Parental phenols exposure and spontaneous abortion in Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Widespread use of phenols has led to ubiquitous exposure to phenols. In experimental animals, phenols increased resorptions, reduced live litter size and fetal body weights. However, there are limited epidemiological evidences of the relationships between exposure to phenols and pregnancy outcomes. We evaluated the associations between parental urinary levels of various phenols and spontaneous abortion in a Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A case-control study was conducted that included 70 case couples with medically unexplained spontaneous abortion and 180 control couples who did not have a history of spontaneous abortion and had at least one living child. Both parental urinary phenols were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry including bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (2,3,4-TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 4-n-octylphenol (4-n-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP). Compared with the low exposure group, there was an increased risk of spontaneous abortion with high paternal urinary PCP concentration [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.05–4.14], and maternal exposure to 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) also significantly increased the risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.02–4.80; OR = 2.81, 95% CI, 1.39–5.65, respectively). Our study firstly provides the evidence that paternal PCP exposure, maternal 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) exposure are associated with spontaneous abortion in humans.     

Risk assessment of xenoestrogens in a typical domestic sewage-holding lake in China

Release of domestic sewage leads to accumulation of xenoestrogens in holding waters, especially in closed or semi-enclosed waters such as lakes. In the study, the occurrence, distribution, estrogenic activity and risk of eight xenoestreogens were evaluated in Lake Donghu, China. Nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and bisphenol A (BPA) were identified as the main xenoestrogens ranging from tens of ng L⁻¹ (in the surface water) or ng g⁻¹ dw (in the suspended particles and sediment) to tens of μg L⁻¹ or μg g⁻¹ dw. The sum of 17β-estradiol equivalents (∑EEQs) ranged from 0.32 to 45.02 ng L⁻¹ in the surface water, 0.53 to 71.86 ng g⁻¹ dw in the suspended particles, and 0.09 to 24.73 ng g⁻¹ dw in the sediment. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was determined as the main contributor to ∑EEQs followed by NP. The risk assessment showed a higher risk in the surface water than in the suspended particles and sediment in such domestic sewage-holding lake.     

Impact of nano-CuO stress on rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

Indiscriminate release of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment due to anthropogenic activities has become a serious threat to the ecological system including plants. The present study assesses the toxicity of nano-CuO on rice (Oryza sativa cv. Swarna) seedlings. Three different levels of stress (0.5 mM, 1.0 mM and 1.5 mM suspensions of copper II oxide, <50 nm particle size) were imposed and seedling growth performance was studied along control at 7 and 14 d of experiment. Modulation of ascorbate–glutathione cycle, membrane damage, in vivo ROS detection, foliar H₂O₂ and proline accumulation under nano-CuO stress were investigated in detail to get an overview of nano-stress response of rice. Seed germination percentage was significantly reduced under stress. Higher uptake of Evans blue by nano-CuO stressed roots over control indicates loss of root cells viability. Presence of dark blue and deep brown spots on leaves evident after histochemical staining with NBT and DAB respectively indicate severe oxidative burst under nano-copper stress. APX activity was found to be significantly increased in 1.0 and 1.5 mM CuO treatments. Nevertheless, elevated APX activity might be insufficient to scavenge all H₂O₂ produced in excess under nano-CuO stress. That may be the reason why stressed leaves accumulated significantly higher H₂O₂ instead of having enhanced APX activity. In addition, increased GR activity coupled with isolated increase in GSH/GSSG ratio does not seem to prevent cells from oxidative damages, as evident from higher MDA level in leaves of nano-CuO stressed seedlings over control. Enhanced proline accumulation also does not give much protection against nano-CuO stress. Decline in carotenoids level might be another determining factor of meager performance of rice seedlings in combating nano-CuO stress induced oxidative damages.     

Fe3O4/Ag磁性纳米颗粒去除水中的铅离子

采用水相共沉淀法制备小尺寸磁性Fe₃O₄纳米颗粒,以没食子酸作为还原剂和表面修饰剂,还原Ag[(NH₃)₂]⁺制备出Fe₃O₄/Ag磁性纳米颗粒。研究该磁性纳米颗粒对水溶液中铅离子的吸附行为,研究结果表明,pH为7.0,吸附温度30℃时可得到最好的处理效果,铅的去除率可达99.7%以上,Fe₃O₄/Ag颗粒吸附行为符合二级动力学模型(R² > 0.99)。该磁性纳米颗粒经过多次再生处理后,仍具有很好的吸附效果,表明Fe₃O₄/Ag在水处理方面拥有良好的应用前景。     

