Sediment Chemistry and Toxicity in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: Pre- and Post- Hurricane Sandy, 2012-2013.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Romanok, Kristin M.; Szabo, Zoltan; Reilly, Timothy J.; Defne, Zafer; Ganju, Neil K.

2016-01-01

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Barnegat Bay, October, 29, 2012, damaging shorelines and infrastructure. Estuarine sediment chemistry and toxicity were investigated before and after to evaluate potential environmental health impacts and to establish post-event baseline sediment-quality conditions. Trace element concentrations increased throughout Barnegat Bay up to two orders of magnitude, especially north of Barnegat Inlet, consistent with northward redistribution of silt. Loss of organic compounds, clay, and organic carbon is consistent with sediment winnowing and transport through the inlets and sediment transport modeling results. The number of sites exceeding sediment quality guidance levels for trace elements tripled post-Sandy. Sediment toxicity post-Sandy was mostly unaffected relative to pre-Sandy conditions, but at the site with the greatest relative increase for trace elements, survival rate of the test amphipod decreased (indicating degradation). This study would not have been possible without comprehensive baseline data enabling the evaluation of storm-derived changes in sediment quality.

Sediment chemistry and toxicity in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: Pre- and post-Hurricane Sandy, 2012-13.

PubMed

Romanok, Kristin M; Szabo, Zoltan; Reilly, Timothy J; Defne, Zafer; Ganju, Neil K

2016-06-30

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Barnegat Bay, October, 29, 2012, damaging shorelines and infrastructure. Estuarine sediment chemistry and toxicity were investigated before and after to evaluate potential environmental health impacts and to establish post-event baseline sediment-quality conditions. Trace element concentrations increased throughout Barnegat Bay up to two orders of magnitude, especially north of Barnegat Inlet, consistent with northward redistribution of silt. Loss of organic compounds, clay, and organic carbon is consistent with sediment winnowing and transport through the inlets and sediment transport modeling results. The number of sites exceeding sediment quality guidance levels for trace elements tripled post-Sandy. Sediment toxicity post-Sandy was mostly unaffected relative to pre-Sandy conditions, but at the site with the greatest relative increase for trace elements, survival rate of the test amphipod decreased (indicating degradation). This study would not have been possible without comprehensive baseline data enabling the evaluation of storm-derived changes in sediment quality. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Land Application of Wastes: An Educational Program. Potentially Toxic Elements - Module 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarkson, W. W.; And Others

Five elements are identified as being potentially hazardous in this module. These are boron, cadmium, copper, molybdenum, and nickel. The hazards to plants and animals posed by these elements are discussed in some detail. The sources of toxic elements in sewage and the factors that effect the uptake of toxic elements by sewage sludge are also…

Toxicity of atmospheric aerosols on marine phytoplankton

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paytan, A.; Mackey, K.R.M.; Chen, Y.; Lima, I.D.; Doney, S.C.; Mahowald, N.; Labiosa, R.; Post, A.F.

2009-01-01

Atmospheric aerosol deposition is an important source of nutrients and trace metals to the open ocean that can enhance ocean productivity and carbon sequestration and thus influence atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and climate. Using aerosol samples from different back trajectories in incubation experiments with natural communities, we demonstrate that the response of phytoplankton growth to aerosol additions depends on specific components in aerosols and differs across phytoplankton species. Aerosol additions enhanced growth by releasing nitrogen and phosphorus, but not all aerosols stimulated growth. Toxic effects were observed with some aerosols, where the toxicity affected picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus but not Prochlorococcus.We suggest that the toxicity could be due to high copper concentrations in these aerosols and support this by laboratory copper toxicity tests preformed with Synechococcus cultures. However, it is possible that other elements present in the aerosols or unknown synergistic effects between these elements could have also contributed to the toxic effect. Anthropogenic emissions are increasing atmospheric copper deposition sharply, and based on coupled atmosphere-ocean calculations, we show that this deposition can potentially alter patterns of marine primary production and community structure in high aerosol, low chlorophyll areas, particularly in the Bay of Bengal and downwind of South and East Asia.

Comparative toxicities of selected rare earth elements: Sea urchin embryogenesis and fertilization damage with redox and cytogenetic effects.

PubMed

Pagano, Giovanni; Guida, Marco; Siciliano, Antonietta; Oral, Rahime; Koçbaş, Fatma; Palumbo, Anna; Castellano, Immacolata; Migliaccio, Oriana; Thomas, Philippe J; Trifuoggi, Marco

2016-05-01

Broad-ranging adverse effects are known for rare earth elements (REE), yet only a few studies tested the toxicity of several REE, prompting studies focusing on multi-parameter REE toxicity. Trichloride salts of Y, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd were tested in Paracentrotus lividus sea urchin embryos and sperm for: (1) developmental defects in either REE-exposed larvae or in the offspring of REE-exposed sperm; (2) fertilization success; (3) mitotic anomalies in REE-exposed embryos and in the offspring of REE-exposed sperm, and (4) reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. REEs affected P. lividus larvae with concentration-related increase in developmental defects, 10(-6) to 10(-4)M, ranking as: Gd(III)>Y(III)>La(III)>Nd(III)≅Eu(III)>Ce(III)≅Sm(III). Nominal concentrations of REE salts were confirmed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Significant increases in MDA levels, ROS formation, and NO levels were found in REE-exposed embryos. Sperm exposure to REEs (10(-5) to 10(-4)M) resulted in concentration-related decrease in fertilization success along with increase in offspring damage. Decreased mitotic activity and increased aberration rates were detected in REE-exposed embryos and in the offspring of REE-exposed sperm. REE-associated toxicity affecting embryogenesis, fertilization, cytogenetic and redox endpoints showed different activities of tested REEs. Damage to early life stages, along with redox and cytogenetic anomalies should be the focus of future REE toxicity studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple scheme to determine potential aquatic metal toxicity from mining wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wildeman, T.R.; Smith, K.S.; Ranville, J.F.

2007-01-01

A decision tree (mining waste decision tree) that uses simple physical and chemical tests has been developed to determine whether effluent from mine waste material poses a potential toxicity threat to the aquatic environment. For the chemical portion of the tree, leaching tests developed by the United States Geological Survey, the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (Denver, CO), and a modified 1311 toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test of the United States Environmental Protection Agency have been extensively used as a surrogate for readily available metals that can be released into the environment from mining wastes. To assist in the assessment, element concentration pattern graphs (ECPG) are produced that compare concentrations of selected groups of elements from the three leachates and any water associated with the mining waste. The MWDT makes a distinction between leachates or waters with pH less than or greater than 5. Generally, when the pH values are below 5, the ECPG of the solutions are quite similar, and potential aquatic toxicity from cationic metals, such as Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Al, is assumed. Below pH 5, these metals are mostly dissolved, generally are not complexed with organic or inorganic ligands, and hence are more bioavailable. Furthermore, there is virtually no carbonate alkalinity at pH less than 5. All of these factors promote metal toxicity to aquatic organisms. On the other hand, when the pH value of the water or the leachates is above 5, the ECPG from the solutions are variable, and inferred aquatic toxicity depends on factors in addition to the metals released from the leaching tests. Hence, leachates and waters with pH above 5 warrant further examination of their chemical composition. Physical ranking criteria provide additional information, particularly in areas where waste piles exhibit similar chemical rankings. Rankings from physical and chemical criteria generally are not correlated. Examples of how this decision tree has been applied in assessing mine sites are discussed. Copyright ?? Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Toxicity of manganese to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyalella azteca

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasier, P.J.; Winger, P.V.; Bogenrieder, K.J.

2000-01-01

Manganese is a toxic element frequently overlooked when assessing toxicity of effluents, sediments and pore waters. Manganese can be present at toxic levels in anoxic solutions due to its increased solubility under chemically-reducing conditions, and it can remain at those levels for days in aerated test waters due to slow precipitation kinetics. Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyalella azteca are freshwater organisms often used for toxicity testing and recommended for assessments of effluents and pore waters. Lethal and reproductive-inhibition concentrations of Mn were determined for C. dubia in acute 48h tests and chronic 3-brood tests using animals <24 h old and between 24 and 48 h old. Sensitivity of H. azteca was determined with 7d old animals in acute 96h tests. Tests were run at three levels of water hardness to assess the amelioratory effect, which was often significant. Manganese concentrations were measured analytically at test initiation and after 96 h for calculations of toxicity endpoints and determinations of Mn precipitation during the tests. Minimal amounts of Mn (below 3%) precipitated within 96 h. LC50s determined for H. azteca progressively increased from 3.0 to 8.6 to 13.7 mg Mn/L in soft, moderately-hard and hard waters, respectively. The tolerance of C. dubia to Mn was not significantly different between moderately-hard and hard waters, but was significantly lower in soft water. There was no significant difference in Mn sensitivity between the ages of C. dubia tested. Acute LC50 values for C. dubia averaged 6.2, 14.5 and 15.2 mg Mn/L and chronic IC50 values averaged 3.9, 8.5 and 11.5 mg Mn/L for soft, moderately-hard and hard waters, respectively. Manganese toxicity should be considered when assessing solutions with concentrations near these levels.

Principles for characterizing the potential human health effects from exposure to nanomaterials: elements of a screening strategy

PubMed Central

Oberdörster, Günter; Maynard, Andrew; Donaldson, Ken; Castranova, Vincent; Fitzpatrick, Julie; Ausman, Kevin; Carter, Janet; Karn, Barbara; Kreyling, Wolfgang; Lai, David; Olin, Stephen; Monteiro-Riviere, Nancy; Warheit, David; Yang, Hong

2005-01-01

The rapid proliferation of many different engineered nanomaterials (defined as materials designed and produced to have structural features with at least one dimension of 100 nanometers or less) presents a dilemma to regulators regarding hazard identification. The International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation/Risk Science Institute convened an expert working group to develop a screening strategy for the hazard identification of engineered nanomaterials. The working group report presents the elements of a screening strategy rather than a detailed testing protocol. Based on an evaluation of the limited data currently available, the report presents a broad data gathering strategy applicable to this early stage in the development of a risk assessment process for nanomaterials. Oral, dermal, inhalation, and injection routes of exposure are included recognizing that, depending on use patterns, exposure to nanomaterials may occur by any of these routes. The three key elements of the toxicity screening strategy are: Physicochemical Characteristics, In Vitro Assays (cellular and non-cellular), and In Vivo Assays. There is a strong likelihood that biological activity of nanoparticles will depend on physicochemical parameters not routinely considered in toxicity screening studies. Physicochemical properties that may be important in understanding the toxic effects of test materials include particle size and size distribution, agglomeration state, shape, crystal structure, chemical composition, surface area, surface chemistry, surface charge, and porosity. In vitro techniques allow specific biological and mechanistic pathways to be isolated and tested under controlled conditions, in ways that are not feasible in in vivo tests. Tests are suggested for portal-of-entry toxicity for lungs, skin, and the mucosal membranes, and target organ toxicity for endothelium, blood, spleen, liver, nervous system, heart, and kidney. Non-cellular assessment of nanoparticle durability, protein interactions, complement activation, and pro-oxidant activity is also considered. Tier 1 in vivo assays are proposed for pulmonary, oral, skin and injection exposures, and Tier 2 evaluations for pulmonary exposures are also proposed. Tier 1 evaluations include markers of inflammation, oxidant stress, and cell proliferation in portal-of-entry and selected remote organs and tissues. Tier 2 evaluations for pulmonary exposures could include deposition, translocation, and toxicokinetics and biopersistence studies; effects of multiple exposures; potential effects on the reproductive system, placenta, and fetus; alternative animal models; and mechanistic studies. PMID:16209704

Arabidopsis and the Genetic Potential for the Phytoremediation of Toxic Elemental and Organic Pollutants

PubMed Central

Cobbett, Christopher S.; Meagher, Richard B.

2002-01-01

In a process called phytoremediation, plants can be used to extract, detoxify, and/or sequester toxic pollutants from soil, water, and air. Phytoremediation may become an essential tool in cleaning the environment and reducing human and animal exposure to potential carcinogens and other toxins. Arabidopsis has provided useful information about the genetic, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms behind phytoremediation, and it is an excellent model genetic organism to test foreign gene expression. This review focuses on Arabidopsis studies concerning: 1) the remediation of elemental pollutants; 2) the remediation of organic pollutants; and 3) the phytoremediation genome. Elemental pollutants include heavy metals and metalloids (e.g., mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic) that are immutable. The general goal of phytoremediation is to extract, detoxify, and hyperaccumulate elemental pollutants in above-ground plant tissues for later harvest. A few dozen Arabidopsis genes and proteins that play direct roles in the remediation of elemental pollutants are discussed. Organic pollutants include toxic chemicals such as benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, polychlorinated biphenyls, trichloroethylene, trinitrotoluene, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. Phytoremediation of organic pollutants is focused on their complete mineralization to harmless products, however, less is known about the potential of plants to act on complex organic chemicals. A preliminary survey of the Arabidopsis genome suggests that as many as 700 genes encode proteins that have the capacity to act directly on environmental pollutants or could be modified to do so. The potential of the phytoremediation proteome to be used to reduce human exposure to toxic pollutants appears to be enormous and untapped. PMID:22303204

Nanoscale zero-valent iron-assisted soil washing for the removal of potentially toxic elements.

PubMed

Boente, C; Sierra, C; Martínez-Blanco, D; Menéndez-Aguado, J M; Gallego, J R

2018-05-15

The present study focuses on soil washing enhancement via soil pretreatment with nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) for the remediation of potentially toxic elements. To this end, soil polluted with As, Cu, Hg, Pb and Sb was partitioned into various grain sizes (500-2000, 125-500 and <125 μm). The fractions were pretreated with nZVI and subsequently subjected, according to grain size, to Wet-High Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS) or hydrocycloning. The results were compared with those obtained in the absence of nanoparticles. An exhaustive characterization of the magnetic signal of the nanoparticles was done. This provided valuable information regarding potentially toxic elements (PTEs) fate, and allowed a metallurgical accounting correction considering the dilution effects caused by nanoparticle addition. As a result, remarkable recovery yields were obtained for Cu, Pb and Sb, which concentrated with the nZVI in the magnetically separated fraction (WHIMS tests) and underflow (hydrocyclone tests). In contrast, Hg, concentrated in the non-magnetic fraction and overflow respectively, while the behavior of As was unaltered by the nZVI pretreatment. All things considered, the addition of nZVI enhanced the efficiency of soil washing, particularly for larger fractions (125-2000 μm). The proposed methodology lays the foundations for nanoparticle utilization in soil washing operations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Batch leaching tests of motherboards to assess environmental contamination by bromine, platinum group elements and other selected heavy metals.

PubMed

Almeida, César; Grosselli, Melina; González, Patricia; Martínez, Dante; Gil, Raúl

2016-02-01

In this study, a batch leaching test was executed to evaluate the toxicity associated with chemicals contained in motherboards. The leaching solutions used were distilled water, nitric acid, acetic acid and synthetic acid rain solution. A total of 21 elements including Ag, As, Au, Br, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hf, Ir, Mn, Ni, Os, Pb, Pd, Pt, Rd, Rh, Se, U and Zn were analyzed. In this study, the pH values of all the leachates fell within the range of 2.33-4.88. The highest concentrations of metals were obtained from the acid rain solution, whilst the maximum value of bromine was achieved with solution of acetic acid. Appreciable concentrations of platinum group elements were detected with concentrations around 3.45, 1.43, 1.21 and 22.19 µg L(-1) for Ir, Pd, Pt and Rh, respectively. The different leaching of the motherboards revealed the predominant presence of the toxic substances in the leached from the e-waste. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduced Toxicity Fuel Satellite Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Steven J. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A reduced toxicity fuel satellite propulsion system including a reduced toxicity propellant supply for consumption in an axial class thruster and an ACS class thruster. The system includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying the reduced toxicity propellant to the ACS decomposing element of an ACS thruster. The ACS decomposing element is operative to decompose the reduced toxicity propellant into hot propulsive gases. In addition the system includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying the reduced toxicity propellant to an axial decomposing element of the axial thruster. The axial decomposing element is operative to decompose the reduced toxicity propellant into hot gases. The system further includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying a second propellant to a combustion chamber of the axial thruster, whereby the hot gases and the second propellant auto-ignite and begin the combustion process for producing thrust.

Reduced Toxicity Fuel Satellite Propulsion System Including Plasmatron

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Steven J. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A reduced toxicity fuel satellite propulsion system including a reduced toxicity propellant supply for consumption in an axial class thruster and an ACS class thruster. The system includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying the reduced toxicity propellant to the ACS decomposing element of an ACS thruster. The ACS decomposing element is operative to decompose the reduced toxicity propellant into hot propulsive gases. In addition the system includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying the reduced toxicity propellant to an axial decomposing element of the axial thruster. The axial decomposing element is operative to decompose the reduced toxicity propellant into hot gases. The system further includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying a second propellant to a combustion chamber of the axial thruster. whereby the hot gases and the second propellant auto-ignite and begin the combustion process for producing thrust.

Leaching and toxicity behavior of coal-biomass waste cocombustion ashes.

PubMed

Skodras, G; Prokopidou, M; Sakellaropoulos, G P

2006-08-01

Land disposal of ash residues, obtained from the cocombustion of Greek lignite with biomass wastes, is known to create problems due to the harmful constituents present. In this regard, the leachability of trace elements from lignite, biomass, and blends cocombustion ashes was investigated by using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) of the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). In this work, the toxicity of the aqueous leachates and the concentrations of the metals obtained from the leaching procedure were measured using the Microtox test (Vibrio fischeri) and inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), respectively. The toxic effects of most leachates on Vibrio fischeri were found to be significantly low in both 45% and 82% screening test protocols. However, the liquid sample originating from olive kernels fly ash (FA4) caused the highest toxic effect in both protocols, which can be attributed to its relatively high concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn. Copyright 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Review of Copper Provision in the Parenteral Nutrition of Adults [Formula: see text].

PubMed

Livingstone, Callum

2017-04-01

The essential trace element copper (Cu) is required for a range of physiologic processes, including wound healing and functioning of the immune system. The correct amount of Cu must be provided in parenteral nutrition (PN) if deficiency and toxicity are to be avoided. While provision in line with the standard recommendations should suffice for most patients, Cu requirements may be higher in patients with increased gastrointestinal losses and severe burns and lower in those with cholestasis. The tests of Cu status that are currently available for clinical use are unreliable. Serum Cu concentration is the most commonly ordered test but is insensitive to Cu deficiency and toxicity and is misleadingly increased during the acute phase response. These limitations make it difficult for prescribers to assess Cu status and to decide how much Cu to provide. There is a need for better tests of Cu status to be developed to decrease uncertainty and improve individualization of Cu dosing. More information is needed on Cu requirements in disease and Cu contamination of PN components and other intravenous fluids. New multi-trace element products should be developed that provide Cu doses in line with the 2012 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition recommendations. This article discusses the evaluation and treatment of Cu deficiency and toxicity in patients treated with PN.

Applications of diatoms as potential microalgae in nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

Jamali, Ali Akbar; Akbari, Fariba; Ghorakhlu, Mohamad Moradi; de la Guardia, Miguel; Yari Khosroushahi, Ahmad

2012-01-01

Diatoms are single cell eukaryotic microalgae, which present in nearly every water habitat make them ideal tools for a wide range of applications such as oil explora-tion, forensic examination, environmental indication, biosilica pattern generation, toxicity testing and eutrophication of aqueous ecosystems. Essential information on diatoms were reviewed and discussed towards impacts of diatoms on biosynthesis and bioremediation. In this review, we present the recent progress in this century on the application of diatoms in waste degradation, synthesis of biomaterial, biomineraliza-tion, toxicity and toxic effects of mineral elements evaluations. Diatoms can be considered as metal toxicity bioindicators and they can be applied for biomineralization, synthesis of biomaterials, and degradation of wastes.

Reduced Toxicity Fuel Satellite Propulsion System Including Fuel Cell Reformer with Alcohols Such as Methanol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Steven J. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A reduced toxicity fuel satellite propulsion system including a reduced toxicity propellant supply for consumption in an axial class thruster and an ACS class thruster. The system includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying the reduced toxicity propellant to the ACS decomposing element of an ACS thruster. The ACS decomposing element is operative to decompose the reduced toxicity propellant into hot propulsive gases. In addition the system includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying the reduced toxicity propellant to an axial decomposing element of the axial thruster. The axial decomposing element is operative to decompose the reduced toxicity propellant into hot gases. The system further includes suitable valves and conduits for supplying a second propellant to a combustion chamber of the axial thruster, whereby the hot gases and the second propellant auto-ignite and begin the combustion process for producing thrust.

Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis of toxic elements in radioactive waste packages.

PubMed

Ma, J-L; Carasco, C; Perot, B; Mauerhofer, E; Kettler, J; Havenith, A

2012-07-01

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) are conducting an R&D program to improve the characterization of long-lived and medium activity (LL-MA) radioactive waste packages. In particular, the amount of toxic elements present in radioactive waste packages must be assessed before they can be accepted in repository facilities in order to avoid pollution of underground water reserves. To this aim, the Nuclear Measurement Laboratory of CEA-Cadarache has started to study the performances of Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) for elements showing large capture cross sections such as mercury, cadmium, boron, and chromium. This paper reports a comparison between Monte Carlo calculations performed with the MCNPX computer code using the ENDF/B-VII.0 library and experimental gamma rays measured in the REGAIN PGNAA cell with small samples of nickel, lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, chromium, magnesium, zinc, boron, and lithium to verify the validity of a numerical model and gamma-ray production data. The measurement of a ∼20kg test sample of concrete containing toxic elements has also been performed, in collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich, to validate the model in view of future performance studies for dense and large LL-MA waste packages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy metals and essential elements in Italian cereals.

PubMed

Brizio, P; Benedetto, A; Squadrone, S; Curcio, A; Pellegrino, M; Ferrero, M; Abete, M C

2016-12-01

Crops intended for human nutrition and food production containing different essential trace elements, such as copper and zinc, could be contaminated by toxic metals like cadmium and lead. The interrelationship between micronutrients and contaminant trace elements in different cereals was investigated in North-western Italy, where both agricultural and industrial activities are present. Elemental concentrations in sampled cereals were assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Rice, oats and barley reached the highest median levels for Al, Cd and Pb content, while corn samples were less contaminated by toxic metals. Regarding essential elements highest median values of Cu and Zn were both found in barley, while Ni median content was higher in oats. Rice had the lowest median levels of essential elements. The correlation study between toxic and essential elements seemed to demonstrate fixed trends in analysed samples, corroborating the importance of a different diet to limit potential adverse effects caused by toxic elements.

Multi-elemental analysis of jet engine lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids and their implication in aircraft air quality incidents.

PubMed

van Netten, C

1999-05-07

The flight crews of aircraft often report symptoms including dizziness, nausea, disorientation, blurred vision and tingling in legs and arms. Many of these incidents have been traced to contamination of cabin air with lubricating oil, as well as hydraulic fluid, constituents. Considering that these air contaminants are often subjected to temperatures in excess of 500 degrees C, a large number of different exposures can be expected. Although the reported symptoms are most consistent with exposures to volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and the organophosphate constituents in these oils and fluids, the involvement of these agents has not been clearly demonstrated. Possible exposure to toxic elements, such as lead, mercury, thallium and others, have not been ruled out. In order to assess the potential of exposure to toxic elements a multi-elemental analysis was done on two hydraulic fluids and three lubricating oils which have been implicated in a number of air quality incidents. A secondary objective was to establish if the multi-elemental concentrations of the fluids tested are different enough to allow such an analysis to be used as a possible method of identifying the source of exposure that might have been present during aircraft air quality incidents. No significant concentrations of toxic elements were identified in any of the oils or hydraulic fluids. The elemental compositions of the samples were different enough to be used for identification purposes and the measurement of only three elements was able to achieve this. Whether these findings have an application, in aircraft air quality incident investigations, needs to be established with further studies.

Impact of secondary generated minerals on toxic element immobilization for air pollution control fly ash of a municipal solid waste incinerator.

PubMed

Kitamura, Hiroki; Dahlan, Astryd Viandila; Tian, Yu; Shimaoka, Takayuki; Yamamoto, Takashi; Takahashi, Fumitake

2018-05-12

Impacts of secondary generated minerals on mineralogical and physical immobilization of toxic elements were investigated for chelate-treated air pollution control (APC) fly ash of a municipal solid waste incinerator. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed that ettringite was generated after the moistening treatment with/without chelate. Although ettringite can incorporate toxic elements into its structure, elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray could not find concentrated points of toxic elements in ettringite structure. This implies that mineralogical immobilization of toxic element by the encapsulation to ettringite structure seems to be limited. Physical immobilization was also investigated by SEM observation of the same APC fly ash particles before and after the moistening treatment. The transfer of soluble elements was inhibited only when insoluble minerals such as gypsum were generated and covered the surface of fly ash particles. Neoformed insoluble minerals prevented soluble elements from leaching and transfer. However, such physical immobilization seems to be limited because insoluble mineral formation with surface coverage was monitored only one time of more than 20 observations. Although uncertainty owing to limited samples with limited observations should be considered, this study concludes that mineralogical and physical immobilization of toxic elements by secondary minerals is limited although secondary minerals are always generated on the surface of APC fly ash particles during chelate treatment.

Toxicity testing of leachate from waste landfills using medaka (Oryzias latipes) for monitoring environmental safety.

PubMed

Osaki, Kae; Kashiwada, Shosaku; Tatarazako, Norihisa; Ono, Yoshiro

2006-06-01

To investigate the environmental safety of waste disposal landfill sites and of land reclaimed from such sites, we evaluated the toxicity of leachate from these sites by a combination of bioassays in the Japanese killifish medaka Oryzias latipes. We tested for lethal toxicity in adult and larval medaka and for hatching inhibition of embryos from eggs. As biochemical evidence of the effects of leachate exposure, CYP1A (EROD activity) and vitellogenin (Vtg) were induced. We also bioassayed water-treated leachate and downstream river water. Leachate solution was lethal to larval and adult medaka. Embryo hatchability was inhibited, and abnormal hatching, spinal deformity and anisophthalmia occurred in embryos exposed to leachate solution. CYP1A was induced by exposure to leachate solution diluted to 1.0%, and EROD activity was significantly higher than in control. Vtg and unknown proteins were induced in the sera of male medaka exposed to the diluted leachate solution. Conventional water treatments worked effectively to remove toxic compounds but did not work well to remove element ions, including heavy metals. Treated leachate produced neither lethal toxicity nor hatching abnormalities during the exposure period. Fish toxicity tests for leachate would be useful for monitoring the environmental safety of landfill sites.

The use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the determination of toxic and essential elements in different types of food samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voica, C.; Dehelean, A.; Kovacs, M. H.

2012-02-01

Food is the primary source of essential elements for humans and it is an important source of exposure to toxic elements. In this context, levels of essential and toxic elements must be determined routinely in consumed food products. The content of trace elements (As, Pb, Cu, Cd, Zn, Sn, Hg) in different types of food samples (e.g. rice, bread, sugar, cheese, milk, butter, wheat, coffee, chocolate, biscuits pasta, etc.) was determined, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Trace element contents in some foods were higher than maximum permissible levels of toxic metals in human food (Cd in bread, Zn in cheese, Cu in coffee, Hg in carrots and peppers).

In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of elemental ions released from different prosthodontic materials.

PubMed

Elshahawy, Waleed M; Watanabe, Ikuya; Kramer, Phillip

2009-12-01

This study investigated the cytotoxicity of elemental ions contained in four fixed prosthodontic materials (gold, nickel-chromium, stainless-steel alloys and CAD-CAM ceramics). According to the determination of elements released from prosthodontic materials by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, similar amounts of elements Pd, Ag, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mo, Be, Fe, Al, and K were prepared as salt solutions. Wells with a tenfold higher concentration of the tested elements were used as positive controls, while a well without any tested element was used as a negative control. These salt solutions were tested for cytotoxicity by culturing mouse L-929 fibroblasts in the salt solutions for a 7-day period of incubation. Then, the percentage of viable cells for each element was measured using trypan blue exclusion assay. The data (n=5) were statistically analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey test (p<0.05). The results showed a statistically significant difference for the cytotoxic effect of the tested elements salt solutions. For the released element concentrations the lowest percentage of viable cells (mean+/-SD) was evident with Zn, Cu or Ni indicating that they are the highly toxic elements. Be and Ag were found to be intermediate in cytotoxic effect. Fe, Cr, Mo, Al, Pd or K were found to be the least cytotoxic elements. Zn and Cu released from gold alloys, and Ni released from nickel-chromium alloys, which are commonly used as fixed prosthodontic restorations, show evidence of a high cytotoxic effect on fibroblast cell cultures.

Human predisposition to cognitive impairment and its relation with environmental exposure to potentially toxic elements.

PubMed

Cabral Pinto, Marina M S; Marinho-Reis, A Paula; Almeida, Agostinho; Ordens, Carlos M; Silva, Maria M V G; Freitas, Sandra; Simões, Mário R; Moreira, Paula I; Dinis, Pedro A; Diniz, M Luísa; Ferreira da Silva, Eduardo A; Condesso de Melo, M Teresa

2017-03-09

New lines of evidence suggest that less than 10% of neurodegenerative diseases have a strict genetic aetiology and other factors may be prevalent. Environmental exposures to potentially toxic elements appear to be a risk factor for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and sclerosis diseases. This study proposes a multidisciplinary approach combining neurosciences, psychology and environmental sciences while integrating socio-economic, neuropsychological, environmental and health data. We present the preliminary results of a neuropsychological assessment carried out in elderly residents of the industrial city of Estarreja. A battery of cognitive tests and a personal questionnaire were administered to the participants. Multivariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to identify potential relationships between the cognitive status of the participants and environmental exposure to potentially toxic elements. The results suggest a relationship between urinary PTEs levels and the incidence of cognitive disorders. They also point towards water consumption habits and profession as relevant factors of exposure. Linear regression models show that aluminium (R 2  = 38%), cadmium (R 2  = 11%) and zinc (R 2  = 6%) are good predictors of the scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination cognitive test. Median contents (µg/l) in groundwater are above admissible levels for drinking water for aluminium (371), iron (860), manganese (250), and zinc (305). While the World Health Organization does not provide health-based reference values for aluminium, results obtained from this study suggest that it may have an important role in the cognitive status of the elderly. Urine proved to be a suitable biomarker of exposure both to elements with low and high excretion rates.

Genotoxicity and toxicity assay of water sampled from a radium production industry storage cell territory by means of Allium-test.

PubMed

Evseeva, Tatiana I; Geras'kin, Stanislav A; Shuktomova, Ida I

2003-01-01

Water from natural reservoirs located near the radium production industry storage cell were analyzed using the anaphase-telophase chromosome aberration assay that was carried out on Allium schoenoprasum L. meristematic root tip cells. (262)Ra, (228)U, (232)Th, (210)Pb and (210)Po concentrations in all samples were found not to exceed the radioactivity concentration guides. The concentrations of 10 heavy metal ions were measured in water samples, but only Zn and Mn levels exceeded the maximum permissible concentration for the natural reservoirs. All water samples caused a significant increase of the chromosome aberration frequency as compared to control. The chromosome aberration spectrum analysis shows that the genotoxic effect was a result of chemical toxicity mainly. Two samples from the brook springhead were found to be toxic. The regression analysis results show that the mitotic index increased in parallel to Zn ion levels, and decreased with higher (238)U concentrations. The water samples genotoxicity positively correlated with the Zn concentration. The present work demonstrates that in order to achieve pollutant screening, it is not sufficient to determine the pollutants concentration only. Adequate conclusions on the risk due to environment contamination need to be based on the additional simultaneous use of toxicity and genotoxicity tests. When bioassays indicate some genotoxic and toxic effects, the determination of the chemical composition of the samples is then required. A combination of these two methods allows the identification of the elements that require constant biological monitoring. In the study reported here, those elements are Zn and (238)U.

Vitamin D, Essential Minerals, and Toxic Elements: Exploring Interactions between Nutrients and Toxicants in Clinical Medicine

PubMed Central

Schwalfenberg, Gerry K.; Genuis, Stephen J.

2015-01-01

In clinical medicine, increasing attention is being directed towards the important areas of nutritional biochemistry and toxicant bioaccumulation as they relate to human health and chronic disease. Optimal nutritional status, including healthy levels of vitamin D and essential minerals, is requisite for proper physiological function; conversely, accrual of toxic elements has the potential to impair normal physiology. It is evident that vitamin D intake can facilitate the absorption and assimilation of essential inorganic elements (such as calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, and selenium) but also the uptake of toxic elements (such as lead, arsenic, aluminum, cobalt, and strontium). Furthermore, sufficiency of essential minerals appears to resist the uptake of toxic metals. This paper explores the literature to determine a suitable clinical approach with regard to vitamin D and essential mineral intake to achieve optimal biological function and to avoid harm in order to prevent and overcome illness. It appears preferable to secure essential mineral status in conjunction with adequate vitamin D, as intake of vitamin D in the absence of mineral sufficiency may result in facilitation of toxic element absorption with potential adverse clinical outcomes. PMID:26347061

[Are acute toxicity testing and the three Rs rule reconcilable? Example of the lethal dose 50 determination].

PubMed

Dorandeu, Fr; Lallement, G

2003-11-01

Toxicity assessment and demonstration of innocuousness of chemical compounds have been part of the research studies conducted in the fields of pharmacy, agriculture and chemical industry for years. Acute systemic toxicity studies are an important element of the safety evaluation. They remain compulsory for regulatory purposes and important for the public opinion that does not accept the risk anymore. Evolutions of the ethics in animal experiments foster a necessary reduction of the number of animals involved in this type of experiments, following the well-known principle of the three Rs rule of Russell and Burch (1959) (Reduction, refinement and replacement). These two views seem in contradiction. Using the example of acute toxicity testing and focusing on the now very criticized parameter lethal dose 50, we will present approaches, including statistical ones, that a toxicologist can use, when free to choose, to keep on conducting the indispensable in vivo studies while abiding by ethical recommendations.

Impacts of toxic thresholds of sediment-associated contaminants to robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum) in the Lower Oconee River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasier, P.; Winger, P.; Bogenrieder, K.; Shelton, J.

2000-01-01

The robust redhorse is a ?Species-at-Risk? in the lower Oconee River, GA. The population is composed of aging adults with little natural recruitment. Factors contributing to the loss of early-life stages are unknown, but contaminants associated with fine sediments may play a role. The objectives of this study were to determine toxicities of sediments and pore waters from the Oconee River to early-life stages of robust redhorse and to establish toxic thresholds of metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn) and ammonia, elements potentially threatening this species. Depositional sediments were collected from the only known spawning site and three sites downstream of major tributaries. Sediment pore waters were extracted in the laboratory from all sites and in situ at two sites. Toxicity tests with sediments, pore waters and metal solutions were initiated with eggs, yolk-sac fry and swim-up fry to determine effects on the life stage initially exposed as well as effects manifested in later developmental stages. Survival and growth were test endpoints, and toxicity was observed in both sediments and pore waters. Although the yolk- sac stage was the most sensitive across all tests, sediment toxicity was elicited only in tests initiated with eggs that developed through the yolk-sac stage. Toxicity appeared to be due to Mn in sediment and pore water exposures, but was more prevalent in pore waters. Sediment handling and the associated effects on redox potential contributed to the elevated concentrations of Mn in pore waters. Pore waters extracted in situ had significantly less Mn and were less toxic than laboratory-extracted pore waters. These data suggest that sediment-associated Mn may impact early-life stages of robust redhorse in the Oconee River.

Contaminants in stream sediments from seven U.S. metropolitan areas: Data summary of a National Pilot Study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, Patrick W.; Calhoun, Dan L.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Kemble, Nile E.; Ingersoll, Chris G.; Hladik, Michelle; Kuivila, Kathryn; Falcone, James A.; Gilliom, Robert J.

2012-01-01

This report presents data collected as a part of a synoptic survey of stream sediment contaminants, associated watershed characteristics and invertebrate responses in laboratory sediment toxicity tests from 98 streams (sites) in seven metropolitan study areas across the continental United States. The report presents methods, data, and sediment-quality guidelines, including the derivation of a new sediment pyrethroid probable effects concentration, for the purposes of relating measured contaminants to land use and toxicity evaluation. The study evaluated sites that ranged in their degree of relative urbanization within the study areas of Atlanta, Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Milwaukee-Green Bay, Salt Lake City, and Seattle-Tacoma. In all, 108 chemical analytes quantified in the study are presented, by class and number of individual compounds, as follows: polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (28), organochlorine pesticides (OCs) (18), polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclors) (3), pyrethroid insecticides (14), fipronil compounds (4), priority trace and other major elements (41). The potential of these sediments to cause toxicity to sediment-dwelling invertebrates was evaluated using two standard sediment toxicity tests: a 28-day growth and survival toxicity test with the amphipod Hyalella azteca, and a 10-day growth and survival toxicity test with the midge Chironomus dilutus. Further, approximately 95 relevant watershed and reach-level characteristics were generated and are presented to aid in interpretation and explanation of contaminant and toxicity patterns. Interpretation of the findings of this study, including the relationships with urbanization and other factors, the relationship between sediment toxicity and sediment chemistry in the seven study areas, and the sources and occurrence of pyrethroid insecticides, are discussed in detail in a forthcoming series of journal articles.

Evaluation of factors that affect diesel exhaust toxicity. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norbeck, J.M.; Smith, M.R.; Arey, J.

1998-07-01

The scope of this project was to obtain a preliminary assessment of the potential impact of the fuel formulation on the speciation and toxic components of diesel exhaust. The test bed was a Cummins L10 engine operating over the heavy-duty transient test cycle using three diesel fuels: a pre-1993 diesel fuel, a low aromatic diesel fuel, and an alternative formulation diesel fuel. The sampling/analysis plan included: determination of the criteria pollutant emission rates (THC, CO, NOx, and PM); determination of PM(10) and PM(2.5) emission rates; collection and analysis of particulate samples for elemental, inorganic ion and elemental/organic carbon analyses; collectionmore » of bas samples for VOC speciation analyses; collection of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridges for determination of oxygenates; collection of nitrosomorpholine with Thermosorb N cartridges; collection of semi-volatiles on PF/XAD and particulate samples for PAH, nitro-PAH, and mutagenicity studies; and collection and analysis of dioxins for the pre-1993 and alternative formulation diesel fuels.« less

New Element Organic Frameworks Based on Sn, Sb, and Bi, with Permanent Porosity and High Catalytic Activity

PubMed Central

Fritsch, Julia; Rose, Marcus; Wollmann, Philipp; Böhlmann, Winfried; Kaskel, Stefan

2010-01-01

We present new element organic frameworks based on Sn, Sb and Bi atoms connected via organic linkers by element-carbon bonds. The open frameworks are characterized by specific surface areas (BET) of up to 445 m2 g-1 and a good stability under ambient conditions resulting from a highly hydrophobic inner surface. They show good performance as heterogeneous catalysts in the cyanosylilation of benzaldehyde as a test reaction. Due to their catalytic activity, this class of materials might be able to replace common homogeneous element-organic and often highly toxic catalysts especially in the food industry.

Biological toxicity of lanthanide elements on algae.

PubMed

Tai, Peidong; Zhao, Qing; Su, Dan; Li, Peijun; Stagnitti, Frank

2010-08-01

The biological toxicity of lanthanides on marine monocellular algae was investigated. The specific objective of this research was to establish the relationship between the abundance in the seawater of lanthanides and their biological toxicities on marine monocellular algae. The results showed that all single lanthanides had similar toxic effects on Skeletonema costatum. High concentrations of lanthanides (29.04+/-0.61 micromol L(-1)) resulted in 50% reduction in growth of algae compared to the controls (0 micromol L(-1)) after 96 h (96 h-EC50). The biological toxicity of 13 lanthanides on marine monocellular algae was unrelated with the abundance of different lanthanide elements in nature, and the "Harkins rule" was not appropriate for the lanthanides. A mixed solution that contained equivalent concentrations of each lanthanide element had the same inhibition effect on algae cells as each individual lanthanide element at the same total concentration. This phenomenon is unique compared to the groups of other elements in the periodic table. Hence, we speculate that the monocellular organisms might not be able to sufficiently differentiate between the almost chemically identical lanthanide elements. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elemental composition of edible nuts: fast optimization and validation procedure of an ICP-OES method.

PubMed

Tošić, Snežana B; Mitić, Snežana S; Velimirović, Dragan S; Stojanović, Gordana S; Pavlović, Aleksandra N; Pecev-Marinković, Emilija T

2015-08-30

An inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry method for the speedy simultaneous detection of 19 elements in edible nuts (walnuts: Juglans nigra; almonds: Prunus dulcis; hazelnuts: Corylus avellana; Brazil nuts: Bertholletia excelsa; cashews: Anacardium occidentalle; pistachios: Pistacia vera; and peanuts: Arachis hypogaea) available on the Serbian markets, was optimized and validated through the selection of instrumental parameters and analytical lines free from spectral interference and with the lowest matrix effects. The analysed macro-elements were present in the following descending order: Na > Mg > Ca > K. Of all the trace elements, the tested samples showed the highest content of Fe. The micro-element Se was detected in all the samples of nuts. The toxic elements As, Cd and Pb were either not detected or the contents were below the limit of detection. One-way analysis of variance, Student's t-test, Tukey's HSD post hoc test and hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis were applied in the statistical analysis of the results. Based on the detected content of analysed elements it can be concluded that nuts may be a good additional source of minerals as micronutrients. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Toxic elements and associations with hematology, plasma biochemistry, and protein electrophoresis in nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from Casey Key, Florida.

PubMed

Perrault, Justin R; Stacy, Nicole I; Lehner, Andreas F; Poor, Savannah K; Buchweitz, John P; Walsh, Catherine J

2017-12-01

Toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, thallium) are a group of contaminants that are known to elicit developmental, reproductive, general health, and immune system effects in reptiles, even at low concentrations. Reptiles, including marine turtles, are susceptible to accumulation of toxic elements due to their long life span, low metabolic rate, and highly efficient conversion of prey into biomass. The objectives of this study were to (1) document concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, and thallium in whole blood and keratin from nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from Casey Key, Florida and document correlations thereof and (2) correlate whole blood toxic element concentrations to various hematological and plasma biochemistry analytes. Baselines for various hematological and plasma analytes and toxic elements in whole blood and keratin (i.e., scute) in nesting loggerheads are documented. Various correlations between the toxic elements and hematological and plasma biochemistry analytes were identified; however, the most intriguing were negative correlations between arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium with and α- and γ-globulins. Although various extrinsic and intrinsic variables such as dietary and feeding changes in nesting loggerheads need to be considered, this finding may suggest a link to altered humoral immunity. This study documents a suite of health variables of nesting loggerheads in correlation to contaminants and identifies the potential of toxic elements to impact the overall health of nesting turtles, thus presenting important implications for the conservation and management of this species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying the causes of oil sands coke leachate toxicity to aquatic invertebrates.

PubMed

Puttaswamy, Naveen; Liber, Karsten

2011-11-01

A previous study found that coke leachates (CL) collected from oil sands field sites were acutely toxic to Ceriodaphnia dubia; however, the cause of toxicity was not known. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to generate CL in the laboratory to evaluate the toxicity response of C. dubia and perform chronic toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) tests to identify the causes of CL toxicity. Coke was subjected to a 15-d batch leaching process at pH 5.5 and 9.5. Leachates were filtered on day 15 and used for chemical and toxicological characterization. The 7-d median lethal concentration (LC50) was 6.3 and 28.7% (v/v) for pH 5.5 and 9.5 CLs, respectively. Trace element characterization of the CLs showed Ni and V levels to be well above their respective 7-d LC50s for C. dubia. Addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved survival and reproduction in pH 5.5 CL, but not in pH 9.5 CL. Cationic and anionic resins removed toxicity of pH 5.5 CL only. Conversely, the toxicity of pH 9.5 CL was completely removed with an anion resin alone, suggesting that the pH 9.5 CL contained metals that formed oxyanions. Toxicity reappeared when Ni and V were added back to anion resin-treated CLs. The TIE results combined with the trace element chemistry suggest that both Ni and V are the cause of toxicity in pH 5.5 CL, whereas V appears to be the primary cause of toxicity in pH 9.5 CL. Environmental monitoring and risk assessments should therefore focus on the fate and toxicity of metals, especially Ni and V, in coke-amended oil sands reclamation landscapes. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) as a biological barrier for contamination of honey by environmental toxic metals.

PubMed

Dżugan, Małgorzata; Wesołowska, Monika; Zaguła, Grzegorz; Kaczmarski, Mateusz; Czernicka, Maria; Puchalski, Czesław

2018-01-27

The aim of the study was to investigate the transfer of toxic metals from honeybee workers (Apis mellifera L.) to bee honey in relation to the ecological state of the environment. The materials of the study consisted of samples of honeybee bodies and varietal honeys taken from the same apiary located in three areas: R1-urbanized (16), R2-ecologically clean (16) and R3-industrialized (15) of south-eastern Poland. The contents of 14 elements in all tested samples, including toxic metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Al, Ni, Tl) as well as bioelements (K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Se), were analysed by the ICP-OES method with prior microwave mineralization. The concentrations of the majority of the studied elements, excluding aluminum and lead, were significantly higher in bee bodies than in honey samples (P < 0.05). The pollution of bee bodies by toxic metals was dependent on the environmental cleanliness, and the most pollution was observed in the industrialized area. The bee body was the most effective barrier for Cd and Tl transfer to the honey, while the level of Ni was similar in both tested materials. The Al concentration was significantly higher in honey than bee bodies (14.81 ± 24.69 and 6.51 ± 5.83 mg kg -1 , respectively), which suggests the possibility of secondary contamination of honey. The greatest sensitivity to heavy metal pollution was observed in honeydew honey compared to nectar honeys (P < 0.05). It was proved for the first time that bees work as biofilters for toxic metals and prevent honey contamination.

Determination of toxic inorganic elements pollution in ground waters of Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad, Pakistan using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kausar, Rubina; Ahmad, Zulfiqar

2009-10-01

The present study deals with the ground water quality assessment in Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad, Pakistan. The objective of the study was to assess ground water quality against the drinking water standards for various toxic inorganic elements. Representative groundwater samples were collected and analyzed in the Water Quality Laboratory of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) at Islamabad, Pakistan. The samples were run on ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), which has the capability to separate and quantify 70 elements at a time. One of the finding of study is that ICP-MS is a very good tool to analyze broad range of toxic inorganic elements to the level of parts per billion (ppb). World Health Organization drinking water standards shows that these toxic inorganic elements such as heavy metals even at this concentration level (ppb) are injurious to human health. This analysis indicated pollution of various toxic elements including Selenium. Vertical leachate through industrial waste septic tanks is identified as major cause of groundwater pollution in the Industrial Triangle. Monitoring of the septic tanks and groundwater quality in study area is suggested along with remedial measures.

Determination of essential and toxic elements in clay soil commonly consumed by pregnant women in Tanzania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mwalongo, D.; Mohammed, N. K.

2013-10-01

A habit of eating clay soil especially among pregnant women is a common practice in Tanzania. This practice known as geophagy might introduce toxic elements in the consumer's body to endanger the health of the mother and her child. Therefore it is very important to have information on the elemental composition of the eaten soil so as to assess the safety nature of the habit. In this study 100 samples of clay soil, which were reported to be originating from five regions in Tanzania and are consumed by pregnant women were analyzed to determine their levels of essential and toxic elements. The analysis was carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescent technique (EDXRF) of Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, Arusha. Essential elements Fe, Zn, Cu, Se and Mn and toxic elements As, Pb, Co, Ni, U and Th were detected in concentrations above WHO permissible limits in some of the samples. The results from this study show that the habit of eating soil is exposing the pregnant mothers and their children to metal toxicity which is detrimental to their health. Hence, further actions should be taken to discourage the habit of eating soil at all levels.

A review of the distribution coefficients of trace elements in soils: influence of sorption system, element characteristics, and soil colloidal properties.

PubMed

Shaheen, Sabry M; Tsadilas, Christos D; Rinklebe, Jörg

2013-12-01

Knowledge about the behavior and reactions of separate soil components with trace elements (TEs) and their distribution coefficients (Kds) in soils is a key issue in assessing the mobility and retention of TEs. Thus, the fate of TEs and the toxic risk they pose depend crucially on their Kd in soil. This article reviews the Kd of TEs in soils as affected by the sorption system, element characteristics, and soil colloidal properties. The sorption mechanism, determining factors, favorable conditions, and competitive ions on the sorption and Kd of TEs are also discussed here. This review demonstrates that the Kd value of TEs does not only depend on inorganic and organic soil constituents, but also on the nature and characteristics of the elements involved as well as on their competition for sorption sites. The Kd value of TEs is mainly affected by individual or competitive sorption systems. Generally, the sorption in competitive systems is lower than in mono-metal sorption systems. More strongly sorbed elements, such as Pb and Cu, are less affected by competition than mobile elements, such as Cd, Ni, and Zn. The sorption preference exhibited by soils for elements over others may be due to: (i) the hydrolysis constant, (ii) the atomic weight, (iii) the ionic radius, and subsequently the hydrated radius, and (iv) its Misono softness value. Moreover, element concentrations in the test solution mainly affect the Kd values. Mostly, values of Kd decrease as the concentration of the included cation increases in the test solution. Additionally, the Kd of TEs is controlled by the sorption characteristics of soils, such as pH, clay minerals, soil organic matter, Fe and Mn oxides, and calcium carbonate. However, more research is required to verify the practical utilization of studying Kd of TEs in soils as a reliable indicator for assessing the remediation process of toxic metals in soils and waters. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study on toxic and essential elements in wheat grain from the Republic of Kazakhstan.

PubMed

Tattibayeva, Damira; Nebot, Carolina; Miranda, Jose M; Abuova, Altynai B; Baibatyrov, Torebek A; Kizatova, Maigul Z; Cepeda, Alberto; Franco, Carlos M

2016-03-01

Little information is currently available about the content of different elements in wheat samples from the Republic of Kazakhstan. The concentrations of toxic (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and U) and essential (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn) elements in 117 sampled wheat grains from the Republic of Kazakhstan were measured. The results indicated that the mean and maximum concentrations of most investigated elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Se, Pb, and U) were higher in samples collected from southern Kazakhstan. The mean and maximum concentrations of toxic elements such as As, Cd, Hg, and Pb did not exceed levels specified by European, FAO, or Kazakh legislation, although the hazard quotient (HQ) values for Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn were higher than 1 and the hazard index (HI) was higher than 1 for samples collected from all areas of Kazakhstan. This indicates that there should be concern about the potential hazards of the combination of toxic elements in Kazakh wheat.

Risk assessment of an abandoned pyrite mine in Spain based on direct toxicity assays.

PubMed

García-Gómez, Concepción; Sánchez-Pardo, Beatriz; Esteban, Elvira; Peñalosa, Jesús Manuel; Fernández, María Dolores

2014-02-01

This research reports the risk assessment of an abandoned pyrite mine using direct toxicity assays of soil and groundwater samples taken at the site. The toxicity of As and heavy metals from mining soils to soil and aquatic organisms was studied using the Multispecies Soil System (MS-3) in soil columns. Ecotoxicological assessment was performed with soil samples diluted with a control soil at concentrations of 12.5, 25, 50 and 100% test soil/soil (w/w). In this way, changes in the mobility and bioavailability of soil contaminants due to changes in geochemical soil properties via soil dilution were studied. The toxicity of water samples was tested on algae and Daphnia magna. The assessment of the mining area indicated that the current presence of As and heavy metals at the site may cause injuries to soil and aquatic organisms in the entire research area. Moreover, this investigation demonstrated that changes in geochemical conditions can increase the availability of arsenic and, consequently, the environmental risk of these soils. A good correlation was not found between toxicity parameters and the concentrations of soil contaminants based on total and extracted element concentrations. This finding reinforces the usefulness of direct toxicity assays for evaluating environmental risk. © 2013.

Genotoxicity testing on the international space station: Preparatory work on the SOS-LUX test as part of the space experiment TRIPLE-LUX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stojicic, Nevena; Walrafen, David; Baumstark-Khan, Christa; Rabbow, Elke; Rettberg, Petra; Weisshaar, Maria-Paz; Horneck, Gerda

Harmful environmental factors - namely ionizing radiation - will continue to influence future manned space missions. The Radiation Biology Unit at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) develops cellular monitoring systems, which include bacterial and mammalian cell systems capable of recognizing DNA damage as a consequence of the presence of genotoxic conditions. Such a bioassay is the SOS-LUX test, which represents the radiobiological part of the German space experiment "Gene, immune and cellular responses to single and combined space flight conditions (TRIPLE-LUX)" which has been selected by the IDI/USRA Peer Review Panel for NASA/ESA to be performed on the International Space Station (ISS). It will supply basic information on the genotoxic response to radiation applied in microgravity. The biological end-point under investigation will depend on the bacterial SOS response brought about by genetically modified bacteria that are transformed with the pSWITCH plasmid (constructed from the plasmids pPLS-1 and pGFPuv). The luminescent/fluorescent bioassay SWITCH (SWITCH: Salmonella Weighting of Induced Toxicity Cyto/GenoTox for Human Health) as successor of the SOS-LUX test for rapid toxicity (genotoxicity and cytotoxicity) testing, makes use of two sensing and reporting systems for the two biological endpoints under investigation: the SOS-LUX test and the LAC- Fluoro test. The SWITCH plasmid carries the promoterless lux operon of Photobacterium leiognathi as reporter element under the control of the DNA-damage-dependent SOS promoter of ColD as sensor element (for genotoxicity testing) and the sequences for a hybrid protein consisting of β-galactosidase and GFPuv of Aequorea victoria as reporter element under the control of the (in Salmonella constitutively active) LAC promoter of Escherichia coli as sensor element (for cytotoxicity testing). The system has worked properly for terrestrial applications during the first experiments. Experiments using X-rays and UV radiation of various qualities (from UVC to UVA) have given insights into cellular mechanisms relevant for estimation of health risks, resulting from exposure of astronauts to the extraordinary radiation environment of space.

Occupational blood lead testing: Practical concerns in analysis and interpretation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saryan, L.A.

Lead has attracted more attention from toxicologists and public health officials than any of the other industrially and biologically significant trace elements. Lead is widely distributed in the human environment and is used in numerous industrial applications. It may be present, sometimes in significant quantities, as a contaminant in the air we breathe, food, water and beverages, paints, folk medications, soil, dust, and other objects. As a consequence, all humans have some lead in their bodies. Excessive lead exposure is a serious health concern because of the numerous well-known toxic effects associated with this metal. Furthermore, unlike some other elements,more » lead has no established therapeutic or nutritional benefit. The toxic effects of lead have been described often in medical literature. This paper discusses the occupational health hazards of lead exposure and monitoring needs.« less

Toxic and trace elements in tobacco and tobacco smoke.

PubMed Central

Chiba, M.; Masironi, R.

1992-01-01

While the harmful health effects of carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar, irritants and other noxious gases that are present in tobacco smoke are well known, those due to heavy metals and other toxic mineral elements in tobacco smoke are not sufficiently emphasized. Tobacco smoking influences the concentrations of several elements in some organs. This review summarizes the known effects of some trace elements and other biochemically important elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, Po-210, Se, and Zn) which are linked with smoking. Cigarette smoking may be a substantial source of intake of these hazardous elements not only to the smoker but also, through passive smoking, to nonsmokers. The adverse health effects of these toxic elements on the fetus through maternal smoking, and on infants through parental smoking, are of special concern. PMID:1600587

Long-term use of biosolids as organic fertilizers in agricultural soils: potentially toxic elements occurrence and mobility.

PubMed

Marguí, E; Iglesias, M; Camps, F; Sala, L; Hidalgo, M

2016-03-01

The presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) may hinder a more widespread application of biosolids in agriculture. At present, the European Directive 86/278/CEE limit the total concentrations of seven metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd and Hg) in agricultural soils and in sewage sludges used as fertilizers but it has not taken into consideration the potential impacts of other emerging micropollutants that may be present in the biosolids as well as their mobility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation and mobility of 13 elements (including regulated metals and other inorganic species) in agricultural soils repeatedly amended with biosolids for 15 years. Firstly, three digestions programs using different acid mixtures were tested to evaluate the most accurate and efficient method for analysis of soil and sludge. Results demonstrated that sewage sludge application increased concentrations of Pb and Hg in soil, but values did not exceed the quality standard established by legislation. In addition, other elements (As, Co, Sb, Ag, Se and Mn) that at present are not regulated by the Spanish and European directives were identified in the sewage sludge, and significant differences were found between Ag content in soils amended with biosolids in comparison with control soils. This fact can be related to the increasing use of silver nanoparticles in consumer products due to their antibacterial properties. Results from the leaching tests show up that, in general, the mobility degree for both regulated and non-regulated elements in soils amended with biosolids was quite low (<10 %).

Toxicological Assessment of Toxic Element Residues in Swine Kidney and Its Role in Public Health Risk Assessment

PubMed Central

Milićević, Dragan R.; Jovanović, Milijan; Jurić, Verica B.; Petrović, Zoran I.; Stefanović, Srđan M.

2009-01-01

In order to ensure the safety of consumers in Serbia the prevalence of toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, Pb) in swine kidney collected from three different areas in Serbia (n = 90) was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Also, in order to find information on the effects of accumulation of toxic elements on swine kidney, pathohistological examination of the kidneys was performed. The presence of mercury was found in 33.3% of kidney samples in the range of 0.005–0.055 mg/kg, while the presence of cadmium was detected less often (27.7%) but in larger amounts (0.05–1.23 mg/kg). The presence of arsenic was found only in one sample, while no lead was found. The results of the metal-to-metal correlation analysis supported there were the result of different sources of contamination. Pathohistological examination of kidneys confirms tubulopathies with oedema and cell vacuolization. In addition, haemorrhages and necrosis of proximal kidney tubule cells were found. This study demonstrates that toxic elements in Serbian slaughtered pigs are found at levels comparable to those reported in other countries, and consequently the levels reported in this study do not represent a concern from a consumer safety point of view. The lack of a strong correlation between histopathological changes and the incidence of toxic elements found in this study might be explained as the result of synergism among toxic elements and other nephrotoxic compounds which enhance the toxicity of the individual toxins even at the relatively low mean concentrations observed in this study. PMID:20049251

Comparative In Vitro Biological Toxicity of Four Kinds of Air Pollution Particles.

PubMed

Shin, Han-Jae; Cho, Hyun Gi; Park, Chang Kyun; Park, Ki Hong; Lim, Heung Bin

2017-10-01

Accumulating epidemiological evidence indicates that exposure to fine air pollution particles (APPs) is associated with a variety of adverse health effects. However, the exact physiochemical properties and biological toxicities of fine APPs are still not well characterized. We collected four types of fine particle (FP) (diesel exhaust particles [DEPs], natural organic combustion [NOC] ash, synthetic organic combustion [SOC] ash, and yellow sand dust [YSD]) and investigated their physicochemical properties and in vitro biological toxicity. DEPs were almost entirely composed of ultrafine particles (UFPs), while the NOC, SOC, and YSD particles were a mixture of UFPs and FPs. The main elements in the DEPs, NOC ash, SOC ash, and YSD were black carbon, silicon, black carbon, and silicon, respectively. DEPs exhibited dose-dependent mutagenicity even at a low dose in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and 100 strains in an Ames test for genotoxicity. However, NOC, SOC, and YSD particles did not show any mutagenicity at high doses. The neutral red uptake assay to test cell viability revealed that DEPs showed dose-dependent potent cytotoxicity even at a low concentration. The toxicity of DEPs was relatively higher than that of NOC, SOC, and YSD particles. Therefore, these results indicate that among the four FPs, DEPs showed the highest in vitro biological toxicity. Additional comprehensive research studies such as chemical analysis and in vivo acute and chronic inhalation toxicity tests are necessary to determine and clarify the effects of this air contaminant on human health.

Toxic trace elements at gastrointestinal level.

PubMed

Vázquez, M; Calatayud, M; Jadán Piedra, C; Chiocchetti, G M; Vélez, D; Devesa, V

2015-12-01

Many trace elements are considered essential [iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu)], whereas others may be harmful [lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As)], depending on their concentration and chemical form. In most cases, the diet is the main pathway by which they enter our organism. The presence of toxic trace elements in food has been known for a long time, and many of the food matrices that carry them have been identified. This has led to the appearance of legislation and recommendations concerning consumption. Given that the main route of exposure is oral, passage through the gastrointestinal tract plays a fundamental role in their entry into the organism, where they exert their toxic effect. Although the digestive system can be considered to be of crucial importance in their toxicity, in most cases we do not know the events that occur during the passage of these elements through the gastrointestinal tract and of ascertaining whether they may have some kind of toxic effect on it. The aim of this review is to summarize available information on this subject, concentrating on the toxic trace elements that are of greatest interest for organizations concerned with food safety and health: Pb, Cd, Hg and As. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanism Profiling of Hepatotoxicity Caused by Oxidative Stress Using Antioxidant Response Element Reporter Gene Assay Models and Big Data.

PubMed

Kim, Marlene Thai; Huang, Ruili; Sedykh, Alexander; Wang, Wenyi; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao

2016-05-01

Hepatotoxicity accounts for a substantial number of drugs being withdrawn from the market. Using traditional animal models to detect hepatotoxicity is expensive and time-consuming. Alternative in vitro methods, in particular cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS) studies, have provided the research community with a large amount of data from toxicity assays. Among the various assays used to screen potential toxicants is the antioxidant response element beta lactamase reporter gene assay (ARE-bla), which identifies chemicals that have the potential to induce oxidative stress and was used to test > 10,000 compounds from the Tox21 program. The ARE-bla computational model and HTS data from a big data source (PubChem) were used to profile environmental and pharmaceutical compounds with hepatotoxicity data. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed based on ARE-bla data. The models predicted the potential oxidative stress response for known liver toxicants when no ARE-bla data were available. Liver toxicants were used as probe compounds to search PubChem Bioassay and generate a response profile, which contained thousands of bioassays (> 10 million data points). By ranking the in vitro-in vivo correlations (IVIVCs), the most relevant bioassay(s) related to hepatotoxicity were identified. The liver toxicants profile contained the ARE-bla and relevant PubChem assays. Potential toxicophores for well-known toxicants were created by identifying chemical features that existed only in compounds with high IVIVCs. Profiling chemical IVIVCs created an opportunity to fully explore the source-to-outcome continuum of modern experimental toxicology using cheminformatics approaches and big data sources. Kim MT, Huang R, Sedykh A, Wang W, Xia M, Zhu H. 2016. Mechanism profiling of hepatotoxicity caused by oxidative stress using antioxidant response element reporter gene assay models and big data. Environ Health Perspect 124:634-641; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509763.

Mechanism Profiling of Hepatotoxicity Caused by Oxidative Stress Using Antioxidant Response Element Reporter Gene Assay Models and Big Data

PubMed Central

Kim, Marlene Thai; Huang, Ruili; Sedykh, Alexander; Wang, Wenyi; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao

2015-01-01

Background: Hepatotoxicity accounts for a substantial number of drugs being withdrawn from the market. Using traditional animal models to detect hepatotoxicity is expensive and time-consuming. Alternative in vitro methods, in particular cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS) studies, have provided the research community with a large amount of data from toxicity assays. Among the various assays used to screen potential toxicants is the antioxidant response element beta lactamase reporter gene assay (ARE-bla), which identifies chemicals that have the potential to induce oxidative stress and was used to test > 10,000 compounds from the Tox21 program. Objective: The ARE-bla computational model and HTS data from a big data source (PubChem) were used to profile environmental and pharmaceutical compounds with hepatotoxicity data. Methods: Quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed based on ARE-bla data. The models predicted the potential oxidative stress response for known liver toxicants when no ARE-bla data were available. Liver toxicants were used as probe compounds to search PubChem Bioassay and generate a response profile, which contained thousands of bioassays (> 10 million data points). By ranking the in vitro–in vivo correlations (IVIVCs), the most relevant bioassay(s) related to hepatotoxicity were identified. Results: The liver toxicants profile contained the ARE-bla and relevant PubChem assays. Potential toxicophores for well-known toxicants were created by identifying chemical features that existed only in compounds with high IVIVCs. Conclusion: Profiling chemical IVIVCs created an opportunity to fully explore the source-to-outcome continuum of modern experimental toxicology using cheminformatics approaches and big data sources. Citation: Kim MT, Huang R, Sedykh A, Wang W, Xia M, Zhu H. 2016. Mechanism profiling of hepatotoxicity caused by oxidative stress using antioxidant response element reporter gene assay models and big data. Environ Health Perspect 124:634–641; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509763 PMID:26383846

Environmental hazard of oil shale combustion fly ash.

PubMed

Blinova, Irina; Bityukova, Liidia; Kasemets, Kaja; Ivask, Angela; Käkinen, Aleksandr; Kurvet, Imbi; Bondarenko, Olesja; Kanarbik, Liina; Sihtmäe, Mariliis; Aruoja, Villem; Schvede, Hedi; Kahru, Anne

2012-08-30

The combined chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of oil shale combustion fly ash was performed. Ash was sampled from the most distant point of the ash-separation systems of the Balti and Eesti Thermal Power Plants in North-Eastern Estonia. The fly ash proved potentially hazardous for tested aquatic organisms and high alkalinity of the leachates (pH>10) is apparently the key factor determining its toxicity. The leachates were not genotoxic in the Ames assay. Also, the analysis showed that despite long-term intensive oil-shale combustion accompanied by considerable fly ash emissions has not led to significant soil contamination by hazardous trace elements in North-Eastern Estonia. Comparative study of the fly ash originating from the 'new' circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion technology and the 'old' pulverized-fired (PF) one showed that CFB fly ash was less toxic than PF fly ash. Thus, complete transfer to the 'new' technology will reduce (i) atmospheric emission of hazardous trace elements and (ii) fly ash toxicity to aquatic organisms as compared with the 'old' technology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochar application to hardrock mine tailings: Soil quality, microbial activity, and toxic element sorption

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Charlene N.; Peltz, Christopher D.; Stanton, Mark R.; Rutherford, David W.; Rostad, Colleen E.

2014-01-01

Waste rock piles from historic mining activities remain unvegetated as a result of metal toxicity and high acidity. Biochar has been proposed as a low-cost remediation strategy to increase soil pH and reduce leaching of toxic elements, and improve plant establishment. In this laboratory column study, biochar made from beetle-killed pine wood was assessed for utility as a soil amendment by mixing soil material from two mine sites collected near Silverton, Colorado, USA with four application rates of biochar (0%, 10%, 20%, 30% vol:vol). Columns were leached seven times over 65 days and leachate pH and concentration of toxic elements and base cations were measured at each leaching. Nutrient availability and soil physical and biological parameters were determined following the incubation period. We investigated the hypotheses that biochar incorporation into acidic mine materials will (1) reduce toxic element concentrations in leaching solution, (2) improve soil parameters (i.e. increase nutrient and water holding capacity and pH, and decrease compaction), and (3) increase microbial populations and activity. Biochar directly increased soil pH (from 3.33 to 3.63 and from 4.07 to 4.77 in the two materials) and organic matter content, and decreased bulk density and extractable salt content in both mine materials, and increased nitrate availability in one material. No changes in microbial population or activity were detected in either mine material upon biochar application. In leachate solution, biochar increased base cations from both materials and reduced the concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in leachate solution from one material. However, in the material with greater toxic element content, biochar did not reduce concentrations of any measured dissolved toxic elements in leachate and resulted in a potentially detrimental release of Cd and Zn into solution at concentrations above that of the pure mine material. The length of time of effectiveness and specific sorption by biochar is variable by element and the toxic element concentration and acidity of the initial mine material.

Plant growth, nutrients and potentially toxic elements in leaves of yerba mate clones in response to phosphorus in acid soils.

PubMed

Barbosa, Julierme Z; Motta, Antonio C V; Consalter, Rangel; Poggere, Giovana C; Santin, Delmar; Wendling, Ivar

2018-01-01

Native to subtropical region of South America, yerba mate is responsive to P under some conditions, but the degree of influence of genetic and soil on the growth and composition of the leaf is unknown. The aim of study was to evaluate plant growth, nutrients and potentially toxic elements in leaves of yerba mate clones in response to P application in acid soils. In greenhouse condition, two yerba mate clone seedlings were grown (210 days) in pots, each clone in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme (with and without P; four acid soils). The elemental composition of leaves and the growth of plants were determined. Phosphorus promoted plant growth, but this was not accompanied by increased P in leaf tissue in all conditions tested. The P effect on the elemental composition varied: decrease/null (N, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Ni, B, Mo, Al, Cd); increase/null (C/N, C, Ca, Fe, V); increase/decrease/null (Zn, Ba, Pb) and; null (Cr). The soils affect the elemental composition of the leaves, especially Mn, with accumulation greater than 1000 mg kg-1. The Ba, Pb, Al and Zn in the leaves varied among clones. Yerba mate response to P was affected by edaphic and plant factors.

Improving the effect of FDA-mandated drug safety alerts with Internet-based continuing medical education.

PubMed

Kraus, Carl N; Baldwin, Alan T; McAllister, R G

2013-02-01

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires risk communication as an element of Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) to alert and educate healthcare providers about severe toxicities associated with approved drugs. The educational effectiveness of this approach has not been evaluated. To support the communication plan element of the ipilimumab REMS, a Medscape Safe Use Alert (SUA) letter was distributed by Medscape via email and mobile device distribution to clinicians specified in the REMS. This alert contained the FDA-approved Dear Healthcare Provider (DHCP) letter mandated for distribution. A continuing medical education (CME) activity describing ipilimumab toxicities and the appropriate management was simultaneously posted on the website and distributed to Medscape members. Data were collected over a 6-month period regarding the handling of the letter and the responses to pre- and post-test questions for those who participated in the CME activity. Analysis of the answers to the pre- and posttest questions showed that participation in the CME activity resulted in an improvement in correct answer responses of 47%. Our experience shows that there are likely distinct information sources that are utilized by different HCP groups. The ready availability of a brief CME activity was utilized by 24,063 individuals, the majority of whom showed enhanced understanding of ipilimumab toxicity by improvement in post-test scores, educational data that are not available via implementation of standard safety alert communications. These results demonstrate that improvement in understanding of specific drug toxicities is enhanced by a CME intervention.

Laser ablation ICP-MS profiling and semiquantitative determination of trace element concentrations in desert tortoise shells: documenting the uptake of elemental toxicants.

PubMed

Seltzer, Michaeld; Berry, Kristinh

2005-03-01

The outer keratin layer (scute) of desert tortoise shells consists of incrementally grown laminae in which various bioaccumulated trace elements are sequestered during scute deposition. Laser ablation ICP-MS examination of laminae in scutes of dead tortoises revealed patterns of trace elemental distribution from which the chronology of elemental uptake can be inferred. These patterns may be of pathologic significance in the case of elemental toxicants such as arsenic, which has been linked to both shell and respiratory diseases. Laser ablation transects, performed along the lateral surfaces of sectioned scutes, offered the most successful means of avoiding exogenous contamination that was present on the scute exterior. Semiquantitative determination of elemental concentrations was achieved using sulfur, a keratin matrix element, as an internal standard. The results presented here highlight the potential of laser ablation ICP-MS as a diagnostic tool for investigating toxic element uptake as it pertains to tortoise morbidity and mortality.

Laser ablation ICP-MS profiling and semiquantitative determination of trace element concentrations in desert tortoise shells: Documenting the uptake of elemental toxicants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seltzer, M.D.; Berry, K.H.

2005-01-01

The outer keratin layer (scute) of desert tortoise shells consists of incrementally grown laminae in which various bioaccumulated trace elements are sequestered during scute deposition. Laser ablation ICP-MS examination of laminae in scutes of dead tortoises revealed patterns of trace elemental distribution from which the chronology of elemental uptake can be inferred. These patterns may be of pathologic significance in the case of elemental toxicants such as arsenic, which has been linked to both shell and respiratory diseases. Laser ablation transects, performed along the lateral surfaces of sectioned scutes, offered the most successful means of avoiding exogenous contamination that was present on the scute exterior. Semiquantitative determination of elemental concentrations was achieved using sulfur, a keratin matrix element, as an internal standard. The results presented here highlight the potential of laser ablation ICP-MS as a diagnostic tool for investigating toxic element uptake as it pertains to tortoise morbidity and mortality.

Germination of Medicago sativa is inhibited by soluble compounds in cement dust.

PubMed

Lafragüeta, Cristina; García-Criado, Balbino; Arranz, Angel; Vázquez-de-Aldana, Beatriz R

2014-01-01

Deposition of cement dust on soils and plant surfaces is known to affect plant growth and the species composition of plant communities, but little is known about its effects (and those of its pH and constituents) on germination. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of an aqueous cement extract, constituents of the extract and pH on the germination of seeds of a selected species, Medicago sativa. First, the effects of the extract were tested in assays with concentrations and exposure durations ranging from 0 to 1.0 g/mL and 4 to 96 h, respectively. At 0.8 g/mL, the extract strongly inhibited germination; a 4-h exposure reduced the germination rate, from 77 ± 1.8 to 50 ± 2.6% (mean ± SE), while 8-h exposure completely inhibited it. Further, treatment at this concentration killed the non-germinating seeds, thus the inhibition was due to toxic effects. Neither the pH of the extract nor the concentration of its main soluble elements separately (K, Ca, S, Na, or Cr) caused the toxicity since germination rates were not significantly reduced when these variables were tested individually. However, a mixture of the elements in solution reduced germination rates, suggesting that they have adverse synergistic effects.

Effects of processed oil shale on the element content of Atriplex cancescens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, B.M.

