Assessment of dietary exposure to PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB in infant formulae available on the EU market

In infant period, human milk and infant formulae are the major sources of exposure to dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Since in many parts of Europe the mothers are increasingly reluctant to breastfeed their babies, the main objective of the present study is to assess the level of exposure of non-breast-fed infants during their early development. Consequently, the concentration levels of PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB were determined in industrial infant formulae including "starting" (aged 0-4months) and "follow-on" (after 4months) products of milk formula, soy formula and hypoallergenic infant formula, available on the EU market. Furthermore, dietary exposure to dioxin of exclusively formula-fed infants was assessed at each month from 0 to 9months. The results suggest that dietary exposure to dioxins via formulae is higher when consuming "starting" than "follow-on" infant formulae on a body-weight basis. Estimated dietary exposure after 4months of age was always below the lowest range of the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 1pg WHO-TEQkg(-1)bwd(-1) and Provisional Tolerable Monthly Intake (PTMI) of 70pg WHO-TEQkg(-1)bwmonth(-1). The highest estimated cumulative dietary exposure to PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB was obtained considering infants of 0-1months fed with the "starting" hypoallergenic infant formula (2.8pg WHO-TEQkg(-1)bwd(-1) and 84pg WHO-TQkg(-1)bwmonth(-1)). However, these elevated levels are much lower than those observed in some studies in breast-fed infants. The study can be used for further risk assessments in regard to infant exposure.     

Localization of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in poplar and switchgrass plants using phosphor imager autoradiography

Phosphor imager autoradiography is a technique for rapid, sensitive analysis of the localization of xenobiotics in plant tissues. Use of this technique is relatively new to research in the field of plant science, and the potential for enhancing visualization and understanding of plant uptake and transport of xenobiotics remains largely untapped. Phosphor imager autoradiography is used to investigate the uptake and translocation of the explosives 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene within Populus deltoides × nigra DN34 (poplar) and Panicum vigratum Alamo (switchgrass). In both plant types, TNT and/or TNT-metabolites remain predominantly in root tissues while RDX and/or RDX-metabolites are readily translocated to leaf tissues. Phosphor imager autoradiography is further investigated for use in semi-quantitative analysis of uptake of TNT by switchgrass.     

Deposition of reactive nitrogen during the Rocky Mountain Airborne Nitrogen and Sulfur (RoMANS) study

Increases in reactive nitrogen deposition are a growing concern in the U.S. Rocky Mountain west. The Rocky Mountain Airborne Nitrogen and Sulfur (RoMANS) study was designed to improve understanding of the species and pathways that contribute to nitrogen deposition in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). During two 5-week field campaigns in spring and summer of 2006, the largest contributor to reactive nitrogen deposition in RMNP was found to be wet deposition of ammonium (34% spring and summer), followed by wet deposition of nitrate (24% spring, 28% summer). The third and fourth most important reactive nitrogen deposition pathways were found to be wet deposition of organic nitrogen (17%, 12%) and dry deposition of ammonia (14%, 16%), neither of which is routinely measured by air quality/deposition networks operating in the region. Total reactive nitrogen deposition during the spring campaign was determined to be 0.45 kg ha⁻¹ and more than doubled to 0.95 kg ha⁻¹ during the summer campaign.     

Inhibition, recovery and oxime-induced reactivation of muscle esterases following chlorpyrifos exposure in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

Assessment of wildlife exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides generally involves the measurement of cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition, and complementary biomarkers (or related endpoints) are rarely included. Herein, we investigated the time course inhibition and recovery of ChE and carboxylesterase (CE) activities in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris exposed to chlorpyrifos, and the ability of oximes to reactivate the phosphorylated ChE activity. Results indicated that these esterase activities are a suitable multibiomarker scheme for monitoring OP exposure due to their high sensitivity to OP inhibition and slow recovery to full activity levels following pesticide exposure. Moreover, oximes reactivated the inhibited ChE activity of the earthworms exposed to 12 and 48 mg kg⁻¹ chlorpyrifos during the first week following pesticide exposure. This methodology is useful for providing evidence for OP-mediated ChE inhibition in individuals with a short history of OP exposure (≤1 week); resulting a valuable approach for assessing multiple OP exposure episodes in the field.     

