A Biomimetic Approach to the Detection and Identification of Estrogen Receptor Agonists in Surface Waters Using Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs) and Bioassay-Directed Chemical Analysis (12 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background Some anthropogenic pollutants posses the capacity to disrupt endogenous control of developmental and reproductive processes in aquatic biota by activating estrogen receptors. Many anthropogenic estrogen receptor agonists (ERAs) are hydrophobic and will therefore readily partition into the abiotic organic carbon phases present in natural waters. This partitioning process effectively reduces the proportion of ERAs readily available for bioconcentration by aquatic biota. Results from some studies have suggested that for many aquatic species, bioconcentration of the freely-dissolved fraction may be the principal route of uptake for hydrophobic pollutants with logarithm n-octanol/water partition coefficient (log Kow) values less than approximately 6.0, which includes the majority of known anthropogenic ERAs. The detection and identification of freely-dissolved readily bioconcentratable ERAs is therefore an important aspect of exposure and risk assessment. However, most studies use conventional techniques to sample total ERA concentrations and in doing so frequently fail to account for bioconcentration of the freely-dissolved fraction. The aim of the current study was to couple the biomimetic sampling properties of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) to a bioassay-directed chemical analysis (BDCA) scheme for the detection and identification of readily bioconcentratable ERAs in surface waters. Methods SPMDs were constructed and deployed at a number of sites in Germany and the UK. Following the dialytic recovery of target compounds and size exclusion chromatographic clean-up, SPMD samples were fractionated using a reverse-phase HPLC method calibrated to provide an estimation of target analyte log Kow. A portion of each HPLC fraction was then subjected to the yeast estrogen screen (YES) to determine estrogenic potential. Results were plotted in the form of 'estrograms' which displayed profiles of estrogenic potential as a function of HPLC retention time (i.e. hydrophobicity) for each of the samples. Where significant activity was elicited in the YES, the remaining portion of the respective active fraction was subjected to GC-MS analysis in an attempt to identify the ERAs present. Results and Discussion Estrograms from each of the field samples showed that readily bioconcentratable ERAs were present at each of the sampling sites. Estimated log Kow values for the various active fractions ranged from 1.92 to 8.63. For some samples, estrogenic potential was associated with a relatively narrow range of log Kow values whilst in others estrogenic potential was more widely distributed across the respective estrograms. ERAs identified in active fractions included some benzophenones, various nonylphenol isomers, benzyl butyl phthalate, dehydroabietic acid, sitosterol, 3-(4-methylbenzylidine)camphor (4-MBC) and 6-acetyl-1,1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyltetralin (AHTN). Other tentatively identified compounds which may have contributed to the observed YES activity included various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated derivatives, methylated benzylphenols, various alkylphenols and dialkylphenols. However, potential ERAs present in some active fractions remain unidentified. Conclusions and Outlook Our results show that SPMD-YES-based BDCA can be used to detect and identify readily bioconcentratable ERAs in surface waters. As such, this biomimetic approach can be employed as an alternative to conventional methodologies to provide investigators with a more environmentally relevant insight into the distribution and identity of ERAs in surface waters. The use of alternative bioassays also has the potential to expand SPMD-based BDCA to include a wide range of toxicological endpoints. Improvements to the analytical methodology used to identify ERAs or other target compounds in active fractions in the current study could greatly enhance the applicability of the methodology to risk assessment and monitoring programmes.     

人工湿地床示踪剂的研究

本文介绍了对适宜于人工湿地床的示踪剂筛选的原则和方法，从四种染料和食盐中，选定食盐作为人工湿地床的示踪剂，并介绍了食盐示踪剂的注入方法和检测系统。     

现代化农业温室的夏季降温研究及其发展

本文阐述了夏季温室的常用降温方法,并加以简要的比较,提出了超声波雾化加湿在夏季农业温室降温中的应用和其控制方法,预测今后农业温室降温的发展趋势。     

甲硫醇高效降解菌的筛选

利用平板分离技术 ,以甲硫醇为降解基质从农药废水生化池活性污泥中分离出 1种异养菌和 1种真菌。根据菌种的耐碱度实验和降解力实验 ,表明真菌的降解能力相当强 ,而按 1∶3比例配成的混合菌种降解效果最好。经分析 ,活性污泥菌胶团强大的吸附能力、真菌高效的分解能力以及混合菌群中各菌种的互生、共生关系起到了很好的协同作用 ,使降解效果大大提高。从菌落形态和显微镜观察到的菌体结构与形态情况看 ,初步确定该真菌属于子囊菌。     

