Ah Receptor Agonists in UV-exposed Toluene Solutions of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) and in Soils Contaminated with Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (9 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background The use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants increases the risk for emissions of other brominated compounds, such as polybrominated dibenzodioxins (PBDDs) and dibenzofurans (PBDFs). The large homology in structure of PBDD/Fs and mechanism of toxic action, i.e. the capacity to activate the Ah receptor (AhR) pathway, compared to their well-studied chlorinated analogues, justifies a raised concern to study the environmental levels and fate of these compounds. Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) is the most widely used PBDE today. Studies on photolytic debromination of decaBDE in organic solvents have shown debromination of decaBDE, as well as formation of PBDFs. However, little is known about the transformation mechanisms and there are only scarce data on photoproducts and PBDE transformation in environmentally relevant matrices. In this study, mechanism-specific dioxin bioassays were used to study photolytic formation of AhR agonists in toluene solutions of decaBDE. In addition, the influence of irradiation time and UV-light wavelength on the formation was studied. PBDE congener patterns and presence of PBDD/Fs were analysed. Further, AhR agonists were analysed in agricultural soils contaminated with PBDEs. Soils were also exposed to UV-light to study changes in AhR agonist levels. Methods Toluene solutions of decaBDE were irradiated using three different spectra of UV-light, simulating UV-A (320-400 nm), UV-AB (280-400 nm), and UV-ABC (250-400 nm). Additionally, decaBDE solutions were exposed to narrow wavelength intervals (10 nm bandwidth) with the central wavelengths 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360 nm. AhR agonists in decaBDE solutions were analysed with two different bioassays, the chick embryo liver-cell assay for dioxins (Celcad) and the dioxin responsive, chemically activated luciferase expression assay (DR-Calux). Also, the decaBDE solutions were analysed with LRGC-LRMS to obtain PBDE congener patterns for breakdown of decaBDE, and with HRGC-HRMS, for presence of PBDD/Fs. Four soils were exposed to UV-AB light, under both dry and moist conditions. Levels of AhR agonists in soil extract fractions, before and after UV-exposure, were analysed with the DR-Calux. Results and Discussion Significant levels of photoproducts able to activate the AhR pathway, up to 31 ng bio-TEQ/ml, were formed in UV-exposed decaBDE solutions. The transformation yield of decaBDE into AhR agonists was estimated to be at the 0.1%-level, on a molar basis. The net formation was highly dependent on wavelength, with the sample irradiated at 330 nm showing the highest level of dioxin-like activity. No activity was detected in controls. PBDE analysis confirmed decaBDE degradation and a clear time-dependent pattern for debromination of PBDE congeners. AhR agonist effect in the recalcitrant fractions of the soils corresponded to the levels of chemically derived TEQs, based only on chlorinated dioxin-like compounds in an earlier study. It was concluded that no significant levels of other AhR agonists, e.g. PBDFs, were accumulated in the soil. UV-light caused changes in AhR-mediated activity in the more polar and less persistent fractions of the soils, but it is not known which compounds are responsible for this. Recommendations and Perspective . The laboratory experiments in this study show that high levels of AhR agonists can be formed as photoproducts of decaBDE and it is important to elucidate if and under which conditions this might occur in nature. However, soil analysis indicates that photoproducts of PBDE do not contribute to the accumulated levels of persistent dioxin-like compounds in agricultural soil. Still, more data is needed to fully estimate the environmental importance of PBDE photolysis and occurrence of its photoproducts in other environmental compartments. Analysis with dioxin bioassays enabled us to gather information about photoproducts formed from decaBDE even though the exact identities of these compounds were not known. Conclusion Bioassays are valuable for studying environmental transformation processes like this, where chemical analysis and subsequent toxicological evaluation requires available standard compounds and information on toxicological potency. The use of bioassays allows a rapid evaluation of toxicological relevance.     

