Mutagenic and cytotoxic potential of Endosulfan and Lambda-cyhalothrin - In vitro study describing individual and combined effects of pesticides

Excessive use of pesticides poses increased risks to non target species including humans. In the developing countries, lack of proper awareness about the toxic potential of pesticides makes the farmer more vulnerable to pesticide linked toxicities, which could lead to diverse pathological conditions. The toxic potential of a pesticide could be determined by their ability to induce genetic mutations and cytotoxicity. Hence, determination of genetic mutation and cytotoxicity of each pesticide is unavoidable to legislate health and safety appraisal about pesticides. The objective of current investigation was to determine the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of Endosulfan（EN） and Lambda-cyhalothrin（LC）; individually and in combination. 3-（4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide（MTT） assay was utilized to determine cytotoxicity, while two mutant histidine dependent Salmonella strains（TA98, TA100） were used to determine the mutagenicity of EN and LC.Moreover, mutagenicity assay was conducted with and without S9 to evaluate the effects of metabolic activation on mutagenicity. Even though a dose dependent increase in the number of revertant colonies was detected with EN against both bacterial strains, a highly significant（p 〈 0.05） increase in the mutagenicity was detected in TA98 with S9. In comparison, data obtained from LC revealed less mutagenic potential than EN. Surprisingly,the non-mutagenic individual-concentrations of EN and LC showed dose dependent mutagenicity when combined. Combination of EN and LC synergistically induced mutagenicity both in TA98 and TA100. MTT assay spotlighted comparable dose dependent cytotoxicity effects of both pesticides. Interestingly, the combination of EN and LC produced increased reversion and cytotoxicity at lower doses as compared to each pesticide, concluding that pesticide exposure even at sub-lethal doses can produce cytotoxicity and genetic mutations, which could lead to carcinogenicity.     

Pd/activated carbon sorbents for mid-temperature capture of mercury from coal-derived fuel gas

Higher concentrations of Hg can be emitted from coal pyrolysis or gasification than from coal combustion, especially elemental Hg. Highly efficient Hg removal technology from coal-derived fuel gas is thus of great importance. Based on the very excellent Hg removal ability of Pd and the high adsorption abilities of activated carbon（AC） for H2 S and Hg, a series of Pd/AC sorbents was prepared by using pore volume impregnation, and their performance in capturing Hg and H2 S from coal-derived fuel gas was investigated using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor. The effects of loading amount, reaction temperature and reaction atmosphere on Hg removal from coal-derived fuel gas were studied. The sorbents were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction（XRD） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）. The results indicated that the efficiency of Hg removal increased with the increasing of Pd loading amount, but the effective utilization rate of the active component Pd decreased significantly at the same time. High temperature had a negative influence on the Hg removal. The efficiency of Hg removal in the N2-H2S-H2-CO-Hg atmosphere（simulated coal gas） was higher than that in N2-H2S-Hg and N2-Hg atmospheres, which showed that H2 and CO, with their reducing capacity, could benefit promote the removal of Hg. The XPS results suggested that there were two different ways of capturing Hg over sorbents in N2-H2S-Hg and N2-Hg atmospheres.     

Acute and chronic toxic effects of Pb2+ on polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis：Morphological changes and responses of the antioxidant system

Perinereis aibuhitensis was used to assess adverse biological effects caused by acute and chronic Pb2＋exposure in artificial seawater under controlled laboratory conditions. In 96-hr acute toxicity experiments,the morphological changes showed a positive time/dose-dependent tendency,and the 96-hr LC50 value of Pb2＋was 686.41 mg/L. The responses of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in tissues including catalase（CAT）,peroxidase（POD）,superoxide dismutase（SOD）,glutathione peroxidase（GSH-PX）,malondialdehyde（MDA） and the content of total soluble protein（TSP）,were investigated on days 1,4,7 and 10 after Pb2＋exposure under chronic toxicity testing. Results showed that the activation of the antioxidant system in P. aibuhitensis depended on the Pb2＋concentration and the duration of exposure time.Specifically,POD and SOD activities were induced on the first day of the exposure and decreased to the control level on day 10 after exposure. Therefore,these two indexes could be used to indicate oxidative stress associated with P. aibuhitensis exposure to Pb2＋.     