1982-01-01

Samples of four-wing saltbush were collected from the Colorado State University Intensive Oil Shale Revegetation Study Site test plots in the Piceance basin, Colorado. The test plots were constructed to evaluate the effects of processed oil shale geochemistry on plant growth using various thicknesses of soil cover over the processed shale and/or over a gravel barrier between the shale and soil. Generally, the thicker the soil cover, the less the influence of the shale geochemistry on the element concentrations in the plants. Concentrations of 20 elements were larger in the ash of four-wing saltbush growing on the plot with the gravel barrier (between the soil and processed shale) when compared to the sample from the control plot. A greater water content in the soil in this plot has been reported, and the interaction between the increased, percolating water and shale may have increased the availability of these elements for plant uptake. Concentrations of boron, copper, fluorine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, and zinc were larger in the samples grown over processed shale, compared to those from the control plot, and concentrations for barium, calcium, lanthanum, niobium, phosphorus, and strontium were smaller. Concentrations for arsenic, boron, fluorine, molybdenum, and selenium-- considered to be potential toxic contaminants--were similar to results reported in the literature for vegetation from the test plots. The copper-to-molybdenum ratios in three of the four samples of four-wing saltbush growing over the processed shale were below the ratio of 2:1, which is judged detrimental to ruminants, particularly cattle. Boron concentrations averaged 140 ppm, well above the phytotoxicity level for most plant species. Arsenic, fluorine, and selenium concentrations were below toxic levels, and thus should not present any problem for revegetation or forage use at this time.

Distribution of uranium, thorium and some stable trace and toxic elements in human hair and nails in Niška Banja Town, a high natural background radiation area of Serbia (Balkan Region, South-East Europe).

PubMed

Sahoo, S K; Žunić, Z S; Kritsananuwat, R; Zagrodzki, P; Bossew, P; Veselinovic, N; Mishra, S; Yonehara, H; Tokonami, S

2015-07-01

Human hair and nails can be considered as bio-indicators of the public exposure to certain natural radionuclides and other toxic metals over a long period of months or even years. The level of elements in hair and nails usually reflect their levels in other tissues of body. Niška Banja, a spa town located in southern Serbia, with locally high natural background radiation was selected for the study. To assess public exposure to the trace elements, hair and nail samples were collected and analyzed. The concentrations of uranium, thorium and some trace and toxic elements (Mn, Ni, Cu, Sr, Cd, and Cs) were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). U and Th concentrations in hair varied from 0.0002 to 0.0771 μg/g and from 0.0002 to 0.0276 μg/g, respectively. The concentrations in nails varied from 0.0025 to 0.0447 μg/g and from 0.0023 to 0.0564 μg/g for U and Th, respectively. We found significant correlations between some elements in hair and nails. Also indications of spatial clustering of high values could be found. However, this phenomenon as well as the large variations in concentrations of heavy metals in hair and nail could not be explained. As hypotheses, we propose possible exposure pathways which may explain the findings, but the current data does not allow testing them. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Toxicological Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Shells from the Pecan Nut Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch and the Possible Association with Its Inorganic Constituents and Major Phenolic Compounds.

PubMed

Porto, Luiz Carlos S; da Silva, Juliana; Sousa, Karen; Ambrozio, Mariana L; de Almeida, Aline; Dos Santos, Carla Eliete I; Dias, Johnny F; Allgayer, Mariangela C; Dos Santos, Marcela S; Pereira, Patrícia; Ferraz, Alexandre B F; Picada, Jaqueline N

2016-01-01

Background. Industrial processing of the pecan nut Carya illinoinensis K. Koch generated a large amount of shells, which have been used to prepare nutritional supplements and medicinal products; however, the safe use of shells requires assessment. This study evaluated the toxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic effects of pecan shell aqueous extract (PSAE) and the possible contribution of phenolic compounds, ellagic and gallic acids, and inorganic elements present in PSAE to induce toxicity. Results. Levels of inorganic elements like K, P, Cl, and Rb quantified using the Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission method were higher in PSAE than in pecan shells, while Mg and Mn levels were higher in shells. Mice showed neurobehavioral toxicity when given high PSAE doses (200-2,000 mg kg(-1)). The LD50 was 1,166.3 mg kg(-1). However, PSAE (50-200 mg·kg(-1)) and the phenolic compounds (10-100 mg·kg(-1)) did not induce DNA damage or mutagenicity evaluated using the comet assay and micronucleus test. Treatment with ellagic acid (10-100 mg·kg(-1)) decreased triglyceride and glucose levels, while treatments with PSAE and gallic acid had no effect. Conclusion. Pecan shell toxicity might be associated with high concentrations of inorganic elements such as Mn, Al, Cu, and Fe acting on the central nervous system, besides phytochemical components, suggesting that the definition of the safe dose should take into account the consumption of micronutrients.

Evaluation of Toxicological Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Shells from the Pecan Nut Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch and the Possible Association with Its Inorganic Constituents and Major Phenolic Compounds

PubMed Central

Porto, Luiz Carlos S.; Sousa, Karen; Ambrozio, Mariana L.; de Almeida, Aline; dos Santos, Carla Eliete I.; Dias, Johnny F.; Allgayer, Mariangela C.; dos Santos, Marcela S.; Pereira, Patrícia; Picada, Jaqueline N.

2016-01-01

Background. Industrial processing of the pecan nut Carya illinoinensis K. Koch generated a large amount of shells, which have been used to prepare nutritional supplements and medicinal products; however, the safe use of shells requires assessment. This study evaluated the toxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic effects of pecan shell aqueous extract (PSAE) and the possible contribution of phenolic compounds, ellagic and gallic acids, and inorganic elements present in PSAE to induce toxicity. Results. Levels of inorganic elements like K, P, Cl, and Rb quantified using the Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission method were higher in PSAE than in pecan shells, while Mg and Mn levels were higher in shells. Mice showed neurobehavioral toxicity when given high PSAE doses (200–2,000 mg kg−1). The LD50 was 1,166.3 mg kg−1. However, PSAE (50–200 mg·kg−1) and the phenolic compounds (10–100 mg·kg−1) did not induce DNA damage or mutagenicity evaluated using the comet assay and micronucleus test. Treatment with ellagic acid (10–100 mg·kg−1) decreased triglyceride and glucose levels, while treatments with PSAE and gallic acid had no effect. Conclusion. Pecan shell toxicity might be associated with high concentrations of inorganic elements such as Mn, Al, Cu, and Fe acting on the central nervous system, besides phytochemical components, suggesting that the definition of the safe dose should take into account the consumption of micronutrients. PMID:27525021

Phytoremediation of soils contaminated with toxic elements and radionuclides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cornish, J.E.; Goldberg, W.C.; Levine, R.S.

1995-12-31

At many US Department of Energy (US DOE) facilities and other sites, surface soils over relatively large areas are contaminated with heavy metals, radionuclides, and other toxic elements, often at only a relatively small factor above regulatory action levels. Cleanup of such sites presents major challenges, because currently available soil remediation technologies can be very expensive. In response, the US DOE`s Office of Technology Development, through the Western Environmental Technology Office, is sponsoring research in the area of phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that uses higher plants to transfer toxic elements and radionuclides from surface soils into aboveground biomass.more » Some plants, termed hyperaccumulators, take up toxic elements in substantial amounts, resulting in concentrations in aboveground biomass over 100 times those observed with conventional plants. After growth, the plant biomass is harvested, and the toxic elements are concentrated and reclaimed or disposed of. As growing, harvesting, and processing plant biomass is relatively inexpensive, phytoremediation can be a low-cost technology for remediation of extensive areas having lightly to moderately contaminated soils. This paper reviews the potential of hyper- and moderate accumulator plants in soil remediation, provides some comparative cost estimates, and outlines ongoing work initiated by the US DOE.« less

Sensitivity limits and EC50 values of the Vibrio fischeri test for organic micropollutants in natural and spiked extracts from sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salizzato, M.; Bertato, V.; Pavoni, B.

1998-04-01

Chemical analyses and bioassays were used in conjunction to assess the quality of sediments of the Venice lagoon. Organic micropollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs] polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], and chlorinated pesticides) were extracted from sediment samples and analyzed by gas chromatography after fractionation into classes of compounds. The Vibrio fischeri test was used to assess the acute toxicity of sediment extracts. The test was applied to organic extracts before cleanup and to extracts purified from sulfur and fractionated into single classes of compounds. Extracts before purification were much more toxic than single fractions. In particular, sulfur was toxic to V. fischeri.more » For PAHs and PCBs the 50% effective concentration (EC50) and EC20 values were determined using natural and spiked extracts. Sensitivity limits of the method for these compounds were also estimated as was in EC50 value of elemental sulfur dissolved in ethanol. A mathematical model was used to fit the concentration-response data to a sigmoid curve.« less

Toxicity of 35 trace elements in coal to freshwater biota: a data base with automated retrieval capabilities. [313 references

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cushman, R. M.; Hildebrand, S. G.; Strand, R. H.

1977-06-01

Data are tabulated on the toxicity to freshwater biota of 35 trace elements with the potential for release to the environment from coal conversion effluents. The entire data base is presented on a microfiche appended to the document, in the interest of portability and accessibility. The data were gathered from a variety of research papers, compendia, and reviews. Details of water chemistry and test conditions are presented when available from the documents consulted. The data base may be used by referring directly to the tabulated data as they appear on the microfiche, or, with appropriate computer facilities, by manipulation (sorting,more » subsetting, or merging) of the data to meet the particular needs of the investigator. The data may be used as they appear in the data base, or the data base may be used to index the cited original papers.« less

Environmental biomonitoring of essential and toxic elements in human scalp hair using accelerated microwave-assisted sample digestion and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy.

PubMed

Kumakli, Hope; Duncan, A'ja V; McDaniel, Kiara; Mehari, Tsdale F; Stephenson, Jamira; Maple, Lareisha; Crawford, Zaria; Macemore, Calvin L; Babyak, Carol M; Fakayode, Sayo O

2017-05-01

Human scalp hair samples were collected and used to assess exposure to toxic elements and essential elements in the state of North Carolina, USA using accelerated microwave assisted acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The figures-of-merit of the ICP-OES were appropriate for elemental analysis in scalp hair with detection limits as low as 0.0001 mg/L for Cd, good linearity (R 2  > 0.9978), and percent recoveries that ranged from 96 to 106% for laboratory-fortified-blanks and 88-112% for sample spike recovery study. The concentrations of essential elements in scalp hair were larger than those of toxic elements, with Ca having the highest average concentration (3080 μg/g, s = 14,500, n = 194). Some of the maximum concentrations observed for As (65 μg/g), Ni (331 μg/g), Cd (2.96 μg/g), and Cr (84.6 μg/g) in individual samples were concerning, however. Samples were statistically analyzed to determine the influence of race, gender, smoking habits, or age on the elemental concentrations in scalp hair. Higher concentrations of essential elements were observed in the scalp hair of Caucasians, females, and non-smokers, and the differences were often significant at a 90% confidence level. Several pairs of essential elements, for example Ca-K, Ca-Mg, and Ca-Zn, were strongly correlated in Caucasian hair but uncorrelated in African-American hair. Similarly, essential elements were strongly correlated in female hair but weakly correlated in male hair. Toxic element pairs (As-Cd, As-Se, Pb-As, and Se-Cd) were strongly correlated in the hair of smokers but uncorrelated in that of non-smokers, suggesting that cigarette smoke is a common source of toxic elements in humans. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Toxic Elements in Different Medicinal Plants and the Impact on Human Health.

PubMed

Brima, Eid I

2017-10-11

Local medicinal plants from Madina, Saudi Arabia, are used to cure various diseases. However, some can cause adverse health effects. Five different medicinal plants were collected in the city of Madina: mahareeb ( Cymbopogon ), sheeh ( Artemisia ), harjal ( Cynanchum argel delile ), nabipoot ( Equisetum ), and kafmariam ( Vitex agnus-castus ). In total, four toxic elements including Al, Pb, As, and Cd were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The range of recoveries fell between 86.1 and 90.6% for all measured elements. Al levels were the highest of any of the studied elements in all plant samples, with Cymbopogon showing the highest levels. The range of concentrations of Al was 156-1609 mg/kg. Cd appeared at the lowest levels in all plants samples, with Vitex agnus-castus containing this element at the highest levels. Cd concentrations were in the range of 0.01-0.10 mg/kg. A washing process lowered the toxic elements in all plants; average % recoveries were Al (47.32%), As (59.1%), Cd (62.03%), and Pb (32.40%). The calculated human health risk assessment in one dose for toxic elements in all plants was as follows: Al (1.33 × 10 -3 -5.57 × 10 -2 mg/kg.bw), Pb (0-8.86 × 10 -5 mg/kg.bw), As (3.43 × 10 -7 -1.33 × 10 -5 mg/kg.bw), and Cd (0-3.14 × 10 -6 mg/kg.bw). Medicinal plants are a source of exposure to toxic elements. However, none of the plants in this study exceeded the daily guideline set by the WHO for any element based on conventional use by the local population. We may cautiously conclude that these medicinal plants pose no risk to users based on conventional use.

Influence of sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity on macroinvertebrate communities across 99 wadable streams of the Midwestern USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, Patrick W.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Kemble, Nile E.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Waite, Ian R.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2017-01-01

Simultaneous assessment of sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, and macroinvertebrate communities can provide multiple lines of evidence when investigating relations between sediment contaminants and ecological degradation. These three measures were evaluated at 99 wadable stream sites across 11 states in the Midwestern United States during the summer of 2013 to assess sediment pollution across a large agricultural landscape. This evaluation considers an extensive suite of sediment chemistry totaling 274 analytes (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, trace elements, and current-use pesticides) and a mixture assessment based on the ratios of detected compounds to available effects-based benchmarks. The sediments were tested for toxicity with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-d exposure), the midge Chironomus dilutus (10-d), and, at a few sites, with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea (28-d). Sediment concentrations, normalized to organic carbon content, infrequently exceeded benchmarks for aquatic health, which was generally consistent with low rates of observed toxicity. However, the benchmark-based mixture score and the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin were significantly related to observed sediment toxicity. The sediment mixture score and bifenthrin were also significant predictors of the upper limits of several univariate measures of the macroinvertebrate community (EPT percent, MMI (Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index) Score, Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera richness) using quantile regression. Multivariate pattern matching (Mantel-like tests) of macroinvertebrate species per site to identified contaminant metrics and sediment toxicity also indicate that the sediment mixture score and bifenthrin have weak, albeit significant, influence on the observed invertebrate community composition. Together, these three lines of evidence (toxicity tests, univariate metrics, and multivariate community analysis) suggest that elevated contaminant concentrations in sediments, in particular bifenthrin, is limiting macroinvertebrate communities in several of these Midwest streams.

Comparison of solid-phase bioassays and ecoscores to evaluate the toxicity of contaminated soils.

PubMed

Lors, Christine; Ponge, Jean-François; Martínez Aldaya, Maite; Damidot, Denis

2010-08-01

Five bioassays (inhibition of lettuce germination and growth, earthworm mortality, inhibition of springtail population growth, avoidance by springtails) were compared, using four coke factory soils contaminated by PAHs and trace elements, before and after biotreatment. For each bioassay, several endpoints were combined in an 'ecoscore', a measure of test sensitivity. Ecoscores pooled over all tested bioassays revealed that most organisms were highly sensitive to the concentration of 3-ring PAHs. When four soils were combined, behavioural tests using the springtail Folsomia candida showed higher ecoscores, i.e. they were most sensitive to soil contamination. However, despite overall higher sensitivity of behavioural tests, which could be used for cheap and rapid assessment of soil toxicity, especially at low levels of contamination, some test endpoints were more sensitive than others, and this may differ from a soil to another, pointing to the need for a battery of bioassays when more itemized results are expected. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

t4 Workshop Report

PubMed Central

Silbergeld, Ellen K.; Contreras, Elizabeth Q.; Hartung, Thomas; Hirsch, Cordula; Hogberg, Helena; Jachak, Ashish C.; Jordan, William; Landsiedel, Robert; Morris, Jeffery; Patri, Anil; Pounds, Joel G.; de Vizcaya Ruiz, Andrea; Shvedova, Anna; Tanguay, Robert; Tatarazako, Norihasa; van Vliet, Erwin; Walker, Nigel J.; Wiesner, Mark; Wilcox, Neil; Zurlo, Joanne

2014-01-01

Summary In October 2010, a group of experts met as part of the transatlantic think tank for toxicology (t4) to exchange ideas about the current status and future of safety testing of nanomaterials. At present, there is no widely accepted path forward to assure appropriate and effective hazard identification for engineered nanomaterials. The group discussed needs for characterization of nanomaterials and identified testing protocols that incorporate the use of innovative alternative whole models such as zebrafish or C. elegans, as well as in vitro or alternative methods to examine specific functional pathways and modes of action. The group proposed elements of a potential testing scheme for nanomaterials that works towards an integrated testing strategy, incorporating the goals of the NRC report Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy by focusing on pathways of toxic response, and utilizing an evidence-based strategy for developing the knowledge base for safety assessment. Finally, the group recommended that a reliable, open, curated database be developed that interfaces with existing databases to enable sharing of information. PMID:21993959

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of new derivatives of 2-substituted-6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazoles as cholinesterase inhibitors.

PubMed

Imramovský, Aleš; Pejchal, Vladimír; Štěpánková, Šárka; Vorčáková, Katarína; Jampílek, Josef; Vančo, Ján; Šimůnek, Petr; Královec, Karel; Brůčková, Lenka; Mandíková, Jana; Trejtnar, František

2013-04-01

A series of novel cholinesterase inhibitors based on 2-substituted 6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazole were synthesised and characterised by IR, (1)H, (13)C and (19)F NMR spectroscopy and HRMS. Purity was checked by elemental analyses. The novel carbamates were tested for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The toxicity of the most active compounds was investigated using a standard in vitro test with HepG2 cells, and the ratio between biological activity and toxicity was determined. In addition, the toxicity of the most active compounds was evaluated against MCF7 cells using the xCELLigence system. Structure-activity relationships reflecting the dependence of cholinesterase inhibitors on the lipophilicity of the compounds as well as on the Taft polar and steric substituent constants are discussed. The specific orientation of the inhibitors in the binding site of acetylcholinesterase was determined using molecular docking of the most active compound. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speciation in Metal Toxicity and Metal-Based Therapeutics

PubMed Central

Templeton, Douglas M.

2015-01-01

Metallic elements, ions and compounds produce varying degrees of toxicity in organisms with which they come into contact. Metal speciation is critical to understanding these adverse effects; the adjectives “heavy” and “toxic” are not helpful in describing the biological properties of individual elements, but detailed chemical structures are. As a broad generalization, the metallic form of an element is inert, and the ionic salts are the species that show more significant bioavailability. Yet the salts and other chelates of a metal ion can give rise to quite different toxicities, as exemplified by a range of carcinogenic potential for various nickel species. Another important distinction comes when a metallic element is organified, increasing its lipophilicity and hence its ability to penetrate the blood brain barrier, as is seen, for example, with organic mercury and tin species. Some metallic elements, such as gold and platinum, are themselves useful therapeutic agents in some forms, while other species of the same element can be toxic, thus focusing attention on species interconversions in evaluating metal-based drugs. The therapeutic use of metal-chelating agents introduces new species of the target metal in vivo, and this can affect not only its desired detoxification, but also introduce a potential for further mechanisms of toxicity. Examples of therapeutic iron chelator species are discussed in this context, as well as the more recent aspects of development of chelation therapy for uranium exposure. PMID:29056656

Bioavailability of metals and toxicity identification of the sediment pore waters from Plow Shop Pond, Fort Devens, Massachusetts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jop, K.; Putt, A.; Shepherd, S.

1995-12-31

Plow Shop Pond is a shallow, 30-acre pond located at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. An ecological risk assessment was conducted at Plow Shop Pond as part of a remedial investigation. Preliminary analysis revealed high concentrations of arsenic, copper, chromium, lead, and mercury in the sediment. Therefore, a laboratory testing program was incorporated into this investigation to assess the toxicity of sediments to aquatic organisms. The screening testing program included short-term chronic exposure of Ceriodaphnia dubia to pore waters, 10-day exposures of Chironomus tentans and Hyalella azteca to bulk sediments and a bioaccumulation study with Lumbriculus variegatus. Survival and reproduction of C.more » dubia, growth of amphipods and reproduction of oligochaetes appeared to indicate sediment toxicity at some sites within the pond. Although high concentrations of arsenic, copper, mercury and lead were detected in the whole sediments and pore waters, the response could not be correlated to a particular element. Also, relatively low bioaccumulation of methyl mercury and high uptake of inorganic mercury was established for three sediment samples. To characterize and identify the source of toxicity, a toxicity identification evaluation program using sediments collected at several locations was performed. The pore water from these samples was used for fractionation coupled with a 10-day test using H. azteca. Survival and growth were evaluated as endpoints during the exposures. Partitioning of metals and their bioavailability was influenced primarily by organic carbon and AVS concentration. At least two constituents were responsible for the toxicity.« less

Toxicity assessment of untreated/treated electroplating sludge using human and plant bioassay.

PubMed

Orescanin, Visnja; Durgo, Ksenija; Mikelic, Ivanka Lovrencic; Halkijevic, Ivan; Kuspilic, Marin

2018-04-30

The purpose of this work was to assess the risk to the environment arising from the electroplating sludge from both chemical and toxicological point of view. Both approaches were used for the assessment of the treatment efficiency which consisted of CaO based solidification followed by thermal treatment at 400°C. The elemental composition was determined in the bulk samples and the leachates of untreated sludge. The toxicity of the leachate was determined using two human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines (Caco-2 and SW 480) and Hordeum vulgare L. based plant bioassay. The same toxicity tests were employed to the leachate of the treated sludge. Untreated sludge showed extremely high cytotoxic effect to both human and plant bio-system in dose-dependent manner. The percentages higher than 0.5% and 0.05% of the leachate caused significant cytotoxic effect on Caco-2 and SW 480 cells, respectively. The percentages of the leachate higher than 0.05% also showed significant toxic effect to H. vulgare L. bio-system with complete arrest of seed germination following the treatment with 100% to 5% of the leachate. The leachate of the treated sludge showed no toxicity to any of the test systems confirming the efficiency and justification of the employed procedures for the detoxification of electroplating sludge.

Analysis and prediction of structure-reactive toxicity relationships of substituted aromatic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Z.T.; Wang, L.S.; Chen, S.P.

1996-12-31

The fundamental differentiation of toxicity is between reactive and nonreactive toxicity. Reactive toxicity is associated with a specific mechanism for the reaction with an enzyme or inhibition of a metabolic pathway, and nonreactive toxicity is related directly to the quantity of toxicant acting upon the cell. The quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) have been successfully used in the nonreactive toxicity, such as prediction of the toxicity of nonreactive compounds based on their solubility in the lipids of organisms. The elements of molecular structure that are most closely related to nonreactive toxicity are those that describe the partitioning of the toxicant intomore » the organism, while QSARs for the reactive toxicity are less common in the environmental toxicology literature. With the recent increase in the use of synthetic substituted benzenes as industrial chemicals, the accurate analysis of the effect of reactive toxic chemicals has become recognized with QSAR. For this purpose, we selected the fish (Carassias auratus) as the test organism, measured the acute toxicity of 50% lethal concentration (LC{sub 50}) of the chemicals and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of the liver cells for the organism. These determined the relationships of the acute toxicity of some substituted benzenes with their physicochemical structural parameters. The effects on the ATP content was also compared to predict biological reactivities of the chemicals, so as to find some clues to explain the mode of mechanism of the toxicity. 17 refs., 1 tab.« less

Heavy rare earth elements affect early life stages in Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula sea urchins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oral, Rahime

Background: Heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) have been scarcely studied for their toxicity, in spite of their applications in several technologies. Thus HREEs require timely investigations for their adverse health effects. Methods: Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula embryos and sperm were exposed to trichloride salts of five HREEs (Dy, Ho, Er, Yb and Lu) and to Ce(III) as a light REE (LREE) reference to evaluate: 1) developmental defects (% DD) in HREE-exposed larvae or in the offspring of HREE-exposed sperm; 2) mitotic anomalies; 3) fertilization success; and 4) reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA)more » levels. Nominal HREE concentrations were confirmed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: HREEs induced concentration-related DD increases in P. lividus and A. lixula larvae, ranging from no significant DD increase at 10{sup −7} M HREEs up to ≅100% DD at 10{sup −5} M HREE. Larvae exposed to 10{sup −5} M Ce(III) resulted in less severe DD rates compared to HREEs. Decreased mitotic activity and increased aberration rates were found in HREE-exposed P. lividus embryos. Significant increases in ROS formation and NO levels were found both in HREE-exposed and in Ce(III) embryos, whereas only Ce(III), but not HREEs resulted in significant increase in MDA levels. Sperm exposure to HREEs (10{sup −5}–10{sup −4} M) resulted in a concentration-related decrease in fertilization success along with increase in offspring damage. These effects were significantly enhanced for Dy(III), Ho(III), Er(III) and Yb(III), compared to Lu(III) and to Ce(III). Conclusion: HREE-associated toxicity affected embryogenesis, fertilization, cytogenetic and redox endpoints showing different toxicities of tested HREEs. - Highlights: • Different toxicities were exerted by five tested HREEs on sea urchin early life stages. • Sea urchin embryos and sperm were sensitive to HREE levels ranging from 1 to 100 μM, according to different exposures. • The findings support investigations on comparative toxicity studies of HREEs in other test systems.« less

Toxic element mobility assessment and modeling for regional geo-scientific survey to support Risk Assessment in a European Union context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdaal, Ahmed; Jordan, Gyozo; Bartha, Andras; Fugedi, Ubul

2013-04-01

The Mine Waste Directive 2006/21/EC requires the risk-based inventory of all mine waste sites in Europe. The geochemical documentation concerning inert classification and ranking of the mine wastes requires detailed field study and laboratory testing and analyses of waste material to assess the Acid Mine Drainage potential and toxic element mobility. The procedure applied in this study used a multi-level decision support scheme including: 1) expert judgment, 2) data review, 3) representative field sampling and laboratory analysis of formations listed in the Inert Mining Waste List, and 4) requesting available laboratory analysis data from selected operating mines. Based on expert judgment, the listed formations were classified into three categories. A: inert B: probably inert, but has to be checked, C: probably not inert, has to be examined. This paper discusses the heavy metal contamination risk assessment (RA) in leached quarry-mine waste sites in Hungary. In total 34 mine waste sites (including tailing lagoons and heaps of both abandoned mines and active quarries) have been selected for scientific testing using the EU Pre-selection Protocol. Over 93 field samples have been collected from the mine sites including Ore (Andesite and Ryolite), Coal (Lignite, black and brown coals), Peat, Alginite, Bauxite, Clay and Limestone. Laboratory analyses of the total toxic element content (aqua regia extraction), the mobile toxic element content (deionized water leaching) and the analysis of different forms of sulfur (sulfuric acid potential) ) on the base of Hungarian GKM Decree No. 14/2008. (IV. 3) concerning mining waste management. A detailed geochemical study together with spatial analysis and GIS has been performed to derive a geochemically sound contamination RA of the mine waste sites. Key parameters such as heavy metal and sulphur content, in addition to the distance to the nearest surface and ground water bodies, or to sensitive receptors such as settlements and protected areas are calculated and statistically evaluated using STATGRAPHICS® in order to calibrate the RA methods. Results show that some of the waste rock materials assumed to be inert were found non/inert. Thus, regional RA needs more spatial and petrological examination with special care to rock and mineral deposit genetics.

Mechanical-chemical analyses and sub-chronic systemic toxicity of chemical treated organic bovine bone.

PubMed

Lee, Kwang-il; Lee, Jung-soo; Lee, Keun-soo; Jung, Hong-hee; Ahn, Chan-min; Kim, Young-sik; Shim, Young-bock; Jang, Ju-woong

2015-12-01

Sequentially chemical-treated bovine bone was not only evaluated by mechanical and chemical analyses but also implanted into the gluteal muscles of rats for 12 weeks to investigate potential local pathological effects and systemic toxicities. The test (chemical treated bone) and control (heat treated bone) materials were compared using scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction pattern, inductively coupled plasma analysis, and bending strength test. In the SEM images, the micro-porous structure of heat-treated bone was changed to sintered ceramic-like structure. The structure of bone mineral from test and control materials was analyzed as100% hydroxyapatite. The ratio of calcium (Ca) to potassium (P), the main inorganic elements, was same even though the Ca and P percentages of the control material was relatively higher than the test material. No death or critical symptoms arose from implantation of the test (chemical treated bone) and control (physiological saline) materials during 12 weeks. The implanted sites were macroscopically examined, with all the groups showing non-irritant results. Our results indicate that chemical processed bovine bone has a better mechanical property than the heat treated bone and the implantation of this material does not produce systemic or pathological toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selecting surrogate endpoints for estimating pesticide effects on avian reproductive success.

PubMed

Bennett, Richard S; Etterson, Matthew A

2013-10-01

A Markov chain nest productivity model (MCnest) has been developed for projecting the effects of a specific pesticide-use scenario on the annual reproductive success of avian species of concern. A critical element in MCnest is the use of surrogate endpoints, defined as measured endpoints from avian toxicity tests that represent specific types of effects possible in field populations at specific phases of a nesting attempt. In this article, we discuss the attributes of surrogate endpoints and provide guidance for selecting surrogates from existing avian laboratory tests as well as other possible sources. We also discuss some of the assumptions and uncertainties related to using surrogate endpoints to represent field effects. The process of explicitly considering how toxicity test results can be used to assess effects in the field helps identify uncertainties and data gaps that could be targeted in higher-tier risk assessments. © 2013 SETAC.

A novel microbial fuel cell sensor with biocathode sensing element.

PubMed

Jiang, Yong; Liang, Peng; Liu, Panpan; Wang, Donglin; Miao, Bo; Huang, Xia

2017-08-15

The traditional microbial fuel cell (MFC) sensor with bioanode as sensing element delivers limited sensitivity to toxicity monitoring, restricted application to only anaerobic and organic rich water body, and increased potential fault warning to the combined shock of organic matter/toxicity. In this study, the biocathode for oxygen reduction reaction was employed for the first time as the sensing element in MFC sensor for toxicity monitoring. The results shown that the sensitivity of MFC sensor with biocathode sensing element (7.4±2.0 to 67.5±4.0mA% -1 cm -2 ) was much greater than that showed by bioanode sensing element (3.4±1.5 to 5.5±0.7mA% -1 cm -2 ). The biocathode sensing element achieved the lowest detection limit reported to date using MFC sensor for formaldehyde detection (0.0005%), while the bioanode was more applicable for higher concentration (>0.0025%). There was a quicker response of biocathode sensing element with the increase of conductivity and dissolved oxygen (DO). The biocathode sensing element made the MFC sensor directly applied to clean water body monitoring, e.g., drinking water and reclaimed water, without the amending of background organic matter, and it also decreased the warning failure when challenged by a combined shock of organic matter/toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selected streambed sediment compounds and water toxicity results for Westside Creeks, San Antonio, Texas, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L.

2016-12-01

IntroductionThe Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks in San Antonio, Texas, are part of a network of urban tributaries to the San Antonio River, known locally as the Westside Creeks. The Westside Creeks flow through some of the oldest neighborhoods in San Antonio. The disruption of streambed sediment is anticipated during a planned restoration to improve and restore the environmental condition of 14 miles of channelized sections of the Westside Creeks in San Antonio. These construction activities can create the potential to reintroduce chemicals found in the sediments into the ecosystem where, depending on hydrologic and environmental conditions, they could become bioavailable and toxic to aquatic life. Elevated concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants often are measured in urban areas such as San Antonio, Tex. Contaminants found in sediment can affect the health of aquatic organisms that ingest sediment. The gradual accumulation of trace elements and organic compounds in aquatic organisms can cause various physiological issues and can ultimately result in death of the aquatic organisms; in addition, subsequent ingestion of aquatic organisms can transfer the accumulated contaminants upward through the food chain (a process called biomagnification).The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority, collected sediment samples and water samples for toxicity testing from sites on the Westside Creeks as part of an initial characterization of selected contaminants in the study area. Samples were collected in January 2014 during base-flow conditions and again in May 2104 after a period of stormwater runoff (poststorm conditions). Sediment samples were analyzed for selected constituents, including trace elements and organic contaminants such as pesticides, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, as an indicator of ecological health (and possibly bioavailability of contaminants in disturbed streambed sediments), the toxicity of water samples to the indicator species Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) was evaluated by using standard 7-day water-toxicity testing.

Phytoaccumulation of trace elements by wetland plants: 3. Uptake and accumulation of ten trace elements by twelve plant species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qian, J.H.; Zayed, A.; Zhu, Y.L.

1999-10-01

Interest is increasing in using wetland plants in constructed wetlands to remove toxic elements from polluted wastewater. To identify those wetland plants that hyperaccumulate trace elements, 12 plant species were tested for their efficiency to bioconcentrate 10 potentially toxic trace elements including As, b, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, and Se. Individual plants were grown under carefully controlled conditions and supplied with 1 mg L{sup {minus}1} of each trace element individually for 10 d. Except B, all elements accumulated to much higher concentrations in roots than in shoots. Highest shoot tissue concentrations (mg kg{sup {minus}1} DW) of themore » various trace elements were attained by the following species: umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius L.) for Mn (198) and Cr (44); water zinnia (Wedelia trilobata Hitchc.) for Cd (148) and Ni (80); smartweed (Polygonum hydropiperoides Michx.) for Cu (95) and Pb (64); water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) for Hg (92), As (34), and Se (39); and mare's tail (hippuris vulgaris L.) for B (1132). Whereas, the following species attained the highest root tissue concentrations (mg kg{sup {minus}1} DW); stripped rush (Baumia rubiginosa) for Mn (1683); parrot's feather (Myriophyllum brasiliense Camb.) for Cd (1426) and Ni (1077); water lettuce for Cu (1038), Hg (1217), and As (177); smartweed for Cr (2980) and Pb (1882); mare's tail for B (1277); and monkey flower (Mimulus guttatus Fisch.) for Se (384). From a phytoremediation perspective, smartweed was probably the best plant species for trace element removal from wastewater due to its faster growth and higher plant density.« less

Nicotine, aerosol particles, carbonyls and volatile organic compounds in tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes.

PubMed

Lee, Mi-Sun; LeBouf, Ryan F; Son, Youn-Suk; Koutrakis, Petros; Christiani, David C

2017-04-27

We aimed to assess the content of electronic cigarette (EC) emissions for five groups of potentially toxic compounds that are known to be present in tobacco smoke: nicotine, particles, carbonyls, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and trace elements by flavor and puffing time. We used ECs containing a common nicotine strength (1.8%) and the most popular flavors, tobacco and menthol. An automatic multiple smoking machine was used to generate EC aerosols under controlled conditions. Using a dilution chamber, we targeted nicotine concentrations similar to that of exposure in a general indoor environment. The selected toxic compounds were extracted from EC aerosols into a solid or liquid phase and analyzed with chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. We found that EC aerosols contained toxic compounds including nicotine, fine and nanoparticles, carbonyls, and some toxic VOCs such as benzene and toluene. Higher mass and number concentrations of aerosol particles were generated from tobacco-flavored ECs than from menthol-flavored ECs. We found that diluted machine-generated EC aerosols contain some pollutants. These findings are limited by the small number of ECs tested and the conditions of testing. More comprehensive research on EC exposure extending to more brands and flavor compounds is warranted.

Contamination level, distribution and health risk assessment of heavy and toxic metallic and metalloid elements in a cultivated mushroom Pleurotus florida (Mont.) singer.

PubMed

Khani, Rouhollah; Moudi, Maryam; Khojeh, Vahid

2017-02-01

There are great concentrations of toxic metallic and metalloid elements such as lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium or silver in many species of mushrooms comparative to other fruits and vegetables. In this study, contamination with heavy and toxic metallic and metalloid elements in the cultivated mushroom of (Pleurotus florida (Mont.) Singer) is investigated. P. florida was cultivated on different substrates; wheat straw (as blank), wheat straw + pine cone, wheat straw + soybean straw and wheat straw + urea and the effects of these substrates on contamination levels of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb were analyzed. The results showed that the concentrations of essential elements (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in the target mushroom are at the typical levels. The estimated daily intakes of studied metallic and metalloid elements were below their oral reference dosage mentioned by the international regulatory bodies. Health risk index (HRI) was calculated to evaluate the consumer's health risk assessment from the metal intake that contaminated in the cultivated mushroom of P. florida on the different nutrient sources. In this study, the individual HRIs were less than 1, which indicates insignificant potential health risk associated with the consumption of target mushroom from the studied substrates. Based on the HRIs values among the toxic metallic and metalloid elements, As in the target mushroom in the substrate of the wheat straw + pine cone is the main sources of risk, and it may cause severe health problems. Thus, this study suggests that the concentrations of heavy and toxic elements should be periodically monitored in cultivated mushrooms.

Spectroscopic detection of health hazardous contaminants in lipstick using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gondal, M A; Seddigi, Z S; Nasr, M M; Gondal, B

2010-03-15

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique was applied to determine the concentrations of different toxic elements like lead, chromium, cadmium and zinc in four different lipstick brands sold at local markets in Saudi Arabia. These samples contain toxic elements like lead, cadmium and chromium which are carcinogen dermatitis, allergic and eczematous. Their extraction from human body takes over 40 years and accumulation in the body cause problems like disruption of nervous systems and kidney damage. They could trigger to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In order to test the validity of our LIBS results, standard technique like (ICP-AES) was also applied. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study where LIBS technique was applied for the measurement of toxic substances in lipsticks. The maximum concentration detected in four lipstick brands was much higher than the permissible safe limits for human use and could lead to serious health problems. It is worth mentioning that the lipstick is not a solid rather is in fluid state which is not trivial to analyze using LIBS technique. For this purpose, special treatment of the lipstick samples was necessary to analyze with our LIBS method. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of copyrolysis of sludge with calcium carbonate and calcium hydrogen phosphate on chemical stability of carbon and release of toxic elements in the resultant biochars.

PubMed

Xu, Xuebin; Hu, Xin; Ding, Zhuhong; Chen, Yijun

2017-12-01

The potential release of toxic elements and the stability of carbon in sludge-based biochars are important on their application in soil remediation and wastewater treatment. In this study, municipal sludge was co-pyrolyzed with calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) and calcium dihydrogen phosphate [Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 ] under 300 and 600 °C, respectively. The basic physicochemical properties of the resultant biochars were characterized and laboratory chemical oxidation and leaching experiments of toxic elements were conducted to evaluate the chemical stability of carbon in biochars and the potential release of toxic elements from biochars. Results show that the exogenous minerals changed the physico-chemical properties of the resultant biochars greatly. Biochars with exogenous minerals, especially Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 , decreased the release of Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, and As and the release ratios were less than 1%. Tessier's sequential extraction analysis revealed that labile toxic elements were transferred to residual fraction in the biochars with high pyrolysis temperature (600 °C) and exogenous minerals. Low risks for biochar-bound Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Cr, and Cu were confirmed according to risk assessment code (RAC) while the potential ecological risk index (PERI) revealed that the exogenous Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 significantly decreased the risks from considerable to moderate level. Moreover, the exogenous minerals significantly increased the chemical stability of carbon in 600 °C-pyrolyzed biochars by 10-20%. These results indicated that the copyrolysis of sludge with phosphate and carbonate, especially phosphate, were effective methods to prepare the sludge-based biochars with immobilized toxic elements and enhanced chemical stability of carbon. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 796.3500 - Hydrolysis as a function of pH at 25 °C.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL FATE TESTING GUIDELINES Transformation Processes § 796...) in water in which the X group is lost. These reactions generally follow the same type of rate laws... elements of water (H2O). This type of transformation often results in the net exchange of a group X, on an...

Elemental selenium at nano size possesses lower toxicity without compromising the fundamental effect on selenoenzymes: comparison with selenomethionine in mice.

PubMed

Wang, Huali; Zhang, Jinsong; Yu, Hanqing

2007-05-15

Glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase are major selenoenzymes through which selenium exerts powerful antioxidant effects. Selenium also elicits pro-oxidant effects at toxic levels. The antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects, or bioavailability and toxicity, of selenium depend on its chemical form. Selenomethionine is considered to be the most appropriate supplemental form due to its excellent bioavailability and lower toxicity compared to various selenium compounds. The present studies reveal that, compared with selenomethionine, elemental selenium at nano size (Nano-Se) possesses equal efficacy in increasing the activities of glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase but has much lower toxicity as indicated by median lethal dose, acute liver injury, and short-term toxicity. Our results suggest that Nano-Se can serve as an antioxidant with reduced risk of selenium toxicity.

Distinctive Pattern of Serum Elements During the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Paglia, Giuseppe; Miedico, Oto; Cristofano, Adriana; Vitale, Michela; Angiolillo, Antonella; Chiaravalle, Antonio Eugenio; Corso, Gaetano; Di Costanzo, Alfonso

2016-01-01

Element profiling is an interesting approach for understanding neurodegenerative processes, considering that compelling evidences show that element toxicity might play a crucial role in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aim of this study was to profile 22 serum elements in subjects with or at risk of AD. Thirtyfour patients with probable AD, 20 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 24 with subjective memory complaint (SMC) and 40 healthy subjects (HS) were included in the study. Manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, thallium, antimony, mercury, vanadium and molybdenum changed significantly among the 4 groups. Several essential elements, such as manganese, selenium, zinc and iron tended to increase in SMC and then progressively to decrease in MCI and AD. Toxic elements show a variable behavior, since some elements tended to increase, while others tended to decrease in AD. A multivariate model, built using a panel of six essential elements (manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and calcium) and their ratios, discriminated AD patients from HS with over 90% accuracy. These findings suggest that essential and toxic elements contribute to generate a distinctive signature during the progression of AD, and their monitoring in elderly might help to detect preclinical stages of AD. PMID:26957294

Distinctive Pattern of Serum Elements During the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Paglia, Giuseppe; Miedico, Oto; Cristofano, Adriana; Vitale, Michela; Angiolillo, Antonella; Chiaravalle, Antonio Eugenio; Corso, Gaetano; Di Costanzo, Alfonso

2016-03-09

Element profiling is an interesting approach for understanding neurodegenerative processes, considering that compelling evidences show that element toxicity might play a crucial role in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aim of this study was to profile 22 serum elements in subjects with or at risk of AD. Thirtyfour patients with probable AD, 20 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 24 with subjective memory complaint (SMC) and 40 healthy subjects (HS) were included in the study. Manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, thallium, antimony, mercury, vanadium and molybdenum changed significantly among the 4 groups. Several essential elements, such as manganese, selenium, zinc and iron tended to increase in SMC and then progressively to decrease in MCI and AD. Toxic elements show a variable behavior, since some elements tended to increase, while others tended to decrease in AD. A multivariate model, built using a panel of six essential elements (manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium and calcium) and their ratios, discriminated AD patients from HS with over 90% accuracy. These findings suggest that essential and toxic elements contribute to generate a distinctive signature during the progression of AD, and their monitoring in elderly might help to detect preclinical stages of AD.

Concentrations and geographical variations of selected toxic elements in meat from semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) in mid- and northern Norway: evaluation of risk assessment.

PubMed

Hassan, Ammar Ali; Brustad, Magritt; Sandanger, Torkjel M

2012-05-01

Meat samples (n = 100) from semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) were randomly collected from 10 grazing districts distributed over four Norwegian counties in 2008 and 2009. The main aim was to study concentrations and geographical variations in selected toxic elements; cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V) in order to assess the risk associated with reindeer meat consumption. Sample solutions were analysed using an inductively coupled plasma high resolution mass spectrometer (ICP-HRMS), whereas analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analyses. Geographical variations in element concentrations were revealed, with As and Cd demonstrating the largest geographical differences. No clear geographical gradient was observed except for the east-west downward gradient for As. The As concentrations were highest in the vicinity of the Russian border, and only Cd was shown to increase with age (p < 0.05). Sex had no significant effect on the concentration of the studied elements. The concentrations of all the studied elements in reindeer meat were generally low and considerably below the maximum levels (ML) available for toxic elements set by the European Commission (EC). Thus, reindeer meat is not likely to be a significant contributor to the human body burden of toxic elements.

Concentrations and Geographical Variations of Selected Toxic Elements in Meat from Semi-Domesticated Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) in Mid- and Northern Norway: Evaluation of Risk Assessment

PubMed Central

Hassan, Ammar Ali; Brustad, Magritt; Sandanger, Torkjel M.

2012-01-01

Meat samples (n = 100) from semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) were randomly collected from 10 grazing districts distributed over four Norwegian counties in 2008 and 2009. The main aim was to study concentrations and geographical variations in selected toxic elements; cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V) in order to assess the risk associated with reindeer meat consumption. Sample solutions were analysed using an inductively coupled plasma high resolution mass spectrometer (ICP-HRMS), whereas analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analyses. Geographical variations in element concentrations were revealed, with As and Cd demonstrating the largest geographical differences. No clear geographical gradient was observed except for the east-west downward gradient for As. The As concentrations were highest in the vicinity of the Russian border, and only Cd was shown to increase with age (p < 0.05). Sex had no significant effect on the concentration of the studied elements. The concentrations of all the studied elements in reindeer meat were generally low and considerably below the maximum levels (ML) available for toxic elements set by the European Commission (EC). Thus, reindeer meat is not likely to be a significant contributor to the human body burden of toxic elements. PMID:22754467

Deficiencies and toxicities of trace elements and micronutrients in tropical soils: Limitations of knowledge and future research needs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davies, B.E.

1997-01-01

This article reviews present knowledge concerning deficiencies and toxicities of trace elements and micronutrients in tropical soils. The myth that all tropical soils are highly leached and nutrient-poor is challenged. Continuing use of the term laterite by ecologists and geologists is criticized and adoption of plinthite is urged. The trace element content of plinthite and its possible influence on micronutrient availability are described. Micronutrient limitations of tropical agriculture are related to soil type and formation, and the special problem of aluminum toxicity in acid soils is discussed in both agricultural and ecological contexts. Studies of micronutrient cycling in tropical forestsmore » or savannas are needed to supplement the emerging picture of the complexities of major element cycles in these ecosystems.« less

Protocol for the Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Mixed Cultures of Neurons and Glia for Neurotoxicity Testing.

PubMed

Pistollato, Francesca; Canovas-Jorda, David; Zagoura, Dimitra; Price, Anna

2017-06-09

Human pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into various cell types that can be applied to human-based in vitro toxicity assays. One major advantage is that the reprogramming of somatic cells to produce human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) avoids the ethical and legislative issues related to the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). HiPSCs can be expanded and efficiently differentiated into different types of neuronal and glial cells, serving as test systems for toxicity testing and, in particular, for the assessment of different pathways involved in neurotoxicity. This work describes a protocol for the differentiation of hiPSCs into mixed cultures of neuronal and glial cells. The signaling pathways that are regulated and/or activated by neuronal differentiation are defined. This information is critical to the application of the cell model to the new toxicity testing paradigm, in which chemicals are assessed based on their ability to perturb biological pathways. As a proof of concept, rotenone, an inhibitor of mitochondrial respiratory complex I, was used to assess the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway, a key regulator of the antioxidant-response-element-(ARE)-driven cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress.

Toxic Elements in Different Medicinal Plants and the Impact on Human Health

PubMed Central

Brima, Eid I.

2017-01-01

Local medicinal plants from Madina, Saudi Arabia, are used to cure various diseases. However, some can cause adverse health effects. Five different medicinal plants were collected in the city of Madina: mahareeb (Cymbopogon), sheeh (Artemisia), harjal (Cynanchum argel delile), nabipoot (Equisetum), and kafmariam (Vitex agnus-castus). In total, four toxic elements including Al, Pb, As, and Cd were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The range of recoveries fell between 86.1 and 90.6% for all measured elements. Al levels were the highest of any of the studied elements in all plant samples, with Cymbopogon showing the highest levels. The range of concentrations of Al was 156–1609 mg/kg. Cd appeared at the lowest levels in all plants samples, with Vitex agnus-castus containing this element at the highest levels. Cd concentrations were in the range of 0.01–0.10 mg/kg. A washing process lowered the toxic elements in all plants; average % recoveries were Al (47.32%), As (59.1%), Cd (62.03%), and Pb (32.40%). The calculated human health risk assessment in one dose for toxic elements in all plants was as follows: Al (1.33 × 10−3–5.57 × 10−2 mg/kg.bw), Pb (0–8.86 × 10−5 mg/kg.bw), As (3.43 × 10−7–1.33 × 10−5 mg/kg.bw), and Cd (0–3.14 × 10−6 mg/kg.bw). Medicinal plants are a source of exposure to toxic elements. However, none of the plants in this study exceeded the daily guideline set by the WHO for any element based on conventional use by the local population. We may cautiously conclude that these medicinal plants pose no risk to users based on conventional use. PMID:29019913

Characterizing metal(loid) solubility in airborne PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 in Frankfurt, Germany using simulated lung fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiseman, Clare L. S.; Zereini, Fathi

2014-06-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the solubility of traffic-related metal(loid)s associated with airborne PM of human health concern, employing a physiologically-based extraction test with simulated lung fluids (artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) and Gamble's solution). Airborne PM (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1) samples were collected in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, using a high volume sampler. Following extraction of the soluble metal(loid) fractions, sample filters were digested with a high pressure asher. Metal(loid) concentrations (As, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti and V) were determined in extracts and digests per ICP-Q-MS. All metal(loid)s occurred at detectable concentrations in the three airborne PM fractions. Copper was the most abundant element in mass terms, with mean concentrations of 105 and 53 ng/m3 in PM10 and PM2.5, respectively. Many of the metal(loid)s were observed to be soluble in simulated lung fluids, with Cu, As, V and Sb demonstrating the highest overall mobility in airborne PM. For instance, all four elements associated with PM10 had a solubility of >80% in ALF (24 h). Clearly, solubility is strongly pH dependent, as reflected by the higher relative mobility of samples extracted with the acidic ALF. Given their demonstrated solubility, this study provides indirect evidence that a number of toxic metal(loid)s are likely to possess an enhanced pulmonary toxic potential upon their inhalation. The co-presence of many toxic elements of concern in airborne PM suggests an assessment of health risk must consider the possible interactive impacts of multi-element exposures.

Toxicity of irradiated advanced heavy water reactor fuels.

PubMed

Priest, N D; Richardson, R B; Edwards, G W R

2013-02-01

The good neutron economy and online refueling capability of the CANDU® heavy water moderated reactor (HWR) enable it to use many different fuels such as low enriched uranium (LEU), plutonium, or thorium, in addition to its traditional natural uranium (NU) fuel. The toxicity and radiological protection methods for these proposed fuels, unlike those for NU, are not well established. This study uses software to compare the fuel composition and toxicity of irradiated NU fuel against those of two irradiated advanced HWR fuel bundles as a function of post-irradiation time. The first bundle investigated is a CANFLEX® low void reactor fuel (LVRF), of which only the dysprosium-poisoned central element, and not the outer 42 LEU elements, is specifically analyzed. The second bundle investigated is a heterogeneous high-burnup (LEU,Th)O(2) fuelled bundle, whose two components (LEU in the outer 35 elements and thorium in the central eight elements) are analyzed separately. The LVRF central element was estimated to have a much lower toxicity than that of NU at all times after shutdown. Both the high burnup LEU and the thorium fuel had similar toxicity to NU at shutdown, but due to the creation of such inhalation hazards as (238)Pu, (240)Pu, (242)Am, (242)Cm, and (244)Cm (in high burnup LEU), and (232)U and (228)Th (in irradiated thorium), the toxicity of these fuels was almost double that of irradiated NU after 2,700 d of cooling. New urine bioassay methods for higher actinoids and the analysis of thorium in fecal samples are recommended to assess the internal dose from these two fuels.

Maternal-child transfer of essential and toxic elements through breast milk in a mine-waste polluted area.

PubMed

Castro, Francisca; Harari, Florencia; Llanos, Miguel; Vahter, Marie; Ronco, Ana Maria

2014-11-01

To determine the daily intake of essential micronutrients and toxic elements through breast milk in exclusive and nonexclusive breastfed infants living in an area with major mine tailing deposition (n = 24), compared with a control area (n = 11). The milk volume ingested by 2 to 4 and 4 to 6 month infants was measured by a stable isotopic method. Elements in milk, maternal and infant urine, and drinking water were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Similar breast milk volume and essential micronutrients intake in groups of exclusively breastfed infants, but more cadmium, boron, and lithium through breastfeeding in experimental area was found. This exposure was even higher in the nonexclusively breastfed infants, who also ingested more arsenic, boron, and lithium than exclusive breastfed infants. The use of the deuterium and the ICP-MS methods made it possible to evaluate the exact amount of essential and toxic elements ingested by infants through breast milk demonstrating that lower amount of toxic elements are transferred to exclusive breastfed infants compared with those who additionally received nonmaternal milk. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Application of washed MSWI fly ash in cement composites: long-term environmental impacts.

PubMed

Yang, Zhenzhou; Tian, Sicong; Liu, Lili; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2018-04-01

In the present study, long-term environmental impacts of compact and ground cement composites, in which 30 wt.% of cement was replaced by washed municipal solid wastes incineration (MSWI) fly ash, were investigated for use in building industry. Consecutive leaching tests over a time span of 180 days were performed in acid water, deionized water, and saline water, respectively, with the accumulative concentration of different elements determined in the leachate. Different leaching behaviors are observed among different potential toxic elements (PTEs). For instance, higher concentrations of V in the leachate were observed from the compact cement composites than those from the ground ones. The concentration of Ba in the leachate increased with the decrease of particle size of the cement composites, and an initial increase in the leaching efficiency of Sn was followed by a clear decline with the leaching time. In addition, kinetic study revealed that the leaching behaviors of potential toxic elements follow a second-order model. The results demonstrated that the addition of washed MSWI fly ash into cement can contribute to the attrition resistance, indicating that the washed MSWI fly ash could be a promising alternative for cement as supplementary building materials.

Arsenic: A Review of the Element's Toxicity, Plant Interactions, and Potential Methods of Remediation.

PubMed

Hettick, Bryan E; Cañas-Carrell, Jaclyn E; French, Amanda D; Klein, David M

2015-08-19

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element with a long history of toxicity. Sites of contamination are found worldwide as a result of both natural processes and anthropogenic activities. The broad scope of arsenic toxicity to humans and its unique interaction with the environment have led to extensive research into its physicochemical properties and toxic behavior in biological systems. The purpose of this review is to compile the results of recent studies concerning the metalloid and consider the chemical and physical properties of arsenic in the broad context of human toxicity and phytoremediation. Areas of focus include arsenic's mechanisms of human toxicity, interaction with plant systems, potential methods of remediation, and protocols for the determination of metals in experimentation. This assessment of the literature indicates that controlling contamination of water sources and plants through effective remediation and management is essential to successfully addressing the problems of arsenic toxicity and contamination.

A novel bioassay using the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite to evaluate chronic effects of aluminium, gallium and molybdenum in tropical marine receiving environments.

PubMed

van Dam, Joost W; Trenfield, Melanie A; Harries, Simon J; Streten, Claire; Harford, Andrew J; Parry, David; van Dam, Rick A

2016-11-15

A need exists for appropriate tools to evaluate risk and monitor potential effects of contaminants in tropical marine environments, as currently impact assessments are conducted by non-representative approaches. Here, a novel bioassay is presented that allows for the estimation of the chronic toxicity of contaminants in receiving tropical marine environments. The bioassay is conducted using planktonic larvae of the barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite and is targeted at generating environmentally relevant, chronic toxicity data for water quality guideline derivation or compliance testing. The developmental endpoint demonstrated a consistently high control performance, validated through the use of copper as a reference toxicant. In addition, the biological effects of aluminium, gallium and molybdenum were assessed. The endpoint expressed high sensitivity to copper and moderate sensitivity to aluminium, whereas gallium and molybdenum exhibited no discernible effects, even at high concentrations, providing valuable information on the toxicity of these elements in tropical marine waters. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetically modified whole-cell bioreporters for environmental assessment

PubMed Central

Xu, Tingting; Close, Dan M.; Sayler, Gary S.; Ripp, Steven

2015-01-01

Living whole-cell bioreporters serve as environmental biosentinels that survey their ecosystems for harmful pollutants and chemical toxicants, and in the process act as human and other higher animal proxies to pre-alert for unfavorable, damaging, or toxic conditions. Endowed with bioluminescent, fluorescent, or colorimetric signaling elements, bioreporters can provide a fast, easily measured link to chemical contaminant presence, bioavailability, and toxicity relative to a living system. Though well tested in the confines of the laboratory, real-world applications of bioreporters are limited. In this review, we will consider bioreporter technologies that have evolved from the laboratory towards true environmental applications, and discuss their merits as well as crucial advancements that still require adoption for more widespread utilization. Although the vast majority of environmental monitoring strategies rely upon bioreporters constructed from bacteria, we will also examine environmental biosensing through the use of less conventional eukaryotic-based bioreporters, whose chemical signaling capacity facilitates a more human-relevant link to toxicity and health-related consequences. PMID:26594130

Potential toxicity of improperly discarded exhausted photovoltaic cells.

PubMed

Motta, C M; Cerciello, R; De Bonis, S; Mazzella, V; Cirino, P; Panzuto, R; Ciaravolo, M; Simoniello, P; Toscanesi, M; Trifuoggi, M; Avallone, B

2016-09-01

Low tech photovoltaic panels (PVPs) installed in the early '80s are now coming to the end of their life cycle and this raises the problem of their proper disposal. As panels contain potentially toxic elements, unconventional, complex and costly procedures are required to avoid environmental health risks and in countries where environmental awareness and economic resources are limited this may be especially problematic. This work was designed to investigate potential risks from improper disposal of these panels. To accomplish this aim an exhausted panel was broken into pieces and these were placed in water for 30 days. The resulting leached solution was analyzed to determine chemical release or used in toto, to determine its potential toxicity in established tests. The end points were seed germination (on Cucumis sativus and Lens culinaris) and effects on early development in three larval models: two crustaceans, Daphnia magna and Artemia salina, and the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Our results show that the panels release small amounts of electrolytes (Na, Ca and Mg) into solution, along with antimony and manganese, with a concentration under the accepted maximum contaminant level, and nickel at a potentially toxic concentration. Developmental defects are seen in the plant and animal test organisms after experimental exposure to the whole solution leached from the broken panel. The toxic effects revealed in in vitro tests are sufficient to attract attention considering that they are exerted on both plants and aquatic animals and that the number of old PVPs in disposal sites will be very high. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trace elements have beneficial, as well as detrimental effects on bone homeostasis.

PubMed

Zofkova, I; Davis, M; Blahos, J

2017-07-18

The protective role of nutrition factors such as calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K for the integrity of the skeleton is well understood. In addition, integrity of the skeleton is positively influenced by certain trace elements (e.g. zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, iron, selenium, boron and fluoride) and negatively by others (lead, cadmium, cobalt). Deficiency or excess of these elements influence bone mass and bone quality in adulthood as well as in childhood and adolescence. However, some protective elements may become toxic under certain conditions, depending on dosage (serum concentration), duration of treatment and interactions among individual elements. We review the beneficial and toxic effects of key elements on bone homeostasis.

Toxic Hazards Research Unit. Annual Technical Report. 1978

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-08-01

determinations made for the following battery of clinical tests: HCT Bilirubin RBC Glucose WBC Triglycerides HGB Iron Alkaline Sedimentation Phosphatase Rate ...Count WBC Hematocrit HCT Hemoglobin HGB Sedimentation Rate SEDI Reticulocytes RETIC MCORP Mean Corpuscular Volume MCV Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin MCH...Contract F33615-76-C-5005 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PPOGPAM ELEMENT, PROJECT , TASK University of California, Irvine APEA A WORK UNIT

Iron Sulfide Attenuates the Methanogenic Toxicity of Elemental Copper and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and their Soluble Metal Ion Analogs

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Gallagher, Sara; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A.

2016-01-01

Elemental copper (Cu0) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle (NP) toxicity to methanogens has been attributed to the release of soluble metal ions. Iron sulfide (FeS) partially controls the soluble concentration of heavy metals and their toxicity in aquatic environments. Heavy metals displace the Fe from FeS forming poorly soluble metal sulfides in the FeS matrix. Therefore, FeS may be expected to attenuate the NP toxicity. This work assessed FeS as an attenuator of the methanogenic toxicity of Cu0 and ZnO NPs and their soluble salt analogs. The toxicity attenuation capacity of fine (25–75 µm) and coarse (500 to 1200 µm) preparations of FeS (FeS-f and FeS-c respectively) was tested in the presence of highly inhibitory concentrations of CuCl2, ZnCl2 Cu0 and ZnO NPs. FeS-f attenuated methanogenic toxicity better than FeS-c. The results revealed that 2.5× less FeS-f than FeS-c was required to recover the methanogenic activity to 50% (activity normalized to uninhibited controls). The results also indicated that a molar FeS-f/Cu0 NP, FeS-f/ZnO NP, FeS-f/ZnCl2, and FeS-f/CuCl2 ratio of 2.14, 2.14, 4.28, and 8.56 respectively, was necessary to recover the methanogenic activity to >75%. Displacement experiments demonstrated that CuCl2 and ZnCl2 partially displaced Fe from FeS. As a whole, the results indicate that not all the sulfide in FeS was readily available to react with the soluble Cu and Zn ions which may explain the need for a large stoichiometric excesses of FeS to highly attenuate Cu and Zn toxicity. Overall, this study provides evidence that FeS attenuates the toxicity caused by Cu0 and ZnO NPs and their soluble ion analogs to methanogens. PMID:26803736

Effects of processed oil shale on the element content of Atriplex cancescens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, B.M.

1982-01-01

Samples of four-wing saltbush were collected from the Colorado State University Intensive Oil Shale Revegetation Study Site test plots in the Piceance basin, Colorado. The test plots were constructed to evaluate the effects of processed oil shale geochemistry on plant growth using various thicknesses of soil cover over the processed shale and/or over a gravel barrier between the shale and soil. Generally, the thicker the soil cover, the less the influence of the shale geochemistry on the element concentrations in the plants. Concentrations of 20 elements were larger in the ash of four-wing saltbush growing on the plot with themore » gravel barrier (between the soil and processed shale) when compared to the sample from the control plot. A greater water content in the soil in this plot has been reported, and the interaction between the increased, percolating water and shale may have increased the availability of these elements for plant uptake. Concentrations of boron, copper, fluorine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, and zinc were larger in the samples grown over processed shale, compared to those from the control plot, and concentrations for barium, calcium, lanthanum, niobium, phosphorus, and strontium were smaller. Concentrations for arsenic, boron, fluorine, molybdenum, and selenium - considered to be potential toxic contaminants - were similar to results reported in the literature for vegetation from the test plots. The copper-to-molybdenum ratios in three of the four samples of four-wing saltbush growing over the processed shale were below the ratio of 2:1, which is judged detrimental to ruminants, particularly cattle. Boron concentrations averaged 140 ppM, well above the phytotoxicity level for most plant species. Arsenic, fluorine, and selenium concentrations were below toxic levels, and thus should not present any problem for revegetation or forage use at this time.« less

Mutagenicity evaluation of forty-one metal salts by the umu test.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Akiko; Kohyama, Yuko; Hanawa, Takao

2002-01-01

Metallic biomaterials implanted in a human body may corrode and wear, releasing metal ions and debris which may induce adverse reactions such as inflammation, allergy, neoplastic formation, developmental malformation, etc. Mutagenicity is a very fundamental and important toxicity related to carcinogenicity and reproductive/developmental toxicity because the damages to genes or DNA can be a cause of carcinogenesis and developmental abnormalities. However, available mutagenic data on metallic ions and compounds are restricted to the number of elements. Therefore, to obtain the systematic data necessary for metal ion mutagenicity, 41 metal salts encompassing 36 metals and 5 metallic elements tested with different valences, were evaluated on their mutagenicity by a microbial test, the umu test. As a result, K(2)Cr(2)O(7), RhCl(3), IrCl(4), and MgCl(2) are positive without metabolic activation. Concentrations having the maximum mutagenic effect (C(max)) are 9.65 x 10(-5), 1.00 x 10(-4), 3.11 x 10(-3), 4.12 x 10(-3) mol. L(-1), respectively. CuCl(2), VCl(3), CuCl, RhCl(3), K(2)Cr(2)O(7), and IrCl(4) are positive with metabolic activation by S-9 mix with C(max) of 1.60 x 10(-5), 3.91 x 10(-5), 1.57 x 10(-4), 2.00 x 10(-4), 3.86 x 10(-4), 1.56 x 10(-2) mol. L(-1), respectively. Thirty-five metal salts were negative for tests performed both with and without metabolic activation, whereas it was impossible to evaluate the mutagenicity of MoCl(5) and ZrCl(4) by the umu test because of their colorimetric reaction to testing reagents. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Screening of trace elements in hair of the female population with different types of cancers in Wielkopolska region of Poland.

PubMed

Czerny, Bogusław; Krupka, Krzysztof; Ożarowski, Marcin; Seremak-Mrozikiewicz, Agnieszka

2014-01-01

Cancer constitutes a major health problem worldwide. Thus, search for reliable and practical markers of the disease process remains the key issue of the diagnostic process. The study aims at linking the trace element status of an organism, assessed by hair analysis, with the occurrence of cancer diseases. Hair samples were collected from 299 patients with cancer diseases confirmed by a histopathological test and from 100 controls. Cancer patients were divided into three groups, depending on cancer type: hormone-dependent cancer, cancer of the alimentary tract, and cancer with high glycolytic activity. Mineral element analysis of hair was performed using an atomic emission spectrophotometer with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistically significantly lower concentrations of selenium, zinc, copper, germanium and boron, iron, and magnesium were observed in the three groups of cancer patients. Disturbance in the axis glucose-insulin and changes in concentrations of heavy metals and toxic elements were also noted. It seems safe to conclude that our results confirmed usefulness of hair element analysis in screening tests for the assessment of the biomarker of various cancer diseases in a female population.

Particulate matters collected from ceramic factories in Lampang Province affecting rat lungs.

PubMed

Fongmoon, Duriya; Pongnikorn, Surathat; Chaisena, Aphiruk; Iamsaard, Sitthichai

2014-01-01

Lung cancer ranks as the fifth largest of all cancer cases in Thailand. However, it is the first leading cancer in the northern part of Thailand (data from 2003-2007). There are several predisposing causes that lead to lung cancer and one important inducement is particulate matters (PMs). Lampang Province in Thailand is famous for the ceramic industry, where there are over 200 ceramic industrial factories. PMs are produced during the ceramic manufacturing process and spread throughout all of the working areas. It is very possible that workers could directly inhale PM-contaminated air during working hours. This study focuses on the toxic effects of PMs collected from ceramic factories on genes and lungs of rats. PMs collected from six ceramic factories in Lampang Province were extracted using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) were used to analyze the chemical elements at lower and higher concentrations, respectively. Then, the toxicity of PMs on the genes was examined by the Ames test, and subsequently, the effect of PMs on DNA was examined by quantifying the amount of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Finally, the toxicity of the PMs on rat's lungs was examined by histology. As chemical elements of lower concentrations, cadmium, chromium, nickel, copper, and lead were detected by ICP-MS. As chemical elements of higher concentrations, manganese, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, and sodium were detected by ICP-OES. No mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium was found in the PM extracts from all six factories by utilizing the Ames test. In the histological study, the reduction in spaces of alveolar ducts and sacs, and terminal bronchioles, the thickening of interstitial connective tissues were noted by PM extracts in high amounts (100 and 350 µg). Female rats were more sensitive to PM extracts than males in terms of their pulmonary damages. PMs were not mutagenic to S. typhimurium but can damage the lung tissue of rats.

Toxic Trace Elements in the Hair of Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fido, Abdullahi; Al-Saad, Samira

2005-01-01

Excess or deficiency of natural trace elements has been implicated in the etiology of autism. This study explores whether concentration levels of toxic metals in the hair of children with autism significantly differ from those of age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In-hair concentration levels of antimony, uranium, arsenic, beryllium, mercury,…

Control of trace element toxicity in Chesapeake Bay by dominant phytoplankton. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanders, J.G.; Riedel, G.F.; Connell, D.B.

1992-02-01

Copper (Cu) and arsenic (As), but not chromium (Cr), underwent large changes in chemical form during the development and senescence of natural phytoplankton blooms. In general, the percentage of organically-associated Cu was lowest during periods of rapid cell growth and highest during periods of cell decline or periods of dominance by red tide-forming dinoflagellates, a pattern tied to periods of release of organic compounds during either bloom senescence or during unusual algal blooms. Chromium, in contrast, was unreactive. The end result of biological mediation of both As and Cu was to increase the proportion of the element present in amore » less toxic form, at least to phytoplankton, thus affecting the potential toxicity of either element to a natural ecosystem. The results of the project provide a framework for the construction of general predictive models of likely trace element behavior in productive ecosystems and provide a conceptual theory of how such toxic contaminants may affect ecosystem structure and food webs within Chesapeake Bay. Predictive models of ecosystem impact will require further experimentation with multi-trophic level food chains.« less

Computational toxicology as implemented by the U.S. EPA: providing high throughput decision support tools for screening and assessing chemical exposure, hazard and risk.

PubMed

Kavlock, Robert; Dix, David

2010-02-01

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Together these elements form the key components in the implementation of both the initial strategy, A Framework for a Computational Toxicology Research Program (U.S. EPA, 2003), and the newly released The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic Plan for Evaluating the Toxicity of Chemicals (U.S. EPA, 2009a). Key intramural projects of the CTRP include digitizing legacy toxicity testing information toxicity reference database (ToxRefDB), predicting toxicity (ToxCast) and exposure (ExpoCast), and creating virtual liver (v-Liver) and virtual embryo (v-Embryo) systems models. U.S. EPA-funded STAR centers are also providing bioinformatics, computational toxicology data and models, and developmental toxicity data and models. The models and underlying data are being made publicly available through the Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR), the Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) Database Network, and other U.S. EPA websites. While initially focused on improving the hazard identification process, the CTRP is placing increasing emphasis on using high-throughput bioactivity profiling data in systems modeling to support quantitative risk assessments, and in developing complementary higher throughput exposure models. This integrated approach will enable analysis of life-stage susceptibility, and understanding of the exposures, pathways, and key events by which chemicals exert their toxicity in developing systems (e.g., endocrine-related pathways). The CTRP will be a critical component in next-generation risk assessments utilizing quantitative high-throughput data and providing a much higher capacity for assessing chemical toxicity than is currently available.

Elemental selenium at nano size (Nano-Se) as a potential chemopreventive agent with reduced risk of selenium toxicity: comparison with se-methylselenocysteine in mice.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinsong; Wang, Xufang; Xu, Tongwen

2008-01-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element with a narrow margin between beneficial and toxic effects. As a promising chemopreventive agent, its use requires consumption over the long term, so the toxicity of Se is always a crucial concern. Based on clinical findings and recent studies in selenoprotein gene-modified mice, it is likely that the antioxidant function of one or more selenoproteins is responsible for the chemopreventive effect of Se. Furthermore, upregulation of phase 2 enzymes by Se has been implicated as a possible chemopreventive mechanism at supranutritional dietary levels. Se-methylselenocysteine (SeMSC), a naturally occurring organic Se product, is considered as one of the most effective chemopreventive selenocompounds. The present study revealed that, as compared with SeMSC, elemental Se at nano size (Nano-Se) possessed equal efficacy in increasing the activities of glutathione peroxidase, thioredoxin reductase, and glutathione S-transferase, but had much lower toxicity as indicated by median lethal dose, acute liver injury, survival rate, and short-term toxicity. Our results suggest that Nano-Se can serve as a potential chemopreventive agent with reduced risk of Se toxicity.

The Role of Intermetal Competition and Mis-Metalation in Metal Toxicity.

PubMed

Barwinska-Sendra, Anna; Waldron, Kevin J

2017-01-01

The metals manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper and zinc are essential for almost all bacteria, but their precise metal requirements vary by species, by ecological niche and by growth condition. Bacteria thus must acquire each of these essential elements in sufficient quantity to satisfy their cellular demand, but in excess these same elements are toxic. Metal toxicity has been exploited by humanity for centuries, and by the mammalian immune system for far longer, yet the mechanisms by which these elements cause toxicity to bacteria are not fully understood. There has been a resurgence of interest in metal toxicity in recent decades due to the problematic spread of antibiotic resistance amongst bacterial pathogens, which has led to an increased research effort to understand these toxicity mechanisms at the molecular level. A recurring theme from these studies is the role of intermetal competition in bacterial metal toxicity. In this review, we first survey biological metal usage and introduce some fundamental chemical concepts that are important for understanding bacterial metal usage and toxicity. Then we introduce a simple model by which to understand bacterial metal homeostasis in terms of the distribution of each essential metal ion within cellular 'pools', and dissect how these pools interact with each other and with key proteins of bacterial metal homeostasis. Finally, using a number of key examples from the recent literature, we look at specific metal toxicity mechanisms in model bacteria, demonstrating the role of metal-metal competition in the toxicity mechanisms of diverse essential metals. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxic and essential elements in butter from the Black Sea region, Turkey.

PubMed

Dervisoglu, Muhammet; Gul, Osman; Yazici, Fehmi; Guvenc, Dilek; Atmaca, Enes; Aksoy, Abdurrahman

2014-01-01

In this study, 88 randomly selected samples of butter produced in the Black Sea region of Turkey were purchased from different retail markets during different periods and investigated for toxic and essential elements content. Quantitative analyses of elements in the samples were performed using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Mean concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn in the butter samples were 18.93, 100.32, 384.66, 4199.1, 887.47, 168.64, 56.13, 16.34 and 384.66 µg kg(-1), respectively. Cd and Co were detected in 19 (mean content 0.29 µg kg(-1)) and 81 (mean content 3.81 µg kg(-1)) samples of 88 butter samples, respectively. However, the dietary intake of these elements by the population of the Black Sea region is currently well below the dietary reference intake (DRI) and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) levels of essential and toxic elements.

Element concentrations on Hypogymnia physodes after three years of transplanting along Lake Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, J.P.; Dibben, M.J.; Lyman, K.J.

