Health and environmental effects of persistent organic pollutants

The use of Pinus nigra as a biomonitor of pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Lebanon

Among the various species of vegetation, conifers play an important role as a biomonitor of air pollution. The current study presents the determination of pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in 15 conifer samples collected in August 2018 (summer season) from different regions in north Lebanon (Tripoli, Koura, Bcharre, and Akkar). Pollutants were extracted based on QuEChERS-SPME followed by liquid and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results showed that the samples collected from Bcharre region had the lowest concentration in both pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with a total concentration of 50 and 66 ng g^-1, while the samples collected from the regions widely known by their agriculture (Akkar, Tripoli, and Koura areas) were the most polluted with concentrations of 231 and 422 ng g^-1, 192 and 370 ng g^-1, and 127 and 98 ng g^-1 for pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons respectively. This study revealed that conifers are suggested to be efficient biomonitors of contamination levels in the air.

Developing a biosurfactant to attenuate arsenic contamination in mining tailings

The present study aimed to investigate the ability of a microbial consortium to produce biosurfactant in the presence of two carbon sources and also to evaluate the efficiency of the cell-free supernatant cultures to mobilize As from naturally contaminated soil. Pseudomonas and Stenotrophomonas were the main microorganisms in the microbial consortium. The pH, the incubation time, the temperature, and the glucose and glycerol ratios in the culture medium are the main factors influencing biosurfactant production. The lowest surface tension, 30 mN.m-1, and the higher emulsification index, 58%, were achieved at the optimum production conditions (OPC), i.e., pH 9.5, a 2.5 glucose/glycerol ratio, after three days of incubation at 25 °C. The cell-free extracts containing biosurfactants were more efficient in mobilizing As than distilled water, CaCl2 0.1 mol.L-1; saponin, 0.1%; or sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1% during a sequential soil-flushing procedure. The As mobilization using the supernatants containing biosurfactant was sensitive to pH. The use of OPC cell-free supernatant under alkaline conditions leads to the best-obtained results: 24.6% of As removal (678 mg.kg-1) during sequential extractions. The toxicity reduction of the column eluted solution from the first to the seventh cycle evaluated by the germination index (GI) and morphological structures of Allium cepa in the ecotoxicological assessment confirmed the efficiency of the proposed treatment. Allium cepa seeds and seedlings were sensitive in detecting As in soil and eluted solutions with short time responses to the contaminant. Seeds development increased gradually with arsenic removal. The germination index rose from 0 to 55% after soil decontamination through the proposed soil-flushing procedure.

Software-Assisted Pattern Recognition of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Contaminated Human and Animal Food

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a serious food safety concern due to their persistence and toxic effects. To promote food safety and protect human health, it is important to understand the sources of POPs and how to minimize human exposure to these contaminants. The POPs Program within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), manually evaluates congener patterns of POPs-contaminated samples and sometimes compares the finding to other previously analyzed samples with similar patterns. This manual comparison is time consuming and solely depends on human expertise. To improve the efficiency of this evaluation, we developed software to assist in identifying potential sources of POPs contamination by detecting similarities between the congener patterns of a contaminated sample and potential environmental source samples. Similarity scores were computed and used to rank potential source samples. The software has been tested on a diverse set of incurred samples by comparing results from the software with those from human experts. We demonstrated that the software provides results consistent with human expert observation. This software also provided the advantage of reliably evaluating an increased sample lot which increased overall efficiency.

Baseline study to determine the implementation area of an oily waste management system for artisanal fishing vessels

This work seeks to perform a baseline study to determine the implementation area for a management system of oily waste generated by artisanal fishing boats within the Peruvian context. This explanatory study, conducted based on quantitative and cross-sectional considerations, includes a regulatory review; content analysis of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) both in seawater and sediments; and metal assessment in sediments and waste oil, with the corresponding result correlations. In this study, the results reveal that while regulations are adequate, their implementation is not evident. In addition, no evidence of contamination by PAH and TPH was found. However, traces of metal contamination were found in sediments, and, after being correlated with the metal values from waste oil, a Spearman's Rho correlation coefficient of 0.619480 was reported. Hence, we can conclude that the regulations to prevent marine pollution from oily waste contained in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MARPOL agreement have been accepted and approved for implementation. In fact, they can even be applied to different activities that fall out of the scope of the agreement. Finally, the baseline study reveals oily waste generation indicators, as well as a correlation between waste oil metals and marine sediment metals that merits the implementation of an oily waste management system within the study area.

