Real-time analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air is useful both for source identification and emissions compliance applications. In this work, two complementary triple quadrupole mass spectrometers, fitted with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and a low pressure chemical ionization (LPCI) source, respectively, were deployed simultaneously to investigate emissions of VOCs associated with an Ontario-based chemical waste disposal facility. Mobile measurements performed upwind and downwind of the facility enabled selection of the best locations for stationary sampling. Seven separate field studies were undertaken between 2000 and 2016 to assess how emissions of VOCs have changed at the site as a function of time. Up to twenty-nine VOCs were successfully identified and quantified using MS/MS in each study. Simultaneous deployment of the two mass spectrometers enabled the detection of polar VOCs including alcohols, esters, amines and ketones as well as non-polar aromatic VOCs including benzene and naphthalene in real time. Concentrations of VOCs were found to decrease significantly in the vicinity of the facility over the sixteen year period, in particular since 2007. Concentration values for each year are compared with odour thresholds and provincial guidelines and implications of future expansion of on-site solid waste landfill volumes are also discussed.

Water diversion has been increasingly applied to improve water quality in many water bodies. However, little is known regarding pollution by organic micropollutants (OMPs) in water diversion projects, especially at the supplier, and this pollution may threaten the quality of transferred water. In the present study, a total of 110 OMPs belonging to seven classes were investigated in water and sediment collected from a supplier of the Yangtze River within four water diversion projects. A total of 69 and 58 target OMPs were detected in water and sediment, respectively, at total concentrations reaching 1041.78 ng/L and 5942.24 ng/g dry weight (dw). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pharmaceuticals were the predominant pollutants identified. When preliminarily compared with the pollution in the receiving water, the Yangtze River generally exhibited mild OMPs pollution and good water quality parameters, implying a clean water source in the water diversion project. However, in Zongyang and Fenghuangjing, PAHs pollution was more abundant than that in the corresponding receiving water in Chaohu Lake. Ammonia nitrogen pollution in the Wangyu River was comparable to that in Taihu Lake. These findings imply that water diversion may threaten receiving waters in some cases. In addition, the risks of all detected pollutants in both water and sediment were assessed. PAHs in water, especially phenanthrene and high-molecular-weight PAHs, posed high risks to invertebrates, followed by the risks to fish and algae. Pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics and antidepressants, may also pose risks to algae and fish at a number of locations. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to describe OMPs pollution in water diversion projects, and the results provide a new perspective regarding the security of water diversion projects.

Better understanding of the colloidal behaviors of nanomaterials impacted by aquatic chemistry parameters is needed for appropriate evaluation of the environmental risks posed by nanomaterials in natural waters. In the study, the colloidal stability of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe-MNPs) was evaluated over a range of chemistry characteristics [e.g., pH, dissolved organic matter (DOM), salt types, cationic strength] in six synthetic water samples. The findings from the synthetic water samples were further examined with eight “real world” environmental water samples. Our results demonstrated that DOM fraction, humic acid (HA), promoted suspension of Fe-MNPs more by hydrophobic interactions in addition to ligand exchange and electrostatic effects compared with fulvic acid (FA). Capability of cations to increase aggregation of Fe-MNPs were in the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ >> Na+ because of their different degrees of bridging complexation with DOM molecules on particle surfaces. As a key parameter for indicating Fe-MNPs colloidal stability, Zeta (ζ) potentials of Fe-MNPs in these waters samples were well correlated to (R2 = 0.880, P < 0.001) the contents, types and adsorption forms of DOM and cations. However, several other factors could also affect the hydrodynamic diameter (HDD) of Fe-MNPs in the “real world” environmental waters. It assumed that ampholytic-DOM molecules such as amino acid- and protein-like molecules caused great aggregation of Fe-MNPs. These findings would be helpful for better understanding and evaluating the colloidal behaviors of nanomaterials when they released into natural water environment, thus could shed light on developing relevant pollution control strategies.

Hypermethylation of СpG islands in the promoter regions of several genes with basic protective function in blood leukocytes of individuals exposed to ionizing radiation long time ago (2–46 years), and differential effects of age and radiation exposure on hypermethylation was reported in our previous work. To validate these results, epigenetic modifications were assessed in an independent series of 49 nuclear industry workers from the “Mayak” facility (67–84 years old at sampling) with documented individual accumulated doses from the prolonged external γ-radiation exposure (95.9–409.5 cGy, end of work with radiation:0.3–39 years ago), and in 50 non-exposed persons matched by age. In addition to the genes analyzed before (RASSF1A, p16/INK4A, p14/ARF, GSTP1), four additional loci were analyzed: TP53, ATM, SOD3, ESR1. The frequency of individuals displaying promoter methylation of at least one of the 8 genes (71.4%) was significantly higher in exposed group as compared to the control group (40%), p = .002, OR = 3.75. A significantly elevated frequency of individuals with hypermethylated СpG islands in GSTP1, TP53, SOD3 promoters was revealed among exposed subjects as compared to the control group (p = .012, OR = 8.41; p = .041, OR = 4.02 and p = .009, OR = 3.42, respectively). A similar trend (p = .12, OR = 3.06) was observed for the p16/INK4A gene. As a whole, p16/INK4A and GSTP1 promoter hypermethylation in irradiated subjects from both previously and currently analyzed groups was pronounced. Thus, the direction of the effects was fully confirmed, suggesting the result reproducibility. No statistically significant correlation between promoter methylation and individual radiation dose was found. Further studies are required to create an array of blood epigenetic markers of radiation exposure associating with premature aging and age-related diseases and to accurately evaluate radiation-added effect across the range of doses.The results of studies of epigenetic changes in two independent samples of irradiated subjects indicated the significance of radiation factor in the induction of hypermethylation of CpG islands in gene promoters that is revealed in blood cells years and decades after exposure.

