Monitoring and risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in agricultural soil from two industrialized areas

Exploring the influence of PCB exposure on neonatal birth outcomes and neurobehavioral development after 15 years of prohibition

Despite polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been banned in Taiwan for fifteen years, epidemiological studies indicated that prenatal PCB exposure may still affect newborns and their birth outcomes. The study aimed to investigate the association between PCB concentrations in umbilical cord blood and infants' birth outcomes and neurodevelopment. We recruited 100 pairs of mothers and infants, residing in Changhua and Yunlin countries in Taiwan from 2014 to 2016. Maternal questionnaire surveys conducted to collect demographic data, and the Chinese version of the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale was used to assess the development of their neurological behavior in newborns within one to two weeks after birth. Additionally, the Infant Temperament Questionnaire was used to evaluate newborns' responses to stimuli. The measured levels of 23 PCB congeners were analyzed using gas chromatography-electron capture negative ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-NICI-qMS). Multiple regression explored correlations between prenatal PCB exposure and neonatal birth outcomes, neurobehavioral, and temperament. Additionally, we used the Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression model analysis to identify the major contributing congener. The results revealed that 9 PCB congeners were commonly found in the study participants, specifically PCB138, PCB153, PCB180, PCB156, PCB170, PCB177, PCB187, PCB194, and PCB201. The top three PCBs congeners by levels were PCB138, PCB153, and PCB180 (17.28 ± 16.84, 11.50 ± 15.12, 8.09 ± 14.10 pg/g wet weight, respectively). The decrease in birth weight and head circumference in newborns were each associated with 7 different PCB congeners, with 6 of them being correlated with both, including PCB153, PCB156, PCB177, PCB180, PCB187, and PCB194. Specifically, PCB153 was associated with delayed neurobehavioral development in newborns. Exposure to PCB153, PCB177, and PCB180 influenced the temperament development of newborns. The WQS results indicated that PCB156 and PCB177 were the major contributors to decreased birth weight and head circumference. In conclusion, despite the prohibition of PCB usage, prenatal exposure to PCBs may still affect neonatal health. It is recommended that Taiwan should monitor local newborns' long-term PCB exposure and track potential adverse health effects in their future development.

Spatial distributions and source identification of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in soils and pine needles in the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea

The spatial distribution and contamination patterns of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil and pine needles from the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea were assessed. The mean concentrations of Σ17 PCDD/Fs, Σ12 dl-PCBs, and Σ7 I-PCBs were 78 pg/g dw, 90 pg/g dw, and 453 pg/g dw in the soil and 6 pg/g ww, 31 pg/g ww, and 166 pg/g ww in the pine needles, respectively. The mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, and I-PCBs in the soil at industrial sites (138, 184, and 453 pg/g dw) were significantly higher than those at urban (47, 33, and 186 pg/g dw) and suburban sites (48, 49, and 234 pg/g dw). In the pine needles, although PCDD/F and PCB levels were higher at several industrial sites, mean concentrations at the industrial (6, 31, and 166 pg/g ww), urban (4, 29, and 143 pg/g ww), and suburban (4, 31, and 169 pg/g ww) sites were comparable, indicating that atmospheric transport plays a crucial role in spreading contamination throughout the study area. Higher chlorinated PCBs were predominant in the soils, while PCDFs and lower chlorinated PCBs were more common in the pine needles, reflecting the distinct physicochemical properties and interactions of these chemicals with each medium. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed industrial combustion as the main source of PCDD/Fs and PCBs, with Aroclors identified as an additional source of PCBs. Suburban areas were influenced by both local sources and pollutants transported from urban and industrial areas. This study highlights that industrial activities and atmospheric transport significantly contribute to the widespread contamination of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Ulsan.

A meta-analysis highlighting the increasing relevance of the hair matrix in exposure assessment to organic pollutants

