Sample records for trace element haps

  1. Investigation of the behavior of potentially hazardous trace elements in Kentucky coals and combustion byproducts

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

    Robertson, J.D.; Blanchard, L.J.; Srikantapura, S.

    1996-12-31

    The minor- and trace-element content of coal is of great interest because of the potentially hazardous impact on human health and the environment resulting from their release during coal combustion. Of the one billion tons of coal mined annually in the United States, 85-90% is consumed by coal-fired power plants. Potentially toxic elements present at concentrations as low as a few egg can be released in large quantities from combustion of this magnitude. Of special concern are those trace elements that occur naturally in coal which have been designated as potential hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the 1990 Amendments tomore » the Clean Air Act. The principle objective of this work was to investigate a combination of physical and chemical coal cleaning techniques to remove 90 percent of HAP trace elements at 90 percent combustibles recovery from Kentucky No. 9 coal. Samples of this coal were first subjected to physical separation by flotation in a Denver cell. The float fraction from the Denver cell was then used as feed material for hydrothermal leaching tests in which the efficacy of dilute alkali (NaOH) and acid (HNO{sub 3}) solutions at various temperatures and pressures was investigated. The combined column flotation and mild chemical cleaning strategy removed 60-80% of trace elements with greater than 85, recovery of combustibles from very finely ground (-325 mesh) coal. The elemental composition of the samples generated at each stage was determined using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis. PIXE is a rapid, instrumental technique that, in principle, is capable of analyzing all elements from sodium through uranium with sensitivities as low as 1 {mu}g/g.« less

  2. Emissions inventory of PM2.5 trace elements across the United States

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

    Adam Reff; Prakash V. Bhave; Heather Simon

    2009-08-15

    This paper presents the first National Emissions Inventory (NEI) of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that includes the full suite of PM2.5 trace elements (atomic number >10) measured at ambient monitoring sites across the U.S. PM2.5 emissions in the NEI were organized and aggregated into a set of 84 source categories for which chemical speciation profiles are available (e.g., Unpaved Road Dust, Agricultural Soil, Wildfires). Emission estimates for ten metals classified as Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) were refined using data from a recent HAP NEI. All emissions were spatially gridded, and U.S. emissions maps for dozens of trace elements (e.g., Fe,more » Ti) are presented for the first time. Nationally, the trace elements emitted in the highest quantities are silicon (3.8 x 10{sup 5} ton/yr), aluminium (1.4 x 10{sup 5} ton/yr), and calcium (1.3 x 10{sup 5} ton/yr). Our chemical characterization of the PM2.5 inventory shows that most of the previously unspeciated emissions are comprised of crustal elements, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and metal-bound oxygen. Coal combustion is the largest source of S, Se, Sr, Hg and primary sulfates. This work also reveals that the largest PM2.5 sources lacking specific speciation data are off-road diesel-powered mobile equipment, road construction dust, marine vessels, gasoline-powered boats, and railroad locomotives. 28 refs., 4 figs.« less

  3. The origin and distribution of HAPs elements in relation to maceral composition of the A1 lignite bed (Paleocene, Calvert Bluff Formation, Wilcox Group), Calvert mine area, east-central Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crowley, Sharon S.; Warwick, Peter D.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pontolillo, James

    1997-01-01

    The origin and distribution of twelve potentially Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs; As, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and U) identified in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments were examined in relation to the maceral composition of the A1 bed (Paleocene, Calvert Bluff Formation, Wilcox Group) of the Calvert mine in east-central Texas. The 3.2 m-thick A1 bed was divided into nine incremental channel samples (7 lignite samples and 2 shaley coal samples) on the basis of megascopic characteristics. Results indicate that As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sb, and U are strongly correlated with ash yield and are enriched in the shaley coal samples. We infer that these elements are associated with inorganic constituents in the coal bed and may be derived from a penecontemporaneous stream channel located several kilometers southeast of the mining block. Of the HAPs elements studied, Mn and Hg are the most poorly correlated to ash yield. We infer an organic association for Mn; Hg may be associated with pyrite. The rest of the trace elements (Be, Co, and Se) are weakly correlated with ash yield. Further analytical work is necessary to determine the mode of occurrence for these elements. Overall, concentrations of the HAPs elements are generally similar to or less than those reported in previous studies of lignites of the Wilcox Group, east-central region, Texas. Petrographic analysis indicates the following ranges in composition for the seven lignite samples: liptinites (5–8%), huminites (88–95%), and inertinites (trace amounts to 7%). Samples from the middle portion of the A1 bed contain abundant crypto-eugelinite compared to the rest of the samples; this relationship suggests that the degradation of plant material was an important process during the development of the peat mire. With the exception of Hg and Mn, relatively low levels of the HAPs elements studied are found in the samples containing abundant crypto-eugelinite. We infer that the peat-forming environment for this portion of the coal bed was very wet with minimal detrital input. Relatively high concentrations of crypto-humotelinite were found in samples from the top and base of the coal bed. The presence of abundant crypto-humotefinite in this part of the coal bed suggests the accumulation of wood-rich peat under conditions conducive to a high degree of tissue preservation in the peat mire. Although several of the trace elements (Be, Co, Ni, and Sb) exhibit enrichment in these samples, they are not necessarily chemically associated with humotelinite. We infer that these elements, with the exception of Be, are possibly associated with deposition of the roof and floor rock of the coal bed; however, further analytical work would be necessary to confirm this hypothesis. Beryllium may have an organic origin.

  4. Fate of hazardous air pollutants in oxygen-fired coal combustion with different flue gas recycling.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Ye; Pavlish, John H

    2012-04-17

    Experiments were performed to characterize transformation and speciation of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), including SO(2)/SO(3), NO(x), HCl, particulate matter, mercury, and other trace elements in oxygen-firing bituminous coal with recirculation flue gas (RFG) from 1) an electrostatic precipitator outlet or 2) a wet scrubber outlet. The experimental results showed that oxycombustion with RFG generated a flue gas with less volume and containing HAPs at higher levels, while the actual emissions of HAPs per unit of energy produced were much less than that of air-blown combustion. NO(x) reduction was achieved in oxycombustion because of the elimination of nitrogen and the destruction of NO in the RFG. The elevated SO(2)/SO(3) in flue gas improved sulfur self-retention. SO(3) vapor could reach its dew point in the flue gas with high moisture, which limits the amount of SO(3) vapor in flue gas and possibly induces material corrosion. Most nonvolatile trace elements were less enriched in fly ash in oxycombustion than air-firing because of lower oxycombustion temperatures occurring in the present study. Meanwhile, Hg and Se were found to be enriched on submicrometer fly ash at higher levels in oxy-firing than in air-blown combustion.

  5. Potentially hazardous elements in coal: Modes of occurrence and summary of concentration data for coal components

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kolker, A.; Finkelman, R.B.

    1998-01-01

    Mode-of-occurrence data are summarized for 13 potentially hazardous elements (Be, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, As, Se, Cd, Sb, Hg, Pb, Th, U) in coal. Recent work has refined mode-of-occurrence data for Ni, Cr, and As, as compared to previous summaries. For Cr, dominant modes of occurrence include the clay mineral illite, an amorphous CrO(OH) phase, and Cr-bearing spinels. Nickel is present in Fe-sulfides (pyrite and marcasite) and is also organically bound. Arsenic-bearing pyrite may be the dominant host of As in bituminous coals. Concentration data for the 13 HAPs, obtained primarily by quantitative microanalysis techniques, are compiled for mineral and organic portions of coal. HAPs element concentrations are greatest in Fe-sulfides, and include maxima of 2,300 ppm (Co), 4,500 ppm (Ni), 4.9wt.% (As), 2,000 ppm (Se), 171 ppm (Hg), and 5,500 ppm (Pb). Trace-element microanalysis is a significant refinement over bulk methods, and shows that there is considerable trace-element variation on a fine scale for a given coal, and from one coal to another. ?? 1998 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association) N.V. Published by license under the Gordon and Breach Science Publishers imprint.

  6. Environmentally critical elements in channel and cleaned samples of Illinois coals

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Demir, I.; Ruch, R.R.; Damberger, H.H.; Harvey, R.D.; Steele, J.D.; Ho, K.K.

    1998-01-01

    Sixteen trace and minor elements that occur in coal are listed among 189 substances identified as 'hazardous air pollutants' (HAPs) in the US Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. We investigated the occurrence and cleanability of the 16 HAPs in Illinois coals, as a contribution to the discussion about the potential effect of pending environmental regulations on the future use of these coals in power generation. The average ash content of the samples of conventionally cleaned as-shipped coals is about 20% lower than that of standard channel samples. Conventional cleaning reduces the average concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb and Th in the as-shipped coals by more than 20% relative to channel samples. Thus, basing assessments of health risks from emissions of HAPs during coal combustion on channel samples without appropriate adjustment would overestimate the risk. Additional cleaning by froth-flotation reduces the ash content of finely-ground as-shipped coals by as much as 76% at an 80% combustibles recovery. Although the average froth-flotation cleanability for the majority of HAPs is less than that for ash, the cleanabilities in some individual cases approaches, or even exceeds, the cleanability for ash, depending on the modes of occurrences of the elements. ?? 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

  7. Health effects of arsenic, fluorine, and selenium from indoor burning of Chinese coal.

    PubMed

    Guijian, Liu; Liugen, Zheng; Duzgoren-Aydin, Nurdan S; Lianfen, Gao; Junhua, Liu; Zicheng, Peng

    2007-01-01

    China's economy has developed rapidly in the last two decades, leading to an increase in energy consumption and consequently emissions from energy generation. Coal is a primary energy source in China because of its abundance and will continue to be used in the future. The dominance of coal in energy production is expected to result in increasing levels of exposure to environmental pollution in China. Toxic trace elements emitted during coal combustion are the main sources of indoor air pollution. They are released into the atmosphere mainly in the forms of fine ash and vapors and have the potential to adversely affect human health. Those trace elements, which volatilize during combustion, are hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and are particularly rich in Chinese coals. Among the HAPs, arsenic (As), fluorine (F), and selenium (Se) have already been identified as pollutants that can induce severe health problems. In this review, the geochemical characteristics of As, F, and Se, including their concentration, distribution, and mode of occurrences in Chinese coal, are documented and discussed. Our investigations have confirmed the current As- and F-induced epidemics in Guizhou (Southwest China) and Se epidemic in Hubei (Northeast China). In this study, diagnostic symptoms of arseniasis, fluorosis, and selenosis are also illustrated.

  8. Signatures of Evolutionary Adaptation in Quantitative Trait Loci Influencing Trace Element Homeostasis in Liver

    PubMed Central

    Sabidó, Eduard; Bosch, Elena

    2016-01-01

    Essential trace elements possess vital functions at molecular, cellular, and physiological levels in health and disease, and they are tightly regulated in the human body. In order to assess variability and potential adaptive evolution of trace element homeostasis, we quantified 18 trace elements in 150 liver samples, together with the expression levels of 90 genes and abundances of 40 proteins involved in their homeostasis. Additionally, we genotyped 169 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in the same sample set. We detected significant associations for 8 protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL), 10 expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), and 15 micronutrient quantitative trait loci (nutriQTL). Six of these exceeded the false discovery rate cutoff and were related to essential trace elements: 1) one pQTL for GPX2 (rs10133290); 2) two previously described eQTLs for HFE (rs12346) and SELO (rs4838862) expression; and 3) three nutriQTLs: The pathogenic C282Y mutation at HFE affecting iron (rs1800562), and two SNPs within several clustered metallothionein genes determining selenium concentration (rs1811322 and rs904773). Within the complete set of significant QTLs (which involved 30 SNPs and 20 gene regions), we identified 12 SNPs with extreme patterns of population differentiation (FST values in the top 5% percentile in at least one HapMap population pair) and significant evidence for selective sweeps involving QTLs at GPX1, SELENBP1, GPX3, SLC30A9, and SLC39A8. Overall, this detailed study of various molecular phenotypes illustrates the role of regulatory variants in explaining differences in trace element homeostasis among populations and in the human adaptive response to environmental pressures related to micronutrients. PMID:26582562

  9. Nanomaterials and preservation mechanisms of architecture monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ion, Rodica-Mariana; Radu, Adrian; Teodorescu, Sofia; Fierǎscu, Irina; Fierǎscu, Radu-Claudiu; Ştirbescu, Raluca-Maria; Dulamǎ, Ioana Daniela; Şuicǎ-Bunghez, Ioana-Raluca; Bucuricǎ, Ioan Alin; Ion, Mihaela-Lucia

    2016-12-01

    Knowledge of the chemical composition of the building materials of the monuments may help us to preserve and protect them from the pollution of our cities. The aim of this work is to characterize the materials of the walls from ancient buildings, the decay products that could be appear due to the action of pollution and a new method based on nanomaterials (hydroxyapatite -HAp) for a conservative preservation of the treated walls. Some analytical techniques have been used, as follow: X-ray fluorescence energy dispersive (EDXRF) (for the relative abundance of major, minor and trace elements), FTIR and Raman spectroscopy (for stratigraphic study of cross-sections of multi-layered materials found in wall paintings), Optical microscopy (OM), (for morphology of the wall samples). The nanomaterial suspension HAp applied on the sample surface by spraying, decreased the capillary water uptake, do not modify significantly the color of the samples and induced a reduced mass loss for the treated samples.

  10. Simultaneous X-ray and neutron diffraction Rietveld refinements of nanophase iron substituted hydroxyapatite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kyriacou, Andreas

    The effect of Fe substitution on the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite (HAp) is studied by applying simultaneous Rietveld refinements of powder x-ray and neutron diffraction patterns. Fe is one of the trace elements replacing Ca in HAp, which is the major mineral phase in bones and teeth. The morphology and magnetic properties of the Fe-HAp system are also studied by transmission electron microscopy and magnetization measurements. Samples of Ca(5-x)Fex(PO4)3OH with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3 were prepared. Single phase HAp was identified in x-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) of samples with x < 0.1 inferring that the solubility limits are less than 0.1. Hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) is identified as a secondary phase for higher Fe content. The refined parameters show that Fe is incorporated in the HAp structure by replacing Ca in the two crystallographic sites with a preference at the Ca2 site. This preference explains the small effect of the Fe substitution on the lattice constants of HAp. The overall decrease of the lattice constants is explained by the ionic size difference of Ca and Fe. The increasing trend of the a-lattice constant with x in the Fe substituted samples is attributed to a lattice relaxation caused by the substitution of the 4- and 6-fold Fe at the 7- and 9-fold Ca1 and Ca2 sites. This Ca local geometry reduction is indicated by a slight increase of the Ca1-O3 and Ca2-O1 bond lengths. Above the solubility limit x = 0.05, the Fe is partitioned in and out of the HAp structure with increasing nominal Fe content x. The excess Fe is oxidized to hematite. The TEM analysis and magnetic measurements support the results of the simultaneous Rietveld refinements. The TEM images show no significant effect on the morphology and size of the HAp particles upon Fe incorporation. The particles are either spheres or short rods of dimensions 20--60 nm. Hematite particles are imaged in the samples with x exceeding the solubility limit. These particles are spheres, about 15 nm in diameter and are more resistant to electron beam damage. Magnetic measurements reveal a transition of the diamagnetic pure HAp to paramagnetic Fe substituted HAp.

  11. BioQ: tracing experimental origins in public genomic databases using a novel data provenance model.

    PubMed

    Saccone, Scott F; Quan, Jiaxi; Jones, Peter L

    2012-04-15

    Public genomic databases, which are often used to guide genetic studies of human disease, are now being applied to genomic medicine through in silico integrative genomics. These databases, however, often lack tools for systematically determining the experimental origins of the data. We introduce a new data provenance model that we have implemented in a public web application, BioQ, for assessing the reliability of the data by systematically tracing its experimental origins to the original subjects and biologics. BioQ allows investigators to both visualize data provenance as well as explore individual elements of experimental process flow using precise tools for detailed data exploration and documentation. It includes a number of human genetic variation databases such as the HapMap and 1000 Genomes projects. BioQ is freely available to the public at http://bioq.saclab.net.

  12. Coal geology of the Paleocene-Eocene Calvert Bluff Formation (Wilcox Group) and the Eocene Manning Formation (Jackson Group) in east-central Texas; field trip guidebook for the Society for Organic Petrology, Twelfth Annual Meeting, The Woodlands, Texas, August 30, 1995

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Warwick, Peter D.; Crowley, Sharon S.

    1995-01-01

    The Jackson and Wilcox Groups of eastern Texas (fig. 1) are the major lignite producing intervals in the Gulf Region. Within these groups, the major lignite-producing formations are the Paleocene-Eocene Calvert Bluff Formation (Wilcox) and the Eocene Manning Formation (Jackson). According to the Keystone Coal Industry Manual (Maclean Hunter Publishing Company, 1994), the Gulf Coast basin produces about 57 million short tons of lignite annually. The state of Texas ranks number 6 in coal production in the United States. Most of the lignite is used for electric power generation in mine-mouth power plant facilities. In recent years, particular interest has been given to lignite quality and the distribution and concentration of about a dozen trace elements that have been identified as potential hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. As pointed out by Oman and Finkelman (1994), Gulf Coast lignite deposits have elevated concentrations of many of the HAPs elements (Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Se, U) on a as-received gm/mmBtu basis when compared to other United States coal deposits used for fuel in thermo-electric power plants. Although regulations have not yet been established for acceptable emissions of the HAPs elements during coal burning, considerable research effort has been given to the characterization of these elements in coal feed stocks. The general purpose of the present field trip and of the accompanying collection of papers is to investigate how various aspects of east Texas lignite geology might collectively influence the quality of the lignite fuel. We hope that this collection of papers will help future researchers understand the complex, multifaceted interrelations of coal geology, petrology, palynology and coal quality, and that this introduction to the geology of the lignite deposits of east Texas might serve as a stimulus for new ideas to be applied to other coal basins in the U.S. and abroad.

  13. Polyacrylamide-hydroxyapatite composite: Preparation, characterization and adsorptive features for uranium and thorium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baybaş, Demet; Ulusoy, Ulvi

    2012-10-01

    The composite of synthetically produced hydroxyapatite (HAP) and polyacrylamide was prepared (PAAm-HAP) and characterized by BET, FT-IR, TGA, XRD, SEM and PZC analysis. The adsorptive features of HAP and PAAm-HAP were compared for UO22+ and Th4+. The entrapment of HAP into PAAm-HAP did not change the structure of HAP. Both structures had high affinity to the studied ions. The adsorption capacity of PAAm-HAP was than that of HAP. The adsorption dependence on pH and ionic intensity provided supportive evidences for the effect of complex formation on adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics was well compatible to pseudo second order model. The values of enthalpy and entropy changes were positive. Th4+ adsorption from the leachate obtained from a regional fluorite rock confirmed the selectivity of PAAm-HAP for this ion. In consequence, PAAm-HAP should be considered amongst favorite adsorbents for especially deposition of nuclear waste containing U and Th, and radionuclide at secular equilibrium with these elements.

  14. Variability of hazardous air pollutants in an urban area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spicer, Chester W.; Buxton, Bruce E.; Holdren, Michael W.; Smith, Deborah L.; Kelly, Thomas J.; Rust, Steven W.; Pate, Alan D.; Sverdrup, George M.; Chuang, Jane C.

    The variability of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) is an important factor in determining human exposure to such chemicals, and in designing HAP measurement programs. This study has investigated the factors which contribute to HAP variability in an urban area. Six measurement sites separated by up to 12 km collected data with 3 h time resolution to examine spatial variability within neighborhoods and between neighborhoods. The measurements were made in Columbus, OH. The 3 h results also were used to study temporal variability, and duplicate samples collected at each site were used to determine the component of variability attributable to the measurement process. Hourly samples collected over 10 days at one site provided further insight into the temporal resolution needed to capture short-term peak concentrations. Measurements at the 6 spatial sites focused on 78 chemicals. Twenty-three of these species were found in at least 95% of the 3 h samples, and 39 chemicals were present at least 60% of the time. The relative standard deviations for most of these 39 frequently detected chemicals was 1.0 or lower. Variability was segmented into temporal, spatial, and measurement components. Temporal variation was the major contributor to HAP variability for 19 of the 39 frequently detected compounds, based on the 3 h data. Measurement imprecision contributed less than 25% for most of the volatile organic species, but 30% or more of the variability for carbonyl compounds, trace elements, and particle-bound extractable organic mass. Interestingly, the spatial component contributed less than 20% of the total variability for all the chemicals except sulfur. Based on the data with hourly resolution, peak to median ratios (hourly peak to 24 h median) averaged between 2 and 4 for most of the volatile organic compounds, but there were two species with peak to median ratios of about 10.

  15. XFAS SPECTROSCOPY ANALYSIS OF SELECTED HAP ELEMENTS IN FINE PM DERIVED FROM COAL COMBUSTION: JOURNAL ARTICLE

    EPA Science Inventory

    NRMRL-RTP-P-646 Shoji, T., Huggins, F.E., Huffman, G.P., Linak*, W.P., and Miller*, C.A. XFAS Spectroscopy Analysis of Selected HAP Elements in Fine PM Derived from Coal Combustion. Energy and Fuels 16 (2): (2002). 11/30/2001 X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscop...

  16. Fine-Scale Map of Encyclopedia of DNA Elements Regions in the Korean Population

    PubMed Central

    Yoo, Yeon-Kyeong; Ke, Xiayi; Hong, Sungwoo; Jang, Hye-Yoon; Park, Kyunghee; Kim, Sook; Ahn, TaeJin; Lee, Yeun-Du; Song, Okryeol; Rho, Na-Young; Lee, Moon Sue; Lee, Yeon-Su; Kim, Jaeheup; Kim, Young J.; Yang, Jun-Mo; Song, Kyuyoung; Kimm, Kyuchan; Weir, Bruce; Cardon, Lon R.; Lee, Jong-Eun; Hwang, Jung-Joo

    2006-01-01

    The International HapMap Project aims to generate detailed human genome variation maps by densely genotyping single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CEPH, Chinese, Japanese, and Yoruba samples. This will undoubtedly become an important facility for genetic studies of diseases and complex traits in the four populations. To address how the genetic information contained in such variation maps is transferable to other populations, the Korean government, industries, and academics have launched the Korean HapMap project to genotype high-density Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) regions in 90 Korean individuals. Here we show that the LD pattern, block structure, haplotype diversity, and recombination rate are highly concordant between Korean and the two HapMap Asian samples, particularly Japanese. The availability of information from both Chinese and Japanese samples helps to predict more accurately the possible performance of HapMap markers in Korean disease-gene studies. Tagging SNPs selected from the two HapMap Asian maps, especially the Japanese map, were shown to be very effective for Korean samples. These results demonstrate that the HapMap variation maps are robust in related populations and will serve as an important resource for the studies of the Korean population in particular. PMID:16702437

  17. BioQ: tracing experimental origins in public genomic databases using a novel data provenance model

    PubMed Central

    Saccone, Scott F.; Quan, Jiaxi; Jones, Peter L.

    2012-01-01

    Motivation: Public genomic databases, which are often used to guide genetic studies of human disease, are now being applied to genomic medicine through in silico integrative genomics. These databases, however, often lack tools for systematically determining the experimental origins of the data. Results: We introduce a new data provenance model that we have implemented in a public web application, BioQ, for assessing the reliability of the data by systematically tracing its experimental origins to the original subjects and biologics. BioQ allows investigators to both visualize data provenance as well as explore individual elements of experimental process flow using precise tools for detailed data exploration and documentation. It includes a number of human genetic variation databases such as the HapMap and 1000 Genomes projects. Availability and implementation: BioQ is freely available to the public at http://bioq.saclab.net Contact: ssaccone@wustl.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:22426342

  18. Structural Characterization and Antifungal Studies of Zinc-Doped Hydroxyapatite Coatings.

    PubMed

    Iconaru, Simona Liliana; Prodan, Alina Mihaela; Buton, Nicolas; Predoi, Daniela

    2017-04-09

    The present study is focused on the synthesis, characterization and antifungal evaluation of zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (Zn:HAp) coatings. The Zn:HAp coatings were deposited on a pure Si (Zn:HAp_Si) and Ti (Zn:HAp_Ti) substrate by a sol-gel dip coating method using a zinc-doped hydroxyapatite nanogel. The nature of the crystal phase was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystalline phase of the prepared Zn:HAp composite was assigned to hexagonal hydroxyapatite in the P6 3/m space group. The colloidal properties of the resulting Zn:HAp (x Zn = 0.1) nanogel were analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and zeta potential. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology of the zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (Zn:HAp) nanogel composite and Zn:HAp coatings. The elements Ca, P, O and Zn were found in the Zn:HAp composite. According to the EDX results, the degree of Zn substitution in the structure of Zn:HAp composite was 1.67 wt%. Moreover, the antifungal activity of Zn:HAp_Si and Zn:HAp_Ti against Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) was evaluated. A decrease in the number of surviving cells was not observed under dark conditions, whereas under daylight and UV light illumination a major decrease in the number of surviving cells was observed.

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

    Baybas, Demet, E-mail: dbaybas@cumhuriyet.edu.tr; Ulusoy, Ulvi, E-mail: ulusoy@cumhuriyet.edu.tr

    The composite of synthetically produced hydroxyapatite (HAP) and polyacrylamide was prepared (PAAm-HAP) and characterized by BET, FT-IR, TGA, XRD, SEM and PZC analysis. The adsorptive features of HAP and PAAm-HAP were compared for UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} and Th{sup 4+}. The entrapment of HAP into PAAm-HAP did not change the structure of HAP. Both structures had high affinity to the studied ions. The adsorption capacity of PAAm-HAP was than that of HAP. The adsorption dependence on pH and ionic intensity provided supportive evidences for the effect of complex formation on adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics was well compatible to pseudo secondmore » order model. The values of enthalpy and entropy changes were positive. Th{sup 4+} adsorption from the leachate obtained from a regional fluorite rock confirmed the selectivity of PAAm-HAP for this ion. In consequence, PAAm-HAP should be considered amongst favorite adsorbents for especially deposition of nuclear waste containing U and Th, and radionuclide at secular equilibrium with these elements. - Graphical abstract: SEM images of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and polyacrylamide-hydroxyapatite (PAAm-HAP), and the adsorption isotherms for Uranium and Thorium. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Composite of PAAm-HAP was synthesized from hydroxyapatite and polyacrylamide. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The materials were characterized by BET, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TGA and PZC analysis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HAP and PAAm-HAP had high sorption capacity and very rapid uptake for UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} and Th{sup 4+}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Super porous PAAm was obtained from PAAm-HAP after its removal of HAP content. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The composite is potential for deposition of U, Th and its associate radionuclides.« less

  20. Influence of Porous Spherical-Shaped Hydroxyapatite on Mechanical Strength and Bioactive Function of Conventional Glass Ionomer Cement.

    PubMed

    Chiu, Szu-Yu; Shinonaga, Yukari; Abe, Yoko; Harada, Kyoko; Arita, Kenji

    2017-01-03

    Glass-ionomer-cement (GIC) is helpful in Minimal Intervention Dentistry because it releases fluoride ions and is highly biocompatible. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms by which hydroxyapatite (HAp) improves the mechanical strength and bioactive functioning of GIC when these materials are combined to make apatite ionomer cement (AIC). A conventional GIC powder was mixed with porous, spherical-HAp particles (HApS), crystalline HAp (HAp200) or one of two types of cellulose. The micro-compressive strengths of the additive particles were measured, and various specimens were evaluated with regard to their compressive strengths (CS), fluoride release concentrations (fluoride electrode) and multi-element release concentrations. The AIC was found to release higher concentrations of fluoride (1.2 times) and strontium ions (1.5 times) compared to the control GIC. It was detected the more release of calcium originated from HApS than HAp200 in AIC. The CS of the AIC incorporating an optimum level of HAp was also significantly higher than that of the GIC. These results suggest that adding HAp can increase the release concentration of ions required for remineralization while maintaining the CS of the GIC. This effect does not result from a physical phenomenon, but rather from chemical reactions between the HAp and polyacrylic acid of GIC.

  1. Influence of Porous Spherical-Shaped Hydroxyapatite on Mechanical Strength and Bioactive Function of Conventional Glass Ionomer Cement

    PubMed Central

    Chiu, Szu-Yu; Shinonaga, Yukari; Abe, Yoko; Harada, Kyoko; Arita, Kenji

    2017-01-01

    Glass-ionomer-cement (GIC) is helpful in Minimal Intervention Dentistry because it releases fluoride ions and is highly biocompatible. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms by which hydroxyapatite (HAp) improves the mechanical strength and bioactive functioning of GIC when these materials are combined to make apatite ionomer cement (AIC). A conventional GIC powder was mixed with porous, spherical-HAp particles (HApS), crystalline HAp (HAp200) or one of two types of cellulose. The micro-compressive strengths of the additive particles were measured, and various specimens were evaluated with regard to their compressive strengths (CS), fluoride release concentrations (fluoride electrode) and multi-element release concentrations. The AIC was found to release higher concentrations of fluoride (1.2 times) and strontium ions (1.5 times) compared to the control GIC. It was detected the more release of calcium originated from HApS than HAp200 in AIC. The CS of the AIC incorporating an optimum level of HAp was also significantly higher than that of the GIC. These results suggest that adding HAp can increase the release concentration of ions required for remineralization while maintaining the CS of the GIC. This effect does not result from a physical phenomenon, but rather from chemical reactions between the HAp and polyacrylic acid of GIC. PMID:28772386

  2. Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Different Antibiotics Enhanced with Silver-Doped Hydroxyapatite Thin Films

    PubMed Central

    Predoi, Daniela; Popa, Cristina Liana; Chapon, Patrick; Groza, Andreea; Iconaru, Simona Liliana

    2016-01-01

    The inhibitory and antimicrobial effects of silver particles have been known since ancient times. In the last few years, a major health problem has arisen due to pathogenic bacteria resistance to antimicrobial agents. The antibacterial activities of new materials including hydroxyapatite (HAp), silver-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag:HAp) and various types of antibiotics such as tetracycline (T-HAp and T-Ag:HAp) or ciprofloxacin (C-HAp and C-Ag:HAp) have not been studied so far. In this study we reported, for the first time, the preparation and characterization of various thin films based on hydroxyapatite and silver-doped hydroxyapatite combined with tetracycline or ciprofloxacin. The structural and chemical characterization of hydroxyapatite and silver-doped hydroxyapatite thin films has been evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphological studies of the HAp, Ag:HAp, T-HAp, T-Ag:HAp, C-HAp and C-Ag:HAp thin solid films were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In order to study the chemical composition of the coatings, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) measurements have been used, obtaining information on the distribution of the elements throughout the film. These studies have confirmed the purity of the prepared hydroxyapatite and silver-doped hydroxyapatite thin films obtained from composite targets containing Ca10−xAgx(PO4)6(OH)2 with xAg = 0 (HAp) and xAg = 0.2 (Ag:HAp). On the other hand, the major aim of this study was the evaluation of the antibacterial activities of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline in the presence of HAp and Ag:HAp thin layers against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains. The antibacterial activities of ciprofloxacin and tetracycline against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli test strains increased in the presence of HAp and Ag:HAp thin layers. PMID:28773899

  3. Hydroxyapatite growth on cotton fibers modified chemically

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varela Caselis, J. L.; Reyes Cervantes, E.; Landeta Cortés, G.; Agustín Serrano, R.; Rubio Rosas, E.

    2014-09-01

    We have prepared carboxymethyl cellulose fibers (CMC) by chemically modifying cotton cellulose with monochloroacetic acid and calcium chloride solution. This modification favored the growth of hydroxyapatite (HAP) on the surface of the CMC fibers in contact with simulated body fluid solutions (SBF). After soaking in SBF for periods of 7, 14 and 21 days, formation of HAP was observed. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that crystallinity, crystallite size, and growth of HAP increased with the soaking time. The amount of HAP deposited on CMC fibers increased greatly after 21 days of immersion in the SBF, while the substrate surface was totally covered with hemispherical aggregates with the size of the order of 2 microns. Elemental analysis showed the presence of calcium and phosphate, with calcium/phosphate atomic ratio of 1.54. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy bands confirmed the presence of HAP. The results suggest that cotton modified by calcium treatment has a nucleating ability and can accelerate the nucleation of HAP crystals.

  4. Hydroxyapatite moldable formulation using natural rubber latex as binder.

    PubMed

    Sailaja, G S; Ramesh, P; Varma, H K

    2007-07-01

    A simple but efficient processing method for shaping intricate bioceramic green bodies has been developed by using natural rubber latex as binder. Different shapes of hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (HAP) were molded from a composite formulation containing wet precipitated HAP, natural rubber latex (NRL), and a stabilizer. On controlled heat treatment followed by sintering, dense shapes of HAP contours were obtained. The thermal degradation profile of HAP-NRL composites shows that NRL degrades slowly without any abrupt exotherm. The results of energy dispersive X-ray analysis together with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis indicate that the inorganic residue of NRL does not contain any heavy element. The sintered density of the samples increased with increased HAP content in the formulation and percentage shrinkage reduced accordingly. On varying the HAP content in the formulation from 35 to 95 wt %, the compositions with 85, 90, 92, and 95 wt % HAP showed better flexural strength in the range 40-54 MPa and a flexural modulus value in the range 36-50 GPa. The fracture morphology, as observed by the scanning electron microscope confirms that with increased HAP content in the formulation the sample microstructure attains higher uniformity. The Vickers microhardness for the samples sintered at two different temperatures (1150 and 1250 degrees C) showed that hardness increases with increase in the sintering temperature with a maximum for the highest HAP loaded formulation. Copyright 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

    Frølich, S.; Leemreize, H.; Jakus, A.

    A model sample consisting of two different hydroxyapatite (hAp) powders was used as a bone phantom to investigate the extent to which X-ray diffraction tomography could map differences in hAp lattice constants and crystallite size. The diffraction data were collected at beamline 1-ID, the Advanced Photon Source, using monochromatic 65 keV X-radiation, a 25 × 25 µm pinhole beam and translation/rotation data collection. The diffraction pattern was reconstructed for each volume element (voxel) in the sample, and Rietveld refinement was used to determine the hAp lattice constants. The crystallite size for each voxel was also determined from the 00.2 hApmore » diffraction peak width. The results clearly show that differences between hAp powders could be measured with diffraction tomography.« less

  6. Physico-chemical characteristics and antimicrobial studies of silver doped hydroxyapatite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Predoi, D.; Predoi, M. V.; Kettani, Moncef Ech Cherif El; Leduc, Damien; Iconaru, S. L.; Ciobanu, C. S.; Buton, N.; Petre, C. C.; Prodan, A. M.

    2018-02-01

    The present research is focused on the synthesis, structural and morphological characterization and antimicrobial evaluation of silver doped hydroxyapatite (AgHAp) in water. The preliminary ultrasonic characterizations of the AgHAp in water synthesized by an adapted co-precipitation method are also presented. X-ray diffraction result showed that silver ions were substituted in the hydroxyapatite structure. The lattice parameters increased when the silver substitution increased. The morphology of AgHAp were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). By EDX analysis the constituents elements of hydroxyapatite were detected in all analyzed samples. The silver was also found in the samples with xAg = 0.5 and 0.2. The colloidal properties of the resulted AgHAp (xAg = 0.0, 0.05 and 0.2) in water were analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and zeta potential. On the other hand, the novelty of our research consists of preliminary ultrasonic measurements (US) conducted on AgHAp in water. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of AgHAp was evaluated and a decrease in the number of surviving cells was established.

  7. Study on calcifying treatments of hydroxyapatite (HAp) using calcifying promotion solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wakaki, Moriaki; Yazaki, Syungo; Sunada, Yoshikazu

    2009-02-01

    Apatite is expected to be a useful material for artificial bones in surgery and artificial dental roots in dentistry. In particular, studies have recently been conducted into the reconstruction of teeth using Hydroxyapatite (HAp), and several supplements such as gum have become popular for keeping teeth in good condition. However, the decalcifying and calcifying processes are still not well understood. The aim of this research is to study the decalcifying and calcifying mechanisms of HAp. Specifically, the calcifying treatments were carried out on sintered pellets of HAp without pores using Phosphate Acid Maltodextrin (PMD) and Xylitol calcifying promotion agents. A natural calcifying liquid which simulates the situation within a human mouth was used as a reference. SEM, EDX, X-ray, IR and Raman measurements were used for the characterization of structures, morphologies, formed elements and physical properties. It was confirmed that a precursor material OCP was grown on the HAp pellet by the calcification treatment using each promotion agent.

  8. Petrography and geochemistry of selected lignite beds in the Gibbons Creek mine (Manning Formation, Jackson Group, Paleocene) of east-central Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Warwick, Peter D.; Crowley, Sharon S.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pontolillo, James

    1997-01-01

    This study examined the petrographic and geochemical characteristics of two lignite beds (3500 and 4500 beds, Manning Formation, Jackson Group, Eocene) that are mined at the Gibbons Creek mine in east-central Texas. The purpose of the study was to identify the relations among sample ash yield, coal petrography, and trace-element concentrations in lignite and adjoining rock layers of the Gibbons Creek mine. Particular interest was given to the distribution of 12 environmentally sensitive trace elements (As, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and U) that have been identified as potentially hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the United States Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Eleven lignite, floor, and rock parting samples were collected from incremental channel samples of the 3500 and 4500 beds that were exposed in a highwall of pit A3 at the Gibbons Creek mine. Short proximate and ultimate and forms of sulfur analyses were performed on all lignite samples, and lignite and rock samples were analyzed for 60 major, minor and trace elements. Representative splits of all lignite samples were ground and cast into pellets, and polished for petrographic analyses in blue-light fluorescence and reflected white light to determine liptinite, inertinite, and huminite maceral group percentages. The following observations summarize our results and conclusions about the geochemistry, petrography, and sedimentology of the 3500 and 4500 beds of the Gibbons Creek lignite deposit: (1) Weighted average dry (db) ash yield for the two beds is 29.7%, average total sulfur content is 2.6%, and average calorific value is 7832 Btu (18.22 MJ/kg). Ash yields are greatest in the lower bench (59.33% db) of the 3500 bed and in the upper bench of the 4500 bed (74.61% db). (2) For lignite samples (on a whole-coal basis), the distributions of two of the HAPs (Pb and Sb) are positively related to ash yield, probably indicating an inorganic affinity for these elements. By using cluster analysis we found that Be and Cd were poorly associated with ash yield, indicating a possible organic affinity, and that Ni, Se, Hg, U, and Pb cluster with most of the rare-earth elements. (3) The dominance of the crypto-eugelinite maceral subgroup over the crypto-humotelinite subgroup suggests that all Gibbons Creek lignites were subjected to peat-forming conditions (either biogenic or chemical) conducive to the degradation of wood cellular material into matrix gels, or that original plant material was not very woody and was prone to formation of matrix gels. The latter idea is supported by pollen studies of Gibbons Creek lignite beds; results indicate that the peat was derived in part from marsh plants low in wood tissue. (4) The occurrence of siliceous sponge spicules in the lower benches of the 3500 bed suggests the original peat in this part of the bed was deposited in standing, fresh water. (5) The petrographic data indicate that the upper sample interval of the 3500 bed contains more inertinite (3%) than the other samples studied. Increases in inertinite content in the upper part of the 3500 bed may have been associated with alteration of the peat by acids derived from the volcanic ash or could have been caused by fire, oxidation and drying, or biologic alteration of the peat in the paleo-mire.

  9. Electrodeposition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles onto ultra-fine TiO2 nanotube layer by electrochemical reaction in mixed electrolyte.

    PubMed

    Park, Su-Jung; Jang, Jae-Myung

    2011-08-01

    Electrochemical depositions of HAp nanoparticles onto Ultra-fine TiO2 nanotube layer were carried out by the electrochemical reaction in mixed electrolyte of 1.6 M (NH4)H2PO4 + 0.8 M NH4F containing 0.15 and 0.25 wt% HAp. The Ca/P ratios of the HAp nanoparticles were evaluated by EDS analysis and their values were 1.53 and 1.66 respectively. The distribution quantity of Ca and P were remained at the middle region of TiO2 nanotube, but the Ti element was mainly stayed at the bottom of barrier layer from the result of line scanning diagram. Especially, adsorbed phosphate ions facilitated nucleation of nanophase calcium phosphate material inside the TiO2 nanotubu layer that resulted in vertical growth of HAp nanoparticles. These surfaces and structures were all effective for biocompatibility from the SBF tests.

  10. Development of methodologies for identification and quantification of hazardous air pollutants from turbine engine emissions.

    PubMed

    Anneken, David; Striebich, Richard; DeWitt, Matthew J; Klingshirn, Christopher; Corporan, Edwin

    2015-03-01

    Aircraft turbine engines are a significant source of particulate matter (PM) and gaseous emissions in the vicinity of airports and military installations. Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) (e.g., formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene and other compounds) associated with aircraft emissions are an environmental concern both in flight and at ground level. Therefore, effective sampling, identification, and accurate measurement of these trace species are important to assess their environmental impact. This effort evaluates two established ambient air sampling and analysis methods, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method TO-11A and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 1501, for potential use to quantify HAPs from aircraft turbine engines. The techniques were used to perform analysis of the exhaust from a T63 turboshaft engine, and were examined using certified gas standards transferred through the heated sampling systems used for engine exhaust gaseous emissions measurements. Test results show that the EPA Method TO-11A (for aldehydes) and NIOSH Method 1501 (for semivolatile hydrocarbons) were effective techniques for the sampling and analysis of most HAPs of interest. Both methods showed reasonable extraction efficiencies of HAP species from the sorbent tubes, with the exception of acrolein, styrene, and phenol, which were not well quantified. Formaldehyde measurements using dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) tubes (EPA method TO-11A) were accurate for gas-phase standards, and compared favorably to measurements using gas-phase Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In general, these two standard methodologies proved to be suitable techniques for field measurement of turbine engine HAPs within a reasonable (5-10 minutes) sampling period. Details of the tests, the analysis methods, calibration procedures, and results from the gas standards and T63 engine tested using a conventional JP-8 jet fuel are provided. HAPs from aviation-related sources are important because of their adverse health and environmental impacts in and around airports and flight lines. Simpler, more convenient techniques to measure the important HAPs, especially aldehydes and volatile organic HAPs, are needed to provide information about their occurrence and assist in the development of engines that emit fewer harmful emissions.

  11. Sol-gel synthesis and characterisation of nano-scale hydroxyapatite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilton, M.; Brown, A. P.; Milne, S. J.

    2010-07-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAp) forms the main mineral component of bone and teeth. This naturally occurring HAp is in the form of nano-metre sized crystallites of Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 that contain a number of cation and anion impurities, for example CO32-, F-, Na+, Mg2+ and Sr2+. Synthetic nano-sized HAp particles exhibit favourable biocompatibility and bioactivity and in order to better match the composition to natural HAp there is great interest in producing a range of chemically modified powders. In this study, two HAp powders have been synthesised via a water-based low-temperature sol-gel method and a third, commercial powder from Sigma-Aldrich have been analysed. Subsequent powder calcination has been carried out within the temperature range of 500-700 °C and the products characterised by bulk chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) in the TEM has been used to assess the composition of individual HAp particles. In order to do this accurately it is first necessary to account for the sensitivity of the HAp structure and composition to irradiation by the high energy electron beam of the TEM. This was done by monitoring the estimated Ca/P ratio derived from TEM-EDX of stoichiometric HAp under increasing levels of electron fluence. A fluence threshold (at a given beam energy) was established below which the measured Ca/P ratio can be considered to be stable. Subsequent elemental analysis at or below this threshold has enabled the variation in composition between particles both within and between synthesis batches to be accurately assessed. Compositional variability between particles is also evident, even in the commercial powder, but is far greater in the powders prepared by the sol-gel method.

  12. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Edmonton, Canada: Source apportionment and potential risk for human health.

    PubMed

    Bari, Md Aynul; Kindzierski, Warren B

    2016-11-01

    To design effective PM 2.5 control strategies in urban centers, there is a need to better understand local and remote sources influencing PM 2.5 levels and associated risk to public health. An investigation of PM 2.5 levels, sources and potential human health risk associated with trace elements in the PM 2.5 was undertaken in Edmonton over a 6-year period (September 2009-August 2015). The geometric mean PM 2.5 concentration of was 7.11 μg/m 3 (interquartile range, IQR = 4.83-10.08 μg/m 3 ). Positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor modeling identified secondary organic aerosol (SOA) as the major contributor (2.2 μg/m 3 , 27%), followed by secondary nitrate (1.3 μg/m 3 , 17%) and secondary sulfate (1.2 μg/m 3 , 15%). Other local sources included transportation (1.1 μg/m 3 , 14%) and industry-related emissions (0.26 μg/m 3 , 3.4%), biomass burning (1.0 μg/m 3 , 13%) and soil (0.54 μg/m 3 , 6.8%). Five factors (i.e., SOA, secondary nitrate, secondary sulfate, transportation and biomass burning) contributed more than 85% to PM 2.5 for the 2009-2015 period. Geometric (arithmetic) mean and maximum ambient air concentrations for hazardous trace elements of public health concern in PM 2.5 during the study period were below United States regulatory agency chronic and acute health risk screening criteria. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of trace elements and source-specific risk values were well below acceptable and safe levels of risks recommended by regulatory agencies. More work is needed to understand the origin of potential SOA and wintertime wood burning sources in Edmonton and the surrounding region and to apply source-risk apportionment using all available hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) including organic compounds to better interpret the potential health risk posed by various sources in urban areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Characterization of derived natural hydroxyapatite (HAp) obtained from different types of tilapia fish bones and scales

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fara, A. N. K. A.; Abdullah, H. Z.

    2015-07-01

    Hydroxyapatite, (HAp), Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, is recognised as a biomaterial that is widely used for bone implant due to its chemical and structural similarity to the mineral components in human bone and enamel. The elements of HAp are primarily composed of calcium and phosphorus molar ratio of calcium to phosphorous is 1.67 capable to promote bone in-growth into prosthetic implant. Enormous amounts of by-product waste produced from fish factories generated an undesirable environmental impact. Thus, this study was conducted to obtain natural biological HAp from different types of tilapia fish bones and scales from fishery waste. Therefore, fish bones and scales can be as cheap source to produce biological HAp for medical applications. For this purpose, fish bones and scales of tilapia fish were boiled at 100°C to remove adhering meat and other impurities. Later, fish bones and scales were separated into several groups and subjected to different calcination temperatures of 800° C and 900° C for 3h respectively. Afterward, all calcined samples were crushed to form a fine powder. The XRD result revealed the presence of derived Hapfrom the samples powder and were identical with standard Hap. Thermo Gravimetric Analysis was carried out to show the thermal stability of the HAp powder from different types of fish bones and scales. SEM results show porous structure appeared in calcined samples compared to raw samples. The findings are the promising alternative to produce calcium and phosphorus from fishery wastes that beneficial to medical applications.

  14. Petrography and geochemistry of the San Miguel lignite, Jackson Group (Eocene), south Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Warwick, Peter D.; Crowley, Sharon S.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pontolillo, James

    1996-01-01

    The San Miguel lignite deposit (late Eocene, lower Jackson Group) of south Texas consists of four or more thin (generally < 1 m thick) lignite benches that are separated by claystone and mudstone partings. The partings are composed of altered volcanic air-fall ash that has been reworked by tidal or channel processes associated with a back-barrier depositional environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the ash yield and the petrographic and geochemical characteristics of the San Miguel lignite as mined. Particular attention is given to 12 of the environmentally sensitive trace elements (As, Be, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and U) that have been identified as possible hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) by the United States Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. A total of 29 rock and lignite samples were collected and characterized by geochemical and petrographic methods. The major conclusions of the study are as follows: (1) The distribution of Mn is inversely related to the ash yield of the lignite samples. This indicates an organic affinity, or an association with finely disseminated minerals in the lignite that contain this element. (2) On a whole-coal basis, the concentration of the HAPs' element Pb is positively related to ash yield in lignite samples. This indicates an inorganic affinity for Pb. (3) Average whole-coal concentrations of As, Be, Sb, and U in the San Miguel samples are greater than published averages for these elements in other U.S. lignites. (4) The upper and lower lignite benches of the San Miguel deposit are both ash- and algal-rich, indicating that these intervals were probably deposited in wetter conditions than those in which the middle intervals formed. (5) The dominance of the eugelinite maceral subgroup over the huminite subgroup indicates that the San Miguel lignites were subjected to peat-forming conditions (either biogenic or chemical) that enabled degradation of wood cellular material into matrix gels, or that the plants that formed these lignite benches were less woody and more prone to formation of matrix gels. (6) An inertinite-rich layer (top of the B bed) might have formed from widespread oxidation of the San Miguel peat as a result of a volcanic ash fall which was subsequently reworked.

  15. National Trends in Trace Metals Concentrations in Ambient Particulate Matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCarthy, M. C.; Hafner, H. R.; Charrier, J. G.

    2007-12-01

    Ambient measurements of trace metals identified as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs, air toxics) collected in the United States from 1990 to 2006 were analyzed for long-term trends. Trace metals analyzed include lead, manganese, arsenic, chromium, nickel, cadmium, and selenium. Visual and statistical analyses were used to identify and quantify temporal variations in air toxics at national and regional levels. Trend periods were required to be at least five years. Lead particles decreased in concentration at most monitoring sites, but trends in other metals were not consistent over time or spatially. In addition, routine ambient monitoring methods had method detection limits (MDLs) too high to adequately measure concentrations for trends analysis. Differences between measurement methods at urban and rural sites also confound trends analyses. Improvements in MDLs, and a better understanding of comparability between networks, are needed to better quantify trends in trace metal concentrations in the future.

  16. Controlled electrophoretic deposition of HAp/β-TCP composite coatings on piranha treated 316L SS for enhanced mechanical and biological properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prem Ananth, K.; Nathanael, A. Joseph; Jose, Sujin P.; Oh, Tae Hwan; Mangalaraj, D.; Ballamurugan, A. M.

    2015-10-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) bioactive materials have been used as individual coatings on steel implants employed in the fields of orthopedics and dentistry due to their excellent properties, which foster effective healing of the repair site. However, slow dissolution of HAp and fairly little fast dissolution of β-TCP present a major obstacle for such applications and this leads to the focus on the investigation of a mixture of HAp and β-TCP composite that forms biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). The BCP coatings were achieved by thickness controlled electrophoretic deposition on piranha treated 316L SS. This method is well controlled and the anticipated dissolution rate could be attained with faster formation of new bone at the implant site, when compared to the individual HAp or β-TCP coating. The structural, functional, morphological and elemental composition of the coatings were characterized by using various analytical techniques. The BCP coating has been shown to have a role in obstructing the corrosion to a greater extent when in contact with SBF solution. The BCP coating also shows excellent in vitro and mechanical properties and osteoblasts cellular tests revealed that the coating was more effective in improving biocompatibility. This makes it an ideal candidate material for hard tissue replacement.

  17. Cyclic delamination behavior of plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coating on Ti-6Al-4V substrates in simulated body fluid.

    PubMed

    Otsuka, Yuichi; Kawaguchi, Hayato; Mutoh, Yoshiharu

    2016-10-01

    This study aimed to clarify the effect of a simulated body fluid (SBF) on the cyclic delamination behavior of a plasma-sprayed hydroxapatite (HAp) coating. A HAp coating is deposited on the surfaces of surgical metallic materials in order to enhance the bond between human bone and such surfaces. However, the HAp coating is susceptible to delamination by cyclic loading from the patient's gait. Although hip joints are subjected to both positive and negative moments, only the effects of tensile bending stresses on vertical crack propagation behavior have been investigated. Thus, the cyclic delamination behavior of a HAp coating was observed at the stress ratio R=-1 in order to determine the effects of tensile/compressive loading on the delamination behavior. The delamination growth rate increased with SBF immersion, which decreased the delamination life. Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed that the selective phase dissolution in the HAp coating was promoted at interfaces. Finite element analysis revealed that the energy release rate Gmax showed a positive value even in cases with compressive loading, which is a driving force for the delamination of a HAp coating. A prediction model for the delamination growth life was developed that combines a fracture mechanics parameter with the assumed stress-dependent dissolution rate. The predicted delamination life matched the experimental data well in cases of lower stress amplitudes with SBF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Modification of hydroxyapatite with ion-selective complexants: 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid

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

    Daniels, Yasmine; Lyczko, Nathalie; Nzihou, Ange

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) was modified with 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), and its effect on divalent metal ion binding was determined. HAP was synthesized from calcium hydroxide and phosphoric acid. After calcination, it was modified with HEDP, and the influence of time and temperature on the modification was investigated. HEDP incorporation increased as its initial solution concentration increased from 0.01 to 0.50 M. Unmodified and modified HAP were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and specific surface area analysis. Ca/P ratios, acid capacities, and phosphorus elemental analyses gave the effect of modification on compositionmore » and surface characteristics. A high reaction temperature produced new phosphonate bands at 993, 1082, and 1144 cm –1 that indicated the presence of HEDP. HAP modification at a high temperature–long reaction time had the highest HEDP loading and gave the sharpest XRD peaks. The emergence of new HAP–HEDP strands was observed in SEM images for treated samples while EDS showed high phosphorus contents in these strands. Modified HAP had a high acid capacity from the additional P–OH groups in HEDP. The P(O)OH groups maintain their ability to bind metal ions within the HAP matrix: contacting the modified HAP with 10–4 N nitrate solutions of five transition metal ions gives an affinity sequence of Pb(II) > Cd(II) > Zn(II) > Ni(II) > Cu(II). Here, this result is comparable to that of commercially available di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid, a common solvent extractant, and the trend is consistent with the Misono softness parameter of metal ion polarizabilities.« less

  19. Modification of hydroxyapatite with ion-selective complexants: 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid

    DOE PAGES

    Daniels, Yasmine; Lyczko, Nathalie; Nzihou, Ange; ...

    2014-12-29

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) was modified with 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), and its effect on divalent metal ion binding was determined. HAP was synthesized from calcium hydroxide and phosphoric acid. After calcination, it was modified with HEDP, and the influence of time and temperature on the modification was investigated. HEDP incorporation increased as its initial solution concentration increased from 0.01 to 0.50 M. Unmodified and modified HAP were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and specific surface area analysis. Ca/P ratios, acid capacities, and phosphorus elemental analyses gave the effect of modification on compositionmore » and surface characteristics. A high reaction temperature produced new phosphonate bands at 993, 1082, and 1144 cm –1 that indicated the presence of HEDP. HAP modification at a high temperature–long reaction time had the highest HEDP loading and gave the sharpest XRD peaks. The emergence of new HAP–HEDP strands was observed in SEM images for treated samples while EDS showed high phosphorus contents in these strands. Modified HAP had a high acid capacity from the additional P–OH groups in HEDP. The P(O)OH groups maintain their ability to bind metal ions within the HAP matrix: contacting the modified HAP with 10–4 N nitrate solutions of five transition metal ions gives an affinity sequence of Pb(II) > Cd(II) > Zn(II) > Ni(II) > Cu(II). Here, this result is comparable to that of commercially available di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid, a common solvent extractant, and the trend is consistent with the Misono softness parameter of metal ion polarizabilities.« less

  20. Geochemistry and petrology of selected coal samples from Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua, Indonesia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Belkin, H.E.; Tewalt, S.J.; Hower, J.C.; Stucker, J.D.; O'Keefe, J.M.K.

    2009-01-01

    Indonesia has become the world's largest exporter of thermal coal and is a major supplier to the Asian coal market, particularly as the People's Republic of China is now (2007) and perhaps may remain a net importer of coal. Indonesia has had a long history of coal production, mainly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, but only in the last two decades have government and commercial forces resulted in a remarkable coal boom. A recent assessment of Indonesian coal-bed methane (CBM) potential has motivated active CBM exploration. Most of the coal is Paleogene and Neogene, low to moderate rank and has low ash yield and sulfur (generally < 10 and < 1??wt.%, respectively). Active tectonic and igneous activity has resulted in significant rank increase in some coal basins. Eight coal samples are described that represent the major export and/or resource potential of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua. Detailed geochemistry, including proximate and ultimate analysis, sulfur forms, and major, minor, and trace element determinations are presented. Organic petrology and vitrinite reflectance data reflect various precursor flora assemblages and rank variations, including sample composites from active igneous and tectonic areas. A comparison of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) elements abundance with world and US averages show that the Indonesian coals have low combustion pollution potential.

  1. Sorption behavior of Eu(III) from an aqueous solution onto modified hydroxyapatite: kinetics, modeling and thermodynamics.

    PubMed

    Gad, H M H; Youssef, M A

    2017-08-16

    Nano-pore hydroxyapatite (HAP) was prepared using physical activation of raw and chemically modified [using Acid; HNO 3 (HAPA) or Base; NaOH (HAPB)] bone char (BC) by heating at 900°C for 1 hr to obtain HAP9, HAPA9 and HAPB9, respectively. Investigation the effects of thermal and chemical treatment of prepared nano-hydroxyapatite on elemental analysis, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, surface area and consequently, the sorption behavior of Eu (III) ions onto the prepared nano-pore hydroxyapatite. Batch adsorption technique was used and the obtained results revealed that the optimum pH = 5.0. The % removal of europium (III) using HAPA9 and HAPB9 reach to 100% within 15 min, while HAP9 after 180 min and the pseudo-second-order was found to be fit to the experimental data. According to Langmuir model, the maximum sorption capacities (q m ) were 123.8, 384.9 and 74.2 mg g -1 for HAP9, HAPA9 and HAPB9, respectively. The reaction is spontaneous according to ΔG° value. HCl (0.5 M) was the most efficient desorbing agent for recovery of Eu(III) and regeneration of adsorbents. Finally, nano-pore hydroxyapatite (HAP) was low cost and very effective adsorbent for sorption or recovery of Eu(III) from aqueous solutions and remediation of environmental pollution.

  2. First-Row Transition Metal Doping in Calcium Phosphate Bioceramics: A Detailed Crystallographic Study

    PubMed Central

    Renaudin, Guillaume; Gomes, Sandrine; Nedelec, Jean-Marie

    2017-01-01

    Doped calcium phosphate bioceramics are promising materials for bone repair surgery because of their chemical resemblance to the mineral constituent of bone. Among these materials, BCP samples composed of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) and β-TCP (Ca3(PO4)2) present a mineral analogy with the nano-multi-substituted hydroxyapatite bio-mineral part of bones. At the same time, doping can be used to tune the biological properties of these ceramics. This paper presents a general overview of the doping mechanisms of BCP samples using cations from the first-row transition metals (from manganese to zinc), with respect to the applied sintering temperature. The results enable the preparation of doped synthetic BCP that can be used to tailor biological properties, in particular by tuning the release amounts upon interaction with biological fluids. Intermediate sintering temperatures stabilize the doping elements in the more soluble β-TCP phase, which favors quick and easy release upon integration in the biological environment, whereas higher sintering temperatures locate the doping elements in the weakly soluble HAp phase, enabling a slow and continuous supply of the bio-inspired properties. An interstitial doping mechanism in the HAp hexagonal channel is observed for the six investigated cations (Mn2+, Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+) with specific characteristics involving a shift away from the center of the hexagonal channel (Fe3+, Co2+), cationic oxidation (Mn3+, Co3+), and also cationic reduction (Cu+). The complete crystallochemical study highlights a complex HAp doping mechanism, mainly realized by an interstitial process combined with calcium substitution for the larger cations of the series leading to potentially calcium deficient HAp. PMID:28772452

  3. Trace element distribution in waters of the northern catchment area of Lake Linneret, northern Israel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sandler, A.; Brenner, I. B.; Halicz, L.

    1988-02-01

    Waters of the northern watershed of Lake Kineret, sampled during the period 1978 1983, were analyzed for their major and trace element contents. The trace element concentrations of the major water sources of the watershed (the Dan and Banias springs) represent background values. After emergence, the waters are subjected to human activity. In crossing the populated and cultivated Hula Basin in man-made canals, the major and trace element contents increase. In comparison to the trace element concentrations, those of the major elements have narrow ranges and small temporal fluctuations. Trace element concentrations varied by 3 orders of magnitude, and temporal variations were large but not neccessarily seasonal. Point sources of trace elements were urban effluents, fish pond wastes, and peat soil drainage. The trace element concentrations decrease in the waters of the last segment of the Jordan River. All measured trace elements were below the criteria levels established by regulatory agencies. Several, however, were of the same order of magnitude. Addition of wastes from enhanced recycling, and morphologic modification of the final course of the Jordan River could result in increase in the trace element concentrations in the water.

  4. Electric field-assisted formation of organically modified hydroxyapatite (ormoHAP) spheres in carboxymethylated gelatin gels.

    PubMed

    Heinemann, C; Heinemann, S; Kruppke, B; Worch, H; Thomas, J; Wiesmann, H P; Hanke, T

    2016-10-15

    A biomimetic strategy was developed in order to prepare organically modified hydroxyapatite (ormoHAP) with spherical shape. The technical approach is based on electric field-assisted migration of calcium ions and phosphate ions into a hydrogel composed of carboxymethylated gelatin. The electric field as well as the carboxymethylation using glucuronic acid (GlcA) significantly accelerates the mineralization process, which makes the process feasible for lab scale production of ormoHAP spheres and probably beyond. A further process was developed for gentle separation of the ormoHAP spheres from the gelatin gel without compromising the morphology of the mineral. The term ormoHAP was chosen since morphological analyses using electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and element analysis (EDX, FT-IR, XRD) confirmed that carboxymethylated gelatin molecules use to act as organic templates for the formation of nanocrystalline HAP. The hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystals self-organize to form hollow spheres with diameters ranging from 100 to 500nm. The combination of the biocompatible chemical composition and the unique structure of the nanocomposites is considered to be a useful basis for future applications in functionalized degradable biomaterials. A novel bioinspired mineralization process was developed based on electric field-assisted migration of calcium and phosphate ions into biochemically carboxymethylated gelatin acting as organic template. Advantages over conventional hydroxyapatite include particle size distribution and homogeneity as well as achievable mechanical properties of relevant composites. Moreover, specifically developed calcium ion or phosphate ion release during degradation can be useful to adjust the fate of bone cells in order to manipulate remodeling processes. The hollow structure of the spheres can be useful for embedding drugs in the core, encapsulated by the highly mineralized outer shell. In this way, controlled drug release could be achieved, which enables advanced strategies for threating bone-related diseases, e.g. osteoporosis and multiple myeloma. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. The activity of the artemisinic aldehyde Δ11(13) reductase promoter is important for artemisinin yield in different chemotypes of Artemisia annua L.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ke; Monfared, Sajad Rashidi; Monafared, Rashidi Sajad; Wang, Hongzhen; Lundgren, Anneli; Brodelius, Peter E

    2015-07-01

    The artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase (DBR2) plays an important role in the biosynthesis of the antimalarial artemisinin in Artemisia annua. Artemisinic aldehyde is reduced into dihydroartemisinic aldehyde by DBR2. Artemisinic aldehyde can also be oxidized by amorpha-4,11-diene 12-hydroxylase and/or aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 to artemisinic acid, a precursor of arteannuin B. In order to better understand the effects of DBR2 expression on the flow of artemisinic aldehyde into either artemisinin or arteannuin B, we determined the content of dihydroartemisinic aldehyde, artemisinin, artemisinic acid and arteannuin B content of A. annua varieties sorted into two chemotypes. The high artemisinin producers (HAPs), which includes the '2/39', 'Chongqing' and 'Anamed' varieties, produce more artemisinin than arteannuin B; the low artemisinin producers (LAPs), which include the 'Meise', 'Iran#8', 'Iran#14', 'Iran#24' and 'Iran#47' varieties, produce more arteannuin B than artemisinin. Quantitative PCR showed that the relative expression of DBR2 was significantly higher in the HAP varieties. We cloned and sequenced the promoter of the DBR2 gene from varieties of both the LAP and the HAP groups. There were deletions/insertions in the region just upstream of the ATG start codon in the LAP varities, which might be the reason for the different promoter activities of the HAP and LAP varieties. The relevance of promoter variation, DBR2 expression levels and artemisinin biosynthesis capabilities are discussed and a selection method for HAP varieties with a DNA marker is suggested. Furthermore, putative cis-acting regulatory elements differ between the HAP and LAP varieties.

  6. Possibilities of LA-ICP-MS technique for the spatial elemental analysis of the recent fish scales: Line scan vs. depth profiling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holá, Markéta; Kalvoda, Jiří; Nováková, Hana; Škoda, Radek; Kanický, Viktor

    2011-01-01

    LA-ICP-MS and solution based ICP-MS in combination with electron microprobe are presented as a method for the determination of the elemental spatial distribution in fish scales which represent an example of a heterogeneous layered bone structure. Two different LA-ICP-MS techniques were tested on recent common carp ( Cyprinus carpio) scales: A line scan through the whole fish scale perpendicular to the growth rings. The ablation crater of 55 μm width and 50 μm depth allowed analysis of the elemental distribution in the external layer. Suitable ablation conditions providing a deeper ablation crater gave average values from the external HAP layer and the collagen basal plate. Depth profiling using spot analysis was tested in fish scales for the first time. Spot analysis allows information to be obtained about the depth profile of the elements at the selected position on the sample. The combination of all mentioned laser ablation techniques provides complete information about the elemental distribution in the fish scale samples. The results were compared with the solution based ICP-MS and EMP analyses. The fact that the results of depth profiling are in a good agreement both with EMP and PIXE results and, with the assumed ways of incorporation of the studied elements in the HAP structure, suggests a very good potential for this method.

  7. Numerical simulation of trace element transport on subsurface environment pollution in coal mine spoil.

    PubMed

    Qiang, Xue; Bing, Liang; Hui-yun, Wang; Lei, Liu

    2006-01-01

    An understanding of the dynamic behavior of trace elements leaching from coal mine spoil is important in predicting the groundwater quality. The relationship between trace element concentrations and leaching times, pH values of the media is studied. Column leaching tests conducted in the laboratory showed that there was a close correlation between pH value and trace element concentrations. The longer the leaching time, the higher the trace element concentrations. Different trace elements are differently affected by pH values of leaching media. A numerical model for water flow and trace element transport has been developed based on analyzing the characteristics of migration and transformation of trace elements leached from coal mine spoil. Solutions to the coupled model are accomplished by Eulerian-Lagrangian localized adjoint method. Numerical simulation shows that rainfall intensity determined maximum leaching depth. As rainfall intensity is 3.6ml/s, the outflow concentrations indicate a breakthrough of trace elements beyond the column base, with peak concentration at 90cm depth. And the subsurface pollution range has a trend of increase with time. The model simulations are compared to experimental results of trace element concentrations, with reasonable agreement between them. The analysis and modeling of trace elements suggested that the infiltration of rainwater through the mine spoil might lead to potential groundwater pollution. It provides theoretical evidence for quantitative assessment soil-water quality of trace element transport on environment pollution.

  8. Trace elements in fish from Taihu Lake, China: levels, associated risks, and trophic transfer.

    PubMed

    Hao, Ying; Chen, Liang; Zhang, Xiaolan; Zhang, Dongping; Zhang, Xinyu; Yu, Yingxin; Fu, Jiamo

    2013-04-01

    Concentrations of eight trace elements [iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As)] were measured in a total of 198 samples covering 24 fish species collected from Taihu Lake, China, in September 2009. The trace elements were detected in all samples, and the total mean concentrations ranged from 18.2 to 215.8 μg/g dw (dry weight). The concentrations of the trace elements followed the sequence of Zn>Fe>Mn>Cr>As>Hg>Pb>Cd. The measured trace element concentrations in fish from Taihu Lake were similar to or lower than the reported values in fish around the world. The metal pollution index was used to compare the total trace element accumulation levels among various species. Toxabramis swinhonis (1.606) accumulated the highest level of the total trace elements, and Saurogobio dabryi (0.315) contained the lowest. The concentrations of human non-essential trace elements (Hg, Cd, Pb, and As) were lower than the allowable maximum levels in fish in China and the European Union. The relationships between the trace element concentrations and the δ(15)N values of fish species were used to investigate the trophic transfer potential of the trace elements. Of the trace elements, Hg might be biomagnified through the food chain in Taihu Lake if the significant level of p-value was set at 0.1. No biomagnification and biodilution were observed for other trace elements. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Recycling of trace elements required for humans in CELSS.

    PubMed

    Ashida, A

    1994-11-01

    Recycle of complete nourishment necessary for human should be constructed in CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems). Essential elements necessary for human support are categorized as major elements, semi-major elements and trace elements. Recently, trace elements have been identified from considerations of local diseases, food additive problems, pollution problems and adult diseases, consisting of Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, Co, F, Si, Mn, Cr, I, As, Mo, Ni, V, Sn, Li, Br, Cd, Pb, B. A review of the biogeochemical history of the earth's biosphere and the physiological nature of humans and plants explains some of the requirements. A possible route for intake of trace elements is considered that trace elements are dissolved in some chemical form in water, absorbed by plants through their roots and then transfered to human as foods. There may be a possibility that living things absorb some trace elements from atmosphere. Management and recycling of trace elements in CELSS is discussed.

  10. Recycling of trace elements required for humans in CELSS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ashida, A.

    1994-11-01

    Recycle of complete nourishment necessary for human should be constructed in CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems). Essential elements necessary for human support are categorized as major elements, semi-major elements and trace elements. Recently, trace elements have been identified from considerations of local diseases, food additive problems, pollution problems and adult diseases, consisting of Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, Co, F, Si, Mn, Cr, I, As, Mo, Ni, V, Sn, Li, Br, Cd, Pb, B. A review of the biogeochemical history of the earth's biosphere and the physiological nature of humans and plants explains some of the requirements. A possible route for intake of trace elements is considered that trace elements are dissolved in some chemical form in water, absorbed by plants through their roots and then transfered to human as foods. There may be a posibility that living things absorb some trace elements from atmosphere. Management and recycling of trace elements in CELSS is discussed.

  11. Trace Elements in River Waters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaillardet, J.; Viers, J.; Dupré, B.

    2003-12-01

    Trace elements are characterized by concentrations lower than 1 mg L-1 in natural waters. This means that trace elements are not considered when "total dissolved solids" are calculated in rivers, lakes, or groundwaters, because their combined mass is not significant compared to the sum of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, H4SiO4, HCO3-, CO32-, SO42-, Cl-, and NO3-. Therefore, most of the elements, except about ten of them, occur at trace levels in natural waters. Being trace elements in natural waters does not necessarily qualify them as trace elements in rocks. For example, aluminum, iron, and titanium are major elements in rocks, but they occur as trace elements in waters, due to their low mobility at the Earth's surface. Conversely, trace elements in rocks such as chlorine and carbon are major elements in waters.The geochemistry of trace elements in river waters, like that of groundwater and seawater, is receiving increasing attention. This growing interest is clearly triggered by the technical advances made in the determination of concentrations at lower levels in water. In particular, the development of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has considerably improved our knowledge of trace-element levels in waters since the early 1990s. ICP-MS provides the capability of determining trace elements having isotopes of interest for geochemical dating or tracing, even where their dissolved concentrations are extremely low.The determination of trace elements in natural waters is motivated by a number of issues. Although rare, trace elements in natural systems can play a major role in hydrosystems. This is particularly evident for toxic elements such as aluminum, whose concentrations are related to the abundance of fish in rivers. Many trace elements have been exploited from natural accumulation sites and used over thousands of years by human activities. Trace elements are therefore highly sensitive indexes of human impact from local to global scale. Pollution impact studies require knowledge of the natural background concentrations and knowledge of pollutant behavior. For example, it is generally accepted that rare earth elements (REEs) in waters behave as good analogues for the actinides, whose natural levels are quite low and rarely measured. Water quality investigations have clearly been a stimulus for measurement of toxic heavy metals in order to understand their behavior in natural systems.From a more fundamental point of view, it is crucial to understand the behavior of trace elements in geological processes, in particular during chemical weathering and transport by waters. Trace elements are much more fractionated by weathering and transport processes than major elements, and these fractionations give clues for understanding the nature and intensity of the weathering+transport processes. This has not only applications for weathering studies or for the past mobilization and transport of elements to the ocean (potentially recorded in the sediments), but also for the possibility of better utilization of trace elements in the aqueous environment as an exploration tool.In this chapter, we have tried to review the recent literature on trace elements in rivers, in particular by incorporating the results derived from recent ICP-MS measurements. We have favored a "field approach" by focusing on studies of natural hydrosystems. The basic questions which we want to address are the following: What are the trace element levels in river waters? What controls their abundance in rivers and fractionation in the weathering+transport system? Are trace elements, like major elements in rivers, essentially controlled by source-rock abundances? What do we know about the chemical speciation of trace elements in water? To what extent do colloids and interaction with solids regulate processes of trace elements in river waters? Can we relate the geochemistry of trace elements in aquatic systems to the periodic table? And finally, are we able to satisfactorily model and predict the behavior of most of the trace elements in hydrosystems?An impressive literature has dealt with experimental works on aqueous complexation, uptake of trace elements by surface complexation (inorganic and organic), uptake by living organisms (bioaccumulation) that we have not reported here, except when the results of such studies directly explain natural data. As continental waters encompass a greater range of physical and chemical conditions, we focus on river waters and do not discuss trace elements in groundwaters, lakes, and the ocean. In lakes and in the ocean, the great importance of life processes in regulating trace elements is probably the major difference from rivers.Section 5.09.2 of this chapter reports data. We will review the present-day literature on trace elements in rivers to show that our knowledge is still poor. By comparing with the continental abundances, a global mobility index is calculated for each trace element. The spatial and temporal variability of trace-element concentrations in rivers will be shown to be important. In Section 5.09.3, sources of trace elements in river waters are indicated. We will point out the great diversity of sources and the importance of global anthropogenic contamination for a number of elements. The question of inorganic and organic speciation of trace elements in river water will then be addressed in Section 5.09.4, considering some general relationships between speciation and placement in the periodic table. In Section 5.09.5, we will show that studies on organic-rich rivers have led to an exploration of the "colloidal world" in rivers. Colloids are small particles, passing through the conventional filters used to separate dissolved and suspended loads in rivers. They appear as major carriers of trace elements in rivers and considerably complicate aqueous-speciation calculation. Finally, in Section 5.09.6, the significance of interactions between solutes and solid surfaces in river waters will be reviewed. Regulation by surfaces is of major importance for a great range of elements. Although for both colloids and surface interactions, some progress has been made, we are still far from a unified model that can accurately predict trace-element concentrations in natural water systems. This is mainly due to our poor physical description of natural colloids, surface site complexation, and their interaction with solutes.