E-waste generation has become a serious environmental challenge worldwide. The global quantity of e-waste was estimated 44.7 million metric tons (Mt) in 2016. The improper recycling of e-waste is still a challenging issue in developing countries.The objectives of this a review article to present comprehensive information of recent studied on environment pollution and effect on human health in China.The search engines consulted, period of publications reviewed 2015–2018. For search study, we used different key words: ‘improper recycling’, ‘primitive recycling,’ ‘backyard recycling,’ ‘e-waste,’ ‘WEEE’, and the studies related to improper recycling of e-waste.According to reports, the e-waste recycled by unorganized sectors in China. These unorganized sector workers daily go for work, such as e-waste collection from consumer house and manual dismantling of e-waste by using simple method, at unauthorized workshop. These backyard workshop are reported in small clusters in or around city e.g., Qingyuan village; Taizhou, Longtang Town, Guiyu, nearby Nanyang River and Beigang River in China.The earlier reported studies directed the heavy metals effect (causing effects both acute and chronic effects; respiratory irritation, reproductive problem, cardiovascular and urinary infection/disease) on human health. According the reports, the improper recycling of e-waste which need to be address for the environment protection and prevention of public health risk. However, if e-waste exposure is not avoided very well, the associated contamination will be continuing, and simultaneously needful to increase the awareness for proper e-waste management in China.In order to solve the e-waste problem in China, more detail research is needed. Furthermore, for environment protection and health safety, the proper e-waste dismantling techniques, environmentally sound management, and the regular monitoring are very important.

Fluoride is capable of inducing neurotoxicity, but its mechanisms remain elusive. This study aimed to explore the roles of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and autophagy in sodium fluoride (NaF)-induced neurotoxicity, focusing on the regulating role of ER stress in autophagy. The in vivo results demonstrated that NaF exposure impaired the learning and memory capabilities of rats, and resulted in histological and ultrastructural abnormalities in rat hippocampus. Moreover, NaF exposure induced excessive ER stress and associated apoptosis, as manifested by elevated IRE1α, GRP78, cleaved caspase-12 and cleaved-caspase-3, as well as defective autophagy, as shown by increased Beclin1, LC3-II and p62 expression in hippocampus. Consistently, the in vitro results further verified the findings of in vivo study that NaF induced excessive ER stress and defective autophagy in SH-SY5Y cells. Notably, inhibition of autophagy in NaF-treated SH-SY5Y cells with Wortmannin or Chloroquine decreased, while induction of autophagy by Rapamycin increased the cell viability. These results were correlated well with the immunofluorescence observations, thus confirming the pivotal role of autophagic flux dysfunction in NaF-induced cell death. Importantly, mitigation of ER stress by 4-phenylbutyrate in NaF-treated SH-SY5Y cells inhibited the expressions of autophagy markers, and decreased cell apoptosis. Taken together, these data suggest that neuronal death resulted from excessive ER stress and autophagic flux dysfunction contributes to fluoride-elicited neurotoxicity. Moreover, the autophagic flux dysfunction was mediated by excessive ER stress, which provided novel insight into a better understanding of fluoride-induced neurotoxicity.

Seven organophosphorus compounds (OPs) were measured in urban fine and coarse particulate matter (PM) collected from two sites of Nanjing (XCNUC), China and Islamabad (APHSP), Pakistan. The fine PM mass at APHSP site was significantly higher (p = 0.005) in the spring (mean 22.5 μg/m³) than in the summer (mean 12.7 μg/m³). The total concentration, ∑⁷OPs, of samples collected at APHSP was found significantly higher in coarse (range 672–47621 pg/m³) than in fine PM (range 1200–15213 pg/m³); while ∑⁷OPs from XCNUC in fine (range 1696–15063 pg/m³) and coarse PM (range 2053–5379 pg/m³) were statistically different in samples during summer, based on two-sample t-test at 0.05 confidence interval. Seasonally, ∑⁷OPs was found to be higher in the samples of Nanjing (9510 ± 3633 pg/m³) in the summer than in the spring. In contrast, the samples of Islamabad had higher ∑⁷OPs (25558 ± 16255 pg/m³) in the spring than in the summer. Tri(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCEP) was found at higher concentration than any other OPs in the samples from the XCNUC site. Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) was found at extremely high levels from APHSP, which may attributed to its use in jet fuel. Most of the ∑OPs concentrations were found significantly different in both PMs at both sites due to their diverse sources. Both sites showed strong correlation of ∑OPs with TCEP in both PMs, indicating similar mode of transfer from sources like plastics, lacquer, paint, glue, industrial processes and foam fillers. Relative abundance of OPs in fine and coarse PM differs amongst OP congeners and concerning seasons, with these variations attributed to different mechanisms of mass transfer such as volatilization, condensation and abrasions. Moreover, triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) has been reported in outdoor PMs. This is the first study on the occurrence of OPs in atmospheric fine and coarse PM and their seasonal variation from Pakistan and China.

