The temporal changes of the concentration level of typical toxic organics in the river sediments around Beijing

In this study, the current situation of five types of toxic organics and endocrine disrupters in the sediments of rivers around Beijing, i.e., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalic acid esters (PAEs), organic chlorinated pesticides (OCPs), estrogens (Es), and bisphenol A (BPA), which included 56 contaminants, was analyzed and compared with that registered by the historical literatures. The ecological risks were also assessed. The total concentration of PAHs, PAEs, OCPs, Es, and BPA ranged from 232.5 ng·g^–1 to 5429.7 ng·g^–1, 2047.2 ng·g^–1 to 18051.5 ng·g^–1, 4.5 ng·g^–1 to 11.7 ng·g^–1, 18.1 ng·g^–1 to 105.2 ng·g^–1, and 36.3 ng·g^–1 to 69.6 ng·g^–1, respectively. Among these five types of organic compounds, the concentration levels of PAHs and OCPs have decreased significantly in the last ten years, while those of PAEs and Es had an upward trend compared with the previous studies. BPA still remained at a moderately high level, as it was ten years ago. The risks of the PAEs in all of the sample sites, and fluoranthene, benzo[a]anthrene, and benzo[a]pyrene in the Wenyu River sediment, were relatively high. These results supplemented the database of toxic organics’ concentration levels in the sediments of Beijing rivers.

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Nonylphenol in the environment: a critical review on occurrence, fate, toxicity and treatment in wastewaters

Nonylphenol is a toxic xenobiotic compound classified as an endocrine disrupter capable of interfering with the hormonal system of numerous organisms. It originates principally from the degradation of nonylphenol ethoxylates which are widely used as industrial surfactants. Nonylphenol ethoxylates reach sewage treatment works in substantial quantities where they biodegrade into several by-products including nonylphenol. Due to its physical-chemical characteristics, such as low solubility and high hydrophobicity, nonylphenol accumulates in environmental compartments that are characterised by high organic content, typically sewage sludge and river sediments, where it persists. The occurrence of nonylphenol in the environment is clearly correlated with anthropogenic activities such as wastewater treatment, landfilling and sewage sludge recycling. Nonylphenol is found often in matrices such as sewage sludge, effluents from sewage treatment works, river water and sediments, soil and groundwater. The impacts of nonylphenol in the environment include feminization of aquatic organisms, decrease in male fertility and the survival of juveniles at concentrations as low as 8.2 mug/l. Due to the harmful effects of the degradation products of nonylphenol ethoxylates in the environment, the use and production of such compounds have been banned in EU countries and strictly monitored in many other countries such as Canada and Japan. Although it has been shown that the concentration of nonylphenol in the environment is decreasing, it is still found at concentrations of 4.1 mug/l in river waters and 1 mg/kg in sediments. Nonylphenol has been referred to in the list of priority substances in the Water Frame Directive and in the 3rd draft Working Document on Sludge of the EU. Consequently there is currently a concern within some industries about the possibility of future regulations that may impose the removal of trace contaminants from contaminated effluents. The significance of upgrading sewage treatment works with advanced treatment technologies for removal of trace contaminants is discussed.     

环境内分泌干扰物筛选和测试研究中的鱼类实验动物

环境内分泌干扰物的筛选与测试方法的研究是近年来环境科学领域的热点问题．在水生态毒理学研究中，目前的研究重点之一是发展方法学，如基于鱼类实验动物的离体或活体测试方法．对内分泌干扰物鱼类筛选测试的科学基础、内分泌干扰物的生物性标志、筛选测试方法以及用于内分泌干扰物筛选测试的几种主要鱼类实验动物进行了介绍，同时提出了建立适合我国实际情况的内分泌干扰筛选测试鱼类实验动物，并提出系统的鱼类实验动物培育和筛选测试方法体系的必要性．     

多溴代二苯醚化合物的研究进展

多溴代二苯醚(PBDEs)作为防火阻燃剂，在世界范围内被广泛应用，它是一种环境内分泌干扰物，类似于甲状腺素T3、T4。现有的研究认为，PBDEs具有生物累积性。并影响甲状腺，神经和免疫等系统。该文主要对现有的PBDEs研究进展进行了总结，并着重介绍了PBDEs的毒性，以及对人类和生物体的暴露水平及其相关的分析方法。     

中国居民及动植物的环境激素暴露研究现状和建议

环境激素污染严重威胁着人类及动植物的健康。综述了EDCs生物危害,简要介绍了美国、日本和欧盟的EDCs研究工作,分析了中国居民和动植物的EDCs暴露现状,归纳了现有的流行病学调查信息,并针对现状提出了建议。     

Screening 31 endocrine-disrupting pesticides in water and surface sediment samples from Beijing Guanting reservoir

