Risk for estrogen-dependent diseases in relation to phthalate exposure and polymorphisms of CYP17A1 and estrogen receptor genes

Evidence has shown that polymorphisms of various genes known to be involved in estrogen biosynthesis and function are associated with estrogen-dependent diseases (EDDs). These genes include CYP17A1, estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), and 2 (ESR2). Phthalates are considered estrogenic endocrine disruptors, and recent research has suggested that they may act as a risk factor for EDDs. However, extremely few studies have assessed the effects of gene–environment interaction on these diseases. We recruited 44 patients with endometriosis or adenomyosis, 36 patients with leiomyoma, and 69 healthy controls from a medical center in Taiwan between 2005 and 2007. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for seven phthalate metabolites using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Peripheral lymphocytes were used for DNA extraction to determine the genotype of CYP17A1, ESR1, and ESR2. Compared to controls, patients with leiomyoma had significantly higher levels of total urinary mono-ethylhexyl phthalate (ΣMEHP) (52.1 vs. 29.6 μg/g creatinine, p?=?0.040), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) (75.4 vs. 51.3 μg/g creatinine, p?=?0.019), and monoethyl phthalate (MEP) (103.7 vs. 59.3 μg/g creatinine, p?=?0.031). In contrast, patients with endometriosis or adenomyosis showed a marginally increased level of urinary MEHP only. Subjects who were homozygous for both the ESR1 C allele (rs2234693) and CYP17A1 C allele (rs743572) showed a significantly increased risk for leiomyoma (OR?=?19.8; 95 % CI, 1.70; 231.5; p?=?0.017) relative to subjects with other genotypes of ESR1 and CYP17A1. These results were obtained after adjusting for age, cigarette smoking, MEHP level, GSTM1 genotype and other covariates. Our results suggested that both CYP17A1 and ESR1 polymorphisms may modulate the effects of phthalate exposure on the development of leiomyoma.     

活性污泥缺氧转化1-2-7-三氨基-8-羟基-3-6-萘二磺酸

1—2-7-三氨基-8-羟基-3—6-萘二磺酸（TAHNDS）作为偶氮染料的脱色产物很难被常规的厌氧-好氧染料废水处理工艺所去除。研究了未经驯化的活性污泥对TAHNDS的缺氧转化效果。结果表明,只有在特定的缺氧条件下（ORP在-50～-150mV之间）,TAHNDS才能被活性污泥所降解转化。当浓度在10—80mg／L范围内,TAHNDS可在72h内转化93％以上。加入100mg／L的硝酸盐和0．64mmol／L的氧化还原介体蒽醌-2-磺酸钠（AQS）可将40mg／L的TAHNDS的转化时间从84h缩短到36h。光谱及HPLC—MS分析表明,TAHNDS在缺氧条件下主要是通过脱氨基和脱磺酸作用生成已知可好氧生物降解的3,5-二氨基4-羟基萘-2-磺酸。因此,缺氧处理有望作为预处理工艺促进废水中TAHNDS的完全降解。     

一株抗Cd~（2＋）菌株的筛选及其吸附性能

Cd2＋为一种毒性金属元素,为了实际解决污水中低浓度重金属污染,实现污水达标排放,通过12C6＋重离子束辐照诱变技术筛选到一株耐受Cd2＋的菌株C2,研究其对Cd2＋的抗性和低浓度Cd2＋的吸附性能表明,Cd2＋浓度≤100 mg/L时,C2菌株可以生长繁殖,但随Cd2＋浓度升高受到抑制;SEM分析表明,受到Cd2＋胁迫时,C2产生大量胞外产物与Cd2＋形成络合物;吸附过程中菌粉表面空隙得到填充,形成凸起;红外光谱分析表明,吸附过程中的主要作用基团为醇羟基O—H键、氨基和酰胺基团;C2菌粉和固定化菌球都对Cd2＋有较好的吸附能力,菌粉吸附效果比固定化菌球稍好;菌粉和固定化吸附剂的最佳吸附初始pH值为5~6.0,最佳投加量分别为1.0 g/L和10 g/L（实际含菌量为1.0 g/L）;Cd2＋浓度在2~20mg/L时,在最佳吸附条件下,菌粉和固定化吸附剂对Cd2＋的吸附率均在90%左右;2种吸附剂吸附过程与Langmuir等温模型和拟二级动力学模型拟合最佳;热力学研究表明吸附反应均能自发进行。以上研究结果表明,C2菌粉和固定化吸附剂均可用于污水中低浓度Cd2＋的去除。     

3种运行模式下CAST工艺脱氮性能

以模拟城市污水为处理对象,采用循环式活性污泥法（CAST）反应器,对3种运行模式（M1：常规模式,M2：缺氧好氧模式、M3：缺氧好氧交替模式）下系统的脱氮性能进行了研究,比较了各模式下CAST反应器的氨氮和总氮的去除效率,并对各模式下典型周期内氮基质浓度变化进行了考察,以确定系统的脱氮模式。结果表明,在氨氮去除不成为限制条件（去除率〉90％）的条件下,3种运行模式下系统总氮的平均去除率分别为67．3％、70．6％和82．4％,以缺氧好氧交替模式下的最高;M1、M2和M3均可实现亚硝酸型硝化,但随着温度的升高,亚硝酸型硝化逐渐消失。静态实验分析表明,3种模式下系统的氨氧化速率大小次序为：vN：M1〉vN：M2〉vN：M3,反硝化速率大小次序为：vDN,M2〉vDN,M3〉vDN,M1。     

Oxidation of ofloxacin by Oxone/Co2+: identification of reaction products and pathways