  12. The role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the cycling of trace elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanz-Lázaro, C.; Malea, P.; Apostolaki, E. T.; Kalantzi, I.; Marín, A.; Karakassis, I.

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this work was to study the role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica on the cycling of a wide set of trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn). We measured the concentration of these trace elements in the different compartments of P. oceanica (leaves, rhizomes, roots and epibiota) in a non-polluted seagrass meadow representative of the Mediterranean and calculated the annual budget from a mass balance. We provide novel data on accumulation dynamics of many trace elements in P. oceanica compartments and demonstrate that trace element accumulation patterns are mainly determined by plant compartment rather than by temporal variability. Epibiota was the compartment which showed the greatest concentrations for most trace elements. Thus, they constitute a key compartment when estimating trace element transfer to higher trophic levels by P. oceanica. For most trace elements, translocation seemed to be low and acropetal. Zn, Cd, Sr and Rb were the trace elements that showed the highest release rate through decomposition of plant detritus, while Cs, Tl and Bi the lowest. P. oceanica acts as a sink of potentially toxic trace elements (Ni, Cr, As and Ag), which can be sequestered, decreasing their bioavailability. P. oceanica may have a relevant role in the cycling of trace elements in the Mediterranean.

  13. The role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the cycling of trace elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanz-Lázaro, C.; Malea, P.; Apostolaki, E. T.; Kalantzi, I.; Marín, A.; Karakassis, I.

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica on the cycling of a wide set of trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn). We measured the concentration of these trace elements in different compartments of P. oceanica (leaves, rhizomes, roots and epiphytes) in a non-polluted seagrass meadow representative of the Mediterranean and calculated the annual budget from a mass balance. We provide novel data on accumulation dynamics of many trace elements in P. oceanica compartments and demonstrate that trace element accumulation patterns are mainly determined by plant compartment rather than by temporal variability. Epiphytes were the compartment, which showed the greatest concentrations for most trace elements. Thus, they constitute a key compartment when estimating trace element transfer to higher trophic levels by P. oceanica. Trace element translocation in P. oceanica seemed to be low and acropetal in most cases. Zn, Cd, Sr and Rb were the trace elements that showed the highest release rate through decomposition of plant detritus, while Cs, Tl and Bi showed the lowest. P. oceanica acts as a sink of potentially toxic trace elements (Ni, Cr, As and Ag), which can be sequestered, decreasing their bioavailability. P. oceanica may have a relevant role in the cycling of trace elements in the Mediterranean.

  14. Trace Elements and Healthcare: A Bioinformatics Perspective.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yan

    2017-01-01

    Biological trace elements are essential for human health. Imbalance in trace element metabolism and homeostasis may play an important role in a variety of diseases and disorders. While the majority of previous researches focused on experimental verification of genes involved in trace element metabolism and those encoding trace element-dependent proteins, bioinformatics study on trace elements is relatively rare and still at the starting stage. This chapter offers an overview of recent progress in bioinformatics analyses of trace element utilization, metabolism, and function, especially comparative genomics of several important metals. The relationship between individual elements and several diseases based on recent large-scale systematic studies such as genome-wide association studies and case-control studies is discussed. Lastly, developments of ionomics and its recent application in human health are also introduced.

  15. Atmospheric transport of trace elements and nutrients to the oceans

    PubMed Central

    Chance, R.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reviews atmospheric inputs of trace elements and nutrients to the oceans in the context of the GEOTRACES programme and provides new data from two Atlantic GEOTRACES cruises. We consider the deposition of nitrogen to the oceans, which is now dominated by anthropogenic emissions, the deposition of mineral dust and related trace elements, and the deposition of other trace elements which have a mixture of anthropogenic and dust sources. We then consider the solubility (as a surrogate for bioavailability) of the various elements. We consider briefly the sources, atmospheric transport and transformations of these elements and how this results in strong spatial deposition gradients. Solubility of the trace elements also varies systematically between elements, reflecting their sources and cycling, and for some trace elements there are also systematic gradients in solubility related to dust loading. Together, these effects create strong spatial gradients in the inputs of bioavailable trace elements to the oceans, and we are only just beginning to understand how these affect ocean biogeochemistry. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Biological and climatic impacts of ocean trace element chemistry’. PMID:29035252

  16. The role of plant-associated bacteria in the mobilization and phytoextraction of trace elements in contaminated soils

    PubMed Central

    Sessitsch, Angela; Kuffner, Melanie; Kidd, Petra; Vangronsveld, Jaco; Wenzel, Walter W.; Fallmann, Katharina; Puschenreiter, Markus

    2013-01-01

    Phytoextraction makes use of trace element-accumulating plants that concentrate the pollutants in their tissues. Pollutants can be then removed by harvesting plants. The success of phytoextraction depends on trace element availability to the roots and the ability of the plant to intercept, take up, and accumulate trace elements in shoots. Current phytoextraction practises either employ hyperaccumulators or fast-growing high biomass plants; the phytoextraction process may be enhanced by soil amendments that increase trace element availability in the soil. This review will focus on the role of plant-associated bacteria to enhance trace element availability in the rhizosphere. We report on the kind of bacteria typically found in association with trace element – tolerating or – accumulating plants and discuss how they can contribute to improve trace element uptake by plants and thus the efficiency and rate of phytoextraction. This enhanced trace element uptake can be attributed to a microbial modification of the absorptive properties of the roots such as increasing the root length and surface area and numbers of root hairs, or by increasing the plant availability of trace elements in the rhizosphere and the subsequent translocation to shoots via beneficial effects on plant growth, trace element complexation and alleviation of phytotoxicity. An analysis of data from literature shows that effects of bacterial inoculation on phytoextraction efficiency are currently inconsistent. Some key processes in plant–bacteria interactions and colonization by inoculated strains still need to be unravelled more in detail to allow full-scale application of bacteria assisted phytoremediation of trace element contaminated soils. PMID:23645938

  17. The role of plant-associated bacteria in the mobilization and phytoextraction of trace elements in contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Sessitsch, Angela; Kuffner, Melanie; Kidd, Petra; Vangronsveld, Jaco; Wenzel, Walter W; Fallmann, Katharina; Puschenreiter, Markus

    2013-05-01

    Phytoextraction makes use of trace element-accumulating plants that concentrate the pollutants in their tissues. Pollutants can be then removed by harvesting plants. The success of phytoextraction depends on trace element availability to the roots and the ability of the plant to intercept, take up, and accumulate trace elements in shoots. Current phytoextraction practises either employ hyperaccumulators or fast-growing high biomass plants; the phytoextraction process may be enhanced by soil amendments that increase trace element availability in the soil. This review will focus on the role of plant-associated bacteria to enhance trace element availability in the rhizosphere. We report on the kind of bacteria typically found in association with trace element - tolerating or - accumulating plants and discuss how they can contribute to improve trace element uptake by plants and thus the efficiency and rate of phytoextraction. This enhanced trace element uptake can be attributed to a microbial modification of the absorptive properties of the roots such as increasing the root length and surface area and numbers of root hairs, or by increasing the plant availability of trace elements in the rhizosphere and the subsequent translocation to shoots via beneficial effects on plant growth, trace element complexation and alleviation of phytotoxicity. An analysis of data from literature shows that effects of bacterial inoculation on phytoextraction efficiency are currently inconsistent. Some key processes in plant-bacteria interactions and colonization by inoculated strains still need to be unravelled more in detail to allow full-scale application of bacteria assisted phytoremediation of trace element contaminated soils.

  18. Structure and regulation of KGD1, the structural gene for yeast alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Repetto, B; Tzagoloff, A

    1989-06-01

    Nuclear respiratory-defective mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been screened for lesions in the mitochondrial alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. Strains assigned to complementation group G70 were ascertained to be deficient in enzyme activity due to mutations in the KGD1 gene coding for the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase component of the complex. The KGD1 gene has been cloned by transformation of a representative kgd1 mutant, C225/U1, with a recombinant plasmid library of wild-type yeast nuclear DNA. Transformants containing the gene on a multicopy plasmid had three- to four-times-higher alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity than did wild-type S. cerevisiae. Substitution of the chromosomal copy of KGD1 with a disrupted allele (kgd1::URA3) induced a deficiency in alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. The sequence of the cloned region of DNA which complements kgd1 mutants was found to have an open reading frame of 3,042 nucleotides capable of coding for a protein of Mw 114,470. The encoded protein had 38% identical residues with the reported sequence of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli. Two lines of evidence indicated that transcription of KGD1 is catabolite repressed. Higher steady-state levels of KGD1 mRNA were detected in wild-type yeast grown on the nonrepressible sugar galactose than in yeast grown on high glucose. Regulation of KGD1 was also studied by fusing different 5'-flanking regions of KGD1 to the lacZ gene of E. coli and measuring the expression of beta-galactosidase in yeast. Transformants harboring a fusion of 693 nucleotides of the 5'-flanking sequence expressed 10 times more beta-galactosidase activity when grown under derepressed conditions. The response to the carbon source was reduced dramatically when the same lacZ fusion was present in a hap2 or hap3 mutant. The promoter element(s) responsible for the regulated expression of KGD1 has been mapped to the -354 to -143 region. This region contained several putative activation sites with sequences matching the core element proposed to be essential for binding of the HAP2 and HAP3 regulatory proteins.

  19. Trace Elements and Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotopes in Organisms from a Tropical Coastal Lagoon

    PubMed Central

    van Hattum, B.; de Boer, J.; van Bodegom, P. M.; Rezende, C. E.; Salomons, W.

    2010-01-01

    Trace elements (Fe, Mn, Al, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Hg, and As) and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) were analyzed in sediments, invertebrates, and fishes from a tropical coastal lagoon influenced by iron ore mining and processing activities to assess the differences in trace element accumulation patterns among species and to investigate relations with trophic levels of the organisms involved. Overall significant negative relations between trophic level (given by 15N) and trace element concentrations in gastropods and crustaceans showed differences in internal controls of trace element accumulation among the species of different trophic positions, leading to trace element dilution. Generally, no significant relation between δ15N and trace element concentrations was observed among fish species, probably due to omnivory in a number of species as well as fast growth. Trace element accumulation was observed in the fish tissues, with higher levels of most trace elements found in liver compared with muscle and gill. Levels of Fe, Mn, Al, and Hg in invertebrates, and Fe and Cu in fish livers, were comparable with levels in organisms and tissues from other contaminated areas. Trace element levels in fish muscle were below the international safety baseline standards for human consumption. PMID:20217062

  20. Trace elements and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in organisms from a tropical coastal lagoon.

    PubMed

    Pereira, A A; van Hattum, B; de Boer, J; van Bodegom, P M; Rezende, C E; Salomons, W

    2010-10-01

    Trace elements (Fe, Mn, Al, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Hg, and As) and stable isotope ratios (delta(13)C and delta(15)N) were analyzed in sediments, invertebrates, and fishes from a tropical coastal lagoon influenced by iron ore mining and processing activities to assess the differences in trace element accumulation patterns among species and to investigate relations with trophic levels of the organisms involved. Overall significant negative relations between trophic level (given by (15)N) and trace element concentrations in gastropods and crustaceans showed differences in internal controls of trace element accumulation among the species of different trophic positions, leading to trace element dilution. Generally, no significant relation between delta(15)N and trace element concentrations was observed among fish species, probably due to omnivory in a number of species as well as fast growth. Trace element accumulation was observed in the fish tissues, with higher levels of most trace elements found in liver compared with muscle and gill. Levels of Fe, Mn, Al, and Hg in invertebrates, and Fe and Cu in fish livers, were comparable with levels in organisms and tissues from other contaminated areas. Trace element levels in fish muscle were below the international safety baseline standards for human consumption.

  1. Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin in Washington; spatial and temporal distribution of trace elements in water, sediment, and aquatic biota, 1987-91; with a section on geology

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Cain, Daniel J.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Crawford, J. Kent; Skach, Kenneth A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Gannett, Marshall W.

    1999-01-01

    The report describes the distribution of trace elements in sediment, water, and aquatic biota in the Yakima River basin, Washington. Trace elements were determined from streambed sediment, suspended sediment, filtered and unfiltered water samples, aquatic insects, clams, fish livers, and fish fillets between 1987 and 1991. The distribution of trace elements in these media was related to local geology and anthropogenic sources. Additionally, annual and instantaneous loads were estimated for trace elements associated with suspended sediment and trace elements in filtered water samples. Trace elements also were screened against U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines established for the protection of human health and aquatic life.

  2. A new perspective of using sequential extraction: To predict the deficiency of trace elements during anaerobic digestion.

    PubMed

    Cai, Yafan; Wang, Jungang; Zhao, Yubin; Zhao, Xiaoling; Zheng, Zehui; Wen, Boting; Cui, Zongjun; Wang, Xiaofen

    2018-09-01

    Trace elements were commonly used as additives to facilitate anaerobic digestion. However, their addition is often blind because of the complexity of reaction conditions, which has impeded their widespread application. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate deficiencies in trace elements during anaerobic digestion by establishing relationships between changes in trace element bioavailability (the degree to which elements are available for interaction with biological systems) and digestion performance. To accomplish this, two batch experiments were conducted. In the first, sequential extraction was used to detect changes in trace element fractions and then to evaluate trace element bioavailability in the whole digestion cycle. In the second batch experiment, trace elements (Co, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo and Se) were added to the reaction system at three concentrations (low, medium and high) and their effects were monitored. The results showed that sequential extraction was a suitable method for assessment of the bioavailability of trace elements (appropriate coefficient of variation and recovery rate). The results revealed that Se had the highest (44.2%-70.9%) bioavailability, while Fe had the lowest (1.7%-3.0%). A lack of trace elements was not directly related to their absolute bioavailability, but was instead associated with changes in their bioavailability throughout the digestion cycle. Trace elements were insufficient when their bioavailability was steady or increased over the digestion cycle. These results indicate that changes in trace element bioavailability during the digestion cycle can be used to predict their deficiency. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Design of Natural Hydroxyapatite as bio-composite ceramics (HAP): Experimental and Numerical Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belghazi, Z.; Katundi, D.; Ayari, F.; Bayraktar, E.

    2011-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP—Ca10(PO4)6 (OH)2), which exhibits excellent biocompatibility in the body, is one of the most widely used bioactive ceramics for biomedical applications. Along with the ability to carry the load, one of the most important properties of materials used for bone replacement is biocompatibility. In fact, HAP is a bioactive material and it can incorporate into bone structures, supporting bone in-growth without breaking down or dissolving, and it interacts with the living tissue due to the presence of free calcium and phosphate compounds. Generally, Al2O3 powder is added to HAP powder in order to obtain high fracture toughness. Al2O3 has good mechanical properties as compared with HAP, and exhibits extremely high stability with human tissues [1-6]. In this paper, the effect of microwave sintering temperature on the relative density, hardness, and phase purity of compacted bovine Hydroxyapatite (BHA) powder was reported. This research is a comprehensive attempt to develop Hydroxyapatite bio composite ceramics reinforced with alumina—Al2O3, pure titanium and pure pulverised boron powder. A Finite Element (FEM) analysis is also used for modelling to simulate the macroscopic behaviour of this material, taking into account the relevant microscopic scales.

  4. Trace element profiles of the sea anemone Anemonia viridis living nearby a natural CO2 vent

    PubMed Central

    Borell, Esther M.; Fine, Maoz; Shaked, Yeala

    2014-01-01

    Ocean acidification (OA) is not an isolated threat, but acts in concert with other impacts on ecosystems and species. Coastal marine invertebrates will have to face the synergistic interactions of OA with other global and local stressors. One local factor, common in coastal environments, is trace element contamination. CO2 vent sites are extensively studied in the context of OA and are often considered analogous to the oceans in the next few decades. The CO2 vent found at Levante Bay (Vulcano, NE Sicily, Italy) also releases high concentrations of trace elements to its surrounding seawater, and is therefore a unique site to examine the effects of long-term exposure of nearby organisms to high pCO2 and trace element enrichment in situ. The sea anemone Anemonia viridis is prevalent next to the Vulcano vent and does not show signs of trace element poisoning/stress. The aim of our study was to compare A. viridis trace element profiles and compartmentalization between high pCO2 and control environments. Rather than examining whole anemone tissue, we analyzed two different body compartments—the pedal disc and the tentacles, and also examined the distribution of trace elements in the tentacles between the animal and the symbiotic algae. We found dramatic changes in trace element tissue concentrations between the high pCO2/high trace element and control sites, with strong accumulation of iron, lead, copper and cobalt, but decreased concentrations of cadmium, zinc and arsenic proximate to the vent. The pedal disc contained substantially more trace elements than the anemone’s tentacles, suggesting the pedal disc may serve as a detoxification/storage site for excess trace elements. Within the tentacles, the various trace elements displayed different partitioning patterns between animal tissue and algal symbionts. At both sites iron was found primarily in the algae, whereas cadmium, zinc and arsenic were primarily found in the animal tissue. Our data suggests that A. viridis regulates its internal trace element concentrations by compartmentalization and excretion and that these features contribute to its resilience and potential success at the trace element-rich high pCO2 vent. PMID:25250210

  5. The Haemophilus influenzae Hap autotransporter mediates microcolony formation and adherence to epithelial cells and extracellular matrix via binding regions in the C-terminal end of the passenger domain.

    PubMed

    Fink, Doran L; Buscher, Amy Z; Green, Bruce; Fernsten, Phillip; St Geme, Joseph W

    2003-03-01

    The pathogenesis of non-typable Haemophilus influenzae disease begins with colonization of the nasopharynx and is facilitated by bacterial adherence to respiratory mucosa. The H. influenzae Hap autotransporter is a non-pilus adhesin that promotes adherence to epithelial cells and selected extracellular matrix proteins and mediates bacterial aggregation and microcolony formation. In addition, Hap has serine protease activity. Hap contains a 110 kDa internal passenger domain called HapS and a 45 kDa C-terminal translocator domain called Hapbeta. In the present study, we sought to define the structural basis for Hap adhesive activities. Based on experiments using a panel of monoclonal antibodies against HapS, a deletion derivative lacking most of HapS and a purified fragment of HapS, we established that adherence to epithelial cells is mediated by sequences within the C-terminal 311 residues of HapS. In additional experiments, we discovered that bacterial aggregation is also mediated by sequences within the C-terminal 311 residues of HapS and occurs via HapS-HapS interaction between molecules on neighbouring organisms. Finally, we found that adherence to fibronectin, laminin and collagen IV is mediated in part by sequences within the C-terminal 311 residues of HapS and in full by sequences within the C-terminal 511 residues of HapS. Taken together, these results demonstrate that all Hap adhesive activities reside in the C-terminal portion of HapS. Coupled with earlier observations, the current results establish that HapS adhesive activities and HapS protease activity are contained in separate modules of the protein.

  6. Trace elements as quantitative probes of differentiation processes in planetary interiors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Drake, M. J.

    1980-01-01

    The characteristic trace element signature that each mineral in the source region imparts on the magma constitutes the conceptual basis for trace element modeling. It is shown that abundances of trace elements in extrusive igneous rocks may be used as petrological and geochemical probes of the source regions of the rocks if differentiation processes, partition coefficients, phase equilibria, and initial concentrations in the source region are known. Although compatible and incompatible trace elements are useful in modeling, the present review focuses primarily on examples involving the rare-earth elements.

  7. Parenteral trace element provision: recent clinical research and practical conclusions

    PubMed Central

    Stehle, P; Stoffel-Wagner, B; Kuhn, K S

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this systematic review (PubMed, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed and Cochrane, www.cochrane.org; last entry 31 December 2014) was to present data from recent clinical studies investigating parenteral trace element provision in adult patients and to draw conclusions for clinical practice. Important physiological functions in human metabolism are known for nine trace elements: selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, chromium, iron, molybdenum, iodine and fluoride. Lack of, or an insufficient supply of, these trace elements in nutrition therapy over a prolonged period is associated with trace element deprivation, which may lead to a deterioration of existing clinical symptoms and/or the development of characteristic malnutrition syndromes. Therefore, all parenteral nutrition prescriptions should include a daily dose of trace elements. To avoid trace element deprivation or imbalances, physiological doses are recommended. PMID:27049031

  8. Trace Elements Characteristic Based on ICP-AES and the Correlation of Flavonoids from Sparganii rhizoma.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xinsheng; Wu, Yanfang; Wu, Chengying; Wu, Qinan; Niu, Qingshan

    2018-04-01

    The aim of the present work was to investigate the trace elements and the correlation with flavonoids from Sparganii rhizoma. The ICP-AES and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy were employed to analyze trace elements and flavonoids. The concentrations of trace elements and flavonoids were calculated using standard curve. The content of flavonoids was expressed as rutin equivalents. The cluster analysis was applied to evaluate geographical features of S. rhizoma from different geographical regions. The correlation analysis was used to obtain the relationship between the trace elements and flavonoids. The results indicated that the 15 trace elements were measured and the K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Al, Cu, and Zn are rich in Sparganii rhizome. The different producing regions samples were classified into four groups. There was a weak relationship between trace elements and flavonoids.

  9. Trace Elements in Ovaries: Measurement and Physiology.

    PubMed

    Ceko, Melanie J; O'Leary, Sean; Harris, Hugh H; Hummitzsch, Katja; Rodgers, Raymond J

    2016-04-01

    Traditionally, research in the field of trace element biology and human and animal health has largely depended on epidemiological methods to demonstrate involvement in biological processes. These studies were typically followed by trace element supplementation trials or attempts at identification of the biochemical pathways involved. With the discovery of biological molecules that contain the trace elements, such as matrix metalloproteinases containing zinc (Zn), cytochrome P450 enzymes containing iron (Fe), and selenoproteins containing selenium (Se), much of the current research focuses on these molecules, and, hence, only indirectly on trace elements themselves. This review focuses largely on two synchrotron-based x-ray techniques: X-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray fluorescence imaging that can be used to identify the in situ speciation and distribution of trace elements in tissues, using our recent studies of bovine ovaries, where the distribution of Fe, Se, Zn, and bromine were determined. It also discusses the value of other techniques, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, used to garner information about the concentrations and elemental state of the trace elements. These applications to measure trace elemental distributions in bovine ovaries at high resolutions provide new insights into possible roles for trace elements in the ovary. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

  10. A study of the impact of moist-heat and dry-heat treatment processes on hazardous trace elements migration in food waste.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ting; Jin, Yiying; Qiu, Xiaopeng; Chen, Xin

    2015-03-01

    Using laboratory experiments, the authors investigated the impact of dry-heat and moist-heat treatment processes on hazardous trace elements (As, Hg, Cd, Cr, and Pb) in food waste and explored their distribution patterns for three waste components: oil, aqueous, and solid components. The results indicated that an insignificant reduction of hazardous trace elements in heat-treated waste-0.61-14.29% after moist-heat treatment and 4.53-12.25% after dry-heat treatment-and a significant reduction in hazardous trace elements (except for Hg without external addition) after centrifugal dehydration (P < 0.5). Moreover, after heat treatment, over 90% of the hazardous trace elements in the waste were detected in the aqueous and solid components, whereas only a trace amount of hazardous trace elements was detected in the oil component (<0.01%). In addition, results indicated that heat treatment process did not significantly reduce the concentration of hazardous trace elements in food waste, but the separation process for solid and aqueous components, such as centrifugal dehydration, could reduce the risk considerably. Finally, combined with the separation technology for solid and liquid components, dry-heat treatment is superior to moist-heat treatment on the removal of external water-soluble ionic hazardous trace elements. An insignificant reduction of hazardous trace elements in heat-treated waste showed that heat treatment does not reduce trace elements contamination in food waste considerably, whereas the separation process for solid and aqueous components, such as centrifugal dehydration, could reduce the risk significantly. Moreover, combined with the separation technology for solid and liquid components, dry-heat treatment is superior to moist-heat treatment for the removal of external water-soluble ionic hazardous trace elements, by exploring distribution patterns of trace elements in three waste components: oil, aqueous, and solid components.

  11. Corticosterone levels in relation to trace element contamination along an urbanization gradient in the common blackbird (Turdus merula).

    PubMed

    Meillère, Alizée; Brischoux, François; Bustamante, Paco; Michaud, Bruno; Parenteau, Charline; Marciau, Coline; Angelier, Frédéric

    2016-10-01

    In a rapidly urbanizing world, trace element pollution may represent a threat to human health and wildlife, and it is therefore crucial to assess both exposition levels and associated effects of trace element contamination on urban vertebrates. In this study, we investigated the impact of urbanization on trace element contamination and stress physiology in a wild bird species, the common blackbird (Turdus merula), along an urbanization gradient (from rural to moderately urbanized areas). Specifically, we described the contamination levels of blackbirds by 4 non-essential (Ag, Cd, Hg, Pb) and 9 essential trace elements (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, Zn), and explored the putative disrupting effects of the non-essential element contamination on corticosterone levels (a hormonal proxy for environmental challenges). We found that non-essential trace element burden (Cd and Pb specifically) increased with increasing urbanization, indicating a significant trace element contamination even in medium sized cities and suburban areas. Interestingly, the increased feather non-essential trace element concentrations were also associated with elevated feather corticosterone levels, suggesting that urbanization probably constrains birds and that this effect may be mediated by trace element contamination. Future experimental studies are now required to disentangle the influence of multiple urban-related constraints on corticosterone levels and to specifically test the influence of each of these trace elements on corticosterone secretion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. A Method for Assessing the Retention of Trace Elements in Human Body Using Neural Network Technology

    PubMed Central

    Ragimov, Aligejdar; Faizullin, Rashat; Valiev, Vsevolod

    2017-01-01

    Models that describe the trace element status formation in the human organism are essential for a correction of micromineral (trace elements) deficiency. A direct trace element retention assessment in the body is difficult due to the many internal mechanisms. The trace element retention is determined by the amount and the ratio of incoming and excreted substance. So, the concentration of trace elements in drinking water characterizes the intake, whereas the element concentration in urine characterizes the excretion. This system can be interpreted as three interrelated elements that are in equilibrium. Since many relationships in the system are not known, the use of standard mathematical models is difficult. The artificial neural network use is suitable for constructing a model in the best way because it can take into account all dependencies in the system implicitly and process inaccurate and incomplete data. We created several neural network models to describe the retentions of trace elements in the human body. On the model basis, we can calculate the microelement levels in the body, knowing the trace element levels in drinking water and urine. These results can be used in health care to provide the population with safe drinking water. PMID:29065586

  13. Assessment of trace element impacts on agricultural use of water from the Dan River following the Eden coal ash release.

    PubMed

    Hesterberg, Dean; Polizzotto, Matthew L; Crozier, Carl; Austin, Robert E

    2016-04-01

    Catastrophic events require rapid, scientifically sound decision making to mitigate impacts on human welfare and the environment. The objective of this study was to analyze potential impacts of coal ash-derived trace elements on agriculture following a 35,000-tonne release of coal ash into the Dan River at the Duke Energy Steam Station in Eden, North Carolina. We performed scenario calculations to assess the potential for excessive trace element loading to soils via irrigation and flooding with Dan River water, uptake of trace elements by crops, and livestock consumption of trace elements via drinking water. Concentrations of 13 trace elements measured in Dan River water samples within 4 km of the release site declined sharply after the release and were equivalent within 5 d to measurements taken upriver. Mass-balance calculations based on estimates of soil trace-element concentrations and the nominal river water concentrations indicated that irrigation or flooding with 25 cm of Dan River water would increase soil concentrations of all trace elements by less than 0.5%. Calculations of potential increases of trace elements in corn grain and silage, fescue, and tobacco leaves suggested that As, Cr, Se, Sr, and V were elements of most concern. Concentrations of trace elements measured in river water following the ash release never exceeded adopted standards for livestock drinking water. Based on our analyses, we present guidelines for safe usage of Dan River water to diminish negative impacts of trace elements on soils and crop production. In general, the approach we describe here may serve as a basis for rapid assessment of environmental and agricultural risks associated with any similar types of releases that arise in the future. © 2015 SETAC.

  14. Ultra-fine structures of Pd-Ag-HAp nanoparticle deposition on protruded TiO2 barrier layer for dental implant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, Jae-Myung; Kim, Seung-Dai; Park, Tae-Eon; Choe, Han-Cheol

    2018-02-01

    The biocompatibility structure of an implant surface is of great importance to the formation of new bone tissue around the dental implant and also has a significant chemical reaction in the osseointegration process. Thus, ultra-fine Pd-Ag-HAp nanoparticles have been electrodeposited on protruded TiO2 barrier layer in mixed electrolyte solutions. Unusual protrusions patterns, which are assigned to Pd-Ag-HAp nanoparticles, can be clearly differentiated from a TiO2 nanotube oxide layer formed by an anodizing process. In the chemical bonding state, the surface characteristics of Pd/Ag/HAp compounds have been investigated by FE-SEM, EDS mapping analysis, and XPS analysis. The mapping dots of the elements including Ti, Ca, Pd, Ag, and P showed a homogeneous distribution throughout the entire surface when deposited onto the protruded TiO2 barrier layer. The XPS spectra of Ti-2p, O-1S, Pd-3d, and Ag-3d have been investigated, with the major XPS peak indicating Pd-3d. The Ag-3d level was clearly observed with further scanning of the Ca-2p region. Based on the results of the chemical states, the structural properties of the protrusion patterns were also examined after being deposited onto the barrier oxide film, resulting in the representative protrusion patterns being mainly composed of Pd-Ag-HAp compounds. The results of the soaking evaluation showed that the protrusion patterns and the protruded TiO2 barrier layer were all effective in regards to biocompatibility.

  15. Bonding techniques for hybrid active pixel sensors (HAPS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bigas, M.; Cabruja, E.; Lozano, M.

    2007-05-01

    A hybrid active pixel sensor (HAPS) consists of an array of sensing elements which is connected to an electronic read-out unit. The most used way to connect these two different devices is bump bonding. This interconnection technique is very suitable for these systems because it allows a very fine pitch and a high number of I/Os. However, there are other interconnection techniques available such as direct bonding. This paper, as a continuation of a review [M. Lozano, E. Cabruja, A. Collado, J. Santander, M. Ullan, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 473 (1-2) (2001) 95-101] published in 2001, presents an update of the different advanced bonding techniques available for manufacturing a hybrid active pixel detector.

  16. New Perspectives on the Essential Trace Elements.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frieden, Earl

    1985-01-01

    Provides a comprehensive overview of the 19 essential trace elements, examining: the concept of essentiality; evolution of these elements; possible future essential elements; the lanthanides and actinides; how essential trace elements work; the metalloenzymes; the nonmetals; iodine and the thyroid hormones; and antagonism among these elements. (JN)

  17. 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.

  18. Analysis of trace metals in water by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry using sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate for preconcentration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, C.L.; Motooka, J.M.; Willson, W.R.

    1984-01-01

    Since concentrations of trace elements in most natural waters seldom exceed the ??g/L level, analysis of trace elements in natural waters by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP) requires a preconcentration procedure. The elements Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, W, and Zn were separated and concentrated from 500 mL of water by coprecipitating them with sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate (NaDBDTC) using nickel or silver as a carrier. The precipitated trace elements were collected on a membrane filter, redissolved from the filter with hot nitric and hydrochloric acids, and analyzed using ICP. Recoveries for all the trace elements except tungsten exceeded 80%. Coprecipitation of trace elements with NaDBDTC eliminated the use of difficult-to-inject organic solvents, and NaDBDTC coprecipitated a wider array of trace elements than ammoniumpyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC), another commonly used coprecipitate.

  19. Linking trace element variations with macronutrients and major cations in marine mussels Mytilus edulis and Perna viridis.

    PubMed

    Liu, Fengjie; Wang, Wen-Xiong

    2015-09-01

    Marine mussels have long been used as biomonitors of contamination of trace elements, but little is known about whether variation in tissue trace elements is significantly associated with those of macronutrients and major cations. The authors examined the variability of macronutrients and major cations and their potential relationships with bioaccumulation of trace elements. The authors analyzed the concentrations of macronutrients (C, N, P, S), major cations (Na, Mg, K, Ca), and trace elements (Al, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Ba, Pb) in the whole soft tissues of marine mussels Mytilus edulis and Perna viridis collected globally from 21 sites. The results showed that 12% to 84% of the variances in the trace elements was associated with major cations, and the tissue concentration of major cations such as Na and Mg in mussels was a good proxy for ambient seawater concentrations of the major cations. Specifically, bioaccumulation of most of the trace elements was significantly associated with major cations, and the relationships of major cations with trace cations and trace oxyanions were totally opposite. Furthermore, 14% to 69% of the variances in the trace elements were significantly associated with macronutrients. Notably, more than half of the variance in the tissue concentrations of As, Cd, V, Ba, and Pb was explained by the variance in macronutrients in one or both species. Because the tissue macronutrient concentrations were strongly associated with animal growth and reproduction, the observed coupling relationships indicated that these biological processes strongly influenced the bioaccumulation of some trace elements. The present study indicated that simultaneous quantification of macronutrients and major cations with trace elements can improve the interpretation of biomonitoring data. © 2015 SETAC.

  20. [Proposal of new trace elements classification to be used in nutrition, oligotherapy and other therapeutics strategies].

    PubMed

    Ramírez Hernández, Javier; Bonete Pérez, María José; Martínez Espinosa, Rosa María

    2014-12-17

    1) to propose a new classification of the trace elements based on a study of the recently reported research; 2) to offer detailed and actualized information about trace elements. the analysis of the research results recently reported reveals that the advances of the molecular analysis techniques point out the importance of certain trace elements in human health. A detailed analysis of the catalytic function related to several elements not considered essential o probably essentials up to now is also offered. To perform the integral analysis of the enzymes containing trace elements informatics tools have been used. Actualized information about physiological role, kinetics, metabolism, dietetic sources and factors promoting trace elements scarcity or toxicity is also presented. Oligotherapy uses catalytic active trace elements with therapeutic proposals. The new trace element classification here presented will be of high interest for different professional sectors: doctors and other professions related to medicine; nutritionist, pharmaceutics, etc. Using this new classification and approaches, new therapeutic strategies could be designed to mitigate symptomatology related to several pathologies, particularly carential and metabolic diseases. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  1. Trace elements have limited utility for studying migratory connectivity in shorebirds that winter in Argentina

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Torres-Dowdall, J.; Farmer, A.H.; Abril, M.; Bucher, E.H.; Ridley, I.

    2010-01-01

    Trace-element analysis has been suggested as a tool for the study of migratory connectivity because (1) trace-element abundance varies spatially in the environment, (2) trace elements are assimilated into animals' tissues through the diet, and (3) current technology permits the analysis of multiple trace elements in a small tissue sample, allowing the simultaneous exploration of several elements. We explored the potential of trace elements (B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cs, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, and U) to clarify the migratory connectivity of shorebirds that breed in North America and winter in southern South America. We collected 66 recently replaced secondary feathers from Red Knots (Calidris canutus) at three sites in Patagonia and 76 from White-rumped Sandpipers (C. fuscicollis) at nine sites across Argentina. There were significant differences in trace-element abundance in shorebird feathers grown at different nonbreeding sites, and annual variability within a site was small compared to variability among sites. Across Argentina, there was no large-scale gradient in trace elements. The lack of such a gradient restricts the application of this technique to questions concerning the origin of shorebirds to a small number of discrete sites. Furthermore, our results including three additional species, the Pectoral Sandpiper (C. melanotos), Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), and Collared Plover (Charadrius collaris), suggest that trace-element profiles change as feathers age. Temporal instability of trace-element values could undermine their application to the study of migratory connectivity in shorebirds. ?? The Cooper Ornithological Society 2010.

  2. 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.

  3. Grain-size distribution and selected major and trace element concentrations in bed-sediment cores from the Lower Granite Reservoir and Snake and Clearwater Rivers, eastern Washington and northern Idaho, 2010

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Braun, Christopher L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Weakland, Rhonda J.; Fosness, Ryan L.; Williams, Marshall L.

    2012-01-01

    Fifty subsamples from 15 cores were analyzed for major and trace elements. Concentrations of trace elements were low, with respect to sediment quality guidelines, in most cores. Typically, major and trace element concentrations were lower in the subsamples collected from the Snake River compared to those collected from the Clearwater River, the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers, and Lower Granite Reservoir. Generally, lower concentrations of major and trace elements were associated with coarser sediments (larger than 0.0625 millimeter) and higher concentrations of major and trace elements were associated with finer sediments (smaller than 0.0625 millimeter).

  4. Household air pollution and personal exposure to air pollutants in rural China - A review.

    PubMed

    Du, Wei; Li, Xinyue; Chen, Yuanchen; Shen, Guofeng

    2018-06-01

    Solid fuels, an important source of severe Household Air Pollution (HAP) linked to many adverse health outcomes, has been widely consumed around the world. China consumes large amounts of solid fuels and suffers from serious indoor and outdoor air pollution. Though global HAP issues had been reviewed in previous literatures, peer-reviewed Chinese publications were seldom included in those reviews. We conducted a literature review on the studies of HAP and personal exposure in rural China with inputs from peer-reviewed publications in both English and Chinese. A total of 36,572 articles were retrieved, 294 were read in full text, of which 92 were included in final data extraction and in-depth analysis. Although HAP is a very serious issue in China, studies on either HAP or personal exposure assessment were very limited. From existing studies, levels of air pollutants including carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (PM), organic carbon, elemental carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), etc., in indoor and ambient air were analyzed for their temporal and spatial variations, and the differences across different fuel types were compared. The studies showed that PM and PAHs levels in most rural homes exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese National Standards, especially during the heating season in northern China. Replacing traditional fuels with cleaner ones (such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG), biogas or electricity) was considered as the most appropriate way to mitigate HAP. The daily exposure to PM and PAHs from using LPG, biogas or electricity was considerably lower than that from using traditional solid fuels. However, the level was still higher than the guideline values for PM and PAHs set by WHO to protect human health. To achieve a more effective control, the current data gap need to be closed and suggestions for future research were discussed in this review. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Nuclear microscopy in trace-element biology — from cellular studies to the clinic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindh, Ulf

    1993-05-01

    The concentration and distribution of trace and major elements in cells are of great interest in cell biology. PIXE can provide elemental concentrations in the bulk of cells or organelles as other bulk techniques such as atomic absorption spectrophotometry and nuclear activation analysis. Supplementary information, perhaps more exciting, on the intracellular distributions of trace elements can be provided using nuclear microscopy. Intracellular distributions of trace elements in normal and malignant cells are presented. The toxicity of mercury and cadmium can be prevented by supplementation of the essential trace element selenium. Some results from an experimental animal model are discussed. The intercellular distribution of major and trace elements in isolated blood cells, as revealed by nuclear microscopy, provides useful clinical information. Examples are given concerning inflammatory connective-tissue diseases and the chronic fatigue syndrome.

  6. Factors affecting trace element content in periurban market garden subsoil in Yunnan Province, China.

    PubMed

    Zu, Yanqun; Bock, Laurent; Schvartz, Christian; Colinet, Gilles; Li, Yuan

    2011-01-01

    Field investigations were conducted to measure subsoil trace element content and factors influencing content in an intensive periurban market garden in Chenggong County, Yunnan Province, South-West China. The area was divided into three different geomorphological units: specifically, mountain (M), transition (T) and lacustrine (L). Mean trace element content in subsoil were determined for Pb (58.2 mg/kg), Cd (0.89 mg/kg), Cu (129.2 mg/kg), and Zn (97.0 mg/kg). Strong significant relationships between trace element content in topsoil and subsoil were observed. Both Pb and Zn were accumulated in topsoil (RTS (ratio of mean trace element in topsoil to subsoil) of Pb and Zn > or =1.0) and Cd and Cu in subsoil (RTS of Cd and Cu < or = 1.0). Subsoil trace element content was related to relief, stoniness, soil color, clay content, and cation exchange capacity. Except for 7.5 YR (yellow-red) color, trace element content increased with color intensity from brown to reddish brown. Significant positive relationships were observed between Fe content and that of Pb and Cu. Trace element content in mountain unit subsoil was higher than in transition and lacustrine units (M > T > L), except for Cu (T > M > L). Mean trace element content in calcareous subsoil was higher than in sandstone and shale. Mean trace element content in clay texture subsoil was higher than in sandy and sandy loam subsoil, and higher Cu and Zn content in subsoil with few mottles. It is possible to model Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn distribution in subsoil physico-chemical characteristics to help improve agricultural practice.

  7. Trace elements at the intersection of marine biological and geochemical evolution

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Robbins, Leslie J.; Lalonde, Stefan V.; Planavsky, Noah J.; Partin, Camille A.; Reinhard, Christopher T.; Kendall, Brian; Scott, Clinton T.; Hardisty, Dalton S.; Gill, Benjamin C.; Alessi, Daniel S.; Dupont, Christopher L.; Saito, Mak A.; Crowe, Sean A.; Poulton, Simon W.; Bekker, Andrey; Lyons, Timothy W.; Konhauser, Kurt O.

    2016-01-01

    Life requires a wide variety of bioessential trace elements to act as structural components and reactive centers in metalloenzymes. These requirements differ between organisms and have evolved over geological time, likely guided in some part by environmental conditions. Until recently, most of what was understood regarding trace element concentrations in the Precambrian oceans was inferred by extrapolation, geochemical modeling, and/or genomic studies. However, in the past decade, the increasing availability of trace element and isotopic data for sedimentary rocks of all ages has yielded new, and potentially more direct, insights into secular changes in seawater composition – and ultimately the evolution of the marine biosphere. Compiled records of many bioessential trace elements (including Ni, Mo, P, Zn, Co, Cr, Se, and I) provide new insight into how trace element abundance in Earth's ancient oceans may have been linked to biological evolution. Several of these trace elements display redox-sensitive behavior, while others are redox-sensitive but not bioessential (e.g., Cr, U). Their temporal trends in sedimentary archives provide useful constraints on changes in atmosphere-ocean redox conditions that are linked to biological evolution, for example, the activity of oxygen-producing, photosynthetic cyanobacteria. In this review, we summarize available Precambrian trace element proxy data, and discuss how temporal trends in the seawater concentrations of specific trace elements may be linked to the evolution of both simple and complex life. We also examine several biologically relevant and/or redox-sensitive trace elements that have yet to be fully examined in the sedimentary rock record (e.g., Cu, Cd, W) and suggest several directions for future studies.

  8. Trace element exposure of whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) wintering in a marine lagoon (Swan Lake), northern China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Feng; Xu, Shaochun; Zhou, Yi; Wang, Pengmei; Zhang, Xiaomei

    2017-06-30

    Trace element poisoning remains a great threat to various waterfowl and waterbirds throughout the world. In this study, we determined the trace element exposure of herbivorous whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) wintering in Swan Lake (Rongcheng), an important swan protection area in northern China. A total of 70 samples including abiotic factors (seawater, sediments), food sources (seagrass, macroalgae), feathers and feces of whooper swans were collected from the marine lagoon during the winters of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg and As were determined to investigate the trace element exposure of whooper swans wintering in the area. Results showed that there was an increasing trend in sediment trace element concentrations, compared with historical data. The trace element concentrations in swan feces most closely resembled those of Zostera marina leaves, especially for Cd and Cr. The Zn and Hg concentrations in the swan feces (49.57 and 0.01mg/kg, respectively) were lower than the minimum values reported in the literature for other waterfowls, waterbirds and terrestrial birds. However, the concentrations of the other five trace elements fell within the lower and mediate range of values reported for birds across the world. These results suggest that the whooper swans wintering in Swan Lake, Rongcheng are not suffering severe trace element exposure; however, with the increasing input of trace elements to the lagoon, severe adverse impacts may occur in the future, and we therefore suggest that the input of trace elements to this area should be curbed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. 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)

  10. Meteoritic trace element toxification and the terminal Mesozoic mass extinction

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

    Dickson, S.M.; Erickson, D.J. III

    1985-01-01

    Calculations of trace element fluxes to the earth associated with 5 and 10 kilometer diameter Cl chondrites and iron meteorites are presented. The data indicate that the masses of certain trace elements contained in the bolide, such as Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Pb, and Cu, are as large as or larger than the world ocean burden. The authors believe that this pulse of trace elements was of sufficient magnitude to perturb the biogeochemical cycles operative 65 million years ago, a probably time of meteorite impact. Geochemical anomalies in Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments suggest that elevated concentrations of trace elements may havemore » persisted for thousands of years in the ocean. Through direct exposure and bioaccumulation, many trophic levels of the global food chain, including that of the dinosaurs, would have been adversely affected by these meteoritic trace elements. The trace element toxification hypothesis may account for the selective extinction of both marine and terrestrial species in the enigmatic terminal Mesozoic event.« less

  11. XAFS SPECTROSCOPY ANALYSIS OF SELECTED HAP ELEMENTS IN FINE PM DERIVED FROM COAL COMBUSTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy has been used to investigate the valence states and molecular structures of sulfur (S), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), and zinc (Zn) in fine particulate matter (PM) separated from coal flyash produced in a realistic combustion sys...

  12. ORGANIC SULFUR AND HAP REMOVAL FROM COAL USING HYDROTHERMAL TREATMENT. (R827649C001)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Coal is still the major source of power for electrical generation worldwide and will continue to be in
    the foreseeable future. However, the inorganic elements in coal that qualify as hazardous emissions
    upon combustion of the coal become an increasingly important concern. P...

  13. Trace element abundances in major minerals of Late Permian coals from southwestern Guizhou province, China

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zhang, Jiahua; Ren, D.; Zheng, C.; Zeng, R.; Chou, C.-L.; Liu, J.

    2002-01-01

    Fourteen samples of minerals were separated by handpicking from Late Permian coals in southwestern Guizhou province, China. These 14 minerals were nodular pyrite, massive recrystallized pyrite, pyrite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and from ground water; clay minerals; and calcite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and from ground water. The mineralogy, elemental composition, and distribution of 33 elements in these samples were studied by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and ion-selective electrode (ISE). The results show that various minerals in coal contain variable amounts of trace elements. Clay minerals have high concentrations of Ba, Be, Cs, F, Ga, Nb, Rb, Th, U, and Zr. Quartz has little contribution to the concentration of trace elements in bulk coal. Arsenic, Mn, and Sr are in high concentrations in calcite. Pyrite has high concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, Mo, Sb, Se, Tl, and Zn. Different genetic types of calcite in coal can accumulate different trace elements; for example Ba, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni, Rb, Sn, Sr, and Zn are in higher concentrations in calcite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid than in that deposited from ground water. Furthermore, the concentrations of some trace elements are quite variable in pyrite; different genetic types of pyrites (Py-A, B, C, D) have different concentrations of trace elements, and the concentrations of trace elements are also different in pyrite of low-temperature hydrothermal origin collected from different locations. The study shows that elemental concentration is rather uniform in a pyrite vein. There are many micron and submicron mosaic pyrites in a pyrite vein, which is enriched in some trace elements, such as As and Mo. The content of trace element in pyrite vein depends upon the content of mosaic pyrite and of trace elements in it. Many environmentally sensitive trace elements are mainly contained in the minerals in coal, and hence the physical coal cleaning techniques can remove minerals from coal and decrease the emissions of potentially hazardous trace elements. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Trace elemental analysis of human breast cancerous blood by advanced PC-WDXRF technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Ranjit; Kainth, Harpreet Singh; Prasher, Puneet; Singh, Tejbir

    2018-03-01

    The objective of this work is to quantify the trace elements of healthy and non-healthy blood samples by using advanced polychromatic source based wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (PC-WDXRF) technique. The imbalances in trace elements present in the human blood directly or indirectly lead to the carcinogenic process. The trace elements 11Na, 12Mg, 15P, 16S, 17Cl, 19K, 20Ca, 26Fe, 29Cu and 30Zn are identified and their concentrations are estimated. The experimental results clearly discuss the variation and role of various trace elements present in the non-healthy blood samples relative to the healthy blood samples. These results establish future guidelines to probe the possible roles of essential trace elements in the breast carcinogenic processes. The instrumental sensitivity and detection limits for measuring the elements in the atomic range 11 ≤ Z ≤ 30 have also been discussed in the present work.

  15. INAA Application for Trace Element Determination in Biological Reference Material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atmodjo, D. P. D.; Kurniawati, S.; Lestiani, D. D.; Adventini, N.

    2017-06-01

    Trace element determination in biological samples is often used in the study of health and toxicology. Determination change to its essentiality and toxicity of trace element require an accurate determination method, which implies that a good Quality Control (QC) procedure should be performed. In this study, QC for trace element determination in biological samples was applied by analyzing the Standard Reference Material (SRM) Bovine muscle 8414 NIST using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Three selected trace element such as Fe, Zn, and Se were determined. Accuracy of the elements showed as %recovery and precision as %coefficient of variance (%CV). The result showed that %recovery of Fe, Zn, and Se were in the range between 99.4-107%, 92.7-103%, and 91.9-112%, respectively, whereas %CV were 2.92, 3.70, and 5.37%, respectively. These results showed that INAA method is precise and accurate for trace element determination in biological matrices.

  16. New insights into trace element wet deposition in the Himalayas: amounts, seasonal patterns, and implications.

    PubMed

    Cong, Zhiyuan; Kang, Shichang; Zhang, Yulan; Gao, Shaopeng; Wang, Zhongyan; Liu, Bin; Wan, Xin

    2015-02-01

    Our research provides the first complete year-long dataset of wet deposition of trace elements in the high Himalayas based on a total of 42 wet deposition events on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest). Except for typical crustal elements (Al, Fe, and Mn), the concentration level of most trace elements (Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sn, Cs, Pb, Bi, and U) are generally comparable to those preserved in snow pits and ice cores from the nearby East Rongbuk Glacier. Cadmium was the element most affected by anthropogenic emissions. No pronounced seasonal variations are observed for most trace elements despite different transport pathways. In our study, the composition of wet precipitation reflects a regional background condition and is not clearly related to specific source regions. For the trace element record from ice cores and snow pits in the Himalayas, it could be deduced that the pronounced seasonal patterns were caused by the dry deposition of trace elements (aerosols) during their long exposure to the atmosphere after precipitation events. Our findings are of value for the understanding of the trace element deposition mechanisms in the Himalayas.

  17. The effect of tissue structure and soil chemistry on trace element uptake in fossils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinz, Emily A.; Kohn, Matthew J.

    2010-06-01

    Trace element profiles for common divalent cations (Sr, Zn, Ba), rare-earth elements (REE), Y, U, and Th were measured in fossil bones and teeth from the c. 25 ka Merrell locality, Montana, USA, by using laser-ablation ICP-MS. Multiple traverses in teeth were transformed into 2-D trace element maps for visualizing structural influences on trace element uptake. Trace element compositions of different soils from the fossil site were also analyzed by solution ICP-MS, employing progressive leaches that included distilled H 2O, 0.1 M acetic acid, and microwave digestion in concentrated HCl-HNO 3. In teeth, trace element uptake in enamel is 2-4 orders of magnitude slower than in dentine, forming an effective trace element barrier. Uptake in dentine parallel to the dentine-enamel interface is enhanced by at least 2 orders of magnitude compared to transverse, causing trace element "plumes" down the tooth core. In bone, U, Ba and Sr are nearly homogeneous, implying diffusivities ˜5 orders of magnitude faster than in enamel and virtually complete equilibration with host soils. In contrast all REE show strong depletions inward, with stepwise linear segments in log-normal or inverse complementary error function plots; these data require a multi-medium diffusion model, with about 2 orders of magnitude difference in slowest vs. fastest diffusivities. Differences in REE diffusivities in bone (slow) vs. dentine (fast) reflect different partition coefficients ( Kd's). Although acid leaches and bulk digestion of soils yield comparable fossil-soil Kd's among different elements, natural solutions are expected to be neutral to slightly basic. Distilled H 2O leachates instead reveal radically different Kd's in bone for REE than for U-Sr-Ba, suggest orders of magnitude lower effective diffusivities for REE, and readily explain steep vs. flat profiles for REE vs. U-Sr-Ba, respectively. Differences among REE Kd's and diffusivities may explain inward changes in Ce anomalies. Acid washes and bulk soil compositions yield misleading Kd's for many trace elements, especially the REE, and H 2O-leaches are preferred. Patterns of trace element distributions indicate diagenetic alteration at all scales, including enamel, and challenge the use of trace elements in paleodietary studies.

  18. A Global Overview of Exposure Levels and Biological Effects of Trace Elements in Penguins.

    PubMed

    Espejo, Winfred; Celis, José E; GonzÃlez-Acuña, Daniel; Banegas, Andiranel; Barra, Ricardo; Chiang, Gustavo

    2018-01-01

    Trace elements are chemical contaminants that can be present almost anywhere on the planet. The study of trace elements in biotic matrices is a topic of great relevance for the implications that it can have on wildlife and human health. Penguins are very useful, since they live exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere and represent about 90% of the biomass of birds of the Southern Ocean. The levels of trace elements (dry weight) in different biotic matrices of penguins were reviewed here. Maps of trace element records in penguins were included. Data on exposure and effects of trace elements in penguins were collected from the literature. The most reported trace elements in penguins are aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, copper, zinc, and manganese. Trace elements have been measured in 11 of the 18 species of penguins. The most studied biotic matrices are feathers and excreta. Most of the studies have been performed in Antarctica and subantarctic Islands. Little is known about the interaction among metals, which could provide better knowledge about certain mechanisms of detoxification in penguins. Future studies of trace elements in penguins must incorporate other metals such as vanadium, cobalt, nickel, and chromium. Data of metals in the species such as Eudyptes pachyrhynchus, Eudyptes moseleyi, Eudyptes sclateri, Eudyptes robustus, Eudyptes schlegeli, Spheniscus demersus, Spheniscus mendiculus, and Megadyptes antipodes are urged. It is important to correlate levels of metals in different biotic matrices with the effects on different species and in different geographic locations.

  19. Trace element supplementation in the biogas production from wheat stillage--optimization of metal dosing.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Thomas; Nelles, Michael; Scholwin, Frank; Pröter, Jürgen

    2014-09-01

    A trace element dosing strategy for the anaerobic digestion of wheat stillage was developed in this study. Mesophilic CSTR reactors were operated with the sulfuric substrate wheat stillage in some cases under trace element deficiency. After supplementing trace elements during the start-up, one of the elements of Fe, Ni, Co, Mo, and W were depleted in one digester while still augmenting the other elements to determine minimum requirements for each element. The depletion of Fe and Ni resulted in a rapid accumulation of volatile fatty acids while Co and W seem to have a long-term effect. Based on the results it was possible to reduce the dosing of trace elements, which is positive with reference to economic and environmental aspects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Loess as an environmental archive of atmospheric trace element deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blazina, T.; Winkel, L. H.

    2013-12-01

    Environmental archives such as ice cores, lake sediment cores, and peat cores have been used extensively to reconstruct past atmospheric deposition of trace elements. These records have provided information about how anthropogenic activities such as mining and fossil fuel combustion have disturbed the natural cycles of various atmospherically transported trace elements (e.g. Pb, Hg and Se). While these records are invaluable for tracing human impacts on such trace elements, they often provide limited information about the long term natural cycles of these elements. An assumption of these records is that the observed variations in trace element input, prior to any assumed anthropogenic perturbations, represent the full range of natural variations. However, records such as those mentioned above which extend back to a maximum of ~400kyr may not capture the potentially large variations of trace element input occurring over millions of years. Windblown loess sediments, often representing atmospheric deposition over time scales >1Ma, are the most widely distributed terrestrial sediments on Earth. These deposits have been used extensively to reconstruct continental climate variability throughout the Quaternary and late Neogene periods. In addition to being a valuable record of continental climate change, loess deposits may represent a long term environmental archive of atmospheric trace element deposition and may be combined with paleoclimate records to elucidate how fluctuations in climate have impacted the natural cycle of such elements. Our research uses the loess-paleosol deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) to quantify how atmospheric deposition of trace elements has fluctuated in central China over the past 6.8Ma. The CLP has been used extensively to reconstruct past changes of East Asian monsoon system (EAM). We present a suite of trace element concentration records (e.g. Pb, Hg, and Se) from the CLP which exemplifies how loess deposits can be used as an environmental archive to reconstruct long term natural variations in atmospheric trace element input. By comparing paleomonsoon proxy data with geochemical data we can directly correlate variations in atmospheric trace element input to fluctuations in the EAM. For example we are able to link Se input into the CLP to EAM derived precipitation. In interglacial climatic periods from 2.3-1.56Ma and 1.50-1.29Ma, we find very strong positive correlations between Se concentration and the summer monsoon index, a proxy for effective precipitation. In later interglacial periods from 1.26-0.83Ma and 0.78-0.16Ma, we find dust input plays a greater role. Our findings demonstrate that the CLP is a valuable environmental archive of atmospheric trace element deposition and suggest that other loess deposits worldwide may serve as useful records for investigating long term natural variations in atmospheric trace element cycling.

  1. Serum Concentrations of Trace Elements in Patients with Tuberculosis and Its Association with Treatment Outcome

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Rihwa; Kim, Hyoung-Tae; Lim, Yaeji; Kim, Min-Ji; Kwon, O Jung; Jeon, Kyeongman; Park, Hye Yun; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Koh, Won-Jung; Lee, Soo-Youn

    2015-01-01

    Deficiencies in essential trace elements are associated with impaired immunity in tuberculosis infection. However, the trace element concentrations in the serum of Korean patients with tuberculosis have not yet been investigated. This study aimed to compare the serum trace element concentrations of Korean adult patients with tuberculosis with noninfected controls and to assess the impact of serum trace element concentration on clinical outcome after antituberculosis treatment. The serum concentrations of four trace elements in 141 consecutively recruited patients with tuberculosis and 79 controls were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Demographic characteristics were also analyzed. Serum cobalt and copper concentrations were significantly higher in patients with tuberculosis compared with controls, while zinc and selenium concentrations were significantly lower (p < 0.01). Moreover, serum selenium and zinc concentrations were positively correlated (ρ = 0.41, p < 0.05). A high serum copper concentration was associated with a worse clinical outcome, as assessed after one month of antituberculosis therapy. Specifically, culture-positive patients had higher serum copper concentrations than culture-negative patients (p < 0.05). Patients with tuberculosis had altered serum trace element concentrations. Further research is needed to elucidate the roles of individual trace elements and to determine their clinical impact on patients with tuberculosis. PMID:26197334

  2. [Contents of ten trace elements in Epimedium acuminatum Franch. and its different processed products].

    PubMed

    Chen, H L; Wang, J K; Ren, Y Q; Wu, Z Y

    2001-03-01

    Determine and compare the contents of ten trace elements in crude E. acuminatum and its three different processed products. Using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The ten trace elements were found in both the crude drug and its three processed products, and in terms of contents some of the trace elements in all the three processed products are higher than those in the crude drug. According to the trace element contents, the three processed products of E. acuminatum have their own advantages. It is thus suggested that thoroughgoing clinical and experimental researches be performed anew for the long-shelved processing methods.

  3. The Effects of Various Amendments on Trace Element Stabilization in Acidic, Neutral, and Alkali Soil with Similar Pollution Index

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Min-Suk; Min, Hyun-Gi; Lee, Sang-Hwan; Kim, Jeong-Gyu

    2016-01-01

    Many studies have examined the application of soil amendments, including pH change-induced immobilizers, adsorbents, and organic materials, for soil remediation. This study evaluated the effects of various amendments on trace element stabilization and phytotoxicity, depending on the initial soil pH in acid, neutral, and alkali conditions. As in all types of soils, Fe and Ca were well stabilized on adsorption sites. There was an effect from pH control or adsorption mechanisms on the stabilization of cationic trace elements from inorganic amendments in acidic and neutral soil. Furthermore, acid mine drainage sludge has shown great potential for stabilizing most trace elements. In a phytotoxicity test, the ratio of the bioavailable fraction to the pseudo-total fraction significantly affected the uptake of trace elements by bok choy. While inorganic amendments efficiently decreased the bioavailability of trace elements, significant effects from organic amendments were not noticeable due to the short-term cultivation period. Therefore, the application of organic amendments for stabilizing trace elements in agricultural soil requires further study. PMID:27835687

  4. Assessment of trace element contamination of urban surface soil at informal industrial sites in a low-income country.

    PubMed

    Kanda, Artwell; Ncube, France; Hwende, Tamuka; Makumbe, Peter

    2018-05-29

    Trace elements released by human activity are ubiquitously detected in surface soil. The trace element contamination statuses of 20 sampling stations at two busy informal industrial sites of Harare city, Zimbabwe, were evaluated using geochemical indices. Spectrophotometric determinations of concentrations of trace elements in surface soil indicated generally higher values than the reference site and the average upper earth's crust. High contamination factors were observed for trace elements across sampling stations at Gazaland and Siyaso informal industrial sites. Concentrations exhibited heterogeneous distribution of trace elements in surface soil varying with the nature of activity at a sampling station. The pollution load index and degree of contamination suggested highly contaminated surface soil with Cd, Cu and Pb particularly where the following activities were done: (1) welding, (2) automobile maintenance and (3) waste dumping. These results may be very important to reduce soil contamination. Paving surfaces may help to reduce dispersal of trace elements deposited on surface soil to other stations and minimise human exposure via inhalation and contact.

  5. Risk assessment of trace elements in cultured freshwater fishes from Jiangxi province, China.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Li; Zhang, Dawen; Wei, Yihua; Luo, Linguan; Dai, Tingcan

    2014-04-01

    The levels of trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in eight species of cultured freshwater fishes from Jiangxi province were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy. All the studied trace element levels in fish muscles from Jiangxi province did not exceed Chinese national standard and European Union standard, and they were often lower than previous studies. The calculated target hazard quotient values for all the studied trace elements in fish samples were much less than 1, suggesting that the studied trace elements in fish muscles from Jiangxi province had not pose obvious health hazards to consumers. As and Cd concentrations in northern snakehead were much higher than that in other fishes, demonstrating that this fish species could be valuable as a bioindicator of As and Cd in environmental surveys. In addition, the highest concentrations of Fe, Zn, and moderate contents of other essential trace elements in crucian carp indicated that crucian carp could be a good nutrient source of essential trace elements for human health.

  6. The Effects of Various Amendments on Trace Element Stabilization in Acidic, Neutral, and Alkali Soil with Similar Pollution Index.

    PubMed

    Kim, Min-Suk; Min, Hyun-Gi; Lee, Sang-Hwan; Kim, Jeong-Gyu

    2016-01-01

    Many studies have examined the application of soil amendments, including pH change-induced immobilizers, adsorbents, and organic materials, for soil remediation. This study evaluated the effects of various amendments on trace element stabilization and phytotoxicity, depending on the initial soil pH in acid, neutral, and alkali conditions. As in all types of soils, Fe and Ca were well stabilized on adsorption sites. There was an effect from pH control or adsorption mechanisms on the stabilization of cationic trace elements from inorganic amendments in acidic and neutral soil. Furthermore, acid mine drainage sludge has shown great potential for stabilizing most trace elements. In a phytotoxicity test, the ratio of the bioavailable fraction to the pseudo-total fraction significantly affected the uptake of trace elements by bok choy. While inorganic amendments efficiently decreased the bioavailability of trace elements, significant effects from organic amendments were not noticeable due to the short-term cultivation period. Therefore, the application of organic amendments for stabilizing trace elements in agricultural soil requires further study.

  7. Methods for detecting the mobility of trace elements during medium-temperature pyrolysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Shiley, R.H.; Konopka, K.L.; Cahill, R.A.; Hinckley, C.C.; Smith, Gerard V.; Twardowska, H.; Saporoschenko, Mykola

    1983-01-01

    The mobility (volatility) of trace elements in coal during pyrolysis has been studied for distances of up to 40 cm between the coal and the trace element collector, which was graphite or a baffled solvent trap. Nineteen elements not previously recorded as mobile were detected. ?? 1983.

  8. The role of high-energy synchrotron radiation in biomedical trace element research

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

    Pounds, J.G.; Long, G.J.; Kwiatek, W.M.

    1987-01-01

    This paper will present the results of an investigation of the distribution of essential elements in the normal hepatic lobule. the liver is the organ responsible for metabolism and storage of most trace elements. Although parenchymal hepatocytes are rather uniform histologically, morphometry, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and microdissection with microchemical investigations have revealed marked heterogeneity on a functional and biochemical level. Hepatocytes from the periportal and perivenous zones of the liver parrenchyma differ in oxidative energy metabolism, glucose uptake and output, unreagenesis, biotransformation, bile acid secretion, and palsma protein synthesis and secretion. Although trace elements are intimately involved in the regulation andmore » maintenance of these functions, little is known regarding the heterogeneity of trace element localization of the liver parenchyma. Histochemical techniques for trace elements generally give high spatial resolution, but lack specificity and stoichiometry. Microdissection has been of marginal usefulness for trace element analyses due to the very small size of the dissected parenchyma. The characteristics of the high-energy x-ray microscope provide an effective approach for elucidating the trace element content of these small biological structures or regions. 5 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.« less

  9. The influence of carbon, sulfur, and silicon on trace element partitioning in iron alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, J.; Van Orman, J. A.; Crispin, K. L.; Ash, R. D.

    2014-12-01

    Non-metallic light elements are important constituents of planetary cores and have a strong influence on the partitioning behavior of trace elements. Planetary cores may contain a wide range of non-metallic light elements, including H, N, S, P, Si, and C. Under highly reducing conditions, such as those that are thought to have pertained during the formation of Mercury's core, Si and C, in addition to sulfur, may be particularly important constituents. Each of these elements may strongly effect and have a different impact on the partitioning behavior of trace elements but their combined effects on trace element partitioning have not been quantified. We investigated the partitioning behavior of more than 25 siderophile trace elements within the Fe-S-C-Si system with varying concentrations of C, S, and Si. The experiments were performed under pressures varying from 1 atm to 2 GPa and temperatures ranging from 1200˚C to 1450˚C. All experiments produced immiscible liquids, one enriched in Si and C, and the other predominantly FeS. We found some highly siderophile elements including Os, Ru, Ir, and Re are much more enriched in Fe-Si-C phase than in Fe-S phase, whereas other trace elements like V, Co, Ag, Hf, and Pb are enriched in S-rich phase. However, not all the trace elements enriched in Fe-Si-C phase are repelled by sulfur. Elements like Re and Ru could have different partitioning trends if sulfur concentration in S-rich phase rises. The partitioning behavior of these trace elements could enhance our understanding of the differentiation of Mercury's core under oxygen-poor conditions.

  10. Maternal transfer of trace elements in the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).

    PubMed

    Bakker, Aaron K; Dutton, Jessica; Sclafani, Matthew; Santangelo, Nicholas

    2017-01-01

    The maternal transfer of trace elements is a process by which offspring may accumulate trace elements from their maternal parent. Although maternal transfer has been assessed in many vertebrates, there is little understanding of this process in invertebrate species. This study investigated the maternal transfer of 13 trace elements (Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs and compared concentrations to those in adult leg and gill tissue. For the majority of individuals, all trace elements were transferred, with the exception of Cr, from the female to the eggs. The greatest concentrations on average transferred to egg tissue were Zn (140 µg/g), Cu (47.8 µg/g), and Fe (38.6 µg/g) for essential elements and As (10.9 µg/g) and Ag (1.23 µg/g) for nonessential elements. For elements that were maternally transferred, correlation analyses were run to assess if the concentration in the eggs were similar to that of adult tissue that is completely internalized (leg) or a boundary to the external environment (gill). Positive correlations between egg and leg tissue were found for As, Hg, Se, Mn, Pb, and Ni. Mercury, Mn, Ni, and Se were the only elements correlated between egg and gill tissue. Although, many trace elements were in low concentration in the eggs, we speculate that the higher transfer of essential elements is related to their potential benefit during early development versus nonessential trace elements, which are known to be toxic. We conclude that maternal transfer as a source of trace elements to horseshoe crabs should not be overlooked and warrants further investigation.

  11. Remediation using trace element humate surfactant

    DOEpatents

    Riddle, Catherine Lynn; Taylor, Steven Cheney; Bruhn, Debra Fox

    2016-08-30

    A method of remediation at a remediation site having one or more undesirable conditions in which one or more soil characteristics, preferably soil pH and/or elemental concentrations, are measured at a remediation site. A trace element humate surfactant composition is prepared comprising a humate solution, element solution and at least one surfactant. The prepared trace element humate surfactant composition is then dispensed onto the remediation site whereby the trace element humate surfactant composition will reduce the amount of undesirable compounds by promoting growth of native species activity. By promoting native species activity, remediation occurs quickly and environmental impact is minimal.

  12. Adsorption of Uranyl Ions at the Nano-hydroxyapatite and Its Modification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skwarek, Ewa; Gładysz-Płaska, Agnieszka; Bolbukh, Yuliia

    2017-04-01

    Nano-hydroxyapatite and its modification, hydroxyapatite with the excess of phosphorus (P-HAP) and hydroxyapatite with the carbon ions built into the structure (C-HAP), were prepared by the wet method. They were studied by means of XRD, accelerated surface area and porosimetry (ASAP), and SEM. The size of crystallites computed using the Scherrer method was nano-hydroxyapatite (HAP) = 20 nm; P-HAP—impossible to determine; C-HAP = 22 nm; nano-HAP/U(VI) = 13.7 nm; P-HAP/U(VI)—impossible to determine, C-HAP/U(VI) = 11 nm. There were determined basic parameters characterizing the double electrical layer at the nano-HAP/electrolyte and P-HAP/electrolyte, C-HAP/electrolyte inter faces: density of the surface charge and zeta potential. The adsorption properties of nano-HAP sorbent in relation to U(VI) ions were studied by the batch technique. The adsorption processes were rapid in the first 60 min and reached the equilibrium within approximately 120 min (for P-HAP) and 300 min (for C-HAP and nano-HAP). The adsorption process fitted well with the pseudo-second-order kinetics. The Freundlich, Langmuir-Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models of isotherms were examined for their ability to the equilibrium sorption data. The maximum adsorption capabilities ( q m ) were 7.75 g/g for P-HAP, 1.77 g/g for C-HAP, and 0.8 g/g for HAP at 293 K.

  13. Chromosomal Expression of the Haemophilus influenzae Hap Autotransporter Allows Fine-Tuned Regulation of Adhesive Potential via Inhibition of Intermolecular Autoproteolysis

    PubMed Central

    Fink, Doran L.; St. Geme III, Joseph W.

    2003-01-01

    The Haemophilus influenzae Hap autotransporter is a nonpilus adhesin that promotes adherence to respiratory epithelial cells and selected extracellular matrix proteins and facilitates bacterial aggregation and microcolony formation. Hap consists of a 45-kDa outer membrane translocator domain called Hapβ and a 110-kDa extracellular passenger domain called HapS. All adhesive activity resides within HapS, which also contains protease activity and directs its own secretion from the bacterial cell surface via intermolecular autoproteolysis. In the present study, we sought to determine the relationship between the magnitude of Hap expression, the efficiency of Hap autoproteolysis, and the level of Hap-mediated adherence and aggregation. We found that a minimum threshold of Hap precursor was required for autoproteolysis and that this threshold approximated expression of Hap from a chromosomal allele, as occurs in H. influenzae clinical isolates. Chromosomal expression of wild-type Hap was sufficient to promote significant adherence to epithelial cells and extracellular matrix proteins, and adherence was enhanced substantially by inhibition of autoproteolysis. In contrast, chromosomal expression of Hap was sufficient to promote bacterial aggregation only when autoproteolysis was inhibited, indicating that the threshold for Hap-mediated aggregation is above the threshold for autoproteolysis. These results highlight the critical role of autoproteolysis and an intermolecular mechanism of cleavage in controlling the diverse adhesive activities of Hap. PMID:12591878

  14. Trace element and stable isotope analysis of fourteen species of marine invertebrates from the Bay of Fundy, Canada.

    PubMed

    English, Matthew D; Robertson, Gregory J; Mallory, Mark L

    2015-12-15

    The Bay of Fundy, Canada, is a macrotidal bay with a highly productive intertidal zone, hosting a large abundance and diversity of marine invertebrates. We analysed trace element concentrations and stable isotopic values of δ(15)N and δ(13)C in 14 species of benthic marine invertebrates from the Bay of Fundy's intertidal zone to investigate bioaccumulation or biodilution of trace elements in the lower level of this marine food web. Barnacles (Balanus balanus) consistently had significantly greater concentrations of trace elements compared to the other species studied, but otherwise we found low concentrations of non-essential trace elements. In the range of trophic levels that we studied, we found limited evidence of bioaccumulation or biodilution of trace elements across species, likely due to the species examined occupying similar trophic levels in different food chains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Distribution and environmental assessment of trace elements contamination of water, sediments and flora from Douro River estuary, Portugal.

    PubMed

    Ribeiro, C; Couto, C; Ribeiro, A R; Maia, A S; Santos, M; Tiritan, M E; Pinto, E; Almeida, A A

    2018-10-15

    The present study evaluated the content and distribution of several trace elements (Li, Be, Al, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba, Tl, Pb, and U) in the Douro River estuary. For that, three matrices were collected (water, sediments and native local flora) to assess the extent of contamination by these elements in this estuarine ecosystem. Results showed their occurrence in estuarine water and sediments, but significant differences were recorded on the concentration levels and pattern of distribution among both matrices and sampling points. Generally, the levels of trace elements were higher in the sediments than in the respective estuarine water. Nonetheless, no correlation among trace elements was determined between water and sediments, except for Cd. Al was the trace element found at highest concentration at both sediments and water followed by Zn. Pollution indices such as geo-accumulation (I geo ), enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) were determined to understand the levels and sources of trace elements pollution. I geo showed strong contamination by anthropogenic activities for Li, Al, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ba and Pb at all sampling points while EF and CF demonstrated severe enrichment and contamination by Se, Sb and Pb. Levels of trace elements were compared to acceptable values for aquatic organisms and Sediment Quality Guidelines. The concentration of some trace elements, namely Al, Pb and Cu, were higher than those considered acceptable, with potential negative impact on local living organisms. Nevertheless, permissible values for all trace elements are still not available, demonstrating that further studies are needed in order to have a complete assessment of environmental risk. Furthermore, the occurrence and possible accumulation of trace elements by local plant species and macroalgae were investigated as well as their potential use as bioindicators of local pollution and for phytoremediation purposes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. 40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Uuuuu of... - Operating Limits for EGUs

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...-mercury HAP metals (total HAP metals, for liquid oil-fired units), or individual non-mercury HAP metals... demonstrating compliance with the filterable PM, total non-mercury HAP metals (total HAP metals, for liquid oil-fired units), or individual non-mercury HAP metals (individual HAP metals including Hg, for liquid oil...

