Dietary selenium fortification: a potential solution to chronic arsenic toxicity

Selenium (Se), an important micronutrient and antioxidant, also acts as an antagonist of arsenic (As). Se supplementation of diet was investigated in mitigating chronic As toxicity in mammals. Experiments were conducted to determine whether Se supplementation in As-exposed rats might (i) decrease As-induced lipid peroxidation in liver, (ii) increase blood antioxidant status, and (iii) reverse suppression of the secondary antibody response. Male Wistar rats were exposed to As (40 and 80?ppm) in drinking water and received challenge diets with three different levels of Se (deficient: <0.01?ppm, adequate: 0.15 ppm, and fortified: 0.6?ppm) for 16 weeks. Clinical variables including behavior, body weight, and food and water consumption were recorded weekly, and blood sample was collected monthly. Antioxidant status was assessed through glutathione sulfhydryl (GSH) levels in whole blood. Lipid peroxidation in the liver was evaluated using the malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. The antibody response was measured using keyhole limpet hemocyanin as an immunogen. Se deficiency significantly increased hepatic lipid peroxidation and suppressed antibody production relative to the Se-adequate and -fortified groups, confirming that Se deficiency exacerbates the damage produced by As exposure. Se fortification markedly elevated the blood GSH level in both As-exposed groups, indicating protective effects. At adequate Se levels, rats showed signs of counteracting As-mediated toxicity. However, Se fortification produced more pronounced benefits against As-induced toxicity, a pattern that was particularly notable in the 40?ppm As group.     

Concentrations of selected metals in chicken eggs from commercial farms in Southern Nigeria

This work presents the results of the determination of concentrations of the trace metals Ni, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, and Fe in eggs from farms in Southern Nigeria. The mean concentrations (µg?g^?1 fresh weight) ranged from 0.6 to 1.2 for Ni, 3.1 to 8.9 for Zn, 0.45 to 0.65 for Mn, 0.4 to 1.2 for Pb, <0.09 to 0.3 for Cr, 0.1 to 0.3 for Cd, 0.26 to 0.34 for Co, 0.9 to 1.2 for Cu and 19.5 to 24.0 for Fe. The concentrations and estimated dietary intakes of these metals were below the respective statutory limits. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values for the individual metals in all zones are less than 1, i.e., within safe levels. The combined THQ values for the different zones were greater than 1but less than 2, with a significant contribution of cobalt.     

Source identification of particulate matter and associated intake of elements through inhalation in an industrial area of Odisha,India

Particulate matter concentrations were measured in an industrial region in the Ganjam district of Odisha. The average levels of suspended particulate matter (SPM) were measured to be 142 ± 8 and PM₁₀ of particulate matter with a size of less than 10 micrometers (PM₁₀) to be 50 ± 15 μg m^?3. Out of the 14 elements determined, Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, and K contributed more than 95% of the total weight. In enrichment factors, the trace elements, i.e., Zn, Pb, Cd, and Hg were observed to be highly enriched in the SPM and PM₁₀. Factor analysis indicates that more than 75% of the variance was due to five component factors, which have eigenvalues greater than 1. Intake of elements through inhalation route to adults has been estimated.     

全氟辛烷磺酸盐(PFOS)替代品对中国白羽鹌鹑的毒性

为研究全氟辛烷磺酸盐(perfluorooctane sulfonate,PFOS)替代品对环境生物的毒害效应,选用中国白羽鹌鹑作为受试生物,建立其环境危害评价毒性测试方法,并对PFOS替代化学品进行了急性经口、急性饲喂及繁殖毒性的风险评价。结果表明,全氟丁基有机铵盐阳离子表面活性剂急性经口毒性实验的LD50为500.44mg·kg-1,其余3种替代化学品在上限浓度2000mg·kg-1,白羽鹌鹑均未出现明显死亡,4种PFOS替代品对中国白羽鹌鹑的急性经口毒性均为低毒。全氟丁基有机铵盐阳离子表面活性剂急性饲喂毒性实验的LC50为970.50mg.kg-1,对白羽鹌鹑的饲喂毒性为中毒,而其余3种替代化学品在上限浓度5000mg·kg-1,白羽鹌鹑均未出现明显死亡,对中国白羽鹌鹑的急性饲喂毒性为低毒。在长期饲喂过程中,织物三防整理剂和C6织物三防整理剂会表现出一定的生殖毒性,造成中国白羽鹌鹑的孵化率降低,胚胎死亡率及未受精率升高;全氟丁基有机铵盐阳离子表面活性剂会影响到中国白羽鹌鹑的未受精率,C4织物三防整理剂未表现出明显的生殖毒性。     