Erythromycin is an antibiotic employed in the treatment of infections caused by Gram positive microorganisms and the increasing use has made it a contaminant of emerging concern in aqueous ecosystems. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs), which are known to have catalytic and antioxidant properties, have also become contaminants of emerging concern. Due to the high reactivity of CeO₂ NPs, they can interact with erythromycin magnifying their effects or on the other hand, considering the redox potential of CeO₂ NPs, it can alleviate the toxicity of erythromycin. The present study was carried out to assess the toxicity of both single compounds as well as mixed on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (freshwater and marine microalgae respectively) employed as target species in ecotoxicological tests. Mechanisms of oxidative damage and those harmful to the photosynthetic apparatus were studied in order to know the toxic mechanisms of erythromycin and the joint effects with CeO₂ NPs. Results showed that erythromycin inhibited the microalgae population growth and effective quantum yield of PSII (E.Q.Y.) in both microalgae. However, the freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was more sensitive than the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Responses related to the photosynthetic apparatus such as E.Q.Y. was affected by the exposure to erythromycin of both microalgae, as chloroplasts are target organelle for this antibiotic.Mixed experiments (CeO₂ NPs + erythromycin) showed the protective role of CeO₂ NPs in both microalgae preventing erythromycin toxicity in toxicological responses such as the growth of the microalgae population and E.Q.Y.

This study presents the air pollution findings of the submicron (PM1) and fine (PM2.5) particulate matter. The submicron particles are entirely absorbed by the human body and they cause the greatest health risk. For the PM2.5 concentration, there are yearly and/or daily limit values regulations by the European Union (EU) and World Health Organization (WHO). There are no such regulations for PM1 but for health risk reason the knowledge of its concentration is important. This paper presents the seasonal concentration contribution of PM1 and PM2.5, their chemical composition and assessed three basic sources. Daily samples of both fractions were collected from 2nd July 2016 to 27th February 2017 in Krakow, Poland. Apart from PM1 and PM2.5 the concentration of 16 elements, 8 ions and BC for each samples were measured. Based on these chemical species the positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor modeling was used for the determination of three main sources contribution to the PM1 and PM2.5 concentrations. Daily average concentrations of PM2.5 were 12 μg/m3 in summer and 60 μg/m3 in winter. For PM1 it was 6.9 μg/m3 in summer and 17.3 μg/m3 in winter. These data show a significant difference in percentage contribution of PM1 in PM2.5 in summer (58%) and in winter (29%).For the combustion source, the concentrations calculated from PMF modeling in winter were 4.8 μg/m3 for PM1 and 31 μg/m3 for PM2.5. In summer, the concentrations were smaller than 1 μg/m3 for both fractions. Secondary aerosols' concentration for PM1 was 3.4 μg/m3 in summer and 11 μg/m3 in winter - for PM2.5 these were 7.1 μg/m3 and 17 μg/m3 respectively. The third source - soil, industry and traffic together, had small seasonal variation: for PM1 it was from 1.4 to 1.8 μg/m3 and for PM2.5 from 4.7 to 7.9 μg/m3.

How to evaluate the ecological risk of transgenic technology is a focus of scientists because of the safety concerns raised by genetically modified (GM) organisms. Nevertheless, most studies are based on individual chemicals and always analyze the GM organism as a type of toxicant. In this study, we changed the approach and used GM organisms as the test objects with normal chemical exposure. Three types of chemicals (two substituted phenols, 4-chlorophenol and 4-nitrophenol; two ionic liquids, 1-butylpyridinium chloride and 1-butylpyridinium bromide; two pesticides, dichlorvos and glyphosate) were used to construct a six-component mixture system. The lethality to wild-type (N2) and sod-3::GFP (SOD-3) Caenorhabditis elegans was determined when they were exposed to the same mixture system after 12 and 24 h. The results showed that the pEC50 values of all of the single chemicals on SOD-3 were greater than those on N2 at 24 h. The toxicities of the single chemicals and nine mixture rays on the two strains increased with time. Notably, we discovered a significant difference between the two strains; time-dependent synergism occurred in mixtures on N2, but time-dependent antagonism occurred in mixtures on SOD-3. Finally, the strength of the synergism or antagonism turned to additive action on the two strains as the exposure time increased. These findings illustrated that the GM factor of the nematode influenced the mixture toxicological interaction at some exposure times. Compared with N2, SOD-3 were more sensitive to stress or toxic reactions. Therefore, the influence of the GM factor on mixture toxicological interactions in environmental risk assessment must be considered.