Parental phenols exposure and spontaneous abortion in Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Widespread use of phenols has led to ubiquitous exposure to phenols. In experimental animals, phenols increased resorptions, reduced live litter size and fetal body weights. However, there are limited epidemiological evidences of the relationships between exposure to phenols and pregnancy outcomes. We evaluated the associations between parental urinary levels of various phenols and spontaneous abortion in a Chinese population residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A case-control study was conducted that included 70 case couples with medically unexplained spontaneous abortion and 180 control couples who did not have a history of spontaneous abortion and had at least one living child. Both parental urinary phenols were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry including bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (2,3,4-TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 4-n-octylphenol (4-n-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP). Compared with the low exposure group, there was an increased risk of spontaneous abortion with high paternal urinary PCP concentration [odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.05–4.14], and maternal exposure to 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) also significantly increased the risk of spontaneous abortion (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.02–4.80; OR = 2.81, 95% CI, 1.39–5.65, respectively). Our study firstly provides the evidence that paternal PCP exposure, maternal 4-n-OP and alkylphenol(s) exposure are associated with spontaneous abortion in humans.     

Evaluation of phenanthrene toxicity on earthworm (Eisenia fetida): An ecotoxicoproteomics approach

The goal of this study was to identify promising new biomarkers of phenanthrene by identifying differentially expressed proteins in Eisenia fetida after exposure to phenanthrene. Extracts of earthworm epithelium collected at days 2, 7, 14, and 28 after phenanthrene exposure were analyzed by two dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and quantitative image analysis. Comparing the intensity of protein spots, 36 upregulated proteins and 45 downregulated proteins were found. Some of the downregulated and upregulated proteins were verified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and database searching. Downregulated proteins in response to phenanthrene exposure were involved in glycolysis, energy metabolism, chaperones, proteolysis, protein folding and electron transport. In contrast, oxidation reduction, oxygen transport, defense systems response to pollutant, protein biosynthesis and fatty acid biosynthesis were upregulated in phenanthrene-treated E. fetida. In addition, ATP synthase b subunit, lysenin-related protein 2, lombricine kinase, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, actinbinding protein, and extracellular globin-4 seem to be potential biomarkers since these biomarker were able to low levels (2.5 mg kg⁻¹) of phenanthrene. Our study provides a functional profile of the phenanthrene-responsive proteins in earthworms. The variable levels and trends in these spots could play a potential role as novel biomarkers for monitoring the levels of phenanthrene contamination in soil ecosystems.     

Factors influencing on the bioaccessibility of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in size-specific dust from air conditioner filters

Size-specific concentrations and bioaccessibility of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in dust from air conditioner filters were measured, and the factors influencing the PBDE bioaccessibility were determined. Generally, the PBDE concentrations increased with decreasing dust particle size, and BDE209 (deca-BDE) was generally the predominant congener. The bioaccessibility ranged from 20.3% to 50.8% for tri- to hepta-BDEs, and from 5.1% to 13.9% for BDE209 in dust fractions of varied particle size. The bioaccessibility of most PBDE congeners decreased with increasing dust particle size. The way of being of PBDE (adsorbed to dust surface or incorporated into polymers) in dust significantly influenced the bioaccessibility. There was a significant negative correlation between the tri- to hepta-BDE bioaccessibility and organic matter (OM) contents in dust. Furthermore, tri- to hepta-BDE bioaccessibility increased with increasing polarity of OMs, while with decreasing aromaticity of OMs. The tri- to hepta-BDE bioaccessibility significantly positively correlated with the surface areas and pore volumes of dust. Using multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that the OM contents and pore volumes of dust were the most important factors to influence the tri- to hepta-BDE bioaccessibility and they could be used to estimate the bioaccessibility of tri- to hepta-BDEs according to the following equation: bioaccessibility (%) = 45.05 − 0.49 × OM% + 1.79 × pore volume. However, BDE209 bioaccessibility did not correlate to any of these factors.     

Development and application of LC–APCI–MS method for biomonitoring of animal and human exposure to imidacloprid

Imidacloprid (IMI) is a relatively new neuro-active neonicotinoid insecticide and nowadays one of the largest selling insecticides worldwide. In the present study a LC–APCI–MS based method was developed and validated for the quantification of imidacloprid and its main metabolite 6-chloronicotinic acid (6-CINA) in urine and hair specimens. The method was tested in biomonitoring of intentionally exposed animals and subsequently applied for biomonitoring of Cretan urban and rural population.     

