太湖流域(苏南地区)农业活动区人群PAEs健康风险评估

对太湖流域(苏南)无锡、常州、镇江3市经口介质(地下水、土壤、农作物共346个样品)中15种PAEs的污染状况进行实验室分析,采用US EPA推荐的健康风险评价“四步法”,结合暴露参数实测等方法,对太湖流域居民经口途径PAEs健康风险进行科学评估.结果表明:流域各经口介质中除部分蔬菜外,均有PAEs检出,地下水、土壤、主食(水稻、小麦)、蔬菜(生菜、韭菜、茄子、毛豆、山芋藤、木耳菜、长豇豆、苋菜、辣椒、空心菜、黄瓜、南瓜藤)中PAEs所占比例最高的为DNP、DCHP、DBP、DNP;流域人群男性PAEs经口总暴露风险为4.88×10-5,女性PAEs经口总暴露风险为4.29×10-5,其中DEHP的贡献率均最大.男性PAEs经口暴露总健康风险大于女性,男性夏秋季节PAEs经口暴露的健康风险等于春冬季节,女性春冬季节PAEs经口暴露风险大于夏秋季节.流域人群的经口暴露的健康风险均高于英国皇家协会推荐的可接受健康风险水平1×10-6,但低于美国环境保护局推荐的健康风险水平1×10-4.     

铬污染场地调查数据评估与暴露浓度估计

针对某铬污染场地调查采样得到的1 269个土壤w(TCr)和w〔Cr(Ⅵ)〕,分别采用检出限替代法和Walsh's Test方法分析了未检出值和潜在的异常值.结果表明,异常值的取舍对数据的统计分析结果影响较大,结合该铬污染场地的实际情况和采样记录,最终保留了潜在异常值. 分别采用Q-Q图示法和假设检验方法探讨了该铬污染场地土壤w(TCr)和w〔Cr(Ⅵ)〕的数据分布形态发现,二者均不符合3种常见的分布形态(即正态分布、对数正态分布和Gamma分布),因此,采用基于切比雪夫不等式的非参数方法计算该铬污染场地调查数据的95%UCL(置信区间上限值),确定w(TCr)和w〔Cr(Ⅵ)〕的暴露值分别为0.285 6%和0.022 7%.      

天津市老年人PM2.5个体暴露化学组分特征

分别于2011年6月13日—7月2日(夏季)和11月30日—12月12日(冬季),采用颗粒物个体暴露采样器对天津市某社区101名老年人(平均年龄67岁)的PM_2.5个体暴露水平进行监测,以探讨PM_2.5个体暴露化学组分的特征. 结果表明,天津市老年人夏、冬季PM_2.5个体暴露浓度分别为(124.2±75.2)和(170.8±126.6)μg/m3. 斯皮尔曼相关分析表明,Si、NH₄+和NO₃-的暴露浓度均与PM_2.5暴露浓度显著相关(P<0.01),R(相关系数)分别为0.61、0.55和0.46. 富集因子分析表明,Cd、Zn和Pb 3种元素高度富集,受人为源的影响强烈. SO₄2-是水溶性离子中含量最高的组分,其次是NO₃-和NH₄+,在夏、冬季这3种离子暴露浓度之和分别占PM_2.5暴露浓度的34.3%和40.6%. OC是老年人PM_2.5个体暴露的主要成分之一,夏、冬季OC暴露浓度分别占PM_2.5暴露浓度的19.3%和27.4%. 老年人PM_2.5个体暴露化学组分浓度受气象因素、室内源和室外源的共同影响,季节变化明显. 冬季Al、Si、K、Ca和Fe的暴露浓度高于夏季,但大部分微量金属元素(V、Cr、Mn、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Sb和Pb)的冬季暴露浓度却低于夏季. 方差分析表明,冬季SO₄2-、NO₃-、NH₄+、OC和EC的暴露浓度显著高于夏季(P<0.05).      

Poly- and perfluorinated compounds in household consumer products

Several household consumer products were analyzed for their content of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOH) by nanoflow ultra performance liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. Among the investigated products, which are applied as sprays, were impregnating agents, cleaning agents, lubricants, and conditioners. In 14 of the 26 products analyzed, at least one polyfluorinated compound (PFC) was detected in 14 samples. 8?:?2 FTOH was the dominating PFC with concentrations up to 149?µg?mL^?1. The maximum concentration of PFOA was 14.5?µg?mL^?1, whereas PFOS was not detected in any sample. Investigated PFCs were mostly found in impregnating agents and lubricants, but were not detected in cleaning agents and conditioners. In FTOH-containing impregnating agents, similar ratios between 6?:?2 FTOH, 8?:?2 FTOH, and 10?:?2 FTOH were found. FTOH proportions in PFC-containing lubricants were similar as well. Total human exposure to PFC from consumer product aerosols for three different scenarios was estimated to be between 42.8 and 464?ng?kg^?1?per day.     

