Biomonitoring for exposure to multiple trace elements via analysis of urine from participants in the study of metals and assisted reproductive technologies (SMART)

Humans are exposed to concentrations of multiple trace elements through a variety of background sources; many are suspected reproductive toxicants. Prior to investigating associations between trace elements and human reproductive health, potential biomarkers of exposure should be characterized by sources of variability in the population at risk. Factors influencing elemental exposure should also be identified to ensure their consideration as potential confounding variables. The principal aim of this study is to characterize sources of variability for 19 trace elements measured in urine specimens collected from 55 women and 36 male partners completing a 1st cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Urine specimens were analyzed using a biomonitoring method based on inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Randomly selected urine specimens (～6%) were analyzed in duplicate, and these data were used to characterize sources of variability. Nine trace elements including As, Ba, Cd, Cs, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, and Zn, were quantified in most specimens, indicating their utility in future epidemiologic studies of trace elements exposure and IVF outcomes. With few exceptions, normalizing urine using the traditional creatinine-correction procedure, or an alternative approach based on a linear regression model, increased residual variability only slightly. Sex and race appear to be important factors to consider in epidemiologic studies conducted in this population. Urine concentrations for most elements are similar to those reported in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES); however, differences in others may indicate regional trends or a unique exposure history for this infertile study population.     

Estimation of the contributions of long range transported aerosol in East Asia to carbonaceous aerosol and PM concentrations in Seoul, Korea using highly time resolved measurements: a PSCF model approach

The contributions of long range transported aerosol in East Asia to carbonaceous aerosol and particulate matter (PM) concentrations in Seoul, Korea were estimated with potential source contribution function (PSCF) calculations. Carbonaceous aerosol (organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC)), PM(2.5), and PM(10) concentrations were measured from April 2007 to March 2008 in Seoul, Korea. The PSCF and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) receptor models were used to identify the spatial source distributions of OC, EC, PM(2.5), and coarse particles. Heavily industrialized areas in Northeast China such as Harbin and Changchun and East China including the Pearl River Delta region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Beijing-Tianjin region were identified as high OC, EC and PM(2.5) source areas. The conditional PSCF analysis was introduced so as to distinguish the influence of aerosol transported from heavily polluted source areas on a receptor site from that transported from relatively clean areas. The source contributions estimated using the conditional PSCF analysis account for not only the aerosol concentrations of long range transported aerosols but also the number of transport days effective on the measurement site. Based on the proposed algorithm, the condition of airmass pathways was classified into two types: one condition where airmass passed over the source region (PS) and another condition where airmass did not pass over the source region (NPS). For most of the seasons during the measurement period, 249.5-366.2% higher OC, EC, PM(2.5), and coarse particle concentrations were observed at the measurement site under PS conditions than under NPS conditions. Seasonal variations in the concentrations of OC, EC, PM(2.5), and coarse particles under PS, NPS, and background aerosol conditions were quantified. The contributions of long range transported aerosols on the OC, EC, PM(2.5), and coarse particle concentrations during several Asian dust events were also estimated. We also investigated the performance of the PSCF results obtained from combining highly time resolved measurement data and backward trajectory calculations via comparison with those from data in low resolutions. Reduced tailing effects and the larger coverage over the area of interest were observed in the PSCF results obtained from using the highly time resolved data and trajectories.     

Application of a battery of biomarkers in mussel digestive gland to assess long-term effects of the Prestige oil spill in Galicia and Bay of Biscay: tissue-level biomarkers and histopathology

In order to assess the biological effects of the Prestige oil spill (POS), mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, were collected in 22 localities along the North coast of the Iberian Peninsula over 3 years (April 2003-April 2006). Different tissue-level biomarkers including cell type composition (volume density of basophilic cells, Vv(BAS)) in digestive gland epithelium, structural changes of digestive alveoli (mean luminal radius to mean epithelial thickness, MLR/MET) and histopathological alterations (prevalence and intensity) of the digestive gland were analysed. Severe alterations in the general condition of the digestive gland tissue were observed all over the study area up to 2004-2005. High Vv(BAS) values were recorded mainly in Galicia but also to a lesser extent in the Bay of Biscay in 2003-2004. Atrophy of the digestive alveoli, measured in terms of MLR/MET, was detected all along the studied area up to 2006. Inflammatory responses cannot be related to pollution due to the POS: (a) prevalence and intensity of focal hemocytic infiltration were higher in the Bay of Biscay than in Galicia but they did not show a clear temporal trend; (b) high intensities of brown cell aggregates were only sporadically recorded; and (c) granulocytomas were more frequently recorded in the Bay of Biscay than in Galicia and especially in localities (i.e. Arrigunaga) subjected to chronic pollution. Likewise, Marteilia, trematodes, intracellular ciliates, unidentified eosinophilic bodies, R/CLO and Mytilicola did not follow any recognisable pattern that could be associated to the POS. In contrast, high Nematopsis intensities recorded in several localities in 2003 might suggest some response of local interest after the POS (i.e., in combination with particular factors/conditions). More data at a regional scale are needed before histopathology may provide a reliable ecosystem health assessment but the present results suggest that the approach is worthwhile. Overall, although Vv(BAS) returned to reference values by 2004-2005, MLR/MET values indicated that the mussel health condition was affected during the whole study period up to April 2006.     

