Contaminated sediments and bioassay responses of three macroinvertebrates, the midge larva Chironomus riparius, the water louse Asellus aquaticus and the mayfly nymph Ephoron virgo

Bioassays are widely used to estimate ecological risks of contaminated sediments. We compared the results of three whole sediment bioassays, using the midge larva Chironomus riparius, the water louse Asellus aquaticus, and the mayfly nymph Ephoron virgo. We used sediments from sixteen locations in the Dutch Rhine-Meuse Delta that differed in level of contamination. Previously developed protocols for each bioassay were followed, which differed in sediment pretreatment, replication, and food availability. The Chironomus bioassay was conducted in situ, whereas the other two were conducted in the laboratory. The measured endpoints, survival and growth, were related to contaminant levels in the sediment and to food quantity in water and sediment.

Only the response of A. aquaticus in the bioassay was correlated with sediment contamination. Food availability in overlying water was much more important for C. riparius and E. virgo, thereby masking potential sediment contaminant effects. We conclude that growth of A. aquaticus was depressed by sediment contamination, whereas growth of E. virgo and C. riparius was stimulated by seston food quantity. We discuss that the trophic state of the ecosystem largely affects the ecological risks of contaminated sediments.     

城市污水石灰法深度处理工艺中有毒物质的变化规律

分别采用7-乙氧基异酚恶唑酮．脱乙基酶（EROD）活性测定法，重组人激素受体基因的酵母测试和Q67发光菌试验方法，对北京市某生活污水处理厂的进水、二沉出水以及经过石灰法深度处理后的出水中的类二恶英物质、类雌激素物质和急性毒性物质进行了分析。进水中的三类生物毒性效应物质中的急性毒性物质，可通过活性污泥法基本去除，而对类雌激素物质和类二恶英物质的去除率分别为76％和52％。经过石灰沉淀法的深度处理后，可使上述两类物质的总去除率达到95％和68％。出水中的雌激素当量水平与欧洲国家污水处理厂出水水平相当，而类二恶英物质的总浓度低于美国EPA饮用水中二恶英的最大允许浓度。展示了生物毒性测试方法在排水生态风险和工艺评价方面的应用潜力。     

利用EROD生物测试法快速筛选二噁类化合物

环境样品采集于湖北省鸭儿湖地区。每一样品分作两份,一份用于高分辨色质联用多离子检测法测定,另一份样品的提取液经多层色谱净化后再用7－乙氧基－异吩　唑酮－脱乙基酶（EROD）活力诱导法进行生物测试。PCDDs/PCDF＿s和PCB＿s总的TCDD毒性等价指数（TEQ＿s）最高,分别为1090ng/kg和996ng/kg。说明湖中二　　类化合物来源于附近化工厂有机氯生产排放的污水。同时,周围农田中发现的二　　类化合物数量少得多。这些化合物可能是来自于污水灌溉或大气尘降。在本研究中,EROD生物测试法具有良好的剂量效应关系,适合于对环境样品中的二　　类化合物进行快速定量筛选,而HRGC/HRMS－MID对生物测试所获得的数据作了进一步确认。     

粘虫颗粒体病毒及其增效因子对粘虫核型多角体病毒的增效作用

生物测定的结果表明,粘虫颗粒体病毒ＰｕＧＶ－Ｐｓ及其增效因子对粘虫核型多角体病毒ＰｓＮＰＶ均有明显的增效作用．粘虫颗粒体病毒不仅能提高粘虫感染ＰｓＮＰＶ的死亡率,而且ＮＰＶ、ＧＶ两种病毒混合感染使粘虫幼虫代谢发育受到抑制,表现为生长缓慢、体重减少等．增效因子的增效作用表现在能显著提高粘虫幼虫的死亡率,降低核型多角体病毒的半致死浓度ＬＣ５０,并缩短半致死时间ＬＴ５０．     

