Short-term exposure to air pollution has pro-thrombotic effects and triggers thrombo-embolic events such as myocardial infarction or stroke in adults. This study evaluates the association between short-term variation in air pollution and treatments for acute thrombo-embolic events among the whole Belgian population. In a bidirectional time-stratified case-crossover design, we included 227,861 events treated with endovascular intervention and 74,942 with antithrombotic enzymes that were reimbursed by the Belgian Social Security between January 1st, 2009 and December 31st, 2013. We compared the concentrations of particulate matter (PM) air pollution (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅), as estimated at the municipality level on the day of the event (lag 0) and two days earlier (lag 1 and lag 2) with those of control days from the same month, matched by temperature and accounting for day of the week (weekend vs week days). We applied conditional logistic regression models to obtain odds ratios (OR) and their 95% CI for an increase of 10 μg/m³ (PM₁₀) or 5 μg/m³ (PM₂.₅) in pollutant concentrations over three lag days (lag 0, 1 and 2). We observed significant associations of PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ with treatment of acute thrombo-embolic events at the three lags. The strongest associations were observed for air pollution concentrations on the day of the event (lag0). Increases of 10 μg/m³ PM₁₀ and 5 μg/m³ PM₂.₅ on lag0 increased the odds of events treated with endovascular intervention by 2.7% (95%CI:2.3%–3.2%) and 1.3% (95%CI:1%–1.5%), respectively, and they increased the odds of events treated with antithrombotic enzymes by 1.9% (95%CI:1.1–2.7%) and 1.2% (95%CI:0.7%–1.6%), respectively. The associations were generally stronger during autumn months and among children. Our nationwide study confirms that acute exposure to outdoor air pollutants such as PM₁₀ or PM₂.₅ increase the use of medication and interventions to treat thrombo-embolic events.

Southwestern China contains the largest and most well-developed karst region in the world, and the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) content in the soils of the region is remarkably high. To explore the internal and external control factors and sources of soil PTEs enrichment in this area and to provide a basis for the treatment of PTE pollution, 113 soil samples were collected from Hengxian County, a karst region in Guangxi Province, southwestern China. The importance of eighteen influencing factors including parent material, weathering, physicochemical properties, topography and human activities were quantitatively analyzed by (partial) redundancy analysis. The sources of PTEs were identified using the Pb isotope ratio and absolute principal component score/multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model. The contents of all soil PTEs were higher than the corresponding background values of Guangxi soils. The contents in Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb were the highest in the soil from carbonate rock. The factor group of geological background and weathering explained 26.5% for the accumulation and distribution of soil PTEs and the influence of physicochemical properties was less than 2% but increased to 25.6% through interaction with weathering. Fe (47.1%), Al (42.1%), Mn (22%), chemical index of alteration (12.8%) and clay (11.9%) were the key factors affecting the soil PTEs, while the influence of human activities was weak. Pb isotope ratio and APCS-MLR classified 62.8–74% of soil PTEs as derived from natural sources, whereas 18.23% and 18.95% were derived from industrial activities and agricultural practice/traffic emissions, respectively. The Pb isotope ratio showed that the natural sources account for up to 90% of the Pb in the soil from carbonate rock, the highest contribution among the studied soils. The results of the study can provide background information on the soil PTEs contamination in the karst areas of China and other areas worldwide.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are common pollutants in coastal waters. To investigate the estrogen risk of EDCs in the coastal areas of Japan, the Japanese common goby, which is a commonly observed species in these waters, was used as the target fish. Plasma 17β-estradiol (E₂) and vitellogenin (VTG) levels were analyzed and the gonads of fish collected from the Taira River (northern Nagasaki, reference site), Nagasaki Port, and two sites in Tokyo Bay were observed. Abnormal levels (>150 ng/mL, p < 0.05) of plasma VTG and high levels of plasma E₂ were detected in the fish from Nagasaki Port and Tokyo Bay, whereas the levels of both were low in the fish from the Taira River. The target EDCs, including natural estrogen [estrone (E₁), and E₂] and alkylphenols [4-t-octylphenol (4-t-OP), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), and bisphenol-A (BPA)] in water samples were quantified using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS), respectively. It was observed that the E₂-equivalent (EEQ) in Nagasaki Port and Tokyo Bay, which was calculated from the actual EDC measurement value, were almost 20- and 150-fold higher, respectively, than that at the reference site (Taira River, 0.021 ng/L). The EEQs mostly comprised natural estrogen in the sampling sites, although there was some influence of alkylphenols. There was an association between the EEQ and the E₂ in environmental water, suggesting a high estrogen risk in Japan coastal waters. Moreover, the results indicated that abnormal VTG synthesis was induced by environmental estrogen (EE) pollution in Nagasaki Port and Tokyo Bay.