1996-01-01

Improvements in air quality in air polluted areas are often followed by recolonization of habitats by sensitive lichens that had died out when air quality was worse. To test the hypothesis that air quality at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has improved such that lichens could recolonize the area, samples of a species that once grew in the park, Hypogymnia physodes, were transplanted from Door County, Wisconsin to the park and three other sites along the western shore of Lake Michigan, including one at the site of origin as a control. The lichens were sampled for 3 years and tissue concentrations of 20 chemical elements were measured. There were no significant differences between concentrations over the 3 year study duration at the control site in Door County, suggesting that transplanting itself had no impacts on tissue concentrations. All but two elements increased in concentration from north to south with the greatest increases occurring in the third year of the study. Lichens at Indiana Dunes at the end of the study had suffered severe mortality. Chromium increased the most from north to south but concentrations were not higher than maxima observed in other studies. Arsenic and sulfur, however, exceeded known toxic thresholds or maxima observed in other studies on this species. Four hypotheses are presented to explain the toxicity of elements to this species.

Use of human milk in the assessment of toxic metal exposure and essential element status in breastfeeding women and their infants in coastal Croatia.

PubMed

Grzunov Letinić, Judita; Matek Sarić, Marijana; Piasek, Martina; Jurasović, Jasna; Varnai, Veda Marija; Sulimanec Grgec, Antonija; Orct, Tatjana

2016-12-01

Pregnant and lactating women and infants are vulnerable population groups for adverse effects of toxic metals due to their high nutritional needs and the resultant increased gastrointestinal absorption of both, essential and toxic elements. Although breastfeeding is recommended for infants worldwide, as human milk is the best source of nutrients and other required bioactive factors, it is also a pathway of maternal excretion of toxic substances including toxic metals and thus a source of infant exposure. The aim of this research was to assess health risks in breastfeeding women in the coastal area of the Republic of Croatia and their infants (N=107) due to maternal exposure to Cd and Pb via cigarette smoking, and Hg via seafood and dental amalgam fillings, and their interaction with essential elements. Biological markers of exposure were the concentrations of main toxic metals Pb, Cd and Hg in maternal blood and three types of breast milk throughout lactation stages. Biological markers of effects were the levels of essential elements Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in maternal serum and breast milk. With regard to cigarette smoking as a source of exposure to Cd and Pb, there were effects of smoking on Cd concentration in blood and correlations between the smoking index and Cd concentrations in maternal blood (ρ=0.593; P<0.001) and mature milk (ρ=0.271; P=0.011) and Pb concentration in transitional milk (ρ=0.280; P=0.042). Regarding fish, we found correlations between weekly consumption frequency and total Hg concentrations in maternal blood (ρ=0.292; P=0.003) and mature milk (ρ=0.303; P=0.003). The number of dental amalgam fillings correlated with total Hg concentrations in colostrum (ρ=0.489; P=0.005) and transitional milk (ρ=0.309; P=0.018). As for the essential element status, only Se levels in maternal serum decreased by 10% in persons who continued smoking during pregnancy compared to non-smokers. In conclusion, the levels of main toxic metals Cd, Pb and Hg and essential elements Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in maternal blood and three types of breast milk samples in the studied area of coastal Croatia showed no risk of disrupted essential element levels with regard of toxic metal exposure in both breastfeeding women and their infants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Toxic industrial chemicals and chemical weapons: exposure, identification, and management by syndrome.

PubMed

Tomassoni, Anthony J; French, Robert N E; Walter, Frank G

2015-02-01

Toxidromes aid emergency care providers in the context of the patient presenting with suspected poisoning, unexplained altered mental status, unknown hazardous materials or chemical weapons exposure, or the unknown overdose. The ability to capture an adequate chemical exposure history and to recognize toxidromes may reduce dependence on laboratory tests, speed time to delivery of specific antidote therapy, and improve selection of supportive care practices tailored to the etiologic agent. This article highlights elements of the exposure history and presents selected toxidromes that may be caused by toxic industrial chemicals and chemical weapons. Specific antidotes for toxidromes and points regarding their use, and special supportive measures, are presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computational Toxicology at the US EPA | Science Inventory ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in America’s air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The ORD Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Key intramural projects of the CTRP include digitizing legacy toxicity testing information toxicity reference database (ToxRefDB), predicting toxicity (ToxCast™) and exposure (ExpoCast™), and creating virtual liver (v-Liver™) and virtual embryo (v-Embryo™) systems models. The models and underlying data are being made publicly available t

Trace elements in dialysis.

PubMed

Filler, Guido; Felder, Sarah

2014-08-01

In end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), pediatric nephrologists must consider the homeostasis of the multiple water-soluble ions that are influenced by renal replacement therapy (RRT). While certain ions such as potassium and calcium are closely monitored, little is known about the handling of trace elements in pediatric dialysis. RRT may lead to accumulation of toxic trace elements, either due to insufficient elimination or due to contamination, or to excessive removal of essential trace elements. However, trace elements are not routinely monitored in dialysis patients and no mechanism for these deficits or toxicities has been established. This review summarizes the handling of trace elements, with particular attention to pediatric data. The best data describe lead and indicate that there is a higher prevalence of elevated lead (Pb, atomic number 82) levels in children on RRT when compared to adults. Lead is particularly toxic in neurodevelopment and lead levels should therefore be monitored. Monitoring of zinc (Zn, atomic number 30) and selenium (Se, atomic number 34) may be indicated in the monitoring of all pediatric dialysis patients to reduce morbidity from deficiency. Prospective studies evaluating the impact of abnormal trace elements and the possible therapeutic value of intervention are required.

Influence of Selected Organic Micropollutants on Organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Włodarczyk-Makuła, Maria

2017-03-01

This article describes the toxicity of organic micropollutants on tested microorganisms. Itis a current issue because organic micropollutants are identified in all elements of environmental (surface water, ground water, soils) and in food products. The organic micropollutants include: polychlorinated dibenzodioxyns PCDD, polychlorinated dibenzofurans PCDF, polychlorinated biphenyls PCB, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAH, halogenated compounds and by-products of water treatment. Some organic compounds cause hazard for health and human life due to their estrogenic biological activity, carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic activity. The influence on organisms indicators of these compounds based on literature data were presented. The level of TEQ (toxic equivalency) in response to organic chlorine derivatives (PCDDs, PCDF, PCBs) is usually determined by toxic equivalency factor (TEF). The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies organic micropollutants as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), possibly carcinogenic (Group 2A) or probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).

The Impact of a Nickel-Copper Smelter on Concentrations of Toxic Elements in Local Wild Food from the Norwegian, Finnish, and Russian Border Regions

PubMed Central

Hansen, Martine D.; Nøst, Therese H.; Heimstad, Eldbjørg S.; Evenset, Anita; Dudarev, Alexey A.; Rautio, Arja; Myllynen, Päivi; Dushkina, Eugenia V.; Jagodic, Marta; Christensen, Guttorm N.; Anda, Erik E.; Brustad, Magritt; Sandanger, Torkjel M.

2017-01-01

Toxic elements emitted from the Pechenganickel complex on the Kola Peninsula have caused concern about potential effects on local wild food in the border regions between Norway, Finland and Russia. The aim of this study was to assess Ni, Cu, Co, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg concentrations in local wild foods from these border regions. During 2013–2014, we collected samples of different berry, mushroom, fish, and game species from sites at varying distances from the Ni-Cu smelter in all three border regions. Our results indicate that the Ni-Cu smelter is the main source of Ni, Co, and As in local wild foods, whereas the sources of Pb and Cd are more complex. We observed no consistent trends for Cu, one of the main toxic elements emitted by the Ni-Cu smelter; nor did we find any trend for Hg in wild food. Concentrations of all investigated toxic elements were highest in mushrooms, except for Hg, which was highest in fish. EU maximum levels of Pb, Cd, and Hg were exceeded in some samples, but most had levels considered safe for human consumption. No international thresholds exist for the other elements under study. PMID:28657608

The Impact of a Nickel-Copper Smelter on Concentrations of Toxic Elements in Local Wild Food from the Norwegian, Finnish, and Russian Border Regions.

PubMed

Hansen, Martine D; Nøst, Therese H; Heimstad, Eldbjørg S; Evenset, Anita; Dudarev, Alexey A; Rautio, Arja; Myllynen, Päivi; Dushkina, Eugenia V; Jagodic, Marta; Christensen, Guttorm N; Anda, Erik E; Brustad, Magritt; Sandanger, Torkjel M

2017-06-28

Toxic elements emitted from the Pechenganickel complex on the Kola Peninsula have caused concern about potential effects on local wild food in the border regions between Norway, Finland and Russia. The aim of this study was to assess Ni, Cu, Co, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg concentrations in local wild foods from these border regions. During 2013-2014, we collected samples of different berry, mushroom, fish, and game species from sites at varying distances from the Ni-Cu smelter in all three border regions. Our results indicate that the Ni-Cu smelter is the main source of Ni, Co, and As in local wild foods, whereas the sources of Pb and Cd are more complex. We observed no consistent trends for Cu, one of the main toxic elements emitted by the Ni-Cu smelter; nor did we find any trend for Hg in wild food. Concentrations of all investigated toxic elements were highest in mushrooms, except for Hg, which was highest in fish. EU maximum levels of Pb, Cd, and Hg were exceeded in some samples, but most had levels considered safe for human consumption. No international thresholds exist for the other elements under study.

Bioavailability and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in garden edible vegetables and soils around a highly contaminated former mining area in Germany.

PubMed

Antoniadis, Vasileios; Shaheen, Sabry M; Boersch, Judith; Frohne, Tina; Du Laing, Gijs; Rinklebe, Jörg

2017-01-15

Although soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in Europe has a history of many centuries, related problems are often considered as having been dealt with due to the enforcement of tight legislations. However, there are many unsolved issues. We aimed to assess PTE levels in highly contaminated soils and in garden edible vegetables using human health risk indices in order to evaluate the availability and mobilization of arsenic (As), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). In four gardens in Germany, situated on, or in the vicinity of, a mine dump area, we planted beans (Phaseolus vulgaris ssp. nanus), carrots (Daucus sativus) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa ssp. capitata). We examined soil-to-plant mobilization of elements using transfer coefficient (TC), as well as soil contamination using contamination factor (CF), enrichment factor (EF), and bioaccumulation index (I geo ). In addition, we tested two human health risk assessment indices: Soil-induced hazard quotient (HQ S ) (representing the "direct soil ingestion" pathway), and vegetable-induced hazard quotient (HQ V ) (representing the "vegetable intake" pathway). The studied elements were highly elevated in the soils. The values in garden 2 were especially high (e.g., Pb: 13789.0 and Hg: 36.8 mg kg -1 ) and largely exceeded the reported regulation limits of 50 (for As), 40 (Cu), 400 (Pb), 150 (Zn), and 5 (Hg) mg kg -1 . Similarly, element concentrations were very high in the grown vegetables. The indices of CF, EF and I geo were enhanced even to levels that are rarely reported in the literature. Specifically, garden 2 indicated severe contamination due to multi-element deposition. The contribution of each PTE to the total of measured HQ S revealed that Pb was the single most important element causing health risk (contributing up to 77% to total HQ S ). Lead also posed the highest risk concerning vegetable consumption, contributing up to 77% to total HQ V . The presence of lead in both cases was followed by that of As, Mn and Hg. We conclude that in multi-element contamination cases, along with high-toxicity elements (here, Pb, As and Hg) other elements may also be responsible for increasing human health risks (i.e., Mn), due to the possibility of adverse synergism of the PTEs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Applications of tapered flat silver halide fiber elements for infrared biospectroscopy with aspects of optical stability and biocompatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delbeck, Sven; Küpper, Lukas; Heise, Herbert M.

2018-02-01

Spectroscopic analysis of different biofluids and bodyfluid-like media has been realized by using tapered flat silver halide fiber elements as infrared biosensors. Optical stability and biocompatibility testing of the sensor elements have been performed with in-vitro samples under representative physiological conditions. After improving the reproducibility of manufacturing the sensor elements, the incoupling of radiation and the general handling including their chemical composition characterization, the fiber sensors were further optimized for the experiments. Stability tests in physiological solutions as well as porcine blood have shown that best results for biospectroscopic applications are available for the mid-IR fingerprint region, with the most stable behaviour as analyzed by the single-beam spectra. Despite several contrary reports, the silver halide material tested is toxic to cell lines chosen from the DIN standard specification for biocompatibility testing. Spectral changes as well as the results based on the DIN standard showed that pretreatment of the fibers is unavoidable to prevent direct contact of cells or human tissue and the silver halide material. Further applications of tapered flat silver halide fibers for the quantification of analytes in bodyfluids have also been tested by ensheathing the fiber-optic sensor element with a dialysis membrane. With the successfully produced prototype, results of diffusion rates and performance of a membrane-ensheathed fiber probe have been obtained. An invitro monitoring fiber sensor was developed aiming at the implantation of a microdialysis system for the analytical quantification of biomolecules such as glucose, lactate and others.

Acute toxicity and synergism of cadmium and zinc in white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus, Juveniles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vanegas, C.; Espina, S.; Botello, A.V.

1997-01-01

Toxic effects of individual heavy metals on decapod crustaceans have been reported frequently, but little information exists concerning interactions. Among the non-essential heavy metals, cadmium is one of the most hazardous elements in the aquatic environment; on the other hand, zinc is an essential element, but toxic when present in greater than trace amounts. Biological effects of cadmium in aquatic organisms are complex due to the interactions with both environmental variables and other toxic agents. In decapod crustaceans, the toxicity of cadmium and zinc is modified by salinity, temperature, hypoxia, calcium ion concentrations and life-cycle stage. Heavy metal pollution hasmore » increased in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, particularly in shrimp habitat. This study examined the toxicity of cadmium and zinc to white shrimp juveniles and looked at the interaction of the metals. 16 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Toxic and essential mineral elements content of black tea leaves and their tea infusions consumed in Iran.

PubMed

Salahinejad, Maryam; Aflaki, Fereydoon

2010-04-01

The metal contents of eleven black tea samples, four cultivated in Iran and seven imported, and their tea infusions were determined. Twelve elements consisting toxic metals (Al, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni) and essential mineral elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ca, and Mg) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Al, Ca, Mg, and Mn ranged in black tea leaves at mg g(-1) levels, while Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn were at microg g(-1) levels. Analysis of variance showed no statistically significant differences among most elements determined in cultivated and imported black teas in Iran except for Ni and Cu. The extraction efficiency of each element into tea infusions was evaluated. The solubility of measured metals in infusion extracts varied widely and ranged from 0 to 59.3%. Among the studied elements, Cr, Pb, and Cd showed the lowest rates of solubility and Ni had the highest rates of solubility. The amount of toxic metals and essential mineral elements that one may take up through consumption of black tea infusion was estimated. The amount of realizing each element into tea infusions and acceptable daily intake, for safety consumption of black tea, was compared.

Minimum Release of Tributyltin to Prevent Macrofouling

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

MATERIALS AND METHODS The test system used was designed to pump a known volume of a tributyltin ( TBT ) solution of known concentration through a porous...Thain, J.E., M.J. Waldock, and M.E. Wait, Toxicity and degradation studies of Tributyltin ( TBT ) and Dibutyltin (DBT) in the aquatic environment, in...ELEMENT NO NO NO ACCESSION NO 11 TITLE (Include Security Classification) nimum Release of Tributyltin to Prevent Macrofoulinq 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S

Fire containment tests of aircraft interior panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kourtides, D. A.; Parker, J. A.; Leon, H. A.; Williamson, R. B.; Hasegawa, H.; Fisher, F.; Draemel, R.; Marcussen, W. H.; Hilado, C. J.

1976-01-01

The paper describes an experimental program carried out to evaluate a possible method for testing the fire-containment qualities of aircraft interior panels. The experimental apparatus consisted of a burner that simulates various fire loads under different ventilation conditions in an enclosure of approximately the same size as an aircraft lavatory module. Two fire-containment tests are discussed in which two adjoining walls of the enclosure were made from state-of-the-art composite panels; rats were exposed to the combustion products in order to evaluate the toxic threat posed by those products. The results show that the burner can be employed to represent various fire-load conditions and that the methodology developed for fire containment can be useful in evaluating the fire resistance of composite panels before conducting large-scale tests. It is concluded that elements of the fire-containment criteria include the temperature rise on the backface of the panels as a function of time, the flame burn-through by either decomposition or severe distortion of the material, and the toxicity of the combustion gases evolved.

Abnormal chemical element concentrations in lichens of Isle Royale National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, J.P.

1995-01-01

Lichens have been used for many years to monitor changes in deposited airborne chemical elements in many areas, but few studies have focused on areas suspected of experiencing slightly elevated pollution. Detection of subtle patterns of slightly elevated pollutants calls for developing several lines of evidence as opposed to single line studies used in heavily polluted areas. This study of two lichen species, Hypogymnia physodes and Evernia mesomorpha, in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan compares the concentrations and ranks of elements with the concentrations and ranks of the elements in the earth's crust, changes in element concentrations over a nine year period, and the geography of element concentrations in the park. S, Zn, Pb, Cd and Se were elevated in both species and higher in rank compared to the concentrations and ranks in the earth's crust. Toxic elements increased 123% in Hypogymnia and 62% in Evernia over 9 years, compared to increases of 45% and 59% for non-toxic elements in each species, respectively. Geographically, the lichens at certain localities with higher exposures experienced higher than average element concentrations. Finally, tissue concentrations of Mn, S and Se at some localities were above levels known to be either toxic or similar to those found in polluted areas. These four lines of evidence suggest that Isle Royale National Park is experiencing the onset of chronic air pollution stress from a number of sources.

"Watching the Detectives" report of the general assembly of the EU project DETECTIVE Brussels, 24-25 November 2015.

PubMed

Fernando, Ruani N; Chaudhari, Umesh; Escher, Sylvia E; Hengstler, Jan G; Hescheler, Jürgen; Jennings, Paul; Keun, Hector C; Kleinjans, Jos C S; Kolde, Raivo; Kollipara, Laxmikanth; Kopp-Schneider, Annette; Limonciel, Alice; Nemade, Harshal; Nguemo, Filomain; Peterson, Hedi; Prieto, Pilar; Rodrigues, Robim M; Sachinidis, Agapios; Schäfer, Christoph; Sickmann, Albert; Spitkovsky, Dimitry; Stöber, Regina; van Breda, Simone G J; van de Water, Bob; Vivier, Manon; Zahedi, René P; Vinken, Mathieu; Rogiers, Vera

2016-06-01

SEURAT-1 is a joint research initiative between the European Commission and Cosmetics Europe aiming to develop in vitro- and in silico-based methods to replace the in vivo repeated dose systemic toxicity test used for the assessment of human safety. As one of the building blocks of SEURAT-1, the DETECTIVE project focused on a key element on which in vitro toxicity testing relies: the development of robust and reliable, sensitive and specific in vitro biomarkers and surrogate endpoints that can be used for safety assessments of chronically acting toxicants, relevant for humans. The work conducted by the DETECTIVE consortium partners has established a screening pipeline of functional and "-omics" technologies, including high-content and high-throughput screening platforms, to develop and investigate human biomarkers for repeated dose toxicity in cellular in vitro models. Identification and statistical selection of highly predictive biomarkers in a pathway- and evidence-based approach constitute a major step in an integrated approach towards the replacement of animal testing in human safety assessment. To discuss the final outcomes and achievements of the consortium, a meeting was organized in Brussels. This meeting brought together data-producing and supporting consortium partners. The presentations focused on the current state of ongoing and concluding projects and the strategies employed to identify new relevant biomarkers of toxicity. The outcomes and deliverables, including the dissemination of results in data-rich "-omics" databases, were discussed as were the future perspectives of the work completed under the DETECTIVE project. Although some projects were still in progress and required continued data analysis, this report summarizes the presentations, discussions and the outcomes of the project.

“Watching the Detectives” Report of the general assembly of the EU project DETECTIVE Brussels, 24-25 November, 2015

PubMed Central

Fernando, Ruani N.; Chaudhari, Umesh; Escher, Sylvia E.; Hengstler, Jan G.; Hescheler, Jürgen; Jennings, Paul; Keun, Hector C.; Kleinjans, Jos C. S.; Kolde, Raivo; Kollipara, Laxmikanth; Kopp-Schneider, Annette; Limonciel, Alice; Nemade, Harshal; Nguemo, Filomain; Peterson, Hedi; Prieto, Pilar; Rodrigues, Robim M.; Sachinidis, Agapios; Schäfer, Christoph; Sickmann, Albert; Spitkovsky, Dimitry; Stöber, Regina; van Breda, Simone G.J.; van de Water, Bob; Vivier, Manon; Zahedi, René P.

2017-01-01

SEURAT-1 is a joint research initiative between the European Commission and Cosmetics Europe aiming to develop in vitro and in silico based methods to replace the in vivo repeated dose systemic toxicity test used for the assessment of human safety. As one of the building blocks of SEURAT-1, the DETECTIVE project focused on a key element on which in vitro toxicity testing relies: the development of robust and reliable, sensitive and specific in vitro biomarkers and surrogate endpoints that can be used for safety assessments of chronically acting toxicants, relevant for humans. The work conducted by the DETECTIVE consortium partners has established a screening pipeline of functional and “-omics” technologies, including high-content and high-throughput screening platforms, to develop and investigate human biomarkers for repeated dose toxicity in cellular in vitro models. Identification and statistical selection of highly predictive biomarkers in a pathway- and evidence-based approach constitutes a major step in an integrated approach towards the replacement of animal testing in human safety assessment. To discuss the final outcomes and achievements of the consortium, a meeting was organized in Brussels. This meeting brought together data-producing and supporting consortium partners. The presentations focused on the current state of ongoing and concluding projects and the strategies employed to identify new relevant biomarkers of toxicity. The outcomes and deliverables, including the dissemination of results in data-rich “-omics” databases, were discussed as were the future perspectives of the work completed under the DETECTIVE project. Although some projects were still in progress and required continued data analysis, this report summarizes the presentations, discussions and the outcomes of the project. PMID:27129694

Fluorescent bioassays for toxic metals in milk and yoghurt

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background From a human health viewpoint, contaminated milk and its products could be a source of long-term exposure to toxic metals. Simple, inexpensive, and on-site assays would enable constant monitoring of their contents. Bioassays that can measure toxic metals in milk or yoghurt might reduce the risk. For this purpose, the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged trans factors, ArsR-GFP and CadC-GFP, together with their cis elements were used to develop such bioassays. Results ArsR-GFP or CadC-GFP, which binds either toxic metal or DNA fragment including cis element, was directly mixed with cow’s milk or yoghurt within a neutral pH range. The fluorescence of GFP, which is reflected by the association/dissociation ratio between cis element and trans factor, significantly changed with increasing externally added As (III) or Cd (II) whereas smaller responses to externally added Pb (II) and Zn (II) were found. Preparation and dilution of whey fraction at low pH were essential to intrinsic zinc quantification using CadC-GFP. Using the extraction procedure and bioassay, intrinsic Zn (II) concentrations ranging from 1.4 to 4.8 mg/l for milk brands and from 1.2 to 2.9 mg/kg for yoghurt brands were determined, which correlated to those determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Conclusions GFP-tagged bacterial trans factors and cis elements can work in the neutralized whole composition and diluted whey fraction of milk and yoghurt. The feature of regulatory elements is advantageous for establishment of simple and rapid assays of toxic metals in dairy products. PMID:23098077

Fluorescent bioassays for toxic metals in milk and yoghurt.

PubMed

Siddiki, Mohammad Shohel Rana; Ueda, Shunsaku; Maeda, Isamu

2012-10-25

From a human health viewpoint, contaminated milk and its products could be a source of long-term exposure to toxic metals. Simple, inexpensive, and on-site assays would enable constant monitoring of their contents. Bioassays that can measure toxic metals in milk or yoghurt might reduce the risk. For this purpose, the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged trans factors, ArsR-GFP and CadC-GFP, together with their cis elements were used to develop such bioassays. ArsR-GFP or CadC-GFP, which binds either toxic metal or DNA fragment including cis element, was directly mixed with cow's milk or yoghurt within a neutral pH range. The fluorescence of GFP, which is reflected by the association/dissociation ratio between cis element and trans factor, significantly changed with increasing externally added As (III) or Cd (II) whereas smaller responses to externally added Pb (II) and Zn (II) were found. Preparation and dilution of whey fraction at low pH were essential to intrinsic zinc quantification using CadC-GFP. Using the extraction procedure and bioassay, intrinsic Zn (II) concentrations ranging from 1.4 to 4.8 mg/l for milk brands and from 1.2 to 2.9 mg/kg for yoghurt brands were determined, which correlated to those determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. GFP-tagged bacterial trans factors and cis elements can work in the neutralized whole composition and diluted whey fraction of milk and yoghurt. The feature of regulatory elements is advantageous for establishment of simple and rapid assays of toxic metals in dairy products.

A Challenging Case of Acute Mercury Toxicity

PubMed Central

Alghoula, Faysal; Holewinski, Christopher

2018-01-01

Background Mercury exists in multiple forms: elemental, organic, and inorganic. Its toxic manifestations depend on the type and magnitude of exposure. The role of colonoscopic decompression in acute mercury toxicity is still unclear. We present a case of acute elemental mercury toxicity secondary to mercury ingestion, which markedly improved with colonoscopic decompression. Clinical Case A 54-year-old male presented to the ED five days after ingesting five ounces (148 cubic centimeters) of elemental mercury. Examination was only significant for a distended abdomen. Labs showed elevated serum and urine mercury levels. An abdominal radiograph showed radiopaque material throughout the colon. Succimer and laxatives were initiated. The patient had recurrent bowel movements, and serial radiographs showed interval decrease of mercury in the descending colon with interval increase in the cecum and ascending colon. Colonoscopic decompression was done successfully. The colon was evacuated, and a repeat radiograph showed decreased hyperdense material in the colon. Three months later, a repeat radiograph showed no hyperdense material in the colon. Conclusion Ingested elemental mercury can be retained in the colon. Although there are no established guidelines for colonoscopic decompression, our patient showed significant improvement. We believe further studies on this subject are needed to guide management practices. PMID:29559996

Monitoring of toxic elements present in sludge of industrial waste using CF-LIBS.

PubMed

Kumar, Rohit; Rai, Awadhesh K; Alamelu, Devanathan; Aggarwal, Suresh K

2013-01-01

Industrial waste is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied to detect the toxic metals in the sludge of industrial waste water. Sludge on filter paper was obtained after filtering the collected waste water samples from different sections of a water treatment plant situated in an industrial area of Kanpur City. The LIBS spectra of the sludge samples were recorded in the spectral range of 200 to 500 nm by focusing the laser light on sludge. Calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) technique was used for the quantitative measurement of toxic elements such as Cr and Pb present in the sample. We also used the traditional calibration curve approach to quantify these elements. The results obtained from CF-LIBS are in good agreement with the results from the calibration curve approach. Thus, our results demonstrate that CF-LIBS is an appropriate technique for quantitative analysis where reference/standard samples are not available to make the calibration curve. The results of the present experiment are alarming to the people living nearby areas of industrial activities, as the concentrations of toxic elements are quite high compared to the admissible limits of these substances.

Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with “Green” Metals for Electrochemical Stripping Analysis of Toxic Elements

PubMed Central

Economou, Anastasios

2018-01-01

This work reviews the field of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) modified with “green” metals for electrochemical stripping analysis of toxic elements. Electrochemical stripping analysis has been established as a useful trace analysis technique offering many advantages compared to competing optical techniques. Although mercury has been the preferred electrode material for stripping analysis, the toxicity of mercury and the associated legal requirements in its use and disposal have prompted research towards the development of “green” metals as alternative electrode materials. When combined with the screen-printing technology, such environment-friendly metals can lead to disposable sensors for trace metal analysis with excellent operational characteristics. This review focuses on SPEs modified with Au, Bi, Sb, and Sn for stripping analysis of toxic elements. Different modification approaches (electroplating, bulk modification, use of metal precursors, microengineering techniques) are considered and representative applications are described. A developing related field, namely biosensing based on stripping analysis of metallic nanoprobe labels, is also briefly mentioned. PMID:29596391

Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with "Green" Metals for Electrochemical Stripping Analysis of Toxic Elements.

PubMed

Economou, Anastasios

2018-03-29

This work reviews the field of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) modified with "green" metals for electrochemical stripping analysis of toxic elements. Electrochemical stripping analysis has been established as a useful trace analysis technique offering many advantages compared to competing optical techniques. Although mercury has been the preferred electrode material for stripping analysis, the toxicity of mercury and the associated legal requirements in its use and disposal have prompted research towards the development of "green" metals as alternative electrode materials. When combined with the screen-printing technology, such environment-friendly metals can lead to disposable sensors for trace metal analysis with excellent operational characteristics. This review focuses on SPEs modified with Au, Bi, Sb, and Sn for stripping analysis of toxic elements. Different modification approaches (electroplating, bulk modification, use of metal precursors, microengineering techniques) are considered and representative applications are described. A developing related field, namely biosensing based on stripping analysis of metallic nanoprobe labels, is also briefly mentioned.

BioMetals: a historical and personal perspective.

PubMed

Silver, Simon

2011-06-01

Understanding of BioMetals developed basically from a starting point about 60 years ago to current mechanistic understanding of the biological behavior of many metal ions from protein structural and functional studies. Figure 1 shows a Biochemical Periodic Table, element by element, with requirements, roles and biochemistry of the specific ions indicated. With few exceptions, the biology is of the ions formed and not of the elemental state of each. Early BioMetals efforts defined nutritional growth needs for animals, plants and microbes for inorganic "macro-nutrients" such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, and phosphate and of "micronutrients" such as copper, iron, manganese and zinc. Surprises came early with regard to microbes, for example the finding that Escherichia coli (then and now the standard microbial model) grows happily in the apparent total absence of calcium, sodium, and chloride, which are certainly major animal nutrients. Some elements such as mercury and arsenic are never required by living cells, but are always toxic, often at very low levels. Therefore, the division into nutrient elements and toxic elements came soon. For most inorganic nutrients, excessive amounts can be toxic as well, for example for copper and iron.

Trace elements in parenteral nutrition: a practical guide for dosage and monitoring for adult patients.

PubMed

Fessler, Theresa A

2013-12-01

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a life-sustaining therapy for hundreds of thousands of people who have severe impairment of gastrointestinal function. Trace elements are a small but very important part of PN that can be overlooked during busy practice. Serious complications can result from trace element deficiencies and toxicities, and this is especially problematic during times of product shortages. Practical information on parenteral trace element use can be gleaned from case reports, some retrospective studies, and very few randomized controlled trials. A general knowledge of trace element metabolism and excretion, deficiency and toxicity symptoms, products, optimal dosages, and strategies for supplementation, restriction, and monitoring will equip practitioners to provide optimal care for their patients who depend on PN.

Automatic flow-through dynamic extraction: A fast tool to evaluate char-based remediation of multi-element contaminated mine soils.

PubMed

Rosende, María; Beesley, Luke; Moreno-Jimenez, Eduardo; Miró, Manuel

2016-02-01

An automatic in-vitro bioaccessibility test based upon dynamic microcolumn extraction in a programmable flow setup is herein proposed as a screening tool to evaluate bio-char based remediation of mine soils contaminated with trace elements as a compelling alternative to conventional phyto-availability tests. The feasibility of the proposed system was evaluated by extracting the readily bioaccessible pools of As, Pb and Zn in two contaminated mine soils before and after the addition of two biochars (9% (w:w)) of diverse source origin (pine and olive). Bioaccessible fractions under worst-case scenarios were measured using 0.001 mol L(-1) CaCl2 as extractant for mimicking plant uptake, and analysis of the extracts by inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry. The t-test of comparison of means revealed an efficient metal (mostly Pb and Zn) immobilization by the action of olive pruning-based biochar against the bare (control) soil at the 0.05 significance level. In-vitro flow-through bioaccessibility tests are compared for the first time with in-vivo phyto-toxicity assays in a microcosm soil study. By assessing seed germination and shoot elongation of Lolium perenne in contaminated soils with and without biochar amendments the dynamic flow-based bioaccessibility data proved to be in good agreement with the phyto-availability tests. Experimental results indicate that the dynamic extraction method is a viable and economical in-vitro tool in risk assessment explorations to evaluate the feasibility of a given biochar amendment for revegetation and remediation of metal contaminated soils in a mere 10 min against 4 days in case of phyto-toxicity assays. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of in vitro methods as alternatives to animals in toxicity testing.

PubMed

Anadón, Arturo; Martínez, María Aranzazu; Castellano, Victor; Martínez-Larrañaga, María Rosa

2014-01-01

It is accepted that animal testing should be reduced, refined or replaced as far as it is practicably possible. There are also a wide variety of in vitro models, which are used as screening studies and mechanistic investigations. The ability of an in vitro assay to be reliable, biomedically, is essential in pharmaceutical development. Furthermore, it is necessary that cells used in in vitro testing mimic the phenotype of cells within the human target tissue. The focus of this review article is to identify the key points of in vitro assays. In doing so, the authors take into account the chemical agents that are assessed and the integrated in vitro testing strategies. There is a transfer of toxicological data from primary in vivo animal studies to in vitro assays. The key element for designing an integrated in vitro testing strategy is summarized as follows: exposure modeling of chemical agents for in vitro testing; data gathering, sharing and read-across for testing a class of chemical; a battery of tests to assemble a broad spectrum of data on different mechanisms of action to predict toxic effects; and applicability of the test and the integrated in vitro testing strategies and flexibility to adjust the integrated in vitro testing strategies to test substance. While these methods will be invaluable if effective, more studies must be done to ensure reliability and suitability of these tests for humans.

Evaluation of Toxic Metals and Essential Elements in Children with Learning Disabilities from a Rural Area of Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

do Nascimento, Sabrina Nunes; Charão, Mariele Feiffer; Moro, Angela Maria; Roehrs, Miguel; Paniz, Clovis; Baierle, Marília; Brucker, Natália; Gioda, Adriana; Barbosa, Fernando; Bohrer, Denise; Ávila, Daiana Silva; Garcia, Solange Cristina

2014-01-01

Children’s exposure to metals can result in adverse effects such as cognitive function impairments. This study aimed to evaluate some toxic metals and levels of essential trace elements in blood, hair, and drinking water in children from a rural area of Southern Brazil. Cognitive ability and δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) activity were evaluated. Oxidative stress was evaluated as a main mechanism of metal toxicity, through the quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. This study included 20 children from a rural area and 20 children from an urban area. Our findings demonstrated increase in blood lead (Pb) levels (BLLs). Also, increased levels of nickel (Ni) in blood and increase of aluminum (Al) levels in hair and drinking water in rural children were found. Deficiency in selenium (Se) levels was observed in rural children as well. Rural children with visual-motor immaturity presented Pb levels in hair significantly increased in relation to rural children without visual-motor immaturity (p < 0.05). Negative correlations between BLLs and ALA-D activity and positive correlations between BLLs and ALA-RE activity were observed. MDA was significantly higher in rural compared to urban children (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that rural children were co-exposed to toxic metals, especially Al, Pb and Ni. Moreover, a slight deficiency of Se was observed. Low performance on cognitive ability tests and ALA-D inhibition can be related to metal exposure in rural children. Oxidative stress was suggested as a main toxicological mechanism involved in metal exposure. PMID:25329533

Treatment of copper industry waste and production of sintered glass-ceramic.

PubMed

Coruh, Semra; Ergun, Osman Nuri; Cheng, Ta-Wui

2006-06-01

Copper waste is iron-rich hazardous waste containing heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Co, Pb. The results of leaching tests show that the concentration of these elements exceeds the Turkish and EPA regulatory limits. Consequently, this waste cannot be disposed of in its present form and therefore requires treatment to stabilize it or make it inert prior to disposal. Vitrification was selected as the technology for the treatment of the toxic waste under investigation. During the vitrification process significant amounts of the toxic organic and inorganic chemical compounds could be destroyed, and at the same time, the metal species are immobilized as they become an integral part of the glass matrix. The copper flotation waste samples used in this research were obtained from the Black Sea Copper Works of Samsun, Turkey. The samples were vitrified after being mixed with other inorganic waste and materials. The copper flotation waste and their glass-ceramic products were characterized by X-ray analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy and by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test. The products showed very good chemical durability. The glass-ceramics fabricated at 850 degrees C/2 h have a large application potential especially as construction and building materials.

Sample characterization of automobile and forklift diesel exhaust particles and comparative pulmonary toxicity in mice.

PubMed

Singh, Pramila; DeMarini, David M; Dick, Colin A J; Tabor, Dennis G; Ryan, Jeff V; Linak, William P; Kobayashi, Takahiro; Gilmour, M Ian

2004-06-01

Two samples of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) predominate in health effects research: an automobile-derived DEP (A-DEP) sample and the National Institute of Standards Technology standard reference material (SRM 2975) generated from a forklift engine. A-DEPs have been tested extensively for their effects on pulmonary inflammation and exacerbation of allergic asthmalike responses. In contrast, SRM 2975 has been tested thoroughly for its genotoxicity. In the present study, we combined physical and chemical analyses of both DEP samples with pulmonary toxicity testing in CD-1 mice to compare the two materials and to make associations between their physicochemical properties and their biologic effects. A-DEPs had more than 10 times the amount of extractable organic material and less than one-sixth the amount of elemental carbon compared with SRM 2975. Aspiration of 100 micro g of either DEP sample in saline produced mild acute lung injury; however, A-DEPs induced macrophage influx and activation, whereas SRM 2975 enhanced polymorphonuclear cell inflammation. A-DEPs stimulated an increase in interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha, macrophage inhibitory protein-2, and the TH2 cytokine IL-5, whereas SRM 2975 only induced significant levels of IL-6. Fractionated organic extracts of the same quantity of DEPs (100 micro g) did not have a discernable effect on lung responses and will require further study. The disparate results obtained highlight the need for chemical, physical, and source characterization of particle samples under investigation. Multidisciplinary toxicity testing of diesel emissions derived from a variety of generation and collection conditions is required to meaningfully assess the health hazards associated with exposures to DEPs. Key words: automobile, diesel exhaust particles, forklift, mice, pulmonary toxicity, SRM 2975.

Sample characterization of automobile and forklift diesel exhaust particles and comparative pulmonary toxicity in mice.

PubMed Central

Singh, Pramila; DeMarini, David M; Dick, Colin A J; Tabor, Dennis G; Ryan, Jeff V; Linak, William P; Kobayashi, Takahiro; Gilmour, M Ian

2004-01-01

Two samples of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) predominate in health effects research: an automobile-derived DEP (A-DEP) sample and the National Institute of Standards Technology standard reference material (SRM 2975) generated from a forklift engine. A-DEPs have been tested extensively for their effects on pulmonary inflammation and exacerbation of allergic asthmalike responses. In contrast, SRM 2975 has been tested thoroughly for its genotoxicity. In the present study, we combined physical and chemical analyses of both DEP samples with pulmonary toxicity testing in CD-1 mice to compare the two materials and to make associations between their physicochemical properties and their biologic effects. A-DEPs had more than 10 times the amount of extractable organic material and less than one-sixth the amount of elemental carbon compared with SRM 2975. Aspiration of 100 micro g of either DEP sample in saline produced mild acute lung injury; however, A-DEPs induced macrophage influx and activation, whereas SRM 2975 enhanced polymorphonuclear cell inflammation. A-DEPs stimulated an increase in interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha, macrophage inhibitory protein-2, and the TH2 cytokine IL-5, whereas SRM 2975 only induced significant levels of IL-6. Fractionated organic extracts of the same quantity of DEPs (100 micro g) did not have a discernable effect on lung responses and will require further study. The disparate results obtained highlight the need for chemical, physical, and source characterization of particle samples under investigation. Multidisciplinary toxicity testing of diesel emissions derived from a variety of generation and collection conditions is required to meaningfully assess the health hazards associated with exposures to DEPs. Key words: automobile, diesel exhaust particles, forklift, mice, pulmonary toxicity, SRM 2975. PMID:15175167

The Protective Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Ginger) on Ethanol-Induced Reproductive Toxicity in Male Rats.

PubMed

Akbari, Abolfazl; Nasiri, Khadijeh; Heydari, Mojtaba; Mosavat, Seyed Hamdollah; Iraji, Aida

2017-10-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the prophylactic effect of ginger extract on ethanol-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats. Twenty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated daily for 28 days as follows: control, control-ginger (1 g/kg of body weight [BW]/day by gavage), ethanol group (ethanol 4 g/kg of BW/day by gavage), and ginger-ethanol group. At the end of the experiment, all the rats were sacrificed and their testes were removed and used for measurement of the total homocysteine (tHcy), trace elements, antioxidant enzymes activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA). The results in the ethanol group indicate that ethanol decreased antioxidant enzymes activity and increased MDA and tHcy compared with the control groups ( P < .05). In ginger-ethanol group, ginger improved antioxidant enzymes activity and reduced tHcy and MDA compared to ethanol group ( P < .05). It can be concluded that ginger protects the ethanol-induced testicular damage and improves the hormonal levels, trace elements, antioxidant enzymes activity, and decreases tHcy and MDA.

Trace elements in agroecosystems and impacts on the environment.

PubMed

He, Zhenli L; Yang, Xiaoe E; Stoffella, Peter J

2005-01-01

Trace elements mean elements present at low concentrations (mg kg-1 or less) in agroecosystems. Some trace elements, including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), and boron (B) are essential to plant growth and are called micronutrients. Except for B, these elements are also heavy metals, and are toxic to plants at high concentrations. Some trace elements, such as cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se), are not essential to plant growth but are required by animals and human beings. Other trace elements such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) have toxic effects on living organisms and are often considered as contaminants. Trace elements in an agroecosystem are either inherited from soil parent materials or inputs through human activities. Soil contamination with heavy metals and toxic elements due to parent materials or point sources often occurs in a limited area and is easy to identify. Repeated use of metal-enriched chemicals, fertilizers, and organic amendments such as sewage sludge as well as wastewater may cause contamination at a large scale. A good example is the increased concentration of Cu and Zn in soils under long-term production of citrus and other fruit crops. Many chemical processes are involved in the transformation of trace elements in soils, but precipitation-dissolution, adsorption-desorption, and complexation are the most important processes controlling bioavailability and mobility of trace elements in soils. Both deficiency and toxicity of trace elements occur in agroecosystems. Application of trace elements in fertilizers is effective in correcting micronutrient deficiencies for crop production, whereas remediation of soils contaminated with metals is still costly and difficult although phytoremediation appears promising as a cost-effective approach. Soil microorganisms are the first living organisms subjected to the impacts of metal contamination. Being responsive and sensitive, changes in microbial biomass, activity, and community structure as a result of increased metal concentration in soil may be used as indicators of soil contamination or soil environmental quality. Future research needs to focus on the balance of trace elements in an agroecosystem, elaboration of soil chemical and biochemical parameters that can be used to diagnose soil contamination with or deficiency in trace elements, and quantification of trace metal transport from an agroecosystem to the environment.

A review on the elemental contents of Pakistani medicinal plants: Implications for folk medicines.

PubMed

Aziz, Muhammad Abdul; Adnan, Muhammad; Begum, Shaheen; Azizullah, Azizullah; Nazir, Ruqia; Iram, Shazia

2016-07-21

Substantially, plants produce chemicals such as primary and secondary metabolites, which have significant applications in modern therapy. Indigenous people mostly rely on traditional medicines derived from medicinal plants. These plants have the capacity to absorb a variety of toxic elements. The ingestion of such plants for medicinal purpose can have imperative side effects. Hence, with regard to the toxicological consideration of medicinal plants, an effort has been made to review the elemental contents of ethno medicinally important plants of Pakistan and to highlight the existing gaps in knowledge of the safety and efficacy of traditional herbal medications. Literature related to the elemental contents of ethno medicinal plants was acquired by utilizing electronic databases. We reviewed only macro-elemental and trace elemental contents of 69 medicinal plant taxa, which are traditionally used in Pakistan for the treatment of sundry ailments, including anemia, jaundice, cancer, piles, diarrhea, dysentery, headache, diabetes, asthma, blood purification, sedative and ulcer. A majority of plants showed elemental contents above the permissible levels as recommended by the World health organization (WHO). As an example, the concentrations of Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) were reportedly found higher than the WHO permissible levels in 43 and 42 medicinal plants, respectively. More specifically, the concentrations of Pb (54ppm: Silybum marianum) and Cd (5.25ppm: Artemisia herba-alba) were found highest in the Asteraceae family. The reported medicinal plants contain a higher amount of trace and toxic elements. Intake of these plants as traditional medicines may trigger the accumulation of trace and toxic elements in human bodies, which can cause different types of diseases. Thus, a clear understanding about the nature of toxic substances and factors affecting their concentrations in traditional medicines are essential prerequisites for efficacious herbal therapeutics with lesser or no side effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test of tree core sampling for screening of toxic elements in soils from a Norwegian site.

PubMed

Algreen, Mette; Rein, Arno; Legind, Charlotte N; Amundsen, Carl Einar; Karlson, Ulrich Gosewinkel; Trapp, Stefan

2012-04-01

Tree core samples have been used to delineate organic subsurface plumes. In 2009 and 2010, samples were taken at trees growing on a former dump site in Norway and analyzed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn). Concentrations in wood were in averages (dw) 30 mg/kg for Zn, 2 mg/kg for Cu, and < 1 mg/kg for Cd, Cr, As and Ni. The concentrations in wood samples from the polluted test site were compared to those derived from a reference site. For all except one case, mean concentrations from the test site were higher than those from the reference site, but the difference was small and not always significant. Differences between tree species were usually higher than differences between reference and test site. Furthermore, all these elements occur naturally, and Cu, Ni, and Zn are essential minerals. Thus, all trees will have a natural background of these elements, and the occurrence alone does not indicate soil pollution. For the interpretation of the results, a comparison to wood samples from an unpolluted reference site with same species and similar soil conditions is required. This makes the tree core screening method less reliable for heavy metals than, e.g., for chlorinated solvents.

Historical Fluxes of Toxic Trace Elements and Associated Implications in the Salton Sea Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odigie, K. O.; Hardisty, D. S.; Geraci, J. B.; Lyons, T. W.

2017-12-01

The Salton Sea is a polymictic, hypersaline lake that is predominantly sustained by wastewater and agricultural runoff from Mexico and the United States. It is a terminal lake that acts as a net sink for toxicants, which in addition to nutrients and increasing salinity, have dramatically transformed the lake over the past century. However, the impacts of these changes on the cycling and bio-accessibility of toxic elements and compounds and their associated human and environmental health implications are not well understood. This project aims to measure and model the fluxes of toxic elements, including selenium, lead, and mercury, in the lake over temporal and spatial scales by using geochemical data from the analysis of sediment cores, a pervasive salt crust, and the water column. The project also aims to elucidate the bio-accessibility and depositional environments of these elements. Preliminary results highlight two different oxygen concentration regimes in the lake: an increasingly anoxic condition in the bottom of the northern lobe and a seasonally variable oxygen deficiency in the bottom of the southern lobe. The deteriorating conditions at the lake could be exacerbated by a receding shoreline, which has already exposed several square kilometres of lake bed and is expected to continue as future inflows are diverted under the Quantification Settlement Agreement. Continued water conservation by Imperial Valley farmers and the increasing reuse of reclaimed water by Mexico are also expected to contribute to reduced inflows to the lake. Therefore, improved understanding of the cycling of toxic elements and their potential remobilization, including via wind entrainment (dust) associated with lake desiccation, will be valuable in protecting human and environmental health within the Salton Sea basin.

Molecular and ionic mimicry and the transport of toxic metals

PubMed Central

Bridges, Christy C.; Zalups, Rudolfs K.

2008-01-01

Despite many scientific advances, human exposure to, and intoxication by, toxic metal species continues to occur. Surprisingly, little is understood about the mechanisms by which certain metals and metal-containing species gain entry into target cells. Since there do not appear to be transporters designed specifically for the entry of most toxic metal species into mammalian cells, it has been postulated that some of these metals gain entry into target cells, through the mechanisms of ionic and/or molecular mimicry, at the site of transporters of essential elements and/or molecules. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the transport of selective toxic metals in target organs and provide evidence supporting a role of ionic and/or molecular mimicry. In the context of this review, molecular mimicry refers to the ability of a metal ion to bond to an endogenous organic molecule to form an organic metal species that acts as a functional or structural mimic of essential molecules at the sites of transporters of those molecules. Ionic mimicry refers to the ability of a cationic form of a toxic metal to mimic an essential element or cationic species of an element at the site of a transporter of that element. Molecular and ionic mimics can also be sub-classified as structural or functional mimics. This review will present the established and putative roles of molecular and ionic mimicry in the transport of mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, selenium, and selected oxyanions in target organs and tissues. PMID:15845419

Molecular and ionic mimicry and the transport of toxic metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bridges, Christy C.; Zalups, Rudolfs K.

Despite many scientific advances, human exposure to, and intoxication by, toxic metal species continues to occur. Surprisingly, little is understood about the mechanisms by which certain metals and metal-containing species gain entry into target cells. Since there do not appear to be transporters designed specifically for the entry of most toxic metal species into mammalian cells, it has been postulated that some of these metals gain entry into target cells, through the mechanisms of ionic and/or molecular mimicry, at the site of transporters of essential elements and/or molecules. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the transport ofmore » selective toxic metals in target organs and provide evidence supporting a role of ionic and/or molecular mimicry. In the context of this review, molecular mimicry refers to the ability of a metal ion to bond to an endogenous organic molecule to form an organic metal species that acts as a functional or structural mimic of essential molecules at the sites of transporters of those molecules. Ionic mimicry refers to the ability of a cationic form of a toxic metal to mimic an essential element or cationic species of an element at the site of a transporter of that element. Molecular and ionic mimics can also be sub-classified as structural or functional mimics. This review will present the established and putative roles of molecular and ionic mimicry in the transport of mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, selenium, and selected oxyanions in target organs and tissues.« less

The Effect of Toxic Leadership

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-15

traits) and not the disease (culture, climate, outcomes ).3 Several researchers agree that the long-term negative effect that toxic leaders have on an...The Effect of Toxic Leadership by Lieutenant Colonel Darrell W. Aubrey United States Army United States Army War...The Effect of Toxic Leadership 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Lieutenant

Level of selected toxic elements in meat, liver, tallow and bone marrow of young semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) from Northern Norway

PubMed Central

Hassan, Ammar Ali; Rylander, Charlotta; Brustad, Magritt; Sandanger, Torkjel M.

2012-01-01

Objectives To gain knowledge on toxic elements in semi-domesticated reindeer and their distribution in meat, liver, tallow and bone marrow. The correlations between concentrations in meat and liver, as well as the use of the latter as an indicator for toxic elements in meat, were also investigated. Study design Cross-sectional study on population of semi-domesticated reindeer from 2 northern Norwegian counties (Finnmark and Nordland). Methods Semi-domesticated reindeer carcasses (n=31) were randomly selected, from which meat, liver, tallow and bone marrow samples were collected. Selected toxic elements (cadmium, lead, arsenic, nickel and vanadium) were studied. Results Liver was the organ with the highest level of all elements except for nickel, which was highest in bone marrow. Meat had the lowest levels, whereas levels in tallow and bone marrow were between those of meat and liver. Concentrations of cadmium, lead and arsenic were significantly different (p<0.05) between meat and liver, while only arsenic and cadmium were significantly correlated in meat (rs=0.71, p<0.01) and liver (rs=0.72, p<0.01). The cadmium level exceeded the European Commission's (EC) maximum level set for bovine meat and live in 52% of the liver samples (n=29). Nevertheless, the estimated monthly cadmium intake from liver of 2.29 µg/kg body weight was well below the provisional tolerable monthly intake of 25 µg/kg body weight set by the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives. Conclusions Based on the measured levels and their relation to the maximum level and to the provisional tolerable weekly/monthly intake limits, it could be inferred that consumption of reindeer meat is not associated with any health risk related to the studied toxic elements for consumers. PMID:22564461

[The elemental composition of teeth hard tissues depending on the state of the environment].

PubMed

Suladze, N; Shishniashvili, T; Margvelashvili, V; Kobakhidze, K

2014-01-01

At present, great attention is paid to the origin of man-made micro elemental anomalies. To monitor the state of the environment and its effects on the human body, of great importance is the determination of the amount and distribution of various chemical elements in the dentin and enamel of the teeth. To determine the essential (Ca, Zn, Mn, Ni), conditionally essential (Rb, Ni, Sr) and toxic (Pb, Hg) trace elements in the mineralized tissues of the teeth and to identify the relationship between the elemental composition of the tooth structure and the state of the general and dental health depending on the state of the environment, we have examined 29 children aged 3-4 years who have carried out analysis of hard tissue of teeth (teeth used for remote medical reasons) for the maintenance of nine chemical elements. Children living in a relatively environmentally favorable conditions essential value and conditionally essential elements in the mineralized tissues of the teeth were within normal limits, and toxic elements slightly increased limits that differ from those of children living in environmentally disadvantaged areas. In particular, these essential elements were significantly reduced (except for zinc), as indicators of toxic elements - mercury and lead, increased by 12.5% and 44.5%, respectively, which is clearly reflected on the state of dental health because noted decompensated form of tooth decay. Thus, deviations in a state of general and dental health of children associated with an imbalance of macro-and microelements in the mineralized tissues of the teeth.

Metal release from contaminated leaf litter and leachate toxicity for the freshwater crustacean Gammarus fossarum.

PubMed

Maunoury-Danger, Florence; Felten, Vincent; Bojic, Clément; Fraysse, Fabrice; Cosin Ponce, Mar; Dedourge-Geffard, Odile; Geffard, Alain; Guérold, François; Danger, Michael

2018-04-01

Industrialization has left large surfaces of contaminated soils, which may act as a source of pollution for contiguous ecosystems, either terrestrial or aquatic. When polluted sites are recolonized by plants, dispersion of leaf litter might represent a non-negligible source of contaminants, especially metals. To evaluate the risks associated to contaminated leaf litter dispersion in aquatic ecosystems, we first measured the dynamics of metal loss from leaf litter during a 48-h experimental leaching. We used aspen (Populus tremula L.), a common tree species on these polluted sites, and collected leaf litter on three polluted sites (settling pond of a former steel mill) and three control sites situated in the same geographic area. Then, toxicity tests were carried out on individuals of a key detritivore species widely used in ecotoxicology tests, Gammarus fossarum (Crustacea, Amphipoda), with uncontaminated and contaminated leaf litter leachates, using a battery of biomarkers selected for their sensitivity to metallic stress. Leaf litters collected on polluted sites exhibited not only significantly higher cadmium and zinc concentrations but also lower lignin contents. All leaf litters released high amounts of chemical elements during the leaching process, especially potassium and magnesium, and, in a lesser extent, phosphorus, calcium, and trace metals (copper, cadmium, and zinc but not lead). Toxicity tests revealed that the most important toxic effects measured on G. fossarum were due to leaf litter leachates by themselves, whatever the origin of litter (from polluted or control sites), confirming the toxicity of such substances, probably due to their high content in phenolic compounds. Small additional toxic effects of leachates from contaminated leaf litters were only evidenced on gammarid lipid peroxidation, indicating that contaminated leaf litter leachates might be slightly more toxic than uncontaminated ones, but in a very reduced manner. Further studies will be required to verify if these patterns are generalizable to other species and to investigate the effects of contaminated leaf litter ingestion by consumers on aquatic food webs. Nevertheless, our results do not permit to exclude potential chronic effects of an exposure to contaminated leaf litter leachates in aquatic ecosystems.

ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF RESPIRABLE TIRE PARTICLES AND ASSESSMENT OF CARDIO-PULMONARY TOXICITY IN RATS

EPA Science Inventory

Elemental Analysis of Respirable Tire Particles and Assessment of Cardio-pulmonary Toxicity in Rats

R.R. Gottipolu, PhD1, E. Landa, PhD2, J.K. McGee, MS1, M.C. Schladweiler, BS1, J.G. Wallenborn, MS3, A.D. Ledbetter, BS1, J.E. Richards, MS1 and U.P. Kodavanti, PhD1. 1NHEER...

Evaluation of the Biotoxicity of Tree Wood Ashes in Zebrafish Embryos.

PubMed

Consigli, Veronica; Guarienti, Michela; Bilo, Fabjola; Benassi, Laura; Depero, Laura E; Bontempi, Elza; Presta, Marco

2016-10-01

Ashes derived from biomass combustion and used as soil fertilizers can generate negative environmental and human health risks, related to leaching of heavy metals and other putative toxic elements. Tree wood ash composition may vary depending on geographical location and surrounding industrial processes. In this study, we evaluated the biotoxicity of lixiviated tree wood ash samples from trees of the Ash (Fraxinus), Cherry (Pronus), Hazel (Corylus), and Black locust (Robinia) genus collected in an industrialized region in Northern Italy. Elemental chemical analysis of the samples was performed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence technique and their biotoxicity was assessed in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Ashes from Ash, Cherry, and Hazel trees, but not Black locust trees, had a high concentration of heavy metals and other putative toxic elements. Accordingly, a dose-dependent increase in mortality rate and morphological and teratogenic defects was observed in zebrafish embryos treated with lixiviated Ash, Cherry, and Hazel tree wood samples, whereas the toxicity of Black locust tree wood ashes was negligible. In conclusion, lixiviated wood ashes from different plants show a different content of toxic elements that correlate with their biotoxic effects on zebrafish embryos. Tree wood ashes derived from biomass combustion may represent a potential risk for the environment and human health.

Evaluation of dietary exposure to minerals, trace elements and heavy metals from the muscle tissue of the lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus 1758).

PubMed

Hoo Fung, Leslie A; Antoine, Johann M R; Grant, Charles N; Buddo, Dayne St A

2013-10-01

Twenty-five samples of Pterois volitans caught in Jamaican waters were analyzed for 25 essential, non-essential and toxic elements using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GF-AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). The mean values for calcium (355 mg/kg), copper (107 μg/kg), iron (0.81 mg/kg), potassium (3481 mg/kg), magnesium (322 mg/kg), manganese (0.04 mg/kg), selenium (0.47 mg/kg), sodium (700 mg/kg) and zinc (4.46 mg/kg) were used to estimate dietary intake. The percentage contribution to provisional tolerable weekly intake for a 70 kg male and a 65 kg female were also estimated for the toxic elements arsenic (1.28% M, 1.38% F), cadmium (0.26% M. 0.28% F), mercury (3.85% M, 4.15% F) and lead (0.17% M, 0.18% F). To further assess the risk of mercury toxicity and the role of mitigation provided by selenium, selenium-mercury molar ratios were calculated for all samples. All samples were shown to have a molar excess of selenium. In addition the suggested selenium health benefit value was calculated, and was positive for all samples. It was concluded that P. volitans appears to contribute modestly to mineral and trace element nutrition, while not being a significant contributor to dietary exposure of toxic elements. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Particulate matters collected from ceramic factories in Lampang Province affecting rat lungs*

PubMed Central

Fongmoon, Duriya; Pongnikorn, Surathat; Chaisena, Aphiruk; Iamsaard, Sitthichai

2014-01-01

Background: Lung cancer ranks as the fifth largest of all cancer cases in Thailand. However, it is the first leading cancer in the northern part of Thailand (data from 2003–2007). There are several predisposing causes that lead to lung cancer and one important inducement is particulate matters (PMs). Lampang Province in Thailand is famous for the ceramic industry, where there are over 200 ceramic industrial factories. PMs are produced during the ceramic manufacturing process and spread throughout all of the working areas. It is very possible that workers could directly inhale PM-contaminated air during working hours. Objective: This study focuses on the toxic effects of PMs collected from ceramic factories on genes and lungs of rats. Methods: PMs collected from six ceramic factories in Lampang Province were extracted using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) were used to analyze the chemical elements at lower and higher concentrations, respectively. Then, the toxicity of PMs on the genes was examined by the Ames test, and subsequently, the effect of PMs on DNA was examined by quantifying the amount of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Finally, the toxicity of the PMs on rat’s lungs was examined by histology. Results: As chemical elements of lower concentrations, cadmium, chromium, nickel, copper, and lead were detected by ICP-MS. As chemical elements of higher concentrations, manganese, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, and sodium were detected by ICP-OES. No mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium was found in the PM extracts from all six factories by utilizing the Ames test. In the histological study, the reduction in spaces of alveolar ducts and sacs, and terminal bronchioles, the thickening of interstitial connective tissues were noted by PM extracts in high amounts (100 and 350 μg). Female rats were more sensitive to PM extracts than males in terms of their pulmonary damages. Conclusions: PMs were not mutagenic to S. typhimurium but can damage the lung tissue of rats. PMID:24390747

The uranium from seawater program at PNNL: Overview of marine testing, adsorbent characterization, adsorbent durability, adsorbent toxicity, and deployment studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gill, Gary A.; Kuo, Li -Jung; Janke, Christopher James

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL) Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) located along the coast of Washington State is evaluating the performance of uranium adsorption materials being developed for seawater extraction under realistic marine conditions with natural seawater. Two types of exposure systems were employed in this program: flow-through columns for testing of fixed beds of individual fibers and pellets and a recirculating water flume for testing of braided adsorbent material. Testing consists of measurements of the adsorption of uranium and other elements from seawater as a function of time, typically 42 to 56 day exposures, to determine the adsorbent capacitymore » and adsorption rate (kinetics). Analysis of uranium and other trace elements collected by the adsorbents was conducted following strong acid digestion of the adsorbent with 50% aqua regia using either Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The ORNL 38H adsorbent had a 56 day adsorption capacity of 3.30 ± 0.68 g U/ kg adsorbent (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu), a saturation adsorption capacity of 4.89 ± 0.83 g U/kg of adsorbent material (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu) and a half-saturation time of 28 10 days. The AF1 adsorbent material had a 56 day adsorption capacity of 3.9 ± 0.2 g U/kg adsorbent material (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu), a saturation capacity of 5.4 ± 0.2 g U/kg adsorbent material (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu) and a half saturation time of 23 2 days. The ORNL amidoxime-based adsorbent materials are not specific for uranium, but also adsorb other elements from seawater. The major doubly charged cations in seawater (Ca and Mg) account for a majority of the cations adsorbed (61% by mass and 74% by molar percent). For the ORNL AF1 adsorbent material, U is the 4th most abundant element adsorbed by mass and 7th most abundant by molar percentage. Marine testing at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with the ORNL AF1 adsorbent produced 15% and 55% higher adsorption capacities than observed at PNNL for column and flume testing, respectively. Variations in competing ions may be the explanation for the regional differences. In addition to marine testing, a number of other efforts are underway to characterize adsorbents and impacts of deployment on the marine environment. Highlights include: Hydrodynamic modelling predicts that a farm of adsorbent materials will likely have minimal effect on ocean currents and removal of uranium and other elements from seawater when densities are < 1800 braids/km 2. A decrease in U adsorption capacity of up to 30% was observed after 42 days of exposure due to biofouling when the ORNL braided adsorbent AI8 was exposed to raw seawater in a flume in the presence of light. An identical raw seawater exposure with no light exposure showed little or no impact to adsorption capacity from biofouling. No toxicity was observed with column effluents of any absorbent materials tested to date. Toxicity could be induced with some non amidoxime-based absorbents only when the ratio of solid absorbent to test media was increased to highly unrealistic levels. Thermodynamic modeling of the seawater-amidoxime adsorbent was performed using the geochemical modeling program PHREEQC. Modeling of the binding of Ca, Mg, Fe, Ni, Cu, U, and V from batch interactions with seawater across a variety of concentrations of the amidoxime binding group reveal that when binding sites are limited (1 x 10 -8 binding sites/kg seawater), vanadium heavily out-competes other ions for the amidoxime sites. In contrast, when binding sites are abundant magnesium and calcium dominate the total percentage of metals bound to the sorbent.« less

The uranium from seawater program at PNNL: Overview of marine testing, adsorbent characterization, adsorbent durability, adsorbent toxicity, and deployment studies

DOE PAGES

Gill, Gary A.; Kuo, Li -Jung; Janke, Christopher James; ...

2016-02-07

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL) Marine Science Laboratory (MSL) located along the coast of Washington State is evaluating the performance of uranium adsorption materials being developed for seawater extraction under realistic marine conditions with natural seawater. Two types of exposure systems were employed in this program: flow-through columns for testing of fixed beds of individual fibers and pellets and a recirculating water flume for testing of braided adsorbent material. Testing consists of measurements of the adsorption of uranium and other elements from seawater as a function of time, typically 42 to 56 day exposures, to determine the adsorbent capacitymore » and adsorption rate (kinetics). Analysis of uranium and other trace elements collected by the adsorbents was conducted following strong acid digestion of the adsorbent with 50% aqua regia using either Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The ORNL 38H adsorbent had a 56 day adsorption capacity of 3.30 ± 0.68 g U/ kg adsorbent (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu), a saturation adsorption capacity of 4.89 ± 0.83 g U/kg of adsorbent material (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu) and a half-saturation time of 28 10 days. The AF1 adsorbent material had a 56 day adsorption capacity of 3.9 ± 0.2 g U/kg adsorbent material (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu), a saturation capacity of 5.4 ± 0.2 g U/kg adsorbent material (normalized to a salinity of 35 psu) and a half saturation time of 23 2 days. The ORNL amidoxime-based adsorbent materials are not specific for uranium, but also adsorb other elements from seawater. The major doubly charged cations in seawater (Ca and Mg) account for a majority of the cations adsorbed (61% by mass and 74% by molar percent). For the ORNL AF1 adsorbent material, U is the 4th most abundant element adsorbed by mass and 7th most abundant by molar percentage. Marine testing at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with the ORNL AF1 adsorbent produced 15% and 55% higher adsorption capacities than observed at PNNL for column and flume testing, respectively. Variations in competing ions may be the explanation for the regional differences. In addition to marine testing, a number of other efforts are underway to characterize adsorbents and impacts of deployment on the marine environment. Highlights include: Hydrodynamic modelling predicts that a farm of adsorbent materials will likely have minimal effect on ocean currents and removal of uranium and other elements from seawater when densities are < 1800 braids/km 2. A decrease in U adsorption capacity of up to 30% was observed after 42 days of exposure due to biofouling when the ORNL braided adsorbent AI8 was exposed to raw seawater in a flume in the presence of light. An identical raw seawater exposure with no light exposure showed little or no impact to adsorption capacity from biofouling. No toxicity was observed with column effluents of any absorbent materials tested to date. Toxicity could be induced with some non amidoxime-based absorbents only when the ratio of solid absorbent to test media was increased to highly unrealistic levels. Thermodynamic modeling of the seawater-amidoxime adsorbent was performed using the geochemical modeling program PHREEQC. Modeling of the binding of Ca, Mg, Fe, Ni, Cu, U, and V from batch interactions with seawater across a variety of concentrations of the amidoxime binding group reveal that when binding sites are limited (1 x 10 -8 binding sites/kg seawater), vanadium heavily out-competes other ions for the amidoxime sites. In contrast, when binding sites are abundant magnesium and calcium dominate the total percentage of metals bound to the sorbent.« less

The long (LINEs) and the short (SINEs) of it: altered methylation as a precursor to toxicity.

PubMed

Carnell, Ammie N; Goodman, Jay I

2003-10-01

Although once thought of as "junk" DNA, the importance of interspersed elements in the genome has become increasingly appreciated in recent years. In a broad sense these are collectively referred to as transposable elements, which encompass both transposons and retrotransposons. The latter include long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs). Expression of these elements leads to genetic instability. Therefore, it is important that they remain transcriptionally silenced, and DNA methylation plays a key role in this regard. A framework for understanding the possible interplay between altered DNA methylation, an epigenetic change, and mutational events is presented. A case is made as to how retrotransposable elements, specifically LINEs and SINEs, are likely to emerge as key players in furthering our understanding of mechanisms underlying a variety of toxicities, including carcinogenesis but not limited to this endpoint.

Essential and toxic elements in commercial baby food on the Spanish and Serbian market.

PubMed

Škrbić, Biljana; Živančev, Jelena; Jovanović, Grigorije; Farre, Marinella

2017-03-01

About 10 heavy elements were determined in 90 samples of baby food collected from Spanish and Serbian market. The results indicated that iron, manganese and copper were most frequently detected. Tin was the predominant toxic element in both Spanish and Serbian samples, with occurrence frequencies of 12.5% and 10.0%, respectively. Element intake for Spanish and Serbian infants were estimated and compared with the recommended reference values, for the majority of elements being lower than one. However, iron and manganese intake through consumption of infant/follow-on formulas were assessed to be higher than the respective daily intakes. Particular attention should be paid to the exposure of infants who consume porridges made of vegetables and fish or chicken, because they may ingest certain elements, particularly arsenic and lead, at levels that exceed the reference toxicological values. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to classify and distinguish the different types of baby food.

Methodology for determining toxicity of pesticides to wild vertebrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeWitt, James B.; Moore, N.W.

1966-01-01

The effects of pesticidal contamination of wildlife habitats may be expected to be proportional to the toxicity of the compounds, the rate and manner of application, persistence of the basic chemical and/or any toxic metabolites, and the extent to which these substances are stored in animal tissues or concentrated by successive elements of wildlife food chains. Measurement of these effects under field conditions is difficult, but the need for field studies may be reduced or eliminated by controlled laboratory tests. Representatives of the birds, mammals and aquatic animals in treated areas should be examined at all stages in the life cycle. Suitable species include laboratory rats, rabbits, dogs, bobwhite or coturnix quail, ringneck pheasant, trout, sunfish, oysters. The quantity of pesticide (ppm in diet or environment; mg/kg consumed) should be determined which produces acute or chronic poisoning or which shows measurable sublethal effects on growth or reproduction. Tissues (including gonads and eggs) should be analysed at each degree of exposure.

Mode of action and the assessment of chemical hazards in the presence of limited data: use of structure-activity relationships (SAR) under TSCA, Section 5.

PubMed Central

Auer, C M; Nabholz, J V; Baetcke, K P

1990-01-01

Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires that manufacturers and importers of new chemicals must submit a Premanufacture Notification (PMN) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 90 days before they intend to commence manufacture or import. Certain information such as chemical identity, uses, etc., must be included in the notification. The submission of test data on the new substance, however, is not required, although any available health and environmental information must be provided. Nonetheless, over half of all PMNs submitted to the agency do not contain any test data; because PMN chemicals are new, no test data is generally available in the scientific literature. Given this situation, EPA has had to develop techniques for hazard assessment that can be used in the presence of limited test data. EPA's approach has been termed "structure-activity relationships" (SAR) and involves three major components: the first is critical evaluation and interpretation of available toxicity data on the chemical; the second component involves evaluation of test data available on analogous substances and/or potential metabolites; and the third component involves the use of mathematical expressions for biological activity known as "quantitative structure-activity relationships" (QSARs). At present, the use of QSARs is limited to estimating physical chemical properties, environmental toxicity, and bioconcentration factors. An important overarching element in EPA's approach is the experience and judgment of scientific assessors in interpreting and integrating the available data and information. Examples are provided that illustrate EPA's approach to hazard assessment for PMN chemicals. PMID:2269224

Energy recycling by co-combustion of coal and recovered paint solids from automobile paint operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Achariya Suriyawong; Rogan Magee; Ken Peebles

2009-05-15

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of particulate emission and the fate of 13 trace elements (arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn)) during combustion tests of recovered paint solids (RPS) and coal. The emissions from combustions of coal or RPS alone were compared with those of co-combustion of RPS with subbituminous coal. The distribution/partitioning of these toxic elements between a coarse-mode ash (particle diameter (d{sub p}) > 0.5 {mu}m), a submicrometer-mode ash (d{sub p} < 0.5more » {mu}m), and flue gases was also evaluated. Submicrometer particles generated by combustion of RPS alone were lower in concentration and smaller in size than that from combustion of coal. However, co-combustion of RPS and coal increased the formation of submicrometer-sized particles because of the higher reducing environment in the vicinity of burning particles and the higher volatile chlorine species. Hg was completely volatilized in all cases; however, the fraction in the oxidized state increased with co-combustion. Most trace elements, except Zn, were retained in ash during combustion of RPS alone. Mo was mostly retained in all samples. The behavior of elements, except Mn and Mo, varied depending on the fuel samples. As, Ba, Cr, Co, Cu, and Pb were vaporized to a greater extent from cocombustion of RPS and coal than from combustion of either fuel. Evidence of the enrichment of certain toxic elements in submicrometer particles has also been observed for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Ni during co-combustion. 27 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Behavior as a common focus of toxicology and nutrition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiss, B.

1980-01-01

Behavior as an index of toxicity parallels its role as an index of nutritional impairment, just as toxicology and nutrition share other common themes. Intersections among the three disciplines arise because foodstuffs serve as one of the major routes of toxic exposure and also because food elements modify toxicity. With this perspective, the safety of our food supply is examined in the contexts of essential nutrients, toxins, toxic metals, manufactured contaminants, self-administered toxicants, and food additives.

Essential and toxic elements in seaweeds for human consumption.

PubMed

Desideri, D; Cantaluppi, C; Ceccotto, F; Meli, M A; Roselli, C; Feduzi, L

2016-01-01

Essential elements (K, Ca, P, S, Cl, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Br, and I) and nonessential or toxic elements (Al, Ti, Si, Rb, Sr, As, Cd, Sn, and Pb) were determined by energy-dispersive polarized x-ray fluorescence spectrometry in 14 seaweeds purchased in local specialty stores in Italy and consumed by humans. The differences in elements between the algae species reached up to 2-4 orders of magnitude. Lithothamnium calcareum showed the highest levels of Ca, Al, Si, Fe, and Ti. Palmaria palmata showed the highest concentrations of K, Rb, and Cl. The highest content of S was in Chondrus crispus. Laminaria digitata contained the highest concentrations of total As, Cd, Sn, Br, and I. The highest concentration of Zn was in Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Ulva lactuca displayed the highest levels of Cu, Ni, Mn, and Pb. Iodine levels ranged from 3.4 in Chlorella pyrenoidosa to 7316 mg/kg(dry) in Laminaria digitata. The nutrimental importance of essential elements was assessed using nutritional requirements. The results showed that the consumption of algae might serve as an important source of the essential elements. Health risk due to the toxic elements present in seaweed was estimated using risk estimators. Total As, Cd, and Pb concentrations ranged from <1 to 67.6, to 7.2 and to 6.7 mg/kg(dry) respectively; therefore, their contribution to total elemental intake does not appear to pose any threat to the consumers, but the concentrations of these elements should be controlled to protect the consumer against potential adverse health risks.

