Concentration distribution and potential health risk of heavy metals in Mactra veneriformis from Bohai Bay, China.

To investigate the pollution level and evaluate the potential health risks of heavy metals, the concentrations of chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), and lead (Pb) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in 198 clams (Mactra veneriformis) collected from 11 sites of the Bohai Bay. The results showed that heavy metal concentrations in the clams were different at different sites (p<0.05).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides in rice hull from a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China: temporal trend, source, and exposure assessment.

The residue levels of 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 16 selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in rice and rice hull collected from a typical e-waste recycling area in southeast China were investigated from 2005 to 2007. PAHs and OCPs also were measured in ten mollusk species (soft tissues) collected in an adjacent bay in 2007. Individual PAHs were frequently found in the entire sample set (including the rice, hull, and mollusk samples) with a detection rate of 73 %.

Bamboo charcoal as adsorbent for SPE coupled with monolithic column-HPLC for rapid determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples.

The coupling of solid-phase extraction (SPE) using bamboo charcoal (BC) as an adsorbent with a monolithic column-high performance liquid chromatography (MC-HPLC) method was developed for the high-efficiency enrichment and rapid determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water. Key influence factors, such as the type and the volume of the elution solvent, and the flow rate and the volume of the sample loading, were optimized to obtain a high SPE recovery and extraction efficiency. BC as an SPE adsorbent presented a high extraction efficiency due to its large specific surface area and high adsorption capacity; MC as an HPLC column accelerated the separation within 8 min because of its high porosity, fast mass transfer, and low-pressure resistance.

Occurrence and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in soils from a typical e-waste recycling area in Southeast China.

Surface soils collected from Taizhou, a typical e-waste recycling area in Southeast China, were analyzed for the residues of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) by using microwave-assisted extraction and gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total concentrations of 16 PAHs in US EPA's priority list (ΣPAHs), six indicator PCBs (ΣPCBs), 15 OCPs widely used in China (ΣOCPs) in soils ranged from 125 to 4737 ng/g (average: 854 ng/g), from not detected to 55.4 ng/g (3.

Asporyergosterol, a new steroid from an algicolous isolate of Aspergillus oryzae.

Asporyergosterol (1), a new steroid with an E double bond between C-17 and C-20, was identified from the culture extracts of Aspergillus oryzae, an endophytic fungus isolated from the marine red alga Heterosiphonia japonica. Moreover, four known steroids including (22E,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (2), (22E,24R)-3beta-hydroxyergosta-5,8,22-trien-7-one (3), (22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-dien-3beta,5alpha,6beta-triol (4), and (22E,24R)-5alpha,8alpha-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3beta-ol (5) were isolated. Structures of these compounds were unambiguously established by spectroscopic techniques and by comparison with literature values.

Indoloditerpenes from an algicolous isolate of Aspergillus oryzae.

Two new indoloditerpene derivatives asporyzin A (1) and asporyzin B (2), one new indoloditerpene asporyzin C (3), and three known related indoloditerpenes JBIR-03 (4), emindole SB (5), and emeniveol (6) were isolated from an endophytic fungus Aspergillus oryzae, isolated from the marine red alga Heterosiphonia japonica. Their structures were unambiguously established by spectroscopic techniques. In addition, all the isolates were evaluated preliminarily for insecticidal and antimicrobial activities in order to probe into their chemical defensive function.

Toxicology mechanism of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish through AhR pathway.

With the development of industry and agriculture, the cases of cancer and tumor have been increasing gradually in the last 30 years, and quite a few cases are caused by persistent organic pollutants (POPs), some of them belonging to environmental endocrine disruptors, and they have become ubiquitous in the environment, especially in the aquatic ecosystem; so this issue has aroused the extensive attention of the world. The mechanism of POPs toxicology is very complicated, but it is mainly mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway in fish. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the AhR pathway, the present paper focuses on reviewing it from four major steps, including formation of cytosolic complex, translocation of AhR, heterodimerization of AhR, and induction of CYP1A.

A new epoxy-cadinane sesquiterpene from the marine brown alga Dictyopteris divaricata.

A new epoxy-cadinane sesquiterpene, 4beta,5beta-epoxycadinan-1beta-ol (1), and six known cadinane sesquiterpenes: cadinan-1,4,5-triol (2), 4alpha,5beta-dihydroxycubenol (3), cubenol (4), cadinan-3-ene-1,5-diol (5), cubenol-3-one (6), and torreyol (7), were isolated from a sample of marine brown alga Dictyopteris divaricata collected off the coast of Yantai (China). Their structures were established by detailed MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis, as well as comparison with literature data.

Identification and characterization of an intracellular Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (icCu/Zn-SOD) gene from clam Venerupis philippinarum.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.

Synthesis and moisture absorption and retention activities of a carboxymethyl and a quaternary ammonium derivative of alpha,alpha-trehalose.

Carboxymethyl alpha,alpha-trehalose (CMT) and a quaternary ammonium derivative of alpha,alpha-trehalose (QT) were successfully prepared, and their moisture absorption and retention activities were assessed. Results showed that both CMT and QT had better moisture absorption abilities at 43% and 81% relative humidity (RH) than alpha,alpha-trehalose. In addition, the two alpha,alpha-trehalose derivatives had better moisture retention abilities than alpha,alpha-trehalose under three humidity conditions: 81% RH, 43% RH, and under dry conditions.

Molecular phylogenies and evolutionary behavior of AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) pathway genes in aquatic animals: implications for the toxicology mechanism of some persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Phylogenetic analysis of AhR pathway genes and their evolutionary rate variations were studied on aquatic animals. The gene sequences for the proteins involved in this pathway were obtained from four major phylogenetic groups, including bivalvia, amphibian, teleostei and mammalia. These genes were distributed under four major steps of toxicology regulation: formation of cytosolic complex, translocation of AhR, heterodimerization of AhR and induction of CYP1A.

Brominated selinane sesquiterpenes from the marine brown alga Dictyopteris divaricata.

Two new brominated selinane sesquiterpenes, 1-bromoselin-4(14),11-diene (1) and 9-bromoselin-4(14),11-diene (2), one known cadinane sesquiterpene, cadalene (3), and four known selinane sesquiterpenes, alpha-selinene (4), beta-selinene (5), beta-dictyopterol (6), and cyperusol C (7), were isolated from a sample of marine brown alga Dictyopteris divaricata collected off the coast of Yantai (China). Their structures were established by detailed MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis, as well as comparison with literature data.

A new cadinane sesquiterpene from the marine brown alga Dictyopteris divaricata.

A sample of the marine brown alga D. divaricata collected off the coast of Yantai (P.R.