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms produce lethal toxins in many aquatic ecosystems experiencing eutrophication. This manuscript presents results on the effects of cyanotoxins on the aerobic microbial communities residing at the interface of sediments and water columns with the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) as the model microbial community. Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a heavily researched cyanotoxin variant, was used as the model cyanotoxin. To measure cyanotoxin influence on the activity of nitrifying microbial communities, an enriched culture of AOBs collected from an ongoing partial nitrification-nitritation reactor was examined for its exposure to 1, 5 and 10 μg/L of MC-LR. The nitritation kinetics experiment demonstrated MC-LR’s ability at 1, 5, and 10 μg/L concentrations to prevent ammonium oxidation with statistically significant differences in nitritation rates between the blanks and spiked samples (One-way ANOVA, p < 0.05). Significantly decreased dissolved oxygen (DO) consumption during oxygen update batch tests demonstrated toxin’s influence on AOB’s oxidizing capabilities when exposed to even lower concentrations of 0.75, 0.5, and 0.25 μg/L of MC-LR in a separate set of experiments. Based on competitive kinetics, the MC-LR inhibition coefficient-the concentration needed to produce half-maximum inhibition of the mixed community AOBs was determined to be 0.083 μg/L. The stress tests proved the recovery of nitritation to some extent at lower MC-LR concentrations (1 and 5 μg/L), but significant irreversible inhibition was recorded when the AOB population was exposed to 10 μg/L MC-LR. The comparisons of amoA gene expressions corresponded well with nitrifying kinetics. All concentrations of MC-LR spiking were determined to produce a discernible impact on the AOB nitritation rate by either destroying the bacterial cell or immediately inhibiting the amoA gene expression.

Global concern exists regarding human exposure to organic pollutants derived from public open spaces and indoor dust. This study has evaluated the occurrence of 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 11 organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) and bisphenol A (BPA). To achieve this, a new simple, efficient and fast multi-residue analytical method based on a fully automated pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) and subsequent quantification by gas chromatography coupled to electron ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode was developed. The developed method was applied to indoor dust (12 sampling households) and soil derived from two public open spaces (POSs). Among all compounds studied, PAHs were the most ubiquitous contaminants detected in POS soils and indoor dust although some OPFRs and BPA were detected in lower concentrations. An assessment of the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was done and indicated a high potential cancer risk from the POS sites and some of the indoor dust sampled sites. However, key variables, such as the actual exposure duration, frequency of contact and indoor cleaning protocols will significantly reduce the potential risk. Finally, the ingestion of soils and indoor dust contaminated with OPFRs and BPA was investigated and noted in almost all cases to be below the USEPA reference doses.

Samples from two reservoirs with eutrophication problems, located in Pontevedra and Ourense (Northwestern Spain), were cultured, along with a third crop from a reservoir with no problems detected in Ourense (Northwestern Spain). The samples were grown under the same conditions (with an average temperature of 21 ± 2 °C, and a 3000 lux light intensity) in triplicate, and their growth, absorbance and pH were studied. High correlation values were obtained for pH and cellular growth (R² ≥ 95%). The water from Salas showed the greatest microalgal growth (0.15 × 10⁶ cells/ml to 31.70 × 10⁶ cells/ml of Microcystis sp. for the last day of culturing) and the greatest increase in pH (5.72–9.02). In all the cultures studied here, the main species that reproduced was Microcystis sp., which can produce neurotoxins and hepatotoxins. In addition, water samples were cultured with sediments of their own reservoir and with others to observe their evolution. The sediments studied in this case were rich in biotites, which can lead phosphate to be a limiting factor for phytoplankton due to the formation and sedimentation of insoluble salts of ferric phosphate. In crops grown with sediments from the Salas reservoir, actinobacteria developed which can inhibit microalgal growth. The study of the growth of cyanobacteria and possible methods of inhibiting them directly concerns the quality of water and its ecosystems, avoiding pollution and impact on ecosystems.

Plastic polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may contain chemical additives, such as lead (Pb), that are leachable in aqueous solution. The fragmentation into microplastics (MPs) of plastics such as PVC may facilitate desorption of chemical additives and increase exposure of aquatic animals. In this study, the role of chemical additives in the aqueous toxicity of PVC, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPs were investigated in early-life stage zebrafish (Danio rerio) by assessment of changes in expression of biomarkers. Exposure of zebrafish larvae to PVC for 24 h increased expression of metallothionein 2 (mt2), a metal-binding protein, but no changes in expression of biomarkers of estrogenic (vtg1) or organic (cyp1a) contaminants were observed. HDPE and PET caused no changes in expression of any biomarkers. A filtered leachate of the PVC also caused a significant increase in expression of mt2 and indicated that a desorbed metal additive likely elicited the response in zebrafish. Metal release was confirmed by acid-washing the MPs which mitigated the response in mt2. Metal analysis showed Pb leached from PVC into water during exposures; at 500 mg PVC L⁻¹ in water, 84.3 ± 8.7 μg Pb L⁻¹ was measured after 24 h. Exposure to a Pb-salt at this concentration caused a comparable mt2 increase in zebrafish as observed in exposures to PVC. These data indicated that PVC MPs elicited a response in zebrafish but the effect was indirect and mediated through desorption of Pb from PVC into the exposure water. Data also indicated that PVC MPs may act as longer-term environmental reservoirs of Pb for exposure of aquatic animals; the Pb leached from PVC in 24 h in freshwater equated to 2.52% of total Pb in MPs leachable by the acid-wash. Studies of MPs should consider the potential role of chemical additives in toxicity observed.

