Linking empirical estimates of body burden of environmental chemicals and wellness using NHANES data

Biomonitoring of industrial chemicals in human tissues and fluids has shown that all people carry a “body burden” of synthetic chemicals. Although measurement of an environmental chemical in a person's tissues/fluids is an indication of exposure, it does not necessarily mean the exposure concentration is sufficient to cause an adverse effect. Since humans are exposed to multiple chemicals, there may be a combination effect (e.g., additive, synergistic) associated with low-level exposures to multiple classes of contaminants, which may impact a variety of organ systems. The objective of this research is to link measures of body burden of environmental chemicals and a “holistic” measure of wellness. The approach is demonstrated using biomonitoring data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Forty-two chemicals were selected for analysis based on their detection levels. Six biological pathway-specific indices were evaluated using groups of chemicals associated with each pathway. Five of the six pathways were negatively associated with wellness. Three non-zero interaction terms were detected which may provide empirical evidence of crosstalk across pathways. The approach identified five of the 42 chemicals from a variety of classes (metals, pesticides, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) as accounting for 71% of the weight linking body burden to wellness. Significant interactions were detected indicating the effect of smoking is exacerbated by body burden of environmental chemicals. Use of a holistic index on both sides of the exposure-health equation is a novel and promising empirical “systems biology” approach to risk evaluation of complex environmental exposures.     

大气粉尘中常见多环芳烃类化合物的提取及含量测定

采用便携式PM2.5采样器和玻璃纤维滤膜对大气粉尘进行采样,以加压液体萃取、超声波辅助提取和微波辅助提取3种方法对多环芳烃类化合物进行提取,以超高效液相色谱和质谱联用方法进行测定。共检测出16种多环芳烃类化合物,分别为:萘、苊、苊烯、芴、菲、蒽、荧蒽、芘、苯并[a]蒽、■、苯并[b]荧蒽、苯并[k]荧蒽、苯并[a]芘、二苯并[a,h]蒽、茚并[1,2,3-c,d]芘和苯并[g,h,i]苝。3种提取方法均可有效提取大气粉尘中的多环芳烃类化合物,加压液体萃取法的提取效率最高、超声波辅助提取法次之、微波辅助提取法最低。超高效液相色谱和质谱连用方法可有效地分析大气粉尘中的多环芳烃类化合物,线性方程的相关系数不低于0.998 3,测定值的相对标准偏差不超过0.80%,检出限不高于0.27 ng/g。     

Photoirradiation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diones by UVA light leading to lipid peroxidation

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous genotoxic environmental pollutants and potentially pose a health risk to humans. In most if not all cases, PAHs in the environment can be oxidized into their corresponding PAH-diones. This process is considered a detoxification pathway with regard to tumorigenicity. Nevertheless, photo-induced toxicological activity of PAH-diones has not been systematically investigated. In this study, we show that 27 potential environmental PAH-diones induced lipid peroxidation, in a dose (light) response manner, when irradiated with UVA at 7 and 21 J cm⁻². Photoirradiation in the presence of sodium azide, deuterated methanol, or superoxide dismutase revealed that lipid peroxidation is mediated by reactive oxygen species. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping studies supported this observation. These results suggest that UVA photoirradiation of PAH-diones generates reactive oxygen species and induces lipid peroxidation.     

Variation in indoor levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from burning various biomass types in the traditional grass-roofed households in Western Kenya

Biomass burning as fuel in the traditional grass-roofed rural households of Western Province of Kenya in open fire places, in poorly ventilated conditions, lead to accumulation of soot under the roofs. This study characterized and quantified the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in accumulated soot in these households and determined the variation in PAHs concentrations with fuel biomass type. Soot samples collected from the households were extracted, cleaned and analysed by gas chromatography. The PAHs were identified using retention times, verified by gas chromatographic mass spectral analysis and quantified from peak area responses using the internal standard method. The PAHs levels significantly varied (P ≤ 0.05) with biomass type in the order: dung ≥ indigenous trees ≥ exotic trees ≥ shrubs and crop residues. Use of dung and wood from indigenous trees as fuel should be discouraged since they are higher emitters (P ≤ 0.05) of carcinogenic PAHs.     

