Although concerns have been raised about co-selection for antibiotic resistance and various antibiotics and non-antibiotic agents, the data on their association in urban sludge is still limited. In addition, antibiotic contamination can result in not only the toxicity but also the antibiotic resistance. In this study, the first large-scale identification of antibiotics and non-antibiotic agents concern for co-selection of resistance against antibiotics was conducted in urban sludge. Co-occurrence analysis showed that antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) had no significant correlation with the corresponding antibiotics. Therefore, the results of co-occurrence analysis based on antibiotic concentration and ARG abundance were always ambiguous and difficult to interpret. However, antibiotic resistance was positively correlated with highly toxic compounds such as diclofenac, enrofloxacin and nicotine, suggesting that environmental contaminants might influence antibiotic resistance while exerting toxicity through mechanisms such as changes in microbial community and enzyme activity. The close correlation between class 1 integrase gene (intI1) and diclofenac/enrofloxacin indicated that the co-selection scenario between environmental contaminants and ARGs was likely mediated via intI1. In total, the derived co-occurrence patterns improve our understanding of the co-selection between ARGs, antibiotics and non-antibiotic agents, and also reaffirm the importance of potential role of non-antibiotic agents in the global spread of antibiotic resistance.

Nicotine (Nic) exposed to the environment which comes from tobacco products is the main addictive agent and specific classes of hazardous compound that merit concern. In this study, we have established a fast and reliable method to achieve specific detection of Nic in natural nicotiana tabacum within 30 s through a miniaturized platform based on screen printed gold electrode (SPE). A simple electrochemical pretreatment mean was employed on gold surface that led to the exposure of Au (111) facet and a convenient sample pretreatment method was adopted to realize the extraction of Nic in tobacco. The present electrochemical sensor exhibits an ample range of sensing from 10 μg/g to 200 μg/g, which is able to compliance with tobacco industry testing standards of actual samples. Over 60 sampling points from different origins in China or other countries were performed with direct analysis using this method and satisfactory results have been obtained. The proposed approach was demonstrated to be a very promising platform for significantly improving analytical efficiency in laboratories as well as for monitoring the source reduction control of Nic in the environment.

Chemical analysis of plasma samples of wild fish from the Sava River (Croatia) revealed the presence of 90 different pharmaceuticals/illicit drugs and their metabolites (PhACs/IDrgs). The concentrations of these PhACs/IDrgs in plasma were 10 to 1000 times higher than their concentrations in river water. Antibiotics, allergy/cold medications and analgesics were categories with the highest plasma concentrations. Fifty PhACs/IDrgs were identified as chemicals of concern based on the fish plasma model (FPM) effect ratios (ER) and their potential to activate evolutionary conserved biological targets. Chemicals of concern were also prioritized by calculating exposure-activity ratios (EARs) where plasma concentrations of chemicals were compared to their bioactivities in comprehensive ToxCast suite of in vitro assays. Overall, the applied prioritization methods indicated stimulants (nicotine, cotinine) and allergy/cold medications (prednisolone, dexamethasone) as having the highest potential biological impact on fish. The FPM model pointed to psychoactive substances (hallucinogens/stimulants and opioids) and psychotropic substances in the cannabinoids category (i.e. CBD and THC). EAR confirmed above and singled out additional chemicals of concern - anticholesteremic simvastatin and antiepileptic haloperidol. Present study demonstrates how the use of a combination of chemical analyses, and bio-effects based risk predictions with multiple criteria can help identify priority contaminants in freshwaters. The results reveal a widespread exposure of fish to complex mixtures of PhACs/IDrgs, which may target common molecular targets. While many of the prioritized chemicals occurred at low concentrations, their adverse effect on aquatic communities, due to continuous chronic exposure and additive effects, should not be neglected.

Smoking activities were recognized as a main risk factor for population. Indeed, mainstream smoke aerosol is directly inhaled by smokers then delivering harmful compounds in the deepest regions of the lung. In order to reduce the potential risk of smoking, different nicotine delivery products have been recently developed. The latest device released is an electrically heated tobacco system (iQOS®, Philip Morris) which is able to warm the tobacco with no combustion. In the present paper a dimensional and volatility characterization of iQOS-generated particles was performed through particle number concentration and distribution measurements in the mainstream aerosol. The experimental analysis was carried out through a condensation particle counter, a fast mobility particle sizer and a thermo-dilution sampling system allowing aerosol samplings at different temperatures. Estimates of the particle surface area dose received by smokers were also carried out on the basis of measured data and typical smoking patterns.The particle number concentrations in the mainstream aerosols resulted lower than 1 × 108 part. cm−3 with particle number distribution modes of about 100 nm. Nonetheless, the volatility analysis showed the high amount of volatile fraction of iQOS-generated particles, indeed, samplings performed at 300 °C confirmed a significant particle shrinking phenomena (modes of about 20 nm). Anyway, the particle number concentration does not statistically decrease at higher sampling temperatures, then showing that a non-volatile fraction is always presents in the emitted particles. The dose received by smokers in terms of non-volatile amount of particle surface area was equal to 1–2 mm2 per puff, i.e. up to 4-fold larger than that received by electronic cigarette vapers.