Greenhouse gases emissions from duckweed pond system treating polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals

Phytoremediation of polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals using Lemna gibba (L.gibba) was enhanced by incorporation of perforated polyethylene carrier materials (PCM) onto the duckweed pond (DWP) system. The DWP module was operated at a hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 2, 4 and 6 days and as well as 1,4-dioxane loading rate of 16, 25 and 48 g/m³.d. The maximum removal efficiency of 54 ± 2.5% was achieved for 1,4-dioxane at an HRT of 6 days and loading rate of 16 g1,4-dioxane/m³.d. Similarly, the DWP system provided removal efficiencies of 28.3 ± 2.1, 93.2 ± 7.6, 95.7 ± 8.9 and 93.6 ± 4.9% for Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Ni²⁺ at influent concentration of 0.037 ± 0.01, 1.2 ± 0.9, 27.2 ± 4.7 and 4.6 ± 1.2 mg/L respectively. The structural analysis by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) clearly displayed a reduction of 1,4- dioxane in the treated effluent. A strong peak was detected for L. gibba plants at frequency of 3417.71 cm^-1 due to N-H stretching, which confirm the proposed mechanism of partially conversion of 1,4-dioxane into amino acids. Glycine, serine, aspartic, threonine and alanine content were increased in L. gibba by values of 35 ± 2.2, 40 ± 3.2, 48 ± 3.7, 31 ± 2.8, and 56 ± 4.1%, respectively. The contribution of DWP unit as a greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions were relatively low (1.65 gCO₂/Kg BOD_removed.d., and 18.3 gCO₂/Kg _biomass.d) due to photosynthesis process, low excess sludge production and consumption of CO₂ for nitrification process (1.4 gCO₂/kgN _removed.d). Based on these results, it is recommended to apply such a technology for treatment of polyester resin wastewater containing 1,4-dioxane and heavy metals at a HRT not exceeding 6 days.

Organochlorines burden in moss H. cupressiforme and topsoil across Serbia

Following up-to-date initiatives of the Stockholm Convention, its global monitoring plan, and the International Cooperative Programme on Natural Vegetation and Crops (ICP Vegetation 2015) under the convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, this study examined 17 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and seven organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the moss Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. and topsoil sampled across Serbia. In the topsoil, OCPs ranged from 0.0158 to 9.6804 ng g^-1 while concentrations of individual PCB congeners were in the range between 0.0185 and 0.3107 ng g^-1. The levels of OCPs and PCBs in the moss H. cupressiforme ranged from 2.7785 to 23.9501 ng g^-1, and from 0.4325 to 15.8013 ng g^-1, respectively. POP relationships between topsoil and moss investigated by fugacity model equations indicated that the moss POP enrichment was a result of atmospheric long-range transport rather than secondary reemissions from soil.

Degradation of Contaminants of Emerging Concern by Electrochemical Oxidation: Coupling of Ultraviolet and Ultrasound Radiations

In this work, we study the electrochemical oxidation of methyl red, a dye present in textile industrial effluents, which is selected as the model for the degradation of Contaminants of Emerging Concern. The influence of the initial pollutant concentration (1–5 mg dm⁻³), applied current density (2–15 mA cm⁻²), and the coupling of ultraviolet or ultrasound radiation have been studied using a titanium plate as anode. The results show that electrochemical oxidation is able to efficiently remove methyl red, and the process efficiency decreases with the initial pollutant concentration. At high applied current densities, efficiency drastically decreases due to a less effective mass transfer of the pollutant on the anodic surface. On one hand, the coupling of ultrasound entails an antagonistic effect on the process efficiency, which is probably due to a massive formation of oxidant radicals followed by a fast recombination process. On the other hand, the coupling of ultraviolet radiation increases the process efficiency. Concomitantly to the oxidation processes, titanium electrode produces rising TiO₂–anatase nanoparticles, boosting the mineralization process. This new finding sets up a significant improvement over conventional photocatalysis treatments using TiO₂–anatase as a catalyst due to synergistic effects coming from the coupling of the electrochemical oxidation and photocatalysis process with Ti anode.