Long-Term Effects of Dredging Operations Program. Long-Term Evaluation of Plants and Animals Colonizing Contaminated Estuarine Dredged Material Placed in Both Upland and Wetland Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

MP D-91-5, September 1991 References Beckett, P. H. T., and Davis, R. D. 1977. Upper critical levels of toxic elements in plants. New Phytology 79:95...and ryegrass. New Phytology 80:23-42. Davis, R. D., Beckett, P. H. T., and Wollan, E. 1978. Critical levels of twenty potentially toxic elements in

Essential and toxic elements in meat of wild birds.

PubMed

Roselli, Carla; Desideri, Donatella; Meli, Maria Assunta; Fagiolino, Ivan; Feduzi, Laura

2016-01-01

Essential and toxic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), mass spectrometry (MS), and atomic absorption (AS) in meat of 14 migratory birds originating from central and northern Europe to provide baseline data regarding game meat consumed in central Italy. In all samples analyzed, cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) (total) levels were <0.326 mg/kg ww . For nonessential or toxic elements, arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), stannous (Sn), thallium (Tl), tellurium (Te), titanium (Ti), cerium (Ce), lantanium (La), and uranium (U) concentrations were <0.326 mg/kg ww, thorium (Th) <1.63 mg/kg ww , and mercury (Hg) <0.0163 mg/kg ww . When detectable, lead (Pb) concentrations always exceeded maximal admissible levels for metal (0.1 mg/kg ww ) established by the European Commission for meat. These findings indicate that elevated Pb concentrations in game ingested by humans may be a cause for concern.

Detection of toxic elements using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in smokers' and nonsmokers' teeth and investigation of periodontal parameters.

PubMed

Alhasmi, Abdul M; Gondal, Mohammed A; Nasr, Mohamed M; Shafik, Sami; Habibullah, Yusuf B

2015-08-20

A laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) was built and optimized to detect levels of toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic present in the roots of extracted teeth of smokers and nonsmokers. Sixty extracted teeth from patients having a history of chronic periodontitis were divided into two groups of 30 teeth each for smoker and nonsmoker patients and, as controls, a third group of 30 patients who did not have a history of chronic periodontitis. The respective elemental concentration (Pb, Cd, and As) 23-29, 0.26-0. 31, and 0.64-11 ppm are for nonsmokers, 35-55, 0.33-0.51, and 0.91-1.5 ppm are for smokers, and lastly 0.17-0.31, 0.01-0.05, and 0.05-0.09 ppm are for control group. In order to test the validity of the results achieved using our LIBS system, a standard inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique was also applied for the analysis of the same teeth samples, and ICP results were found to be in excellent agreement with our LIBS results. In addition to this, the gingival index, plaque index, clinical attachment loss (CAL) and probing pocket depth were also recorded. Our LIBS spectroscopic analysis showed high levels of lead, cadmium, and arsenic concentration on root surfaces of teeth, which may be due to CAL.

Concentration of potentially toxic elements in field crops grown near and far from cities of the Pampas (Argentina).

PubMed

Lavado, Raúl S

2006-07-01

Soils of the Pampas show no signs of contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), except in the areas that surround cities. The concentration of PTE in crops grown in this region is in most cases unknown. Our objective was to determine the PTE concentration in main field crops and pastures grown in 'a priori' non-contaminated areas and in potentially contaminated areas around cities. Forty-eight plots from farms located far from cities or roads and 36 plots from farms located very close to cities or to high traffic roads were sampled. The area ranged from 33 degrees 40' S to 36 degrees 0' S and from 57 degrees 35' W to 61 degrees 22' W. Maize, soybean, wheat, grazed grassland and pastures, and their top soils were sampled. All samples were acid digested. Cadmium, zinc, chromium, copper, nickel and lead were determined using ICPES. Standard t-tests were performed. All soils were within the known normal values of soil PTE concentrations, with the exception of a few cases around cities. PTE accumulation on grains and aerial biomass is considered almost negligible in crops grown in both studied areas, with the exception of a few elements in soybean. PTE concentrations in crops and pastures are in keeping with the low content of trace metals found in soils of the Pampas.

Application of the Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence technique to trace elements determination in tobacco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, T.; Lartigue, J.; Zarazua, G.; Avila-Perez, P.; Navarrete, M.; Tejeda, S.

2008-12-01

Many studies have identified an important number of toxic elements along with organic carcinogen molecules and radioactive isotopes in tobacco. In this work we have analyzed by Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence 9 brands of cigarettes being manufactured and distributed in the Mexican market. Two National Institute of Standards and Technology standards and a blank were equally treated at the same time. Results show the presence of some toxic elements such as Pb and Ni. These results are compared with available data for some foreign brands, while their implications for health are discussed. It can be confirmed that the Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence method provides precise (reproducible) and accuracy (trueness) data for 15 elements concentration in tobacco samples.

Risk assessment of bioaccessible trace elements in smoke haze aerosols versus urban aerosols using simulated lung fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xian; Betha, Raghu; Tan, Li Yun; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2016-01-01

Smoke-haze episodes, caused by uncontrolled peat and forest fires, occur almost every year in the South-East Asian region with increased concentrations of PM2.5 (airborne particulate matter (PM) with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm). Particulate-bound trace elements (TrElems), especially carcinogenic and toxic elements, were measured during smoke haze as well as non-haze periods in 2014 as they are considered to be indicators of potential health effects. The bioaccessibilities of 13 TrElems were investigated using two types of simulated lung fluids (SLFs), Gamble's solution and artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF), instead of the commonly used leaching agent (water). The dissolution kinetics was also examined for these TrElems. Many TrElems showed higher solubility in SLFs, and were more soluble in ALF compared to the Gamble's solution. Cu, Mn and Cd were observed to be the most soluble trace elements in ALF, while in Gamble's solution the most soluble trace elements were Cu, Mn and Zn. The dissolution rates were highly variable among the elements. Health risk assessment was conducted based on the measured concentrations of TrElems and their corresponding toxicities for three possible scenarios involving interactions between carcinogenic and toxic TrElems and SLFs, using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) human health risk assessment model. The cumulative cancer risks exceeded the acceptable level (1 in a million i.e. 1 × 10-6). However, the estimation of health quotient (HQ) indicated no significant chronic toxic health effects. The risk assessment results revealed that the assessment of bioaccessibility of particulate-bound TrElems using water as the leaching agent may underestimate the health risk.

Plant-soil distribution of potentially toxic elements in response to elevated atmospheric CO2.

PubMed

Duval, Benjamin D; Dijkstra, Paul; Natali, Susan M; Megonigal, J Patrick; Ketterer, Michael E; Drake, Bert G; Lerdau, Manuel T; Gordon, Gwyneth; Anbar, Ariel D; Hungate, Bruce A

2011-04-01

The distribution of contaminant elements within ecosystems is an environmental concern because of these elements' potential toxicity to animals and plants and their ability to hinder microbial ecosystem services. As with nutrients, contaminants are cycled within and through ecosystems. Elevated atmospheric CO2 generally increases plant productivity and alters nutrient element cycling, but whether CO2 causes similar effects on the cycling of contaminant elements is unknown. Here we show that 11 years of experimental CO2 enrichment in a sandy soil with low organic matter content causes plants to accumulate contaminants in plant biomass, with declines in the extractable contaminant element pools in surface soils. These results indicate that CO2 alters the distribution of contaminant elements in ecosystems, with plant element accumulation and declining soil availability both likely explained by the CO2 stimulation of plant biomass. Our results highlight the interdependence of element cycles and the importance of taking a broad view of the periodic table when the effects of global environmental change on ecosystem biogeochemistry are considered.

Molecular manipulations for enhancing luminescent bioreporters performance in the detection of toxic chemicals.

PubMed

Yagur-Kroll, Sharon; Belkin, Shimshon

2014-01-01

Microbial whole-cell bioreporters are genetically modified microorganisms that produce a quantifiable output in response to the presence of toxic chemicals or other stress factors. These bioreporters harbor a genetic fusion between a sensing element (usually a gene regulatory element responsive to the target) and a reporter element, the product of which may be quantitatively monitored either by its presence or by its activity. In this chapter we review genetic manipulations undertaken in order to improve bioluminescent bioreporter performance by increasing luminescent output, lowering the limit of detection, and shortening the response time. We describe molecular manipulations applied to all aspects of whole-cell bioreporters: the host strain, the expression system, the sensing element, and the reporter element. The molecular construction of whole-cell luminescent bioreporters, harboring fusions of gene promoter elements to reporter genes, has been around for over three decades; in most cases, these two genetic elements are combined "as is." This chapter outlines diverse molecular manipulations for enhancing the performance of such sensors.

Development of a BALB/c 3T3 neutral red uptake cytotoxicity test using a mainstream cigarette smoke exposure system

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Tobacco smoke toxicity has traditionally been assessed using the particulate fraction under submerged culture conditions which omits the vapour phase elements from any subsequent analysis. Therefore, methodologies that assess the full interactions and complexities of tobacco smoke are required. Here we describe the adaption of a modified BALB/c 3T3 neutral red uptake (NRU) cytotoxicity test methodology, which is based on the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) protocol for in vitro acute toxicity testing. The methodology described takes into account the synergies of both the particulate and vapour phase of tobacco smoke. This is of particular importance as both phases have been independently shown to induce in vitro cellular cytotoxicity. Findings The findings from this study indicate that mainstream tobacco smoke and the gas vapour phase (GVP), generated using the Vitrocell® VC 10 smoke exposure system, have distinct and significantly different toxicity profiles. Within the system tested, mainstream tobacco smoke produced a dilution IC50 (dilution (L/min) at which 50% cytotoxicity is observed) of 6.02 L/min, whereas the GVP produced a dilution IC50 of 3.20 L/min. In addition, we also demonstrated significant dose-for-dose differences between mainstream cigarette smoke and the GVP fraction (P < 0.05). This demonstrates the importance of testing the entire tobacco smoke aerosol and not just the particulate fraction, as has been the historical preference. Conclusions We have adapted the NRU methodology based on the ICCVAM protocol to capture the full interactions and complexities of tobacco smoke. This methodology could also be used to assess the performance of traditional cigarettes, blend and filter technologies, tobacco smoke fractions and individual test aerosols. PMID:24935030

Potentially-toxic and essential elements profile of AH1N1 patients in Mexico City

PubMed Central

Moya, Mireya; Bautista, Edgar G.; Velázquez-González, Antonio; Vázquez-Gutiérrez, Felipe; Tzintzun, Guadalupe; García-Arreola, María Elena; Castillejos, Manuel; Hernández, Andrés

2013-01-01

During spring of 2009, a new influenza virus AH1N1 spread in the world causing acute respiratory illness and death, resulting in the first influenza pandemic since 1968. Blood levels of potentially-toxic and essential elements of 40 pneumonia and confirmed AH1N1 were evaluated against two different groups of controls, both not infected with the pandemic strain. Significant concentrations of potentially-toxic elements (lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic) along with deficiency of selenium or increased Zn/Cu ratios characterized AH1N1 cases under study when evaluated versus controlled cases. Deficiency of selenium is progressively observed from controls I (influenza like illness) through controls II (pneumonia) and finally pneumonia -AH1N1 infected patients. Cases with blood Se levels greater than the recommended for an optimal cut-off to activate glutathione peroxidase (12.5 μg/dL) recovered from illness and survived. Evaluation of this essential element in critical pneumonia patients at the National Institutes is under evaluation as a clinical trial. PMID:23422930

Do rhizospheric processes linked to P nutrition participate in U absorption by Lupinus albus grown in hydroponics?

PubMed

Tailliez, Antoine; Pierrisnard, Sylvie; Camilleri, Virginie; Keller, Catherine; Henner, Pascale

2013-10-01

Phosphate (P) is an essential element for plant development but is generally present in limiting amount in the soil solution. Plant species have developed different mechanisms promoting the solubilization of this element in soils to ensure a sufficient supply for their growth. One of these mechanisms is based on the ability of certain species such as L. albus to exude large amounts of citrate through specific tertiary roots called cluster-roots. Uranium (U) is an ubiquitous contaminant known firstly for its chemical toxicity and secondly for its high affinity for P with which it forms low-soluble complexes in soils. We highlight the effects of P-U interaction on the physiology of L. albus and particularly on citrate exudation, and the impact of this root process on the phytoavailability of U and its accumulation in plants in a hydroponic study. Different levels of P (1 and 100 μM) and U (0 and 20 μM) have been tested. Our results show no toxicity of U on the development of L. albus with an adequate P supply, whereas the effects of P starvation are amplified by the presence of U in the growth medium, except for the production of cluster-roots. Citrate exudation is totally inhibited by U in a low-P environment whereas it increases in the presence of U when its toxicity is lowered by the addition of P. The differences observed in terms of toxicity and accumulation are partly explained by the microphotographs obtained by electron microscopy (TEM-EDX): in the absence of P, U penetrates deep into the roots and causes lethal damages, whereas in presence of P, we observe the formation of U-P complexes which limit the internalization of the pollutant and so its toxicity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in toxicity response of Ceriodaphnia dubia to Athabasca oil sands coke leachates.

PubMed

Puttaswamy, Naveen; Turcotte, Dominique; Liber, Karsten

2010-07-01

Coke from the Athabasca (Alberta, Canada) oil sands operations may someday be integrated into reclamation landscapes. It is hypothesized that the metals associated with the solid coke may leach into the surrounding environment. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to characterize the toxicity and chemistry of coke leachates collected from two field lysimeters (i.e. shallow lysimeter and deep lysimeter) over a period of 20months, as well as from other oil sands coke storage sites. In addition, a batch renewal leaching of coke was conducted to examine the rate of metals release. Chronic toxicity of key metals (e.g. Al, Mn, Ni and V) found in lysimeter coke leachate was evaluated separately. Toxicity test results revealed that whole coke leachates (100% v/v) were acutely toxic to Ceriodaphnia dubia; the 7-day LC50 values were always <25% v/v coke leachate. The deep lysimeter leachate was generally more toxic than the shallow lysimeter leachate, likely because of significantly higher concentrations of vanadium (V) found in the deep lysimeter leachate at all sampling times. Vanadium concentrations were higher than all other metals found in the leachate from both lysimeters, and in the batch renewal leaching study. Furthermore, V found in leachates collected from other oil sands field sites showed a concentration-response relationship with C. dubia survival. Mass balance calculations indicated that 94-98% of potentially leachable V fraction was still present in the coke from two field lysimeters. Evidence gathered from these assessments, including toxic unit (TU) calculations for the elements of concern, suggests that V was the likely cause of toxicity of the deep lysimeter leachate, whereas in the shallow lysimeter leachate both Ni and V could be responsible for the observed toxicity. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bloodletting therapy in hemochromatosis: Does it affect trace element homeostasis?

PubMed

Bolann, Bjørn J; Distante, Sonia; Mørkrid, Lars; Ulvik, Rune J

2015-01-01

Hemochromatosis is the most common hereditary disorder in the Nordic population, if left untreated it can result in severe parenchymal iron accumulation. Bloodletting is mainstay treatment. Iron and trace elements partially share cellular uptake and transport mechanisms, and the aim of the present study was to see if bloodletting for hemochromatosis affects trace elements homeostasis. We recruited patients referred for diagnosis and treatment of hemochromatosis, four women and 22 men 23-68 years of age. Thirteen were C282Y homozygote, one was C282Y heterozygote, three were H63D homozygote, seven were compound heterozygote and two had none of the mutations above. Iron and liver function tests were performed; serum levels of trace elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results before the start of treatment and after normalization of iron parameters were compared. On completion of the bloodlettings the following average serum concentrations increased: Co from 5.6 to 11.5 nmol/L, serum Cu 16.2-17.6 μmol/L, Ni increased from 50.0 to 52.6 nmol/L and Sb from 13.2 to 16.3 nmol/L. Average serum Mn concentration declined from 30.2 to 28.3 nmol/L. All changes were statistically significant (by paired t-test). B, Ba, Cs, Mo, Se, Sr and Zn were not significantly changed. We conclude that bloodlettings in hemochromatosis lead to changes in trace element metabolism, including increased absorption of potentially toxic elements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

SEM-EDS-Based Elemental Identification on the Enamel Surface after the Completion of Orthodontic Treatment: In Vitro Studies

PubMed Central

Seeliger, Julia; Lipski, Mariusz; Wójcicka, Anna; Gedrange, Tomasz; Woźniak, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

Braces as foreign bodies in the mouth carry a risk of side effects and toxicity to the human body. This article presents the results indicating the possible toxic effects of tools used for cleaning the enamel after the completion of orthodontic treatment. The studies were carried out in vitro. The procedure of enamel etching, bonding orthodontic metal brackets, and enamel cleaning after their removal was performed under laboratory conditions. The enamel microstructure and elements present on its surface were evaluated using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Silicon and aluminium were found in addition to the tooth building elements. PMID:27766265

Impact of Acute Metal Stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Lichtenberg-Fraté, Hella; Glaser, Walter; Schüller, Christoph; Klipp, Edda

2014-01-01

Although considered as essential cofactors for a variety of enzymatic reactions and for important structural and functional roles in cell metabolism, metals at high concentrations are potent toxic pollutants and pose complex biochemical problems for cells. We report results of single dose acute toxicity testing in the model organism S. cerevisiae. The effects of moderate toxic concentrations of 10 different human health relevant metals, Ag+, Al3+, As3+, Cd2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, V3+, and Zn2+, following short-term exposure were analyzed by transcription profiling to provide the identification of early-on target genes or pathways. In contrast to common acute toxicity tests where defined endpoints are monitored we focused on the entire genomic response. We provide evidence that the induction of central elements of the oxidative stress response by the majority of investigated metals is the basic detoxification process against short-term metal exposure. General detoxification mechanisms also comprised the induction of genes coding for chaperones and those for chelation of metal ions via siderophores and amino acids. Hierarchical clustering, transcription factor analyses, and gene ontology data further revealed activation of genes involved in metal-specific protein catabolism along with repression of growth-related processes such as protein synthesis. Metal ion group specific differences in the expression responses with shared transcriptional regulators for both, up-regulation and repression were also observed. Additionally, some processes unique for individual metals were evident as well. In view of current concerns regarding environmental pollution our results may support ongoing attempts to develop methods to monitor potentially hazardous areas or liquids and to establish standardized tests using suitable eukaryotic a model organism. PMID:24416162

Impact of acute metal stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Hosiner, Dagmar; Gerber, Susanne; Lichtenberg-Fraté, Hella; Glaser, Walter; Schüller, Christoph; Klipp, Edda

2014-01-01

Although considered as essential cofactors for a variety of enzymatic reactions and for important structural and functional roles in cell metabolism, metals at high concentrations are potent toxic pollutants and pose complex biochemical problems for cells. We report results of single dose acute toxicity testing in the model organism S. cerevisiae. The effects of moderate toxic concentrations of 10 different human health relevant metals, Ag(+), Al(3+), As(3+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Hg(2+), Mn(2+), Ni(2+), V(3+), and Zn(2+), following short-term exposure were analyzed by transcription profiling to provide the identification of early-on target genes or pathways. In contrast to common acute toxicity tests where defined endpoints are monitored we focused on the entire genomic response. We provide evidence that the induction of central elements of the oxidative stress response by the majority of investigated metals is the basic detoxification process against short-term metal exposure. General detoxification mechanisms also comprised the induction of genes coding for chaperones and those for chelation of metal ions via siderophores and amino acids. Hierarchical clustering, transcription factor analyses, and gene ontology data further revealed activation of genes involved in metal-specific protein catabolism along with repression of growth-related processes such as protein synthesis. Metal ion group specific differences in the expression responses with shared transcriptional regulators for both, up-regulation and repression were also observed. Additionally, some processes unique for individual metals were evident as well. In view of current concerns regarding environmental pollution our results may support ongoing attempts to develop methods to monitor potentially hazardous areas or liquids and to establish standardized tests using suitable eukaryotic a model organism.

Bioavailability and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in Thriasio Plain, near Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Antoniadis, Vasileios; Golia, Evangelia E; Shaheen, Sabry M; Rinklebe, Jörg

2017-04-01

Elevated concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are usually found in areas of intense industrial activity. Thriasio Plain is a plain near Athens, Greece, where most of the heavy industry of the country has been situated for decades, but it also is a residential and horticultural area. We aimed at measuring the levels of PTEs in soils and indigenous plant species and assessing the health risk associated with direct soil ingestion. Samples of soils at roadsides and growing plants were collected from 31 sites of that area. Concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were measured in both soils (as pseudo-total) and aerial plant tissues. We found that As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were higher than maximum regulatory limits. Element concentrations in plants were rather lower than expected, probably because indigenous plants have developed excluder behaviour over time. Copper and Zn soil-to-plant coefficients were highest among the other elements; for Cu this was unexpected, and probably associated with recent Cu-releasing industrial activity. Risk assessment analysis indicated that As was the element contributing more than 50 % of the health risk related to direct soil ingestion, followed by Cr, Pb, and, surprisingly, Mn. We concluded that in a multi-element contamination situation, elevated risk of PTEs (such as As, Cr and Pb) may reduce the tolerance limits of exposure to less-toxic elements (here, Mn).

Contaminants in stream sediments from seven United States metropolitan areas: part II—sediment toxicity to the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the midge Chironomus dilutus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kemble, Nile E.; Hardesty, Douglas K.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Kunz, James L.; Sibley, Paul K.; Calhoun, Daniel L.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Kuivila, Kathryn; Nowell, Lisa H.; Moran, Patrick W.

2013-01-01

Pyrethroids are hydrophobic compounds that have been observed to accumulate in sediments (Laskowski 2002). Toxicity of pyrethroids in field-collected sediment from small urban streams (Weston et al. 2005; Holmes et al. 2008; Ding et al. 2010; Domagalski et al. 2010) or with pyrethroids spiked into sediment (Amweg et al. 2006; Hintzen et al. 2009) have been evaluated primarily in 10 day lethality tests conducted with the amphipod Hyalella azteca. However, the sublethal effects in long-term exposures to pyrethroids in sediment have not been evaluated, and the distribution of pyrethroids sediments has not typically been evaluated in wadeable streams (Gilliom et al. 2006). This article is the second in a series that describe the results of a study of the distribution and toxicity of pyrethroids and other co-occurring trace elements and organic contaminants (PCBs, PAHs, OC pesticides) in stream sediments from 7 metropolitan areas across the United States (Moran et al. 2012). The study evaluated 98 sediment samples collected from streams ranging from undeveloped to highly urban and differs from previous studies by sampling larger wadeable streams and avoiding point sources (such as storm drains) and other inflows (Gilliom et al. 2006). Part 1 of the series characterizes sediment contaminants in relation to urbanization and other factors in the 7 metropolitan study areas (Nowell et al. 2012). Part 2 (this article) evaluates relationships between sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity in 28 day whole-sediment exposures conducted with the amphipod H. azteca and in 10 day whole-sediment exposure conducted with the midge Chironomus dilutus (USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 2000; ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials International 2012). Toxicity end points evaluated in the amphipod and midge exposures included the effects of these field-collected sediments on survival, weight, or biomass of the test organisms.

Comparative activity of silver based antimicrobial composites for urinary catheters.

PubMed

Thokala, Nikhil; Kealey, Carmel; Kennedy, James; Brady, Damien B; Farrell, Joseph

2018-04-04

Biomedical polymers are an integral component in a wide range of medical device designs due to their range of desirable properties. However, extensive use of polymer materials in medical devices have also been associated with an increasing incidence of patient infections. Efforts to address this issue have included the incorporation of antimicrobial additives for developing novel antimicrobial polymeric materials. Silver with its high toxicity towards bacteria, oligodynamic effect and good thermal stability has been employed as an additive for polymeric medical devices. In the present study, commercially available elemental (Biogate) and ionic (Ultrafresh 16) silver additives were incorporated into a Polyamide 11 (PA 11) matrix using a compression press. These polymer composites were evaluated for their antimicrobial and ion release properties. Elemental silver composites were determined to retain their antimicrobial properties for extended periods and actively release silver ions for 84 days; whereas the ionic silver composites lost their ion release activity and therefore antibacterial activity after 56 days. Bacterial log reduction units of 3.87 for ionic silver and 2.41 for elemental silver was identified within 24 hr, when tested in accordance with ISO 22196 test standard; indicating that ionic silver is more efficient for short-term applications compared to elemental silver. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous-flow leaching in a rotating coiled column for studies on the mobility of toxic elements in dust samples collected near a metallurgic plant.

PubMed

Fedotov, Petr S; Ermolin, Mikhail S; Ivaneev, Alexandr I; Fedyunina, Natalia N; Karandashev, Vasily K; Tatsy, Yury G

2016-03-01

Continuous-flow (dynamic) leaching in a rotating coiled column has been applied to studies on the mobility of Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Sb, As, S, and other potentially toxic elements in atmospherically deposited dust samples collected near a large copper smelter (Chelyabinsk region, Russia). Water and simulated "acid rain" (pH 4) were used as eluents. The technique enables not only the fast and efficient leaching of elements but as well time-resolved studies on the mobilization of heavy metals, sulphur, and arsenic in environmentally relevant forms to be made. It is shown that up to 1.5, 4.1, 1.9, 11.1, and 46.1% of Pb, As, Cu, Zn, and S, correspondingly, can be easily mobilized by water. Taking into consideration that the total concentrations of these elements in the samples under investigation are surprisingly high and vary in the range from 2.7 g/kg (for arsenic) to 15.5 g/kg (for sulphur), the environmental impact of the dust may be dramatic. The simulated acid rain results in somewhat higher recoveries of elements, except Cu and Pb. The proposed approach and the data obtained can very useful for the risk assessment related to the mobility of potentially toxic elements and their inclusion in the biogeochemical cycle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Theory of toxic classification of traditional Chinese medicine and recommendations for revision of China pharmacopeia (volume 1)].

PubMed

Zhao, Junning; Ye, Zuguang

2012-08-01

Toxic classification of traditional Chinese medicine, as a contribution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to the recognition of medicinal toxicity and rational use of medicinal materials by Chinese people, is now a great issue related to safe medication, sustainable development and internationalization of Chinese medicine. In this article, the origination and development of toxic classification theory was summarized and analyzed. Because toxic classification is an urgent issue related to TCM industrialization, modernization and internationalization, this article made a systematic analysis on the nature and connotation of toxic classification as well as risk control for TCM industry due to the medicinal toxicity. Based on the toxic studies, this article made some recommendations on toxic classification of Chinese medicinal materials for the revision of China Pharmacopeia (volume 1). From the aspect of scientific research, a new technical guideline for research on toxic classification of Chinese medicine should be formulated based on new biological toxicity test technology such as Microtox and ADME/Tox, because the present classification of acute toxicity of mice/rats can not met the modern development of Chinese medicine any more. The evaluation system and technical SOP of TCM toxic classification should also be established, and they should well balance TCM features, superiority and international requirements. From the aspect of medicine management, list of toxic medicines and their risk classification should be further improved by competent government according to scientific research. In China Pharmacopeia (volume I), such descriptions of strong toxicity, toxicity or mild toxicity should be abandoned when describing medicine nature and flavor. This revision might help promote TCM sustainable development and internationalization, and enhance the competitive capacity of Chinese medicine in both domestic and international market. However, description of strong toxicity, toxicity or mild toxicity might be used when making cautions for the medicine, stating that the description is based on Chinese classic works. In this way, TCM traditional theory might be inherited and features of Chinese medicine maintained and reflected. Besides, modern findings should be added to the cautions, including dose-response relationship, toxic mechanism, and toxic elements. The traditional toxic descriptions and modern findings, as a whole, can make the caution clear and scientific, and then promote safe medication and TCM modernization and internationalization.

Chemical stress sensitive luminescent human cells: Molecular biology approach using inducible Drosophila melanogaster hsp22 promoter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mandon, C.A.; Diaz, C.; Arrigo, A.-P.

2005-09-23

A whole-cell bioassay has been developed for the total toxicity testing of liquid samples. The method is based on the induction of the bioluminescent activity of genetically manipulated mammalian cells. For that purpose, transfection was used to introduce, in HeLa cells, a DNA sensing element that responds to chemical stress agents (heavy metals, genotoxic agents, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals). Such element was designed to direct the expression of a reporting gene (firefly luciferase) through the activation of Drosophila melanogaster hsp22 promoter. A molecular approach was conducted to optimize hsp22 promoter element in order to decrease the background expression level of themore » reporting gene and to increase the sensitivity of the bioassay for testing endocrine disruptors. As a result, in the presence of 20-100 {mu}M cadmium chloride, a 6-fold increase in luciferase expression was obtained using a specially designed truncated hsp22 promoter construction. The following chemicals known to be found in the polluted samples were tested: CdCl{sub 2}, Cd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}, NaAsO{sub 2}, alachlore, fentine acetate, thiram, and maneb. The stressing effect of each of them was sensitively detected by the present bioassay in the 0.05-50 {mu}M concentration range.« less

Leaching characteristics of selected South African fly ashes: Effect of pH on the release of major and trace species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gitari, W.M.; Fatoba, O.O.; Petrik, L.F.

2009-07-01

Fly ash samples from two South African coal-fired power stations were subjected to different leaching tests under alkaline and acidic conditions in an attempt to assess the effect of pH on the leachability of species from the fly ashes and also assess the potential impact of the fly ashes disposal on groundwater and the receiving environment. To achieve this, German Standard leaching (DIN-S4) and Acid Neutralization Capacity (ANC) tests were employed. Ca, Mg, Na, K and SO{sub 4} were significantly leached into solution under the two leaching conditions with the total amounts in ANC leachates higher than that of DIN-S4.more » This indicates that a large fraction of the soluble salts in unweathered fly ash are easily leached. These species represents the fraction that can be flushed off initially from the surface of ash particles on contacting the ash with water. The amounts of toxic trace elements such as As, Se, Cd, Cr and Pb leached out of the fly ashes when in contact with de-mineralized water (DIN-S4 test) were low and below the Target Water Quality Range (TWQR) of South Africa. This is explained by their low concentrations in the fly ashes and their solubility dependence on the pH of the leaching solution. However the amounts of some minor elements such as B, Mn, Fe, As and Se leached out at lower pH ranging between 10 to 4 (ANC test) were slightly higher than the TWQR, an indication that the pH of the leaching solution plays a significant role on the leaching of species in fly ash. The high concentrations of the toxic elements released from the fly ashes at lower pH gives an indication that the disposal of the fly ash could have adverse effects on the receiving environment if the pH of the solution contacting the ashes is not properly monitored.« less

Aquatic arsenic: phytoremediation using floating macrophytes.

PubMed

Rahman, M Azizur; Hasegawa, H

2011-04-01

Phytoremediation, a plant based green technology, has received increasing attention after the discovery of hyperaccumulating plants which are able to accumulate, translocate, and concentrate high amount of certain toxic elements in their above-ground/harvestable parts. Phytoremediation includes several processes namely, phytoextraction, phytodegradation, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization and phytovolatilization. Both terrestrial and aquatic plants have been tested to remediate contaminated soils and waters, respectively. A number of aquatic plant species have been investigated for the remediation of toxic contaminants such as As, Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Hg, etc. Arsenic, one of the deadly toxic elements, is widely distributed in the aquatic systems as a result of mineral dissolution from volcanic or sedimentary rocks as well as from the dilution of geothermal waters. In addition, the agricultural and industrial effluent discharges are also considered for arsenic contamination in natural waters. Some aquatic plants have been reported to accumulate high level of arsenic from contaminated water. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), duckweeds (Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Spirodela polyrhiza), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), water ferns (Azolla caroliniana, Azolla filiculoides, and Azolla pinnata), water cabbage (Pistia stratiotes), hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) and watercress (Lepidium sativum) have been studied to investigate their arsenic uptake ability and mechanisms, and to evaluate their potential in phytoremediation technology. It has been suggested that the aquatic macrophytes would be potential for arsenic phytoremediation, and this paper reviews up to date knowledge on arsenic phytoremediation by common aquatic macrophytes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of leaching conditions on constituents release from Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum (FGDG) and FGDG-soil mixture.

PubMed

Koralegedara, N H; Al-Abed, S R; Arambewela, M K J; Dionysiou, D D

2017-02-15

The interest in using Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum (FGDG) for land applications has increased recently. This study evaluates the leaching characteristics of trace elements in "modern" FGDG (produced after fly ash removal) and FGDG-mixed soil (SF) under different environmental conditions using recently approved EPA leaching methods (1313-1316). These methods employ various pH and liquid-solid (LS) ratios under batch leaching, column percolation and diffusion controlled release scenarios. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Protocol (TCLP) and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Protocol (SPLP) were used for comparison. The data obtained from new EPA methods provide broad insight into constituent release from FGDG and SF when compared to TCLP and SPLP. The release of toxic elements such as Hg, As, Pb, Co, Cd and Cr from SF was negligible. High release of B from FGDG was observed under all tested conditions; however, its release from SF was low. Both FGDG and SF released Se under all pH conditions (2-13) and LS ratios (1-10) in low concentrations (0.02-0.2mg/L). The data from this study could be used to investigate potential use of "modern" FGDG for new beneficial land applications. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Computer Simulation Lends New Insights Into Cyanide-Caused Cardiac Toxicity

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

COMPUTER SIMULATION LENDS NEW INSIGHTS INTO CYANIDE-CAUSED CARDIAC TOXICITY C.K. Zoltani* U.S. Army Research Laboratory Computational and...Into Cyanide-Caused Cardiac Toxicity 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK...disequilibrium in the membrane currents caused by the cyanide has grave implications for the cell’s electrophysiology. CN-caused cardiac toxicity shares

Trace elements in coal. Environmental and health significance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finkelman, R.B.

1999-01-01

Trace elements can have profound adverse effects on the health of people burning coal in homes or living near coal deposits, coal mines, and coal- burning power plants. Trace elements such as arsenic emitted from coal- burning power plants in Europe and Asia have been shown to cause severe health problems. Perhaps the most widespread health problems are caused by domestic coal combustion in developing countries where millions of people suffer from fluorosis and thousands from arsenism. Better knowledge of coal quality characteristics may help to reduce some of these health problems. For example, information on concentrations and distributions of potentially toxic elements in coal may help delineate areas of a coal deposit to be avoided. Information on the modes of occurrence of these elements and the textural relations of the minerals in coal may help to predict the behavior of the potentially toxic trace metals during coal cleaning, combustion, weathering, and leaching.

Particle size effects on bioaccessible amounts of ingestible soil-borne toxic elements.

PubMed

Qin, Junhao; Nworie, Obinna Elijah; Lin, Chuxia

2016-09-01

The unified BARGE method was used to examine the effects of soil particle size on the bioaccessible amounts of potentially toxic elements in multi-contaminated soils from a closed landfill site. The results show that bioaccessible As, Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn increased with decreasing soil particle size and the <0.002 mm soil fraction contained much greater amounts of the bioaccessible elements, as compared to other soil fractions (0.002-0.063 mm, 0.063-0.125 mm, and 0.125-0.250 mm). As, Al and Cr had much lower bioaccessibility, as compared to the six cationic heavy metals. In contrast with other elements, As bioaccessibility tended to be higher in the gastrointestinal phase than in the gastric phase. There was a significant soil particle size effect on bioaccessibility of As and Al in the gastrointestinal phase: As bioaccessibility decreased with decreasing particle size, and the finer soil fractions tended to have a higher Al bioaccessibility, as compared to the coarser soil fractions. The research findings prompt the need for further division of soil particle size fractions in order to more accurately assess the bioaccessible amounts of soil-borne potentially toxic elements in contaminated lands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potentially toxic elements in foodcrops: Triticum aestivum L., Zea mays L.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bini, Claudio; Fontana, Silvia; Squizzato, Stefania; Minello, Fabiola; Fornasier, Flavio; Wahsha, Mohammad

2013-04-01

Soil is the basis of the ecosystems and of our system of food production. Crops can uptake heavy metals and potentially toxic elements from the soil and store them in the roots or translocate them to the aerial parts. Excessive content of these elements in edible parts can produce toxic effects and, through the food chain and food consumption, result in a potential hazard for human health. In this study soils and plants (spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L. and maize, Zea mays L.) from a tannery district in North-East Italy were analyzed to determine pedological characters, soil microbial indicators and the content of some major and micro-nutrients and potentially toxic elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, S, Zn, V). The soils of the area are moderately polluted; Cr is the most important inorganic contaminant, followed by Ni, Cu and V. Factor analysis evidenced that the contaminants are in part anthropogenic and in part geogenic. Major anthropogenic origin was detected for Cr, Ni (from industrial activities), Zn, Cu, Cd (from agriculture practices). Biological Absorption Coefficient (BAC) from soil to plant roots and Translocation factor (TF) within the plant were calculated; major nutrients (K, P, S) and some micronutrients (Cu, Zn, Mg, Mn) are easily absorbed and translocated, whilst other nutrients (Ca, Fe) and potentially toxic elements or micronutrients (Al, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, V) are not accumulated in the seeds of the two considered species. However, the two edible species proved differently able to absorb and translocate elements, and this suggests to consider separately every species as potential PHEs transporter to the food chain and to humans. Cr concentrations in seeds and other aerial parts (stem and leaves) of the examined plants are higher than the values found for the same species and for other cereals grown on unpolluted soils. Comparing the Cr levels in edible parts with recommended dietary intake, besides other possible Cr sources (dust ingestion, water), there seems to be no health risk for animal breeding and population due to the consumption of wheat and maize grown in the area.

Wheat phytotoxicity from arsenic and cadmium separately and together in solution culture and in a calcareous soil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cao, Q; Hu, Q; Khan, S

2007-03-05

The toxicity effect of two deleterious elements of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) (individually or in combination) on root elongation of wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum, L.) were investigated both in hydroponics and in soils freshly spiked with the toxic elements. Median effective concentration (EC{sub 50}) and non-observed effect concentration (NOEC) were used to investigate the toxic thresholds and potencies of the two elements. The EC{sub 50} for As was 0.97 {mu}M in hydroponics and 196 mg {center_dot} kg{sup -1} in soil, and 4.32 {mu}M and 449 mg {center_dot} kg{sup -1} for Cd, respectively. Toxic unit (TU) and additive index (AI)more » concepts were introduced to determine the combined outcomes, and different behaviors were obtained: synergism in solution culture (EC{sub 50mix} = 0.36 TU{sub mix} and AI: 1.76) and antagonism in soil experiments (EC{sub 50mix} = 1.49 TU{sub mix} and AI: -0.33). Furthermore, the data of soil bioavailable As and Cd can not explain the discrepancy between the results derived from soil and hydroponics experiments.« less

Transformations of Heavy Metals and Plant Nutrients in Dredged Sediments as Affected by Oxidation Reduction Potential and pH. Volume 1. Literature Review

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-05-01

895-896 (1974). 191. Fagerstrom, T., and Jernelov, A. "Formation of Methyl Mercury from Pure Mercuric Sulphide in Aerobic Organic Sediment." Water...was available. The toxic and nutrient elements included are lead, cadmium, mercury , arsenic, selenium, copper, zinc, manganese, iron, nitrogen...on the exchange of these materials between sediment and water. The toxic and nutrient elements included are lead, cadmium, mercury , ar- senic

Heavy Metals and Related Trace Elements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leland, Harry V.; And Others

1978-01-01

Presents a literature review of heavy metals and related trace elements in the environment, covering publications of 1976-77. This review includes: (1) trace treatment in natural water and in sediments; and (2) bioaccumulation and toxicity of trace elements. A list of 466 references is presented. (HM)

Root anatomy and element distribution vary between two Salix caprea isolates with different Cd accumulation capacities

PubMed Central

Vaculík, Marek; Konlechner, Cornelia; Langer, Ingrid; Adlassnig, Wolfram; Puschenreiter, Markus; Lux, Alexander; Hauser, Marie-Theres

2012-01-01

The understanding of the influence of toxic elements on root anatomy and element distribution is still limited. This study describes anatomical responses, metal accumulation and element distribution of rooted cuttings of Salix caprea after exposure to Cd and/or Zn. Differences in the development of apoplastic barriers and tissue organization in roots between two distinct S. caprea isolates with divergent Cd uptake and accumulation capacities in leaves might reflect an adaptive predisposition based on different natural origins. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed that Cd and Zn interfered with the distribution of elements in a tissue- and isolate-specific manner. Zinc, Ca, Mg, Na and Si were enriched in the peripheral bark, K and S in the phloem and Cd in both vascular tissues. Si levels were lower in the superior Cd translocator. Since the cuttings originated from stocks isolated from polluted and unpolluted sites we probably uncovered different strategies against toxic elements. PMID:22325439

Physico-Mechanical Properties of HA/TCP Pellets and Their Three-Dimensional Biological Evaluation In Vitro.

PubMed

Kamalaldin, Nurulain 'Atikah; Jaafar, Mariatti; Zubairi, Saiful Irwan; Yahaya, Badrul Hisham

2018-01-04

The use of bioceramics, especially the combination of hydroxyapatite (HA) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), as a three-dimensional scaffold in bone engineering is essential because together these elements constitute 60% of the bone content. Different ratios of HA and β-TCP were previously tested for their ability to produce suitable bioceramic scaffolds, which must be able to withstand high mechanical load. In this study, two ratios of HA/TCP (20:80 and 70:30) were used to create pellets, which then were evaluated in vitro to identify any adverse effects of using the material in bone grafting. Diametral tensile strength (DTS) and density testing was conducted to assess the mechanical strength and porosity of the pellets. The pellets then were tested for their toxicity to normal human fibroblast cells. In the toxicity assay, cells were incubated with the pellets for 3 days. At the end of the experiment, cell morphological changes were assessed, and the absorbance was read using PrestoBlue Cell Viability Reagent™. An inversely proportional relationship between DTS and porosity percentage was detected. Fibroblasts showed normal cell morphology in both treatments, which suggests that the HA/TCP pellets were not toxic. In the osteoblast cell attachment assay, cells were able to attach to the surface of both ratios, but cells were also able to penetrate inside the scaffold of the 70:30 pellets. This finding suggests that the 70:30 ratio had better osteoconduction properties than the 20:80 ratio.

Methods For Collecting , Culturing And Performing Toxicity Tests With Daphnia ambigua

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Specht, Winona L.

2005-07-01

Toxicity tests conducted on water collected from impacted locations in SRS streams often failed chronic toxicity tests and sometimes failed acute toxicity tests (Specht 1995). These findings prompted SRS to determine the cause of the failures. Some SRS NPDES outfalls were also failing chronic toxicity tests, even though no toxicant could be identified and when TIEs were performed, none of the TIE treatments removed the toxicity. Ultimately, it was determined that the failures were due to the low hardness of SRS surface waters, rather than to the presence of a toxicant. The species of cladoceran that the EPA recommends formore » toxicity testing, Ceriodaphnia dubia, is stressed by the very low hardness of SRS waters. SRS developed an alternate species toxicity test that is similar to the EPA test, but uses an indigenous cladoceran, Daphnia ambigua (Specht and Harmon, 1997; Harmon et al., 2003). In 2001, SCDHEC approved the use of D. ambigua for toxicity testing at SRS, contingent upon approval by EPA Region 4. In 2002, EPA Region 4 approved the use of this species for compliance toxicity testing at SRS. Ultimately, the use of this species demonstrated that SRS effluents were not toxic, and most toxicity testing requirements were removed from the NPDES permit that was issued in December 2003, with the exception of one round of chronic definitive testing on outfalls A-01, A-11, and G-10 just before the next NPDES permit application is submitted to SCDHEC. Although the alternate species test was developed at SRS (1996-1998), the culture was transferred to a contract toxicity testing lab (ETT Environmental) located in Greer, SC in 1998. ETT Environmental became certified by SCDHEC to perform toxicity tests using D. ambigua in 2002, and at this time is the only laboratory certified by SCDHEC to perform tests with this species. Because of the expense associated with maintaining the D. ambigua culture for several years when no toxicity testing is required, SRS decided to suspend financial support associated with maintaining the cultures until testing is needed. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on how to establish a laboratory culture of D. ambigua so that a culture can be restarted when needed.« less

Trace Elements in Hair from Tanzanian Children: Effect of Dietary Factor (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Najat K.; Spyrou, Nicholas M.

2009-04-01

Trace elements in certain amounts are essential for childrens' health, because they are present in tissues participating in metabolic reactions of organisms. Deficiency of the essential elements may result in malnutrition, impaired body immunity, and poor resistance to disease. These conditions might be enhanced against a background of additional adverse environmental factors such as toxic elements. The analysis of elements in childrens' hair will give information on the deficiency of essential elements and excess of toxic elements in relation to their diet. In this study, 141 hair samples from children (girls and boys) living in two regions of Tanzanian mainland (Dar es Salaam and Moshi) and the island of Zanzibar have been analysed for trace elements in relation to food consumption habits. The analysis was carried out using long and short irradiation instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of the Nuclear Physics Institute at Rez, Czech Republic. Arithmetic and geometric means with their respective standard deviations are presented for 19 elements. Subgroups were formed according to age, gender, and geographic regions from which the samples were collected. Differences in concentrations for the groups and with other childhood populations were explored and discussed.

Trace Elements in Hair from Tanzanian Children: Effect of Dietary Factor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohammed, Najat K.; Spyrou, Nicholas M.

2009-04-19

Trace elements in certain amounts are essential for childrens' health, because they are present in tissues participating in metabolic reactions of organisms. Deficiency of the essential elements may result in malnutrition, impaired body immunity, and poor resistance to disease. These conditions might be enhanced against a background of additional adverse environmental factors such as toxic elements. The analysis of elements in childrens' hair will give information on the deficiency of essential elements and excess of toxic elements in relation to their diet. In this study, 141 hair samples from children (girls and boys) living in two regions of Tanzanian mainlandmore » (Dar es Salaam and Moshi) and the island of Zanzibar have been analysed for trace elements in relation to food consumption habits. The analysis was carried out using long and short irradiation instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of the Nuclear Physics Institute at Rez, Czech Republic. Arithmetic and geometric means with their respective standard deviations are presented for 19 elements. Subgroups were formed according to age, gender, and geographic regions from which the samples were collected. Differences in concentrations for the groups and with other childhood populations were explored and discussed.« less

[Cultivation of a permanent fish cell line in serum-free media special experiences with a cytotoxicity test for waste water samples

PubMed

Kohlpoth, Martin; Rusche, Brigitte

1997-01-01

The use of fetal calf serum (FCS) as standard medium additive for the cell cultivation must be regarded critically from the point of view of animal welfare as well as for scientific reasons and makes it necessary to look for alternatives. In the last years an in vitro cytotoxicity assay for the testing of industrial waste waters with the permanent fish cell line RTG-2 was established and pre-validated as an alternative to the fish test with the golden orfe. The application of FCS is also a special problem with regard to the testing of waste waters in a cytotoxicity test so that FCS-alternatives were tested. The RTG-2 cells were successfully adapted to the two solvents Basal Medium Supplement (BMS) and Ultroser-G (U-G) that are used to replace serum. The characterisation of these adapted cell lines showed no significant differences in growth rate, adhesion rate, viability and sensitivity to chemicals in comparison to the original RTG-2 cells. On the determination of the cytotoxicity of industrial waste waters the RTG-2 cells adapted to the BMS medium indicated a clearly higher toxicity of the waste water samples than the original RTG-2 cells. This result confirms the thesis that serum components react with waste water elements and thus change the bio-availability of toxic compounds.

Biomedical Implications of Heavy Metals Induced Imbalances in Redox Systems

PubMed Central

Singh, Shweta; Siddiqi, Nikhat J.

2014-01-01

Several workers have extensively worked out the metal induced toxicity and have reported the toxic and carcinogenic effects of metals in human and animals. It is well known that these metals play a crucial role in facilitating normal biological functions of cells as well. One of the major mechanisms associated with heavy metal toxicity has been attributed to generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, which develops imbalance between the prooxidant elements and the antioxidants (reducing elements) in the body. In this process, a shift to the former is termed as oxidative stress. The oxidative stress mediated toxicity of heavy metals involves damage primarily to liver (hepatotoxicity), central nervous system (neurotoxicity), DNA (genotoxicity), and kidney (nephrotoxicity) in animals and humans. Heavy metals are reported to impact signaling cascade and associated factors leading to apoptosis. The present review illustrates an account of the current knowledge about the effects of heavy metals (mainly arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium) induced oxidative stress as well as the possible remedies of metal(s) toxicity through natural/synthetic antioxidants, which may render their effects by reducing the concentration of toxic metal(s). This paper primarily concerns the clinicopathological and biomedical implications of heavy metals induced oxidative stress and their toxicity management in mammals. PMID:25184144

Is the fish embryo toxicity test (FET) with the zebrafish (Danio rerio) a potential alternative for the fish acute toxicity test?

PubMed

Lammer, E; Carr, G J; Wendler, K; Rawlings, J M; Belanger, S E; Braunbeck, Th

2009-03-01

The fish acute toxicity test is a mandatory component in the base set of data requirements for ecotoxicity testing. The fish acute toxicity test is not compatible with most current animal welfare legislation because mortality is the primary endpoint and it is often hypothesized that fish suffer distress and perhaps pain. Animal alternative considerations have also been incorporated into new European REACH regulations through strong advocacy for the reduction of testing with live animals. One of the most promising alternative approaches to classical acute fish toxicity testing with live fish is the fish embryo toxicity (FET) test. The FET has been a mandatory component in routine whole effluent testing in Germany since 2005 and has already been standardized at the international level. In order to analyze the applicability of the FET also in chemical testing, a comparative re-evaluation of both fish and fish embryo toxicity data was carried out for a total of 143 substances, and statistical approaches were developed to evaluate the correlation between fish and fish embryo toxicity data. Results confirm that fish embryo tests are neither better nor worse than acute fish toxicity tests and provide strong scientific support for the FET as a surrogate for the acute fish toxicity test.

A Study on the D. magna and V. fischeri Toxicity Relationship of Industrial Wastewater from Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyo, S.; Lee, S.; Chun Sang, H.; Park, T. J.; Kim, M. S.

2015-12-01

It is well known that high concentration of TDS (total dissolved solid) in industrial effluent gives rise to the toxicity to the Daphnia magna toxicity test. D. magna is vulnerable to relatively low TDS concentration showing the 24-hr EC50 of Salinity 0.6% (as the sea salt concentration). Recently, standard mandatory toxicity testing using Daphnia magna has been used to monitor industrial effluent toxicity according to Korea standard method (Acute Toxicity Test Method of the Daphnia magna Straus (Cladocera, Crustacea), ES 04704. 1a) under regulation. Since only one acute toxicity testing is applied in the present, we are trying to introduce microbial battery for more complete toxicity assessment. In this study, the acute toxicities between daphnids and microbes were compared. The results of D. magna and Vibrio fischeri toxicity test from 165 industrial wastewater effluents showed high positive correlation. In addition, the possibility of predicting daphnia toxicity from the bacterial toxicity data amounts to 92.6% if we consider salinity effect (>5ppt) together. From this study, we found that the V. fischeri toxicity test is a powerful battery tool to assess the industrial wastewater toxicity. Here, we suggest that luminescent bacteria toxicity test be useful not only for complete toxicity assessment which can't be obtained by daphnia toxicity testing only but also for the reduction cost, time, and labor in the Korean society. Keywords : D. magna, V. fischeri, Industrial waste water, battery test Acknowledgement This research was supported by a grant (15IFIP-B089908-02) from Plant Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government

Mobile lidar system for monitoring of gaseous pollutants in atmosphere over industrial and urban area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskalenko, Irina V.; Shecheglov, Djolinard A.; Rogachev, Aleksei P.; Avdonin, Aleksandr A.; Molodtsov, Nikolai A.

1999-01-01

The lidar remote sensing techniques are powerful for monitoring of gaseous toxic species in atmosphere over wide areas. The paper presented describes design, development and field testing of Mobile Lidar System (MLS) based on utilization of Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique. The activity is performed by Russian Research Center 'Kurchatov Institute' and Research Institute of Pulse Technique within the project 'Mobile Remote SEnsing System Based on Tunable Laser Transmitter for Environmental Monitoring' under funding of International Scientific and Technology Center Moscow. A brief description of MLS is presented including narrowband transmitter, receiver, system steering, data acquisition subsystem and software. MLS is housed in a mobile truck and is able to provide 3D mapping of gaseous species. Sulfur dioxide and elemental mercury were chosen as basic atmospheric pollutants for field test of MLS. The problem of anthropogenic ozone detection attracts attention due to increase traffic in Moscow. The experimental sites for field testing are located in Moscow Region. Examples of field DIAL measurements will be presented. Application of remote sensing to toxic species near-real time measurements is now under consideration. The objective is comparison of pollution level in working zone with maximum permissible concentration of hazardous pollutant.

Trace element contaminants in mineral fertilizers used in Iran.

PubMed

Latifi, Zahra; Jalali, Mohsen

2018-05-25

The application of mineral fertilizers which have contaminants of trace elements may impose concern regarding the entry and toxic accumulation of these elements in agro-ecosystems. In this study, 57 mineral fertilizers (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate, and compound fertilizers) distributed in Iran were analyzed for their contents of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Fe. The results revealed that the contents of these trace elements varied considerably depending on the type of the element and the fertilizer. Among these elements, Fe displayed the highest average content, whereas Cd showed the lowest. Generally, the trace element contents in P-containing fertilizers were higher than those in nitrogen and potassium fertilizers. The mean values of trace elements (mg kg -1 ) in P-containing fertilizers were 4.0 (Cd), 5.5 (Co), 35.7 (Cr), 24.4 (Cu), 272 (Mn), 14.3 (Ni), 6.0 (Pb), 226 (Zn), and 2532 (Fe). Comparing trace element contents to limit values set by the German Fertilizer Ordinance showed that the mean contents of potentially toxic trace elements, such as Cd and Pb, were lower than their limit values in all groups of fertilizers. On the other hand, while a number of fertilizers contained a high content of some essential trace elements, particularly Fe, they were not labeled as such.

Linking the occurrence of cutaneous opportunistic fungal invaders with elemental concentrations in false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) skin.

PubMed

Mouton, Marnel; Przybylowicz, Wojciech; Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, Jolanta; Postma, Ferdinand; Thornton, Meredith; Archer, Edward; Botha, Alfred

2015-10-01

Cetaceans, occupying the top levels in marine food chains, are vulnerable to elevated levels of potentially toxic trace elements, such as aluminium (Al), mercury (Hg) and nickel (Ni). Negative effects associated with these toxic metals include infection by opportunistic microbial invaders. To corroborate the link between the presence of cutaneous fungal invaders and trace element levels, skin samples from 40 stranded false killer whales (FKWs) were analysed using culture techniques and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy. Twenty-two skin samples yielded 18 clinically relevant fungal species. While evidence for bioaccumulation of Hg in the skin of the FKWs was observed, a strong link was found to exist between the occurrence of opportunistic fungal invaders and higher Al : Se and Al : Zn ratios. This study provides indications that elevated levels of some toxic metals, such as Al, contribute to immunotoxicity rendering FKWs susceptible to colonization by cutaneous opportunistic fungal invaders. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

40 CFR 268.34 - Waste specific prohibitions-toxicity characteristic metal wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing; radioactive wastes mixed with EPA Hazardous wastes... identified characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing, radioactive waste mixed with D004-D011...

40 CFR 268.34 - Waste specific prohibitions-toxicity characteristic metal wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing; radioactive wastes mixed with EPA Hazardous wastes... identified characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing, radioactive waste mixed with D004-D011...

Applicability of ambient toxicity testing to national or regional water-quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elder, John F.

1990-01-01

Comprehensive assessment of the quality of natural waters requires a multifaceted approach. Descriptions of existing conditions may be achieved by various kinds of chemical and hydrologic analyses, whereas information about the effects of such conditions on living organisms depends on biological monitoring. Toxicity testing is one type of biological monitoring that can be used to identify possible effects of toxic contaminants. Based on experimentation designed to monitor responses of organisms to environmental stresses, toxicity testing may have diverse purposes in water-quality assessments. These purposes may include identification of areas that warrant further study because of poor water quality or unusual ecological features, verification of other types of monitoring, or assessment of contaminant effects on aquatic communities. Toxicity-test results are most effective when used as a complement to chemical analyses, hydrologic measurements, and other biological monitoring. However, all toxicity-testing procedures have certain limitations that must be considered in developing the methodology and applications of toxicity testing in any large-scale water-quality-assessment program. A wide variety of toxicity-test methods have been developed to fulfill the needs of diverse applications. The methods differ primarily in the selections made relative to four characteristics: (1) test species, (2) endpoint (acute or chronic), (3) test-enclosure type, and (4) test substance (toxicant) that functions as the environmental stress. Toxicity-test approaches vary in their capacity to meet the needs of large-scale assessments of existing water quality. Ambient testing, whereby the test organism is exposed to naturally occurring substances that contain toxicant mixtures in an organic or inorganic matrix, is more likely to meet these needs than are procedures that call for exposure of the test organisms to known concentrations of a single toxicant. However, meaningful interpretation of ambient test results depends on the existence of accompanying chemical analysis of the ambient media. The ambient test substance may be water or sediments. Sediment tests have had limited application, but they are useful because most toxicants tend to accumulate in sediments and many test species either inhabit the sediments or are in frequent contact with them. Biochemical testing methods, which have been developing rapidly in recent years, are likely to be among the most useful procedures for large-scale water-quality assessments. They are relatively rapid and simple, and more. importantly, they focus on biochemical changes that are the initial responses of virtually all organisms to environmental stimuli. Most species are sensitive to relatively few toxicants, and their sensitivities vary as conditions change. Therefore, each test method has particular uses and limitations, and no single test has universal applicability. One of the most informative approaches to toxicity testing is to combine biochemical tests with other test methods in a 'battery of tests' that is diversified enough to characterize different types of toxicants and different trophic levels. However, such an approach can be costly, and if not carefully designed, it may not yield enough additional information to warrant the additional cost. The application of toxicity tests to large-scale water-quality assessments is hampered by a number of difficulties. Toxicity tests often are not sensitive enough to enable detection of most contaminant problems in the natural environment. Furthermore, because sensitivities among different species and test conditions can be highly variable, conclusions about the toxicant problems of an ecosystem are strongly dependent on the test procedure used. In addition, the experimental systems used in toxicity tests cannot replicate the complexity or variability of natural conditions, and positive test results cannot identify the source or nature of

Nanoparticles of volcanic ash as a carrier for toxic elements on the global scale.

PubMed

Ermolin, Mikhail S; Fedotov, Petr S; Malik, Natalia A; Karandashev, Vasily K

2018-06-01

At present, there is concern about engineered nanoparticles in the environment, whereas natural nanoparticles (NPs) and their impact are often neglected. In our paper, we demonstrate the important role of nanoparticles of volcanic ash in transport of toxic elements on a global scale. A single volcanic eruption can eject millions of tons of ash. NPs of volcanic ash reach the upper troposphere and the stratosphere and may "travel" around the world for years affecting human health, environment, and even climate. So far, there is a gap in exposure assessment of volcanic ash NPs since their chemical composition remains largely unknown. Here we show for the first time that volcanic ash NPs can serve as an important carrier for potentially toxic elements. The concentrations of Ni, Zn, Cd, Ag, Sn, Se, Te, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi in volcanic ash NPs (<100 nm) were found to be 10-500 times higher than total contents of these elements in bulk samples. This is valid for volcanoes from different regions of the world (Kamchatka, Far East of Russia and Andes, Chile). The work opens a new door into studies on biogeochemical impact of volcanic ash. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy Rare Earth Elements Affect Sphaerechinus granularis Sea Urchin Early Life Stages by Multiple Toxicity Endpoints.

PubMed

Gravina, Maria; Pagano, Giovanni; Oral, Rahime; Guida, Marco; Toscanesi, Maria; Siciliano, Antonietta; Di Nunzio, Aldo; Burić, Petra; Lyons, Daniel M; Thomas, Philippe J; Trifuoggi, Marco

2018-05-01

Heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) were tested for adverse effects to early life stages of the sea urchin Sphaerechinus granularis. Embryos were exposed to analytically measured HREE concentrations ranging from 10 -7 to 10 -5  M. No significant developmental defect (DD) increases were observed in embryos exposed to 10 -7  M HREEs, whereas 10 -5  M HREEs resulted in significant DD increase up to 96% for HoCl 3 versus 14% in controls. Embryos exposed to 10 -6  M HREEs showed the highest DD frequency in embryos exposed to 10 -6  M DyCl 3 and HoCl 3 . Cytogenetic analysis of HREE-exposed embryos revealed a significant decrease in mitotic activity, with increased mitotic aberrations. When S. granularis sperm were exposed to HREEs, the offspring of sperm exposed to 10 -5  M GdCl 3 and LuCl 3 showed significant DD increases. The results warrant investigations on HREEs in other test systems, and on REE-containing complex mixtures.

Profiling extractable and leachable inorganic impurities in ophthalmic drug containers by ICP-MS.

PubMed

Solomon, Paige; Nelson, Jenny

2018-03-01

In this study, we investigated the elemental impurities present in the plastic material of ophthalmic eye drop bottles using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Metallic contaminations, especially localized within the small cavity of the eye, can significantly perturb the ocular metallome. The concern is two-fold: first certain elements, for example heavy metals, can be toxic to humans at even trace levels, and second, these contaminations can have adverse reactions with other medicines or enzymatic processes in the eye. The implication of redox-active metals in cataract formation is one such biological consequence. The analysis demonstrated the effect of aggressive storage and transportation conditions on elemental extractable and leachable contamination, and posits that release of these elemental impurities can disrupt metallome equilibrium in the ocular compartment, leading to toxicity and disease.

Toxic and essential elements in Lebanese cheese.

PubMed

Bou Khozam, Rola; Pohl, Pawel; Al Ayoubi, Baydaa; Jaber, Farouk; Lobinski, Ryszard

2012-01-01

Concentrations of 20 minor, trace and ultratrace elements relevant to human health (Ag, Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, V) were determined in four different varieties of the most consumed cheese in Lebanon (Halloumi, Double Crème, Baladi, Labneh) sampled at five different provinces (Grand Beirut, South of Lebanon, North of Lebanon, Mount of Lebanon and Beka'a) during the wet and dry seasons. The analyses were carried out by double focussing sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in order to avoid errors due to polyatomic interferences. Levels of toxic elements (As, Cd, Pb) were generally below the WHO permissible levels in dairy products. Concentrations of most elements were considerably affected by the type of cheese, the geographical site and the season of sampling.

Estimated Dietary Intakes of Toxic Elements from Four Staple Foods in Najran City, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Mohamed, Hatem; Haris, Parvez I; Brima, Eid I

2017-12-14

Exposure of the inhabitants of Najran area in Saudi Arabia to the toxic elements As, Cd, Cr, and Pb through foods has not been previously investigated. Exposure to such elements is an important public health issue, so the study described here was performed with the aim of determining estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) for these metals in Najran area. The As, Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations in four staple foods (rice, wheat, red meat, and chicken) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was completed by 80 study participants. These data were used to estimate dietary intakes of the metals in the four staple foods. The mean As, Cd, Cr, and Pb EDIs in the four food types were 1.1 × 10 -6 -2.6 × 10 -5 , 1.42 × 10 -5 -2.2 × 10 -4 , 3.4 × 10 -4 -8.0 × 10 -4 , and 2.3 × 10 -5 -2.1 × 10 -3 mg/kg bw day, respectively. Hazard Quotients (HQ) for all elements did not exceed one. The highest Pb concentration was found for chicken and the source of this toxic element in this food needs to be investigated in the future. The lowest As concentration was found for wheat highest in rice. The EDIs for all elements in the four food types were below the provisional tolerable weekly intakes set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Characterization of Emissions and Residues from Simulations ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The surface oil burns conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard from April to July 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico were simulated by small scale burns to characterize the pollutants, determine emission factors, and gather particulate matter for subsequent toxicity testing. A representative crude oil (Bayou Sweet) was burned in ocean-salinity seawater and emissions were collected from the plume by means of a crane-suspended emission sampling platform. A comprehensive array of emissions was characterized, accounting for over 92% by mass of the combustion products even without accounting for H2O. The particulate matter emissions were 70 g/kg (±8.3) of oil consumed, composed of 81% (±8) elemental carbon, and 80% were 1 µm in diameter or less. The particulate matter emissions were strongly light absorbing and had a single scattering albedo of 0.4 (±0.01) at 532 nm. Emissions of the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were approximately 1 g/kg of oil consumed. While the oil burn particles were highly PAH-enriched, less than 30% of the PAHs were particle-bound, the rest being in the gas phase. Formation of polychlorinated dibenzodioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/DF) was observed at 1.2 ng toxic equivalency (TEQ)/kg of oil consumed. Analysis of the particles showed the major elements to be Na, S, Cl and Si with no other elements, including metals, exceeding 5 mg/kg oil consumed. The unburned oil mass was 29% of the original crude oil mas

Heavy Metals Toxicity and the Environment

PubMed Central

Tchounwou, Paul B; Yedjou, Clement G; Patlolla, Anita K; Sutton, Dwayne J

2013-01-01

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight and a density at least 5 times greater than that of water. Their multiple industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical and technological applications have led to their wide distribution in the environment; raising concerns over their potential effects on human health and the environment. Their toxicity depends on several factors including the dose, route of exposure, and chemical species, as well as the age, gender, genetics, and nutritional status of exposed individuals. Because of their high degree of toxicity, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury rank among the priority metals that are of public health significance. These metallic elements are considered systemic toxicants that are known to induce multiple organ damage, even at lower levels of exposure. They are also classified as human carcinogens (known or probable) according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. This review provides an analysis of their environmental occurrence, production and use, potential for human exposure, and molecular mechanisms of toxicity, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. PMID:22945569

TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF TOXIC CONTAMINANTS IN ANIMAL DIETS

EPA Science Inventory

Uncertified commercial research animal feed (Purina Chow TM) was analyzed over forty-one months to determine essential and trace elements and toxic contaminants. Parametric statistics and graphic chronologic progressions of the results are presented for cat, monkey, rodent (rat/m...

Test and evaluation of the heat recovery incinerator system at Naval Station, Mayport, Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-05-01

This report describes test and evaluation of the two-ton/hr heat recovery incinerator (HRI) facility located at Mayport Naval Station, Fla., carried out during November and December 1980. The tests included: (1) Solid Waste: characterization, heating value, and ultimate analysis, (2) Ash: moisture, combustibles, and heating values of both bottom and cyclone ashes; Extraction Procedure toxicity tests on leachates from both bottom and cyclone ashes; trace metals in cyclone particulates, (3) Stack Emissions: particulates (quantity and size distribution), chlorides, oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and trace elements, and (4) Heat and Mass Balance: all measurements required to carry out complete heat and mass balance calculations over the test period. The overall thermal efficiency of the HRI facility while operating at approximately 1.0 ton/hr was found to be 49% when the primary Btu equivalent of the electrical energy consumed during the test program was included.

Hyalella IQ Toxicity Test{trademark} as a predictor of whole sediment toxicity with diversely contaminated sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Douglas, W.S.; Hayes, K.R.

1994-12-31

The IQ TOXICITY TEST{trademark} is a toxicity screening test that evaluates the organism`s galactosidase enzyme system functionality as a predictor of acute toxicity. Organisms are exposed to a potentially toxic solution for approximately one hour. Following the exposure, the organisms are exposed to a slurry of a galactoside sugar tagged with a fluorescent marker (methylumbelliferyl galactoside) for 15--20 minutes. A black light can then be used to examine whether the hemolymph of the organism contains free umbelliferone, which brightly fluoresces. The organisms are then scored as ``on`` or ``off`` with respect to free umbelliferone. This endpoint can then be usedmore » to calculate an EC50, which is comparable to a whole effluent, pure compound, or sediment toxicity test. Slightly different methodologies are used for different toxicity test organisms. The objective of this presentation is to discuss the use of the IQ{trademark} methodology with porewater extract exposures of the amphipod Hyalella azteca as a predictor of results of whole sediment toxicity tests. The results of over thirty 10 and 28-day whole sediment toxicity tests and the concurrent Hyalella azteca 10 TOXICITY TESTS{trademark} are compared and discussed. The use of screening tests as a reduced cost method for initial site assessment will be discussed.« less

Analysis of 22 Elements in Milk, Feed, and Water of Dairy Cow, Goat, and Buffalo from Different Regions of China.

PubMed

Zhou, Xuewei; Qu, Xueyin; Zhao, Shengguo; Wang, Jiaqi; Li, Songli; Zheng, Nan

2017-03-01

The objectives of this study were to measure the concentrations of elements in raw milk by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and evaluate differences in element concentrations among animal species and regions of China. Furthermore, drinking water and feed samples were analyzed to investigate whether the element concentrations in raw milk are correlated with those in water and feed. All samples were analyzed by ICP-MS following microwave-assisted acid digestion. The mean recovery of the elements was 98.7 % from milk, 103.7 % from water, and 93.3 % from a certified reference material (cabbage). Principal component analysis results revealed that element concentrations differed among animal species and regions. Correlation analysis showed that trace elements Mn, Fe, Ni, Ga, Se, Sr, Cs, U in water and Co, Ni, Cu, Se, U in feed were significantly correlated with those in milk (p < 0.05). Toxic and potential toxic elements Cr, As, Cd, Tl, Pb in water and Al, Cr, As, Hg, Tl in feed were significantly correlated with those in milk (p < 0.05). Results of correlation analysis revealed that elements in water and feed might contribute to the elements in milk.

Essential and toxic element concentrations in blood and urine and their associations with diet: results from a Norwegian population study including high-consumers of seafood and game.

PubMed

Birgisdottir, B E; Knutsen, H K; Haugen, M; Gjelstad, I M; Jenssen, M T S; Ellingsen, D G; Thomassen, Y; Alexander, J; Meltzer, H M; Brantsæter, A L

2013-10-01

The first aim of the study was to evaluate calculated dietary intake and concentrations measured in blood or urine of essential and toxic elements in relation to nutritional and toxicological reference values. The second aim was to identify patterns of the element concentrations in blood and urine and to identify possible dietary determinants of the concentrations of these elements. Adults with a known high consumption of environmental contaminants (n=111), and a random sample of controls (n=76) answered a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Complete data on biological measures were available for 179 individuals. Blood and urine samples were analyzed for selenium, iodine, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and lead. Principal component analysis was used to identify underlying patterns of correlated blood and urine concentrations. The calculated intakes of selenium, iodine, inorganic arsenic and mercury were within guideline levels. For cadmium 24% of the high consumer group and 8% of the control group had intakes above the tolerable weekly intake. Concentrations of lead in blood exceeded the bench-mark dose lower confidence limits for some participants. However, overall, the examined exposures did not give rise to nutritional or toxicological concerns. Game consumption was associated with lead in blood (B(ln) 0.021; 95%CI:0.010, 0.031) and wine consumption. Seafood consumption was associated with urinary cadmium in non-smokers (B(ln) 0.009; 95%CI:0.003, 0.015). A novel finding was a distinct pattern of positively associated biological markers, comprising iodine, selenium, arsenic and mercury (eigenvalue 3.8), reflecting seafood intake (B 0.007; 95%CI:0.004, 0.010). The study clearly demonstrates the significance of seafood as a source of both essential nutrients and toxic elements simultaneously and shows that exposure to various essential and toxic elements can be intertwined. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of platinum, palladium and rhodium to Daphnia magna in single and binary metal exposure experiments.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Sonja; Wolff, Carolina; Sures, Bernd

2017-05-01

Mainly due to automobile traffic, but also due to other sources, the platinum group elements (PGE) platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) and rhodium (Rh) are introduced into aquatic biotopes where they accumulate in sediments of lakes and rivers. However, the toxicity of these noble metals to aquatic organisms is not well understood and especially toxicity studies under standardized condition are lacking. Thus, the toxicity of Pt, Pd and Rh to Daphnia magna was tested in single metal exposure experiments according to OECD guideline 202. Immobility and lethality was recorded after 24 h and 48 h of exposure and EC 50 and LC 50 , respectively, were determined. As the nominal exposure concentration of Pd differed significantly from the quantified concentration, the control of the real exposure concentration by chemical analysis is mandatory, especially for Pd. The toxicity decreased in the order Pd > Pt ≫ Rh with e.g. LC 50 (48 h) values of 14 μg/L for Pd, 157 μg/L for Pt and 56,800 μg/L for Rh. The exposure period had a clear effect on the toxicity of Pt, Pd and Rh. For Pt and Rh the endpoint immobility was more sensitive than the endpoint lethality whereas Pd toxicity was similar for both endpoints. The Hill slopes, which are a measure for the steepness of the concentration-response curves, showed no significant discrepancies between the different metals. The binary metal exposure to Pt and Pd revealed a more-than-additive, i.e. a synergistic toxicity using the toxic unit approach. The present study is a start to understand the toxicity of interacting PGE. The modes of action behind the synergistic effect are unclear. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalidation of an Acute Inhalation Toxicity Test Using the EpiAirway In Vitro Human Airway Model

PubMed Central

Jackson, George R.; Maione, Anna G.; Klausner, Mitchell

2018-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Knowledge of acute inhalation toxicity potential is important for establishing safe use of chemicals and consumer products. Inhalation toxicity testing and classification procedures currently accepted within worldwide government regulatory systems rely primarily on tests conducted in animals. The goal of the current work was to develop and prevalidate a nonanimal (in vitro) test for determining acute inhalation toxicity using the EpiAirway™ in vitro human airway model as a potential alternative for currently accepted animal tests. Materials and Methods: The in vitro test method exposes EpiAirway tissues to test chemicals for 3 hours, followed by measurement of tissue viability as the test endpoint. Fifty-nine chemicals covering a broad range of toxicity classes, chemical structures, and physical properties were evaluated. The in vitro toxicity data were utilized to establish a prediction model to classify the chemicals into categories corresponding to the currently accepted Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) system. Results: The EpiAirway prediction model identified in vivo rat-based GHS Acute Inhalation Toxicity Category 1–2 and EPA Acute Inhalation Toxicity Category I–II chemicals with 100% sensitivity and specificity of 43.1% and 50.0%, for GHS and EPA acute inhalation toxicity systems, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the EpiAirway prediction model for identifying GHS specific target organ toxicity-single exposure (STOT-SE) Category 1 human toxicants were 75.0% and 56.5%, respectively. Corrosivity and electrophilic and oxidative reactivity appear to be the predominant mechanisms of toxicity for the most highly toxic chemicals. Conclusions: These results indicate that the EpiAirway test is a promising alternative to the currently accepted animal tests for acute inhalation toxicity. PMID:29904643

Prevalidation of an Acute Inhalation Toxicity Test Using the EpiAirway In Vitro Human Airway Model.