  17. 40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Uuuuu of... - Operating Limits for EGUs

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...-mercury HAP metals (total HAP metals, for liquid oil-fired units), or individual non-mercury HAP metals... demonstrating compliance with the filterable PM, total non-mercury HAP metals (total HAP metals, for liquid oil-fired units), or individual non-mercury HAP metals (individual HAP metals including Hg, for liquid oil...

  18. Constraints on the bioavailability of trace elements to terrestrial fauna at mining and smelting sites

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

    Pastorok, R.; Schoof, R.; LaTier, A.

    1995-12-31

    At mining and smelting sites, the bioavailability of waste-related trace elements to terrestrial wildlife is limited by mineralogy of the waste material and the geochemistry of the waste-soil mixture. For example, encapsulation of trace elements in inert mineral matrices limits the assimilation of particle-associated trace elements that are ingested by wildlife. The bioavailability of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, silver, and zinc at mining and smelting sites in Oklahoma and Montana was evaluated based on analysis of waste material, soil chemistry, and concentrations of trace elements in whole-body samples of key food web species. Concentrations of trace elements were generally elevatedmore » relative to reference area values for selected species of vegetation, insects, spiders, and small mammals. Soil-to-tissue bioconcentration factors derived from field data at these sites were generally low (< 1), with the exception of cadmium in vegetation. For all of the trace elements evaluated, wildlife exposure models indicate that the potential for transfer of contaminants to wildlife species of public concern and high trophic-level predators is limited. Moreover, laboratory feeding experiments conducted with cadmium and lead indicate that the assimilation of waste-related trace elements by mammals is relatively low (24--47 percent for lead in blood and bone; 22--44 percent for cadmium in kidney). The relatively low bioavailability of trace elements at mining and smelting sites should be considered when estimating exposure of ecological receptors and when deriving soil cleanup criteria based on measured or modeled ecological risk.« less

  19. Assessment of serum trace elements and electrolytes in children with childhood and atypical autism.

    PubMed

    Skalny, Anatoly V; Simashkova, Natalia V; Klyushnik, Tatiana P; Grabeklis, Andrei R; Radysh, Ivan V; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Nikonorov, Alexandr A; Tinkov, Alexey A

    2017-09-01

    The existing data demonstrate a significant interrelation between ASD and essential and toxic trace elements status of the organism. However, data on trace element homeostasis in particular ASD forms are insufficient. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the level of trace elements and electrolytes in serum of children with childhood and atypical autism. A total of 48 children with ASD (24 with childhood and 24 with atypical autism) and age- and sex-adjusted controls were examined. Serum trace elements and electrolytes were assessed using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The obtained data demonstrate that children with ASD unspecified are characterized by significantly lower Ni, Cr, and Se levels as compared to the age- and sex-matched controls. At the same time, significantly decreased serum Ni and Se concentrations were detected in patients with childhood autism. In turn, children with atypical autism were characterized by more variable serum trace element spectrum. In particular, atypical autism is associated with lower serum Al, As, Ni, Cr, Mn, and Se levels in comparison to the control values. Moreover, Al and Mn concentration in this group was also lower than that in childhood autism patients. Generally, the obtained data demonstrate lower levels of both essential and toxic trace elements in atypical autism group, being indicative of profound alteration of trace elements metabolism. However, further detailed metabolic studies are required to reveal critical differences in metabolic pathways being responsible for difference in trace element status and clinical course of the disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. [Determination of Trace Elements in Marine Cetaceans by ICP-MS and Health Risk Assessment].

    PubMed

    Ding, Yu-long; Ning, Xi; Gui, Duan; Mo, Hui; Li, Yu-sen; Wu, Yu-ping

    2015-09-01

    The liver, kidney and muscle samples from seven cetaceans were digested by microwave digestion, and trace elements amounts of V, Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Cr, Ni, Mn, Se, Hg and Pb were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the health risk assessment for Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, Se in the liver was conducted. The results of international lobster hepatopancreas standard (TORT-2) showed acceptable agreement with the certified values, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) of eleven kinds of trace elements were less than 3.54%, showing that the method is suitable for the determination of trace elements in cetaceans. The experimental results indicated that different tissues and organs of the dolphins had different trace elements, presenting the tissue specificity. There is a certain inter-species difference among different dolphins about the bioaccumulation ability of the trace elements. The distribution of trace elements in whales presented a certain regularity: the contents of most elements in liver, kidney were much higher than the contents of muscle tissues, Cu, Mn, Hg, Se, and Zn exhibit the higher concentrations in liver, while Cd was mainly accumulated in kidney. And according to the health risk assessment in liver, the exceeding standardrate of selenium and copper in seven kinds of whales was 100%, suggesting that these whales were suffering the contamination of trace elements. The experimental results is instructive to the study of trace elements in cetaceans, while this is the first report for the concentrations in organs of Striped dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin, Fraser's Dolphin and Risso's dolphin in China, it may provide us valuable data for the conservation of cetaceans.

  1. Selected elements in major minerals from bituminous coal as determined by INAA: Implications for removing environmentally sensitive elements from coal

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Palmer, C.A.; Lyons, P.C.

    1996-01-01

    The four most abundant minerals generally found in Euramerican bituminous coals are quartz, kaolinite, illite and pyrite. These four minerals were isolated by density separation and handpicking from bituminous coal samples collected in the Ruhr Basin, Germany and the Appalachian basin, U.S.A. Trace-element concentrations of relatively pure (??? 99+%) separates of major minerals from these coals were determined directly by using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). As expected, quartz contributes little to the trace-element mass balance. Illite generally has higher trace-element concentrations than kaolinite, but, for the concentrates analyzed in this study, Hf, Ta, W, Th and U are in lower concentrations in illite than in kaolinite. Pyrite has higher concentrations of chalcophile elements (e.g., As and Se) and is considerably lower in lithophile elements as compared to kaolinite and illite. Our study provides a direct and sensitive method of determining trace-element relationships with minerals in coal. Mass-balance calculations suggest that the trace-element content of coal can be explained mainly by three major minerals: pyrite, kaolinite and illite. This conclusion indicates that the size and textural relationships of these major coal minerals may be a more important consideration as to whether coal cleaning can effectively remove the most environmentally sensitive trace elements in coal than what trace minerals are present.

  2. Origin and distribution of trace elements in high-elevation precipitation in southern China.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jie; Wang, Yan; Yue, Taixing; Li, Yuhua; Wai, Ka-Ming; Wang, Wenxing

    2012-09-01

    During a 2009 investigation of the transport and deposition of trace elements in southern China, 37 event-based precipitation samples were collected at an observatory on Mount Heng, China (1,269 m asl). Concentrations of trace elements were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and the wet deposition fluxes were established. A combination of techniques including enrichment factor analysis, principal component analysis, and back trajectory models were used to identify pollutant sources. Trace element concentrations at Mount Heng were among the highest with respect to measured values reported elsewhere. All elements were of non-marine origin. The elements Pb, As, Cu, Se, and Cd were anthropogenic, while Fe, Cr, V, Ba, Mn, and Ni were of mixed crustal/anthropogenic origin. The crustal and anthropogenic contributions of trace elements were 12.8 % (0.9 ~ 17.4 %) and 87.2 % (82.6 ~ 99.1 %), with the maximum crustal fraction being 17.4 % for Fe. Coal combustion, soil and road dust, metallurgical processes, and industrial activities contributed to the element composition. Summit precipitation events were primarily distant in origin. Medium- to long-range transport of trace elements from the Yangtze River Delta and northern China played an important role in wet deposition at Mount Heng, while air masses from south or southeast of the station were generally low in trace element concentrations.

  3. Trends in Trace Element Fractionation Between Foraminiferal Species and the Role of Biomineralization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reichart, G. J.; Nooijer, L. D.; Geerken, E.; Mezger, E.; van Dijk, I. V.; Daemmer, L. K.

    2017-12-01

    Reconstructions of past climate and environments are largely based on stable isotopes and trace element concentrations measured on fossil foraminiferal calcite. Their element and isotope composition roughly reflects seawater composition and physical conditions, which in turn, are related to paleoceanographic parameters. More recently, attempts are being made to infer ranges in environmental parameters using the observed differences in the composition within individual tests. Remarkably, inter-species differences in trace element incorporation are well-correlated over a wide range of environmental conditions. This is particularly remarkable knowing that different environmental factors influence incorporation of these elements at various magnitudes. Most likely the complex biomineralization of foraminifera potentially offsets trace elements similarly at all these scales and also between different species. This suggests that at least parts of the mechanisms underlying foraminiferal biomineralization are similar for all species, which in turn provides important clues on the cellular mechanisms operating during calcification. Moreover, the systematics in trace element partitioning between species could potentially provide important clues for unravelling past changes in trace element composition of the ancient ocean.

  4. Adsorption of Uranyl Ions at the Nano-hydroxyapatite and Its Modification.

    PubMed

    Skwarek, Ewa; Gładysz-Płaska, Agnieszka; Bolbukh, Yuliia

    2017-12-01

    Nano-hydroxyapatite and its modification, hydroxyapatite with the excess of phosphorus (P-HAP) and hydroxyapatite with the carbon ions built into the structure (C-HAP), were prepared by the wet method. They were studied by means of XRD, accelerated surface area and porosimetry (ASAP), and SEM. The size of crystallites computed using the Scherrer method was nano-hydroxyapatite (HAP) = 20 nm; P-HAP-impossible to determine; C-HAP = 22 nm; nano-HAP/U(VI) = 13.7 nm; P-HAP/U(VI)-impossible to determine, C-HAP/U(VI) = 11 nm. There were determined basic parameters characterizing the double electrical layer at the nano-HAP/electrolyte and P-HAP/electrolyte, C-HAP/electrolyte inter faces: density of the surface charge and zeta potential. The adsorption properties of nano-HAP sorbent in relation to U(VI) ions were studied by the batch technique. The adsorption processes were rapid in the first 60 min and reached the equilibrium within approximately 120 min (for P-HAP) and 300 min (for C-HAP and nano-HAP). The adsorption process fitted well with the pseudo-second-order kinetics. The Freundlich, Langmuir-Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models of isotherms were examined for their ability to the equilibrium sorption data. The maximum adsorption capabilities (q m ) were 7.75 g/g for P-HAP, 1.77 g/g for C-HAP, and 0.8 g/g for HAP at 293 K.

  5. Responses of trace elements to aerobic maximal exercise in elite sportsmen.

    PubMed

    Otag, Aynur; Hazar, Muhsin; Otag, Ilhan; Gürkan, Alper Cenk; Okan, Ilyas

    2014-02-21

    Trace elements are chemical elements needed in minute quantities for the proper growth, development, and physiology of the organism. In biochemistry, a trace element is also referred to as a micronutrient. Trace elements, such as nickel, cadmium, aluminum, silver, chromium, molybdenum, germanium, tin, titanium, tungsten, scandium, are found naturally in the environment and human exposure derives from a variety of sources, including air, drinking water and food. The Purpose of this study was investigated the effect of aerobic maximal intensity endurance exercise on serum trace elements as well-trained individuals of 28 wrestlers (age (year) 19.64±1.13, weight (Kg) 70.07 ± 15.69, height (cm) 176.97 ± 6.69) during and after a 2000 meter Ergometer test protocol was used to perform aerobic (75 %) maximal endurance exercise. Trace element serum levels were analyzed from blood samples taken before, immediately after and one hour after the exercise. While an increase was detected in Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Molybdenum (Mo) and Titanium (Ti) serum levels immediately after the exercise, a decrease was detected in Aluminum (Al), Scandium (Sc) and Tungsten (W) serum levels. Except for aluminum, the trace elements we worked on showed statistically meaningful responses (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001). According to the responses of trace elements to the exercise showed us the selection and application of the convenient sport is important not only in terms of sportsman performance but also in terms of future healthy life plans and clinically.

  6. Structural determinants of the interaction between the Haemophilus influenzae Hap autotransporter and fibronectin.

    PubMed

    Spahich, Nicole A; Kenjale, Roma; McCann, Jessica; Meng, Guoyu; Ohashi, Tomoo; Erickson, Harold P; St Geme, Joseph W

    2014-06-01

    Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative cocco-bacillus that initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract. Hap is an H. influenzae serine protease autotransporter protein that mediates adherence, invasion and microcolony formation in assays with human epithelial cells and is presumed to facilitate the process of colonization. Additionally, Hap mediates adherence to fibronectin, laminin and collagen IV, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that are present in the respiratory tract and are probably important targets for H. influenzae colonization. The region of Hap responsible for adherence to ECM proteins has been localized to the C-terminal 511 aa of the Hap passenger domain (HapS). In this study, we characterized the structural determinants of the interaction between HapS and fibronectin. Using defined fibronectin fragments, we established that Hap interacts with the fibronectin repeat fragment called FNIII(1-2). Using site-directed mutagenesis, we found a series of motifs in the C-terminal region of HapS that contribute to the interaction with fibronectin. Most of these motifs are located on the F1 and F3 faces of the HapS structure, suggesting that the F1 and F3 faces may be responsible for the HapS-fibronectin interaction. © 2014 The Authors.

  7. Structural determinants of the interaction between the Haemophilus influenzae Hap autotransporter and fibronectin

    PubMed Central

    Spahich, Nicole A.; Kenjale, Roma; McCann, Jessica; Meng, Guoyu; Ohashi, Tomoo; Erickson, Harold P.

    2014-01-01

    Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative cocco-bacillus that initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract. Hap is an H. influenzae serine protease autotransporter protein that mediates adherence, invasion and microcolony formation in assays with human epithelial cells and is presumed to facilitate the process of colonization. Additionally, Hap mediates adherence to fibronectin, laminin and collagen IV, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that are present in the respiratory tract and are probably important targets for H. influenzae colonization. The region of Hap responsible for adherence to ECM proteins has been localized to the C-terminal 511 aa of the Hap passenger domain (HapS). In this study, we characterized the structural determinants of the interaction between HapS and fibronectin. Using defined fibronectin fragments, we established that Hap interacts with the fibronectin repeat fragment called FNIII(1–2). Using site-directed mutagenesis, we found a series of motifs in the C-terminal region of HapS that contribute to the interaction with fibronectin. Most of these motifs are located on the F1 and F3 faces of the HapS structure, suggesting that the F1 and F3 faces may be responsible for the HapS–fibronectin interaction. PMID:24687948

  8. Engineered electrospun poly(caprolactone)/polycaprolactone-g-hydroxyapatite nano-fibrous scaffold promotes human fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation.

    PubMed

    Keivani, F; Shokrollahi, P; Zandi, M; Irani, S; F Shokrolahi; Khorasani, S C

    2016-11-01

    Polycaprolactone (PCL)/hydroxyapatite nano-composites are among the best candidates for tissue engineering. However, interactions between nHAp and PCL are difficult to control leading to inhomogeneous dispersion of the bio-ceramic particles. Grafting of polymer chains at high density/chain length while promotes the phase compatibility may result in reduced HAp exposed surface area and therefore, bioactivity is compromised. This issue is addressed here by grafting PCL chains onto HAp nano-particles through ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (PCL-g-HAp). FTIR and TGA analysis showed that PCL (6.9wt%), was successfully grafted on the HAp. PCL/PCL-g-HAp nano-fibrous scaffold showed up to 10 and 33% enhancement in tensile strength and modulus, respectively, compared to those of PCL/HAp. The effects of HAp on the in vitro HAp formation were investigated for both the PCL/HAp and PCL/PCL-g-HAp scaffolds. Precipitation of HAp on the nano-composite scaffolds observed after 15days incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF), as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Human fibroblasts were seeded on PCL, PCL/HAp and PCL/PCL-g-HAp scaffolds. According to MTT assay, the highest cell proliferation was recorded for PCL/PCL-g-HAp nano-composite, at all time intervals (1-21days, P<0.001). Fluorescent microscopy (of DAPI stained samples) and electron microscopy images showed that all nano-fibrous scaffolds (PCL, PCL/HAp, and PCL/PCL-g-HAp), were non-toxic against cells, while more cell adhesion, and the most uniform cell distribution observed on the PCL/PCL-g-HAp. Overall, grafting of relatively short chains of PCL on the surface of HAp nano-particles stimulates fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation on the PCL/PCL-g-HAp nano-composite. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Simultaneous immobilization of borate, arsenate, and silicate from geothermal water derived from mining activity by co-precipitation with hydroxyapatite.

    PubMed

    Sasaki, Keiko; Hayashi, Yoshikazu; Toshiyuki, Kenta; Guo, Binglin

    2018-09-01

    The treatment of the geothermal water discharged through mining activity is a critical issue because the rate of discharge is 12,000 m 3 per day and the discharge contains high concentrations of borate (>20 mg/L) and arsenate (ca. 0.4 mg/L) as well as silicate and carbonate. The simultaneous reduction of borate and arsenate concentrations to acceptable levels was successfully performed by co-precipitation with hydroxyapatite (HAp). Although the coexisting high concentrations of carbonate act as a disturbing element, the co-precipitation equilibrium of borate was shifted to lower values by adjusting the P/Ca molar ratio, and the removal rate of borate was accelerated by using Al 3+ additives, resulting in the efficient reduction of borate within 1 h. The initially immobilized boron in HAp is in the tetragonal form, which probably occupies the hydroxyl sites in HAp, gradually transforming into the trigonal form in the solid state, as interpreted by 1 H NMR and 11 B-NMR. The coexisting silicate was also immobilized in an ellestadite form, as confirmed by 29 Si-NMR measurements. Arsenate and silicate were immobilized before borate in geothermal water. A dissolution assay of borate in the solid residues after co-precipitation with HAp verified the acceptable stability of borate, which is independent of the amount of added Al 3+ . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Assessing the risks of trace elements in environmental materials under selected greenhouse vegetable production systems of China.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yong; Huang, Biao; Hu, Wenyou; Weindorf, David C; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Niedermann, Silvana

    2014-02-01

    The risk assessment of trace elements of different environmental media in conventional and organic greenhouse vegetable production systems (CGVPS and OGVPS) can reveal the influence of different farming philosophy on the trace element accumulations and their effects on human health. These provide important basic data for the environmental protection and human health. This paper presents trace element accumulation characteristics of different land uses; reveals the difference of soil trace element accumulation both with and without consideration of background levels; compares the trace element uptake by main vegetables; and assesses the trace element risks of soils, vegetables, waters and agricultural inputs, using two selected greenhouse vegetable systems in Nanjing, China as examples. Results showed that greenhouse vegetable fields contained significant accumulations of Zn in CGVPS relative to rice-wheat rotation fields, open vegetable fields, and geochemical background levels, and this was the case for organic matter in OGVPS. The comparative analysis of the soil medium in two systems with consideration of geochemical background levels and evaluation of the geo-accumulation pollution index achieved a more reasonable comparison and accurate assessment relative to the direct comparison analysis and the evaluation of the Nemerow pollution index, respectively. According to the Chinese food safety standards and the value of the target hazard quotient or hazard index, trace element contents of vegetables were safe for local residents in both systems. However, the spatial distribution of the estimated hazard index for producers still presented certain specific hotspots which may cause potential risk for human health in CGVPS. The water was mainly influenced by nitrogen, especially for CGVPS, while the potential risk of Cd and Cu pollution came from sediments in OGVPS. The main inputs for trace elements were fertilizers which were relatively safe based on relevant standards; but excess application caused trace element accumulations in the environmental media. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Concentrations, sources and human health risk of inhalation exposure to air toxics in Edmonton, Canada.

    PubMed

    Bari, Md Aynul; Kindzierski, Warren B

    2017-04-01

    With concern about levels of air pollutants in recent years in the Capital Region of Alberta, an investigation of ambient concentrations, sources and potential human health risk of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) or air toxics was undertaken in the City of Edmonton over a 5-year period (2009-2013). Mean concentrations of individual HAPs in ambient air including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and trace metals ranged from 0.04 to 1.73 μg/m 3 , 0.01-0.54 ng/m 3 , and 0.05-3.58 ng/m 3 , respectively. Concentrations of benzene, naphthalene, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), arsenic, manganese and nickel were far below respective annual Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of air toxics were also compared with risk levels recommended by regulatory agencies. Positive matrix factorization identified six air toxics sources with traffic as the dominant contributor to total HAPs (4.33 μg/m 3 , 42%), followed by background/secondary organic aerosol (SOA) (1.92 μg/m 3 , 25%), fossil fuel combustion (0.92 μg/m 3 , 11%). On high particulate air pollution event days, local traffic was identified as the major contributor to total HAPs compared to background/SOA and fossil fuel combustion. Carcinogenic risk values of traffic, background/SOA and metals industry emissions were above the USEPA acceptable level (1 × 10 -6 ), but below a tolerable risk (1 × 10 -4 ) and Alberta benchmark (1 × 10 -5 ). These findings offer useful preliminary information about current ambient air toxics levels, dominant sources and their potential risk to public health; and this information can support policy makers in the development of appropriate control strategies if required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Trace elements in natural azurite pigments found in illuminated manuscript leaves investigated by synchrotron x-ray fluorescence and diffraction mapping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smieska, Louisa M.; Mullett, Ruth; Ferri, Laurent; Woll, Arthur R.

    2017-07-01

    We present trace-element and composition analysis of azurite pigments in six illuminated manuscript leaves, dating from the thirteenth to sixteenth century, using synchrotron-based, large-area x-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) and diffraction (SR-XRD) mapping. SR-XRF mapping reveals several trace elements correlated with azurite, including arsenic, zirconium, antimony, barium, and bismuth, that appear in multiple manuscripts but were not always detected by point XRF. Within some manuscript leaves, variations in the concentration of trace elements associated with azurite coincide with distinct regions of the illuminations, suggesting systematic differences in azurite preparation or purification. Variations of the trace element concentrations in azurite are greater among different manuscript leaves than the variations within each individual leaf, suggesting the possibility that such impurities reflect distinct mineralogical/geologic sources. SR-XRD maps collected simultaneously with the SR-XRF maps confirm the identification of azurite regions and are consistent with impurities found in natural mineral sources of azurite. In general, our results suggest the feasibility of using azurite trace element analysis for provenance studies of illuminated manuscript fragments, and demonstrate the value of XRF mapping in non-destructive determination of trace element concentrations within a single pigment.

  13. Co-digestion of manure and industrial waste--The effects of trace element addition.

    PubMed

    Nordell, Erik; Nilsson, Britt; Nilsson Påledal, Sören; Karisalmi, Kaisa; Moestedt, Jan

    2016-01-01

    Manure is one of the most common substrates for biogas production. Manure from dairy- and swine animals are often considered to stabilize the biogas process by contributing nutrients and trace elements needed for the biogas process. In this study two lab-scale reactors were used to evaluate the effects of trace element addition during co-digestion of manure from swine- and dairy animals with industrial waste. The substrate used contained high background concentrations of both cobalt and nickel, which are considered to be the most important trace elements. In the reactor receiving additional trace elements, the volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration was 89% lower than in the control reactor. The lower VFA concentration contributed to a more digested digestate, and thus lower methane emissions in the subsequent storage. Also, the biogas production rate increased with 24% and the biogas production yield with 10%, both as a result of the additional trace elements at high organic loading rates. All in all, even though 50% of the feedstock consisted of manure, trace element addition resulted in multiple positive effects and a more reliable process with stable and high yield. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. 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.

  15. Determination of trace elements and their concentrations in clay balls: problem of geophagia practice in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Arhin, Emmanuel; Zango, Musah S

    2017-02-01

    Ten samples of 100 g weight were subsampled from 1400 g of the clay balls from which the contained trace element levels were determined by X-ray fluorescence technique. The results of trace elements in the clay balls were calibrated using certified reference materials "MAJMON" and "BH-1." The results showed elevated concentrations but with different concentration levels in the regions, particularly with arsenic, chromium, cobalt, Cs, Zr and La. These trace elements contained in the clay balls are known to be hazardous to human health. Thence the relatively high concentrations of these listed trace elements in clay balls in the three regions, namely Ashanti, Upper East and Volta, which are widely sold in markets in Ghana, could present negative health impact on consumers if consumed at 70 g per day or more and on regular basis. On the basis of these, the study concludes an investigation to establish breakeven range for trace element concentrations in the clay balls as it has been able to demonstrate the uneven and elevated values in them. The standardized safe ranges of trace elements will make the practice safer for the people that ingest clay balls in Ghana.

  16. Trace-element concentrations in streambed sediment across the conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rice, Karen C.

    1999-01-01

    Trace-element concentrations in 541 streambed-sediment samples collected from 20 study areas across the conterminous United States were examined as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Sediment samples were sieved and the <63-μm fraction was retained for determination of total concentrations of trace elements. Aluminum, iron, titanium, and organic carbon were weakly or not at all correlated with the nine trace elements examined:  arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Four different methods of accounting for background/baseline concentrations were examined; however, normalization was not required because field sieving removed most of the background differences between samples. The sum of concentrations of trace elements characteristic of urban settings - copper, mercury, lead, and zinc - was well correlated with population density, nationwide. Median concentrations of seven trace elements (all nine examined except arsenic and selenium) were enriched in samples collected from urban settings relative to agricultural or forested settings. Forty-nine percent of the sites sampled in urban settings had concentrations of one or more trace elements that exceeded levels at which adverse biological effects could occur in aquatic biota.

  17. Acoustic emission and fatigue damage induced in plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coating layers.

    PubMed

    Laonapakul, Teerawat; Otsuka, Yuichi; Nimkerdphol, Achariya Rakngarm; Mutoh, Yoshiharu

    2012-04-01

    In order to improve the adhesive strength of hydroxyapatite (HAp) coatings, grit blasting with Al(2)O(3) powder and then wet blasting with HAp/Ti mixed powders was carried out on a commercially pure Ti (cp-Ti) substrate. Subsequently, an HAp/Ti bond coat layer and HAp top coat layer were deposited by plasma spraying. Fatigue tests of the HAp-coated specimens were carried out under four-point bending. Acoustic emission (AE) signals during the entire fatigue test were monitored to investigate the fatigue cracking behavior of the HAp-coated specimens. The HAp-coated specimens could survive up to 10(7) cycles without spallation of the HAp coating layers at the stress amplitude of 120 MPa. The HAp-coated specimens without HAp/Ti bond coat layer showed shorter fatigue life and easy crack nucleation compared to the HAp-coated specimens with HAp/Ti bond coat layer. The delamination and spallation of the HAp top coat with HAp/Ti bond coat on cp-Ti was not observed until the crack propagated into the cp-Ti during the final fracture stage of the fatigue cycle. Therefore, the HAp/Ti bond coat layer was found to greatly improve the fatigue damage resistance of the HAp coating layer. Three stages of the fatigue failure behavior of the HAp top coat with HAp/Ti bond coat on a cp-Ti substrate can be clearly estimated by the AE monitoring technique. These stages are cracks nucleating and propagating in the coating layer, cracks propagating in the substrate, and cracks propagating unstably to final fracture. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Soluble trace elements and total mercury in Arctic Alaskan snow

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Snyder-Conn, E.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hoffman, G.L.; Oelkers, A.

    1997-01-01

    Ultraclean field and laboratory procedures were used to examine trace element concentrations in northern Alaskan snow. Sixteen soluble trace elements and total mercury were determined in snow core samples representing the annual snowfall deposited during the 1993-94 season at two sites in the Prudhoe Bay oil field and nine sites in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Arctic NWR). Results indicate there were two distinct point sources for trace elements in the Prudhoe Bay oil field - a source associated with oil and gas production and a source associated with municipal solid-waste incineration. Soluble trace element concentrations measured in snow from the Arctic NWR resembled concentrations of trace elements measured elsewhere in the Arctic using clean sample-collection and processing techniques and were consistent with deposition resulting from widespread arctic atmospheric contamination. With the exception of elements associated with sea salts, there were no orographic or east-west trends observed in the Arctic NWR data, nor were there any detectable influences from the Prudhoe Bay oil field, probably because of the predominant easterly and northeasterly winds on the North Slope of Alaska. However, regression analysis on latitude suggested significant south-to-north increases in selected trace element concentrations, many of which appear unrelated to the sea salt contribution.

  19. The effects of trace element content on pyrite oxidation rates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gregory, D. D.; Lyons, T.; Cliff, J. B.; Perea, D. E.; Johnson, A.; Romaniello, S. J.; Large, R. R.

    2017-12-01

    Pyrite acts as both an important source and sink for many different metals and metalloids in the environment, including many that are toxic. Oxidation of pyrite can release these elements while at the same time producing significant amounts of sulfuric acid. Such issues are common in the vicinity of abandoned mines and smelters, but, as pyrite is a common accessory mineral in many different lithologies, significant pyrite oxidation can occur whenever pyritic rocks are exposed to oxygenated water or the atmosphere. Accelerated exposure to oxygen can occur during deforestation, fracking for petroleum, and construction projects. Geochemical models for pyrite oxidation can help us develop strategies to mitigate these deleterious effects. An important component of these models is an accurate pyrite oxidation rate; however, current pyrite oxidation rates have been determined using relatively pure pyrite. Natural pyrite is rarely pure and has a wide range of trace element concentrations that may affect the oxidation rate. Furthermore, the position of trace elements within the mineral lattice can also affect the oxidation rate. For example, elements such as Ni and Co, which substitute into the pyrite lattice, are thought to stabilize the lattice and thus prevent pyrite oxidation. Alternatively, trace elements that are held within inclusions of other minerals could form a galvanic cell with the surrounding pyrite, thus enhancing pyrite oxidation rates. In this study, we present preliminary analyses from three different pyrite oxidation experiments each using natural pyrite with different trace element compositions. These results show that the pyrite with the highest trace element concentration has approximately an order of magnitude higher oxidation rate compared to the lowest trace element sample. To further elucidate the mechanisms, we employed microanalytical techniques to investigate how the trace elements are held within the pyrite. LA-ICPMS was used to determine the variability of trace element content from the pyrite samples. These data were then used to select areas of interest for NanoSIMS analyses, which in turn was used to select areas for TEM and APT. These analyses show that the trace element content of pyrite can be highly variable, which may significantly affect the rate of pyrite oxidation.

  20. Concentrations of selected trace elements in fish tissue and streambed sediment in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River basins, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, 1998

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Maret, Terry R.; Skinner, K.D.

    2000-01-01

    Fish tissue and bed sediment samples were collected from 16 stream sites in the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins study area in 1998 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Bed sediment samples were analyzed for 45 trace elements, and fish livers and sportfish fillets were analyzed for 22 elements to characterize the occurrence and distribution of these elements in relation to stream characteristics and land use activities. Nine trace elements of environmental concern—arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc—were detected in bed sediment, but not all of these elements were detected in fish tissue. Trace-element concentrations were highest in bed sediment samples collected at sites downstream from significant natural mineral deposits and (or) mining activities. Arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in bed sediment at some sites were elevated relative to national median concentrations, and some concentrations were at levels that can adversely affect aquatic biota. Although trace-element concentrations in bed sediment exceeded various guidelines, no concentrations in sportfish fillets exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency screening values for the protection of human health. Correlations between most trace-element concentrations in bed sediment and fish tissue (liver and fillet) were not significant (r0.05). Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc in bed sediment were significantly correlated (r=0.53 to 0.88, p2=0.95 and 0.99, p<0.001) that corresponded to trace-element enrichment categories. These strong relations warrant further study using mine density as an explanatory variable to predict trace-element concentrations in bed sediment.

  1. The synergistic effect of micro/nano-structured and Cu2+-doped hydroxyapatite particles to promote osteoblast viability and antibacterial activity.

    PubMed

    Shi, Feng; Liu, Yumei; Zhi, Wei; Xiao, Dongqin; Li, Hongyu; Duan, Ke; Qu, Shuxin; Weng, Jie

    2017-06-06

    Microstructure and chemical constitution are important factors affecting the biological activity of biomaterials. This study aimed to fabricate hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles with both micro/nanohybrid structure and Cu 2+ doping to promote osteogenic differentiation and antibacterial property. In the presence of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), micro/nano-structured and Cu 2+ -doped HAp (HAp-IP6-Cu) microspheres were successfully fabricated via hydrothermal method. Morphological observation showed that HAp-IP6-Cu microspheres with a diameter of 3.1-4.1 μm were chrysanthemum-like and composed of nano-flakes approximately 50 nm in thickness. Compared with the HAp micro-rods or IP6 modified HAp (HAp-IP6) microspheres, HAp-IP6-Cu microspheres had a larger specific surface area, better hydrophilicity and stronger ability to adsorb bovine serum albumin. To evaluate the synergistic effects of micro/nanohybrid structure and Cu 2+ on cell behavior, rat calvarial osteoblasts (RCOs) were cultured on HAp-IP6-Cu, HAp-IP6 and HAp layers as well as their extracts, respectively. Results demonstrated that HAp-IP6-Cu layer promoted the adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of RCOs. The cells grew on HAp-IP6-Cu and HAp-IP6 layers exhibited greater spreading than those on HAp layer. In addition, quantitative test by the agar disk diffusion technique found that HAp-IP6-Cu microspheres were effectively against S taphylococcus aureus and E scherichia coli. These results demonstrated that HAp-IP6-Cu microspheres may be a potential candidate as a bioactive and anti-infective biomaterial for bone regeneration.

  2. Trace Elements in Marine Sediment and Organisms in the Gulf of Thailand

    PubMed Central

    Worakhunpiset, Suwalee

    2018-01-01

    This review summarizes the findings from studies of trace element levels in marine sediment and organisms in the Gulf of Thailand. Spatial and temporal variations in trace element concentrations were observed. Although trace element contamination levels were low, the increased urbanization and agricultural and industrial activities may adversely affect ecosystems and human health. The periodic monitoring of marine environments is recommended in order to minimize human health risks from the consumption of contaminated marine organisms. PMID:29677146

  3. LA-ICP-MS trace element mapping: insights into the crystallisation history of a metamorphic garnet population

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, Freya; Gaidies, Fred

    2017-04-01

    In comparison to our understanding of major element zoning, relatively little is known about the incorporation of trace elements into metamorphic garnet. Given their extremely slow diffusivities and sensitivity to changing mineral assemblages, the analysis of the distribution of trace elements in garnet has the potential to yield a wealth of information pertaining to interfacial attachment mechanisms during garnet crystallisation, the mobility of trace elements in both garnet and the matrix, and trace element geochronology. Due to advances in the spatial resolution and analytical precision of modern microbeam techniques, small-scale trace element variations can increasingly be documented and used to inform models of metamorphic crystallisation. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in particular, can be used to rapidly quantify a wide range of elemental masses as a series of laser rasters, producing large volumes of spatially constrained trace element data. In this study, we present LA-ICP-MS maps of trace element concentrations from numerous centrally-sectioned garnets representative of the crystal size-distribution of a single sample's population. The study sample originates from the garnet-grade Barrovian zone of the Lesser Himalayan Sequence in Sikkim, northeast India, and has been shown to have crystallised garnet within a single assemblage between 515 ˚C and 565˚C, with no evidence for accessory phase reaction over the duration of garnet growth. Previous models have indicated that the duration of garnet crystallisation was extremely rapid (<1 Myr), with negligible diffusional homogenisation of major divalent cations. Consequently, the trace element record likely documents the primary zonation generated during garnet growth. In spite of straightforward (i.e. concentrically-zoned) major element garnet zonation, trace elements maps are characterised by significant complexity and variability. Y and the heavy rare earth elements are strongly enriched in crystal cores, where there is overprinting of the observed internal fabric, and exhibit numerous concentric annuli towards crystal rims. Conversely, the medium rare earth elements (e.g. Gd, Eu and Sm) exhibit bowl-shaped zoning from core to rim, with no annuli, and core and rim compositions of the medium rare earth elements are the same throughout the population within crystals of differing size. Cr exhibits pronounced spiral zoning, and the average Cr content increases towards garnet rims. In all cases, spirals are centered on the geometric core of the crystals. These LA-ICP-MS maps highlight the complexity of garnet growth over a single prograde event, and indicate that there is still much to be learnt from the analysis of garnet using ever-improving analytical methods. We explore the potential causes of the variations in the distribution of trace elements in garnet, and assess how these zoning patterns may be used to refine our understanding of the intricacies of garnet crystallisation and the spatial and temporal degree of trace element equilibration during metamorphism.

  4. Trace elements in Mediterranean seagrasses and macroalgae. A review.

    PubMed

    Bonanno, Giuseppe; Orlando-Bonaca, Martina

    2018-03-15

    This review investigates the current state of knowledge on the levels of the main essential and non-essential trace elements in Mediterranean vascular plants and macroalgae. The research focuses also on the so far known effects of high element concentrations on these marine organisms. The possible use of plants and algae as bioindicators of marine pollution is discussed as well. The presence of trace elements is overall well known in all five Mediterranean vascular plants, whereas current studies investigated element concentrations in only c. 5.0% of all native Mediterranean macroalgae. Although seagrasses and macroalgae can generally accumulate and tolerate high concentrations of trace elements, phytotoxic levels are still not clearly identified for both groups of organisms. Moreover, although the high accumulation of trace elements in seagrasses and macroalgae is considered as a significant risk for the associated food webs, the real magnitude of this risk has not been adequately investigated yet. The current research provides enough scientific evidence that seagrasses and macroalgae may act as effective bioindicators, especially the former for trace elements in sediments, and the latter in seawater. The combined use of seagrasses and macroalgae as bioindicators still lacks validated protocols, whose application should be strongly encouraged to biomonitor exhaustively the presence of trace elements in the abiotic and biotic components of coastal ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Visualizing trace element distribution in quartz using cathodoluminescence, electron microprobe, and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rusk, Brian; Koenig, Alan; Lowers, Heather

    2011-01-01

    Cathodoluminescent (CL) textures in quartz reveal successive histories of the physical and chemical fluctuations that accompany crystal growth. Such CL textures reflect trace element concentration variations that can be mapped by electron microprobe or laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Trace element maps in hydrothermal quartz from four different ore deposit types (Carlin-type Au, epithermal Ag, porphyry-Cu, and MVT Pb-Zn) reveal correlations among trace elements and between trace element concentrations and CL textures. The distributions of trace elements reflect variations in the physical and chemical conditions of quartz precipitation. These maps show that Al is the most abundant trace element in hydrothermal quartz. In crystals grown at temperatures below 300 °C, Al concentrations may vary by up to two orders of magnitude between adjacent growth zones, with no evidence for diffusion. The monovalent cations Li, Na, and K, where detectable, always correlate with Al, with Li being the most abundant of the three. In most samples, Al is more abundant than the combined total of the monovalent cations; however, in the MVT sample, molar Al/Li ratios are ~0.8. Antimony is present in concentrations up to ~120 ppm in epithermal quartz (~200–300 °C), but is not detectable in MVT, Carlin, or porphyry-Cu quartz. Concentrations of Sb do not correlate consistently with those of other trace elements or with CL textures. Titanium is only abundant enough to be mapped in quartz from porphyry-type ore deposits that precipitate at temperatures above ~400 °C. In such quartz, Ti concentration correlates positively with CL intensity, suggesting a causative relationship. In contrast, in quartz from other deposit types, there is no consistent correlation between concentrations of any trace element and CL intensity fluctuations.

  6. Trace element profiles in modern horse molar enamel as tracers of seasonality: Evidence from micro-XRF, LA-ICP-MS and stable isotope analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Winter, Niels; Goderis, Steven; van Malderen, Stijn; Vanhaecke, Frank; Claeys, Philippe

    2016-04-01

    A combination of laboratory micro-X-ray Fluorescence (μXRF) and stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis shows that trace element profiles from modern horse molars reveal a seasonal pattern that co-varies with seasonality in the oxygen isotope records of enamel carbonate from the same teeth. A combination of six cheek teeth (premolars and molars) from the same individual yields a seasonal isotope and trace element record of approximately three years recorded during the growth of the molars. This record shows that reproducible measurements of various trace element ratios (e.g., Sr/Ca, Zn/Ca, Fe/Ca, K/Ca and S/Ca) lag the seasonal pattern in oxygen isotope records by 2-3 months. Laser Ablation-ICP-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis on a cross-section of the first molar of the same individual is compared to the bench-top tube-excitation μXRF results to test the robustness of the measurements and to compare both methods. Furthermore, trace element (e.g. Sr, Zn, Mg & Ba) profiles perpendicular to the growth direction of the same tooth, as well as profiles parallel to the growth direction are measured with LA-ICP-MS and μXRF to study the internal distribution of trace element ratios in two dimensions. Results of this extensive complementary line-scanning procedure shows the robustness of state of the art laboratory micro-XRF scanning for the measurement of trace elements in bioapatite. The comparison highlights the advantages and disadvantages of both methods for trace element analysis and illustrates their complementarity. Results of internal variation within the teeth shed light on the origins of trace elements in mammal teeth and their potential use for paleo-environmental reconstruction.

  7. Traffic-related trace elements in soils along six highway segments on the Tibetan Plateau: Influence factors and spatial variation.

    PubMed

    Wang, Guanxing; Zeng, Chen; Zhang, Fan; Zhang, Yili; Scott, Christopher A; Yan, Xuedong

    2017-03-01

    The accumulation of traffic-related trace elements in soil as the result of anthropogenic activities raises serious concerns about environmental pollution and public health. Traffic is the main source of trace elements in roadside soil on the Tibetan Plateau, an area otherwise devoid of industrial emissions. Indeed, the rapid development of tourism and transportation in this region means it is becoming increasingly important to identify the accumulation levels, influence distance, spatial distribution, and other relevant factors influencing trace elements. In this study, 229 soil samples along six segments of the major transportation routes on the Tibetan Plateau (highways G214, S308, and G109), were collected for analysis of eight trace elements (Cr, Co, Ni, As, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb). The results of statistical analyses showed that of the eight trace elements in soils, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb were primarily derived from traffic. The relationship between the trace element accumulation levels and the distance from the roadside followed an exponential decline, with the exception of Segment 3, the only unpaved gravel road studied. In addition, the distance of influence from the roadside varied by trace element and segment, ranging from 16m to 144m. Background values for each segment were different because of soil heterogeneity, while a number of other potential influencing factors (including traffic volume, road surface material, roadside distance, land cover, terrain, and altitude) all had significant effects on trace-element concentrations. Overall, however, concentrations along most of the road segments investigated were at, or below, levels defined as low on the Nemero Synthesis index. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Evolution of trace elements in the planetary boundary layer in southern China: Effects of dust storms and aerosol-cloud interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Tao; Wang, Yan; Zhou, Jie; Wang, Tao; Ding, Aijun; Nie, Wei; Xue, Likun; Wang, Xinfeng; Wang, Wenxing

    2017-03-01

    Aerosols and cloud water were analyzed at a mountaintop in the planetary boundary layer in southern China during March-May 2009, when two Asian dust storms occurred, to investigate the effects of aerosol-cloud interactions (ACIs) on chemical evolution of atmospheric trace elements. Fe, Al, and Zn predominated in both coarse and fine aerosols, followed by high concentrations of toxic Pb, As, and Cd. Most of these aerosol trace elements, which were affected by dust storms, exhibited various increases in concentrations but consistent decreases in solubility. Zn, Fe, Al, and Pb were the most abundant trace elements in cloud water. The trace element concentrations exhibited logarithmic inverse relationships with the cloud liquid water content and were found highly pH dependent with minimum concentrations at the threshold of pH 5.0. The calculation of Visual MINTEQ model showed that 80.7-96.3% of Fe(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) existed in divalent free ions, while 71.7% of Fe(III) and 71.5% of Al(III) were complexed by oxalate and fluoride, respectively. ACIs could markedly change the speciation distributions of trace elements in cloud water by pH modification. The in-cloud scavenging of aerosol trace elements likely reached a peak after the first 2-3 h of cloud processing, with scavenging ratios between 0.12 for Cr and 0.57 for Pb. The increases of the trace element solubility (4-33%) were determined in both in-cloud aerosols and postcloud aerosols. These results indicated the significant importance of aerosol-cloud interactions to the evolution of trace elements during the first several cloud condensation/evaporation cycles.

  9. Trace element concentrations in liver of 16 species of cetaceans stranded on Pacific Islands from 1997 through 2013

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, Angela M. K.; Bryan, Colleen E.; West, Kristi; Jensen, Brenda A.

    2016-01-01

    The impacts of anthropogenic contaminants on marine ecosystems are a concern worldwide. Anthropogenic activities can enrich trace elements in marine biota to concentrations that may negatively impact organism health. Exposure to elevated concentrations of trace elements is considered a contributing factor in marine mammal population declines. Hawai'i is an increasingly important geographic location for global monitoring, yet trace element concentrations have not been quantified in Hawaiian cetaceans, and there is little trace element data for Pacific cetaceans. This study measured trace elements (Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb) in liver of 16 species of cetaceans that stranded on U.S. Pacific Islands from 1997–2013, using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) (n = 31), and direct mercury analysis atomic absorption spectrometry (DMA-AAS) (n = 43). Concentration ranges (µg/g wet mass fraction) for non-essential trace elements such as Cd (0.0031–58.93) and Hg (0.0062–1571.75) were much greater than essential trace elements such as Mn (0.590–17.31) and Zn (14.72–245.38). Differences were found among age classes in Cu, Zn, Hg, and Se concentrations. The highest concentrations of Se, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb were found in one adult female false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) at concentrations that are known to affect health in marine mammals. The results of this study establish initial trace element concentration ranges for Pacific cetaceans in the Hawaiian Islands region, provide insights into contaminant exposure of these marine mammals, and contribute to a greater understanding of anthropogenic impacts in the Pacific Ocean. PMID:26283019

  10. Trace Element Concentrations in Liver of 16 Species of Cetaceans Stranded on Pacific Islands from 1997 through 2013.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Angela M K; Bryan, Colleen E; West, Kristi; Jensen, Brenda A

    2016-01-01

    The impacts of anthropogenic contaminants on marine ecosystems are a concern worldwide. Anthropogenic activities can enrich trace elements in marine biota to concentrations that may negatively impact organism health. Exposure to elevated concentrations of trace elements is considered a contributing factor in marine mammal population declines. Hawai'i is an increasingly important geographic location for global monitoring, yet trace element concentrations have not been quantified in Hawaiian cetaceans, and there is little trace element data for Pacific cetaceans. This study measured trace elements (Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb) in liver of 16 species of cetaceans that stranded on U.S. Pacific Islands from 1997 to 2013, using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) (n = 31), and direct mercury analysis atomic absorption spectrometry (DMA-AAS) (n = 43). Concentration ranges (μg/g wet mass fraction) for non-essential trace elements, such as Cd (0.0031-58.93) and Hg (0.0062-1571.75) were much greater than essential trace elements, such as Mn (0.590-17.31) and Zn (14.72-245.38). Differences were found among age classes in Cu, Zn, Hg, and Se concentrations. The highest concentrations of Se, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb were found in one adult female false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) at concentrations that are known to affect health in marine mammals. The results of this study establish initial trace element concentration ranges for Pacific cetaceans in the Hawaiian Islands region, provide insights into contaminant exposure of these marine mammals, and contribute to a greater understanding of anthropogenic impacts in the Pacific Ocean.

  11. Trace Elements Affect Methanogenic Activity and Diversity in Enrichments from Subsurface Coal Bed Produced Water

    PubMed Central

    Ünal, Burcu; Perry, Verlin Ryan; Sheth, Mili; Gomez-Alvarez, Vicente; Chin, Kuk-Jeong; Nüsslein, Klaus

    2012-01-01

    Microbial methane from coal beds accounts for a significant and growing percentage of natural gas worldwide. Our knowledge of physical and geochemical factors regulating methanogenesis is still in its infancy. We hypothesized that in these closed systems, trace elements (as micronutrients) are a limiting factor for methanogenic growth and activity. Trace elements are essential components of enzymes or cofactors of metabolic pathways associated with methanogenesis. This study examined the effects of eight trace elements (iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, boron, and copper) on methane production, on mcrA transcript levels, and on methanogenic community structure in enrichment cultures obtained from coal bed methane (CBM) well produced water samples from the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Methane production was shown to be limited both by a lack of additional trace elements as well as by the addition of an overly concentrated trace element mixture. Addition of trace elements at concentrations optimized for standard media enhanced methane production by 37%. After 7 days of incubation, the levels of mcrA transcripts in enrichment cultures with trace element amendment were much higher than in cultures without amendment. Transcript levels of mcrA correlated positively with elevated rates of methane production in supplemented enrichments (R2 = 0.95). Metabolically active methanogens, identified by clone sequences of mcrA mRNA retrieved from enrichment cultures, were closely related to Methanobacterium subterraneum and Methanobacterium formicicum. Enrichment cultures were dominated by M. subterraneum and had slightly higher predicted methanogenic richness, but less diversity than enrichment cultures without amendments. These results suggest that varying concentrations of trace elements in produced water from different subsurface coal wells may cause changing levels of CBM production and alter the composition of the active methanogenic community. PMID:22590465

  12. Trace Element Concentrations in Beef Cattle Related to the Breed Aptitude.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Victor; Carbajales, Paloma; López-Alonso, Marta; Miranda, Marta

    2018-02-24

    Animal feed has traditionally been supplemented with trace elements at dietary concentrations well above physiological needs. However, environmental concerns have led to calls for better adjustment of mineral supplementation to actual physiological needs and, in this context, consideration of breed-related differences in trace element requirements. The aim of this study was to analyze trace element concentrations in the main breeds used for intensive beef production in northern Spain (Holstein-Friesian [HF], Galician Blonde [GB], and GB × HF cross). Samples of blood, internal organs, and muscle were obtained at slaughter from 10 HF, GB, and GB × HF cross calves in the same feedlot. Overall, trace element concentrations in serum and internal organs were within adequate ranges and did not differ between those of breeds, suggesting that trace mineral supplementation was adequate in all groups. The only exception to this was copper, and hepatic copper concentrations were above adequate levels in all calves. This was particularly evident in the HF calves, and the maximum recommended level for human consumption was exceeded in 90% of these animals. Copper, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc concentrations in muscle were significantly higher in the HF than those in the GB calves, with intermediate values for the crosses. These breed-related differences in trace element concentrations in the muscle may be related to lower muscle mass and/or higher hepatic activity in the HF (dairy) calves than in GB (beef) calves. As meat is an essential source of highly available trace elements in human diets, breed-related differences in trace element concentrations in meat deserve further investigation.

  13. Trace Elements in Parenteral Nutrition: Considerations for the Prescribing Clinician

    PubMed Central

    Jin, Jennifer; Mulesa, Leanne; Carrilero Rouillet, Mariana

    2017-01-01

    Trace elements (TEs) are an essential component of parenteral nutrition (PN). Over the last few decades, there has been increased experience with PN, and with this knowledge more information about the management of trace elements has become available. There is increasing awareness of the effects of deficiencies and toxicities of certain trace elements. Despite this heightened awareness, much is still unknown in terms of trace element monitoring, the accuracy of different assays, and current TE contamination of solutions. The supplementation of TEs is a complex and important part of the PN prescription. Understanding the role of different disease states and the need for reduced or increased doses is essential. Given the heterogeneity of the PN patients, supplementation should be individualized. PMID:28452962

  14. 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.

  15. Trace Elements in Parenteral Nutrition: Considerations for the Prescribing Clinician.

    PubMed

    Jin, Jennifer; Mulesa, Leanne; Carrilero Rouillet, Mariana

    2017-04-28

    Trace elements (TEs) are an essential component of parenteral nutrition (PN). Over the last few decades, there has been increased experience with PN, and with this knowledge more information about the management of trace elements has become available. There is increasing awareness of the effects of deficiencies and toxicities of certain trace elements. Despite this heightened awareness, much is still unknown in terms of trace element monitoring, the accuracy of different assays, and current TE contamination of solutions. The supplementation of TEs is a complex and important part of the PN prescription. Understanding the role of different disease states and the need for reduced or increased doses is essential. Given the heterogeneity of the PN patients, supplementation should be individualized.

  16. Surface-modified silk hydrogel containing hydroxyapatite nanoparticle with hyaluronic acid-dopamine conjugate.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyung Hwan; Park, Jong Bo; Kang, Min Ji; Park, Young Hwan

    2014-09-01

    Silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite (SF/HAp) composite hydrogels were fabricated in this study, having different HAp contents (0-33 wt%) in SF matrix hydrogel. Surface modification of HAp nanoparticle with hyaluronic acid (HA)-dopamine (DA) conjugate improved a dispersibility of HAp in aqueous SF solution due to its negatively charged surface and therefore, fabrication of the SF composite hydrogel having HAp nanoparticles inside could be possible. Zeta potential of surface-modified HAP was examined by ELS. It demonstrates that surface of HAp was well modified to a negative charge with HA-DA. Morphological structure of SF hydrogel containing surface-modified HAp was examined by FE-SEM for analyzing pore structure of hydrogel and deposition of HAp nanoparticle in SF hydrogel. It was found that HAp nanoparticles were uniformly deposited on the pore wall of SF hydrogel. Structural characteristics of SF/HAp composite hydrogel was performed using X-ray diffraction and FT-IR analysis. It was found that β-sheet crystal conformation of SF was significantly influenced by the HAp content during gelation of a mixture of SF and HAp. As a result of MTT assay, the SF/HAp composite hydrogel showed excellent cell proliferation ability. Therefore, it is expected that SF hydrogel containing HAp nanoparticles has a high potential as bone regeneration scaffold. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Profiles of non-essential trace elements in ewe and goat milk and their yoghurt, Torba yoghurt and whey.

    PubMed

    Sanal, Hasan; Güler, Zehra; Park, Young W

    2011-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine the profiles of non-essential trace elements in ewes' and goats' milk and manufactured products, such as yoghurt, torba yoghurt and whey, as well as changes in trace element content during Torba yoghurt-making processes. Concentrations of non-essential trace elements in ewe (Awassi) and goat (Damascus) milk and their yoghurt, torba yoghurt and whey were quantitatively determined by simultaneous inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), after microwave digestion. Aluminium, antimony, arsenic, boron, beryllium, cadmium, nickel, lead, silver, titanium, thallium and vanadium were determined for both types of milk and their products. Barium was not detected in goats' milk or their products. Among all trace elements, boron was the most abundant and beryllium was least present in milk and the manufactured products. The results showed that goats' and ewes' milk and their manufactured products may be a source of 13 non-essential trace elements.

  18. 40 CFR 63.2465 - What requirements must I meet for process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? 63.2465 Section 63.2465 Protection... hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? (a) You must meet each emission limit in Table 3 to this...) of this section. (b) If any process vents within a process emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP, you...

  19. 40 CFR 63.2465 - What requirements must I meet for process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? 63.2465 Section 63.2465 Protection... hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? (a) You must meet each emission limit in Table 3 to this...) of this section. (b) If any process vents within a process emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP, you...

  20. 40 CFR 63.2465 - What requirements must I meet for process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? 63.2465 Section 63.2465 Protection... hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? (a) You must meet each emission limit in Table 3 to this...) of this section. (b) If any process vents within a process emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP, you...

  1. Geological occurrence response to trace elemental migration in coal liquefaction based on SPSS: take no. 11 coalbed in Antaibao mine for example

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Xiaohong; Qin, Yong; Yang, Weifeng

    2013-03-01

    Coal liquefaction is an adoptable method to transfer the solid fossil energy into liquid oil in large scale, but the dirty material in which will migrate to different step of liquefaction. The migration rule of some trace elements is response to the react activity of macerals in coal and the geological occurrence of the element nature of itself. In this paper, from the SPSS data correlation analysis and hierarchical clustering dendrogram about the trace elements with macerals respond to coal liquefaction yield, it shows the trace elements in No.11 Antaibao coal seam originated from some of lithophile and sulphophle elements. Correlation coefficient between liquefaction yield of three organic macerals and migration of the elements in liquefaction residue indicated that the lithophile are easy to transfer to residue, while sulphophle are apt to in the liquid products. The activated macerals are response to sulphophle trace elements. The conclusion is useful to the coal blending and environmental effects on coal direct liquefaction.

  2. Variation in Macro and Trace Elements in Progression of Type 2 Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Macro elements are the minerals of which the body needs more amounts and are more important than any other elements. Trace elements constitute a minute part of the living tissues and have various metabolic characteristics and functions. Trace elements participate in tissue and cellular and subcellular functions; these include immune regulation by humoral and cellular mechanisms, nerve conduction, muscle contractions, membrane potential regulations, and mitochondrial activity and enzyme reactions. The status of micronutrients such as iron and vanadium is higher in type 2 diabetes. The calcium, magnesium, sodium, chromium, cobalt, iodine, iron, selenium, manganese, and zinc seem to be low in type 2 diabetes while elements such as potassium and copper have no effect. In this review, we emphasized the status of macro and trace elements in type 2 diabetes and its advantages or disadvantages; this helps to understand the mechanism, progression, and prevention of type 2 diabetes due to the lack and deficiency of different macro and trace elements. PMID:25162051

  3. Novel hydroxyapatite nanorods improve anti-caries efficacy of enamel infiltrants.

    PubMed

    Andrade Neto, D M; Carvalho, E V; Rodrigues, E A; Feitosa, V P; Sauro, S; Mele, G; Carbone, L; Mazzetto, S E; Rodrigues, L K; Fechine, P B A

    2016-06-01

    Enamel resin infiltrants are biomaterials able to treat enamel caries at early stages. Nevertheless, they cannot prevent further demineralization of mineral-depleted enamel. Therefore, the aim of this work was to synthesize and incorporate specific hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAps) into the resin infiltrant to overcome this issue. HAps were prepared using a hydrothermal method (0h, 2h and 5h). The crystallinity, crystallite size and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized through XRD, FT-IR and TEM. HAps were then incorporated (10wt%) into a light-curing co-monomer resin blend (control) to create different resin-based enamel infiltrants (HAp-0h, HAp-2h and HAp-5h), whose degree of conversion (DC) was assessed by FT-IR. Enamel caries lesions were first artificially created in extracted human molars and infiltrated using the tested resin infiltrants. Specimens were submitted to pH-cycling to simulate recurrent caries. Knoop microhardness of resin-infiltrated underlying and surrounding enamel was analyzed before and after pH challenge. Whilst HAp-0h resulted amorphous, HAp-2h and HAp-5h presented nanorod morphology and higher crystallinity. Resin infiltration doped with HAp-2h and HAp-5h caused higher enamel resistance against demineralization compared to control HAp-free and HAp-0h infiltration. The inclusion of more crystalline HAp nanorods (HAp-2h and HAp-5h) increased significantly (p<0.05) the DC. Incorporation of more crystalline HAp nanorods into enamel resin infiltrants may be a feasible method to improve the overall performance in the prevention of recurrent demineralization (e.g. caries lesion) in resin-infiltrated enamel. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Alleviation of environmental risks associated with severely contaminated mine tailings using amendments: Modeling of trace element speciation, solubility, and plant accumulation.

    PubMed

    Pardo, Tania; Bes, Cleménce; Bernal, Maria Pilar; Clemente, Rafael

    2016-11-01

    Tailings are considered one of the most relevant sources of contamination associated with mining activities. Phytostabilization of mine spoils may need the application of the adequate combination of amendments to facilitate plant establishment and reduce their environmental impact. Two pot experiments were set up to assess the capability of 2 inorganic materials (calcium carbonate and a red mud derivate, ViroBind TM ), alone or in combination with organic amendments, for the stabilization of highly acidic trace element-contaminated mine tailings using Atriplex halimus. The effects of the treatments on tailings and porewater physico-chemical properties and trace-element accumulation by the plants, as well as the processes governing trace elements speciation and solubility in soil solution and their bioavailability were modeled. The application of the amendments increased tailings pH and decreased (>99%) trace elements solubility in porewater, but also changed the speciation of soluble Cd, Cu, and Pb. All the treatments made A. halimus growth in the tailings possible; organic amendments increased plant biomass and nutritional status, and reduced trace-element accumulation in the plants. Tailings amendments modified trace-element speciation in porewater (favoring the formation of chlorides and/or organo-metallic forms) and their solubility and plant uptake, which were found to be mainly governed by tailing/porewater pH, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon content, as well as soluble/available trace-element concentrations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2874-2884. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  5. The geographic distribution of trace elements in the environment: the REGARDS study.

    PubMed

    Rembert, Nicole; He, Ka; Judd, Suzanne E; McClure, Leslie A

    2017-02-01

    Research on trace elements and the effects of their ingestion on human health is often seen in scientific literature. However, little research has been done on the distribution of trace elements in the environment and their impact on health. This paper examines what characteristics among participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study are associated with levels of environmental exposure to arsenic, magnesium, mercury, and selenium. Demographic information from REGARDS participants was combined with trace element concentration data from the US Geochemical Survey (USGS). Each trace element was characterized as either low (magnesium and selenium) or high (arsenic and mercury) exposure. Associations between demographic characteristics and trace element concentrations were analyzed with unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models. Individuals who reside in the Stroke Belt have lower odds of high exposure (4th quartile) to arsenic (OR 0.33, CI 0.31, 0.35) and increased exposure to mercury (OR 0.65, CI 0.62, 0.70) than those living outside of these areas, while the odds of low exposure to trace element concentrations were increased for magnesium (OR 5.48, CI 5.05, 5.95) and selenium (OR 2.37, CI 2.22, 2.54). We found an association between levels of trace elements in the environment and geographic region of residence, among other factors. Future studies are needed to further examine this association and determine whether or not these differences may be related to geographic variation in disease.

  6. Level of minerals and trace elements in the urine of the participants of mountain ultra-marathon race.

    PubMed

    Jablan, Jasna; Inić, Suzana; Stosnach, Hagen; Hadžiabdić, Maja Ortner; Vujić, Lovorka; Domijan, Ana-Marija

    2017-05-01

    The aim of the present study was to explore impact of endurance exercise on urinary level of minerals and trace elements as well as on some oxidative stress and biochemical parameters. Urine samples were collected from participants (n=21) of mountain ultra-marathon race (53km; Medvednica, Zagreb, Croatia), before (baseline value), immediately after, 12h and 24h after the race. In urine samples level of minerals (Ca, P, K and Na) and trace elements (Se, Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe and Co) were assessed using the bench top Total reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometer. Oxidative stress was determined as level of malondialdehyde (MDA). Immediately after the race level of minerals, trace elements, MDA, creatinine, ketones, erythrocytes and specific gravity increased compared to their baseline value. In 24h follow-up trace elements involved in antioxidant defence, MDA and biochemical parameters returned to their baseline values, Cu and Co remained increased as after the race, Fe and K tended to return to baseline values while Ca, P and Na continued to increase. Mountain ultra-marathon resulted in alteration of physiologically important minerals and trace elements that for some minerals and trace elements persist, indicating their involvement in recovery processes. However, due to their loss in urine, level of minerals and trace elements in athletes participating in endurance exercise should be monitored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  7. Green synthesis of Si-incorporated hydroxyapatite using sodium metasilicate as silicon precursor and in vitro antibiotic release studies.

    PubMed

    Abinaya Sindu, P; Kolanthai, Elayaraja; Suganthi, R V; Thanigai Arul, K; Manikandan, E; Catalani, Luiz H; Narayana Kalkura, S

    2017-10-01

    The aim of the current study is to synthesize nanosized silicon incorporated HAp (Si-HAP) using sodium metasilicate as the silicon source. The sol-gel derived samples were further subjected to microwave irradiation. Incorporation of Si into HAp did not alter the HAp phase, as confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Moreover, variation in the lattice parameters of the Si-incorporated HAp indicates that Si is substituted into the HAp lattice. The decrease in the intensity of the peaks attributed to hydroxyl groups, which appeared in the FTIR and Raman spectra of Si-HAp, further confirms the Si substitution in HAp lattices. The silicon incorporation enhanced the nanorods length by 70%, when compared to that of pure HAp. Microwave irradiation improved the crystallinity of Si-HAp when compared to as-synthesized Si-HAp samples. As-synthesized Si-incorporated HAp sample showed an intense blue emission under UV excitation. Microwave irradiation reduced the intensity of blue emission and exhibited red shift due to the reduction of defects in the Si-HAp crystal. The morphological change from rod to spherical and ribbon-like forms was observed with an increase in silicon content. Further, Si-HAp exhibited better bioactivity and low dissolution rate. Initially there was a burst release of amoxicillin from all the samples, subsequently it followed a sustained release. The microwave-irradiated HAp showed extended period of sustained release than that of as-synthesized HAp and Si-HAp. Similarly, the microwave-irradiated Si-incorporated samples exhibited prolonged drug release, as compared to that of the as-synthesized samples. Hence, Si-HAp is rapidly synthesized by a simple and cost effective method without inducing any additional phases, as compared to the conventional sintering process. This study provides a new insight into the rapid green synthesis of Si-HAp. Si-HAp could emerge as a promising material for the bone tissue replacement and as a drug delivery system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The C-Terminal Fragment of the Internal 110-Kilodalton Passenger Domain of the Hap Protein of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Is a Potential Vaccine Candidate

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Dai-Fang; Mason, Kathryn W.; Mastri, Maria; Pazirandeh, Mehran; Cutter, David; Fink, Doran L.; St. Geme, Joseph W.; Zhu, Duzhang; Green, Bruce A.

    2004-01-01

    Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae is a major causative agent of bacterial otitis media in children. H. influenzae Hap autotransporter protein is an adhesin composed of an outer membrane Hapβ region and a moiety of an extracellular internal 110-kDa passenger domain called HapS. The HapS moiety promotes adherence to human epithelial cells and extracellular matrix proteins, and it also mediates bacterial aggregation and microcolony formation. A recent work (D. L. Fink, A. Z. Buscher, B. A. Green, P. Fernsten, and J. W. St. Geme, Cell. Microbiol. 5:175-186, 2003) demonstrated that HapS adhesive activity resides within the C-terminal 311 amino acids (the cell binding domain) of the protein. In this study, we immunized mice subcutaneously with recombinant proteins corresponding to the C-terminal region of HapS from H. influenzae strains N187, P860295, and TN106 and examined the resulting immune response. Antisera against the recombinant proteins from all three strains not only recognized native HapS purified from strain P860295 but also inhibited H. influenzae Hap-mediated adherence to Chang epithelial cells. Furthermore, when mice immunized intranasally with recombinant protein plus mutant cholera toxin CT-E29H were challenged with strain TN106, they were protected against nasopharyngeal colonization. These observations demonstrate that the C-terminal region of HapS is capable of eliciting cross-reacting antibodies that reduce nasopharyngeal colonization, suggesting utility as a vaccine antigen for the prevention of nontypeable H. influenzae diseases. PMID:15557618

  9. Seasonal Dynamics of Trace Elements in Tidal Salt Marsh Soils as Affected by the Flow-Sediment Regulation Regime

    PubMed Central

    Bai, Junhong; Xiao, Rong; Zhao, Qingqing; Lu, Qiongqiong; Wang, Junjing; Reddy, K. Ramesh

    2014-01-01

    Soil profiles were collected in three salt marshes with different plant species (i.e. Phragmites australis, Tamarix chinensis and Suaeda salsa) in the Yellow River Delta (YRD) of China during three seasons (summer and fall of 2007 and the following spring of 2008) after the flow-sediment regulation regime. Total elemental contents of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic absorption spectrometry to investigate temporal variations in trace elements in soil profiles of the three salt marshes, assess the enrichment levels and ecological risks of these trace elements in three sampling seasons and identify their influencing factors. Trace elements did not change significantly along soil profiles at each site in each sampling season. The highest value for each sampling site was observed in summer and the lowest one in fall. Soils in both P. australis and S. salsa wetlands tended to have higher trace element levels than those in T. chinensis wetland. Compared to other elements, both Cd and As had higher enrichment factors exceeding moderate enrichment levels. However, the toxic unit (TU) values of these trace elements did not exceed probable effect levels. Correlation analysis showed that these trace elements were closely linked to soil properties such as moisture, sulfur, salinity, soil organic matter, soil texture and pH values. Principal component analysis showed that the sampling season affected by the flow-sediment regulation regime was the dominant factor influencing the distribution patterns of these trace elements in soils, and plant community type was another important factor. The findings of this study could contribute to wetland conservation and management in coastal regions affected by the hydrological engineering. PMID:25216278

  10. Peat Water Purification by Hydroxyapatite (HAp) Synthesized from Waste Pensi (Corbicula moltkiana) Shells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fajri Alif, Matlal; Aprillia, Wandha; Arief, Syukri

    2018-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) were synthesized from Pensi (Corbicula moltkiana) sheels by hydrothermal method and used as adsorbent for peat water purification. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to investigate the effects of various factors such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, and pH. The obtained materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results showed that HAP calcined at 900°C (HAP900) and 1000°C (HAP1000) have a poorly crystalline shape. HAP900 also contain Tetracalsium Phosphate (TTCP) with a Ca/P molar ratio 2.18, while HAP 1000 contain HAp with a Ca/P molar ratio 1.67. Optimum condition for peat water purification with HAP900 and HAP1000 were both achieved at 1 hours, 1 grams adsorben mass at pH 2. SEM micrographs show that after purification, the surface of HAP were covered by organic compounds from peat water.

  11. Intracellular colocalization of HAP1/STBs with steroid hormone receptors and its enhancement by a proteasome inhibitor

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

    Fujinaga, Ryutaro; Takeshita, Yukio; Yoshioka, Kazuhiro

    2011-07-15

    The stigmoid body (STB) is a cytoplasmic inclusion containing huntingtin-associated protein 1 (HAP1), and HAP1/STB formation is induced by transfection of the HAP1 gene into cultured cells. In the present study, we examined the intracellular colocalization of HAP1/STBs with steroid hormone receptors (SHRs), including the androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor, glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and mineralocorticoid receptor, in COS-7 cells cotransfected with HAP1 and each receptor. We found that C-terminal ligand-binding domains of all SHRs had potential for colocalization with HAP1/STBs, whereas only AR and GR were clearly colocalized with HAP1/STBs when each full-length SHR was coexpressed with HAP1. In addition,more » it appeared that HAP1/STBs did not disrupt GR and AR functions because the receptors on HAP1/STBs maintained nuclear translocation activity in response to their specific ligands. When the cells were treated with a proteasome inhibitor, GR and AR localized outside HAP1/STBs translocated into the nucleus, whereas the receptors colocalized with HAP1/STBs persisted in their colocalization even after treatment with their ligands. Therefore, HAP1/STBs may be involved in cytoplasmic modifications of the nuclear translocation of GR and AR in a ubiquitin-proteasome system.« less

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

    Mene, Ravindra U.; School of Physical Sciences, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded 431606, M.S.; Mahabole, Megha P.

    Highlights: • We report improved gas sensing and dielectric characteristics of Fe ion exchanged HAp films. • Fe doped HAp film shows maximum gas response at relatively lower temperature. • Response and gas uptake capacity of sensors is improved for appropriate amount of Fe ions in HAp matrix. • Fe-HAp films exhibit remarkable improvement in dielectric properties compared to pure HAp. • Fe doped HAp films show significant improvement in gas sensing as well as in dielectric properties. - Abstract: In the present work Fe doped hydroxyapatite (Fe-HAp) thick films has been successfully utilized to improve the gas sensing asmore » well as its dielectric properties. Initially, HAp nano powder is synthesized by chemical precipitation process and later on Fe ions are doped in HAp by ion exchange process. Structural and morphological modifications are observed by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The sensing parameters such as operating temperature, response/recovery time and gas uptake capacity are experimentally determined. The Fe-HAp (0.05 M) film shows improved CO and CO{sub 2} gas sensing capacity at lower operating temperature compared to pure HAp. Moreover, variation of dielectric constant and dielectric loss for pure and Fe-HAp thick films are studied as a function of frequency in the range of 10 Hz–1 MHz. The study reveals that Fe doped HAp thick films improve the sensing and dielectric characteristics as compared to pure HAp.« less

  13. Facilitated receptor-recognition and enhanced bioactivity of bone morphogenetic protein-2 on magnesium-substituted hydroxyapatite surface

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Baolin; Yuan, Yuan; Li, Tong; Ding, Sai; Zhang, Wenjing; Gu, Yuantong; Liu, Changsheng

    2016-01-01

    Biomaterial surface functionalized with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a promising approach to fabricating successful orthopedic implants/scaffolds. However, the bioactivity of BMP-2 on material surfaces is still far from satisfactory and the mechanism of related protein-surface interaction remains elusive. Based on the most widely used bone-implants/scaffolds material, hydroxyapatite (HAP), we developed a matrix of magnesium-substituted HAP (Mg-HAP, 2.2 at% substitution) to address these issues. Further, we investigated the adsorption dynamics, BMPRs-recruitment, and bioactivity of recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) on the HAP and Mg-HAP surfaces. To elucidate the mechanism, molecular dynamic simulations were performed to calculate the preferred orientations, conformation changes, and cysteine-knot stabilities of adsorbed BMP-2 molecules. The results showed that rhBMP-2 on the Mg-HAP surface exhibited greater bioactivity, evidenced by more facilitated BMPRs-recognition and higher ALP activity than on the HAP surface. Moreover, molecular simulations indicated that BMP-2 favoured distinct side-on orientations on the HAP and Mg-HAP surfaces. Intriguingly, BMP-2 on the Mg-HAP surface largely preserved the active protein structure evidenced by more stable cysteine-knots than on the HAP surface. These findings explicitly clarify the mechanism of BMP-2-HAP/Mg-HAP interactions and highlight the promising application of Mg-HAP/BMP-2 matrixes in bone regeneration implants/scaffolds. PMID:27075233

  14. Facilitated receptor-recognition and enhanced bioactivity of bone morphogenetic protein-2 on magnesium-substituted hydroxyapatite surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Baolin; Yuan, Yuan; Li, Tong; Ding, Sai; Zhang, Wenjing; Gu, Yuantong; Liu, Changsheng

    2016-04-01

    Biomaterial surface functionalized with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a promising approach to fabricating successful orthopedic implants/scaffolds. However, the bioactivity of BMP-2 on material surfaces is still far from satisfactory and the mechanism of related protein-surface interaction remains elusive. Based on the most widely used bone-implants/scaffolds material, hydroxyapatite (HAP), we developed a matrix of magnesium-substituted HAP (Mg-HAP, 2.2 at% substitution) to address these issues. Further, we investigated the adsorption dynamics, BMPRs-recruitment, and bioactivity of recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) on the HAP and Mg-HAP surfaces. To elucidate the mechanism, molecular dynamic simulations were performed to calculate the preferred orientations, conformation changes, and cysteine-knot stabilities of adsorbed BMP-2 molecules. The results showed that rhBMP-2 on the Mg-HAP surface exhibited greater bioactivity, evidenced by more facilitated BMPRs-recognition and higher ALP activity than on the HAP surface. Moreover, molecular simulations indicated that BMP-2 favoured distinct side-on orientations on the HAP and Mg-HAP surfaces. Intriguingly, BMP-2 on the Mg-HAP surface largely preserved the active protein structure evidenced by more stable cysteine-knots than on the HAP surface. These findings explicitly clarify the mechanism of BMP-2-HAP/Mg-HAP interactions and highlight the promising application of Mg-HAP/BMP-2 matrixes in bone regeneration implants/scaffolds.