For screening 31 potential or suspected endocrine-disrupting pesticides in water and surface sediments, a multiresidue analysis method based on gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) was developed. Solid phase extraction (SPE) technology with Oasis^® HLB cartridge was also applied in sample extraction. The relevant mean recoveries were 70–103% and 71–103% for water and sediment, respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSD) are 2.0–7.0%, 4.0–8.0% for water and sediment, respectively. Thirty one pesticides (-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), aldrin, heptachlor, endosulfan I & II, p,p′-DDD, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, endrin aldehyde, endosulfan sulphate, methoxychlor, hepachlor epoxide, -chlordane, γ-chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, dicofol, acetochlor, alachlor, metolachlor, chlorpyriphos, nitrofen, trifluralin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate, deltamethrin) in water and surface sediment samples from Beijing Guanting reservoir were analyzed. Concentrations of pesticides ranged from 7.59 to 36.0 ng g⁻¹ on a dry wt. basis for sediment samples, from 279.3 to 2740 ng l⁻¹ for pore waters and from 48.8 to 890 ng l⁻¹ for water samples, respectively, with a mean concentration of 10.7 ng g⁻¹ in sediment, 735 ng l⁻¹ in pore water and 295 ng l⁻¹ in water, respectively. The data obtained provides information on the levels and sources of endocrine-disrupting pesticides in Guanting reservoir. These results underscore the need to improved environmental protection measures in order to reduce the exposure of the population and aquatic biota to these endocrine-disrupting compounds.     

环境中内分泌干扰物质的研究概述

在总结最新文献的基础上，就环境中的内分泌干扰物质的概念，研究背景，研究方法，在环境中的分布情况作了简单综述和介绍，并对有待开展的研究提出了建议，为国内在环境内分泌干扰物方面的研究提供参考。     

典型内分泌干扰物对人工湿地运行效果的影响

研究构建了2组表流人工湿地模拟系统和3组潜流人工湿地模拟系统,种植菖蒲、芦苇,在平均进水COD、TN、NH_4~+-N、NO_3~--N、NO_2~--N浓度分别为110、21、6、9以及6 mg/L,进水流速为42 m L/min,水力停留时间为6 h的条件下,研究典型内分泌物双酚A(BPA)和2,4-二氯苯酚在浓度为2 mg/L时对人工湿地的运行效果影响。结果表明,两种内分泌干扰物对人工湿地的污染物去除均有抑制作用。在COD去除上,两种内分泌干扰物对表流人工湿地的负面影响要高于潜流人工湿地。在各类N元素的去除上,在潜流人工湿地中,添加BPA的负面影响要高于添加2,4-二氯苯酚。     

Screening differentially expressed genes in an amphipod (Hyalella azteca) exposed to fungicide vinclozolin by suppression subtractive hybridization

Vinclozolin, a dicarboximide fungicide, is an endocrine disrupting chemical that competes with an androgenic endocrine disruptor compound. Most research has focused on the epigenetic effect of vinclozolin in humans. In terms of ecotoxicology, understanding the effect of vinclozolin on non-target organisms is important. The expression profile of a comprehensive set of genes in the amphipod Hyalella azteca exposed to vinclozolin was examined. The expressed sequence tags in low-dose vinclozolin-treated and -untreated amphipods were isolated and identified by suppression subtractive hybridization. DNA dot blotting was used to confirm the results and establish a subtracted cDNA library for comparing all differentially expressed sequences with and without vinclozolin treatment. In total, 494 differentially expressed genes, including hemocyanin, heatshock protein, cytochrome, cytochrome oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase were detected. Hemocyanin was the most abundant gene. DNA dot blotting revealed 55 genes with significant differential expression. These genes included larval serum protein 1 alpha, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, mitochondrial protein, proteasome inhibitor, hemocyanin, zinc-finger–containing protein, mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase and epididymal sperm-binding protein. Vinclozolin appears to upregulate stress-related genes and hemocyanin, related to immunity. Moreover, vinclozolin downregulated NADH dehydrogenase, related to respiration. Thus, even a non-lethal concentration of vinclozolin still has an effect at the genetic level in H. azteca and presents a potential risk, especially as it would affect non-target organism hormone metabolism.     

酚类内分泌干扰物的污染现状及处理研究进展

为了更好的治理水体中pEDCs的污染,针对pEDCs的代表物质双酚A和烷基酚,综述了世界范围内污染源水中pEDCs的污染现状,并介绍了吸附法、膜处理法、生物降解法、化学氧化法及高级氧化法等主要处理方法。同时,展望了今后pEDCs处理的主要研究方向及现存处理方法的应用前景。两种或两种以上方法的联用将是未来研究的一个重要方向。