Mercury in European Blushers,Amanita rubescens,mushrooms and topsoils: Bioconcentration potential and intake assessment

Total mercury content has been determined in fruiting bodies of European Blushers and topsoils collected from 11 sites across Poland in 2006-2008. Mercury analysis was carried out using a validated analytical method and cold-vapour atomic absorption (CV-AAS). The European Blusher effectively accumulated mercury in fruiting bodies. The mean values of total mercury in caps of European Blushers from background (uncontaminated) areas were from 0.22 to 1.0 (0.067-3.2) and in stipes from 0.16 to 0.65 (0.071-2.7) μg/g dry weight. In topsoil beneath to fruiting bodies, the median Hg concentration at 10 sites in Northern Poland varied between 0.030 and 0.072 (0.0096–0.19) μg/g dw, and in one site in Southern Poland was 0.20 (0.079–0.34) μg/g dw. Data on Hg in European Blushers from different countries were reviewed. The mean concentrations of total Hg in caps of European Blushers from two “pristine” sites in northern part of Poland were ～1.0 μg/g dw. A meal made with 300–500 g of fresh caps of European Blushers collected at such sites (assuming 90% water content in caps) can result in Hg intake of 0.0003–0.0005 mg Hg/kg bm (assuming a 60 kg bm), which is a dose equipotent to a new provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) value set for inorganic Hg.     

建立以人群健康为核心的国家污染防控体系——以“血铅事件”为例

环境健康事件的频发反映了我国污染防控体系的不足。以"血铅事件"为例,综述了我国铅污染管理状况,分析了我国铅环境健康防治现状,并提出了由生产排放达标为核心的国家污染防控体系向以人群健康为核心的国家污染防控体系转变的环境战略与政策管理措施。     

外源Cd对不同利用方式红壤脲酶活性的影响

采用室内培养实验,通过将外源Cd添加到同一母质、全镉含量相近的不同利用方式的红壤中(林地、水稻土和菜园土),研究了外源Cd污染对不同利用方式红壤脲酶活性的影响。结果表明:整个培养过程中,Cd污染对3种红壤脲酶活性都有抑制作用,且随重金属浓度的增强而增强。同剂量Cd污染对3种红壤脲酶活性的抑制效应不同,大小为林地>水稻土>菜园土。实验设定的Cd处理水平下,对林地、水稻土和菜园土脲酶活性产生显著抑制作用(p<0.05)的Cd浓度分别为5、30和50 mg/kg土。     

Measuring combined exposure to environmental pressures in urban areas: an air quality and noise pollution assessment approach

This study presents a methodological scheme developed to provide a combined air and noise pollution exposure assessment based on measurements from personal portable monitors. Provided that air and noise pollution are considered in a co-exposure approach, they represent a significant environmental hazard to public health. The methodology is demonstrated for the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. The results of an extensive field campaign are presented and the variations in personal exposure between modes of transport, routes, streets and transport microenvironments are evaluated. Air pollution and noise measurements were performed simultaneously along several commuting routes, during the morning and evening rush hours. Combined exposure to environmental pollutants is highlighted based on the Combined Exposure Factor (CEF) and Combined Dose and Exposure Factor (CDEF). The CDEF takes into account the potential relative uptake of each pollutant by considering the physical activities of each citizen. Rather than viewing environmental pollutants separately for planning and environmental sustainability considerations, the possibility of an easy-to-comprehend co-exposure approach based on these two indices is demonstrated. Furthermore, they provide for the first time a combined exposure assessment to these environmental pollutants for Thessaloniki and in this sense they could be of importance for local public authorities and decision makers. A considerable environmental burden for the citizens of Thessaloniki, especially for VOCs and noise pollution levels is observed. The material herein points out the importance of measuring public health stressors and the necessity of considering urban environmental pollution in a holistic way.     