Owing to a wide range of advantages, such as stability, non-invasiveness, and ease of sampling, hair has been used progressively for comprehensive biomonitoring of organic pollutants for the last three decades. This has led to the development of new analytical and multi-class analysis methods for the assessment of a broad range of organic pollutants in various population groups, ranging from small-scale studies to advanced studies with a large number of participants based on different exposure settings. This meta-analysis summarizes the existing literature on the assessment of organic pollutants in hair in terms of residue levels, the correlation of hair residue levels with those of other biological matrices and socio-demographic factors, the reliability of hair versus other biomatrices for exposure assessment, the use of segmental hair analysis for chronic exposure evaluation and the effect of external contamination on hair residue levels. Significantly high concentrations of organic pollutants such as pesticides, flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon were reported in human hair samples from different regions and under different exposure settings. Similarly, high concentrations of pesticides (from agricultural activities), flame retardants (E-waste dismantling activities), dioxins and furans were observed in various occupational settings. Moreover, significant correlations (p < 0.05) for hair and blood concentrations were observed in majority of studies featuring pesticides and flame retardants. While among sociodemographic factors, gender and age significantly affected the hair concentrations in females and children in general exposure settings, whereas adult workers in occupational settings. Furthermore, the assessment of the hair burden of persistent organic pollutants in domestic and wild animals showed high concentrations for pesticides such as HCHs and DDTs whereas the laboratory-based studies using animals demonstrated strong correlations between exposure dose, exposure duration, and measured organic pollutant levels, mainly for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, terbuthylazine, aldrin, dieldrin and pyrethroid metabolites. Considering the critical analysis of the results obtained from literature review, hair is regarded as a reliable matrix for organic pollutant assessment; however, some limitations, as discussed in this review, need to be overcome to reinforce the status of hair as a suitable matrix for exposure assessment.

Distributions of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and PCNs in coastal sediments collected from major industrial bays in South Korea

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were assessed in coastal sediments from industrial bays in South Korea to evaluate the pollution levels and their environmental impact. The mean sediment concentrations of Σ17 PCDD/Fs, Σ18 PCBs, and Σ15 PCNs were 198 ± 140, 3427 ± 7037, and 85 ± 336 pg/g dw, respectively. Generally, pollutant concentrations in the inner bay were higher than those in the outer bay, indicating the influence of industrial emissions and harbor activities. The primary sources were identified as steel manufacturing and wastewater treatment plants for PCDD/Fs, harbor and shipbuilding activities for PCBs, and combustion-related sources for PCNs. Notably, PCDD/F concentrations exceeded sediment guideline values. The combined effects of PCDD/Fs and PCBs demonstrated adverse impacts on aquatic organisms. Hence, the release of toxic pollutants into the marine environment could have potential biological effects due to the combined impact of these various compounds.

Uptake and translocation of organic pollutants in Camellia sinensis (L.): a review

Camellia sinensis (L.) is a perennial evergreen woody plant with the potential for environmental pollution due to its unique growth environment and extended growth cycle. Pollution sources and pathways for tea plants encompass various factors, including atmospheric deposition, agricultural inputs of chemical fertilizers and pesticide, uptake from soil, and sewage irrigation. During the cultivation phase, Camellia sinensis (L.) can absorb organic pollutants through its roots and leaves. This review provides an overview of the uptake and translocation mechanisms involving the absorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, anthraquinone (AQ), perchlorate, and other organic pollutants by tea plant roots. Additionally, we summarize how fresh tea leaves can be impacted by spraying pesticide and atmospheric sedimentation. In conclusion, this review highlights current research progress in understanding the pollution risks associated with Camellia sinensis (L.) and its products, emphasizing the need for further investigation and providing insights into potential future directions for research in this field.

Substrate-dependent strategies to mitigate sulfate inhibition on microbial reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls

Sulfate widely co-exists with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at various concentrations in the subsurface environment. Previous studies have suggested that sulfate often hampers microbial degradation of aliphatic chlorinated solvents such as chloroethenes. However, the impact of sulfate on microbial reductive dechlorination of aromatic PCBs and the underlying mechanisms have received limited attention. Likewise, strategies to mitigate such inhibition remain scarce. Here we found that the mechanisms and mitigation strategies of sulfate inhibition on PCB dechlorination were substrate-dependent. Under electron donor-limiting conditions, even a low concentration of sulfate (2 mM) resulted in a decreased PCB dechlorination rate by 88.7% in a co-culture comprising Dehalococcoides mccartyi CG1 and the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans F1, an inhibition which was attributed to the competition for electron donor between sulfate reduction and PCB dechlorination. As expected, re-amendment of 5 mM lactate effectively re-initiated PCB dechlorination. However, in the presence of a higher concentration of sulfate (5 mM), the PCB dechlorination rate in the co-culture was 77.7% lower than in the control, even with excessive electron donor supply. This inhibition was linked to high concentration of sulfide (∼5 mM) produced from sulfate reduction, as suggested by high availability of electron donor, recovery of dechlorination activity after removal of sulfide, and negligible influence of sulfate on PCB dechlorination in the axenic culture of D. mccartyi CG1. Indeed, sulfide (>5 mM) was found to directly suppress expression of PCB-dechlorinating reductive dehalogenase gene. The highest transcriptional level of pcbA1 was 2.9 ± 0.3 transcripts·cell-1 in the presence of ∼5 mM sulfide, which was increased to 37.4 ± 5.0 transcripts·cell-1 when sulfide was removed. Under this scenario, introduction of ferrous salts (5 mM) efficiently alleviated sulfide inhibition on PCB dechlorination. Interestingly, the augmentation of methanogens in the co-culture was also effective in mitigating sulfide inhibition on PCB dechlorination, offering a new approach to protect Dehalococcoides under sulfide stress. Collectively, these findings deepen our understanding of the influence of sulfate on microbial reductive dechlorination of PCBs and contribute to developing appropriate strategies based on geochemical conditions to alleviate sulfate inhibition during bioremediation of PCB-contaminated sites.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils from typical paddy fields of China: Occurrence, influencing factors and human health risks