Non-invasive biomonitoring of organic pollutants using feather samples in feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica)

A large portion of organic pollutants (OPs) represent a potential hazard to humans and living beings due to their toxic properties. For several years, birds have been used as biomonitor species of environmental pollution. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pyrethroids (PYRs) were assessed in body feather samples of 71 feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) collected from Asturias and Galicia (NW Spain). The percentage of detection for all chemical groups were above 90% in studied birds. The general pattern was dominated by PAHs (mean value ± standard deviation (SD) 32 ± 15 ng/g) followed by OCPs (3.8 ± 1.1 ng/g), PYRs (3.4 ± 3.8 ng/g), PCBs (1.6 ± 1.0 ng/g), OPPs (1.3 ± 0.70 ng/g) and PBDEs (0.80 ± 0.30 ng/g). Significant differences were observed between age, location and gender suggesting different sources of exposure and accumulation pathways.

Using graphdiyne (GDY) as a catalyst support for enhanced performance in organic pollutant degradation and hydrogen production: A review

The development of carbon materials brings a new two-dimensional catalyst support, graphdiyne (GDY), which is attracting increasing interest in the field of catalysis. This article presents a systematical review of recent studies about the characteristics, design strategies, and applications of GDY-supported catalysts. The sp- and sp²-hybridized carbon, high electrical conductivity, direct band gap, and high intrinsic carrier mobility are key characteristics for GDY to serve as a competitive catalyst support. Hydrothermal method (or solvothermal method), GDY in-situ growth, and electrochemical deposition are commonly used to load catalysts on GDY support. In the applications of GDY-supported photocatalysts, GDY mainly serves as an electron or hole transfer material. For the electrocatalytic hydrogen production, the unique electronic structure and high electrical conductivity of GDY can promote the electron transfer and water splitting kinetics. This review is expected to provide meaningful insight and guidance for the design of GDY-supported catalysts and their applications.

Adsorption of organic pollutants from the aqueous phase using graphite as a model adsorbent

Although graphite is not effective as an adsorbent in water treatment, it provides a homogenous, non-porous, carbonaceous structure that is ideal for studying fundamental adsorption mechanisms. High-purity graphite powder (C content 99.5%) was oxidized in an ozone stream, producing a near-surface oxygen content of 5.9 at.%, and was used together with the virgin material to establish adsorption isotherms for organic compounds in aqueous solutions. We examined how the aromaticity and substituents of the adsorptives affect adsorption on the model-activated carbon surface. For both virgin and oxidized graphite, the adsorption capacity for the aromatic compounds decreased in the order 1-naphthol > 2-methoxynaphthalene > naphthalene > anisole > phenol, with significant differences in the adsorption capacities of the two graphite species observed only for anisole, naphthalene, and 1-naphthol. The Freundlich constants (KF) for the five compounds on virgin graphite were 23.9, 10.3, 5.5, 1.4, and 0.8 (nmol mg−1 )/(µmol L−1) n, respectively. Naphthalene and 1-naphthol were slightly more adsorbed on the virgin material, whereas oxidized graphite had marginally better adsorption properties for anisole. The results underline the importance of dispersive and π– π interactions in the adsorption of organic compounds on carbonaceous adsorbents; a second aromatic ring in 1-naphthol and 2-methoxynaphthalene greatly increased the adsorption capacity for these compounds compared with their one-ring counterparts phenol and anisole. Differences were also observed in the adsorption of compounds containing hydroxyl or methoxy substituents, which have electron-donating properties (a resonance effect) but different electron-withdrawal characteristics (caused by induction). Two amino acids occurring as zwitterions, l-tryptophan and l-tyrosine, were also tested as adsorptives. l-Tryptophan, which has a larger aromatic system, achieved higher loading on graphite, suggesting an adsorption mechanism primarily governed by dispersive and π– π interactions for these two ionic compounds as well.