PubMed

Jackson, George R; Maione, Anna G; Klausner, Mitchell; Hayden, Patrick J

2018-06-01

Introduction: Knowledge of acute inhalation toxicity potential is important for establishing safe use of chemicals and consumer products. Inhalation toxicity testing and classification procedures currently accepted within worldwide government regulatory systems rely primarily on tests conducted in animals. The goal of the current work was to develop and prevalidate a nonanimal ( in vitro ) test for determining acute inhalation toxicity using the EpiAirway™ in vitro human airway model as a potential alternative for currently accepted animal tests. Materials and Methods: The in vitro test method exposes EpiAirway tissues to test chemicals for 3 hours, followed by measurement of tissue viability as the test endpoint. Fifty-nine chemicals covering a broad range of toxicity classes, chemical structures, and physical properties were evaluated. The in vitro toxicity data were utilized to establish a prediction model to classify the chemicals into categories corresponding to the currently accepted Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) system. Results: The EpiAirway prediction model identified in vivo rat-based GHS Acute Inhalation Toxicity Category 1-2 and EPA Acute Inhalation Toxicity Category I-II chemicals with 100% sensitivity and specificity of 43.1% and 50.0%, for GHS and EPA acute inhalation toxicity systems, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the EpiAirway prediction model for identifying GHS specific target organ toxicity-single exposure (STOT-SE) Category 1 human toxicants were 75.0% and 56.5%, respectively. Corrosivity and electrophilic and oxidative reactivity appear to be the predominant mechanisms of toxicity for the most highly toxic chemicals. Conclusions: These results indicate that the EpiAirway test is a promising alternative to the currently accepted animal tests for acute inhalation toxicity.

Preeclampsia and toxic metals: a case-control study in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

PubMed

Elongi Moyene, Jean-Pierre; Scheers, Hans; Tandu-Umba, Barthélémy; Haufroid, Vincent; Buassa-Bu-Tsumbu, Baudouin; Verdonck, Fons; Spitz, Bernard; Nemery, Benoit

2016-04-05

Preeclampsia is frequent in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), especially during the dry season. We tested whether preeclampsia was associated with exposure to environmental metals. Using a case-control design, 88 women hospitalized with preeclampsia (cases) and 88 healthy pregnant women from the antenatal clinic (controls) were included in the study; 67 and 109 women were enrolled during the rainy and dry season, respectively. The concentrations of 24 elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in 24-h urine collections. Differences in the urinary excretion of metals were investigated between cases and controls, and the interaction with season was assessed. Cases and controls were well matched regarding age, parity and duration of pregnancy. In controls, the urinary concentrations of most elements were substantially higher than reference values for adults from industrially developed countries, e.g. for lead: geometric mean (GM) 8.0 μg/L [25(th)-75(th) percentile 3.1-13.8]. The daily urinary excretions of 14 metals were significantly higher in women with preeclampsia than in control women, e.g. for lead: GM 61 μg/day (25(th)-75(th) percentile 8-345) in women with preeclampsia vs 9 μg/day (25(th)-75(th) percentile 3-21) in controls (p < 0.001). A significant interaction was found between season and preeclampsia for several elements, with higher urinary excretions in preeclamptic women than controls during the dry season, but not during the rainy season. This study revealed not only that women with preeclampsia excrete higher amounts of several toxic metals, especially lead, than control women, but also that this excretion exhibits seasonal variation, thus possibly explaining the high incidence and seasonal variation of preeclampsia in Kinshasa. Although the exact sources of this exposure are unknown, these findings underscore the need for preventing environmental exposures to lead and other toxic metals.

Evaluation of ability of reference toxicity tests to identify stress in laboratory populations of the amphipod Hyalella azteca

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNulty, E.W.; Dwyer, F.J.; Ellersieck, Mark R.; Greer, E.I.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Rabeni, C.F.

1999-01-01

Standard methods for conducting toxicity tests imply that the condition of test organisms can be established using reference toxicity tests. However, only a limited number of studies have evaluated whether reference toxicity tests can actually be used to determine if organisms are in good condition at the start of a test. We evaluated the ability of reference toxicants to identify stress associated with starvation in laboratory populations of the amphipod Hyalella azteca using acute toxicity tests and four reference toxicants: KCl, CdCl2, sodium pentachlorophenate (NaPCP), and carbaryl. Stress associated with severe starvation was observed with exposure of amphipods to carbaryl or NaPCP but not with exposure to KCl or CdCl2 (i.e., lower LC50 with severe starvation). Although the LC50s for NaPCP and carbaryl were statistically different between starved and fed amphipods, this difference may not be biologically significant given the variability expected in acute lethality tests. Stress associated with sieving, heat shock, or cold shock of amphipods before the start of a test was not evident with exposure to carbaryl or KCl as reference toxicants. The chemicals evaluated in this study provided minimal information about the condition of the organisms used to start a toxicity test. Laboratories should periodically perform reference toxicity tests to assess the sensitivity of life stages or strains of test organisms. However, use of other test acceptability criteria required in standard methods such as minimum survival, growth, or reproduction of organisms in the control treatment at the end of a test, provides more useful information about the condition of organisms used to start a test compared to data generated from reference toxicity tests.

Principles and Procedures for Evaluating the Toxicity of Household Substances. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC. Assembly of Life Sciences.

This report was prepared for use by the professional toxicologist. It contains chapters on ingestion exposure, dermal and dye toxicity tests, inhalation exposure, chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity tests, mutagenicity tests, reproduction and teratogenicity tests, and behavioral toxicity tests. In addition, regulations under the Federal Hazardous…

Comparison of essential and toxic elements in esophagus, lung, mouth and urinary bladder male cancer patients with related to controls.

PubMed

Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Talpur, Farah Naz; Tuzen, Mustafa; Baig, Jameel Ahmed

2015-05-01

There is a compelling evidence in support of negative associations between essential trace and toxic elements in different types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between carcinogenic (As, Cd, Ni) and anti-carcinogenic (Se, Zn) trace elements in scalp hair samples of different male cancerous patients (esophagus, lung, mouth, and urinary bladder). For comparative purposes, the scalp hair samples of healthy males of the same age group (ranged 35-65 years) as controls were analyzed. Both controls and patients have the same socioeconomic status, localities, dietary habits, and smoking locally made cigarette. The scalp hair samples were oxidized by 65% nitric acid: 30% hydrogen peroxide (2:1) ratio in microwave oven followed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked using certified reference material of human hair BCR 397. The mean concentrations of As, Cd, and Ni were found to be significantly higher in scalp hair samples of patients having different cancers as compared to the controls, while reverse results were obtained in the case of Se and Zn levels (p < 0.01). The study revealed that the carcinogenic processes are significantly affecting the trace elements burden and mutual interaction of essential trace and toxic elements in the cancerous patients.

In which regions is breast-feeding safer from the impact of toxic elements from the environment?

PubMed

Cinar, Nursan; Ozdemir, Sami; Yucel, Oya; Ucar, Fatma

2011-11-01

Owing to its unique nutritional and immunological characteristics, breast milk is the most important food source for infants. But, children are at greater risk for exposure to environmental toxicants from breast milk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of environmental pollution on essential and toxic element contents of breast milk and determine the risky locations in our population. This study was conducted on women who were breastfeeding (n=90). Milk samples were collected at three locations in Marmara region, Turkey: highly industrialized region highly affected by pollution, urbanized region moderately and rural area that is affected little. Breast milk samples (5 mL) were collected at approximately one month postpartum (mature milk). The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in milk samples were compared to the milk samples coming from different locations.Lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium, iron and manganese levels in the breast milk are highest and engrossing especially in rural areas compared to the other regions but cobalt, copper, zinc levels are highest in highly industrial areas. The levels of essential and toxic elements in breast milk can vary in different regions. The levels presented in our study are above some countries' data albeit not at toxic levels. Because of global effects, environmental pollution is not the problem for industrializing regions only. Rural area also may not be safe for breastfeed babies.

ELEMENTAL SPECIATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT MATRICES

EPA Science Inventory

Arsenic and tin are two trace metals where exposure assessments have moved towards a speciation based approach because the toxicity is very chemical form dependent. This toxicity difference can be one of many factors which influence the formulation of certain regulations. For a...

Antimicrobial potential of two traditional herbometallic drugs against certain pathogenic microbial species.

PubMed

Wijenayake, A U; Abayasekara, C L; Pitawala, H M T G A; Bandara, B M R

2016-09-15

Mineral based preparations are widely used for centuries as antimicrobial agents. However, the efficacy and the mode of action of mineral based preparations are uncertain due to the insufficient antimicrobial studies. Arogyawardhana Vati (AV) and Manikya Rasa (MR) are such two Rasashastra herbo-minerallic drugs commonly in India and other countries in South Asia. Despite of their well known traditional use of skin diseases, reported antimicrobial and mineralogical studies are limited. Therefore, in this study antimicrobial activities of the drugs and their organic, inorganic fractions were evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherischia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Methecilline Resistance Staphylococcus aureus - MRSA and Candida albicans. Antimicrobial activity of the drugs, their inorganic residues and organic extracts were determined using four assay techniques viz agar well diffusion, modified well diffusion, Miles and Misra viable cell counting and broth turbidity measurements. Mineralogical constituents of the drugs were determined using X-ray diffraction, while total cation constituents and water soluble cation constituents were determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer and the atomic absorption spectrophotometer respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the weight percentages of organic and inorganic fraction of the drugs. Particle sizes of the drugs were determined using the particle size analyzer. AV and MR drugs showed antibacterial activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacterial species when analyzed separately. Inorganic residues of the drugs and organic extracts showed activity at least against two or more bacterial species tested. All tested components were inactive against C. albicans. Common mineral constituents of drugs are cinnabar, biotite and Fe-rich phases. Drugs were rich in essential elements such as Na, K, Ca, Mg and Fe and toxic elements such as Zn, Cu and As. However, the water soluble concentrations of the toxic elements were below the detection limits. Both drugs have significantly higher percentages of organic constituents and volatile minerals and particle sizes of drugs are in the nanometer range. AV and MR Rasashastra preparations could provide alternatives to synthetic antibiotics against human bacterial infections. Improved solubility and reduced particle sizes are influential physicochemical properties used to enhance the antimicrobial efficacy of the drugs. Therefore, traditional knowledge on the use of antimicrobial mineral sources could provide a novel path for the producing of effective antimicrobial drugs. However, further chemical and toxicological studies are urgently needed for a greater understanding of their toxicity to humans.

Effect of hardness on acute toxicity of metal mixtures using Daphnia magna: prediction of acid mine drainage toxicity.

PubMed

Yim, Jin Hee; Kim, Kyoung W; Kim, Sang D

2006-11-02

In this study, the effect of hardness on the combined outcome of metal mixtures was investigated using Daphnia magna. The toxic unit (TU) was calculated using modified LC(50) values based on the hardness (i.e., LC(50-soft) and LC(50-hard)). From a bioassay test, the degree of sensitivity to hardness on the toxicity changes was in the order: Cd

Acute And Subchronic Toxicity Studies Of SNEDDS (Self Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems) From Ethyl Acetate Extract Of Bay Leaf (Eugenia polyantha W.) with Virgin Coconut Oil As Oil Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prihapsara, F.; Alamsyah, R. I.; Widiyani, T.; Artanti, A. N.

2018-03-01

Bay leaf (Eugenia polyantha) is widely used as an alternative therapy for diabetic and hypercholesterol. However, the administration of the extract has a low oral bioavailability, therefore it is prepared by Self Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SNEDDS) ethyl acetate extract of bay leaf. Therefore, acute and subchronic toxicity test is required. The toxicity test performed was an experimental study, including acute and subchronic toxicity tests. Animal experiments were used using Wistar strain rats. Acute toxicity test using 5 groups (n=5) consisted of 1 control group and 4 groups of SNEDDS dose with 48 mg/kgBW 240 mg/kg, 1200 mg/kg, and 6000 mg/kg, while for subchronic toxicity test with 1 group control and 3 groups of doses of SNEDDS with dose group variation 91.75 mg/kgBW, 183.5 mg/kg, and 367 mg/kg. Duration of observation at acute toxicity test for 14 days while for subcronic toxicity test for 28 days with continuous SNEDDS dosage. The results of the acute toxicity test showed toxic symptoms and obtained median lethal dose (LD50) values from SNEDDS from ethyl acetate extract of bay leaf 1409.30 mg/kgBW belonging to slightly toxic category. Subchronic toxicity studies show that the test drug has minor damage in liver and kidneys and moderate damage in pancreas.

Assessment of toxic and endocrine potential of substances migrating from selected toys and baby products.

PubMed

Szczepańska, Natalia; Namieśnik, Jacek; Kudłak, Błażej

2016-12-01

Analysis of literature data shows that there is limited information about the harmful biological effects of mixture of compounds from the EDC group that are released from the surface of toys and objects intended for children and infants. One of the tools that can be used to obtain such information is appropriate bioanalytical tests. The aim of this research involved determining whether tests that use living organisms as an active element (Vibrio fischeri-Microtox®, Heterocypris incongruens-Ostrocodtoxkit F™ and the XenoScreen YES/YAS™ test of oestrogenic/androgenic activity) can be a tool for estimating the combined toxic effects induced by xenobiotics released from objects intended for children. To reproduce the conditions to which objects are exposed during their use, liquids with a composition corresponding to that of human bodily fluids (artificial sweat and saliva) were used. This research focused on the main parameters influencing the intensification of the migration process (temperature, contact time and composition of the extraction mixture). The studies aimed to estimate the endocrine potential of the extracts showed that compounds released from the surface of studied objects exhibit antagonistic androgenic activity. While on the basis of the results of Microtox® test, one can state that the largest quantity of toxic compounds are released in the first 2 h of using the object. The FTIR spectra analyses confirmed that no degradation of polymeric material took place. On the basis of the results obtained, it was unanimously concluded that contact of the object with bodily fluids may result in the release of a large number of xenobiotics, which has disadvantageous effects on the metabolic processes of the indicator organisms.

Antibacterial, Antifungal and Nematicidal Activities of Rare Earth Ions.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Tokumitsu; Ymamoto, Ayumi; Kazaana, Akira; Nakano, Yuta; Nojiri, Yui; Kashiwazaki, Moeko

2016-12-01

Despite the name, rare earth elements are relatively abundant in soil. Therefore, these elements might interact with biosphere during the history of life. In this study, we have examined the effect of rare earth ions on the growth of bacteria, fungi and soil nematode. All rare earth ions, except radioactive promethium that we have not tested, showed antibacterial and antifungal activities comparable to that of copper ions, which is widely used as antibacterial metals in our daily life. Rare earth ions also have nematicidal activities as they strongly perturb the embryonic development of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Interestingly, the nematicidal activity increased with increasing atomic number of lanthanide ions. Since the rare earth ions did not show high toxicity to the human lymphoblastoid cell line or even stimulate the growth of the cultured cells at 1 mM, it raised the possibility that we can substitute rare earth elements for the antibacterial metals usually used because of their safety.

The engineered phytoremediation of ionic and methylmercury pollution 70054yr.2001.doc

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meagher, Richard B.

2001-06-01

Our long-term objective is to enable highly productive plant species to extract, resist, detoxify, and/or sequester toxic organic and heavy metal pollutants (Meagher, 2000) applying scientific strategies and technologies from a rapidly developing field called phytoremediation. The phytoremediation of toxic elemental and organic pollutants requires the use relatively different approaches (Meagher, 2000). Our current specific objectives are to use transgenic plants to control the chemical species, electrochemical state, and aboveground binding of mercury to (a) prevent methylmercury from entering the food-chain, (b) remove mercury from polluted sites, and (c) hyperaccumulate mercury in aboveground tissues for later harvest. Various parts ofmore » this strategy are being critically tested by examining different genes in model plants and field species and comparing the results to control plants as recently reviewed (Meagher et al., 2000; Rugh et al., 2000).« less

Ecological effects and environmental fate of solid rocket exhaust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nimmo, B.; Stout, I. J.; Mickus, J.; Vickers, D.; Madsen, B.

1974-01-01

Specific target processes were classified as to the chemical, chemical-physical, and biological reactions and toxic effects of solid rocket emissions within selected ecosystems at Kennedy Space Center. Exposure of Citris seedlings, English peas, and bush beans to SRM exhaust under laboratory conditions demonstrated reduced growth rates, but at very high concentrations. Field studies of natural plant populations in three diverse ecosystems failed to reveal any structural damage at the concentration levels tested. Background information on elemental composition of selected woody plants from two terrestrial ecosystems is reported. LD sub 50 for a native mouse (peromysous gossypinus) exposed to SRM exhaust was determined to be 50 ppm/g body weight. Results strongly indicate that other components of the SRM exhaust act synergically to enhance the toxic effects of HCl gas when inhaled. A brief summary is given regarding the work on SRM exhaust and its possible impact on hatchability of incubating bird eggs.

Mercury, elemental

Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

Mercury , elemental ; CASRN 7439 - 97 - 6 Human health assessment information on a chemical substance is included in the IRIS database only after a comprehensive review of toxicity data , as outlined in the IRIS assessment development process . Sections I ( Health Hazard Assessments for Noncarcinoge

Trace elements in oceanic pelagic communities in the western Indian Ocean.

PubMed

Bodin, Nathalie; Lesperance, Dora; Albert, Rona; Hollanda, Stephanie; Michaud, Philippe; Degroote, Maxime; Churlaud, Carine; Bustamante, Paco

2017-05-01

The mineral composition of target and non-target pelagic fish caught by purse-seiners and longliners in the western-central Indian Ocean was determined. From the 10 essential elements analysed, selenium and zinc showed the highest concentrations in swordfish and blue marlin while Indian mackerel appeared as a good source of copper, iron and chrome. All catch had levels of lead and cadmium, two toxic elements, below the maximum sanitary limits. Although some concerns were raised regarding mercury concentrations in the largest species (wahoo, swordfish and blue marlin), molar ratios of mercury and selenium indicate that all oceanic pelagic fish from the western-central Indian Ocean are safe for human consumption. This study also gives insights on the relationships between the levels of essential and toxic elements in fish muscle and the size, trophic position and diet sources of the studied pelagic species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Hyalella azteca IQ Toxicity Test{trademark} for prediction of 28-day sediment toxicity tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Novotny, A.N.; Ezzard, C.L.; Douglas, W.S.

1995-12-31

The IQ Toxicity Test, which is a rapid screening toxicity test consisting of the observation of in-vivo inhibition of an enzymatic process using a fluorescent substrate, has proven successful for the determination of 24 and 48-hour EC50`s of D. magna, C. dubia, D. pulex and M. bahia. The application of this concept to utilize the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca may be an excellent way in which to reduce the standard 28-day chronic sediment toxicity test to possibly one hour`s time. This study incorporates an additive experimental design to explore the effects of and interactions between five specific variables: size ofmore » the amphipod, exposure time to the toxicant, concentration of substrate, exposure time to the substrate, and length of time starved prior to testing. The results of the IQ toxicity test were compared to those of a 28-day chronic sediment toxicity test. Preliminary data indicate that there is an optimal combination of these variables which results in a concise, reproducible toxicity test for use with Hyalella azteca, and would potentially be applicable to other freshwater amphipods in the future.« less

Essentiality, Toxicity and Uncertainty in the Risk Assessment of Manganese

EPA Science Inventory

Risk assessments of manganese by inhalation or oral routes of exposure typically acknowledge the duality of manganese as an essential element at low doses and a toxic metal at high doses. Previously, however, risk assessors were unable to describe manganese pharmacokinetics quant...

Survey of toxicity and carcinogenity of mineral deposits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Furst, A.; Harding-Barlow, I.

1981-11-03

The toxicities and biogeochemical cycles of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel are reviewed in some detail, and other trace elements briefly mentioned. These heavy metals are used as a framework within which the problem of low-level radioactive waste disposal can be compared. (ACR)

Pollution Assessment of Toxic and Potentially Toxic Elements in Agricultural Soils of the City Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Aschale, Minbale; Sileshi, Yilma; Kelly-Quinn, Mary; Hailu, Dereje

2017-02-01

Due to the significantly fast urban expansion and increased industrial activities, the soils in the farms in Addis Ababa are contaminated by some toxic and potentially toxic elements (As, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, B, Ba, Sr, Zn, Mn, Pb and Cd) in varying degrees. The mean concentrations of Cr, Ni, As and B in most of the soil farms were found to be higher than the maximum recommended limits. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, Co, Ni and Mn were found to be higher than the background soil concentrations given for uncontaminated soils. Multivariate analyses coupled with correlation analysis were used to identify possible sources. The geo-accumulation index values for Cr, Mn and Pb indicated that the farm soils were unpolluted to moderately polluted as a result of anthropogenic activities. A comprehensive environmental management strategy should be formulated by the government to measure further pollution of the farmland soil.

Nano-Se attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced pulmonary injury through modulation of oxidative stress and DNA damage in Swiss albino mice.

PubMed

Bhattacharjee, Arin; Basu, Abhishek; Biswas, Jaydip; Bhattacharya, Sudin

2015-07-01

Chemotherapy is an integral part of modern day treatment regimen but anticancer drugs fail to demarcate between cancerous and normal cells thereby causing severe form of systemic toxicity. Among which pulmonary toxicity is a dreadful complication developed in cancer patients upon cyclophosphamide (CP) therapy. Oxidative stress, fibrosis, and apoptosis are the major patho-mechanisms involved in CP-induced pulmonary toxicity. In the present study, we have synthesized Nano-Se, nanotechnology-based new form of elemental selenium which has significantly lower toxicity and acceptable bioavailability. In order to meet the need of effective drugs against CP-induced adverse effects, nano selenium (Nano-Se) was tested for its possible protective efficacy on CP-induced pulmonary toxicity and bone marrow toxicity. CP intoxication resulted in structural and functional lung impairment which was revealed by massive histopathological changes. Lung injury was associated with oxidative stress/lipid peroxidation as evident by increased in reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide level, and malondialdehyde (MDA) formation with decreased in level of antioxidants such as reduced glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. Furthermore, CP at a dose of 25 mg/kg b.w. increased pulmonary DNA damage ('comet tail') and triggered DNA fragmentation and apoptosis in mouse bone marrow cells. On the other hand, Nano-Se at a dose of 2 mg Se/kg b.w., significantly inhibited CP-induced DNA damage in bronchoalveolar lavage cells, and decreased the apoptosis and percentage of DNA fragmentation in bone marrow cells and also antagonized the reduction of the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the increase level of MDA. Thus, our results suggest that Nano-Se in pre- and co-administration may serve as a promising preventive strategy against CP-induced pulmonary toxicity.

Differential contributions of Caenorhabditis elegans histone deacetylases to huntingtin polyglutamine toxicity.

PubMed

Bates, Emily A; Victor, Martin; Jones, Adriana K; Shi, Yang; Hart, Anne C

2006-03-08

Expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein causes neuronal degeneration and death in Huntington's disease patients, but the molecular mechanisms underlying polyglutamine-mediated cell death remain unclear. Previous studies suggest that expanded polyglutamine tracts alter transcription by sequestering glutamine rich transcriptional regulatory proteins, thereby perturbing their function. We tested this hypothesis in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons expressing a human huntingtin fragment with an expanded polyglutamine tract (Htn-Q150). Loss of function alleles and RNA interference (RNAi) were used to examine contributions of C. elegans cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), CREB binding protein (CBP), and histone deacetylases (HDACs) to polyglutamine-induced neurodegeneration. Deletion of CREB (crh-1) or loss of one copy of CBP (cbp-1) enhanced polyglutamine toxicity in C. elegans neurons. Loss of function alleles and RNAi were then used to systematically reduce function of each C. elegans HDAC. Generally, knockdown of individual C. elegans HDACs enhanced Htn-Q150 toxicity, but knockdown of C. elegans hda-3 suppressed toxicity. Neuronal expression of hda-3 restored Htn-Q150 toxicity and suggested that C. elegans HDAC3 (HDA-3) acts within neurons to promote degeneration in response to Htn-Q150. Genetic epistasis experiments suggested that HDA-3 and CRH-1 (C. elegans CREB homolog) directly oppose each other in regulating transcription of genes involved in polyglutamine toxicity. hda-3 loss of function failed to suppress increased neurodegeneration in hda-1/+;Htn-Q150 animals, indicating that HDA-1 and HDA-3 have different targets with opposing effects on polyglutamine toxicity. Our results suggest that polyglutamine expansions perturb transcription of CREB/CBP targets and that specific targeting of HDACs will be useful in reducing associated neurodegeneration.

Qualitative and quantitative spectro-chemical analysis of dates using UV-pulsed laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Mehder, A O; Habibullah, Y B; Gondal, M A; Baig, Umair

2016-08-01

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is demonstrated for the spectral analysis of nutritional and toxic elements present in several varieties of date fruit samples available in the Saudi Arabia market. The method analyzes the optical emission of a test sample when subjected to pulsed laser ablation. In this demonstration, our primary focus is on calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), as nutritional elements, and on chromium (Cr), as a toxic element. The local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) condition was confirmed prior to the elemental characterization of date samples to ensure accuracy of the LIBS analysis. This was achieved by measuring parameters associated with the plasma, such as the electron temperature and the electron number density. These plasma parameters aid interpretation of processes such as ionization, dissociation, and excitation occurring in the plasma plume formed by ablating the date palm sample. The minimum detection limit was established from calibration curves that involved plotting the LIBS signal intensity as a function of standard date samples with known concentrations. The concentration of Ca and Mg detected in different varieties of date samples was between 187 and 515 and 35-196mgL(-1) respectively, while Cr concentration measured between 1.72 and 7.76mgL(-1). In order to optimize our LIBS system, we have studied how the LIBS signal intensity depends on the incident laser energy and the delay time. In order to validate our LIBS analysis results, standard techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were also applied on an identical (duplicate) date samples as those used for the LIBS analysis. The LIBS results exhibit remarkable agreement with those obtained from the ICP-MS analysis. In addition, the finger print wavelengths of other elements present in date samples were also identified and are reported here, which has not been previously reported, to the best of our knowledge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SEDIMENT TOXICITY ASSESSMENT: COMPARISON OF STANDARD AND NEW TESTING DESIGNS

EPA Science Inventory

Standard methods of sediment toxicity testing are fairly well accepted; however, as with all else, evolution of these methods is inevitable. We compared a standard ASTM 10-day amphipod toxicity testing method with smaller, 48- and 96-h test methods using very toxic and reference ...

Human placenta processed for encapsulation contains modest concentrations of 14 trace minerals and elements.

PubMed

Young, Sharon M; Gryder, Laura K; David, Winnie B; Teng, Yuanxin; Gerstenberger, Shawn; Benyshek, Daniel C

2016-08-01

Maternal placentophagy has recently emerged as a rare but increasingly popular practice among women in industrialized countries who often ingest the placenta as a processed, encapsulated supplement, seeking its many purported postpartum health benefits. Little scientific research, however, has evaluated these claims, and concentrations of trace micronutrients/elements in encapsulated placenta have never been examined. Because the placenta retains beneficial micronutrients and potentially harmful toxic elements at parturition, we hypothesized that dehydrated placenta would contain detectable concentrations of these elements. To address this hypothesis, we analyzed 28 placenta samples processed for encapsulation to evaluate the concentration of 14 trace minerals/elements using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Analysis revealed detectable concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, rubidium, selenium, strontium, uranium, and zinc. Based on one recommended daily intake of placenta capsules (3300 mg/d), a daily dose of placenta supplements contains approximately 0.018 ± 0.004 mg copper, 2.19 ± 0.533 mg iron, 0.005 ± 0.000 mg selenium, and 0.180 ± 0.018 mg zinc. Based on the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for lactating women, the recommended daily intake of placenta capsules would provide, on average, 24% RDA for iron, 7.1% RDA for selenium, 1.5% RDA for zinc, and 1.4% RDA for copper. The mean concentrations of potentially harmful elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, uranium) were well below established toxicity thresholds. These results indicate that the recommended daily intake of encapsulated placenta may provide only a modest source of some trace micronutrients and a minimal source of toxic elements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chalcogenide Glass for Active and Passive Mid-IR Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Reactive gas conversion • Chemical vapour deposition What is a Chalcogenide? – From Greek sulphur-loving for elements that frequently bond to sulphur...Predominately As or Se based (toxic!) ORC Research Focussed On – Gallium Lanthanum Sulphides (non-toxic) – Germanium Sulphides (non-toxic) – Capability to...770 2 hours Primary Screening 2 - 3 days Time Scale: one week Pioneering Technology: High Throughput Physical Vapour Deposition Material Discovery

Characterization of selected bed-sediment-bound organic and inorganic contaminants and toxicity, Barnegat Bay and major tributaries, New Jersey, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Romanok, Kristin M.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Lopez, Anthony R.; Trainor, John J.; Hladik, Michelle; Stanley, Jacob K.; Farrar, Daniel

2014-01-01

A study of bed-sediment toxicity and organic and inorganic contaminants was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Bed-sediment samples were collected once from 22 sites in Barnegat Bay and selected major tributaries during August–September 2012 and analyzed for toxicity and a suite of organic and inorganic contaminants by the USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Sampling sites were selected to coincide with an existing water-quality monitoring network used by the NJDEP and others in order to evaluate water-quality conditions in Barnegat Bay and the surrounding watershed. Two of the 22 sites are reference sites and are within or adjacent to the study area; bed-sediment samples from reference sites allow for comparisons of results for the Barnegat Bay watershed to results from less affected settings within the region. Toxicity testing was conducted by exposing the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus and the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca to sediments for 28 days, and the percent survival, difference in biomass, and individual dry weights were measured. Reproductive effects also were evaluated for estuarine samples. Bed-sediment samples from four sites within Barnegat Bay were subjected to a toxicity identification evaluation to determine probable causes of toxicity. Samples were analyzed for a suite of 94 currently-used pesticides, 21 legacy pesticides, 24 trace elements, 40 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as Arochlor mixtures, and 145 individual PCB congeners. Concentrations of detected compounds were compared to sediment-quality guidelines, where appropriate.

16 CFR 1500.40 - Method of testing toxic substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... bleeding. (c) Procedures for testing. The sleeve is slipped onto the animal which is then placed in a... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Method of testing toxic substances. 1500.40... testing toxic substances. The method of testing the toxic substances referred to in § 1500.3(c) (1)(ii)(C...

16 CFR 1500.40 - Method of testing toxic substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... bleeding. (c) Procedures for testing. The sleeve is slipped onto the animal which is then placed in a... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Method of testing toxic substances. 1500.40... testing toxic substances. The method of testing the toxic substances referred to in § 1500.3(c) (1)(ii)(C...

16 CFR 1500.40 - Method of testing toxic substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... bleeding. (c) Procedures for testing. The sleeve is slipped onto the animal which is then placed in a... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Method of testing toxic substances. 1500.40... testing toxic substances. The method of testing the toxic substances referred to in § 1500.3(c) (1)(ii)(C...

Blood levels of toxic metals and rare earth elements commonly found in e-waste may exert subtle effects on hemoglobin concentration in sub-Saharan immigrants.

PubMed

Henríquez-Hernández, Luis Alberto; Boada, Luis D; Carranza, Cristina; Pérez-Arellano, José Luis; González-Antuña, Ana; Camacho, María; Almeida-González, Maira; Zumbado, Manuel; Luzardo, Octavio P

2017-12-01

Pollution by heavy metals and more recently by rare earth elements (REE) and other minor elements (ME) has increased due in part to their high use in technological and electronic devices. This contamination can become very relevant in those sites where e-waste is improperly processed, as it is the case in many countries of the African continent. Exposure to some toxic elements has been associated to certain hematological disorders, specifically anemia. In this study, the concentrations of 48 elements (including REE and other ME) were determined by ICP-MS in whole blood samples of sub-Saharan immigrants with anemia (n=63) and without anemia (n=78). We found that the levels of Fe, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, and Se were significantly higher in the control group than in the anemia group, suggesting that anemia was mainly due to nutritional deficiencies. However, since other authors have suggested that in addition to nutritional deficiency, exposure to some elements may influence hemoglobin levels, we wanted to explore the role of a broad panel of toxic and "emerging" elements in hemoglobin deficiency. We found that the levels of Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Ce, Eu, Er, Ga, La, Nb, Nd, Pb, Pr, Sm, Sn, Ta, Th, Tl, U and V were higher in anemic participants than in controls. For most of these elements an inverse correlation with hemoglobin concentration was found. Some of them also correlated inversely with blood iron levels, pointing to the possibility that a higher rate of intestinal uptake of these could exist in relation to a nutritional deficiency of iron. However, the higher levels of Pb, and the group of REE and other ME in anemic participants were independent of iron levels, pointing to the possibility that these elements could play a role in the development of anemia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elements levels in dogs from "triangle of death" and different areas of Campania region (Italy).

PubMed

Zaccaroni, Annalisa; Corteggio, Annunziata; Altamura, Gennaro; Silvi, Marina; Di Vaia, Roberto; Formigaro, Costanza; Borzacchiello, Giuseppe

2014-08-01

In the last twenty years, many concerns have raised in Campania region (Southern Italy) about illegal waste dumping and toxic waste and their possible adverse effects on health. Many human activities are considered to be important sources of environmental pollutants, elements among them. In this study, pet dogs were enrolled as environmental sentinels from three different areas of Campania, with a different degree of pollution, evaluating elements in blood and hair. The obtained data indicated that dogs from less polluted area were exposed to a hot spot of pollution, as only animals from one city (Sessa Aurunca) presented elements concentrations very close to toxic levels. When excluding these animals, the area proved to be the less contaminated. The present report confirm the higher degree of pollution of the most industrialized areas, and a certain concern originates from Cr, Ni and As, which are present as levels well above toxic thresholds. These data are indicative of a reduced pollution of the areas considered by Cd and Pb, but arise concern for Hg, As, Cr and Ni, which reach concentrations high enough to impact dogs and humans health, in term of acute (in the city of Sessa Aurunca) and chronic toxicity (i.e. reproduction impairment, endocrine disruption, immunosuppression). Additional studies are necessary to better define not only the precise distribution of hot spots of pollution, but also the real impact of such an exposure on the health of dogs, in term of endocrine balance and/or immune system activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A SURROGATE SUBCHRONIC TOXICITY TEST METHOD FOR WATERS WITH HIGH TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS

EPA Science Inventory

Total dissolved solids (TDS) are often identified as a toxicant in whole-effluent toxicity (WET) testing. The primary test organism used in WET testing, Ceriodaphnia dubia, is very sensitive to TDS ions, which can be problematic when differentiating the toxicity of TDS from those...

Toxicity of fluoride to aquatic species and evaluation of toxicity modifying factors.

PubMed

Pearcy, Krysta; Elphick, James; Burnett-Seidel, Charlene

2015-07-01

The present study was performed to investigate the toxicity of fluoride to a variety of freshwater aquatic organisms and to establish whether water quality variables contribute substantively to modifying its toxicity. Water hardness, chloride, and alkalinity were tested as possible toxicity modifying factors for fluoride using acute toxicity tests with Hyalella azteca and Oncorhynchus mykiss. Chloride appeared to be the major toxicity modifying factor for fluoride in these acute toxicity tests. The chronic toxicity of fluoride was evaluated with a variety of species, including 3 fish (Pimephales promelas, O. mykiss, and Salvelinus namaycush), 3 invertebrates (Ceriodaphnia dubia, H. azteca, and Chironomus dilutus), 1 plant (Lemna minor), and 1 alga (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata). Hyalella azteca was the most sensitive species overall, and O. mykiss was the most sensitive species of fish. The role of chloride as a toxicity modifying factor was inconsistent between species in the chronic toxicity tests. © 2015 SETAC.

Screening of Blood Levels of Mercury, Cadmium, and Copper in Pregnant Women in Dakahlia, Egypt: New Attention to an Old Problem.

PubMed

Motawei, Shimaa M; Gouda, Hossam E

2016-06-01

Heavy metals toxicity is a prevalent health problem particularly in developing countries. Mercury and cadmium are toxic elements that have no physiologic functions in human body. They should not be present in the human body by any concentration. Copper, on the other hand, is one of the elements that are essential for normal cell functions and a deficiency as well as an excess of which can cause adverse health effects. To test blood levels of mercury, cadmium, and copper in pregnant women in Dakahlia, Egypt. Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, blood levels of cadmium, mercury, and copper were measured in 150 pregnant women attending to the antenatal care in Mansoura University Hospital in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. The mean ± SD of blood mercury, cadmium, and copper levels were found to be far from their levels in the population surveys carried in developed countries like United States of America (USA) and Canada. Heavy metal intoxication and accumulation is a major health hazard. Developing countries, including Egypt, still lack many of the regulatory policies and legislations to control sources of pollution exposure. This should be dealt with in order to solve this problem and limit its health consequences.

Concentrations of metals and trace elements in blood of spectacled and king eiders in northern Alaska, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Heather M.; Petersen, Margaret R.; Troy, Declan

2004-01-01

In 1996, we measured concentrations of arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, mercury, and selenium in blood of adult king (Somateria spectabilis) and spectacled (Somateria fischeri) eiders and duckling spectacled eiders from northern Alaska, USA. Concentrations of selenium exceeded background levels in all adults sampled and 9 of 12 ducklings. Mercury was detected in all adult spectacled eiders and 5 of 12 ducklings. Lead concentrations were above the clinical toxicity threshold in one duckling (0.64 ppm) and two adult female spectacled eiders (0.54 and 4.30 ppm). Concentrations of cadmium and mercury varied between species; barium, cadmium, mercury, and selenium varied between sexes. In female spectacled eiders, mercury concentrations increased during the breeding season and barium and selenium levels decreased through the breeding season. Selenium declined at 2.3 ± 0.9% per day and levels were lower in spectacled eiders arriving to the breeding grounds in northern Alaska than in western Alaska. The variation in selenium levels between breeding areas may be explained by differences in timing and routes of spring migration. Most trace elements for which we tested were not at levels currently considered toxic to marine birds. However, the presence of mercury and elevated lead in ducklings and adult female spectacled eiders suggests these metals are available on the breeding grounds.

Environmental benefits of using magnesium carbonate minerals as new wildfire retardants instead of commercially available, phosphate-based compounds.

PubMed

Liodakis, S; Tsoukala, M

2010-10-01

A serial batch leaching experiment has been carried out to evaluate the release of elements from the ash of Pinus halepensis needles burned under two test conditions-with and without treatment of the forest species with the carbonate minerals (huntite and hydromagnesite) in aqueous solution (pH 6). The ash (before and after leaching) and leachates were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Compared with data from samples treated with the commercially available, phosphate-based fire retardant diammonium phosphate (DAP), we found that use of huntite or hydromagnesite was much more successful in obstructing the release of the toxic elements present in the ash, probably because of the alkaline conditions resulting from decomposition of the minerals during burning. In contrast, DAP tended to be more able to facilitate the extraction of some toxic metals (e.g., Zn, Cu, Mn), probably because of the acidic conditions resulting from its decomposition to phosphoric acid. Data from this study thus lend strong support to the use of magnesium carbonate minerals as new wildfire retardants, because they were shown to be more friendly to the environment (e.g., soil, ground, and underground water streams) than those currently in use (e.g., phosphate or sulfate salt type).

Estimated Dietary Intakes of Toxic Elements from Four Staple Foods in Najran City, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Haris, Parvez I.; Brima, Eid I.

2017-01-01

Exposure of the inhabitants of Najran area in Saudi Arabia to the toxic elements As, Cd, Cr, and Pb through foods has not been previously investigated. Exposure to such elements is an important public health issue, so the study described here was performed with the aim of determining estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) for these metals in Najran area. The As, Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations in four staple foods (rice, wheat, red meat, and chicken) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was completed by 80 study participants. These data were used to estimate dietary intakes of the metals in the four staple foods. The mean As, Cd, Cr, and Pb EDIs in the four food types were 1.1 × 10−6–2.6 × 10−5, 1.42 × 10−5–2.2 × 10−4, 3.4 × 10−4–8.0 × 10−4, and 2.3 × 10−5–2.1 × 10−3 mg/kg bw day, respectively. Hazard Quotients (HQ) for all elements did not exceed one. The highest Pb concentration was found for chicken and the source of this toxic element in this food needs to be investigated in the future. The lowest As concentration was found for wheat highest in rice. The EDIs for all elements in the four food types were below the provisional tolerable weekly intakes set by the World Health Organization (WHO). PMID:29240693

Metalloids, soil chemistry and the environment.

PubMed

Lombi, Enzo; Holm, Peter E

2010-01-01

This chapter reviews physical chemical properties, origin and use ofmetalloids and their relevance in the environment. The elements boron (B), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), polonium (Po) and astatine (At) are considered metalloids. Metalloids conduct heat and electricity intermediate between nonmetals and metals and they generally form oxides. The natural abundance ofmetalloids varies from Si being the second most common element in the Earth's crust to At as the rarest of natural elements on Earth. The metalloid elements Ge, Te, Po and At are normally present in trace or ultratrace levels in the environment and as such are not considered of relevance in terms of environmental health. The environmental geochemical processes, factors and parameters controlling the partitioning and the speciation of B, Si, As and Sb are reviewed in relation to the bioavailability of these metalloids. Approaches based on the hypothesis that metal toxicity is related to both the metal-ligand complexation processes and the metal interactions with competing cations at the cell surface (biotic ligand) have so far not been successful for assessing metalloid bioavailability. The chapter concludes that our understanding of metalloids toxicity will improve in the future if, in addition to the points discussed above, surface membrane potentials are considered. This should represent a robust approach to the prediction of metalloid toxicity.

AUTOMATED RESPIROMETER METHOD FOR MICROBIAL TOXICITY ASSESSMENT OF LOW-LEVEL ZINC CONTAMINATION IN SOIL

EPA Science Inventory

Zinc is an essential trace element for all living organisms including humans. ecause microbial-based toxicity approaches to assess the changes in ecosystem processes are not well defined for soil application, this laboratory has developed an automated respirometer capable of meas...

COMPARING THE RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE TO TOXICITY VALUES FOR ZN, SE, MN, AND MB

EPA Science Inventory

Certain essential nutrients can be toxic when ingested at dosages higher than the daily nutritional requirement. Research data for the essential trace elements, zinc, selenium, manganese and molybdenum have been reviewed by various government agencies for both their nutritional n...

Classification of baseline toxicants for QSAR predictions to replace fish acute toxicity studies.

PubMed

Nendza, Monika; Müller, Martin; Wenzel, Andrea

2017-03-22

Fish acute toxicity studies are required for environmental hazard and risk assessment of chemicals by national and international legislations such as REACH, the regulations of plant protection products and biocidal products, or the GHS (globally harmonised system) for classification and labelling of chemicals. Alternative methods like QSARs (quantitative structure-activity relationships) can replace many ecotoxicity tests. However, complete substitution of in vivo animal tests by in silico methods may not be realistic. For the so-called baseline toxicants, it is possible to predict the fish acute toxicity with sufficient accuracy from log K ow and, hence, valid QSARs can replace in vivo testing. In contrast, excess toxicants and chemicals not reliably classified as baseline toxicants require further in silico, in vitro or in vivo assessments. Thus, the critical task is to discriminate between baseline and excess toxicants. For fish acute toxicity, we derived a scheme based on structural alerts and physicochemical property thresholds to classify chemicals as either baseline toxicants (=predictable by QSARs) or as potential excess toxicants (=not predictable by baseline QSARs). The step-wise approach identifies baseline toxicants (true negatives) in a precautionary way to avoid false negative predictions. Therefore, a certain fraction of false positives can be tolerated, i.e. baseline toxicants without specific effects that may be tested instead of predicted. Application of the classification scheme to a new heterogeneous dataset for diverse fish species results in 40% baseline toxicants, 24% excess toxicants and 36% compounds not classified. Thus, we can conclude that replacing about half of the fish acute toxicity tests by QSAR predictions is realistic to be achieved in the short-term. The long-term goals are classification criteria also for further groups of toxicants and to replace as many in vivo fish acute toxicity tests as possible with valid QSAR predictions.

40 CFR 799.5085 - Chemical testing requirements for first group of high production volume chemicals (HPV1).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... Acute Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 729 3. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 Test Group 2 for C1: 1. Chronic Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 1193 2. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 The following are the... conditions. Test Group 1 for C2: 1. Acute Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 729 2. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM...

40 CFR 799.5085 - Chemical testing requirements for first group of high production volume chemicals (HPV1).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... Acute Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 729 3. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 Test Group 2 for C1: 1. Chronic Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 1193 2. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 The following are the... conditions. Test Group 1 for C2: 1. Acute Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 729 2. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM...

Ecological impacts of lead mining on Ozark streams: toxicity of sediment and pore water.

PubMed

Besser, John M; Brumbaugh, William G; Allert, Ann L; Poulton, Barry C; Schmitt, Christopher J; Ingersoll, Christopher G

2009-02-01

We studied the toxicity of sediments downstream of lead-zinc mining areas in southeast Missouri, using chronic sediment toxicity tests with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and pore-water toxicity tests with the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Tests conducted in 2002 documented reduced survival of amphipods in stream sediments collected near mining areas and reduced survival and reproduction of daphnids in most pore waters tested. Additional amphipod tests conducted in 2004 documented significant toxic effects of sediments from three streams downstream of mining areas: Strother Creek, West Fork Black River, and Bee Fork. Greatest toxicity occurred in sediments from a 6-km reach of upper Strother Creek, but significant toxic effects occurred in sediments collected at least 14 km downstream of mining in all three watersheds. Toxic effects were significantly correlated with metal concentrations (nickel, zinc, cadmium, and lead) in sediments and pore waters and were generally consistent with predictions of metal toxicity risks based on sediment quality guidelines, although ammonia and manganese may also have contributed to toxicity at a few sites. Responses of amphipods in sediment toxicity tests were significantly correlated with characteristics of benthic invertebrate communities in study streams. These results indicate that toxicity of metals associated with sediments contributes to adverse ecological effects in streams draining the Viburnum Trend mining district.

Ecological impacts of lead mining on Ozark streams: Toxicity of sediment and pore water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besser, J.M.; Brumbaugh, W.G.; Allert, A.L.; Poulton, B.C.; Schmitt, C.J.; Ingersoll, C.G.

2009-01-01

We studied the toxicity of sediments downstream of lead-zinc mining areas in southeast Missouri, using chronic sediment toxicity tests with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and pore-water toxicity tests with the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Tests conducted in 2002 documented reduced survival of amphipods in stream sediments collected near mining areas and reduced survival and reproduction of daphnids in most pore waters tested. Additional amphipod tests conducted in 2004 documented significant toxic effects of sediments from three streams downstream of mining areas: Strother Creek, West Fork Black River, and Bee Fork. Greatest toxicity occurred in sediments from a 6-km reach of upper Strother Creek, but significant toxic effects occurred in sediments collected at least 14 km downstream of mining in all three watersheds. Toxic effects were significantly correlated with metal concentrations (nickel, zinc, cadmium, and lead) in sediments and pore waters and were generally consistent with predictions of metal toxicity risks based on sediment quality guidelines, although ammonia and manganese may also have contributed to toxicity at a few sites. Responses of amphipods in sediment toxicity tests were significantly correlated with characteristics of benthic invertebrate communities in study streams. These results indicate that toxicity of metals associated with sediments contributes to adverse ecological effects in streams draining the Viburnum Trend mining district.

Predicting toxic effects of copper on aquatic biota in mineralized areas by using the Biotic Ligand Model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Kathleen S.; Ranville, James F.; Adams, M.; Choate, LaDonna M.; Church, Stan E.; Fey, David L.; Wanty, Richard B.; Crock, James G.

2006-01-01

The chemical speciation of metals influences their biological effects. The Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) is a computational approach to predict chemical speciation and acute toxicological effects of metals on aquatic biota. Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency incorporated the BLM into their regulatory water-quality criteria for copper. Results from three different laboratory copper toxicity tests were compared with BLM predictions for simulated test-waters. This was done to evaluate the ability of the BLM to accurately predict the effects of hardness and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and iron on aquatic toxicity. In addition, we evaluated whether the BLM and the three toxicity tests provide consistent results. Comparison of BLM predictions with two types of Ceriodaphnia dubia toxicity tests shows that there is fairly good agreement between predicted LC50 values computed by the BLM and LC50 values determined from the two toxicity tests. Specifically, the effect of increasing calcium concentration (and hardness) on copper toxicity appears to be minimal. Also, there is fairly good agreement between the BLM and the two toxicity tests for test solutions containing elevated DOC, for which the LC50 is 3-to-5 times greater (less toxic) than the LC50 for the lower-DOC test water. This illustrates the protective effects of DOC on copper toxicity and demonstrates the ability of the BLM to predict these protective effects. In contrast, for test solutions with added iron there is a decrease in LC50 values (increase in toxicity) in results from the two C. dubia toxicity tests, and the agreement between BLM LC50 predictions and results from these toxicity tests is poor. The inability of the BLM to account for competitive iron binding to DOC or DOC fractionation may be a significant shortcoming of the BLM for predicting site- specific water-quality criteria in streams affected by iron-rich acidic drainage in mined and mineralized areas.

Investigation of Acute and Chronic Toxicity Trends of Pesticides Using High-Throughput Bioluminescence Assay Based on the Test Organism Vibrio fischeri.

PubMed

Westlund, Paul; Nasuhoglu, Deniz; Isazadeh, Siavash; Yargeau, Viviane

2018-05-01

High-throughput acute and chronic toxicity tests using Vibrio fischeri were used to assess the toxicity of a variety of fungicides, herbicides, and neonicotinoids. The use of time points beyond the traditional 30 min of an acute test highlighted the sensitivity and applicability of the chronic toxicity test and indicated that for some compounds toxicity is underestimated using only the acute test. The comparison of EC 50 values obtained from acute and chronic tests provided insight regarding the toxicity mode of action, either being direct or indirect. Using a structure-activity relationship approach similar to the one used in hazard assessments, the relationship between toxicity and key physicochemical properties of pesticides was investigated and trends were identified. This study not only provides new information regarding acute toxicity of some pesticides but also is one of the first studies to investigate the chronic toxicity of pesticides using the test organism V. fischeri. The findings demonstrated that the initial bioluminescence has a large effect on the calculated effective concentrations for target compounds in both acute and chronic tests, providing a way to improve and standardize the test protocol. In addition, the findings emphasize the need for additional investigation regarding the relationship between a toxicant's physicochemical properties and mode of action in nontarget organisms.

Potentially toxic elements and environmentally-related pollutants recognition using colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent probes.

PubMed

Rasheed, Tahir; Li, Chuanlong; Bilal, Muhammad; Yu, Chunyang; Iqbal, Hafiz M N

2018-05-30

A safer detection or sensing of toxic pollutants is one among several environmental contamination issues, across the globe. The ever-increasing industrial practices and controlled or uncontrolled release of toxic pollutants from various industrial sectors is a key source of this environmental problem. Significant research efforts have been or being made to tackle this problematic issue to fulfill the growing needs of the modern world. Despite many useful aspects, heavy metals are posing noteworthy toxicological concerns and human-health related issues at various levels of the ecosystem. In this context, notable efforts from various regulatory authorities, the increase in the concentration of these toxic heavy metals in the environment is of serious concern, so real-time monitoring is urgently required. Herein, we reviewed fluorescent sensor based models and their potentialities to address the detection fate of hazardous pollutants including chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc as model elements. The novel aspects of turn-on/off fluorescent sensors have also been discussed from a state of the art viewpoint. In summary, comprehensive literature regarding fluorescent sensor based models and their potentialities to detect various types of toxic pollutants is reviewed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sediment quality in the north coastal basin of Massachusetts, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breault, Robert F.; Ashman, Mary S.; Heath, Douglas

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, completed a reconnaissance-level study of bottom-sediment quality in selected lakes, rivers, and estuaries in the North Coastal Basin of Massachusetts. Bottom-sediment grab samples were collected from 20 sites in the North River, Lake Quannapowitt, Saugus River, Mill River, Shute Brook, Sea Plane Basin, Pines River, and Bear Creek. The samples were tested for various types of potentially harmful contaminants? including 33 elements, 17 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 22 organochlorine pesticides, and 7 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures (Aroclors)?to benthic organisms (bottom-dwelling) and humans. The results were compared among sampling sites, to background concentrations, and to concen-trations measured in other urban rivers, and sediment-quality guidelines were used to predict toxicity at the sampling sites to benthic organisms and humans. Because there are no standards for human toxicity for aquatic sediment, standards for contaminated upland soil were used. Contaminant concentrations measured in sediment collected from the North Coastal Basin generally were equal to or greater than concentrations in sediment from uncontaminated rivers throughout New England. Contaminants in North Coastal Basin sediment with elevated concentrations (above back-ground levels) included arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc, some of the PAHs, dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane (DDT) and its metabolites, and dieldrin. No PCBs were measured above the detection limits. Measured concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and lead were also generally greater than those measured in other urban rivers throughout the conter-minous United States. With one exception (arsenic), local con-centrations measured in sediment samples collected from the North Coastal Basin were lower than concentrations measured in sediment collected from two of three urban rivers draining to Boston Harbor. The probable toxicity to benthic organisms ranged from about 33 to 91 percent across the study area. Of the elements analyzed, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, and lead exceeded the soil standards for risk to human health. Of the PAHs analyzed, four also exceeded soil standards. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations, however, were not high enough relative to the soil standards to pose a risk to human health. Some trace element and some organic compound concentrations in bottom sediment may be toxic to aquatic organisms and may pose a risk to human health.

40 CFR 799.9355 - TSCA reproduction/developmental toxicity screening test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... toxicity screening test. 799.9355 Section 799.9355 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... AND MIXTURE TESTING REQUIREMENTS Health Effects Test Guidelines § 799.9355 TSCA reproduction/developmental toxicity screening test. (a) Scope—(1) Applicability. This section is intended to meet testing...

40 CFR 799.9355 - TSCA reproduction/developmental toxicity screening test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... toxicity screening test. 799.9355 Section 799.9355 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... AND MIXTURE TESTING REQUIREMENTS Health Effects Test Guidelines § 799.9355 TSCA reproduction/developmental toxicity screening test. (a) Scope—(1) Applicability. This section is intended to meet testing...

Alternative methods for toxicity assessments in fish: comparison of the fish embryo toxicity and the larval growth and survival tests in zebrafish and fathead minnows.

PubMed

Jeffries, Marlo K Sellin; Stultz, Amy E; Smith, Austin W; Rawlings, Jane M; Belanger, Scott E; Oris, James T

2014-11-01

An increased demand for chemical toxicity evaluations has resulted in the need for alternative testing strategies that address animal welfare concerns. The fish embryo toxicity (FET) test developed for zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one such alternative, and the application of the FET test to other species such as the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) has been proposed. In the present study, the performances of the FET test and the larval growth and survival (LGS; a standard toxicity testing method) test in zebrafish and fathead minnows were evaluated. This required that testing methods for the fathead minnow FET and zebrafish LGS tests be harmonized with existing test methods and that the performance of these testing strategies be evaluated by comparing the median lethal concentrations of 2 reference toxicants, 3,4-dicholoraniline and ammonia, obtained via each of the test types. The results showed that procedures for the zebrafish FET test can be adapted and applied to the fathead minnow. Differences in test sensitivity were observed for 3,4-dicholoraniline but not ammonia; therefore, conclusions regarding which test types offer the least or most sensitivity could not be made. Overall, these results show that the fathead minnow FET test has potential as an alternative toxicity testing strategy and that further analysis with other toxicants is warranted in an effort to better characterize the sensitivity and feasibility of this testing strategy. © 2014 SETAC.

Predictions of sediment toxicity using consensus-based freshwater sediment quality guidelines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, C.G.; MacDonald, D.D.; Wang, N.; Crane, J.L.; Field, L.J.; Haverland, P.S.; Kemble, N.E.; Lindskoog, R.A.; Severn, C.; Smorong, D.E.

2001-01-01

The objectives of this study were to compare approaches for evaluating the combined effects of chemical mixtures on the toxicity in field-collected sediments and to evaluate the ability of consensus-based probable effect concentrations (PECs) to predict toxicity in a freshwater database on both a national and regional geographic basis. A database was developed from 92 published reports, which included a total of 1,657 samples with high-quality matching sediment toxicity and chemistry data from across North America. The database was comprised primarily of 10- to 14-day or 28- to 42-day toxicity tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (designated as the HA10 or HA28 tests) and 10- to 14-day toxicity tests with the midges Chironomus tentans or C. riparius (designated as the CS10 test). Mean PEC quotients were calculated to provide an overall measure of chemical contamination and to support an evaluation of the combined effects of multiple contaminants in sediments. There was an overall increase in the incidence of toxicity with an increase in the mean quotients in all three tests. A consistent increase in the toxicity in all three tests occurred at a mean quotient > 0.5, however, the overall incidence of toxicity was greater in the HA28 test compared to the short-term tests. The longer-term tests, in which survival and growth are measured, tend to be more sensitive than the shorter-term tests, with acute to chronic ratios on the order of six indicated for H. azteca. Different patterns were observed among the various procedures used to calculate mean quotients. For example, in the HA28 test, a relatively abrupt increase in toxicity was associated with elevated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) alone or with elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) alone, compared to the pattern of a gradual increase in toxicity observed with quotients calculated using a combination of metals, PAHs, and PCBs. These analyses indicate that the different patterns in toxicity may be the result of unique chemical signals associated with individual contaminants in samples. Though mean quotients can be used to classify samples as toxic or nontoxic, individual quotients might be useful in helping identify substances that may be causing or substantially contributing to the observed toxicity. An increase in the incidence of toxicity was observed with increasing mean quotients within most of the regions, basins, and areas in North America for all three toxicity tests. The results of these analyses indicate that the consensus-based PECs can be used to reliably predict toxicity of sediments on both a regional and national basis.

Meta-analysis of fish early life stage tests-Association of toxic ratios and acute-to-chronic ratios with modes of action.

PubMed

Scholz, Stefan; Schreiber, Rene; Armitage, James; Mayer, Philipp; Escher, Beate I; Lidzba, Annegret; Léonard, Marc; Altenburger, Rolf

2018-04-01

Fish early life stage (ELS) tests (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development test guideline 210) are widely conducted to estimate chronic fish toxicity. In these tests, fish are exposed from the embryonic to the juvenile life stages. To analyze whether certain modes of action are related to high toxic ratios (i.e., ratios between baseline toxicity and experimental effect) and/or acute-to-chronic ratios (ACRs) in the fish ELS test, effect concentrations (ECs) for 183 compounds were extracted from the US Environmental Protection Agency's ecotoxicity database. Analysis of ECs of narcotic compounds indicated that baseline toxicity could be observed in the fish ELS test at similar concentrations as in the acute fish toxicity test. All nonnarcotic modes of action were associated with higher toxic ratios, with median values ranging from 4 to 9.3 × 10 4 (uncoupling < reactivity < neuromuscular toxicity < methemoglobin formation < endocrine disruption < extracellular matrix formation inhibition). Four modes of action were also found to be associated with high ACRs: 1) lysyl oxidase inhibition leading to notochord distortion, 2) putative methemoglobin formation or hemolytic anemia, 3) endocrine disruption, and 4) compounds with neuromuscular toxicity. For the prediction of ECs in the fish ELS test with alternative test systems, endpoints targeted to the modes of action of compounds with enhanced toxic ratios or ACRs could be used to trigger fish ELS tests or even replace these tests. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:955-969. © 2018 SETAC. © 2018 SETAC.

Toxic Emissions from a Military Test Site in the Territory of Sardinia, Italy

PubMed Central

Cristaldi, Mauro; Foschi, Cristiano; Szpunar, Germana; Brini, Carlo; Marinelli, Fiorenzo; Triolo, Lucio

2013-01-01

This work assesses the environmental impact from chemical emissions due to military tests and routine activities in the area occupied by the Italian Inter-force Test Range (PISQ), located at Salto di Quirra, Sardinia, Italy. After reviewing the military activities carried out at PISQ, such as rocket launching, blasting and armament destruction, projectile and mortar fire impact, the associated pollution is evaluated. Chemical analyses were performed by means of Scanning Electronic Microscopy and Energy Dispersion Spectrometry on biotic and abiotic matrices. Residues of Rb, Tl, W, Ti and Al were found in matrices collected in the PISQ areas and environs. A review of experimental data on air, water, soil, milk, forage and animal tissues obtained by various Public Agencies of Sardinia proved that toxic element residues often exceeded the legal limits. PM10 and PM2.5 air concentrations also exceeded the legal limits after military blasting. Cd and Pb contents in the liver and kidneys of sheep living in farms at PISQ and in control farms that were located more than 20 km away from PISQ were higher than the legal limits. This work was performed to investigate concentration of xenobiotics in ecosystems emitted from PISQ activities. This assessment could be useful to focus future epidemiological studies carried out in PISQ and its neighbouring areas. PMID:23603867

A new biological test of water toxicity-yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae conductometric test.

PubMed

Dolezalova, Jaroslava; Rumlova, Lubomira

2014-11-01

This new biological test of water toxicity is based on monitoring of specific conductivity changes of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae suspension as a result of yeast fermentation activity inhibition in toxic conditions. The test was verified on ten substances with various mechanisms of toxic effect and the results were compared with two standard toxicity tests based on Daphnia magna mobility inhibition (EN ISO 6341) and Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition (EN ISO 11348-2) and with the results of the S. cerevisiae lethal test (Rumlova and Dolezalova, 2012). The new biological test - S. cerevisiae conductometric test - is an express method developed primarily for field conditions. It is applicable in case of need of immediate information about water toxicity. Fast completion is an advantage of this test (time necessary for test completion is about 60min), the test is simple and the test organism - dried instant yeast - belongs among its biggest advantages because of its long-term storage life and broad availability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Static renewal tests using Anodonta imbecillus (freshwater mussels). Anodonta imbecillis copper sulfate reference toxicant test, Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1993-12-31

Reference toxicant testing using juvenile freshwater mussels was conducted as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to assess the sensitivity of test organisms and the overall performance of the test. Tests were conducted using moderately hard synthetic water spiked with known concentrations of copper as copper sulfate. Toxicity testing of copper sulfate reference toxicant was conducted from May 12--21, 1993. The organisms used for testing were juvenile fresh-water mussels (Anodonta imbecillis). Results from this test showed an LC{sub 50} value of 1.12 mg Cu/L which is lower than the value of 2.02 mg Cu/L obtained inmore » a previous test. Too few tests have been conducted with copper as the toxicant to determine a normal range of values. Attachments to this report include: Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; Copper analysis request and results; and Personnel training documentation.« less

Sediment quality assessment studies of Tampa bay, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Scott R.; Chapman, Duane C.; Long, Edward R.; Windom, Herbert L.; Thursby, Glen; Sloane, Gail M.; Wolfe, Douglas A.

1996-01-01

A survey of the toxicity of sediments throughout the Tampa Bay estuary was performed as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Status and Trends Program. The objectives of the survey were to determine the spatial extent and severity of toxicity and to identify relationships between chemical contamination and toxicity. Three independent toxicity tests were performed: a 10-d amphipod survival test of the whole sediments with Ampelisca abdita, a sea urchin fertilization test of sediment pore water with Arbacia punctulata, and a 5-min Microtox® bioluminescence test with solvent extracts of the sediments. Seventy-three percent of the 165 undiluted sediment pore-water samples were significantly toxic relative to reference samples with the sea urchin fertilization test. In contrast, only 2% of the 165 samples were significantly toxic in the amphipod tests. The causes of toxicity were not determined. However, concentrations of numerous trace metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and ammonia were highly correlated with pore-water toxicity. Concentrations of many substances, especially total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), endrin, total PCBs, certain PAHs, lead, and zinc, occurred at concentrations in the toxic samples that equaled or exceeded concentrations that have been previously associated with sediment toxicity.

Aquatic information and retrieval (AQUIRE) database system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunter, R.; Niemi, G.; Pilli, A.

The AQUIRE database system is one of the foremost international resources for finding aquatic toxicity information. Information in the system is organized around the concept of an 'aquatic toxicity test.' A toxicity test record contains information about the chemical, species, endpoint, endpoint concentrations, and test conditions under which the toxicity test was conducted. For the past 10 years aquatic literature has been reviewed and entered into the system. Currently, the AQUIRE database system contains data on more than 2,400 species, 160 endpoints, 5,000 chemicals, 6,000 references, and 104,000 toxicity tests.

Predicting Water Quality Problems Associated with Coal Fly Ash Disposal Facilities Using a Trace Element Partitioning Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, S.; Donahoe, R. J.; Graham, E. Y.

2006-12-01

For much of the U.S., coal-fired power plants are the most important source of electricity for domestic and industrial use. Large quantities of fly ash and other coal combustion by-products are produced every year, the majority of which is impounded in lagoons and landfills located throughout the country. Many older fly ash disposal facilities are unlined and have been closed for decades. Fly ash often contains high concentrations of toxic trace elements such as arsenic, boron, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, lead, strontium and vanadium. Trace elements present in coal fly ash are of potential concern due to their toxicity, high mobility in the environment and low drinking water MCL values. Concern about the potential release of these toxic elements into the environment due to leaching of fly ash by acid rain, groundwater or acid mine drainage has prompted the EPA to develop national standards under the subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to regulate ash disposal in landfills and surface impoundments. An attempt is made to predict the leaching of toxic elements into the environment by studying trace element partitioning in coal fly ash. A seven step sequential chemical extraction procedure (SCEP) modified from Filgueiras et al. (2002) is used to determine the trace element partitioning in seven coal fly ash samples collected directly from electric power plants. Five fly ash samples were derived from Eastern Bituminous coal, one derived from Western Sub-bituminous coal and the other derived from Northern Lignite. The sequential chemical extraction procedure gives valuable information on the association of trace elements: 1) soluble fraction, 2) exchangeable fraction, 3) acid soluble fraction, 4) easily reducible fraction, 5) moderately reducible fraction, 6) poorly reducible fraction and 7) oxidizable organics/sulfide fraction. The trace element partitioning varies with the composition of coal fly ash which is influenced by the type of coal burned. Preliminary studies show that in some fly ash samples, significant amounts of As, B, Mo, Se, Sr and V are associated with the soluble and exchangeable fraction, and thus would be highly mobile in the environment. Lead, on the other hand, is mainly associated with the amorphous Fe and Mn oxide fractions and would be highly immobile in oxidizing conditions, but mobile in reducing conditions. Ni and Cr show different associations in different fly ash samples. In most fly ash samples, significant amounts of the trace elements are associated with more stable fractions that do not threaten the environment. The study of trace element partitioning in coal fly ash thus helps us to predict their leaching behavior under various conditions.

A test strategy for the assessment of additive attributed toxicity of tobacco products.

PubMed

Kienhuis, Anne S; Staal, Yvonne C M; Soeteman-Hernández, Lya G; van de Nobelen, Suzanne; Talhout, Reinskje

2016-08-01

The new EU Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) prohibits tobacco products containing additives that are toxic in unburnt form or that increase overall toxicity of the product. This paper proposes a strategy to assess additive attributed toxicity in the context of the TPD. Literature was searched on toxicity testing strategies for regulatory purposes from tobacco industry and governmental institutes. Although mainly traditional in vivo testing strategies have been applied to assess toxicity of unburnt additives and increases in overall toxicity of tobacco products due to additives, in vitro tests combined with toxicogenomics and validated using biomarkers of exposure and disease are most promising in this respect. As such, tests are needed that are sensitive enough to assess additive attributed toxicity above the overall toxicity of tobacco products, which can associate assay outcomes to human risk and exposure. In conclusion, new, sensitive in vitro assays are needed to conclude whether comparable testing allows for assessment of small changes in overall toxicity attributed to additives. A more pragmatic approach for implementation on a short-term is mandated lowering of toxic emission components. Combined with risk assessment, this approach allows assessment of effectiveness of harm reduction strategies, including banning or reducing of additives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure Science for Chemical Prioritization and Toxicity Testing

EPA Science Inventory

Currently, a significant research effort is underway to apply new technologies to screen and prioritize chemicals for toxicity testing as well as to improve understanding of toxicity pathways (Dix et al. 2007, Toxicol Sci; NRC, 2007, Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century; Collins ...

A ten year summary of concurrent ambient water column and sediment toxicity tests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed: 1990-1999.

PubMed

Hall, Lenwood W; Anderson, Ronald D; Alden, Raymond W

2002-06-01

The goal of this study was to identify the relative toxicity of ambient areas in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by using a suite of concurrent water column and sediment toxicity tests at seventy-five ambient stations in 20 Chesapeake Bay rivers from 1990 through 1999. Spatial and temporal variability was examined at selected locations throughout the 10 yr study. Inorganic and organic contaminants were evaluated in ambient water and sediment concurrently with water column and sediment tests to assess possible causes of toxicity although absolute causality can not be established. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to develop a multiple endpoint toxicity index (TOX-INDEX) at each station for both water column and sediment toxicity data. Water column tests from the 10 yr testing period showed that 49% of the time, some degree of toxicity was reported. The most toxic sites based on water column results were located in urbanized areas such as the Anacostia River, Elizabeth River and the Middle River. Water quality criteria for copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc were exceeded at one or more of these sites. Water column toxicity was also reported in localized areas of the South and Chester Rivers. Both spatial and temporal variability was reported from the suite of water column toxicity tests. Some degree of sediment toxicity was reported from 62% of the tests conducted during the ten year period. The Elizabeth River and Baltimore Harbor stations were reported as the most toxic areas based on sediment results. Sediment toxicity guidelines were exceeded for one or more of the following metals at these two locations: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc. At the Elizabeth River stations nine of sixteen semi-volatile organics and two of seven pesticides measured exceeded the ER-M values in 1990. Ambient sediment toxicity tests in the Elizabeth River in 1996 showed reduced toxicity. Various semi-volatile organics exceeded the ER-M values at a number of Baltimore Harbor sites; pyrene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene were particularly high at one of the stations (Northwest Harbor). Localized sediment toxicity was also reported in the Chester, James, Magothy, Rappahannock, and Potomac Rivers but the link with contaminants was not determined. Both spatial and temporal variability was less for sediment toxicity data when compared with water column toxicity data. A comparison of water column and sediment toxicity data for the various stations over the 10 yr study showed that approximately half the time agreement occurred (either both suite of tests showed toxicity or neither suite of tests showed toxicity).

Illumina microRNA profiles reveal the involvement of miR397a in Citrus adaptation to long-term boron toxicity via modulating secondary cell-wall biosynthesis.

PubMed

Huang, Jing-Hao; Qi, Yi-Ping; Wen, Shou-Xing; Guo, Peng; Chen, Xiao-Min; Chen, Li-Song

2016-03-10

The mechanisms underlying tolerance to B-toxicity in plants are still controversial. Our previous studies indicated that B-toxicity is mainly limited to leaves in Citrus and that alternations of cell-wall structure in vascular bundles are involved in tolerance to B-toxicity. Here, miRNAs and their expression patterns were first identified in B-treated Citrus sinensis (tolerant) and C. grandis (intolerant) leaves via high-throughput sequencing. Candidate miRNAs were then verified with molecular and anatomical approaches. The results showed that 51 miRNAs in C. grandis and 20 miRNAs in C. sinensis were differentially expressed after B-toxic treatment. MiR395a and miR397a were the most significantly up-regulated miRNAs in B-toxic C. grandis leaves, but both were down-regulated in B-toxic C. sinensis leaves. Four auxin response factor genes and two laccase (LAC) genes were confirmed through 5'-RACE to be real targets of miR160a and miR397a, respectively. Up-regulation of LAC4 resulted in secondary deposition of cell-wall polysaccharides in vessel elements of C. sinensis, whereas down-regulation of both LAC17 and LAC4, led to poorly developed vessel elements in C. grandis. Our findings demonstrated that miR397a plays a pivotal role in woody Citrus tolerance to B-toxicity by targeting LAC17 and LAC4, both of which are responsible for secondary cell-wall synthesis.

Toxic effects of environmental rare earth elements on delayed outward potassium channels and their mechanisms from a microscopic perspective.

PubMed

Wang, Lihong; He, Jingfang; Xia, Ao; Cheng, Mengzhu; Yang, Qing; Du, Chunlei; Wei, Haiyan; Huang, Xiaohua; Zhou, Qing

2017-08-01

The wide applications cause a large amount of rare earth elements (REEs) to be released into the environment, and ultimately into the human body through food chain. Toxic effects of REEs on humans have been extensively studied, but their toxic effects and binding targets in cells are not understood. Delayed outward potassium channels (K + channels) are good targets for exogenous substances or clinical drugs. To evaluate cellular toxicities of REEs and clarify toxic mechanisms, the toxicities of REEs on the K + channel and their structural basis were investigated. The results showed that delayed outward potassium channels on the plasma membrane are the targets of REEs acting on living organisms, and the changes in the thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of the K + channel are the reasons of diseases induced by REEs. Two types of REEs, a light REE La 3+ and a heavy REE Tb 3+ , displayed different intensity of toxicities on the K + channel, in which the toxicity of Tb 3+ was stronger than that of La 3+ . More interestingly, in comparison with that of heavy metal Cd 2+ , the cytotoxicities of the light and heavy REEs showed discriminative differences, and the cytotoxicity of Tb 3+ was higher than that of Cd 2+ , while the cytotoxicity of La 3+ was lower than that of Cd 2+ . These different cytotoxicities of La 3+ , Tb 3+ and Cd 2+ on human resulted from the varying binding abilities of the metals to this channel protein. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Illumina microRNA profiles reveal the involvement of miR397a in Citrus adaptation to long-term boron toxicity via modulating secondary cell-wall biosynthesis

PubMed Central

Huang, Jing-Hao; Qi, Yi-Ping; Wen, Shou-Xing; Guo, Peng; Chen, Xiao-Min; Chen, Li-Song

2016-01-01

The mechanisms underlying tolerance to B-toxicity in plants are still controversial. Our previous studies indicated that B-toxicity is mainly limited to leaves in Citrus and that alternations of cell-wall structure in vascular bundles are involved in tolerance to B-toxicity. Here, miRNAs and their expression patterns were first identified in B-treated Citrus sinensis (tolerant) and C. grandis (intolerant) leaves via high-throughput sequencing. Candidate miRNAs were then verified with molecular and anatomical approaches. The results showed that 51 miRNAs in C. grandis and 20 miRNAs in C. sinensis were differentially expressed after B-toxic treatment. MiR395a and miR397a were the most significantly up-regulated miRNAs in B-toxic C. grandis leaves, but both were down-regulated in B-toxic C. sinensis leaves. Four auxin response factor genes and two laccase (LAC) genes were confirmed through 5′-RACE to be real targets of miR160a and miR397a, respectively. Up-regulation of LAC4 resulted in secondary deposition of cell-wall polysaccharides in vessel elements of C. sinensis, whereas down-regulation of both LAC17 and LAC4, led to poorly developed vessel elements in C. grandis. Our findings demonstrated that miR397a plays a pivotal role in woody Citrus tolerance to B-toxicity by targeting LAC17 and LAC4, both of which are responsible for secondary cell-wall synthesis. PMID:26962011

Mineralogical and geochemical controls on the release of trace elements from slag produced by base- and precious-metal smelting at abandoned mine sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piatak, N.M.; Seal, R.R.; Hammarstrom, J.M.