区域可持续发展战略规划的理论与方法研究

实施区域可持续发展战略规划是落实科学发展观的需要。结合广东省江门市可持续战略规划的实践,对可持续发展规划的概念、内涵、基本框架以及技术流程进行探讨。基本结论是：区域可持续发展战略规划应以“环境社会系统”全新的视角,回答一个区域该如何化解“三大供需矛盾”,消除“三大危机”,提高区域可持续发展能力的问题;对区域环境社会系统这类开放型复杂巨系统进行可持续发展战略决策,需采用专家经验与计算机建模相结合、反复试错、多元互动的综合集成方法。     

Quantitative Relationships between Predatory and Nonpredatory Animals in Freshwater Ecosystems

The ratios between the sizes of predators and prey have been estimated. On average, the linear sizes and body weights of aquatic predatory animals are approximately three and nine times greater, respectively, than those of nonpredatory animals. The biomass of predators in waters with different productivity levels is, on average, about 20% of the biomass of nonpredatory animals. However, the ratio between the biomasses of predatory and nonpredatory animals in the same water body may vary seasonally and annually and differ in different parts of this water body. The average numbers of predatory fish in ichthyocenoses are no more than 3% of the numbers of nonpredatory fish. The living space (individual range) of predatory fish is about 40 times larger than that of their prey. The relatively low numbers of predators in water bodies may be accounted for by the lower number of predatory species and their higher mortality at early developmental stages, compared to nonpredatory species.     

湖泊水-沉积物界面DIC和DOC交换通量及耦合关系

以乌梁素海和岱海为研究对象,采用柱状芯样模拟法,开展了2个湖泊水-沉积物界DIC和DOC交换通量及耦合关系研究.结果表明,在夏季90 d的时间内,乌梁素海明水区沉积物表现为上覆水中DIC和DOC的碳源,DIC和DOC的平均释放速率分别为71.07 mmol·(m2·d)-1和185.09 mmol·(m2·d)-1;岱海浅、深水区沉积物整体上表现为上覆水中DIC和DOC的碳汇,浅水区DIC和DOC的平均释放速率分别为155.75 mmol·(m2·d)-1和-1 478.08 mmol·(m2·d)-1,深水区DIC和DOC的平均释放速率分别为-486.53 mmol·(m2·d)-1和-1 274.02 mmol·(m2·d)-1;岱海浅水区和乌梁素海水-沉积物界面DIC与DOC耦合作用(含量、释放速率、总量变化量的同步变化)主要受微生物摄取、微生物或非生物降解及水生植物的影响;岱海深水区水-沉积物界面DIC与DOC耦合作用则主要与Ca CO3共沉淀作用及沉积物中无机碳形态分布特征等有关.总体上,不同类型湖泊或同一湖泊不同湖区的DIC或DOC源/汇功能差异是湖泊类型、离岸距离、湖泊水文地球化学及无机碳形态分布等多种因素综合作用的结果.     

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide against TCDD-induced hepatic injury and RT-PCR quantification of AHR2, ARNT2, CYP1A mRNA in Jian Carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian)

To evaluate the protective effects of Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GPS) against 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced hepatotoxicity in Jian carp, the fish were fed diets containing GPS at doses of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg for 60 days before an intraperitoneal injection of 0.6 μg/kg TCDD at a volume of 0.05 mL/10 g body weight. At 72 hr post-injection, blood and liver samples were taken for biochemical analysis and the fish liver samples were used for the preparation of pathological slices. The results showed that increases in alanine aminotransferase (GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) in serum induced by TCDD were significantly inhibited by pre-treatment with 1.0 g/kg GPS. Following the 1.0 g/kg GPS pre-treatment, total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in liver tissue increased significantly, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) was significantly inhibited, and the expression of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A), aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (AHR2) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 2 (ARNT2) mRNA (P < 0.05) was significantly enhanced. Histological observations on fish liver were obtained by preparing paraffin tissue sections via HE staining, and the results showed that histological changes were obviously reduced by 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg GPS. GPS significantly reduced liver tissue damage caused by TCDD. Overall, these results proved the hepatoprotective effect of GPS in protecting against fish liver injury induced by TCDD, and supported the use of GPS (1.0 g/kg) as a hepatoprotective and antioxidant agent in fish.     

基于线性溶解能关系预测污染物在被动采样材料与环境介质之间的分配系数

半透膜采样装置(SPMD)作为一种重要的被动采样器,被用于监测有机污染物的环境水平.SPMD的采样材料是置于低密度聚乙烯"口袋"中的三油酸甘油酯.根据有机污染物在被动采样材料与环境介质之间的平衡分配系数(包括被动采样材料/空气分配系数K(sA).和被动采样材料/水分配系数K(sw))值,可估算SPMD的采样速率,也可计...     

