长白山表层土壤中有机氯农药和多氯联苯的海拔高度分布特征

吉林省洁净地区长白山表层土壤中有机氯农药(OCPs)和多氯联苯(PCBs)总体上污染较轻,但高于一些其他地区。表层土壤的OCPs和PCBs表现出明显的随海拔高度增大的趋势,初步显示了高山冷凝捕集效应的影响。长白山旅游地区表层土壤受到轻微HCHs和DDTs的污染(平均值分别为12.4 ng/g和12.3 ng/g)。长白山附近较低海拔地区表层土壤中OCPs含量要略高一些,表明农业活动逐渐增大。HCHs和DDTs都未超过国家土壤环境质量标准的一级,但个别地点DDTs可能对鸟类和土壤生物具有一定的潜在生态风险。不排除在个别采样点有林丹和三氯杀螨醇被使用的可能性。长白山及附近地区表层土壤样品中∑7PCBs含量为7.3～31.9ng/g,平均17.2 ng/g。PCBs污染主要集中在海拔1450 m和1800 m处。7种PCBs异构体的含量依次为:PCB 28>PCB 52>PCB 180>PCB 138>PCB 101>PCB 153>PCB 118。     

固相萃取-气相色谱法测定饮用水中的多氯联苯

研究了饮用水中84种多氯联苯的气相色谱分析方法。讨论了洗脱曲线、水样的pH值、甲醇加入量、含盐量、萃取流速等实验条件,并与经典的液-液萃取方法进行了对比。确定了样品在pH值为3,以5 mL/min的流速经大体积样品采样器-C18固相萃取柱富集,7 mL丙酮和5 mL乙腈洗脱,氮吹蒸发浓缩后正己烷定容至1.0mL,加入内标后使用电子捕获检测器气相色谱仪测定,并在选定的色谱条件下以选择离子监测方式进行验证。84种多氯联苯的方法检出限为1.2～15.0 ng/L,加标回收率为74.8%～126.8%,相对标准偏差为1.1%～14.8%。由于采用了大体积样品采样器,可实现多个样品的同时萃取富集,方法快速、低污染,低成本,可用于批量水样品中多氯联苯的分析测定。     

Desorption kinetics of hydrophobic organic contaminants from marine plastic pellets

This study investigated the desorption behavior of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from marine plastic pellets. Long-term desorption experiments were conducted using field-collected polyethylene (PE) pellets. The results indicate that the desorption kinetics highly depends on the PE-water partition coefficients of PCB congeners. After 128 d of the experiment, the smallest congener considered (CB 8) had desorbed nearly completely (98%), whereas major fractions (90–99%) of highly chlorinated congeners remained in the pellets. An intraparticle diffusion model mostly failed to reproduce the desorption kinetics, whereas an aqueous boundary layer (ABL) diffusion model well approximated the data. The desorption half-lives are estimated to 14 d to 210 years for CB 8 to CB 209 in an actively stirred solution (ABL thickness: 30 μm). Addition of methanol to water enhanced the desorption to a large extent. A need for further work to explore roles of organic matter in facilitating solute transfer is suggested.     

Temporal trends in dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in Baltic herring (Clupea harengus)

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl (dl-PCBs) concentrations in Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) have been relatively stable since the mid to late 1990s. It is unclear why concentrations in Baltic herring are not following the observed decreases in other environmental matrices. Here, changes in long-term temporal trends in Baltic herring were examined. A number of biological variables were examined alongside the temporal trends to investigate whether fish biology e.g., growth (length, weight, age), lipid content, reproductive phase or fishing date may provide an explanation for the temporal trends observed.     

Investigation of mechanisms of formation of biphenyls and benzonaphthothiophenes by simulation experiment

The formation mechanisms of biphenyl series and benzonaphthothiophene series are investigated by means of simulation experiment. Biphenyl series are likely formed in two ways: one is the aromatization of the chain compounds containing conjugated C== C double bonds or the compounds with such a kind of sidechains, and the other is the reaction of sulfur with ordinary chain compounds, in which sulphur acts on ordinary sidechain compounds by seizing some hydrogens and forming (H2S and) the intermediates with conjugated C== C double bonds first, and then the intermediates are aromatized. One of the basic precursors of benzonaphthothiophenes is likely the phenylnaphthalenes which may originate from the chain compounds containing conjugated C== C double bonds, the compounds with such sidechains and saturate or unsaturate chain compounds. Thermal stability of biphenyls is high, but they can become dibenzothiophenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or dibenzofurans and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons respectively in the presence of sulphur or oxygen. The ratio of biphenyl and m-biphenyl to biphenyls may be employed to indicate the depositional environment in the mild to medium maturation, of which the higher value indicates a fresh water depositional environment and the lower indicates a saline depositional environment. The relative high content of benzonaphthothiophenes in the crude oil indicates that the crude oil has undergone an intense sulfurization in the source rock or reservoir.     

Vitamin E co-treatment reduces Aroclor 1254-induced impairment of reproductive neuroendocrine function in Atlantic croaker

We have shown previously that exposure of Atlantic croaker to a PCB mixture (Aroclor 1254) results in impaired reproductive neuroendocrine function. In addition, we have identified hypothalamic tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) synthesis, as a target of PCB neuroendocrine toxicity. In order to further elucidate the mechanisms of PCB neurotoxicity, the present study investigated whether PCB-induced decrease in hypothalamic TPH activity resulted from degradation of the enzyme protein. Fish were exposed to Aroclor 1254 in the diet (0.1 mg/100 g body weight (BW)/day) for 30 days. The PCB exposure elicited a significant decrease in hypothalamic TPH protein content, which could be at least partially responsible for the reduced TPH activity. To test whether a similar PCB exposure could cause oxidative damage in croaker hypothalamic tissues, we examined the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA) protein adducts as a marker of lipid peroxidation (LPO). The same dose of PCB increased the MDA-protein adduct formation in the hypothalamus. In a separate experiment, the role of vitamin E, an antioxidant, to prevent or decrease the effect of PCB on hypothalamic TPH activity and gonadal growth was examined. The vitamin E co-treatments (1 and 10 mg/100 g BW/day) with PCB significantly reduced the effects of PCB on TPH activity and gonadal growth. These results suggest possible involvement of oxidative processes in PCB neurotoxicity.     