Development of a new compound based on low-density polyethylene degraded with zeolite waste for the removal of diesel from water

A new adsorbent composite has been developed based on low-density polyethylene and zeolite. This material was used to remove diesel as pollutant in an aqueous system. In the synthesis of the composite and diesel removal were combined these effects: capacity of the zeolite to degrade polyethylene, partial filling of the zeolite with the polyethylene degradation products, favorable thermodynamic interactions between composite-diesel and porosity of the composite (imbibition effect). The term composite is used in the sense that partially degraded-polyethylene oligomers (waxes) are introduced into the zeolite pores in intergranular positions, insuring a good cohesion of waxes and zeolite. The material was synthetized easily by mixing low-density polyethylene and zeolite (1:1) and degraded at 200 °C at three different times: 2, 4 and 6 h. Several techniques as Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Thermogravimetric analysis, Size Exclusion Chromatography and X-Ray Diffraction are combined to study the steps of synthesis and the mechanism of diesel adsorption. The molecular weight obtained at different degradation time varied between 8470 and 99,100, while the molecular weight of the original LDPE was 136,300 g/mol. Diesel removal capacity was determined by TGA through the difference of weight loss at diesel evaporation temperatures (115-275 °C). All the prepared materials presented buoyancy in water and swelling of diesel. Highlighting among them the material prepared at 2 h with a weight loss of 39%, meanwhile the materials prepared for 4 and 6 h presented a weight loss of 29% and 23% respectively, that corresponded to the diesel removed from the water.

Heavy metal contamination and ecological risk assessment of the agricultural soil in Shanxi Province, China

To assess contamination levels and ecological risks of heavy metals in agricultural soil from Shanxi Province of China, a total of 33 samples in the surface soil were collected from 11 cities in Shanxi. The soil samples were digested by a mixed acid of nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid on a microwave digestion system, then the levels of eight heavy metals were analysed using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The pollution levels of soil heavy metals were evaluated using a geo-accumulation index and their ecological risks were assessed using risk index calculated by Hakanson's method. As a result, the average concentrations of the heavy metals As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn were 12.9 ± 4.8, 0.35 ± 0.23, 43 ± 14, 27 ± 19, 0.25 ± 0.14, 21.7 ± 5.7, 17 ± 13 and 89 ± 53 mg kg-1, respectively. By comparison to the Chinese soil environmental quality (GB15618-2018), only 9% of Cd samples and 3% of Cu samples exceeded their corresponding screening criteria. Subsequently, the results of geo-accumulation indices suggested that Shanxi's soil suffered from moderate to heavy contamination posed by Cd and Hg, and risk indices exhibited a similar trend that Cd and Hg were the main contributors for considerable to very high ecological risk. Finally, the analysis of variance indicated that the mean levels of Cd significantly occurred at Yuncheng areas among the 11 cities (n = 3, p < 0.05), but Hg concentrations did not have significantly statistical differences. This study demonstrated that metals Cd and Hg had higher levels and ecological risks for agricultural soil in Shanxi, especially, Yuncheng City suffered from heavy Cd contamination. The findings of the present study will provide basic information on management and control of the agricultural soil contamination in Shanxi Province, China.

Wine-processing waste sludge permeable reaction barrier utilized to block a gasoline plume in a simulated aquifer

Oil leakage from gas stations in Taiwan is commonly caused by the corrosion of oil tanks or loose pipeline joints, contaminating the soil and groundwater near the gas station. Wine-processing waste sludge (WPWS) does not contain toxic substances and has a high organic matter content. Thus, it has high affinity for methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), being suitable for application in preventing and controlling groundwater pollution. In this study, a permeable reaction barrier (PRB) constructed utilizing WPWS in a large water tank was designed to simulate the diffusion and blockage of gasoline plumes in an aquifer. The constructed WPWS PRB had a rectangular shape with a thickness and height of 9 and 60 cm, respectively. The depth in the aquifer was adjusted to 50 cm. MTBE was detected in the aquifer downstream of the WPWS PRB every day during the experiment; however, the maximum concentration detected was only 5.33 ppb. BTEX were only detected on 3 days during the experiment and had maximum concentrations of 1.76, 2.28, 0.34, and 0.60 ppb, which are below the water quality control standards.

