Fingerprint of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in samples of human subcutaneous adipose tissue

The concentrations of various PCB congeners as well as the fingerprint of their composition were determined for samples of human subcutaneous adipose tissue. The results indicate the presence of several inducers of MFO activity which are prevalently of PB- and mixed-type inducers. We discuss the possibility that this tissue may represent a “reservoir” which causes a chronic exposure to the organism.     

(M)VOC and composting facilities. Part 1: (M)VOC emissions from municipal biowaste and plant refuse

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Malodorous volatiles derived from the decomposition of biowaste within the process of composting might pose a risk to human health. Different techniques of process engineering have been developed to minimise the burden of malodorous compounds in air possibly affecting compost workers and residents in the vicinity. METHODS: In the present study, three different composting facilities were examined for the emission of volatiles to estimate the impact of process engineering on the dispersal of odorous compounds and to discuss its relevance for human health. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Concentrations of single compounds belonging to alcohols, ketones, furanes, sulfur-containing compounds and especially terpenes ranged from 10(2) up to nearly 10(6) ng/m3 depending on the sampling sites and the process engineering. The ratio of MVOC and total VOC measured changed throughout the process of biodegradation. A certain combination of volatile compounds coincided with the occurrence of typical compost odour. CONCLUSION: The type of process engineering seemed to have a major impact on the emission of volatiles, as amounts of (microbial) volatiles emitted were characteristic for the different techniques used. Thus, the MVOC emission basically depends on the degree of biodegradation. It is likely that the concentrations workers are exposed to can have an impact on human health. RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUTLOOK: It is obvious that less sophisticated types of process engineering give rise to greater amounts of bioaerosols and volatiles and, therefore, technical devices have to be improved and controlled regularly to minimise adverse health effects on workers.     

Catalytic NO(chi) reduction with simultaneous dioxin and furan oxidation

The engineering, construction, performance and running costs of a catalytic flue gas cleaning component in the low dust area of a municipal waste incinerator is discussed. For this purpose, the case study of a Flemish incineration plant is presented, covering the history, the design procedure of the catalyst, relevant process data and the financial aspects. A reliable PCDD/F-destruction by means of oxidation by the catalyst to typical values of 0.001 ng TEQ/Nm3 has been demonstrated. At the same time, NO(chi)- and CO-emissions are reduced by 90% and 20% to about 50 mg/N m3 andbelow 10 mg/N m3, respectively.     

An integrated ecotoxicological approach to assess the effects of pollutants released by unexploded chemical ordnance dumped in the southern Adriatic (Mediterranean Sea)

In order to gain preliminary knowledge about the threat to marine ecosystems due to leakage of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and other pollutants from rusting bombshells on the seabed, a case study was conducted in a dumping area in the southern Adriatic Sea (depth 200–300 m). Following electroacoustic and magnetometric surveys of the CWA dumping area, an integrated ecotoxicological approach was used. This approach was based on analysis of CWA residues and their metabolites, including arsenic, in sediment and organisms, as well as multimarker methodology including the Health Assessment Index, histological lesion analysis and enzyme assays. Two sentinel species were selected, the blackbelly rosefish [Helicolenus dactylopterus (Delaroche, 1809)] and the European conger (Conger conger L., 1758). Sediment analysis revealed the presence of CWA degradation products, including 1-4-thioxane and 1-4-dithiane. Tissues of fish from the CWA dumping site showed higher levels of arsenic than those from the reference site. Neither CWAs nor their metabolites were detected in fish tissues. Arsenic levels recorded in blackbelly rosefish were well above those reported for other fish species from the southern Adriatic, much higher than the FDA limit for food (2.6 mg kg⁻¹) and close to the LD₅₀ calculated for mammals (20 mg kg⁻¹ body weight). The presence of pollutants in the CWA dumping site was also confirmed by pathological lesions in both species and EROD activity, two to three times higher than in fish from the reference site (16.45±8.08 and 8.05±5.87 pmol min⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹ in blackbelly rosefish and 269±24.92 and 78.71 pmol min⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹ in European conger, respectively). Cholinesterase activity seemed unaffected in muscle of both species, whereas in brain they were one-third of those recorded in fish from the reference site (14.22±10.05 and 72.87 nmol min⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹, respectively). This suggests that acetylcholinesterase is sensitive to CWAs. In conclusion, the agreement of all the chemical and biological parameters investigated suggests that the integrated ecotoxicological approach used is appropriate to reveal the presence and biological effects of CWAs in the marine ecosystem. Physical and Chemical Impacts on Marine Organisms, a Bilateral Seminar in Italy–Japan held in November 2004.     

