Lichen microalgae are sensitive to environmental concentrations of atrazine

The identification of new organisms for environmental toxicology bioassays is currently a priority, since these tools are strongly limited by the ecological relevance of taxa used to study global change. Lichens are sensitive bioindicators of air quality and their microalgae are an untapped source for new low-cost miniaturized bioassays with ecological importance. In order to increase the availability of a wider range of taxa for bioassays, the sensitivity of two symbiotic lichen microalgae, Asterochloris erici and Trebouxia sp. TR9, to atrazine was evaluated. To achieve this goal, axenic cultures of these phycobionts in suspension were exposed to a range of environmental concentrations of the herbicide atrazine, a common water pollutant. Optical density and chlorophyll autofluorescence were used as endpoints of ecotoxicity and ecophysiology on cell suspensions. Results show that lichen microalgae show high sensitivity to very low doses of atrazine, being higher in Asterochloris erici than in Trebouxia sp. TR9. We conclude that environmental concentrations of atrazine could modify population dynamics probably through a shift in reproduction strategies of these organisms. This seminal work is a breakthrough in the use of lichen microalgae in the assessment of micropollution effects on biodiversity.     

Malathion dermal permeability in relation to dermal load: Assessment by physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling of in vivo human data

Estimates of dermal permeability (K_p), obtained by fitting an updated human PBPK model for malathion to previously reported data on excreted urinary metabolites after 29 volunteers were dermally exposed to measured values of [¹⁴C]malathion dermal load (L), were used to examine the empirical relationship between K_p and L. The PBPK model was adapted from previously reported human biokinetic and PBPK models for malathion, fit to previously reported urinary excretion data after oral [¹⁴C]malathion intake by volunteers, and then augmented to incorporate a standard K_p approach to modeling dermal-uptake kinetics. Good to excellent PBPK-model fits were obtained to all of 29 sets of cumulative urinary metabolite-excretion data (ave. [±1 SD] R² = 0.953 [±0.064]). Contrary to the assumption that K_p and L are independent typically applied for dermally administered liquids or solutions, the 29 PBPK-based estimates of K_p obtained for malathion exhibit a strong positive association with the 2/3rds power of L (log-log Pearson correlation = 0.925, p = ～0). Possible explanations of this observation involving physico-chemical characteristics and/or in vivo cutaneous effects of malathion are discussed. The PBPK model presented, and our observation that K_p estimates obtained by fitting this model to human experimental urinary-excretion data correlate well with L^2/3, allow more realistic assessments of absorbed and metabolized dose during or after a variety of scenarios involving actual or potential dermal or multi-route malathion exposures, including for pesticide workers or farmers who apply malathion to crops.     

Assessment of age-dependent radiation dose and toxicity risk due to intake of uranium through the ingestion of groundwater from Northern Rajasthan,India

Uranium traces were measured by laser fluorimeter in groundwater samples collected from four districts of Rajasthan state in India. The average values of uranium concentration in groundwater in Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu, and Sikar districts were determined to be: 57, 50, 40, and 21 µg L^?1, respectively. These recorded values were compared with the maximum contamination levels recommended for drinking water by various health and environmental protection agencies. The associated age-dependent radiation dose is estimated by taking the prescribed water intake values of different age groups. The average cancer mortality and morbidity risks are calculated to be 5.6 × 10^?5 and 8.8 × 10^?5 respectively, indicate that the probability of carcinogenic risks is negligible. About half (49%) of the analyzed samples showed hazard quotient > 1.0, indicating significant risk due to chemical toxicity of uranium.     

新常态下环境监测的机遇和挑战

阐述了当前环境监测的现状,指出了新常态下环境监测的机遇和挑战,提出了环境监测要抓住机遇,面对挑战,充分发挥职能,保证环境监测数据真实,完善环境监测体系,深度运用环境监测数据,实行信息公开。     

大气自然降尘与单株人体正常菌的体外相互作用研究

对5种大气自然降尘主要化学成分进行分析,并对其与表皮葡萄球菌相互作用后各培养液中pH值、葡萄糖(GLU)、电解质以及Mn2 、Zn2 、Fe3 、Ni3 等浓度的变化进行测定,以比较粉尘的化学成分及物理性状对试验目标菌生长的影响.同时通过SEM分析对粉尘与细菌作用过程中细菌形态和界面作用的情况进行了研究.结果表明,各种大气尘粒所含化学成分不同,与细菌作用后离子溶出量也不完全相同;Ca2 或Mg2 含量高的大气尘粒能使表皮葡萄球菌数量增大并增加其对GLU的利用;粉尘颗粒越小,越易与菌体结合;另外,粉尘颗粒形状的不规则性也大大增加了其与菌体间的膜界结合程度.     