2004-01-01

Slag collected from smelter sites associated with historic base-metal mines contains elevated concentrations of trace elements such as Cu, Zn and Pb. Weathering of slag piles, many of which were deposited along stream banks, potentially may release these trace elements into the environment. Slags were sampled from the Ely and Elizabeth mines in the Vermont copper belt, from the copper Basin mining district at Ducktown, Tennessee and from the Clayton silver mine in the Bayhorse mining district, Idaho, in the USA. Primary phases in the slags include: olivine-group minerals, glass, spinels, sulfide minerals and native metals for Vermont samples; glass, sulfide minerals and native metals for the Ducktown sample; and olivine-group minerals, clinopyroxenes, spinels, sulfide minerals, native metals and other unidentified metallic compounds for Clayton slag. Olivine-group minerals and pyroxenes are dominantly fayalitic and hedenbergitic in composition, respectively and contain up to 1.25 wt.% ZnO. Spinel minerals range between magnetite and hercynite in composition and contain Zn (up to 2.07 wt.% ZnO), Ti (up to 4.25 wt.% TiO2) and Cr (up to 1.39 wt.% Cr2O3). Cobalt, Ni, Cu, As, Ag, Sb and Pb occur in the glass phase, sulfides, metallic phases and unidentified metallic compounds. Bulk slag trace-element chemistry shows that the metals of the Vermont and Tennessee slags are dominated by Cu (1900-13,500 mg/kg) and Zn (2310-10,200 mg/kg), whereas the Clayton slag is dominated by Pb (63,000 mg/kg), Zn (19,700 mg/kg), Cu (7550 mg/kg), As (555 mg/kg), Sn (363 mg/kg) and Ag (200 mg/kg). Laboratory-based leach tests indicate metals can be released under simulated natural conditions. Leachates from most slags were found to contain elevated concentrations of Cu and Zn (up to 1800 and 470 ??g/l, respectively), well in excess of the acute toxicity guidelines for aquatic life. For the Idaho slag, the concentration of Pb in the leachate (11,000 ??g/l) is also in excess of the acute toxicity guideline. Geochemical modeling of the leachate chemistry suggests that leachates from the Vermont, Tennessee and Clayton slags are saturated with amorphous silica and Al hydroxide. Therefore, the dissolution of silicate and oxide phases, the oxidation of sulfide phases, as well as the precipitation of secondary phases may control the composition of leachate from slags. The presence of secondary minerals on slag deposits in the field is evidence that these materials are reactive. The petrographic data and results of leaching tests from this study indicate slag may be a source of potentially toxic metals at abandoned mine sites.

Data on sediment quality and concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls from the Lower Neponset River, Massachusetts, 2002-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breault, Robert F.; Cooke, Matthew G.; Merrill, Michael

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Department of Fish and Game Riverways Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, studied sediment and water quality in the lower Neponset River, which is a tributary to Boston Harbor. Grab and core samples of sediment were tested for elements and organic compounds including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Physical properties of sediment samples, including grain size, were also measured. Selected sediment-core samples were tested for reactive sulfides and metals by means of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, which are sediment-disposal-related tests. Water quality, with respect to polychlorinated biphenyl contamination, was determined by testing samples collected by PISCES passive-water-column samplers for polychlorinated biphenyl congeners. Total concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls were calculated by congener and by Aroclor.

Combustion of liquid paint wastes in fluidized bed boiler as element of waste management system in the paint factory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soko, W.A.; Biaecka, B.

1998-12-31

In this paper the solution to waste problems in the paint industry is presented by describing their combustion in a fluidized bed boiler as a part of the waste management system in the paint factory. Based on the Cleaner Production idea and concept of integration of design process with a future exploitation of equipment, some modifications of the waste management scheme in the factory are discussed to reduce the quantity of toxic wastes. To verify this concept combustion tests of paint production wastes and cocombustion of paint wastes with coal in an adopted industrial boiler were done. Results of thesemore » tests are presented in the paper.« less

Biogeochemical processes underpin ecosystem services

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elemental cycling is critical to the function of ecosystems and delivery of key ecosystem services because many of these elements are essential nutrients or detrimental toxicants that directly affect the health of organisms and ecosystems. A team of authors from North Carolina State University and ...

Environmental exposures of trace elements assessed using keratinized matrices from patients with chronic kidney diseases of uncertain etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Diyabalanage, Saranga; Fonseka, Sanjeewani; Dasanayake, D M S N B; Chandrajith, Rohana

2017-01-01

An alarming increase in chronic kidney disease with unknown etiology (CKDu) has recently been reported in several provinces in Sri Lanka and chronic exposures to toxic trace elements were blamed for the etiology of this disease. Keratinized matrices such as hair and nails were investigated to determine the possible link between CKDu and toxic element exposures. Elements Li, B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Cd, Ba, Hg and Pb of hair and nails of patients and age that matched healthy controls were determined with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that trace element contents in the hair of patients varies in the order of Zn>Fe>Al>Mn>Cu>Ba>Sr>Ni>Pb>Cr>B>Hg>Se>Mo>Co>As>Li>Cd while Fe>Al>Zn>Ni>Cu>Mn>Cr>Ba>Sr>B>Pb>Se>Mo>Co>Hg>Li>As>Cd in nail samples. The hair As levels of 0.007-0.165μgg -1 were found in CKDu subjects. However, no significant difference was observed between cases and controls. The total Se content in hair of CKDu subjects ranged from 0.043 to 0.513μgg -1 while it was varied from 0.031 to 1.15μgg -1 in controls. Selenium in nail samples varied from 0.037μgg -1 to 4.10μgg -1 in CKDu subjects and from 0.042μgg -1 to 2.19μgg -1 in controls. This study implies that substantial proportions of Sri Lankan population are Se deficient irrespective of gender, age and occupational exposure. Although some cutaneous manifestations were observed in patient subjects, chemical analyses of hair and nails indicated that patients were not exposed to toxic levels of arsenic or the other studied toxic elements. Therefore the early suggested causative factors such as exposure to environmental As and Cd, can be ruled out. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Bioassay selection, experimental design and quality control/assurance for use in effluent assessment and control.

PubMed

Johnson, Ian; Hutchings, Matt; Benstead, Rachel; Thain, John; Whitehouse, Paul

2004-07-01

In the UK Direct Toxicity Assessment Programme, carried out in 1998-2000, a series of internationally recognised short-term toxicity test methods for algae, invertebrates and fishes, and rapid methods (ECLOX and Microtox) were used extensively. Abbreviated versions of conventional tests (algal growth inhibition tests, Daphnia magna immobilisation test and the oyster embryo-larval development test) were valuable for toxicity screening of effluent discharges and the identification of causes and sources of toxicity. Rapid methods based on chemiluminescence and bioluminescence were not generally useful in this programme, but may have a role where the rapid test has been shown to be an acceptable surrogate for a standardised test method. A range of quality assurance and control measures were identified. Requirements for quality control/assurance are most stringent when deriving data for characterising the toxic hazards of effluents and monitoring compliance against a toxicity reduction target. Lower quality control/assurance requirements can be applied to discharge screening and the identification of causes and sources of toxicity.

EPA’s ToxCast Program for Predicting Toxicity and Prioritizing Chemicals for Further Screening and Testing

EPA Science Inventory

Testing of environmental and industrial chemicals for toxicity potential is a daunting task because of the wide range of possible toxicity mechanisms. Although animal testing is one means of achieving broad toxicity coverage, evaluation of large numbers of chemicals is challengin...

TEST (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool) Ver 4.1

EPA Science Inventory

The Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (T.E.S.T.) has been developed to allow users to easily estimate toxicity and physical properties using a variety of QSAR methodologies. T.E.S.T allows a user to estimate toxicity without requiring any external programs. Users can input a chem...

Contamination of organic nutrient sources with potentially toxic elements, antibiotics and pathogen microorganisms in relation to P fertilizer potential and treatment options for the production of sustainable fertilizers: A review.

PubMed

Bloem, E; Albihn, A; Elving, J; Hermann, L; Lehmann, L; Sarvi, M; Schaaf, T; Schick, J; Turtola, E; Ylivainio, K

2017-12-31

Organic nutrient sources such as farmyard manure, sewage sludge, their biogas digestates or other animal by-products can be valuable fertilizers delivering organic matter to the soil. Currently, especially phosphorus (P) is in the focus of research since it is an essential plant nutrient with finite resources, estimated to last only for some more decades. Efficient utilization of organic P sources in agriculture will help to preserve P resources and thereby has the potential to close nutrient cycles and prevent unwanted P-losses to the environment, one of the major causes for eutrophication of water bodies. Unfortunately, organic P sources usually contain also various detrimental substances, such as potentially toxic elements or organic contaminants like pharmaceuticals as well as pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, the utilization of some of these substrates such as sewage sludge or animal by-products is legally limited in agriculture because of the potential risk to contaminate sites with potentially toxic elements and organic contaminants. Thus, to close nutrient cycles it is important to develop solutions for the responsible use of organic nutrient sources. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the contamination of the most important organic nutrient sources with potentially toxic elements, antibiotics (as one important organic contaminant) and pathogenic microorganisms. Changes in manure and sewage sludge management as well as the increasing trend to use such substrates in biogas plants will be discussed with respect to potential risks posed to soils and water bodies. Some examples for abatement options by which contamination can be reduced to produce P fertilizers with high amounts of plant available P forms are presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring impacts of air pollution: PIXE analysis and histopathological modalities in evaluating relative risks of elemental contamination.

PubMed

Ejaz, Sohail; Camer, Gerry Amor; Anwar, Khaleeq; Ashraf, Muhammad

2014-04-01

Environmental toxicants invariably affect all biological organisms resulting to sufferings ranging from subclinical to debilitating clinical conditions. This novel research aimed to determine the toxic burdens of increased environmental elements in some vital organs/tissues of the wild animals (starling, owl, crow and pigeon), exposed to air polluted environment were assessed using particle induced X-ray emission and histopathological approaches. The presence of significantly elevated amounts of elemental toxicants namely: Aluminum (Al), Chlorine (Cl), Iron (Fe), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Silicon (Si) and Vanadium (V) from the skin, muscle, lungs, liver and kidney of sampled animals were in concurrence with the observed histopathological changes. The skin of sampled starling, owl, pigeon and crow spotlighted highly significant increase (P < 0.001) in Al, Cl, Mg and Si. Muscle samples with myodegenerative lesions and mineral depositions highlighted substantial augmentation (P < 0.001) in the amount of Al, Fe, Mn, Si and V. The lungs of starling, owl, and pigeon were severely intoxicated (P < 0.001) with increased amount of Al, Fe, K, Mn and Si producing pulmonary lesions of congestion, edema, pneumonitis and mineral debris depositions. Liver samples revealed that the sampled animals were laden with Cl, Fe, Mg, Mn and V with histopathological profound degenerative changes and hepatic necrosis. Kidney sections presented severe tubular degenerative and necrotic changes that may be attributed to increased amounts of Cl and Fe. These current findings implied that the environmental/elemental toxicants and the accompanying lesions that were discerned in the organs/tissues of sampled birds may as well be afflicting people living within the polluted area. Further assessment to more conclusively demonstrate correlations of current findings to those of the populace within the area is encouraged.

Use of neutralized industrial residue to stabilize trace elements (Cu, Cd, Zn, As, Mo, and Cr) in marine dredged sediment from South-East of France.

PubMed

Taneez, Mehwish; Marmier, Nicolas; Hurel, Charlotte

2016-05-01

Management of marine dredged sediments polluted with trace elements is prime issue in the French Mediterranean coast. The polluted sediments possess ecological threats to surrounding environment on land disposal. Therefore, stabilization of contaminants in multi-contaminated marine dredged sediment is a promising technique. Present study aimed to assess the effect of gypsum neutralized bauxaline(®) (bauxite residue) to decrease the availability of pollutants and inherent toxicity of marine dredged sediment. Bauxaline(®), (alumia industry waste) contains high content of iron oxide but its high alkalinity makes it not suitable for the stabilization of all trace elements from multi-contaminated dredged sediments. In this study, neutralized bauxaline(®) was prepared by mixing bauxaline(®) with 5% of plaster. Experiments were carried out for 3 months to study the effect of 5% and 20% amendment rate on the availability of Cu, Cd, Zn, As, Mo, and Cr. Trace elements concentration, pH, EC and dissolved organic carbon were measured in all leachates. Toxicity of leachates was assessed against marine rotifers Brachionus plicatilis. The Results showed that both treatments have immobilization capacity against different pollutants. Significant stabilization of contaminants (Cu, Cd, Zn) was achieved with 20% application rate whereas As, Mo, and Cr were slightly stabilized. Toxicity results revealed that leachates collected from treated sediment were less toxic than the control sediment. These results suggest that application of neutralized bauxaline(®) to dredged sediment is an effective approach to manage large quantities of dredged sediments as well as bauxite residue itself. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots on the development of zebrafish embryos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Yong; Xiao, Qi; Huang, Shan; Xu, Wansu; Zhang, Zhe; He, Zhike; Liu, Yi; Deng, Fengjiao

2011-12-01

Due to their unique fluorescent characteristics, quantum dots (QDs) have been successfully applied in the fields of biotechnology and medicine, but there is very limited information regarding their biodistribution and chronic toxicity in vivo. In this article, the biological behavior and toxic effects of mercaptoacetic acid-CdSe/ZnS QDs (MAA-QDs) in developing zebrafish embryos were investigated by in vivo tests. The MAA-QDs were introduced into zebrafish through microinjection at early stage. The results showed that the MAA-QDs at certain concentrations influenced the survival of zebrafish embryos, but treated embryos without developmental defects were also observed. MAA-QDs injected into the cytoplasm at the one-cell stage were allocated to progeny blastoderm cells during proliferation and almost never entered the yolk. The formation of notochord and primordial germ cells with normal morphologies was detected in the treated embryos by whole-mount in situ hybridization. Furthermore, traces of the element cadmium were mainly discovered in the tissue of liver and kidney of 3-month-old-treated zebrafish by quantitative assessment with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Thus, we hypothesized that low concentration MAA-QDs have chronic toxicities when they were delivered into zebrafish organs.

Estimation of the bio-accessible fraction of Cr, As, Cd and Pb in locally available bread using on-line continuous leaching method coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Lamsal, Ram P; Beauchemin, Diane

2015-03-31

A previously developed, efficient and simple on-line leaching method was used to assess the maximum bio-accessible fraction (assuming no synergistic effect from other food and beverage) of potentially toxic elements (Cr, As, Cd and Pb) in whole wheat brown and white bread samples. Artificial saliva, gastric juice and intestinal juice were successively pumped into a mini-column, packed with bread (maintained at 37 °C) connected on-line to the nebulizer of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument equipped with a collision-reaction interface (CRI) using hydrogen as reaction gas to minimize carbon- and chlorine-based polyatomic interferences. In contrast to the conventional batch method to which it was compared, this approach provides real-time monitoring of potentially toxic elements that are continuously released during leaching. Mass balance for both methods was verified at the 95% confidence level. Results obtained from the whole wheat brown and white bread showed that the majority of Cr, Cd and Pb was leached by gastric juice but, in contrast, the majority of As was leached by saliva. While there was higher total content for elements in whole wheat bread than in white bread, a higher percentage of elements were bio-accessible in white bread than in whole wheat bread. Both the on-line and batch methods indicate that 40-98% of toxic elements in bread samples are bio-accessible. While comparison of total analyte concentrations with provisional tolerable daily intake values may indicate some serious health concern for children, when accounting for the bio-accessibility of these elements, bread consumption is found to be safe for all ages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence Of Coal Combustion Flue Gas Desulfurization Waste On Element Uptake By Maize (Zea Mays L.)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ANNA, KNOX

2005-01-10

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effect of coal combustion flue gas desulfurization (FGD) waste from a coal combustion electric power facility on element uptake by maize (Zea mays L.). Unweathered FGD was applied to an Orangeburg Series (Typic Paleudult) soil with an initial soil pH salt of 4.90. The FGD was added at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 per cent by weight. The test plant, maize, was harvested after 6 weeks of growth. Within 56 days of the FGD application, all rates of FGD significantly increased pH in the soil and the soil leachatemore » above 6.0. The elemental concentration of the maize tissues indicated a characteristic elevation of B, Se, Mo, and As. However, no visual symptoms of toxicity of B or other elements in plants were observed. Increasing level of FGD caused a steady decline in dry weight, with the highest treatment producing plants which had approximately half the biomass of the control plants. Due to elevated concentrations of B and other elements and due to adverse yield effects measured on plants, unweathered FGD would not be a suitable amendment for 6-week old maize on this soil.« less

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for trace multi-element determination in vegetable oils, margarine and butter after stabilization with propan-1-ol and water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Souza, Roseli M.; Mathias, Bárbara M.; da Silveira, Carmem Lúcia P.; Aucélio, Ricardo Q.

2005-06-01

The quantitative evaluation of trace elements in foodstuffs is of considerable interest due to the potential toxicity of many elements, and because the presence of some metallic species might affect the overall quality (flavor and stability) of these products. In the present work, an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric method has been developed for the determination of six elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Mn) in olive oil, soy oil, margarine and butter. Organic samples (oils and fats) were stabilized using propan-1-ol and water, which enabled long-time sample dispersion in the solution. This simple sample preparation procedure, together with an efficient sample introduction strategy (using a Meinhard K3 nebulizer and a twister cyclonic spray chamber), facilitated the overall analytical procedure, allowing quantification using calibration curves prepared with inorganic standards. Internal standardization (Sc) was used for correction of matrix effects and signal fluctuations. Good sensitivities with limits of detection in the ng g -1 range were achieved for all six elements. These sensitivities were appropriate for the intended application. The method was tested through the analysis of laboratory-fortified samples with good recoveries (between 91.3% and 105.5%).

Critique on the use of the standardized avian acute oral toxicity test for first generation anticoagulant rodenticides

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vyas, Nimish B.; Rattner, Barnett A.

2012-01-01

Avian risk assessments for rodenticides are often driven by the results of standardized acute oral toxicity tests without regards to a toxicant's mode of action and time course of adverse effects. First generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs) generally require multiple feedings over several days to achieve a threshold concentration in tissue and cause adverse effects. This exposure regimen is much different than that used in the standardized acute oral toxicity test methodology. Median lethal dose values derived from standardized acute oral toxicity tests underestimate the environmental hazard and risk of FGARs. Caution is warranted when FGAR toxicity, physiological effects, and pharmacokinetics derived from standardized acute oral toxicity testing are used for forensic confirmation of the cause of death in avian mortality incidents and when characterizing FGARs' risks to free-ranging birds.

Diesel emissions significantly influence composition and mutagenicity of ambient particles: a case study in São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Carvalho-Oliveira, R; Pozo, R M K; Lobo, D J A; Lichtenfels, A J F C; Martins-Junior, H A; Bustilho, J O W V; Saiki, M; Sato, I M; Saldiva, P H N

2005-05-01

In 2003, a bus strike paralyzed the fleet of buses in Sao Paulo, Brazil during 3 days, from 6 to 8 of April, the complete interruption of services being achieved on the 7th. We evaluated the effect of the absence of this source of pollution on the composition, mutagenicity, and toxicity of the fine particulate material collected during this period. Particles were sampled in glass fiber filters on days 7 and 15 of April of 2003 (strike and nonstrike days, respectively), using a high-volume sampler. Trace element determinations (As, Br, Co, Cl, Fe, La, Mn, Sb, Sc, and Th) of particulate material samples were carried out by neutron activation analysis. Sulfur determination was done by X-ray fluorescence analysis. The ratio between nonstrike/strike concentrations of hydrocarbons associated with automotive emissions (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, and xylenes; BTEX) was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Mutagenesis of testing solutions was determined by means of the Tradescantia micronucleus assay in early tetrads of Tradescantia pallida. The inhibition of mitosis of the cells of the primary meristema of the root tips of Allium cepa was used as an index of the toxicity. Fine particle trace element contents were lower during the strike. The concentrations of sulfur and BTEX were 50% and 39.3% lower, respectively, on the strike day. A significant (P=0.038) reduction of micronuclei induced by fine particles sampled during the strike was observed. No effect of the strike on toxicity was detected. These results indicate that a program aiming to reduce emissions of the bus fleet in our town may impact positively the air quality by reducing the mutagenic potential of ambient particles.

Heavy rare earth elements affect early life stages in Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula sea urchins.

PubMed

Oral, Rahime; Pagano, Giovanni; Siciliano, Antonietta; Gravina, Maria; Palumbo, Anna; Castellano, Immacolata; Migliaccio, Oriana; Thomas, Philippe J; Guida, Marco; Tommasi, Franca; Trifuoggi, Marco

2017-04-01

Heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) have been scarcely studied for their toxicity, in spite of their applications in several technologies. Thus HREEs require timely investigations for their adverse health effects. Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula embryos and sperm were exposed to trichloride salts of five HREEs (Dy, Ho, Er, Yb and Lu) and to Ce(III) as a light REE (LREE) reference to evaluate: 1) developmental defects (% DD) in HREE-exposed larvae or in the offspring of HREE-exposed sperm; 2) mitotic anomalies; 3) fertilization success; and 4) reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Nominal HREE concentrations were confirmed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). HREEs induced concentration-related DD increases in P. lividus and A. lixula larvae, ranging from no significant DD increase at 10 -7 M HREEs up to ≅100% DD at 10 -5 M HREE. Larvae exposed to 10 -5 M Ce(III) resulted in less severe DD rates compared to HREEs. Decreased mitotic activity and increased aberration rates were found in HREE-exposed P. lividus embryos. Significant increases in ROS formation and NO levels were found both in HREE-exposed and in Ce(III) embryos, whereas only Ce(III), but not HREEs resulted in significant increase in MDA levels. Sperm exposure to HREEs (10 -5 -10 -4 M) resulted in a concentration-related decrease in fertilization success along with increase in offspring damage. These effects were significantly enhanced for Dy(III), Ho(III), Er(III) and Yb(III), compared to Lu(III) and to Ce(III). HREE-associated toxicity affected embryogenesis, fertilization, cytogenetic and redox endpoints showing different toxicities of tested HREEs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The umbilical blood levels of lead and some other toxic metals as a biomarker of environment-induced exposure].

PubMed

Privalova, L I; Malykh, O L; Matiukhina, G V; Gnezdilova, S V

2007-01-01

Groups of pregnant women, which made up in Revda, Pervouralsk, Krasnouralsk, and Verkh-Isetsky District of Yekaterinburg, were studied. Tests of umbilical blood samples (UB) for the levels of calcium, iron, chromium, manganese, zinc, nickel, cadmium, lead, arsenic, copper, and mercury have established that the mean concentration of lead and the proportion of samples with elevated UB lead concentrations depend on how close the residential area is located to the major industrial source of emission of this toxic metal into ambient air. This correlation is less marked for other metals or it is not found. The particular position of lead is likely to be explained by the fact that it is entirely foreign to an organism and by the comparative unimportance of a contribution of the sources of exposure to this metal, which are unassociated with man-caused environmental and food pollution. As far as other metals are concerned, the situation is complicated by the fact that they are not only toxic, but when upon minor exposures, also essential biotrace elements with controlled and interdependent toxic kinetics. It is also shown that when a pregnant woman takes a complex of biological protectors promoting a reduction in her body's levels of lead, its concentrations in her body, its UB concentration is much lower than such a bioprophylactic effect is absent.

Effect of EDTA washing of metal polluted garden soils. Part I: Toxicity hazards and impact on soil properties.

PubMed

Jelusic, Masa; Lestan, Domen

2014-03-15

We applied a multi-level approach assessing the quality, toxicity and functioning of Pb, Zn and Cd contaminated/remediated soil from a vegetable garden in Meza Valley, Slovenia. Contaminated soil was extracted with EDTA and placed into field experimental plots equipped with lysimeters. Soil properties were assessed by standard pedological analysis. Fractionation and leachability of toxic metals were analyzed by sequential extraction and TCLP and metal bioaccessibility by UBM tests. Soil respiration and enzyme activities were measured as indicators of soil functioning. Remediation reduced the metal burden by 80, 28 and 72% for Pb, Zn and Cd respectively, with a limited impact on soil pedology. Toxic metals associated with labile soil fractions were largely removed. No shifts between labile and residual fractions were observed during the seven months of the experiment. Initial metal leaching measured through lysimeters eventually ceased. However, remediation significantly diminished potential soil enzyme activity and no trends were observed of the remediated soil recovering its biological properties. Soil washing successfully removed available forms of Pb, Zn and Cd and thus lowered the human and environmental hazards of the remediated soil; however, remediation also extracted the trace elements essential for soil biota. In addition to reduced water holding capacity, soil health was not completely restored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Multi-Route Model of Nicotine-Cotinine Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Brain Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Binding in Humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Teeguarden, Justin G.; Housand, Conrad; Smith, Jordan N.

The pharmacokinetics of nicotine, the pharmacologically active alkaloid in tobacco responsible for addiction, are well characterized in humans. We developed a physiologically based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model of nicotine pharmacokinetics, brain dosimetry and brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs) occupancy. A Bayesian framework was applied to optimize model parameters against multiple human data sets. The resulting model was consistent with both calibration and test data sets, but in general underestimated variability. A pharmacodynamic model relating nicotine levels to increases in heart rate as a proxy for the pharmacological effects of nicotine accurately described the nicotine related changes in heart rate and the developmentmore » and decay of tolerance to nicotine. The PBPK model was utilized to quantitatively capture the combined impact of variation in physiological and metabolic parameters, nicotine availability and smoking compensation on the change in number of cigarettes smoked and toxicant exposure in a population of 10,000 people presented with a reduced toxicant (50%), reduced nicotine (50%) cigarette Across the population, toxicant exposure is reduced in some but not all smokers. Reductions are not in proportion to reductions in toxicant yields, largely due to partial compensation in response to reduced nicotine yields. This framework can be used as a key element of a dosimetry-driven risk assessment strategy for cigarette smoke constituents.« less

Review of toxicity studies performed on an underground coal gasification condensate water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barker, F.P.

1987-09-01

Three studies related to the toxicity of underground coal gasification (UCG) waters have bee conducted: (1) toxicity study of UCG water and its fractions as determined by the Microtox test, (2) toxicity study of biotreated UCG water as determined by the Microtox test, and (3) toxicity study of UCG water to macroinvertebrates. The results of these studies are summarized herein. The gas condensate water from the UCG process is extremely toxic as determined by assays with photoluminescent bacteria (Microtox), benthic (bottom-dwelling) macroinvertebrates (mayflies), and Daphnia magna (water flea). Microtox bioassays reveal that the toxic components of the water reside inmore » both the organophilic and hydrophilic fractions, although the organophilic fraction is notably more toxic. A sequential treatment process reduced the toxicity of the UCG water, as measured by the Microtox test. Solvent extraction (to remove phenols) followed by ammonia stripping yielded a less toxic water. Additional treatment by activated sludge further reduced toxicity. Finally, the addition of powdered activated carbon to the activated sludge yielded the least toxic water. A bioassay technique was developed for lotic (running water) macroinvertebrates (Drunella doddsi and Iron longimanus). The toxicity results were compared with results from the traditional test animal, Daphnia magna. Short-term exposures to the UCG waters were more toxic to Daphnia magna than to Drunella doddsi or Iron longimanus, although the toxicity values begin to merge with longer test exposure. The greater toxicity seems to be related to a thinner exoskeleton. 26 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Toxic effects of trace elements on newborns and their birth outcomes.

PubMed

Tang, Mengling; Xu, Chenye; Lin, Nan; Yin, Shanshan; Zhang, Yongli; Yu, Xinwei; Liu, Weiping

2016-04-15

Some trace elements are essential for newborns, their deficiency may cause abnormal biological functions, whereas excessive intakes due to environmental contamination may create adverse health effects. This study was conducted to measure the levels of selected trace elements in Chinese fish consumers by assessing their essentiality and toxicity via colostrum intake in newborns, and evaluated the effects of these trace elements on birth outcomes. Trace elements in umbilical cord serum and colostrum of the studied population were relatively high compared with other populations. The geometric means (GM) of estimated daily intake (EDI, mgday(-1)) of the trace elements were in the safe ranges for infant Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When using total dietary intake (TDI, mgkg(-1)bwday(-1)), zinc (Zn) (0.880mgkg(-1)bwday(-1)) and selenium (Se) (6.39×10(-3)mgkg(-1)bwday(-1)) were above the Reference Doses (RfD), set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Multivariable linear regression analyses showed that Se was negatively correlated with birth outcomes. Our findings suggested that overloading of trace elements due to environmental contamination may contribute to negative birth outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Release of elements to natural water from sediments of Lake Roosevelt, Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paulson, Anthony J.; Cox, Stephen E.

2007-01-01

Reservoir sediments from Lake Roosevelt (WA, USA) that were contaminated with smelter waste discharged into the Columbia River (BC, Canada) were examined using three measures of elemental release reflecting varying degrees of physical mixing and time scales. Aqueous concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the interstitial water of reservoir sediments, in the gently stirred overlying waters of incubated sediment cores, and in supernatants of aggressively tumbled slurries of reservoir sediments generally were higher than the concentrations from a reference site. When compared to chronic water-quality criteria, all three measures of release suggest that slag-contaminated sediments near the U.S.-Canadian border are potentially toxic as a result of Cu release and Pb release in two of the three measures. All three measures of Cd release suggest potential toxicity for one site farther down the reservoir, probably contaminated as a result of transport and adsorption of Cd from smelter liquid waste. Releases of Zn and As did not appear to be potentially toxic. Carbonate geochemistry indirectly affects the potential toxicity by increasing water hardness.

A REVIEW OF SINGLE SPECIES TOXICITY TESTS: ARE THE TESTS RELIABLE PREDICTORS OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM COMMUNITY RESPONSES?

EPA Science Inventory

This document provides a comprehensive review to evaluate the reliability of indicator species toxicity test results in predicting aquatic ecosystem impacts, also called the ecological relevance of laboratory single species toxicity tests.

Preliminary Assessment of Health Risks of Potentially Toxic Elements in Settled Dust over Beijing Urban Area

PubMed Central

Wan, Dejun; Zhan, Changlin; Yang, Guanglin; Liu, Xingqi; Yang, Jinsong

2016-01-01

To examine levels, health risks, sources, and spatial distributions of potentially toxic elements in settled dust over Beijing urban area, 62 samples were collected mostly from residential building outdoor surfaces, and their <63 μm fractions were measured for 12 potentially toxic elements. The results show that V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Ba in dust are from predominantly natural sources, whereas Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Pb mostly originate from anthropogenic sources. Exposure to these elements in dust has significant non-cancer risks to children but insignificant to adults. Cancer risks of Cr, Co, Ni, As, and Cd via inhalation and dermal contact are below the threshold of 10−6–10−4 but As via dust ingestion shows a tolerable risk. The non-cancer risks to children are contributed mainly (75%) by As, Pb, and Sb, and dominantly (92%) via dust ingestion, with relatively higher risks mainly occurring in the eastern and northeastern Beijing urban areas. Although Cd, Zn, and Cu in dust are heavily affected by anthropogenic sources, their health risks are insignificant. Source appointments suggest that coal burning emissions, the dominant source of As, are likely the largest contributors to the health risk, and traffic-related and industrial emissions are also important because they contribute most of the Pb and Sb in dust. PMID:27187427

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) as Indicators of Geogenic Contamination of Flysch Soils in Eastern Slovakia.

PubMed

Čurlík, Ján; Kolesár, Martin; Ďurža, Ondrej; Hiller, Edgar

2016-04-01

Contents of potentially toxic elements Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, V, Cu, and Mo were determined in common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) to show their usefulness as bioindicators of geogenic soil pollution. Both plants were collected on geochemically anomalous soils developed on flysch sedimentary rocks (Paleogene) of Eastern Slovakia, which also are composed of weathered detritus of some ultramafic rocks. Generally, contents of the investigated association of potentially toxic elements are highly increased in these "serpentine"-like soils. Elevated concentrations were detected in both shoots and roots of the plants. The highest values, which exceed world average values for plants, were observed for Ni content. They ranged from 1.7 to 16.3 mg kg(-1) in dandelion and from 1.6 to 22.6 mg kg(-1) in agrimony. Essential elements, such as Mo, Cu, and Mn, were the most concentrated in plants, whereas Co, V, and Cr were the least concentrated. Although the bioindication value of the common dandelion for anthropogenic soil pollution is well known, it is not mentioned for agrimony in literature, and no data exist to indicate the geogenic pollution for both plants. Dandelion and agrimony are widely used as herbal drugs; therefore, our intention also was to point out another fact, namely, possible high uptake of potentially toxic elements by herbal plants growing on similar soils.

Comparison of Selected Metals Content in Cambodian Striped Snakehead Fish (Channa striata) Using Solar Drying System and Open Sun Drying

PubMed Central

Abu Bakar, Nur Faizah; Fudholi, Ahmad; Ruslan, Mohd Hafidz; Saroeun, Im

2015-01-01

The content of 12 elements in Cambodian dried striped snakehead fish was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The present study compares the level of the trace toxic metals and nutritional trace elements in the fish processed using solar drying system (SDS) and open sun drying (OSD). The skin of SDS fish has lower level of As, Pb, and Cd compared to the OSD sample. As such, the flesh of the fish accumulated higher amount of toxic metals during OSD compared to SDS. However, arsenic was detected in both samples within the safe limit. The nutritional elements (Fe, Mn, Mg, Se, Mo, Cu, Ni, and Cr) were higher in the skin sample SDS fish compared to OSD fish. These beneficial metals were not accumulated in the flesh sample SDS fish demonstrating lower level compared to drying under conventional system. The reddish coloration of the SDS fish was due to the presence of high Cu content in both the skin and flesh samples which possibly account for no mold formation 5 days after packaging. As conclusion, drying of Cambodian C. striata using solar-assisted system has proven higher content of the nutritious elements compared to using the conventional system despite only slight difference in the toxic metals level between the two systems. PMID:25688274

Distribution of toxic trace elements in soil/sediment in post-Katrina New Orleans and the Louisiana Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Su, T.; Shu, S.; Shi, Honglan; Wang, Jingyuan; Adams, Craig; Witt, Emitt C.

2008-01-01

This study provided a comprehensive assessment of seven toxic trace elements (As, Pb, V, Cr, Cd, Cu, and Hg) in the soil/sediment of Katrina affected greater New Orleans region 1 month after the recession of flood water. Results indicated significant contamination of As and V and non-significant contamination of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb at most sampling sites. Compared to the reported EPA Region 6 soil background inorganic levels, except As, the concentrations of other six elements had greatly increased throughout the studied area; St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish showed greater contamination than other regions. Comparison between pre- and post-Katrina data in similar areas, and data for surface, shallow, and deep samples indicated that the trace element distribution in post-Katrina New Orleans was not obviously attributed to the flooding. This study suggests that more detailed study of As and V contamination at identified locations is needed. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

Metal and metalloid accumulation in shrews (Soricomorpha, Mammalia) from two protected Mediterranean coastal sites.

PubMed

Sánchez-Chardi, Alejandro; López-Fuster, María José

2009-04-01

Although ecotoxicological data on heavy metals are abundant, information on other potentially toxic elements with attributed deficiency and/or toxic disturbances is scarce. Here we quantify zinc, copper, iron, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, strontium, barium, and boron in bones of greater white-toothed shrews, Crocidura russula, inhabiting two protected Mediterranean coastal sites: the Ebro Delta, a wetland impacted by human activities, and the Medas Islands, a reference site. Natural and anthropogenic inputs significantly increase Fe, Mn, Mo, Sr, Ba, and B in specimens from the Ebro Delta, whereas Cu and Cr were higher in Medas' shrews. Principal component analysis allowed complete separation between sites along the first two axes in particular due to B, Sr, and Cu. This study provides metal reference values in bones of insectivores, explores their variability and bioaccumulation patterns in depth, and assesses the potential environmental risk and toxicity for biota exposed to the above elements.

Anodonta imbecillis copper sulfate reference toxicant test, Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1997-06-01

Reference toxicant testing using juvenile freshwater mussels was conducted as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to assess the sensitivity of test organisms and the overall performance of the test. Tests were conducted using moderately hard synthetic water spiked with known concentrations of copper as copper sulfate. Toxicity testing of copper sulfate reference toxicant was conducted from May 12-21, 1993. The organisms used for testing were juvenile fresh-water mussels (Anodonta imbecillis). Results from this test showed an LC{sub 50} value of 1.12 mg Cu/L which is lower than the value of 2.02 mg Cu/L obtained inmore » a previous test. Too few tests have been conducted with copper as the toxicant to determine a normal range of values.« less

Investigation of Gasochromic Rhodium Complexes Towards Their Reactivity to CO and Integration into an Optical Gas Sensor for Fire Gas Detection.

PubMed

Pannek, Carolin; Tarantik, Karina R; Schmitt, Katrin; Wöllenstein, Jürgen

2018-06-21

The detection of the toxic gas carbon monoxide (CO) in the low ppm range is required in different applications. We present a study of the reactivity of different gasochromic rhodium complexes towards the toxic gas carbon monoxide (CO). Therefore, variations of binuclear rhodium complexes with different ligands were prepared. They were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. All complexes are spectroscopically distinguishable and temperature stable up to at least 187 °C. The gasochromic behavior of all different compounds was tested. Therefore, the compounds were dissolved in toluene and exposed to 100 ppm CO for 10 min to investigate their gas sensitivity and reaction velocity. The changes in the transmission spectra were recorded by UV/vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, a significant influence of the solvent to the color dyes’ gasochromic reaction and behavior was observed. After characterization, one complex was transferred as sensing element into an optical gas sensor. Two different measurement principles (reflection- and waveguide-based) were built up and tested towards their capability as gasochromic CO sensors. Finally, different gas-dependent measurements were carried out.

Phycoremediation of Tannery Wastewater Using Microalgae Scenedesmus Species.

PubMed

Ajayan, Kayil Veedu; Selvaraju, Muthusamy; Unnikannan, Pachikaran; Sruthi, Palliyath

2015-01-01

A number of microalgae species are efficient in removing toxicants from wastewater. Many of these potential species are a promising, eco-friendly, and sustainable option for tertiary wastewater treatment with a possible advantage of improving the economics of microalgae cultivation for biofuel production. The present study deals with the phycoremediation of tannery wastewater (TWW) using Scenedesmus sp. isolated from a local habitat. The test species was grown in TWW under laboratory conditions and harvested on the 12th day. The results revealed that the algal biomass during the growth period not only reduced the pollution load of heavy metals (Cr-81.2-96%, Cu-73.2-98%, Pb-75-98% and Zn-65-98%) but also the nutrients (NO3 >44.3% and PO4 >95%). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrums of Scenedesmus sp. biomass revealed the involvement of hydroxyl amino, carboxylic and carbonyl groups. The scanning electron micrograph (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopic analysis (EDS) revealed the surface texture, morphology and element distribution of the biosorbent. Furthermore, the wastewater generated during wet-blue tanning process can support dense population of Scenedesmus sp., making it a potential growth medium for biomass production of the test alga for phycoremediation of toxicants in tannery wastewaters.

Non-combustible waste vitrification with plasma torch melter.

PubMed

Park, J K; Moon, Y P; Park, B C; Song, M J; Ko, K S; Cho, J M

2001-05-01

Non-combustible radioactive wastes generated from Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) are composed of concrete, glass, asbestos, metal, sand, soil, spent filters, etc. The melting tests for concrete, glass, sand, and spent filters were carried out using a 60 kW plasma torch system. The surrogate wastes were prepared for the tests. Non-radioactive Co and Cs were added to the surrogates in order to simulate the radioactive waste. Several kinds of surrogate prepared by their own mixture or by single waste were melted with the plasma torch system to produce glassy waste forms. The characteristics of glassy waste forms were examined for the volume reduction factor (VRF) and the leach rate. The VRFs were estimated through the density measurement of the surrogates and the glassy waste forms, and were turned out to be 1.2-2.4. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) was used to determine the leach resistance for As, Ba, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Se, Co, and Cs. The leaching index was calculated using the total content of each element in both the waste forms and the leachant. The TCLP tests resulted in that the leach rates for all elements except Co and Cs were lower than those of the Universal Treatment Standard (UTS) limits. There were no UTS limits for Co and Cs, and their leach rate & index from the experiments were resulted in around 10 times higher than those of other elements.

Final report on APMP.QM-S5: Essential and toxic elements in seafood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valiente, Liliana; Bennett, John W.; Caciano de Sena, Rodrigo; Kotzeva, Boriana; Massiff, Gabriela; Chao, Jingbo; Wang, Jun; Nasr, Randa; Labarraque, Guillaume; Kakoulidis, Elias; Lampi, Eugenia; Wai-mei Sin, Della; Mok, Chuen-shing; Wong, Siu-kay; Yip, Yiu-chung; Gopala Aggarwal, Shankar; Gupta, Prabhat K.; Zhu, Yanbei; Miyashita, Shin-ichi; Yim, Yong-Hyeon; Zakaria, Osman; Manzano, Judith Velina Lara; Shin, Richard; Horvat, Milena; Yafa, Charun

2013-01-01

The supplementary comparison APMP.QM-S5 was undertaken to demonstrate the capability of participating national metrology institutes (NMIs) and designated institutes (DIs) in measuring the contents of the incurred essential elements (iron and zinc) and toxic elements (total arsenic and cadmium) at µg/g levels in a test sample of dried shrimp by various analytical techniques. At the APMP TCQM Meeting held in Pattaya, Thailand in November 2010, Government Laboratory of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (GLHK) proposed this APMP supplementary comparison. The proposal was further discussed and agreed upon at the CCQM Inorganic Analysis Working Group Meeting held in Paris in April 2011. GLHK was the coordinating laboratory for the supplementary comparison. For enhancing the collaboration amongst specialized regional bodies in Asia-Pacific and to help build the laboratory capacity of NMIs/DIs from developing economies, the reference values of the supplementary comparison are used for evaluation of performance of participants of an APMP proficiency testing programme (APMP PT 11-01), an Asia-Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation proficiency testing programme (APLAC T082) and an Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation proficiency testing programme (APEC PT), which were concurrently run using the same testing material as in APMP.QM-S5. The supplementary comparison serves to facilitate claims by participants on the Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs) as listed in Appendix C of the Key Comparison Database (KCDB) under the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM MRA). A total of 18 institutes registered for the supplementary comparison and all of them submitted their results. Most of the participants used microwave acid digestion methods for sample dissolution. For the instrumental determination, a variety of techniques like ICP-MS, ICP-OES, INAA and AAS were employed by the participants. For this supplementary comparison, inorganic core capabilities have been demonstrated by concerned participants with respect to methods including ICP-MS (without isotope dilution), ID-ICP-MS, ICP-OES, INAA and AAS on the determination of total arsenic, cadmium, iron and zinc in a matrix of seafood. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the APMP, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

A glimpse on biological activities of tellurium compounds.

PubMed

Cunha, Rodrigo L O R; Gouvea, Iuri E; Juliano, Luiz

2009-09-01

Tellurium is a rare element which has been regarded as a toxic, non-essential trace element and its biological role is not clearly established to date. Besides of that, the biological effects of elemental tellurium and some of its inorganic and organic derivatives have been studied, leading to a set of interesting and promising applications. As an example, it can be highlighted the uses of alkali-metal tellurites and tellurates in microbiology, the antioxidant effects of organotellurides and diorganoditellurides and the immunomodulatory effects of the non-toxic inorganic tellurane, named AS-101, and the plethora of its uses. Inasmuch, the nascent applications of organic telluranes (organotelluranes) as protease inhibitors and its applications in disease models are the most recent contribution to the scenario of the biological effects and applications of tellurium and its compounds discussed in this manuscript.

Applicability of ambient toxicity testing to national or regional water-quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elder, J.F.

1989-01-01

Comprehensive assessment of the quality of natural waters requires a multifaceted approach. Based on experimentation designed to monitor responses of organisms to environmental stresses, toxicity testing may have diverse purposes in water quality assessments. These purposes may include identification that warrant further study because of poor water quality or unusual ecological features, verification of other types of monitoring, or assessment of contaminant effects on aquatic communities. A wide variety of toxicity test methods have been developed to fulfill the needs of diverse applications. The methods differ primarily in the full selections made relative to four characteristics: (1) test species, (2) endpoints (acute or chronic), (3) test enclosure type, and (4) test substance (toxicant) that functions as the environmental stress. Toxicity test approachs vary in their capacity to meet the needs of large-scale assessments of existing water quality. Ambient testing is more likely to meet these needs than are the procedures that call for exposure of the test organisms to known concentrations of a single toxicant. However, meaningful interpretation of ambient test results depend on the existence of accompanying chemical analysis of the ambient media. The ambient test substance may be water or sediments. Sediment tests have had limited application, but they are useful because of the fact that most toxicants tend to accumulate in sediments, and many test species either inhabit the sediments or are in frequent contact with them. Biochemical testing methods, which have been developing rapidly in recent years, are likely to be among the most useful procedures for large-scale water quality assessments. They are relatively rapid and simple, and more importantly, they focus on biochemical changes that are the initial responses of virtually all organisms to environmental stimuli. Most species are sensitive to relatively few toxicants and their sensitivities vary as conditions change. One of the most informative approaches for toxicity testing is to combine biochemical tests with other test methods in a ' battery or tests ' that is diversified enough to characterize different types of toxicants and different trophic levels. (Lantz-PTT)

Influence of flow-through and renewal exposures on the toxicity of copper to rainbow trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welsh, P.G.; Lipton, J.; Mebane, C.A.; Marr, J.C.A.

2008-01-01

We examined changes in water chemistry and copper (Cu) toxicity in three paired renewal and flow-through acute bioassays with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Test exposure methodology influenced both exposure water chemistry and measured Cu toxicity. Ammonia and organic carbon concentrations were higher and the fraction of dissolved Cu lower in renewal tests than in paired flow-through tests. Cu toxicity was also lower in renewal tests; 96 h dissolved Cu LC50 values were 7-60% higher than LC50s from matching flow-through tests. LC50 values in both types of tests were related to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in exposure tanks. Increases in organic carbon concentrations in renewal tests were associated with reduced Cu toxicity, likely as a result of the lower bioavailability of Cu-organic carbon complexes. The biotic ligand model of acute Cu toxicity tended to underpredict toxicity in the presence of DOC. Model fits between predicted and observed toxicity were improved by assuming that only 50% of the measured DOC was reactive, and that this reactive fraction was present as fulvic acid. ?? 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rare earth elements (REEs): effects on germination and growth of selected crop and native plant species.

PubMed

Thomas, Philippe J; Carpenter, David; Boutin, Céline; Allison, Jane E

2014-02-01

The phytotoxicity of rare earth elements (REEs) is still poorly understood. The exposure-response relationships of three native Canadian plant species (common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca L., showy ticktrefoil, Desmodium canadense (L.) DC. and switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L.) and two commonly used crop species (radish, Raphanus sativus L., and tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.) to the REEs lanthanum (La), yttrium (Y) and cerium (Ce) were tested. In separate experiments, seven to eight doses of each element were added to the soil prior to sowing seeds. Effects of REE dose on germination were established through measures of total percent germination and speed of germination; effects on growth were established through determination of above ground biomass. Ce was also tested at two pH levels and plant tissue analysis was conducted on pooled samples. Effects on germination were mostly observed with Ce at low pH. However, effects on growth were more pronounced, with detectable inhibition concentrations causing 10% and 25% reductions in biomass for the two native forb species (A. syriaca and D. canadense) with all REEs and on all species tested with Ce in both soil pH treatments. Concentration of Ce in aboveground biomass was lower than root Ce content, and followed the dose-response trend. From values measured in natural soils around the world, our results continue to support the notion that REEs are of limited toxicity and not considered extremely hazardous to the environment. However, in areas where REE contamination is likely, the slow accumulation of these elements in the environment could become problematic. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Impact assessment of fly ash on ground water quality: An experimental study using batch leaching tests.

PubMed

Dandautiya, Rahul; Singh, Ajit Pratap; Kundu, Sanghamitra

2018-05-01

The fly ash, generated at the coal-based thermal power plant, is always a cause of concern to environmentalists owing to its adverse impact on air, water and land. There exists a high environmental risk when it is disposed to the environment. Thus, two different type of fly ash samples (FA-1 and FA-2) have been considered in this study to examine the leaching potential of the elements magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, strontium, cadmium, barium and lead for different types of leachant. Toxicity characteristics leaching procedure and ASTM tests have been performed in the laboratory to simulate different natural leaching scenarios. Characterisation of samples have been done through X-ray diffraction and field emission gun scanning electron microscope. The effect of different liquid to solid ratios (i.e. 5, 10, 20 and 50) on the mobilisation of elements has been analysed. The results indicated that the maximum leaching of all elements occurred at a liquid to solid ratio of 5 except for arsenic, barium and silicon. The groundwater analysis has also been done to understand the actual effects of leachate. The elements presenting the highest leachability in the two fly ash samples under all tested conditions were magnesium, aluminium, silicon and calcium. It has been observed that calcium exhibits greater leaching effects than all other constituents. The study presented here has been found very useful for assessing contamination levels in groundwater owing to leaching effects of fly ash under different scenarios, which can be helpful to prevent spreading of the contaminants by efficient management of fly ash.

Leaching of boron, arsenic and selenium from sedimentary rocks: I. Effects of contact time, mixing speed and liquid-to-solid ratio.

PubMed

Tabelin, Carlito Baltazar; Hashimoto, Ayaka; Igarashi, Toshifumi; Yoneda, Tetsuro

2014-02-15

Sedimentary rocks of marine origin excavated in tunnel projects were recently identified as potentially hazardous because they could release significant amounts of toxic trace elements when exposed to the environment. This study investigated the leaching characteristics of B, As, Se and the major coexisting ions under various conditions to identify the factors and processes controlling their evolution in the leachate. In addition, we evaluated whether the parameters of the currently used leachability test for excavated rocks were adequate. Although the leachabilities of B, As and Se similarly increased at longer contact times, only those of B and As were influenced by the mixing speed and/or liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S). The majority of trace elements dissolved in the leachate originated from the dissolution of soluble salts formed from seawater of the Cretaceous trapped during the formation of the sedimentary rocks. Moreover, the alkaline pH of the leachates could be attributed to the simultaneous dissolutions at varying degrees of the mineral components of the rocks as well as the precipitation of clay minerals. In the leaching test of excavated rocks for regulatory purposes, the best values of contact time and mixing speed should represent conditions of the highest trace element extractabilities, which in this study were found at longer contact times (>48 h) and the fastest mixing speed (200 rpm). The most appropriate L/S for the leaching test is 10 because it was around this L/S that the extractabilities and leaching concentrations of the trace elements were simultaneously observed at their highest values. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Significance of Intratracheal Instillation Tests for the Screening of Pulmonary Toxicity of Nanomaterials.

PubMed

Morimoto, Yasuo; Izumi, Hiroto; Yoshiura, Yukiko; Fujisawa, Yuri; Fujita, Katsuhide

Inhalation tests are the gold standard test for the estimation of the pulmonary toxicity of respirable materials. Intratracheal instillation tests have been used widely, but they yield limited evidence of the harmful effects of respirable materials. We reviewed the effectiveness of intratracheal instillation tests for estimating the hazards of nanomaterials, mainly using research papers featuring intratracheal instillation and inhalation tests centered on a Japanese national project. Compared to inhalation tests, intratracheal instillation tests induced more acute inflammatory responses in the animal lung due to a bolus effect regardless of the toxicity of the nanomaterials. However, nanomaterials with high toxicity induced persistent inflammation in the chronic phase, and nanomaterials with low toxicity induced only transient inflammation. Therefore, in order to estimate the harmful effects of a nanomaterial, an observation period of 3 months or 6 months following intratracheal instillation is necessary. Among the endpoints of pulmonary toxicity, cell count and percentage of neutrophil, chemokines for neutrophils and macrophages, and oxidative stress markers are considered most important. These markers show persistent and transient responses in the lung from nanomaterials with high and low toxicity, respectively. If the evaluation of the pulmonary toxicity of nanomaterials is performed in not only the acute but also the chronic phase in order to avoid the bolus effect of intratracheal instillation and inflammatory-related factors that are used as endpoints of pulmonary toxicity, we speculate that intratracheal instillation tests can be useful for screening for the identification of the hazard of nanomaterials through pulmonary inflammation.

Source identification, environmental risk assessment and human health risks associated with toxic elements present in a coastal industrial environment, India.

PubMed

Satapathy, Shreemayee; Panda, C R

2018-03-26

This study investigated the source and contamination levels of toxic elements (Cd, Cr, As, Pb, Ni and Hg) present in a coastal environment, Paradip-an industrial hub of the east coast of India. The ecological risk assessment indices and human exposure models were used to evaluate the pollution status. Enrichment factor indicated that all the metal(loid)s found in the sediment are mostly derived from the anthropogenic source. According to the sediment quality quotient, 8.33% of sediments have crossed the ERM limit for Ni that can be fatal to biota. Meanwhile, 66.66, 41.66 and 8.33% of sediments have exceeded PEL range for Cr, Ni and As, respectively, that can register frequent lethal toxicity to benthic biota. As had the highest potential ecological harm coefficient (Er f  > 80), and Hg had moderate ecological harm coefficient (40 < Er f  < 80). Summarily, the sediment quality of this site is moderate to heavily toxic to benthic organisms. The concentration of toxic metals in seawater was below the permissible limit (CCC and CMC) set by USEPA indicating that water is relatively safer for free floating aquatic biota. The health risk index of toxic metal (loid)s present in soils of the residential sites has confirmed that there is a severe non-carcinogenic threat for children (HI child > 1) and a borderline carcinogenic risk for both adult and children. THQ Cr possesses highest non-carcinogenic threat, which contributed approximately 50% to HI followed by THQ As . The contribution of carcinogenic risk of chromium (CR Cr ) to TCR is approximately 60%. Cr is the significant contaminant of this site that has highest health effects. Highest exposure risks were associated with ingestion pathway accounting for about 85% of the total for most of the elements.

The Preparation of Some Compounds for Testing as Insect Repellents

DTIC Science & Technology

1945-12-28

have been submitted for 90-day subacute toxicity studies « 0-7139, 0-7209 and 0-7227 have passed acute toxicity tests (0- 7227 with reservations...but have not been submitted for 90-day subacute toxicity studies , 0-7392, 0-7430 and 0-13058 have been submitted for acute toxicity tests. Forty-fivo...evaluate adequately the promising candidate insect repellents prepared under this contract. Some toxicity studies as indicated above are being made

Chemical and sewage sludge co-incineration in a full-scale MSW incinerator: toxic trace element mass balance.

PubMed

Biganzoli, Laura; Grosso, Mario; Giugliano, Michele; Campolunghi, Manuel

2012-10-01

Co-incineration of sludges with MSW is a quite common practice in Europe. This paper illustrates a case of co-incineration of both sewage sludges and chemical sludges, the latter obtained from drinking water production, in a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant located in northern Italy and equipped with a grate furnace, and compares the toxic trace elements mass balance with and without the co-incineration of sludges. The results show that co-incineration of sewage and chemical sludges does not result in an increase of toxic trace elements the total release in environment, with the exception of arsenic, whose total release increases from 1 mg t(fuel) (-1) during standard operation to 3 mg t(fuel) (-1) when sludges are co-incinerated. The increase of arsenic release is, however, attributable to the sole bottom ashes, where its concentration is five times higher during sludge co-incineration. No variation is observed for arsenic release at the stack. This fact is a further guarantee that the co-incineration of sludges, when performed in a state-of-the-art WTE plant, does not have negative effects on the atmospheric environment.

Optimisation of the supercritical extraction of toxic elements in fish oil.

PubMed

Hajeb, P; Jinap, S; Shakibazadeh, Sh; Afsah-Hejri, L; Mohebbi, G H; Zaidul, I S M

2014-01-01

This study aims to optimise the operating conditions for the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of toxic elements from fish oil. The SFE operating parameters of pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate and extraction time were optimised using a central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). High coefficients of determination (R²) (0.897-0.988) for the predicted response surface models confirmed a satisfactory adjustment of the polynomial regression models with the operation conditions. The results showed that the linear and quadratic terms of pressure and temperature were the most significant (p < 0.05) variables affecting the overall responses. The optimum conditions for the simultaneous elimination of toxic elements comprised a pressure of 61 MPa, a temperature of 39.8ºC, a CO₂ flow rate of 3.7 ml min⁻¹ and an extraction time of 4 h. These optimised SFE conditions were able to produce fish oil with the contents of lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury reduced by up to 98.3%, 96.1%, 94.9% and 93.7%, respectively. The fish oil extracted under the optimised SFE operating conditions was of good quality in terms of its fatty acid constituents.

Comparative uptake study of arsenic, boron, copper, manganese and zinc from water by different green microalgae.

PubMed

Saavedra, Ricardo; Muñoz, Raúl; Taboada, María Elisa; Vega, Marisol; Bolado, Silvia

2018-04-26

This work represents a comparative uptake study of the toxic elements arsenic, boron, copper, manganese and zinc in monometallic and multimetallic solutions by four green microalgae species (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus almeriensis and an indigenous Chlorophyceae spp.), evaluating the effect of pH and contact time. Maximum removal efficiencies for each toxic element were 99.4% for Mn (C. vulgaris, pH 7.0, 3 h), 91.9% for Zn (Chlorophyceae spp., pH 5.5, 3 h), 88% for Cu (Chlorophyceae spp., pH 7.0, 10 min), 40.7% for As (S. almeriensis, pH 9.5, 3 h) and 38.6% for B (S. almeriensis, pH 5.5, 10 min). B removal efficiencies decreased remarkably in multimetallic solutions (down to 0.2% in C. reinhardtii), except for Chlorophyceae spp., the only species isolated from a polluted environment. FTIR spectra shown the highest interactions for As (1150-1300 cm -1 ) and Cu (3300, 1741, 1535, 1350-1400 cm -1 ). Results confirm microalgae biomass as a potential biosorbent for toxic elements. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) larvae as a model for antibiotic susceptibility testing and acute toxicity trials.

PubMed

Ignasiak, Katarzyna; Maxwell, Anthony

2017-08-29

Infectivity trials and toxicity testing in rodents are important prerequisites to the use of compounds in man. However, trials in rats and mice are expensive and there are ethical considerations. Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) larvae are a potential alternative. We have assessed the use of these insects in infectivity trials and toxicity testing. Using four bacterial species (two Gram-negative and two Gram-positive) we have assessed the efficacy of four antibiotics against infections in Galleria and compared the antibiotic susceptibility with that in humans. In general, we find a good correlation. Similarly, we have assessed 11 compounds (initially tested blind) for their toxicity in Galleria and compared this with toxicity trials in mice and rats. Again we found a good correlation between toxicity in Galleria and that in rodents. We have found, in our hands, that G. mellonella larvae can be used in infectivity trials and toxicity testing, and that these assays represent an inexpensive and readily executable alternative to testing in rodents.

High-Payoff Space Transportation Design Approach with a Technology Integration Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCleskey, C. M.; Rhodes, R. E.; Chen, T.; Robinson, J.

2011-01-01

A general architectural design sequence is described to create a highly efficient, operable, and supportable design that achieves an affordable, repeatable, and sustainable transportation function. The paper covers the following aspects of this approach in more detail: (1) vehicle architectural concept considerations (including important strategies for greater reusability); (2) vehicle element propulsion system packaging considerations; (3) vehicle element functional definition; (4) external ground servicing and access considerations; and, (5) simplified guidance, navigation, flight control and avionics communications considerations. Additionally, a technology integration strategy is forwarded that includes: (a) ground and flight test prior to production commitments; (b) parallel stage propellant storage, such as concentric-nested tanks; (c) high thrust, LOX-rich, LOX-cooled first stage earth-to-orbit main engine; (d) non-toxic, day-of-launch-loaded propellants for upper stages and in-space propulsion; (e) electric propulsion and aero stage control.

Potential of selected Canadian plant species for phytoextraction of trace elements from selenium-rich soil contaminated by industrial activity.

PubMed

Nissim, Werther Guidi; Hasbroucq, Séverine; Kadri, Hafssa; Pitre, Frederic E; Labrecque, Michel

2015-01-01

In this preliminary screening study, we tested the phytoextraction potential of nine Canadian native/well-adapted plant species on a soil highly polluted by trace elements (TE) from a copper refinery. Plant physiological parameters and soil cover index were monitored for a 12-week period. At the end of the trial, biomass yield, bioconcentration (BFC) and translocation (TF) factors for the main TE as well as phytoextraction potential were determined. Most plants were severely injured by the high pollution levels, showing symptoms of toxicity including chlorosis, mortality and very low biomass yield. However, Indian mustard showed the highest selenium extraction potential (65 mg m(-2)), even under harsh growing conditions. Based on our results, tall fescue and ryegrass, which mainly stored As, Cu, Pb and Zn within roots, could be used effectively for phytostabilization.

Content of trace elements and chromium speciation in Neem powder and tea infusions.

PubMed

Novotnik, Breda; Zuliani, Tea; Ščančar, Janez; Milačič, Radmila

2015-01-01

Total concentrations of selected trace elements in Neem powder and in Neem tea were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The data revealed that despite high total concentrations of the potentially toxic elements Al and Ni in Neem powder, their amounts dissolved in Neem tea were low. Total concentrations of the other toxic elements Pb, As and Cd were also very low and do not represent a health hazard. In contrast, total concentrations of the essential elements Fe, Cu, Zn, Se Mo and Cr in Neem powder were high and also considerable in Neem tea. Consuming one cup of Neem tea (2g per 200 mL of water) covers the recommended daily intakes for Cr and Se and represents an important source of Mo and Cu. Speciation analysis of Cr by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to ICP-MS with the use of enriched Cr isotopic tracers to follow species interconversions during the analytical procedure demonstrated that toxic Cr(VI) was not present either in Neem powder or in Neem tea. Its concentrations were below the limits of detection of the HPLC-ICP-MS procedure applied. The speciation analysis data confirmed that even Cr(VI) was added, it was rapidly reduced by the presence of antioxidants in Neem leaves. By the use of enriched Cr isotopic spike solutions it was also demonstrated that for obtaining reliable analytical data it is essential to apply the extraction procedures which prevent Cr species interconversions, or to correct for species transformation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Necessity of toxicity assessment in Turkish industrial discharges (examples from metal and textile industry effluents).

PubMed

Sponza, Delia Teresa

2002-01-01

Toxicity of some organic and inorganic chemicals to microorganisms is an important consideration in assessing their environmental impact against their economic benefits. Microorganisms play an important role in several environmental processes, both natural and engineered. Some organic and inorganics at toxic levels have been detected in industrial discharges resulting in plant upsets and discharge permit violations. In addition to this, even though in some cases the effluent wastewater does not exceed the discharge limits, the results of toxicity tests show potential toxicity. Toxicity knowledge of effluents can benefit treatment plant operators in optimising plant operation, setting pre-treatment standards, and protecting receiving water quality and in establishing sewer discharge permits to safeguard the plant. In the Turkish regulations only toxicity dilution factor (TDF) with fish is part of the toxicity monitoring program of permissible wastewater discharge. In various countries, laboratory studies involving the use of different organisms and protocol for toxicity assessment was conducted involving a number of discharges. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the acute toxicity of textile and metal industry wastewaters by traditional and enrichment toxicity tests and emphasize the importance of toxicity tests in wastewater discharge regulations. The enrichment toxicity tests are novel applications and give an idea whether there is potential toxicity or growth limiting and stimulation conditions. Different organisms were used such as bacteria (Floc and Coliform bacteria) algae (Chlorella sp.). fish (Lepistes sp.) and protozoan (Vorticella sp.) to represent four tropic levels. The textile industry results showed acute toxicity for at least one organism in 8 out of 23 effluent samples. Acute toxicity for at least two organisms in 7 out of 23 effluent sampling was observed for the metal industry. The toxicity test results were assessed with chemical analyses such as COD, BOD, color and heavy metals. It was observed that the toxicity of the effluents could not be explained by using physicochemical analyses in 5 cases for metal and 4 cases for the textile industries. The results clearly showed that the use of bioassay tests produce additional information about the toxicity potential of industrial discharges and effluents.

Application of Solid Phase Microextraction Coupled with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry as a Rapid Method for Field Sampling and Analysis of Chemical Warfare Agents and Toxic Industrial Chemicals

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

PHASE MICROEXTRACTION COUPLED WITH GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY AS A RAPID METHOD FOR FIELD SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS...SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS AND TOXIC INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY AS A RAPID METHOD FOR FIELD SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS AND TOXIC INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS

Acute Oral Toxicity Up-And-Down-Procedure

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Up-and-Down Procedure is an alternative acute toxicity test that provides a way to determine the toxicity of chemicals with fewer test animals by using sequential dosing steps. Find out about this test procedure.

Sediment Toxicity Testing

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment toxicity testing has become a fundamental component of regulatory frameworks for assessing the risks posed by contaminated sediments and for development of chemical sediment quality guidelines. Over the past two decades, sediment toxicity testing methods have advanced co...

Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST)

EPA Science Inventory

The Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST) was developed to allow users to easily estimate the toxicity of chemicals using Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSARs) methodologies. QSARs are mathematical models used to predict measures of toxicity from the physical c...

Rice seed toxicity tests for organic and inorganic substances

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, W.

1994-01-01

Plant seed toxicity tests can be used to evaluate hazardous waste sites and to assess toxicity of complex effluents and industrial chemicals. Conventional plant seed toxicity tests are performed using culture dishes containing filter paper. Some reports indicate that filter papers might interfere with the toxicity of inorganic substances. In this study, a plastic seed tray was used. Rice was used as the test species. A comparison of results in the literature and this study revealed that variation of test species, methods, exposure duration, and other factors may affect the test results. The results of this study showed that the order of decreasing toxicity of metal ions was Cu>Ag>Ni>Cd>Cr(VI)>Pb>Zn>Mn>NaF for rice. The test results were similar to those reported in the literature for lettuce Ag>Ni>Cd,Cu>Cr (VI)>Zn>Mn, millet Cu,Ni>Cd>Cr(VI)>Zn>Mn, and ryegrass Cu>Ni>Mn>>Pb>Cd>Zn> Al>Hg>Cr>Fe. The order of decreasing toxicity of organic herbicides was paraquat, 2,4-D>>glyphosate>bromacil.

Use of porewater extracts to identify the cause of toxicity in marine and estuarine sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Douglas, W.S.

1994-12-31

Amphipod toxicity tests in the evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal has come under increased scrutiny by the regulated community in the Port of NY/NJ. In recent large-scale assessments of sediment quality in the harbor, the vast majority of locations were deemed highly contaminated when tested with Ampelisca abdita. Toxicity tests, by themselves, do not provide data regarding the cause of toxicity of these sediments. The enormous potential costs associated with most proposed alternatives to ocean disposal of dredged sediments has prompted the investigation of the causative agents of toxicity in sediments of the NY/NJ Harbor. Sediment frommore » five locations in the harbor, selected in consultation with local regulatory agencies to represent diverse potential contamination scenarios, was collected and tested for toxicity to the amphipods Ampelisca abdita, Leptocheirus plumulosus, Eohaustorius estuadus, Rhepoxynius abronius, and the mysid shrimp, Mysidopsis bahia, using 10-day static bioassays. Porewater from each of the five sediments was extracted under centrifugation and used in water-only toxicity tests with A. abdita, L. plumulosus, R. abronius, E. estuadus, M. bahia, M. beryllina, and Microtox. A Phase 1 Toxicity Identification Evaluation of the three most toxic porewater samples was conducted using several of the species tested. Results from the preliminary investigations and the ongoing TIE`s will be presented. Species selection, porewater toxicity test procedures, and Phase 1, 2, and 3 paradigms will be discussed.« less

40 CFR 797.1600 - Fish early life stage toxicity test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the test solution concentrations. The test terminates following 60 days of post-hatch exposure (for an... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Fish early life stage toxicity test... Fish early life stage toxicity test. (a) Purpose. This guideline is intended to be used for assessing...

40 CFR 797.1600 - Fish early life stage toxicity test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the test solution concentrations. The test terminates following 60 days of post-hatch exposure (for an... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fish early life stage toxicity test... Fish early life stage toxicity test. (a) Purpose. This guideline is intended to be used for assessing...

Can interpreting sediment toxicity tests a mega sites benefit from novel approaches to normalization to address batching of tests?

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment toxicity tests are a key tool used in Ecological Risk Assessments for contaminated sediment sites. Interpreting test results and defining toxicity is often a challenge. This is particularly true at mega sites where the testing regime is large, and by necessity performed ...

Trace element concentrations in feathers and blood of Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) nestlings from Norway and Spain.

PubMed

Dolan, Kevin J; Ciesielski, Tomasz M; Lierhagen, Syverin; Eulaers, Igor; Nygård, Torgeir; Johnsen, Trond V; Gómez-Ramírez, Pilar; García-Fernández, Antonio J; Bustnes, Jan O; Ortiz-Santaliestra, Manuel E; Jaspers, Veerle L B

2017-10-01

Information on trace element pollution in the terrestrial environment and its biota is limited compared to the marine environment. In the present study, we collected body feathers and blood of 37 Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) nestlings from Tromsø (northern Norway), Trondheim (central Norway), and Murcia (southeastern Spain) to study regional exposure, hypothesizing the potential health risks of metals and other trace elements. Blood and body feathers were analyzed by a high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HR-ICP-MS) for aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb). The influence of regional differences, urbanization and agricultural land usage in proximity to the nesting Northern goshawks was investigated using particular spatial analysis techniques. Most trace elements were detected below literature blood toxicity thresholds, except for elevated concentrations (mean ± SD µgml -1 ww) found for Zn (5.4 ± 1.5), Cd (0.00023 ± 0.0002), and Hg (0.021 ± 0.01). Corresponding mean concentrations in feathers (mean ± SD µgg -1 dw) were 82.0 ± 12.4, 0.0018 ± 0.002, and 0.26 ± 0.2 for Zn, Cd and Hg respectively. Multiple linear regressions indicated region was a significant factor influencing Al, Zn, Se and Hg feather concentrations. Blood Cd and Hg concentrations were significantly influenced by agricultural land cover. Urbanization did not have a significant impact on trace element concentrations in either blood or feathers. Overall metal and trace element levels do not indicate a high risk for toxic effects in the nestlings. Levels of Cd in Tromsø and Hg in Trondheim were however above sub-lethal toxic threshold levels. For holistic risk assessment purposes it is important that the concentrations found in the nestlings of this study indicate that terrestrial raptors are exposed to various trace elements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An evaluation of inorganic toxicity reference values for use in assessing hazards to American robins (Turdus migratorius)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beyer, W. Nelson; Sample, Bradley E.

2017-01-01

When performing screening-level and baseline risk assessments, assessors usually compare estimated exposures of wildlife receptor species with toxicity reference values (TRVs). We modeled the exposure of American robins (Turdus migratorius) to 10 elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb, Se, Zn, and V) in spring and early summer, a time when earthworms are the preferred prey. We calculated soil benchmarks associated with possible toxic effects to these robins from 6 sets of published TRVs. Several of the resulting soil screening-level benchmarks were inconsistent with each other and less than soil background concentrations. Accordingly, we examined the derivations of the TRVs as a possible source of error. In the case of V, a particularly toxic chemical compound (ammonium vanadate) containing V, not normally present in soil, had been used to estimate a TRV. In the cases of Zn and Cu, use of uncertainty values of 10 in estimating TRVs led to implausibly low soil screening values. In the case of Pb, a TRV was calculated from studies demonstrating reductions in egg production in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) exposed to Pb concentrations well below than those causing toxic effects in other species of birds. The results on quail, which were replicated in additional trials, are probably not applicable to other, unrelated species, although we acknowledge that only a small fraction of all species of birds has been tested. These examples underscore the importance of understanding the derivation and relevance of TRVs before selecting them for use in screening or in ecological risk assessment.

Metal speciation and toxicity of Tamar Estuary water to larvae of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas.

PubMed

Money, Cathryn; Braungardt, Charlotte B; Jha, Awadhesh N; Worsfold, Paul J; Achterberg, Eric P

2011-07-01

As part of the PREDICT Tamar Workshop, the toxicity of estuarine waters in the Tamar Estuary (southwest England) was assessed by integration of metal speciation determination with bioassays. High temporal resolution metal speciation analysis was undertaken in situ by deployment of a Voltammetric In situ Profiling (VIP) system. The VIP detects Cd (cadmium), Pb (lead) and Cu (copper) species smaller than 4 nm in size and this fraction is termed 'dynamic' and considered biologically available. Cadmium was mainly present in the dynamic form and constituted between 56% and 100% of the total dissolved concentration, which was determined subsequently in the laboratory in filtered discrete samples. In contrast, the dynamic Pb and Cu fractions were less important, with a much larger proportion of these metals associated with organic ligands and/or colloids (45-90% Pb and 46-85% Cu), which probably reduced the toxicological impact of these elements in this system. Static toxicity tests, based on the response of Crassostrea gigas larva exposed to discrete water samples showed a high level of toxicity (up to 100% abnormal development) at two stations in the Tamar, particularly during periods of the tidal cycle when the influence of more pristine coastal water was at its lowest. Competitive ligand-exchange Cu titrations showed that natural organic ligands reduced the free cupric ion concentration to levels that were unlikely to have been the sole cause of the observed toxicity. Nonetheless, it is probable that the combined effect of the metals determined in this work contributed significantly to the bioassay response. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tracking pyrethroid toxicity in surface water samples: Exposure dynamics and toxicity identification tools for laboratory tests with Hyalella azteca (Amphipoda).

