Occurrence and health risk estimate of organochlorine pesticides in fruits and vegetables matrices.

Occurrence of 20 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in 60 organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables matrices was undertaken using QuEChERS Method EN 15662 for sample preparation analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The procedural method was validated by spiking the OCP standard solutions at three fortified levels at 10, 50, and 100 µg/kg wet weight (ww) to the real matrix of fruit and vegetable with good recovery ranging from 75 to 108% with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 11%, and the limits of detection and quantification (LODs and LOQs) were 0.002-0.

Concentrations of bisphenols and phthalate esters in the muscle of Mediterranean striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba).

Bisphenols (BPs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) are important compounds for the plastics industry, also called "everywhere chemicals" due to their ubiquity in daily use products. Both chemical groups are well-known environmental contaminants, whose presence has been reported in all environmental compartments, and whose effects, mainly associated to endocrine disruption, are detrimental to living organisms. Cetaceans, due to their long life-span, low reproduction rate and high position in the trophic web, are especially vulnerable to the effects of contaminants.

55 xenobiotic organic compounds in Tripoli landfill-Lebanon leachate and their fluxes to the Abou Ali River and Mediterranean Sea.

Pollution generated from landfill solid wastes constitute one of the major threat to the environment. The landfill leachate contains various toxic pollutants, making it the most dangerous issue of the landfills. Monitoring the xenobiotic organic concentrations in landfill leachate is an important step to evaluate the environmental impacts.

Intrapopulation and temporal differences of phthalate concentrations in North Atlantic fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus).

The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a migratory filter-feeding species that is susceptible to ingest plastics while lunge feeding across the oceans. Plastic additives, such as phthalates, are compounds that are added to plastics to give them specific characteristics, such as flexibility. These so-called plasticizers are currently raising major concern because of their potential adverse effects on marine fauna.

Elimination of organochlorine pesticides from water by a new activated carbon prepared from Phoenix dactylifera date stones.

This work focused on the characterization of activated carbon (AC) prepared by pyrolysis-chemical activation with phosphoric acid (60%) from date stones derived from three categories of date palm Phoenix dactylifera (Ajwa, Anbari, Khudri), and on its feasibility of elimination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water samples. The obtained results showed that the three-produced AC date stone had developed a porous structure, large specific surface area, and acidic property. Due to the high SBET (> 1200 m/g), Ajwa stones activated coal was considered as the best AC that can be used for the adsorption of environmental contaminants.