采用微电极测定溶解氧有效扩散系数的研究

生物载体内部溶解氧的传质是影响载体同步硝化反硝化性能的重要因素.介绍了一种以溶解氧微电极为测试工具,获得球形生物载体内部溶解氧扩散系数的方法.采用自制的溶解氧微电极检测沿载体半径方向上的溶解氧分布,结合扩散-反应方程拟合获得载体内部的溶解氧有效扩散系数.结果表明,在载体填充率为25%的情况下,连续流球形载体反应器可实现同步硝化反硝化,对有机物的去除负荷达到5.6 kg/(m³·d).沿载体半径方向里层1/2区域范围内溶解氧消耗为零,载体内能够形成明显的缺氧/厌氧区.溶解氧分布曲线的拟合结果表明,载体内部溶解氧有效扩散系数为0.017?2　m²/d,传质过程以紊动传质为主.     

Beta-normal distribution in dose–response modeling and risk assessment for quantitative responses

To establish allowable daily intakes for humans from animal bioassay experiments, benchmark doses corresponding to low levels of risk have been proposed to replace the no-observed-adverse-effect level for non-cancer endpoints. When the experimental outcomes are quantal, each animal can be classified with or without the disease. The proportion of affected animals is observed as a function of dose and calculation of the benchmark dose is relatively simple. For quantitative responses, on the other hand, one method is to convert the continuous data to quantal data and proceed with benchmark dose estimation. Another method which has found more popularity (Crump, Risk Anal 15:79–89; 1995) is to fit an appropriate dose–response model to the continuous data, and directly estimate the risk and benchmark doses. The normal distribution has often been used in the past as a dose–response model. However, for non-symmetric data, the normal distribution can lead to erroneous results. Here, we propose the use of the class of beta-normal distribution and demonstrate its application in risk assessment for quantitative responses. The most important feature of this class of distributions is its generality, encompassing a wide range of distributional shapes including the normal distribution as a special case. The properties of the model are briefly discussed and risk estimates are derived based on the asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimates. An example is used for illustration.

重点环保城市二氧化硫扩散特性的研究

根据高、中、低架源排放污染物与地面环境质量的关系和《全国污染物排放申报登记》数据分析得出的每年各环保重点城市由高、中、低烟囱排放的二氧化硫,以及由1996年度《全国环境质量报告书》中给出的二氧化硫年均浓度,得出每个城市的年平均扩散系数。依据各城市的年平均扩散系数计算结果,将各城市划为不利于污染物扩散、较不利于污染物扩散、较利于污染物扩散和利于污染物扩散的4种类型,本方法在制订二氧化硫排放总量控制方案时,具有指导意义。      

Long-Term Monitoring of Scots Pine Litter Decomposition Rates Throughout Sweden Indicates Formation of a More Recalcitrant Litter in the South

Decomposition studies were carried out at sites throughout Sweden, including the four Integrated Monitoring sites. Scots pine needle litterbag weight loss measurements over 3 or 5 years were determined at 26 sites and repeated up to 27 times, depending on the site. Humus layer respiration rates were determined for 20 sites in 1987–1989 and repeated in 2007–2008. Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression was used to elucidate the relative importance of climatic and soil factors. Annual needle weight losses decreased only slowly (20–10%) over 3–5 years for all northern (>60°N) sites but decreased sharply from 30 to 10% in the third year in southern (<60°N) sites. Respiration rates of southern sites were less (40% on average) than those of northern sites. Humus layer N was positively correlated to needle weight loss during the first and the second years, but negatively correlated in the third year and to respiration rates. The results indicated that litter formed in southern Sweden became more recalcitrant in later stages of decomposition compared to litter produced in northern Sweden.     

Indoor radon levels in Greek schools

Radon and gamma dose rate measurements were performed in 512 schools in 8 of the 13 regions of Greece. The distribution of radon concentration was well described by a lognormal distribution. Most (86%) of the radon concentrations were between 60 and 250 Bq m⁻³ with a most probable value of 135 Bq m⁻³. The arithmetic and geometric means of the radon concentration are 149 Bq m⁻³ and 126 Bq m⁻³ respectively. The maximum measured radon gas concentration was 958 Bq m⁻³. As expected, no correlation between radon gas concentration and indoor gamma dose rate was observed. However, if only mean values for each region are considered, a linear correlation between radon gas concentration and gamma dose rate is apparent. Despite the fact that the results of radon concentration in schools cannot be applied directly for the estimation of radon concentration in homes, the results of the present survey indicate that it is desirable to perform an extended survey of indoor radon in homes for at least one region in Northern Greece.