Inhibitor resistance and in situ capability of nanoparticle based gene quantification

We have demonstrated the preliminary results of the in situ monitoring capability of an inhibitor resistant gene quantification assay using magnetic bead (MB) and quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles (hereafter "MB-QD assay") for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 in environmental samples. The selectivity of the MB-QD assay was demonstrated via the discrimination of the target bacteria in the presence of nonspecific microbial populations. The effect of temperature on the assay was examined to evaluate the necessity of elevated temperature incubation. The reagents (i.e., particle complex and particle-DNA conjugate) were also shown to have a stability of at least 10 days without refrigeration, therefore enabling prior preparation and the subsequent storage of these reagents. In addition, it was found that the MB-QD assay was resistant to the presence of naturally occurring inhibitors (i.e., humic acids, Ca(2+)) and residual reagents from DNA extraction (i.e., surfactant, ethanol). Overall the results indicated that the MB-QD assay is potentially suitable for further development as an in situ bacteria monitoring method for working with inhibitor laden samples without requiring additional purification steps and elevated temperature processes.     

钢箱梁典型病害分析及其检测与维护技术研究

基于对我国钢箱梁桥的钢箱梁病害调查,总结出我国钢箱粱典型病害的类型,分析各种钢箱梁典型病害产生的机理及导致其破坏的原因,提出了钢箱梁病害的日常检测与维护技术.针对钢箱梁的涂装劣化、钢材腐蚀、结构性损伤等病害,给出了日常检测与维护的主要项目,介绍了人工目视检测、超声波检测、磁粉检测及涡流检测等主要的检测方法的工作原理、优...     

城市绿地土壤入渗模型及参数确定

采用降雨径流法和正交实验L9（34）获得了天津中心城区绿地土壤入渗曲线,选取Kostiakov模型、Kostiakov-Lewis模型、Philip模型、Horton模型、Collis-George模型对土壤入渗过程进行描述,利用粒子群算法确定模型参数,使用剩余平方和对模型进行评价。结果表明,Horton模型较常用的K...     

整体合建倒置A^2O氧化沟中试试验及参数优化

以处理20m^3／d城镇生活污水的深沟型气升推流立体循环倒置A^2O整体合建氧化沟中试装置为研究平台,通过对影响该工艺运行的有机物的去除效果、硝化反应与反硝化反应效果及除磷效果等因素进行探索及最佳工况的正交试验设计,实验结果表明该工艺对BOD,、COD、SS、NH4^-N、TN、TP的平均去除率分别为94．25％、90...     

衡阳市生态环境现状分析研究

为了给衡阳市生态环境保护工作提供科学依据,以衡阳市环境监测局等的数据为基础,以衡阳市的生态环境为对象,分析了其主要生态因子现状及功能,提出了衡阳市生态环境存在的主要问题和及其经济社会发展的影响,并提出了改善生态环境的建议.     

ZnTiO3-TiO2复合光催化剂的制备及光催化降解有机污染物机制分析

TiO_2光催化剂因无毒无害而在光催化降解污染物领域有巨大潜力.但由于TiO_2的光生电子空穴复合较快,量子效率较低,限制了它的广泛使用.在本研究中,通过溶胶-凝胶(Sol-Gel)法制备了ZnTiO_3-TiO_2异质结复合光催化剂,分析了配比和煅烧温度对材料光催化性能的影响,以甲基橙(MO)溶液为模拟污染物进行光催化降解,探讨了其催化效果及效率提升的机制.结果表明,在紫外光照射下,ZnTiO_3与TiO_2比值为0. 3时,在600℃下煅烧3 h后,其催化效果最佳且表现出良好的化学稳定性.通过光电流测试和电子自旋共振波谱仪的检测结果,证明复合光催化剂的光生电子和空穴复合率降低,从而提高了光催化活性.     

基于高山湖泊沉积记录的贵州北部大气重金属污染历史重建

大气重金属污染是全球面临的主要环境问题之一,受监测资料的局限,目前我国在大气重金属污染的历史过程及其对偏远地区地表环境的影响方面的研究还较为薄弱.通过对贵州北部梵净山顶沉积物中金属元素含量和Pb同位素的分析,研究了近400年来Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb和Zn等大气污染的历史过程.公元约1800年之前,沉积物中金属元素含量较为稳定; 1800年以来,Cr、Cu、Ni和Zn等含量总体呈先增加后降低的趋势;而Cd、Hg和Pb含量逐渐增加.富集系数与207Pb/206Pb结果表明,Cd、Pb和Hg是典型的大气污染元素; Hg污染开始于公元1880年前后,Cd和Pb污染开始于20世纪50年代,近年来污染程度均逐渐加重.沉积记录反映的贵州北部梵净山地区目前大气Hg污染水平与我国东部其他远离人类活动直接影响的地区相当,但远高于欧美及青藏高原等地区;不同地区间Cd与Pb污染水平具有较大的差异.梵净山地区大气Hg污染可能受到全球和区域污染排放的共同影响,Cd和Pb污染主要来自于区域有色金属冶炼及燃煤等释放.