  15. Progress of pharmacogenomic research related to minerals and trace elements.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Mei-Zi; Tang, Jie; Liu, Zhao-Qian; Zhou, Hong-Hao; Zhang, Wei

    2015-10-01

    Pharmacogenomics explores the variations in both the benefits and the adverse effects of a drug among patients in a target population by analyzing genomic profiles of individual patients. Minerals and trace elements, which can be found in human tissues and maintain normal physiological functions, are also in the focus of pharmacogenomic research. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affect the metabolism, disposition and efficacy of minerals and trace elements in humans, resulting in changes of body function. This review describes some of the recent progress in pharmacogenomic research related to minerals and trace elements.

  16. Stability of hydrophilic vitamins mixtures in the presence of electrolytes and trace elements for parenteral nutrition: a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy investigation.

    PubMed

    Uccello-Barretta, Gloria; Balzano, Federica; Aiello, Federica; Falugiani, Niccolò; Desideri, Ielizza

    2015-03-25

    In total parenteral nutrition (TPN), especially in the case of preterm infants, simultaneous administration of vitamins and trace elements is still a problematic issue: guidelines put in evidence the lack of specific documentation. In this work NMR spectroscopy was applied to the study of vitamins (pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine nitrate, riboflavin-5'-phosphate and nicotinamide) stability in presence of salts and trace elements. Vitamins in D2O were first analyzed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy in absence of salts and trace elements; changes in chemical shifts or in diffusion coefficients, measured by NMR DOSY technique, were analyzed. The effects of salts and trace elements on single vitamins and on their admixtures were then investigated by performing quantitative analyses during 48h. Selected vitamins are subject to intermolecular interactions. No degradative effects were observed in presence of salts and trace elements. Only riboflavin-5'-phosphate is subject to precipitation in presence of divalent cations; however, at low concentration and in presence of other vitamins this effect was not observed. Solutions analyzed, in the condition of this study, are stable for at least 48h and vitamins and trace elements can be administered together in TPN. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. 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.

  18. TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSES OF URANIUM MATERIALS

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

    Beals, D; Charles Shick, C

    The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has developed an analytical method to measure many trace elements in a variety of uranium materials at the high part-per-billion (ppb) to low part-per-million (ppm) levels using matrix removal and analysis by quadrapole ICP-MS. Over 35 elements were measured in uranium oxides, acetate, ore and metal. Replicate analyses of samples did provide precise results however none of the materials was certified for trace element content thus no measure of the accuracy could be made. The DOE New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) does provide a Certified Reference Material (CRM) that has provisional values for a seriesmore » of trace elements. The NBL CRM were purchased and analyzed to determine the accuracy of the method for the analysis of trace elements in uranium oxide. These results are presented and discussed in the following paper.« less

  19. The Pasamonte unequilibrated eucrite: Pyroxene REE systematic and major-, minor-, and trace-element zoning. [Abstract only

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pun, A.; Papike, J. J.

    1994-01-01

    We are evaluating the trace-element concentrations in the pyroxenes of Pasamonte. Pasamonte is a characteristic member of the main group eucrites, and has recently been redescribed as a polymict eucrite. Our Pasamonte sample contained eucritic clasts with textures ranging from subophitic to moderately coarse-grained. This study concentrates on pyroxenes from an unequilibrated, coarse-grained eucrite clast. Major-, minor-, and trace-element analyses were measured for zoned pyroxenes in the eucritic clast of Pasamonte. The major- and minor-element zoning traverses were measured using the JEOL 733 electron probe with an Oxford-Link imaging/analysis system. Complemenatry trace elements were then measured for the core and rim of each of the grains by SIMS. The trace elements analyzed consisted of eight REE, Sr, Y, and Zr. These analyses were performed on a Cameca 4f ion probe. The results of the CI chondrite normalized (average CI trace-element analyses for several grains and the major- and minor-element zoning patterns from a single pyroxene grain are given. The Eu abundance in the cores of the pyroxenes represents the detection limit and therefore the (-Eu) anomaly is a minimum. Major- and minor-element patterns are typical for igneous zoning. Pyroxene cores are Mg enriched, whereas the rims are enriched in Fe and Ca. Also, Ti and Mn are found to increase, while Cr and Al generally decrease in core-to-rim traverses. The cores of the pyroxenes are more depleted in the Rare Earth Elements (REE) than the rims. Using the minor- and trace-element concentrations of bulk Pasamonte and the minor- and trace-element concentrations from the cores of the pyroxenes in Pasamonte measured in this study, we calculated partition coefficients between pyroxene and melt. This calculation assumes that bulk Pasamonte is representative of a melt composition.

  20. Reduced trace element concentrations in fast-growing juvenile Atlantic salmon in natural streams.

    PubMed

    Ward, Darren M; Nislow, Keith H; Chen, Celia Y; Folt, Carol L

    2010-05-01

    To assess the effect of rapid individual growth on trace element concentrations in fish, we measured concentrations of seven trace elements (As, Cd, Cs, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn) in stream-dwelling Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from 15 sites encompassing a 10-fold range in salmon growth. All salmon were hatched under uniform conditions, released into streams, and sampled approximately 120 days later for trace element analysis. For most elements, element concentrations in salmon tracked those in their prey. Fast-growing salmon had lower concentrations of all elements than slow growers, after accounting for prey concentrations. This pattern held for essential and nonessential elements, as well as elements that accumulate from food and those that can accumulate from water. At the sites with the fastest salmon growth, trace element concentrations in salmon were 37% (Cs) to 86% (Pb) lower than at sites where growth was suppressed. Given that concentrations were generally below levels harmful to salmon and that the pattern was consistent across all elements, we suggest that dilution of elements in larger biomass led to lower concentrations in fast-growing fish. Streams that foster rapid, efficient fish growth may produce fish with lower concentrations of elements potentially toxic for human and wildlife consumers.

  1. Assessment of trace elements levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes using multivariate statistical analysis.

    PubMed

    Badran, M; Morsy, R; Soliman, H; Elnimr, T

    2016-01-01

    The trace elements metabolism has been reported to possess specific roles in the pathogenesis and progress of diabetes mellitus. Due to the continuous increase in the population of patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D), this study aims to assess the levels and inter-relationships of fast blood glucose (FBG) and serum trace elements in Type 2 diabetic patients. This study was conducted on 40 Egyptian Type 2 diabetic patients and 36 healthy volunteers (Hospital of Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt). The blood serum was digested and then used to determine the levels of 24 trace elements using an inductive coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Multivariate statistical analysis depended on correlation coefficient, cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA), were used to analysis the data. The results exhibited significant changes in FBG and eight of trace elements, Zn, Cu, Se, Fe, Mn, Cr, Mg, and As, levels in the blood serum of Type 2 diabetic patients relative to those of healthy controls. The statistical analyses using multivariate statistical techniques were obvious in the reduction of the experimental variables, and grouping the trace elements in patients into three clusters. The application of PCA revealed a distinct difference in associations of trace elements and their clustering patterns in control and patients group in particular for Mg, Fe, Cu, and Zn that appeared to be the most crucial factors which related with Type 2 diabetes. Therefore, on the basis of this study, the contributors of trace elements content in Type 2 diabetic patients can be determine and specify with correlation relationship and multivariate statistical analysis, which confirm that the alteration of some essential trace metals may play a role in the development of diabetes mellitus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Geochemistry of environmentally sensitive trace elements in Permian coals from the Huainan coalfield, Anhui, China

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chen, J.; Liu, Gaisheng; Jiang, M.; Chou, C.-L.; Li, H.; Wu, B.; Zheng, Lingyun; Jiang, D.

    2011-01-01

    To study the geochemical characteristics of 11 environmentally sensitive trace elements in the coals of the Permian Period from the Huainan coalfield, Anhui province, China, borehole samples of 336 coals, two partings, and four roof and floor mudstones were collected from mineable coal seams. Major elements and selected trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HAAS). The depositional environment, abundances, distribution, and modes of occurrence of trace elements were investigated. Results show that clay and carbonate minerals are the principal inorganic constituents in the coals. A lower deltaic plain, where fluvial channel systems developed successively, was the likely depositional environment of the Permian coals in the Huainan coalfield. All major elements have wider variation ranges than those of Chinese coals except for Mg and Fe. The contents of Cr, Co, Ni, and Se are higher than their averages for Chinese coals and world coals. Vertical variations of trace elements in different formations are not significant except for B and Ba. Certain roof and partings are distinctly higher in trace elements than underlying coal bench samples. The modes of occurrence of trace elements vary in different coal seams as a result of different coal-forming environments. Vanadium, Cr, and Th are associated with aluminosilicate minerals, Ba with carbonate minerals, and Cu, Zn, As, Se, and Pb mainly with sulfide minerals. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  3. Strontium hydroxyapatite/chitosan nanohybrid scaffolds with enhanced osteoinductivity for bone tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Lei, Yong; Xu, Zhengliang; Ke, Qinfei; Yin, Wenjing; Chen, Yixuan; Zhang, Changqing; Guo, Yaping

    2017-03-01

    For the clinical application of bone tissue engineering with the combination of biomaterials and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), bone scaffolds should possess excellent biocompatibility and osteoinductivity to accelerate the repair of bone defects. Herein, strontium hydroxyapatite [SrHAP, Ca 10-x Sr x (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 ]/chitosan (CS) nanohybrid scaffolds were fabricated by a freeze-drying method. The SrHAP nanocrystals with the different x values of 0, 1, 5 and 10 are abbreviated to HAP, Sr1HAP, Sr5HAP and Sr10HAP, respectively. With increasing x values from 0 to 10, the crystal cell volumes and axial lengths of SrHAP become gradually large because of the greater ion radius of Sr 2+ than Ca 2+ , while the crystal sizes of SrHAP decrease from 70.4nm to 46.7nm. The SrHAP/CS nanohybrid scaffolds exhibits three-dimensional (3D) interconnected macropores with pore sizes of 100-400μm, and the SrHAP nanocrystals are uniformly dispersed within the scaffolds. In vitro cell experiments reveal that all the HAP/CS, Sr1HAP/CS, Sr5HAP/CS and Sr10HAP/CS nanohybrid scaffolds possess excellent cytocompatibility with the favorable adhesion, spreading and proliferation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). The Sr5HAP nanocrystals in the scaffolds do not affect the adhesion, spreading of hBMSCs, but they contribute remarkably to cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. As compared with the HAP/CS nanohybrid scaffold, the released Sr 2+ ions from the SrHAP/CS nanohybrid scaffolds enhance alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, extracellular matrix (ECM) mineralization and osteogenic-related COL-1 and ALP expression levels. Especially, the Sr5HAP/CS nanohybrid scaffolds exhibit the best osteoinductivity among four groups because of the synergetic effect between Ca 2+ and Sr 2+ ions. Hence, the Sr5HAP/CS nanohybrid scaffolds with excellent cytocompatibility and osteogenic property have promising application for bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Rational design of a high-strength bone scaffold platform based on in situ hybridization of bacterial cellulose/nano-hydroxyapatite framework and silk fibroin reinforcing phase.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Pei; Ran, Jiabing; Yan, Pan; Zheng, Lingyue; Shen, Xinyu; Tong, Hua

    2018-02-01

    Bacterial cellulose/hydroxyapatite (BC/HAp) composite had favourable bioaffinity but its poor mechanical strength limited its widespread applications in bone tissue engineering (BTE). Silk fibroin, which possesses special crystalline structure, has been widely used as organic reinforcing material, and different SFs have different amino acid sequences, which exhibit different bioaffinity and mechanical properties. In this regard, bacterial cellulose-Antheraea yamamai silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite (BC-AYSF/HAp), bacterial cellulose-Bombyx mori silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite (BC-BMSF/HAp), and BC/HAp nano-composites were synthesized via a novel in situ hybridization method. Compared with BC/HAp and BC-BMSF/HAp, the BC-AYSF/HAp exhibited better interpenetration, which may benefit for the transportation of nutrients and wastes, the adhesion of cells as well. Additionally, the BC-AYSF/HAp also presented superior thermal stability than the other two composites revealed by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Compression testing indicated that the mechanical strength of BC-BMSF/HAp was greatly reinforced compared with BC/HAp and was even a little higher than that of BC-AYSF/HAp. Tensile testing showed that BC-AYSF/HAp possesses extraordinary mechanical properties with a higher elastic modulus at low strain and higher fracture strength simultaneously than the other two composites. In vitro cell culture exhibited that MC3T3-E1 cells on the BC-AYSF/HAp membrane took on higher proliferative potential than those on the BC-BMSF/HAp membrane. These results suggested that compared with BC-BMSF/HAp, the BC-AYSF/HAp composite was more appropriate as an ideal bone scaffold platform or biomedical membrane to be used in BTE.

  5. Trace elements in ocean ridge basalts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kay, R. W.; Hubbard, N. J.

    1978-01-01

    A study is made of the trace elements found in ocean ridge basalts. General assumptions regarding melting behavior, trace element fractionation, and alteration effects are presented. Data on the trace elements are grouped according to refractory lithophile elements, refractory siderophile elements, and volatile metals. Variations in ocean ridge basalt chemistry are noted both for regional and temporal characteristics. Ocean ridge basalts are compared to other terrestrial basalts, such as those having La/Yb ratios greater than those of chondrites, and those having La/Yb ratios less than those of chondrites. It is found that (1) as compared to solar or chondrite ratios, ocean ridge basalts have low ratios of large, highly-charged elements to smaller less highly-charged elements, (2) ocean ridge basalts exhibit low ratios of volatile to nonvolatile elements, and (3) the transition metals Cr through Zn in ocean ridge basalts are not fractionated more than a factor of 2 or 3 from the chondritic abundance ratios.

  6. Crystal structure and tartrate inhibition of Legionella pneumophila histidine acid phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Dhatwalia, Richa; Singh, Harkewal; Reilly, Thomas J; Tanner, John J

    2015-11-01

    Histidine acid phosphatases (HAPs) utilize a nucleophilic histidine residue to catalyze the transfer of a phosphoryl group from phosphomonoesters to water. HAPs function as protein phosphatases and pain suppressors in mammals, are essential for Giardia lamblia excystation, and contribute to virulence of the category A pathogen Francisella tularensis. Herein we report the first crystal structure and steady-state kinetics measurements of the HAP from Legionella pneumophila (LpHAP), also known as Legionella major acid phosphatase. The structure of LpHAP complexed with the inhibitor l(+)-tartrate was determined at 2.0 Å resolution. Kinetics assays show that l(+)-tartrate is a 50-fold more potent inhibitor of LpHAP than of other HAPs. Electrostatic potential calculations provide insight into the basis for the enhanced tartrate potency: the tartrate pocket of LpHAP is more positive than other HAPs because of the absence of an ion pair partner for the second Arg of the conserved RHGXRXP HAP signature sequence. The structure also reveals that LpHAP has an atypically expansive active site entrance and lacks the nucleotide substrate base clamp found in other HAPs. These features imply that nucleoside monophosphates may not be preferred substrates. Kinetics measurements confirm that AMP is a relatively inefficient in vitro substrate of LpHAP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Molecular Characterization of Hap Complex Components Responsible for Methanol-Inducible Gene Expression in the Methylotrophic Yeast Candida boidinii

    PubMed Central

    Oda, Saori; Yurimoto, Hiroya; Nitta, Nobuhisa; Sasano, Yu

    2015-01-01

    We identified genes encoding components of the Hap complex, CbHAP2, CbHAP3, and CbHAP5, as transcription factors regulating methanol-inducible gene expression in the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii. We found that the Cbhap2Δ, Cbhap3Δ, and Cbhap5Δ gene-disrupted strains showed severe growth defects on methanol but not on glucose and nonfermentable carbon sources such as ethanol and glycerol. In these disruptants, the transcriptional activities of methanol-inducible promoters were significantly decreased compared to those of the wild-type strain, indicating that CbHap2p, CbHap3p, and CbHap5p play indispensable roles in methanol-inducible gene expression. Further molecular and biochemical analyses demonstrated that CbHap2p, CbHap3p, and CbHap5p localized to the nucleus and bound to the promoter regions of methanol-inducible genes regardless of the carbon source, and heterotrimer formation was suggested to be necessary for binding to DNA. Unexpectedly, distinct from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Hap complex functioned in methanol-specific induction rather than glucose derepression in C. boidinii. Our results shed light on a novel function of the Hap complex in methanol-inducible gene expression in methylotrophic yeasts. PMID:25595445

  8. Anatomy of a cluster IDP. Part 2: Noble gas abundances, trace element geochemistry, isotopic abundances, and trace organic chemistry of several fragments from L2008#5

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, K. L.; Clemett, S. J.; Flynn, G. J.; Keller, L. P.; Mckay, David S.; Messenger, S.; Nier, A. O.; Schlutter, D. J.; Sutton, S. R.; Walker, R. M.

    1994-01-01

    The topics discussed include the following: noble gas content and release temperatures; trace element abundances; heating summary of cluster fragments; isotopic measurements; and trace organic chemistry.

  9. A Synopsis of Technical Issues of Concern for Monitoring Trace Elements in Highway and Urban Runoff

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Breault, Robert F.; Granato, Gregory E.

    2000-01-01

    Trace elements, which are regulated for aquatic life protection, are a primary concern in highway- and urban-runoff studies because stormwater runoff may transport these constituents from the land surface to receiving waters. Many of these trace elements are essential for biological activity and become detrimental only when geologic or anthropogenic sources exceed concentrations beyond ranges typical of the natural environment. The Federal Highway Administration and State Transportation Agencies are concerned about the potential effects of highway runoff on the watershed scale and for the management and protection of watersheds. Transportation agencies need information that is documented as valid, current, and scientifically defensible to support planning and management decisions. There are many technical issues of concern for monitoring trace elements; therefore, trace-element data commonly are considered suspect, and the responsibility to provide data-quality information to support the validity of reported results rests with the data-collection agency. Paved surfaces are fundamentally different physically, hydraulically, and chemically from the natural surfaces typical of most freshwater systems that have been the focus of many traceelement- monitoring studies. Existing scientific conceptions of the behavior of trace elements in the environment are based largely upon research on natural systems, rather than on systems typical of pavement runoff. Additionally, the logistics of stormwater sampling are difficult because of the great uncertainty in the occurrence and magnitude of storm events. Therefore, trace-element monitoring programs may be enhanced if monitoring and sampling programs are automated. Automation would standardize the process and provide a continuous record of the variations in flow and water-quality characteristics. Great care is required to collect and process samples in a manner that will minimize potential contamination or attenuation of trace elements and other sources of bias and variability in the sampling process. Trace elements have both natural and anthropogenic sources that may affect the sampling process, including the sample-collection and handling materials used in many trace-element monitoring studies. Trace elements also react with these materials within the timescales typical for collection, processing and analysis of runoff samples. To study the characteristics and potential effects of trace elements in highway and urban runoff, investigators typically sample one or more operationally defined matrixes including: whole water, dissolved (filtered water), suspended sediment, bottom sediment, biological tissue, and contaminant sources. The sampling and analysis of each of these sample matrixes can provide specific information about the occurrence and distribution of trace elements in runoff and receiving waters. There are, however, technical concerns specific to each matrix that must be understood and addressed through use of proper collection and processing protocols. Valid protocols are designed to minimize inherent problems and to maximize the accuracy, precision, comparability, and representativeness of data collected. Documentation, including information about monitoring protocols, quality assurance and quality control efforts, and ancillary data also is necessary to establish data quality. This documentation is especially important for evaluation of historical traceelement monitoring data, because trace-element monitoring protocols and analysis methods have been constantly changing over the past 30 years.

  10. Trace element emissions from spontaneous combustion of gob piles in coal mines, Shanxi, China

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zhao, Y.; Zhang, Jiahua; Chou, C.-L.; Li, Y.; Wang, Z.; Ge, Y.; Zheng, C.

    2008-01-01

    The emissions of potentially hazardous trace elements from spontaneous combustion of gob piles from coal mining in Shanxi Province, China, have been studied. More than ninety samples of solid waste from gob piles in Shanxi were collected and the contents of twenty potentially hazardous trace elements (Be, F, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg, Tl, Pb, Th, and U) in these samples were determined. Trace element contents in solid waste samples showed wide ranges. As compared with the upper continental crust, the solid waste samples are significantly enriched in Se (20x) and Tl (12x) and are moderately enriched in F, As, Mo, Sn, Sb, Hg, Th, and U (2-5x). The solid waste samples are depleted in V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn. The solid waste samples are enriched in F, V, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sb, Th, and U as compared with the Shanxi coals. Most trace elements are higher in the clinker than in the unburnt solid waste except F, Sn, and Hg. Trace element abundances are related to the ash content and composition of the samples. The content of F is negatively correlated with the ash content, while Pb is positively correlated with the ash. The concentrations of As, Mn, Zn, and Cd are highly positively correlated with Fe2O3 in the solid waste. The As content increases with increasing sulfur content in the solid waste. The trace element emissions are calculated for mass balance. The emission factors of trace elements during the spontaneous combustion of the gobs are determined and the trace element concentrations in the flue gas from the spontaneous combustion of solid waste are calculated. More than a half of F, Se, Hg and Pb are released to the atmosphere during spontaneous combustion. Some trace element concentrations in flue gas are higher than the national emission standards. Thus, gob piles from coal mining pose a serious environmental problem. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Trace element contamination in feather and tissue samples from Anna’s hummingbirds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mikoni, Nicole A.; Poppenga, Robert H.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Foley, Janet E.; Hazlehurst, Jenny; Purdin, Güthrum; Aston, Linda; Hargrave, Sabine; Jelks, Karen; Tell, Lisa A.

    2017-01-01

    Trace element contamination (17 elements; Be, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Ba, Hg, Tl, and Pb) of live (feather samples only) and deceased (feather and tissue samples) Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) was evaluated. Samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS; 17 elements) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (Hg only). Mean plus one standard deviation (SD) was considered the benchmark, and concentrations above the mean + 1 SD were considered elevated above normal. Contour feathers were sampled from live birds of varying age, sex, and California locations. In order to reduce thermal impacts, minimal feathers were taken from live birds, therefore a novel method was developed for preparation of low mass feather samples for ICP-MS analysis. The study found that the novel feather preparation method enabled small mass feather samples to be analyzed for trace elements using ICP-MS. For feather samples from live birds, all trace elements, with the exception of beryllium, had concentrations above the mean + 1 SD. Important risk factors for elevated trace element concentrations in feathers of live birds were age for iron, zinc, and arsenic, and location for iron, manganese, zinc, and selenium. For samples from deceased birds, ICP-MS results from body and tail feathers were correlated for Fe, Zn, and Pb, and feather concentrations were correlated with renal (Fe, Zn, Pb) or hepatic (Hg) tissue concentrations. Results for AA spectrophotometry analyzed samples from deceased birds further supported the ICP-MS findings where a strong correlation between mercury concentrations in feather and tissue (pectoral muscle) samples was found. These study results support that sampling feathers from live free-ranging hummingbirds might be a useful, non-lethal sampling method for evaluating trace element exposure and provides a sampling alternative since their small body size limits traditional sampling of blood and tissues. The results from this study provide a benchmark for the distribution of trace element concentrations in feather and tissue samples from hummingbirds and suggests a reference mark for exceeding normal. Lastly, pollinating avian species are minimally represented in the literature as bioindicators for environmental trace element contamination. Given that trace elements can move through food chains by a variety of routes, our study indicates that hummingbirds are possible bioindicators of environmental trace element contamination.

  12. Evaluation of trace element status of organic dairy cattle.

    PubMed

    Orjales, I; Herrero-Latorre, C; Miranda, M; Rey-Crespo, F; Rodríguez-Bermúdez, R; López-Alonso, M

    2018-06-01

    The present study aimed to evaluate trace mineral status of organic dairy herds in northern Spain and the sources of minerals in different types of feed. Blood samples from organic and conventional dairy cattle and feed samples from the respective farms were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine the concentrations of the essential trace elements (cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), iodine (I), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn)) and toxic trace elements (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb)). Overall, no differences between organic and conventional farms were detected in serum concentrations of essential and toxic trace elements (except for higher concentrations of Cd on the organic farms), although a high level of inter-farm variation was detected in the organic systems, indicating that organic production greatly depends on the specific local conditions. The dietary concentrations of the essential trace elements I, Cu, Se and Zn were significantly higher in the conventional than in the organic systems, which can be attributed to the high concentration of these minerals in the concentrate feed. No differences in the concentrations of trace minerals were found in the other types of feed. Multivariate chemometric analysis was conducted to determine the contribution of different feed sources to the trace element status of the cattle. Concentrate samples were mainly associated with Co, Cu, I, Se and Zn (i.e. with the elements supplemented in this type of feed). However, pasture and grass silage were associated with soil-derived elements (As, Cr, Fe and Pb) which cattle may thus ingest during grazing.

  13. Dietary exposure estimates of twenty-one trace elements from a Total Diet Study carried out in Pavia, Northern Italy.

    PubMed

    Turconi, Giovanna; Minoia, Claudio; Ronchi, Anna; Roggi, Carla

    2009-04-01

    The significant role of trace elements in human health is well documented. Trace elements are those compounds that need to be present in the human diet to maintain normal physiological functions. However, some microelements may become harmful at high levels of exposure, or, on the other hand, may give rise to malnutrition, when their exposure is too low. The aim of the present study was to provide a reliable estimate of the dietary exposure of twenty-one trace elements in a Northern Italian area. For this purpose, trace element analyses were undertaken on total diet samples collected from a university cafeteria in Pavia, Northern Italy. The average daily exposure for the adult people was calculated on the basis of food consumption frequency, portion size and trace element levels in foodstuffs. The mean exposure values satisfy the Italian RDA for all the essential trace elements, except for Fe exposure in females, and are well below the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake for all the toxic compounds, showing that the probability of dietary exposure to health risks is overall small. As far as Fe exposure is concerned, a potential risk of anaemia in the female adult population should be considered, then studies aimed at evaluating the Fe nutritional status of adult Italian women should be addressed. In conclusion, while not excluding the possibility that the daily exposure determined in the present study may not be representative of the population as a whole, this study provides a good estimate of the Italian adult consumer exposure to twenty-one trace elements.

  14. The effect of pasteurization on trace elements in donor breast milk.

    PubMed

    Mohd-Taufek, N; Cartwright, D; Davies, M; Hewavitharana, A K; Koorts, P; McConachy, H; Shaw, P N; Sumner, R; Whitfield, K

    2016-10-01

    Premature infants often receive pasteurized donor human milk when mothers are unable to provide their own milk. This study aims to establish the effect of the pasteurization process on a range of trace elements in donor milk. Breast milk was collected from 16 mothers donating to the milk bank at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Samples were divided into pre- and post-pasteurization aliquots and were Holder pasteurized. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze the trace elements zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), manganese (Mn), iodine (I), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo) and bromine (Br). Differences in trace elements pre- and post-pasteurization were analyzed. No significant differences were found between the trace elements tested pre- and post-pasteurization, except for Fe (P<0.05). The median (interquartile range, 25 to 75%; μg l(-1)) of trace elements for pre- and post- pasteurization aliquots were-Zn: 1639 (888-4508), 1743 (878-4143), Cu: 360 (258-571), 367 (253-531), Se: 12.34 (11.73-17.60), 12.62 (11.94-16.64), Mn: (1.48 (1.01-1.75), 1.49 (1.11-1.75), I (153 (94-189), 158 (93-183), Fe (211 (171-277), 194 (153-253), Mo (1.46 (0.37-2.99), 1.42 (0.29-3.73) and Br (1066 (834-1443), 989 (902-1396). Pasteurization had minimal effect on several trace elements in donor breast milk but high levels of inter-donor variability of trace elements were observed. The observed decrease in the iron content of pasteurized donor milk is, however, unlikely to be clinically relevant.

  15. Chemical analysis and geochemical associations in Devonian black shale core samples from Martin County, Kentucky; Carroll and Washington counties, Ohio; Wise County, Virginia; and Overton County, Tennessee

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Leventhal, Joel S.

    1979-01-01

    Core samples from Devonian shales from five localities in the Appalachian Basin have been analyzed for major, minor, and trace constituents. The contents of major elements are rather similar; however, the minor constituents, organic C, S, PO4, and CO3, show variations by a factor of 10. Trace elements Mo, Ni, Cu, V, Co, U, Zn, Hg, As, and Mn show variations that can be related graphically and statistically to the minor constituents. Down-hole plots show the relationships most clearly. Mn is associated with CO3 content, the other trace elements are strongly Controlled by organic C. Amounts of organic C are generally in the range of 3-6 percent, and S is in the range of 2-5 percent. Trace-element amounts show the following general ranges (ppm, parts per million)- Co, 20-40; Cu,40-70; U, 10-40; As, 20-40, V, 150-300; Ni, 80-150; high values are as much as twice these values. The organic C was probably the concentrating agent, whereas the organic C and sulfide S created an environment for preservation or immobilization of trace elements. Closely spaced samples showing an abrupt transition in color from black to gray and gray to black shale show similar effects of trace-element changes, that is, black shale contains enhanced amounts of organic C and trace elements. Ratios of trace elements to organic C or sulfide S were relatively constant even though deposition rates varied from 10 to 300 meters in 5 million years.

  16. Multifunctional hydroxyapatite and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles for the local delivery of cholecalciferol.

    PubMed

    Ignjatović, Nenad; Uskoković, Vuk; Ajduković, Zorica; Uskoković, Dragan

    2013-03-01

    Cholecalciferol, vitamin D3, plays an important role in bonemetabolism by regulating extracellular levels of calcium. Presented here is a study on the effects of the local delivery of cholecalciferol (D3) using nanoparticulate carriers composed of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). Multifunctional nanoparticulate HAp-based powders were prepared for the purpose of: (a) either fast or sustained, local delivery of cholecalciferol, and (b) the secondary, osteoconductive and defect-filling effect of the carrier itself. Two types of HAp-based powders with particles of narrowly dispersed sizes in the nano range were prepared and tested in this study: HAp nanoparticles as direct cholecalciferol delivery agents and HAp nanoparticles coated with cholecalciferol-loaded poly(D,L)-lactide-co-glycolide (HAp/D3/PLGA). Satisfying biocompatibility of particulate systems, when incubated in contact with MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells in vitro, was observed for HAp/D3/PLGA and pure HAp. In contrast, an extensively fast release of cholecalciferol from the system comprising HAp nanoparticles coated with cholecalciferol (HAp/D3) triggered necrosis of the osteoblastic cells in vitro. Artificial defects induced in the osteoporotic bone of the rat mandible were successfully reconstructed following implantation of cholecalciferol-coated HAp nanoparticles as well as those comprising HAp nanoparticles coated with cholecalciferol-loaded PLGA (HAp/D3/PLGA). The greatest levels of enhanced angiogenesis, vascularization, osteogenesis and bone structure differentiation were achieved upon the implementation of HAp/D3/PLGA systems.

  17. Characterisation, corrosion resistance and in vitro bioactivity of manganese-doped hydroxyapatite films electrodeposited on titanium.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yong; Ding, Qiongqiong; Han, Shuguang; Yan, Yajing; Pang, Xiaofeng

    2013-08-01

    This work elucidated the corrosion resistance and in vitro bioactivity of electroplated manganese-doped hydroxyapatite (MnHAp) film on NaOH-treated titanium (Ti). The NaOH treatment process was performed on Ti surface to enhance the adhesion of the MnHAp coating on Ti. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the MnHAp coating had needle-like apatite crystals, and the approximately 10 μm thick layer was denser than HAp. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis revealed that the MnHAp crystals were Ca-deficient and the Mn/P molar ratio was 0.048. X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of single-phase MnHAp, which was aligned vertically to the substrate. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of phosphate bands ranging from 500 to 650 and 900 to 1,100 cm(-1), and a hydroxyl band at 3,571 cm(-1), which was characteristic of HAp. Bond strength test revealed that adhesion for the MnHAp coating was more enhanced than that of the HAp coating. Potentiodynamic polarisation test showed that the MnHAp-coated surface exhibited superior corrosion resistance over the HAp single-coated surface. Bioactivity test conducted by immersing the coatings in simulated body fluid showed that MnHAp coating can rapidly induce bone-like apatite nucleation and growth. Osteoblast cellular tests revealed that the MnHAp coating was better at improving the in vitro biocompatibility of Ti than the HAp coating.

  18. Gullies and Canyons, Rocks and Experiments: The Mystery of Water on Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, G. J.

    2001-04-01

    Mars is wet. Or at least it was wet. Vast canyons, numerous gullies, and even possible ocean deposits attest to the presence of abundant water on the planet, but magmas do not seem to have contained much of it. The logical way to transport water to the surface of a planet is in magma that erupts to form volcanoes and lava flows. Where did the water come from if not from magmas? Where did it go? Why are the magmas apparently so dry? Two studies of Martian meteorites may provide answers to these questions. Both use a combination of analyses of meteorites and laboratory experiments. One study, led by Harry Y. (Hap) McSween of the University of Tennessee (UT) and coworkers from UT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Oakridge National Laboratory, and the University of South Florida, measured the abundances of water-soluble trace elements in crystals in a Martian meteorite. They found the centers of the minerals, which formed first and at high pressure, had much more of these elements than the rims. McSween and coworkers cite data showing that the elements are highly soluble in the presence of very hot water. Experiments at MIT show that magma must have contained about 1.8 wt% H2O to crystallize the minerals observed in the Martian meteorite studied. The scientists conclude that magmas have delivered lots of water to the Martian surface. The other study, by Meenakshi (Mini) Wadhwa (Field Museum, Chicago) focused on the concentration of the element europium in six meteorites from Mars. By using experimental data obtained by Gordon McKay and Loan Le (Johnson Space Center), Wadhwa concludes that the magmas in which the meteorites formed experienced varying amounts of interaction with the crust of Mars, which must be oxidized. She suggests that the oxidation is due to chemical reactions of rock and water--probably the same water that carved the surface features on Mars.

  19. Study on elemental fingerprint of traditional marine Chinese medicine oysters from Jiaozhou Bay, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Yongjun; Zheng, Kang; Li, Yantuan

    2012-09-01

    In order to investigate the relationship between the trace elements and the characteristics of the oysters, we analyzed the trace elements present in the germplasm of oysters from different producing areas in the Jiaozhou Bay. The element fingerprints were established to reflect the elemental characteristics of the oysters. Concentration patterns of the elements were deciphered by principle component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The six regions were discriminated with accuracy using HCA and PCA based on the concentration of 16 trace elements. The elements were viewed as characteristic elements of the oysters and the fingerprints of these elements could be used to distinguish the quality of the oysters.

  20. The Phosphoria Formation at the Hot Springs Mine in Southeast Idaho; a source of selenium and other trace elements to surface water, ground water, vegetation, and biota

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Piper, David Z.; Skorupa, J.P.; Presser, T.S.; Hardy, M.A.; Hamilton, S.J.; Huebner, M.; Gulbrandsen, R.A.

    2000-01-01

    Major-element oxides and trace elements in the Phosphoria Formation at the Hot Springs Mine, Idaho were determined by a series of techniques. In this report, we examine the distribution of trace elements between the different solid components aluminosilicates, apatite, organic matter, opal, calcite, and dolomite that largely make up the rocks. High concentrations of several trace elements throughout the deposit, for example, As, Cd, Se, Tl, and U, at this and previously examined sites have raised concern about their introduction into the environment via weathering and the degree to which mining and the disposal of mined waste rock from this deposit might be accelerating that process. The question addressed here is how might the partitioning of trace elements between these solid host components influence the introduction of trace elements into ground water, surface water, and eventually biota, via weathering? In the case of Se, it is partitioned into components that are quite labile under the oxidizing conditions of subaerial weathering. As a result, it is widely distributed throughout the environment. Its concentration exceeds the level of concern for protection of wildlife at virtually every trophic level.

  1. HUMAN SCALP HAIR: AN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE INDEX FOR TRACE ELEMENTS. I. FIFTEEN TRACE ELEMENTS IN NEW YORK, N.Y. (1971-72)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous studies have revealed that hair trace element concentrations can reflect exposure in cases of frank poisoning and deficiency. Correlations have been found also in some populations living in regions where metallurgic processes are conducted. This study reports significant...

  2. HUMAN SCALP HAIR: AN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE INDEX FOR TRACE ELEMENTS. II. SEVENTEEN TRACE ELEMENTS IN FOUR NEW JERSEY COMMUNITIES (1972)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Seventeen trace elements - arsenic (As), barium (Ba), boron (B), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), lead (Pb), lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickle (Ni), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) - were measured in human sca...

  3. Measurement of Trace Elements During the Development and Immune Response of Heliothis virescens Larvae

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    While many studies have examined the effect of microbial infections on the status of trace elements in mammalian tissues, similar studies have not been performed in insects. We used inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to quantify changes in trace elements of Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and ...

  4. Transport of dissolved trace elements in surface runoff and leachate from a coastal plain soil after poultry litter application

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The application of poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus) litter to agricultural soils may exacerbate losses of trace elements in runoff water, an emerging concern to water quality. We evaluated trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, selenium and zinc) in surface runoff and ...

  5. Effect of trace element addition and increasing organic loading rates on the anaerobic digestion of cattle slaughterhouse wastewater.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Thomas; McCabe, Bernadette K; Harris, Peter W; Lee, Seonmi

    2018-05-18

    In this study, anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastewater with the addition of trace elements was monitored for biogas quantity, quality and process stability using CSTR digesters operated at mesophilic temperature. The determination of trace element concentrations was shown to be deficient in Fe, Ni, Co, Mn and Mo compared to recommendations given in the literature. Addition of these trace elements resulted in enhanced degradation efficiency, higher biogas production and improved process stability. Higher organic loading rates and lower hydraulic retention times were achieved in comparison to the control digesters. A critical accumulation of volatile fatty acids was observed at an organic loading rate of 1.82 g L -1  d -1 in the control compared to 2.36 g L -1  d -1 in the digesters with trace element addition. The improved process stability was evident in the final weeks of experimentation, in which control reactors produced 84% less biogas per day compared to the reactors containing trace elements. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Discrimination of trait-based characteristics by trace element bioaccumulation in riverine fishes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Short, T.M.; DeWeese, L.R.; Dubrovsky, N.M.

    2008-01-01

    Relations between tissue trace element concentrations and species traits were examined for 45 fish species to determine the extent to which trait-based characteristics accounted for relative differences among species in trace element bioaccumulation. Percentages of fish species correctly classified by discriminant analysis according to traits predicted by tissue trace element concentrations ranged from 72% to 87%. Tissue concentrations of copper, mercury, selenium, and zinc appeared to have the greatest overall influence on differentiating species according to trait characteristics. Discrimination of trait characteristics did not appear to be strongly influenced by local sources of trace elements in the streambed sediment. Bioaccumulation was greatest for those species classified as primarily detritivores, having relatively large adult body size, considered nonmigratory with respect to reproductive strategy, occurring mostly in large or variable size streams and rivers, preferring depositional areas within the stream channel, and preferring benthic rather than open-water habitats. Our findings provide evidence of the strong relationship between bioaccumulation of environmental trace elements and trait-based factors that influence contaminant exposure. ?? 2008 NRC.

  7. [Measurement of the status of trace elements in cattle using liver biopsy samples].

    PubMed

    Ouweltjes, W; de Zeeuw, A C; Moen, A; Counotte, G H M

    2007-02-01

    Serum, plasma, or urine samples are usually used for the measurement of the trace elements copper; zinc, iron, selenium, because these samples are easy to obtain; however; these samples are not always appropriate. For example, it is not possible to measure molybdenum, the major antagonist of copper; in blood or urine. Therefore measurement of trace elements in liver tissue is considered the gold standard. For the assessment of selenium the method of choice remains determination of glutathion peroxidase in erythrocytes and for the assessment of magnesium determination of magnesium in urine. We determined the accuracy and repeatability of measuring trace elements in liver biopsies and whole liver homogenates. The levels of trace elements measured were similar in both preparations (92% agreement). Liver biopsy in live animals is a relatively simple procedure but not common in The Netherlands. Reference levels of trace elements, classified as too low, low, adequate, high, and too high, were established on the basis of our research and information in the literature. In a second study we investigated the practical aspects of obtaining liver tissue samples and their use. Samples were collected from cattle on a commercial dairy farm. Liver biopsy provided additional information to that obtained from serum and urine samples. We prepared a biopsy protocol and a test package, which we tested on 14 farms where an imbalance of trace minerals was suspected. Biopsy samples taken from 4 to 6 animals revealed extreme levels of trace elements.

  8. Trace elements are associated with urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine level: a case study of college students in Guangzhou, China.

    PubMed

    Lu, Shaoyou; Ren, Lu; Fang, Jianzhang; Ji, Jiajia; Liu, Guihua; Zhang, Jianqing; Zhang, Huimin; Luo, Ruorong; Lin, Kai; Fan, Ruifang

    2016-05-01

    Many trace heavy elements are carcinogenic and increase the incidence of cancer. However, a comprehensive study of the correlation between multiple trace elements and DNA oxidative damage is still lacking. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between the body burden of multiple trace elements and DNA oxidative stress in college students in Guangzhou, China. Seventeen trace elements in urine samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative stress, was also measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). The concentrations of six essential elements including manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), and molybdenum (Mo), and five non-essential elements including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), aluminum (Al), stibium (Sb), and thallium (Tl), were found to be significantly correlated with urinary 8-OHdG levels. Moreover, urinary levels of Ni, Se, Mo, As, Sr, and Tl were strongly significantly correlated with 8-OHdG (P < 0.01) concentration. Environmental exposure and dietary intake of these trace elements may play important roles in DNA oxidative damage in the population of Guangzhou, China.

  9. Diel cycling of trace elements in streams draining mineralized areas: a review

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gammons, Christopher H.; Nimick, David A.; Parker, Stephen R.

    2015-01-01

    Many trace elements exhibit persistent diel, or 24-h, concentration cycles in streams draining mineralized areas. These cycles can be caused by various physical and biogeochemical mechanisms including streamflow variation, photosynthesis and respiration, as well as reactions involving photochemistry, adsorption and desorption, mineral precipitation and dissolution, and plant assimilation. Iron is the primary trace element that exhibits diel cycling in acidic streams. In contrast, many cationic and anionic trace elements exhibit diel cycling in near-neutral and alkaline streams. Maximum reported changes in concentration for these diel cycles have been as much as a factor of 10 (988% change in Zn concentration over a 24-h period). Thus, monitoring and scientific studies must account for diel trace-element cycling to ensure that water-quality data collected in streams appropriately represent the conditions intended to be studied.

  10. Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence studies of trace elements in biomedical samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kubala-Kukuś, A.; Braziewicz, J.; Pajek, M.

    2004-08-01

    Application of the total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis in the studies of trace element contents in biomedical samples is discussed in the following aspects: (i) a nature of trace element concentration distributions, (ii) censoring approach to the detection limits, and (iii) a comparison of two sets of censored data. The paper summarizes the recent results achieved in this topics, in particular, the lognormal, or more general logstable, nature of concentration distribution of trace elements, the random left-censoring and the Kaplan-Meier approach accounting for detection limits and, finally, the application of the logrank test to compare the censored concentrations measured for two groups. These new aspects, which are of importance for applications of the TXRF in different fields, are discussed here in the context of TXRF studies of trace element in various samples of medical interest.

  11. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Chen, Min-Hua; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Lin, Feng-Huei; Tanaka, Junzo

    2014-10-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of 'personalized medicine' with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu 3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca 2+ with Fe 3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ , and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications.

  12. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Min-Hua; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Lin, Feng-Huei; Tanaka, Junzo

    2014-10-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of ‘personalized medicine’ with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca2+ with Fe3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu3+ and Fe3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu3+ and Fe3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu3+ and Fe3+, and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications.

  13. Atmospheric Deposition of Trace Elements in Ombrotrophic Peat as a Result of Anthropic Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fabio Lourençato, Lucio; Cabral Teixeira, Daniel; Vieira Silva-Filho, Emmanoel

    2014-05-01

    Ombrotrophic peat can be defined as a soil rich in organic matter, formed from the partial decomposition of vegetable organic material in a humid and anoxic environment, where the accumulation of material is necessarily faster than the decomposition. From the physical-chemical point of view, it is a porous and highly polar material with high adsorption capacity and cation exchange. The high ability of trace elements to undergo complexation by humic substances happens due to the presence of large amounts of oxygenated functional groups in these substances. Since the beginning of industrialization human activities have scattered a large amount of trace elements in the environment. Soil contamination by atmospheric deposition can be expressed as a sum of site contamination by past/present human activities and atmospheric long-range transport of trace elements. Ombrotrophic peat records can provide valuable information about the entries of trace metals into the atmosphere and that are subsequently deposited on the soil. These trace elements are toxic, non-biodegradable and accumulate in the food chain, even in relatively low quantities. Thus studies on the increase of trace elements in the environment due to human activities are necessary, particularly in the southern hemisphere, where these data are scarce. The aims of this study is to evaluate the concentrations of mercury in ombrotrophic peat altomontanas coming from atmospheric deposition. The study is conducted in the Itatiaia National Park, Brazilian conservation unit, situated between the southeastern state of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais. An ombrotrophic peat core is being sampled in altitude (1980m), to measure the trace elements concentrations of this material. As it is conservation area, the trace elements found in the samples is mainly from atmospheric deposition, since in Brazil don't exist significant lithology of trace elements. The samples are characterized by organic matter content which is determined by calcination and pH. For the determination of mercury, an aliquot of 10 mL of sample with 5 mL of the reducing agent 2 % SnCl2, purged with air by atomic absorption spectrophotometry by cold vapor, EAAVF is being used. The determination of other trace elements (Zn, Cd and Pb) is analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS).

  14. Effect of processing temperature on the properties of Fe-Hydroxyapatite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kathriarachchi, Vindu; Leventouri, Theodora; Rondinone, Adam; Sorge, Korey

    2015-03-01

    Multi-substituted Hydroxyapatite (HAp), Ca5(PO4)3OH, is the main mineral phase in physiological apatite. Fe is a minor substitution element in bone and enamel substituting Ca in the HAp structure. Crystal structure, magnetic and microstructure properties of Ca5-xFex(PO4)3OH depend on processing parameters. We present results from our research on the Ca5-xFex(PO4)3OH system (x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) prepared at 37° C, and 80° C. Hydroxyapatite single-phase was detected for x <0.1 in both sets of samples, while hematite and/or maghemite develops starting at x = 0.1. Rietveld refinements of XRD and NPD patterns show that the a and c lattice constants decrease with increasing Fe concentration for both sets of samples. Pure HAp is diamagnetic but as x increases, Fe-HAp transitions from paramagnetic to weak ferromagnetic behavior. TEM images show spherical particles in samples prepared at 37° C, and elongated particles in samples prepared at 80° C. XRF studies confirm the iron substitution and show that the Ca/P stoichiometric ratio of 1.67 decreases with increasing the Fe concentration. Further, the Fe/Ca +Fe atomic ratios of samples prepared at 37° C are greater than those prepared at 80° C. TEM and XRF data were collected at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. NPD data were collected at the SNS of the ORNL.

  15. Investigation of the roles of trace elements during hepatitis C virus infection using protein-protein interactions and a shortest path algorithm.

    PubMed

    Zhu, LiuCun; Chen, XiJia; Kong, Xiangyin; Cai, Yu-Dong

    2016-11-01

    Hepatitis is a type of infectious disease that induces inflammation of the liver without pinpointing a particular pathogen or pathogenesis. Type C hepatitis, as a type of hepatitis, has been reported to induce cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma within a very short amount of time. It is a great threat to human health. Some studies have revealed that trace elements are associated with infection with and immune rejection against hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to expand our knowledge of this phenomenon by designing a computational method to identify genes that may be related to both HCV and trace element metabolic processes. The searching procedure included three stages. First, a shortest path algorithm was applied to a large network, constructed by protein-protein interactions, to identify potential genes of interest. Second, a permutation test was executed to exclude false discoveries. Finally, some rules based on the betweenness and associations between candidate genes and HCV and trace elements were built to select core genes among the remaining genes. 12 lists of genes, corresponding to 12 types of trace elements, were obtained. These genes are deemed to be associated with HCV infection and trace elements metabolism. The analyses indicate that some genes may be related to both HCV and trace element metabolic processes, further confirming the associations between HCV and trace elements. The method was further tested on another set of HCV genes, the results indicate that this method is quite robustness. The newly found genes may partially reveal unknown mechanisms between HCV infection and trace element metabolism. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "System Genetics" Guest Editor: Dr. Yudong Cai and Dr. Tao Huang. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Open-water and under-ice seasonal variations in trace element content and physicochemical associations in fluvial bed sediment.

    PubMed

    Doig, Lorne E; Carr, Meghan K; Meissner, Anna G N; Jardine, Tim D; Jones, Paul D; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Lindenschmidt, Karl-Erich

    2017-11-01

    Across the circumpolar world, intensive anthropogenic activities in the southern reaches of many large, northward-flowing rivers can cause sediment contamination in the downstream depositional environment. The influence of ice cover on concentrations of inorganic contaminants in bed sediment (i.e., sediment quality) is unknown in these rivers, where winter is the dominant season. A geomorphic response unit approach was used to select hydraulically diverse sampling sites across a northern test-case system, the Slave River and delta (Northwest Territories, Canada). Surface sediment samples (top 1 cm) were collected from 6 predefined geomorphic response units (12 sites) to assess the relationships between bed sediment physicochemistry (particle size distribution and total organic carbon content) and trace element content (mercury and 18 other trace elements) during open-water conditions. A subset of sites was resampled under-ice to assess the influence of season on these relationships and on total trace element content. Concentrations of the majority of trace elements were strongly correlated with percent fines and proxies for grain size (aluminum and iron), with similar trace element grain size/grain size proxy relationships between seasons. However, finer materials were deposited under ice with associated increases in sediment total organic carbon content and the concentrations of most trace elements investigated. The geomorphic response unit approach was effective at identifying diverse hydrological environments for sampling prior to field operations. Our data demonstrate the need for under-ice sampling to confirm year-round consistency in trace element-geochemical relationships in fluvial systems and to define the upper extremes of these relationships. Whether contaminated or not, under-ice bed sediment can represent a "worst-case" scenario in terms of trace element concentrations and exposure for sediment-associated organisms in northern fluvial systems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2916-2924. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

  17. Reconnaissance of Soil, Ground Water, and Plant Contamination at an Abandoned Oilfield-Service Site near Shawnee, Oklahoma, 2005-2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mashburn, Shana L.; Smith, S. Jerrod

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, began a reconnaissance study of a site in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, in 2005 by testing soil, shallow ground water, and plant material for the presence of trace elements and semivolatile organic compounds. Chemical analysis of plant material at the site was investigated as a preliminary tool to determine the extent of contamination at the site. Thirty soil samples were collected from 15 soil cores during October 2005 and analyzed for trace elements and semivolatile organic compounds. Five small-diameter, polyvinyl-chloride-cased wells were installed and ground-water samples were collected during December 2005 and May 2006 and analyzed for trace elements and semivolatile organic compounds. Thirty Johnsongrass samples and 16 Coralberry samples were collected during September 2005 and analyzed for 53 constituents, including trace elements. Results of the soil, ground-water, and plant data indicate that the areas of trace element and semivolatile organic compound contamination are located in the shallow (A-horizon) soils near the threading barn. Most of the trace-element concentrations in the soils on the study site were either similar to or less than trace-element concentrations in background soils. Several trace elements and semivolatile organic compounds exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, Human Health Medium-Specific Screening Levels 2007 for Tap Water, Residential Soils, Industrial Indoor Soils, and Industrial Outdoor Soils. There was little or no correlation between the plant and soil sample concentrations and the plant and ground-water concentrations based on the current sample size and study design. The lack of correlation between trace-element concentrations in plants and soils, and plants and ground water indicate that plant sampling was not useful as a preliminary tool to assess contamination at the study site.

  18. Marine Bioinorganic Chemistry: The Role of Trace Metals in the Oceanic Cycles of Major Nutrients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morel, F. M. M.; Milligan, A. J.; Saito, M. A.

    2003-12-01

    The bulk of living biomass is chiefly made up of only a dozen "major" elements - carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, sulfur (and silicon in diatoms) - whose proportions vary within a relatively narrow range in most organisms. A number of trace elements, particularly first row transition metals - manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, and zinc - are also "essential" for the growth of organisms. At the molecular level, the chemical mechanisms by which such elements function as active centers or structural factors in enzymes and by which they are accumulated and stored by organisms is the central topic of bioinorganic chemistry. At the scale of ocean basins, the interplay of physical, chemical, and biological processes that govern the cycling of biologically essential elements in seawater is the subject of marine biogeochemistry. For those interested in the growth of marine organisms, particularly in the one-half of the Earth's primary production contributed by marine phytoplankton, bioinorganic chemistry and marine biogeochemistry are critically linked by the extraordinary paucity of essential trace elements in surface seawater, which results from their biological utilization and incorporation in sinking organic matter. How marine organisms acquire elements that are present at nano- or picomolar concentrations in surface seawater; how they perform critical enzymatic functions when necessary metal cofactors are almost unavailable are the central topics of "marine bioinorganic chemistry." The central aim of this field is to elucidate at the molecular level the metal-dependent biological processes involved in the major biogeochemical cycles.By examining the solutions that emerged from the problems posed by the scarcity of essential trace elements, marine bioinorganic chemists bring to light hitherto unknown ways to take up or utilize trace elements, new molecules, and newer "essential" elements. Focusing on molecular mechanisms involved in such processes as inorganic carbon fixation, organic carbon respiration, or nitrogen transformation, they explain how the cycles of trace elements are critically linked to those of major nutrients such as carbon or nitrogen. But we have relatively little understanding of the binding molecules and the enzymes that mediate the biochemical role of trace metals in the marine environment. In this sense, this chapter is more a "preview" than a review of the field of marine bioinorganic chemistry. To exemplify the concepts and methods of this field, we have chosen to focus on one of its most important topics: the potentially limiting role of trace elements in primary marine production. As a result we center our discussion on particular subsets of organisms, biogeochemical cycles, and trace elements. Our chief actors are marine phytoplankton, particularly eukaryotes, while heterotrophic bacteria make only cameo appearances. The biogeochemical cycles that will serve as our plot are those of the elements involved in phytoplankton growth, the major algal nutrients - carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon - leaving aside, e.g., the interesting topic of the marine sulfur cycle. Seven trace metals provide the intrigue: manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, and cadmium. But several other trace elements such as selenium, vanadium, molybdenum, and tungsten (and, probably, others not yet identified) will assuredly add further twists in future episodes.We begin this chapter by discussing what we know of the concentrations of trace elements in marine microorganisms and of the relevant mechanisms and kinetics of trace-metal uptake. We then review the biochemical role of trace elements in the marine cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon. Using this information, we examine the evidence, emanating from both laboratory cultures and field measurements, relevant to the mechanisms and the extent of control by trace metals of marine biogeochemical cycles. Before concluding with a wistful glimpse of the future of marine bioinorganic chemistry we discuss briefly some paleoceanographic aspects of this new field: how the chemistry of the planet "Earth" - particularly the concentrations of trace elements in the oceans - has evolved since its origin, chiefly as a result of biological processes and how the evolution of life has, in turn, been affected by the availability of essential trace elements.

  19. Huntingtin-associated protein-1 (HAP1) regulates endocytosis and interacts with multiple trafficking-related proteins.

    PubMed

    Mackenzie, Kimberly D; Lim, Yoon; Duffield, Michael D; Chataway, Timothy; Zhou, Xin-Fu; Keating, Damien J

    2017-07-01

    Huntingtin-associated protein 1 (HAP1) was initially identified as a binding partner of huntingtin, mutations in which underlie Huntington's disease. Subcellular localization and protein interaction data indicate that HAP1 may be important in vesicle trafficking, cell signalling and receptor internalization. In this study, a proteomics approach was used for the identification of novel HAP1-interacting partners to attempt to shed light on the physiological function of HAP1. Using affinity chromatography with HAP1-GST protein fragments bound to Sepharose columns, this study identified a number of trafficking-related proteins that bind to HAP1. Interestingly, many of the proteins that were identified by mass spectrometry have trafficking-related functions and include the clathrin light chain B and Sec23A, an ER to Golgi trafficking vesicle coat component. Using co-immunoprecipitation and GST-binding assays the association between HAP1 and clathrin light chain B has been validated in vitro. This study also finds that HAP1 co-localizes with clathrin light chain B. In line with a physiological function of the HAP1-clathrin interaction this study detected a dramatic reduction in vesicle retrieval and endocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells. Furthermore, through examination of transferrin endocytosis in HAP1 -/- cortical neurons, this study has determined that HAP1 regulates neuronal endocytosis. In this study, the interaction between HAP1 and Sec23A was also validated through endogenous co-immunoprecipitation in rat brain homogenate. Through the identification of novel HAP1 binding partners, many of which have putative trafficking roles, this study provides us with new insights into the mechanisms underlying the important physiological function of HAP1 as an intracellular trafficking protein through its protein-protein interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. PIXE analysis of ancient Chinese Qing dynasty porcelain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Huansheng; He, Wenquan; Tang, Jiayong; Yang, Fujia; Wang, Jianhua

    1996-09-01

    The major and minor chemical compositions and trace element content of white glaze made in Qing dynasty at kuan kiln have been determined by PIXE. Experimental results show that trace element contents RbSrZr are useful to distinguish the place of production of ancient porcelain. In the porcelain from different kilns situated in a same province, the trace element contents can be different from each other. Determining and comparing the major and minor compositions and trace elemental concentrations in white glaze by PIXE technique, we can distinguish a precious Qing dynasty porcelain made at kuan kiln from a fake.

  1. Water-quality assessment of part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin: Trace elements in streambed sediment and fish livers, 1995-96

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kroening, Sharon E.; Fallon, James D.; Lee, Kathy E.

    2000-01-01

    In fish livers, all of the trace elements analyzed were detected except antimony, beryllium, cobalt, and uranium. Trace element concentrations in fish livers generally did not show any pronounced patterns. Ranges for concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc were similar to those measured in 20 other NAWQA studies across the United States. Cadmium concentrations in fish livers were moderately correlated to fish length and weight. There were no relations between trace element concentrations in fish livers and streambed sediment.

  2. The effect of acidified sample storage time on the determination of trace element concentration in ice cores by ICP-SFMS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uglietti, C.; Gabrielli, P.; Lutton, A.; Olesik, J.; Thompson, L. G.

    2012-12-01

    Trace elements in micro-particles entrapped in ice cores are a valuable proxy of past climate and environmental variations. Inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) is generally recognized as a sensitive and accurate technique for the quantification of ultra-trace element concentrations in ice cores. Usually, ICP-SFMS analyses of ice core samples are performed by melting and acidifying aliquots. Acidification is important to transfer trace elements from particles into solution by partial and/or complete dissolution. Only elements in solution and in sufficiently small particles will be vaporized and converted to elemental ions in the plasma for detection by ICP-SFMS. However, experimental results indicate that differences in acidified sample storage time at room temperature may lead to the recovery of different trace element fractions. Moreover, different lithologies of the relatively abundant crustal material entrapped in the ice matrix could also influence the fraction of trace elements that are converted into elemental ions in the plasma. These factors might affect the determination of trace elements concentrations in ice core samples and hamper the comparison of results obtained from ice cores from different locations and/or epochs. In order to monitor the transfer of elements from particles into solution in acidified melted ice core samples during storage, a test was performed on sections from nine ice cores retrieved from low latitude drilling sites around the world. When compared to ice cores from polar regions, these samples are characterized by a relative high content of micro-particles that may leach trace elements into solution differently. Of the nine ice cores, five are from the Tibetan Plateau (Dasuopu, Guliya, Naimonanyi, Puruogangri and Dunde), two from the Andes (Quelccaya and Huascaran), one from Africa (Kilimanjaro) and one from the Eastern Alps (Ortles). These samples were decontaminated by triple rinsing, melted and stored in pre-cleaned low-density polyethylene bottles, and kept frozen until acidification (2% v/v ultra-pure HNO3). Determination of twenty trace elements (Ag, Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sn, Ti, Tl, U, V, and Zn) was repeated at different times after acidification using the same aliquot. Analyses show a mean increase of 40-50% in trace element concentration in all the samples during the first 15 days of storage after acidification, except Al, Fe, V and Cr, which show a larger increase (90-100%). After 15 days the trace element concentrations reach generally stable values (with small increases within measurement uncertainty), except for the Naimonanyi and Kilimanjaro samples which continue to increase. In contrast, Ag concentration decreases after one week, likely due to its low stability in the acidified solution that may depend on the Cl- concentration. We froze the samples 43 days after the acidification. After two weeks the samples were melted and re-analyzed by ICP-SFMS in two different laboratories as an inter-calibration exercise. The results show a good correspondence between the measured concentrations determined by the two instruments and a consistent additional increase of 20-30% of measured trace element concentrations in almost all samples.

  3. Trace element storage capacity of sediments in dead Posidonia oceanica mat from a chronically contaminated marine ecosystem.

    PubMed

    Di Leonardo, Rossella; Mazzola, Antonio; Cundy, Andrew B; Tramati, Cecilia Doriana; Vizzini, Salvatrice

    2017-01-01

    Posidonia oceanica mat is considered a long-term bioindicator of contamination. Storage and sequestration of trace elements and organic carbon (C org ) were assessed in dead P. oceanica mat and bare sediments from a highly polluted coastal marine area (Augusta Bay, central Mediterranean). Sediment elemental composition and sources of organic matter have been altered since the 1950s. Dead P. oceanica mat displayed a greater ability to bury and store trace elements and C org than nearby bare sediments, acting as a long-term contaminant sink over the past 120 yr. Trace elements, probably associated with the mineral fraction, were stabilized and trapped despite die-off of the overlying P. oceanica meadow. Mat deposits registered historic contamination phases well, confirming their role as natural archives for recording trace element trends in marine coastal environments. This sediment typology is enriched with seagrass-derived refractory organic matter, which acts mainly as a diluent of trace elements. Bare sediments showed evidence of inwash of contaminated sediments via reworking; more rapid and irregular sediment accumulation; and, because of the high proportions of labile organic matter, a greater capacity to store trace elements. Through different processes, both sediment typologies represent a repository for chemicals and may pose a risk to the marine ecosystem as a secondary source of contaminants in the case of sediment dredging or erosion. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:49-58. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

  4. Aluminum, iron, lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, chromium, magnesium, strontium, and calcium content in bone of end-stage renal failure patients.

    PubMed

    D'Haese, P C; Couttenye, M M; Lamberts, L V; Elseviers, M M; Goodman, W G; Schrooten, I; Cabrera, W E; De Broe, M E

    1999-09-01

    Little is known about trace metal alterations in the bones of dialysis patients or whether particular types of renal osteodystrophy are associated with either increased or decreased skeletal concentrations of trace elements. Because these patients are at risk for alterations of trace elements as well as for morbidity from skeletal disorders, we measured trace elements in bone of patients with end-stage renal disease. We analyzed bone biopsies of 100 end-stage renal failure patients enrolled in a hemodialysis program. The trace metal contents of bone biopsies with histological features of either osteomalacia, adynamic bone disease, mixed lesion, normal histology, or hyperparathyroidism were compared with each other and with the trace metal contents of bone of subjects with normal renal function. Trace metals were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentrations of aluminum, chromium, and cadmium were increased in bone of end-stage renal failure patients. Comparing the trace metal/calcium ratio, significantly higher values were found for the bone chromium/calcium, aluminum/calcium, zinc/calcium, magnesium/calcium, and strontium/calcium ratios. Among types of renal osteodystrophy, increased bone aluminum, lead, and strontium concentrations and strontium/calcium and aluminum/calcium ratios were found in dialysis patients with osteomalacia vs the other types of renal osteodystrophy considered as one group. Moreover, the concentrations of several trace elements in bone were significantly correlated with each other. Bone aluminum was correlated with the time on dialysis, whereas bone iron, aluminum, magnesium, and strontium tended to be associated with patient age. Bone trace metal concentrations did not depend on vitamin D intake nor on the patients' gender. The concentration of several trace elements in bone of end-stage renal failure patients is disturbed, and some of the trace metals under study might share pathways of absorption, distribution, and accumulation. The clinical significance of the increased/decreased concentrations of several trace elements other than aluminum in bone of dialysis patients deserves further investigation.

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

    Xiong, Guangyao; Luo, Honglin; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072

    Graphene oxide (GO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) are frequently used as reinforcements in polymers to improve mechanical and biological properties. In this work, novel porous hybrid nanocomposites consisting of GO, HAp, and sodium alginate (SA) have been prepared by facile solution mixing and freeze drying in an attempt to obtain a scaffold with desirable mechanical and biological properties. The as-prepared porous GO/HAp/SA hybrid nanocomposites were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and mechanical testing. In addition, preliminary cell behavior was assessed by CCK8 assay. It is found that the GO/HAp/SA nanocomposites show improved compressive strength and modulus over neat SA andmore » HAp/SA nanocomposites. CCK8 results reveal that the GO/HAp/SA nanocomposites show enhanced cell proliferation over neat SA and GO/SA nanocomposite. It has been demonstrated that GO/HAp20/SA holds promise in bone tissue engineering. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Graphene oxide (GO), hydroxyapatite (HAp), and alginate (SA) nanocomposites were fabricated. • The novel porous composites were prepared by solution mixture and freeze drying. • The GO/HAp/SA had porous structure with porosity > 85% and pore size > 150 μm. • The GO/HAp/SA exhibited improved mechanical properties over HAp/SA counterparts. • The GO/HAp/SA showed enhanced cell proliferation over GO/SA counterparts.« less

  6. Trace element levels and cognitive function in rural elderly Chinese.

    PubMed

    Gao, Sujuan; Jin, Yinlong; Unverzagt, Frederick W; Ma, Feng; Hall, Kathleen S; Murrell, Jill R; Cheng, Yibin; Shen, Jianzhao; Ying, Bo; Ji, Rongdi; Matesan, Janetta; Liang, Chaoke; Hendrie, Hugh C

    2008-06-01

    Trace elements are involved in metabolic processes and oxidation-reduction reactions in the central nervous system and could have a possible effect on cognitive function. The relationship between trace elements measured in individual biological samples and cognitive function in an elderly population had not been investigated extensively. The participant population is part of a large cohort study of 2000 rural elderly Chinese persons. Six cognitive assessment tests were used to evaluate cognitive function in this population, and a composite score was created to represent global cognitive function. Trace element levels of aluminum, calcium, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc were analyzed in plasma samples of 188 individuals who were randomly selected and consented to donating fasting blood. Analysis of covariance models were used to assess the association between each trace element and the composite cognitive score adjusting for demographics, medical history of chronic diseases, and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Three trace elements-calcium, cadmium, and copper-were found to be significantly related to the composite cognitive score. Increasing plasma calcium level was associated with higher cognitive score (p <.0001). Increasing cadmium and copper, in contrast, were significantly associated with lower composite score (p =.0044 and p =.0121, respectively). Other trace elements did not show significant association with the composite cognitive score. Our results suggest that calcium, cadmium, and copper may be associated with cognitive function in the elderly population.

  7. Epidemiology of trace elements deficiencies in Belgian beef and dairy cattle herds.

    PubMed

    Guyot, Hugues; Saegerman, Claude; Lebreton, Pascal; Sandersen, Charlotte; Rollin, Frédéric

    2009-01-01

    Selenium (Se), iodine (I), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) deficiencies in cattle have been reported in Europe. These deficiencies are often associated with diseases. The aim of the study was to assess trace element status in Belgian cattle herds showing pathologies and to compare them to healthy cattle herds. Eighty-two beef herds with pathologies, 11 healthy beef herds, 65 dairy herds with pathologies and 20 healthy dairy herds were studied during barn period. Blood and/or milk samples were taken in healthy animals. Plasma Zn, Cu, inorganic I (PII) and activity of glutathione peroxidase in erythrocytes (GPX) were assayed. In milk, I concentration was measured. Data about pathologies and nutrition in the herds were collected. According to defined thresholds, it appeared that a large proportion of deficient herds belonged to "sick" group of herds. This conclusion was supported by the mean value of trace elements and by the fact that a majority of individual values of trace elements was below the threshold. Dairy herds had mean values of trace elements higher than beef herds. More concentrates and minerals were used in healthy herds versus "sick" herds. These feed supplements were also used more often in dairy herds, compared to beef herds. Trace elements deficiencies are present in cattle herds in Belgium and are linked to diseases. Nutrition plays a major role in the trace elements status.

  8. Long-term anaerobic digestion of food waste stabilized by trace elements

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

    Zhang Lei, E-mail: wxzyfx@yahoo.com; Jahng, Deokjin, E-mail: djahng@mju.ac.kr

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Korean food waste was found to contain low level of trace elements. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Stable anaerobic digestion of food waste was achieved by adding trace elements. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Iron played an important role in anaerobic digestion of food waste. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cobalt addition further enhanced the process performance in the presence of iron. - Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine if long-term anaerobic digestion of food waste in a semi-continuous single-stage reactor could be stabilized by supplementing trace elements. Contrary to the failure of anaerobic digestion of food waste alone, stable anaerobic digestion of food waste was achievedmore » for 368 days by supplementing trace elements. Under the conditions of OLR (organic loading rates) of 2.19-6.64 g VS (volatile solid)/L day and 20-30 days of HRT (hydraulic retention time), a high methane yield (352-450 mL CH{sub 4}/g VS{sub added}) was obtained, and no significant accumulation of volatile fatty acids was observed. The subsequent investigation on effects of individual trace elements (Co, Fe, Mo and Ni) showed that iron was essential for maintaining stable methane production. These results proved that the food waste used in this study was deficient in trace elements.« less

  9. The role of sample preparation in interpretation of trace element concentration variability in moss bioindication studies

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Migaszewski, Z.M.; Lamothe, P.J.; Crock, J.G.; Galuszka, A.; Dolegowska, S.

    2011-01-01

    Trace element concentrations in plant bioindicators are often determined to assess the quality of the environment. Instrumental methods used for trace element determination require digestion of samples. There are different methods of sample preparation for trace element analysis, and the selection of the best method should be fitted for the purpose of a study. Our hypothesis is that the method of sample preparation is important for interpretation of the results. Here we compare the results of 36 element determinations performed by ICP-MS on ashed and on acid-digested (HNO3, H2O2) samples of two moss species (Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi) collected in Alaska and in south-central Poland. We found that dry ashing of the moss samples prior to analysis resulted in considerably lower detection limits of all the elements examined. We also show that this sample preparation technique facilitated the determination of interregional and interspecies differences in the chemistry of trace elements. Compared to the Polish mosses, the Alaskan mosses displayed more positive correlations of the major rock-forming elements with ash content, reflecting those elements' geogenic origin. Of the two moss species, P. schreberi from both Alaska and Poland was also highlighted by a larger number of positive element pair correlations. The cluster analysis suggests that the more uniform element distribution pattern of the Polish mosses primarily reflects regional air pollution sources. Our study has shown that the method of sample preparation is an important factor in statistical interpretation of the results of trace element determinations. ?? 2010 Springer-Verlag.

  10. Using column experiments to examine transport of As and other trace elements released from poultry litter: Implications for trace element mobility in agricultural watersheds.

    PubMed

    Oyewumi, Oluyinka; Schreiber, Madeline E

    2017-08-01

    Trace elements are added to poultry feed to control infection and improve weight gain. However, the fate of these trace elements in poultry litter is poorly understood. Because poultry litter is applied as fertilizer in many agricultural regions, evaluation of the environmental processes that influence the mobility of litter-derived trace elements is critical for predicting if trace elements are retained in soil or released to water. This study examined the effect of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in poultry litter leachate on the fate and transport of litter-derived elements (As, Cu, P and Zn) using laboratory column experiments with soil collected from the Delmarva Peninsula (Mid-Atlantic, USA), a region of intense poultry production. Results of the experiments showed that DOC enhanced the mobility of all of the studied elements. However, despite the increased mobility, 60-70% of Zn, As and P mass was retained within the soil. In contrast, almost all of the Cu was mobilized in the litter leachate experiments, with very little retention in soil. Overall, our results demonstrate that the mobility of As, Cu, Zn and P in soils which receive poultry litter application is strongly influenced by both litter leachate composition, specifically organic acids, and adsorption to soil. Results have implications for understanding fate and transport of trace elements released from litter application to soil water and groundwater, which can affect both human health and the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Multifunctional hydroxyapatite and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles for the local delivery of cholecalciferol

    PubMed Central

    Ignjatović, Nenad; Uskoković, Vuk; Ajduković, Zorica; Uskoković, Dragan

    2013-01-01

    Cholecalciferol, vitamin D3, plays an important role in bone metabolism by regulating extracellular levels of calcium. Presented here is a study on the effects of the local delivery of cholecalciferol (D3) using nanoparticulate carriers composed of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). Multifunctional nanoparticulate HAp-based powders were prepared for the purpose of: (a) either fast or sustained, local delivery of cholecalciferol, and (b) the secondary, osteoconductive and defect-filling effect of the carrier itself. Two types of HAp-based powders with particles of narrowly dispersed sizes in the nano range were prepared and tested in this study: HAp nanoparticles as direct cholecalciferol delivery agents and HAp nanoparticles coated with cholecalciferol-loaded poly(D,L)-lactide-co-glycolide (HAp/D3/PLGA). Satisfying biocompatibility of particulate systems, when incubated in contact with MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells in vitro, was observed for HAp/D3/PLGA and pure HAp. In contrast, an extensively fast release of cholecalciferol from the system comprising HAp nanoparticles coated with cholecalciferol (HAp/D3) triggered necrosis of the osteoblastic cells in vitro. Artificial defects induced in the osteoporotic bone of the rat mandible were successfully reconstructed following implantation of cholecalciferol-coated HAp nanoparticles as well as those comprising HAp nanoparticles coated with cholecalciferol-loaded PLGA (HAp/D3/PLGA). The greatest levels of enhanced angiogenesis, vascularization, osteogenesis and bone structure differentiation were achieved upon the implementation of HAp/D3/PLGA systems. PMID:25382938

  12. HUMAN SCALP HAIR: AN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE INDEX FOR TRACE ELEMENTS. III. SEVENTEEN TRACE ELEMENTS IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA AND CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA (1972)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Seventeen trace elements - arsenic (As), barium (Ba), boron, (B), cadmium, (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), lead (Pb), lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), vanadium (V), and Zinc (Zn) - were measured in human s...

