Effect of oxide nanoparticles on the morphology and fluidity of phospholipid membranes and the role of hydrogen bonds

Engineered oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are widely applied in insulators, catalyzers, paints, cosmetic products, textiles and semiconductors. Their attachment on cell membrane may lead to cytotoxicity. The effects of Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂ and ZnO NPs on membrane integrity and fluidity were studied using giant or small unilamellar vesicles in this study. Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ NPs disrupted the oppositely charged membrane, indicating the important role of electrostatic attraction. However, Fe₂O₃, TiO₂ and ZnO NPs did not cause serious membrane disruption as Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ NPs. Membrane fluidity was evaluated by the generalized polarity (GP) values of Laurdan fluorescent emission. SiO₂ NPs induce the membrane gelation of both positively and negatively charged membrane. Al₂O₃ and ZnO NPs induced the gelation of the oppositely charged membrane, but did not cause obvious membrane gelation to the like charged membrane. The phospholipid molecular structural changes after NP exposure were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. FT-IR spectra revealed the hydrogen bond formation between NPs and the carbonyl/phosphate groups of phospholipids. Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ NPs showed strongest evidence of hydrogen bonding on their FT-IR spectra. It was consistent with the microscopic observation and fluorescent data that Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ NPs caused more serious membrane disruption and gelation. This study on membrane damage provides further knowledge on the cytotoxicity of nanomaterials and the safety of NP application.     

农药混配制剂环境风险评估现状与展望

本文综述了欧洲和美国农药混配制剂的环境风险评估方法。详细介绍了欧洲食品安全局(EFSA)评估体系中的2种方法,即,基础的"整体测试法"和近年来提倡的"基于组分的方法"。"基于组分的方法"的特点是以浓度加和模型(CA模型)作为默认假设进行初级评估,以独立作用模型(IA模型)等作为高级评估手段的农药混配制剂环境风险评估方法。此外,本文还介绍了模型偏差率(MDR)、毒性相似度及毒力单元(TU)等概念以及混配制剂风险评估流程。本文的目的旨在为建立我国农药混配制剂的环境风险评估方法体系提供参考。     

预测沉积物-水微宇宙系统中化学品浓度变化的多介质模型

沉积物-水微宇宙系统是经济合作发展组织(Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development,OECD)颁布的化学品测试准则中推荐的试验系统之一,可用来测试化学品对底栖生物的慢性毒性。为了在试验前对化学品的浓度变化进行预测,进而确定试验方法,以摇蚊慢性毒性试验系统为例,采用环境多介质模型的建模方法,构建了一种可通过化学品理化性质和试验系统参数,对化学品在沉积物-水试验系统中浓度变化进行预测的模型。结合试验数据和文献资料,给出了模型中试验系统参数的推荐取值,并使用Matlab软件中的Simulink工具对模型进行编程和求解。以此模型为基础,给出了模型在3个方面的应用,即预测蓄积时间、预测平衡时间以及拟合试验数据。对80种已有或假想化学品的蓄积时间和平衡时间进行了计算,得出的范围分别为1~204 d和1~73 d。此外,适当修改模型结构和模型参数,也可将其应用于其他暴露场景中。但使用模型对化学品浓度进行预测时发现,模型仅对沉积物中化学品浓度的预测结果较为准确,而对水中化学品浓度的预测结果与实测值相差1~2个数量级。模型对浓度的预测精度未来仍需进一步提高。上述研究结果完善了沉积物-水微宇宙系统试验方法。     

我国北方农村生活燃煤情况调查、排放估算及政策启示

北方重灰霾频发时段与集中燃煤在冬季高度重合,引发了对农村散煤严重污染的担忧,但缺乏有力的统计数据支持. 2014年9月,在河北保定开展了当地农村生活能源使用情况入村调查,共获得5个村庄中543户家庭的能源使用数据. 结果表明:①保定农村地区散煤、电、液化气的使用覆盖率均很高,分别达到97%、100%和94%,反映了当前农村居民的能源消费更倾向于商业购置;而木柴和秸杆的使用覆盖率则较低,分别为13%和11%,表明传统的依赖于木柴和秸杆的能源方式已发生了根本改变. ②目前煤炭在农村能源结构中仍居主导地位,占近80%(其中散煤占76%,蜂窝煤占2%),其次为电力(10%)、液化气(5%),秸杆和木柴的比例(小于5%)均较低. ③调查估算,保定农村地区在2013年冬季采暖季(2013年11月─2014年3月)散煤用量超过500×104 t,高于《中国能源统计年鉴(2013)》中河北全省2012年农村散煤的用量(467×104 t),表明现有能源统计体系有待进一步完善. ④保定农村地区散煤的烟粉尘(即PM)和SO₂排放量分别为5.4×104和11.2×104 t,均超过了《中国环境统计年报(2013)》中保定的工业废气和城镇生活领域相应的排放量(甚至超过2个领域排放量之和),表明农村散煤燃烧的排放问题确应引起特别关注.由于农村散煤燃烧排放高度较低,其单位排放对空气污染的贡献要远高于高架源排放,因此,建议国家和地方将农村能源结构调整置于当前能源结构调整计划的最优先领域,采取综合措施,消除农村散煤使用的污染排放,这可能是应对当前冬季灰霾问题的关键举措之一.      