钙对李氏禾富集和耐受铬的调控作用

通过水培实验,研究钙对铬胁迫下李氏禾幼苗生理生化、草酸分泌及铬吸收量的影响,考察钙对李氏禾体内草酸合成的调控,进而促进李氏禾的铬耐性富集能力的作用。结果显示,不同浓度Cr³⁺胁迫下缺钙处理,李氏禾生长受抑制及质膜过氧化作用加剧,体内总草酸含量为对照处理的113%~169%,且主要表现为水溶性草酸含量显著高于对照,水溶性草酸含量为对照处理的135%~197%;高钙处理,李氏禾细胞膜透性、丙二醛（MDA）含量低于对照,李氏禾叶部总草酸含量为对照处理的125%~155%,且主要表现为不溶性草酸含量显著高于对照,其含量为对照处理的181%~270%。低浓度（0.2、0.4 mmol/L）铬胁迫下,高钙处理总铬含量分别为对照处理的175%和215%,高浓度（0.8、1.0 mmol/L）铬胁迫下,总铬含量与对照处理无显著差异（P>0.05）。可见,添加Ca²⁺能在一定Cr³⁺浓度胁迫下,有效缓解铬对李氏禾的毒害,且能通过提高植物体内不溶性草酸含量达到促进植物富集和耐受铬的能力。     

Biotic and abiotic degradation of illicit drugs, their precursor, and by-products in soil

This study presents the first systematic information on the degradation patterns of clandestine drug laboratory chemicals in soil. The persistence of five compounds - parent drugs (methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)), precursor (pseudoephedrine), and synthetic by-products N-formylmethylamphetamine and 1-benzyl-3-methylnaphthalene) - were investigated in laboratory scale for 1 year in three different South Australian soils both under non-sterile and sterile conditions. The results of the degradation study indicated that 1-benzyl-3-methylnaphthalene and methamphetamine persist for a long time in soil compared to MDMA and pseudoephedrine; N-formylmethylamphetamine exhibits intermediate persistence. The role of biotic versus abiotic soil processes on the degradation of target compounds was also varied significantly for different soils as well as with the progress in incubation period. The degradation of methamphetamine and 1-benzyl-3-methylnaphthalene can be considered as predominantly biotic as no measureable changes in concentrations were recorded in the sterile soils within a 1 year period. The results of the present work will help forensic and environmental scientists to precisely determine the environmental impact of chemicals associated with clandestine drug manufacturing laboratories.     

钛基IrO2-SnO2电极在烟气海水脱硫恢复系统中的应用

采用浸渍-热分解法制备了含IrOx-TiO2中间层的IrO2-SnO2电极,得到的电极具有较高的析氯电催化活性和较强的稳定性,并通过电化学氧化法对Na2SO3海水脱硫模拟液进行处理,考察了电流密度、温度、pH值和电解时间等电解工艺参数对Na2SO3去除率和化学需氧量COD的影响。结果表明,在电流密度为200 mA/cm^2,pH值为3.5,电解440 mg/L的Na2SO3海水脱硫模拟液,15 min时Na2SO3去除率可达96.5%,COD去除率可达82.6%。     

高压脉冲放电等离子体处理活性红X-3B染料废水

采用高压脉冲放电等离子体技术对活性红X-3B染料废水进行处理,考察了废水电导率、脉冲电压、脉冲频率、针板间距以及曝气量对处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,当废水电导率为200μS/cm、脉冲电压为34kV、脉冲频率为60Hz、针板间距为15mm、曝气量为12L/h、处理时间为60m in时,活性红X-3B染料废水脱色率能达到98.6%。     

固定化斜生栅藻净化畜禽废水中氨氮和磷的影响因素

为探讨Cu2+、p H和流速对固定化斜生栅藻去除畜禽废水中NH+4-N、TP效果的影响,在实验室条件下模拟实际污水处理过程,并采用正交实验方案对结果进行分析。结果表明低质量浓度Cu2+(0~0.05 mg/L)改善藻的净化效果,高质量浓度Cu2+(0.50~5.00 mg/L)抑制藻的净化效果;在p H较高的条件下(p H=9),固定化斜生栅藻的净化效果明显提高;流速对结果没有明显影响。通过正交实验,得出固定化斜生栅藻去除畜禽废水中NH+4-N、TP的优化条件如下:Cu2+质量浓度为0.05 mg/L,p H为9,流速为0.3 m/s。此时NH+4-N去除率为96.11%,TP去除率为97.53%。     

网状季胺基阴离子吸附剂制备及吸附性能

以丝瓜络为原料,采用醚化-接枝技术制备出季胺基阴离子交换吸附剂。采用电镜扫描、傅里叶红外光谱、比表面积孔径分布测定仪和元素分析仪等仪器对其进行分析和结构表征,并考察了温度、p H和硝酸盐初始浓度等因素对NO-3去除率的影响。实验结果表明,在20℃,p H值为3~10时,NO-3的吸附率可达90%左右;在不同温度下该吸附过程用Langmuir等温线模型和Freundich等温线模型描述均可;与伪一级动力学方程相比,伪二级动力学方程能更好地描述其吸附动力学方程。