PubMed

Deanovic, Linda A; Stillway, Marie; Hammock, Bruce G; Fong, Stephanie; Werner, Inge

2018-02-01

Pyrethroid insecticides are commonly used in pest control and are present at toxic concentrations in surface waters of agricultural and urban areas worldwide. Monitoring is challenging as a result of their high hydrophobicity and low toxicity thresholds, which often fall below the analytical methods detection limits (MDLs). Standard daphnid bioassays used in surface water monitoring are not sensitive enough to protect more susceptible invertebrate species such as the amphipod Hyalella azteca and chemical loss during toxicity testing is of concern. In the present study, we quantified toxicity loss during storage and testing, using both natural and synthetic water, and presented a tool to enhance toxic signal strength for improved sensitivity of H. azteca toxicity tests. The average half-life during storage in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) cubitainers (Fisher Scientific) at 4 °C of 5 pyrethroids (permethrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, and esfenvalerate) and one organophosphate (chlorpyrifos; used as reference) was 1.4 d, and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) proved an effective tool to potentiate toxicity. We conclude that toxicity tests on ambient water samples containing these hydrophobic insecticides are likely to underestimate toxicity present in the field, and mimic short pulse rather than continuous exposures. Where these chemicals are of concern, the addition of PBO during testing can yield valuable information on their presence or absence. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:462-472. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

40 CFR 799.5085 - Chemical testing requirements for first group of high production volume chemicals (HPV1).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 Test Group 2 for C1: 1. Chronic Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 1193 2. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 The following are the special conditions for C1, C2, C3, C4, C5.... Acute Toxicity to Daphnia: ASTM E 729 2. Toxicity to Plants (Algae): ASTM E 1218 Test Group 2 for C2: 1...

A novel continuous toxicity test system using a luminously modified freshwater bacterium.

PubMed

Cho, Jang-Cheon; Park, Kyung-Je; Ihm, Hyuk-Soon; Park, Ji-Eun; Kim, Se-Young; Kang, Ilnam; Lee, Kyu-Ho; Jahng, Deokjin; Lee, Dong-Hun; Kim, Sang-Jong

2004-09-15

An automated continuous toxicity test system was developed using a recombinant bioluminescent freshwater bacterium. The groundwater-borne bacterium, Janthinobacterium lividum YH9-RC, was modified with luxAB and optimized for toxicity tests using different kinds of organic carbon compounds and heavy metals. luxAB-marked YH9-RC cells were much more sensitive (average 7.3-8.6 times) to chemicals used for toxicity detection than marine Vibrio fischeri cells used in the Microtox assay. Toxicity tests for wastewater samples using the YH9-RC-based toxicity assay showed that EC50-5 min values in an untreated raw wastewater sample (23.9 +/- 12.8%) were the lowest, while those in an effluent sample (76.7 +/- 14.9%) were the highest. Lyophilization conditions were optimized in 384-multiwell plates containing bioluminescent bacteria that were pre-incubated for 15 min in 0.16 M of trehalose prior to freeze-drying, increasing the recovery of bioluminescence and viability by 50%. Luminously modified cells exposed to continuous phenol or wastewater stream showed a rapid decrease in bioluminescence, which fell below detectable range within 1 min. An advanced toxicity test system, featuring automated real-time toxicity monitoring and alerting functions, was designed and finely tuned. This novel continuous toxicity test system can be used for real-time biomonitoring of water toxicity, and can potentially be used as a biological early warning system.

A comparison of sediment toxicity test methods at three Great Lake Areas of Concern

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, G. Allen; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Burnett, LouAnn C.; Henry, Mary; Hinman, Mark L.; Klaine, Stephen J.; Landrum, Peter F.; Ross, Phillipe; Tuchman, Marc

1996-01-01

The significance of sediment contamination is often evaluated using sediment toxicity (bioassay) testing. There are relatively few “standardized” test methods for evaluating sediments. Popular sediment toxicity methods examine the extractable water (elutriate), interstitial water, or whole (bulk) sediment phases using test species spanning the aquatic food chain from bacteria to fish. The current study was designed to evaluate which toxicity tests were most useful in evaluations of sediment contamination at three Great Lake Areas of Concern. Responses of 24 different organisms including fish, mayflies, amphipods, midges, cladocerans, rotifers, macrophytes, algae, and bacteria were compared using whole sediment or elutriate toxicity assays. Sediments from several sites in the Buffalo River, Calumet River (Indiana Harbor), and Saginaw River were tested, as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Project. Results indicated several assays to be sensitive to sediment toxicity and able to discriminate between differing levels of toxicity. Many of the assay responses were significantly correlated to other toxicity responses and were similar based on factor analysis. For most applications, a test design consisting of two to three assays should adequately detect sediment toxicity, consisting of various groupings of the following species: Hyalella azteca, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Chironomus riparius, Chironomus tentans, Daphnia magna, Pimephales promelas, Hexagenia bilineata, Diporeia sp., Hydrilla verticillata, or Lemna minor.

PH DEPENDENT TOXICITY OF FIVE METALS TO THREE MARINE ORGANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

The pH of natural marine systems is relatively stable; this may explain why metal toxicity changes with pH have not been well documented. However, changes in metal toxicity with pH in marine waters are of concern in toxicity testing. During porewater toxicity testing pH can chang...

Composition and Elution Behavior of Various Elements from Printed Circuit Boards, Cathode-ray Tube Glass, and Liquid-crystal Displays in Waste Consumer Electronics.

PubMed

Inaba, Kazuho; Murata, Tomoyoshi; Yamamura, Shigeki; Nagano, Masaaki; Iwasaki, Kazuhiro; Nakajima, Daisuke; Takigami, Hidetaka

2018-01-01

The contents and elution behavior of metals in consumer electronics parts were determined so as to understand their maximum environmental risk. Elements contained most in printed-circuit boards were Cu, Si, Br, Ca, Al, Sn, Pb, Sb, Ba, Fe, Ni, Ti, and Zn; in cathode-ray tube glass were Si, Pb, Ba, Sr, Zn, Zr, Ca, and Sb; in arsenic contained liquid-crystal displays were Si, Ca, Sr, Ba, As, and Fe; and in antimony contained liquid-crystal displays were Si, Ba, Ca, Sb, Sr, Fe, and Sn. The elements eluted most from printed-circuit boards were Zn, Pb, and Cu; from cathode-ray tube glass were Pb, Zn, B, Ba, and Si; and from liquid-crystal displays were B and Si, and the toxic As and Sb. The amount eluted was greatest at acidic pH. It was revealed that officially recommended 6-h-shaking with a pure water test was insufficient to understand the real environmental risk of waste electronics.

Environmental contaminants in redheads wintering in coastal Louisiana and Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Michot, T.C.; Custer, T.W.; Nault, A.J.; Mitchell, C.A.

1994-01-01

Whole body and liver analyses indicated that wintering redheads (Aythya americana; n = 70) in coastal Louisiana (one site) and Texas (two sites) were relatively free of contamination with common trace elements, organochlorines, and hydrocarbons. Most trace elements, including As, Cr, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, and Zn, were within background concentrations in livers; levels of B, Cd, Cu, and Fe were elevated in some specimens. Only one organochlorine, DDE, was detected in redhead carcasses, but its concentration was below reported toxic levels in waterfowl. Body burdens of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were generally low, but levels of pristane, total hydrocarbons, and the ratios of phytane:n-octadecane and pristane:n-heptadecane were indicative of possible chronic exposure to petroleum. Based on brain cholinesterase assays, redheads were not recently exposed to organophosphorous or carbamate pesticides. Of 30 elements or compounds tested for seasonal differences, only Se increased from early to late winter at one of the three sites. Eight of 57 contaminants differed among the three sites; no sex or age differences were found.

In Vitro Investigations of Human Bioaccessibility from Reference Materials Using Simulated Lung Fluids

PubMed Central

Pelfrêne, Aurélie; Cave, Mark R.; Wragg, Joanna; Douay, Francis

2017-01-01

An investigation for assessing pulmonary bioaccessibility of metals from reference materials is presented using simulated lung fluids. The objective of this paper was to contribute to an enhanced understanding of airborne particulate matter and its toxic potential following inhalation. A large set of metallic elements (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) was investigated using three lung fluids (phosphate-buffered saline, Gamble’s solution and artificial lysosomal fluid) on three standard reference materials representing different types of particle sources. Composition of the leaching solution and four solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratios were tested. The results showed that bioaccessibility was speciation- (i.e., distribution) and element-dependent, with percentages varying from 0.04% for Pb to 86.0% for Cd. The higher extraction of metallic elements was obtained with the artificial lysosomal fluid, in which a relative stability of bioaccessibility was observed in a large range of S/L ratios from 1/1000 to 1/10,000. For further investigations, it is suggested that this method be used to assess lung bioaccessibility of metals from smelter-impacted dusts. PMID:28125027

Predictive Modeling of Developmental Toxicity

EPA Science Inventory

The use of alternative methods in conjunction with traditional in vivo developmental toxicity testing has the potential to (1) reduce cost and increase throughput of testing the chemical universe, (2) prioritize chemicals for further targeted toxicity testing and risk assessment,...

Development and Evaluation of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity Tests for Assessing the Hazards of Environmental Contaminants

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-08-01

AL/EQ-TR-1997-0050 DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENT TOXICITY TESTS FOR ASSESSING THE HAZARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL...SUBTITLE Development and Evaluation of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity Tests for Assessing the Hazards of Environmental Contaminants 6...pd in testing toxicity in surface waters, ground waters and H- ™t™j£J^^^M hazard assessment when used in conjunction in sediments. FETAX can be usea

Potentially toxic trace element contamination, sources, and pollution assessment in farmlands, Bijie City, southwestern China.

PubMed

Yuan, Zhimin; Yao, Jun; Wang, Fei; Guo, Zunwei; Dong, Zeqin; Chen, Feng; Hu, Yu; Sunahara, Geoffrey

2017-01-01

Artisanal zinc smelting activities, which had been widely applied in Bijie City, Guizhou Province, southwestern of China, can pollute surrounding farmlands. In the present study, 177 farmland topsoil samples of Bijie City were collected and 11 potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs), namely Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, V, Hg, As, and Cd were tested to characterize the concentrations, sources, and ecological risks. Mean concentrations of these PTEs in soils were (mg/kg) as follows: Pb (127), Zn (379), Cu (93.1), Ni (54.6), Co (26.2), Mn (1095), Cr (133), V (206), Hg (0.15), As (16.2), and Cd (3.08). Pb, Zn, and Cd had coefficients of variation greater than 100% and showed a high uneven distribution and spatial variability in the study area. Correlation coefficient analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to quantify potential pollution sources. Results showed that Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, and V came from natural sources, whereas Pb, Zn, Hg, As, and Cd came from anthropogenic pollution sources. Geoaccumulation index and potential ecological risk indices were employed to study the pollution degree of PTEs, which revealed that Pb and Cd shared the greatest contamination and would pose serious ecological risks to the surrounding environment. The results of this study could help the local government managers to establish pollution control strategies and to secure food safety.

Chronic arsenic toxicity in sheep of Kurdistan province, western Iran.

PubMed

Keshavarzi, Behnam; Seradj, Afsaneh; Akbari, Zahra; Moore, Farid; Shahraki, Alireza Rahmani; Pourjafar, Mehrdad

2015-07-01

After the detection of arsenic (As) toxicity in sheep from Ebrahim-abad and Babanazar villages in Kurdistan province, the concentration of this element in drinking water, cultivated soil, alfalfa hay, wool, and blood samples was evaluated. Total As concentrations ranged from 119 to 310 μg/L in drinking water, 46.70-819.20 mg/kg in soil 1.90-6.90 mg/kg in vegetation 1.56-10.79 mg/kg in sheep's wool, and 86.30-656 μg/L in blood samples. These very high As contents, in all parts of the biogeochemical cycle, exceed the recommended normal range for this element compared with a control area. Results indicate that As has moved through all compartments of the biogeochemical cycle by way of direct or indirect pathways. The present investigation illustrated decreased packed cell volume and hemoglobin in sheep from the As-contaminated zone. It was concluded that sheep from the contaminated areas suffer from anemia. Chronic As exposure of the liver was determined by liver function tests. For this purpose, blood aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were measured. The results show that serum ALT and AST activities are increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the sheep population exposed to As in the contaminated zone. Moreover, chronic As exposure causes injury to hepatocytes and damages the liver.

Structural properties of a bone-ceramic composite as a promising material in spinal surgery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirilova, I. A., E-mail: IKirilova@mail.ru; Sadovoy, M. A.; Podorozhnaya, V. T., E-mail: VPodorognaya@niito.ru

The paper describes the results of in vitro tests of composite bone-ceramic implants and procedures for modifying implant surfaces to enhance osteogenesis. Analysis of CBCI ESs demonstrated that they have a porous structure with the mean longitudinal pore size of 70 µm and the mean transverse pore size of 46 µm; surface pores are open, while inner pores are closed. Elemental analysis of the CBCI surface demonstrates that CBCIs are composed of aluminum and zirconium oxides and contain HA inclusions. Profilometry of the CBCI ES surface revealed the following deviations: the maximum deviation of the profile in the sample center is 15 µmmore » and 16 µm on the periphery, while the arithmetical mean and mean square deviations of the profile are 2.65 and 3.4 µm, respectively. In addition, CBCI biodegradation products were pre-examined; a 0.9% NaCl solution was used as a comparison group. Potentially toxic and tissue accumulated elements, such as cadmium, cobalt, mercury, and lead, are present only in trace amounts and have no statistically significant differences with the comparison group, which precludes their potential toxic effects on the macroorganism. Ceramic-based CBCI may be effective and useful in medicine for restoration of the anatomic integrity and functions of the bone tissue.« less

Sediment toxicity testing with the amphipod Ampelisca abdita in Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Redmond, M.S.; Crocker, P.A.; McKenna, K.M.; Petrocelli, E.A.; Scott, K.J.; Demas, C.R.

1996-01-01

Discharges from chemical and petrochemical manufacturing facilities have contaminated portions of Louisiana's Calcasieu River estuary with a variety of organic and inorganic contaminants. As part of a special study, sediment toxicity testing was conducted to assess potential impact to the benthic community. Ten-day flow-through sediment toxicity tests with the amphipod Ampelisca abdita revealed significant toxicity at 68% (26 of 38) of the stations tested. A. abdita mortality was highest in the effluent-dominated bayous, which are tributaries to the Calcasieu River. Mortality was correlated with total heavy metal and total organic compound concentrations in the sediments. Ancillary experiments showed that sediment interstitial water salinity as low as 2.5 o/o-o did not significantly affect A. abdita's, response in the flow-through system; sediment storage for 7 weeks at 4??C did not significantly affect toxicity. Sediment toxicity to A. abdita was more prevalent than receiving water toxicity using three short-term chronic bioassays. Results suggest that toxicity testing using this amphipod is a valuable tool when assessing sediments containing complex contaminant mixtures and for assessing effects of pollutant loading over time. In conjunction with chemical analyses, the testing indicated that the effluent-dominated, brackish bayous (Bayou d'Inde and Bayou Verdine) were the portions of the estuary most impacted by toxicity.

THE TOXICITY OF RUBBERS AND PLASTICS USED IN TRANSFUSION-GIVING SETS

PubMed Central

Cruickshank, C. N. D.; Hooper, Caroline; Lewis, H. B. M.; MacDougall, J. D. B.

1960-01-01

The toxicity of different rubbers and plastics used in transfusion-giving sets has been investigated by examining their effects on (a) cultures of chick embryo tissues, (b) the oxygen uptake of guinea-pig skin tissue cultures, and (c) the growth of Str. pyogenes. The results of the laboratory tests have been compared with the incidence of thrombophlebitis after prolonged transfusions through the various materials. It was found that where the materials inhibited the growth of Str. pyogenes they were also toxic to tissue cultures, but that some materials which were toxic to tissue cultures did not inhibit bacterial growth. The assessments of the relative toxicity of the materials tested by the two tissue culture methods were in agreement. The skin respiration studies, however, gave more information on the early effects of the toxic materials. The relative toxicity of the materials as revealed by these tests could be correlated with the differences in the incidence of thrombophlebitis following intravenous infusions administered through giving-sets assembled with the materials tested. It is suggested therefore that the toxicity revealed by these tests is of clinical importance, and that tissue culture toxicity tests will prove to be of value in selecting rubbers and plastics for clinical purposes. Images PMID:13813084

ECVAM and new technologies for toxicity testing.

PubMed

Bouvier d'Yvoire, Michel; Bremer, Susanne; Casati, Silvia; Ceridono, Mara; Coecke, Sandra; Corvi, Raffaella; Eskes, Chantra; Gribaldo, Laura; Griesinger, Claudius; Knaut, Holger; Linge, Jens P; Roi, Annett; Zuang, Valérie

2012-01-01

The development of alternative empirical (testing) and non-empirical (non-testing) methods to traditional toxicological tests for complex human health effects is a tremendous task. Toxicants may potentially interfere with a vast number of physiological mechanisms thereby causing disturbances on various levels of complexity of human physiology. Only a limited number of mechanisms relevant for toxicity ('pathways' of toxicity) have been identified with certainty so far and, presumably, many more mechanisms by which toxicants cause adverse effects remain to be identified. Recapitulating in empirical model systems (i.e., in vitro test systems) all those relevant physiological mechanisms prone to be disturbed by toxicants and relevant for causing the toxicity effect in question poses an enormous challenge. First, the mechanism(s) of action of toxicants in relation to the most relevant adverse effects of a specific human health endpoint need to be identified. Subsequently, these mechanisms need to be modeled in reductionist test systems that allow assessing whether an unknown substance may operate via a specific (array of) mechanism(s). Ideally, such test systems should be relevant for the species of interest, i.e., based on human cells or modeling mechanisms present in humans. Since much of our understanding about toxicity mechanisms is based on studies using animal model systems (i.e., experimental animals or animal-derived cells), designing test systems that model mechanisms relevant for the human situation may be limited by the lack of relevant information from basic research. New technologies from molecular biology and cell biology, as well as progress in tissue engineering, imaging techniques and automated testing platforms hold the promise to alleviate some of the traditional difficulties associated with improving toxicity testing for complex endpoints. Such new technologies are expected (1) to accelerate the identification of toxicity pathways with human relevance that need to be modeled in test methods for toxicity testing (2) to enable the reconstruction of reductionist test systems modeling at a reduced level of complexity the target system/organ of interest (e.g., through tissue engineering, use of human-derived cell lines and stem cells etc.), (3) to allow the measurement of specific mechanisms relevant for a given health endpoint in such test methods (e.g., through gene and protein expression, changes in metabolites, receptor activation, changes in neural activity etc.), (4) to allow to measure toxicity mechanisms at higher throughput rates through the use of automated testing. In this chapter, we discuss the potential impact of new technologies on the development, optimization and use of empirical testing methods, grouped according to important toxicological endpoints. We highlight, from an ECVAM perspective, the areas of topical toxicity, skin absorption, reproductive and developmental toxicity, carcinogenicity/genotoxicity, sensitization, hematopoeisis and toxicokinetics and discuss strategic developments including ECVAM's database service on alternative methods. Neither the areas of toxicity discussed nor the highlighted new technologies represent comprehensive listings which would be an impossible endeavor in the context of a book chapter. However, we feel that these areas are of utmost importance and we predict that new technologies are likely to contribute significantly to test development in these fields. We summarize which new technologies are expected to contribute to the development of new alternative testing methods over the next few years and point out current and planned ECVAM projects for each of these areas.

Development and application of a marine sediment pore-water toxicity test using Ulva fasciata zoospores

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hooten, Russell L.; Carr, R. Scott

1998-01-01

An acute (96 h) pore-water toxicity test protocol using germination and growth of Ulva fasciatazoospores as endpoints was developed to test the toxicity of marine and estuarine sediment pore-water samples. Tests with an organic toxicant (sodium dodecyl sulfate; SDS), three metals (Cd, Cu, and Zn), and ammonia (NH3) were conducted to determine zoospore sensitivity. Zoospore germination and gametophyte growth were as sensitive to SDS as sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) fertilization and embryological development. Zoospore sensitivity to metals was greater than or comparable to that of adult macroalgae. Zoospores were less sensitive to NH3than were other commonly used toxicity test organisms. Test results using this algal assay with sediment pore-water samples with high NH3 concentrations were compared with results from sea urchin fertilization and embryological development tests for the same samples. Ulva fasciatazoospore germination was not affected by samples with high NH3 concentrations that were toxic in both sea urchin tests. Zoospore tolerance of NH3 and sensitivity to other contaminants indicate that their response may be useful in toxicity identification evaluation studies with pore-water samples that contain high concentrations of unionized NH3.

Metal Analysis in Citrus Sinensis Fruit Peel and Psidium Guajava Leaf

PubMed Central

Dhiman, Anju; Nanda, Arun; Ahmad, Sayeed

2011-01-01

The determination of metal traces is very important because they are involved in biological cycles and indicate high toxicity. The objective of the present study is to measure the levels of heavy metals and mineral ions in medicinally important plant species, Citrus sinensis and Psidium guajava. This study investigates the accumulation of Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Aluminum (Al), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), Selenium (Se) and inorganic minerals like Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) in C. sinensis (sweet orange) fruit peel and P. guajava (guava) leaf, to measure the levels of heavy metal contamination. Dried powdered samples of the plants were digested using wet digestion method and elemental determination was done by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation and analysed by student's ‘t’ test. Values are considered significant at P < 0.05. The results were compared with suitable safety standards and the levels of Cu, Zn, Cd, Mg and Ca in C. sinensis fruit peel and P. guajava leaves were within the acceptable limits for human consumption. The order of concentration of elements in both the samples showed the following trend: Mg > Ca > Al > Zn > Cu > Cd > Hg = As = Se. The content of Hg, As and Se in C. sinensis fruit peel and P. guajava leaves was significantly low and below detection limit. The content of toxic metals in tested plant samples was found to be low when compared with the limits prescribed by various authorities (World Health Organization, WHO; International Centre for Materials Research, ICMR; American Public Health Association, APHA). The content of Hg, As and Se in C. sinensis fruit peel and P. guajava leaves was not detectable and met the appropriate safety standards. In conclusion, the tested plant parts taken in the present study were found to be safe. PMID:21976824

Insights into selenite reduction and biogenesis of elemental selenium nanoparticles by two environmental isolates of Burkholderia fungorum.

PubMed

Khoei, Nazanin Seyed; Lampis, Silvia; Zonaro, Emanuele; Yrjälä, Kim; Bernardi, Paolo; Vallini, Giovanni

2017-01-25

Microorganisms capable of transforming toxic selenium oxyanions into non-toxic elemental selenium (Se°) may be considered as biocatalysts for the production of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), eventually exploitable in different biotechnological applications. Two Burkholderia fungorum strains (B. fungorum DBT1 and B. fungorum 95) were monitored during their growth for both capacity and efficiency of selenite (SeO 3 2- ) reduction and elemental selenium formation. Both strains are environmental isolates in origin: B. fungorum DBT1 was previously isolated from an oil refinery drainage, while B. fungorum 95 has been enriched from inner tissues of hybrid poplars grown in a soil contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Our results showed that B. fungorum DBT1 is able to reduce 0.5mM SeO 3 2- to Se° when cultured aerobically in liquid medium at 27°C, while B. fungorum 95 can reduce more than 1mM SeO 3 2- to Se° within 96h under the same growth conditions, with the appearance of SeNPs in cultures of both bacterial strains. Biogenic SeNPs were spherical, with pH-dependent charge and an average hydrodynamic diameter of 170nm and 200nm depending on whether they were produced by B. fungorum 95 or B. fungorum DBT1, respectively. Electron microscopy analyses evidenced that Se nanoparticles occurred intracellularly and extracellularly. The mechanism of SeNPs formation can be tentatively attributed to cytoplasmic enzymatic activation mediated by electron donors. Biogenic nanoparticles were then probably released outside the bacterial cells as a consequence of a secretory process or cell lysis. Nevertheless, formation of elemental selenium nanoparticles under aerobic conditions by B. fungorum DBT1 and B. fungorum 95 is likely due to intracellular reduction mechanisms. Biomedical and other high tech sectors might exploit these biogenic nanoparticles in the near future, once fully characterized and tested for their multiple properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acute aquatic toxicity of biodiesel fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wright, B.; Haws, R.; Little, D.

1995-12-31

This study develops data on the acute aquatic toxicity of selected biodiesel fuels which may become subject to environmental effects test regulations under the US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The test substances are Rape Methyl Ester (RME), Rape Ethyl Ester (REE), Methyl Soyate (MS), a biodiesel mixture of 20% REE and 80% Diesel, a biodiesel mixture of 50% REE and diesel, and a reference substance of Phillips D-2 Reference Diesel. The test procedure follows the Daphnid Acute Toxicity Test outlined in 40 CFR {section} 797.1300 of the TSCA regulations. Daphnia Magna are exposed to the test substance in amore » flow-through system consisting of a mixing chamber, a proportional diluter, and duplicate test chambers. Novel system modifications are described that accommodate the testing of oil-based test substances with Daphnia. The acute aquatic toxicity is estimated by an EC50, an effective concentration producing immobility in 50% of the test specimen.« less

Speciation, Characterization, And Mobility Of As, Se and Hg In Flue Gas Desulphurization Residues

EPA Science Inventory

Flue gas from coal combustion contains significant amounts of volatile toxic trace elements such as arsenic (As), selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg). The capture of these elements in the flue gas desulphurization (FGD) scrubber unit has resulted in generation of a metal-laden residue...

Speciation, Characterization, And Mobility Of As, Se, and Hg In Flue Gas Desulphurization Residues

EPA Science Inventory

Flue gas from coal combustion contains significant amounts of volatile elements, such as arsenic (As), selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg), which could lead to serious environmental health risks. The capture of these toxic elements in the scrubber with a flue gas desulphurization (FGD...

High-resolution genome-wide scan of genes, gene-networks and cellular systems impacting the yeast ionome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To balance the demand for uptake of essential elements with their potential toxicity living cells have complex regulatory mechanisms. Here, we describe a genome-wide screen to identify genes that impact the elemental composition (‘ionome’) of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using inductively coupled...

40 CFR 799.9135 - TSCA acute inhalation toxicity with histopathology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... TESTING REQUIREMENTS Health Effects Test Guidelines § 799.9135 TSCA acute inhalation toxicity with... Substances Control Act (TSCA). In the assessment and evaluation of the potential human health effects of chemical substances, it is appropriate to test for acute inhalation toxic effects. The goals of this test...

40 CFR 799.9135 - TSCA acute inhalation toxicity with histopathology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... TESTING REQUIREMENTS Health Effects Test Guidelines § 799.9135 TSCA acute inhalation toxicity with... Substances Control Act (TSCA). In the assessment and evaluation of the potential human health effects of chemical substances, it is appropriate to test for acute inhalation toxic effects. The goals of this test...

40 CFR 799.9135 - TSCA acute inhalation toxicity with histopathology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... TESTING REQUIREMENTS Health Effects Test Guidelines § 799.9135 TSCA acute inhalation toxicity with... Substances Control Act (TSCA). In the assessment and evaluation of the potential human health effects of chemical substances, it is appropriate to test for acute inhalation toxic effects. The goals of this test...

Influence of chloride on the chronic toxicity of sodium nitrate to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyalella azteca.

PubMed

Soucek, David J; Dickinson, Amy

2016-09-01

While it has been well established that increasing chloride concentration in water reduces the toxicity of nitrite to freshwater species, little work has been done to investigate the effect of chloride on nitrate toxicity. We conducted acute and chronic nitrate (as sodium nitrate) toxicity tests with the cladoceran Ceriodaphnia dubia and the amphipod Hyalella azteca (chronic tests only) over a range of chloride concentrations spanning natural chloride levels found in surface waters representative of watersheds of the Great Lakes Region. Chronic nitrate toxicity test results with both crustaceans were variable, with H. azteca appearing to be one of the more sensitive invertebrate species tested and C. dubia being less sensitive. While the variability in results for H. azteca were to an extent related to chloride concentration in test water that was distinctly not the case for C. dubia. We concluded that the chloride dependent toxicity of nitrate is not universal among freshwater crustaceans. An additional sodium chloride chronic toxicity test with the US Lab strain of H. azteca in the present study suggested that when present as predominantly sodium chloride and with relatively low concentrations of other ions, there is a narrow range of chloride concentrations over which this strain is most fit, and within which toxicity test data are reliable.

Early Combination of Material Characteristics and Toxicology Is Useful in the Design of Low Toxicity Carbon Nanofiber

PubMed Central

Jensen, Ellen K.; Larsen, Sten Y.; Nygaard, Unni C.; Marioara, Calin D.; Syversen, Tore

2012-01-01

This paper describes an approach for the early combination of material characterization and toxicology testing in order to design carbon nanofiber (CNF) with low toxicity. The aim was to investigate how the adjustment of production parameters and purification procedures can result in a CNF product with low toxicity. Different CNF batches from a pilot plant were characterized with respect to physical properties (chemical composition, specific surface area, morphology, surface chemistry) as well as toxicity by in vitro and in vivo tests. A description of a test battery for both material characterization and toxicity is given. The results illustrate how the adjustment of production parameters and purification, thermal treatment in particular, influence the material characterization as well as the outcome of the toxic tests. The combination of the tests early during product development is a useful and efficient approach when aiming at designing CNF with low toxicity. Early quality and safety characterization, preferably in an iterative process, is expected to be efficient and promising for this purpose. The toxicity tests applied are preliminary tests of low cost and rapid execution. For further studies, effects such as lung inflammation, fibrosis and respiratory cancer are recommended for the more in-depth studies of the mature CNF product.

Low glucose utilization and neurodegenerative changes caused by sodium fluoride exposure in rat's developmental brain.

PubMed

Jiang, Chunyang; Zhang, Shun; Liu, Hongliang; Guan, Zhizhong; Zeng, Qiang; Zhang, Cheng; Lei, Rongrong; Xia, Tao; Wang, Zhenglun; Yang, Lu; Chen, Yihu; Wu, Xue; Zhang, Xiaofei; Cui, Yushan; Yu, Linyu; Wang, Aiguo

2014-03-01

Fluorine, a toxic and reactive element, is widely prevalent throughout the environment and can induce toxicity when absorbed into the body. This study was to explore the possible mechanisms of developmental neurotoxicity in rats treated with different levels of sodium fluoride (NaF). The rats' intelligence, as well as changes in neuronal morphology, glucose absorption, and functional gene expression within the brain were determined using the Morris water maze test, transmission electron microscopy, small-animal magnetic resonance imaging and Positron emission tomography and computed tomography, and Western blotting techniques. We found that NaF treatment-impaired learning and memory in these rats. Furthermore, NaF caused neuronal degeneration, decreased brain glucose utilization, decreased the protein expression of glucose transporter 1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, and increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the rat brains. The developmental neurotoxicity of fluoride may be closely associated with low glucose utilization and neurodegenerative changes.

Toxicity of iron overload and iron overload reduction in the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies.

PubMed

Leitch, Heather A; Fibach, Eitan; Rachmilewitz, Eliezer

2017-05-01

Iron is an essential element for key cellular metabolic processes. However, transfusional iron overload (IOL) may result in significant cellular toxicity. IOL occurs in transfusion dependent hematologic malignancies (HM), may lead to pathological clinical outcomes, and IOL reduction may improve outcomes. In hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) for HM, IOL may have clinical importance; endpoints examined regarding an impact of IOL and IOL reduction include transplant-related mortality, organ function, infection, relapse risk, and survival. Here we review the clinical consequences of IOL and effects of IOL reduction before, during and following SCT for HM. IOL pathophysiology is discussed as well as available tests for IOL quantification including transfusion history, serum ferritin level, transferrin saturation, hepcidin, labile plasma iron and other parameters of iron-catalyzed oxygen free radicals, and organ IOL by imaging. Data-based recommendations for IOL measurement, monitoring and reduction before, during and following SCT for HM are made. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Workflow for Global Sensitivity Analysis of PBPK Models

PubMed Central

McNally, Kevin; Cotton, Richard; Loizou, George D.

2011-01-01

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models have a potentially significant role in the development of a reliable predictive toxicity testing strategy. The structure of PBPK models are ideal frameworks into which disparate in vitro and in vivo data can be integrated and utilized to translate information generated, using alternative to animal measures of toxicity and human biological monitoring data, into plausible corresponding exposures. However, these models invariably include the description of well known non-linear biological processes such as, enzyme saturation and interactions between parameters such as, organ mass and body mass. Therefore, an appropriate sensitivity analysis (SA) technique is required which can quantify the influences associated with individual parameters, interactions between parameters and any non-linear processes. In this report we have defined the elements of a workflow for SA of PBPK models that is computationally feasible, accounts for interactions between parameters, and can be displayed in the form of a bar chart and cumulative sum line (Lowry plot), which we believe is intuitive and appropriate for toxicologists, risk assessors, and regulators. PMID:21772819

Phytoremediation of ionic and methylmercury pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meagher, Richard B.

2002-06-01

Our long-term objective is to enable highly productive plant species to extract, resist, detoxify, and/or sequester toxic organic and heavy metal pollutants (Meagher, 2000) applying scientific strategies and technologies from a rapidly developing field called phytoremediation. The phytoremediation of toxic elemental and organic pollutants requires the use relatively different approaches (Meagher, 2000). Our current specific objectives are to use transgenic plants to control the chemical species, electrochemical state, and aboveground binding of mercury to (a) prevent methylmercury from entering the food-chain, (b) remove mercury from polluted sites, and (c) hyperaccumulate mercury in aboveground tissues for later harvest. Various parts ofmore » this strategy are being critically tested by examining different genes in model plants and field species and comparing the results to control plants as we recently reviewed (Meagher et al., 2000; Rugh et al., 2000). A positive spin-off from this work on mercury has been a strategy for the phytoremediation of arsenic (Dhankher et al., 2002) and cadmium.« less

Phytoremediation of Ionic and Methyl Mercury Pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meagher, Richard B.

Our long-term objective is to enable highly productive plant species to extract, resist, detoxify, and/or sequester toxic organic and heavy metal pollutants by applying scientific strategies and technologies from a rapidly developing field called phytoremediation. The phytoremediation of toxic elemental and organic pollutants employs a variety of different approaches (Meagher, 2000). Our current specific objectives are to use transgenic plants to control the chemical species, electrochemical state, transport, and aboveground binding of mercury to (a) prevent methylmercury from entering the food-chain, (b) remove mercury from polluted sites, and (c) hyperaccumulate mercury in aboveground tissues for later harvest and waste disposal.more » Various parts of this strategy are being critically tested by examining different genes in model plants and field species and comparing the results to control plants, as we reviewed previously (Meagher et al., 2000; Rugh et al., 2000). A positive spin-off from this work on mercury has been a strategy for the phytoremediation of arsenic (Dhankher et al., 2002) and cadmium (Dhankher et al., 2003).« less

Phytoremediation of ionic and methylmercury pollution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meagher, Richard B.

Our long-term objective is to enable highly productive plant species to extract, resist, detoxify, and/or sequester toxic organic and heavy metal pollutants (Meagher, 2000) applying scientific strategies and technologies from a rapidly developing field called phytoremediation. The phytoremediation of toxic elemental and organic pollutants requires the use relatively different approaches (Meagher, 2000). Our current specific objectives are to use transgenic plants to control the chemical species, electrochemical state, and aboveground binding of mercury to (a) prevent methylmercury from entering the food-chain, (b) remove mercury from polluted sites, and (c) hyperaccumulate mercury in aboveground tissues for later harvest. Various parts ofmore » this strategy are being critically tested by examining different genes in model plants and field species and comparing the results to control plants as we recently reviewed (Meagher et al., 2000; Rugh et al., 2000). A positive spin-off from this work on mercury has been a strategy for the phytoremediation of arsenic (Dhankher et al., 2002) and cadmium.« less

Toxicology of sulfur in ruminants: review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kandylis, K.

1984-10-01

This review deals with the toxicology of sulfur in ruminants including toxicity, neurotoxic effects, and mechanism of toxic action of hydrogen sulfide, clinical signs, and treatment. It will report effects of excessive intake of sulfur by ruminants on feed intake, animal performance, ruminal digestion and motility, rumination, and other physiological functions. Poisoning of animals with sulfur from industrial emissions (sulfur dioxide) also is discussed. Excessive quantities of dietary sulfur (above .3 to .4%) as sulfate or elemental sulfur may cause toxic effects and in extreme cases can be fatal. The means is discussed whereby consumption of excessive amounts of sulfurmore » leads to toxic effects. 53 references, 1 table.« less

Occurrence and concentrations of selected trace elements, halogenated organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in streambed sediments and results of water-toxicity testing in Westside Creeks and the San Antonio River, San Antonio, Texas, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L.

2016-12-01

Sediment samples and samples for water-toxicity testing were collected during 2014 from several streams in San Antonio, Texas, known locally as the Westside Creeks (Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks) and from the San Antonio River. Samples were collected during base flow and after periods of stormwater runoff (poststorm conditions) to determine baseline sediment- and water-quality conditions. Streambed-sediment samples were analyzed for selected constituents, including trace elements and organic contaminants such as pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Potential risks of contaminants in sediment were evaluated by comparing concentrations of contaminants in sediment to two effects-based sediment-quality guidelines: (1) a lower level, called the threshold effect concentration, below which, harmful effects to benthic biota are not expected, and (2) a higher level, the probable effect concentration (PEC), above which harmful effects are expected to occur frequently. Samples for water-toxicity testing were collected from each stream to provide information about fish toxicity in the study area. The trace metal lead was detected at potentially toxic concentrations greater than the PEC in both the base-flow and poststorm samples collected at two sites sampled on San Pedro Creek. The PECs for the pesticides dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and chlordane were exceeded in some of the samples at the same two sites on San Pedro Creek. Brominated flame retardants and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) 85, 153, and 154 were found in all streambed-sediment samples. Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines established by Environment Canada for PBDE 99 and PBDE 100 were exceeded in all samples in which PBDE 99 was detected and in a majority of the samples in which PBDE 100 was detected; the greatest concentrations occurred in samples collected at the same two sites on San Pedro Creek where the samples containing elevated lead and pesticide concentrations were collected. All concentrations of total PCBs (computed as the sum of the 18 reported PCB congeners) in the individual streambed-sediment samples were less than the threshold effect concentration, but the concentrations were elevated in the two sites on San Pedro Creek compared to concentrations at other sites. At one site on Apache Creek, 6 of the individual PAHs measured in the sample collected during base-flow conditions exceeded the PECs and 8 of the 9 PECs were exceeded in the sample collected during poststorm conditions. The total PAH concentration in the sample collected at the site during poststorm conditions was 3.3 times greater than the PEC developed for total PAHs. Average PAH profiles computed for base-flow samples and poststorm samples most closely resemble the parking lot coal-tar sealcoat dust PAH source profile, defined as the average PAH concentrations in dust swept from parking lots in six cities in the United States that were sealed with a black, viscous liquid containing coal-tar pitch. Six of ten water samples collected during base-flow conditions caused reductions in Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) survival and were considered to be toxic.

Elemental selenium particles at nano-size (Nano-Se) are more toxic to Medaka (Oryzias latipes) as a consequence of hyper-accumulation of selenium: a comparison with sodium selenite.

PubMed

Li, Hongcheng; Zhang, Jinsong; Wang, Thanh; Luo, Wenru; Zhou, Qunfang; Jiang, Guibin

2008-09-29

Recent studies have shown that elemental selenium particles at nano-size (Nano-Se) exhibited comparable bioavailability and less toxicity in mice and rats when compared to sodium selenite, selenomethinine and methylselenocysteine. However, little is known about the toxicity profile of Nano-Se in aquatic animals. In the present study, toxicities of Nano-Se and selenite in selenium-sufficient Medaka fish were compared. Selenium bioaccumulation and subsequent clearance in fish livers, gills, muscles and whole bodies were examined after 10 days of exposure to Nano-Se and selenite (100 microg Se/L) and again after 7 days of depuration. Both forms of selenium exposure effectively increased selenium concentrations in the investigated tissues. Surprisingly, Nano-Se was found to be more hyper-accumulated in the liver compared to selenite with differences as high as sixfold. Selenium clearance of both Nano-Se and selenite occurred at similar ratios in whole bodies and muscles but was not rapidly cleared from livers and gills. Nano-Se exhibited strong toxicity for Medaka with an approximately fivefold difference in terms of LC(50) compared to selenite. Nano-Se also caused larger effects on oxidative stress, most likely due to more hyper-accumulation of selenium in liver. The present study suggests that toxicity of nanoparticles can largely vary between different species and concludes that the evaluation of nanotoxicology should be carried out on a case-by-case basis.

The use of multiwell culture plates in the duckweed toxicity test-a case study on Zn nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kalčíková, Gabriela; Marolt, Gregor; Kokalj, Anita Jemec; Gotvajn, Andreja Žgajnar

2018-06-11

Extensive production of nanomaterials of various properties needs to be coupled with rapid toxicity testing in order to provide information about their potential risks to the environment and human health. Miniaturization of toxicity tests may accelerate economical testing of nanomaterials, but is not a common practice. We describe a case study to miniaturize a commonly used toxicity test with plant duckweed Lemna minor. 6-well, 12-well and 24-well culture plates were used to assess their potential use for the duckweed toxicity test with potassium chloride as reference material. The results were compared to the standard test design using 100 mL glass beakers. The comparison showed that the best agreement was with the 6-well vessels. This set-up was further used for toxicity testing of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) and zinc chlorides. Zinc was not adsorbed onto either glass or plastic walls of the miniaturized system. We assume that in both vessels a fast agglomeration and settling of ZnO NP took place. Linear regression and statistical testing indicated a good correlation between the toxicity results obtained in the standard test and miniaturized 6-well vessels. The miniaturization of the test system for assessing the biological effect of nanomaterials on Lemna minor could become an appropriate alternative to the traditionally used high volume vessels. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

OECD validation study to assess intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility of the zebrafish embryo toxicity test for acute aquatic toxicity testing.

PubMed

Busquet, François; Strecker, Ruben; Rawlings, Jane M; Belanger, Scott E; Braunbeck, Thomas; Carr, Gregory J; Cenijn, Peter; Fochtman, Przemyslaw; Gourmelon, Anne; Hübler, Nicole; Kleensang, André; Knöbel, Melanie; Kussatz, Carola; Legler, Juliette; Lillicrap, Adam; Martínez-Jerónimo, Fernando; Polleichtner, Christian; Rzodeczko, Helena; Salinas, Edward; Schneider, Katharina E; Scholz, Stefan; van den Brandhof, Evert-Jan; van der Ven, Leo T M; Walter-Rohde, Susanne; Weigt, Stefan; Witters, Hilda; Halder, Marlies

2014-08-01

The OECD validation study of the zebrafish embryo acute toxicity test (ZFET) for acute aquatic toxicity testing evaluated the ZFET reproducibility by testing 20 chemicals at 5 different concentrations in 3 independent runs in at least 3 laboratories. Stock solutions and test concentrations were analytically confirmed for 11 chemicals. Newly fertilised zebrafish eggs (20/concentration and control) were exposed for 96h to chemicals. Four apical endpoints were recorded daily as indicators of acute lethality: coagulation of the embryo, lack of somite formation, non-detachment of the tail bud from the yolk sac and lack of heartbeat. Results (LC50 values for 48/96h exposure) show that the ZFET is a robust method with a good intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility (CV<30%) for most chemicals and laboratories. The reproducibility was lower (CV>30%) for some very toxic or volatile chemicals, and chemicals tested close to their limit of solubility. The ZFET is now available as OECD Test Guideline 236. Considering the high predictive capacity of the ZFET demonstrated by Belanger et al. (2013) in their retrospective analysis of acute fish toxicity and fish embryo acute toxicity data, the ZFET is ready to be considered for acute fish toxicity for regulatory purposes. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute toxicity testing with the tropical marine copepod Acartia sinjiensis: optimisation and application.

PubMed

Gissi, F; Binet, M T; Adams, M S

2013-11-01

Globally there is limited toxicity data for tropical marine species, and there has been a call for further research and development in the area of tropical marine ecotoxicology. An increase in developmental pressures in northern tropical Australia is causing a higher demand for toxicity test protocols with ecologically relevant species. Copepods are a diverse group of zooplankton that are major components of marine food webs. The calanoid copepod Acartia sinjiensis is widely distributed across tropical and sub-tropical brackish to marine waters of Australia and was identified in a recent comprehensive review of marine tropical toxicity testing in Australia as a suitable test organism. Through a number of optimisation steps including feeding trials, changes to culture and test conditions; a 48-h acute toxicity test with A. sinjiensis was modified to become a highly reliable and reproducible standard test protocol. Control mobility was improved significantly, and the sensitivity of A. sinjiensis to copper (EC50 of 33µg/L), ammonia (EC50 of 10mg/L) and phenol (EC50 of 13mg/L) fell within the ranges of those reported previously, indicating that the modifications did not alter its sensitivity. In a comprehensive literature search we found that this species was the most sensitive to copper out of a range of marine copepods. The test was also successfully applied in toxicity assessments of four environmental samples: two produced formations waters (PFWs) and two mine tailing liquors (MTLs). The toxicity assessments utilised toxicity data from a suite of marine organisms (bacteria, microalgae, copepods, sea urchins, oysters, prawns, and fish). For the PFWs, which were predominantly contaminated with organic chemicals, A. sinjiensis was the most sensitive species (EC50 value 2-17 times lower than for any other test species). For the predominantly metal-contaminated mine tailing liquors, its sensitivity was similar to that of other test species used. The modified 48-h acute toxicity test with A. sinjiensis proved to be a valuable tool in these toxicity assessments, and is recommended for use in tropical marine toxicity assessments for northern Australia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic toxicity of an environmentally relevant mixture of pharmaceuticals to three aquatic organisms (alga, daphnid, and fish).

PubMed

Watanabe, Haruna; Tamura, Ikumi; Abe, Ryoko; Takanobu, Hitomi; Nakamura, Ataru; Suzuki, Toshinari; Hirose, Akihiko; Nishimura, Tetsuji; Tatarazako, Norihisa

2016-04-01

Principles of concentration addition and independent action have been used as effective tools to predict mixture toxicity based on individual component toxicity. The authors investigated the toxicity of a pharmaceutical mixture composed of the top 10 detected active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the Tama River (Tokyo, Japan) in a relevant concentration ratio. Both individual and mixture toxicities of the 10 APIs were evaluated by 3 short-term chronic toxicity tests using the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, the daphnid Ceriodaphnia dubia, and the zebrafish Danio rerio. With the exception of clarithromycin toxicity to alga, the no-observed-effect concentration of individual APIs for each test species was dramatically higher than the highest concentration of APIs found in the environment. The mixture of 10 APIs resulted in toxicity to alga, daphnid, and fish at 6.25 times, 100 times, and 15,000 times higher concentrations, respectively, than the environmental concentrations of individual APIs. Predictions by concentration addition and independent action were nearly identical for alga, as clarithromycin was the predominant toxicant in the mixture. Both predictions described the observed mixture toxicity to alga fairly well, whereas they slightly underestimated the observed mixture toxicity in the daphnid test. In the fish embryo test, the observed toxicity fell between the predicted toxicity by concentration addition and independent action. These results suggested that the toxicity of environmentally relevant pharmaceutical mixtures could be predicted by individual toxicity using either concentration addition or independent action. © 2015 SETAC.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stephenson, G.L.; Scroggins, R.

Environment Canada has embarked on a five year program to develop, standardize, and validate a battery of soil toxicity tests which can be used to assess the relative toxicity of contaminants in soils to terrestrial organisms. These tests must be applicable to soil conditions typically found in Canadian environments and the test species must be representative of the species of soil invertebrates or plants inhabiting soil ecosystems in Canada. One of the toxicity tests being developed is designed to assess the toxicity of contaminated soils to earthworms. Five of the potential test species belong to the Lumbricidae family and includemore » the Canadian worm (Allobophora calignosa/Aporrectodea tuberculate), the European bark worm (Dendrodtilus rubidus (rubida)), the pink soil worm (Eisenia rosea), the red marsh worm (Lumbricus rubellus), and the Canadian night crawler or dew worm (Lumbricus terrestris). The sixth species, the white pot worm (Enchytraeus albidus), belongs to the Enchytraeidae family. Further assessment reduced the number of representative species to three. Most earthworm test methods have been developed to assess the toxicity of chemically-spiked artificial soils to Eisenia fetida or E. andrei. Test methods have also been developed to assess the relative toxicity of contaminated soils from hazardous waste sites. Comparative acute toxicity data for three species of earthworm exposed to a hydrocarbon contamination will be presented. Comparative toxicity data for the same three species of earthworm will also be presented using test procedures and conditions that have been modified to accommodate biological differences among the species of earthworm. Recommendations regarding test design, methods, and conditions optimal for each test species will be summarized and discussed with respect to the precision of test results.« less

Galleria mellonella larvae allow the discrimination of toxic and non-toxic chemicals.

PubMed

Allegra, Enrico; Titball, Richard W; Carter, John; Champion, Olivia L

2018-05-01

The acute toxicities of 19 chemicals were assessed using G. mellonella larvae. The results obtained were compared against LD50 values derived from in vitro cytotoxicity tests and against in vivo acute oral LD50 values. In general, cell culture systems overestimated the toxicity of chemicals, especially low toxicity chemicals. In contrast, toxicity testing in G. mellonella larvae was found to be a reliable predictor for low toxicity chemicals. For the 9 chemicals tested which were assigned to Globally Harmonised System (GHS) category 5, the toxicity measured in G. mellonella larvae was consistent with their GHS categorisation but cytotoxicity measured in 3T3 or NHK cells predicted 4 out of 9 chemicals as having low toxicity. A more robust assessment of the likely toxicity of chemicals in mammals could be made by taking into account their toxicities in both cell cultures and in G. mellonella larvae. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of test conditions on relative toxicity rankings of fifteen materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Cumming, H. J.

1977-01-01

Fifteen materials were evaluated for relative toxicity of pyrolysis effluents, using different test conditions in the USF methodology. Wool fabrics were consistently among the most toxic materials, and polystyrene and polychloroprene flexible foam were consistently among the least toxic materials.

Determination of hazardous ingredients in personal care products using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrar, M.; Iqbal, T.; Fahad, M.; Andleeb, M.; Farooq, Z.; Afsheen, S.

2018-05-01

In the present work, the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique is applied to explore the concentration of toxic elements present in cosmetic materials. The elemental analysis of chromium (Cr), magnesium (Mg), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are selected as major elements and manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), potassium (P), sulfur (S), silicon (Si) and titanium (Ti) as minor elements in cosmetic products. In this technique, a plasma plume is generated by using an Nd:YAG Laser of 532 nm wavelength and spectral lines for the respective samples are observed. Four different samples of cosmetic products are selected, i.e. two samples for lipstick and two for eyeshadow. The observed spectral lines of all major and minor elements are used to calculate their concentration in all samples through the intensity ratio method. Among selected lipstick and eyeshadow samples, one sample is branded, and one is collected from the local market. It is observed that chromium, magnesium and lead have strong spectral lines and consequently show high concentration. The calculated concentrations are then compared to permissible limits set by the Food and Drug Administration with regard to the cosmetics industry. The concentration of these toxic elements in selected local cosmetic samples exceeds the safe permissible limit for human use and could lead to serious health problems.

Migration of 18 trace elements from ceramic food contact material: influence of pigment, pH, nature of acid and temperature.

PubMed

Demont, M; Boutakhrit, K; Fekete, V; Bolle, F; Van Loco, J

2012-03-01

The effect of pH, nature of acid and temperature on trace element migration from ceramic ware treated with 18 commercially available glazes was studied. Besides of the well-studied lead and cadmium, migration of other toxic and non toxic elements such as aluminum, boron, barium, cobalt, chrome, copper, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, nickel, antimony, tin, strontium, titanium, vanadium, zinc and zirconium was investigated in order to evaluate their potential health hazards. Trace element concentrations were determined with Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). This study suggests that there is indeed a health risk concerning the possible migration of other elements than lead and cadmium. At low pH (2

Water quality and aquatic toxicity data of 2002 spring thaw conditions in the upper Animas River watershed, Silverton, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fey, D.L.; Wirt, L.; Besser, J.M.; Wright, W.G.

2002-01-01

This report presents hydrologic, water-quality, and biologic toxicity data collected during the annual spring thaw of 2002 in the upper Animas River watershed near Silverton, Colorado. The spring-thaw runoff is a concern because elevated concentrations of iron oxyhydroxides can contain sorbed trace metals that are potentially toxic to aquatic life. Water chemistry of streams draining the San Juan Mountains is affected by natural acid drainage and weathering of hydrothermal altered volcanic rocks and by more than a century of mining activities. The timing of the spring-thaw sampling effort was determined by reviewing historical climate and stream-flow hydrographs and current weather conditions. Twenty-one water-quality samples were collected between 11:00 AM March 27, 2002 and 6:00 PM March 30, 2002 to characterize water chemistry at the A-72 gage on the upper Animas River below Silverton. Analyses of unfiltered water at the A-72 gage showed a relation between turbidity and total-recoverable iron concentrations, and showed diurnal patterns. Copper and lead concentrations were related to iron concentrations, indicating that these elements are probably sorbed to colloidal iron material. Calcium, strontium, and sulfate concentrations showed overall decreasing trends due to dilution, but the loads of those constituents increased over the sampling period. Nine water-quality samples were collected near the confluence of Mineral Creek with the Animas River, the confluence of Cement Creek with the Animas River, and on the upper Animas River above the confluence with Cement Creek (three samples at each site). A total of six bulk water-toxicity samples were collected before, during, and after the spring thaw from the Animas River at the A-72 gage site. Toxicity tests conducted with the bulk water samples on amphipods did not show strong differences in toxicity among the three sampling periods; however, toxicity of river water to fathead minnows showed a decreasing trend during the course of the study.

Acute oral toxicity and biodistribution study of zinc-aluminium-levodopa nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kura, Aminu Umar; Saifullah, Bullo; Cheah, Pike-See; Hussein, Mohd Zobir; Azmi, Norazrina; Fakurazi, Sharida

2015-03-01

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) is an inorganic-organic nano-layered material that harbours drug between its two-layered sheets, forming a sandwich-like structure. It is attracting a great deal of attention as an alternative drug delivery (nanodelivery) system in the field of pharmacology due to their relative low toxic potential. The production of these nanodelivery systems, aimed at improving human health through decrease toxicity, targeted delivery of the active compound to areas of interest with sustained release ability. In this study, we administered zinc-aluminium-LDH-levodopa nanocomposite (ZAL) and zinc-aluminium nanocomposite (ZA) to Sprague Dawley rats to evaluate for acute oral toxicity following OECD guidelines. The oral administration of ZAL and ZA at a limit dose of 2,000 mg/kg produced neither mortality nor acute toxic signs throughout 14 days of the observation. The percentage of body weight gain of the animals showed no significant difference between control and treatment groups. Animal from the two treated groups gained weight continuously over the study period, which was shown to be significantly higher than the weight at the beginning of the study ( P < 0.05). Biochemical analysis of animal serum showed no significant difference between rats treated with ZAL, ZA and controls. There was no gross lesion or histopathological changes observed in vital organs of the rats. The results suggested that ZAL and ZA at 2,000 mg/kg body weight in rats do not induce acute toxicity in the animals. Elemental analysis of tissues of treated animals demonstrated the wider distribution of the nanocomposite including the brain. In summary, findings of acute toxicity tests in this study suggest that zinc-aluminium nanocomposite intercalated with and the un-intercalated were safe when administered orally in animal models for short periods of time. It also highlighted the potential distribution ability of Tween-80 coated nanocomposite after oral administration.

AQUIRE: Aquatic Toxicity Information Retrieval data base. Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, E.; Pilli, A.

The purpose of Aquatic Toxicity Information Retrieval (AQUIRE) data base is to provide scientists and managers quick access to a comprehensive, systematic, computerized compilation of aquatic toxicity data. Scientific papers published both nationally and internationally on the toxicity of chemicals to aquatic organisms and plants are collected and reviewed for AQUIRE. Independently compiled data files that meet AQUIRE parameter and quality assurance criteria are also included. Selected toxicity-test results and related testing information for any individual chemical from laboratory and field aquatic toxicity tests are extracted and added to AQUIRE. Acute, sublethal, and bioconcentration effects are included for tests withmore » freshwater and marine organisms. The total number of data records in AQUIRE now equals 104,500. This includes data from 6000 references, for 5200 chemicals and 2400 test species. A major data file, Acute Toxicity of Organic Chemicals (ATOC), has been incorporated into AQUIRE. The ATOC file contains laboratory acute test data on 525 organic chemicals using juvenile fathead minnows. The complete data file can be accessed by requesting review code 5 as a search parameter.« less

Body burden of toxic metals and rare earth elements in non-smokers, cigarette smokers and electronic cigarette users.

PubMed

Badea, Mihaela; Luzardo, Octavio P; González-Antuña, Ana; Zumbado, Manuel; Rogozea, Liliana; Floroian, Laura; Alexandrescu, Dana; Moga, Marius; Gaman, Laura; Radoi, Mariana; Boada, Luis D; Henríquez-Hernández, Luis Alberto

2018-06-13

Smoking is considered an important source for inorganic elements, most of them toxic for human health. During the last years, there has been a significant increase in the use of e-cigarettes, although the role of them as source of inorganic elements has not been well established. A cross-sectional study including a total of 150 subjects from Brasov (Romania), divided into three groups (non-smokers, cigarette smokers and electronic cigarettes smokers) were recruited to disclose the role of smoking on the human exposure to inorganic elements. Concentration of 42 elements, including trace elements, elements in the ATSDR's priority pollutant list and rare earth elements (REE) were measured by ICP-MS in the blood serum of participants. Cigarette smokers showed the highest levels of copper, molybdenum, zinc, antimony, and strontium. Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users presented the highest concentrations of selenium, silver, and vanadium. Beryllium, europium and lanthanides were detected more frequently among e-cigarette users (20.6%, 23.5%, and 14.7%) than in cigarette smokers (1.7%, 19.0%, and 12.1%, respectively); and the number of detected REE was also higher among e-cigarette users (11.8% of them showed more than 10 different elements). Serum levels of cerium and erbium increased as the duration of the use of e-cigarettes was longer. We have found that smoking is mainly a source of heavy metals while the use of e-cigarettes is a potential source of REE. However, these elements were detected at low concentrations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trace and major element levels in rats after oral administration of diesel and biodiesel derived from opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seeds.

PubMed

Aksoy, Laçine; Sözbilir, Nalan Bayşu

2015-10-01

The study investigated the toxic effects of diesel and biodiesel derived from opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) oil seeds on the trace and major elements in kidney, lung, liver, and serum of rats. By the end of 21 days, trace and major element concentrations in kidney, lung, and liver tissues and the serum were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. We observed that trace and major element levels in kidney, lung, and liver tissues and the serum changed. Especially, important differences were detected in trace and major element concentrations in kidney and lung tissues. In kidney tissue, the concentration differences of calcium, sodium, and zinc (Zn) were found between diesel and biodiesel groups. In lung tissue, the concentration differences of cadmium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, and Zn were found between diesel and biodiesel groups. Among the significant findings, Zn concentration in serum and liver tissue of diesel and biodiesel were different from control (p < 0.05). However, the metal levels of biodiesel group were similar to control group. Due to lesser toxicity of biodiesel, it could be considered as an alternate fuel. © The Author(s) 2013.

Assessment of sediment toxicity in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy) using a multi-species set of bioassays.

PubMed

Picone, Marco; Bergamin, Martina; Losso, Chiara; Delaney, Eugenia; Arizzi Novelli, Alessandra; Ghirardini, Annamaria Volpi

2016-01-01

Within the framework of a Weight of Evidence (WoE) approach, a set of four toxicity bioassays involving the amphipod Corophium volutator (10 d lethality test on whole sediment), the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (fertilization and embryo toxicity tests on elutriate) and the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (embryo toxicity test on elutriate) was applied to sediments from 10 sampling sites of the Venice Lagoon (Italy). Sediments were collected during three campaigns carried out in May 2004 (spring campaign), October 2004 (autumn campaign) and February 2005 (winter campaign). Toxicity tests were performed on all sediment samples. Sediment grain-size and chemistry were measured during spring and autumn campaigns. This research investigated (i) the ability of toxicity tests in discriminating among sites with different contamination level, (ii) the occurrence of a gradient of effect among sampling sites, (iii) the possible correlation among toxicity tests, sediment chemistry, grain size and organic carbon, and (iv) the possible occurrence of toxicity seasonal variability. Sediment contamination levels were from low to moderate. No acute toxicity toward amphipods was observed, while sea urchin fertilization was affected only in few sites in just a single campaign. Short-term effects on larval development of sea urchin and oyster evidenced a clear spatial trend among sites, with increasing effects along the axis connecting the sea-inlets with the industrial area. The set of bioassays allowed the identification of a spatial gradient of effect, with decreasing toxicity from the industrial area toward the sea-inlets. Multivariate data analysis showed that the malformations of oyster embryos were significantly correlated to the industrial contamination (metals, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls), while sea urchin development to sediment concentrations of As, Cr and organic carbon. Both embryo toxicity tests were significantly affected by high ammonia concentrations found in the elutriates extracted from some mudflat and industrial sediments. No significant temporal variation of the toxicity was observed within the experimental period. Amendments to the set of bioassays, with inclusion of chronic tests, can certainly provide more reliability and consistency to the characterization of the (possible) toxic effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The chemical exposure toxicity space (CETS) model: Displaying exposure time, aqueous and organic concentration, activity, and onset of toxicity.

PubMed

Mackay, Donald; Celsie, Alena K D; Parnis, J Mark; McCarty, Lynn S; Arnot, Jon A; Powell, David E

2017-05-01

A 1-compartment toxicokinetic model is used to characterize the chemical exposure toxicity space (CETS), providing a novel graphic tool that can aid in the design of aquatic toxicity tests for fish and for interpreting their results. The graph depicts the solution to the differential equation describing the uptake kinetics of a chemical by a modeled fish under conventional bioassay conditions. The model relates the exposure concentration in the water to a dimensionless time and the onset of toxicity as determined by an estimated or assumed critical body residue or incipient lethal aqueous concentration. These concentration graphs are specific to each chemical and exposure and organism parameters and clearly demonstrate differences in toxicity between chemicals and how factors such as hydrophobicity influence the toxic endpoint. The CETS plots can also be used to assess bioconcentration test conditions to ensure that concentrations are well below toxic levels. Illustrative applications are presented using a recent set of high-quality toxicity data. Conversion of concentrations to chemical activities in the plots enables results for different baseline toxicants to be superimposed. For chemicals that have different modes of toxic action, the increased toxicity then becomes apparent. Implications for design and interpretation of aquatic toxicity tests are discussed. The model, and pictorial visualization of the time-course of aquatic toxicity tests, may contribute to improvements in test design, implementation, and interpretation, and to reduced animal usage. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1389-1396. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Trace element partitioning behavior of coal gangue-fired CFB plant: experimental and equilibrium calculation.

PubMed

Zhang, Yingyi; Nakano, Jinichiro; Liu, Lili; Wang, Xidong; Zhang, Zuotai

2015-10-01

Energy recovery is a promising method for coal gangue utilization, during which the prevention of secondary pollution, especially toxic metal emission, is a significant issue in the development of coal gangue utilization. In the present study, investigation into trace element partitioning behavior from a coal gangue-fired power plant in Shanxi province, China, has been conducted. Besides the experimental analysis, thermodynamic equilibrium calculation was also conducted to help the further understanding on the effect of different parameters. Results showed that Hg, As, Be, and Cd were highly volatile elements in the combustion of coal gangue, which were notably enriched in fly ash and may be emitted into the environment via the gas phase. Cr and Mn were mostly non-volatile and were enriched in the bottom ash. Pb, Co, Zn, Cu, and Ni were semi-volatile elements and were enriched in the fly ash to varying degrees. Equilibrium calculations show that the air/fuel ratio and the presence of Cl highly affect the element volatility. The presence of mineral phases, such as aluminosilicates, depresses the volatility of elements by chemical immobilization and competition in Cl. The coal gangue, fly ash, and bottom ash all passed the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), and their alkalinity buffers the acidity of the solution and contributes to the low solubility of the trace elements.

Determination of essential and toxic elements in Cordyceps kyushuensis Kawam by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoying; Zhao, Yanxin; Liu, Fengjun; Ling, Jianya; Lin, Jianqiang; Zhang, Changkai

2013-01-01

In this study, a total of 20 elements (essential, non-essential and toxic): lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), gallium (Ga), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), barium (Ba), tin (Sn), arsenic (As), lead (Pb) cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) in natural and cultured Cordyceps kyushuensis have been determined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Cultured stroma, natural stroma and natural worm were digested by microwave-assisted method before analysis. The proposed ICP-MS method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material (CRM) GBW10015 (spinach). The results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the element concentrations in the three kinds of samples were significantly different (p<0.05). Except for Mg, Zn, Cu, the values of other elemental contents were the highest in the stroma of natural C. kyushuensis. In comparison with the worm, the concentrations of determined elements in wild stroma were higher. The remarkable difference of elemental contents between cultured and natural stroma may be caused by distinct growing environment. This finding highlighted the usefulness of ICP-MS elemental analysis and enhanced the value of C. kyushuensis as a candidate for nourishing food based on its composition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of Microtox as a first screening tool for waste classification.

PubMed

Weltens, R; Deprez, K; Michiels, L

2014-12-01

The Waste Framework Directive (WFD; 2008/98/EG) describes how waste materials are to be classified as hazardous or not. For complex waste materials chemical analyses are often not conclusive and the WFD provides the possibility to assess the hazardous properties by testing on the waste materials directly. As a methodology WFD refers to the protocols described in the CLP regulation (regulation on Classification, Labeling and Packaging of chemicals) but the toxicity tests on mammals are not acceptable for waste materials. The DISCRISET project was initiated to investigate the suitability of alternative toxicity tests that are already in use in pharmaceutical applications, for the toxicological hazard assessment of complex waste materials. Results indicated that Microtox was a good candidate as a first screening test in a tiered approached hazard assessment. This is now further validated in the present study. The toxic responses measured in Microtox were compared to biological responses in other bioassays for both organic and inorganic fractions of the wastes. Both fractions contribute to the toxic load of waste samples. Results show that the Microtox test is indeed a good and practical screening tool for the organic fraction. A screening threshold (ST) of 5 geq/l as the EC50 value in Microtox is proposed as this ST allows to recognize highly toxic samples in the screening test. The data presented here show that the Microtox toxicity response at this ST is not only predictive for acute toxicity in other organisms but also for sub lethal toxic effects of the organic fraction. This limit value has to be further validated. For the inorganic fraction no specific biotest can be recommended as a screening test, but the use of direct toxicity assessment is also preferable for this fraction as metal speciation is an important issue to define the toxic load of elutriate fractions. A battery of 3 tests (Microtox, Daphnia and Algae) for direct toxicity assessment of this fraction is recommended in literature, but including tests for mechanistic toxicity might be useful. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological evaluation of proposed dredged material from St. Andrew Bay, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayhew, H.L.; Word, J.Q.; Kohn, N.P.

1993-10-01

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District, requested that the Battelle/Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) conduct field sampling and chemical and biological testing to determine the suitability of potential dredged material for open ocean disposal. Sediment from St. Andrew Bay was chemically characterized and evaluated for biological toxicity and bioaccumulation of contaminants. The Tier III guidance for ocean disposal testing requires tests of water column effects (following dredged material disposal), deposited sediment toxicity, and bioaccumulation of contaminants from deposited sediment (dredged material). To meet these requirements, the MSL conducted suspended-particulate-phase (SPP) toxicity tests, solid-phase toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation testingmore » on sediment representing potential dredged material from Panama City Harbor. Physical and chemical characterization of sediment to support toxicity and bioaccumulation results was also conducted on both the test and reference sediments. The MSL collected sediment samples from five sites in St. Andrew Bay and one reference site near Lands End Peninsula. The five test sediments and the reference sediment were analyzed for physical and chemical sediment characteristics, SPP chemical contaminants, solid-phase toxicity, SPP toxicity, and bioaccumulation of contaminants.« less

Toxicity of organic chemical pollution in groundwater downgradient of a landfill (Grindsted, Denmark)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baun, A.; Jensen, S.D.; Bjerg, P.L.

2000-05-01

The aim of the present study was to describe the occurrence and distribution of toxicity related to organic chemical contaminants in the leachate plume downgradient of the Grindsted Landfill (Denmark). A total of 27 groundwater samples were preconcentrated by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using XAD-2 as the resin material. This treatment effectively eliminated sample matrix toxicity caused by inorganic salts and natural organic compounds and produced an aqueous concentrate of the nonvolatile chemical contaminants. The SPE extracts were tested in a battery of standardized short-term aquatic toxicity tests with luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), algae (Selenastrum capricornutum), and crustaceans (Daphnia magna). Additionalmore » genotoxicity tests were made using the umuC test (Salmonella typhimurium). Biotests with algae and luminescent bacteria were the most sensitive tests. On the basis of results with these two bioassays, it was concluded that SPE extracts of groundwater collected close to the landfill were toxic. The toxicity decreased with the distance from the landfill. At distances greater than 80 m from the border of the landfill, the groundwater toxicity was not significantly different from the background toxicity. SPE extracts were not toxic to Daphnia, and no genotoxicity was observed in the umuC test. The overall findings indicate that a battery of biotests applied on preconcentrated groundwater samples can be a useful tool for toxicity characterization and hazard ranking of groundwater polluted with complex chemical mixtures, such as landfill leachates.« less

Understanding Genetic Toxicity Through Data Mining: The ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of representing a chemical by its structural features and the use of these features to profile a battery of tests rather than relying on a single toxicity test of a given chemical. This paper presents data mining/profiling methods applied in a weight-of-evidence approach to assess potential for genetic toxicity, and to guide the development of intelligent testing strategies. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of representing a chemical by its structural features and the use of these features to profile a battery of tests rather than relying on a single toxicity test of a given chemical. This paper presents data mining/profiling methods applied in a weight-of-evidence approach to assess potential for genetic toxicity, and to guide the development of intelligent testing strategies.

Acute oral toxicity test of chemical compounds in silkworms.

PubMed

Usui, Kimihito; Nishida, Satoshi; Sugita, Takuya; Ueki, Takuro; Matsumoto, Yasuhiko; Okumura, Hidenobu; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2016-02-01

This study performed an acute oral toxicity test of 59 compounds in silkworms. These compounds are listed in OECD guidelines as standard substances for a cytotoxicity test, and median lethal dose (LD(50)) werecalculated for each compound. Acute oral LD(50) values in mammals are listed in OECD guidelines and acute oral LD(50) values in silkworms were determined in this study. R(2) for the correlation between LD(50) values in mammals and LD(50) values in silkworms was 0.66. In addition, the acute oral toxicity test in silkworms was performed by two different facilities, and test results from the facilities were highly reproducible. These findings suggest that an acute oral toxicity test in silkworms is a useful way to evaluate the toxicity of compounds in mammals.

Review of the Toxicity of the Metallic Compounds Proposed for Use in the New Green Missile Formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Major, Michael A.

2000-01-01

In an effort to modernize and minimize hazards posed by the toxic components of missile propellant, the USACHPPM has been tasked to provide a comparison of the toxicity of compounds currently in use as missile propellants and the suite of compounds proposed to replace them. This report deals with the portion of this work concerning the toxicity of the organometallic compounds used in these formulations. Toxicity assessments of the organic compounds used in these formulations are published elsewhere. In general, toxicity data were available for all the metal compounds of concern or for closely related compounds that can serve as surrogates for the assessment of toxicity. We have high confidence in the reliability of these comparisons. This report is organized by element to provide the reader with an in-depth assessment with a minimum of redundancy. The narrative will first describe general concepts about the toxicity of each metal and then provide a summary of the toxicological information available for the specific compound.

Establishment of quality assurance procedures for aquatic toxicity testing with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freeman, M.N.; Marse, T.J.; Williams, P.L.

1998-12-31

In this study initial data were generated to develop laboratory control charts for aquatic toxicity testing using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Tests were performed using two reference toxicants: CdCl{sub 2} and CuCl{sub 2}. All tests were performed for 24 h without a food source and of 48 h with a food source in a commonly used nematode aquatic medium. Each test was replicated 6 times with each replicate having 6 wells per concentration with 10 {+-} 1 worms per well. Probit analysis was used to estimate LC{sub 50} values for each test. The data were used to construct a meanmore » ({bar x}) laboratory control chart for each reference toxicant. The coefficient of variation (CV) for three of the four reference toxicant tests was less than 20%, which demonstrates an excellent degree of reproducibility. These CV values are well within suggested standards for determination of organism sensitivity and overall test system credibility. A standardized procedure for performing 24 h and 48 h aquatic toxicity studies with C. elegans is proposed.« less

Static renewal tests using Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) and Ceriodaphnia dubia (daphnids). Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1994-12-31

Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of January 25--February 1, 1994. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected from Clinch River Mile 9.0, Poplar Creek Mile 1.0, and Poplar Creek Mile 2.9 on January 24, 26, and 28. Samples were partitioned and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival or growth) to fathead minnows; however, toxicity to daphnids wasmore » demonstrated in undiluted samples from Poplar Creek Mile 1.0 in testing conducted by TVA based on hypothesis testing of data. Point estimation (IC{sub 25}) analysis of the data, however, showed no toxicity in PCM 1.0 samples. Attachments to this report include: Chain of custody forms -- originals; Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; Meter calibrations; and Reference toxicant test information.« less

16 CFR 1500.40 - Method of testing toxic substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... not require animals, are presented in the CPSC's animal testing policy set forth in 16 CFR 1500.232. A... test animals. The method of testing the toxic substances referred to in § 1500.3(c)(1)(ii)(C) and (c)(2... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Method of testing toxic substances. 1500.40...