  13. Trace elements in major marketed marine bivalves from six northern coastal cities of China: concentrations and risk assessment for human health.

    PubMed

    Li, Peimiao; Gao, Xuelu

    2014-11-01

    One hundred and fifty nine samples of nine edible bivalve species (Argopecten irradians, Chlamys farreri, Crassostrea virginica, Lasaea nipponica, Meretrix meretrix, Mytilus edulis, Ruditapes philippinarum, Scapharca subcrenata and Sinonovacula constricta) were randomly collected from eight local seafood markets in six big cities (Dalian, Qingdao, Rizhao, Weifang, Weihai and Yantai) in the northern coastal areas of China for the investigation of trace element contamination. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn were quantified. The risk of these trace elements to humans through bivalve consumption was then assessed. Results indicated that the concentrations of most of the studied trace element varied significantly with species: the average concentration of Cu in C. virginica was an order of magnitude higher than that in the remaining species; the average concentration of Zn was also highest in C. virginica; the average concentration of As, Cd and Pb was highest in R. philippinarum, C. farreri and A. irradians, respectively. Spatial differences in the concentrations of elements were generally less than those of interspecies, yet some elements such as Cr and Hg in the samples from different cities showed a significant difference in concentrations for some bivalve species. Trace element concentrations in edible tissues followed the order of Zn>Cu>As>Cd>Cr>Pb>Hg generally. Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) indicated that different species examined showed different bioaccumulation of trace elements. There were significant correlations between the concentrations of some elements. The calculated hazard quotients indicated in general that there was no obvious health risk from the intake of trace elements through bivalve consumption. But care must be taken considering the increasing amount of seafood consumption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The occurrence and distribution of selected trace elements in the upper Rio Grande and tributaries in Colorado and Northern New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Taylor, Howard E.; Antweiler, Ronald C.; Roth, D.A.; Brinton, T.I.; Peart, D.B.; Healy, D.F.

    2001-01-01

    Two sampling trips were undertaken in 1994 to determine the distribution of trace elements in the Upper Rio Grande and several of its tributaries. Water discharges decreased in the main stem of the Rio Grande from June to September, whereas dissolved concentrations of trace elements generally increased. This is attributed to dilution of base flow from snowmelt runoff in the June samples. Of the three major mining districts (Creede, Summitville, and Red River) in the Upper Rio Grande drainage basin, only the Creede District appears to impact the Rio Grande in a significant manner, with both waters and sediments having elevated concentrations of some trace elements considerably downriver. For example, dissolved zinc concentrations upriver of Willow Creek, which primarily drains the Creede District, were about 2-3 μg/L; immediately downstream of the Willow Creek confluence, concentrations were above 20 μg/L; and elevated concentrations occurred in the Rio Grande for the next 100 km. The Red River District does not significantly impact the Upper Rio Grande for most trace elements. Because of current water management practices, it is difficult to assess the impact of the Summitville District on the Upper Rio Grande. There are, however, large increases in many dissolved trace element concentrations as the Rio Grande passes through the San Luis Valley, coincident with elevated concentrations of those same trace elements in tributaries. Among these elements are As, B, Cr, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sr, U, and V. None of the trace elements exceeded U.S. EPA primary drinking water standards in either survey, with the exception of cadmium in Willow Creek. Secondary drinking water standards were frequently violated, especially in tributaries draining areas where mining has occurred. Dissolved zinc (in Willow Creek in both June and September) was the only element that exceeded the EPA Water Quality Criteria for aquatic life of 120 μg/L.

  15. 40 CFR 63.1104 - Process vents from continuous unit operations: applicability assessment procedures and methods.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... accordance with the applicable weight-percent, TOC concentration, or organic HAP concentration requirement in... rate, regulated organic HAP concentration, total organic HAP or TOC concentration, heating value, and... volumetric flow rate, regulated organic HAP concentration, total organic HAP or TOC concentration, and any...

  16. 24 CFR 891.560 - HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false HAP contract. 891.560 Section 891... Assistance § 891.560 HAP contract. (a) HAP contract. The housing assistance payments contract sets forth.... (b) HAP contract execution. (1) Upon satisfactory completion of the project, the Borrower and HUD...

  17. Spectroscopic investigation on formation and growth of mineralized nanohydroxyapatite for bone tissue engineering applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gopi, D.; Nithiya, S.; Shinyjoy, E.; Kavitha, L.

    Synthetic calcium hydroxyapatite (HAP,Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is a well-known bioceramic material used in orthopaedic and dental applications because of its excellent biocompatibility and bone-bonding ability. Substitution of trace elements, such as Sr, Mg and Zn ions into the structure of calcium phosphates is the subject of widespread investigation. In this paper, we have reported the synthesis of Sr, Mg and Zn co-substituted nanohydroxyapatite by soft solution freezing method. The effect of pH on the morphology of bioceramic nanomaterial was also discussed. The in vitro bioactivity of the as-synthesized bioceramic nanomaterial was determined by soaking it in SBF for various days. The as-synthesized bioceramic nanomaterial was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X- ray diffraction analysis, Scanning electron microscopy and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis and Transmission electron microscopic techniques respectively. The results obtained in our study have revealed that pH 10 was identified to induce the formation of mineralized nanohydroxyapatite. It is observed that the synthesis of bioceramic nanomaterial not only support the growth of apatite layer on its surface but also accelerate the growth which is evident from the in vitro studies. Therefore, mineralized nanohydroxyapatite is a potential candidate in bone tissue engineering.

  18. Raman scattering studies on PEG functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamini, D.; Devanand Venkatasubbu, G.; Kumar, J.; Ramakrishnan, V.

    2014-01-01

    The pure hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by wet chemical precipitation method. Raman spectral measurements have been made for pure HAP, pure Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 and PEG coated HAP in different mass ratios (sample 1, sample 2 and sample 3). The peaks observed in Raman spectrum of pure HAP and the XRD pattern have confirmed the formation of HAP NPs. Vibrational modes have been assigned for pure HAP and pure PEG 6000. The observed variation in peak position of Raman active vibrational modes of PEG in PEG coated HAP has been elucidated in this work, in terms of intermolecular interactions between PEG and HAP. Further these results suggest that the functionalization of nanoparticles may be independent of PEG mass.

  19. Water-dispersible hydroxyapatite nanoparticles synthesized in aqueous solution containing grape seed extract

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Ruchao; Si, Shaoxiong; Zhang, Qiyi

    2012-02-01

    A novel and effective method for the preparation of water-dispersible nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) particles was reported. nHAp was prepared in the presence of grape seed polyphenol (GSP) solution with different concentrations. Chemical precipitation method was adopted to produce pure nHAp and modified nHAp (nHAp-GSP) at 60 °C for 2 h. The chemical nature of the products was detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Moreover, the crystal structure and morphology of particles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the spherical nHAp particles with a diameter of 20-50 nm could be synthesized at 60 °C. The zeta potential values of pure nHAp and nHAp-GSP are -0.36 mV and -26.1 mV respectively. According to the sedimentary time, the colloidal stability of nHAp-GSP in water could be improved dramatically with the increase of GSP content and the particles tended to exist as dispersive nanoparticles without aggregation. All the results indicated that GSP exhibited strong binding to nHAp and enhanced the colloidal stability of nHAp particles.

  20. Ti6Al4V laser surface preparation and functionalization using hydroxyapatite for biomedical applications.

    PubMed

    Faria, D; Abreu, C S; Buciumeanu, M; Dourado, N; Carvalho, O; Silva, F S; Miranda, G

    2018-05-01

    This work presents a novel texture design for implants surface functionalization, through the creation of line-shaped textures on Ti6Al4V surfaces and subsequent sintering of hydroxyapatite (HAp) powder into the designated locations. HAp-rich locations were designed to avoid HAp detachment during insertion, thus guaranteeing an effective osseointegration. This process starts by creating textured lines using a Nd:YAG laser, filling these lines with HAp powder and sintering HAp using a CO 2 laser. The adhesion of HAp is known to be influenced by HAp sintering parameters, especially laser power and scanning speed and also by the textured lines manufacturing. Different laser parameters combinations were used to assess the sintering and adhesion of HAp to the textured lines. HAp adhesion was assessed by performing high energy ultrasonic cavitation tests and sliding tests mimicking an implant insertion, with Ti6Al4V/HAp specimens sliding against animal bone. The HAp content retained after these tests was measured and results showed that an excellent HAp sintering and adhesion was achieved when using a scan speed of 1 mm/s and laser power between 9 and 9.6 W. It is important to emphasize that results indicated that the HAp bioactivity was maintained when using these conditions, validating this functionalization process for the production of hip prosthesis with improved bioactivity. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1534-1545, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Trace elements contamination and human health risk assessment in drinking water from Shenzhen, China.

    PubMed

    Lu, Shao-You; Zhang, Hui-Min; Sojinu, Samuel O; Liu, Gui-Hua; Zhang, Jian-Qing; Ni, Hong-Gang

    2015-01-01

    The levels of seven essential trace elements (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, and Mo) and six non-essential trace elements (Cr, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, and Pb) in a total of 89 drinking water samples collected in Shenzhen, China were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the present study. Both the essential and non-essential trace elements were frequently detectable in the different kinds of drinking waters assessed. Remarkable temporal and spatial variations were observed among most of the trace elements in the tap water collected from two tap water treatment plants. Meanwhile, potential human health risk from these non-essential trace elements in the drinking water for local residents was also assessed. The median values of cancer risks associated with exposure to carcinogenic metals via drinking water consumption were estimated to be 6.1 × 10(-7), 2.1 × 10(-8), and 2.5 × 10(-7) for As, Cd, and Cr, respectively; the median values of incremental lifetime for non-cancer risks were estimated to be 6.1 × 10(-6), 4.4 × 10(-5), and 2.2 × 10(-5) for Hg, Pb, and Sb, respectively. The median value of total incremental lifetime health risk induced by the six non-essential trace elements for the population was 3.5 × 10(-5), indicating that the potential health risks from non-carcinogenic trace elements in drinking water also require some attention. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the most important factor for health risk assessment should be the levels of heavy metal in drinking water.

  2. ptr-MIR169 is a posttranscriptional repressor of PtrHAP2 during vegetative bud dormancy period of aspen (Populus tremuloides) trees

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

    Potkar, Rewati; Recla, Jill; Busov, Victor, E-mail: vbusov@mtu.edu

    2013-02-15

    Highlights: ► We show a novel microRNA-mediated mechanism for control of bud dormancy in trees. ► ptr-MIR169a and PtrHAP2–5 gene showed inverse expression during dormancy period. ► The PtrHAP2–5 decline in abundance correlated with high ptr-MIR169a levels. ► PtrHAP2–5 cleavage occurred at the miR169 site during PtrHAP2–5 transcript decline. ► Our results show that miR169 attenuates PtrHAP2–5 transcript during dormancy. -- Abstract: Dormancy is a mechanism evolved in woody perennial plants to survive the winter freezing and dehydration stress via temporary suspension of growth. We have identified two aspen microRNAs (ptr-MIR169a and ptr-MIR169h) which were highly and specifically expressed inmore » dormant floral and vegetative buds. ptr-MIR169a and its target gene PtrHAP2–5 showed inverse expression patterns during the dormancy period. ptr-MIR169a transcript steadily increased through the first half of the dormancy period and gradually declined with the approach of active growing season. PtrHAP2–5 abundance was higher in the beginning of the dormancy period but rapidly declined thereafter. The decline of PtrHAP2–5 correlated with the high levels of ptr-MIR169a accumulation, suggesting miR169-mediated attenuation of the target PtrHAP2–5 transcript. We experimentally verified the cleavage of PtrHAP2–5 at the predicted miR169a site at the time when PtrHAP2–5 transcript decline was observed. HAP2 is a subunit of a nuclear transcription factor Y (NF-Y) complex consisting of two other units, HAP3 and HAP5. Using digital expression profiling we show that poplar HAP2 and HAP5 are preferentially detected in dormant tissues. Our study shows that microRNAs play a significant and as of yet unknown and unstudied role in regulating the timing of bud dormancy in trees.« less

  3. Distribution of trace elements in the coastal sea sediments of Maslinica Bay, Croatia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikulic, Nenad; Orescanin, Visnja; Elez, Loris; Pavicic, Ljiljana; Pezelj, Durdica; Lovrencic, Ivanka; Lulic, Stipe

    2008-02-01

    Spatial distributions of trace elements in the coastal sea sediments and water of Maslinica Bay (Southern Adriatic), Croatia and possible changes in marine flora and foraminifera communities due to pollution were investigated. Macro, micro and trace elements’ distributions in five granulometric fractions were determined for each sediment sample. Bulk sediment samples were also subjected to leaching tests. Elemental concentrations in sediments, sediment extracts and seawater were measured by source excited energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). Concentrations of the elements Cr, Cu, Zn, and Pb in bulk sediment samples taken in the Maslinica Bay were from 2.1 to over six times enriched when compared with the background level determined for coarse grained carbonate sediments. A low degree of trace elements leaching determined for bulk sediments pointed to strong bonding of trace elements to sediment mineral phases. The analyses of marine flora pointed to higher eutrophication, which disturbs the balance between communities and natural habitats.

  4. Long-term anaerobic digestion of food waste stabilized by trace elements.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lei; Jahng, Deokjin

    2012-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine if long-term anaerobic digestion of food waste in a semi-continuous single-stage reactor could be stabilized by supplementing trace elements. Contrary to the failure of anaerobic digestion of food waste alone, stable anaerobic digestion of food waste was achieved for 368 days by supplementing trace elements. Under the conditions of OLR (organic loading rates) of 2.19-6.64 g VS (volatile solid)/L day and 20-30 days of HRT (hydraulic retention time), a high methane yield (352-450 mL CH(4)/g VS(added)) was obtained, and no significant accumulation of volatile fatty acids was observed. The subsequent investigation on effects of individual trace elements (Co, Fe, Mo and Ni) showed that iron was essential for maintaining stable methane production. These results proved that the food waste used in this study was deficient in trace elements. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Concentrations of mercury and other trace elements in walleye, smallmouth bass, and rainbow trout in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upper Columbia River, Washington, 1994

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Munn, M.D.; Cox, S.E.; Dean, C.J.

    1995-01-01

    Three species of sportfish--walleye, smallmouth bass, and rainbow trout--were collected from Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upstream reach of the Columbia River within the state of Washington, to determine the concentrations of mercury and other selected trace elements in fish tissue. Concentrations of total mercury in walleye fillets ranged from 0.11 to 0.44 milligram per kilogram, with the higher concentrations in the larger fish. Fillets of smallmouth bass and rainbow trout also contained mercury, but generally at lower concentrations. Other selected trace elements were found in fillet samples, but the concentrations were generally low depending on species and the specific trace element. The trace elements cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were found in liver tissue of these same species with zinc consistently present in the highest concentration.

  6. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in phytoremediation of contaminated areas by trace elements: mechanisms and major benefits of their applications.

    PubMed

    Cabral, Lucélia; Soares, Claúdio Roberto Fonsêca Sousa; Giachini, Admir José; Siqueira, José Oswaldo

    2015-11-01

    In recent decades, the concentration of trace elements has increased in soil and water, mainly by industrialization and urbanization. Recovery of contaminated areas is generally complex. In that respect, microorganisms can be of vital importance by making significant contributions towards the establishment of plants and the stabilization of impacted areas. Among the available strategies for environmental recovery, bioremediation and phytoremediation outstand. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered the most important type of mycorrhizae for phytoremediation. AMF have broad occurrence in contaminated soils, and evidences suggest they improve plant tolerance to excess of certain trace elements. In this review, the use of AMF in phytoremediation and mechanisms involved in their trace element tolerance are discussed. Additionally, we present some techniques used to study the retention of trace elements by AMF, as well as a summary of studies showing major benefits of AMF for phytoremediation.

  7. Benthic foraminifera as bio-indicators of trace element pollution in the heavily contaminated Santa Gilla lagoon (Cagliari, Italy).

    PubMed

    Frontalini, Fabrizio; Buosi, Carla; Da Pelo, Stefania; Coccioni, Rodolfo; Cherchi, Antonietta; Bucci, Carla

    2009-06-01

    In order to assess the response of benthic foraminifera to trace element pollution, a study of benthic foraminiferal assemblages was carried out into sediment samples collected from the Santa Gilla lagoon (Sardinia, Italy). The lagoon has been contaminated by industrial waste, mainly trace elements, as well as by agricultural and domestic effluent. The analysis of surficial sediment shows enrichment in trace elements, including Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn. Biotic and abiotic data, analyzed with multivariate techniques of statistical analysis, reveal a distinct separation of both the highly polluted and less polluted sampling sites. The innermost part of the lagoon, comprising the industrial complex at Macchiareddu, is exposed to a high load of trace elements which are probably enhanced by their accumulation in the finer sediment fraction. This area reveals lower diversity and higher percentages of abnormalities when compared to the outermost part of the lagoon.

  8. Temperature and Gravity Dependence of Trace Element Abundances in Hot DA White Dwarfs (94-EUVE-094)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Finley, David S.

    1998-01-01

    EUV spectroscopy has shown that DA white dwarfs hotter than about 45,000 K may contain trace heavy elements, while those hotter than about 50,000 K almost always have significant abundances of trace heavy elements. One of our continuing challenges is to identify and determine the abundances of these trace constituents, and then to relate the observed abundance patterns to the present conditions and previous evolutionary histories of the hot DA white dwarfs.

  9. Trace elements in urban and suburban rainfall, Mersin, Northeastern Mediterranean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Özsoy, Türkan; Örnektekin, Sermin

    2009-10-01

    Spatial/temporal variabilities of rainwater constituents are examined based on soluble/insoluble trace elements, pH and electrical conductivity measurements in rainfall sampled during December 2003-May 2005 at two urban and two suburban sites in Mersin, an industrialized city of 850,000 inhabitants on the southern coast of Turkey. In the analyses, backward air mass trajectories for rainy days were used in addition to factor analyses, enrichment factors, phase distributions and correlations between trace elements. The pH varied from 4.8 to 8.5 with an average value of 6.2, reflecting a mainly alkaline regime. Mean concentrations of trace elements collected from urban and suburban sites are spatially variable. Based on the overall data, total concentrations of trace elements were ordered as Ca > Na > Fe > Al > Mg > K > Zn > Mn > Sr > Pb > Ni > Cr > Ba > Cu > Co > Cd. Mainly terrigeneous (Ca, Fe, Al) and, to a lesser extent, sea salt particles (Na, Mg) were shown to be the major source of trace elements. Excluding major cations, the solubilities of trace elements were found to be ordered as Sr > Zn > Ba > Mn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Fe > Al, confirming the lower solubility of crustal elements. Cd, Co and Pb were excluded from the above evaluation because of the low numbers of soluble samples allowing quantitative measurements. The solubilities of Al, Fe, Mn and particularly of Ni were found to be considerably lower than those reported for various sites around the world, most likely due to the effect of pH. During the entire sampling period, a total of 28 dust transport episodes associated with 31 red rain events were identified. Extremely high mean concentration ratios of Al (8.2), Fe (14.4) and Mn (13.1) were observed in red rain, compared to normal rain. The degree of this enhancement displayed a decrease from crustal to anthropogenic origin elements and the lowest enhancements were found for anthropogenic origin elements of Zn and Cd (both having a ratio of 1.1). Aerosol dust was found to be the main source of almost all analyzed elements in Mersin precipitation, regardless that they are crustal or anthropic derived elements. The magnitude of crustal source contribution to trace element budget of precipitation was at its highest levels for crustal originated elements, most probably due to much higher scavenging ratios of crustal elements compared to anthropogenic ones.

  10. Trace elements in animal-based food from Shanghai markets and associated human daily intake and uptake estimation considering bioaccessibility.

    PubMed

    Lei, Bingli; Chen, Liang; Hao, Ying; Cao, Tiehua; Zhang, Xinyu; Yu, Yingxin; Fu, Jiamo

    2013-10-01

    The concentrations of four human essential trace elements [iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr)] and non-essential elements [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg)] in eighteen animal-based foods including meat, fish, and shellfish collected from markets in Shanghai, China, were analyzed, and the associated human daily intake and uptake considering bioaccessibility were estimated. The mean concentration ranges for eight trace elements measured in the foods were 3.98-131µgg(-1) for Fe, 0.437-18.5µgg(-1) for Mn, 5.47-53.8µgg(-1) for Zn, none detected-0.101µgg(-1) for Cr, 2.88×10(-4)-2.48×10(-2)µgg(-1) for Cd, 1.18×10(-3)-0.747µgg(-1) for Pb, none detected-0.498µgg(-1) for As, and 8.98×10(-4)-6.52×10(-2)µgg(-1) for Hg. The highest mean concentrations of four human essential elements were all found in shellfish. For all the trace elements, the observed mean concentrations are mostly in agreement with the reported values around the world. The total daily intake of trace elements via ingestion of animal-based food via an average Shanghai resident was estimated as 7371µgd(-1) for the human essential elements and 13.0µgd(-1) for the human non-essential elements, but the uptake decreased to 4826µgd(-1) and 6.90µgd(-1), respectively, after trace element bioaccessibility was considered. Livestock and fish for human essential and non-essential elements, respectively, were the main contributor, no matter whether the bioaccessibility was considered or not. Risk estimations showed that the intake and uptake of a signal trace element for an average Shanghai resident via ingestion animal-based foods from Shanghai markets do not exceed the recommended dietary allowance values; consequently, a health risk situation is not indicated. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Intersystem Interference Reduction for Overlaid HAPS-Terrestrial CDMA System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jeng-Ji; Wang, Wei-Ting; Li, Mingfu; Shiung, David; Ferng, Huei-Wen

    In this letter, we propose that directional antennas, combined with power management, be incorporated to reduce intersystem interference in a shared band overlaid high altitude platform station (HAPS)-terrestrial code division multiple access (CDMA) system. To eliminate the HAPS to terrestrial interference, the HAPS is accessed only via directional antennas under the proposed scheme. By doing so, the uplink power to the HAPS can accordingly be increased, so that the terrestrial to HAPS interference is also effectively suppressed.

  12. Recombinant C-terminal 311 amino acids of HapS adhesin as a vaccine candidate for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae: A study on immunoreactivity in Balb/C mouse.

    PubMed

    Tabatabaee Bafroee, Akram Sadat; Siadat, Seyed Davar; Mousavi, Seyed Fazlollah; Aghasadeghi, Mohammad Reza; Khorsand, Hashem; Nejati, Mehdi; Sadat, Seyed Mehdi; Mahdavi, Mehdi

    2016-09-01

    Hap, an auto-transporter protein, is an antigenically conserved adhesion protein which is present on both typeable and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. This protein has central role in bacterial attachment to respiratory tract epithelial cells. A 1000bp C-terminal fragment of Hap passenger domain (HapS) from nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae was cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector, pET-24a. BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with purified rC-HapS. Serum IgG responses to purified rC-HapS, serum IgG subclasses were determined by ELISA and functional activity of antibodies was examined by Serum Bactericidal Assay. The output of rC-HapS was approximately 62% of the total bacterial proteins. Serum IgG responses were significantly increased in immunized group with rC-HapS mixed with Freund's adjuvant in comparison with control groups. Analysis of the serum IgG subclasses showed that the IgG1 subclass was predominant after subcutaneous immunization in BALB/c mice (IgG2a/IgG1 < 1). The sera from rC-HapS immunized animals were strongly bactericidal against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. These results suggest that rC-HapS may be a potential vaccine candidate for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil, soil, water, and leaves from oil palm plantations: A review.

    PubMed

    Olafisoye, O B; Oguntibeju, O O; Osibote, O A

    2017-05-03

    Oil palm (Elaeisguineensis) is one of the most productive oil producing plant in the world. Crude palm oil is composed of triglycerides supplying the world's need of edible oils and fats. Palm oil also provides essential elements and antioxidants that are potential mediators of cellular functions. Experimental studies have demonstrated the toxicity of the accumulation of significant amounts of nonessential trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil that affects the health of consumers. It has been reported that uptake of trace elements and radionuclides from the oil palm tree may be from water and soil on the palm plantations. In the present review, an attempt was made to revise and access knowledge on the presence of some selected trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil, soil, water, and leaves from oil palm plantations based on the available facts and data. Existing reports show that the presence of nonessential trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil may be from natural or anthropogenic sources in the environment. However, the available literature is limited and further research need to be channeled to the investigation of trace elements and radionuclides in soil, water, leaves, and palm oil from oil palm plantations around the globe.

  14. Nutritional Aspects of Essential Trace Elements in Oral Health and Disease: An Extensive Review

    PubMed Central

    Hussain, Mohsina

    2016-01-01

    Human body requires certain essential elements in small quantities and their absence or excess may result in severe malfunctioning of the body and even death in extreme cases because these essential trace elements directly influence the metabolic and physiologic processes of the organism. Rapid urbanization and economic development have resulted in drastic changes in diets with developing preference towards refined diet and nutritionally deprived junk food. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, augmented vulnerability to various oral and systemic diseases, impaired physical and mental growth, and reduced efficiency. Diet and nutrition affect oral health in a variety of ways with influence on craniofacial development and growth and maintenance of dental and oral soft tissues. Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) are treated with antioxidants containing essential trace elements like selenium but even increased dietary intake of trace elements like copper could lead to oral submucous fibrosis. The deficiency or excess of other trace elements like iodine, iron, zinc, and so forth has a profound effect on the body and such conditions are often diagnosed through their early oral manifestations. This review appraises the biological functions of significant trace elements and their role in preservation of oral health and progression of various oral diseases. PMID:27433374

  15. 24 CFR 983.202 - Purpose of HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Purpose of HAP contract. 983.202... DEVELOPMENT PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER (PBV) PROGRAM Housing Assistance Payments Contract § 983.202 Purpose of HAP contract. (a) Requirement. The PHA must enter into a HAP contract with the owner. The HAP contract must be...

  16. 24 CFR 891.590 - Notice upon HAP contract expiration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Notice upon HAP contract expiration... Handicapped-Section 8 Assistance § 891.590 Notice upon HAP contract expiration. (a) Notice required. The HAP contract will provide that the Borrower will, at least one year before the end of the HAP contract term...

  17. HapZipper: sharing HapMap populations just got easier.

    PubMed

    Chanda, Pritam; Elhaik, Eran; Bader, Joel S

    2012-11-01

    The rapidly growing amount of genomic sequence data being generated and made publicly available necessitate the development of new data storage and archiving methods. The vast amount of data being shared and manipulated also create new challenges for network resources. Thus, developing advanced data compression techniques is becoming an integral part of data production and analysis. The HapMap project is one of the largest public resources of human single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), characterizing over 3 million SNPs genotyped in over 1000 individuals. The standard format and biological properties of HapMap data suggest that a dedicated genetic compression method can outperform generic compression tools. We propose a compression methodology for genetic data by introducing HapZipper, a lossless compression tool tailored to compress HapMap data beyond benchmarks defined by generic tools such as gzip, bzip2 and lzma. We demonstrate the usefulness of HapZipper by compressing HapMap 3 populations to <5% of their original sizes. HapZipper is freely downloadable from https://bitbucket.org/pchanda/hapzipper/downloads/HapZipper.tar.bz2.

  18. The Haemophilus influenzae Hap Autotransporter Binds to Fibronectin, Laminin, and Collagen IV

    PubMed Central

    Fink, Doran L.; Green, Bruce A.; St. Geme III, Joseph W.

    2002-01-01

    Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract mucosa. NTHI disease frequently occurs in the context of respiratory tract inflammation, where organisms encounter damaged epithelium and exposed basement membrane. In this study, we examined interactions between the H. influenzae Hap adhesin and selected extracellular matrix proteins. Hap is an autotransporter protein that undergoes autoproteolytic cleavage, with release of the adhesive passenger domain, Haps, from the bacterial cell surface. We found that Hap promotes bacterial adherence to purified fibronectin, laminin, and collagen IV and that Hap-mediated adherence is enhanced by inhibition of autoproteolysis. Adherence is inhibited by pretreatment of bacteria with a polyclonal antiserum recognizing Haps. Purified Haps binds with high affinity to fibronectin, laminin, and collagen IV but not to collagen II. Binding of Haps to fibronectin involves interaction with the 45-kDa gelatin-binding domain but not the 30-kDa heparin-binding domain of fibronectin. Taken together, these observations suggest that interactions between Hap and extracellular matrix proteins may play an important role in NTHI colonization of the respiratory tract. PMID:12183535

  19. Mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of Mg-HAP composites.

    PubMed

    Campo, R Del; Savoini, B; Muñoz, A; Monge, M A; Garcés, G

    2014-11-01

    Mg and Mg-HAP composites containing 5, 10 and 15 wt% of hydroxyapatite have been produced following a powder metallurgy route that consists of mixing raw powders and consolidation by extrusion. The microstructure, texture, mechanical behavior and resistance to corrosion under a PBS solution have been studied. Addition of HAP increases the microhardness of the composites, however the yield strength under compression slightly decreases. Texture analyses reveal a fiber texture for pure Mg that is weakened increasing the HAP fraction. This texture promotes twinning and softening of Mg and Mg-5HAP during the initial deformation stages. Mg-10HAP and Mg-15HAP present a strain-hardening dependence showing no softening. The volume fraction of HAP particles weakens the texture and favors the activation of secondary slip systems. Corrosion experiments in PBS solution have shown that Mg-5HAP exhibits the best resistance to corrosion. Texture and porosity appear to be the main material features controlling the corrosion rates of Mg-HAP composites under the present conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Trace element partitioning between ionic crystal and liquid

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tsang, T.; Philpotts, J. A.; Yin, L.

    1978-01-01

    The partitioning of trace elements between ionic crystals and the melt has been correlated with lattice energy of the host. The solid-liquid partition coefficient has been expressed in terms of the difference in relative ionic radius of the trace element and the homogeneous and heterogeneous strain of the host lattice. Predictions based on this model appear to be in general agreement with data for alkali nitrates and for rare-earth elements in natural garnet phenocrysts.

  1. Phytoaccumulation of trace elements by wetland plants. 2: Water hyacinth

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

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

    Wetland plants are being used successfully for the phytoremediation of trace elements in natural and constructed wetlands. This study demonstrates the potential of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an aquatic floating plant, for the phytoremediation of six trace elements. The ability of water hyacinth to take up and translocate six trace elements--As(V), Cd(II), Cr(VI), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Se(VI)--was studied under controlled conditions. Water hyacinth accumulated Cd and Cr best, Se and Cu at moderate levels, and was a poor accumulator of As and Ni. The highest levels of Cd found in shoots and roots were 371 and 6103 mg kg[sup [minus]1]more » dry wt., respectively, and those of Cr were 119 and 32951 mg kg[sup [minus]1] dry wt, respectively. Cadmium, Cr, Cu, Ni, and As were more highly accumulated in roots than in shoots. In contrast, Se was accumulated more in shoots than in roots at most external concentrations. Water hyacinth had high trace element bioconcentration factors when supplied with low external concentrations of all six elements, particularly Cd, Cr, and Cu. Therefore, water hyacinth will be very efficient at phytoextracting trace elements from wastewater containing low concentrations of these elements. The authors conclude that water hyacinth is a promising candidate for phytoremediation of wastewater polluted with Cd, Cr, Cu, and Se.« less

  2. Trace element analysis of soil type collected from the Manjung and central Perak

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azman, Muhammad Azfar; Hamzah, Suhaimi; Rahman, Shamsiah Abdul; Elias, Md Suhaimi; Abdullah, Nazaratul Ashifa; Hashim, Azian; Shukor, Shakirah Abd; Kamaruddin, Ahmad Hasnulhadi Che

    2015-04-01

    Trace elements in soils primarily originated from their parent materials. Parents' material is the underlying geological material that has been undergone different types of chemical weathering and leaching processes. Soil trace elements concentrations may be increases as a result of continuous input from various human activities, including power generation, agriculture, mining and manufacturing. This paper describes the Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) method used for the determination of trace elements concentrations in part per million (ppm) present in the terrestrial environment soil in Perak. The data may indicate any contamination of trace elements contributed from human activities in the area. The enrichment factors were used to check if there any contamination due to the human activities (power plants, agricultural, mining, etc.) otherwise the values would serve as a baseline data for future study. The samples were collected from 27 locations of different soil series in the area at two different depths: the top soil (0-15cm) and the sub soil (15-30cm). The collected soil samples were air dried at 60°C and passed through 2 µm sieve. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) has been used for the determination of trace elements. Samples were activated in the Nuclear Malaysia TRIGA Mark II reactor followed by gamma spectrometric analysis. By activating the stable elements in the samples, the elements can be determined from the intensities of gamma energies emitted by the respected radionuclides.

  3. Seasonal variations of trace elements in precipitation at the largest city in Tibet, Lhasa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Junming; Kang, Shichang; Huang, Jie; Zhang, Qianggong; Tripathee, Lekhendra; Sillanpää, Mika

    2015-02-01

    Precipitation samples were collected from March 2010 to August 2012 at an urban site in Lhasa, the capital and largest city of Tibet. The volume weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of 17 trace elements in precipitation were higher during the non-monsoon season than in the monsoon season, but inverse seasonal variations occurred for wet deposition fluxes of most of the trace elements. Concentrations for most of trace elements were negatively correlated with precipitation amount, indicating that below-cloud scavenging of trace elements was an important mechanism contributing to wet deposition of these elements. The elements Al, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Mn, Ni, and U displayed low crustal enrichment factors (EFs), whereas Co, Cu, Zn, As, Cd Sn, Pb, and Bi showed high EF values in precipitation, suggesting that anthropogenic activities might be important contributors of these elements at Lhasa. However, this present work indicates a much lower anthropogenic emission at Lhasa than in seriously polluted regions. Our study will not only provide insights for assessing the current status of the atmospheric environment in Lhasa but also enhance our understanding for updating the baseline for environmental protection over the Tibetan Plateau.

  4. The abundance and relative volatility of refractory trace elements in Allende Ca,Al-rich inclusions - Implications for chemical and physical processes in the solar nebula

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kornacki, Alan S.; Fegley, Bruce, Jr.

    1986-01-01

    The relative volatilities of lithophile refractory trace elements (LRTE) were determined using calculated 50-percent condensation temperatures. Then, the refractory trace-element abundances were measured in about 100 Allende inclusions. The abundance patterns found in Allende Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) and ultrarefractory inclusions were used to empirically modify the calculated LRTE volatility sequence. In addition, the importance of crystal-chemical effects, diffusion constraints, and grain transport for the origin of the trace-element chemistry of Allende CAIs (which have important implications for chemical and physical processes in the solar nebula) is discussed.

  5. Nanometer-sized materials for solid-phase extraction of trace elements.

    PubMed

    Hu, Bin; He, Man; Chen, Beibei

    2015-04-01

    This review presents a comprehensive update on the state-of-the-art of nanometer-sized materials in solid-phase extraction (SPE) of trace elements followed by atomic-spectrometry detection. Zero-dimensional nanomaterials (fullerene), one-dimensional nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, inorganic nanotubes, and nanowires), two-dimensional nanomaterials (nanofibers), and three-dimensional nanomaterials (nanoparticles, mesoporous nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, and dendrimers) for SPE are discussed, with their application for trace-element analysis and their speciation in different matrices. A variety of other novel SPE sorbents, including restricted-access sorbents, ion-imprinted polymers, and metal-organic frameworks, are also discussed, although their applications in trace-element analysis are relatively scarce so far.

  6. Trace elements geochemistry of fractured basement aquifer in southern Malawi: A case of Blantyre rural

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mapoma, Harold Wilson Tumwitike; Xie, Xianjun; Nyirenda, Mathews Tananga; Zhang, Liping; Kaonga, Chikumbusko Chiziwa; Mbewe, Rex

    2017-07-01

    In this study, twenty one (21) trace elements in the basement complex groundwater of Blantyre district, Malawi were analyzed. The majority of the analyzed trace elements in the water were within the standards set by World Health Organization (WHO) and Malawi Standards Board (MSB). But, iron (Fe) (BH16 and 21), manganese (Mn) (BH01) and selenium (Se) (BH02, 13, 18, 19 and 20) were higher than the WHO and MSB standards. Factor analysis (FA) revealed up to five significant factors which accounted for 87.4% of the variance. Factor 1, 2 and 3 suggest evaporite dissolution and silicate weathering processes while the fourth factor may explain carbonate dissolution and pH influence on trace element geochemistry of the studied groundwater samples. According to PHREEQC computed saturation indices, dissolution, precipitation and rock-water-interaction control the levels of trace elements in this aquifer. Elevated concentrations of Fe, Mn and Se in certain boreholes are due to the geology of the aquifer and probable redox status of groundwater. From PHREEQC speciation results, variations in trace element species were observed. Based on this study, boreholes need constant monitoring and assessment for human consumption to avoid health related issues.

  7. Raman scattering studies on PEG functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Yamini, D; Devanand Venkatasubbu, G; Kumar, J; Ramakrishnan, V

    2014-01-03

    The pure hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by wet chemical precipitation method. Raman spectral measurements have been made for pure HAP, pure Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 and PEG coated HAP in different mass ratios (sample 1, sample 2 and sample 3). The peaks observed in Raman spectrum of pure HAP and the XRD pattern have confirmed the formation of HAP NPs. Vibrational modes have been assigned for pure HAP and pure PEG 6000. The observed variation in peak position of Raman active vibrational modes of PEG in PEG coated HAP has been elucidated in this work, in terms of intermolecular interactions between PEG and HAP. Further these results suggest that the functionalization of nanoparticles may be independent of PEG mass. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Kinetic determinations of trace element bioaccumulation in the mussel Mytilus edulis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wang, W.-X.; Fisher, N.S.; Luoma, S.N.

    1996-01-01

    Laboratory experiments employing radiotracer methodology were conducted to determine the assimilation efficiencies from ingested natural seston, the influx rates from the dissolved phase and the efflux rates of 6 trace elements (Ag, Am, Cd, Co, Se and Zn) in the mussel Mytilus edulis. A kinetic model was then employed to predict trace element concentration in mussel tissues in 2 locations for which mussel and environmental data are well described: South San Francisco Bay (California, USA) and Long Island Sound (New York, USA). Assimilation efficiencies from natural seston ranged from 5 to 18% for Ag, 0.6 to 1% for Am, 8 to 20% for Cd, 12 to 16% for Co, 28 to 34% for Se, and 32 to 41% for Zn. Differences in chlorophyll a concentration in ingested natural seston did not have significant impact on the assimilation of Am, Co, Se and Zn. The influx rate of elements from the dissolved phase increased with the dissolved concentration, conforming to Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The calculated dissolved uptake rate constant was greatest for Ag, followed by Zn > Am = Cd > Co > Se. The estimated absorption efficiency from the dissolved phase was 1.53% for Ag, 0.34% for Am, 0.31% for Cd, 0.11% for Co, 0.03% for Se and 0.89% for Zn. Salinity had an inverse effect on the influx rate from the dissolved phase and dissolved organic carbon concentration had no significant effect on trace element uptake. The calculated efflux rate constants for all elements ranged from 1.0 to 3.0% d-1. The route of trace element uptake (food vs dissolved) and the duration of exposure to dissolved trace elements (12 h vs 6 d) did not significantly influence trace element efflux rates. A model which used the experimentally determined influx and efflux rates for each of the trace elements, following exposure from ingested food and from water, predicted concentrations of Ag, Cd, Se and Zn in mussels that were directly comparable to actual tissue concentrations independently measured in the 2 reference sites in national monitoring programs. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the total suspended solids load, which can affect mussel feeding activity, assimilation, and trace element concentration in the dissolved and particulate phases, can significantly influence metal bioaccumulation for particle-reactive elements such as Ag and Am. For all metals, concentrations in mussels are proportionately related to total metal load in the water column and their assimilation efficiency from ingested particles. Further, the model predicted that over 96% of Se in mussels is obtained from ingested food, under conditions typical of coastal waters. For Ag, Am, Cd, Co and Zn, the relative contribution from the dissolved phase decreases significantly with increasing trace element partition coefficients for suspended particles and the assimilation efficiency in mussels of ingested trace elements; values range between 33 and 67% for Ag, 5 and 17% for Am, 47 and 82% for Cd, 4 and 30% for Co, and 17 and 51% for Zn.

  9. Healthy apple program to support child care centers to alter nutrition and physical activity practices and improve child weight: a cluster randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Stookey, Jodi D; Evans, Jane; Chan, Curtis; Tao-Lew, Lisa; Arana, Tito; Arthur, Susan

    2017-12-19

    North Carolina Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) resources improve child body mass index (BMI) when the resources are introduced by nurses to child care providers, and offered with workshops and incentives. In San Francisco, public health and child care agencies partnered to adapt NAP SACC resources into an annual "Healthy Apple" quality improvement program (HAP). This cluster randomized controlled trial pilot-tested integration of the HAP with bi-annual public health screenings by nurses. All child care centers that participated in Child Care Health Program (CCHP) screenings in San Francisco in 2011-2012 were offered routine services plus HAP in 2012-2013 (CCHP + HAP, n = 19) or routine services with delayed HAP in 2014-2015 (CCHP + HAP Delayed, n = 24). Intention-to-treat analyses (robust SE or mixed models) used 4 years of screening data from 12 to 17 CCHP + HAP and 17 to 20 CCHP + HAP Delayed centers, regarding 791 to 945 children ages 2 to 5y, annually. Year-specific, child level models tested if children in CCHP + HAP centers had greater relative odds of exposure to 3 index best practices and smaller Autumn-to-Spring changes in BMI percentile and z-score than children in CCHP + HAP Delayed centers, controlling for age, sex, and Autumn status. Multi-year, child care center level models tested if HAP support modified year-to-year changes (2013-2014 and 2014-2015 vs 2011-2012) in child care center annual mean Autumn-to-Spring BMI changes. In 2011-2012, the CCHP + HAP and CCHP + HAP Delayed centers had similar index practices (<15% of children were exposed to a physical activity curriculum, staff joining in active play, and drinking water pitchers) and annual BMI changes. In 2013-2014: 60% of children in CCHP + HAP centers were exposed to the 3 index practices vs 19% in CCHP + HAP Delayed centers; Mean (SE) child BMI percentile (-2.6 (0.9), p = 0.003) and z-score (-0.08 (0.03), p = 0.007) decreased more in CCHP + HAP vs CCHP + HAP Delayed centers. In 2014-2015, after all centers were offered HAP, the index practices and BMI changes were improved for all centers vs 2011-2012. Integration of the HAP with existing public health nursing services was associated with significantly more children exposed to best practices and improvement in child BMI change. The results warrant continued integration of HAP into local public health infrastructure. ISRCTN18857356 (24/04/2015) Retrospectively registered.

  10. Genetic variants in SIRT3 transcriptional regulatory region affect promoter activity and fat deposition in three cattle breeds.

    PubMed

    Gui, Linsheng; Hong, Jieyun; Raza, Sayed Haidar Abbas; Zan, Linsen

    2017-04-01

    Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) is a mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase. It has crucial roles in regulating the respiratory chain, in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and in both the citric acid and urea cycles. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SIRT3 could be used as a candidate gene in the breeding of cattle. Expression analysis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) indicated that expression levels of SIRT3 were highest in the kidney, rumen, liver, omasum and muscle. Using sequencing technology on a total of 913 cattle representing three indigenous Chinese beef cattle breeds, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the promoter region of SIRT3, and five haplotypes representing five potential transcription factor compositions of polymorphic potential cis-acting elements. Association analysis indicated that the Hap3/8 diplotype performed better than other combinations in intramuscular fat content. In addition, the promoter activity with Hap1 haplotype was higher than the Hap8 haplotype, consistent with the association analysis. The results indicate that the polymorphisms in transcription factor binding sites of SIRT3 promoter may affect the transcriptional activity of SIRT3, and thus alter intramuscular fat content in beef cattle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Co-occurrence profiles of trace elements in potable water systems: a case study.

    PubMed

    Andra, Syam S; Makris, Konstantinos C; Charisiadis, Pantelis; Costa, Costas N

    2014-11-01

    Potable water samples (N = 74) from 19 zip code locations in a region of Greece were profiled for 13 trace elements composition using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The primary objective was to monitor the drinking water quality, while the primary focus was to find novel associations in trace elements occurrence that may further shed light on common links in their occurrence and fate in the pipe scales and corrosion products observed in urban drinking water distribution systems. Except for arsenic at two locations and in six samples, rest of the analyzed elements was below maximum contaminant levels, for which regulatory values are available. Further, we attempted to hierarchically cluster trace elements based on their covariances resulting in two groups; one with arsenic, antimony, zinc, cadmium, and copper and the second with the rest of the elements. The grouping trends were partially explained by elements' similar chemical activities in water, underscoring their potential for co-accumulation and co-mobilization phenomena from pipe scales into finished water. Profiling patterns of trace elements in finished water could be indicative of their load on pipe scales and corrosion products, with a corresponding risk of episodic contaminant release. Speculation was made on the role of disinfectants and disinfection byproducts in mobilizing chemically similar trace elements of human health interest from pipe scales to tap water. It is warranted that further studies may eventually prove useful to water regulators from incorporating the acquired knowledge in the drinking water safety plans.

  12. Synthesis, Structural, and Adsorption Properties and Thermal Stability of Nanohydroxyapatite/Polysaccharide Composites.

    PubMed

    Skwarek, Ewa; Goncharuk, Olena; Sternik, Dariusz; Janusz, Wladyslaw; Gdula, Karolina; Gun'ko, Vladimir M

    2017-12-01

    A series of composites based on nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp) and natural polysaccharides (PS) (nHAp/agar, nHAp/chitosan, nHAp/pectin FB300, nHAp/pectin APA103, nHAp/sodium alginate) was synthesized by liquid-phase two-step method and characterized using nitrogen adsorption-desorption, DSC, TG, FTIR spectroscopy, and SEM. The analysis of nitrogen adsorption-desorption data shows that composites with a nHAp: PS ratio of 4:1 exhibit a sufficiently high specific surface area from 49 to 82 m 2 /g. The incremental pore size distributions indicate mainly mesoporosity. The composites with the component ratio 1:1 preferably form a film-like structure, and the value of S BET varies from 0.3 to 43 m 2 /g depending on the nature of a polysaccharide. Adsorption of Sr(II) on the composites from the aqueous solutions has been studied. The thermal properties of polysaccharides alone and in nHAp/PS show the influence of nHAp, since there is a shift of characteristic DSC and DTG peaks. FTIR spectroscopy data confirm the presence of functional groups typical for nHAp as well as polysaccharides in composites. Structure and morphological characteristics of the composites are strongly dependent on the ratio of components, since nHAp/PS at 4:1 have relatively large S BET values and a good ability to adsorb metal ions. The comparison of the adsorption capacity with respect to Sr(II) of nHAp, polysaccharides, and composites shows that it of the latter is higher than that of nHAp (per 1 m 2 of surface).

  13. A simple model for closure temperature of a trace element in cooling bi-mineralic systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Yan

    2015-09-01

    Closure temperature is defined as the lower temperature limit at which the element of interest effectively ceases diffusive exchange with its surrounding medium during cooling. Here we generalize the classic equation of Dodson (1973) for cooling mono-mineralic systems to cooling bi-mineralic aggregates by considering diffusive exchange of a trace element between the two minerals in a closed system. We present a simple analytical model that includes key parameters affecting the closure temperature of a trace element in cooling bi-mineralic systems: cooling rate, temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients for the trace element in the two minerals, temperature-dependent partition coefficient of the trace element between the two minerals, effective grain sizes of the two minerals, and volume proportions of the minerals in the system. We show that closure temperatures of a trace element in cooling bi-mineralic systems are bounded by the closure temperatures of the trace element in the two mono-mineralic systems and that our generalized model reduces to Dodson's equation when one of the mineral serves as "an effective infinite" reservoir to the other mineral. Application to closure temperatures of REE in orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene bi-mineralic systems highlights the importance of REE diffusion and partitioning in the pyroxenes as well as clinopyroxene modal abundance and grain size in the systems. Closure temperatures for REE in two-pyroxene bearing equigranular rocks are controlled primarily by diffusion in orthopyroxene unless the modal abundance of clinopyroxene is very small. This has important bearings on the interpretation of temperatures derived from the REE-in-two-pyroxene thermometer.

  14. Trace elements in hazardous mineral fibres.

    PubMed

    Bloise, Andrea; Barca, Donatella; Gualtieri, Alessandro Francesco; Pollastri, Simone; Belluso, Elena

    2016-09-01

    Both occupational and environmental exposure to asbestos-mineral fibres can be associated with lung diseases. The pathogenic effects are related to the dimension, biopersistence and chemical composition of the fibres. In addition to the major mineral elements, mineral fibres contain trace elements and their content may play a role in fibre toxicity. To shed light on the role of trace elements in asbestos carcinogenesis, knowledge on their concentration in asbestos-mineral fibres is mandatory. It is possible that trace elements play a synergetic factor in the pathogenesis of diseases caused by the inhalation of mineral fibres. In this paper, the concentration levels of trace elements from three chrysotile samples, four amphibole asbestos samples (UICC amosite, UICC anthophyllite, UICC crocidolite and tremolite) and fibrous erionite from Jersey, Nevada (USA) were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For all samples, the following trace elements were measured: Li, Be, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Pb, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, U. Their distribution in the various mineral species is thoroughly discussed. The obtained results indicate that the amount of trace metals such as Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn is higher in anthophyllite and chrysotile samples, whereas the amount of rare earth elements (REE) is higher in erionite and tremolite samples. The results of this work can be useful to the pathologists and biochemists who use asbestos minerals and fibrous erionite in-vitro studies as positive cyto- and geno-toxic standard references. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. 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

  16. Influence of carbon nanotubes and graphene nanosheets on photothermal effect of hydroxyapatite.

    PubMed

    Neelgund, Gururaj M; Oki, Aderemi R

    2016-12-15

    Herein we present a successful strategy for enhancement of photothermal efficiency of hydroxyapatite (HAP) by its conjugation with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanosheets (GR). Owing to excellent biocompatibility with human body and its non-toxicity, implementation of HAP based nanomaterials in photothermal therapy (PTT) provides non-replaceable benefits over PTE agents. Therefore, in this report, it has been experimentally exploited that the photothermal effect (PTE) of HAP has significantly improved by its assembly with CNTs and GR. It is found that the type of carbon nanomaterial used to conjugate with HAP has influence on its PTE in such a way that the photothermal efficiency of GR-HAP was higher than CNTs-COOH-HAP under exposure to 980nm near-infrared (NIR) laser. The temperature attained by aqueous dispersions of both CNTs-COOH-HAP and GR-HAP after illuminating to NIR radiations for 7min was found to be above 50°C, which is beyond the temperature tolerance of cancer cells. So that the rise in temperature shown by both CNTs-COOH-HAP and GR-HAP is enough to induce the death of tumoral or cancerous cells. Overall, this approach in modality of HAP with CNTs and GR provide a great potential for development of future nontoxic PTE agents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Luminomagnetic Eu3+- and Dy3+-doped hydroxyapatite for multimodal imaging.

    PubMed

    Tesch, Annemarie; Wenisch, Christoph; Herrmann, Karl-Heinz; Reichenbach, Jürgen R; Warncke, Paul; Fischer, Dagmar; Müller, Frank A

    2017-12-01

    Multimodal imaging has recently attracted much attention due to the advantageous combination of different imaging modalities, like photoluminescence (PL) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the present study, luminescent and magnetic hydroxyapatites (HAp) were prepared via doping with europium (Eu 3+ ) and dysprosium (Dy 3+ ), respectively. Co-doping of Eu 3+ and Dy 3+ was used to combine the desired physical properties. Both lanthanide ions were successfully incorporated in the HAp crystal lattice, where they preferentially occupied calcium(I) sites. While Eu-doped HAp (Eu:HAp) exhibits dopant concentration dependent persistent PL properties, Dy-doped HAp (Dy:HAp) shows paramagnetic behavior due to the high magnetic moment of Dy 3+ . Co-doped HAp (Eu:Dy:HAp) nanoparticles combine both properties in one single crystal. Remarkably, multimodal co-doped HAp features enhanced PL properties due to an energy transfer from Dy 3+ sensitizer to Eu 3+ activator ions. Eu:Dy:HAp exhibits strong transverse relaxation effects with a maximum transverse relaxivity of 83.3L/(mmol·s). Due to their tunable PL, magnetic properties and cytocompatibility Eu:-, Dy:- and Eu:Dy:HAp represent promising biocompatible ceramic materials for luminescence imaging that simultaneously may serve as a contrast agent for MRI in permanent implants or functional coatings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Hydroxyapatite-based sorbents: elaboration, characterization and application for the removal of catechol from the aqueous phase.

    PubMed

    Sebei, Haroun; Pham Minh, Doan; Lyczko, Nathalie; Sharrock, Patrick; Nzihou, Ange

    2017-10-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is highly considered as good sorbent for the removal of metals from the aqueous phase. However, soluble metals co-exist with organic pollutants in wastewaters. But little work has been devoted to investigate the reactivity of HAP for the removal of organic compounds. The main objective of this work is to study the reactivity of HAP-based sorbents for the removal of catechol as a model organic pollutant from an aqueous solution. Thus, HAP sorbents were firstly synthesized using calcium carbonate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate under moderate conditions (25-80°C, atmospheric pressure). A zinc-doped HAP was also used as sorbent, which was obtained from the contact of HAP with an aqueous solution of zinc nitrate. All the sorbents were characterized by different standard physico-chemical techniques. The sorption of catechol was carried out in a batch reactor under stirring at room temperature and pressure. Zinc-doped HAP sorbent was found to be more reactive than non-doped HAP sorbents for the fixation of catechol. The highest sorption capacity was of 15 mg of C per gram of zinc-doped HAP sorbent. The results obtained suggest the reaction scheme of HAP sorbents with metals and organic pollutants when HAP sorbents were used for the treatment of complex wastewaters.

  19. Sequential patterns of essential trace elements composition in Gracilaria verrucosa and its generated products

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Izzati, Munifatul; Haryanti, Sri; Parman, Sarjana

    2018-05-01

    Gracilaria widely known as a source of essential trace elements. However this red seaweeds also has great potential for being developed into commercial products. This study examined the sequential pattern of essential trace elements composition in fresh Gracilaria verrucosa and a selection of its generated products, nemely extracted agar, Gracilaria salt and Gracilaria residue. The sample was collected from a brackish water pond, located in north part Semarang, Central Java. The collected sample was then dried under the sun, and subsequently processed into aformentioned generated products. The Gracilaria salt was obtain by soaking the sun dried Gracilaria overnight in fresh water overnight. The resulted salt solution was then boiled leaving crystal salt. Extracted agar was obtained with alkali agar extraction method. The rest of remaining material was considered as Gracilaria residue. The entire process was repeated 3 times. The compositin of trace elements was examined using ICP-MS Spectrometry. Collected data was then analyzed by ANOVA single factor. Resulting sequential pattern of its essential trace elements composition was compared. A regular table salt was used as controls. Resuts from this study revealed that Gracilaria verrucosa and its all generated products all have similarly patterned the composition of essential trace elements, where Mn>Zn>Cu>Mo. Additionally this pattern is similar to different subspecies of Gracilaria from different location and and different season. However, Gracilaria salt has distinctly different pattern of sequential essential trace elements composition compared to table salt.

  20. 40 CFR 63.5335 - How do I determine the actual HAP loss?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... to the leather; (iii) Mass fraction of HAP in each applied finish; (iv) Date of the recorded entry... recorded finish usage by the corresponding mass fraction of HAP in the finish. The result is the HAP loss... the pounds of each recorded finish usage by the corresponding mass fraction of HAP in the finish. The...

  1. 24 CFR 983.204 - When HAP contract is executed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When HAP contract is executed. 983... When HAP contract is executed. (a) PHA inspection of housing. (1) Before execution of the HAP contract... into a HAP contract for any contract unit until the PHA has determined that the unit complies with the...

  2. 24 CFR 891.565 - Term of HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Term of HAP contract. 891.565... 8 Assistance § 891.565 Term of HAP contract. The term of the HAP contract for assisted units shall be 20 years. If the project is completed in stages, the term of the HAP contract for assisted units...

  3. Early Diagenesis of Trace Elements in Modern Fjord Sediments of the High Arctic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herbert, L.; Riedinger, N.; Aller, R. C.; Jørgensen, B. B.; Wehrmann, L.

    2017-12-01

    Marine sediments are critical repositories for elements that are only available at trace concentrations in seawater, such as Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, As, Mo, and U. The behavior of these trace elements in the sediment is governed by a dynamic interplay of diagenetic reactions involving organic carbon, Fe and Mn oxides, and sulfur phases. In the Arctic fjords of Svalbard, glacial meltwater delivers large amounts of reactive Fe and Mn oxides to the sediment, while organic carbon is deposited episodically and diluted by lithogenic material. These conditions result in pronounced Fe and Mn cycling, which in turn drives other diagenetic processes such as rapid sulfide oxidation. These conditions make the Svalbard fjords ideal sites for investigating trace element diagenesis because they allow resolution of the interconnections between Fe and Mn dynamics and trace element cycling. In August 2016, we collected sediment cores from three Svalbard fjords and analyzed trace elements in the pore water and solid sediment over the top meter. Initial results reveal the dynamic nature of these fjords, which are dominated by non-steady state processes and episodic events such as meltwater pulses and phytoplankton blooms. Within this system, the distribution of As appears to be strongly linked to the Fe cycle, while Co and Ni follow Mn; thus, these three elements may be released from the sediment through diffusion and bioturbation along with Fe and Mn. The pore water profiles of U and Mo indicate removal processes that are independent from Fe or Mn, and which are rather unexpected given the apparent diagenetic conditions. Our results will help elucidate the processes controlling trace element cycling in a dynamic, glacially impacted environment and will ultimately contribute to our understanding of the role of fjords in the biogeochemical cycling of trace elements in a rapidly changing Arctic Ocean.

  4. Trace elements: implications for nursing.

    PubMed

    Hayter, J

    1980-01-01

    Although most were unknown a few years ago, present evidence indicates that at least 25 trace elements have some pertinence to health. Unlike vitamins, they cannot be synthesized. Some trace elements are now considered important only because of their harmful effects but traces of them may be essential. Zinc is especially important during puberty, pregnancy and menopause and is related to protein metabolism. Both fluoride and cadmium accumulate in the body year after year. Cadmium is positively correlated with several chronic diseases, especially hypertension. It is obtained from smoking and drinking soft water. Silicon, generally associated with silicosis, may be necessary for healthy bone and connective tissue. Chromium, believed to be the glucose tolerance factor, is obtained from brewer's yeast, spices, and whole wheat products. Copper deficiency may be implicated in a wide range of cardiovascular and blood related disorders. Either marginal deficiencies or slight excesses of most trace elements are harmful. Nurses should instruct patients to avoid highly refined foods, fad diets, or synthetic and fabricated foods. A well balanced and varied diet is the best safeguard against trace element excesses or deficiencies.

  5. Trace element diffusion and kinetic fractionation in wet rhyolitic melt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holycross, Megan E.; Watson, E. Bruce

    2018-07-01

    Piston-cylinder experiments were run to determine the chemical diffusivities of 21 trace elements (Sc, V, Y, Zr, Nb, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, Lu, Hf, Th and U) in hydrous rhyolitic melts at 1 GPa pressure and temperatures from 850 to 1250 °C. Diffusion couple glasses were doped with trace elements in low concentrations to characterize the diffusivities of all cations in a single experiment. Laser ablation ICP-MS was used to evaluate the trace element concentration gradients that developed in the silicate glasses. All calculated diffusion coefficients correspond to the temperature dependence D = D0exp(-Ea/RT). Rhyolite liquids contained either ∼4.1 wt% or ∼6.2 wt% dissolved H2O; separate Arrhenius relationships are produced for each melt composition. Trace element diffusivities in the melt with 6.2 wt% H2O are roughly two times higher than those in the less hydrous melt. Calculated trace element diffusion coefficients cover nearly two orders of magnitude at a given temperature. The high field strength elements are the slowest diffusers, followed by the transition metals and heavy rare earth elements. The light rare earth elements have the fastest diffusion rates in hydrous rhyolitic melt. The measured diffusion coefficients range down to values sufficiently low to preclude diffusive homogenization over geochemically realistic time scales in some cases. The substantial differences in the diffusivities of individual cations may result in fractionated trace element signatures in rhyolite melt pockets. A simple model is used to explore the potential for kinetic fractionation of REE during growth of an apatite crystal in a diffusive boundary layer locally saturated in P2O5. The faster-diffusing light REE are more efficiently transported away from the crystal interface than the slower-moving heavy REE. Diffusion effects will enrich the melt boundary layer in slow-moving HREE relative to the faster LREE. The kinetic fractionation of REE in the melt growth medium will result in a precipitated apatite crystal with a disequilibrium trace element composition.

  6. Dynamics of trace elements in shallow groundwater of an agricultural land in the northeast of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mora, Abrahan; Mahlknecht, Jürgen; Hernández-Antonio, Arturo

    2017-04-01

    The citrus zone located in northeastern Mexico covers an area of 8000 km2 and produces 10% of the Mexican citrus production. The aquifer system of this zone constitutes the major source of water for drinking and irrigation purposes for local population and provides base flows to surface water supplied to the city of Monterrey ( 4.5 million inhabitants). Although the study area is near the recharge zones, several works have reported nitrate pollution in shallow groundwater of this agricultural area, mainly due to animal manure and human waste produced by infiltration of urban sewers and septic tanks. Thus, the goals of this work were to assess the dynamics of selected trace elements in this aquifer system and determine if the trace element content in groundwater poses a threat to the population living in the area. Thirty-nine shallow water wells were sampled in 2010. These water samples were filtered through 0,45 µm pore size membranes and preserved with nitric acid for storage. The concentrations of Cd, Cs, Cu, Mo, Pb, Rb, Si, Ti, U, Y, and Zn were measured by ICP-MS. Also, sulfate concentrations were measured by ion chromatography in unacidified samples. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) performed in the data set show five principal components (PC). PC1 includes elements derived from silicate weathering, such as Si and Ti. The relationship found between Mo and U with sulfates in PC2 indicates that both elements show a high mobility in groundwater. Indeed, the concentrations of sulfate, Mo and U are increased as groundwater moves eastward. PC3 includes the alkali trace elements (Rb and Cs), indicating that both elements could be derived from the same source of origin. PC4 represents the heavy trace elements (Cd and Pb) whereas PC5 includes divalent trace elements such as Zn and Cu. None of the water samples showed trace element concentrations higher than the guideline values for drinking water proposed by the World Health Organization, which indicates that the analyzed trace elements in groundwater do not pose any significant threat to the population living in this area.

  7. Trace Elements and Health

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pettyjohn, Wayne A.

    1972-01-01

    Summarizes the effects of arsenic, lead, zinc, mercury, and cadmium on human health, indicates the sources of the elements in water, and considers the possibility of students in high schools analyzing water for trace amounts of the elements. (AL)

  8. Trace Element Levels and Cognitive Function in Rural Elderly Chinese

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Sujuan; Jin, Yinlong; Unverzagt, Frederick W.; Ma, Feng; Hall, Kathleen S.; Murrell, Jill R.; Cheng, Yibin; Shen, Jianzhao; Ying, Bo; Ji, Rongdi; Matesan, Janetta; Liang, Chaoke; Hendrie, Hugh C.

    2009-01-01

    Background Trace elements are involved in metabolic processes and oxidation-reduction reactions in the central nervous system and could have a possible effect on cognitive function. The relationship between trace elements measured in individual biological samples and cognitive function in an elderly population had not been investigated extensively. Methods The participant population is part of a large cohort study of 2000 rural elderly Chinese persons. Six cognitive assessment tests were used to evaluate cognitive function in this population, and a composite score was created to represent global cognitive function. Trace element levels of aluminum, calcium, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc were analyzed in plasma samples of 188 individuals who were randomly selected and consented to donating fasting blood. Analysis of covariance models were used to assess the association between each trace element and the composite cognitive score adjusting for demographics, medical history of chronic diseases, and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Results Three trace elements—calcium, cadmium, and copper—were found to be significantly related to the composite cognitive score. Increasing plasma calcium level was associated with higher cognitive score (p < .0001). Increasing cadmium and copper, in contrast, were significantly associated with lower composite score (p = .0044 and p = .0121, respectively). Other trace elements did not show significant association with the composite cognitive score. Conclusions Our results suggest that calcium, cadmium, and copper may be associated with cognitive function in the elderly population. PMID:18559640

  9. Transport of trace metals in runoff from soil and pond ash feedlot surfaces

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vogel, J.R.; Gilley, J.E.; Cottrell, G.L.; Woodbury, B.L.; Berry, E.D.; Eigenbert, R.A.

    2011-01-01

    The use of pond ash (fly ash that has been placed in evaporative ponds for storage and subsequently dewatered) for feedlot surfaces provides a drier environment for livestock and furnishes economic benefits. However, pond ash is known to have high concentrations of trace elements, and the runoff water-quality effects of feedlot surfaces amended with pond ash are not well defined. For this study, two experimental units (plots) were established in eight feedlot pens. Four of the pens contained unamended soil surfaces, and the remaining four pens had pond-ash amended surfaces. Before each test, unconsolidated surface material was removed from four of the plots for each of the amendment treatments, resulting in eight unamended plots and eight pond-ash amended plots. Concentrations for 23 trace elements were measured in cattle feedlot surface material and in the runoff water from three simulated rainfall events. Trace element concentrations in surface material and runoff did not differ between surface consolidation treatments. Amending the feedlot surface material with pond ash resulted in a significant increase in concentration for 14 of the 17 trace elements. Runoff concentrations for 21 trace elements were affected by pond-ash amendment. Sixteen of 21 trace element concentrations that differed significantly were greater in runoff from unamended soil surfaces. Concentrations in runoff were significantly correlated with concentrations in feedlot surface material for boron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and uranium.

  10. Occurrence and distribution of trace elements in snow, streams, and streambed sediments, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska, 2002-2003

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brabets, Timothy P.

    2004-01-01

    Cape Krusenstern National Monument is located in Northwest Alaska. In 1985, an exchange of lands and interests in lands between the Northwest Alaska Native Association and the United States resulted in a 100-year transportation system easement for 19,747 acres in the monument. A road was then constructed along the easement from the Red Dog Mine, a large zinc concentrate producer and located northeast of the monument, through the monument to the coast and a port facility. Each year approximately 1.3 million tonnes of zinc and lead concentrate are transported from the Red Dog Mine via this access road. Concern about the possible deposition of cadmium, lead, zinc and other trace elements in the monument was the basis of a cooperative project with the National Park Service. Concentrations of dissolved cadmium, dissolved lead, and dissolved zinc from 28 snow samples from a 28 mile by 16 mile grid were below drinking water standards. In the particulate phase, approximately 25 percent of the samples analyzed for these trace elements were higher than the typical range found in Alaska soils. Boxplots of concentrations of these trace elements, both in the dissolved and particulate phase, indicate higher concentrations north of the access road, most likely due to the prevailing southeast wind. The waters of four streams sampled in Cape Krusenstern National Monument are classified as calcium bicarbonate. Trace-element concentrations from these streams were below drinking water standards. Median concentrations of 39 trace elements from streambed sediments collected from 29 sites are similar to the median concentrations of trace elements from the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment database. Statistical differences were noted between trace-element concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc at sites along the access road and sites north and south of the access road; concentrations along the access road being higher than north or south of the road. When normalized to 1 percent organic carbon, the concentrations of these trace elements are not expected to be toxic to aquatic life when compared to criteria established by the Canadian government and other recent research.

  11. Nanostructured hydroxyapatite surfaces-mediated adsorption alters recognition of BMP receptor IA and bioactivity of bone morphogenetic protein-2.

    PubMed

    Huang, Baolin; Yuan, Yuan; Ding, Sai; Li, Jianbo; Ren, Jie; Feng, Bo; Li, Tong; Gu, Yuantong; Liu, Changsheng

    2015-11-01

    Highly efficient loading of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) onto carriers with desirable performance is still a major challenge in the field of bone regeneration. Till now, the nanoscaled surface-induced changes of the structure and bioactivity of BMP-2 remains poorly understood. Here, the effect of nanoscaled surface on the adsorption and bioactivity of BMP-2 was investigated with a series of hydroxyapatite surfaces (HAPs): HAP crystal-coated surface (HAP), HAP crystal-coated polished surface (HAP-Pol), and sintered HAP crystal-coated surface (HAP-Sin). The adsorption dynamics of recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) and the accessibility of the binding epitopes of adsorbed rhBMP-2 for BMP receptors (BMPRs) were examined by a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. Moreover, the bioactivity of adsorbed rhBMP-2 and the BMP-induced Smad signaling were investigated with C2C12 model cells. A noticeably high mass-uptake of rhBMP-2 and enhanced recognition of BMPR-IA to adsorbed rhBMP-2 were found on the HAP-Pol surface. For the rhBMP-2-adsorbed HAPs, both ALP activity and Smad signaling increased in the order of HAP-Sin

  12. 40 CFR 63.3531 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... fraction of organic HAP for each material. Determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for each coating and... coating. Wc,i = Mass fraction of organic HAP in coating, i, kg organic HAP per kg coating. m = Number of...,j = Density of thinner, j, kg per liter. Wt,j = Mass fraction of organic HAP in thinner, j, kg...

  13. 40 CFR 63.4151 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... option. (a) Determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for each material. Determine the mass fraction of... coating per liter coating. Wc,i = mass fraction of organic HAP in coating, i, kg organic HAP per kg... thinner per liter thinner. Wt,j = mass fraction of organic HAP in thinner, j, kg organic HAP per kg...

  14. 40 CFR 63.3531 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... fraction of organic HAP for each material. Determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for each coating and... coating. Wc,i = Mass fraction of organic HAP in coating, i, kg organic HAP per kg coating. m = Number of...,j = Density of thinner, j, kg per liter. Wt,j = Mass fraction of organic HAP in thinner, j, kg...

  15. 40 CFR 63.3531 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... fraction of organic HAP for each material. Determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for each coating and... coating. Wc,i = Mass fraction of organic HAP in coating, i, kg organic HAP per kg coating. m = Number of...,j = Density of thinner, j, kg per liter. Wt,j = Mass fraction of organic HAP in thinner, j, kg...

  16. 40 CFR 63.4151 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... option. (a) Determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for each material. Determine the mass fraction of... coating per liter coating. Wc,i = mass fraction of organic HAP in coating, i, kg organic HAP per kg... thinner per liter thinner. Wt,j = mass fraction of organic HAP in thinner, j, kg organic HAP per kg...

  17. [Analysis of primary elemental speciation distribution in mungbean during enzymatic hydrolization].

    PubMed

    Li, Ji-Hua; Huang, Mao-Fang; Zhu, De-Ming; Zheng, Wei-Wan; Zhong, Ye-Jun

    2009-03-01

    In the present paper, trace elements contents of cuprum, zincum, manganese and ferrum in mungbean and their primary speciation distribution during enzymatic hydrolization were investigated with ICP-AES OPTIMA 5300DV plasma emission spectroscopy. The trace elements were separated into two forms, i.e. dissolvable form and particulate form, by cellulose membrane with 0.45 microm of pore diameter. All the samples were digested by strong acid (perchloric acid and nitric acid with 1 : 4 ratio ). The parameters of primary speciations of the four elements were calculated and discussed. The results showed: (1) Contents of cuprum, zincum, manganese and ferrum in mungbean were 12.77, 31.26, 18.14 and 69.38 microg x g(-1) (of dry matter), respectively. Different treatment resulted in different elemental formulation in product, indicating that more attention should be paid to the trace elements pattern when producing mungbean beverage with different processes. (2) Extraction rates of cuprum, zincum, manganese and ferrum in extract were 68.84%, 51.84%, 63.97% and 30.40% with enzymatic treatments and 36.22%, 17.58%, 7.85% and 22.99% with boil treatment, respectively. Both boil and enzymatic treatments led to poor elemental extraction rates, which proved that it was necessary to take deep enzymatic hydrolysis treatment in mungbean beverage process as the trace element utilization rate was concerned. (3) Amylase, protease and cellulose showed different extraction effectiveness of the four trace elements. Generally, protease exhibited highest efficiency for the four elements extraction. All of the four trace elements were mostly in dissolvable form in all hydrolysates and soup. (4) Relative standard deviations and recovery yields are within 0.12%-0.90% (n = 11) and 98.6%-101.4%, respectively. The analysis method in this paper proved to be accurate.