An improved method to study the impact of pesticide sprays on small song birds

Abstract

Four test groups of small songbirds (Zebra Finch, Poephila guttata) were sprayed in a chamber with varying concentrations of fenitrothion. Exposure levels were assessed by monitoring air concentrations, deposits of the active ingredient (AI) on glass plates and droplets/cm² on Kromekote® cards. All indices of exposure were linearly correlated and the mean AI deposit on glass plates for the four groups tested were equivalent to 38, 51, 139 and 255 g/ha or 14%, 18%, 50% and 91% of the highest permissible emitted rate for broadscale forest spraying in Canada. Significant depression in body weights and brain acetylcholinesterase levels were noted only for the highest exposure group. Fenitrothion residues in blood were detectable only at the highest exposure level, and in liver at the two higher levels. Carcass and feather residues were much higher than those in blood and liver, and were detectable at all exposure levels but the residues did not increase linearly with exposure. For one of the spray groups, we were able to compute an equivalent acute oral dose based on matching acetylcholinesterase inhibition.     

森林碳汇资源开发潜力定量评价与研究——以黑龙江省为例

森林碳汇资源是开展森林碳汇贸易的基础。森林碳汇潜力的定量评价,将为森林碳汇贸易提供可靠的依据。在对森林碳汇资源开发潜力的定量方法进行深入研究的基础上,以黑龙江省为案例进行潜力评价,明确了黑龙江省具有巨大的森林碳汇增量潜力,提出了进一步发展森林碳汇贸易及构建森林碳汇交易市场的可行性。     

黑龙江省森林碳汇市场构建的可行性设计

随着全球森林碳汇市场市场份额扩大,黑龙江省凭借资源和区位等内在优势,森林碳汇市场发展前景可观。基于市场原则和组织框架的构建设想,依据市场定位和产品开发,对黑龙江省森林碳汇市场发展的可行性分阶段设计,提出适合的保障机制,为黑龙江省森林碳汇市场运行提供理论参考和现实依据。     

浊漳河山西省潞城市境内段河流生态健康评价研究

浊漳河山西省潞城市境内干流段及南源段河道生态环境目前最突出的问题在于水质恶化、水量减少以及生物多样性衰退。本文从水质、水量、生物状况三个要素出发,通过建立浊漳河潞城市境内河段的水生态健康评价体系,对浊漳南源及干流段进行了生态健康诊断。结果显示,浊漳干流段生态健康总指数36.74,呈生态病态状;南源段生态健康总指数60.03,呈基本健康状态。据此,浊漳河潞城境内段目前的核心问题是生态恢复问题,应当针对其存在的问题选择适当的生态修复模式,采取相应的生态环境管理方法,把生态系统的恢复和重建作为其流域治理的最终目标。     

人类发展指数的修正与可持续发展的替代指标

本文确认了全球社会-生态问题(过度消费,道德危机)的主要根源并提出了新的可持续发展的愿景,重点要关注精神、道德、心理、生理和人的智力开发(而代替以消费为导主的理念)。讨论了人类发展指标不足所涉及到的因素(寿命预期、人均国内生产总值),提出了测量人类可持续发展的替代指标,即:健康人口的比例。生态效率也被建议作为转化可持续发展的必要条件,人的精神,根据生态中心立场(社会-生态幸福)。通过适当的教育和体制政策而实现环境和人类健康、公平和整个人类的发展。     

Canine toys and training devices as sources of exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A: Quantitation of chemicals in leachate and in vitro screening for endocrine activity

Chewing and mouthing behaviors exhibited by pet dogs are likely to lead to oral exposures to a variety of environmental chemicals. Products intended for chewing and mouthing uses include toys and training devices that are often made of plastics. The goal of the current study was to determine if a subset of phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), endocrine disrupting chemicals commonly found in plastics, leach out of dog toys and training devices (bumpers) into synthetic canine saliva. In vitro assays were used to screen leachates for endocrine activity. Bumper leachates were dominated by di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and BPA, with concentrations reaching low μg mL⁻¹ following short immersions in synthetic saliva. Simulated chewing of bumpers during immersion in synthetic saliva increased concentrations of phthalates and BPA as compared to new bumpers, while outdoor storage had variable effects on concentrations (increased DEHP; decreased BPA). Toys leached substantially lower concentrations of phthalates and BPA, with the exception of one toy which leached considerable amounts of diethyl phthalate. In vitro assays indicated anti-androgenic activity of bumper leachates, and estrogenic activity of both bumper and toy leachates. These results confirm that toys and training devices are potential sources of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in pet dogs.