For further understanding leaching characteristics of heavy metals in tailings and better immobilization on heavy metals against acid rain, batch experiments were conducted. The leaching results of Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II) can be well fit by second-order kinetics equation, and Pb(II) can be well fit by two-constant equation. The leaching intensity of heavy metals in tailings was ranged as: Mn(II)> Cu(II)> Cd(II)> Zn(II)> Pb(II). Triethylenetetramine functioned montmorillonite (TETA-Mt) was successfully synthesized and can obtain simultaneous immobilization effect compared with Mt and TETA, and immobilization rates on Cu(II), Cd(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II) can reach above 90%, the immobilization rate on Pb(II) can reach more than 75%. The mechanisms for efficient immobilization of heavy metals on TETA-Mt included buffering and adsorption abilities. The mechanism for TETA-Mt adsorption of heavy metals included physical absorption, chelation and chemical sedimentation. The results showed that TETA-Mt can be applied to effective immobilization of heavy metals in tailings and efficient remediation of acid mine drainage (AMD) in acid rain area.

The lag effect in the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) equipped with a polyethersulfone (PES) membrane (POCIS-PES) is a potential limitation for its application in water environments. In this study, a POCIS with a poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) membrane (POCIS-PTFE) was investigated for circumventing membrane sorption in order to provide more reliable concentration measurements of organic contaminants. Sampler characteristics such as sampling rates (RS) and sampler-water partition coefficients (KSW) were similar for POCIS-PES and POCIS-PTFE, indicating that partitioning into Oasis HLB as the receiving phase dominates the overall partitioning from the aqueous phase to the POCIS. Membrane sorption was quantified in both laboratory and field experiments. Although POCIS-PTFE showed minor membrane sorption, the PTFE membranes were not robust enough to prevent changes in the sorption of the pollutants to the inner Oasis HLB sorbent due to biofouling. This was reflected in significant ionization effects in the electrospray ionization (ESI) source during the LC-MS/MS analysis. Despite clear differences in the ionization effects, the two POCISs types provided similar time-weighted average (CTWA) concentrations after a two-week passive sampling campaign in surface water and the outflow of a wastewater treatment plant. This study contributes to a more detailed understanding of POCIS application by providing a quantitative evaluation of membrane sorption and its associated effects in the laboratory and field.

The incorporation of crop straw with fertilization is beneficial for soil carbon sequestration and cropland fertility improvement. Yet, relatively little is known about how fertilization regulates the emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) in response to straw incorporation, particularly in soils subjected to long-term fertilization regimes. Herein, the arable soil subjected to a 31-year history of five inorganic or organic fertilizer regimes (unfertilized; chemical fertilizer application, NPK; 200% NPK application, 2 × NPK; manure application, M; NPK plus manure application, NPKM) was incubated with and without rice straw to evaluate how historical fertilization influences the impact of straw addition on N₂O emissions. The results showed that compared to the unfertilized treatment, historical fertilization strongly increased N₂O emissions by 0.48- to 34-fold, resulting from increased contents of hot water-extracted organic carbon (HWEOC), NO₃⁻, and available phosphorus (Olsen-P). Straw addition had little impact on N₂O emission from the unfertilized and NPK treatments, primarily due to Olsen-P limitation. In contrast, straw addition increased N₂O emissions by 102–316% from the 2 × NPK, M, and NPKM treatments as compared to the corresponding straw-unamended treatments. These results indicated that N₂O emissions in response to straw addition were largely regulated by historical fertilization. The N₂O emissions were closely associated with the depletion of NO₃⁻ and decoupled from change in NH₄⁺ content, suggesting that NO₃⁻ was the main substrate for N₂O production upon straw addition. The stoichiometric ratios of HWEOC to mineral N and mineral N to Olsen-P were key factors affecting N₂O emissions, underscoring the importance of resource stoichiometry in regulating N₂O emissions. In conclusion, historical fertilization largely regulated the impacts of crop straw incorporation on N₂O emissions via shifts in NO₃⁻ depletion and the stoichiometry of HWEOC, mineral N, and Olsen-P.