Photosensitized degradation of caffeine: role of fulvic acids and nitrate

The photolysis of caffeine was studied in solutions of fulvic acid isolated from Suwannee River, GA (SRFA) and Old Woman Creek Natural Estuarine Research Reserve, OH (OWCFA) with different chemical amendments (nitrate and iron). Caffeine degrades slowly by direct photolysis (>170 h in artificial sunlight), but we observed enhanced photodegradation in waters containing the fulvic acids. At higher initial concentrations (10 μM) the indirect photolysis of caffeine occurs predominantly through reaction with the hydroxyl radical (OH) generated by irradiated fulvic acids. Both rate constant estimates based upon measured OH steady-state concentrations and quenching studies using isopropanol corroborate the importance of this pathway. Further, OH generated by irradiated nitrate at concentrations present in wastewater effluent plays an important role as a photosensitizer even in the presence of fulvic acids, while the photo-Fenton pathway does not at neutral or higher pH. At lower initial concentrations (0.1 μM) caffeine photolysis reactions proceed even more quickly in fulvic acid solutions and are influenced by both short- and long-lived reactive species. Studies conducted under suboxic conditions suggest that an oxygen dependent long-lived radical e.g., peroxyl radicals plays an important role in the degradation of caffeine at lower initial concentration.     

北京东南郊大气TSP中多环芳烃浓度特征与影响因素

对2005-03～2006-01北京市东南郊3个采样点大气总悬浮颗粒物（TSP）样品进行分析,总结了研究区内TSP以及TSP中16种PAHs的浓度特征和季节变化规律.研究区内16种PAHs浓度总和的范围在0.29～1?184.48 ng/m³之间,均值为239.44 ng/m³;分别用气象参数（温度、风速、气压、相对湿度）和大气API指数（二氧化硫、二氧化氮、PM₁₀）与PAHs浓度进行了偏相关分析,结果表明温度和SO₂的API指数与PAHs浓度相关显著,应用逐步回归方法得到PAHs对气象参数和大气API指数的回归方程,分别为∑16PAHs=572.56-23.18t和∑16PAHs=5.99 SO₂,可以利用温度和SO₂的API指数对PAHs浓度进行估算.     

孕期低剂量镉暴露对不同性别胎鼠肝脏发育的影响及其分子调控机制的研究

为探究镉对胎儿肝脏发育的毒性作用.拟选用15只性成熟的8周龄的雌性C57BL/6小鼠,与雄鼠交配见栓后,于妊娠第7.5 d(Embryonic 7.5,E7.5)时,随机分为3组(每组5只),分别通过饮用水暴露法饲喂0、20和40 mg·L^-1的氯化镉溶液,并于E14.5 d时收集各组小鼠的胎儿肝脏等组织.通过Ki67和TUNEL染色方法探究镉对不同性别胎鼠肝脏的增殖功能和凋亡功能的影响,并通过PCR芯片筛查和实时定量PCR方法检测镉处理组的雌性和雄性胎鼠肝脏中与细胞增殖和凋亡功能相关基因的表达变化.此外,我们还将通过石墨炉火焰原子吸收技术对镉处理组的雌性和雄性胎鼠的镉含量进行检测.结果显示:孕期低剂量镉暴露对胎儿体重、胎肝重量和肝脏指数均无显著性影响.在本实验条件下,镉对胎鼠肝脏的凋亡功能无显著性影响,但对增殖功能具有抑制作用,且该抑制作用具有雌性依赖性的特征.镉特异性诱导雌性胎鼠肝脏中NF1等多个细胞增殖功能相关基因以及TGF-β1信号通路分子的表达失衡;但对雄性胎鼠肝脏中相关基因的表达水平无显著性影响.镉在雌性胎儿组织中的积累量显著高于雄性胎儿组织.综上所述,孕期低剂量镉暴露特异性抑制雌性胎儿肝脏的细胞增殖功能,并诱导雌性胎儿肝脏中NF1等多个增殖功能相关基因以及TGF-β1信号通路分子的表达失衡,该性别依赖性的抑制作用可能与镉在雌性胎儿中相对较高的积累量相关.     

Effects of ellagic acid on arylamine N‐acetyltransferase activity in human colon tumor cells

The inhibition of arylamine N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) activity by ellagic acid was determined in a human colon tumor (adenocarcinoma) cell line. Two assay systems were performed, one with cellular cytosols (9000g supernatant), the other with intact colon tumor cell suspensions. The NAT activity in a human colon tumor cell line was inhibited by ellagic acid in a dose‐dependent manner in both types of examined systems: i.e. the greater the concentration of ellagic acid in the reaction, the greater the inhibition of NAT activities in both systems. The data also indicated that ellagic acid decreased the apparent K _m and V _max of NAT enzymes from human colon tumor cells in both the systems examined. This report is the first demonstration which showed ellagic acid affect human colon tumor cell NAT activity.     