Recent Strategies for Environmental Remediation of Organochlorine Pesticides

The amount of organochlorine pesticides in soil and water continues to increase; their presence has surpassed maximum acceptable concentrations. Thus, the development of different removal strategies has stimulated a new research drive in environmental remediation. Different techniques such as adsorption, bioremediation, phytoremediation and ozonation have been explored. These techniques aim at either degrading or removal of the organochlorine pesticides from the environment but have different drawbacks. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a relatively new technique that has become popular due to its ability to completely degrade different toxic pollutants—instead of transferring them from one medium to another. The process is driven by a renewable energy source, and semiconductor nanomaterials are used to construct the light energy harvesting assemblies due to their rich surface states, large surface areas and different morphologies compared to their corresponding bulk materials. These make it a green alternative that is cost-effective for organochlorine pesticides degradation. This has also opened up new ways to utilize semiconductors and solar energy for environmental remediation. Herein, the focus of this review is on environmental remediation of organochlorine pesticides, the different techniques of their removal from the environment, the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques and the use of specific semiconductors as photocatalysts.

Potential Mechanisms of Bisphenol A (BPA) Contributing to Human Disease

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic synthetic compound serving as a monomer to produce polycarbonate plastic, widely used in the packaging for food and drinks, medical devices, thermal paper, and dental materials. BPA can contaminate food, beverage, air, and soil. It accumulates in several human tissues and organs and is potentially harmful to human health through different molecular mechanisms. Due to its hormone-like properties, BPA may bind to estrogen receptors, thereby affecting both body weight and tumorigenesis. BPA may also affect metabolism and cancer progression, by interacting with GPR30, and may impair male reproductive function, by binding to androgen receptors. Several transcription factors, including PPARγ, C/EBP, Nrf2, HOX, and HAND2, are involved in BPA action on fat and liver homeostasis, the cardiovascular system, and cancer. Finally, epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, histones modification, and changes in microRNAs expression contribute to BPA pathological effects. This review aims to provide an extensive and comprehensive analysis of the most recent evidence about the potential mechanisms by which BPA affects human health.

One-step fabrication of carbonaceous adsorbent from corncob for enhancing adsorption capability of methylene blue removal

A novel and simple method was described for preparation of carbonaceous adsorbent (CA) from corncob under phosphoric acid conditions. The method succeeded to introduce oxygen-containing groups onto the product surface through hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) at low temperature of 160 °C. Adsorption of methylene blue (MB) was studied systematically through the effect of pH, contact time and initial dye concentrations. The MB adsorption kinetics and isotherms experiments showed that Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order model could better describe the adsorption behavior, with a maximum adsorption capacity of MB was 140.25 mg/g. The high adsorption capacity could be ascribed to the presence of surface oxygen-containing functional groups and pore channels. In conclusion, it could be a potential adsorbent in the removal of methylene blue from wastewater.

Occurrence and sources of PCBs, PCNs, and HCB in the atmosphere at a regional background site in east China: Implications for combustion sources

Multiple types of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), can be unintentionally released from combustion or thermal industrial processes, which are speculated to be the main sources of these contaminants, as they were banned on production and use since several decades ago. In this study, concentrations and sources of 40 PCBs, 39 PCNs, and HCB were analyzed in air samples collected during the period 2012-2015 at a background site in east China. ΣPCBs, ΣPCNs, and HCB were in the range of 9-341 pg/m³, 6-143 pg/m³, and 14-522 pg/m³, respectively. Seasonal characteristics with high levels in winter and low levels in summer were observed for PCNs and HCB. PCBs also exhibited slightly higher levels in winter. Source apportionment was conducted, using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as combustion sources indicator, combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. The results indicated that the legacy of past produced and used commercial PCBs was the dominant contributor (∼56%) to the selected PCBs in the atmosphere in east China. PCNs were mainly emitted from combustion sources (∼64%), whereas HCB almost entirely originated from combustion process (>90%).

Immobilization of horseradish peroxidase on Fe3O4 nanoparticles for enzymatic removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals

The modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were used as a support for the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The immobilized enzyme (HRP@Fe₃O₄) was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). According to the results, the optimum concentration of glutaraldehyde (GA) and agitation time were 300 μL and 7 h. HRP was well loaded on the surface of the Fe₃O₄. There was no change in the crystal structure of HRP@Fe₃O₄ compared with Fe₃O₄. The removals of bisphenol A (BPA) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) using HRP@Fe₃O₄ had been investigated. The degradation efficiencies of BPA and EE2 catalyzed by HRP@Fe₃O₄ were higher than that of soluble HRP. In addition, HRP@Fe₃O₄ can be reused through magnetic separation. After the fifth repeated use, the removal efficiencies of BPA and EE2 were up to 56% and 48%, respectively. Batch studies of catalyzed oxidation and coagulation on the degradation of BPA and EE2 in the presence of humic acid (HA) were also investigated. The order of the removal efficiencies was HRP+PACl (polyaluminum chloride)+SDS (lauryl sodium sulfate)>HRP+PACl>HRP>HRP+PAM (Polyacrylamide)>HRP+PAM+SDS. The coagulation effect of HRP@Fe₃O₄ and PACl was better than that of HRP@Fe₃O₄ and PAM. The removals of BPA and EE2 were 90.3% and 64.5% by use HRP@Fe₃O₄ and PACl as coagulant, while the removals were 78.7% and 57.6% by use HRP@Fe₃O₄ and PAM as coagulant. SDS had a positive effect on PACl, while a negative effect on PAM. Moreover, the products generated by enzymatic oxidation reaction can be effectively removed after coagulation.

Advances in Nanoparticles as Anticancer Drug Delivery Vector: Need of this Century

Background:

Nanotechnology has contributed a great deal to the field of medical science. Smart drugdelivery vectors, combined with stimuli-based characteristics, are becoming increasingly important. The use of external and internal stimulating factors can have enormous benefits and increase the targeting efficiency of nanotechnology platforms. The pH values of tumor vascular tissues are acidic in nature, allowing the improved targeting of anticancer drug payloads using drug-delivery vectors. Nanopolymers are smart drug-delivery vectors that have recently been developed and recommended for use by scientists because of their potential targeting capabilities, non-toxicity and biocompatibility, and make them ideal nanocarriers for personalized drug delivery.

Method:

The present review article provides an overview of current advances in the use of nanoparticles (NPs) as anticancer drug-delivery vectors.

Results:

This article reviews the molecular basis for the use of NPs in medicine, including personalized medicine, personalized therapy, emerging vistas in anticancer therapy, nanopolymer targeting, passive and active targeting transports, pH-responsive drug carriers, biological barriers, computer-aided drug design, future challenges and perspectives, biodegradability and safety.

Conclusions:

This article will benefit academia, researchers, clinicians, and government authorities by providing a basis for further research advancements.

An experimental study on the effect of the acid and heavy metal treatments on the adsorption of CH4 by sepiolite

This study investigated methane (CH₄) adsorption by natural sepiolite-obtained from Eskisehir in Turkey-and its Ag-, Cu-, Fe-, and H-exchanged forms by using a volumetric gas adsorption method. Sepiolite was modified with 1 M AgNO₃, 1 M Cu(NO₃)₂∙3H₂O, 1 M Fe(NO₃)₃∙9H₂O, and 1 M HCl solutions at 80 °C for 6 h, respectively. The natural and modified sepiolite samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and the nitrogen adsorption method. Quantitative XRD analysis showed that the sample consisted primarily of sepiolite clay mineral and dolomite as an impurity in small amounts. It was found that acid and heavy metal treatments caused apparent changes in the structure and microporosity of the sepiolite samples. CH₄ adsorption isotherms of clay samples were examined at temperatures of 0 °C and 25 °C and pressures up to 100 kPa. It was determined that the CH₄ adsorption capacities of sepiolite samples increased at both temperatures according to the following sequence: CuS < AgS < HS < S < FeS. CH₄ adsorption values of sepiolite samples varied between 0.084 mmol/g and 0.299 mmol/g. It was observed that the CH₄ adsorption capacities of heavy metal cation-exchange clay samples were related to the surface area.

Progress in Polymeric Nano-Medicines for Theranostic Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a life-threatening disease killing millions of people globally. Among various medical treatments, nano-medicines are gaining importance continuously. Many nanocarriers have been developed for treatment, but polymerically-based ones are acquiring importance due to their targeting capabilities, biodegradability, biocompatibility, capacity for drug loading and long blood circulation time. The present article describes progress in polymeric nano-medicines for theranostic cancer treatment, which includes cancer diagnosis and treatment in a single dosage form. The article covers the applications of natural and synthetic polymers in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Efforts were also made to discuss the merits and demerits of such polymers; the status of approved nano-medicines; and future perspectives.