Increased toxicity of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol in the presence of polychlorobiphenylols

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) often co-exist in contaminated environments. Polychlorobiphenylols (OH-PCBs), formed by CYP-dependent monooxygenation of PCBs, are potent inhibitors of the glucuronidation of hydroxylated BaP metabolites. We hypothesized that OH-PCBs could drive the biotransformation of (−)BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol (BaP-7, 8-D) away from detoxication and towards formation of the reactive metabolite. A mixture of five OH-PCBs with 4–6 Cl atoms was infused into isolated, perfused, biliary intact livers (n=3 fish) removed from 3-methylcholanthrene-induced channel catfish. Controls (n=3) were infused with vehicle. Subsequently, [³H]-BaP-7, 8-D was infused into each liver and bile was collected for 1 h. The livers were taken for analysis of metabolites and DNA adducts. Induction status was confirmed by EROD assay. Bile was analyzed for metabolites. It was found that preinfusion of the mixture of OH-PCBs reduced the extent of glucuronidation of BaP-7, 8-D and increased the formation of DNA adducts 5-fold over controls. GSH conjugates, tetrols and triols were increased in the OH-PCB-infused fish, providing further support for our hypothesis that if the glucuronidation were inhibited, CYP-dependent activation would increase. These studies suggest a mechanism for synergy of toxicity of PAH and PCBs.     

Glucuronidation in the polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

Polar bears bioaccumulate lipophilic pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), into their bodies from their exclusive diet of marine organisms. Hydroxylated PCB metabolites (OH-PCBs) have been found in plasma, presumably due to CYP-dependent biotransformation of PCBs in liver. Little is known about the phase 2 metabolism of hydroxylated xenobiotics in polar bears. The objective of this study was to examine UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) activity with OH-PCBs and a hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, 3-hydroxy-benzo(a)pyrene (3-OH-BaP), in polar bear liver. Samples of frozen polar bear liver were used to prepare microsomes. UGT activity with 3-OH-BaP in Brij-treated microsomes, measured by a fluorescence assay, was readily measurable with protein concentrations in assay tubes of up to 10 μg/ml, but dropped off very sharply at higher protein concentrations. The apparent K_m for 3-OH-BaP was 1.71 ± 0.04 μM, and V_max 1.26 ± 0.16 nmol/min/mg protein (mean ± SD, n=3). UGT activities with a model tetrachloro-OH-PCB (4^′-OH-CB72) and a model hexachloro-OH-PCB (4^′-OH-CB159) were assayed with [¹⁴-C]-UDPGA and separation of the [¹⁴-C]-glucuronide by ion-pair extraction and thin-layer chromatography. [¹⁴-C]-glucuronide conjugates were readily formed by polar bear liver microsomes in the absence of added substrate, apparently from contaminants present in liver. This phenomenon was not observed using hepatic microsomes from laboratory-held catfish. Glucuronidation efficiency was much higher with 4^′-OH-CB72 (K_m 7.3 μM; V_max 1.55 nmol/min/mg) than 4^′-OH-CB159 (K_m 16.1 μM; V_max 0.46 nmol/min/mg). The identities of the aglycones present in polar bear liver are not known, but could include OH-PCBs or hydroxylated metabolites of other persistent organic pollutants. This study demonstrates that UGT with high activity for 3-OH-BaP and other substrates is present in polar bear liver.     

The Seasonal Fate of PCBs in Ambient Air and Atmospheric Deposition in Northern France

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as Σ21 congeners, were investigated in atmospheric bulk deposition over one year, along a northern transect of France, including 5 sites from the Atlantic coast to the east of Paris. Evidence was obtained for an easterly rise of the PCB concentrations, from 3 to 76 ng L⁻¹. The PCB patterns were depleted in low chlorinated congeners in rural areas whereas at urban sites, the profiles were typical of local sources. The seasonal variations of concentrations were mainly controlled by the temperature. Next, at Paris, PCB distribution between the gaseous and the particulate phases was studied, considering seasonal parameters and different fate processes. Their distribution showed a prevalence of congeners in the gaseous phase (0.15–1.17 ng m⁻³) which occurrence decreased from 93 to 68% with the rise of congener chlorination level. In the particulate phase, they ranged from 0.01 to 0.27 ng m⁻³, only. Rainwater concentrations ranged from 3.1 to 13.1 ng L⁻¹. A total rain water/air washout ratio was determined and showed a negative correlation with those reported in the literature. That might be attributed to the importance of particle scavenging. The annual bulk deposition ranged from 8 to 29 μg m⁻². A decreasing trend of PCB atmospheric levels over the last fifteen years was confirmed in the studied area.     

THE IMPACT OF METAL AND ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS ON THE STRUCTURE OF PERIPHYTON IN LOTIC SEDIMENTS: OBSERVATIONS AT VARIOUS SCALES

1 INTRODUCTION While wastewater discharge regulations have significantly reduced water column pollution, historical and accidental releases of organic pollutants and heavy metals continue to pose an ecological threat as these contaminants have become 搃n-place?sediment pollutants. It had been previously assumed that natural attenuation processes, such as burial or biodegradation, would decrease the contamination levels in surface sediments and, thus, diminish the environmental impact of t…