90Sr, 238U, 234U, 137Cs, 40K and 239/240Pu in Emmental type cheese produced in different regions of Western Europe

A method is presented for the determination of (90)Sr and uranium in Emmental type cheese collected in dairy plants from different European countries. Results display a significant correlation (r = 0.708 Student t-test = 6.02) between the (90)Sr content of the cheese and the altitude of grazing. The highest (90)Sr activity is 1.13 Bq kg(-1) of cheese and the lowest is 0.29 Bq kg(-1). Uranium activity is very low with a highest (238)U value of 27 mBq kg(-1). In addition, (234)U/(238)U ratio shows a large enrichment in (234)U for every location. Without any significant indication of the geographic origin of the cheese, this enrichment is believed to be due to the geological features of the pasture, soil and underground water. These results tend to prove that the contamination of milk by uranium originates principally from the water that the cows drink instead of the forage. This finding may have a great importance in models dealing with dairy food contamination by radionuclides following a nuclear accident. Also, the (90)Sr content and to a lesser extent the (234)U/(238)U ratio could be used to trace the authenticity of the origin of the cheese. (137)Cs activity is lower than the detection limit of 0.1 Bq kg(-1) in all the samples collected (n = 20). Based on natural (40)K activity in cheese (15-21 Bq kg(-1)), the decontamination factor for the alkaline cations from milk to cheese is about 20. Plutonium activity stays below the detection limit of 0.3 mBq kg(-1).     

广州流溪河河岸缓冲带生态治理的优良草种筛选试验

广州流溪河新筑的河堤完全裸露，河流两边的河岸缓冲带受到人类活动的破坏而成为裸露的砂石地或杂草丛生，二者都需要进行生态整治。为了对河流两岸进行生态改造，形成一种护坡效果好、景观效果佳的新流域景观，作者在一段河堤与两块不同性质的河岸缓冲带上进行了适宜草种的筛选试验。在河堤被测试的5个草种中，假俭草的综合表现最好，其次是百喜草，再次是钝叶草与森特钝叶草，野花生的表现最差。在砂石基质的河岸缓冲带样地I，丛生性的大雀稗、弯叶画眉草和香根草表现较好，而匍匐性的野花生、钝叶草和百喜草表现较差，这主要是后三者因根系浅，易遭洪水冲击。至于种植在土质的河岸缓冲带样地Ⅱ上的草种，由于土质状况好，淹水时间短，普遍表现良好。总的来看，弯叶画眉草、大雀稗在河岸缓冲带上的综合表现最好，但如果从耐淹角度来考虑，香根草也应是一个较理想的草种。     

Cross-sectional biomonitoring study of pesticide exposures in Queensland,Australia, using pooled urine samples

A range of pesticides are available in Australia for use in agricultural and domestic settings to control pests, including organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, herbicides, and insect repellents, such as N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). The aim of this study was to provide a cost-effective preliminary assessment of background exposure to a range of pesticides among a convenience sample of Australian residents. De-identified urine specimens stratified by age and sex were obtained from a community-based pathology laboratory and pooled (n = 24 pools of 100 specimens). Concentrations of urinary pesticide biomarkers were quantified using solid-phase extraction coupled with isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Geometric mean biomarker concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 36.8 ng/mL for organophosphate insecticides, <0.1 to 5.5 ng/mL for pyrethroid insecticides, and <0.1 to 8.51 ng/mL for all other biomarkers with the exception of the DEET metabolite 3-diethylcarbamoyl benzoic acid (4.23 to 850 ng/mL). We observed no association between age and concentration for most biomarkers measured but noted a “U-shaped” trend for five organophosphate metabolites, with the highest concentrations observed in the youngest and oldest age strata, perhaps related to age-specific differences in behavior or physiology. The fact that concentrations of specific and non-specific metabolites of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos were higher than reported in USA and Canada may relate to differences in registered applications among countries. Additional biomonitoring programs of the general population and focusing on vulnerable populations would improve the exposure assessment and the monitoring of temporal exposure trends as usage patterns of pesticide products in Australia change over time.