Contaminant-related oxidative distress in common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) breeding at an e-waste site in South China

The crude electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has caused severe contamination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the local environment, begging the question of whether wildlife like birds living at e-waste sites are suffering from adverse effects. We examined several oxidative status markers and their relationships with hepatic concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs in common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) that inhabit an e-waste site in South China. The results showed that the mean concentrations of ∑PCBs (19100 ng/g) and ∑PBDEs (507 ng/g) in kingfishers from e-waste site were several orders of magnitude higher than those in the species from a reference site. Correspondingly, hepatic concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in kingfishers from the e-waste site were significantly higher than those detected in the reference population, suggesting oxidative distress in the birds breeding at the e-waste site. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the liver from the exposed group were significantly lower compared with the reference group, while the opposite trend was observed for glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Significantly positive correlations were observed between PCB or PBDE concentrations and the levels of MDA and ROS; while negative correlations were found for enzymatic activities of SOD and CAT. Overall, our results may suggest a potential linkage between exposure to e-waste-derived pollutants and elevated oxidative stress, thereby indicating a potential oxidative stress-related health effects in common kingfisher breeding at the e-waste site.

Evaluation of combined developmental neurological toxicity of di (n-butyl) phthalates and lead using immature mice

In this study, the immature mice were taken to assess the potential neurological toxicity of lead (Pb) and di (n-butyl) phthalates (DBP) combination exposure. Mouse administration with DBP combination with Pb exhibited longer escape latency and lower average number of crossing of the platform. Pb content in the tissues was increased, especially in the brain, after Pb exposure as compared to those without Pb exposure. The alterations of oxidative damages in tissues (MDA and SOD) and biochemical indicators in the brain (AChE, TNOS, and iNOS) were observed, as well as the synergistic effect of joint exposure. Expressions of apoptosis-related protein (bax/bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3) were significantly increased in the hippocampus, while the bcl-2 was remarkably decreased and no significant differences were observed on the bax. The results suggested that the possible mechanisms for the learning and memory ability impairments were as follows: Firstly, the combination exposure induced the occurrence of lipid peroxidation in the brain, leading to damage to the brain cells. Secondly, it destroyed the normal metabolic balance of ACh, causing nerve damage in mice. Thirdly, it induced apoptosis in mouse hippocampal cells. The overall findings revealed that Pb and DBP co-exposure greatly influenced the developmental nervous system and accompanied with synergistic toxic effect.

Magnetic Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube as Effective Adsorbent for Ciprofloxacin (CIP) Removal from Aqueous Solutions: Isotherm and Kinetics Studies

Nowadays, the presence of antibiotics in the environment has been identified as an important concern for the various life cycle. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate ciprofloxacin (CIP) adsorption efficiency onto the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) and magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotube (MMWCNTs). In this experimental study, the characteristics of the studied adsorbents were determined using SEM, FTIR and XRD methods. The effects of operational parameters including contact time (10–120 min), initial concentration of CIP (10–100 mg/L), adsorbent dosage (0.1–1 g/L) and pH (3–9) were evaluated. The isotherm and kinetics studies of the CIP adsorption onto the studied adsorbents were also carried out. The adsorption efficiency increases by increasing the contact time and adsorbent dosage, while it increased by increasing the CIP initial concentration. The results showed that higher CIP adsorption efficiency was observed at pH = 7, adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g/L, CIP concentration of 30 mg/L and contact time of 120 min. The isotherm and kinetics studies revealed that the CIP adsorption data were better described by the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics equation model. It can be concluded that both of these adsorbents have suitable potential to remove the CIP from aqueous solution but this ability is greater in MMWCNTs.

Advances in Template Prepared Nano-Oxides and their Applications: Polluted Water Treatment, Energy, Sensing and Biomedical Drug Delivery

The nano-oxide materials with special structures prepared by template methods have a good dispersion, regular structures and high specific surface areas. Therefore, in some areas, improved properties are observed than conventional bulk oxide materials. For example, in the treatment of dye wastewater, the treatment efficiency of adsorbents and catalytic materials prepared by template method was about 30 % or even higher than that of conventional samples. This review mainly focuses on the progress of inorganic, organic and biological templates in the preparation of micro- and nano- oxide materials with special morphologies, and the roles of the prepared materials as adsorbents and photocatalysts in dye wastewater treatment. The characteristics and advantages of inorganic, organic and biological template are also summarized. In addition, the applications of template method prepared oxides in the field of sensors, drug carrier, energy materials and other fields are briefly discussed with detailed examples.