  18. Risk assessment of trace metals in an extreme environment sediment: shallow, hypersaline, alkaline, and industrial Lake Acıgöl, Denizli, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Budakoglu, Murat; Karaman, Muhittin; Kumral, Mustafa; Zeytuncu, Bihter; Doner, Zeynep; Yildirim, Demet Kiran; Taşdelen, Suat; Bülbül, Ali; Gumus, Lokman

    2018-02-23

    The major and trace element component of 48 recent sediment samples in three distinct intervals (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm) from Lake Acıgöl is described to present the current contamination levels and grift structure of detrital and evaporate mineral patterns of these sediments in this extreme saline environment. The spatial and vertical concentrations of major oxides were not uniform in the each subsurface interval. However, similar spatial distribution patterns were observed for some major element couples, due mainly to the detrital and evaporate origin of these elements. A sequential extraction procedure including five distinct steps was also performed to determine the different bonds of trace elements in the < 60-μ particulate size of recent sediments. Eleven trace elements (Ni, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Co, Cr, Al and Mn) in nine surface and subsurface sediment samples were analyzed with chemical partitioning procedures to determine the trace element percentage loads in these different sequential extraction phases. The obtained accuracy values via comparison of the bulk trace metal loads with the total loads of five extraction steps were satisfying for the Ni, Fe, Cd, Zn, and Co. While, bulk analysis results of the Cu, Ni, and V elements have good correlation with total organic matter, organic fraction of sequential extraction characterized by Cu, As, Cd, and Pb. Shallow Lake Acıgöl sediment is characteristic with two different redox layer a) oxic upper level sediments, where trace metals are mobilized, b) reduced subsurface level, where the trace metals are precipitated.

  19. Igneous fractionation and subsolidus equilibration of diogenite meteorites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mittlefehldt, David W.

    1993-01-01

    Diogenites are coarse-grained orthopyroxenite breccias of remarkably uniform major element composition. Most diogenites contain homogeneous pyroxene fragments up to 5 cm across of Wo2En74Fs24 composition. Common minor constituents are chromite, olivine, trolite and metal, while silica, plagioclase, merrillite and diopside are trace phases. Diogenites are generally believed to be cumulates from the eucrite parent body, although their relationship with eucrites remains obscure. It has been suggested that some diogenites are residues after partial melting. I have performed EMPA and INAA for major, minor and trace elements on most diogenites, concentrating on coarse-grained mineral and lithic clasts in order to elucidate their igneous formation and subsequent metamorphic history. Major element compositions of diogenites are decoupled from minor and trace element compositions; the latter record an igneous fractionation sequence that is not preserved in the former. Low equilibration temperatures indicate that major element diffusion continued long after crystallization. Diffusion coefficients for trivalent and tetravalent elements in pyroxene are lower than those of divalent elements. Therefore, major element compositions of diogenites may represent means of unknown portions of a cumulate homogenized by diffusion, while minor and trace elements still yield information on their igneous history. The scale of major element equilibration is unknown, but is likely to be on the order of a few cm. Therefore, the diogenite precursors may have consisted largely of cm-sized, igneously zoned orthopyroxene grains, which were subsequently annealed during slow cooling, obliterating major element zoning but preserving minor and trace incompatible element zoning.

  20. Collagen-gelatin-genipin-hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds colonized by human primary osteoblasts are suitable for bone tissue engineering applications: in vitro evidences.

    PubMed

    Vozzi, G; Corallo, C; Carta, S; Fortina, M; Gattazzo, F; Galletti, M; Giordano, N

    2014-05-01

    The application of porous hydroxyapatite (HAp)-collagen as a bone tissue engineering scaffold represents a new trend of mimicking the specific bone extracellular matrix (ECM). The use of HAp in reconstructive surgery has shown that it is slowly invaded by host tissue. Therefore, implant compatibility may be augmented by seeding cells before implantation. Human primary osteoblasts were seeded onto innovative collagen-gelatin-genipin (GP)-HAp scaffolds containing respectively 10%, 20%, and 30% HAp. Cellular adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteopontin (OPN), and osteocalcin (OC) expressions were evaluated after 3, 7, 15, and 21 days. The three types of scaffolds showed increased cellular proliferation over time in culture (maximum at 21 days) but the highest was recorded in 10% HAp scaffolds. ALP activity was the highest in 10% HAp scaffolds in all the times of evaluation. OC and OPN resulted in higher concentration in 10% HAp scaffolds compared to 20% and 30% HAp (maximum at 21 days). Finally, scanning electron microscopy analysis showed progressive scaffolds adhesion and colonization from the surface to the inside from day 3 to day 21. In vitro attachment, proliferation, and colonization of human primary osteoblasts on collagen-GP-HAp scaffolds with different percentages of HAp (10%, 20%, and 30%) all increased over time in culture, but comparing different percentages of HAp, they seem to increase with decreasing of HAp component. Therefore, the mechanical properties (such as the stiffness due to the HAp%) coupled with a good biomimetic component (collagen) are the parameters to set up in composite scaffolds design for bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Microwave-induced production of boron-doped HAp (B-HAp) and B-HAp coated composite scaffolds.

    PubMed

    Tunçay, Ekin Ö; Demirtaş, T Tolga; Gümüşderelioğlu, Menemşe

    2017-03-01

    The aim of the present study is to produce boron (B) doped hydroxyapatite (B-HAp), which has an osteoinductive property, and investigate in-vitro osteogenesis potential of B-HAp coated chitosan (B-HAp/Ch) scaffolds. At first, B-HAp was produced by the interaction of ions within the concentrated synthetic body fluid containing boron (B-SBF) with microwave energy. Boron incorporation into HAp structure was performed by the substitution of borate ions with phosphate and hydroxyl ions. Experiments were carried out with different microwave powers and exposure times, and optimum conditions for the production of B-HAp were determined. B-HAp precipitated from B-SBF by 600W microwave power has 1.15±0.11% (w/w) B, 1.40 (w/w) Ca/P ratio, 4.30±0.07% (w/w) carbonate content, 30±4nm rod-like morphology and bone-like amorphous structure. Then, chitosan scaffolds that were prepared by freeze-drying were coated with B-HAp by performing microwave-assisted precipitation in the presence of scaffolds to improve their bioactivities and mechanical properties. The formation of apatite layer and the penetration of apatites into the pores were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis also confirmed the presence of B-HAp layer. As control, hydroxyapatite coated chitosan scaffolds (HAp/Ch) produced at the same conditions were used. The results of cell culture studies indicated that B releasing from scaffolds enhances proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. This work emphasized the importance of the use of B within the scaffolds for enhancing in-vitro bone tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Potential health and environmental effects of trace elements and radionuclides from increased coal utilization.

    PubMed Central

    Van Hook, R I

    1979-01-01

    This report addresses the effects of coal-derived trace and radioactive elements. A summary of our current understanding of health and environmental effects of trace and radioactive elements released during coal mining, cleaning, combustion, and ash disposal is presented. Physical and biological transport phenomena which are important in determining organism exposure are also discussed. Biological concentration and transformation as well as synergistic and antagonistic actions among trace contaminants are discussed in terms of their importance in mobility, persistence, availability, and ultimate toxicity. The consequences of implementing the President's National Energy Plan are considered in terms of the impact of the NEP in 1985 and 2000 on the potential effects of trace and radioactive elements from the coal fuel cycle. Areas of needed research are identified in specific recommendations. PMID:540619

  3. The novel approach to the biomonitor survey using one- and two-dimensional Kohonen networks.

    PubMed

    Deljanin, Isidora; Antanasijević, Davor; Urošević, Mira Aničić; Tomašević, Milica; Perić-Grujić, Aleksandra; Ristić, Mirjana

    2015-10-01

    To compare the applicability of the leaves of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) and linden (Tilia spp.) as biomonitors of trace element concentrations, a coupled approach of one- and two-dimensional Kohonen networks was applied for the first time. The self-organizing networks (SONs) and the self-organizing maps (SOMs) were applied on the database obtained for the element accumulation (Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, V, As, Cd) and the SOM for the Pb isotopes in the leaves for a multiyear period (2002-2006). A. hippocastanum seems to be a more appropriate biomonitor since it showed more consistent results in the analysis of trace elements and Pb isotopes. The SOM proved to be a suitable and sensitive tool for assessing differences in trace element concentrations and for the Pb isotopic composition in leaves of different species. In addition, the SON provided more clear data on seasonal and temporal accumulation of trace elements in the leaves and could be recommended complementary to the SOM analysis of trace elements in biomonitoring studies.

  4. Multielement extraction system for the determination of 18 trace elements in geochemical samples

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clark, J.R.; Viets, J.G.

    1981-01-01

    A Methyl isobutyl ketone-Amine synerGistic Iodide Complex (MAGIC) extraction system has been developed for use in geochemical exploration which separates a maximum number of trace elements from interfering matrices. Extraction curves for 18 of these trace elements are presented: Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Ga, In, Tl, Sa, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, Se, and Te. The acid normality of the aqueous phase controls the extraction into the organic phase, and each of these 18 elements has a broad range of HCl normality over which H is quantitatively extracted, making H possible to determine all 18 trace elements from a single sample digestion or leach solution. The extract can be analyzed directly by flame atomic absorption or inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy. Most of these 18 elements can be determined by Nameless atomic absorption after special treatment of the organic extract.

  5. Mantle End-Members: The Trace Element Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Willbold, M.; Stracke, A.; Hofmann, A. W.

    2004-12-01

    On the basis of their isotopic composition, ocean island basalts (OIB) have been classified into three to four end-members; HIMU with the most radiogenic Pb isotope ratios of OIB and Enriched Mantle 1 and 2 (EM1, EM2) with less radiogenic but variable Pb isotope and highly radiogenic Sr isotope signatures. It has also been argued that each of these isotopic families has common trace element characteristics that distinguish them from one another and so substantiated this classification. Here, we present new high-precision trace element data for samples from St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Gough in the Atlantic Ocean. The overall data-set is augmented by OIB data from the GEOROC database and includes data from all major isotopic families (HIMU: St. Helena, Mangaia, Tubuai, and Rururtu; EM1: Tristan da Cunha, Gough, Pitcairn; and EM2: Samoa, Marquesas, and Society). For each locality we use only islands defining the most extreme isotopic compositions. The entire data-set has been screened to exclude altered and highly differentiated samples. HIMU basalts have a very uniform trace element composition. Compared to HIMU-type basalts, EM-type basalts are enriched in Rb, Ba, and K, and depleted in U, Nb, and Ta, relative to La. Different EM-type OIBs from the same isotopic family (EM1 or EM2), have distinct trace element characteristics that can ultimately only be caused by different source compositions. For example, Ba/Th ratios in samples from both Tristan da Cunha (EM1) and Samoa (EM2) are similarly high (ca. 110) whereas Ba/Th ratios in samples from Pitcairn (EM1) and Society (EM2) samples are consistently lower (ca. 70). Thus on the basis of their trace element composition, EM-type OIB cannot be classified into EM1 and EM2 type basalts, nor can any other grouping be identified. The remarkably uniform isotopic and trace element composition of HIMU-type basalts suggests derivation from a single common source reservoir, most likely subduction-modified oceanic crust. Although there are some trace element characteristics common to all EM-type basalts, which distinguish them from HIMU-type basalts (e.g. uniformly high Th/U ratios of 4.7 ± 0.3, and enrichment in Cs-U), each suite of EM-type basalts has unique trace element signatures that distinguish them from any other suite of EM-type basalts. This is especially obvious when comparing the trace element composition of EM basalts from one isotopic family, for example EM1-type basalts from Tristan, Gough and Pitcairn. Consequently, the trace element systematics of EM-type basalts suggest that there are many different EM-type sources, whereas the isotopic composition of EM-type basalts suggest derivation from two broadly similar sources, i.e. EM1 and EM2. The large variability in subducting sediments with respect to both parent-daughter (e.g. Rb/Sr, Sm/Nd, U/Pb, Th/Pb,...) and other trace element ratios makes it unlikely that there are reproducible mixtures of sediments leading to two different isotopic evolution paths (EM1 and EM2) while preserving a range of incompatible element contents for each isotopic family, as would be required to reconcile the isotopic and trace element characteristics of EM-type basalts. Although this does not a priori argue against sediments as possible source components for OIB, it does argue against two distinct groups of sediments as EM1 and EM2 sources. Further characterization of sources with the same general origin (e.g. a certain type of crust or lithosphere) or identification of processes leading to reservoirs with similar parent-daughter ratio characteristics but different incompatible trace element contents could resolve the apparent conundrum.

  6. Factors to consider for trace element deposition biomonitoring surveys with lichen transplants

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ayrault, S.; Clochiatti, R.; Carrot, F.; Daudin, L.; Bennett, J.P.

    2007-01-01

    A trace element deposition biomonitoring experiment with transplants of the fruticose lichen Evernia prunastri was developed, aimed at monitoring the effects of different exposure parameters (exposure orientation and direct rain) and to the elements Ti, V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Cd, Sb and Pb. Accumulations were observed for most of the elements, confirming the ability of Evernia transplants for atmospheric metal deposition monitoring. The accumulation trends were mainly affected by the exposure orientation and slightly less so by the protection from rain. The zonation of the trace elements inside the thallus was also studied. It was concluded that trace element concentrations were not homogeneous in Evernia, thus imposing some cautions on the sampling approach. A nuclear microprobe analysis of an E. prunastri transplanted thallus in thin cross-sections concluded that the trace elements were mainly concentrated on the cortex of the thallus, except Zn, Ca and K which were also present in the internal layers. The size of the particles deposited or entrapped on the cortex surface averaged 7????m. A list of key parameters to ensure the comparability of surveys aiming at observing temporal or spatial deposition variation is presented. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. 24 CFR 891.580 - HAP contract administration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false HAP contract administration. 891... Handicapped-Section 8 Assistance § 891.580 HAP contract administration. HUD is responsible for the administration of the HAP contract. ...

  8. An analysis of human exposure to trace elements from deliberate soil ingestion and associated health risks.

    PubMed

    Ngole-Jeme, Veronica M; Ekosse, Georges-Ive E; Songca, Sandile P

    2018-01-01

    Fifty-seven samples of soils commonly ingested in South Africa, Swaziland, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Togo were analyzed for the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) and their bioaccessibility in the human gastrointestinal tract. Bioaccessibility values were used to calculate daily intake, and hazard quotient of each trace element, and chronic hazard index (CHI) of each sample. Carcinogenic risk associated with As and Ni exposure were also calculated. Mean pseudo-total concentrations of trace elements in all samples were 7.2, 83.3, 77.1, 15.4, 28.6, 24.9, 56.1, 2.8, and 26.5 mg/kg for As, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb, respectively. Percent bioaccessibility of Pb (13-49%) and Zn (38-56%) were highest among trace elements studied. Average daily intake values were lower than their respective reference doses for ell elements except for Pb in selected samples. Samples from DRC presented the highest health risks associated with trace element exposure with most of the samples having CHI values between 0.5 and 1.0. Some samples had higher than unacceptable values of carcinogenic risk associated with As and Ni exposure. Results indicate low trace element exposure risk from ingesting most of the soil samples.

  9. Improving Biomethane Production and Mass Bioconversion of Corn Stover Anaerobic Digestion by Adding NaOH Pretreatment and Trace Elements

    PubMed Central

    Liu, ChunMei; Yuan, HaiRong; Zou, DeXun; Liu, YanPing; Zhu, BaoNing; Li, XiuJin

    2015-01-01

    This research applied sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pretreatment and trace elements to improve biomethane production when using corn stover for anaerobic digestion. Full-factor experimental tests identified the best combination of trace elements with the NaOH pretreatment, indicating that the best combination was with 1.0, 0.4, and 0.4 mg·L−1·d−1 of elements Fe, Co, and Ni, respectively. The cumulative biomethane production adding NaOH pretreatment and trace elements was 11,367 mL; total solid bioconversion rate was 55.7%, which was 41.8%–62.2% higher than with NaOH-pretreatment alone and 22.2%–56.3% higher than with untreated corn stover. The best combination was obtained 5–9 days shorter than T90 and maintained good system operation stability. Only a fraction of the trace elements in the best combination was present in the resulting solution; more than 85% of the total amounts added were transferred into the solid fraction. Adding 0.897 g of Fe, 0.389 g of Co, and 0.349 g of Ni satisfied anaerobic digestion needs and enhanced biological activity at the beginning of the operation. The results showed that NaOH pretreatment and adding trace elements improve corn stover biodegradability and enhance biomethane production. PMID:26137469

  10. Trace element analysis of soil type collected from the Manjung and central Perak

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

    Azman, Muhammad Azfar, E-mail: m-azfar@nuclearmalaysia.gov.my; Hamzah, Suhaimi; Rahman, Shamsiah Abdul

    2015-04-29

    Trace elements in soils primarily originated from their parent materials. Parents’ material is the underlying geological material that has been undergone different types of chemical weathering and leaching processes. Soil trace elements concentrations may be increases as a result of continuous input from various human activities, including power generation, agriculture, mining and manufacturing. This paper describes the Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) method used for the determination of trace elements concentrations in part per million (ppm) present in the terrestrial environment soil in Perak. The data may indicate any contamination of trace elements contributed from human activities in the area. Themore » enrichment factors were used to check if there any contamination due to the human activities (power plants, agricultural, mining, etc.) otherwise the values would serve as a baseline data for future study. The samples were collected from 27 locations of different soil series in the area at two different depths: the top soil (0-15cm) and the sub soil (15-30cm). The collected soil samples were air dried at 60°C and passed through 2 µm sieve. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) has been used for the determination of trace elements. Samples were activated in the Nuclear Malaysia TRIGA Mark II reactor followed by gamma spectrometric analysis. By activating the stable elements in the samples, the elements can be determined from the intensities of gamma energies emitted by the respected radionuclides.« less

  11. Fe3O4/hydroxyapatite/graphene quantum dots as a novel nano-sorbent for preconcentration of copper residue in Thai food ingredients: Optimization of ultrasound-assisted magnetic solid phase extraction.

    PubMed

    Sricharoen, Phitchan; Limchoowong, Nunticha; Areerob, Yonrapach; Nuengmatcha, Prawit; Techawongstien, Suchila; Chanthai, Saksit

    2017-07-01

    Fe 3 O 4 /hydroxyapatite/graphene quantum dots (Fe 3 O 4 /HAP/GQDs) nanocomposite was synthesized and used as a novel magnetic adsorbent. This nanocomposite was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and magnetization property. The Fe 3 O 4 /HAP/GQDs was applied to pre-concentrate copper residues in Thai food ingredients (so-called "Tom Yum Kung") prior to determination by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Based on ultrasound-assisted extraction optimization, various parameters affecting the magnetic solid-phase extraction, such as solution pH, amount of magnetic nanoparticles, adsorption and desorption time, and type of elution solvent and its concentration were evaluated. Under optimal conditions, the linear range was 0.05-1500ngmL -1 (R 2 >0.999), limit of detection was 0.58ngmL -1 , and limit of quantification was 1.94ngmL -1 . The precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation of the calibration curve slope (n=5), for intra-day and inter-day analyses was 0.87% and 4.47%, respectively. The recovery study of Cu for real samples was ranged between 83.5% and 104.8%. This approach gave the enrichment factor of 39.2, which guarantees trace analysis of Cu residues. Therefore, Fe 3 O 4 /HAP/GQDs can be a potential and suitable candidate for the pre-concentration and separation of Cu from food samples. It can easily be reused after treatment with deionized water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Addition of granular activated carbon and trace elements to favor volatile fatty acid consumption during anaerobic digestion of food waste.

    PubMed

    Capson-Tojo, Gabriel; Moscoviz, Roman; Ruiz, Diane; Santa-Catalina, Gaëlle; Trably, Eric; Rouez, Maxime; Crest, Marion; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Bernet, Nicolas; Delgenès, Jean-Philippe; Escudié, Renaud

    2018-07-01

    The effect of supplementing granular activated carbon and trace elements on the anaerobic digestion performance of consecutive batch reactors treating food waste was investigated. The results from the first batch suggest that addition of activated carbon favored biomass acclimation, improving acetic acid consumption and enhancing methane production. Adding trace elements allowed a faster consumption of propionic acid. A second batch proved that a synergy existed when activated carbon and trace elements were supplemented simultaneously. The degradation kinetics of propionate oxidation were particularly improved, reducing significantly the batch duration and improving the average methane productivities. Addition of activated carbon favored the growth of archaea and syntrophic bacteria, suggesting that interactions between these microorganisms were enhanced. Interestingly, microbial analyses showed that hydrogenotrophic methanogens were predominant. This study shows for the first time that addition of granular activated carbon and trace elements may be a feasible solution to stabilize food waste anaerobic digestion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Gull-derived trace elements trigger small-scale contamination in a remote Mediterranean nature reserve.

    PubMed

    Signa, Geraldina; Mazzola, Antonio; Tramati, Cecilia Doriana; Vizzini, Salvatrice

    2013-09-15

    The role of a yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) small colony in conveying trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, THg, V, Zn) was assessed in a Mediterranean nature reserve (Marinello ponds) at various spatial and temporal scales. Trace element concentrations in guano were high and seasonally variable. In contrast, contamination in the ponds was not influenced by season but showed strong spatial variability among ponds, according to the different guano input. Biogenic enrichment factor B confirmed the role of gulls in the release of trace elements through guano subsidies. In addition, comparing trace element pond concentrations to the US NOAA's SQGs, As, Cu and Ni showed contamination levels associated with possible negative biological effects. Thus, this study reflects the need to take seabirds into account as key factors influencing ecological processes and contamination levels even in remote areas, especially around the Mediterranean, where these birds are abundant but overlooked. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Rare earth elements minimal harvest year variation facilitates robust geographical origin discrimination: The case of PDO "Fava Santorinis".

    PubMed

    Drivelos, Spiros A; Danezis, Georgios P; Haroutounian, Serkos A; Georgiou, Constantinos A

    2016-12-15

    This study examines the trace and rare earth elemental (REE) fingerprint variations of PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) "Fava Santorinis" over three consecutive harvesting years (2011-2013). Classification of samples in harvesting years was studied by performing discriminant analysis (DA), k nearest neighbours (κ-NN), partial least squares (PLS) analysis and probabilistic neural networks (PNN) using rare earth elements and trace metals determined using ICP-MS. DA performed better than κ-NN, producing 100% discrimination using trace elements and 79% using REEs. PLS was found to be superior to PNN, achieving 99% and 90% classification for trace and REEs, respectively, while PNN achieved 96% and 71% classification for trace and REEs, respectively. The information obtained using REEs did not enhance classification, indicating that REEs vary minimally per harvesting year, providing robust geographical origin discrimination. The results show that seasonal patterns can occur in the elemental composition of "Fava Santorinis", probably reflecting seasonality of climate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Use of sediment-trace element geochemical models for the identification of local fluvial baseline concentrations

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Horowitz, A.J.; Elrick, K.A.; Demas, C.R.; Demcheck, D.K.

    1991-01-01

    Studies have demonstrated the utility of fluvial bed sediment chemical data in assesing local water-quality conditions. However, establishing local background trace element levels can be difficult. Reference to published average concentrations or the use of dated cores are often of little use in small areas of diverse local petrology, geology, land use, or hydrology. An alternative approach entails the construction of a series of sediment-trace element predictive models based on data from environmentally diverse but unaffected areas. Predicted values could provide a measure of local background concentrations and comparison with actual measured concentrations could identify elevated trace elements and affected sites. Such a model set was developed from surface bed sediments collected nationwide in the United States. Tests of the models in a small Louisiana basin indicated that they could be used to establish local trace element background levels, but required recalibration to account for local geochemical conditions outside the range of samples used to generate the nationwide models.

  16. Genome-Wide RNAi Ionomics Screen Reveals New Genes and Regulation of Human Trace Element Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Malinouski, Mikalai; Hasan, Nesrin M.; Zhang, Yan; Seravalli, Javier; Lin, Jie; Avanesov, Andrei; Lutsenko, Svetlana; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

    2017-01-01

    Trace elements are essential for human metabolism and dysregulation of their homeostasis is associated with numerous disorders. Here we characterize mechanisms that regulate trace elements in human cells by designing and performing a genome-wide high-throughput siRNA/ionomics screen, and examining top hits in cellular and biochemical assays. The screen reveals high stability of the ionomes, especially the zinc ionome, and yields known regulators and novel candidates. We further uncover fundamental differences in the regulation of different trace elements. Specifically, selenium levels are controlled through the selenocysteine machinery and expression of abundant selenoproteins; copper balance is affected by lipid metabolism and requires machinery involved in protein trafficking and posttranslational modifications; and the iron levels are influenced by iron import and expression of the iron/heme-containing enzymes. Our approach can be applied to a variety of disease models and/or nutritional conditions, and the generated dataset opens new directions for studies of human trace element metabolism. PMID:24522796

  17. 40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Ffff of... - Emission Limits for Hydrogen Halide and Halogen HAP Emissions or HAP Metals Emissions From...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Emission Limits for Hydrogen Halide and... to Subpart FFFF of Part 63—Emission Limits for Hydrogen Halide and Halogen HAP Emissions or HAP... following table that applies to your process vents that contain hydrogen halide and halogen HAP emissions or...

  18. 40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Ffff of... - Emission Limits for Hydrogen Halide and Halogen HAP Emissions or HAP Metals Emissions From...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 12 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Emission Limits for Hydrogen Halide and... to Subpart FFFF of Part 63—Emission Limits for Hydrogen Halide and Halogen HAP Emissions or HAP... following table that applies to your process vents that contain hydrogen halide and halogen HAP emissions or...

  19. 40 CFR 63.2465 - What requirements must I meet for process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... process vents that emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP or HAP metals? 63.2465 Section 63.2465 Protection... Compliance Requirements § 63.2465 What requirements must I meet for process vents that emit hydrogen halide... section. (b) If any process vents within a process emit hydrogen halide and halogen HAP, you must...

  20. 14 CFR Appendix A to Part 420 - Method for Defining a Flight Corridor

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... impact range factor [IP(Hap)] and a dispersion factor [DISP(Hap)] as shown below: (A) An applicant shall... maximum apogee altitude (Hap) multiplied by the impact range factor as shown below: ER19OC00.048 where: IP(Hap) = 0.4 for an apogee less than 100 km; and IP(Hap) = 0.7 for an apogee 100 km or greater. (B) An...

  1. 14 CFR Appendix A to Part 420 - Method for Defining a Flight Corridor

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... impact range factor [IP(Hap)] and a dispersion factor [DISP(Hap)] as shown below: (A) An applicant shall... maximum apogee altitude (Hap) multiplied by the impact range factor as shown below: ER19OC00.048 where: IP(Hap) = 0.4 for an apogee less than 100 km; and IP(Hap) = 0.7 for an apogee 100 km or greater. (B) An...

  2. Hydroxyapatite-coated double network hydrogel directly bondable to the bone: Biological and biomechanical evaluations of the bonding property in an osteochondral defect.

    PubMed

    Wada, Susumu; Kitamura, Nobuto; Nonoyama, Takayuki; Kiyama, Ryuji; Kurokawa, Takayuki; Gong, Jian Ping; Yasuda, Kazunori

    2016-10-15

    We have developed a novel hydroxyapatite (HAp)-coated double-network (DN) hydrogel (HAp/DN gel). The purpose of this study was to determine details of the cell and tissue responses around the implanted HAp/DN gel and to determine how quickly and strongly the HAp/DN gel bonds to the bone in a rabbit osteochondral defect model. Immature osteoid tissue was formed in the space between the HAp/DN gel and the bone at 2weeks, and the osteoid tissue was mineralized at 4weeks. The push-out load of the HAp/DN gel averaged 37.54N and 42.15N at 4 and 12weeks, respectively, while the push-out load of the DN gel averaged less than 5N. The bonding area of the HAp/DN gel to the bone was above 80% by 4weeks, and above 90% at 12weeks. This study demonstrated that the HAp/DN gel enhanced osseointegration at an early stage after implantation. The presence of nanoscale structures in addition to osseointegration of HAp promoted osteoblast adhesion onto the surface of the HAp/DN gel. The HAp/DN gel has the potential to improve the implant-tissue interface in next-generation orthopaedic implants such as artificial cartilage. Recent studies have reported the development of various hydrogels that are sufficiently tough for application as soft supporting tissues. However, fixation of hydrogels on bone surfaces with appropriate strength is a great challenge. We have developed a novel, tough hydrogel hybridizing hydroxyapatite (HAp/DN gel), which is directly bondable to the bone. The present study demonstrated that the HAp/DN gel enhanced osseointegration in the early stage after implantation. The presence of nanoscale structures in addition to the osseointegration ability of hydroxyapatite promoted osteoblast adhesion onto the surface of the HAp/DN gel. The HAp/DN gel has the potential to improve the implant-tissue interface in next-generation orthopaedic implants such as artificial cartilage. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The role of surface charge on the uptake and biocompatibility of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with osteoblast cells

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Liang; Mccrate, Joseph M.; Lee, James C-M.; Li, Hao

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles with different surface charges on the cellular uptake behavior and in vitro cell viability and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cell lines (osteoblast). The nanoparticles surface charge was varied by the surface modification with two carboxylic acids: 12-aminododecanoic acid (positive) and dodecanedioic acid (negative). The untreated HAP nanoparticles and dodecanoic acid modified HAP nanoparticles (neutral) were used as the control. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that surface modifications by the three carboxylic acids did not change the crystal structure of HAP nanoparticles; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption and binding of the carboxylic acids on HAP nanoparticle surface; and zeta potential measurement confirmed that the chemicals successfully modified the surface charge of HAP nanoparticles in water based solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that positively charged, negatively charged and untreated HAP nanoparticles, with similar size and shape, all penetrated into the cells and cells had more uptake of HAP nanoparticles with positive charge compared to those with negative charge, which might be attributed to the attractive or repulsive interaction between the negatively charged cell membrane and positively/negatively charged HAP nanoparticles. The neutral HAP nanoparticles could not penetrate cell membrane due to the larger size. MTT assay and LDH assay results indicated that as compared with the polystyrene control, greater cell viability and cell proliferation were measured on MC3T3-E1 cells treated with the three kinds of the HAP nanoparticles (neutral, positive, and untreated), among which positively charged HAP nanoparticles shows strongest improvement for cell viability and cell proliferation. In summary, the surface charge of HAP nanoparticles can be modified to influence the cellular uptake of HAP nanoparticles and the different uptake also influence the behavior of cells. These in-vitro results may also provide useful information for investigations of HAP nanoparticles applications in the gene delivery and intracellular drug delivery. PMID:21289408

  4. Topical index and bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements and related reports

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Curtis, Diane; Houser, Shirley S.

    1952-01-01

    Part 1, the topical index, lists the titles of reports prepared from 1941 to December 1952, in conjunction with the Geological Survey's program of uranium and other elements of related interest. It includes not only completed Trace Elements reports and those now in preparation, but also Survey publications, publications by Survey personnel in scientific journals, and open-fie releases. The titles are grouped topically under the headings listed in the table of contents. Entries in each category are listed alphabetically, by author, and numbered consecutively. Many of the reports have been cross-indexed, where appropriate. The classification of the Trace Elements reports, insofar as it is known, has been indicated after the title of the report. The classification of some of the earlier Trace Elements reports is uncertain. The Geological Survey does not have additional copies of most of the reports listed, but copies of some of the completed reports can be loaned on request to organizations officially cooperating with the Atomic Energy Commission. Many Trace Elements reports have been made available to the public, either by open-file release, reproduction by Technical Information Service, Oak Ridge (referred to as TIS), by publication as a Geological Survey circular or bulletin or by a publication in a scientific journal. This information is given, following the title of the report. If the abstract of a Trace Element report has been published in Nuclear Science Abstracts, it is noted by the initials NSA following the title of the report. Part 2 is a reference guide to information on the Trace Elements program that is available to the public. This information is categorized according to the type of publication or release.

  5. Contributions of trace elements to the sea by small uncontaminated rivers: Effects of a water reservoir and a wastewater treatment plant.

    PubMed

    Álvarez-Vázquez, Miguel Ángel; Prego, Ricardo; Caetano, Miguel; De Uña-Álvarez, Elena; Doval, Maryló; Calvo, Susana; Vale, Carlos

    2017-07-01

    Trace element contributions from small rivers to estuaries is an issue barely addressed in the literature. In this work, freshwater flowing into the Ria of Cedeira (NW Iberian Peninsula) was studied during a hydrological year through the input from three rivers, one considered uncontaminated (the Das-Mestas River), a second affected by urban treated wastewater discharges (the Condomiñas River), and the third containing a water reservoir for urban supply (the Forcadas River). With the objective of assessing the possible influence of human pressure, the annual yields for selected trace elements (Al, Fe, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni and Pb) were estimated and compared by normalizing by basin surface. Both dissolved and particulate transported elements were considered. After the data treatment and analysis it can be highlighted that: (i) the Das Mestas River is suitable to be included between the short European pristine baseline of small rivers, at least regarding the transported trace elements; (ii) natural enrichments were identified associated to the lithology of the basin in the Das-Mestas River (i.e. As) and in the Condomiñas River (i.e. Co, Cr and Ni); this fact highlights the importance of considering the local background for a proper assessment; (iii) the impoundment in the Forcadas River is related with a general decrease, even depletion, of the particulate and dissolved transported trace elements, except Mn; (iv) the discharge of sewage to the Condomiñas River is increasing the inputs to the ria of some trace elements in the particulate phase (i.e. Al, Cu and Pb). Both observed human-induced changes can be regarded as typical disturbances of trace element contributions from small rivers to estuaries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Sampling strategy and analysis of trace element concentrations by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on medieval human bones--the concept of chemical life history.

    PubMed

    Skytte, Lilian; Rasmussen, Kaare Lund

    2013-07-30

    Medieval human bones have the potential to reveal diet, mobility and treatment of diseases in the past. During the last two decades trace element chemistry has been used extensively in archaeometric investigations revealing such data. Many studies have reported the trace element inventory in only one sample from each skeleton - usually from the femur or a tooth. It cannot a priori be assumed that all bones or teeth in a skeleton will have the same trace element concentrations. Six different bone and teeth samples from each individual were carefully decontaminated by mechanical means. Following dissolution of ca. 20 mg sample in nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide the assays were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) with quadropole detection. We describe the precise sampling technique as well as the analytical methods and parameters used for the ICPMS analysis. The places of sampling in the human skeleton did exhibit varying trace element concentrations. Although the samples are contaminated by Fe, Mn and Al from the surrounding soil where the bones have been residing for more than 500 years, other trace elements are intact within the bones. It is shown that the elemental ratios Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca can be used as indicators of provenance. The differences in trace element concentrations can be interpreted as indications of varying diet and provenance as a function of time in the life of the individual - a concept which can be termed chemical life history. A few examples of the results of such analyses are shown, which contains information about provenance and diagenesis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Marine chemistry of the permian phosphoria formation and basin, Southeast Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Piper, D.Z.

    2001-01-01

    Major components in the Meade Peak Member of the Phosphoria Formation are apatite, dolomite, calcite, organic matter, and biogenic silica-a marine fraction; and aluminosilicate quartz debris-a terrigenous fraction. Samples from Enoch Valley, in southeast Idaho, have major element oxide abundances of Al2O3, Fe2O3, K2O, and TiO2 that closely approach the composition of the world shale average. Factor analysis further identifies the partitioning of several trace elements-Ba, Ga, Li, Sc, and Th and, at other sites in southeast Idaho and western Wyoming, B, Co, Cs, Hf, Rb, and Ta-totally into this fraction. Trace elements that fail to show such correlations or factor loadings include Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Se, the rare earth elements (REE), U, V, and Zn. Their terrigenous contribution is determined from minimum values of trace elements versus the terrigenous fraction. These minima too define trace element concentrations in the terrigenous fraction that approximately equal their concentrations in the world shale average. The marine fraction of trace elements represents the difference between the bulk trace element content of a sample and the terrigenous contribution. Of the trace elements enriched above a terrigenous contribution, Ag, Cr, Cu, Mo, and Se show strong loadings on the factor with an organic matter loading and U and the REE on the factor with a strong apatite loading. Cd, Ni, V, and Zn do not show a strong correlation with any of the marine components but are, nonetheless, strongly enriched above a terrigenous contribution. Interelement relationships between the trace elements identify two seawater sources-planktonic debris and basinal bottom water. Relationships between Cd, Cu, Mo, Zn, and possibly Ni and Se suggest a solely biogenic source. Their accumulation rates, and that of PO3-4, further identify the level of primary productivity as having been moderate and the residence time of water in the basin at 4.5 yr. Enrichments of Cr, U, V, and the REE, above both terrigenous and biogenic contributions, define bottom-water redox conditions as having been oxygen depleted, that is, denitrifying but not sulfate reducing.

  8. New Developments in Hard X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy for In-situ Investigations of Trace Element Distributions in Aqueous Systems of Soil Colloids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Weinhausen, Britta; Köster, Sarah; Ward, Jesse; Vine, David; Finney, Lydia; Vogt, Stefan

    2013-10-01

    The distribution, binding and release of trace elements on soil colloids determine matter transport through the soil matrix, and necessitates an aqueous environment and short length and time scales for their study. However, not many microscopy techniques allow for that. We previously showed hard x-ray fluorescence microscopy capabilities to image aqueous colloidal soil samples [1]. As this technique provides attogram sensitivity for transition elements like Cu, Zn, and other geochemically relevant trace elements at sub micrometer spatial resolution (currently down to 150 nm at 2-ID-E [2]; below 50nm at Bionanoprobe, cf. G.Woloschak et al, this volume) combined with the capability to penetrate tens of micrometer of water, it is ideally suited for imaging the elemental content of soil colloids. To address the question of binding and release processes of trace elements on the surface of soil colloids, we developed a microfluidics based XRF flow cytometer, and expanded the applied methods of hard x-ray fluorescence microscopy towards three dimensional imaging. Here, we show (a) the 2-D imaged distributions of Si, K and Fe on soil colloids of Pseudogley samples; (b) how the trace element distribution is a dynamic, pH-dependent process; and (c) x-ray tomographic applications to render the trace elemental distributions in 3-D. We conclude that the approach presented here shows the remarkable potential to image and quantitate elemental distributions from samles within their natural aqueous microenvironment, particularly important in the environmental, medical, and biological sciences.

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

    Wu, Jing; Department of Radiation Oncology, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, Jiangsu; Zhang, Jun-ying

    Highlights: • Overexpression of HAP1 gene promotes apoptosis in MCF-7 cells after irradiation. • HAP1 reduces tumor volume in nude mice xenograft models after irradiation. • HAP1 increases radiosensitivity of breast cancer cells in vitro and vivo. - Abstract: Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between huntingtin-associated protein1 (HAP1) gene and radiation therapy of breast cancer cells. Methods: HAP1 gene was transfected into breast cancer MCF-7 cells, which was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis (qRT-PCR) and Western blot in vitro. The changes of cell radiosensitivity were assessed by colony formation assay. Apoptosismore » were examined by flow cytometry. The expressions of two radiation-induced genes were evaluated by Western blot. Tumor growth was investigated in nude mice xenograft models in vivo. Results: Our data showed that HAP1 gene expression was significantly increased in HAP1-transfected MCF-7 cells in comparison with the parental cells or negative control cells. The survival rate in MCF-7/HAP1 cells was significantly decreased after irradiation (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 Gy), compared to cells in MCF-7 and MCF-7/Pb groups in vitro. HAP1 gene increased apoptosis in MCF-7 cells after irradiation. Additionally, the tumor volume and weight in MCF-7/HAP1 + RT group were observably lower than in MCF-7/HAP1 group and MCF-7/Pb + RT group. Conclusion: The present study indicated that HAP1 gene expression was related to the radiosensitivity of breast cancer cells and may play an important role in the regulation of cellular radiosensitivity.« less

  10. Trace Elements in Bed Sediments and Biota from Streams in the Santee River Basin and Coastal Drainages, North and South Carolina, 1995-97

    Treesearch

    Thomas A. Abrahamsen

    1999-01-01

    Bed-sediment and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of trace elements from 25 sites in the Santee River Basin and coastal drainages study area during 1995-97 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program, Sediment trace-element priority-pollutant concentrations were compared among streams draining water-...

  11. Evaluating Crustal Contamination Effects On The Lithophile Trace Element Budget Of Shergottites, NWA 856 As A Test Case

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brandon, A. D.; Ferdous, J.; Peslier, A. H.

    2017-01-01

    The issue of whether crustal contamination has affected the lithophile trace element budget of shergottites has been a point of contention for decades. The evaluation has focused on the enriched shergottite compositions as an outcome of crustal contamination of mantle-derived parent magmas or, alternatively, the compositions of these stones reflect an incompatible trace element (ITE) enriched mantle source.

  12. Movement of Trace Elements During Residence in the Antarctic Ice: a Laboratory Simulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strait, Melissa M.

    1991-01-01

    Recent work has determined that differences in the trace element distribution between Antarctic eucrites and non-Antarctic eucrites may be due to weathering during residence in the ice, and samples that demonstrate trace element disturbances do not necessarily correspond to eucrites that appear badly weathered to the naked eye. This study constitutes a preliminary test of the idea that long-term residence in the ice is the cause of the trace element disturbances observed in the eucrites. Samples of a non-Antarctic eucrite were leached in water at room temperature conditions. Liquid samples were analyzed for rare earth element abundances using ion chromatography. The results for the short-term study showed little or no evidence that leaching had occurred. However, there were tantalizing hints that something may be happening. The residual solid samples are currently being analyzed for the unleached trace metals using instrumental neutron activation analysis and should show evidence of disturbance if the chromatography clues were real. In addition, another set of samples continues to be intermittently sampled for later analysis. The results should give us information about the movement of trace elements under our conditions and allow us to make some tentative extrapolations to what we observe in actual Antarctic eucrite samples.

  13. Application of major and trace elements as well as boron isotopes for tracing hydrochemical processes: the case of Trifilia coastal karst aquifer, Greece

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panagopoulos, G.

    2009-09-01

    The Trifilia karst aquifer presents a complex hydrochemical character due to the intricate geochemical processes that take place in the area. Their discernment was achieved by using the chemical analyses of major, trace elements and boron isotopes. Major ion composition indicates mixing between seawater and freshwater is occurring. Five hydrochemical zones corresponding to five respective groundwater types were distinguished, in which the chemical composition of groundwater is influenced mainly due to the different salinization grade of the aquifer. The relatively increased temperature of the aquifer indicates the presence of hydrothermal waters. Boron isotopes and trace elements indicate that the intruding seawater has been hydrothermally altered, as it is shown by the δ11B depleted signature and the increased concentrations of Li and Sr. Trace elements analyses showed that the groundwater is enriched in various metallic elements, which derive from the solid hydrocarbons (bitumens), contained in the carbonate sediments of the Tripolis zone. The concentration of these trace elements depends on the redox environment. Thus, in reductive conditions As, Mn, Co and NH4 concentrations are high, in oxidized conditions the V, Se, Mo, Tl and U concentration increases while Ni is not redox sensitive and present high concentration in both environments.

  14. Essential trace elements and antioxidant status in relation to severity of HIV in Nigerian patients.

    PubMed

    Olaniyi, J A; Arinola, O G

    2007-01-01

    This study was designed to determine the plasma levels of some antioxidants and trace elements in three severity groups of HIV patients compared with non-HIV-infected controls. The plasma levels of antioxidants (total antioxidant, albumin, bilirubin and uric acid) and trace elements (Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Cd and Se) were estimated spectrophotometrically in controls and patients with CD4 counts of <200; 200-499 and > or =500 cells/microl. Uric acid and Zn were significantly higher, while vitamin E and all the trace elements (except Zn) were significantly lower in HIV-infected patients compared to healthy controls. The highest level of uric acid was observed in those with CD4 counts of <200 cells/microl. All the trace elements (except Zn) were higher in HIV subjects with a CD4 count of 200-499 cells/microl compared to >500 cells/microl. Only uric acid and Zn showed significant correlation with CD4 count. Based on the results of this study, we recommend routine assessment and appropriate supplementation of antioxidants/trace elements in HIV subjects. This supplementation is hoped to strengthen the immune system and reduce the adverse consequences of HIV- related oxidative stress. Copyright 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Study of the Elasto-plastic Properties of Mineralized Biomaterials via Synchrotron High-energy X-ray Diffraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deymier-Black, Alix Christine

    Synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction was employed to investigate the strains in the hydroxyapatite (HAP) platelets and mineralized collagen fibrils in bovine dentin and cortical bone. The HAP and the fibrillar apparent moduli, defined as the applied stress divided by the phase strain, in dentin were measured as 27+/-7.2 and 16+/-4.9 GPa. The HAP apparent modulus ( EHAPapp ) is less than the lower bound calculated for EHAPapp from the Voigt model. This discrepancy is probably due to stress concentrators or decreases in the HAP Young's modulus due to size or composition effects. EHAPapp and Efibapp in dentin vary significantly within a single tooth in both the apical-cervical direction and the buccal-lingual direction. However, the variation between teeth is minimal. The HAP and fibrillar apparent moduli are not affected by freezing in dentin or by X-ray irradiation in bone and dentin. X-ray irradiation causes a decrease in HAP residual strain in bone. This decrease suggests the presence of HAP-collagen interfacial damage. It was determined from the HAP 00.2 peak broadening that irradiation damage mostly affects the HAP unit cells which are under the highest strain. From this it was theorized that irradiation may damage highly-strained bonds at stress concentrators and/or calcium-mediated electrostatic bonds. The fact that the apparent modulus does not change with irradiation suggests that the interfacial damage must be reversible. Bone and dentin both undergo creep when loaded to high stresses. At low irradiation doses, both the fibrillar and HAP strains increase with creep time indicating that load is being transferred from the matrix to the HAP. However, at high doses, the strain on the HAP decreases with creep time. This supports the interfacial damage theory which would allow the HAP to release its elastic load upon interfacial debonding. At -80 MPa, beyond a dose of 50 kGy, the rate of change in HAP strain with time begins to increase, becoming positive at ˜115 kGy. After 300 kGy the HAP strain rate decreases and plateaus probably due to stiffening of the matrix through cross-linking. The HAP and fibrillar strain rate in irradiated bone and dentin samples increase with increased temperature and applied load.

  16. Using lead isotopes and trace element records from two contrasting Lake Tanganyika sediment cores to assess watershed – Lake exchange

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Odigie, Kingsley; Cohen, A.D.; Swarzenski, Peter W.; Flegal, R

    2014-01-01

    Lead isotopic and trace element records of two contrasting sediment cores were examined to reconstruct historic, industrial contaminant inputs to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. Observed fluxes of Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in age-dated sediments collected from the lake varied both spatially and temporally over the past two to four centuries. The fluxes of trace elements were lower (up to 10-fold) at a mid-lake site (MC1) than at a nearshore site (LT-98-58), which is directly downstream from the Kahama and Nyasanga River watersheds and adjacent to the relatively pristine Gombe Stream National Park. Trace element fluxes at that nearshore site did not measurably change over the last two centuries (1815–1998), while the distal, mid-lake site exhibited substantial changes in the fluxes of trace elements – likely caused by changes in land use – over that period. For example, the flux of Pb increased by ∼300% from 1871 to 1991. That apparent accelerated weathering and detrital mobilization of lithogenic trace elements was further evidenced by (i) positive correlations (r = 0.77–0.99, p < 0.05) between the fluxes of Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn and those of iron (Fe) at both sites, (ii) positive correlations (r = 0.82–0.98, p < 0.01, n = 9) between the fluxes of elements (Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and the mass accumulation rates at the offshore site, (iii) the low enrichment factors (EF < 5) of those trace elements, and (iv) the temporal consistencies of the isotopic composition of Pb in the sediment. These measurements indicate that accelerated weathering, rather than industrialization, accounts for most of the increases in trace element fluxes to Lake Tanganyika in spite of the development of mining and smelting operations within the lake’s watershed over the past century. The data also indicate that the mid-lake site is a much more sensitive and useful recorder of environmental changes than the nearshore site. Furthermore, the lead isotopic compositions of sediment at the sites differed spatially, indicating that the Pb (and other trace elements by association) originated from different natural sources at the two locations.

  17. Trace element abundance determinations by Synchrotron X Ray Fluorescence (SXRF) on returned comet nucleus mineral grains

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Flynn, G. J.; Sutton, S. R.

    1989-01-01

    Trace element analyses were performed on bulk cosmic dust particles by Proton Induced X Ray Emission (PIXE) and Synchrotron X Ray Fluorescence (SXRF). When present at or near chondritic abundances the trace elements K, Ti, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Se, and Br are presently detectable by SXRF in particles of 20 micron diameter. Improvements to the SXRF analysis facility at the National Synchrotron Light Source presently underway should increase the range of detectable elements and permit the analysis of smaller samples. In addition the Advanced Photon Source will be commissioned at Argonne National Laboratory in 1995. This 7 to 8 GeV positron storage ring, specifically designed for high-energy undulator and wiggler insertion devices, will be an ideal source for an x ray microprobe with one micron spatial resolution and better than 100 ppb elemental sensitivity for most elements. Thus trace element analysis of individual micron-sized grains should be possible by the time of the comet nucleus sample return mission.

  18. Purification and characterization of hemagglutinating proteins from Poker-chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula clam (Corbicula fluminea).

    PubMed

    Cheng, Chin-Fu; Hung, Shao-Wen; Chang, Yung-Chung; Chen, Ming-Hui; Chang, Chen-Hsuan; Tsou, Li-Tse; Tu, Ching-Yu; Lin, Yu-Hsing; Liu, Pan-Chen; Lin, Shiun-Long; Wang, Way-Shyan

    2012-01-01

    Hemagglutinating proteins (HAPs) were purified from Poker-chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula clam (Corbicula fluminea) using gel-filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 column. The molecular weights of the HAPs obtained from Poker-chip Venus and Corbicula clam were 358 kDa and 380 kDa, respectively. Purified HAP from Poker-chip Venus yielded two subunits with molecular weights of 26 kDa and 29 kDa. However, only one HAP subunit was purified from Corbicula clam, and its molecular weight was 32 kDa. The two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed hemagglutinating ability (HAA) for erythrocytes of some vertebrate animal species, especially tilapia. Moreover, HAA of the HAP purified from Poker-chip Venus was higher than that of the HAP of Corbicula clam. Furthermore, Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA at a pH higher than 7.0. When the temperature was at 4°C-10°C or the salinity was less than 0.5‰, the two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA compared with that of Corbicula clam.

  19. The impact of lifestyle factors on age-related differences in hair trace element content in pregnant women in the third trimester.

    PubMed

    Skalny, Anatoly V; Tinkov, Alexey A; Voronina, Irina; Terekhina, Olga; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Bohan, Tatiana G; Agarkova, Lyubov A; Kovas, Yulia

    2018-01-01

    Trace elements play a significant role in the regulation of human reproduction, while advanced age may have a significant impact on trace element metabolism. The objective of the present study was to assess the impact of lifestyle factors on age-related differences in hair trace element content in pregnant women in the third trimester. A total of 124 pregnant women aged 20–29 (n = 72) and 30–39 (n = 52) were ex- amined. Scalp hair trace element content was assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry at NexION 300D (Perkin Elmer, USA) after microwave digestion. The results showed that the elder pregnant women had 36% (p = 0.009), 14% (p = 0.045), and 45% (p = 0.044) lower hair Zn, V, and Cd content, and 16% (p = 0.044) higher hair B levels – in comparison to the respective younger group values. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the age of the women had a significant influence on hair V and Zn levels. B content was also significantly influenced by age at first intercourse, smoking status, and specific dietary habits. None of the lifestyle factors were associated with hair Cd content in pregnant women. Hair V levels were also affected by following a special diet. Interestingly, alcohol intake did not have a significant impact on hair trace element content. These data indicate that lifestyle factors have a significant influence on age-related changes in hair trace elements during pregnancy that may impact the outcome of pregnancy.

  20. Mapping Fifteen Trace Elements in Human Seminal Plasma and Sperm DNA.

    PubMed

    Ali, Sazan; Chaspoul, Florence; Anderson, Loundou; Bergé-Lefranc, David; Achard, Vincent; Perrin, Jeanne; Gallice, Philippe; Guichaoua, Marie

    2017-02-01

    Studies suggest a relationship between semen quality and the concentration of trace elements in serum or seminal plasma. However, trace elements may be linked to DNA and capable of altering the gene expression patterns. Thus, trace element interactions with DNA may contribute to the mechanisms for a trans-generational reproductive effect. We developed an analytical method to determine the amount of trace elements bound to the sperm DNA, and to estimate their affinity for the sperm DNA by the ratio: R = Log [metal concentration in the sperm DNA/metal concentration in seminal plasma]. We then analyzed the concentrations of 15 trace elements (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ti, V, Zn, As, Sb, and Se) in the seminal plasma and the sperm DNA in 64 normal and 30 abnormal semen specimens with Inductively Coupled Plasma/Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). This study showed all trace elements were detected in the seminal plasma and only metals were detected in the sperm DNA. There was no correlation between the metals' concentrations in the seminal plasma and the sperm DNA. Al had the highest affinity for DNA followed by Pb and Cd. This strong affinity is consistent with the known mutagenic effects of these metals. The lowest affinity was observed for Zn and Ti. We observed a significant increase of Al linked to the sperm DNA of patients with oligozoospermia and teratozoospermia. Al's reproductive toxicity might be due to Al linked to DNA, by altering spermatogenesis and expression patterns of genes involved in the function of reproduction.

  1. Enhanced analgesic effects of tramadol and common trace element coadministration in mice.

    PubMed

    Alexa, Teodora; Marza, Aurelia; Voloseniuc, Tudor; Tamba, Bogdan

    2015-10-01

    Chronic pain is managed mostly by the daily administration of analgesics. Tramadol is one of the most commonly used drugs, marketed in combination with coanalgesics for enhanced effect. Trace elements are frequent ingredients in dietary supplements and may enhance tramadol's analgesic effect either through synergic mechanisms or through analgesic effects of their own. Swiss Weber male mice were divided into nine groups and were treated with a combination of the trace elements Mg, Mn, and Zn in three different doses and a fixed dose of tramadol. Two groups served as positive (tramadol alone) and negative (saline) controls. Nociceptive assessment by tail-flick (TF) and hot-plate (HP) tests was performed at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after intraperitoneal administration. Response latencies were recorded and compared with the aid of ANOVA testing. All three trace elements enhanced tramadol's analgesic effect, as assessed by TF and HP test latencies. Coadministration of these trace elements led to an increase of approximately 30% in the average pain inhibition compared with the tramadol-alone group. The most effective doses were 0.6 mg/kg b.w. for Zn, 75 mg/kg b.w. for Mg, and 7.2 mg/kg b.w. for Mn. Associating trace elements such as Zn, Mg, and Mn with the standard administration of tramadol increases the drug's analgesic effect, most likely a consequence of their synergic action. These findings impact current analgesic treatment because the addition of these trace elements may reduce the tramadol dose required to obtain analgesia. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Trace elements record complex histories in diogenites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balta, J. B.; Beck, A. W.; McSween, H. Y.

    2012-12-01

    Diogenite meteorites are cumulate rocks composed mostly of orthopyroxene and chemically linked to eucrites (basaltic) and howardites (brecciated mixtures of diogenites and eucrites). Together, they represent the largest single family of achondrite meteorites delivered to Earth, and have been spectrally linked to the asteroid 4 Vesta, the largest remaining basaltic protoplanet. However, this spectral link is non-unique as many basaltic asteroids likely formed and were destroyed in the early solar system. Recent work suggested that Vesta may be an unlikely parent body for the diogenites based on correlations between trace elements and short-lived isotope decay products, which would be unlikely to survive on a body as large as Vesta due to its long cooling history [1]. Recent analyses of terrestrial and martian olivines have demonstrated that trace element spatial distributions can preserve evidence of their crystallization history even when major elements have been homogenized [2]. We have mapped minor elements including Cr, Al, and Ti in seemingly homogeneous diogenite orthopyroxenes and found a variety of previously unobserved textures. The pyroxenes in one sample (GRA 98108) are seemingly large grains of variable shapes and sizes, but the trace elements reveal internal grain boundaries between roughly-equal sized original subgrains, with equilibrated metamorphic triple junctions between them and trace element depletions at the boundaries. These trends suggest extraction of trace elements by a magma along those relict grain boundaries during a reheating event. Two other samples show evidence of fracturing and annealing, with trace element mobility within grains. One sample appears to have remained a closed system during annealing (MET 01084), while the other has interacted with a fluid or magma to move elements along annealed cracks (LEW 88679). These relict features establish that the history of diogenite pyroxenes is more complex than their homogeneous major element compositions imply. Many trace element analyses are performed using either bulk rock techniques or spot analyses, and these maps suggest those types of analyses likely sample variable trace element abundances even within otherwise homogeneous grains, rendering their results difficult to interpret. Consequently, the correlation discussed previously between trace elements and short lived isotopes has likely been impacted by post-magmatic alteration and cannot solely be used to argue that HED's cannot be derived from Vesta. Furthermore, these maps strengthen the HED-Vesta link by suggesting that the diogenites underwent an extended history of cooling, reheating, partial melting, impact fragmentation, fluid/melt migration, and finally re-annealing. These complicated steps are particularly noteworthy as the pyroxene cumulate layer on the asteroid Vesta should lie beneath the eucritic crust, implying that early impacts were able to penetrate that crust and affect the diogenite layers early in Vesta's history, most likely while the asteroid was still hot enough to allow for annealing and regrowth of fractured grains. [1] Schiller et al. (2011) [2] Milman-Barris et al. (2008)

  3. Vertical distribution of trace-element concentrations and occurrence of metallurgical slag particles in accumulated bed sediments of Lake Roosevelt, Washington, September 2002

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cox, S.E.; Bell, P.R.; Lowther, J.S.; Van Metre, P.C.

    2005-01-01

    Sediment cores were collected from six locations in Lake Roosevelt to determine the vertical distributions of trace-element concentrations in the accumulated sediments of Lake Roosevelt. Elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc occurred throughout much of the accumulated sediments. Concentrations varied greatly within the sediment core profiles, often covering a range of 5 to 10 fold. Trace-element concentrations typically were largest below the surficial sediments in the lower one-half of each profile, with generally decreasing concentrations from the 1964 horizon to the surface of the core. The trace-element profiles reflect changes in historical discharges of trace elements to the Columbia River by an upstream smelter. All samples analyzed exceeded clean-up guidelines adopted by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation for cadmium, lead, and zinc and more than 70 percent of the samples exceeded cleanup guidelines for mercury, arsenic, and copper. Although 100 percent of the samples exceeded sediment guidelines for cadmium, lead, and zinc, surficial concentrations of arsenic, copper, and mercury in some cores were less than the sediment-quality guidelines. With the exception of copper, the trace-element profiles of the five cores collected along the pre-reservoir Columbia River channel typically showed trends of decreasing concentrations in sediments deposited after the 1964 time horizon. The decreasing concentrations of trace elements in the upper half of cores from along the pre-reservoir Columbia River showed a pattern of decreasing concentrations similar to reductions in trace-element loading in liquid effluent from an upstream smelter. Except for arsenic, trace-element concentrations typically were smaller at downstream reservoir locations along the pre-reservoir Columbia River. Trace-element concentration in sediments from the Spokane Arm of the reservoir showed distinct differences compared to the similarities observed in cores from along the pre-reservoir Columbia River. Particles of slag, which have physical and chemical characteristics of slag discharged to the Columbia River by a lead-zinc smelter upstream of the reservoir at Trail, British Columbia, were found in sediments of Lake Roosevelt. Slag particles are more common in the upstream reaches of the reservoir. The chemical composition of the interior matrix of slag collected from Lake Roosevelt closely approximated the reported elemental concentrations of fresh smelter slag, although evidence of slag weathering was observed. Exfoliation flakes were observed on the surface of weathered slag particles isolated from the core sediments. The concentrations of zinc on the exposed surface of slag grains were smaller than concentrations on interior surfaces. Weathering rinds also were observed in the cross section of weathered slag grains, indicating that the glassy slag material was undergoing hydration and chemical weathering. Trace elements observed in accumulated sediments in the middle and lower reaches of the reservoir are more likely due to the input from liquid effluent discharges compared to slag discharges from the upstream smelter.

  4. Trace elements in stormflow, ash, and burned soil following the 2009 station fire in southern California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Burton, Carmen; Hoefen, Todd M.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Baumberger, Katherine L.; Backlin, Adam R.; Gallegos, Elizabeth; Fisher, Robert N.

    2016-01-01

    Most research on the effects of wildfires on stream water quality has focused on suspended sediment and nutrients in streams and water bodies, and relatively little research has examined the effects of wildfires on trace elements. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to determine the effect of the 2009 Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles, CA on trace element concentrations in streams, and 2) compare trace elements in post-fire stormflow water quality to criteria for aquatic life to determine if trace elements reached concentrations that can harm aquatic life. Pre-storm and stormflow water-quality samples were collected in streams located inside and outside of the burn area of the Station Fire. Ash and burned soil samples were collected from several locations within the perimeter of the Station Fire. Filtered concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Hg and total concentrations of most trace elements in storm samples were elevated as a result of the Station Fire. In contrast, filtered concentrations of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Se and total concentrations of Cu were elevated primarily due to storms and not the Station Fire. Total concentrations of Se and Zn were elevated as a result of both storms and the Station Fire. Suspended sediment in stormflows following the Station Fire was an important transport mechanism for trace elements. Cu, Pb, and Zn primarily originate from ash in the suspended sediment. Fe primarily originates from burned soil in the suspended sediment. As, Mn, and Ni originate from both ash and burned soil. Filtered concentrations of trace elements in stormwater samples affected by the Station Fire did not reach levels that were greater than criteria established for aquatic life. Total concentrations for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were detected at concentrations above criteria established for aquatic life.

  5. Sensitivity of trace element pyritization to pyrite oxidation processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreira, Manuel; Díaz, Rut; Mendoza, Ursula; Capilla, Ramses; Böttcher, Michael; Luiza Albuquerque, Ana; Machado, Wilson

    2014-05-01

    Total trace elements concentration variability in marine sediments has been widely used as a proxy for redox conditions and marine paleoprodutivity. However, partial extraction procedures reduce influences of detrital sedimentary fractions, and information on trace element geochemical partitioning can contribute to provide comprehensive evidences on elemental sensitivity to particular processes. The potential effect of sedimentary pyrite re-oxidative cycling on the degree of trace metal pyritization (DTMP) has not been previously evaluated. This study investigates this effect in 4 sediment cores from the continental shelf under the influence of a tropical upwelling system (Cabo Frio, Brazil). The relation of DTMP with stable isotope signals (δ34SCRS) of chromium reducible sulfur, which becomes lighter in response to intense pyrite re-oxidative cycling in the study area, suggests high (As, Cd and Mn), low (Cu and Zn) or negligible (Cr and Ni) re-oxidation influences. The oldest, pyrite-richer sediments provide an apparent threshold for intense pyrite re-oxidation, after which most trace elements (As, Cd, Zn and Mn) presented more accentuated pyritization. A middle shelf core presented negative correlations of reactive (HCl-soluble) Mn, Cu and Ni with pyrite iron, suggesting Mn oxide (and associated metals) depletion in reaction with pyrite. Results provided evidences for coupled influences from both aerobic and anaerobic oxidative processes on trace elements incorporation into pyrite. Pyrite δ34S signatures under the oxic bottom water from the study area were similar to those from euxinic sedimentary environments, suggesting that pyrite re-oxidative cycling can affect trace element susceptibility to be incorporated and preserved into pyrite in a wide range of sedimentary conditions. The evaluation of trace elements sensitivity to these processes can contribute to improve the use of multiple DTMP data (e.g., as paleoredox proxies). Considering that S re-oxidative cycling is ubiquitous in many sedimentary conditions, such coupled use of DTMP and δ34SCRS proxies can be possibly applied to a large variety of sedimentary environments.

  6. Trace Elements in Stormflow, Ash, and Burned Soil following the 2009 Station Fire in Southern California

    PubMed Central

    Burton, Carmen A.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Baumberger, Katherine L.; Backlin, Adam R.; Gallegos, Elizabeth; Fisher, Robert N.

    2016-01-01

    Most research on the effects of wildfires on stream water quality has focused on suspended sediment and nutrients in streams and water bodies, and relatively little research has examined the effects of wildfires on trace elements. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to determine the effect of the 2009 Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles, CA on trace element concentrations in streams, and 2) compare trace elements in post-fire stormflow water quality to criteria for aquatic life to determine if trace elements reached concentrations that can harm aquatic life. Pre-storm and stormflow water-quality samples were collected in streams located inside and outside of the burn area of the Station Fire. Ash and burned soil samples were collected from several locations within the perimeter of the Station Fire. Filtered concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Hg and total concentrations of most trace elements in storm samples were elevated as a result of the Station Fire. In contrast, filtered concentrations of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Se and total concentrations of Cu were elevated primarily due to storms and not the Station Fire. Total concentrations of Se and Zn were elevated as a result of both storms and the Station Fire. Suspended sediment in stormflows following the Station Fire was an important transport mechanism for trace elements. Cu, Pb, and Zn primarily originate from ash in the suspended sediment. Fe primarily originates from burned soil in the suspended sediment. As, Mn, and Ni originate from both ash and burned soil. Filtered concentrations of trace elements in stormwater samples affected by the Station Fire did not reach levels that were greater than criteria established for aquatic life. Total concentrations for Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn were detected at concentrations above criteria established for aquatic life. PMID:27144270

  7. Transmission of atmospherically derived trace elements through an undeveloped, forested Maryland watershed

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Scudlark, J.R.; Rice, Karen C.; Conko, Kathryn M.; Bricker, Owen P.; Church, T.M.

    2005-01-01

    The transmission of atmospherically derived trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) was evaluated in a small, undeveloped, forested watershed located in north-central Maryland. Atmospheric input was determined for wet-only and vegetative throughfall components. Annual throughfall fluxes were significantly enriched over incident precipitation for most elements, although some elements exhibited evidence of canopy release (Mn) or preferential uptake (As, Cr, and Se). Stream export was gauged based on systematic sampling under varied flow regimes. Particle loading appears to contribute significantly to watershed export (> 10%) for only As, Pb, and Fe, and then only during large precipitation/runoff events. The degree of watershed transmission for each trace element was evaluated based on a comparison of total, net atmospheric input (throughfall) to stream export over an annual hydrologic cycle. This comparison indicates that the atmospheric input of some elements (Al, Cd, Ni, Zn) is effectively transmitted through the watershed, but other elements (Pb, As, Se, Fe, Cr, Cu) appear to be strongly sequestered, in the respective orders noted. Results suggest that precipitation and subsequent soil pH are the primary factors that determine the mobility of sequestered trace element phases.To further resolve primary atmospheric and secondary weathering components, the geochemical model NETPATH was applied. Results indicate that minerals dissolved include chlorite, plagioclase feldspar, epidote, and potassium feldspar; phases formed were kaolinite, pyrite, and silica. The model also indicates that weathering processes contribute negligible amounts of trace elements to stream export, indicative of the unreactive orthoquartzite bedrock lithology underlying the watershed. Thus, the stream export of trace elements primarily reflects atmospheric deposition to the local watershed.

  8. Remediation of lead contaminated soil by biochar-supported nano-hydroxyapatite.

    PubMed

    Yang, Zhangmei; Fang, Zhanqiang; Zheng, Liuchun; Cheng, Wen; Tsang, Pokeung Eric; Fang, Jianzhang; Zhao, Dongye

    2016-10-01

    In this study, a high efficiency and low cost biochar-supported nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP@BC) material was used in the remediation of lead (Pb)-contaminated soil. The remediation effect of nHAP@BC on Pb-contaminated soil was evaluated through batch experiments. The stability, bioaccessibility of Pb in the soil and the change in soil characteristics are discussed. Furthermore, the effects of the amendments on the growth of cabbage mustard seedlings and the accumulation of Pb were studied. The results showed that the immobilization rates of Pb in the soil were 71.9% and 56.8%, respectively, after a 28 day remediation using 8% nHAP and nHAP@BC materials, and the unit immobilization amount of nHAP@BC was 5.6 times that of nHAP, indicating that nHAP@BC can greatly reduce the cost of remediation of Pb in soil. After the nHAP@BC remediation, the residual fraction Pb increased by 61.4%, which greatly reduced the bioaccessibility of Pb in the soil. Moreover, nHAP@BC could effectively reduce the accumulation of Pb in plants by 31.4%. Overall, nHAP@BC can effectively remediate Pb-contaminated soil and accelerate the recovery of soil fertility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Cells Recognize and Prefer Bone-like Hydroxyapatite: Biochemical Understanding of Ultrathin Mineral Platelets in Bone.

    PubMed

    Liu, Cuilian; Zhai, Halei; Zhang, Zhisen; Li, Yaling; Xu, Xurong; Tang, Ruikang

    2016-11-09

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanocrystallites in all types of bones are distinguished by their ultrathin characteristics, which are uniaxially oriented with fibrillar collagen to uniquely expose the (100) faces. We speculate that living organisms prefer the specific crystal morphology and orientation of HAP because of the interactions between cells and crystals at the mineral-cell interface. Here, bone-like platy HAP (p-HAP) and two different rod-like HAPs were synthesized to investigate the ultrathin mineral modulating effect on cell bioactivity and bone generation. Cell viability and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were significantly promoted by the platy HAP with (100) faces compared to rod-like HAPs with (001) faces as the dominant crystal orientation, which indicated that MSCs can recognize the crystal face and prefer the (100) HAP faces. This face-specific preference is dependent on the selective adsorption of fibronectin (FN), a plasma protein that plays a central role in cell adhesion, on the HAP surface. This selective adsorption is further confirmed by molecule dynamics (MD) simulation. Our results demonstrate that it is an intelligent choice for cells to use ultrathin HAP with a large (100) face as a basic building block in the hierarchical structure of bone, which is crucial to the promotion of MSCs osteoinductions during bone formation.

  10. U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements and related reports through 1953

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wallace, Jane H.; Blatcher, Virginia K.; Smith, Harriet B.

    1954-01-01

    This report combines and brings up-to-date the information previously given in Trace Elements Investigations Report 325, "Numerical list of U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements Reports to April 30, 1953," and Trace Elements Investigations Report 301, "Topical index and bibliography of U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements and related reports." Part I is a numerical list of U.S. Geological Survey Trace Elements Investigations and Memorandum reports. It supersedes TEI-325. This part lists not only reports (followed by a date) that have been transmitted to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, but also reports in preparation (followed by an asterisk) for which tentative titles were available on December 31, 1953. Reports that have been published are indicated by the abbreviation of the medium of publication. (See also part II.) Part II is a reference guide to Trace Elements and related reports that are available to the public; this part supersedes Part 2 of the TEI-301 (published as Geological survey Circular 281). These reports are grouped according to the type of publication or release. Abstracts published in Nuclear Science Abstracts are not included in Part II, although certain TEI and TEM reports, the abstracts of which have been published in NSA, are so indicated in Part I. Publications in process on December 31, 1953, are designated by an asterisk. Part III is a finding list of states, areas, and subjects. It is based on information derived mostly from the titles of reports and, where titles are of a general nature, from a cursory review of the reports. This list is not a complete index of the information given in Trace Elements and related reports, but is designed to find subjects of major interest. Because of the numerous entries for Colorado and Utah, information has been listed by counties and, where possible, by subject under these states. Other states have county listings only if a county is included in the title of a report; otherwise, areas may be listed separately under the state. Major subjects are listed separately in the index and also where appropriate under states. Analytical methods and subjects related to analytical research are listed under Analytical Methods and Research, but not separately throughout the index. Most mineralogic studies are included under the heading Mineralogy, but are not necessarily listed according to location. Part IV is a finding list of authors. The words “with” and “and” are used to indicate seniority of authorship. For example, a listing of Jones and Brown indicates that Jones is the senior author. A listing of Jones with Brown indicates that Brown is the senior author. In both parts III and IV all Trace Elements reports are listed, as well as other related reports that have not been issued as Trace Elements reports. The following standard abbreviations have been used: TEI, Trace Elements Investigations report; TEM, Trace Elements Memorandum report; P, Professional Paper; B, Bulletin; C, Circular; J, Journal; OF, open file; TIS, Technical Information Service release; NSA, Nuclear Science Abstracts; QM, Quadrangle Map Series; and OM, Oil and Gas map or Mineral Investigations map or report.

  11. Investigation of trace elements in ancient pottery from Jenini, Brong Ahafo region, Ghana by INAA and Compton suppression spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nyarko, B. J. B.; Bredwa-Mensah, Y.; Serfor-Armah, Y.; Dampare, S. B.; Akaho, E. H. K.; Osae, S.; Perbi, A.; Chatt, A.

    2007-10-01

    Concentrations of trace elements in ancient pottery excavated from Jenini in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in conjunction with both conventional and Compton suppression counting. Jenini was a slave Camp of Samory Toure during the indigenous slavery and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Pottery fragments found during the excavation of the grave tombs of the slaves who died in the slave camps were analysed. In all, 26 trace elements were determined in 40 pottery fragments. These elemental concentrations were processed using multivariate statistical methods, cluster, factor and discriminant analyses in order to determine similarities and correlation between the various samples. The suitability of the two counting systems for determination of trace elements in pottery objects has been evaluated.

  12. Environmental influence on trace element levels in human hair

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

    Limic, N.; Valkovic, V.

    1986-12-01

    Trace element content of human hair depends on many factors. It has been shown by a large number of investigators that environmental factors play an important role. Elements from air particulates, water, shampoo or other media get incorporated into the hair structure. Here a model is proposed in which different contributions to trace element levels in human hair are factorized and the environmental contribution to the radial and longitudinal concentration profiles can be calculated. With the proper understanding of environmental contamination, hair analysis has better chances of being used as a diagnostic tool.

  13. Trace element biomonitoring using mosses in urban areas affected by mud volcanoes around Mt. Etna. The case of the Salinelle, Italy.

    PubMed

    Bonanno, Giuseppe; Lo Giudice, Rosa; Pavone, Pietro

    2012-08-01

    Trace element impact was assessed using mosses in a densely inhabited area affected by mud volcanoes. Such volcanoes, locally called Salinelle, are phenomena that occur around Mt. Etna (Sicily, Italy) and are interpreted as the surface outflow of a hydrothermal system located below Mt. Etna, releasing sedimentary fluids (hydrocarbons and NaCl brines) along with magmatic gases (mainly CO(2) and He). To date, scarce data are available about the presence of trace elements, and no biomonitoring campaigns are reported about the cumulative effects of such emissions. In this study, concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn were detected in the moss Bryum argenteum, in soil and water. Results showed that the trace element contribution of the Salinelle to the general pollution was significant for Al, Mn, Ni, and Zn. The comparison of trace concentrations in mosses from Salinelle and Etna showed that the mud volcanoes release a greater amount of Al and Mn, whereas similar values of Ni were found. Natural emissions of trace elements could be hazardous in human settlements, in particular, the Salinelle seem to play an important role in environmental pollution.