Factors Influencing ISO 14000 Implementation in Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Industry in Hong Kong

The worldwide trend of environmentalconcern has been driving manufacturers to strive to implement competitive strategies in environmental management.A study has been carried out to evaluate the initiatives and benefits/costs of implementing ISO 14000 Environmental Management System (EMS) standard (1996) in the Hong Kong PCB (printed circuit board) industry. The study found that manufacturers intended to implement the ISO 14000 based EMS to improve their environmental performance, and sustain their competitive position in the global market place.     

ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS FOR SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE AND SUBIRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN ONTARIO,CANADA1

ABSTRACT: Artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed to simulate fluctuations in midspan water table depths (WTD) given rainfall, potential evapotranspiration, and irrigation inputs on a Brookston clay loam in Woodslee, Ontario, having a dual‐purpose subsurface drainage/subirrigation setup. Water table depths and meteorologic data collected at this site from 1992 to 1994 and from 1996 to 1997 were used to train the ANNs. The ANNs were then used for real‐time control and time series simulations. The lowest root mean squared errors (RMSE) for the various ANNs were 60.6 mm for real‐time control simulation, and 88.4 mm for time‐series simulation of water table depths. It was possible to simulate WTD for the different modes of water table management in one network by incorporating an indicator for switching from one to the other. The ANN simulations were quite good even though the training data sets had irregular measurement intervals. With fewer input parameters and small network structures, ANNs still provided accurate results and required little time for training and execution. ANNs are therefore easier and faster to develop and run than conventional models and can contribute to the proper management of subsurface drainage and subirrigation systems.     

Laboratory studies of the diffusive transport of Cs and Co through potential waste repository soils

Tests using reconstituted samples have been performed to assess the diffusive transport of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co through natural regolith materials from a region in South Australia being considered for a radioactive waste repository. A double diffusion cell apparatus made of polycarbonate resin was developed to estimate the effective diffusion (D_e) and sorption coefficients (K_d) that allowed large withdrawals from the source and collector cells and has enabled tests with low concentrations of radioactivity. An alternative to porous stainless steel filter plates has also been used to reduce uncertainty in test interpretation. Analysis of the transient data used a staged method of the Laplace transform to take into consideration the volume of the samples withdrawn from the apparatus during testing. At test completion samples were cut into slices and analysed for radionuclide concentration. Data obtained from the sliced samples confirmed that both numerical and experimental data produced acceptable mass balance. The D_e values obtained in this study were of the order of 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹ for both species, higher than previously published data. The K_d values from the diffusion and batch sorption tests were in reasonable agreement for ¹³⁷Cs, but an order of magnitude different for ⁶⁰Co. The sorption of the latter radionuclide was strongly pH dependent, and this dependency during diffusion tests would benefit from further investigation.     

Conceptual frameworks and key questions for assessing the contribution of marine protected areas to shark and ray conservation

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are key tools in addressing the global decline of sharks and rays, and marine parks and shark sanctuaries of various configurations have been established to conserve shark populations. However, assessments of their efficacy are compromised by inconsistent terminology, lack of standardized approaches to assess how MPAs contribute to shark and ray conservation, and ambiguity about how to integrate movement data in assessment processes. We devised a conceptual framework to standardize key terms (e.g., protection, contribution, potential impact, risk, threat) and used the concept of portfolio risk to identify key attributes of sharks and rays (assets), the threats they face (portfolio risk), and the specific role of MPAs in risk mitigation (insurance). Movement data can be integrated into the process by informing risk exposure and mitigation through MPAs. The framework is operationalized by posing 8 key questions that prompt practitioners to consider the assessment scope, MPA type and purpose, range of existing and potential threats, species biology and ecology, and management and operational contexts. Ultimately, MPA contributions to shark and ray conservation differ according to a complex set of human and natural factors and interactions that should be carefully considered in MPA design, implementation, and evaluation.     

Enabling youth to advocate for workplace safety

Work-related injury rates for Canadian youth (ages 15–24) are alarmingly high compared to adult workers even though youth are less likely to be performing hazardous jobs. This paper reports on a document analysis of youth workplace safety education initiatives sponsored by national and provincial/territorial governmental and non-governmental agencies. Web-based documents were analyzed through the theoretical lens of self-advocacy. The self-advocacy framework highlights how youth can be agentic in altering high-risk workplaces by publicly articulating their own interests, needs, and rights (Test et al., 2005); thus, self-advocacy is a critical component in studying educational programs for youth safety. The analysis revealed that instruction on workplace safety identifies safety issues to workers and tells youth to work safely but does little to promote self-advocacy in young workers.