Cytogenetic studies of chromium (III) oxide nanoparticles on Allium cepa root tip cells

The current study evaluates the cytogenetic effects of chromium (III) oxide nanoparticles on the root cells of Allium cepa. The root tip cells of A. cepa were treated with the aqueous dispersions of Cr₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) at five different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/mL) for 4 hr. The colloidal stability of the nanoparticle suspensions during the exposure period were ascertained by particle size analyses. After 4 hr exposure to Cr₂O₃ NPs, a significant decrease in mitotic index (MI) from 35.56% (Control) to 35.26% (0.01 μg/mL), 34.64% (0.1 μg/mL), 32.73% (1 μg/mL), 29.6% (10 μg/mL) and 20.92% (100 μg/mL) was noted. The optical, fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopic analyses demonstrated specific chromosomal aberrations such as—chromosome stickiness, chromosome breaks, laggard chromosome, clumped chromosome, multipolar phases, nuclear notch, and nuclear bud at different exposure concentrations. The concentration-dependent internalization/bio-uptake of Cr₂O₃ NPs may have contributed to the enhanced production of anti oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase to counteract the oxidative stress, which in turn resulted in observed chromosomal aberrations and cytogenetic effects. These results suggest that A. cepa root tip assay can be successfully applied for evaluating environmental risk of Cr₂O₃ NPs over a wide range of concentrations.     

Studying developmental neurotoxic effects of bisphenol A (BPA) using embryonic stem cells

There is little to no toxicity information regarding thousands of chemicals to which people are exposed daily. In fact, of the 84,000 chemicals listed in the United States Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory, there is limited information available on their effects on neural development (Betts, 2010 and US EPA, 2015). The number of chemicals tested remains low due to the high cost of conducting multi-generational animal studies and the lack of alternative testing methods.     

Assessment of Bisphenol A (BPA) neurotoxicity in vitro with mouse embryonic stem cells

The adverse effects of environmental pollution on our well-being have been intensively studied with many in vitro and in vivo systems. In our group, we focus on stem cell toxicology due to the multitude of embryonic stem cell (ESC) properties which can be exerted in toxicity assays. In fact, ESCs can differentiate in culture to mimic embryonic development in vivo, or specifically to virtually any kind of somatic cells. Here, we used the toxicant Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known as a hazard to infants and children, and showed that our stem cell toxicology system was able to efficiently recapitulate most of the toxic effects of BPA previously detected by in vitro system or animal tests. More precisely, we demonstrated that BPA affected the proper specification of germ layers during our in vitro mimicking of the embryonic development, as well as the establishment of neural ectoderm and neural progenitor cells.     

浅议新形势下环境影响评价发展研究

随着新环保法的实施,以及国家积极推行简政放权,其势必将对环境影响评价制度产生影响.现阶段中国环境影响评价工作存在审批前置内容多、报告内容贪大求全、区域环境质量得不到控制等问题,目前国家环保政策趋向于精简审批、强化事中事后管理,以强化区域规划环评、区域总量控制及公众参与,在这种形势下,中国的环境影响评价将向精简环评审批前置优化环评审批、提高环评文件的科学性和规范性、强化环境实质影响调整和优化环评内容,以及立足环境影响及污染防治措施来强化公众参与.     

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。     

我国新环境保护法的突破与展望

论述了我国新环境保护法,国家环境保护规划应当坚持保护优先、预防为主、综合治理、突出重点、全面推进的原则等;新修订的《环保法》要求建立资源环境承载能力监测预警机制;推动多元共治的现代环境治理体系是加大经济处罚的力度。设计了罚款的按日连续计罚规则;要求政府主管部门应当公开环境信息,应当制定和完善公众参与的程序,为公众参与环境监督提供便利等。最后进行了展望。     

航空结构材料环境适应性研究进展及发展方向

对航空结构材料环境适应性研究进展进行了综述,其中包括新型航空材料的环境适应性研究和环境-力学因素耦合作用对航空结构材料环境适应性的影响,最后阐述了环境适应性研究的结构化趋势,并指出了航空结构材料环境适应性研究未来将重点关注户内加速试验技术、环境适应性评价技术以及环境适应性数据的深度开发与应用,将各种科学技术和工程实践用于减缓环境对结构材料的损伤,提高装备的耐环境能力。     

黄曲霉A5p1脱色类黑精及其机理初探:葡萄糖氧化酶的作用

类黑精是一种高分子难降解色素污染物质,在糖蜜酒精废水中大量存在.选取在前期研究中对糖蜜酒精废水具有较好脱色作用的黄曲霉(Aspergillus flavus)A5p1(保藏号CGMCC.4292),以合成的类黑精为对象研究脱色机理,试图为实际废水的生物脱色提供理论基础.结果显示,此菌株对合成类黑精具有生物吸附和生物降解的双重作用,以后者为主,最高脱色率可达65%.相较于漆酶、依赖/不依赖于锰的过氧化物酶等常规氧化脱色酶,此菌株中的产过氧化氢酶对脱色起主要作用,而且脱色过程中作为产过氧化氢酶之一的葡萄糖氧化酶与类黑精脱色率之间存在着一定的正相关性.添加葡萄糖氧化酶激活剂和抑制剂进行验证,发现葡萄糖氧化酶酶活力、过氧化氢产量和脱色率三者之间呈相关性变化.初步推测,葡萄糖氧化酶是黄曲霉A5p1生物降解脱色类黑精的关键酶之一.     

新农药硫肟醚在土壤中降解的影响因子研究

在实验室条件下对新农药硫肟醚(O(3苯氧苄基)2甲硫基1(4氯苯基)丙基酮肟醚)在土壤中降解的影响因子进行了研究.结果表明,在20 d的培养时间内,随着土壤含水量的增加,硫肟醚的降解速率加快.当土壤含水量增加到80%(质量分数)时,其降解率达到最大(46.73%),然后随土壤含水量增加反而下降.随着土壤温度的升高,硫肟醚在土壤中的降解速率增加.30 ℃时降解速率达到最大(47.83%),以后温度继续升高,其降解速率呈现出下降趋势.在5～100 mg/kg的质量比范围内硫肟醚在土壤中的降解速率随其质量比的增加而提高;但当质量比继续增加时,硫肟醚的降解速率表现出下降趋势.硫肟醚在土壤中的降解遵循一级动力学方程,其在非灭菌与灭菌土壤中的降解速率常数k分别为8.106×10-3和1.63×10-3;半衰期分别为85.5 d和425.2 d.微生物对硫肟醚在土壤中的降解具有显著的影响.     

从分子质量的变化分析有机物对GAC吸附内分泌干扰物(BPA)的影响

从分子质量分布的角度研究了水中有机物对颗粒活性炭(GAC)吸附双酚A(BPA)容量及吸附速率的影响.结果表明,相对于以去离子水为本底的BPA溶液来说,GAC吸附以滤后水、臭氧后出水和原水为本底的BPA溶液的Langmuir模型的最大吸附容量q_m值分别下降了29.95%、43.56%和44.44%,而其拟二级动力学模型的k₂值分别下降了43.05%、49.75%和56.38%.相对分子质量3 000以上,尤其是10 000以上的有机物堵塞GAC的二级微孔;3 000以下,尤其是1 000以下的有机物与BPA分子之间存在直接的竞争吸附,是导致GAC对BPA的吸附容量以及吸附速率下降的主要原因.