美国交通部门控制温室气体排放政策的演变

<正>对于任何国家而言,交通行业都是其主要温室气体排放来源之一,亦是各国控制温室气体排放的关键。本文主要介绍美国交通部门的减排政策法规及配套措施,以供我国借鉴。一、"双赢"的温室气体减排政策美国被誉为"车轮上的民族",其交通运输业的发达可想而知,因而其排放的温室气体亦影响较大。据测算,当前美国交通部门能耗占能源消费总量的28.1%,其温室气体排放量占总温室气体排放量的27%。     

速读

<正>自行车改变世界说自行车可以改变世界听起来像是过于简单化的东西,但是当你仔细观察分析就很容易发现,自行车对我们的影响不仅仅是从A地到B地。首先,它为我们提供了替代的交通工具,减碳效果无需赘述,同时还能为我们节省浪费在交通拥堵上的数十亿小时;其次,自行车还是一种权力的象征,美国女权运动领袖Susan B.Anthony曾经说过,"让我告诉你我想骑自行车。我认为那样比世界上任何其他形式都更能解放女性。它给女性一种自由和自立的感觉。"     

建立系统完整的低碳发展制度体系

<正>低碳发展是一种可持续发展模式,它是人类应对全球气候变暖的唯一选择。低碳发展是科学发展观的本质特征,是生态文明建设的重要内容,也是我国现代化实践的必然选择。推进低碳发展,是关系人民福祉、关乎民族未来的长远大计,是实现两个"一百年目标"的战略要求,也是加快转变经济发展方式、调整经济结构、推进新的产业革命的重大机遇。推进低碳发展,必须建立系统完整的低碳发展制度体系。     

推动能源革命,应对气候变化

<正>近年来,我国的温室气体排放量持续增长,从2007年超过美国成为全球第一排放大国,到2013年排放超过了第二、三位的美欧排放之和,占全球总量的29%。我国的能源消费总量比美国高约1/5,但二氧化碳排放接近美国的2倍。从能源结构看,我国2012年的煤炭消费是美国的4.3倍,石油不到美国的3/5,天然气消费不到美国的1/5,造成我国的能源碳强度比美国高1/4。与欧洲发达国家相比,我国的能源碳强度比英国、德国高1/4,是法国的2倍。     

基于WebGIS的温室气体清单编制系统设计与实现

温室气体清单编制是温室气体减排的基础工作,但是温室气体清单涉及能源活动、农业活动、土地利用变化、废物处理、工业生产过程以及电力调入调出等多个行业领域,专业性强,计算复杂,评估模型多,参数确定难,数据采集量大,因此清单编制需要现代信息系统技术支撑。将WebGIS技术引入到温室气体清单编制中,通过调用Google Maps的API接口,以SQL SERVER为后台数据库,采用AJAX,.net等关键技术,实现了数据传输与管理的网络化、计算评估的自动化、统计分析的专业化和数据存储管理的结构化。系统测试与应用表明,该系统既可作为温室气体控制专业机构的辅助工具,也可作为政府温室气体减排管理的共享网络平台。     

三聚磷酸二氢铝对氨气、有机胺气体的静态吸附

研究三聚磷酸二氢铝对氨、甲胺、二甲胺、三甲胺、正丁胺等气体的静态吸附过程动力学特性。比较了三聚磷酸二氢铝、活性炭对碱性气体的吸附性能与规律,通过滴定实验和红外测定推测其吸附机理。结果表明:活性炭对碱性气体的吸附存在脱附,尽管吸附速率较快但吸附量较小,对氨气、甲胺、二甲胺、三甲胺和正丁胺的吸附量分别是73.12、76.37、79.24、83.11、70.91 mg/g。三聚磷酸二氢铝对碱性气体的吸附是一个化学吸附过程,吸附速率快且吸附量大,吸附量分别是431.7、790.1、889.2、912.4、635.3 mg/g,其吸附过程符合Elovich方程,是一个由吸附速率和扩散因子综合控制的过程。     

彝族农户引入生物质炉CDM减排量估算与效益分析

以四川省凉山彝族自治州高效低排生物质炉推广项目为例,利用联合国清洁发展机制(CDM)项目方法学AMS.II.G估算了该项目的温室气体(GHG)减排量,并对其效益进行分析。凉山州农户安装使用了37 992台高效低排生物质炉。项目基准线调查结果表明,基准线情景下农户薪柴年使用量Bold值为5.6 t,主要用于炊事与取暖;非可再生生物质比例fNRB,y值为86%。37 992台生物质炉的年减排量为165 966 t CO2e,每年的减排收益为952.6万元。一定程度上改善了彝族农户生活质量,减少室内空气污染物排放;每年可节约157 494 t薪柴,占凉山州各类林地年薪柴供应量的3.3%,有利于森林资源的保护。