The contamination of paddy soils is of great concern since it links to human health via food supply. Limited knowledge is available on PCB residue characteristics and the associated health risks in paddy soils under various environmental conditions. In this study, a soil sampling campaign was conducted in three typical paddy fields, i.e., Sanjiang Plain (SP), Taihu Plain (TP) and Hani Terrace (HT), crossing a transect of 4000 km in China. The concentrations of 29 quantified PCBs varied from 58.6 to 1930 pg/g in paddy soils, with samples at TP showing the highest burden. Tri-CBs were the major homologue group at SP and HT, whereas hexa-CBs at TP. Altitude, temperature, soil organic matter content and soil conductivity well explained the variations in PCB concentrations among sites. The homologue profiles of soil PCBs followed the fractionation theory. In addition, soil conductivity was found to be negatively correlated to low-chlorinated PCBs and positively to high-chlorinated congeners. Furthermore, the toxicities of soil PCBs and the exposure risks through rice intake were estimated. Higher toxicity equivalent quantities and hazard indexes were found at SP than TP and HT, with over one third of the samples displaying health risks. The results of this work highlight the necessity to better understand the occurrence characteristics and the associated health risks of PCBs in soils of rice-growing regions.

Ecological and human health risks assessment of some polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in surface soils of central and southern parts of city of Tehran, Iran

PURPOSE

The present study was conducted to evaluate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic hazards of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in topsoil across business districts, public green space, cultural and educational areas, and roadside and residential areas in city of Tehran, in 2019.

METHOD

A total of 30 surface urban soil specimens were collected and after preparing them in the laboratory, PCBs contents were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Based on the results of data analyses, the median concentrations of PCB18, PCB28, PCB 29, PCB 31, PCB 44, PCB 52, PCB 101, PCB 138, PCB 141, PCB 149, PCB 153, PCB 189 and PCB 194, were found to be 6.81, 0.759, 0.005, 1.75, 2.51, 0.059, 2.31, 3.76, 5.82, 0.599, 0.408, 0.008 and 0.008 µg/kg, respectively. Also, the overall daily PCBs intakes via soil ingestion, inhalation and skin contact were 5.48E-04, 1.19E + 00 and 1.62E-04 µg/kg, respectively. Thus it was decided that the inhalation of soil could be the main pathway of exposure to PCBs, and that, based on the carcinogenic risk outcomes, children would be more at risk of cancer than adults would.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, considering that among the studied urban spaces, the contents of PCBs in public green spaces were more than their rates in other areas, and considering that children normally play in the green areas are, it is recommended that special attention be paid to these areas in controlling and removing pollution caused by PCBs in urban areas.

Contamination characteristics of polychlorinated naphthalenes in the agricultural soil of two industrial cities in South Korea

This study investigates the contamination characteristics of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in the rice paddy soils of two industrial cities (Pohang and Ulsan) in South Korea. The paddy soils were collected from 40 sites in the paddy fields near industrial complexes in both cities. The mean concentration of Σ₅₅ PCNs was 145.9 ± 101.7 pg/g and 95.4 ± 41.4 pg/g for the soils in Pohang and Ulsan, respectively. The toxic equivalents (TEQs) of Σ₂₈ PCNs ranged from 0.007 pg-TEQ/g to 0.069 pg-TEQ/g in Pohang, and 0.015 pg-TEQ/g to 0.046 pg-TEQ/g in Ulsan. The PCN profiles were dominated by lower chlorinated homologues such as tetra- and tri-CNs for both cities, which are associated with the historical use of technical products, or more specifically, Halowaxes (HW 1099, 1031, 1013, and 1001). The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) indicate that the historical residues from the technical products contributed to the PCN contamination, but the influence of combustion sources was also observed with a high fraction of combustion-related congeners. Based on this study, we can expect that rice grown in these paddy fields will accumulate PCNs and other combustion-related pollutants, strongly suggesting the necessity for multimedia (e.g., air, soil, water, and rice) monitoring and human exposure assessments of PCNs.

The effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on bovine oviductal contractions and LIF synthesis during estrous cycle, in vitro studies

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of synthetic xenobiotics that have been used in many industrial applications. Currently, PCBs are among the most prominent environmental contaminants. Previously we showed that PCBs impair secretion of prostaglandins (PGs) at the oviduct. PGs are involved in the regulation of oviductal contractions and the synthesis of leukemia inhibitory factors LIF. Since oviductal contractions are crucial for gamete and embryo transport, and LIF is essential for embryo implantation, the direct effect of PCBs on oviductal motor activity and LIF mRNA expression were investigated. Oviductal strips and cells were taken from cows during the estrous cycle and were treated with PCBs at concentrations close to their environmental ranges. All the studied PCBs decreased the force of the contractions of the longitudinal and circular muscles of the isthmus. Additionally, these PCBs decreased the amplitude of the longitudinal muscle of the oviduct. Moreover, PCB-30-OH and PCB-153 increased the mRNA expression of LIF. Since PCBs inhibit the motor function of the oviduct and stimulate the synthesis of LIF, it is possible that PCBs can slow gamete or embryo transport and increase the potential for pathological embryo implantation in the oviduct.

Characteristics of metal contamination in paddy soils from three industrial cities in South Korea

Paddy soil contamination is directly linked to human dietary exposure to toxic chemicals via crop consumption. In Korea, rice paddy fields are often located around industrial complexes, a major anthropogenic source of metals. In this study, rice paddy soils were collected from 50 sites in three industrial cities to investigate the contamination characteristics and ecological risk of metals in the soils. The cities studied and their major industries are as follows: Ulsan (petrochemical, nonferrous, automobile, and shipbuilding), Pohang (iron and steel), and Gwangyang (iron and steel, nonmetallic, and petrochemical). Thirteen metals (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The mean concentration of Cd (1.98 mg/kg) exceeded the soil quality guideline of Canada (1.4 mg/kg), whereas concentrations of other metals were under the standards of both Korea and Canada. Generally, levels of metal concentrations decreased with increasing distance from industrial complexes. Among the three cities, Pohang showed high concentrations of Zn (142.2 mg/kg), and Ulsan and Gwangyang showed high concentrations of Cr (33.9 mg/kg) and Ba (126.4 mg/kg), respectively. These contamination patterns were influenced by the different major industries of each city, which was clearly demonstrated by the principal component analysis results. Pollution indices suggested that As, Cd, Pb, and Zn were enriched in the paddy soils via anthropogenic activities. Comprehensive potential ecological risk indices were at considerable levels for most sites, especially because of major contributions from As and Cd, which can pose potential ecological threats.

Modeling primary and secondary fractionation effects and atmospheric transport of polychlorinated biphenyls through single-source emissions

The Chinese Gridded Industrial Pollutants Emission and Residue Model (ChnGIPERM) was used to investigate potential fractionation effects and atmospheric transport of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) derived from single-source emissions in China. Modeling the indicative PCBs (CB28, CB101, CB153, and CB180) revealed spatiotemporal trends in atmospheric transport, gas/particle partitioning, and primary and secondary fractionation effects. These included the inference that the Westerlies and East Asian monsoons affect atmospheric transport patterns of PCBs by influencing the atmospheric transport time (ATT). In this study, dispersion pathways with long ATTs in winter tended to have short ones in summer and vice versa. The modeled partitioning of PCB congeners between gas and particles was mainly controlled by temperature, which can further influence the ATT. The potential for primary and secondary fractionation was explored by means of numerical simulations with single-source emissions. Within ChnGIPERM, these phenomena were mainly controlled by the temperature and soil organic carbon content. The secondary fractionation of PCBs is a slow process, with model results suggesting a timescale of several decades.

RETRACTED: Threats of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in six molluscs from market to food safety: A case study in Haikou City, China

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief and Authors. The article is a duplicate of a paper that has already been published in the Chinese language in the Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment, 34 (2018) 1091-1095. doi:10.11934/j.issn.1673-4831.2018.12.005). One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that the paper has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. As such this article represents a misuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.