POP bioaccumulation pathways in the clam Tapes philippinarum were examined for two years from juveniles to adult size. Two polluted sites, one with sandy sediment, the other muddy were compared with a reference site characterized by low contamination levels. Juvenile clams coming from a hatchery were reared both on the sediment and in nets suspended at 30 cm from the bottom. POP changes in clam tissue were related to the concentrations recorded in sediments and in the particulate matter during the entire fattening period. Results provided interesting data on the relationships between environmental contamination and bioaccumulation. Contrary to studies on the decontamination times of the clams collected in polluted areas, this work investigates the preferential clam bioaccumulation pathways during growth under different environmental conditions. In general POP bioaccumulation resulted to be correlated to concentrations in SPM rather than in sediments and was higher in S-clams rather than in B-clams.

In this study, we assess the intense pollution episode of June 2013, in Riau province, Indonesia from land clearing. We relied on satellite retrievals of aerosols and Carbon monoxide (CO) due to lack of ground measurements. We used both the yearly and daily data for aerosol optical depth (AOD), fine mode fraction (FMF), aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) and UV aerosol index (UVAI) for characterizing variations. We found significant enhancement in aerosols and CO during the pollution episode. Compared to mean (2008–2012) June AOD of 0.40, FMF-0.39, AAOD-0.45, UVAI-1.77 and CO of 200 ppbv, June 2013 values reached 0.8, 0.573, 0.672, 1.77 and 978 ppbv respectively. Correlations of fire counts with AAOD and UVAI were stronger compared to AOD and FMF. Results from a trajectory model suggested transport of air masses from Indonesia towards Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand. Our results highlight satellite-based mapping and monitoring of pollution episodes in Southeast Asia.

The artificial sweeteners sucralose (SCL), acesulfame (ACS), saccharin (SAC), and cyclamate (CYC) have been detected in environmental waters in Europe and North America. Higher environmental levels are expected in view of the increasing consumption of these food additives. In this study, an isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) LC–MS/MS method was developed and validated for quantifying the four artificial sweeteners in boreal lakes (n = 3) and rivers (n = 12). The highest concentrations of ACS, SAC, CYC and SCL were 9,600, 490, 210 and 1000 ng/L, respectively. ACS and SAC were detected in all studied samples, and CYC and SCL in 98% and 56% of the samples. Seasonal trends of ACS and SAC were observed in some rivers. ACS and SCL concentrations in rivers correlated linearly with population equivalents of the wastewater treatment plants in the catchment areas, whereas SAC and CYC concentrations depend more on the source.

To investigate the association and effects of air pollution level on male semen quality in urban and rural areas, this study examines the outdoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrous dioxide (NO2) and semen quality outcomes for 1346 volunteers in both urban and rural areas in Chongqing, China. We found the urban area has a higher pollution level than the rural area, contrasted with better semen quality in the rural residents, especially for sperm morphology and computer assistant semen analysis (CASA) motility parameters. A multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrates that concentrations of PM10, SO2, and NO2 significantly and negatively are associated with normal sperm morphology percentage (P < 0.001) and sperm kinetic parameters. In conclusion, exposure to higher concentrations of PM10, SO2, and NO2 in urban ambient air may account for worse semen quality in urban males.

The current study aims to understand the speciation and fate of Cu complexes in hydrothermally altered sediments from the Central Indian Ocean Basin and assess the probable impacts of deep-sea mining on speciation of Cu complexes and assess the Cu flux from this sediment to the water column in this area. This study suggests that most of the Cu was strongly associated with different binding sites in Fe-oxide phases of the hydrothermally altered sediments with stabilities higher than that of Cu-EDTA complexes. The speciation of Cu indicates that hydrothermally influenced deep-sea sediments from Central Indian Ocean Basin may not significantly contribute to the global Cu flux. However, increasing lability of Cu-sediment complexes with increasing depth of sediment may increase bioavailability and Cu flux to the global ocean during deep-sea mining.

Exposure to residential volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is ubiquitous in homes, and may influence respiratory health with important public health implications. To investigate the association between VOCs measured in residential indoor air and lung function in the Canadian population Cycle 2 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey – a population based cross-sectional survey designed to be representative of the Canadian population – was carried out between 2009 and 2011. Of the 84 VOCs measured, 47 were detectable in at least 50% of homes and ten were negatively associated with lung function: decanal, 2-furancarboxaldehyde, hexanal, nonanal, octanal, benzene, styrene, α-pinene, 2-methyl-1,2-butadiene and naphthalene. Differences were observed between males and females, as well as by age, and significant associations were most frequent in those under 17 years. These results provide evidence that some VOCs measured indoors are negatively associated with lung function in the Canadian population.

We examined and compared PM2.5 concentrations in urban and the surrounding regions, and further investigated the impact of urbanization on urban PM2.5 concentrations at the Chinese prefectures. Annual PM2.5 concentrations in most prefectures were greater than 10 μg/m3, the air quality guideline of the World Health Organization. Those prefectures were mainly distributed along the east coast and southeast of Sichuan province; The urban PM2.5 concentrations (UrbanPM2.5) in 85 cities were greater than (>10 μg/m3) those in the surrounding area. Those cities were mainly located in the Beijing–Sichuan and Shanghai–Guangxi belts. In addition, UrbanPM2.5 was less than (<0 μg/m3) that in surrounding areas in only 41 prefectures, which were located in western China or nearby mega cities; Significant positive correlations were found between UrbanPM2.5 and urban population (R2 = 0.99, P < 0.05), and between UrbanPM2.5 and urban second industry fraction (R2 = 0.71, P < 0.05), suggesting that urbanization had considerable impact on PM2.5 concentrations.

Dust and particulate distribution patterns are shifting as global climate change brings about longer drought periods. Particulates act as vehicles for long range transport of organic pollutants, depositing at locations far from their source. Nonylphenol, a biodegradation product of nonylphenol polyethoxylate, is a known endocrine disruptor. Nonylphenol polyethoxylate enters the environment as an inert ingredient in pesticide sprays, potentially traveling great distances from its application site. This is of concern when a highly agricultural region, California's Central Valley, lies adjacent to sensitive areas like the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The distribution and transport mechanisms for 4-nonylphenol were investigated in Eastern Sierra Nevada canyons. Regions close to canyon headwalls showed trace amounts of 4-nonylphenol in surface water, snow, and atmospheric deposition. Exposed areas had yearly average concentrations as high as 9 μg/L. Distribution patterns are consistent with particulate-bound transport. This suggests with increasing drought periods, higher levels of persistent organic pollutants are likely.

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.

Unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UP-POPs) were determined in ambient air from around five secondary non-ferrous metal processing plants in China, to investigate the potential impacts of the emissions of these plants on their surrounding environments. The target compounds were polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). The PCDD/F, dl-PCB, and PCN concentrations in the ambient air downwind of the plants were 4.70–178, 8.23–7520 and 152–4190 pg/m3, respectively, and the concentrations upwind of the plants were lower. Clear correlations were found between ambient air and stack gas concentrations of the PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, and PCNs among the five plants, respectively. Furthermore, the UP-POPs homolog and congener patterns in the ambient air were similar to the patterns in the stack gas samples. These results indicate that UP-POPs emissions from the plants investigated have obvious impacts on the environments surrounding the plants.