Quantifying population exposure level to tobacco smoke is important for investigating its adverse effects on human health. We aimed to investigate the feasibility and application of using population hair concentrations of nicotine and cotinine to indicate their exposure level to tobacco smoke among pregnant women. Our study recruited 256 mothers who delivered healthy babies and collected their hair samples from scalp, of which 172 mothers were self-reported non-passive smokers and the other 84 mothers were self-reported passive smokers. We analyzed nicotine and cotinine concentrations of the hair section grown during the early pregnancy. The linear relationship between cotinine and nicotine was developed and validated by internal cross-validation method. Our results revealed that self-reported passive smokers had higher concentrations of nicotine [2.08 (1.00–4.46) ng/mg hair, i.e. median value (inter-quartile range)] and cotinine [0.063 (0.041–0.148) ng/mg hair] than non-passive smokers [1.35 (0.58–2.59) ng/mg hair of nicotine and 0.049 (0.022–0.087) ng/mg hair of cotinine, respectively]. There existed a linear regression model between hair cotinine and nicotine concentrations, i.e. [cotinine] = 0.024 × [nicotine]+0.0184 (R2 = 0.756) for this population. The internal cross-validation squared correlation coefficient slightly increased from 0.689 to 0.734 with the training subjects varying from 20% to 90%, suggesting that this regression model had high robustness and predictive accuracy. It was concluded that nicotine in maternal hair can evaluate the hair cotinine level and reflect maternal passive exposure level to ambient tobacco smoke with high sensitivity.

Aerosols from eight e-cigarettes at different nicotine levels and flavoring were characterized as particle number size distributions in the range 5.6–560 nm by FMPS and CPC. Results were used to provide dosimetry estimates applying the MMPD model.Particle number concentrations varied between 3.26 × 109 and 4.09 × 109 part cm−3 for e-liquids without nicotine and between 5.08 × 109 and 5.29 × 109 part cm−3 for e-liquids with nicotine. No flavor effects were detected on particle concentration data. Particle size distributions were unimodal with modes between 107–165 nm and 165–255 nm, for number and volume metrics, respectively.Averagely, 6.25 × 1010 particles were deposited in respiratory tree after a single puff. Highest deposition densities and mean layer thickness of e-cigarette liquid on the lung epithelium were estimated at lobar bronchi.Our study shows that e-cigarette aerosol is source of high particle dose in respiratory system, from 23% to 35% of the daily dose of a no-smoking individual.

Drug abuse assessment methods based on measuring illicit substances in waste waters are consolidated. The approach of ambient air monitoring looks questionable, nonetheless it can be explored if the variables determining the drug burdens are accounted for, or suitable co-contaminants are adopted to normalize concentrations to environmental and human contours. The general approach linking the airborne drug concentrations to consumption is presented and the case of cocaine is discussed according to measurements conducted in Italy. The cocaine/nicotine concentration ratio, identified as the most suitable tool, fitted well with anti-drug Police operations and people noticed for drug-related crimes, and with the abuse prevalence estimated in the cities investigated. According to that, the conversion factors of drug concentrations into prevalence estimates seem assessable, provided sufficient databases over space and time are collected. Further investigations are necessary to understand if airborne drugs cause adverse sanitary effects.

To narrow the gap in our understanding of potential oxidative properties associated with Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) i.e. e-cigarettes, we employed semi-quantitative methods to detect oxidant reactivity in disposable components of ENDS/e-cigarettes (batteries and cartomizers) using a fluorescein indicator. These components exhibit oxidants/reactive oxygen species reactivity similar to used conventional cigarette filters. Oxidants/reactive oxygen species reactivity in e-cigarette aerosols was also similar to oxidant reactivity in cigarette smoke. A cascade particle impactor allowed sieving of a range of particle size distributions between 0.450 and 2.02 μm in aerosols from an e-cigarette. Copper, being among these particles, is 6.1 times higher per puff than reported previously for conventional cigarette smoke. The detection of a potentially cytotoxic metal as well as oxidants from e-cigarette and its components raises concern regarding the safety of e-cigarettes use and the disposal of e-cigarette waste products into the environment.

Electronic cigarette-generated mainstream aerosols were characterized in terms of particle number concentrations and size distributions through a Condensation Particle Counter and a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer spectrometer, respectively. A thermodilution system was also used to properly sample and dilute the mainstream aerosol.Different types of electronic cigarettes, liquid flavors, liquid nicotine contents, as well as different puffing times were tested. Conventional tobacco cigarettes were also investigated.The total particle number concentration peak (for 2-s puff), averaged across the different electronic cigarette types and liquids, was measured equal to 4.39 ± 0.42 × 109 part. cm−3, then comparable to the conventional cigarette one (3.14 ± 0.61 × 109 part. cm−3). Puffing times and nicotine contents were found to influence the particle concentration, whereas no significant differences were recognized in terms of flavors and types of cigarettes used.Particle number distribution modes of the electronic cigarette-generated aerosol were in the 120–165 nm range, then similar to the conventional cigarette one.

Psychotropic substances were monitored in eight big cities of Italy over one year, starting in May 2010, in the frame of the Ariadrugs Project. Yearly average concentrations ranged from 0.02 ± 0.01 to 0.26 ± 0.11 ng/m³ for cocaine, from 0.05 ± 0.05 to 0.96 ± 1.37 ng/m³ for cannabinoids, from 16 ± 6 to 61 ± 28 ng/m³ for nicotine, and from 1.0 ± 0.8 to 8 ± 7 ng/m³ for caffeine. Palermo and Turin were the cities suffering the lowest and the highest psychotropic substance concentrations, respectively. Nicotine and cocaine exhibited trends less seasonally modulated than common air toxicants. Caffeine and cannabinoids peaked in winter dropping close to zero from May to August. In Rome, where various anthropic contours were investigated in February 2011, differences were observed both in net concentrations and ratios of psychotropic substances vs. regulated toxicants. Ambient drugs look as a consequence of addiction and their burdens give insights about the corresponding consumes.