The impact of pesticides on oxidative stress level in human organism and their activity as an endocrine disruptor

Pesticides cause serious environmental and health problems both to humans and animals. The aim of this review is to discuss selected herbicides and fungicides regarding their mode of action and their influence on basic oxidative stress parameters and endocrine disruption properties tested in selected cell cultures in vitro. Because of numerous difficulties which animal studies are subject to, cell cultures are an excellent experimental model reflecting human exposure to different pesticides through all relevant routes. This experimental model can be used to monitor aggregate and cumulative pesticide exposures.     

铜、镉联合胁迫对羊角月牙藻的自由基氧化损伤影响研究

分析了铜和镉联合胁迫对羊角月牙藻(Selenastrum capricornutum)的影响,运用国内应用较少的新型技术——叶绿素荧光技术检测了胁迫下微藻的最大光能转化效率(Fv/Fm)受到的影响,并尝试通过膜脂过氧化损伤产物丙二醛(MDA)和其他指标在胁迫下的变化,对铜、镉联合胁迫机制进行初步探究。结果表明:(1)羊角月牙藻在铜、镉联合胁迫下生长受到抑制,表现出明显的浓度-效应关系。铜、镉的联合胁迫的相加指数为-1.63,表现为典型的拮抗作用。(2)通过叶绿素荧光技术的应用,探明Fv/Fm随毒性浓度的变化表现为浓度-效应关系,毒性浓度越大,羊角月牙藻的Fv/Fm越低,但在低毒性浓度刺激时随胁迫时间延长有回升迹象。(3)随毒性浓度的增加,羊角月牙藻的MDA增加,表现为显著的浓度-效应关系;可溶性蛋白质大体呈先升后降的趋势。(4)铜、镉联合胁迫下,MDA与羊角月牙藻生物量、Fv/Fm呈显著负相关。脂质过氧化是导致生物量下降和Fv/Fm受抑制的原因之一。(5)在微藻体内铜、镉发生拮抗作用的机制也可能与重金属的脂质过氧化作用由于拮抗受到抑制有关。     

Gold Mining: Is It Worth Its Weight?

Gold (Au) accounts for only 0.004 g/ton of the earth's crust and is the most desired element. With an average annual world production of approximately 2,500 tons, the current methods of Au mining in developing countries cause major environmental issues. These issues vary from deforestation to cyanide and mercury (Hg) contamination. This article presents several cases of environmental catastrophes caused by Au mining in different regions of the world (Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South America). It discusses the currently available processes for the large-scale extraction of metallic Au grains and supports the need for an alternative sustainable process.     

煤基腐殖酸对外源砷胁迫下玉米生长及生理性状的影响简

为了筛选用于砷污染土壤治理的煤基腐殖酸,采用盆栽实验研究了施用不同种类和浓度的煤基腐殖酸及EDTA对外源砷胁迫下玉米株高、株鲜重、株干重、根干重、砷积累量、叶片抗氧化酶（POD,SOD和CAT）活性和脯氨酸含量的影响。结果表明,11种供试煤基腐殖酸均促进了玉米生长,提高了叶片POD、SOD和CAT活性。其中6和10号腐殖酸可降低土壤砷活性和显著抑制玉米吸收和积累砷,而8和9号腐殖酸增加了土壤活性砷和显著促进了玉米对砷的吸收和累积,且不同程度地强于EDTA。除8和9号外,其余腐殖酸均可明显降低玉米叶片脯氨酸的含量。EDTA可显著促进玉米吸收和积累砷,且加剧了砷对玉米的危害。因此,8和9号供试煤基腐殖酸可以替代EDTA活化土壤砷,与植物配合以提高砷污染土壤的植物修复速度和效果,而6和10号供试煤基腐殖酸则可用于土壤砷钝化剂,以保证作物产品的安全。     

Geogenic Distribution of Arsenic (As) and Antimony (Sb) in Soils of the Murcia Region in Spain

The objective of this study was to determine the As and Sb contents in soils from the Murcia Region of Spain and the possible relationship between the mineralogical composition, soil properties, and As and Sb concentrations. In this study, 490 samples were selected from areas with different characteristics in order to study As and Sb variability. Results show that As and Sb concentrations are positively correlated with the phyllosilicate and quartz content but negatively correlated with the calcite content. The generic reference level (GRL) for these elements was determined according to the Spanish legislation. Established GRL values vary according to the established mineralogical groups, suggesting that GRL has to be determined considering the lithological characteristics of the study area.     