Combining sap flow and eddy covariance approaches to derive stomatal and non-stomatal O3 fluxes in a forest stand

Stomatal O₃ fluxes to a mixed beech/spruce stand (Fagus sylvatica/Picea abies) in Central Europe were determined using two different approaches. The sap flow technique yielded the tree-level transpiration, whereas the eddy covariance method provided the stand-level evapotranspiration. Both data were then converted into stomatal ozone fluxes, exemplifying this novel concept for July 2007. Sap flow-based stomatal O₃ flux was 33% of the total O₃ flux, whereas derivation from evapotranspiration rates in combination with the Penman-Monteith algorithm amounted to 47%. In addition to this proportional difference, the sap flow-based assessment yielded lower levels of stomatal O₃ flux and reflected stomatal regulation rather than O₃ exposure, paralleling the daily courses of canopy conductance for water vapor and eddy covariance-based total stand-level O₃ flux. The demonstrated combination of sap flow and eddy covariance approaches supports the development of O₃ risk assessment in forests from O₃ exposure towards flux-based concepts.     

Accumulation and biological cycling of heavy metal in four salt marsh species, from Tagus estuary (Portugal)

Pools of Zn, Cu, Cd and Co in leaf, stem and root tissues of Sarcocornia fruticosa, Sarcocornia perennis, Halimione portulacoides and Spartina maritima were analyzed on a bimonthly basis, in a Tagus estuary salt marsh. All the major concentrations were found in the root tissues, being the concentrations in the aboveground organs neglectable for sediment budget proposes, as seen by the low root-aboveground translocation. Metal annual accumulation, root turnovers and cycling coefficients were also assessed. S. maritima showed the higher root turnovers and cycling coefficients for most of the analyzed metals, making this a phytostabilizer specie. By contrast the low root turnover, cycling coefficient and low root necromass generation makes S. perennis the most suitable specie for phytoremediation processes. Although the high amounts of metal return to the sediments, due to root senescence, salt marshes can still be considered sinks of heavy metals, cycling heavy metals mostly between sediment and root.     

Potential physiological effects of pharmaceutical compounds in Atlantic salmon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo salar</Emphasis>) implied by transcriptomic analysis

Background, aim, and scope  

Pharmaceuticals are emerging pollutants widely used in everyday urban activities which can be detected in surface, ground, and drinking waters. Their presence is derived from consumption of medicines, disposal of expired medications, release of treated and untreated urban effluents, and from the pharmaceutical industry. Their growing use has become an alarming environmental problem which potentially will become dangerous in the future. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about long-term effects in non-target organisms as well as for human health. Toxicity testing has indicated a relatively low acute toxicity to fish species, but no information is available on possible sublethal effects. This study provides data on the physiological pathways involved in the exposure of Atlantic salmon as representative test species to three pharmaceutical compounds found in ground, surface, and drinking waters based on the evaluation of the xenobiotic-induced impairment resulting in the activation and silencing of specific genes.     

Organocopper complexes during roxarsone degradation in wastewater lagoons

Background, aim, and scope  

Organoarsenical-containing animal feeds that promote growth and resistance to parasites are mostly excreted unchanged, ending up in nearby wastewater storage lagoons. Earlier work documented the partial transformation of organoarsenicals, such as, 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid (roxarsone) to the more toxic inorganic arsenate [As(V)] and 3-amino-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid (3-AHPAA). Unidentified roxarsone metabolites using liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC/ICP-MS) were also inferred from the corresponding As mass balance. Earlier batch experiments in our laboratory suggested the presence of organometallic (Cu) complexes during relevant roxarsone degradation experiments. We hypothesized that organocopper compounds were complexed to roxarsone, mediating its degradation in field-collected swine wastewater samples from storage lagoons. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of organometallic (Cu) complexes during roxarsone degradation under aerobic conditions in swine wastewater suspensions, using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ES-MS).     

Patinas developed in environmental burial conditions: the Neolithic steles of Reguers de Seró (Lleida,Spain)

Background, aim and scope  

Weathering patinas in rocks are the result of interaction processes between rock surfaces and atmosphere, biosphere and soil. Therefore, their textural and mineral composition is strongly related to environmental and bioactivity conditions. Whereas the development of weathering patinas in atmospheric conditions is well documented (e.g. typical Mediterranean patina), only very few studies focus on their formation in a burial environment. Our study of patinas developed on the tumular structure of Reguers de Seró deals with the knowledge of burial patinas from a textural and mineralogical point of view. The aims of this study include: (1) the characterisation of the rock used in this megalithic monument as well as inferences regarding the origin of the raw material; (2) the evaluation of the patinas developed on the surface of the carved steles; and (3) the discussion of the environmental conditions (atmospheric or burial) that favoured the development of the patinas.