Differential pulmonary inflammation and in vitro cytotoxicity of size-fractionated fly ash particles from pulverized coal combustion

Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) has been associated with adverse health effects in humans. Pulmonary inflammatory responses were examined in CD1 mice after intratracheal instillation of 25 or 100 microg of ultrafine (< 0.2 microm), fine (< 2.5 microm), and coarse (> 2.5 microm) coal fly ash from a combusted Montana subbituminous coal, and of fine and coarse fractions from a combusted western Kentucky bituminous coal. After 18 hr, the lungs were lavaged and the bronchoalveolar fluid was assessed for cellular influx, biochemical markers, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The responses were compared with saline and endotoxin as negative and positive controls, respectively. On an equal-mass basis, the ultrafine particles from combusted Montana coal induced a higher degree of neutrophil inflammation and cytokine levels than did the fine or coarse PM. The western Kentucky fine PM caused a moderate degree of inflammation and protein levels in bronchoalveolar fluid that were higher than the Montana fine PM. Coarse PM did not produce any significant effects. In vitro experiments with rat alveolar macrophages showed that of the particles tested, only the Montana ultrafine displayed significant cytotoxicity. It is concluded that fly ash toxicity is inversely related with particle size and is associated with increased sulfur and trace element content.     

Interspecies differences in mixed function oxidase activity in birds: Relationship between feeding habits, detoxication activities and organochlorine accumulation

The relationship between feeding habits and interspecies differences in the detoxication ability of the mixed function oxidase (MFO) system was investigated in birds. The role of MFO (particularly aldrin epoxidase activity) in the detoxication/bioaccumulation of organochlorines was also investigated. Euriphagic (yellow-legged herring gull (Larus cachinnans), black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus), jackdaw (Corvus monedula), magpie (Pica pica) and stenophagic (cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), coot (Fulica atra) and sparrow (Passer italiae)) species were collected in northern and central Italy. The following liver microsomal monooxygenase activities were measured: aldrin epoxidase, ethoxyresorufin dealkylation (EROD), benzyloxyresorufin dealkylation (BROD) and pentoxyresorufin dealkylation (PROD). NADPH-and NADH-cytochrome c reductase (NAD(P)H-CYT-CRED) and NADH-ferricyanide reductase (NADH-FERRIRED) activities were also measured in the liver microsomal fraction. Glutathione concentration (GSH) was measured in the liver cytosolic fraction. As a marker of liver damage gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) activity was assayed in the serum. The residues of organochlorines (HCB, pp'DDTs and PCBs) were determined in muscle samples. Omnivorous species, particularly the yellow-legged herring gull, had the highest aldrin epoxidase activities. In the yellow-legged herring gull the activity was approximately twice as high as in the jackdaw (p < 0.05), black-headed gull (p < 0.05) and coot (p < 0.05). Values five times lower were detected in the specialist fish-eater, the cormorant (p < 0.001). The lowest values of aldrin epoxidase activity were detected in the sparrow. Feeding habits were found to be related to evolutionary interspecies differences in MFO activity. A significant statistical correlation (r = 0.656) was found between the 'omnivore index' and MFO detoxication activity expressed as aldrin epoxidation. Organochlorines, and particularly PCBs, were higher in cormorants and yellow-legged herring gulls from a polluted lagoon than in the other species analysed (black-headed gull p < 0.01; sparrow p < 0.001; jackdaw p < 0.01; coot p < 0.001). Levels of pp'DDE were much higher in the cormorant and sparrow than in the other birds. Knowledge of the different species-specific detoxication abilities was found to be a useful tool for the identification of species potentially at risk in environments with high pollution by chlorinated hydrocarbons, or in general contaminants metabolized by the MFO system.     

Persistent organochlorine residues in fish and water birds from the Biobio river,Chile

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites, HCH isomers and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were determined in fish and birds from different locations in the Biobio river basin (central Chile). Samples collected near the mouth of the river contained high concentrations of PCBs, reflecting the massive use of these xenobiotics in the urban and industrial areas of Concepcion and Talcauano. Samples collected in the central part of the basin contained very high concentrations of lindane that coincide with the widespread use of lindane-based pesticides (purified -HCH) in this area. DDT was distributed homogeneously throughout the basin, except at Laguna Icalma, the source of the river in the Andes. Most PCB residues in fish and birds consisted of congeners between penta- and hepta-chlorobiphenyls. In fish, the predominant congeners were the pentachlorobiphenyl 23445 (IUPAC number 118) and the hexachlorobiphenyl 2234455 (PCB-153); in birds 224455 (PCB-180) prevailed.     

Elemental Composition of Urban Aerosol Collected in Florence, Italy

An extensive investigation is in progress aiming at the characterisation of the air particulate composition in Florence. For our investigation, we use the external PIXE-PIGE beam facility of the I.N.F.N. Van de Graaff accelerator at the Physics Department of the Florence University. In order to gather information on both the longer- and shorter-time trends of the aerosol elemental composition, we are analysing both long temporal series (about 1 year) of 24-h Millipore filters collected by the health authorities in 3 different sites, and filters collected simultaneously in two of the above sites for about one month, by two streakers with one-hour resolution, providing size fractionation between particle size smaller than 2.5 µm and from 2.5 µm to 10 µm. The streakers sampling period includes two days during which the Municipality of Florence has banned the circulation of non-catalytic cars, due to the increase of NO₂ above the "recommended safety values". We present here the first obtained results for the sampling site located near a heavy traffic road.