基于EDEM软件数值模拟的滚筒筛优化设计

滚筒筛被广泛应用在混合垃圾筛分机械中,主要作用是将不同重度和粒度的垃圾成分筛分出来。目前的一般设计方法是根据实际工作情况,粗略设定滚筒筛的参数以及尺寸,有较大误差;故根据混合垃圾中不同成分所占比例进行了合理的简化,将混合垃圾简化为10种代表性垃圾成分,运用离散元仿真软件EDEM,对筛分过程进行了仿真,确定了筛筒的最佳安装倾角和最佳转动速度,使滚筒筛的筛分效率达到了最大值。这种数值模拟的方法对实际制造滚筒筛有较大参考价值,同时可以降低设备研发费用,减少资源浪费。     

地铁车站挡烟垂壁对火灾烟气流动的影响分析

采用湍流数值模拟的方法,对火灾情况下,北京地铁一、二号线中的典型单层岛式车站公共区加装挡烟垂壁前后的多个工况进行了数值模拟,数值模拟几乎完全根据现有实际物理边界,而且考虑了列车和灯光发热、人员发热以及人员对流动的影响.通过数值模拟,得到了设置挡烟垂壁前后车站温度场和烟气的流动情况.结果表明,北京地铁一、二号线老式岛式车...     

Assessment of estrogen disrupting potency in animal foodstuffs of China by combined biological and chemical analyses

Food has been documented as one of major routes for human exposure to environmental estrogens（EEs）, but information on the occurrence of EEs in animal foodstuffs is still scarce.This study analyzed estrogenic activity in 16 types of animal foodstuffs（n = 142） collected from four cities（Wuhan, Guangzhou, Wenzhou and Yantai） of China by combined yeast estrogen screen（YES） bioassay and chemical analysis. By bioassay, all samples＇ extracts were found to induce estrogenic activities and the bioassay-derived 17β-estradiol equivalent（EEQbio） ranged from 8.29 to 118.32 ng/g. In addition, the samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for further chemical analysis. 17β-Estradiol was found in all samples in this survey at levels of 0.44 to 15.04 ng/g.All samples had 33.1% detection rate of 17α-ethinylestradiol（EE2）, and the maximum concentration was 2.80 ng/g. Bisphenol A and 4-nonylphenols were detected in 83.8% and83.1% of samples, with concentrations up to 12.56 ng/g and 35.76 ng/g, respectively.However, the concentrations of estrone, diethylstilbestrol and 4-t-octylphenol were found to be below the limit of detection. A comparison of EEQbiomeasured from the YES assay and EEQchemcalculated from chemical analysis showed good correlation（R2= 0.84）. Based on the results, the YES assay can be used as a rapid pre-screening method for monitoring the levels of estrogenic activity in large numbers of animal foodstuffs, and chemical analysis used in combination can be used for the identification of specific EEs.     

典型生活污水处理工艺对雌激素效应的去除

针对水环境中内分泌干扰物低浓度、高风险的特点,采用酵母菌法和酶联免疫法对3个污水处理工艺流程中污水的雌激素活性和雌二醇(E2)水平进行评价.结果表明,污水厂进水的雌二醇当量(EEQ)和E2的水平分别为4.35~7.58 ng·L~(-1)和36.95~83.43 ng·L~(-1).雌激素活性和E2的去除主要发生在生物处理阶段,如氧化沟、A~2/O和A~2/O+MBR工艺,且经以上工艺处理之后,雌激素活性和E2分别降低71.10%~75.54%和75.88%~80.72%.污泥对雌激素效应具有一定的去除作用,通过吸附作用污泥的EEQ和E2的含量分别为1.84~2.43 ng·g~(-1)和8.45~12.84 ng·g~(-1).但污水厂出水仍具有较高的雌激素活性,其EEQ为1.06~2.19 ng·L~(-1),对受纳水体的水生生物具有潜在的危害.酶联免疫法与酵母菌法具有很好的一致性,并为水环境雌激素的快速筛选和评价提供了一个新方法.