聚环氧琥珀酸对锰渣中砷的萃取

以锰渣为材料,用聚环氧琥珀酸(PESA)作为萃取剂,研究PESA在不同pH、萃取剂浓度、土液比下对砷(As)的萃取效果。实验结果表明,与丙烯酸/马来酸酐共聚物(MA/AA)相比较,PESA对锰渣中As有优良的萃取效果。在萃取体系条件为pH=1、萃取剂浓度50 mg/mL、土液比1∶200、搅拌60 min并浸泡过夜时,PESA对砷的萃取率可达78.3%。实验还发现,PESA对三价砷和五价砷均有螯合萃取作用,对砷的萃取无价态的选择性。     

煅烧的水滑石同时去除水体中砷和氟

为探讨水滑石类材料对水体中氟、砷离子的同时去除效果,采用共沉淀法合成(Mg∶Al=2∶1)纳米类水滑石(LDHs),用傅立叶转换红外光谱、电子扫描透射电镜、X射线晶体衍射等手段对合成的材料进行了表征,并研究纳米材料在不同初始浓度、pH、吸附时间、阴离子干扰条件下其同时除砷氟性能。结果表明,煅烧后的水滑石(LDOs)对砷最大吸附量为51.02 mg/g,对氟最大吸附量为36.63 mg/g。吸附动力学实验表明,煅烧水滑石对砷的吸附在前6 h内基本完成,对氟的吸附在前10 h内基本完成。砷氟共存溶液保持pH=4~10及pH=6~8时,水滑石分别对砷、氟保持良好的吸附效率。对比不同阴离子对水滑石共除砷氟效率的影响,水滑石除砷速率受到阴离子影响力大小为:HPO2-4CO2-3NO-3Cl-SO2-4;水滑石除氟速率受到阴离子影响力大小为:CO2-3HPO2-4SO2-4Cl-NO-3。材料再生循环利用4次后,对砷和氟的吸附效率均能达到90%以上。实验结果表明,所合成的水滑石是一种优秀的能共除砷氟的吸附剂。     

Effect of prochloraz fungicide on biotransformation enzymes and oxidative stress parameters in three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.)

The aim of this study was to characterize biomarker responses in three-spined sticklebacks exposed to prochloraz (Pcz). For this purpose, adult sticklebacks were exposed for 2 weeks to prochloraz at 0, 10, 50, 100 and 500 μg/L prior to one week of depuration in clean water. At days 7, 14 and 21, several hepatic biomarkers were measured including 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), total glutathione (GSH) content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Pcz induced a transient increase of antioxidant enzymes and a depletion of glutathione content during the first 7 days of exposure. This study showed that EROD activity and antioxidants were disrupted in a transient manner. GST was rapidly induced in a dose-dependent manner and this induction was persistent and observed also after depuration. GST appeared as a valuable biomarker to assess the exposure to Pcz.     

Corynebacterium glutamicum as an indicator for environmental cobalt and silver stress–A proteome analysis

Cobalt and silver are toxic for cells, but mechanisms of this toxicity are largely unknown. Analysis of Corynebacterium glutamicum proteome from cells grown in control and cobalt or silver enriched media was performed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) followed by mass spectrometry. Our results indicate that the cell adapted to cobalt stress by inducing five defense mechanisms: Scavenging of free radicals, promotion of the generation of energy, reparation of DNA, reparation and biogenesis of Fe-S cluster proteins and supporting and reparation of cell wall. In response to the detoxification of Ag⁺ many proteins were up-regulated, which involved reparation of damaged DNA, minimizing the toxic effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and energy generation. Overexpression of proteins involved in cell wall biosynthesis (1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme and nucleoside-diphosphate-sugar epimerase) upon cobalt stress and induction of proteins involved in energy metabolism (2-methylcitrate dehydratase and 1, 2-methylcitrate synthase) upon silver demonstrate the potential of these enzymes as biomarkers of sub-lethal Ag⁺ and Co toxicity.     

Cytotoxicity and DNA damage of five organophosphorus pesticides mediated by oxidative stress in PC12 cells and protection by vitamin E

Previous studies have demonstrated that pesticides could induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in vivo and in vitro, and that oxidative stress may be an important factor involved. However, investigations comparing the capability of different organophosphorous (OP) compounds to induce cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and oxidative stress are limited. Hence, the aim of this paper was to access the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of five OPs or metabolites, Acephate (ACE), Methamidophos (MET), Chloramidophos (CHL), Malathion (MAT) and Malaoxon (MAO), and to clarify the role of oxidative stress, using PC12 cells. The results demonstrated that MET, MAT and MAO caused significant inhibition of cell viability and increased DNA damage in PC12 cells at 40 mg L^?1. MAO was more toxic than the other OPs. ACE, MET, MAT and MAO increased the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) at 20 mg L^?1 and 40 mg L^?1 to different degrees. Pre-treatment with vitamin E(600 μM)caused a significant attenuation in the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect; pre-treatment reversed subsequent OP-induced elevation of peroxidation products and the decline of anti-oxidant enzyme activities. These results indicate that oxidative damage is likely to be an initiating event that contributes to the OP-induced cytotoxicity.