Characterization and health risk assessment of PM-bound organics inside and outside of Chinese smoking lounges.

PM samples were collected at six indoor public places that contained dedicated smoking lounges. Samples were taken in the smoking lounges, at two indoor locations outside of the lounges, and in outdoor air near the venues. Organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and non-polar organic compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-alkanes (n-C to n-C), iso/anteiso-alkanes (C to C), hopanes and phthalate esters (PAEs) were quantified.

[Application of synchronous fluorescence in identification of spilled oil at sea].

In order to screen and identify the source of spilled oils at sea, synchronous fluorescence scans combined with clustering analysis are proposed and applied to different crude oil and weathering crude oil. SFS data of deltal = 25 nm were recorded and dealt with clustering analysis. The cluster results of SFS data in the range of 300 - 500 nm show that the crude oil and the weathering oil could separate completely.

Respiratory health and lung function in Chinese restaurant kitchen workers.

Objectives: To measure air pollutant concentrations in Chinese restaurant kitchens using different stove types and assess their influence on workers' respiratory health.

Methods: 393 kitchen workers from 53 Chinese restaurants were surveyed over 16 months: 115 workers from 21 restaurants using only electric stoves and 278 workers from 32 restaurants using only gas stoves. Workers were interviewed about their respiratory symptoms and had their lung function tested.

A study on the relationship between BOD(5) and COD in a coastal seawater environment with a rapid BOD measurement system.

The dual objectives of this study are to: (1) examine the relationship between COD and BOD in seawater environment with a rapid but reliable method for the measurement of BOD in seawater, and (2) establish the relationship model between BOD(5) and COD in the firth of Dongbao River to predict the values of BOD(5). The first objective is met by the successful development of a technique utilizing bacteria-immobilized membrane flow cell for biodegradation process, coupled with fibre optic fluorescence detection for oxygen depletion quantitation. The technique has been applied to coastal seawater samples collected in the coastal area of Shenzhen, China.

A study on the relationship between BOD5 and COD in coastal seawater environment with a rapid BOD measurement system.

The dual objectives of this study are to: (1) examine the relationship between COD and BOD in seawater environment with a rapid but reliable method for the measurement of BOD in seawater, and (2) establish the relationship model between BOD(5) and COD in the firth of Dongbao River to predict the values of BOD(5). The first objective is met by the successful development of a technique utilizing bacteria-immobilized membrane flow cell for biodegradation process, coupled with fibre optic fluorescence detection for oxygen depletion quantitation. The technique has been applied to coastal seawater samples collected in the coastal area of Shenzhen, China.

Investigation of zinc binding metallothioneins' polymerization in tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane buffer by coupling of size exclusion chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Polymerization of metallothioneins (MTs) is one of the commonly encountered puzzles in researching the structure and function of metallothioneins. In this work, a method involving SEC coupled with negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) detection has been developed for the study of zinc binding MTs' polymerization in tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane (TRIS) acetate buffer at physiological pH. This hyphenated technique allows separating the different polymeric states of MTs by SEC, followed by on-line identification of the individual MT subisoforms in each polymeric peak by ESI-MS detection.

Direct analysis of mercury in Traditional Chinese Medicines using thermolysis coupled with on-line atomic absorption spectrometry.

The purpose of this study is to develop and apply a mercury analyzer system capable of quantitative analysis of mercury in Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) drugs in the concentrations range from ng g(-1) to mg g(-1). No sample pre-treatment was needed and this greatly simplifies the analytical procedure and minimizes potential sources of contamination. The precisions of analyzing solid mercury standard sample and real TCM materials were 2.

Effect of tanshinone IIA on the noncovalent interaction between warfarin and human serum albumin studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Enhanced anticoagulation and/or even bleeding are often observed when patients on long-term warfarin (WAR) therapy consumed Danshen, a well-known medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study demonstrates that altered WAR metabolism, arising from its interaction with the active components in Danshen, played a significant role in this curative effect. Mass spectrometric techniques including ESI-ITMS (electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry) and ESI-TOF (time-of-flight)-MS have been developed for the study of such drug-herb interactions.

[Study on classification model of seawater samples with different pollution sources].

In the present article the principle and advantages of the method to build classification model by partial least squares are briefly introduced. The method was applied to deal with the seawater data obtained from the primary polluted sea area of Jiaozhou bay and Laizhou bay by GC-MS. The classification models have been built for seawater samples from different contaminated areas.

[Determination of chromphoric dissolved organic matter in water from different sources].