北京女性尿液中双酚A及氯代双酚A的浓度和风险评价

建立了有机相丹酰化衍生-UPLC-MS-MS人体尿液样品中双酚A(BPA)及4种氯代双酚A(氯代BPA)的检测方法,对北京地区40个女性尿液样品进行了检测.结果表明:BPA和一氯、二氯、三氯、四氯BPA的检出率分别为90%、96%、90%、52%和45%;浓度分别为(1.30±1.24),(0.40±0.37),(0.41±0.51),(0.18±1.49),(0.46±0.35) ng/mL,4种氯代BPA的总浓度为1.45ng/mL,和BPA浓度相仿.4种氯代BPA的BPA等当量浓度为4.84ng/mL,是BPA浓度的2.2倍. 40个尿液样本BPA等当量浓度符合对数正态分布,超过BPA的糖尿病发生阈值(0.05%发病风险)5.7ng/mL的概率为19.2%.人体暴露氯代BPA的健康风险应该引起重视.     

气候对我国城市居民氟摄入量的影响

对中国19个城市的供水氟含量与当地居民尿氟含量进行了检测,并对检测当月的平均气候资料和口腔健康资料与之进行相关分析。研究表明,低于18℃的月平均气温对我国城市居民氟的摄入量基本没有影响;当月平均气温高于18℃时,随着气温的升高,我国城市居民氟的摄入量会随饮水量的增加而上升,反映了我国城市居民主要依靠饮用水摄取氟。对于平均相对湿度来说,月平均相对湿度超过80%会对我国城市居民氟的摄入量产生影响。     

应用遥感数据评价蓝藻水华对太湖取水口的影响

为量化蓝藻水华对太湖饮用水取水口的影响,将太湖矢量图进行栅格化,根据权重函数计算像元的权重因子;再将权重因子图与由遥感影像得到的水华分布图进行叠加,对对应像元进行影响因子计算;最后根据像元的影响因子求出归一化影响指数(NII),并以此进行影响评价.通过对2007年5月1~16日太湖MODIS EVI影像进行的实例分析和验证,表明该方法能较好地反映太湖水华对取水口的影响程度,与实际情况符合;在提出的3种权重函数模型中,负指数模型和正态分布模型能较好地反映蓝藻水华对饮用水取水口的影响程度,可以作为影响评价的权重模型.     

取水口高程对过渡型水库水温分布结构的影响

采用宽度平均的立面二维水温模型,研究了3种不同取水口高程情况下水库水温分布结构和水库下泄水温的变化规律。得出在3月至8月水库下泄水温随着取水口高程的降低而降低,在9月至翌年2月水库下泄水温随着取水口高程的降低而升高的变化规律。研究结果表明水库分层取水可在一定程度上减小水库下泄水温与坝址天然水温的差值,从而减轻水库下泄低温水对下游水生生态环境的不利影响。     

Pollution level and human health risk assessment of some pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in Nantong of Southeast China

Food consumption is one of the key exposure routes of humans to contaminants. This article evaluated the residue levels of 51 pesticides and 16 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in selected fish and food items which were commonly consumed in the Nantong area of Jiangsu Province, Southeast China. The 51 pesticides and 16 PCBs were analyzed by highly sensitive gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The results showed that organochlorine pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and mirex and other pesticides including chlorpyrifos, pyrethroid pesticides, metolachlor, pyridaben and trifluralin were frequently detected in the samples, which was consistent with the accumulation level and characteristics of these toxic chemicals in human adipose tissue of people living in Nantong. Meanwhile, correlation of the residue level of toxic chemicals with their physical chemical properties and historic use pattern in Nantong area was observed. Combined with dietary survey results at the same sampling locations, human health risk assessment of ingestion through the dietary route was performed. The results suggested that the non-cancer risks of the chemicals investigated can be considered negligible in the Nantong area, however, the cancer risks from lifetime dietary exposure to DDTs and HCB have exceeded the acceptable levels.     

赣南稀土区生物效应研究——稀土日允许摄入量

通过对赣南稀土区食谱中稀土分布调查,人体某些健康项目调查及结合动物实验结果分析,估算得稀土区成人的稀土（REO）日摄入量为6.0～6.7mg,属不安全量,而对照区成人日摄入量为3.3mg为安全量,据此分析比较,认为成人日允许摄入量定为4.2mg较妥,约为前人由动物实验外推的允许日摄入量14～24mg的五分之一。本研究对预测稀土远期环境风险有一定的参考价值,并提出应着手研究稀土污染治理问题。