Insights into reactive oxygen species formation induced by water-soluble organic compounds and transition metals using spectroscopic method

Ambient particulate matter (PM) can cause adverse health effects via their ability to produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Water-Soluble Organic Compounds (WSOCs), a complex mixture of organic compounds which usually coexist with Transition Metals (TMs) in PM, have been found to contribute to ROS formation. However, the interaction between WSOCs and TMs and its effect on ROS generation are still unknown. In this study, we examined the ROS concentrations of V, Zn, Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA), Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA) and the mixtures of V/Zn and SRFA/SRHA by using a cell-free 2′,7′-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH) assay. The results showed that V or Zn synergistically promoted ROS generated by SRFA, but had an antagonistic effect on ROS generated by SRHA. Fluorescence quenching experiments indicated that V and Zn were more prone to form stable complexes with aromatic humic acid-like component (C1) and fulvic acid-like component (C3) in SRFA and SRHA. Results suggested that the underlying mechanism involving the fulvic acid-like component in SRFA more tending to complex with TMs to facilitate ROS generation through π electron transfer. Our work showed that the complexing ability and complexing stability of atmospheric PM organics with metals could significantly affect ROS generation. It is recommended that the research deploying multiple analytical methods to quantify the impact of PM components on public health and environment is needed in the future.     

陆地生态系统的恢复--模拟全球变化所引起的酸性输入减少和海盐输入增加的影响

到2010年<哥德堡议定书>正式实施时,欧洲自20世纪70年代末以来已减少的酸化硫和氮释放量将进一步减少.这里我们论述了通过使用应用于3个大型"清洁雨"实验(即分别在挪威里斯达尔谢伊阿[Risdalsheia],瑞典耶德松[Gardsjon]以及丹麦克洛斯特海泽[Klosterhede]的所谓"屋顶实验")的酸化模型MAGIC讨论恢复酸化陆地生态系统的结果.<哥德堡议定书>的实施将启动通过重建盐基饱和恢复上述3处土壤的进程.恢复率较低,在今后30年中,盐基饱和增加不足5%.气候引发的风暴严重性的加剧将增加海盐输入生态系统的量.这将为土壤提供额外的碱阳离子,并使恢复速度翻一番,同时还将随着沉积的碱阳离子与存储在土壤中的酸性交换导致高海盐输入之后的强酸性脉动.因此,酸化集水区土壤和径流的进一步恢复将取决于酸沉积下降的数量和速率,在近岸系统的情况下,还取决于海盐输入事件的频率和强度.     

载La(Ⅲ)-和Fe(Ⅲ)-氨基膦酸型螯合树脂对氟吸附性能的比较

研究并比较了载La（Ⅲ）和载Fe（Ⅲ）大孔氨基膦酸型螯合树脂对饮用水中氟离子的吸附特性。氟在载La（Ⅲ）和载Fe（Ⅲ）的螯合树脂上的吸附不随pH的变化而改变,载金属螯合树脂对氟的饱和吸附容量分别为3.78、3.55mg/g,吸附方式符合Freundlich吸附等温式,代表性竞争离子不影响氟在螯合树脂上的吸附。结果表明载Fe（Ⅲ）和载La（Ⅲ）的螯合树脂是一种有前景的饮水氟去除吸附剂。     

二级出水中磷的混凝处理研究

以北京市某污水处理厂的二级出水中总磷为去除对象,通过混凝的静态烧杯实验[1],确定了二级出水除磷效果较好的絮凝剂聚合氯化铁(PFC)[2]和Al2(SO4)3[3]混合使用的最佳投药量,使出水中磷(TP)符合再生水水质标准的要求.絮凝剂组合时静态混凝烧杯实验表明:PFC-Al2(SO4)3体积比1∶1时,最佳投药量离子浓度比为:Fe3 /Al3 ∶9.9/7(mg·L-1),此时TP去除率为93%,浊度去除率为33%.PFC-Al2(SO4)3体积比1:2时,最佳投药量离子浓度比为:Fe3 /Al3 ∶4.95/7(mg·L-1),此时TP去除率为88%,浊度去除率为71%.     

Normal development in two six-year-old boys born after prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 20 mosaicism

Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 20 mosaicism was made in two pregnancies by chromosome analysis of cultured amniotic fluid cells. In both cases, the pregnancy continued to term and a healthy male infant was delivered. Regular assessments up to the age of 6-5 years revealed normal physical and intellectual development in both children.     

Duration of vaginal bleeding and trisomy at prenatal diagnosis

In the case-control study of 118 women with autosomal trisomy identified at prenatal diagnosis and their 442 karyotypically normal matched controls, we found that there was no overall association between risk of trisomy and the presence of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. However, a lengthy duration of bleeding appears to predict increased risk of trisorny.     

Exclusion of citrullinaemia in the first trimester of pregnancy by direct assay of argininosuccinate synthetase in chorionic villi

Citrullinaemia was presumed to be excluded in a fetus at risk by the direct assay of argininosuccinate synthetase in chorionic villi. The diagnosis was confirmed after amniocentesis by normal argininosuccinate synthetase activity in the cultured amniotic fluid cells and by a normal citrulline concentration in the amniotic fluid. The prediction of a normal fetus was confirmed at term by the birth of a non-citrullinaemic boy.     

Amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein levels and prenatal diagnosis of autosomal trisomies

Pregnancies with fetal trisomy 21 have been associated with low amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein levels (AFAFP). This observation led to the suggestion that low AFAFP levels be used as a criterion for completion of a chromosomal analysis in patients who are not otherwise at increased risk for a fetal chromosome abnormality and in whom karyotyping might not have been completed for economic reasons. In order to assess the usefulness of such criteria, we reviewed the AFAFP levels of 90 cases of fetal trisomy 21, 23 cases of trisomy 18, and 10 cases of trisomy 13. These were compared with 2400 control samples with normal chromosome constitution. AFAFP levels were generally lower in pregnancies with trisomy 21, showing a median value of 0·72 MoM. However, 40 per cent of the trisomy 21 samples had AFAFP values greater than 0·8 MoM and 20 per cent were over 1·0 MoM. These data imply that over 50 per cent of Down syndrome cases might have been missed using a cut-off level of 0·70 MoM for completion of chromosome analysis. Using a higher cut-off level will leave only a small percentage of samples unkaryotyped. The distribution of AFP levels in trisomy 13 and 18 is no different from controls; we therefore believe that fetal karyotyping should be completed in every amniotic fluid sample obtained.