典型生态脆弱区水库周边大气降尘重金属风险评价及APCS-MLR模型溯源

为评估生态脆弱区大气中重金属的健康风险状况及污染来源,以锡林郭勒盟大河口水库周边为研究区,2021~2022年对布设的12个大气降尘监测点进行为期1a的采集工作,共收集到样品144份,测定Cr、Ni、Pb、Cu、Zn、Mn、As和Cd共8种重金属的含量,运用潜在生态指数（E_rⁱ）和健康风险评价模型评估大气中重金属对生态安全和人体健康的风险水平,利用富集因子分析法,主成分分析法及绝对主成分-多元线性回归（APCS-MLR）受体模型定性与定量地解析研究区大气重金属污染来源.结果表明：①研究区全年大气降尘重金属综合潜在生态风险均值属于强生态风险,各重金属元素中仅Cd元素处于极高风险程度,其余均为轻微风险.②健康风险评价结果表明,手口途径和皮肤接触途径摄入是引起非致癌风险和致癌风险的主要暴露途径,儿童在个别月份存在非致癌风险与可接受的致癌风险,其中As元素是非致癌风险与致癌风险的主要贡献来源.③通过富集因子分析、主成分分析和APCS-MLR受体模型计算表明：风沙扬尘源占比最大,为37.82%,煤炭燃烧与交通源对Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn的贡献率分别为：73.01%、40.22%、70.31%和32.82%;采矿活动对As贡献率为42.59%;工业源对Cd元素的贡献率为22.01%;人类其他活动源对Cd、As、Pb和Zn的贡献分别为：21.12%、34.40%、23.04%和32.15%.     

基于生态供受体理论的全国水土保持重要区识别

科学评估土壤保持功能是生态保护红线划定的基础.依据生态供受体理论,针对土壤保持服务对应的水土流失这一生态问题,从水土流失的供体（水土流失量）、受体（人口密度）、辐射传输（距离水体距离）三个方面构建模型,分析土壤保持功能的重要性.结果表明全国潜在侵蚀量577.34×10¹⁰t/a,潜在土壤侵蚀随着坡度和降水量的增加而增加.土壤保持功能极重要区面积98.98×10⁴km²,主要分布在西南地区的无量山和哀牢山,黄土高原东部,东南地区的浙闽丘陵,东部地区的鲁中山区、鲁东半岛,以及辽东半岛.西南地区山高、谷深、坡陡、流急、地形稳定性差等因素造成水土流失严重,维持该地区的水土保持功能极为重要;西北地区的黄土高原土质疏松且多暴雨导致水土流失比较严重,维持该地区土壤保持功能非常重要.对比常用的生态保护功能模型,供受体理论模型除考虑自然影响因素之外,突出了人类活动的因素,对评估生态保护功能与水土保持生态风险更客观.依据供受体理论构建的土壤保持模型适用于土壤保持功能和土壤潜在侵蚀风险的评估,可作为评估生态系统安全和划定生态保护红线的重要依据.     

Spatial distribution of health risks for residents located close to solvent-consuming industrial VOC emission sources

Emissions derived from the consumption of organic solvents have been proven to be the primary industrial source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In conjunction with epidemiologic studies, water-based paints (WBPs) and solvent-based paints (SBPs) were selected as representatives of newly developed solvents and traditional solvents, respectively, to simulate the effects of consuming solvents emitted during industrial production. And non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to residents near emission sources were studied in detail. The results showed that the spatial distribution of health risks varied with meteorological conditions and type of emission source, and the prevailing wind direction strongly affected the distribution range and shape of the influenced area. The areas of influence maximized on heavy-polluting days for both WBP and SBP emission sources with the total span reaching 804 m and 16 km, respectively; meanwhile, the areas of influence for carcinogenic risk resulting from WBP emission sources were 1.2 and 2.3 times greater than those measured on fine and rainy days, respectively, and 1.8 and 2.9 times greater for SBP emission sources. Compared with WBPs, the total spans of negatively influenced regions resulting from SBP emission sources were 10.4, 12.5 and 19.9 times greater on fine, rainy and heavy-polluting days, respectively. Therefore, carcinogenic risk was the dominant health threat for populations residing close to solvent-consuming industrial emission sources. The findings suggest that newly developed solvents are capable of significantly reducing consequent health threats, nevertheless, they could still pose occasional threats to nearby residents under specific meteorological conditions.