The reproductive toxicity of organic compounds extracted from drinking water sources on Sprague Dawley rats: an in vitro study.

The safety of drinking water always causes worldwide concern. Water pollution increases with urban development and industrialization in developing countries. During recent decades, increasing numbers of environmental organic compounds have been found in aquatic environments.

[Study advance on formation, transformation and detection of masked deoxynivalenol].

Conjugated deoxynivalenol, in which the toxins were usually bound to a more polar substance like glucose in crops, is referred to as masked deoxynivalenol. It could not detected with routine detection methods, but could release its toxic precursor after hydrolysis in gastrointestinal tract. In this paper, summarizes the formation, transformation and detection of masked deoxynivalenol as well as its relationship with human health were reviewed.

[Water solubility enhancements of tetrabromobisphenol A by dissolved organic matters].

Water solubility enhancements by two types of dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from a local wastewater treatment plant and by a commercial humic acid (HA) have been studied for tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) using batch equilibrium technique, and the characteristics of DOM were studied with the aid of infrared and ultraviolet absorbance, elemental analysis, dialysis membranes and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that the effectiveness of DOM in enhancing solute solubility appeared to be controlled by the structure and molecular size of DOM, the ionic strength of solution and the dissociation ratio of TBBPA. Langmuir Equation could fit the isotherms of the total influent DOM and effluent DOM, and their binding coefficients (Kdoc) are 1.

Anti-androgen activity of polybrominated diphenyl ethers determined by comparative molecular similarity indices and molecular docking.

Some polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) may have endocrine-disrupting (ED) potencies. In this study, molecular docking and three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) were performed to explore the possible anti-androgenicity of PBDEs. Based on the alignment generated by docking conformations, a highly predictive comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) model was developed with q(2) value of 0.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in aquatic biota from the lower reach of the Yangtze River, East China.

Sixteen species of aquatic biota from the lower reach of the Yangtze River including fishes, crabs and shrimps were collected and analyzed for 13 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) congeners. All the PBDEs congeners except BDE-17 were detectable in the samples indicating that the aquatic biota from the lower reach of the Yangtze River are widely exposed to these pollutants. The Sigma(12)PBDEs ranged from 3.

Levels and distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the freshwater environment surrounding a PBDE manufacturing plant in China.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in muscle, liver and eggs of freshwater fishes and surface sediments from the Nongkang River in Jinhu, Jiangsu Province, China. The present study is the first to report PBDE concentrations in the freshwater environment surrounding a PBDE manufacturing plant in China. The concentrations of 13 PBDE congeners in muscle, liver and eggs of freshwater fishes ranged from View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Toxicity evaluation in a paper recycling mill effluent by coupling bioindicator of aging with the toxicity identification evaluation method in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) can be used to determine the specific toxicant(s) in industrial effluents. In the current study, the authors have attempted to combine the advantages of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans, with the virtues of the TIE technique, to evaluate and identify the toxicity on aging from a paper recycling mill effluent. The results indicate that only the toxicities from mixed cellulose (MC) filtration and EDTA treatment are similar to the baseline aging toxicity, suggesting that the suspect toxicants inducing aging toxicity may largely be the heavy metal substances in this industrial effluent.

[Evaluation of soil lead contamination by biomarkers in leaves of Vicia faba L. seedlings].

Stress proteins (HSP70 and HSP60) and other related biological parameters were investigated in leaves of Vicia faba L. seedlings subjected to soil lead stress. The seedlings were cultivated outdoors in pots for five weeks.

An organically modified silicate molecularly imprinted solid-phase microextraction device for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

An organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) SPME stationary phase molecularly imprinted with BDE-209 has been successfully fabricated by conventional sol-gel technique from phenyltrimethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane. The thickness of the ORMOSIL-SPME stationary phase, on fused-silica optical fibres, was measured to be ca. 9.

[Sorption and desorption behaviors of tetrabromobisphenol A on fluvo-aquic soil].

Sorption and desorption behaviors of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) on fluvo-aquic soil were investigated using batch equilibrium experiments, and the effects of pH and ionic strength on the sorption were also evaluated. The results showed that the sorption process could be divided into the rapid sorption (0-24 h) and the slow sorption (24-48 h). The rapid sorption played the main role in the sorption of TBBPA and the sorption approached equilibrium at about 48 h.

Effects of dissolved organic matter from sewage sludge on sorption of tetrabromobisphenol A by soils.

Sorption of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) by soil influences its fate and transport in the environment. The presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) may complicate the sorption process in soil. The effects of DOM from sewage sludge on TBBPA sorption by three soils were investigated using batch equilibration experiments in the study.

Biodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid) in a biological aerated filter (BAF).

This study demonstrated the microbial purification of a model wastewater containing 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP), which was carried out in a continuously working biological aerated filter (BAF). The main emphasis was on the operating performance of the reactor as a function of the pollution load. TNP was degraded at a maximum volumetric removal rate of 2.

Perfluorinated compounds and total and extractable organic fluorine in human blood samples from China.

