There are limited data on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in both the atmosphere and soil of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Concentrations of PAHs were therefore measured in 13 XAD resin-based passive air samplers and 41 surface (0–5 cm) soil samples across the TP. The average concentration of atmospheric PAHs was 5.55 ng/m3, which was lower than that reported for other background areas, but higher than the Arctic. Concentrations in the soils fell in a wide range from 5.54 to 389 ng/g, with an average of 59.9 ng/g. Elevation was found to play an important role in determining the spatial distribution of soil PAHs. The air–soil exchange state showed that the soils of the TP will likely remain as a sink for high molecular weight PAHs, but may become a potential “secondary source” for low molecular weight PAHs.

We investigated the association between indoor air pollutants and childhood acute leukemia (AL). A total of 105 newly diagnosed cases and 105 1:1 gender-, age-, and hospital-matched controls were included. Measurements of indoor pollutants (including nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and 17 types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) were taken with diffusive samplers for 64 pairs of cases and controls. Higher concentrations of NO2 and almost half of VOCs were observed in the cases than in the controls and were associated with the increased risk of childhood AL. The use of synthetic materials for wall decoration and furniture in bedroom was related to the risk of childhood AL. Renovating the house in the last 5 years, changing furniture in the last 5 years, closing the doors and windows overnight in the winter and/or summer, paternal smoking history and outdoor pollutants affected VOC concentrations. Our results support the association between childhood AL and indoor air pollution.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are thought to cause adverse health effects, particularly endocrine disruption. However, results on the estrogenic activities of a large set of PCB congeners through hormone receptors have not been fully studied. In this study, we evaluated the anti/estrogenic effects of 20 PCBs using an in vitro dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. PCB 18, 28, 49, 52, 99, 101, 103, 110, and 128 exhibited estrogenic effects, whereas PCB 118, 138, 163, 170, 180, 187, 194, 199 and 203 behaved as anti-estrogens. In particular, PCB 30 and 44 exhibited both agonistic and antagonistic activities in the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The results obtained from the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, yeast two-hybrid assay and E-SCREEN were compared, suggesting that the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay is a useful approach for high-throughput screening. We also predicted the possible relationship between the chemical structures and the estrogenic effects of PCBs.

Cascade Impactor is a powerful sampling method to collect airborne particles as a function of their size. The 3-stages Cascade Impactor used in this study allowed to sample simultaneously particles with aerodynamic diameter Dae > 10 μm, 2.5 μm < Dae < 10 μm, 1 μm < Dae < 2.5 μm and Dae < 1 μm. Once collected individual concentrations of the 16 US-EPA priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound to particles were quantified for 8 different indoor environments located in Strasbourg area in France. All the heavy PAHs owning between 4 and 6 aromatic rings were detected in all of the 8 sampling sites. The total PAHs concentration varied from 0.44 to 2.09 ng m−3 for a low-energy building school and a smoking apartment, respectively. Results revealed also that high molecular weight PAHs were mainly associated to the finest particles. Our data are consistent with those measured elsewhere in European indoor environments.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) belong to the group of persistent organic pollutants, highly toxic environmental pollutants that include hydrophobic compounds with the tendency to bioaccumulate. Earthworms (Eisenia andrei) were exposed to PCDD/Fs-contaminated soil, and changes in their lipophilic structures and the gene expression of their defense molecules were followed. Damage to the intestinal wall and adjacent chloragogenous tissue was observed. Further, the up-regulation of the expression of several genes was detected. On the basis of these results, the mechanism of the impact of PCDD/Fs on earthworms has been proposed. Dioxins that accumulate in the lipophilic structures cause an increase in reactive oxidative species that triggers oxidative stress followed by the gene expression of two molecules that play a role in protection against oxidant toxicity, calreticulin (CRT) and Hsp70. Moreover, the effect of microbial biomass on the expression of coelomic cytolytic factor (CCF), a pattern recognition receptor, was also observed.

In Asia, the evaluation of black carbon (BC) using global aerosol-transport models has been incomplete due to a lack of available measurements. Recently, new measurements and datasets at various Asian sites have become available for use in model validation. In this study, we compared the BC mass concentrations obtained by an aerosol-coupled global nonhydrostatic model adopting a uniform-grid system with in-situ measurements and other models over Asia. The results revealed that our model, as well as other global models, was unable to reproduce the observed BC values at most sites in China and India, most likely due to strong local hotspots. To overcome the inconsistency between the models and measurements, we developed a new aerosol-transport model using a stretched-grid system for high-resolution simulations with up to approximately 10 km grids. Our model can be used as a global-to-regional seamless aerosol-transport model for low to high horizontal resolution simulations.

Non-irrigated and wastewater-irrigated soils were collected from five wastewater irrigation areas in Beijing and Tianjin, China. The concentrations of sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline in the soils were determined. Abundances of antibiotic resistant bacteria and corresponding resistance genes were also measured to examine the impact of wastewater irrigation. No significant difference in antibiotic resistance bacteria was observed between irrigated and non-irrigated soils. However, the concentrations of antibiotics and abundances of resistance genes were significantly greater in irrigated soils, indicating that agricultural activities enhanced the occurrence of antibiotics and resistance genes in the soils. In addition, no significant difference was observed between previously and currently wastewater-irrigated soils. Therefore, cessation of wastewater irrigation did not significantly reduce the levels of antibiotic concentrations and resistance gene abundances. Other factors, e.g., manure application, may explain the lack of significant difference in the occurrence of antibiotics and resistance genes between previously and currently wastewater-irrigated soils.

The impact of Bt proteins on non-target arthropods is less understood than their effects on target organisms where the mechanism of toxic action is known. Here, we report the effects of two Bt proteins, Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac, on gene expression in the non-target collembolan, Folsomia candida. A customized microarray was used to study gene expression in F. candida specimens that were exposed to Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac. All selected transcripts were subsequently confirmed by qPCR. Eleven transcripts were finally verified, and three of them were annotated. The responses of all eleven transcripts were tested in specimens for both Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac at a series of concentrations. These transcripts were separated into two and three groups for Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac, respectively, depend on their expression levels. However, those eleven transcripts did not respond to the Bt proteins in Bt-rice residues.

In this study, 166 surface sediments and 3 sediment cores from the Bohai Sea (BS), Yellow Sea (YS) and East China Sea (ECS) in China were collected to investigate the spatial and temporal distributions and the transport of PFASs. PFASs concentrations in the surface sediments ranged from below detection limit (<LOD) to 2.78 ng g−1 with an average value of 0.55 ng g−1 on a dry weight basis (dw). A general decreasing trend of PFASs from the coast areas to the open sea was found. Multivariate regression analysis indicated pH and longitude were the major factors influencing surficial distributions of PFASs in the sampling areas (R2 = 0.29, p < 0.01). Total PFASs concentrations in the sediment cores ranged from <LOD to 1.65 ng g−1 dw, with an increasing trend from the lower to the upper layers, corresponding well to the increasing production and usage in China in recent years.