Assessment of oxidative stress due to exposure to pesticides in plasma and urine of traditional limited-resource farm workers: Formation of the DNA-adduct 8-hydroxy-2-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG)

The objective of this study was to assess the risk of genotoxicity caused due to oxidative stress using plasma and urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in farm workers for six months during a growing season. Blood and urine samples were collected once a month for six months (June to November 2003) from farm workers (n = 15) and urban unexposed controls (n = 10). Plasma and urinary levels of 8-OHdG were evaluated by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. There was no significant difference in the urinary levels of 8-OHdG between the farm workers and the control group, but there was an approximately four-fold increase in mean values of plasma 8-OHdG levels in the farm worker group (P ≤ 0.05).     

复合光催化材料Ag-AgCl/石墨烯的制备及性能

以原位化学沉淀;光还原法制备了Ag-AgCl/石墨烯复合光催化材料。以罗丹明B为模型降解物,研究了其可见光催化性能。实验结果表明：石墨烯的引入使Ag-AgCl/石墨烯催化剂催化活性提高;当初始罗丹明B质量浓度为5 mg/L时,可见光照射60 min后罗丹明B的降解率可达99%;降解率随初始罗丹明B质量浓度的增加而减小。Ag-AgCl/石墨烯具有很高的可见光催化活性和稳定性。     

Fluid bed gasification – Plasma converter process generating energy from solid waste: Experimental assessment of sulphur species

Often perceived as a Cinderella material, there is growing appreciation for solid waste as a renewable content thermal process feed. Nonetheless, research on solid waste gasification and sulphur mechanisms in particular is lacking. This paper presents results from two related experiments on a novel two stage gasification process, at demonstration scale, using a sulphur-enriched wood pellet feed.Notable SO₂ and relatively low COS levels (before gas cleaning) were interesting features of the trials, and not normally expected under reducing gasification conditions. Analysis suggests that localised oxygen rich regions within the fluid bed played a role in SO₂’s generation. The response of COS to sulphur in the feed was quite prompt, whereas SO₂ was more delayed. It is proposed that the bed material sequestered sulphur from the feed, later aiding SO₂ generation. The more reducing gas phase regions above the bed would have facilitated COS – hence its faster response. These results provide a useful insight, with further analysis on a suite of performed experiments underway, along with thermodynamic modelling.     

Shoreline development and degradation of coastal fish reproduction habitats

Coastal development has severely affected habitats and biodiversity during the last century, but quantitative estimates of the impacts are usually lacking. We utilize predictive habitat modeling and mapping of human pressures to estimate the cumulative long-term effects of coastal development in relation to fish habitats. Based on aerial photographs since the 1960s, shoreline development rates were estimated in the Stockholm archipelago in the Baltic Sea. By combining shoreline development rates with spatial predictions of fish reproduction habitats, we estimated annual habitat degradation rates for three of the most common coastal fish species, northern pike (Esox lucius), Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus). The results showed that shoreline constructions were concentrated to the reproduction habitats of these species. The estimated degradation rates, where a degraded habitat was defined as having ≥3 constructions per 100 m shoreline, were on average 0.5 % of available habitats per year and about 1 % in areas close to larger population centers. Approximately 40 % of available habitats were already degraded in 2005. These results provide an example of how many small construction projects over time may have a vast impact on coastal fish populations.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-014-0522-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Distribution of bisphenol-A, triclosan and n-nonylphenol in human adipose tissue, liver and brain

In this study, an analytical method was optimized for the determination of bisphenol-A (BPA), triclosan (TCS) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4n-NP), environmental contaminants with potential endocrine disruptive activities, in human tissues. The method consisted of a liquid extraction step, derivatization with pentafluorobenzoylchloride followed by a clean-up on acidified silica and detection with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-ECNI/MS). Recoveries ranged between 92% and 102% with a precision below 5%. Limits of quantification ranged between 0.3-0.4 ng g⁻¹, 0.045-0.06 ng g⁻¹ and 0.003-0.004 ng g⁻¹ for BPA, TCS and 4n-NP in different tissues, respectively. The method was applied for the determination of BPA, TCS and 4n-NP in paired adipose tissue, liver and brain samples from 11 individuals. BPA could be detected in almost all tissues, with the highest concentrations found in adipose tissue (mean 3.78 ng g⁻¹), followed by liver (1.48 ng g⁻¹) and brain (0.91 ng g⁻¹). TCS showed the highest concentrations in liver (3.14 ng g⁻¹), followed by adipose tissue (0.61 ng g⁻¹), while it could be detected in only one brain sample. Levels of 4n-NP were much lower, mostly undetected, and therefore 4n-NP is considered of minor importance for human exposure. Despite the measurable concentrations in adipose tissue, these compounds seem to have a low bioaccumulation potential. The reported concentrations of free BPA in the various tissues are slight disagreement with pharmacokinetic models in humans and rats and therefore the possibility of external contamination with BPA during sample collection/storage cannot be ruled out.     

What’s the Problem? River Management,Education, and Public Beliefs

This paper invokes the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a diagnostic tool to explain an existing public education program's limited success at improving river water quality in the City of Perth, Western Australia. A reflective, client-driven research approach was used. A facilitated expert workshop defined an environmental problem (excess nutrients leaving gardens and entering waterways) and a desired behavior (residents purchasing environmentally sensitive fertilizer) to address the problem. A TPB-based belief elicitation survey captured respondents' beliefs regarding the desired behavior. The findings suggest respondents were aware of the links between purchasing environmentally sensitive fertilizer and river water quality. However, this behavior is compromised by the challenges in identifying appropriate products, product quality concerns, and cost. Viewing the content of a public education program through the lens of the TPB reveals insights into how and why the program fell short in achieving one of its key behavioral change goals.     