Review: Endogenously Produced Volatiles for In Vitro Toxicity Testing Using Cell Lines

EPA Science Inventory

Due to the approximately 86,000 chemicals registered under the Toxic Substances Control Act and increasing ethical concerns regarding animal testing, it is not economically or technically feasible to screen every registered chemical for toxicity using animal-based toxicity assays...

Evaluation of the toxic properties of naturally weathered Exxon Valdez crude oil to surrogate wildlife species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stubblefield, W.A.; Hancock, G.A.; Ford, W.H.

1995-12-31

The toxic properties of naturally weathered Exxon Valdez crude oil (WEVC) to avian and mammalian wildlife species were evaluated using the surrogate species, mallard duck, Anas platyrhynchos, and European ferret, Mustela putorius. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential for toxic (rather than physical) injury to wildlife species that may have been exposed to WEVC, either through external contact or through dietary uptake. Previous studies have assessed the toxicity of unweathered crude oils, including Alaska North Slope Crude, but little information exists regarding the toxicity of a naturally weathered crude oil, typical of that encountered following a spill. Amore » battery of laboratory toxicity tests was conducted, in compliance with standard and published test procedures, to evaluate acute and subchronic toxicity of WEVC. These included tests of food avoidance, reproductive effects, and direct eggshell application toxicity. Naturally weathered EVC, recovered postspill from Prince William Sound, was used as the test material. 36 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Handbook of acute toxicity of chemicals to fish and aquatic invertebrates : summaries of toxicity tests conducted at Columbia National Fisheries Research Laboratory, 1965-78

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, W. Waynon; Finley, Mack T.

1980-01-01

Acute toxicity is a major subject of research at Columbia National Fisheries Research Laboratory for evaluating the impact of toxic chemicals on fishery resources. The Laboratory has played a leading role in developing research technology for toxicity testing and data interpretation. In 1965-78, more than 400 chemicals were tested against a variety of invertebrates and fish species representative of both cold- and warm-water climates.The use of acute toxicity tests for assessing the potential hazard of chemical contaminants to aquatic organisms is well documented (Boyd 1957; Henderson et al. 1960; Sanders and Cope 1966; Macek and McAllister 1970). Static acute toxicity tests provide rapid and (within limits) reproducible concentration-response curves for estimating toxic effects of chemicals on aquatic organisms. These tests provide a database for determining relative toxicity of a large number of chemicals to a variety of species and for estimating acute effects of chemical spills on natural aquatic systems; they also assist in determining priority and design of additional toxicity studies.Acute toxicity tests usually provide estimates of the exposure concentration causing 50% mortality (LC50) to test organisms during a specified period of time. For certain invertebrates, the effective concentration is based on immobilization, or some other identifiable endpoint, rather than on lethality. The application of the LC50 has gained acceptance among toxicologists and is generally the most highly rated test for assessing potential adverse effects of chemical contaminants to aquatic life (Brungs and Mount 1978; American Institute for Biological Sciences 1978a).The literature contains numerous papers dealing with the acute toxicity of chemicals to freshwater organisms. However, there is a tremendous need for a concise compendium of toxicity data covering a large variety of chemicals and test species. This Handbook is a compilation of a large volume of acute toxicity data from the Columbia Laboratory and its field laboratories. It presents definitive acute toxicity data on 271 chemicals tested against a variety of freshwater invertebrates and fishes. The chemicals represent all major groups of pesticides, as well as numerous industrial chemicals. This compilation should serve as a useful database for the many agencies and organizations dealing with research and management programs concerned with the impact of chemicals on aquatic resources.The Columbia Laboratory has played a major role in developing currently used standard methodology for static acute toxicity testing. The use of standardized methodology greatly reduces variation in results. The data presented here have been carefully scrutinized to eliminate tests that failed to follow acceptable procedures. Handling of test organisms and procedures for static toxicity tests followed those described by Lennon and Walker (1964) and Macek and McAllister (1970), and conform well with those recommended by Brauhn and Schoettger (1975) and the Committee on Methods for Toxicity Tests with Aquatic Organisms (1975).The species of fish and invertebrates that were tested are listed in phylogenetic order in Tables 1 and 2. Fish were obtained from Federal and State hatcheries as either eggs or fry. Original stocks of invertebrates were collected and cultured from wild populations with no known source of contamination; these populations were replenished regularly. The invertebrates were cultured in the Laboratory by methods similar to those described by Sanders and Cope (1966).Test chemicals usually consisted of technical or analytical grade samples of known purity. Formulations of the chemicals were also tested when available. When purity of test chemicals was known, all calculated concentrations were based on percent active ingredients. Stock solutions were prepared immediately before each test, with commercial grade acetone as the carrier solvent. Occasionally, ethanol or dimethyl-formamide was substituted. Solvent concentrations did not exceed 0.5 mL/L in final dilution water.Test water (dilution water) was reconstituted from deionized water of at least 106 ohms resistivity by the addition of appropriate reagent grade chemicals (Marking 1969). Water was buffered to maintain a pH of 7.2 to 7.5, an alkalinity of 30 to 35 mg/L, and a hardness of 40 to 50 mg/L as CaCO3. Test water was mixed thoroughly and aerated before transfer into test chambers. Fish were acclimated to dilution water by gradually changing the water in acclimated tanks from 100% well water to 100% reconstituted water over a 1- to 3-day period at the desired testing temperature. Invertebrates were acclimated from well water to dilution water over a 4- to 6-h period. Toxicity tests were conducted under static conditions without aeration, and the organisms were not fed during acclimation or testing. Temperature of test solutions was maintained within ± 1°C of that required for a given test.Toxicity tests with fish were conducted in 18.9-liter (5-gal) wide-mouthed jars containing 15 liters of test solution. Fingerling fish weighing 0.2 to 1.5 g were tested at each concentration. Caution was taken not to exceed 0.8 g of test organisms per liter of solution. Duplicate test chambers were used to accommodate larger fish. Test chambers varied in size for invertebrates, depending on the species used; volume of test solution ranged from 0.25 to 4 liters. At least 10 organisms were exposed to each concentration for all definitive tests. At least six concentrations were used per toxicity test.The tests began upon initial exposure to the toxicant and continued for 96 h. Immobilization tests with invertebrates were conducted for only 48 h. The number of dead or affected organisms in each test chamber were recorded and the dead organisms were removed every 24 h; general observations on the condition of test organisms were also recorded at these times.Toxicity data were analyzed by a statistical method described by Litchfield and Wilcoxon (1949) to determine LC50 (theoretical estimate of the concentration lethal to 50% of the test animals) and 95% confidence intervals. This method is recommended by the American Public Health Association (1971) and by Sprague (1969) for determining median lethal concentrations. The procedure is easily modified for computing a single LC50 when replicate tests are performed.

Analysis of metallic traces from the biodegradation of endomedullary AZ31 alloy temporary implants in rat organs after long implantation times.

PubMed

Bodelón, O G; Iglesias, C; Garrido, J; Clemente, C; Garcia-Alonso, M C; Escudero, M L

2015-08-04

AZ31 alloy has been tested as a biodegradable material in the form of endomedullary implants in female Wistar rat femurs. In order to evaluate the accumulation of potentially toxic elements from the biodegradation of the implant, magnesium (Mg), aluminium (Al), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and fluorine (F) levels have been measured in different organs such as kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen and brain. Several factors that may influence accumulation have been taken into account: how long the implant has been in place, whether or not the bone is fractured, and the presence of an MgF2 protective coating on the implant. The main conclusions and the clinical relevance of the study have been that AZ31 endomedullary implants have a degradation rate of about 60% after 13 months, which is fully compatible with fracture consolidation. Neither bone fracture nor an MgF2 coating seems to influence the accumulation of trace elements in the studied organs. Aluminium is the only alloying element in this study that requires special attention. The increase in Al recovered from the sampled organs represents 3.95% of the amount contained in the AZ31 implant. Al accumulates in a statistically significant way in all the organs except the brain. All of this suggests that in long-term tests AZ31 may be a suitable material for osteosynthesis.

Biologically Relevant Exposure Science for 21st Century Toxicity Testing

EPA Science Inventory

High visibility efforts in toxicity testing and computational toxicology including the recent NRC report, Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: a Vision and Strategy (NRC, 2007), raise important research questions and opportunities for the field of exposure science. The authors ...

Overview of T.E.S.T. (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool)

EPA Science Inventory

This talk provides an overview of T.E.S.T. (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool). T.E.S.T. predicts toxicity values and physical properties using a variety of different QSAR (quantitative structure activity relationship) approaches including hierarchical clustering, group contribut...

Recent developments in human biomonitoring: non-invasive assessment of target tissue dose and effects of pneumotoxic metals.

PubMed

Mutti, A; Corradi, M

2006-01-01

Tobacco smoke and polluted environments substantially increase the lung burden of pneumotoxic chemicals, particularly pneumotoxic metallic elements. To achieve a better understanding of the early events between exposure to inhaled toxicants and the onset of adverse effects on the lung, the characterization of dose at the target organ would be extremely useful. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC), obtained by cooling exhaled air under conditions of spontaneous breathing, is a novel technique that could provide a non-invasive assessment of pulmonary pathobiology. Considering that EBC is water practically free of interfering solutes, it represents an ideal biological matrix for elemental characterization. Published data show that several toxic metals and trace elements are detectable in EBC, raising the possibility of using this medium to quantify the lung tissue dose of pneumotoxic substances. This novel approach may represent a significant advance over the analysis of alternative media (blood, serum, urine, hair), which are not as reliable (owing to interfering substances in the complex matrix) and reflect systemic rather than lung (target tissue) levels of both toxic metals and essential trace elements. Data obtained among workers occupationally exposed to either hard metals or chromium (VI) and in smokers with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are reviewed to show that--together with biomarkers of exposure--EBC also allows the simultaneous quantification of biomarkers of effect directly sampled from the epithelial lining fluid, thus providing novel insights on both kinetic and dynamic aspects of metal toxicology.

Biomonitoring of environmental pollution using growth tree rings of Tipuana tipu: Quantification by synchrotron radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geraldo, S. M.; Canteras, F. B.; Moreira, S.

2014-02-01

Currently, many studies use the bioindicators to qualitatively and/or quantitatively measure pollution. The analyses of tree growth rings represent one such bioindicator as changes in the environment are often recorded as impressions in the wood. The main objective of the present study is to examine the growth rings of Tipuana tipu - a member of the Leguminosae family that is native to Argentina and Bolivia and was introduced in Brazil as an ornamental plant - for potentially toxic elements. T. tipu is one of the most common trees in the urban landscape of Sao Paulo city and would provide an accurate reflection of environment changes. Tree ring samples previously dated using Synchrotron Radiation Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence were collected from strategic locations in Sao Paulo. These locations include Piracicaba (SP) that has little access and small flow traffic and the campus of the University of São Paulo. Some trace elements present concentrations higher than considered as normal in some periods. In São Paulo city, samples collected from the campus of University of São Paulo (Butantã), showed the highest toxicity, with concentrations above the tolerable limit for the elements: Cr, Cu, and Pb. For the samples collected in Piracicaba city, one sample presented highest concentrations for the majority of the elements when compared to the other four samples collected at the same place, exceeding the toxicity limits for: Cr, Ni, Cu, and Pb.

Elemental mercury neurotoxicity and clinical recovery of function: A review of findings, and implications for occupational health.

PubMed

Calabrese, Edward J; Iavicoli, Ivo; Calabrese, Vittorio; Cory-Slechta, Deborah A; Giordano, James

2018-05-01

This paper assessed approximately 30 studies, mostly involving occupationally exposed subjects, concerning the extent to which those who developed elemental mercury (Hg)-induced central and/or peripheral neurotoxicities from chronic or acute exposures recover functionality and/or performance. While some recovery occurred in the vast majority of cases, the extent of such recoveries varied considerably by individual and endpoint. Factors accounting for the extensive inter-individual variation in toxicity and recovery were not specifically assessed such as age, gender, diet, environmental enrichment, chelation strategies and dose-rate. While the data indicate that psychomotor endpoints often show substantial and relatively rapid (i.e., 2-6 months) recovery and that neuropsychological endpoints display slower and less complete recovery, generalizations are difficult due to highly variable study designs, use of different endpoints measured between studies, different Hg exposures based on blood/urine concentrations and Hg dose-rates, the poor capacity for replicating findings due to the unpredictable/episodic nature of harmful exposures to elemental Hg, and the inconsistency of the initiation of studies after induced toxicities and the differing periods of follow up during recovery periods. Finally, there is strikingly limited animal model literature on the topic of recovery/reversibility of elemental Hg toxicity, a factor which significantly contributes to the overall marked uncertainties for predicting the rate and magnitude of recovery and the factors that affect it. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fish embryo toxicity test: identification of compounds with weak toxicity and analysis of behavioral effects to improve prediction of acute toxicity for neurotoxic compounds.

PubMed

Klüver, Nils; König, Maria; Ortmann, Julia; Massei, Riccardo; Paschke, Albrecht; Kühne, Ralph; Scholz, Stefan

2015-06-02

The fish embryo toxicity test has been proposed as an alternative for the acute fish toxicity test, but concerns have been raised for its predictivity given that a few compounds have been shown to exhibit a weak acute toxicity in the fish embryo. In order to better define the applicability domain and improve the predictive capacity of the fish embryo test, we performed a systematic analysis of existing fish embryo and acute fish toxicity data. A correlation analysis of a total of 153 compounds identified 28 compounds with a weaker or no toxicity in the fish embryo test. Eleven of these compounds exhibited a neurotoxic mode of action. We selected a subset of eight compounds with weaker or no embryo toxicity (cyanazine, picloram, aldicarb, azinphos-methyl, dieldrin, diquat dibromide, endosulfan, and esfenvalerate) to study toxicokinetics and a neurotoxic mode of action as potential reasons for the deviating fish embryo toxicity. Published fish embryo LC50 values were confirmed by experimental analysis of zebrafish embryo LC50 according to OECD guideline 236. Except for diquat dibromide, internal concentration analysis did not indicate a potential relation of the low sensitivity of fish embryos to a limited uptake of the compounds. Analysis of locomotor activity of diquat dibromide and the neurotoxic compounds in 98 hpf embryos (exposed for 96 h) indicated a specific effect on behavior (embryonic movement) for the neurotoxic compounds. The EC50s of behavior for neurotoxic compounds were close to the acute fish toxicity LC50. Our data provided the first evidence that the applicability domain of the fish embryo test (LC50s determination) may exclude neurotoxic compounds. However, neurotoxic compounds could be identified by changes in embryonic locomotion. Although a quantitative prediction of acute fish toxicity LC50 using behavioral assays in fish embryos may not yet be possible, the identification of neurotoxicity could trigger the conduction of a conventional fish acute toxicity test or application of assessment factors while considering the very good fish embryo-acute fish toxicity correlation for other compounds.

Effect of low-purity Fenton reagents on toxicity of textile dyeing effluent to Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Na, Joorim; Yoo, Jisu; Nam, Gwiwoong; Jung, Jinho

2017-09-20

This study aimed to identify the source of toxicity in textile dyeing effluent collected from February to July 2016, using Daphnia magna as a test organism. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) procedures were used to identify the toxicants in textile dyeing effluent, and Jar testing to simulate the Fenton process was conducted to identify the source of toxicants. Textile dyeing effluent was acutely toxic to D. magna [from 1.5 to 9.7 toxic units (TU)] during the study period. TIE results showed that Zn derived from the Fenton process was a key toxicant in textile dyeing effluent. Additionally, Jar testing revealed that low-purity Fenton reagents (FeCl 2 and FeSO 4 ), which contained large amounts of Zn (89 838 and 610 mg L -1 , respectively), were the source of toxicity. Although we were unable to conclusively identify the residual toxicity (approx. 1.4 TU of 9.71 TU) attributable to unknown toxicants in textile dyeing effluent, the findings of this study suggest that careful operation of the Fenton treatment process could contribute to eliminating its unintended toxic effects on aquatic organisms.

Comparison of effluent toxicity results using Ceriodaphnia dubia cultured on several diets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norberg-King, T.J.; Schmidt, S.

1993-10-01

Several diets have been proposed for Ceriodaphnia dubia, but no single diet has been universally accepted as optimal for toxicity testing. Although several diets for Ceriodaphnia dubia culturing and testing are commonly used, little or no data exist on whether toxicity varies with the diet. This study evaluated several combinations of yeast-Cerophyl-trout chow (YCT), Selenastrum capricornutum, and Selenastrum capricornutum-Cerophyl foods for routine culture performance and the sensitivity of the offspring in subsequent acute toxicity tests with effluents. Variations in the diets included use of a vitamin-fortified yeast added to the YCT, algae (Selenastrum capricornutum) grown in two different algal media,more » and different feeding rates of the algae-Cerophyl diets. Eleven diets were evaluated in a multigeneration feeding study, but only seven were used in subsequent toxicity tests. The young produced from each of the seven diets were tested in 48-h acute tests with three different effluents across the generations. Toxicity tests with the effluents gave LC50s that were within a factor of two of one another, regardless of the food used for culturing. These results indicate that several diets are satisfactory for culturing Ceriodaphnia dubia and that the results of the toxicity tests are comparable.« less

Coastal circulation and sediment dynamics in Hanalei Bay, Kaua'i, Hawaii, part III, studies of sediment toxicity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Robert S.; Nipper, Marion; Field, Michael; Biedenbach, James M.

2006-01-01

Toxicity tests are commonly conducted as a measure of the bioavailability of toxic chemicals to biota in an environment. Chemical analyses alone are insufficient to determine whether contaminants pose a threat to biota. Porewater toxicity tests are extremely sensitive to a broad range of contaminants in marine environments and provide ecologically relevant data on sensitive life stages. The inclusion of porewater toxicity testing as an additional indicator of sediment quality provides a more comprehensive picture of contaminant effects in these sensitive habitats. In this study purple-spined sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) fertilization and embryological development porewater toxicity tests were used to evaluate the sediments collected from the coastal environment around Hanalei Bay, Kaua’i, Hawaii. These tests have been used previously to assess the bioavailability of contaminants associated with sediments in the vicinity of coral reefs.

Aquatic Toxicity Information Retrieval Data Base (ACQUIRE). Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The purpose of Acquire is to provide scientists and managers quick access to a comprehensive, systematic, computerized compilation of aquatic toxicity data. Scientific papers published both nationally and internationally on the toxicity of chemicals to aquatic organisms and plants are collected and reviewed for ACQUIRE. Independently compiled data files that meet ACQUIRE parameter and quality assurance criteria are also included. Selected toxicity test results and related testing information for any individual chemical from laboratory and field aquatic toxicity effects are included for tests with freshwater and marine organisms. The total number of data records in ACQUIRE is now over 105,300.more » This includes data from 6000 references, for 5200 chemicals and 2400 test species. A major data file, Acute Toxicity of Organic Chemicals (ATOC), has been incorporated into ACQUIRE. The ATOC file contains laboratory acute test data on 525 organic chemicals using juvenile fathead minnows.« less

Are we in the dark ages of environmental toxicology?

PubMed

McCarty, L S

2013-12-01

Environmental toxicity is judged to be in a "dark ages" period due to longstanding limitations in the implementation of the simple conceptual model that is the basis of current aquatic toxicity testing protocols. Fortunately, the environmental regulatory revolution of the last half-century is not substantially compromised as development of past regulatory guidance was designed to deal with limited amounts of relatively poor quality toxicity data. However, as regulatory objectives have substantially increased in breadth and depth, aquatic toxicity data derived with old testing methods are no longer adequate. In the near-term explicit model description and routine assumption validation should be mandatory. Updated testing methods could provide some improvements in toxicological data quality. A thorough reevaluation of toxicity testing objectives and methods resulting in substantially revised standard testing methods, plus a comprehensive scheme for classification of modes/mechanisms of toxic action, should be the long-term objective. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cadmium Handling, Toxicity and Molecular Targets Involved during Pregnancy: Lessons from Experimental Models.

PubMed

Jacobo-Estrada, Tania; Santoyo-Sánchez, Mitzi; Thévenod, Frank; Barbier, Olivier

2017-07-22

Even decades after the discovery of Cadmium (Cd) toxicity, research on this heavy metal is still a hot topic in scientific literature: as we wrote this review, more than 1440 scientific articles had been published and listed by the PubMed.gov website during 2017. Cadmium is one of the most common and harmful heavy metals present in our environment. Since pregnancy is a very particular physiological condition that could impact and modify essential pathways involved in the handling of Cd, the prenatal life is a critical stage for exposure to this non-essential element. To give the reader an overview of the possible mechanisms involved in the multiple organ toxic effects in fetuses after the exposure to Cd during pregnancy, we decided to compile some of the most relevant experimental studies performed in experimental models and to summarize the advances in this field such as the Cd distribution and the factors that could alter it (diet, binding-proteins and membrane transporters), the Cd-induced toxicity in dams (preeclampsia, fertility, kidney injury, alteration in essential element homeostasis and bone mineralization), in placenta and in fetus (teratogenicity, central nervous system, liver and kidney).

Arsenic-transforming microbes and their role in biomining processes.

PubMed

Drewniak, L; Sklodowska, A

2013-11-01

It is well known that microorganisms can dissolve different minerals and use them as sources of nutrients and energy. The majority of rock minerals are rich in vital elements (e.g., P, Fe, S, Mg and Mo), but some may also contain toxic metals or metalloids, like arsenic. The toxicity of arsenic is disclosed after the dissolution of the mineral, which raises two important questions: (1) why do microorganisms dissolve arsenic-bearing minerals and release this metal into the environment in a toxic (also for themselves) form, and (2) How do these microorganisms cope with this toxic element? In this review, we summarize current knowledge about arsenic-transforming microbes and their role in biomining processes. Special consideration is given to studies that have increased our understanding of how microbial activities are linked to the biogeochemistry of arsenic, by examining (1) where and in which forms arsenic occurs in the mining environment, (2) microbial activity in the context of arsenic mineral dissolution and the mechanisms of arsenic resistance, (3) the minerals used and technologies applied in the biomining of arsenic, and (4) how microbes can be used to clean up post-mining environments.

Cadmium Handling, Toxicity and Molecular Targets Involved during Pregnancy: Lessons from Experimental Models

PubMed Central

Santoyo-Sánchez, Mitzi; Thévenod, Frank; Barbier, Olivier

2017-01-01

Even decades after the discovery of Cadmium (Cd) toxicity, research on this heavy metal is still a hot topic in scientific literature: as we wrote this review, more than 1440 scientific articles had been published and listed by the PubMed.gov website during 2017. Cadmium is one of the most common and harmful heavy metals present in our environment. Since pregnancy is a very particular physiological condition that could impact and modify essential pathways involved in the handling of Cd, the prenatal life is a critical stage for exposure to this non-essential element. To give the reader an overview of the possible mechanisms involved in the multiple organ toxic effects in fetuses after the exposure to Cd during pregnancy, we decided to compile some of the most relevant experimental studies performed in experimental models and to summarize the advances in this field such as the Cd distribution and the factors that could alter it (diet, binding-proteins and membrane transporters), the Cd-induced toxicity in dams (preeclampsia, fertility, kidney injury, alteration in essential element homeostasis and bone mineralization), in placenta and in fetus (teratogenicity, central nervous system, liver and kidney). PMID:28737682

Toxic trace element assessment for soils/sediments deposited during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from southern Louisiana, USA: a sequential extraction analysis.

PubMed

Shi, Honglan; Witt, Emitt C; Shu, Shi; Su, Tingzhi; Wang, Jianmin; Adams, Craig

2010-07-01

Analysis of soil/sediment samples collected in the southern Louisiana, USA, region three weeks after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed was performed using sequential extraction procedures to determine the origin, mode of occurrence, biological availability, mobilization, and transport of trace elements in the environment. Five fractions: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron (Fe)-manganese (Mn) oxides, bound to organic matter, and residual, were subsequently extracted. The toxic trace elements Pb, As, V, Cr, Cu, and Cd were analyzed in each fraction, together with Fe in 51 soil/sediment samples. Results indicated that Pb and As were at relatively high concentrations in many of the soil/sediment samples. Because the forms in which Pb and As are present tend to be highly mobile under naturally occurring environmental conditions, these two compounds pose an increased health concern.Vanadium and Cr were mostly associated with the crystal line nonmobile residual fraction. A large portion of the Cu was associated with organic matter and residual fraction. Cadmium concentrations were low in all soil/sediment samples analyzed and most of this element tended to be associated with the mobile fractions. An average of 21% of the Fe was found in the Fe-Mn oxide fraction, indicating that a substantial part of the Fe was in an oxidized form. The significance of the overall finding of the present study indicated that the high concentrations and high availabilities of the potentially toxic trace elements As and Pb may impact the environment and human health in southern Louisiana and, in particular, the New Orleans area. Copyright (c) 2010 SETAC.

Multiple Elemental Exposures Amongst Workers at the Agbogbloshie Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Site in Ghana

PubMed Central

Srigboh, Roland Kofi; Basu, Niladri; Stephens, Judith; Asampong, Emmanuel; Perkins, Marie; Neitzel, Richard L.; Fobil, Julius

2016-01-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is growing worldwide and raising a number of environmental health concerns. One of the largest e-waste sites is Agbogbloshie (Ghana). While several toxic elements have been reported in Agbogbloshie’s environment, there is limited knowledge of human exposures there. The objectives of this study were to characterize exposures to several essential (copper, iron, manganese, selenium, zinc) and toxic (arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead) elements in the urine and blood of male workers (n=58) at Agbogbloshie, as well as females (n=11) working in activities that serve the site, and to relate these exposures to sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. The median number of years worked at the site was 5, and the average worker indicated being active in 6.8 tasks (of 9 key e-waste job categories). Additionally, we categorized four main e-waste activities (in brackets % of population self-reported main activity): dealing (22.4%), sorting (24.1%), dismantling (50%), and burning (3.4%) e-waste materials. Many blood and urinary elements (including essential ones) were within biomonitoring reference ranges. However, blood cadmium (1.2 ug/L median) and lead (6.4 ug/dl; 67% above U.S. CDC/NIOSH reference level), and urinary arsenic (38.3 ug/L; 39% above U.S. ATSDR value) levels were elevated compared to background populations elsewhere. Workers who burned e-waste tended to have the highest biomarker levels. The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of work at Agbogbloshie (and elsewhere) to document that individuals working within e-waste sites are exposed to a number of toxic elements, some at potentially concerning levels. PMID:27580259

Nickel toxicity in the hepatopancreas of an isopod Porcellio scaber ( Oniscidea)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarnawska, M.; Migula, P.; Przybyłowicz, W.; Mesjasz-Przybyłowicz, J.; Augustyniak, M.

2007-07-01

This study is focused on recognizing how the functional role of hepatopancreas, the main metal storage organ in woodlice, is affected by the excess of nickel, a toxic element to soil invertebrates. Chronic Ni toxicity (24 weeks) was studied on four groups of woodlice kept on dry shredded maple leaves contaminated with Ni at average concentrations of 0.1 μg g -1 (control), 8.0 μg g -1 (Ni1), 75 μg g -1 (Ni2) and 270 μg g -1(Ni3) dry weight. Micro-PIXE mapping of elemental distribution in the hepatopancreas of the Porcellio scaber woodlice was used to study relations between nickel and other elements in individuals exposed to different metal concentrations in the diet. Data were processed using GeoPIXE II software. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to check the relations between ultrastructural changes in hepatopancreatic cells and nickel tissue burden. Elemental mapping showed a dose-related nickel bioaccumulation in the hepatopancreas at concentrations from 3 μg g -1 (uncontaminated control animals) to nearly 840 μg g -1 (Ni3). Generally, nickel was distributed uniformly in small aggregations. A combined evaluation of elemental maps and electronograms showed that aggregations of nickel in arbitrarily selected micro-areas in PIXE maps could be the granular structures observed in TEM electronograms. The mechanism of Ni sequestration in the hepatopancreas could be similar to this used for cadmium or lead. The sequences of ultrastructural changes, which follow the increased burdens of Ni in the hepatopancreatic cells, were: the increase of intracellular electron-dense granules, increase in the number of myelin-like structures, intensified mitochondrial swelling and appearance of concentrically arranged, rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Multiple elemental exposures amongst workers at the Agbogbloshie electronic waste (e-waste) site in Ghana.

PubMed

Srigboh, Roland Kofi; Basu, Niladri; Stephens, Judith; Asampong, Emmanuel; Perkins, Marie; Neitzel, Richard L; Fobil, Julius

2016-12-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is growing worldwide and raising a number of environmental health concerns. One of the largest e-waste sites is Agbogbloshie (Ghana). While several toxic elements have been reported in Agbogbloshie's environment, there is limited knowledge of human exposures there. The objectives of this study were to characterize exposures to several essential (copper, iron, manganese, selenium, zinc) and toxic (arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead) elements in the urine and blood of male workers (n = 58) at Agbogbloshie, as well as females (n = 11) working in activities that serve the site, and to relate these exposures to sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. The median number of years worked at the site was 5, and the average worker indicated being active in 6.8 tasks (of 9 key e-waste job categories). Additionally, we categorized four main e-waste activities (in brackets % of population self-reported main activity): dealing (22.4%), sorting (24.1%), dismantling (50%), and burning (3.4%) e-waste materials. Many blood and urinary elements (including essential ones) were within biomonitoring reference ranges. However, blood cadmium (1.2 μg/L median) and lead (6.4 μg/dl; 67% above U.S. CDC/NIOSH reference level), and urinary arsenic (38.3 μg/L; 39% above U.S. ATSDR value) levels were elevated compared to background populations elsewhere. Workers who burned e-waste tended to have the highest biomarker levels. The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of work at Agbogbloshie (and elsewhere) to document that individuals working within e-waste sites are exposed to a number of toxic elements, some at potentially concerning levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Records of anthropogenic antimony in the glacial snow from the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yulan; Kang, Shichang; Chen, Pengfei; Li, Xiaofei; Liu, Yajun; Gao, Tanguang; Guo, Junming; Sillanpää, Mika

2016-12-01

Antimony (Sb) is a ubiquitous element in the environment that is potentially toxic at very low concentrations. In this study, surface snow/ice and snowpit samples were collected from four glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau in June 2015. The concentrations of Sb and other elements were measured in these samples. The results showed that the average concentration of Sb was approximately 2.58 pg g-1 with a range of 1.64-9.20 pg g-1. The average Sb concentration in the study area was comparable to that recorded in a Mt. Everest ice core and higher than that in Arctic and Antarctic snow/ice but much lower than that in Tien Shan and Alps ice cores. Sb presented different variations with other toxic elements (Pb and Cr) and a crustal element (Al) in the three snowpits, which indicated the impact of a different source or post-deposition processes. The enrichment factor of Sb was larger than 10, suggesting that anthropogenic sources provided important contributions to Sb deposition in the glaciers. The Sb in the glacial snow was mainly loaded in the fourth component in principal component analysis, exhibiting discrepancies with crustal elements (Fe and Ca) and other toxic metals (Pb). Backward trajectories revealed that the air mass arriving at the southeastern Tibetan Plateau mostly originated from the Bay of Bengal and the South Asia in June. Thus, pollutants from the South Asia could play an important role in Sb deposition in the studied region. The released Sb from glacier meltwater in the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas might pose a risk to the livelihoods and well-being of those in downstream regions.

Meta-analysis of toxicity and teratogenicity of 133 chemicals from zebrafish developmental toxicity studies

EPA Science Inventory

Zebrafish developmental toxicity testing is an emerging field, which faces considerable challenges regarding data meta-analysis and the establishment of standardized test protocols. Here, we present an initial correlation study on toxicity of 133 chemicals based on data in the li...

A TOXICITY ASSESSMENT APPROACH TO EVALUATING IN-SITU BIOREMEDIATION OF PAH CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Freshwater and marine sediment toxicity tests were used to measure baseline toxicity of sediment samples collected from New Jersey/New York Harbor (NJ/NY) (non-PAH- contaminated) sediment (ERC). Four freshwater toxicity tests were used: 1) amphipod (Hyalella azteca) mortality and...

Acute toxicity of anionic and non-ionic surfactants to aquatic organisms.

PubMed

Lechuga, M; Fernández-Serrano, M; Jurado, E; Núñez-Olea, J; Ríos, F

2016-03-01

The environmental risk of surfactants requires toxicity measurements. As different test organisms have different sensitivity to the toxics, it is necessary to establish the most appropriate organism to classify the surfactant as very toxic, toxic, harmful or safe, in order to establish the maximum permissible concentrations in aquatic ecosystems. We have determined the toxicity values of various anionic surfactants ether carboxylic derivatives using four test organisms: the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna, the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri, the microalgae Selenastrum capricornutum (freshwater algae) and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (seawater algae). In addition, in order to compare and classify the different families of surfactants, we have included a compilation of toxicity data of surfactants collected from literature. The results indicated that V. fischeri was more sensitive to the toxic effects of the surfactants than was D. magna or the microalgae, which was the least sensitive. This result shows that the most suitable toxicity assay for surfactants may be the one using V. fischeri. The toxicity data revealed considerable variation in toxicity responses with the structure of the surfactants regardless of the species tested. The toxicity data have been related to the structure of the surfactants, giving a mathematical relationship that helps to predict the toxic potential of a surfactant from its structure. Model-predicted toxicity agreed well with toxicity values reported in the literature for several surfactants previously studied. Predictive models of toxicity is a handy tool for providing a risk assessment that can be useful to establish the toxicity range for each surfactant and the different test organisms in order to select efficient surfactants with a lower impact on the aquatic environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea L.) Heavy Metal Uptake in Eastern Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

László Phd, M., ,, Dr.

2009-04-01

Summary: Soil condition, plant production and ecological protection are most important parts of the sustainable agricultural activity on all over the world nowadays. Soils, their fertility, their content of different macro-, mezo-, micro-, trace elements have almost always dictated the spread of agricultural farmlands, including the plant production-, yield harvest levels and yield element contents possible. The success of agriculturists in the 20th and 21th century, particularly in the Europe has relied on inproved soil fertility managements, appropriate crop production and environmental protection. We can test and improve the situations by using different plant species (Crotalaria juncea L.) x macro nutrients (nitrogen) x chelating agents (Desferal as deferoxamine-mesilate: C25H48N6O8-CH4O3S) methods. Crotalaria has a very potential and important role in soil fertility as a green manure crop in the design of plant rotation to field plant production, in the animal foraging as a fodder-crop with a high protein content (30%) and in the pytoremediation possibilities. Field experiment was carried out on a calcareous chernozem meadow soil (Kunság-region of Hungary, Kunmadaras) in partly of crotalaria experiment series (5 years) in 2001. The agrochemical parameters of the ploughed layer of the region soils were as follows: humus 2.5-3.0%, pH (H2O) 7.7, pH (KCl) 7.0, LE (Lakanen & Erviö 1971 [3])-P2O5 183-218 mg kg-1, LE-K2O 82-115 mg kg-1, LE-Ca 1.3%, LE-Mg 56-60 mg kg-1, LE-Mn 45 mg kg-1 according to soil analysis. Nitrogen (N) x Desferal ("D"-Novartis Pharma AG Basie [7], Switzerland, Suiza 500 mg) x Genotype ("G"-India-University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore) x Time (T) experiment involved The N levels were 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 year-1, and Desferal 0 and 20 kg ha-1 year-1. The plot size had an area of 4x2=8 m2. Experimental datas were estimated by MANOVA of SPSS. The main results can be summarised as follows: a., At harvest, total air dry phytomass (straw+leaf) yield ranged between 8.7-16.5 t ha-1, depending on the N-treatment applied. By N+Desferal combinations the air dry straw+leaf mass achieved 19.3 t ha-1, changed between 14.2-19.3 t ha-1 depending on the treatment rates. b., On this humus-rich calcareous chernozem soil the toxic element translocation from soil (actual toxic element translocation index "ATETI" [4]) to plants can be characterized by x1 nutrient concentration of plant divided by x1 nutrient concentration of soil-1 by N treatment average effects of Al: 1.55, Ba: 0.58, Cd: 1.08, Co: 0.02, Cr: 1.88, Hg: 2.02, Mn: 0.17, Mo: 24.14, Ni: 0.05, Pb: 0.09, Se: 0.36 and Sr: 3.85. The "ATETI" values by N+D treatment average effects were in case of the Al: 1.48, Ba: 0.98, Cd: 1.17, Co: 0.02, Cr: 1.53, Hg: 0.59, Mn: 0.14, Mo: 30.15, Ni: 0.02, Pb: 0.09, Se: 0.80 and Sr: 3.06. c., Depending on the N and N+D treatments 1.9-2.3 kg Al, 1.3-1.4 kg Sr, 1.0 kg Mn, 242-523 g Ba, 31-42 g Mo, 14-17 g Pb, 3-6 g Ni, 4-5 g Cr, 2 g Cd, 0.5-2.0 g Se, 1 g Co and 0.2-0.6 g Hg accumulated in the 12.6 t ha-1 (average of N treatments) and 16.1 t ha-1 (average of N+Desferal treatments) phytomass (straw+leaf) air-dry aboveground yield by crotalaria toxic element uptake. d., On the given soil the highest quantity of 300 kg ha-1 year-1 N+20 kg ha-1 year-1 D chelating agent seemed to give already over fertilization negativ effects on all experimental results and on all possible eco-risk factors. Thus, the maintenance and improvement of the fertility of our soils has never been more important than it is today. Key words: toxic elements, bioavailability, translocation, Crotalaria juncea L. Introduction Today sustainable agricultural production has become the major issue following global change in all the world over. It is well known that it has a well established on soils. The functioning and their ability to supply nutrients, store water, release gases, modify pollutants, decrease physical degradation and produce crops is profundly influenced by their fertiliy. During the last fifty years phenomenal progress has been made in several areas of ecology of different toxic elements in soils. Concerns regarding heavy metals contamination in the environment affecting all ecosystem componets, including "soil-plant-animal-human" chain, have been identified with increasing efforts on limiting their bioavailability. Many sites have been identified as hasardous waste sites because of the presence of elevated concentrations of these elements [2]. They will remain a threat to the environment until they are removed or immobilized. We can test and improve these situation by using different plant species [8]-(Crotalaria juncea L.) x macro nutrients (nitrogen) x chelating agents [9]-(Desferal as deferoxamine-mesilate: C25H48N6O8-CH4O3S) methods. Crotalaria has a very potential and important role in soil fertility as a green manure crop [5], in the design of plant rotation to field plant production [6], in the animal foraging as a fodder-crop with a high protein content (30%) and in the pytoremediation possibilities. Nitrogen can be of considerable importance for cation-anion balance in plants. The content of this element required for optimal growth varies between 2 and 5% of the plant dry weight [1]. When the supply is suboptimal growth is retarded, nitrogen is mobilized in mature leaves and retranslocated to areas of new growth. An increase in the supply delays senescence and stimulates growth [10]. Chelating agents as the Desferal has a very important deal of ion exchanges in soils. It is regulate anion and cation concentrations in rooth zone [9]. Material and Method Field experiment was carried out on a calcareous chernozem meadow soil (Kunság-region of Hungary, Kunmadaras) in partly of crotalaria experiment series (5 years) in 2001. The agrochemical parameters of the ploughed layer of the region soils were as follows: humus 2.5-3.0%, pH (H2O) 7.7, pH (KCl) 7.0, LE (Lakanen & Erviö 1971 [3])-P2O5 183-218 mg kg-1, LE-K2O 82-115 mg kg-1, LE-Ca 1.3%, LE-Mg 56-60 mg kg-1, LE-Mn 45 mg kg-1 according to soil analysis. Nitrogen (N) x Desferal ("D"-Novartis Pharma AG Basie [7], Switzerland, Suiza 500 mg) x Genotype ("G"-India-University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore) x Time (T) experiment involved 4Nx2DxGx3T=24 treatments in 3 replications giving a total of 72 plots. The N levels were 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 year-1, and Desferal 0 and 20 kg ha-1 year-1. The plot size had an area of 4x2=8 m2. Composite soil samples consisting of 15 subsamples were collected at harvest time (20.10.2001) from the ploughed layer (0-40 cm) of each plot. Plant samples were taken using 15 plants (leaf+straw) plot-1 randomly at the beginning of flowering (23.08.2001). In the soil samples the so-called "mobile" fraction extracted with ammonium-acetate+EDTA (AAc+EDTA, Lakanen & Erviö 1971 [3]) was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) detecting 23 elements at Research Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (RISSAC-HAS). The total amount of the elements in homogenized plant samples were measured after microwave digestion using cc. HNO3+H2O2. The composition of prepared samples was analysed by ICP-AES technics detecting 23 elements at RISSAC-HAS. Experimental datas were estimated by MANOVA of SPSS. Results At harvest, total air dry phytomass (straw+leaf) yield ranged between 8.7-16.5 t ha-1, depending on the N-treatment applied. By N+Desferal combinations the air dry straw+leaf mass achieved 19.3 t ha-1, changed between 14.2-19.3 t ha-1 depending on the treatment rates. It was increased on average with an 28 % compared to mean of N doses effect. The mobile, i.e. available toxic element fraction in soil-extracted with the mixture of AAc+EDTA-varied widely for the different examined treatments. Toxic element rates (%) in soils by N and N+Desferal treatments (x1 toxic element concentration at the N-150 kg ha-1 year-1 multipled by 100 and divided by x1 toxic element concentration at the N-150+Desferal-10 kg ha-1 year-1) were 77% in case of the Se, 99% in case of the Sr, Ba, Cr, 100%: in case of the Co, Ni Mn, 101%: Cd, 102%: Al, 105%: Pb, 115%: Hg and 118%: Mo. Toxic element concentrations of plants were also influenced greatly by treatments applied. Rates of toxic elements (%) in plants by N and N+Desferal treatments (x1 toxic element concentration at the N-150 kg ha-1 year-1 multipled by 100 and divided by x1 toxic element concentration at the N-150+Desferal-10 kg ha-1 year-1) were 34% in case of the Se, 59%: Ba, 94%: Mo and Cd, 101%: Co, 107%: Al and Pb, 118%: Mn, 121%: Cr, 124: Sr, 220%: Ni and 396% Hg. On this humus-rich calcareous chernozem soil the toxic element translocation from soil (actual toxic element translocation index "ATETI" by [4]). to plants can be characterized by x1 nutrient concentration of plant divided by x1 nutrient concentration of soil-1 by N treatment average effects of Al: 1.55, Ba: 0.58, Cd: 1.08, Co: 0.02, Cr: 1.88, Hg: 2.02, Mn: 0.17, Mo: 24.14, Ni: 0.05, Pb: 0.09, Se: 0.36 and Sr: 3.85. The "ATETI" values by N+D treatment average effects were in case of the Al: 1.48, Ba: 0.98, Cd: 1.17, Co: 0.02, Cr: 1.53, Hg: 0.59, Mn: 0.14, Mo: 30.15, Ni: 0.02, Pb: 0.09, Se: 0.80 and Sr: 3.06. c., Depending on the N and N+D treatments 1.9-2.3 kg Al, 1.3-1.4 kg Sr, 1.0 kg Mn, 242-523 g Ba, 31-42 g Mo, 14-17 g Pb, 3-6 g Ni, 4-5 g Cr, 2 g Cd, 0.5-2.0 g Se, 1 g Co and 0.2-0.6 g Hg accumulated in the 12.6 t ha-1 (average of N treatments) and 16.1 t ha-1 (average of N+Desferal treatments) phytomass (straw+leaf) air-dry aboveground yield by crotalaria toxic element uptake. d., On the given soil the highest quantity of 300 kg ha-1 year-1 N+20 kg ha-1 year-1 D chelating agent seemed to give already over fertilization negativ effects on all experimental results and on all possible eco-risk factors. This paper presents the maintenance and improvement of the fertility of our soils has never been more important than it is today. Acknowledgement This study was supported by Research Institute for Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences H-Budapest, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, Department of Soil and Water Sciences I-Rehovot and Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry of the University of Agricultural Sciences, I-Bangalore References [1] Horst M. 1986. Mineral nutrition of higher plants. Academic Press, London Orlando San Diego New York Austin Boston Sydney Tokyo Toronto [2] Kádár I. 1992. Principles and methods in plant nutrition. RISSAC-HAS, Budapest, 398p. [3] Lakanen E. & Erviö R. 1971. A comparison of eight extractants for the determination of plant available micronutrients in soils. Acta Agr. Fenn, 123, 223-232. [4] Márton L. 2001. Scientific report. RISSAC-HAS, Budapest [5] Márton L. & Jose E.M. 2001. Effects of Crotalaria juncea L. and Crotalaria spectabilis ROTH on soil ferility and soil conservation in Hungary. Acta Agronomica Óváriensis, 43, 1-8. [6] Márton L. & Pekli J. 2003. Crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea L.) production. SZIE, Gödöllő [7] NPAG. 2001. Databank, Basie [8] Purseglove J.W. 1974. Tropical crops. I-II. Longman Group Limited, London [9] Shenker M., Hadar Y. & Chen Y. 1996. Stability constants of the fungal siderophore rhizoferrin with various microelements and calcium. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 60, 1140-1144. [10] Werner B. 1992. Nutritional disorders of plants development, visual and analytical diagnosis. Gustav Fischer Verlag Jena, Stuttgart, New York. 741p.

Development of marine toxicity data for ordnance compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nipper, M.; Carr, R.S.; Biedenbach, J.M.; Hooten, R.L.; Miller, K.; Saepoff, S.

2001-01-01

A toxicity database for ordnance compounds was generated using eight compounds of concern and marine toxicity tests with five species from different phyla. Toxicity tests and endpoints included fertilization success and embryological development with the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata; zoospore germination, germling length, and cell number with the green macroalga Ulva fasciata; survival and reproductive success of the polychaete Dinophilus gyrociliatus; larvae hatching and survival with the redfish Sciaenops ocellatus; and survival of juveniles of the opossum shrimp Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia). The studied ordnance compounds were 2,4- and 2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, 2,4,6-trinitrophenylmethylnitramine (tetryl), 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid), and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). The most sensitive toxicity test endpoints overall were the macroalga zoospore germination and the polychaete reproduction tests. The most toxic ordnance compounds overall were tetryl and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene. These were also the most degradable compounds, often being reduced to very low or below-detection levels at the end of the test exposure. Among the dinitro- and trinitrotoluenes and benzenes, toxicity tended to increase with the level of nitrogenation. Picric acid and RDX were the least toxic chemicals tested overall.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy as a novel approach to providing effect-based endpoints in duckweed toxicity testing.

PubMed

Hu, Li-Xin; Ying, Guang-Guo; Chen, Xiao-Wen; Huang, Guo-Yong; Liu, You-Sheng; Jiang, Yu-Xia; Pan, Chang-Gui; Tian, Fei; Martin, Francis L

2017-02-01

Traditional duckweed toxicity tests only measure plant growth inhibition as an endpoint, with limited effects-based data. The present study aimed to investigate whether Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy could enhance the duckweed (Lemna minor L.) toxicity test. Four chemicals (Cu, Cd, atrazine, and acetochlor) and 4 metal-containing industrial wastewater samples were tested. After exposure of duckweed to the chemicals, standard toxicity endpoints (frond number and chlorophyll content) were determined; the fronds were also interrogated using FTIR spectroscopy under optimized test conditions. Biochemical alterations associated with each treatment were assessed and further analyzed by multivariate analysis. The results showed that comparable x% of effective concentration (ECx) values could be achieved based on FTIR spectroscopy in comparison with those based on traditional toxicity endpoints. Biochemical alterations associated with different doses of toxicant were mainly attributed to lipid, protein, nucleic acid, and carbohydrate structural changes, which helped to explain toxic mechanisms. With the help of multivariate analysis, separation of clusters related to different exposure doses could be achieved. The present study is the first to show successful application of FTIR spectroscopy in standard duckweed toxicity tests with biochemical alterations as new endpoints. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:346-353. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

The impact of human activities in soils and sediments on urban and peri-urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horváth, Adrienn; Szita, Renáta; Bidló, András; Gribovszki, Zoltán

2017-04-01

In this current research we would like to detect the amount of the differences between the natural, the suburb and the urban areas. The aim of the investigation was to determine the impact of human activities on urban and peri-urban soils of Sopron. 72 urban soil samples were collected on 6 sub-catchments for analysing the background pollution of Rák Creek in Sopron. After the analysis of chemical and physical properties of urban soil samples, two element fractions - the total (HNO3+H2O2-extractable) and the available NH4-acetate+EDTA-extractable - were used for element determination. Toxic elements were measured by ICP-OES in the urban soils and the sediments as well. in case of sediment samples from thalweg and dead region. That were collected from the bank of the Rák creek at 6 sampling points to calculate enrichment factors to assess the possible harmful effects of toxic metals. The field and laboratory data were processed using a GIS softver DigiTerraMap. Six elements were selected for analyses Co, Cd, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, which are prominent in urban soils. Statistical analysis was carried out with Microsoft Office Excel 2003, STATISTICA 11 and R Studio. C2 program was used for the distribution of toxic elements. Based on results e.g. pH, etc., there were definite differences between natural HAZ, BAN, semi-natural HAJNAL and urbanized FASOR, GYORI, TESCO areas and significant differences in toxic element distribution as well. The toxic elements of sediment showed the following tendency: Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni = Co. The Co and the Ni values were lower than the natural background limits. The Cutotal exceeded the first interventional pollution limit > 75 mg.kg-1 and the available Zn and Pb were higher than the suggested interventional pollution limits Znavailable >40 mg.kg-1; Pbavailable >25 mg.kg-1 at GYORI sub-catchment. The EF values were generally higher in dead region than in thalweg except of GYORI point. Lead had the highest EF values between the five metals investigated and it is followed by Zn strongly. The EFPb > 5, which indicates the moderate degree of Pb contamination inside the town. Co, Cu and Ni exhibited the lowest in our EF values. Summarized, the largest heavy metal values were in sampling point GYORI. The EF values for Pb and Zn increased towards city. The accumulation of Pb was confirmed by moderate enrichment of sediment samples, which are originated from the busiest transport hub of Sopron. The difference between natural and urban areas seemed definite based on our results. Even though the flow characteristic of the dead region and thalweg of the natural part of the stream was different, the heavy metals accumulated in the dead region mainly in the urbanized area.

Ecotoxicological studies of environmental samples from Buenos Aires area using a standardized amphibian embryo toxicity test (AMPHITOX).

PubMed

Herkovits, Jorge; Perez-Coll, Cristina; Herkovits, Francisco D

2002-01-01

The toxicity of 34 environmental samples from potentially polluted and reference stations were evaluated by means of the AMPHITOX test from acute to chronic exposure according to the toxicity found in each sample. The samples were obtained from surface and ground water, leaches, industrial effluents and soils. The data, expressed in acute, short-term chronic and chronic Toxicity Units (TUa, TUstc and TUc) resulted in a maximal value of 1000 TUc, found in a leach, while the lower toxicity value was 1.4 TUa corresponding to two surface water samples. In five samples (four providing from reference places) no toxicity was detected. The results point out the possibility of evaluating the toxicity of a wide diversity of samples by means of AMPHITOX as a customized toxicity test. The fact that almost all samples with suspected toxicity in rivers and streams from the Metropolitan area of Buenos Aires city resulted toxic, indicates the need of enhanced stewardship of chemical substances for environmental and human health protection purposes.

Evaluation of processed borax as antidote for aconite poisoning.

PubMed

Sarkar, Prasanta Kumar; Prajapati, Pradeep K; Shukla, Vinay J; Ravishankar, Basavaiah

2017-06-09

Aconite root is very poisonous; causes cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. There is no specific antidote for aconite poisoning. In Ayurveda, dehydrated borax is mentioned for management of aconite poisoning. The investigation evaluated antidotal effect of processed borax against acute and sub-acute toxicity, cardiac toxicity and neuro-muscular toxicity caused by raw aconite. For acute protection Study, single dose of toxicant (35mg/kg) and test drug (22.5mg/kg and 112.5mg/kg) was administered orally, and then 24h survival of animals was observed. The schedule was continued for 30 days in sub-acute protection Study with daily doses of toxicant (6.25mg/kg), test drug (22.5mg/kg and 112.5mg/kg) and vehicle. Hematological and biochemical tests of blood and serum, histopathology of vital organs were carried out. The cardiac activity Study was continued for 30 days with daily doses of toxicant (6.25mg/kg), test drug (22.5mg/kg), processed borax solution (22.5mg/kg) and vehicle; ECG was taken after 1h of drug administration on 1 TB , 15th and on 30th day. For neuro-muscular activity Study, the leech dorsal muscle response to 2.5µg of acetylcholine followed by response of toxicant at 25µg and 50µg doses and then response of test drug at 25µg dose were recorded. Protection index indicates that treated borax gave protection to 50% rats exposed to the lethal dose of toxicant in acute protection Study. Most of the changes in hematological, biochemical parameters and histopathological Study induced by the toxicant in sub-acute protection Study were reversed significantly by the test drug treatment. The ventricular premature beat and ventricular tachyarrhythmia caused by the toxicant were reversed by the test drug indicate reversal of toxicant induced cardio-toxicity. The acetylcholine induced contractions in leech muscle were inhibited by toxicant and it was reversed by test drug treatment. The processed borax solution is found as an effective protective agent to acute and sub-acute aconite poisoning, and aconite induced cardiac and neuro-muscular toxicity. Processed borax at therapeutic dose (22.5mg/kg) has shown better antidotal activity profile than five times more than therapeutic dose (112.5mg/kg). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE ROLE OF AQUEOUS THIN FILM EVAPORATIVE COOLING ON RATES OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY AIR-WATER EXCHANGE UNDER TEMPERATURE DISEQUILIBRIUM CONDITIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The technical conununity has only recently addressed the role of atmospheric temperature variations on rates of air-water vapor phase toxicant exchange. The technical literature has documented that: 1) day time rates of elemental mercury vapor phase air-water exchange can exceed ...

The interactive effects of essential ions and salinity on the survival of Mysidopsis bahia in 96-H acute toxicity tests of effluents discharged to marine and estuarine receiving waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Douglas, W.S.; Horne, M.T.

1997-10-01

The importance of salinity in whole effluent toxicity tests using marine organisms has been acknowledged in most testing protocols. However, little if any attention has been given to the specific effects of alteration of the ionic composition of seawater solutions to the test organism. The presence of persistent toxicity in effluents with no apparent toxic agents prompted examination of the potential influence of essential ions on the survival of the opossum shrimp, Mysidopsis bahia, a common effluent toxicity indicator organism. Through stepwise additions of ionic salts to deionized water, the minimum complement of salts to maintain survival of M. bahiamore » during 96-h exposures was determined to be Ca, Mg, K, Br, Na, and Cl. The toxicity curves for Ca, Mg, K, and Br were then determined across test salinity ranging from 10 to 35 parts per thousand. These curves for Ca, Mg, and K revealed that there are significant negative effects on survival when the essential ions are present in either low or high concentrations relative to the levels in natural seawater. Although there were no statistically detectable effects of Br on organism survival over the concentration range tested (5--480 mg/L). Br toxicity at concentrations less than 5 mg/L and greater than 700 mg/L have been shown in other studies. In addition, the tolerance ranges for K, Ca, and Mg were shown to shift significantly with changes in salinity, with lower salinity causing an apparent decrease in tolerance to an excess of essential ions. Tests with toxic effluents from five industrial and municipal sources revealed that adjustment of the ionic balance prior to testing reduced or eliminated toxicity in four of the five whole effluents tested. Suggestions for integrating this information into biomonitoring programs and toxicity identification evaluations are presented.« less

Processing of a porous titanium alloy from elemental powders using a solid state isothermal foaming technique.

PubMed

Nugroho, Aris W; Leadbeater, Garry; Davies, Ian J

2010-12-01

The authors have conducted a preliminary investigation with regard to the potential to manufacture porous titanium alloys for biomedical applications using toxic-free elemental powders, i.e., Ti, Nb, Ta, Zr, in combination with the pressurised gas bubble entrapment method and in contrast to standard processing routes that generally utilise prealloyed powder containing potentially toxic elements. Elemental powder compacts were either hot isostatic pressed (HIP-ed) at 1000°C and then foamed at 1150°C or else HIP-ed at 1100°C and foamed at 1350°C. Porous α + β alloys containing up to 45 vol% of porosity in the size range 20-200 μm were successfully produced, thus highlighting the potential of this manufacturing route. It was expected that further optimisation of the processing route would allow full development of the preferred β-Ti phase (from the point of view of elastic modulus compatibility between implant and bone) with this being the subject of future work by the authors.

Rice flakes produced from commercial wild rice: Chemical compositions, vitamin B compounds, mineral and trace element contents and their dietary intake evaluation.

PubMed

Sumczynski, Daniela; Koubová, Eva; Šenkárová, Lenka; Orsavová, Jana

2018-10-30

Non-traditional wild rice flakes were analysed for chemical composition, vitamin B compounds, α-tocopherol, mineral and trace elements. Dietary intakes of vitamins, minerals and trace elements were evaluated using FAO/WHO and Institute of Medicine regulations. Wild rice flakes proved to be significant contributors of pyridoxine, pantothenic and folic acids, niacin, thiamine, chromium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, copper, molybdenum and iron to essential dietary intakes values. Toxic dietary intake values for aluminium, cadmium, tin and mercury were less than 33%, which complies the limits for adults set by FAO/WHO for toxic elements intake related to the body weight of 65 kg for females and 80 kg for males taking 100 g of flakes as a portion. However, concentrations of Hg reaching between 3.67 and 12.20 µg/100 g in flakes exceeded the average Hg value of 0.27-1.90 μg/100 g in cereals consumed in the EU. It has to be respected in the future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 43089 - Evaluation of an Up-and-Down Procedure for Acute Dermal Systemic Toxicity Testing: Request for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

... Systemic Toxicity Testing: Request for Nominations for an Independent Expert Panel and Submission of... systemic toxicity testing. NICEATM requests nominations of scientific experts who can be considered for the...) Test Guideline 425 in 2001 (OECD, 2001). The oral UDP reduces animal use by up to 70% compared to the...

GHS additivity formula: can it predict the acute systemic toxicity of agrochemical formulations that contain acutely toxic ingredients?

PubMed

Van Cott, Andrew; Hastings, Charles E; Landsiedel, Robert; Kolle, Susanne; Stinchcombe, Stefan

2018-02-01

In vivo acute systemic testing is a regulatory requirement for agrochemical formulations. GHS specifies an alternative computational approach (GHS additivity formula) for calculating the acute toxicity of mixtures. We collected acute systemic toxicity data from formulations that contained one of several acutely-toxic active ingredients. The resulting acute data set includes 210 formulations tested for oral toxicity, 128 formulations tested for inhalation toxicity and 31 formulations tested for dermal toxicity. The GHS additivity formula was applied to each of these formulations and compared with the experimental in vivo result. In the acute oral assay, the GHS additivity formula misclassified 110 formulations using the GHS classification criteria (48% accuracy) and 119 formulations using the USEPA classification criteria (43% accuracy). With acute inhalation, the GHS additivity formula misclassified 50 formulations using the GHS classification criteria (61% accuracy) and 34 formulations using the USEPA classification criteria (73% accuracy). For acute dermal toxicity, the GHS additivity formula misclassified 16 formulations using the GHS classification criteria (48% accuracy) and 20 formulations using the USEPA classification criteria (36% accuracy). This data indicates the acute systemic toxicity of many formulations is not the sum of the ingredients' toxicity (additivity); but rather, ingredients in a formulation can interact to result in lower or higher toxicity than predicted by the GHS additivity formula. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Meta-Analysis and Multisite Time-Series Analysis of the Differential Toxicity of Major Fine Particulate Matter Constituents

PubMed Central

Levy, Jonathan I.; Diez, David; Dou, Yiping; Barr, Christopher D.; Dominici, Francesca

2012-01-01

Health risk assessments of particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) often assume that all constituents of PM2.5 are equally toxic. While investigators in previous epidemiologic studies have evaluated health risks from various PM2.5 constituents, few have conducted the analyses needed to directly inform risk assessments. In this study, the authors performed a literature review and conducted a multisite time-series analysis of hospital admissions and exposure to PM2.5 constituents (elemental carbon, organic carbon matter, sulfate, and nitrate) in a population of 12 million US Medicare enrollees for the period 2000–2008. The literature review illustrated a general lack of multiconstituent models or insight about probabilities of differential impacts per unit of concentration change. Consistent with previous results, the multisite time-series analysis found statistically significant associations between short-term changes in elemental carbon and cardiovascular hospital admissions. Posterior probabilities from multiconstituent models provided evidence that some individual constituents were more toxic than others, and posterior parameter estimates coupled with correlations among these estimates provided necessary information for risk assessment. Ratios of constituent toxicities, commonly used in risk assessment to describe differential toxicity, were extremely uncertain for all comparisons. These analyses emphasize the subtlety of the statistical techniques and epidemiologic studies necessary to inform risk assessments of particle constituents. PMID:22510275

Pilot study for ambient toxicity testing in Chesapeake bay. Year two report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, L.W.; Ziegenfuss, M.C.; Fischer, S.A.

1992-11-01

The primary goal of the ambient toxicity testing pilot study was to identify toxic areas in living resource habitats of the Chesapeake Bay watershed by using a battery of standardized, directly modified or recently developed water column, sediment and suborganismal toxicity tests. Tests were conducted twice at the following stations: Potomac River-Morgantown, Potomac River-Dahlgren, Patapsco River and Wye River. A suite of inorganic and organic contaminants was evaluated in the water column and sediment during these tests. Standard water quality conditions were also evaluated in water and sediment from all stations.

The sensitivity of relative toxicity rankings by the USF/NASA test method to some test variables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Labossiere, L. A.; Leon, H. A.; Kourtides, D. A.; Parker, J. A.; Hsu, M.-T. S.

1976-01-01

Pyrolysis temperature and the distance between the source and sensor of effluents are two important variables in tests for relative toxicity. Modifications of the USF/NASA toxicity screening test method to increase the upper temperature limit of pyrolysis, reduce the distance between the sample and the test animals, and increase the chamber volume available for animal occupancy, did not significantly alter rankings of relative toxicity of four representative materials. The changes rendered some differences no longer significant, but did not reverse any rankings. The materials studied were cotton, wool, aromatic polyamide, and polybenzimidazole.

Evaluation of short-term effects of rare earth and other elements used in magnesium alloys on primary cells and cell lines.

PubMed

Feyerabend, Frank; Fischer, Janine; Holtz, Jakob; Witte, Frank; Willumeit, Regine; Drücker, Heiko; Vogt, Carla; Hort, Norbert

2010-05-01

Degradable magnesium alloys for biomedical application are on the verge of being used clinically. Rare earth elements (REEs) are used to improve the mechanical properties of the alloys, but in more or less undefined mixtures. For some elements of this group, data on toxicity and influence on cells are sparse. Therefore in this study the in vitro cytotoxicity of the elements yttrium (Y), neodymium (Nd), dysprosium (Dy), praseodymium (Pr), gadolinium (Gd), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), europium (Eu), lithium (Li) and zirconium (Zr) was evaluated by incubation with the chlorides (10-2000 microM); magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) were tested at higher concentrations (200 and 50mM, respectively). The influence on viability of human osteosarcoma cell line MG63, human umbilical cord perivascular (HUCPV) cells and mouse macrophages (RAW 264.7) was determined, as well as the induction of apoptosis and the expression of inflammatory factors (TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha). Significant differences between the applied cells could be observed. RAW exhibited the highest and HUCPV the lowest sensitivity. La and Ce showed the highest cytotoxicity of the analysed elements. Of the elements with high solubility in magnesium alloys, Gd and Dy seem to be more suitable than Y. The focus of magnesium alloy development for biomedical applications should include most defined alloy compositions with well-known tissue-specific and systemic effects. Copyright (c) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lead, cadmium and other metals in serum of pet dogs from an urban area of NW Poland.

PubMed

Tomza-Marciniak, Agnieszka; Pilarczyk, Bogumiła; Bąkowska, Małgorzata; Ligocki, Marek; Gaik, Marcelina

2012-12-01

This study was designed to evaluate the degree of exposure of pet dogs from an urban area of NW Poland to selected metals, including toxic Cd and Pb. The study was conducted on a group of 48 healthy dogs. The serum concentration of the analysed elements followed the order Fe > Al > Zn > Cu > Mn > As > Sr > Pb > Cd > Cr > Ni > V. The presence of cadmium and lead was found in all the serum samples tested. The average contents of these elements were 0.309 and 0.489 μg/mL. The factors that played the greatest role in the intake of the analysed elements were diet and breed-dependent size of dogs. Small-sized dogs had higher concentrations of all elements compared with large dogs, with statistically significant differences noted for Cu, Pb, Cd and Sr. It was also found that dogs receiving commercial and mixed food had more metals in serum compared with dogs on homemade food (except strontium). The present study showed elevated concentrations of some heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Fe and Cu) in serum of pet dogs, which is probably due to the excess elemental load of this area. Given that no information is available on the concentrations of strontium, vanadium and aluminium in dogs, further research is necessary to determine certain reference values which would allow for an easier interpretation of results and evaluation of exposure to these elements.

Acute toxicity of fire control chemicals to Daphnia magna(Straus) and Selenastrum capricornutum(Printz)

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDonald, Susan F.; Hamilton, Steven J.; Buhl, Kevin J.; Heisinger, James F.

1996-01-01

Acute toxicity tests were conducted exposingDaphnia magnaStraus (daphnid) in soft and hard reconstituted waters (hardness 42 and 162 mg/liter as CaCO3, respectively), andSelenastrum capricornutumPrintz (algae) in ASTM algal assay medium (hardness 15 mg/liter as CaCO3) to fire retardants Fire-Trol GTS-R, Fire-Trol LCG-R, and Phos-Chek D75-F, and foam suppressants Phos-Chek WD-881 and Silv-Ex. The chemicals were slightly toxic to practically harmless to daphnids and moderately toxic to algae. Water quality did not consistently alter the toxicity of the test chemicals to daphnids. The most toxic chemical to daphnids was Silv-Ex (48-hr EC507 mg/liter in soft and hard waters), whereas the least toxic chemical to daphnids was Fire-Trol LCG-R (48-hr EC50848 mg/liter in soft water, 813 mg/liter in hard water). The most toxic chemical to algae was Fire-Trol LCG-R (96-hr IC5010 mg/liter), and the least toxic chemical was Phos-Chek D75-F (96-hr IC5079 mg/liter). Un-ionized ammonia concentrations near the EC50or IC50value in tests with the Fire-Trol compounds were frequently equal to or above reported LC50un-ionized ammonia concentrations. Un-ionized ammonia concentrations in tests with Phos-Chek D75-F were low, thus other toxic components present in the compounds probably contributed to the toxicity. When compared to the daphnids tested in ASTM soft water, the Fire-Trol compounds were most toxic to algae, whereas Phos-Chek D75-F and the foam suppressants were most toxic to daphnids. The results of these tests are comparable to those obtained from research conducted in other laboratories with the same species and similar chemicals. Accidental entry of fire-fighting chemicals into aquatic environments could adversely affect algae and aquatic invertebrates, thus disrupting ecosystem function.

EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE REFERENCE TOXICANTS FOR USE IN THE EARTHWORM TOXICITY TEST

EPA Science Inventory

The use of the 14-d earthworm toxicity test to aid in the evaluation of the ecological impact of contaminated soils is becoming increasingly widespread. However,the method is in need of further standardization. As part of this continuing process, the choice of reference toxicants...

Toxicity of selected insecticides applied to western spruce budworm

Treesearch

Jacqueline L. Robertson; Nancy L. Gillette; Melvin Look; Barbara A. Lucas; Robert L. Lyon

1975-01-01

The contact toxicity of 100 insecticides to last stage larvae of Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman was tested by topical application in a 10-yr series of screening experiments. Pyrethroids were generally the most toxic group of chemicals tested. Compounds more toxic than the standard, mexacarbate, at Ld50 were:...

Static renewal tests using Anodonta imbecillis (freshwater mussels). Anodonta imbecillis copper sulfate reference toxicant/food test, Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1993-12-31

Reference toxicant testing using juvenile freshwater mussels was conducted as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to assess the sensitivity of test organisms and the overall performance of the test. Tests were conducted using moderately hard synthetic water spiked with known concentrations of copper as copper sulfate. Two different foods, phytoplankton and YCT-Selenastrum (YCT-S), were tested in side by side tests to compare food quality. Toxicity testing of copper sulfate reference toxicant was conducted from July 6--15, 1993. The organisms used for testing were juvenile fresh-water mussels (Anodonta imbecillis). Although significant reduction in growth, compared tomore » the phytoplankton control, was seen in all treatments, including the YCT-S Control, the consequence of this observation has not been established. Ninety-day testing of juvenile mussels exhibited large variations in growth within treatment and replicate groups. Attachments to this report include: Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; and Copper analysis request and results.« less

Comparison of toxicity values across zebrafish early life stages and mammalian studies: Implications for chemical testing.

PubMed

Ducharme, Nicole A; Reif, David M; Gustafsson, Jan-Ake; Bondesson, Maria

2015-08-01

With the high cost and slow pace of toxicity testing in mammals, the vertebrate zebrafish has become a tractable model organism for high throughput toxicity testing. We present here a meta-analysis of 600 chemicals tested for toxicity in zebrafish embryos and larvae. Nineteen aggregated and 57 individual toxicity endpoints were recorded from published studies yielding 2695 unique data points. These data points were compared to lethality and reproductive toxicology endpoints analyzed in rodents and rabbits and to exposure values for humans. We show that although many zebrafish endpoints did not correlate to rodent or rabbit acute toxicity data, zebrafish could be used to accurately predict relative acute toxicity through the rat inhalation, rabbit dermal, and rat oral exposure routes. Ranking of the chemicals based on toxicity and teratogenicity in zebrafish, as well as human exposure levels, revealed that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), benzo(a)pyrene, and chlorpyrifos ranked in the top nine of all chemicals for these three categories, and as such should be considered high priority chemicals for testing in higher vertebrates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting the 3Rs to enhance the OECD fish toxicity testing framework.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Thomas H; Wheeler, James R; Gourmelon, Anne; Burden, Natalie

2016-04-01

Fish toxicity testing has been conducted since the 1860's in order to help define safe levels of chemical contaminants in lakes, rivers and coastal waters. The historical emphasis on acute lethality testing of chemicals has more recently focussed on long term sublethal effects of chemicals on fish and their prey species. Fish toxicity testing is now embedded in much environment legislation on chemical safety while it is recognized that animal use should be Replaced, Reduced and Refined (the 3Rs) where possible. The OECD Fish Toxicity Testing Framework provides a useful structure with which to address the needs of environmental safety assessment whilst implementing the 3Rs. This commentary aims to promote the implementation of the recommendations of the OECD Fish Toxicity Testing Framework. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of submersed freshwater macrophytes and endpoints in laboratory toxicity tests.

PubMed

Arts, Gertie H P; Belgers, J Dick M; Hoekzema, Conny H; Thissen, Jac T N M

2008-05-01

The toxicological sensitivity and variability of a range of macrophyte endpoints were statistically tested with data from chronic, non-axenic, macrophyte toxicity tests. Five submersed freshwater macrophytes, four pesticides/biocides and 13 endpoints were included in the statistical analyses. Root endpoints, reflecting root growth, were most sensitive in the toxicity tests, while endpoints relating to biomass, growth and shoot length were less sensitive. The endpoints with the lowest coefficients of variation were not necessarily the endpoints, which were toxicologically most sensitive. Differences in sensitivity were in the range of 10-1000 for different macrophyte-specific endpoints. No macrophyte species was consistently the most sensitive. Criteria to select endpoints in macrophyte toxicity tests should include toxicological sensitivity, variance and ecological relevance. Hence, macrophyte toxicity tests should comprise an array of endpoints, including very sensitive endpoints like those relating to root growth.

Environmental Exposure of Children to Toxic Trace Elements (Hg, Cr, As) in an Urban Area of Yucatan, Mexico: Water, Blood, and Urine Levels.

PubMed

Arcega-Cabrera, F; Fargher, L; Quesadas-Rojas, M; Moo-Puc, R; Oceguera-Vargas, I; Noreña-Barroso, E; Yáñez-Estrada, L; Alvarado, J; González, L; Pérez-Herrera, N; Pérez-Medina, S

2018-05-01

Merida is the largest urban center in the Mexican State of Yucatan. Here domestic sewage is deposited in poorly built septic tanks and is not adequately treated. Because of contamination from such waste, water from the top 20 m of the aquifer is unsuitable for human consumption. Given this situation and because children are highly vulnerable to environmental pollution, including exposure to toxic trace elements, this study focused on evaluating the exposure of children to arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and mercury (Hg) in water. It also evaluated the relationship between the levels of these elements in water and their concentrations in urine and blood. Among the 33 children monitored in the study, arsenic surpassed WHO limits for blood in 37% of the cases, which could result from the ingestion of poultry contaminated with organoarsenic compounds. In the case of WHO limits for Mercury, 65% of the water samples analyzed, 28% of urine samples, and 12% of blood samples exceeded them. Mercury exposure was correlated with biological sex, some lifestyle factors, and the zone in Merida in which children live. These data suggest that the levels of some toxic metals in children may be affected by water source, socioeconomic factors, and individual behavior.

What food and feeding rates are optimum for the Chironomus dilutus sediment toxicity test method?

EPA Science Inventory

Laboratory tests with benthic macroinvertebrates conducted using standard toxicity test procedures are used to assess the potential toxicity of contaminated sediments. Results are compared across sites or for batches of samples, and the performance of organisms in control treatme...

A comparison of relative toxicity rankings by some small-scale laboratory tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Cumming, H. J.

1977-01-01

Small-scale laboratory tests for fire toxicity, suitable for use in the average laboratory hood, are needed for screening and ranking materials on the basis of relative toxicity. The performance of wool, cotton, and aromatic polyamide under several test procedures is presented.