Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in inhabitants chronically exposed to arsenic in groundwater in Cambodia

Arsenic concentrations in hair and urine, and urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, were examined for inhabitants of the Mekong Basin in Kratie Province, Cambodia. Also, the arsenic levels of tube-well water were determined. Total arsenic concentrations in tube-well water ranged from <1 to 886 microg L(-1), and 44.8% of these exceeded the WHO drinking water guideline of 10 microg L(-1). Elevated levels of arsenic were observed in the human hair and urine, and also a significant positive correlation was observed between the concentrations in hair and urine. These results suggest that the inhabitants are chronically exposed to arsenic through drinking the tube-well water. Levels of urinary 8-OHdG were higher for the subjects with higher arsenic levels in hair and urine, suggesting that induction of oxidative DNA damage was caused by chronic exposure to arsenic in tube-well water for the inhabitants in Kratie Province. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the oxidative DNA damage caused by chronic exposure to arsenic in groundwater for the inhabitants in Cambodia.     

Mercury in hair and blood from residents of Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and possible effect on serum hormone levels

High concentration of mercury (Hg) in hair has been reported for Cambodians. To confirm the Hg contamination occurring through intake, Hg concentrations were determined in both hair and blood of residents (n=20) from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Mercury concentrations in the hair and blood were 0.69-190microg g(-1) dry wt and 5.2-58microg l(-1), respectively, which were lower than those from Hg contaminated or high fish intake regions, but were higher than those from non-contaminated regions. Some female subjects had hair and blood Hg levels exceeding the threshold values for neurotoxic effects. Interestingly, serum estrone and estradiol levels were positively correlated with blood Hg level for both males and females, indicating possible induction of female hormones by Hg exposure in Cambodians.     

Detection limits can influence the interpretation of pesticide monitoring data in Canadian surface waters

Water quality monitoring programs rely on residue data that are frequently left censored, due to some observations occurring below the Method Detection Limit (MDL). Our objective was to determine the influence the MDL has on the interpretation of pesticide residues in surface waters. Water samples from tributaries in southern and central Ontario were collected by Environment Canada from 2003 to 2008 and were analyzed for 27 pesticides, with MDLs that averaged 7.02 ng⁻¹ L (range 0.39-25.1 ng⁻¹ L). We then simulated MDLs ranging from 25 to 1700 ng⁻¹ L, to determine the impact this would have on the reporting of pesticide concentrations and detections. The mean number of pesticides detected simultaneously declined with increasing, i.e. less sensitive MDLs, from 5.02 pesticides (native MDL) to 0.08 pesticides detected (MDL < 1700 ng⁻¹ L). We compared the proportion of sites where pesticides were detected in surface waters under five MDL scenarios for 13 selected pesticides. The proportions decreased sharply with increasing MDLs. We calculated detection probabilities in an effort to compensate for higher MDLs using maximum likelihood; while adjusting for detection probabilities generally improved estimates of the presence of pesticides, as the MDLs increased the ability to compensate for detection probabilities deteriorated and became unviable at high MDLs. Depending on the method of substitution for observations below MDL (replacement with ½ × or 0 × MDL), the mean and median pesticide residues became increasingly over- and underestimated, respectively, at higher MDLs. Although monitoring programs that are focused on exceedences of water quality guidelines may not require low MDLs, the achievable goals of monitoring programs oriented towards other ecological and toxicological objectives may be limited by higher MDLs.     

环境介质中有机磷农药残留分析方法

介绍了环境介质中有机磷农药残留的前处理技术和测定方法,并讨论了几种检测器的特性及其在有机磷农药测定中的适用条件。     

紫茎泽兰与伴生植物小藜的竞争效应及其生理生化特征

外来入侵物种紫茎泽兰（Ageratina adenophora Sprengel）是一种世界性入侵杂草,其与本地物种的竞争会对生态系统结构和演替造成严重影响,带来较大经济损失;拟通过分析紫茎泽兰与本地物种小藜的竞争效应及生理生化特征,以探讨外来入侵物种紫茎泽兰的竞争机理。在温室条件下,设置紫茎泽兰、小藜（Chenopodium serotinum）的种内和种间竞争盆栽试验,测定了两种植物不同处理下的植株生物量;并通过氮蓝四唑光化还原法、紫外吸收法、三氯乙酸法和酸性茚三酮法,分别测定了功能叶片的超氧化物歧化酶活性、过氧化氢酶活性、丙二醛含量、脯氨酸含量。结果表明：紫茎泽兰与小藜混种时,紫茎泽兰的单株生物量、相对产量（RY）均显著高于小藜对应指标,其竞争平衡指数（CB）显著大于0,而相对产量总和（RYT）显著小于1。混种与单种的结果比较表明,紫茎泽兰的混种生物量比在单种时显著增高,增幅达22.01%;而小藜的混种生物量比在单种时显著降低,降低了44.81%。在混种中,紫茎泽兰功能叶片的丙二醛、脯氨酸含量均比在单种时显著降低,而超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶活性均比在单种时显著升高;小藜功能叶片的丙二醛含量显著高于单种,而脯氨酸含量、超氧化物歧化酶活性、过氧化氢酶活性与单种无显著变化。这说明紫茎泽兰的相对竞争能力比小藜强,紫茎泽兰通过调整生理生化特征来应对种间竞争可能是其竞争取胜的重要策略。     

