Treatment and skin decontamination of sarin intoxicated mice

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of oral treatment and skin decontamination with the mineral cationic carrier in sarin-intoxicated mice. Mice were contaminated with increasing percutaneous sarin doses and decontaminated. Furthermore, the surviving mice were treated per os. The behavioral patterns of the surviving animals were monitored for 72?h, including the animals’ posture, desire for food and water, and approach and touch response. The results showed the mineral cationic carrier to be capable of efficiently decontaminating animals percutaneous poisoned with triple lethal dose. The comparison of behavioral pattern of control animals against those treated per os showed statistically significant differences. Oral treatment with mineral cationic carrier may be a detoxification tool against nerve agents’ poisoning, and this merits further research.     

Distribution and availability of potentially toxic metals in soil in central area of Belgrade,Serbia

Belgrade, capital city of Serbia, has over 1,600,000 inhabitants and over 400,000 vehicles trafficking every day on its streets. The investigation of soil pollution was performed by sequential extraction analysis to investigate the availability of potentially toxic metals (Zn, Cd, Pb, Co, Ni, Cu, Cr and Mn) under different oxidation and pH conditions. All investigated metals were mainly extracted from soils with neutral or acidic extractants. Serious pollution was observed along roads and streets with high traffic frequency, but Pb and Ni pollution was the highest since their concentrations exceed both soil Serbian standard and Canadian guidance values and is characteristic for all investigated sites. Cd, Cu, Cr and Zn concentrations are moderately high since they are between Canadian guideline and Serbian standard.     

Screening of phthalic acid esters in raw materials,premixes and feed additives

Phthalates are animal carcinogens and may cause death or tissue deformities. Samples of feedstuffs collected in 2005 and 2006 from industrial feed manufacturers in the Czech Republic were analysed for contamination with phthalic acid esters (PAEs), specifically di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP). Samples of feed additives, premixes and raw materials were collected (year 2005, n = 26). For soybean oil, the total volume of phthalates measured (DBP + DEHP) reached a level of 131.42 mg kg⁻¹; for rapeseed oil, fish meal and animal fats, the levels measured were 15.00, 7.96 and 58.87 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The lowest level of DBP + DEHP was found in corn (2.03 mg kg⁻¹). Since phthalates were detected, samples of feed additives (n = 28) and raw materials (n = 28) were collected again in 2006. The highest levels of DBP + DEHP were found in raw materials containing fat. Phthalate levels in rapeseed oil samples ranged from 1.38 to 32.40 mg kg⁻¹ DBP + DEHP. For feed additives, contamination levels in vitamins and amino acids ranged from 0.06 to 3.15 and 1.76 to 4.52 mg kg⁻¹ DBP + DEHP, respectively. Here, we show that the levels of PAEs found in cereals such as wheat, barley and corn may be regarded as being alarmingly high, because cereals make up the largest proportion of compound feed of farm animals.     

Relationship of safety climate perceptions and job satisfaction among employees in the construction industry: the moderating role of age

This study examines the degree to which construction sector employees perceive that safety is important in their organizations/sites and how job satisfaction affects these perceptions when age is introduced as a moderator variable. Two-way analysis of variance demonstrated that job satisfaction has a strong effect on perceived management commitment to work safety and that this relationship was moderated by respondents’ age. Job satisfaction was associated with perceived accident rate and safety inspection frequency, but the proposed role of age in this linkage was not confirmed. Consequently, the findings indicated that by increasing the level of job satisfaction, perceptions of these safety climate aspects proved to be more positive. The conclusion is that these relationships could further lead to a lower percentage of accidents and injuries in the workplace and better health among employees. A significant relationship between job satisfaction, age and perceived co-workers’ commitment to work safety was not found.     

Exposure of microplastics to organic matter in waters enhances microplastic encapsulation into calcium carbonate

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Plastic pollution in water ecosystems is threatening the survival of wildlife. In particular, microplastics may be encapsulated into calcium carbonate, a crucial...     

Using single- and multi-target regression trees and ensembles to model a compound index of vegetation condition

An important consideration in conservation and biodiversity planning is an appreciation of the condition or integrity of ecosystems. In this study, we have applied various machine learning methods to the problem of predicting the condition or quality of the remnant indigenous vegetation across an extensive area of south-eastern Australia—the state of Victoria. The field data were obtained using the ‘habitat hectares’ approach. This rapid assessment technique produces multiple scores that describe the condition of various attributes of the vegetation at a given site. Multiple sites were assessed and subsequently circumscribed with GIS and remote-sensed data.     