  14. Hydroxyapatite/collagen bone-like nanocomposite.

    PubMed

    Kikuchi, Masanori

    2013-01-01

    Our group has succeeded to synthesize material with bone-like nanostructure and bone-like inorganic and organic composition via self-organization mechanism between them using simultaneous titration method under controlled pH and temperature. The hydroxyapatite/collagen (HAp/Col) bone-like nanocomposite completely incorporated into bone remodeling process to be substituted by new bone. Cells cultured on the HAp/Col revealed very interesting reactions. Osteoblast-like MG63 cells showed upregulation of alkaline phosphatase >3 times greater than MG63 cells cultured on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS). MG63 cells 3-dimensionally cultured in a "HAp/Col sponge," a porous HAp/Col having sponge-like viscoelasticity, accumulated calcium phosphate nodules on extracellular matrices they secreted. Bone marrow cells co-cultured with osteoblasts on HAp/Col differentiated to osteoclasts without differentiation supplements. This phenomenon is not found in cells cultured on hydroxyapatite ceramics and TCPS, and rarely in cells cultured on dentin. These results suggest that HAp/Col is a good candidate for tissue engineering of bone as well as bone filler. In a clinical test as a bone filler, the HAp/Col sponge was significantly better than porous β-tricalcium phosphate. The HAp/Col sponge has been approved by the Japanese government and will be used as greatly needed bone filler in patients. In addition to the above, HAp/Col coating on titanium revealed higher osteo-conductivity than HAp-coated titanium and bare titanium and improved direct bonding between titanium and newly formed bone. The HAp/Col coating may be used for metal devices requiring osseointegration.

  15. Heteroaryldihydropyrimidine (HAP) and Sulfamoylbenzamide (SBA) Inhibit Hepatitis B Virus Replication by Different Molecular Mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Zheng; Hu, Taishan; Zhou, Xue; Wildum, Steffen; Garcia-Alcalde, Fernando; Xu, Zhiheng; Wu, Daitze; Mao, Yi; Tian, Xiaojun; Zhou, Yuan; Shen, Fang; Zhang, Zhisen; Tang, Guozhi; Najera, Isabel; Yang, Guang; Shen, Hong C.; Young, John A. T.; Qin, Ning

    2017-01-01

    Heteroaryldihydropyrimidine (HAP) and sulfamoylbenzamide (SBA) are promising non-nucleos(t)ide HBV replication inhibitors. HAPs are known to promote core protein mis-assembly, but the molecular mechanism of abnormal assembly is still elusive. Likewise, the assembly status of core protein induced by SBA remains unknown. Here we show that SBA, unlike HAP, does not promote core protein mis-assembly. Interestingly, two reference compounds HAP_R01 and SBA_R01 bind to the same pocket at the dimer-dimer interface in the crystal structures of core protein Y132A hexamer. The striking difference lies in a unique hydrophobic subpocket that is occupied by the thiazole group of HAP_R01, but is unperturbed by SBA_R01. Photoaffinity labeling confirms the HAP_R01 binding pose at the dimer-dimer interface on capsid and suggests a new mechanism of HAP-induced mis-assembly. Based on the common features in crystal structures we predict that T33 mutations generate similar susceptibility changes to both compounds. In contrast, mutations at positions in close contact with HAP-specific groups (P25A, P25S, or V124F) only reduce susceptibility to HAP_R01, but not to SBA_R01. Thus, HAP and SBA are likely to have distinctive resistance profiles. Notably, P25S and V124F substitutions exist in low-abundance quasispecies in treatment-naïve patients, suggesting potential clinical relevance. PMID:28205569

  16. Intercropping with white lupin (Lupinus albus L.); a promising tool for phytoremediation and phytomining research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiche, Oliver; Székely, Balazs; Moschner, Christin; Heilmeier, Hermann

    2015-04-01

    In recent studies root-soil interactions of white lupine (Lupinus albus L.) have drawn special attention to researchers due to its particularly high potential to increase bioavailability of phosphorous (P) and trace nutrients in soils. In mixed cultures, white lupine has the ability to mobilize P and trace nutrients in soil in excess of its own need and make this excess available for other intercropped companion species. While improved acquisition of P and improved yield parameters have mostly been documented in cereal-lupine intercrops, compared to sole crops, only a few recent studies have evidenced similar effects for trace elements e.g. Fe, Zn and Mn. In this preliminary study we tried to obtain more information about the mobilization of trace elements due to intercropping under field conditions. We hypothesize, that processes that lead to a better acquisition of trace nutrients might also affect other trace elements what could be useful for phytoremediation and phytomining research. Here we report the results of a semi-field experiment were we investigated the effects of an intercropping of white lupine with oat (Avena sativa L.) on the concentrations of trace metals in shoots of oat. We investigated the effects on 12 trace elements, including 4 elements with relevance for plant nutrition (P, Fe, Mn, Zn) and 8 trace elements, belonging to the group of metalloids, lanthanides and actinides with high relevance in phytoremediation (Cd, Pb Th, U) and phytomining research (Sc, La, Nd, Ge). The experiment was carried out on a semi-field lysimer at the off-site soil recycling and remediation center in Hirschfeld (Saxony, Germany). To test the intercropping-dependent mobilization of trace metals in soil and enhanced uptake of elements by oat, white lupine and oat were cultivated on 20 plots (4 m² each) in monocultures and mixed cultures and two different white lupin /oat-ratios (11% and 33%, respectively) applying various treatments. The geometrical arrangement of plots was randomized and every treatment was fivefold replicated. Soil solution was collected weekly with plastic suction cups. Concentrations of trace metals in shoots of oat and soil solution were measured with ICP-MS. As a result, we found that both, concentrations of trace elements in oat plants, as well as the mobility of P and trace metals in soil solution was increased by an intercropping with white lupine. Mixed culture of oat with 11% white lupin significantly increased the concentrations of the trace nutrients Fe, Mn and Zn, as well as the concentrations of the trace metals Pb, La, Nd, Sc, Th and U in tissues of oat. Surprisingly, mixed cultures with 33 % white lupin did not significantly affect trace metal concentrations in oat, what might be the consequence of an increasing competition of roots of white lupin and oat for nutrients and trace metals. In conclusion we found that mixed cultures of white lupin with cereals might be a powerful tool for enhanced phytoremediation and phytomining. However, processes involved in the physiochemical mechanism of element uptake as affected by the oat/white lupin co-cultivation remain unknown and further studies on this topic are planned. These studies have been carried out in the framework of the PhytoGerm project, financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany. The authors are grateful to students and laboratory assistants contributing in the field work and sample preparation.

  17. [Contents of macromineral and trace elements in spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) from France, Chad, Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic].

    PubMed

    Vicat, Jean-Paul; Doumnang Mbaigane, Jean-Claude; Bellion, Yves

    2014-01-01

    Data on mineral elements in spirulinas being limited, we analyzed macrominerals and trace elements of samples from France and Africa. Spirulinas cultivated in France have a composition in macromineral elements similar to those of the literature. The entire contents of trace elements are low. Unlike marine cyanobacteria, they do not concentrate rare-earth elements. Spirulina harvested in Chad has high levels in macrominerals and trace elements, due to traditional drying and harvesting methods. Rare-earth element levels are attributed to this pollution and not to their concentration in spirulinas, because rare-earth element normalized profiles of spirulina are strictly parallel to those of ouadis mud and very different from those of ouadis water. Despite the sometimes high content of total As, normal water consumption in Chad presents no health problems. Spirulinas grown in Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso and Central African Republic have chemical compositions similar to those of Chad spirulinas, but with a lower content of macromineral and trace elements, reflecting a lower mineral pollution. Rare-earth element normalized patterns dismiss an aeolian pollution and the pollution is rather of pedological origin. They show no toxicity problem except spirulinas from Burkina-Faso, whose Pb content is too high. The variability of composition of spirulinas can be largely attributed to the mineral pollution of the samples. Significant levels of rare-earth elements sometimes found in the literature reflect this pollution. Copyright © 2013 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Analysis of high-purity germanium dioxide by ETV-ICP-AES with preliminary concentration of trace elements.

    PubMed

    Medvedev, Nickolay S; Shaverina, Anastasiya V; Tsygankova, Alphiya R; Saprykin, Anatoly I

    2016-08-01

    The paper presents a combined technique of germanium dioxide analysis by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) with preconcentration of trace elements by distilling off matrix and electrothermal (ETV) introduction of the trace elements concentrate into the ICP. Evaluation of metrological characteristics of the developed technique of high-purity germanium dioxide analysis was performed. The limits of detection (LODs) for 25 trace elements ranged from 0.05 to 20ng/g. The accuracy of proposed technique is confirmed by "added-found" («or spiking») experiment and comparing the results of ETV-ICP-AES and ICP-AES analysis of high purity germanium dioxide samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. A soil sampling reference site: the challenge in defining reference material for sampling.

    PubMed

    de Zorzi, Paolo; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Fajgelj, Ales; Jacimovic, Radojko; Jeran, Zvonka; Sansone, Umberto; van der Perk, Marcel

    2008-11-01

    In the frame of the international SOILSAMP project, funded and coordinated by the Italian Environmental Protection Agency, an agricultural area was established as a reference site suitable for performing soil sampling inter-comparison exercises. The reference site was characterized for trace element content in soil, in terms of the spatial and temporal variability of their mass fraction. Considering that the behaviour of long-lived radionuclides in soil can be expected to be similar to that of some stable trace elements and that the distribution of these trace elements in soil can simulate the distribution of radionuclides, the reference site characterised in term of trace elements, can be also used to compare the soil sampling strategies developed for radionuclide investigations.

  20. Pituitary gland levels of mercury, selenium, iron, and zinc in an Alzheimer`s disease study

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

    Cornett, C.R.; Markesbery, W.R.; Wekstein, D.R.

    1996-12-31

    Mercury, iron, selenium, and zinc imbalances have been observed in comparisons between Alzheimer`s disease (AD) and control subject brains. Analyses of the pituitary gland have demonstrated that this organ retains relatively high concentrations of trace elements, including mercury, iron, and zinc. Our previous work has shown that the pituitary glands of AD and control subjects are typically higher in these trace elements than brain samples from the same subject. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to compare the pituitary trace element levels of AD and control subjects. This study also describes the intrasubject relationships of brain trace element levelsmore » to those in the pituitary gland of AD and control subjects.« less

  1. Oxygen-Dependent Transcriptional Regulator Hap1p Limits Glucose Uptake by Repressing the Expression of the Major Glucose Transporter Gene RAG1 in Kluyveromyces lactis▿

    PubMed Central

    Bao, Wei-Guo; Guiard, Bernard; Fang, Zi-An; Donnini, Claudia; Gervais, Michel; Passos, Flavia M. Lopes; Ferrero, Iliana; Fukuhara, Hiroshi; Bolotin-Fukuhara, Monique

    2008-01-01

    The HAP1 (CYP1) gene product of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is known to regulate the transcription of many genes in response to oxygen availability. This response varies according to yeast species, probably reflecting the specific nature of their oxidative metabolism. It is suspected that a difference in the interaction of Hap1p with its target genes may explain some of the species-related variation in oxygen responses. As opposed to the fermentative S. cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces lactis is an aerobic yeast species which shows different oxygen responses. We examined the role of the HAP1-equivalent gene (KlHAP1) in K. lactis. KlHap1p showed a number of sequence features and some gene targets (such as KlCYC1) in common with its S. cerevisiae counterpart, and KlHAP1 was capable of complementing the hap1 mutation. However, the KlHAP1 disruptant showed temperature-sensitive growth on glucose, especially at low glucose concentrations. At normal temperature, 28°C, the mutant grew well, the colony size being even greater than that of the wild type. The most striking observation was that KlHap1p repressed the expression of the major glucose transporter gene RAG1 and reduced the glucose uptake rate. This suggested an involvement of KlHap1p in the regulation of glycolytic flux through the glucose transport system. The ΔKlhap1 mutant showed an increased ability to produce ethanol during aerobic growth, indicating a possible transformation of its physiological property to Crabtree positivity or partial Crabtree positivity. Dual roles of KlHap1p in activating respiration and repressing fermentation may be seen as a basis of the Crabtree-negative physiology of K. lactis. PMID:18806211

  2. Pharmacologically relevant intake during chronic, free-choice drinking rhythms in selectively bred high alcohol-preferring mice.

    PubMed

    Matson, Liana M; Grahame, Nicholas J

    2013-11-01

    Multiple lines of high alcohol-preferring (HAP) mice were selectively bred for their intake of 10% ethanol (v/v) during 24-hour daily access over a 4-week period, with the highest drinking lines exhibiting intakes in excess of 20 g/kg/day. We observed circadian drinking patterns and resulting blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) in the HAP lines. We also compared the drinking rhythms and corresponding BECs of the highest drinking HAP lines to those of the C57BL/6J (B6) inbred strain. Adult male and female crossed HAP (cHAP), HAP replicate lines 1, 2, 3 and B6 mice had free-choice access to 10% ethanol and water for 3 weeks prior to bi-hourly assessments of intake throughout the dark portion of the light-dark cycle. All HAP lines reached and maintained a rate of alcohol intake above the rate at which HAP1 mice metabolize alcohol, and BECs were consistent with this finding. Further, cHAP and HAP1 mice maintained an excessive level of intake throughout the dark portion of the cycle, accumulating mean BEC levels of 261.5 ± 18.09 and 217.9 ± 25.02 mg/dl, respectively. B6 mice drank comparatively modestly, and did not accumulate high BEC levels (53.63 + 8.15 mg/dl). Free-choice drinking demonstrated by the HAP1 and cHAP lines may provide a unique opportunity for modeling the excessive intake that often occurs in alcohol-dependent individuals, and allow for exploration of predisposing factors for excessive consumption, as well as the development of physiological, behavioral and toxicological outcomes following alcohol exposure. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  3. 40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Vvvv of... - MACT Model Point Value Formulas for Open Molding Operations 1

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., tooling resin a. Atomized 0.014 × (Resin HAP%)2.425 b. Atomized, plus vacuum bagging with roll-out 0.01185 × (Resin HAP%)2.425 c. Atomized, plus vacuum bagging without roll-out 0.00945 × (Resin HAP%)2.425 d. Nonatomized 0.014 × (Resin HAP%)2.275 e. Nonatomized, plus vaccum bagging with roll-out 0.0110 × (Resin HAP%)2...

  4. Hazardous Air Pollutant Free Replacement for Specification A-A-1936A Contact Adhesive

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-02-01

    volatile organic compound (VOC). Six alternative low-HAP or HAP-free commercial adhesives were evaluated using high-pressure decorative plastic laminate... compounds (VOCs) (5). The HAPs are petroleum distillate, n-hexane, and toluene. Also, this product contains cyclohexane (VOC), and acetone (HAP and...vinyl, drywall , wood, and plywood (19). This product contains toluene HAP/VOC at 1–5 wt.% (20). 4 3. Experimental Method 3.1 Edge Lift Test

  5. Passive degassing at Nyiragongo (D.R. Congo) and Etna (Italy) volcanoes: the chemical characterization of the emissions and assessment of their uptake of trace elements emissions on the local environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Calabrese, Sergio; Scaglione, Sarah; Milazzo, Silvia; D'Alessandro, Walter; Bobrowski, Nicole; Giuffrida, Giovanni; Tedesco, Dario; Parello, Francesco

    2014-05-01

    Volcanoes are well known as an impressive large natural source of trace elements into the troposphere. Among others, Etna (Italy) and Nyiragongo (D.R. Congo), two noteworthy emitters on Earth, are two stratovolcanoes located in different geological settings, both characterized by persistent passive degassing from their summit craters. Here, we present some results on trace element composition in volcanic plume emissions, atmospheric bulk deposition (rainwater) and their uptake of the surrounding vegetation, with the aim to compare and identify differences and similarities between this these two volcanoes. Volcanic emissions were sampled by using active filter-pack for acid gases (sulfur and halogens) and specific teflon filters for particulates (major and trace elements). The impact of the volcanogenic deposition in the surrounding of the crater rims was investigated by using different sampling techniques: bulk rain collectors gauges were used to collect atmospheric bulk deposition, and biomonitoring technique was carried out to collect gases and particulates by using endemic plant species. Concentrations of major and trace elements of volcanic plume emissions (gases and particulates) were obtained by elution and microwave digestion of the collected filters: sulfur and halogens were determined by ion chromatography and ICP-MS, and untreated filters for particulate were acid digested and analysed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Rain water and plant samples were also analysed for major and trace elements by using ICP-OES and ICP-MS. In total 55 elements were determined. The estimates of the trace element fluxes confirm that Etna and Nyiragongo are large sources of metals to the atmosphere, especially considering their persistent state of passive degassing. In general, chemical composition of the volcanic aerosol particles of both volcanoes is characterized by two main components: one is related to the silicic component produced by magma bursting and fragmentation, enriching the plume in Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Mg, Ca, Na, K and other trace elements like Ni, Cr, Co, Th and U; another one components, is dominated by volatile trace elements (As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, Se, Te, Tl) related to the gas volatile phase (H2O, CO2, SO2, HCl, HF) and transported to the atmosphere mainly as hydro-soluble salts and/or in gaseous form in some cases. The large amount of emitted trace elements have a strong impact on the close surrounding of both volcanoes. This is clearly reflected by in the chemical composition of rain water collected at the summit areas both for Etna and Nyiragongo. In fact, rain water samples have low pH values (<2) and high concentrations of dissolved toxic metals. Moreover, the biomonitoring results highlight that bioaccumulation of trace elements is extremely high in the proximity of the crater rim and decreases with the distance from the active craters. In particular, we found a good correlation between volatile elements (Tl, As, Bi, Cd, Se, Cu) concentrations in the leaves of Senecio species collected in on both volcanoes, showing a clear influence of volcanic deposition.

  6. [In vivo study on influence of a discrete nano-hydroxyapatite on leukemia P388 tissue in BALB/C mice].

    PubMed

    Li, Ge; Huang, Jian-ming; Aoki, Hideki; Li, Yan; Zhang, Rong; Deng, Bi-fang

    2007-09-01

    To study the influence of a discrete nano-hydroxyapatite crystal (nano-HAp) on lymphatic leukemia P388 behavior by in vivo techniques. A nano-HAp was prepared by a neutralization reaction of 0.1 mol calcium hydroxide suspension and 0.06 mol phosphoric acid solutions at room temperature over pH7. The various doses of the nano-HAp only and the nano-HAp mixture with cyclophosphamide (CY) were injected into mice inoculated with solid tumor lymphatic leukemia P388 and dispersed into PRMI 1640 media harvested the leukemia P388 cells. Sixty P388 BALB/C mice were randomly grouped; 36 of them were used as nano-HAp treated groups and 24 mice as the control groups. The leukemia growth in the mice was examined morphologically, histopathologically and under a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The nano-HAp was identified as a hydroxyapatite by an X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphology and sizes were observed under a TEM. The tissue growth inhibition ratio (weight%) of solid lymphatic leukemia P388 bearing mice treated with nano-HAp at doses 35 mg/kg, 53 mg/kg and nano-HAp (53 mg/kg) combined with CY (35 mg/kg) in 3 consecutive days via intraperitineal injections were 14.95%, 32.67% and 60.45% respectively. Apoptosis of P388 cell cocultured with nano-HAp was confirmed by TEM. The tissue growth restriction of solid tumor lymphatic leukemia P388 was greater after an injection of nano-HAp only or nano-HAp mixed with CY than that obtained after injection with physiological saline solution as a control (P < 0.01), and the tissue growth restriction of solid tumor after an injection of nano-HAp combined with CY was greater than that obtained after nano-HAp or CY injection only (P < 0.01).

  7. Novel biosynthesis of Ag-hydroxyapatite: Structural and spectroscopic characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruíz-Baltazar, Álvaro de Jesús; Reyes-López, Simón Yobanny; Silva-Holguin, Pamela Nair; Larrañaga, Daniel; Estévez, Miriam; Pérez, Ramiro

    2018-06-01

    Silver-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag-HAP) was obtained by green synthesis route. The dopant silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were obtained by biosynthesis based on Melissa officinalis extract. This research is focused on the characterization and the use of the nontoxic and environment-friendly Ag-HAP nanocomposite. The structural and morphological characterization of Ag-HAP nanocomposite was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The obtained nanoparticles exhibited a great interaction with the HAP matrix, performing an Ag-HAP nanocomposite. Changes in the structure of the Ag-HAP nanocomposite were corroborated by the different characterization techniques. Additionally, a homogeneous distribution of the AgNPs on the HAP structure was observed. The heterogeneous nucleation process employed to doping the HAP, offer a functional route to obtain a green composite with potentials applications in multiple fields, such as tissue engineering, bone repair as well as protein. These properties can be evaluated in subsequent studies.

  8. Competitive adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) ions onto hydroxyapatite-biochar nanocomposite in aqueous solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yu-Ying; Liu, Yu-Xue; Lu, Hao-Hao; Yang, Rui-Qin; Yang, Sheng-Mao

    2018-05-01

    A hydroxyapatite-biochar nanocomposite (HAP-BC) was successfully fabricated and its physicochemical properties characterized. The analyses showed that HAP nanoparticles were successfully loaded on the biochar surface. The adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) by HAP-BC was systematically studied in single and ternary metal systems. The results demonstrated that pH affects the adsorption of heavy metals onto HAP-BC. Regarding the adsorption kinetics, the pseudo-second-order model showed the best fit for all three heavy metal ions on HAP-BC. In both single and ternary metal ion systems, the adsorption isotherm of Pb(II) by HAP-BC followed Langmuir model, while those of Cu(II) and Zn(II) fitted well with Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacity for each tested metal by HAP-BC was higher than that of pristine rice straw biochar (especially for Pb(II)) or those of other reported adsorbents. Therefore, HAP-BC could explore as a new material for future application in heavy metal removal.

  9. Nanoscale hydroxyapatite particles for bone tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Hongjian; Lee, Jaebeom

    2011-07-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAp) exhibits excellent biocompatibility with soft tissues such as skin, muscle and gums, making it an ideal candidate for orthopedic and dental implants or components of implants. Synthetic HAp has been widely used in repair of hard tissues, and common uses include bone repair, bone augmentation, as well as coating of implants or acting as fillers in bone or teeth. However, the low mechanical strength of normal HAp ceramics generally restricts its use to low load-bearing applications. Recent advancements in nanoscience and nanotechnology have reignited investigation of nanoscale HAp formation in order to clearly define the small-scale properties of HAp. It has been suggested that nano-HAp may be an ideal biomaterial due to its good biocompatibility and bone integration ability. HAp biomedical material development has benefited significantly from advancements in nanotechnology. This feature article looks afresh at nano-HAp particles, highlighting the importance of size, crystal morphology control, and composites with other inorganic particles for biomedical material development. Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Hepatitis B virus core protein allosteric modulators can distort and disrupt intact capsids.

    PubMed

    Schlicksup, Christopher John; Wang, Joseph Che-Yen; Francis, Samson; Venkatakrishnan, Balasubramanian; Turner, William W; VanNieuwenhze, Michael; Zlotnick, Adam

    2018-01-29

    Defining mechanisms of direct-acting antivirals facilitates drug development and our understanding of virus function. Heteroaryldihydropyrimidines (HAPs) inappropriately activate assembly of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein (Cp), suppressing formation of virions. We examined a fluorophore-labeled HAP, HAP-TAMRA. HAP-TAMRA induced Cp assembly and also bound pre-assembled capsids. Kinetic and spectroscopic studies imply that HAP-binding sites are usually not available but are bound cooperatively. Using cryo-EM, we observed that HAP-TAMRA asymmetrically deformed capsids, creating a heterogeneous array of sharp angles, flat regions, and outright breaks. To achieve high resolution reconstruction (<4 Å), we introduced a disulfide crosslink that rescued particle symmetry. We deduced that HAP-TAMRA caused quasi-sixfold vertices to become flatter and fivefold more angular. This transition led to asymmetric faceting. That a disordered crosslink could rescue symmetry implies that capsids have tensegrity properties. Capsid distortion and disruption is a new mechanism by which molecules like the HAPs can block HBV infection. © 2017, Schlicksup et al.

  11. Hepatitis B virus core protein allosteric modulators can distort and disrupt intact capsids

    PubMed Central

    Schlicksup, Christopher John; Wang, Joseph Che-Yen; Francis, Samson; Venkatakrishnan, Balasubramanian; Turner, William W; VanNieuwenhze, Michael

    2018-01-01

    Defining mechanisms of direct-acting antivirals facilitates drug development and our understanding of virus function. Heteroaryldihydropyrimidines (HAPs) inappropriately activate assembly of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein (Cp), suppressing formation of virions. We examined a fluorophore-labeled HAP, HAP-TAMRA. HAP-TAMRA induced Cp assembly and also bound pre-assembled capsids. Kinetic and spectroscopic studies imply that HAP-binding sites are usually not available but are bound cooperatively. Using cryo-EM, we observed that HAP-TAMRA asymmetrically deformed capsids, creating a heterogeneous array of sharp angles, flat regions, and outright breaks. To achieve high resolution reconstruction (<4 Å), we introduced a disulfide crosslink that rescued particle symmetry. We deduced that HAP-TAMRA caused quasi-sixfold vertices to become flatter and fivefold more angular. This transition led to asymmetric faceting. That a disordered crosslink could rescue symmetry implies that capsids have tensegrity properties. Capsid distortion and disruption is a new mechanism by which molecules like the HAPs can block HBV infection. PMID:29377794

  12. Trace Element Analysis of Biological Samples.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Veillon, Claude

    1986-01-01

    Reviews background of atomic absorption spectrometry techniques. Discusses problems encountered and precautions to be taken in determining trace elements in the parts-per-billion concentration range and below. Concentrates on determining chromium in biological samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption. Considers other elements, matrices, and…

  13. Trace elements in streambed sediments of small subtropical streams on O'ahu, Hawai'i: Results from the USGS NAWQA program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    De Carlo, E. H.; Tomlinson, M.S.; Anthony, S.S.

    2005-01-01

    Data are presented for trace element concentrations determined in the <63 ??m fraction of streambed sediment samples collected at 24 sites on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Sampling sites were classified as urban, agricultural, mixed (urban/agricultural), or forested based on their dominant land use, although the mixed land use at selected sampling sites consisted of either urban and agricultural or forested and agricultural land uses. Forest dominated sites were used as reference sites for calculating enrichment factors. Trace element concentrations were compared to concentrations from studies conducted in the conterminous United States using identical methods and to aquatic-life guidelines provided by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. A variety of elements including Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn exceeded the aquatic-life guidelines in selected samples. All of the Cr and Zn values and 16 of 24 Cu values exceeded their respective guidelines. The potential toxicity of elements exceeding guidelines, however, should be considered in the context of strong enrichments of selected trace elements attributable to source rocks in Hawai'i, as well as in the context of the abundance of fine-grained sediment in the streambed of O'ahu streams. Statistical methods including cluster analysis, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to evaluate differences and elucidate relationships between trace elements and sites. Overall, trace element distributions and abundances can be correlated to three principal sources of elements. These include basaltic rocks of the volcanic edifice (Fe, Al, Ni, Co, Cr, V and Cu), carbonate/seawater derived elements (Mg, Ca, Na and Sr), and elements enriched owing to anthropogenic activity (P, Sn, Cd, Sn, Ba and Pb). Anthropogenic enrichment gradients were observed for Ba, Cd, Pb, Sn and Zn in the four streams in which sediments were collected upstream and downstream. The findings of this study are generally similar to but differ slightly from previous work on sediments and suspended particulate matter in streams, from two urban watersheds of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Inter-element associations in the latter were often stronger and indicated a mixture of anthropogenic, agricultural and basaltic sources of trace elements. Some elements fell into different statistical categories in the two studies, owing in part to differences in study design and the hydrogeological constraints on the respective study areas.

  14. The occurrence of trace elements in bed sediment collected from areas of varying land use and potential effects on stream macroinvertebrates in the conterminous western United States, Alaska, and Hawaii, 1992-2000

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Paul, Angela P.; Paretti, Nicholas V.; MacCoy, Dorene E.; Brasher, Anne M.D.

    2012-01-01

    As part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey, this study examines the occurrence of nine trace elements in bed sediment of varying mineralogy and land use and assesses the possible effects of these trace elements on aquatic-macroinvertebrate community structure. Samples of bed sediment and macroinvertebrates were collected from 154 streams at sites representative of undeveloped, agricultural, urban, mined, or mixed land-use areas and 12 intermediate-scale ecoregions within the conterminous western United States, Alaska, and Hawaii from 1992 to 2000. The nine trace elements evaluated during this study—arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn)—were selected on the basis of potential ecologic significance and availability of sediment-quality guidelines. At most sites, the occurrence of these trace elements in bed sediment was at concentrations consistent with natural geochemical abundance, and the lowest concentrations were in bed-sediment samples collected from streams in undeveloped and agricultural areas. With the exception of Zn at sampling sites influenced by historic mining-related activities, median concentrations of all nine trace elements in bed sediment collected from sites representative of the five general land-use areas were below concentrations predicted to be harmful to aquatic macroinvertebrates. The highest concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn were in bed sediment collected from mined areas. Median concentrations of Cu and Ni in bed sediment were similarly enriched in areas of mining, urban, and mixed land use. Concentrations of Cr and Ni appear to originate largely from geologic sources, especially in the western coastal states (California, Oregon, and Washington), Alaska, and Hawaii. In these areas, naturally high concentrations of Cr and Ni can exceed concentrations that may adversely affect aquatic macroinvertebrates. Generally, Hg concentrations were below the sediment-quality guideline for this trace element but appeared elevated in urbanized areas and at sites contaminated by historic mining practices. Lastly, although there was no distinctive pattern in Se concentrations with land use, median bed-sediment concentrations were slightly elevated in urbanized areas.Macroinvertebrate community structure was influenced by topographic, geologic, climatic, and in-stream characteristics. To account for inherent distribution patterns resulting from these influences, samples of macroinvertebrates were stratified by ecoregion to assess the influence of trace elements on community structure. Cumulative toxic units (CTUs) were used to evaluate gradients in trace-element concentrations in mixture. Correlation analyses among the trace elements under different land-use conditions indicate that trace-element mixtures vary among bed sediment and can have a marked influence on CTU composition. Macroinvertebrate response to bed-sediment trace-element exposure was evident only at the most highly contaminated sites, notably at sites classified as contaminated by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) as a result of historic mining activities. Results of this study agree with the findings of other studies evaluating trace-element exposure to in-stream macroinvertebrate community structure in that generally lower richness metrics and taxa dominance occur in streams where high trace-element enrichment occurs; however, not all streams in all areas have the same characterizing taxa. In the mountain and xeric ecosystems, the mayfly, Baetis sp.; the Diptera, Simulium sp.; caddisflies in the family Hydropsychiidae; midges in the family Orthocladiinae; and the worms belonging to Turbellaria and Naididae all demonstrated resilience to trace-element exposure and, in some cases, possible changes in physical habitat within stream ecosystems. The taxa characteristics within the Ozark Highland ecoregion were different than other ecoregions as evidenced by generally more diverse mayfly populations. In addition, Baetis sp. was common and dominated many of the mayfly populations found in the Rocky Mountain streams within the Mountain Southern Rockies and Mountain Northern Rockies ecoregions; however, within the Ozark Highland ecoregion, Tricorythodes sp. appeared to be more common than Baetis sp.

  15. Basic nursing care to prevent nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Barbara; Baker, Dian L; Cohen, Shannon; Stewart, Jennifer L; Lima, Christine A; Parise, Carol

    2014-01-01

    Nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) is an underreported and unstudied disease, with potential for measurable outcomes, fiscal savings, and improvement in quality of life. The purpose of our study was to (a) identify the incidence of NV-HAP in a convenience sample of U.S. hospitals and (b) determine the effectiveness of reliably delivered basic oral nursing care in reducing NV-HAP. A descriptive, quasi-experimental study using retrospective comparative outcomes to determine (a) the incidence of NV-HAP and (b) the effectiveness of enhanced basic oral nursing care versus usual care to prevent NV-HAP after introduction of a basic oral nursing care initiative. We used the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Problems (ICD-9) codes for pneumonia not present on admission and verified NV-HAP diagnosis using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention diagnostic criteria. We completed an evidence-based gap analysis and designed a site-specific oral care initiative designed to reduce NV-HAP. The intervention process was guided by the Influencer Model (see Figure) and participatory action research. We found a substantial amount of unreported NV-HAP. After we initiated our oral care protocols, the rate of NV-HAP per 100 patient days decreased from 0.49 to 0.3 (38.8%). The overall number of cases of NV-HAP was reduced by 37% during the 12-month intervention period. The avoidance of NV-HAP cases resulted in an estimated 8 lives saved, $1.72 million cost avoided, and 500 extra hospital days averted. The extra cost for therapeutic oral care equipment was $117,600 during the 12-month intervention period. Cost savings resulting from avoided NV-HAP was $1.72 million. Return on investment for the organization was $1.6 million in avoided costs. NV-HAP should be elevated to the same level of concern, attention, and effort as prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in hospitals. Nursing needs to lead the way in the design and implementation of policies that allow for adequate time, proper oral care supplies, ease of access to supplies, clear procedures, and outcome monitoring ensuring that patients are protected from NV-HAP. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  16. Trace element bias in the use of CO2 vents as analogues for low pH environments: Implications for contamination levels in acidified oceans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vizzini, S.; Di Leonardo, R.; Costa, V.; Tramati, C. D.; Luzzu, F.; Mazzola, A.

    2013-12-01

    Research into the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems has increasingly focused on natural CO2 vents, although their intrinsic environmental complexity means observations from these areas may not relate exclusively to pH gradients. In order to assess trace element levels and distribution in the Levante Bay (Vulcano Island, NE Sicily, Italy) and its suitability for studying biological effects of pH decline, Ba, Fe and trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) in sediment were analysed from 7 transects. Where present, Cymodocea nodosa leaves and epiphytes were also analysed. At the spatial scale of the bay, trace element concentrations in sediments and biota showed wide variability, possibly related to both input from fluid emissions and seawater physico-chemical variables (i.e. pH and Eh), which may considerably affect the solubility and bioavailability of potentially harmful trace elements. According to two pollution indices (MSPI: Marine Sediment Pollution Index and SQG-Q: Sediment Quality Guideline Quotient), the bay can be considered to be affected by low contamination with moderate potential for adverse biological effects, especially in the area between about 150 and 350 m from the primary vent, where localized detrimental effects on biota may occur. Generally, biological samples showed concentrations that were comparable with the lower values of seagrass ranges. The overall results of this study support the complex spatial dynamics of trace elements in the CO2 vent studied, which are constrained by both direct input from the vent and/or biogeochemical processes affecting element precipitation at the sediment-seawater interface. Consequently, great caution should be used when relating biological changes along pH gradients to the unifactorial effect of pH only, as interactions with concurrent, multiple stressors, including trace element enrichments, may occur. This finding has implications for the use of CO2 vents as analogues in ocean acidification research. They should be considered more appropriately as analogues for low pH environments with non-negligible trace element contamination which, in a scenario of continuous increase in anthropogenic pollution, may be very common.

  17. Trace elements in sediments, blue spotted tilapia Oreochromis leucostictus (Trewavas, 1933) and its parasite Contracaecum multipapillatum from Lake Naivasha, Kenya, including a comprehensive health risk analysis.

    PubMed

    Otachi, Elick O; Körner, Wilfried; Avenant-Oldewage, Annemariè; Fellner-Frank, Christine; Jirsa, Franz

    2014-06-01

    This study presents the distribution of 15 major and trace elements in sediments and fish and their pericardial parasites from Lake Naivasha, Kenya. The lake is one of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley and is under strong anthropogenic pressure mainly due to agricultural activities. Its fish provide a valuable protein source for approximately 100,000 people in the area. Fish and their parasites have been acknowledged as indicators of environmental quality due to their accumulation potential for both essential and nonessential trace elements. A total of 34 specimens of the blue spotted tilapia Oreochromis leucostictus and pooled samples of their pericardial parasite, the anisakid nematode Contracaecum multipapillatum (larvae 3), were examined. Element concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). The concentrations of elements in the sediments reflected the geology of the area and did not point to pollution: none of the investigated trace elements, including Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn, showed elevated values. In contrast, concentrations in the fish muscle were elevated for Li, Sr, Cd, and Zn, with high target hazard quotients (THQ > 0.1) indicating a potential health risk to the consumers of this fish. Fish liver showed significantly higher concentrations of the trace elements Fe, Mn, Cd, and Cu compared to the muscle and C. multipapillatum. In the parasite, Zn had the highest concentration, but the worms only minimally accumulated trace elements in relation to their fish host.

  18. Rapid screening of heavy metals and trace elements in environmental samples using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, A comparative study

    PubMed Central

    McComb, Jacqueline Q.; Rogers, Christian; Han, Fengxiang X.; Tchounwou, Paul B.

    2014-01-01

    With industrialization, great amounts of trace elements and heavy metals have been excavated and released on the surface of the earth and dissipated into the environments. Rapid screening technology for detecting major and trace elements as well as heavy metals in variety of environmental samples is most desired. The objectives of this study were to determine the detection limits, accuracy, repeatability and efficiency of a X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (Niton XRF analyzer) in comparison with the traditional analytical methods, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-MS) in screening of major and trace elements of environmental samples including estuary soils and sediments, contaminated soils, and biological samples. XRF is a fast and non-destructive method in measuring the total concentration of multi--elements simultaneously. Contrary to ICP-OES and ICP-MS, XRF analyzer is characterized by the limited preparation required for solid samples, non-destructive analysis, increased total speed and high throughout, the decreased production of hazardous waste and the low running costs as well as multi-elemental determination and portability in the fields. The current comparative study demonstrates that XRF is a good rapid non-destructive method for contaminated soils, sediments and biological samples containing higher concentrations of major and trace elements. Unfortunately, XRF does not have sensitive detection limits of most major and trace elements as ICP-OES or ICP-MS but it may serve as a rapid screening tool for locating hot spots of uncontaminated field soils and sediments. PMID:25861136

  19. Growth and elemental content of two tree species growing on abandoned coal fly ash basins. [Liquidambar styraciflua L. ; Platanus occidentalis

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

    Carlson, C.L.; Adriano, D.C.

    Differences in aboveground tissue concentrations of trace elements were assessed for sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis L.) growing on two abandoned coal fly ash basins and a control soil. The wet basin (pH = 5.58) had originally received precipitator ash in an ash-water slurry, while the dry basin (pH = 8.26) had received both precipitator and bottom ash in dry form. In general, trees from the wet basin exhibited elevated trace element concentrations in comparison to the controls, while the dry basin trees exhibited reduced concentrations. On eof the most striking differenced in elemental concentrations among themore » ash basin and control trees was observed for Mn, with the control trees exhibiting concentrations orders of magnitude greater than the ash basin trees. Differences in foliar trace element concentrations among the sites can generally be explained by differences in substrate trace element concentrations and/or substrate pH. While trees from the wet ash basin generally had the highest trace element concentrations, these trees also attained the greatest height and diameter growth, suggesting that the elevated trace element concentrations in the wet basin substrate are not limiting the establishment of these two species. The greater height and diameter growth of the wet basin trees is presumably a result of the greater water-holding capacity of the substrate on this site. Differences in growth and tissue concentrations between sweetgum and sycamore highlight the importance of using more than one species when assessing metal toxicity or deficiency on a given substrate.« less

  20. Applicability of canisters for sample storage in the determination of hazardous air pollutants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kelly, Thomas J.; Holdren, Michael W.

    This paper evaluates the applicability of canisters for storage of air samples containing volatile organic compounds listed among the 189 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the 1990 U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments. Nearly 100 HAPs have sufficient vapor pressure to be considered volatile compounds. Of those volatile organic HAPs, 52 have been tested previously for stability during storage in canisters. The published HAP stability studies are reviewed, illustrating that for most of the 52 HAPs tested, canisters are an effective sample storage approach. However, the published stability studies used a variety of canister types and test procedures, and generally considered only a few compounds in a very small set of canisters. A comparison of chemical and physical properties of the HAPs has also been conducted, to evaluate the applicability of canister sampling for other HAPs, for which canister stability testing has never been conducted. Of 45 volatile HAPs never tested in canisters, this comparison identifies nine for which canisters should be effective, and 17 for which canisters are not likely to be effective. For the other 19 HAPs, no clear decision can be reached on the likely applicability of air sample storage in canisters.

  1. Purification and Characterization of Hemagglutinating Proteins from Poker-Chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Chin-Fu; Hung, Shao-Wen; Chang, Yung-Chung; Chen, Ming-Hui; Chang, Chen-Hsuan; Tsou, Li-Tse; Tu, Ching-Yu; Lin, Yu-Hsing; Liu, Pan-Chen; Lin, Shiun-Long; Wang, Way-Shyan

    2012-01-01

    Hemagglutinating proteins (HAPs) were purified from Poker-chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria) and Corbicula clam (Corbicula fluminea) using gel-filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 column. The molecular weights of the HAPs obtained from Poker-chip Venus and Corbicula clam were 358 kDa and 380 kDa, respectively. Purified HAP from Poker-chip Venus yielded two subunits with molecular weights of 26 kDa and 29 kDa. However, only one HAP subunit was purified from Corbicula clam, and its molecular weight was 32 kDa. The two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed hemagglutinating ability (HAA) for erythrocytes of some vertebrate animal species, especially tilapia. Moreover, HAA of the HAP purified from Poker-chip Venus was higher than that of the HAP of Corbicula clam. Furthermore, Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA at a pH higher than 7.0. When the temperature was at 4°C–10°C or the salinity was less than 0.5‰, the two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA compared with that of Corbicula clam. PMID:22666167

  2. Use of a crossed high alcohol preferring (cHAP) mouse model with the NIAAA-model of chronic-binge ethanol intake to study liver injury.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Kyle J; Nazari, Shayan S; Jacobs, W Carl; Grahame, Nicholas J; McKillop, Iain H

    2017-11-01

    This study sought to compare mice bred to preferentially consume high amounts of alcohol (crossed-high alcohol preferring, cHAP) to c57BL/6 (C57) mice using a chronic-binge ethanol ingestion model to induce alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Male C57 and cHAP mice were randomized to a Lieber-DeCarli control (LDC) diet, Lieber-DeCarli 5% (v/v) ethanol (LDE) diet or free-choice between 10% (v/v) ethanol in drinking water (EtOH-DW) and DW. After 4 weeks mice were gavaged with either 9 g/kg maltose-dextrin (LDC+MD) or 5 g/kg EtOH (LDE+Binge, EtOH-DW+Binge). Nine hours later tissue and serum were collected and analyzed. cHAP mice on EtOH-DW consumed significantly more ethanol than cHAP or C57 mice maintained on LDE. However, cHAP and C57 mice on the LDE+Binge regiment had greater hepatosteatosis and overall degree of liver injury compared to EtOH-DW+Binge. Changes in pro-inflammatory gene expression was more pronounced in cHAP mice than C57 mice. Analysis of liver enzymes revealed a robust induction of CYP2E1 in C57 and cHAP mice maintained on EtOH-DW+Binge or LDE+Binge. However, while C57 mice exhibited higher basal hepatic glutathione than cHAP mice, these mice appeared more susceptible to oxidative stress following LDE+Binge than cHAP counterparts. Despite cHAP mice consuming more total ethanol prior to gavage when maintained on EtOH-DW, LDE followed by gavage created a more severe model of ALD in both C57 and cHAP mice. These data suggest factors other than total amount of alcohol consumed affect degree of ALD development in the chronic-binge model in cHAP mice. cHAP mice voluntarily consume high amounts of ethanol and exhibited hepatic injury when subject to chronic-binge ethanol feeding with the Lieber-DeCarli diet. However, hepatic injury was reduced in cHAP mice in a chronic-binge model following voluntary high ethanol consumption in drinking water. © The Author 2017. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

  3. Chemometric evaluation of concentrations of trace elements in intervertebral disc tissue in patient with degenerative disc disease.

    PubMed

    Kubaszewski, Łukasz; Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Gasik, Zuzanna; Frankowski, Marcin; Dąbrowski, Mikołaj; Molisak, Bartłomiej; Kaczmarczyk, Jacek; Gasik, Robert

    2017-12-23

    The work is designed to uncover the pattern of mutual relation among trace elements and epidemiological data in the degenerated intervertebral disk tissue in humans. Hitherto the reason of the degenerative process is not fully understood. Trace elements are the basic components of the biological compound related both its metabolism as well as environmental exposure. The relation pattern among elements occurs gives new perspective in solving the cause of the disease. We have analysed trace elements content in the 30 intervertebral disc from 22 patients with degenerative disc disease. The concentrations of Al, Cu, Cd, Mo, Ni and Pb were determined with Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. To analyse the multidimentional relation between trace element concentration and epidemiological data the chemometric analysis was applied. The similarity have been shown in occurrence of following pairs: Cd-Mo as well as Mg-Zn. The second pair was correlated with Pb concentration. Pb levels are observed to be competitive to Cu concentration. Cd concentration was related to Zn and Mg deficiency. No single but rather cluster of epidemiological data show observable influence on the TE tissue variance. Zn and Cu was related to the male sex. Operation with orthopedic implants were related to combined Al, Mo and Zn concentration. This is the first chemometric analysis of trace elements in disk tissue. It shows multidimentional relations that are missed by the classical statistic. The analysis shows significant relation. The nature of the relations is the basis for further metabolic and environmental research.

  4. Australasian Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines for supplementation of trace elements during parenteral nutrition.

    PubMed

    Osland, Emma J; Ali, Azmat; Isenring, Elizabeth; Ball, Patrick; Davis, Melvyn; Gillanders, Lyn

    2014-01-01

    This work represents the first part of a progressive review of AuSPEN's 1999 Guidelines for Provision of Micronutrient Supplementation in Adult Patients receiving Parenteral Nutrition, in recognition of the developments in the literature on this topic since that time. A systematic literature review was undertaken and recommendations were made based on the available evidence and with consideration to specific elements of the Australian and New Zealand practice environment. The strength of evidence underpinning each recommendation was assessed. External reviewers provided feedback on the guidelines using the AGREE II tool. Reduced doses of manganese, copper, chromium and molybdenum, and an increased dose of selenium are recommended when compared with the 1999 guidelines. Currently the composition of available multi-trace element formulations is recognised as an obstacle to aligning these guidelines with practice. A paucity of available literature and limitations with currently available methods of monitoring trace element status are acknowledged. The currently unknown clinical impact of changes to trace element contamination of parenteral solutions with contemporary practices highlights need for research and clinical vigilance in this area of nutrition support practice. Trace elements are essential and should be provided daily to patients receiving parenteral nutrition. Monitoring is generally only required in longer term parenteral nutrition, however should be determined on an individual basis. Industry is encouraged to modify existing multi-trace element solutions available in Australia and New Zealand to reflect changes in the literature outlined in these guidelines. Areas requiring research are highlighted.

  5. Feasibility of the detection of trace elements in particulate matter using online High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

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

    Salcedo, D.; Laskin, Alexander; Shutthanandan, V.

    The feasibility of using an online thermal-desorption electron-ionization high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) for the detection of particulate trace elements was investigated analyzing data from Mexico City obtained during the MILAGRO 2006 field campaign, where relatively high concentrations of trace elements have been reported. This potential application is of interest due to the real-time data provided by the AMS, its high sensitivity and time resolution, and the widespread availability and use of this instrument. High resolution mass spectral analysis, isotopic ratios, and ratios of different ions containing the same elements are used to constrain the chemical identity of the measuredmore » ions. The detection of Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sn, and Sb is reported. There was no convincing evidence for the detection of other trace elements commonly reported in PM. The elements detected tend to be those with lower melting and boiling points, as expected given the use of a vaporizer at 600oC in this instrument. Operation of the AMS vaporizer at higher temperatures is likely to improve trace element detection. The detection limit is estimated at approximately 0.3 ng m-3 for 5-min of data averaging. Concentration time series obtained from the AMS data were compared to concentration records determined from offline analysis of particle samples from the same times and locations by ICP (PM2.5) and PIXE (PM1.1 and PM0.3). The degree of correlation and agreement between the three instruments (AMS, ICP, and PIXE) varied depending on the element. The AMS shows promise for real-time detection of some trace elements, although additional work including laboratory calibrations with different chemical forms of these elements are needed to further develop this technique and to understand the differences with the ambient data from the other techniques. The trace elements peaked in the morning as expected for primary sources, and the many detected plumes suggest the presence of multiple point sources, probably industrial, in Mexico City which are variable in time and space, in agreement with previous studies.« less

  6. Optimizing detector geometry for trace element mapping by X-ray fluorescence.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yue; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Jacobsen, Chris; Kirz, Janos; Vogt, Stefan

    2015-05-01

    Trace metals play critical roles in a variety of systems, ranging from cells to photovoltaics. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy using X-ray excitation provides one of the highest sensitivities available for imaging the distribution of trace metals at sub-100 nm resolution. With the growing availability and increasing performance of synchrotron light source based instruments and X-ray nanofocusing optics, and with improvements in energy-dispersive XRF detectors, what are the factors that limit trace element detectability? To address this question, we describe an analytical model for the total signal incident on XRF detectors with various geometries, including the spectral response of energy dispersive detectors. This model agrees well with experimentally recorded X-ray fluorescence spectra, and involves much shorter calculation times than with Monte Carlo simulations. With such a model, one can estimate the signal when a trace element is illuminated with an X-ray beam, and when just the surrounding non-fluorescent material is illuminated. From this signal difference, a contrast parameter can be calculated and this can in turn be used to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for detecting a certain elemental concentration. We apply this model to the detection of trace amounts of zinc in biological materials, and to the detection of small quantities of arsenic in semiconductors. We conclude that increased detector collection solid angle is (nearly) always advantageous even when considering the scattered signal. However, given the choice between a smaller detector at 90° to the beam versus a larger detector at 180° (in a backscatter-like geometry), the 90° detector is better for trace element detection in thick samples, while the larger detector in 180° geometry is better suited to trace element detection in thin samples. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Optimizing detector geometry for trace element mapping by X-ray fluorescence

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Yue; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Jacobsen, Chris; Kirz, Janos; Vogt, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Trace metals play critical roles in a variety of systems, ranging from cells to photovoltaics. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy using X-ray excitation provides one of the highest sensitivities available for imaging the distribution of trace metals at sub-100 nm resolution. With the growing availability and increasing performance of synchrotron light source based instruments and X-ray nanofocusing optics, and with improvements in energy-dispersive XRF detectors, what are the factors that limit trace element detectability? To address this question, we describe an analytical model for the total signal incident on XRF detectors with various geometries, including the spectral response of energy dispersive detectors. This model agrees well with experimentally recorded X-ray fluorescence spectra, and involves much shorter calculation times than with Monte Carlo simulations. With such a model, one can estimate the signal when a trace element is illuminated with an X-ray beam, and when just the surrounding non-fluorescent material is illuminated. From this signal difference, a contrast parameter can be calculated and this can in turn be used to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for detecting a certain elemental concentration. We apply this model to the detection of trace amounts of zinc in biological materials, and to the detection of small quantities of arsenic in semiconductors. We conclude that increased detector collection solid angle is (nearly) always advantageous even when considering the scattered signal. However, given the choice between a smaller detector at 90° to the beam versus a larger detector at 180° (in a backscatter-like geometry), the 90° detector is better for trace element detection in thick samples, while the larger detector in 180° geometry is better suited to trace element detection in thin samples. PMID:25600825

  8. Optimizing detector geometry for trace element mapping by X-ray fluorescence

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

    Sun, Yue; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Jacobsen, Chris

    Trace metals play critical roles in a variety of systems, ranging from cells to photovoltaics. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) microscopy using X-ray excitation provides one of the highest sensitivities available for imaging the distribution of trace metals at sub-100 nm resolution. With the growing availability and increasing performance of synchrotron light source based instruments and X-ray nanofocusing optics, and with improvements in energy-dispersive XRF detectors, what are the factors that limit trace element detectability? To address this question, we describe an analytical model for the total signal incident on XRF detectors with various geometries, including the spectral response of energy dispersivemore » detectors. This model agrees well with experimentally recorded X-ray fluorescence spectra, and involves much shorter calculation times than with Monte Carlo simulations. With such a model, one can estimate the signal when a trace element is illuminated with an X-ray beam, and when just the surrounding non-fluorescent material is illuminated. From this signal difference, a contrast parameter can be calculated and this can in turn be used to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for detecting a certain elemental concentration. We apply this model to the detection of trace amounts of zinc in biological materials, and to the detection of small quantities of arsenic in semiconductors. We conclude that increased detector collection solid angle is (nearly) always advantageous even when considering the scattered signal. However, given the choice between a smaller detector at 90° to the beam versus a larger detector at 180° (in a backscatter-like geometry), the 90° detector is better for trace element detection in thick samples, while the larger detector in 180° geometry is better suited to trace element detection in thin samples.« less

  9. 24 CFR 982.607 - Congregate housing: Lease and HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Congregate housing: Lease and HAP... Types Congregate Housing § 982.607 Congregate housing: Lease and HAP contract. For congregate housing, there is a separate lease and HAP contract for each assisted family. ...

  10. Concentration of trace elements on branded cigarette in Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azman, Muhammad Azfar; Yasir, Muhamad Samudi; Rahman, Irman Abdul; Hamzah, Suhaimi; Rahman, Shamsiah Abdul; Elias, Md Suhaimi; Abdullah, Nazaratul Ashifa; Hashim, Azian; Shukor, Shakirah Abd

    2016-01-01

    Tobacco is a plant that is used as a recreational drug since the beginning of its use by the Native Americans. Now with the development of the tobacco industry, smoking has become a norm for the public in Malaysia. Trace elements in plants are mostly due to the uptake processes from the soils into the roots of the plants. The concentration of the elements may also be influenced by the elements contained in the water and also fertilizers. This paper aim to analyze the concentration of the trace elements contained in the branded cigarettes sold in Malaysia by utilizing the neutron activation analysis. The tobaccos were taken out from the cigarettes. The collected samples were air dried and passed through 2 mm sieve. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) has been used for the determination of trace elements. Samples were activated in the Nuclear Malaysia Triga Mark II reactor with a neutron flux of 2.0 x 1012 n cm-2 s-1. The samples then were analyzed using ORTEC Gamma Spectrometer a co-axial n-type HPGe detector with resolution of 2.0 keV at 1332 keV and relative efficiency of 20%. The data obtained could help in assessing the concentration of the trace elements that complying with the standard limitation dose proposed by World Health Organization (WHO).

  11. Horizontal and vertical variability of soil properties in a trace element contaminated area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burgos, Pilar; Madejón, Engracia; Pérez-de-Mora, Alfredo; Cabrera, Francisco

    2008-02-01

    The spatial distribution of some soil chemical properties and trace element contents of a plot affected by the Aznalcóllar mine spill were investigated using statistical and geostatistical methods to assess the extent of soil contamination. Total and EDTA-extractable soil trace element concentrations and total S content showed great variability and high coefficients of variation in the three examined depths. Soil in the plot was found to be significantly contaminated by As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn within a wide range of pH. Total trace element concentrations at all depths (0-60 cm) were much higher than background values of non-affected soil, indicating that despite the clean-up operations, the concentration of trace elements in the experimental plot was still high. The spatial distribution of the different variables was estimated by kriging to design contour maps. These maps allowed the identification of specific zones with high metal concentrations and low pH values corresponding to spots of residual sludge. Moreover, kriged maps showed distinct spatial distribution and hence different behaviour for the elements considered. This information may be applied to optimise remediation strategies in highly and moderately contaminated areas.

  12. Geochemistry of zircons from basic rocks of the Korosten anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite complex, north-western region of the Ukrainian Shield

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shumlyanskyy, Leonid; Belousova, Elena; Petrenko, Oksana

    2017-09-01

    The concentrations of 26 trace elements have been determined by laser ablation ICP-MS in zircons from four samples of basic rocks of the Korosten anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite plutonic complex, the Ukrainian Shield. Zircons from the Fedorivka and Torchyn gabbroic intrusions and Volynsky anorthosite massif have distinctive abundances of many trace elements (REE, Sr, Y, Mn, Th). Zircons from the gabbroic massifs are unusually enriched in trace elements, while zircons from pegmatites in anorthosite are relatively depleted in trace elements. High concentrations of trace elements in zircons from gabbroic intrusions can be explained by their crystallization from residual interstitial melts enriched in incompatible elements. The zircons studied demonstrate a wide range of Ti concentrations, which reflects their temperature of crystallization: the zircons most enriched in Ti, from mafic pegmatites of the Horbuliv quarry (20-40 ppm), have the highest temperature of crystallization (845 ± 40 °C). Lower (720-770 °C) temperatures of zircon crystallization in gabbroic rocks are explained by its crystallization from the latest portions of the interstitial melt or by simultaneous crystallization of ilmenite. The Ce anomaly in zircons correlates with the degree of oxidation of the coexisting ilmenite.

  13. Ion microprobe mass analysis of plagioclase from 'non-mare' lunar samples

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meyer, C., Jr.; Anderson, D. H.; Bradley, J. G.

    1974-01-01

    The ion microprobe was used to measure the composition and distribution of trace elements in lunar plagioclase, and these analyses are used as criteria in determining the possible origins of some nonmare lunar samples. The Apollo 16 samples with metaclastic texture and high-bulk trace-element contents contain plagioclase clasts with extremely low trace-element contents. These plagioclase inclusions represent unequilibrated relicts of anorthositic, noritic, or troctolitic rocks that have been intermixed as a rock flour into the KREEP-rich matrix of these samples. All of the plagioclase-rich inclusions which were analyzed in the KREEP-rich Apollo 14 breccias were found to be rich in trace elements. This does not seem to be consistent with the interpretation that the Apollo 14 samples represent a pre-Imbrium regolith, because such an ancient regolith should have contained many plagioclase clasts with low trace-element contents more typical of plagioclase from the pre-Imbrium crust. Ion-microprobe analyses for Ba and Sr in large plagioclase phenocrysts in 14310 and 68415 are consistent with the bulk compositions of these rocks and with the known distribution coefficients for these elements. The distribution coefficient for Li (basaltic liquid/plagioclase) was measured to be about 2.

  14. Trace elemental analysis of bituminuos coals using the Heidelberg proton microprobe

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chen, J.R.; Kneis, H.; Martin, B.; Nobiling, R.; Traxel, K.; Chao, E.C.T.; Minkin, J.A.

    1981-01-01

    Trace elements in coal can occur as components of either the organic constituents (macerals) or the inorganic constituents (minerals). Studies of the concentrations and distribution of the trace elements are vital to understanding the geochemical millieu in which the coal was formed and in evaluating the attempts to recover rare but technologically valuable metals. In addition, information on the trace element concentrations is important in predicting the environmental impact of burning particular coals, as many countries move toward greater utilization of coal reserves for energy production. Traditionally, the optical and the electron microscopes and more recently the electron microprobe have been used in studying the components of coal. The proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) microprobe offers a new complementary approach with an order of magnitude or more better minimum detection limit. We present the first measurements with a PIXE microprobe of the trace element concentrations of bituminous coal samples. Elemental analyses of the coal macerals-vitrinite, exinite, and inertinite-are discussed for three coal samples from the Eastern U.S.A., three samples from the Western U.S.A., and one sample from the Peoples Republic of China. ?? 1981.

  15. Modified Fe3O4- hydroxyapatite nanocomposites as heterogeneous catalysts in three UV, Vis and Fenton like degradation systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Valizadeh, S.; Rasoulifard, M. H.; Dorraji, M. S. Seyed

    2014-11-01

    The magnetite-hydroxyapatite (M-HAP) nanocomposites were prepared by a chemical co- precipitation procedure and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The ability of the synthesized catalyst for photocatalytic degradation of Acid Blue 25 (AB25), as an organic dye, under UV irradiation was studied. The catalyst was modified employing transition metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) trying to improve the catalytic performance of HAP in absence of UV irradiation and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide i.e. a Fenton like reaction. The best results obtained for Cu and Co modified M-HAPs and the effect of operational parameters such pH, amount of catalyst and hydrogen peroxide concentration was studied. In order to investigate the performance of HAP based photocatalyst in visible light region, M-HAP was modified with silver ions. At the end, Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic expression used to evaluate and compare the catalytic systems. The strongest degradation activity was observed for Ag-M-HAP/Vis system because of Ag3PO4 formation. Apparent reaction rate constant (Kapp) by Ag-M-HAP/Vis was 63, 36 and 19 times faster than Cu-M-HAP(II)/H2O2, Co-M-HAP(II)/H2O2 and M-HAP (I)/UV systems, respectively.

  16. Physicochemical properties of nanocomposite: Hydroxyapatite in reduced graphene oxide.

    PubMed

    Rajesh, A; Mangamma, G; Sairam, T N; Subramanian, S; Kalavathi, S; Kamruddin, M; Dash, S

    2017-07-01

    Graphene oxide (GO) based nanocomposites have gained considerable attention in the field of material science due to their excellent physicochemical and biological properties. Incorporation of nanomaterials into GO sheets prevents the formation of π-π stacking bond thereby giving rise to composites that show the improved properties compared to their individual counterparts. In this work, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) - hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanocomposites were synthesized by ultrasonic method. Increasing the c/a ratio of HAP in the diffraction pattern of rGO/HAP nanocomposites indicates the c-axis oriented grown HAP nanorods interacting with rGO layers. Shift in wavenumber (15cm -1 ) and increase of full width at half maximum (45cm -1 ) of G band in Raman spectra of the rGO/HAP nanocomposites are observed and attributed to the tensile strain induced due to the intercalated HAP nanorods between the rGO layers. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and phase imaging studies revealed the intercalation of HAP nanorod with diameter 30nm and length 110-120nm in rGO sheets was clearly perceived along with improved elasticity compared to pristine HAP. 13 C-NMR results proved the synergistic interaction between both components in rGO/HAP nanocomposite. The novel properties observed and the microscopic mechanism responsible for this are a result of the structural modification in rGO layers brought about by the intercalation of HAP nanorods. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Structural Determinants of Autoproteolysis of the Haemophilus influenzae Hap Autotransporter▿

    PubMed Central

    Kenjale, Roma; Meng, Guoyu; Fink, Doran L.; Juehne, Twyla; Ohashi, Tomoo; Erickson, Harold P.; Waksman, Gabriel; St. Geme, Joseph W.

    2009-01-01

    Haemophilus influenzae is a gram-negative bacterium that initiates infection by colonizing the upper respiratory tract. The H. influenzae Hap autotransporter protein mediates adherence, invasion, and microcolony formation in assays with respiratory epithelial cells and presumably facilitates colonization. The serine protease activity of Hap is associated with autoproteolytic cleavage and extracellular release of the HapS passenger domain, leaving the Hapβ C-terminal domain embedded in the outer membrane. Cleavage occurs most efficiently at the LN1036-37 peptide bond and to a lesser extent at three other sites. In this study, we utilized site-directed mutagenesis, homology modeling, and assays with a peptide library to characterize the structural determinants of Hap proteolytic activity and cleavage specificity. In addition, we used homology modeling to predict the S1, S2, and S4 subsite residues of the Hap substrate groove. Our results indicate that the P1 and P2 positions at the Hap cleavage sites are critical for cleavage, with leucine preferred over larger hydrophobic residues or other amino acids in these positions. The substrate groove is formed by L263 and N274 at the S1 subsite, R264 at the S2 subsite, and E265 at the S4 subsite. This information may facilitate design of approaches to block Hap activity and interfere with H. influenzae colonization. PMID:19687208

  18. A human health assessment of hazardous air pollutants in Portland, OR.

    PubMed

    Tam, B N; Neumann, C M

    2004-11-01

    Ambient air samples collected from five monitoring sites in Portland, OR during July 1999 to August 2000 were analyzed for 43 hazardous air pollutants (HAP). HAP concentrations were compared to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic benchmark levels. Carcinogenic benchmark concentrations were set at a risk level of one-in-one-million (1x10(-6)). Hazard ratios of 1.0 were used when comparing HAP concentrations to non-carcinogenic benchmarks. Emission sources (point, area, and mobile) were identified and a cumulative cancer risk and total hazard index were calculated for HAPs exceeding these health benchmark levels. Seventeen HAPs exceeded a cancer risk level of 1x10(-6) at all five monitoring sites. Nineteen HAPs exceeded this level at one or more site. Carbon tetrachloride, 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane contributed more than 50% to the upper-bound lifetime cumulative cancer risk of 2.47x10(-4). Acrolein was the only non-carcinogenic HAP with hazard ratios that exceeded 1.0 at all five sites. Mobile sources contributed the greatest percentage (68%) of HAP emissions. Additional monitoring and health assessments for HAPs in Portland, OR are warranted, including addressing issues that may have overestimated or underestimated risks in this study. Abatement strategies for HAPs that exceeded health benchmarks should be implemented to reduce potential adverse health risks.

  19. Biophysicochemical evaluation of chitosan-hydroxyapatite-marine sponge collagen composite for bone tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Pallela, Ramjee; Venkatesan, Jayachandran; Janapala, Venkateswara Rao; Kim, Se-Kwon

    2012-02-01

    Tricomponent scaffold systems prepared by natural materials especially of marine origin are gaining much attention nowadays for the application in bone tissue engineering. A novel scaffold (Chi-HAp-MSCol) containing chitosan (Chi), hydroxyapatite (HAp) derived from Thunnus obesus bone and marine sponge (Ircinia fusca) collagen (MSCol) was prepared using freeze-drying and lyophilization method. This biomimetic scaffold, along with the Chi and Chi-HAp scaffolds were characterized biophysicochemically for their comparative significance in bone grafting applications. The structural composition of the chitosan, Chi-Hap, and Chi-HAp-MSCol scaffolds were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The porosity, water uptake, and retention abilities of the composite scaffolds decreased, whereas Thermogravimetric and Differential Thermal Analyses results revealed the increase in thermal stability in the scaffold because of the highly stable HAp and MSCol. Homogeneous dispersion of HAp and MSCol in chitosan matrix with interconnected porosity of 60-180 μm (Chi-HAp) and 50-170 μm (Chi-HAp-MSCol) was observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and optical microscopy. Cell proliferation in composite scaffolds was relatively higher than pure chitosan when observed by MTT assay and Hoechst staining in vitro using MG-63 cell line. These observations suggest that the novel Chi-HAp-MSCol composite scaffolds are promising biomaterials for matrix-based bone repair and bone augmentation. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Spatial and temporal variability of trace element concentrations in an urban subtropical watershed, Honolulu, Hawaii

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heinen, De Carlo E.; Anthony, S.S.

    2002-01-01

    Trace metal concentrations in soils and in stream and estuarine sediments from a subtropical urban watershed in Hawaii are presented. The results are placed in the context of historical studies of environmental quality (water, soils, and sediment) in Hawaii to elucidate sources of trace elements and the processes responsible for their distribution. This work builds on earlier studies on sediments of Ala Wai Canal of urban Honolulu by examining spatial and temporal variations in the trace elements throughout the watershed. Natural processes and anthropogenic activity in urban Honolulu contribute to spatial and temporal variations of trace element concentrations throughout the watershed. Enrichment of trace elements in watershed soils result, in some cases, from contributions attributed to the weathering of volcanic rocks, as well as to a more variable anthropogenic input that reflects changes in land use in Honolulu. Varying concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in sediments reflect about 60 a of anthropogenic activity in Honolulu. Land use has a strong impact on the spatial distribution and abundance of selected trace elements in soils and stream sediments. As noted in continental US settings, the phasing out of Pb-alkyl fuel additives has decreased Pb inputs to recently deposited estuarine sediments. Yet, a substantial historical anthropogenic Pb inventory remains in soils of the watershed and erosion of surface soils continues to contribute to its enrichment in estuarine sediments. Concentrations of other elements (e.g., Cu, Zn, Cd), however, have not decreased with time, suggesting continued active inputs. Concentrations of Ba, Co, Cr, Ni, V and U, although elevated in some cases, typically reflect greater proportions attributed to natural sources rather than anthropogenic input. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Potential role of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma activation on serum visfatin and trace elements in high fat diet induced type 2 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Tabassum, Arshia; Zaidi, Syeda Nuzhat Fatima; Yasmeen, Kausar; Mahboob, Tabassum

    2018-07-15

    Electrolytes and trace elements dysregulation play an important role in the progression of obesity and diabetes complications. The present study was designed to evaluate the insulin sensitizing effects of peroxisomes proliferators activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist on trace elements in obesity induced type 2 diabetes mellitus and correlate with serum visfatin. Wistar rats were categorized into five groups. Group I served as control; Group II fed on high fat diet (HFD); Group III fed on HFD and treated with rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg) for 7 days; Group IV were T2DM rats induce by HFD and low dose of streptozotocin (i.p. 35 mg/kg); Group V was T2DM rats treated with rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg) for 7 days. Serum and tissues electrolytes levels and renal, hepatic and cardiac tissues trace elements were estimated by flame photometer and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Serum visfatin was estimated by ELISA. Pearson correlations were analyzed among fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum visfatin and tissues trace elements. Results of the current study showed hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hypomagnesemia and hypercalcemia in HFD and T2DM groups. HFD and T2DM also showed elevated copper and iron levels; however, zinc and selenium levels were decreased. Rosiglitazone treatment increased the insulin sensitization and altered these changes. A Strong association was observed among FBG, serum visfatin and trace elements levels of HFD and T2DM. Obesity and diabetes mellitus disturbed visfatin, electrolytes and trace elements homeostasis. Rosiglitazone treatment restored these changes. The results of the study could serve as a basis for further studies for the prevention of diabetic complications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Major and trace elements in igneous rocks from Apollo 15.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Helmke, P. A.; Blanchard, D. P.; Haskin, L. A.; Telander, K.; Weiss, C.; Jacobs, J. W.

    1973-01-01

    The concentrations of major and trace elements have been determined in igneous rocks from Apollo 15. All materials analyzed have typical depletions of Eu except for minerals separated from sample 15085. Four samples have concentrations of trace elements that are similar to those of KREEP. The samples of mare basalt from Apollo 15 have higher concentrations of FeO, MgO, Mn, and Cr and lower concentrations of CaO, Na2O, K2O, and rare-earth elements (REE) as compared to the samples of mare basalt from Apollos 11, 12, and 14. The samples can be divided into two groups on the basis of their normative compositions. One group is quartz normative and has low concentrations of FeO while the other is olivine normative and has high concentrations of FeO. The trace element data indicate that the samples of olivine normative basalt could be from different portions of a single lava flow.

  3. 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.

  4. Trace elements study of high purity nanocrystalline silicon carbide (3C-SiC) using k0-INAA method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huseynov, Elchin; Jazbec, Anze

    2017-07-01

    Silicon carbide (3C-SiC) nanoparticles have been irradiated by neutron flux (2×1013 n·cm-2·s-1) at TRIGA Mark II type research reactor. After neutron irradiation, the radioisotopes of trace elements in the nanocrystalline 3C-SiC were studied as time functions. The identification of isotopes which significantly increased the activity of the samples as a result of neutron radiation was carried out. Nanocrystalline 3C-SiC are synthesized by standard laser technique and the purity of samples was determined by the k0-based Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (k0-INAA) method. Trace elements concentration in the 3C-SiC nanoparticles were determined by the radionuclides of appropriate elements. The trace element isotopes concentration have been calculated in percentage according to k0-INAA method.

  5. Concentrations of selected trace elements in mineral and spring bottled waters on the Serbian market.

    PubMed

    Ristić, M; Popović, I; Pocajt, V; Antanasijević, D; Perić-Grujić, A

    2011-01-01

    Eight selected trace elements, which are generally included in regulations, were analyzed in 23 types of bottled waters. Ten mineral and seven spring bottled waters were from the Serbian market and six mineral bottled waters were obtained in different EU countries. For the purpose of comparison, selected tap waters were also analyzed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for the analysis of trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead and antimony). Results were compared with the Serbian regulations for bottled water, EU regulations and guideline values set by the World Health Organization for drinking water. With few exceptions, the trace element levels of most bottled waters were below the guideline values. However, a higher content of antimony was observed in waters from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers, indicating a potential leaching of this element from the plastic packaging.

  6. Information Summary, Area of Concern: Grand Calumet River, Indiana

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-03-01

    Indiana Harbor and Adjacent Lake Michigan (Source Rl, Table 4) 10 Concentrations of 26 Major, Minor and Trace Elements in Sediments from Indiana Harbor...2 Dec 84 (Source R39, Table 2) 68 Concentrations of Major, Minor , and Trace Elements in Fish and Crayfish from Indiana Harbor and Adjacent Lake...Table 21b) 71 Catch per Unit Effort in Crayfish Traps (Source Rl, Table 21c) 72 Concentratiors of Major, Minor , and Trace Elements in Periphyton and

  7. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) as Sentinels of Trace Element Contamination and Physiological Effects of Exposure to Coal Fly Ash

    DOE PAGES

    Hernandez, Felipe; Oldenkamp, Ricki E.; Webster, Sarah; ...