Exposure assessment for trace elements from consumption of marine fish in Southeast Asia

Concentrations of 20 trace elements were determined in muscle and liver of 34 species of marine fish collected from coastal areas of Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Large regional difference was observed in the levels of trace elements in liver of one fish family (Carangidae): the highest mean concentration was observed in fish from the Malaysian coastal waters for V, Cr, Zn, Pb and Bi and those from the Java Sea side of Indonesia for Sn and Hg. To assess the health risk to the Southeast Asian populations from consumption of fish, intake rates of trace elements were estimated. Some marine fish showed Hg levels higher than the guideline values by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). This suggests that consumption of these fish may be hazardous to the people.     

Occurrence of tributyltin (TBT)-resistant bacteria is not related to TBT pollution in Mekong River and coastal sediment: with a hypothesis of selective pressure from suspended solid

Tributyltin (TBT) is organotin compound that is toxic to aquatic life ranging from bacteria to mammals. This study examined the concentration of TBT in sediment from and near the Mekong River and the distribution of TBT-resistant bacteria. TBT concentrations ranged from <2.4 to 2.4 ng/g (dry wt) in river sediment and <2.4-15 ng g(-1) (dry wt) in harbor sediment. Viable count of total bacteria ranged from 2.0 x 10(4) to 1.4 x 10(7)cfu/g, and counts of TBT-resistant bacteria ranged <1.0 x 10(2) to 2.5 x 10(4)cfu/g. The estimated occurrence rate of TBT-resistant bacteria ranged from <0.01 to 34% and was highest in upstream sites in Cambodia. The occurrences of TBT in the sediment and of TBT-resistant bacteria were unrelated, and chemicals other than TBT might induce TBT resistance. TBT-resistant bacteria were more abundant in the dry season than in the rainy season. Differences in the selection process of TBT-resistant bacteria between dry and rainy seasons were examined using an advection-diffusion model of a suspended solid (SS) that conveys chemicals. The estimated dilution-diffusion time over a distance of 120 km downstream from a release site was 20 days during dry season and 5 days during rainy season, suggesting that bacteria at the sediment surface could be exposed to SS for longer periods during dry season.     

Soil contamination by brominated flame retardants in open waste dumping sites in Asian developing countries

In Asian developing countries, large amounts of municipal wastes are dumped into open dumping sites each day without adequate management. This practice may cause several adverse environmental consequences and increase health risks to local communities. These dumping sites are contaminated with many chemicals including brominated flame retardants (BFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs).BFRs may be released into the environment through production processes and through the disposal of plastics and electronic wastes that contain them.The purpose of this study was to elucidate the status of BFR pollution in municipal waste dumping sites in Asian developing countries. Soil samples were collected from six open waste dumping sites and five reference sites in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam from 1999 to 2007. The results suggest that PBDEs are the dominant contaminants in the dumping sites in Asian developing countries, whereas HBCD contamination remains low. Concentrations of PBDEs and HBCDs ranged from ND to 180 μg/kg dry wt and ND to 1.4 μg/kg dry wt, respectively, in the reference sites and from 0.20 to 430 μg/kg dry wt and ND to 2.5 μg/kg dry wt, respectively, in the dumping sites. Contamination levels of PBDEs in Asian municipal dumping sites were comparable with those reported from electronic waste dismantling areas in Pearl River delta, China.     

基于ASM2D模型对奥贝尔氧化沟工艺的模拟研究

基于活性污泥数学模型ASM2D,对西安市某污水厂奥贝尔氧化沟工艺进行模拟研究。根据实际工艺构建模型,输入实测模型组分与模型参数。参照实测出水水质对所建模型进行校准与验证。之后,通过调节污泥回流比与BOD5污泥负荷对氧化沟工艺进行优化,使其取得更好的污染物去除率。