水中五氯酚钠对发光细菌毒性测定的影响因素

应用发光细菌检测法,考察了不同的影响因素对水体中典型的有机污染物五氯酚钠的生物毒性测定结果的影响.结果表明,五氯酚钠对发光细菌的EC₅₀值随着pH值和硬度的增加而增加;五氯酚钠的15 min EC₅₀和20 min EC₅₀基本相符;与水体中相同浓度的常规有机污染物相比,五氯酚钠表现出更强的毒性,实验中常规有机污染物的存在对五氯酚钠毒性测定的结果影响较小.原水毒性检测实验显示一定毒性(相对发光率降低14%),原水水质对测定结果影响程度与去离子水相似.     

Occupational exposures,delivered doses and exposure limits for chromium and nickel†

The interaction of HCH (50 mg/kg) and dietary protein levels on microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes system and liver lipids were studied in the rats for 90 days. The results indicated that rats fed a lower protein diet and HCH has a higher rate of mortality, lower rate of growth and an increased liver weight. A significant induction in the hepatic microsomal aminopyrine‐N‐demethylase, p‐nitroanisole‐O‐dealkylase, benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase and glutathione‐S‐transferase activity was observed in pesticide treated animals as compared to control animals. The pathological changes observed in liver of HCH treated animals consisted mainly of necrosis and fatty degeneration of hepatocytes. HCH also induced the significant accumulation of cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipid and total lipid in liver in low protein diet animals. Protein accelerates the metabolism of HCH, resulting in a decrease of HCH concentration with the increase of dietary protein level. A close correlation existed between lipid accumulation, induction of drug metabolizing enzyme system and deposition of HCH in liver.     

无瓣海桑和互花米草群落土壤化感作用比较

为揭示不同植物群落土壤在无瓣海桑(Sonneratia apetala)控制互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)中的作用,利用化感生物测定的方法,选用黑麦草(Lolium perenne)为受体,对比分析红树林无瓣海桑群落、互花米草群落以及无瓣海桑+互花米草群落土壤水提液的化感作用大小。结果表明3,种植物群落土壤水提液对黑麦草具有化感作用,无瓣海桑群落土壤和无瓣海桑+互花米草群落土壤水提液对黑麦草根长和苗高的影响表现出低促高抑的现象;ρ为0.25 g·mL-1的土壤水提液对黑麦草种子发芽和幼苗生长影响不大,1.0 g·mL-1土壤水提液对黑麦草根长和苗高产生显著影响,加入活性碳之后能减弱水提液的化感作用。ρ为0.25或0.5 g·mL-1条件下3,种土壤浸提液对黑麦草发芽率的影响无显著差异;ρ为1.0 g·mL-1的3种水提液都显著抑制黑麦草根长,而无瓣海桑群落土壤水提液表现出更强的化感作用,ρ为1.0 g·mL-1的土壤水提液显著抑制黑麦草苗高,无瓣海桑群落土壤对苗高的抑制作用显著强于互花米草群落土壤(P<0.01)。以黑麦草为受体,无瓣海桑群落土壤化感作用强于互花米草群落土壤,通过根系分...     

内分泌干扰类农药生物检测技术的研究进展

内分泌干扰类农药会严重影响人类和其他动物的健康,而生物检测技术是内分泌干扰类农药的快速、简便的检测方法.本文介绍了内分泌干扰类农药常用的生物检测方法与技术,主要包括活体试验、离体试验与非细胞试验,并比较了各种方法的优缺点,列举了各方法在国内外环境激素测评中的应用现状,为我国内分泌干扰类农药生物检测技术的开发与应用提供了...     

