Inhalation represents the most prevalent route of exposure with Thorium-232 compounds (Th-nitrate/Th-dioxide)/Th-containing dust in real occupational scenario. The present study investigated the mechanism of Th response in normal human alveolar epithelial cells (WI26), exposed to Th-nitrate or colloidal Th-dioxide (1–100 μg/ml, 24–72 h). Assessment in terms of changes in cell morphology, cell proliferation (cell count), plasma membrane integrity (lactate dehydrogenase leakage) and mitochondrial metabolic activity (MTT reduction) showed that Th-dioxide was quantitatively more deleterious than Th-nitrate to WI26 cells. TEM and immunofluorescence analysis suggested that Th-dioxide followed a clathrin/caveolin-mediated endocytosis, however, membrane perforation/non-endocytosis seemed to be the mode of Th internalization in cells exposed to Th-nitrate. Th-estimation by ICP-MS showed significantly higher uptake of Th in cells treated with Th-dioxide than with Th-nitrate at a given concentration. Both Th-dioxide and nitrate were found to increase the level of reactive oxygen species, which seemed to be responsible for lipid peroxidation, alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA-damage. Amongst HSPs, the protein levels of HSP70 and HSP90 were affected differentially by Th-nitrate/dioxide. Specific inhibitors of ATM (KU55933) or HSP90 (17AAG) were found to increase the Th- cytotoxicity suggesting prosurvival role of these signaling molecules in rescuing the cells from Th-toxicity.

Cadmium (Cd) in the food chain poses a serious hazard to human health. Therefore, a greenhouse hydroponic experiment was conducted to examine the potential of exogenously strigolactone GR24 in lessening Cd toxicity and to investigate its physiological mechanisms in the two barley genotypes, W6nk2 (Cd-sensitive) and Zhenong8 (Cd-tolerant). Exogenous application of 1 μM GR24 (strigol analogue) reduced the suppression of growth caused by 10 μM Cd, lowered plant Cd contents, increased the contents of other nutrient elements, protected chlorophyll, sustained photosynthesis, and markedly reduced Cd-induced H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde accumulation in barley. Furthermore, exogenous GR24 markedly increased NO contents and nitric oxide synthase activity in the Cd-sensitive genotype, W6nk2, effectively alleviating the Cd-induced repression of the activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase, increasing reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AsA) pools and activities of AsA-GSH cycle including ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase and monodehydroascorbate reductase. The findings of the present study indicate that GR24 could be a candidate for Cd detoxification by decreasing Cd contents, balancing nutrient elements, and protecting barley plants from toxic oxidation via indirectly eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS), consequently contributing to reducing the potential risk of Cd pollution.

Soil washing using a strong chelating agent is a common practice for restoring contaminated soils, but significant soil fertility degradation and high operation costs are the major disadvantages. Washing soil with a dissolved organic matter (DOM) solution has been identified as a method that can moderate the loss of nutrients in the soil and enhance metal removal. The DOM solutions were extracted from waste sludge obtained from a local whisky distillery. Single chelating washing and chelate-DOM washing were carried out using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), citric acid, and DOM solutions to remediate highly Cu-contaminated soil. Two-phase washing using 0.34 M citric acid and then 1500 mg L−1 DOM solution (pH 8.5) was found to be most favorable for the soil. With this treatment, 91% Cu was removed from the topsoil; the organic matter, cation exchange capacity, plant-available nitrogen, and available phosphate content increased by 28.1%, 103%, 17.7%, and 422%, respectively.

We determined the levels of prenatal Hg exposure in Wujiang City, located in the southeast of Taihu Lake in China's Jiangsu Province, and analyze the relationship between prenatal exposure to Hg and neonatal anthropometry, including birth weight, body length, and head circumference. From June 2009 to July 2010, a total of 213 mother-infant pairs were enrolled. The geometric means of Hg levels in maternal hair, fetal hair, placentas, and cord blood were 496.76 μg/kg, 233.94 μg/kg, 3.58 μg/kg, and 1.54 μg/L, respectively. The Hg levels detected in our study were significantly lower than those reported by previous studies. In addition, no significant correlations were found between Hg levels in maternal hair, fetal hair, placenta, or cord blood and neonatal anthropometrics. Together, our findings may be important for understanding the effects of prenatal exposure to Hg on newborns' development and have implications concerning the recommended dose for Hg.

The isotopic fractionation could contribute to understanding the Cd accumulation mechanisms in plant species. However, there are few of systematical investigations with regards to the Cd isotope fractionation in hyperaccumulator plants. The Cd tolerant Ricinus communis and hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum were cultivated in nutrient solutions with varying Cd and EDTA concentrations. Cd isotope ratios were determined in the solution, root, stem and leaf. The two investigated plants were systematically enriched in light isotopes relative to their solutions (Δ114/110Cdplant-solution = −0.64‰ to −0.29‰ for R. communis and −0.84‰ to −0.31‰ for S. nigrum). Cd isotopes were markedly fractionated among the plant tissues. For both plant species, an enrichment in light Cd isotopes from solution to root was noted, followed by a slight depletion in light Cd isotopes from root to shoot. Noticeably, the chelation process has caused lighter Cd isotope enrichment in the root of R. communis and S. nigrum. Further, the good fits between △114/110Cdroot-plant and ln Froot (or between △114/110Cdshoot-plant and ln Fshoot) indicate that Cd isotopic signatures can be used to study Cd transportation during the metabolic process of plants. This study suggests that knowledge of the Cd isotope ratios could also provide new tool for identifying the Cd-avoiding crop cultivars.

Phytoextraction and phytostabilization are the most consistent patterns or mechanisms of action of phytoremediation. One of the elements influencing the mechanism of action of heavy metal absorption by plant species is Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pattern of phytoremediation in water spinach and spinach due to the addition of EDTA in the soil. The treatments tested by factor 1 were water spinach (T1) and spinach (T2), and factor 2 was the concentration of EDTA consisting of 3 levels, 0, 3, and 6 g/polybag. Each treatment was repeated three times on five sample plants. Furthermore, growth evaluation was carried out in the first six days after planting and conducted every 3 days. It was carried out on variables such as changes in plant height, leaves area, total root length, Pb content in the soil, fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots, shoot, seeds, and Translocation Factor (TF). The results showed that water spinach and spinach had different mechanisms of action due to the application of EDTA in Pb-contaminated media. Furthermore, water spinach and spinach have a mechanism of phytoextraction and phytostabilization, respectively. Therefore, spinach is safer than water spinach when grown in Pb-polluted land.