An improved extraction (ion pairing) and cleanup (ENVI-carb and solid phase extraction) method was developed for analysis of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in human whole blood samples from China. Ten PFCs including PFOS, PFHxS, PFOSA, PFDoDA, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA, PFOA, PFHpA, and PFHxA were detected in the blood samples (n=30) from five cities (Jintan, Nanjing, Guiyang, Beijing, and Shenyang). PFOS was found to be the dominant PFC ranging from 0.

Evaluation of holistic approaches to predicting the concentrations of metals in field-cultivated rice.

Measurements of metals in soils by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) have previously been shown to be linearly related to metals measured in shoots of plants grown in pots. We examine the relationships between metals measured by DGT and other techniques with metals in the roots and unpolished grains of rice cultivated under field conditions at 18 sites in Jiangsu province, China. Rhizosphere soils of rice were collected and the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were determined on soil solution, acetic acid, and calcium chloride (CaCl2) extractions and by DGT.

Cytotoxicity of HC Orange NO. 1 to L929 fibroblast cells.

HC Orange No. 1 (HCO1, 2-nitro-4'-hydroxydiphenylamine) (CAS No. 54381-08-7) is used as a colorant in commercial hair dyes.

NP-induced biophysical and biochemical alterations of rat testicular Sertoli cell membranes related to disturbed intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis.

Nonylphenol (NP) is a representative endocrine disruptor that has an adverse effect on male reproduction and posses direct hazard to Sertoli cells, but the mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. In the present study, based on the structural comparability and high affinity between NP and membrane phospholipid molecules, we tested the hypothesis that entrance of NP into Sertoli cells would alter membrane biophysical characteristics and biochemical functions. First, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to investigate the distribution and pharmacokinetics of NP in Sertoli cells with the result revealing that NP could penetrate plasma membrane of Sertoli cells.

[Development of isolation and identification of Lactobacillus].

Lactobacillus species have been used in the food processing industry widely. The current state of evidence suggests that probiotic effects and safety of Lactobacillus are strain specific. The identity based on both species and strain is important to link a strain to a specific health effect as well as to ensure the safety of food containing this microorganism.

Simultaneous determination of p-arsanilic acid and roxarsone in feed by liquid chromatography-hydride generation online coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

A novel, simple and sensitive liquid chromatography-hydride generation online coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LC-HG-AFS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of p-arsanilic acid (p-ASA) and roxarsone in feed. 20% Methanol aqueous was used as extraction reagent, after preprocessing samples by ultrasonic oscillation, then injected into the chromatography Waters symmetry shield RP18 analytical column (150mm x 4.6mm, 5 microm), finally detected by an atomic fluorescence spectrometer.

Effects of tetrabromobisphenol A on the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa.

Flow cytometry (FC) was used to determine effects of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) on the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) by evaluating esterase activity, membrane integrity, concentrations of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) auto-fluorescence. TBBPA can inhibit esterase activity.

Synthesis of surface molecularly imprinted silica micro-particles in aqueous solution and the usage for selective off-line solid-phase extraction of 2,4-dinitrophenol from water matrixes.

Very severe reaction conditions are required in the conventional synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), which is unfavorable to their applications in chemical separation and analysis. A simple surface molecular imprinting approach was developed to synthesize MIP-coated SiO2 micro-particles in aqueous solutions. The 1H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopic analysis indicated that via hydrogen bonding, the functional monomer (o-phenylenediamine) can associate with the target (template) 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), as a model compound of organic pollutants, to form a precursor in aqueous solution.

Sorption of aromatic compounds to clay mineral and model humic substance-clay complex: effects of solute structure and exchangeable cation.

Clay minerals and humic substance (HS)-clay complexes are widely distributed in soil environments. Improved predictions on the uptake of organic pollutants by soil require a better understanding of fundamental mechanisms that control the relative contribution from organic and inorganic constituents. Five selected aromatic compounds varying in electronic structure, including nonpolar phenanthrene (PHEN), 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (TeCB), polar 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB), 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (dichlobenil [DNL]), and 1-naphthalenyl methylcarbamate (carbaryl [CBL]), were sorbed separately from aqueous solution to Na(+)-, K(+)-, Cs(+)-, and Ca(2+)-saturated montmorillonites with and without the presence of dissolved HS at pH about 6.

Historical trends of organic pollutants in sediment cores from Hong Kong.

Recent studies have indicated the occurrence of a wide range of trace organic contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the Hong Kong environment. These contaminants are potentially harmful to ecological systems, particularly in coastal areas. In this study, two sediment cores (4m) were collected from southern waters of Hong Kong in 2004 to study the historical trends, distribution patterns, and potential sources of trace organic contaminants.

Sorption behavior of tetrabromobisphenol A in two soils with different characteristics.

Sorption of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in soil influences its fate and transport in the environment. The sorption behaviors of TBBPA in two soils with different characteristics were investigated using batch equilibration experiments in the study, and the impacts of ionic strength and pH on the sorption were also evaluated. The results showed that the fast sorption rather than the slow sorption played a main role in the sorption process.