Human exposure to dioxins through the diet in Catalonia,Spain: carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk

The main objectives of this study were to estimate the dietary intake of dioxins by the population of Catalonia, Spain, to determine which food groups showed the greatest contribution to this intake, and to assess the health risks potentially associated with the dietary dioxin intake. From June to August 2000, food samples were randomly acquired in seven cities of Catalonia. Dioxin concentrations were determined in 108 samples belonging to the following groups: vegetables, fruits, pulses, cereals, fish and shellfish, meats and meat products, eggs, milk and dairy products, and oils and fats. Estimates of average daily food consumption were obtained from recent studies. Total dietary intake of dioxins for the general population of Catalonia was estimated to be 95.4 pg WHO-TEQ/day (78.4 pg I-TEQ/day), with fish and shellfish (31%), diary products (25%), cereals (14%) and meat (13%) showing the greatest percentages of contribution to dioxin intake. The contribution of all the rest of food groups to the total dietary intake was under 20%. The non-carcinogenic risk index of dioxin intake through the diet was in the range 0.34-1.36, while the carcinogenic risk level was 1,360 excess cancer over a lifetime of 70 years. Our results corroborate the decreasing tendency in dietary intake of dioxins found in recent studies (2000-2001) from various countries.     

废钻井液固化实验研究

利用经实验筛选的固化剂配方对废钻井液进行了固化处理的室内配方研究。结果表明,经该固化剂配方处理后的固结材料在水中浸泡5d后的浸出液在色度、化学需氧量、pH值、石油类、悬浮物含量和重金属含量等指标方面可达到国家《污水综合排放标准》(GB8978-1996)中的二级标准。     

污染治理中的微波诱导催化技术

归纳了微波诱导催化技术在大气羡染控制、水污染控制、固体废弃物处理与处置等污染治理中的应用状况及应用实例，阐述了微波诱导催化技术的基本原理，提出了微波诱导催化技术在实践应用环节中存在的问题及解决措施，展望了微波诱导催化技术在污染治理领域中的应用前景。     

红厚壳野生资源的开发型保护途径分析

从红厚壳的生物学特性和具有的油用、药用、材用、观赏、生态保护等多种用途角度出发,针对砍伐严重的状况,提出通过驯化栽培、开发油脂应用范围和加强海岸防护林的设置来保护红厚壳;同时建议政府和科研部门重视并探索红厚壳在中药和油脂加工方面的价值。     

遥感在生态与环境监测中的主要应用领域

遥感是一种以物理手段、数学方法和地学分析为基础的综合应用技术 ,具有宏观、综合、动态和快速的特点。在解决宏观尺度的环境问题时 ,卫星遥感可重复获取多种空间、不同时相和不同波谱分辨率的地球信息 ,是适宜于调查和研究这些主题的唯一的、最有效的工具。本文通过对遥感在环境与生态监测的主要应用领域进行概要阐述 ,旨在抛砖引玉 ,推动遥感在环境与生态监测中的广泛应用。     

海星多糖对小鼠酒精性脂肪肝损伤的预防研究

以多棘海盘车体壁为材料提取海星多糖,探讨多糖对小鼠酒精肝损伤的预防作用。采用水提法提取多糖,硫酸—苯酚法进行测定。以正常小鼠作空白对照,将酒精肝小鼠分为酒精肝模型组,海星多糖低、中、高剂量组(20mg/kg、40mg/kg、80mg/kg)进行灌胃,测定小鼠生理指标。结果显示,与模型组相比,海星多糖组小鼠血清中ALT、AST含量降低(P<0.05),TG、MDA含量也降低(P<0.05),GSH-PX、SOD活性升高(P<0.05),肝脏脂肪变性明显减轻,说明海星多糖对酒精性肝脏有较明显的保护作用。     

Comparison of different liquid anaerobic digestion effluents as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover

Effluents from three liquid anaerobic digesters, fed with municipal sewage sludge, food waste, or dairy waste, were evaluated as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover in mesophilic reactors. Three feedstock-to-effluent (F/E) ratios (i.e., 2, 4, and 6) were tested for each effluent. At an F/E ratio of 2, the reactor inoculated by dairy waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 238.5 L/kgVS_feed, while at an F/E ratio of 4, the reactor inoculated by food waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 199.6 L/kgVS_feed. The microbial population and chemical composition of the three effluents were substantially different. Food waste effluent had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens, while dairy waste effluent had the largest populations of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Dairy waste also had the highest C/N ratio of 8.5 and the highest alkalinity of 19.3 g CaCO₃/kg. The performance of solid-state batch anaerobic digestion reactors was closely related to the microbial status in the liquid anaerobic digestion effluents.     

The liver but not the skin is the site for conversion of a red carotenoid in a passerine bird

Carotenoids may provide numerous health benefits and are also responsible for the integumentary coloration of many bird species. Despite their importance, many aspects of their metabolism are still poorly known, and even basic issues such as the anatomical sites of conversion remain controversial. Recent studies suggest that the transformation of carotenoid pigments takes place directly in the follicles during feather growth, even though the liver has been previously recognised as a storing organ for these pigments with a certain potential for conversion. In this context, we analysed the carotenoid profile of plasma, liver, skin and feathers of male Common Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). Interestingly, the derivative feather pigment 3-hydroxy-echinenone was detected in the liver and in the bloodstream (i.e. the necessary vehicle to transport metabolites to colourful peripheral tissues). Our results demonstrate for the first time with empirical data that the liver may act as the main site for the synthesis of integumentary carotenoids. This finding contradicts previous assumptions and raises the question of possible inter-specific differences in the site of carotenoid conversion in birds.