Modulation of steroidogenesis by coastal waters and sewage effluents of Hong Kong, China, using the H295R assay

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: The presence of a variety of pollutants in the aquatic environment that can potentially interfere with the production of sex steroid hormones in wildlife and humans has been of increasing concern. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of extracts from Hong Kong marine waters, and influents and effluents from wastewater treatment plants on steroidogenesis using the H295R cell bioassay. After exposing H295R cells to extracts of water, the expression of four steroidogenic genes and the production of three steroid hormones were measured. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Water samples were collected during the summer of 2005 from 24 coastal marine areas and from the influents and effluents of two major waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) in Hong Kong, China. Samples were extracted by solid phase extraction (SPE). H295R cells were exposed for 48 h to dilutions of these extracts. Modulations of the expression of the steroidogenic genes CYP19, CYP17, 3betaHSD2, and CYP11beta2 were determined by measuring mRNA concentrations by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR). Production of the hormones progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) was quantified using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). RESULTS: Extracts from samples collected in two fish culture areas inhibited growth and proliferation of H295R cells at concentrations greater or equal to 10(5) L equivalents. The cells were exposed to the equivalent concentration of active substances in 10,000 L of water. Thus, to observe the same level of effect as observed in vitro on aquatic organisms would require a bioaccumulation factor of this same magnitude. None of the other 22 marine samples affected growth of the cells at any dilution tested. Twelve of the marine water samples completely inhibited the expression of CYP19 without affecting E2 production; inhibition of CYP17 expression was observed only in one of the samples while expression of CYP11beta2 was induced as much as five- and ninefold after exposure of cells to extracts from two locations. The expression of the progesterone gene 3betaHSD2 was not affected by any of the samples; only one sample induced approximately fourfold the production of E2. Although more than twofold inductions were observed for P and T production, none of these values were statistically significant to conclude effects on the production of these two hormones. While influents from WWTPs did not affect gene expression, an approximately 30% inhibition in the production of E2 and a 40% increase in P occurred for the exposure with influents from the Sha Tin and Stonecutters WWTPs, respectively. Effluents from WWTPs did not affect the production of any of the studied hormones, but a decrement in the expression of the aldosterone gene CYP11beta2 was observed for the Sha Tin WWTP exposure. No direct correlation could be established between gene expression and hormone production. DISCUSSION: Observed cytotoxicity in the two samples from fish culture areas suggest the presence of toxic compounds; chemical analysis is required for their full identification. Although effluents from WWTPs did not affect hormone production, other types of endocrine activity such as receptor-mediated effects cannot be ruled out. Interactions due to the complexity of the samples and alternative steroidogenic pathways might explain the lack of correlation between gene expression and hormone production results. CONCLUSIONS: Changes observed in gene expression and hormone production suggest the presence in Hong Kong coastal waters of pollutants with endocrine disruption potential and others of significant toxic effects. The aromatase and aldosterone genes seem to be the most affected by the exposures, while E2 and P are the hormones with more significant changes observed. Results also suggest effectiveness in the removing of compounds with endocrine activity by the WWTPs studied, as effluent samples did not significantly affect hormone production. The H295R cell showed to be a valuable toll in the battery required for the analysis of endocrine disrupting activities of complex environmental samples. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: Due to the intrinsic complexity of environmental samples, a combination of analytical tools is required to realistically assess environmental conditions, especially in aquatic systems. In the evaluation of endocrine disrupting activities, the H295R cell bioassay should be used in combination with other genomic, biological, chemical, and hydrological tests to establish viable modes for endocrine disruption and identify compounds responsible for the observed effects.     

Influence of form and quantity of chromium on the development and survival of two silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) races

IntroductionThediversityamonginsectlifehistoriesmakesitdifficulttocomparetheeffectofachemical(orfactor)onthedevelopmentoftheseorganisms.Thediversityofbioassaysrangesfromthepopulationleveltothemolecularlevelandfrominvivotoinvitrostudies(Zhang ,1 993 ) .Differentparametershavebeenusedtostudyinsectgrowthinhibitionofmanychemicals.Forexample ,LD50 (thedosewhichcauses50 %mortalityinapopulation)iscommonlyusedtodeterminetheactivityofchemicalsthathaveacutetoxicity .Itcannotbeusedtothosechemicalsthatd…