Reversed association between levels of prostate specific antigen and levels of blood cadmium and urinary cadmium

Prostate cancer associated with cadmium exposure may indicate a link between prostate specific antigen (PSA) and levels of blood cadmium (BCd) and urinary cadmium (UCd). Thus, these associations were investigated. We recruited 295 men, 50 years of age and above from a health check-up program at a health center as subjects of the study. They completed a self-reported questionnaire and provided fasting samples of blood and urine for cadmium assay. The assay was performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood samples were also collected for the assays of total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein measures. The means of BCd and UCd increased with age and the means of all subjects were 1.19 ± 1.04 μg L⁻¹ and 1.37 ± 1.76 μg g⁻¹ creatinine, respectively. The PSA levels were positively associated with the lipid levels, but reversely associated with BCd and UCd levels. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that men with PSA ? 4.0 ng mL⁻¹ had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.4 (95% CI = 0.1-0.9) to have BCd > 0.49 μg L⁻¹, and an OR of 0.4 (95% CI = 0.2-1.0) to have UCd > 0.45 μg g⁻¹ creatinine. In conclusion, the PSA levels are reversely associated with BCd and UCd levels.     

Performance of photocatalytic lamps on reduction of culturable airborne microorganism concentration

Reduction of viable airborne Staphylococcus epidermidis and Aspergillus niger spore concentrations using two types of photocatalytic fluorescent lamps under controlled environmental conditions (25 vs. 35 °C and 55 vs. 75% relative humidity) were investigated. Visible white-light and UVA black light were in-house spray-coated with TiO₂ and then compared with a commercially coated visible white-light for microbial concentration reduction. The white-light photocatalytic lamps reduced the concentration of culturable S. epidermidis up to 92% independent of temperature or humidity change, while the black light photocatalytic lamps completely inactivated the culturable bacteria at 25 °C, 55% relative humidity. Humidity seemed to alleviate UVA damage since better bacteria survival was found. For A. niger spores, rising humidity or temperature could lower their concentration or drop their culturabilities so that a difference between the natural decay and photocatalytic disinfection could not be distinguished. Reductions of total bacteria and total fungi concentrations using these lamps were also examined under uncontrolled environmental conditions in an office and a waste-storage room. It was found that photocatalytic lamps could reduce total culturable bacteria concentration from 9 to 97% and total culturable fungi concentration from 3 to 95% within irradiation time of 30-480 min, respectively. Insignificant difference in concentration reduction among these photocatalytic lamps was pronounced.     

Determination of o-phthalic acid in snow and its photochemical degradation by capillary gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection

Phthalic acid and its photochemical degradation has been determined in snow and rainwater samples collected during winters (2003-2010) in the Southeast of Massachusetts using capillary gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection. Water samples were dried using a rotary evaporator and derivatized with a 14% BF₃/methanol reagent before GC analysis. The developed method proved simple and accurate. Phthalic acid was found in snow samples collected in a concentration range of 7.22-76.5 nM. The photodegradation of phthalate was carried out under 300 nm UV light. The direct photodecomposition of the acid is slow (5% h⁻¹). However, the addition of dissolved Fe(III) species at 2.0 μM accelerated the light-induced degradation of phthalic acid by 3.5 times in the atmospheric water samples. Photodegradation rates of phthalic acid increases with decreasing pH value of water samples in the range of pH 2.8-4.5.     

Spatial distribution of ciguateric fish in the Republic of Kiribati

Ciguatera is food poisoning caused by human consumption of reef fish contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs). The expanding international trade of tropical fish species from ciguatera-endemic regions has resulted in increased global incidence of ciguatera, and more than 50 000 people are estimated to suffer from ciguatera each year worldwide. The Republic of Kiribati is located in the Pacific Ocean; two of its islands, Marakei and Tarawa, have been suggested as high-risk areas for ciguatera. The toxicities of coral reef fish collected from these islands, including herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous fish (24% [n = 41], 8% [n = 13] and 68% [n = 117], respectively), were analyzed using the mouse neuroblastoma assay (MNA) after CTX extraction. The MNA results indicated that 156 fish specimens, or 91% of the fish samples, were ciguatoxic (CTX levels >0.01 ng g⁻¹). Groupers and moray eels were generally more toxic by an order of magnitude than other fish species. All of the collected individuals of eight species (n = 3-19) were toxic. Toxicity varied within species and among locations by up to 10 000-fold. Cephalapholis argus and Gymnothorax spp. collected from Tarawa Island were significantly less toxic than those from Marakei Island, although all individuals were toxic based on the 0.01 ng g⁻¹ threshold. CTX concentrations in the livers of individuals of two moray eel species (Gymnothorax spp., n = 6) were nine times greater than those in muscle, and toxicity in liver and muscle showed a strong positive correlation with body weight. The present study provides quantitative information on the ciguatoxicity and distribution of toxicity in fish for use in fisheries management and public health.     