Oxidative degradation of ofloxacin (OFX) by sulfate free radicals (SO₄ ^??) in the UV/Oxone/Co²⁺oxidation process was investigated for the first time, with a special focus upon identifying the transformation products as well as understanding the reaction pathways. Thirteen main compounds were identified after the initial transformation of OFX; the detailed structural information of which were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry and MS fragmentation analysis. The degradation pathways mainly encompassed ring openings at both the piperazinyl substituent and the quinolone moiety, indicating that the usage of SO₄ ^?? aided the oxidative degradation of OFX to undergo more facile routes compared to those in previous reports by using OH^?/h⁺ as the oxidant, where the initial transformation attacks were mainly confined to the piperazine moiety. Moreover, in this study, smart control over the pH conditions of the oxidation system via different modes of Oxone dosage resulted in the selective degradation of the functional sites of OFX molecule, where it was shown that the SO₄ ^??-driven destruction of the quinolone moiety of OFX molecule favored the neutral pH conditions. This would be beneficial for the reduction of bacterial resistance against quinolones in the aqueous environment.     

Simazine biodegradation and community structures of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in bioaugmented soil: impact of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen sources

The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen sources on simazine biodegradation by Arthrobacter sp. strain SD1 and the community structures of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in non-agricultural soil. Soil microcosms with different treatments were constructed for herbicide biodegradation test. The relative abundance of the strain SD1 and the structures of AOA and AOB communities were assessed using quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), respectively. The co-existence of two inorganic nitrogen sources (ammonia and nitrate) had certain impact on simazine dissipation by the strain SD1. Bioaugmentation could induce a shift in the community structures of both AOA and AOB, but AOA were more responsive. Nitrogen application had significant impacts on AOA and AOB communities in bioaugmented soils. Moreover, in non-bioaugmented soil, the community structure of AOA, instead of AOB, could be quickly recovered after herbicide application. This study could add some new insights towards the impacts of nitrogen sources on s-triazine bioremediation and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in soil ecosystem.     

有机改性成都粘土预处理垃圾渗滤液

以成都粘土为原料,十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(HDTMA)为改性剂制备有机改性土,并将其应用于垃圾渗滤液的预处理。采用单因素静态吸附实验,以粘土对垃圾渗滤液COD和氨氮的去除率作为考查指标,初步探究有机改性土预处理垃圾渗滤液的适宜条件;并对有机改性粘土及原土进行性能表征,初步分析其吸附机理。研究结果表明,有机土的处理效果明显优于原土,处理效果上比原土提高了1.6~2.3倍;有机土预处理垃圾渗滤液适宜条件为:投加量120 g/L、搅拌速度200 r/min、搅拌时间50 min、pH=7、静置时间为6 h。     

Probing the distribution and contamination levels of 10 trace metal/metalloids in soils near a Pb/Zn smelter in Middle China

The horizontal and vertical distribution patterns and contamination status of ten trace metal/metalloids (Ag, Bi, Co, Cr, Ge, In, Ni, Sb, Sn, Tl) in soils around one of the largest Chinese Pb–Zn smelter in Zhuzhou City, Central China, were revealed. Different soil samples were collected from 11 areas, including ten agricultural areas and one city park area, with a total of 83 surface soil samples and six soil cores obtained. Trace metal/metalloids were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry after digestion by an acid mixture of HF and HNO₃. The results showed that Ag, Bi, In, Sb, Sn, and Tl contents decreased both with the distance to the Pb–Zn smelter as well as the soil depth, hinting that these elements were mainly originated from the Pb–Zn smelting operations and were introduced into soils through atmospheric deposition. Soil Ge was influenced by the smelter at a less extent, while the distributions of Co, Cr, and Ni were roughly even among most sampling sites and soil depths, suggesting that they were primarily derived from natural sources. The contamination status, as revealed by the geo-accumulation index (I _geo), indicated that In and Ag were the most enriched elements, followed by Sb, Bi, and Sn. In general, Cr, Tl, Co, Ni, and Ge were of an uncontaminated status.     

生物膜法处理硫化铅锌矿尾矿库外排废水

研究了生物膜法对广东省某硫化铅锌矿尾矿库外排废水的处理效果,探索不同载体,不同COD浓度对生物膜法降解COD的影响。结果表明,高浓度的COD对生物膜法处理选矿废水有影响,在6~13℃的条件下,水力停留时间为2 d时,以50 cm×25 cm×0.4 cm的黏胶材料生物载体作为挂膜载体,处理50 L硫化铅锌矿尾矿库外排废水取得了良好效果,出水COD浓度稳定在40 mg/L左右,出水达到《铅、锌工业污染物排放标准》（GB25466-2010）的要求。     

Distribution features of biological hazardous pollutants in residential environments in Korea

This research has been conducted continuously since 2009 as part of a cohort of studies examining relationships between asthma and genetic factors, dietary habits, and environmental factors. Based on data from environmental research on house dust mites and endotoxins, which are widely known as pollutants in bedding that cause asthma in pregnant women and children, this work was conducted to obtain basic data that can be used in future cohort studies that analyze links between distribution of biological hazards and physical features of residential environments. The detection rates of house dust mite allergens, Der p1 and Der f1, were 52.7 and 86.5 %, respectively, indicating that Der f1 is a dominant species in domestic indoor environments. According to comparisons between concentrations of house dust mites and endotoxins in bedding of pregnant women and children, Der p1 and endotoxins showed significantly lower concentrations in bedding of pregnant women compared with those in bedding of children, whereas Der f1 showed no significant difference in concentration according to bedding.