Determination of Steroid Estrogens in Wastewater Treatment Plant of A Controceptives Producing Factory

Steroid estrogens such as estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) have been suspected to be the main contaminants, which can affect the endocrine system of animals. Many authors have investigated these chemicals in the domestic wastewater treatment plants (WTP). However, wastewater from industries producing steroid contraceptives has not got ample attention. From the environmental point of view, the four steroids are very significant because even very low concentrations (ng/L) can cause reproductive disturbances in human, livestock and wildlife. The main purpose of the present investigation was to develop an analytical method for the determination of the four steroid estrogens present in WTP of a pharmacy factory, mainly producing contraceptive medicine in Beijing, China. Analysis was performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) system and liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The average recoveries from effluent samples ranged from 88% to 103% and the precision of the method ranged from 9% to 4%. Based on 0.5-L wastewater samples, the limit of quantification (LOQ) was determined at 0.7 ng/L for E1, 0.8 for E2, 0.9 ng/L for E3, and 0.5 ng/L for EE2 in influent, and 1.0 ng/L for E2 and EE2, and 2.0 ng/L for E1 and E3 in effluent. In the influent samples, average concentrations of 80, 85, 73 and 155 ng/L were determined for E1, E2, E3 and EE2, respectively, showing that they were removed in this WTP to the extent of 79, 73, 85 and 67%, respectively.     

空气中多氯联苯的定量研究

使用大流量采样器,分别以石英纤维滤膜(QFF)和聚氨基甲酸乙酯泡沫(PUF)对空气中颗粒相和气相PCBs进行采集。以GC/MS为检测手段,采用选择性离子检测技术(SIM)对PCBs进行定性,内标法结合响应因子法进行PCBs的定量。PCBs的仪器检测限为4.40~93.60pg,回收率为68.57%~121.28%。气相和颗粒相PCBs的方法检测限分别为2.36~381.75fg/m3和2.78~348.81fg/m3。吸附和穿透试验结果表明,在采样流速为0.23m3/min、采样时间为24h的条件下,吸附和穿透情况对空气中PCBs的定量不会产生显著影响。     

固相萃取-气质联机测定水中嗅味物质2-甲基异茨醇和土霉素

分别利用固相萃取剂XAD-2树脂和C18SEP柱富集,二氯甲烷洗脱,固相萃取装置浓缩,通过气质联机(GC/MS)测定了水中土霉化合物MIB和Geosmin。该方法重现性好,相对标准偏差5.4%~7.0%,回收率80%~92%,MIB和Geosmin检出限分别为5ng/L和2ng/L。两种固相萃取剂对MIB和Geosmin吸附效率相当,吸附效率不受嗅味物质浓度影响,但当水溶液中其它有机质增多时,C18SPE的回收率明显下降。利用该方法对不同培养时间的放线菌代谢产物进行了测定,培养25天后代谢产物MIB和Geosmin的浓度达到200ng/L和130ng/L。     

Pyrolysis of waste animal fats in a fixed-bed reactor: Production and characterization of bio-oil and bio-char

Several animal (lamb, poultry and swine) fatty wastes were pyrolyzed under nitrogen, in a laboratory scale fixed-bed reactor and the main products (liquid bio-oil, solid bio-char and syngas) were obtained. The purpose of this study is to produce and characterize bio-oil and bio-char obtained from pyrolysis of animal fatty wastes. The maximum production of bio-oil was achieved at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C and a heating rate of 5 °C/min. The chemical (GC–MS analyses) and spectroscopic analyses (FTIR analyses) of bio-oil showed that it is a complex mixture consisting of different classes of organic compounds, i.e., hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cyclic compounds…etc.), carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters,…etc. According to fuel properties, produced bio-oils showed good properties, suitable for its use as an engine fuel or as a potential source for synthetic fuels and chemical feedstock. Obtained bio-chars had low carbon content and high ash content which make them unattractive for as renewable source energy.     

气相色谱法测定废水和废气中N′,N-二甲基甲酰胺

以气相色谱石英毛细管柱分离、ＦＩＤ检测,测定废水和废气中Ｎ′,Ｎ－二甲基甲酰胺（ＤＭＦ）。在１０ｍｇ／Ｌ～１８８１０ｍｇ／Ｌ范围内有良好的线性关系。检测限：废水为０５ｍｇ／Ｌ;废气为０８ｍｇ／ｍ３。样品测定的相对标准差为４％～８％,回收率在７６％～１１２％之间,精密度和准确度均较好     

吹扫捕集与气相色谱-质谱联用测定饮用水和地表水中挥发性有机污染物

报道了Trap I(VOCARB 4000)柱捕集水中挥发性有机污染物的性能和条件,建立了吹扫捕集和气相色谱-质谱联用测定饮用水和地表水样中25种挥发性有机污染物的分析方法.水样的加标回收率在90%～110%之间,最低检测限在0.04～0.85μg/L之间,20μg/L的挥发性有机物标准溶液经重复6次测定,其相对标准偏差基本小于5.0%.该方法已成功地运用于饮用水和地表水中挥发性有机污染物的测定,结果令人满意.