Active biomonitoring with wet and dry moss: a case study in an urban area

Active biomonitoring of the air quality in Belgrade, Serbia, was performed using the moss Sphagnum girgensohnii. Moss bags were exposed in parallel with and without irrigation for 3 and 6 months, respectively, at three different sites. Twenty-nine elements were determined in the exposed moss samples by INAA. For all exposure periods, higher uptake in the irrigated moss bags was evident for Al, Cr, Fe, Zn and Sr. Elements such as Cl, K, Rb and Cs were depleted in the moss tissue during the time of exposure. For most of the elements the accumulation after 6 months exceeded that observed after 3 months.     

Periphyton Developed on Artificial Substrates: Effect of Substrate Type and Incubation Depth

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of substrate type and incubation depth on periphyton that had developed on artificial substrates. Uniform rectangular tiles made out of artificial substrates: glass, ceramic, willow tree and yew tree, were fixed on a floating buoy and deployed at three different depths in a photic zone of the Sava Lake (Belgrade, Serbia). Non-taxonomic attributes in the developed biofilm were estimated week-by-week from the start of the experiment in July, until its end in September 2014. Through assessment of substrate type and depth of incubation effect we concluded that these parameters for the fact influence periphyton development and composition. Glass was preferred by autotrophic component over ceramic and wooden substrates. In general, substrate type effect was diminished by increasing incubation depth. When non-taxonomic parameters are to be used in biomonitoring studies, our results suggest that glass substrate and shallow layer of water column (up to 50 cm) for incubation should be preferred.     

Does monensin in chicken manure from poultry farms pose a threat to soil invertebrates?

Monensin is a carboxylic polyether ionophore used in the poultry industry as a coccidiostat. It enters the environment via manure from broiler farms. In spite of its potential presence in the environment, information concerning monensin residues in manure and soil and its toxicity to soil organisms are insufficient. In the present study, two beneficial soil invertebrate species, earthworms (Eisenia andrei) and woodlice (Porcellio scaber), were used to assess the toxicity of monensin. Animals were exposed to a range of monensin concentrations via soil or food. Earthworm reproduction was found to be the most susceptible endpoint (NOEC=3.5 mg kg(-1) dry soil; EC(50)=12.7 mg kg(-1) dry soil), while no adverse effects were recorded in isopods (NOEC?849mgkg(-1) dry soil, NOEC?357mgkg(-1) dry food). The obtained toxicity data were compared with potential concentrations of monensin in soil. In view of this, manure from broiler chickens treated with monensin at a poultry farm was sampled. According to monensin and nitrogen concentrations in the chicken manure and the degradation time of monensin, the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) was calculated. PEC of monensin is around 0.013 mg kg(-1) soil if manure is used after 3 months of composting and 0.05 mg kg(-1) soil if used without storage. Data for earthworm reproduction was used to estimate the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC). If fresh chicken manure is applied to terrestrial ecosystems, the risk quotient (PEC/PNEC ratio) is above 1, which indicates that monensin might pose an environmental risk under certain conditions. To prevent this, it is strongly recommended to compost chicken manure for several months before using it as fertiliser.     

Alterations in the rabbit lymphoid tissue after bendiocarb administration

Various pesticides have immuno-suppressive effects, and thus the organisms become responsive to viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases and neoplasm. The aim of the study was to observe the structure of the small intestine (height of enterocytes and crypts), mucosal lymphoid tissue (Payer's patches, lymphocytes in lamina propria) and a lymph node after administration of bendiocarb (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl-methylcarbamate) on days 3, 10, 20, 30 and 60 of the experiment. The height of the observed enterocytes showed an increasing tendency. On days 20, 30 and 60 we also observed an increase in diameter of crypts located in intestinal epithelium. The number of cells in lamina propria mucosae was significantly reduced on days 20 and 30 after administration of bendiocarb. Observations of the lymph node showed that on days 10 and 20 there was a significant increase in relative volume of medulla at the expense of the relative volume of the cortex and a decrease in the number of lymphocytes. However, we recorded an increase in diameter of lymphocytes. The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) belongs to the most common pathogenic parasites in the world and it can cause serious health complications in pregnant and immunodeficient individuals. DNA isolation, standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and visualization in a 2.5 % agarose gel, the presence of DNA T. gondii was detected in no examined rabbit brain samples. Using real time PCR T. gondii DNA was detected and quantified in the three rabbit brain samples (10 %).