Incidence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in central air conditioner filter dust from a new office building

This study examined polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in central air conditioner filter (CACF) dust from a new office building in Shenzhen, China. Human exposure to PBDE via dust inhalation and ingestion were also estimated. PBDEs level in CACF dust was lower than those in the other countries and regions. Approximately 0.671 pg/kg bw/day PM_2.5 (Particulate Matter up to 2.5 μm in size) bounded Σ₁₅PBDEs can be inhaled deep into the lungs and 4.123 pg/kg bw/day PM₁₀ (Particulate Matter up to 10 μm in size) bounded Σ₁₅PBDEs tend to be deposited in the upper parts of the respiratory system. The average total intake of Σ₁₅PBDEs via dust inhalation and ingestion for adults reached ∼141 pg/kg bw/day in this building. This value was far below the reference dose (RfD) recommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency. Human exposure to PBDEs via dust inhalation and ingestion in the new building is less than the old ones.     

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.     

Exposure assessment of operators to pesticides in Kongou,a sub-watershed of Niger River valley

The use of pesticides in horticultural sector in Niger has become an integral part of modern agriculture. Nevertheless, their inappropriate use can generate negative health effects to operators. A study was carried out among Kongou farmers in order to assess their potential dermal exposure (PDE). The UK-POEM model was used to quantify the PDE during mixing/loading and application according to the local practices. In order to determine which parts of the operator body are subject to most contamination during spraying and to validate the theoretical model used, a patch method was used with a tartrazine dye. The deposits of the tartrazine on patches were measured by colorimetry thanks to the absorbance value determined after their extraction in water and a calibration curve. A total of ten spraying trials (five trials with the hand-held sprayer and five others with the backpack sprayer) were performed by different producers at 0.5 and 1 m height for each trial. The survey shows that 92% of the farmers are illiterate and the most common active substances identified are organophosphate or pyrethroids insecticides. Seventy percent of operators do not use any personal protective equipment (PPE) during mixing/loading or spraying. The predictive systemic exposure levels vary from 0.0027?mg kg^?1 bw per day to 0.7692?mg kg^?1 bw per day for backpack sprayer and from 0.0261?mg kg^?1 bw per day to 0.9788?mg kg^?1 bw per day for hand-held sprayer, several times higher the Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (AOEL) for some actives substances. Theoretical modeling indicates more exposure of operator by a hand-held sprayer than a backpack sprayer. The patch method results show that the deposits of dye increase when the position of sprayer nozzle increases from 0.5 to 1 m for the two sprayers. All parts of the operator body are contaminated but lower body parts and chest are the most exposed. The patch method results also show that hand spraying contaminates operator more than backpack spraying, confirming the results of the theoretical model.     

In vivo screening to determine hazards of nanoparticles: Nanosized TiO2

A single-species laboratory test with terrestrial invertebrates was used to identify the hazard of nanosized TiO₂. Feeding parameters, weight change, mortality, and the activities of catalase and glutathione-S-transferase were evaluated after 3 or 14 days of dietary exposure. The effects of nano-TiO₂ were dependent on exposure concentration and duration, total consumed quantity, size and pre-treatment of particles. The intensity of a response was ruled by duration of exposure and not by consumed quantity of nano-TiO₂ or exposure concentration as expected. The response to nano-TiO₂ is described as threshold-like. The exposure concentrations 10-1000 μg TiO₂/g dry food (1.35-1025 μg of total consumed quantity of TiO₂/g animal wet wt.) were identified as safe for tested species after tested exposure period. We conclude that the response to nanoparticles is different from that of soluble chemicals therefore these two types of data should be interpreted and processed differently.     

利用SEM-EDS分析火场中白炽灯灯丝通电状态

该文模拟火灾现场中白炽灯破坏的不同情况,制备普通白炽灯在不同状态下破坏的灯丝残骸试样,利用扫描电子显微镜-X射线能谱仪分析灯丝残骸表面的微观形貌及其元素组成含量.研究发现,通电状态下被破坏的白炽灯灯丝表面与未通电破坏状态下灯丝表面的元素成分差异较大.经过高温或烟熏的作用,灯丝表面成分也有变化.鉴于不同破坏条件下灯丝表面成分及含量存在明显的差异,可以利用能谱分析的方法判断火场中白炽灯的通电状态.     