Chemical cocktail party in East Greenland: A first time evaluation of human organohalogen exposure from consumption of ringed seal and polar bear tissues and possible health implications

East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are among the mammals with the highest bioaccumulated concentrations of organohalogen contaminants (OHCs). Since Greenlanders in this region ingest significant quantities of adipose tissue from polar bears and also ringed seals (Pusa hispida), initial conservative estimates of the daily oral exposure to this chemical cocktail are thus presented. The tolerable daily intake was exceeded approximately five-fold for polychlorinated biphenyls and chlordane pesticides and metabolites, while the estimated daily toxic equivalent (TEQ) (based on the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-rho-dioxin toxicity equivalence factors) for East Greenland subsistence hunters was three- to ten-fold higher than the WHO ∑TEQ guidelines even though the estimations were conservative. The daily oral OHC exposure from polar bear and ringed seal blubber consumption is markedly high and needs to be reduced in order to remove this co-factor with respect to the influence on the development of chronic diseases. Furthermore, it is warranted that a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for Greenlander's exposure to OHCs is constructed and that risk quotients calculated to estimate the threats to health for East Greenland subsistence hunters.     

Air monitoring of solvent exposed workers with passive samplers in comparison to “biological monitoring (BM)"†

A study was performed comparing ambient air monitoring (AM) and biological monitoring (BM) in order to evaluate the reliability of passive sampling (PS) in occupational medicine.

Five groups of persons (total number = 188) exposed to tetrachloroethene, isopropanol, toluene, xylene and styrene at the workplace were examined.

AM was performed over several hours using one or two brands of passive samplers (Monitor 3500 and/or ORSA 5). BM includes the determination of the solvent and specific metabolites resp. in blood or urine samples taken at the end of workshift. On the basis of our results we recommend that PS can supply relevant data for the estimation of external exposure to several solvents like chlorinated‐ and aromatic‐hydrocarbons.     

The international toxicity equivalency factor (I‐TEF) method for estimating risks associated with exposures to complex mixtures of dioxins and related compounds∗

The International Toxicity Equivalency Factor (I‐TEF) method of risk assessment is a revised interim procedure for assessing the risks associated with exposures to complex mixtures of chlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDDs and CDFs). This updated scheme was developed by a working group of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society and has been officially adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Canada, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Prior to the development of the I‐TEF method, at least ten slightly different schemes had been used throughout the world which complicated communication among scientists and regulatory agencies concerning the toxicological significance of complex mixtures of CDDs and CDFs. The I‐TEF approach facilitates risk communication internationally by reducing large volumes of analytical data into a single number‐International Toxicity Equivalents (I‐TEQ). As a result, the I‐TEF method represents an improvement in an already useful risk assessment/regulatory tool.     

Accomplishments of the NATO/CCMS pilot study on international information exchange on dioxins and related compounds∗

A project promoting the international exchange of information on chlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDDs and CDFs) was conducted under the auspices of the Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS) of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Initiated in 1985, the Pilot Study on International Information Exchange on Dioxins and Related Compounds was a three‐year effort to improve the state of the art of dioxin research, regulation, and technology by encouraging collaboration among interested countries and organizations. Participating nations included Canada, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Numerous activities were accomplished to promote information exchange so that better informed decisions can be made concerning future research activities and resource allocations. Three major areas were addressed: Exposure and Hazard Assessment, Technology Assessment, and Management of Accidents. A total of 15 CCMS reports were published which summarize the achievements of the Pilot Study.     

Exposure to insecticides in the use of cold fog generators in greenhouses

The exposure of greenhouse workers to deltamethrin and dichlorvos was studied when low‐volume misters (LVM) were used for the application of these insecticides. Exposure to deltamethrin was mainly by skin contamination and the level of exposure was low. Exposure to dichlorvos was clearly higher than to deltamethrin both through skin and inhalation. These two insecticides are different from chemical structure and character dichlorvos being a highly volatile chemical. The re‐entry period for deltamethrin was calculated to be about ten hours and for dichlorvos two or three days.     

Consequences of manganese compounds: a review

Manufacturing of manganese (Mn) compounds, their industrial applications as well as mining overburden, has generated a potential environmental pollutant. Occupational exposure to elevated levels of Mn occurs during mining, welding, smelting and other industrial anthropogenic sources. Chronic and acute exposure of this metal pollutant leads to adverse consequences and is clinically categorized by various symptoms of neurotoxicity including cognitive, psychiatric symptoms, Parkinson's disease, extra pyramidal signs, manganism, dystonia, and motor system dysfunction. The aim of this review is to summarize the possible mechanism underlying Mn compounds-mediated neurotoxicity leading to neurodegenerative diseases. Our review endeavours to examine recent advances in research on Mn-related environmental pollution, Mn-induced poisoning, molecular mechanisms underlying Mn-induced neurotoxicity with case studies as well as current approaches employed for treatment and prevention of Mn exposure.