电感耦合等离子体发射光谱在分析废液晶显示器面板主要元素中的应用

采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱(ICP-AES)法对废液晶显示器(TFT-LCD)面板主要元素含量进行了测定。结果表明:(1)在酸体系下回收废TFT-LCD面板中In时,尽管不同酸体系下各元素浓度变化较大,但是主要伴随元素以Al、Fe为主。(2)绝大多数元素测定结果的相对标准偏差低于3%。(3)不同元素加标回收率基本在86%～110%。ICP-AES法具有灵敏度高、检出限较低、多元素同时测定等优点,能满足元素测定误差要求,可有效应用于废TFT-LCD面板中主要元素的测定。     

Black Disease (Terpios hoshinota): A Probable Cause for the Rapid Coral Mortality at the Northern Reef of Yongxing Island in the South China Sea

The northern reef of Yongxing Island, the largest reef island of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, was in good condition with significant cover of scleractinian corals until 2002. Surveys in 2008 and 2010, however, found that coral coverage had declined rapidly and severely, implying that catastrophic coral mortality occurred during the past 8 years. A blackish mat was observed covering live and dead corals in both 2008 and 2010 that was identified as an encrusting sponge, Terpios hoshinota, by special surface morphology and spicule structure. In addition, spicule residues were found on the surface of long-dead corals, indicating a previous invasion of T. hosinota. T. hoshinota is referred to as the "black disease" because it rapidly overgrows and kills corals. Our evidence indicates that outbreaks of black disease are at least partially responsible for the massive coral mortality at the northern reef of Yongxing Island over the past 8 years, although human activities and heat-related coral bleaching cannot be discounted as minor causes for this coral decline.     

Levels and profiles of long-chain perfluorinated carboxylic acids in human breast milk and infant formulas in East Asia

In this study, 90 human breast milk samples collected from Japan, Korea, and China were analyzed for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (C8), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (C9), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) (C10), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) (C11), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) (C12), and perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) (C13). In addition, infant formulas (n = 9) obtained from retail stores in China and Japan were analyzed. PFOA was the predominant compound and was detected in more than 60% of samples in all three countries. The PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, and PFUnDA levels in Japan were significantly higher than those in Korea and China (p < 0.05). The PFTrDA level was highest in Korea (p < 0.05). The median PFOA concentrations were 89 pg mL⁻¹ (48% of total perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) (C8-C13)) in Japan, 62 pg mL⁻¹ (54%) in Korea, and 51 pg mL⁻¹ (61%) in China. The remaining ∑PFCAs (C9-C13) were 95 pg mL⁻¹ in Japan, 52 pg mL⁻¹ in Korea, and 33 pg mL⁻¹ in China. Among the long-chain PFCAs, odd-numbered PFCAs were more frequently detected than even-numbered PFCAs, except for PFDA in Japan. There were no evident correlations between the mother’s demographic factors and the PFCA concentrations. PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA were frequently detected in both Japan and China, but there were no significant differences between the two countries. The total PFCA concentrations in the infant formulas were lower than those in the breast milk samples in Japan (p < 0.05), but not in China (p > 0.05). In conclusion, various PFCAs were detected in human breast milk samples from East Asian countries.     

Analysis of the toxicogenomic effects of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Slovakian girls: correlations between gene expression and disease risk

The chemical composition of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment is not uniform throughout the world, and these contaminants contain many structurally different lipophilic compounds. In a well-defined study cohort in the Slovak Republic, the POP chemicals present in the peripheral blood of exposed children were chemically analyzed. The chemical analysis data revealed that the relative concentration and profile of structurally different organic pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 2,2′-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE), 2,2′-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloro-ethane (p,p′-DDT), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), may vary from individual to individual, even within the same exposure area. These chemicals can be broadly classified into two groups. The first group, the PCB congeners, primarily originated from industrial compounds and their byproducts. The second group of compounds originated from or was commonly used in the agricultural sector (e.g., DDT, HCB). The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the two POP exposure profiles on gene expression. For the study population, we selected pre-pubertal girls (mean age of 46.2 ± 1.4 months) with high POP concentrations in their blood (> 75% tile of total POP) and classified them in the high ‘PCB’ group when the total PCB concentration was significantly higher than the total concentration of other POP components and in the ‘Other Than PCB’ (OTP) group, when the total PCB concentration was significantly lower than the concentration of the other major POP constituents. A matched control group of girls (< 25% tile of total POP) was selected for comparison purpose (n = 5 per group). Our aims were to determine whether there were any common effects of high POP exposure at a toxicogenomic level and to investigate how exposure may affect physiological functions of the children in two different exposure scenarios. Global gene expression analysis using a microarray (Affymetrix Gene Chip Human genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array) platform was conducted on the total RNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the girls. The results were analyzed by Partek GS, Louis, MI, which identified twelve genes (ATAD2B, BIVM, CD96, CXorf39, CYTH1 ETNK1, FAM13A, HIRA, INO80B, ODG1, RAD23B, and TSGA14) and two unidentified probe sets, as regulated differentially in both the PCB and OTP groups against the control group. The qRT-PCR method was used to validate the microarray results. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software package identified the possible molecular impairments and disease risks associated with each gene set. Connective tissue disorders, genetic disorders, skeletal muscular disorders and neurological diseases were associated with the 12 common genes. The data therefore identified the potential molecular effects of POP exposure on a genomic level. This report underscores the importance of further study to validate the results in a random population and to evaluate the use of the identified genes as biomarkers for POP exposure.