城市污水处理厂微生物气溶胶污染和粒径分布特征

城市污水处理厂微生物气溶胶的污染与控制逐渐成为人们关注的热点问题。为明确城市污水处理厂微生物气溶胶浓度和粒径分布特征,选择鄂尔多斯市某城市污水处理厂的格栅间、配水池、氧化沟、二沉池、污泥脱水间和厂区门口6个功能区为对象,对各功能区产生的异养细菌、真菌和放线菌气溶胶浓度分布、污染特性和微生物粒子粒径分布特性进行研究。结果表明,该污水处理厂不同功能区内异养细菌、真菌和放线菌的浓度分布存在显著性差异,其中二沉池和污泥脱水间产生的异养细菌和放线菌浓度均较高,真菌浓度较高的区域为厂门口和二沉池;根据相关微生物气溶胶污染评价标准,污泥脱水间逸散的异养细菌浓度均达到污染级,二沉池、氧化沟和厂门口逸散的异养细菌浓度达轻微污染级,格栅间和配水池未受污染,而真菌浓度在各个功能区均未受到污染;各功能区产生的异养细菌、真菌和放线菌粒子粒径分布无明显差异,异养细菌、真菌和放线菌粒子粒径分别集中在第1、4级,第3、4级和第1、2、3级,大体上均呈正态分布;各功能区均逸散出一定比例的可以直接吸入人体呼吸道的微生物粒子,可能对人体健康具有一定的潜在风险。研究结果可为城市污水处理厂运行过程中微生物气溶胶的污染控制提供科学依据。     

Effects of ambient air pollution on glycosylated hemoglobin: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental health problems in the world; accumulative studies have shown that air pollution was closely related...     

利用3 nm~20 μm颗粒物粒径分布测量仪对南宁市大气颗粒物粒径分布特征进行研究

利用颗粒物粒径分布测量仪(particle size distribution system,PSD)对南宁市2016年11月15日—12月4日大气颗粒物进行实时监测,分析颗粒物数浓度、粒径分布特征及其与颗粒物质量浓度的关系.结果表明,南宁市3 nm~20μm颗粒物平均数浓度为3269个·cm-3,粒径呈双峰分布,主峰值出现在28 nm左右,次峰值出现在100 nm左右.颗粒物数浓度随时间变化呈现一定规律,即早上8:00—10:00和晚上18:00—20:00左右出现浓度高值,这与早晚高峰有关.新粒子一般在16:00~18:00左右开始生成,18:00—20:00左右逐渐长大,并在夜间至凌晨保持较高的浓度.南宁市监测期间新粒子生成与机动车尾气排放有关.颗粒物质量浓度越大对应的数浓度也相应较高,较大粒径颗粒物对质量浓度贡献较大.降雨和风速加大过程对颗粒物数浓度下降有影响;温度和湿度对颗粒物数浓度影响不明显.     

pH过程控制对铁炭微电解-Fenton影响中试研究

采用铁炭微电解-Fenton联合工艺处理制药废水生化出水,探讨了初始pH对微电解过程COD降解速率、出水中Fe2+和Fe3+变化规律以及后续Fenton氧化效果的影响,为优化联合工艺提出了微电解反应pH过程控制的理论。采用pH过程控制时,微电解对COD降解速率大大提高,降解过程基本符合零级反应动力学,同时可大大提高Fe2+和Fe3+浓度及总铁析出量。试验结果表明:当初始pH=2.5,以3.0L/h连续性投加稀硫酸100 min,曝气微电解反应2 h,出水再投加1.0mL/L的H2O2进行Fenton氧化2 h,出水COD总去除率可达85.6%;采用pH过程控制可将微电解出水ρ(Fe2+)浓度从48.6 mg/L提高至149 mg/L,COD降解速率从10.9 mg/(L·h)提高至23.8 mg/(L·h)。     

Highly time-resolved aerosol characteristics during springtime in Weizhou Island

A single particle aerosol mass spectrometer was deployed to measure the changes of single particle species and sizes during March 2015 in Weizhou Island of the Beibu Gulf, Guangxi province, South China. In this campaign, a total of 3,100,597 particles were sized, and 25.8%particles with both positive and negative mass spectrum were collected and 24.8%characterized in combination with the ART-2 a neural network algorithm. The distribution of sized particles was mainly in from 520 to 600 nm, and the diameters ranging from 340 to1000 nm accounted for above 90%. Eight types of particles were classified: Elemental Carbon containing(EC), Organic Carbon containing(OC), EC and OC combined containing particles,Na containing particles, K containing particles(K), Levoglucosan containing particles,mineral containing particles, and Heavy Metal containing particles(HM). EC, OC and K were the major containing particles, which accounted for 84.3% in the eight types particles. The relative ratio and size distribution of the three types were EC(48.1%, 620 nm), OC(12.7%,440 nm), and K(23.5%, 600 nm), respectively. The three types of particles were a bit increasing ratios compared with those in clean periods during haze pollution periods.Combined with the back-trajectory results from the Hysplit-4 model and local pollution sources revealed that the ambient air quality on the Weizhou Island may be influenced by biomass burning in the Indochina Peninsula(biomass burning in the Indochina Peninsula)from the transportation on higher level atmospheric layer and by mainland of south China located northeast of Weizhou Island on the ground.     

Concentration,sources, influencing factors and hazards of heavy metals in indoor and outdoor dust: A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Heavy metals are a common class of toxic contaminants in soil, water and air, yet their occurrence in indoor environments is less known. Heavy metals enter...