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) represents the fraction of the dissolved organic pool which absorbs light in the visible as well as UV ranges. It could affect the color of the waters. It is necessary to study it during in research on ecosystem, remote sensing of the water color and the cycle of carbon in waters.

Residues of organochlorine pesticides in near shore waters of LaiZhou Bay and JiaoZhou Bay, Shandong Peninsula, China.

The extent of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) contamination in coastal waters around LaiZhou Bay and JiaoZhou Bay in Shandong Peninsula, northern China, was investigated. The areas around the two bays are both densely populated, thrive with intensive agriculture and industrial activities. Multi-techniques including GC-MS, GC-muECD coupled with chemical peak confirmation and strict QC procedures were used for the quantitative determination of 15 OCPs including alpha, beta, gamma and delta isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), heptachlor, aldrin, endosulfan, p,p'-DDE, dieldrin, endrin, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDT and methoxychlor.

Chemical characteristics and source implications of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants in the sediments near major drainage outfalls along the coastal of Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea, China.

The associated industrial and urban developments are located to a large extent along the Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea coastal and raw sewage is often discharged into near shore waters with little treatment. To find out chemical characteristics and pollution source of the petroleum related contaminations in sediments near the major drainage outfalls located in the coastal, in this study, 10 surface sediment samples were collected during June. Sediment samples were extracted by organic solvents, separated by silica gel column chromatography and the concentrations and the profiles of n-alkane, biomarker and PAH in sediments were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass selective detector (GC-MSD).

Analysis of bacteria degradation products of methyl parathion by liquid chromatography/electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The biodegradation of the organophosphorus insecticide methyl parathion (MP) in aqueous environment by bacteria isolated from river sediment has been studied. Two species of bacteria which show strong MP degradation ability are identified as Shewanella and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The biodegradation of MP proceeded rapidly with the formation of a series of intermediate products, which were analyzed using a combination of GC/MS and HPLC/ESI-TOFMS techniques.

Identification of norharman as the cytotoxic compound produced by the sponge (Hymeniacidon perleve)-associated marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas piscicida and its apoptotic effect on cancer cells.

Marine invertebrates harbour a wealth of micro-organisms in their bodies. Most of these micro-organisms can catabolize antibiotic compounds as chemical-defence compounds. These compounds not only play an important protective role for their producer and for their hosts, but also have high potential in medicinal applications.

[Determination of glycyrrhizic acid in glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch by fiber optic near infrared spectroscopy].

The objective of this study was to develop a rapid, non-destructive and real-time method for the determination of glycyrrhizic acid in glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch. Near infrared spectra (NIR) in the range of 10 000-4 000 cm(-1) were recorded for the glycyrrhiza uralensis fisch containing glycyrrhizic acid in the content of 0.94 %-3.

Isolation and identification of flavonoids in licorice and a study of their inhibitory effects on tyrosinase.

Five different flavonoids were isolated from licorice after multistep chromatographic fractionation. The aim was to identify and characterize active components in licorice responsible for antibrowning activities and to seek new tyrosinase inhibitors for applications as antibrowning and depigmenting agents in the food and cosmetic industries. The isolated flavonoids were identified as liquiritin, licuraside, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin (from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

The application of macroporous resins in the separation of licorice flavonoids and glycyrrhizic acid.

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and licorice flavonoids (LF) are the two classes of bioactive components in licorice with known pharmacological effects. But long-term excessive intake of GA may cause sodium retention and hypertension. In this study, the performance and adsorption characteristics of four widely used macroporous resins for the separation of deglycyrrhizinated, flavonoids enriched licorice has been critically evaluated.

Measurement of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in natural water samples by flow injection ozonation chemiluminescence (FI-CL) technique.

COD determination based on ozone oxidation of alpha-naphthol combined with UV radiation (UV-O3) has been studied in the present work. Utilizing the phenomenon that luminol can be oxidized by the dissolved ozone to produce luminescence, we have established a new method of utilizing aqueous chemiluminescence to determine COD. The kinetics and mechanism of the ozonation reaction of alpha-naphthol have been investigated in order to gain a better understanding of the general applicability and limitation of the technique.

Investigation of metal-binding metallothioneins in the tissues of rats after oral intake of cinnabar.

The multi-metal-binding MT fractions in rat tissues after oral intake of cinnabar were characterized by hyphenated size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). With the increase of both the feeding time and dosage of cinnabar the amounts of Hg-binding MT fractions in rat kidney of groups fed cinnabar increased significantly compared with the control group. Meanwhile, more Cu-binding MT were synthesized in the rat kidney, which confirmed the manipulating effect of MT in the homeostasis of Cu for detoxification of nephritic mercury.