing with depth. The distribution of PAHs was primarily determined by the sorption on soil organic matter and the characteristics of PAHs. This research should have significant contribution to PAH migration study and remediation design for PAHs-contaminated sites.     

兽药抗生素对土壤微生物群落的影响

兽药抗生素广泛应用于畜禽养殖业,用于预防、治疗动物疾病及促进动物生长。然而,养殖过程中使用的抗生素不能被动物完全吸收,其中40%～90%以母体或其代谢物的形式排出动物体外并随畜禽粪便进入土壤环境,对土壤微生物群落结构和功能产生影响。在汇总了畜禽粪便和土壤中兽药抗生素的残留特征之后,概述了抗生素对土壤微生物群落结构和功能的影响以及微生物产生的污染诱导群落耐性。重点探讨了抗生素微生物毒性的影响因素和近年来对微生物共耐性方面的研究,并对未来的研究方向及目标提出了建议。     

兼氧型MBR工艺对污泥自消化效果的研究

研究了兼氧型MBR工艺中,当溶解氧控制在0.1～3.0 mg/L时,兼性厌氧菌和厌氧菌所占比例达80%。实验进水COD浓度为60～600 mg/L,COD去除率平均达93%;MLVSS浓度一直保持稳定,平均值为11 090 mg/L,而无机灰分浓度逐渐积累,实验开始时为3 107 mg/L,实验结束时达5 830 mg/L。结果表明,兼氧型MBR工艺可实现污泥自消化,不排放有机性污泥。兼氧型MBR工艺还对膜组件有一定自清洁作用,运行周期可达4个月。实验证明,兼氧型MBR工艺具有处理效率高、不排放有机污泥以及减轻膜污染的特点,是一种创新性的污水处理技术。     

Maternal serum levels of total activin-A in first-trimester trisomy 21 pregnancies

Maternal serum total activin-A concentration was measured in 45 pregnancies affected by trisomy 21 and 493 control unaffected pregnancies at 10–14 weeks of gestation. In the trisomy 21 pregnancies total activin-A concentration was significantly higher (1.36 MoM of the unaffected pregnancies) and in 16% of cases the level was above the 95th centile of normal. The log₁₀ SD for the control group and the trisomy 21 group were 0.17 and 0.22, respectively. The median pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in this trisomy 21 series was 0.49 and for free β-hCG was 2.05. In the trisomy group there were significant positive associations between total activin-A and PAPP-A (0.6071) and free β-hCG (0.4255). The low median difference and the high overlap in values between trisomic and unaffected pregnancies make total activin-A of little practical use in first-trimester screening for trisomy 21. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorption of phenol on inorganic-organic pillared montmorillonite in polluted water

Both inorganic- and organic-pillared montmorillonites (PMts) were used to adsorb phenol to study suitable conditions for adsorption and adsorption isotherms. The adsorbing capacity of modified clays depends not only surface area, but mainly on micropore structure and surface components. After incandescing at 500 degrees C, the pillar structure and the basal interlayer spacing (1.83 nm) remained stable. Using modified PMt with surfactant can improve adsorbing capacity greatly. The PMt can be recycled, and it is a potential substance for adsorption of environmental pollutants.