芳烃羟化酶与鲫鱼组织富集多环芳烃和代谢释放的关系

为了解芳烃羟化酶与多环芳烃在鱼体内代谢的相互关系,揭示多环芳烃在生物体中的分布、迁移和转化规律,采用放射性同位素示踪方法,研究了多环芳烃¹⁴C－2,6－二甲基萘在鲫鱼鳃、肝、肌肉、胆、脂肪、肾等7种组织中的富集和释放;对鲫鱼各组织富集的多环芳烃释放与芳烃羟化酶（AHH）的相关性进行了分析。结果表明,鲫鱼7种组织均能对多环芳烃富集,不同组织表现出不同的富集水平和释放水平;多环芳烃在鱼体中的释放速度与芳烃羟化酶活力水平及其酶促产物呈负相关。     

Microbial changes in rhizospheric soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons after bioremediation

Effects of bioremediation on microbial communities jn soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons are a scientific problem to be solved. Changes in dominate microbial species and the total amount of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi in rhizospheric soils after bioremediation were thus evaluated using field bioremediation experiments. The results showed that there were changed dominant microorganisms including ] ] bacterial strains which are mostly Gram positive bacteria and 6 fungal species which were identified. The total amount of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi increased after bioremediation of microbial agents combined with planting maize. On the contrary, fungi in rhizospheric soils were inhibited by adding microbial agents combined with planting soybean.     

ASE萃取-SPE净化-HPLC法测定土壤中多环芳烃

建立了加速溶剂萃取-固相萃取净化-高效液相色谱测定土壤中16种多环芳烃的方法,优化了试验条件.方法线性关系良好,16种多环芳烃的检出限在0.412 ng/g～3.974 ng/g之间,空白加标试验的相对标准偏差在1.2%～12.7%之间,基质加标回收率在60.4%～126%之间.实际样品的测定结果表明该方法分离效果好,能够满足土壤分析的要求.     

高锰酸钾凝胶缓释剂的制备及其缓释去除水中三氯乙烯

本研究开发一种结合原位化学氧化和二氧化硅溶胶-凝胶的可控氧化剂释放技术,制备出一种高锰酸钾(KMnO₄)凝胶缓释剂(SRPG).优化SPRG的制备条件和探究影响其在水中缓释效率的因素,并考察其对不同氯代烃的降解效果.结果表明：二氧化硅溶胶的质量分数、KMnO₄的含量及pH对SRPG凝胶化过程有显著的影响;提高缓释剂中KMnO₄的含量和降低二氧化硅溶胶质量分数,可有效提高SRPG中KMnO₄的释放速率,当KMnO₄质量分数为6.51‰,二氧化硅溶胶质量分数为40%,KMnO₄的释放符合拟一阶动力学,释放速率k_obs=0.83 h-1(R²=0.9750),且12 h后KMnO₄释放率为82.7%;SRPG可有效降解水中氯代烃污染物,其中对三氯乙烯(TCE)的去除效果最佳,反应24 h可去除水中98%的TCE.因此,SRPG在原位化学氧化修复土壤和地下水中氯代烃的实际工程中具有良好的应用前景.     

Enhanced carbon tetrachloride degradation by hydroxylamine in ferrous ion activated calcium peroxide in the presence of formic acid

• Complete CT degradation was achieved by employing HA to CP/Fe(II)/FA process. • Quantitative detection of Fe(II) regeneration and HO• production was investigated. • Benzoic acid outcompeted FA for the reaction with HO•. • CO₂•⁻ was the dominant reductive radical for CT removal. • Effects of solution matrix on CT removal were conducted. Hydroxyl radicals (HO•) show low reactivity with perchlorinated hydrocarbons, such as carbon tetrachloride (CT), in conventional Fenton reactions, therefore, the generation of reductive radicals has attracted increasing attention. This study investigated the enhancement of CT degradation by the synergistic effects of hydroxylamine (HA) and formic acid (FA) (initial [CT] = 0.13 mmol/L) in a Fe(II) activated calcium peroxide (CP) Fenton process. CT degradation increased from 56.6% to 99.9% with the addition of 0.78 mmol/L HA to the CP/Fe(II)/FA/CT process in a molar ratio of 12/6/12/1. The results also showed that the presence of HA enhanced the regeneration of Fe(II) from Fe(III), and the production of HO• increased one-fold when employing benzoic acid as the HO• probe. Additionally, FA slightly improves the production of HO•. A study of the mechanism confirmed that the carbon dioxide radical (CO₂•⁻), a strong reductant generated by the reaction between FA and HO•, was the dominant radical responsible for CT degradation. Almost complete CT dechlorination was achieved in the process. The presence of humic acid and chloride ion slightly decreased CT removal, while high doses of bicarbonate and high pH inhibited CT degradation. This study helps us to better understand the synergistic roles of FA and HA for HO• and CO₂•⁻ generation and the removal of perchlorinated hydrocarbons in modified Fenton systems.     

多环芳烃污染土壤的微生物修复技术

对生物修复技术中的微生物进行了分类,并阐述了微生物生物降解土壤中多环芳烃（PAHs）的基本原理。在此基础上,分析了国内外微生物生物修复技术的发展概况,采用图示法重点综述了原位处理技术和非原位处理技术的工艺流程,并列举了相应的工程应用实例。