Probability of intellectual disability is associated with soil concentrations of arsenic and lead

Background

The association between metals in water and soil and adverse child neurologic outcomes has focused on the singular effect of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As). This study describes the complex association between soil concentrations of As combined with Pb and the probability of intellectual disability (ID) in children.

Methods

We used a retrospective cohort design with 3988 mother child pairs who were insured by Medicaid and lived during pregnancy and early childhood in South Carolina between 1/1/97 and 12/31/02. The children were followed until 6/1/08, using computerized service files, to identify the diagnosis of ID in medical records and verified by either school placement or disability service records. The soil was sampled using a uniform grid and analyzed for eight metals. The metal concentrations were interpolated using Bayesian Kriging to estimate concentration at individual residences.

Results

The probability of ID increased for increasing concentrations of As and Pb in the soil. The Odds Ratio for ID, for one unit change in As was 1.130 (95% confidence interval 1.048-1.218) for Pb was 1.002 (95% confidence interval 1.000-1.004). We identified effect modification for the infants based on their birth weight for gestational age status and only infants who were normal size for their gestational age had increased probability of ID based on the As and Pb soil concentrations (OR for As at normal weight for gestational age = 1.151 (95% CI: 1.061-1.249) and OR for Pb at normal for gestational age = 1.002 (95% CI: 1.002-1.004)). For normal weight for gestational age children when As = 22 mg kg⁻¹ and Pb = 200 mg kg⁻¹ the risk for ID was 11% and when As = 22 mg kg⁻¹and Pb = 400 mg kg⁻¹ the probability of ID was 65%.

Conclusion

The probability of ID is significantly associated with the interaction between Pb and As for normal weight for gestational age infants.     

阴极氧还原产电生物可渗透反应栅的研究Ⅰ. 不锈钢毛电极模拟反应器

提出利用阴极氧还原和阳极微生物产电作用的产电生物可渗透反应栅（CORE-PRB）方法用于被有机物污染的地下水的修复,并以不锈钢毛为电极建立模拟反应装置验证了CORE-PRB的技术概念。实验中考察了分别以蔗糖＋醋酸盐和不同浓度的污泥消化液为进水时的反应电流,并研究电极距离对反应电流的影响。由于氧还原阴极阳极反应能力的限制,随着与阴极室距离加大,模拟反应装置各阳极室的电流迅速减小。有机基质的可生化性对模拟反应器的总电流也有显著影响。     

聚合氯化铝污泥对磷的吸附动力学及热力学

聚合氯化铝污泥（polyaluminium chloride sludge,PACS）是指以聚合氯化铝（PAC）为混凝剂的城镇给水厂在生产过程中所产生的污泥。采用批量吸附实验考察了PACS对磷的吸附动力学及热力学行为。结果表明,吸附反应发生1 h后,PACS对磷的吸附量达到平衡吸附量的75%～90%,随后PACS对磷的...     

pH、盐度对微生物还原硫酸盐的影响研究

采用厌氧生物处理工艺,研究了在不同盐度下pH连续降低对硫酸盐还原和有机物去除率的影响。实验结果表明,硫酸盐还原菌有很强的适应pH变化的能力,在pH值达到4以下仍有60％的硫酸盐去除率。NaCl浓度由4g／L增加到50g／L抑制了各厌氧菌的活性,导致硫酸盐和有机物去除率的下降,但硫酸盐还原菌耐受性高于产甲烷菌等其他厌氧菌,在NaCl浓度为50g／L下,硫酸盐去除率能达到50％,而有机物去除率则低于30％。qRT—PCR表明了系统菌落中SRB随着环境的变化情况与化学指标结果相一致,该反应器体系中SRB在整个厌氧菌群落中只占了很小部分。     

MBR工艺中溶解性有机物的分子量和EEM解析

采用凝胶过滤色谱(GFC)分子量测定技术和三维荧光(EEM)光谱技术,对平板膜-生物反应器工艺应用于餐饮废水和粪便污水处理的工程实例进行研究,对比分析2套工艺中的调节池水和出水的溶解性有机物(DOM)及污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)的性质变化.研究表明,餐饮废水处理过程的调节池水DOM中大分子(＞100 kDa)物质比例为6...     

Fenton-双泥SBR工艺深度处理难降解反渗透浓缩液

采用Fenton试剂处理反渗透浓缩渗滤液(简称浓缩液),并探讨了双泥SBR工艺对Fenton处理后浓缩液与人工配水混合处理的可行性.结果表明,Fenton氧化对COD、TN和NH3-N的平均去除率分别为43.5%、22.5%和19.5%.对溶解性有机物(DOMs)的去除率为52.5%,其中胡敏酸(HA)、富里酸(FA)...