Cumulative exposure to organic pollutants of French children assessed by hair analysis

Children represent one of the most vulnerable parts of the population regarding the effects of pollutants exposure on health. In this study, hair samples were collected between October 2013 and August 2015 from 142 French children originating from different geographical areas (urban and rural) and analysed with a GC/MS-MS method, allowing for the detection of 55 biomarkers for pesticides and metabolites both persistent and non-persistent from different families, including: organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, azoles, dinitroanilines, oxadiazines, phenylpyrazoles and carboxamidas; 4 polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and 5 polybromodiphenylethers (PBDEs). The number of compounds detected in each sample ranged from 9 up to 37 (21 on average), which clearly highlighted the cumulative exposure of the children. The results also showed a wide range of concentration of the pollutants in hair (often more than 100 times higher in the most exposed child compared to the less exposed), suggesting significant disparities in the exposure level, even in children living in the same area. In addition to the detection of currently used chemicals, the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in children also suggests that the French population is still exposed to POPs nowadays. PCP, DEP, PNP, 3Me4NP, trans-Cl2CA, 3PBA, fipronil and fipronil sulfone, presented statistically significant higher concentration in the hair of boys compared to girls. PCP, PNP and 3Me4NP presented statistically significant higher concentration in younger children. Finally, this study also suggests that local environmental contamination would not be the main source of exposure, and that individual specificities (habits, diet…) would be the main contributors to the exposure to the pollutants analysed here. The present study strongly supports the relevance of hair for the biomonitoring of exposure and provides the first values of organic pollutant concentration in the hair of French children.

A novel management strategy for removal and degradation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in waste printed circuit boards

Waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) contain a high level of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), among which polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are the most widely used additive BFRs. PBDEs are considered to be a type of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The efficient removal/degradation of PBDEs in waste PCBs is an urgent problem in electronic waste treatment, but the degradation of PBDEs is a great challenge due to their extreme stability and persistence in nature. In this study, a novel management strategy was developed for removal and degradation of PBDEs in waste PCBs by using a simple subcritical methanol (SubCM) process. The results showed that reaction temperature, residence time, solid-to-liquid ratio, and additive NaOH are key factors influencing the removal of PBDEs from waste PCBs. Under optimal conditions (200 °C, 60 min, 1:20 g/mL), the removal efficiency of ∑₈PBDEs from waste PCBs could reach 91.3% and 98.8% for the proposed process of SubCM and SubCM + NaOH, respectively. When the temperature is below 200 °C, highly brominated PBDEs congeners in waste PCBs were degraded into 2,'3,4',6-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE71) and 2,4,4'-Tribromodiphenyl ether (BDE28) after SubCM treatment. 4-Bromophenyl ether (BDE4) and diphenyl ether were generated by the further debromination of BDE71 and BDE28 with the increase of treatment temperature. The debromination temperature of PBDEs congeners in SubCM could be markedly lowered by adding 4 g/L of NaOH. The complete debromination of PBDEs congeners in waste PCBs could be achieved at 300 °C and 250 °C for the developed process of SubCM and SubCM + NaOH, respectively.

Pelagic seabirds as biomonitors of persistent organic pollutants in the Southwestern Atlantic

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are accumulated through time and can exert different effect on ecosystems. POPs and Chlorpyrifos, a current use pesticide, were assessed in body feathers of males and females of Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris, BBA) and Cape petrels (Daption capense, CAP) during their non-breeding seasons at the Patagonian Shelf, Argentina. Chlorpyrifos showed the highest values among all pollutants in both species (49.56-84.88 ng g^-1), resulting from current agricultural practices. The pattern OCPs > PCBs > PBDEs was observed in both species, and CAP showed higher concentrations than BBA probably as a consequence of higher lipid mobilization and pollutants availability during dispersion. Non-significant differences between sexes about POPs levels were found; however a slight tendency was observed, females>males in CAP, and males>females in BBA. More attention and further studies are needed to understand seabirds' physiology and its relationship with the pollutants distribution in their tissues and considering breeding season.