菲和镉单一及复合污染条件下在毛蚶体内的富集动力学研究

采用室内半静态双箱动力学模型实验,研究了菲和镉单一及复合污染条件下在毛蚶(Anadara subcrenata)体内的生物富集,通过对富集与释放过程中毛蚶体内菲和Cd的富集量进行非线性曲线拟合,获得了菲和Cd单一及复合污染条件下在毛蚶体内的吸收速率常数k1、释放速率常数k2、生物富集因子BCF、生物半衰期B1/2和平衡状态下最大富集量CA max等动力学参数。实验结果表明,菲和Cd在实验前期富集速率较高,8 d以后富集速率减缓,释放阶段与富集阶段相似。毛蚶对菲的BCF值为37.80,远大于Cd的BCF值13.12,且生物半衰期时间更长,菲更容易在生物体内富集。菲和Cd联合暴露条件下,在毛蚶体内的CA max和BCF值均大于单一作用,说明二者同时暴露时,毛蚶对菲和镉的吸收富集均有所增强。实验模型拟合度较好,输出值和实测值之间无显著性差异,拟合方程和拟合参数可信。     

有机磷阻燃剂的环境暴露与动物毒性效应

有机磷阻燃剂(OPFRs)逐渐替代了危害较大的多溴联苯醚(PBDEs),因此使得人类及其他生物更易暴露于这种有机物中。有研究表明,部分有机磷酸酯具有致癌性,因而使人们对其毒性的问题也日益关注。本文概述了有机磷阻燃剂的环境暴露水平,总结了近年来从体外与体内实验2个方面动物毒性效应的研究。目前研究发现诸多地区的大气、土壤和水体中的有机磷阻燃剂总含量水平相对较低;仅高浓度暴露才会对不同动物体造成一定程度的损伤,而远大于环境浓度的低浓度暴露几乎无损伤效应。最后,对有机磷阻燃剂毒性效应的未来研究重点进行了展望。     

太原市土壤六六六和滴滴涕的暴露格局及健康风险

为研究六六六(HCHs)和滴滴涕(DDTs)在太原市不同功能区土壤中的暴露格局、来源以及对周围人群的健康风险,在太原市化工区、灌区、矿区、生态区周边荒地土壤中进行采样,分析测定了土壤中HCHs和DDTs含量,根据太原市人群实际情况的暴露参数和USEPA的部分参数,对土壤HCHs和DDTs的健康风险进行评价。结果表明:1)太原市表层土壤中HCHs的平均含量大小依次为化工区>灌区>矿区>生态区;DDTs平均含量的大小依次为化工区>灌区>矿区>生态区,仅6%的HCHs和3%的DDTs和的平均残留水平均高于我国土壤质量标准一级标准,但均不超过二级标准值;2)土壤中HCHs残留主要源于历史上林丹的使用,DDTs残留则来源于历史和新污染源的共同影响;3)太原市表层土壤HCHs和DDTs致癌风险大小为化工园区>矿区>灌区>生态区。非致癌风险大小为化工区>矿区>灌区>生态区。3种暴露途径的在不同功能区的健康风险贡献率大小均为经口摄入>呼吸吸入>皮肤接触;综合来看太原市表层土壤中的HCHs和DDTs并未对人类造成非致癌风险,但有一定的致癌风险。本文的研究结果可为太原市土壤质量评价和环境污染防治提供科学指导,并对太原市人群的健康风险防治提供依据。     

Occurrence of benzotriazoles (BTRs) in indoor air from Albany,New York,USA, and its implications for inhalation exposure

Despite the widespread use of benzotriazoles as corrosion inhibitors in many household goods, studies on the occurrence of these compounds in indoor air are scarce. In this study, five benzotriazole derivatives were measured in 83 indoor air samples collected from various locations in Albany, New York, USA. Benzotriazoles were found in a majority of the indoor air samples, and the concentrations of their sum in bulk (vapor plus particulate phases) indoor air ranged from below the method limit of quantification to 492 ng·m^?3 (geometric mean: 5.8 ng·m^?3). The highest geometric mean concentration was found in air samples collected in parking garages (155 ng·m^?3), followed by barbershops (13.6), public places (11.5), auto repair shops (5.2), automobiles (4.5), homes (4.5), offices (3.7), and laboratories (2.8). Inhalation exposure to benzotriazoles was calculated on the basis of the measured geometric mean concentrations and air inhalation rate. The highest exposure dose was found for teenagers, with a geometric mean inhalation exposure dose of 79 ng·day^?1. The body-weight normalized exposure dose, however, was the highest for infants, at 3.2 ng·(kg bw)^?1·day^?1.     

不同暴露途径下有机污染物对大鼠急性毒性的相关性研究

不同暴露途径下有机物在生物体内的吸收分布不同,导致毒性效应亦不同,研究化学品在不同暴露途径下对生物体的毒性,对化学品的安全性评价有实际意义。本文通过研究静脉注射、腹腔注射、肌肉注射与经口灌胃4种暴露途径下527个有机物对大鼠的急性毒性数据相关性,比较了不同暴露途径下大鼠对有机污染物的敏感度顺序,结果为:静脉注射>腹腔注射>肌肉注射>经口灌胃途径,静脉注射途径下log1/LD50与其他几种注射途径下的log1/LD50有较显著的相关性,但是与灌胃途径下毒性值之间的相关性较差,相关系数r的范围为0.82~0.97。通过逐项分析研究不同暴露途径下化合物对大鼠的急性毒性与生物利用度、吸收速率、消除速率以及代谢过程的关系,结果表明,导致这种差异的原因主要是有机污染物在大鼠体内的吸附动力学过程不同所致。