    2016-12-08

    Anthropogenic pollutants disrupt global biodiversity, and terrestrial sentinels of pollution can provide a warning system for ecosystem-wide contamination. This study sought to assess whether raccoons (Procyon lotor) are sentinels of local exposure to trace element contaminants at a coal fly ash site and whether exposure resulted in health impairment or changes in the intestinal helminth communities. We compared trace element accumulation and the impact on health responses and intestinal helminth communities of raccoons inhabiting contaminated and reference sites of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (South Carolina, USA). Data on morphometry, hematology, histopathology, helminth community and abundance, andmore » liver trace element burdens were collected from 15 raccoons captured adjacent to a coal fly ash basin and 11 raccoons from a comparable uncontaminated site nearby. Of eight trace elements analyzed, Cu, As, Se, and Pb were elevated in raccoons from the contaminated site. Raccoons from the contaminated site harbored higher helminth abundance than animals from the reference site and that abundance was positively associated with increased Cu concentrations. While we found changes in hematology associated with increased Se exposure, we did not find physiological or histological changes associated with higher levels of contaminants. Our results suggest that raccoons and their intestinal helminths act as sentinels of trace elements in the environment associated with coal fly ash contamination.« less

  8. Seasonal Cyclicity in Trace Elements and Stable Isotopes of Modern Horse Enamel.

    PubMed

    de Winter, Niels J; Snoeck, Christophe; Claeys, Philippe

    2016-01-01

    The study of stable isotopes in fossil bioapatite has yielded useful results and has shown that bioapatites are able to faithfully record paleo-environmental and paleo-climatic parameters from archeological to geological timescales. In an effort to establish new proxies for the study of bioapatites, intra-tooth records of enamel carbonate stable isotope ratios from a modern horse are compared with trace element profiles measured using laboratory micro X-Ray Fluorescence scanning. Using known patterns of tooth eruption and the relationship between stable oxygen isotopes and local temperature seasonality, an age model is constructed that links records from six cheek upper right teeth from the second premolar to the third molar. When plotted on this age model, the trace element ratios from horse tooth enamel show a seasonal pattern with a small shift in phase compared to stable oxygen isotope ratios. While stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in tooth enamel are forced respectively by the state of the hydrological cycle and the animal's diet, we argue that the seasonal signal in trace elements reflects seasonal changes in dust intake and diet of the animal. The latter explanation is in agreement with seasonal changes observed in carbon isotopes of the same teeth. This external forcing of trace element composition in mammal tooth enamel implies that trace element ratios may be used as proxies for seasonal changes in paleo-environment and paleo-diet.

  9. Seasonal Cyclicity in Trace Elements and Stable Isotopes of Modern Horse Enamel

    PubMed Central

    Snoeck, Christophe; Claeys, Philippe

    2016-01-01

    The study of stable isotopes in fossil bioapatite has yielded useful results and has shown that bioapatites are able to faithfully record paleo-environmental and paleo-climatic parameters from archeological to geological timescales. In an effort to establish new proxies for the study of bioapatites, intra-tooth records of enamel carbonate stable isotope ratios from a modern horse are compared with trace element profiles measured using laboratory micro X-Ray Fluorescence scanning. Using known patterns of tooth eruption and the relationship between stable oxygen isotopes and local temperature seasonality, an age model is constructed that links records from six cheek upper right teeth from the second premolar to the third molar. When plotted on this age model, the trace element ratios from horse tooth enamel show a seasonal pattern with a small shift in phase compared to stable oxygen isotope ratios. While stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in tooth enamel are forced respectively by the state of the hydrological cycle and the animal’s diet, we argue that the seasonal signal in trace elements reflects seasonal changes in dust intake and diet of the animal. The latter explanation is in agreement with seasonal changes observed in carbon isotopes of the same teeth. This external forcing of trace element composition in mammal tooth enamel implies that trace element ratios may be used as proxies for seasonal changes in paleo-environment and paleo-diet. PMID:27875538

  10. Connecting pigment composition and dissolved trace elements to phytoplankton population in the southern Benguela Upwelling zone (St. Helena Bay)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Das, Supriyo Kumar; Routh, Joyanto; Roychoudhury, Alakendra N.; Veldhuis, Marcel J. W.; Ismail, Hassan E.

    2017-12-01

    Rich in upwelled nutrients, the Southern Benguela is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world ocean. However, despite its ecological significance the role of trace elements influencing phytoplankton population in the Southern Benguela Upwelling System (SBUS) has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we report pigment composition, macronutrients (nitrate, phosphate and silicate) and concentrations of dissolved Cd, Co, Fe and Zn during late austral summer and winter seasons in 2004 to understand the relationship between the selected trace elements and phytoplankton biomass in St. Helena Bay (SHB), which falls within the southern boundary of the SBUS. Chlorophyll a concentrations indicate higher phytoplankton biomass associated with high primary production during late summer in SHB where high diatom population is inferred from the presence of fucoxanthin. Diminished phytoplankton biomass and a shift from diatoms to dinoflagellates as the dominant phytoplankton taxa are indicated by diagnostic pigments during late winter. Dissolved trace elements (Cd, Co and Zn) and macronutrients play a significant role in phytoplankton biomass, and their distribution is affected by biological uptake and export of trace elements. Continuous uptake of Zn by diatoms may cause an onset of Zn depletion leading to a period of extended diatom proliferation during late summer. Furthermore, the transition from diatom to dinoflagellate dominated phytoplankton population is most likely facilitated by depletion of trace elements (Cd and Co) in the water column.

  11. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) as Sentinels of Trace Element Contamination and Physiological Effects of Exposure to Coal Fly Ash

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

    Hernandez, Felipe; Oldenkamp, Ricki E.; Webster, Sarah

    Anthropogenic pollutants disrupt global biodiversity, and terrestrial sentinels of pollution can provide a warning system for ecosystem-wide contamination. This study sought to assess whether raccoons (Procyon lotor) are sentinels of local exposure to trace element contaminants at a coal fly ash site and whether exposure resulted in health impairment or changes in the intestinal helminth communities. We compared trace element accumulation and the impact on health responses and intestinal helminth communities of raccoons inhabiting contaminated and reference sites of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (South Carolina, USA). Data on morphometry, hematology, histopathology, helminth community and abundance, andmore » liver trace element burdens were collected from 15 raccoons captured adjacent to a coal fly ash basin and 11 raccoons from a comparable uncontaminated site nearby. Of eight trace elements analyzed, Cu, As, Se, and Pb were elevated in raccoons from the contaminated site. Raccoons from the contaminated site harbored higher helminth abundance than animals from the reference site and that abundance was positively associated with increased Cu concentrations. While we found changes in hematology associated with increased Se exposure, we did not find physiological or histological changes associated with higher levels of contaminants. Our results suggest that raccoons and their intestinal helminths act as sentinels of trace elements in the environment associated with coal fly ash contamination.« less

  12. [Determination of trace heavy metal elements in cortex Phellodendron chinense by ICP-MS after microwave-assisted digestion].

    PubMed

    Kou, Xing-Ming; Xu, Min; Gu, Yong-Zuo

    2007-06-01

    An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for determination of the contents of 8 trace heavy metal elements in cortex Phellodendron chinense after microwave-assisted digestion of the sample has been developed. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by the analysis of corresponding trace heavy metal elements in standard reference materials (GBW 07604 and GBW 07605). By applying the proposed method, the contents of 8 trace heavy metal elements in cortex Phellodendron chinense cultivated in different areas (in Bazhong, Yibin and Yingjing, respectively) of Sichuan and different growth period (6, 8 and 10 years of samples from Yingjing) were determined. The relative standard deviation (RSD) is in the range of 3.2%-17.8% and the recoveries of standard addition are in the range of 70%-120%. The results of the study indicate that the proposed method has the advantages of simplicity, speediness and sensitivity. It is suitable for the determination of the contents of 8 trace heavy metal elements in cortex Phellodendron chinense. The results also show that the concentrations of 4 harmful trace heavy metal elements As, Cd, Hg and Pb in cortex Phellodendron chinense are all lower than the limits of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Green Trade Standard for Importing and Exporting Medicinal Plant and Preparation. Therefore, the cortex Phellodendron chinense is fit for use as medicine and export.

  13. Trace element geochemistry of Archean volcanic rocks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jahn, B.-M.; Shih, C.-Y.; Murthy, V. R.

    1974-01-01

    The K, Rb, Sr, Ba and rare-earth-element contents of some Archean volcanic rocks from the Vermilion greenstone belt, northeast Minnesota, were determined by the isotopic dilution method. The characteristics of trace element abundances, supported by the field occurrences and major element chemistry, suggest that these volcanic rocks were formed in an ancient island arc system.

  14. Ultra-Sensitive Elemental Analysis Using Plasmas 7.Application to Criminal Investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suzuki, Yasuhiro

    This paper describes the application of trace elemental analysis using ICP-AES and ICP-MS to criminal investigation. The comparison of trace elements, such as Rb, Sr, Zr, and so on, is effective for the forensic discrimination of glass fragments, which can be important physical evidence for connecting a suspect to a crime scene or to a victim. This procedure can be applied also to lead shotgun pellets by the removal of matrix lead as the sulfate precipitate after the dissolution of a pellet sample. The determination of a toxic element in bio-logical samples is required to prove that a victim ingested this element. Arsenous acids produced in Japan, China, Germany and Switzerland show characteristic patterns of trace elements characteristic to each country.

  15. Al-26, Pu-244, Ti-50, REE, and trace element abundances in hibonite grains from CM and CV meteorites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fahey, A. J.; Mckeegan, K. D.; Zinner, E.; Goswami, J. N.

    1987-01-01

    Hibonites from the CM meteorites Murchison, Murray, and Cold Bokkeveld, and hibonites and Ti-rich pyroxene from the CV chondrite Allende are studied. Electron microprobe measurements of major element concentrations and track and ion probe measurements of Mg and Ti isotopic ratios, rare earth elements (REEs), and trace element abundances are analyzed. Correlations between isotopic anomalies in Ti, Al-26, Pu-244, and Mg-26(asterisk) are examined. Ti isotopic anomalies are compared with REE and trace element abundance patterns. Reasons for the lack of Al-26 in the hibonites are investigated and discussed. It is observed that there is no correlation between the Ti isotopic compositions, and the presence of Mg-26(asterisk), Pu-244, and REE and trace element patterns in individual hibonite samples. The data reveal that hibonites are not interstellar dust grains but formed on a short time scale and in localized regions of the early solar system.

  16. Trace element partitioning during the retorting of Julia Creek oil shale

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

    Patterson, J.H.; Dale, L.S.; Chapman, J.f.

    1987-05-01

    A bulk sample of oil shale from the Julia Creek deposit in Queensland was retorted under Fischer assay conditions at temperatures ranging from 250 to 550 /sup 0/C. The distributions of the trace elements detected in the shale oil and retort water were determined at each temperature. Oil distillation commenced at 300 /sup 0/C and was essentially complete at 500 /sup 0/C. A number of trace elements were progressively mobilized with increasing retort temperature up to 450 /sup 0/C. The following trace elements partitioned mainly to the oil: vanadium, arsenic, selenium, iron, nickel, titanium, copper, cobalt, and aluminum. Elements thatmore » also partitioned to the retort waters included arsenic, selenium, chlorine, and bromine. Element mobilization is considered to be caused by the volatilization of organometallic compounds, sulfide minerals, and sodium halides present in the oil shale. The results have important implications for shale oil refining and for the disposal of retort waters. 22 references, 5 tables.« less

  17. Phytostabilization of semiarid soils residually contaminated with trace elements using by-products: sustainability and risks.

    PubMed

    Pérez-de-Mora, Alfredo; Madejón, Paula; Burgos, Pilar; Cabrera, Francisco; Lepp, Nicholas W; Madejón, Engracia

    2011-10-01

    We investigated the efficiency of various by-products (sugarbeet lime, biosolid compost and leonardite), based on single or repeated applications to field plots, on the establishment of a vegetation cover compatible with a stabilization strategy on a multi-element (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) contaminated soil 4-6 years after initial amendment applications. Results indicate that the need for re-treatment is amendment- and element-dependent; in some cases, a single application may reduce trace element concentrations in above-ground biomass and enhance the establishment of a healthy vegetation cover. Amendment performance as evaluated by % cover, biomass and number of colonizing taxa differs; however, changes in plant community composition are not necessarily amendment-specific. Although the translocation of trace elements to the plant biotic compartment is greater in re-vegetated areas, overall loss of trace elements due to soil erosion and plant uptake is usually smaller compared to that in bare soil. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Use of an ultra-clean sampling technique with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to determine trace-element concentrations in water from the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer system, coastal plain, New Jersey

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ivahnenko, Tamara; Szabo, Zoltan; Hall, G.S.

    1996-01-01

    Water samples were collected during 1993 from 22 public supply wells screened in the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system; concentrations of 18 trace elements were determined primarily by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques, though graphite furnace atomic adsorption, hydride generation, and cold- vapor flameless atomic adsorption techniques were used for thallium, arsenic, and mercury, respectively, at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL). In addition, laboratory measurements of alkalinity and turbidity were made. The ground-water samples were collected by using ultra-clean sampling protocols developed by the USGS for collecting ground-water samples in areas with water containing low concentrations of trace elements. This technique is based on recently gained experience in sampling surface water for these elements. Field parameters (water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved-oxygen concentration) were monitored prior to sample collection. Three equipment blanks were collected to ensure that low-level trace-element contamination did not occur during sample collection. One split sample and a commercially- prepared reference standard were submitted to the NWQL o evaluate laboratory precision and accuracy, respectively. Trace-element concentrations in 10 sample splits and one equipment blank were also determined at the Rutgers University Chemistry Department laboratory. Results of the ICP-MS analyses and cold vapor flameless atomic absorption indicated that five trace elements-- cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, and nickel--were detectable in low concentrations (<0.1-29 mg/L) in most of the samples from the 22 wells, and four elements--aluminum, barium, manganese and zinc--were detected in higher concentrations than the other elements (30-710 mg/L for aluminum; 4-180 mg/L for barium, manganese, and zinc). The remaining nine trace elements were present in concentrations consistently lower than the minimum reporting limit. Turbidity was low (less than 1 nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU)), indicating that the trace-element concentrations were present in the dissolved phase and ideally would be reproducible in the absence of highly variable concentrations of particulates. The concentration of lead in one sample exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) action level of 15 mg/L; concentrations ranged from <1 to 16 mg/L. Mercury was frequently detected; concentrations ranged from <0.1 to 1.1 mg/L but did not exceed the USEPA maximum contaminant level. Results of analyses of the equipment blanks indicated that samples collected by using the new ultra-clean sampling protocols were free of low-level (< 1mg/L) trace-element contamination. The analysis of the split sample sent to the NWQL had a difference of 5 percent or less for all constituents except aluminum, for which the analysis had a difference of 10 percent. Results of ICP-MS analyses of split water samples sent to the Rutgers University Chemistry Department laboratory were, in general, in good agreement (within 10 percent) with those of the NWQL. Results of the analysis of the commercial standard agreed (within 5 percent) with the known concentrations of the trace elements. The quality-assurance data (three blanks, one split sample, and one standard), although not statistically evaluated because of the small data set, indicate that the measured trace-element concentrations are precise and accurate and that the samples were free of contamination at the microgram-per-liter level of contamination.

  19. 40 CFR 63.1326 - Batch process vents-recordkeeping provisions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... single highest-HAP recipe. (3) Total annual uncontrolled TOC or organic HAP emissions, determined at the...): (i) For an incinerator or non-combustion control device, the percent reduction of organic HAP or TOC... percent reduction of organic HAP or TOC achieved, as determined using the procedures specified in § 63...

  20. 40 CFR 65.64 - Group determination procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... used to determine group status. (b)(1) Sampling site. For purposes of determining TOC or HAP... inches) in nominal inside diameter. (c) TOC or HAP concentration. The TOC or HAP concentrations used for... appropriate concentration in table 1 of this subpart, TOC or HAP concentration shall be determined based on...

  1. 40 CFR Table 5 to Subpart Dddd of... - Performance Testing and Initial Compliance Demonstrations for the Compliance Options and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Table 1B to this subpart Reduce emissions of total HAP, measured as THC, by 90 percent Total HAP... 1B to this subpart Limit emissions of total HAP, measured as THC, to 20 ppmvd The average total HAP...

  2. 40 CFR Table 5 to Subpart Dddd of... - Performance Testing and Initial Compliance Demonstrations for the Compliance Options and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Table 1B to this subpart Reduce emissions of total HAP, measured as THC, by 90 percent Total HAP... 1B to this subpart Limit emissions of total HAP, measured as THC, to 20 ppmvd The average total HAP...

  3. 24 CFR 982.603 - SRO: Lease and HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false SRO: Lease and HAP contract. 982... Types Single Room Occupancy (sro) § 982.603 SRO: Lease and HAP contract. For SRO housing, there is a separate lease and HAP contract for each assisted person. ...

  4. 24 CFR 982.616 - Shared housing: Lease and HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Shared housing: Lease and HAP... Types Shared Housing § 982.616 Shared housing: Lease and HAP contract. For assistance in a shared housing unit, there is a separate HAP contract and lease for each assisted family. ...

  5. 24 CFR 983.203 - HAP contract information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false HAP contract information. 983.203... DEVELOPMENT PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER (PBV) PROGRAM Housing Assistance Payments Contract § 983.203 HAP contract information. The HAP contract must specify: (a) The total number of contract units by number of bedrooms; (b...

  6. 24 CFR 982.454 - Termination of HAP contract: Insufficient funding.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Termination of HAP contract... Assistance Payments Contract and Owner Responsibility § 982.454 Termination of HAP contract: Insufficient funding. The PHA may terminate the HAP contract if the PHA determines, in accordance with HUD requirements...

  7. 24 CFR 982.455 - Automatic termination of HAP contract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automatic termination of HAP contract. 982.455 Section 982.455 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... Payments Contract and Owner Responsibility § 982.455 Automatic termination of HAP contract. The HAP...

  8. Determination of minor and trace elements in aromatic spices by micro-wave assisted digestion and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Khan, Naeem; Choi, Ji Yeon; Nho, Eun Yeong; Jamila, Nargis; Habte, Girum; Hong, Joon Ho; Hwang, In Min; Kim, Kyong Su

    2014-09-01

    This study aimed at analyzing the concentrations of 23 minor and trace elements in aromatic spices by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), after wet digestion by microwave system. The analytical method was validated by linearity, detection limits, precision, accuracy and recovery experiments, obtaining satisfactory values in all cases. Results indicated the presence of variable amounts of both minor and trace elements in the selected aromatic spices. Manganese was high in cinnamon (879.8 μg/g) followed by cardamom (758.1 μg/g) and clove (649.9 μg/g), strontium and zinc were high in ajwain (489.9 μg/g and 84.95 μg/g, respectively), while copper was high in mango powder (77.68 μg/g). On the whole some of the minor and essential trace elements were found to have good nutritional contribution in accordance to RDA. The levels of toxic trace elements, including As, Cd, and Pb were very low and did not found to pose any threat to consumers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Selenium deficiency risk predicted to increase under future climate change

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Gerrad D.; Droz, Boris; Greve, Peter; Gottschalk, Pia; Poffet, Deyan; McGrath, Steve P.; Seneviratne, Sonia I.; Smith, Pete; Winkel, Lenny H. E.

    2017-01-01

    Deficiencies of micronutrients, including essential trace elements, affect up to 3 billion people worldwide. The dietary availability of trace elements is determined largely by their soil concentrations. Until now, the mechanisms governing soil concentrations have been evaluated in small-scale studies, which identify soil physicochemical properties as governing variables. However, global concentrations of trace elements and the factors controlling their distributions are virtually unknown. We used 33,241 soil data points to model recent (1980–1999) global distributions of Selenium (Se), an essential trace element that is required for humans. Worldwide, up to one in seven people have been estimated to have low dietary Se intake. Contrary to small-scale studies, soil Se concentrations were dominated by climate–soil interactions. Using moderate climate-change scenarios for 2080–2099, we predicted that changes in climate and soil organic carbon content will lead to overall decreased soil Se concentrations, particularly in agricultural areas; these decreases could increase the prevalence of Se deficiency. The importance of climate–soil interactions to Se distributions suggests that other trace elements with similar retention mechanisms will be similarly affected by climate change. PMID:28223487

  10. Selenium deficiency risk predicted to increase under future climate change.

    PubMed

    Jones, Gerrad D; Droz, Boris; Greve, Peter; Gottschalk, Pia; Poffet, Deyan; McGrath, Steve P; Seneviratne, Sonia I; Smith, Pete; Winkel, Lenny H E

    2017-03-14

    Deficiencies of micronutrients, including essential trace elements, affect up to 3 billion people worldwide. The dietary availability of trace elements is determined largely by their soil concentrations. Until now, the mechanisms governing soil concentrations have been evaluated in small-scale studies, which identify soil physicochemical properties as governing variables. However, global concentrations of trace elements and the factors controlling their distributions are virtually unknown. We used 33,241 soil data points to model recent (1980-1999) global distributions of Selenium (Se), an essential trace element that is required for humans. Worldwide, up to one in seven people have been estimated to have low dietary Se intake. Contrary to small-scale studies, soil Se concentrations were dominated by climate-soil interactions. Using moderate climate-change scenarios for 2080-2099, we predicted that changes in climate and soil organic carbon content will lead to overall decreased soil Se concentrations, particularly in agricultural areas; these decreases could increase the prevalence of Se deficiency. The importance of climate-soil interactions to Se distributions suggests that other trace elements with similar retention mechanisms will be similarly affected by climate change.

  11. Trace elements and oxidative stress levels in the blood of painters in Lagos, Nigeria: occupational survey and health concern.

    PubMed

    Awodele, Olufunsho; Akinyede, Akin; Babawale, Omotola Opeyemi; Coker, Herbert A Babatunde; Akintonwa, Alade

    2013-06-01

    Adverse effects attributed to exposure to paints are currently a concern because of the continued widespread use of paint containing trace elements. Thus, occupational survey amongst painters in Lagos and determination of trace elements and oxidative stress parameters were carried out. Descriptive cross-sectional survey was done using a standardized questionnaire to obtain job safety-related information. Forty-eight percent of the painters were aware of hazards associated with painting and 52 % of these workers were aware of the necessary precautionary measures during painting. There were no significant differences (p ≥ 0.05) between the levels of trace elements in the blood of painters and the control subjects. However, there was a significance increase (p ≤ 0.0001) in the level of malondialdehyde and a decrease (p ≤ 0.001) in the levels of reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase of the painters compared to the control. An increase in oxidative stress parameters may not only be due to trace element concentrations, but also the painters' exposure to some petrochemical solvents during mixing of paints.

  12. Infrared trace element detection system

    DOEpatents

    Bien, F.; Bernstein, L.S.; Matthew, M.W.

    1988-11-15

    An infrared trace element detection system includes an optical cell into which the sample fluid to be examined is introduced and removed. Also introduced into the optical cell is a sample beam of infrared radiation in a first wavelength band which is significantly absorbed by the trace element and a second wavelength band which is not significantly absorbed by the trace element for passage through the optical cell through the sample fluid. The output intensities of the sample beam of radiation are selectively detected in the first and second wavelength bands. The intensities of a reference beam of the radiation are similarly detected in the first and second wavelength bands. The sensed output intensity of the sample beam in one of the first and second wavelength bands is normalized with respect to the other and similarly, the intensity of the reference beam of radiation in one of the first and second wavelength bands is normalized with respect to the other. The normalized sample beam intensity and normalized reference beam intensity are then compared to provide a signal from which the amount of trace element in the sample fluid can be determined. 11 figs.

  13. Age-related differences in hair trace elements: a cross-sectional study in Orenburg, Russia.

    PubMed

    Skalnaya, Margarita G; Tinkov, Alexey A; Demidov, Vasily A; Serebryansky, Eugeny P; Nikonorov, Alexandr A; Skalny, Anatoly V

    2016-09-01

    Age-related differences in the trace element content of hair have been reported. However, some discrepancies in the data exist. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the change in hair trace elements content in relation to age. Six hundred and eighteen women and 438 men aged from 10-59 years took part in the current cross-sectional study. Hair Cr, Mn, Ni, Si, Al, As, Be, Cd and Pb tended to decrease with age in the female sample, whereas hair Cu, Fe, I, Se, Li and Sn were characterised by an age-associated increase. Hair levels of Cr, Cu, I, Mn, Ni, Si and Al in men decreased with age, whereas hair Co, Fe, Se, Cd, Li and Pb content tended to increase. Hair mercury increased in association with age in men and in women, whereas hair vanadium was characterised by a significant decrease in both sexes. The difference in hair trace element content between men and women decreased with age. These data suggest that age-related differences in trace element status may have a direct implication in the ageing process.

  14. Infrared trace element detection system

    DOEpatents

    Bien, Fritz; Bernstein, Lawrence S.; Matthew, Michael W.

    1988-01-01

    An infrared trace element detection system including an optical cell into which the sample fluid to be examined is introduced and removed. Also introduced into the optical cell is a sample beam of infrared radiation in a first wavelength band which is significantly absorbed by the trace element and a second wavelength band which is not significantly absorbed by the trace element for passage through the optical cell through the sample fluid. The output intensities of the sample beam of radiation are selectively detected in the first and second wavelength bands. The intensities of a reference beam of the radiation are similarly detected in the first and second wavelength bands. The sensed output intensity of the sample beam in one of the first and second wavelength bands is normalized with respect to the other and similarly, the intensity of the reference beam of radiation in one of the first and second wavelength bands is normalized with respect to the other. The normalized sample beam intensity and normalized reference beam intensity are then compared to provide a signal from which the amount of trace element in the sample fluid can be determined.

  15. Polymorphism in promoter of SIX4 gene shows association with its transcription and body measurement traits in Qinchuan cattle.

    PubMed

    Wei, Dawei; Raza, Sayed Haidar Abbas; Zhang, Jiupan; Gui, Linsheng; Rahman, Siddiq Ur; Khan, Rajwali; Hosseini, Seyed Mahdi; Kaleri, Hubdar Ali; Zan, Linsen

    2018-05-20

    The sine oculis homeobox homolog 4 (SIX4) gene belongs to the SIX gene family, which plays a critical role in muscle regeneration and early stages of ontogeny. This study aimed to detect promoter variations of bovine SIX4 genes in Qinchuan cattle, and to evaluate the effect of transcription regulations and body measurement traits. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results showed that the mRNA expression levels of SIX4 gene were found significantly highest in longissimus thoracis tissue and individual before attaining the stage of physiological maturity. Using sequencing technology on a total of 428 Qinchuan cattle, seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the promoter region of SIX4, and seven haplotypes representing 18 potential transcription factor compositions of polymorphic potential cis-acting elements. Association analysis indicated that the H 3 -H 3 diplotype performed greater withers height, chest depth, chest circumference, back fat thickness and ultrasound loin muscle area (P < 0.05) than H 5 -H 6 , which were consistent with the promoter activity of Hap3 haplotype was higher than the Hap5 and Hap6 haplotype in vitro. These potential transcription factor information and combined genotypes H 3 -H 3 of the SIX4 gene can be used as a molecular marker for selection of economic traits in Qinchuan cattle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Influence of trace elements on dental enamel properties: A review.

    PubMed

    Qamar, Zeeshan; Haji Abdul Rahim, Zubaidah Binti; Chew, Hooi Pin; Fatima, Tayyaba

    2017-01-01

    Dental enamel, an avascular, irreparable, outermost and protective layer of the human clinical crown has a potential to withstand the physico-chemical effects and forces. These properties are being regulated by a unique association among elements occurring in the crystallites setup of human dental enamel. Calcium and phosphate are the major components (hydroxyapatite) in addition to some trace elements which have a profound effect on enamel. The current review was planned to determine the aptitude of various trace elements to substitute and their influence on human dental enamel in terms of physical and chemical properties.

  17. What do the trace metal contents of urine and toenail samples from Qatar׳s farm workers bioindicate?

    PubMed

    Kuiper, Nora; Rowell, Candace; Nriagu, Jerome; Shomar, Basem

    2014-05-01

    Qatar׳s farm workers provide a unique population for exposure study: they are young, healthy males. This study combined trace element profiles in urine and toenail with survey information from 239 farm workers to assess the extent to which the biomarkers provide complementary exposure information. Urinary Mo levels (average=114 µg/L) were elevated; average urinary values (µg/L) for all other elements were: V (1.02), Cr (0.55), Mn (2.15), Fe (34.1), Co (0.47), Ni (2.95), Cu (15.0), As (47.8), Se (25.7), Cd (1.09), Ba (22.5), Pb (2.50) and U (0.15). Average toenail concentrations (mg/kg) were: Mn (2.48), Cu (4.43), As (0.26), Se (0.58), Mo (0.07), Cd (0.03), Ba (1.00), Pb (0.51) and U (0.02). No significant association was found between corresponding elements in urine and toenails. Elemental profiles suggest groundwater (with the exception of Mo) and soil-dust-crop exposure pathways cannot account for elemental variations. The main factors moderating trace element contents are related to depuration processes involving participants׳ trace element body burden prior to work in Qatar, and interactions of trace element metabolic cycles which over-ride the exposure footprint. Toenail and urine need to be carefully validated before reliable use as biomarkers of exposure in general populations for most elements in the study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Petroleum formation during serpentinization: the evidence of trace elements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szatmari, P.; Fonseca, T. C.; Miekeley, N. F.

    2002-05-01

    An organic source of petroleum formation is well attested by many biomarkers. This need not, however, exclude contribution from inorganic sources. During serpentinization, in the absence of free oxygen, oxidation of bivalent Fe to magnetite breaks up the water molecule, generating hydrogen and creating one of the most reducing environments near the Earth's surface (Janecky & Seyfried, 1986). Szatmari (1989) proposed that some petroleum forms at plate boundaries by Fischer-Tropsch-type synthesis over serpentinizing peridotites and suggested that Ni, an element rare in the continental crust but important in both petroleum and the mantle, may be indicative of such a source. Recently, Holm and Charlou (2001) observed hydrocarbon formation by Fischer-Tropsch-type synthesis over serpentinizing peridotites of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. To test whether the relative amounts of other trace elements in petroleum are in agreement with a serpentinizing source, we analyzed by internally coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) 22 trace elements in 68 oils sampled in seven sedimentary basins throughout Brazil. We found that trace elements in the oils correlate well with mantle peridotites and reflects the process of hydrothermal serpentinization during continental breakup. Four groups may be distinguished. In serpentinites, trace elements of the first group, Ti, Cr, Mn, and Fe, are largely retained in low-solubility magnetite and other spinels formed during serpentinization or inherited from the original peridotites. In the oils, when normalized to mantle peridotites, these elements are at relatively low levels, about 10,000 times less than their abundances in mantle peridotites, reflecting their low availability from stable minerals. In contrast, trace elements of the second group, which includes V, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Ba, La, Ce, and Nd, pass during serpentinization mostly into serpentine minerals or solution. In the oils, when normalized to mantle peridotites, these elements are at higher levels than those of the first group, about 300 times less than their abundances in mantle peridotites, reflecting their higher availability during serpentinization. Within both groups, trace metal ratios and A/(A+B) type proportionalities in the oils are close to mantle peridotites. V behaves somewhat differently: in lacustrine sequences V contents in the oils are low and the ratios of V to other elements of the second group are mantle-like, whereas in marine sequences V and its ratios to other trace elements rise by orders of magnitude. Trace elements commonly enriched in formation fluids and hydrothermal brines (Rb, Sr, Ba, Cu, Zn), when normalized to mantle peridotites, are enriched in the oils by about 0.5 order of magnitude relative to other elements of the second group. The third group of elements includes S, Mo, and As. These elements occur in the oils at abundances similar to sea water and are, when normalized to mantle peridotites and Ni, enriched in the oils by several orders of magnitude, indicating sea water reacting with peridotites during sepentinization as their possible source. Finally trace elements of the fourth group, such as Pb and Ag, are enriched in the oils by several orders of magnitude relative to both mantle peridotites and sea water and were presumably mobilized from shales by hydrothermal fluids. References:Holm, N.G. and Charlou, J.L., 2001, EPSL 191, 1-8. Janecky, D.R. and Seyfried, W.E., 1986, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 50, 1357-1378. Szatmari, P., 1989, AAPG Bull. 73, 989-998.

  19. Posterior Cord Syndrome and Trace Elements Deficiency as an Uncommon Presentation of Common Variable Immunodeficiency

    PubMed Central

    dos Santos Mota, Ananda; Morais Monteiro, Priscila; Carvalho, Angela Cristina Gouvêa; Fernandes Diniz, Barbara; Gemal Lanzieri, Pedro; Carneiro Ramos, Ricardo; Mocarzel, Luis Otavio

    2017-01-01

    Diarrhea is one of the most common symptoms in common variable immunodeficiency, but neurologic manifestations are rare. We presented a 50-year-old woman with recurrent diarrhea and severe weight loss that developed a posterior cord syndrome. Endoscopy found a duodenal villous blunting, intraepithelial lymphocytosis, and lack of plasma cells and magnetic resonance imaging of the spine was normal. Laboratory assays confirmed common variable immunodeficiency syndrome and showed low levels of trace elements (copper and zinc). Treatment was initiated with parenteral replacement of trace elements and intravenous human immunoglobulin and the patient improved clinically. In conclusion, physicians must be aware that gastrointestinal and neurologic disorders may be related to each other and remember to request trace elements laboratory assessment. PMID:28356913

  20. In Situ Trace Element Analysis of an Allende Type B1 CAI: EK-459-5-1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jeffcoat, C. R.; Kerekgyarto, A.; Lapen, T. J.; Andreasen, R.; Righter, M.; Ross, D. K.

    2014-01-01

    Variations in refractory major and trace element composition of calcium, aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) provide constraints on physical and chemical conditions and processes in the earliest stages of the Solar System. Previous work indicates that CAIs have experienced complex histories involving, in many cases, multiple episodes of condensation, evaporation, and partial melting. We have analyzed major and trace element abundances in two core to rim transects of the melilite mantle as well as interior major phases of a Type B1 CAI (EK-459-5-1) from Allende by electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to investigate the behavior of key trace elements with a primary focus on the REEs Tm and Yb.

  1. Application of multivariate analysis to investigate the trace element contamination in top soil of coal mining district in Jorong, South Kalimantan, Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pujiwati, Arie; Nakamura, K.; Watanabe, N.; Komai, T.

    2018-02-01

    Multivariate analysis is applied to investigate geochemistry of several trace elements in top soils and their relation with the contamination source as the influence of coal mines in Jorong, South Kalimantan. Total concentration of Cd, V, Co, Ni, Cr, Zn, As, Pb, Sb, Cu and Ba was determined in 20 soil samples by the bulk analysis. Pearson correlation is applied to specify the linear correlation among the elements. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) were applied to observe the classification of trace elements and contamination sources. The results suggest that contamination loading is contributed by Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, As, and Pb. The elemental loading mostly affects the non-coal mining area, for instances the area near settlement and agricultural land use. Moreover, the contamination source is classified into the areas that are influenced by the coal mining activity, the agricultural types, and the river mixing zone. Multivariate analysis could elucidate the elemental loading and the contamination sources of trace elements in the vicinity of coal mine area.

  2. Re-187-Os-187, Pt-190-Os-186 Isotopic and Highly Siderophile Element Systematics of Group IVA Irons

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Walker, R. J.; McCoy, T. J.; Schulte, R. F.; McDonough, W. F.; Ash, R. D.

    2005-01-01

    We have recently completed Re-187-Os-187 and Pt-190-Os-186 isotopic and elemental studies of the two largest magmatic iron meteorite groups, IIAB and IIIAB [1]. These studies revealed closed-system behavior of both isotopic systems, but complex trace element behavior for Re, Pt and Os in group IIIAB. Here we examine isotopic and trace elemental systematics of group IVA irons. The IVA irons are not as extensively fractionated as IIAB and IIIAB and their apparently less complex crystallization history may make for more robust interpretation of the relative partitioning behavior of Re, Pt and Os, as well as the other highly siderophile elements (HSE) measured here; Pd, Ru and Ir [e.g. 2]. An additional goal of our continuing research plan for iron meteorites is to assess the possibility of relating certain ungrouped irons with major groups via trace element modeling. Here, the isotopic and trace element systematics of the ungrouped irons Nedagolla and EET 83230 are compared with the IVA irons.

  3. Fabrication of hydroxyapatite ceramics with controlled pore characteristics by slip casting.

    PubMed

    Yao, Xiumin; Tan, Shouhong; Jiang, Dongliang

    2005-02-01

    Porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) ceramics with controlled pore characteristics were fabricated using slip casting method by mixing PMMA with HAp powder. The optimum conditions of HAp slip for slip casting was achieved by employing various experimental techniques, zeta potential and sedimentation, as a function of pH of the slips in the pH range of 4-12. HAp suspensions displayed an absolute maximum in zeta potential values and a minimum in sedimentation height at pH 11.5. The optimal amount of dispersant for the HAp suspensions was found at 1.0 wt% according to the viscosity of 25 vol% HAp slurry. The rheological behaviour of HAp slurry displays a shear-thinning behavior without thixotropy, which is needed in slip casting processing. The pore characteristics of sintered porous hydroxyapatite bioceramics can be controlled by added PMMA particle size and volume. The obtained ceramics exhibit higher strength than those obtained by dry pressing.

  4. Evolutionary history of the HAP2/GCS1 gene and sexual reproduction in metazoans.

    PubMed

    Steele, Robert E; Dana, Catherine E

    2009-11-03

    The HAP2/GCS1 gene first appeared in the common ancestor of plants, animals, and protists, and is required in the male gamete for fusion to the female gamete in the unicellular organisms Chlamydomonas and Plasmodium. We have identified a HAP2/GCS1 gene in the genome sequence of the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. This finding provides a continuous evolutionary history of HAP2/GCS1 from unicellular organisms into the metazoan lineage. Divergent versions of the HAP2/GCS1 gene are also present in the genomes of some but not all arthropods. By examining the expression of the HAP2/GCS1 gene in the cnidarian Hydra, we have found the first evidence supporting the hypothesis that HAP2/GCS1 was used for male gamete fusion in the ancestor of extant metazoans and that it retains that function in modern cnidarians.

  5. Electronic structure, bonding, charge distribution, and x-ray absorption spectra of the (001) surfaces of fluorapatite and hydroxyapatite from first principles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rulis, Paul; Yao, Hongzhi; Ouyang, Lizhi; Ching, W. Y.

    2007-12-01

    Fluorapatite (FAP) and hydroxyapatite (HAP) are two very important bioceramic crystals. The (001) surfaces of FAP and HAP crystals are studied by ab initio density functional calculations using a supercell slab geometry. It is shown that in both crystals, the O-terminated (001) surface is more stable with calculated surface energies of 0.865 and 0.871J/m2 for FAP and HAP, respectively. In FAP, the two surfaces are symmetric. In HAP, the orientation of the OH group along the c axis reduces the symmetry such that the top and bottom surfaces are no longer symmetric. It is revealed that the atoms near the surface and subsurface are significantly relaxed especially in the case of HAP. The largest relaxations occurred via the lateral movements of the O ions at the subsurface level. The electronic structures of the surface models in the form of layer-by-layer resolved partial density of states for all the atoms show systematic variation from the surface region toward the bulk region. The calculated Mulliken effective charge on each type of atom and the bond order values between cations (Ca, P) and anions (O, F) show different charge transfers and bond strength variations from the bulk crystal values. Electron charge density calculations show that the surfaces of both FAP and HAP crystals are mostly positively charged due to the presence of Ca ions at the surface. The positively charged surfaces have implications for the absorption on apatite surfaces of water and other organic molecules in an aqueous environment which are an important part of its bioactivity. The x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra ( Ca-K , O-K , F-K , P-K , and P-L3 edges) of both the surface models and the bulk crystals are calculated and compared. The calculations use a supercell approach which takes into account the electron-core-hole interaction. It is shown that the site-specific XANES spectra show significant differences between atoms near the surface and in the bulk and are very sensitive to the local atomic environment of each atom. This information will be very valuable for characterizing the apatite materials and in the interpretation of experimental data. Comparisons of several sets of experimental data with the weighted sums of the calculated spectra at different sites for the same element show very good agreement.

  6. 40 CFR 63.829 - Recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... mass of all HAP containing materials used and the mass fraction of HAP present in each HAP containing... the criteria of § 63.821(b)(1), the owner or operator shall maintain records of the total mass of each... maintain records of the total mass and organic HAP content of each material applied on product and...

  7. 40 CFR 63.829 - Recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... mass of all HAP containing materials used and the mass fraction of HAP present in each HAP containing... the criteria of § 63.821(b)(1), the owner or operator shall maintain records of the total mass of each... maintain records of the total mass and organic HAP content of each material applied on product and...

  8. 40 CFR 63.829 - Recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... mass of all HAP containing materials used and the mass fraction of HAP present in each HAP containing... the criteria of § 63.821(b)(1), the owner or operator shall maintain records of the total mass of each... maintain records of the total mass and organic HAP content of each material applied on product and...

  9. 40 CFR 63.829 - Recordkeeping requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... mass of all HAP containing materials used and the mass fraction of HAP present in each HAP containing... the criteria of § 63.821(b)(1), the owner or operator shall maintain records of the total mass of each... maintain records of the total mass and organic HAP content of each material applied on product and...

  10. 24 CFR 891.595 - HAP contract extension or renewal.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false HAP contract extension or renewal... Handicapped-Section 8 Assistance § 891.595 HAP contract extension or renewal. Upon expiration of the term of the HAP contract, HUD and the Borrower may agree (subject to available funds) to extend the term of...

  11. Mapping trace element distribution in fossil teeth and bone with LA-ICP-MS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinz, E. A.; Kohn, M. J.

    2009-12-01

    Trace element profiles were measured in fossil bones and teeth from the late Pleistocene (c. 25 ka) Merrell locality, Montana, USA, by using laser-ablation ICP-MS. Laser-ablation ICP-MS can collect element counts along predefined tracks on a sample’s surface using a constant ablation speed allowing for rapid spatial sampling of element distribution. Key elements analyzed included common divalent cations (e.g. Sr, Zn, Ba), a suite of REE (La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Yb), and U, in addition to Ca for composition normalization and standardization. In teeth, characteristic diffusion penetration distances for all trace elements are at least a factor of 4 greater in traverses parallel to the dentine-enamel interface (parallel to the growth axis of the tooth) than perpendicular to the interface. Multiple parallel traverses in sections parallel and perpendicular to the tooth growth axis were transformed into trace element maps, and illustrate greater uptake of all trace elements along the central axis of dentine compared to areas closer to enamel, or within the enamel itself. Traverses in bone extending from the external surface, through the thickness of cortical bone and several mm into trabecular bone show major differences in trace element uptake compared to teeth: U and Sr are homogeneous, whereas all REE show a kinked profile with high concentrations on outer surfaces that decrease by several orders of magnitude within a few mm inward. The Eu anomaly increases uniformly from the outer edge of bone inward, whereas the Ce anomaly decreases slightly. These observations point to major structural anisotropies in trace element transport and uptake during fossilization, yet transport and uptake of U and REE are not resolvably different. In contrast, transport and uptake of U in bone must proceed orders of magnitude faster than REE as U is homogeneous whereas REE exhibit strong gradients. The kinked REE profiles in bone unequivocally indicate differential transport rates, consistent with a double-medium diffusion model in which microdomains with slow diffusivities are bounded by fast-diffusing pathways.

  12. Development of hydroxyapatite-chitosan gel sunscreen combating clinical multidrug-resistant bacteria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morsy, Reda; Ali, Sameh S.; El-Shetehy, Mohamed

    2017-09-01

    The several harmful effects on infected human skin resulting from exposure to the sun's UV radiation generate an interest in the development of a multifunctional hydroxyapatite-chitosan (HAp-chitosan) gel that works as an antibacterial sunscreen agent for skin care. In this work, HAp-chitosan gel was synthesized via coprecipitation method by dissolving chitosan in phosphoric acid and adding HAp. The characteristics of HAp-chitosan composite were investigated by conventional techniques, such as XRD, FTIR, and SEM techniques, while its sunscreen property was investigated by UV-spectroscopy. In addition to the influence of the gel on bacterial cell morphology, the antibacterial activity of HAp-chitosan gel against clinical multidrug resistant skin pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been studied. The results revealed the formation of HAp-chitosan gel having nanosized particles, which confers protection against UV-radiation. The antibacterial activity records showed that chitosan-HAp gel exhibits a significant effect on the growth and ultrastructure of multi-drug resistant bacterial activities. Therefore, the chitosan-HAp gel is promising for skin health care as an antibacterial sunscreen.

  13. Copper and Zinc Deficiency in a Patient Receiving Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition During a Shortage of Parenteral Trace Element Products.

    PubMed

    Palm, Eric; Dotson, Bryan

    2015-11-01

    Drug shortages in the United States, including parenteral nutrition (PN) components, have been common in recent years and can adversely affect patient care. Here we report a case of copper and zinc deficiency in a patient receiving PN during a shortage of parenteral trace element products. The management of the patient's deficiencies, including the use of an imported parenteral multi-trace element product, is described. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

  14. Differential Exposure to Hazardous Air Pollution in the United States: A Multilevel Analysis of Urbanization and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation

    PubMed Central

    Young, Gary S.; Fox, Mary A.; Trush, Michael; Kanarek, Norma; Glass, Thomas A.; Curriero, Frank C.

    2012-01-01

    Population exposure to multiple chemicals in air presents significant challenges for environmental public health. Air quality regulations distinguish criteria air pollutants (CAPs) (e.g., ozone, PM2.5) from hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)—187 chemicals which include carcinogens and others that are associated with respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and numerous other non-cancer health effects. Evidence of the public’s cumulative exposure and the health effects of HAPs are quite limited. A multilevel model is used to assess differential exposure to HAP respiratory, neurological, and cancer hazards (2005) related to the Townsend Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (TSI), after adjustment for regional population size and economic activity, and local population density. We found significant positive associations between tract TSI and respiratory and cancer HAP exposure hazards, and smaller effects for neurological HAPs. Tracts in the top quintile of TSI have between 38%–60% higher HAP exposure than the bottom quintile; increasing population size from the bottom quintile to the top quintile modifies HAP exposure hazard related to TSI, increasing cancer HAP exposure hazard by 6% to 20% and increasing respiratory HAP exposure hazard by 12% to 27%. This study demonstrates the value of social epidemiological methods for analyzing differential exposure and advancing cumulative risk assessment. PMID:22829799

  15. Differential exposure to hazardous air pollution in the United States: a multilevel analysis of urbanization and neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation.

    PubMed

    Young, Gary S; Fox, Mary A; Trush, Michael; Kanarek, Norma; Glass, Thomas A; Curriero, Frank C

    2012-06-01

    Population exposure to multiple chemicals in air presents significant challenges for environmental public health. Air quality regulations distinguish criteria air pollutants (CAPs) (e.g., ozone, PM2.5) from hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)-187 chemicals which include carcinogens and others that are associated with respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and numerous other non-cancer health effects. Evidence of the public's cumulative exposure and the health effects of HAPs are quite limited. A multilevel model is used to assess differential exposure to HAP respiratory, neurological, and cancer hazards (2005) related to the Townsend Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (TSI), after adjustment for regional population size and economic activity, and local population density. We found significant positive associations between tract TSI and respiratory and cancer HAP exposure hazards, and smaller effects for neurological HAPs. Tracts in the top quintile of TSI have between 38%-60% higher HAP exposure than the bottom quintile; increasing population size from the bottom quintile to the top quintile modifies HAP exposure hazard related to TSI, increasing cancer HAP exposure hazard by 6% to 20% and increasing respiratory HAP exposure hazard by 12% to 27%. This study demonstrates the value of social epidemiological methods for analyzing differential exposure and advancing cumulative risk assessment.

  16. In situ remediation and phytotoxicity assessment of lead-contaminated soil by biochar-supported nHAP.

    PubMed

    Yang, Zhangmei; Fang, Zhanqiang; Tsang, Pokeung Eric; Fang, Jianzhang; Zhao, Dongye

    2016-11-01

    In this study, a kind of biochar-supported nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP@BC) material was used in in-situ remediation of lead-contaminated soil. Column experiments were performed to compare the mobility of nHAP@BC and Bare-nHAP. The immobilization, accumulation and toxic effects of Pb in the after-amended soil were assessed by the in vitro toxicity tests and pot experiments. The column experiments showed a significant improvement in the mobility of nHAP@BC. The immobilization rate of Pb in the soil was 74.8% after nHAP@BC remediation. Sequential extraction procedures revealed that the residual fraction of Pb increased by 66.6% after nHAP@BC remediation, which greatly reduced the bioavailability of Pb in the soil. In addition, pot experiments indicated that nHAP@BC could effectively reduce the upward translocation capacity of Pb in a soil-plant system. The concentration of Pb in the aerial part of the cabbage mustard was 0.1 mg/kg, which is lower than the tolerance limit (0.3 mg/kg). nHAP@BC can remediate Pb-contaminated soil effectively, which can restore soil quality for planting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A novel self-catalyzed photoATRP strategy for preparation of fluorescent hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and their biological imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Ruming; Liu, Meiying; Huang, Hongye; Huang, Long; Huang, Qiang; Wen, Yuanqing; Cao, Qian-yong; Tian, Jianwen; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

    2018-03-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAp), as an important biomaterial for the regeneration and reconstruction of bone tissue, has attracted more and more attention of researchers and scientists due to its unique structure and compositions. However, the preparation of fluorescent HAp with controllable morphology has achieved only limited success. In this work, we reported a novel strategy to construct the water dispersible fluorescent HAp nanorods via the combination of ligand exchange and metal-free atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The Br-containing fluorescent HAp nanorods with controllable size and morphology were first prepared through hydrothermal treatment. A multifunctional organic molecule (named as PTH-Br) with aggregation-induced emission feature was immobilized on the surface of hydrophobic HAp nanorods through ligand exchange reaction. The PTH-Br could be used as the initiator and catalyst for surface-initiated metal-free ATRP using poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate as monomer to obtain hydrophilic fluorescent HAp polymer nanoparticles. This strategy successfully endowed HAp nanorods excellent fluorescence properties and favorable water dispersibility but well preserved their regular morphology. Biological assays demonstrated that the HAp-PTH-poly(PEGMA) nanoparticles exhibited good biocompatibility and efficient cell uptake performance. Taken together, we have developed a rather facile strategy based on the surface ligand exchange reaction and metal-free photoATRP to fabricate fluorescent HAp with controllable size and morphology, high water dispersibility and biological properties. These HAp-PTH-poly(PEGMA) nanoparticles should be novel and promising candidates for biomedical applications.

  18. An optimized chronology for a stalagmite using seasonal trace element cycles from Shihua Cave, Beijing, North China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ban, F.; Baker, A.; Marjo, C.; Duan, W.; Li, X.; Coleborn, K.; Akter, R.; Nagra, G.

    2017-12-01

    Stalagmites play an increasingly important role in the paleoclimatic reconstruction from seasonal to orbital timescales. One of the important reasons is that 230Th-dating can provide an absolute age enabling more accurate knowledge of the stalagmite growth. Additionally, annual trace element and optical layers can provide complementary method for determining a precise age and seasonal resolution. The trace elements of a stalagmite (XMG) in Beijing Shihua Cave, which is located in the East Asian monsoon region, were analyzed by laser ablation ICP-MS and compared with stalagmite laminae. The results show that: (1) the polished section of the topmost 4 mm of stalagmite XMG has obvious bi-optical layers (fluorescence and visible light) under a conventional transmission microscope. In the rest of the sample laminae are not observed using this method. (2) The variations of P/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, U/Ca and Mg/Ca show seasonal cycles throughout the sample. Sr/Ca is inversely correlated to P/Ca, and its peaks correspond with the (non-fluorescing) white layers, which deposit in late winter and spring when the climate is dry. The peaks of P/Ca match closely with the (fluorescing) opaque layers, because P is a soil-derived element which increases in the high rainfall monsoon period. (3) The PCA of the five trace elements showed that the cycles of PC1 could represent the annual cycle. This stalagmite was deposited over 148 ± 4 years through peak counting and the cycles of PC1 correspond well with the annual layers. Trace element cyclicity as shown by PC1 can increase the accuracy of stalagmite dating, especially in the absence of obvious laminae. The trace elements can be used as the marker of seasonal changes in a strongly contrasting wet-dry monsoon climate regime. Keywords: high-precision dating; LA-ICP-MS; stalagmite; trace elements; seasonal cycles; Shihua Cave

  19. Evaluation of frictional melting on the basis of trace element analyses of fault rocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishikawa, T.; Ujiie, K.

    2016-12-01

    Pseudotachylytes (solidified frictional melts produced during seismic slip) found in exhumed accretionary complexes are considered to have formed originally at seismogenic depths, and help our understanding of the dynamics of earthquake faulting in subduction zones. The frictional melting should affect rock chemistry. Actually, major element compositions of unaltered pseudotachylyte matrix in the Shimanto accretionary complex are reported to be similar to that of illite, implying disequilibrium melting in the slip zone (Ujiie et al., 2007). Bulk-rock trace element analyses of the pseudotachylyte-bearing fault rocks also revealed their shift to the clay-mineral-like compositions (Honda et al., 2011). Toward better understanding of the frictional melting using chemical means, we carried out detailed major and trace element analyses for pseudotachylyte-bearing dark veins and surrounding host rocks from the Mugi area of the Shimanto accretionary complex (Ujiie et al., 2007). About one milligram each of samples was collected from a rock chip along the microstructure by using the PC-controlled micro-drilling apparatus, and then analyzed by ICP-MS. Host rocks showed a series of compositional trends controlled by mixing of detrital sedimentary components. Unaltered part of the pseudotachylyte vein, on the other hand, showed striking enrichment of fluid-immobile trace elements, consistent with selective melting of fine-grained, clay-rich matrix of the fault rock. Importantly, completely altered parts of the dark veins exhibit essentially the same characteristics as the unaltered part, indicating that the trace element composition of the pseudotachylyte is well preserved even after considerable alteration in the later stages. These results demonstrate that trace element and structural analyses are useful to detect preexistence of pseudotachylytes resulting from selective frictional melting of clay minerals. It has been controversial that pseudotachylytes are rarely formed or rarely preserved. Trace element analyses on clay-rich localized slipping zones shed light on this topic. References: Ujiie et al. (2007) J. Struct. Geol. 29, 599-613; Honda et al. (2011) GRL 38, L06310.

  20. New insights into trace elements deposition in the snow packs at remote alpine glaciers in the northern Tibetan Plateau, China.

    PubMed

    Dong, Zhiwen; Kang, Shichang; Qin, Xiang; Li, Xiaofei; Qin, Dahe; Ren, Jiawen

    2015-10-01

    Trace element pollution resulting from anthropogenic emissions is evident throughout most of the atmosphere and has the potential to create environmental and health risks. In this study we investigated trace element deposition in the snowpacks at two different locations in the northern Tibetan Plateau, including the Laohugou (LHG) and the Tanggula (TGL) glacier basins, and its related atmospheric pollution information in these glacier areas, mainly focusing on 18 trace elements (Li, Be, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Nb, Mo, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, Tl, and Pb). The results clearly demonstrate that pronounced increases of both concentrations and crustal enrichment factors (EFs) are observed in the snowpack at the TGL glacier basin compared to that of the LHG glacier basin, with the highest EFs for Sb and Zn in the TGL basin, whereas with the highest EFs for Sb and Cd in the LHG basin. Compared with other studies in the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding regions, trace element concentration showed gradually decreasing trend from Himalayan regions (southern Tibetan Plateau) to the TGL basin (central Tibetan Plateau), and to the LHG basin (northern Tibetan Plateau), which probably implied the significant influence of atmospheric trace element transport from south Asia to the central Tibetan Plateau. Moreover, EF calculations at two sites showed that most of the heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sb, and Pb) were from anthropogenic sources and some other elements (e.g., Li, Rb, and Ba) were mainly originated from crustal sources. MODIS atmospheric optical depth (AOD) fields derived using the Deep Blue algorithm and CALIOP/CALIPSO transect showed significant influence of atmospheric pollutant transport from south Asia to the Tibetan Plateau, which probably caused the increased concentrations and EFs of trace element deposition in the snowpack on the TGL glacier basin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. [Distribution Characteristics and Source Analysis of Dustfall Trace Elements During Winter in Beijing].

    PubMed

    Xiong, Qiu-lin; Zhao, Wen-ji; Guo, Xiao-yu; Chen, Fan-tao; Shu, Tong-tong; Zheng, Xiao-xia; Zhao, Wen-hui

    2015-08-01

    The dustfall content is one of the evaluation indexes of atmospheric pollution. Trace elements especially heavy metals in dustfall can lead to risks to ecological environment and human health. In order to study the distribution characteristics of trace elements, heavy metals pollution and their sources in winter atmospheric dust, 49 dustfall samples were collected in Beijing City and nearby during November 2013 to March 2014. Then the contents (mass percentages) of 40 trace elements were measured by Elan DRC It type inductively coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS). Test results showed that more than half of the trace elements in the dust were less than 10 mg x kg(-1); about a quarter were between 10-100 mg x kg-1); while 7 elements (Pb, Zr, Cr, Cu, Zn, Sr and Ba) were more than 100 mg x kg(-1). The contents of Pb, Cu, Zn, Bi, Cd and Mo of winter dustfall in Beijing city.were respectively 4.18, 4.66, 5.35, 6.31, 6.62, and 8.62 times as high as those of corresponding elements in the surface soil in the same period, which went beyond the soil background values by more than 300% . The contribution of human activities to dustfall trace heavy metals content in Beijing city was larger than that in the surrounding region. Then sources analysis of dustfall and its 20 main trace elements (Cd, Mo, Nb, Ga, Co, Y, Nd, Li, La, Ni, Rb, V, Ce, Pb, Zr, Cr, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ba) was conducted through a multi-method analysis, including Pearson correlation analysis, Kendall correlation coefficient analysis and principal component analysis. Research results indicated that sources of winter dustfall in Beijing city were mainly composed of the earth's crust sources (including road dust, construction dust and remote transmission of dust) and the burning of fossil fuels (vehicle emissions, coal combustion, biomass combustion and industrial processes).

  2. Distribution and solubility limits of trace elements in hydrothermal black smoker sulfides: An in-situ LA-ICP-MS study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wohlgemuth-Ueberwasser, Cora C.; Viljoen, Fanus; Petersen, Sven; Vorster, Clarisa

    2015-06-01

    The key for understanding the trace metal inventory of currently explored VHMS deposits lies in the understanding of trace element distribution during the formation of these deposits on the seafloor. Recrystallization processes already occurring at the seafloor might liberate trace elements to later hydrothermal alteration and removement. To investigate the distribution and redistribution of trace elements we analyzed sulfide minerals from 27 black smoker samples derived from three different seafloor hydrothermal fields: the ultramafic-hosted Logatchev hydrothermal field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the basaltic-hosted Turtle Pits field on the mid-atlantic ridge, and the felsic-hosted PACMANUS field in the Manus basin (Papua New Guinea). The sulfide samples were analyzed by mineral liberation analyser for the modal abundances of sulfide minerals, by electron microprobe for major elements and by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for As, Sb, Se, Te, and Au. The samples consist predominantly of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, galena and minor isocubanite as well as inclusions of tetrahedrite-tennantite. Laser ablation spectra were used to evaluate the solubility limits of trace elements in different sulfide minerals at different textures. The solubility of As, Sb, and Au in pyrite decreases with increasing degree of recrystallization. When solubility limits are reached these elements occur as inclusions in the different sulfide phases or they are expelled from the mineral phase. Most ancient VHMS deposits represent felsic or bimodal felsic compositions. Samples from the felsic-hosted PACMANUS hydrothermal field at the Pual ridge (Papua New Guinea) show high concentrations of Pb, As, Sb, Bi, Hg, and Te, which is likely the result of an additional trace element contribution derived from magmatic volatiles. Co-precipitating pyrite and chalcopyrite are characterized by equal contents of Te, while chalcopyrite that replaced pyrite (presumably during black smoker growth) is enriched in Te relative to pyrite. These higher Te concentrations may be related to higher fluid temperature.

  3. Effect of stearic acid modified HAp nanoparticles in different solvents on the properties of Pickering emulsions and HAp/PLLA composites.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ming; Wang, Ai-Juan; Li, Jun-Ming; Song, Na

    2017-10-01

    Stearic acid (Sa) was used to modify the surface properties of hydroxyapatite (HAp) in different solvents (water, ethanol or dichloromethane(CH 2 Cl 2 )). Effect of different solvents on the properties of HAp particles (activation ratio, grafting ratio, chemical properties), emulsion properties (emulsion stability, emulsion type, droplet morphology) as well as the cured materials (morphology, average pore size) were studied. FT-IR and XPS results confirmed the interaction occurred between stearic acid and HAp particles. Stable O/W and W/O type Pickering emulsions were prepared using unmodified and Sa modified HAp nanoparticles respectively, which indicated a catastrophic inversion of the Pickering emulsion happened possibly because of the enhanced hydrophobicity of HAp particles after surface modification. Porous materials with different structures and pore sizes were obtained using Pickering emulsion as the template via in situ evaporation solvent method. The results indicated the microstructures of cured samples are different form each other when HAp was surface modified in different solvents. HAp particles fabricated using ethanol as solvent has higher activation ratio and grafting ratio. Pickering emulsion with higher stability and cured porous materials with uniform morphology were obtained compared with samples prepared using water and CH 2 Cl 2 as solvents. In conclusion, surface modification of HAp in different solvents played a very important role for its stabilized Pickering emulsion as well as the microstructure of cured samples. It is better to use ethanol as the solvent for Sa modified HAp particles, which could increase the stability of Pickering emulsion and obtain cured samples with uniform pore size. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Effects of low molecular weight organic acids on the immobilization of aqueous Pb(II) using phosphate rock and different crystallized hydroxyapatite.

    PubMed

    Wei, Wei; Cui, Jing; Wei, Zhenggui

    2014-06-01

    Understanding the effects of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) on the transformation of Pb(II) to geochemically stable pyromorphite (PY) by apatite materials (AMs), has considerable benefits for risk assessment and remediation strategies for contaminated water and soil. In this study, we systematically investigated the immobilization of Pb(II) from aqueous solution by natural phosphate rock (PR) and different crystallized hydroxyapatite (HAp) in the absence and presence of LMWOAs (oxalic, malic and citric acids). The results indicated that the effectiveness of PR and HAp in immobilizing Pb(II) followed in descending order by HAp2 (the poorly crystallized HAp), HAp1 (the well crystallized HAp) and PR, regardlessof the presence of LMWOAs. The presence of malic and citric acids significantly decreased the immobilizationefficiency of Pb(II) by HAp1 and PR, clarifying the lower adsorption affinities of Pb(II)-organic acid complexes on HAp1 and PR rather than Pb(II) ion. On thecontrary, oxalic acid could markedly enhance the removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution by HAp1 and PR through the formation of lead oxalate, which was confirmed by FT-IR and XRDanalysis. Results also showed that LMWOAs had little promoting or inhibiting effect on the immobilization of Pb(II) by HAp2. This study suggested that the ubiquity of LMWOAs in natural environments could retard the transformation efficiency of Pb(II) to PY by AMs, especiallyin thepresenceof oxalic acid, and the poorly crystallized HAp2 had great potential to remediate Pb(II)-contaminated water and soil due to its insusceptibility to LMWOAs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Enhanced bone regeneration composite scaffolds of PLLA/β-TCP matrix grafted with gelatin and HAp.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jie-Lin; Chen, Qian; Du, Bei-Bei; Cao, Lu; Lin, Hong; Fan, Zhong-Yong; Dong, Jian

    2018-06-01

    The composite polylactide PLLA/β-TCP scaffolds were fabricated by solution casting and were coated with gelatin/hydroxyapatite (Gel/HAp) to improve the biological properties of the composite scaffolds. The Gel/HAp mixture was prepared using an in situ reaction, and a grafting-coating method was used to increase the efficiency of coating the PLLA/β-TCP matrix with Gel/HAp. First, free amino groups were introduced by 1,6-hexanediamine to aminolyze the PLLA/β-TCP matrix surface. Second, glutaraldehyde was coupled to Gel/HAp as a crosslinking agent. The structure and properties of Gel/HAp-modified PLLA/β-TCP films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and water contact angle measurements (WCA). The experimental results show that 23 wt% HAp was uniformly dispersed in the gelatin coating by in situ synthesis. The Gel/HAp composite coating was successfully immobilized on the aminolyzed PLLA/β-TCP surface via a chemical grafting method, which promoted a lower degradation rate and was more hydrophilic than a physical grafting method. The Gel/HAp composite coating adhered tightly and homogeneously to the hydrophobic PLLA/β-TCP surface. Moreover, mouse embryo osteoblast precursor (MC3T3-E1) cells grown on the scaffolds were behaviorally and morphologically characterized. The results indicated that the Gel/HAp composite coating was favorable for the attachment and proliferation of preosteoblasts and that Gel/HAp-NH-PLLA/β-TCP would be a candidate scaffold for bone repair. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Surface polyPEGylation of Eu3+ doped luminescent hydroxyapatite nanorods through the combination of ligand exchange and metal free surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeng, Guangjian; Liu, Meiying; Heng, Chunning; Huang, Qiang; Mao, Liucheng; Huang, Hongye; Hui, Junfeng; Deng, Fengjie; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

    2017-03-01

    The Eu3+ doped luminescent hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods with uniform size and morphology can be synthesized by hydrothermal route. However, these HAp nanorods are coated by hydrophobic oleylamine, which makes them difficult to be dispersed in aqueous solution and impede their biomedical applications. In this work, Eu3+ doped luminescent polymers functionalized HAp nanorods were prepared through the combination of ligand exchange reaction and metal free surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method. In this procedure, the amino group functionalized HAp nanorods were first prepared by ligand exchange reaction using adenosine monophosphate (AMP) as ligand. Then the Br-containing initiators (HAp-Br) were introduced onto the surface of HAp-AMP nanorods through the amidation reaction. Finally, polymers functionalized HAp nanorods were prepared by metal free ATRP method using poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) as monomer and 10-phenylphenothiazine (PTH) as organic photocatalyst. The properties of these obtained HAp nanocomposites (HAP-polyPEGMA nanorods) were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis in detail. The cell imaging of these HAP-polyPEGMA nanorods was examined using laser scanning confocal microscope to evaluate their biomedical applications. We demonstrated for the first time that hydrophobic luminescent HAp nanorods can be functionalized with polyPEGMA through the combination of ligand exchange reaction and metal free surface initiated ATRP. As compared with the traditional ATRP, the metal free ATRP can overcome the toxic and fluorescence quenching effects of metal catalysts such as copper ions. More importantly, the strategy described in this work should also be utilized for fabrications of many other luminescent polymer nanocomposites due to its good monomer adoptability.

  7. The Babesia bovis hap2 gene is not required for blood stage replication, but expressed upon in vitro sexual stage induction

    PubMed Central

    Hussein, Hala E.; Bastos, Reginaldo G.; Schneider, David A.; Johnson, Wendell C.; Adham, Fatma K.; Davis, William C.; Laughery, Jacob M.; Herndon, David R.; Alzan, Heba F.

    2017-01-01

    Babesia bovis, is a tick borne apicomplexan parasite responsible for important cattle losses globally. Babesia parasites have a complex life cycle including asexual replication in the mammalian host and sexual reproduction in the tick vector. Novel control strategies aimed at limiting transmission of the parasite are needed, but transmission blocking vaccine candidates remain undefined. Expression of HAP2 has been recognized as critical for the fertilization of parasites in the Babesia-related Plasmodium, and is a leading candidate for a transmission blocking vaccine against malaria. Hereby we identified the B. bovis hap2 gene and demonstrated that it is widely conserved and differentially transcribed during development within the tick midgut, but not by blood stage parasites. The hap2 gene was disrupted by transfecting B. bovis with a plasmid containing the flanking regions of the hap2 gene and the GPF-BSD gene under the control of the ef-1α-B promoter. Comparison of in vitro growth between a hap2-KO B. bovis clonal line and its parental wild type strain showed that HAP2 is not required for the development of B. bovis in erythrocytes. However, xanthurenic acid-in vitro induction experiments of sexual stages of parasites recovered after tick transmission resulted in surface expression of HAP2 exclusively in sexual stage induced parasites. In addition, hap2-KO parasites were not able to develop such sexual stages as defined both by morphology and by expression of the B. bovis sexual marker genes 6-Cys A and B. Together, the data strongly suggests that tick midgut stage differential expression of hap2 is associated with the development of B. bovis sexual forms. Overall these studies are consistent with a role of HAP2 in tick stages of the parasite and suggest that HAP2 is a potential candidate for a transmission blocking vaccine against bovine babesiosis. PMID:28985216

  8. Osteoinduction and proliferation of bone-marrow stromal cells in three-dimensional poly (ε-caprolactone)/ hydroxyapatite/collagen scaffolds.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ting; Yang, Xiaoyan; Qi, Xin; Jiang, Chaoyin

    2015-05-08

    Osteoinduction and proliferation of bone-marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in three-dimensional (3D) poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds have not been studied throughly and are technically challenging. This study aimed to optimize nanocomposites of 3D PCL scaffolds to provide superior adhesion, proliferation and differentiation environment for BMSCs in this scenario. BMSCs were isolated and cultured in a novel 3D tissue culture poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold coated with poly-lysine, hydroxyapatite (HAp), collagen and HAp/collagen. Cell morphology was observed and BMSC biomarkers for osteogenesis, osteoblast differentiation and activation were analyzed. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrographs showed that coating materials were uniformly deposited on the surface of PCL scaffolds and BMSCs grew and aggregated to form clusters during 3D culture. Both mRNA and protein levels of the key players of osteogenesis and osteoblast differentiation and activation, including runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphates (ALP), osterix, osteocalcin, and RANKL, were significantly higher in BMSCs seeded in PCL scaffolds coated with HAp or HAp/collagen than those seeded in uncoated PCL scaffolds, whereas the expression levels were not significantly different in collagen or poly-lysine coated PCL scaffolds. In addition, poly-lysine, collagen, HAp/collagen, and HAp coated PCL scaffolds had significantly more viable cells than uncoated PCL scaffolds, especially scaffolds with HAp/collagen and collagen-alone coatings. That BMSCs in HAp or HAp/collagen PCL scaffolds had remarkably higher ALP activities than those in collagen-coated alone or uncoated PCL scaffolds indicating higher osteogenic differentiation levels of BMSCs in HAp or HAp/collagen PCL scaffolds. Moreover, morphological changes of BMSCs after four-week of 3D culture confirmed that BMSCs successfully differentiated into osteoblast with spread-out phenotype in HAp/collagen coated PCL scaffolds. This study showed a proof of concept for preparing biomimetic 3D poly (ε-caprolactone)/ hydroxyapatite/collagen scaffolds with excellent osteoinduction and proliferation capacity for bone regeneration.

  9. Calcium hydroxyapatite-based photocatalysts for environment remediation: Characteristics, performances and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Piccirillo, C; L Castro, P M

    2017-05-15

    Calcium hydroxyapatite Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 (HAp) is a material widely used in biomedicine, for bone implants manufacture, due to its biocompatibility. HAp has also application for environmental remediation, as it can be employed as metal removal; moreover, it has the capability of effectively adsorbing organic molecules its surface. In recent years, the photocatalytic properties of HAp have been investigated; indeed several studies report of HAp used as photocatalyst, either on its own or combined with other photocatalytic materials. Although in the majority of cases the activity was induced by UV light, some reports of visible light-activated materials were reported. Here we present a critical review of the latest developments for HAp-based photocatalysts; the materials discussed are undoped single phase HAp, doped HAp and HAp-containing composites. For undoped single phase HAp, the possible surface treatment and lattice defects which can lead to a photoactive material are discussed. Considering doped HAp, the use of Ti 4+ (the most common dopant) is described, with particular attention to the effects that this metal have on the characteristics of the material (i.e. crystallinity) and on its photocatalytic behaviour. The use of other dopants is also discussed. For the multiphasic materials, the combination of HAp with other photocatalysts is discussed, mainly but not only with titanium dioxide TiO 2 . Overall, HAp is a compound with high potential as photocatalyst; this property, combined with its capability for heavy metal removal, makes it a multifunctional material for environmental remediation. As future perspectives, further studies, based on the results obtained until present, should be performed, to improve the performance of the materials and/or shift the band gap into the visible. The use of other dopants and/or the combination with other photocatalysts, for instance, are features which is worth exploring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Bags with oven-dried moss for the active monitoring of airborne trace elements in urban areas.

    PubMed

    Giordano, S; Adamo, P; Monaci, F; Pittao, E; Tretiach, M; Bargagli, R

    2009-10-01

    To define a harmonized methodology for the use of moss and lichen bags as active monitoring devices of airborne trace elements in urban areas, we evaluated the element accumulation in bags exposed in Naples in different spring weather conditions for 6- and 12-weeks. Three different pre-exposure treatments were applied to moss and lichen materials: water-washing, acid-washing and oven-drying. During the different exposure periods in the Naples urban environment the moss accumulated always higher amounts of elements (except Hg) than lichens and the element accumulation increased during wetter weather and higher PM(10) conditions. The oven pre-treatment did not substantially modify the morphology and element composition of moss and the exposure in bags of this material for 6-weeks was sufficient to detect the pattern of airborne trace elements.

  11. Water-quality assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas; organic compounds and trace elements in bed sediment and fish tissue, 1992-93

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Carter, L.F.; Anderholm, S.K.

    1997-01-01

    The occurrence and distribution of contaminants in aquatic systems are major components of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Bed-sediment samples were collected at 18 sites in the Rio Grande Valley study unit between September 1992 and March 1993 to characterize the geographic distribution of organic compounds, including chlorinated insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, and also trace elements. Two-millimeter-size- fraction sediment was analyzed for organic compounds and less than 63-micron-size-fraction sediment was analyzed for trace elements. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 33 percent of the bed-sediment samples. With the exception of DDT-related compounds, no other organochlorine insecticides or polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in samples of bed sediment. Whole-body fish samples were collected at 11 of the bed- sediment sites and analyzed for organic compounds. Organic compounds were reported more frequently in samples of fish, and more types of organic compounds were found in whole-body fish samples than in bed-sediment samples. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 91 percent of whole-body fish samples. Polychlorinated biphenyls, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, trans- nonachlor, and hexachlorobenzene were other organic compounds detected in whole-body samples of fish from at least one site. Because of the extent of mineralized areas in the Rio Grande Basin arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc concentrations in bed-sediment samples could represent natural conditions at most sites. However, a combination of natural conditions and human activities appears to be associated with elevated trace-element concentrations in the bed-sediment sample from the site Rio Grande near Creede, Colorado, because this sample exceeded the background trace-element concentrations calculated for this study. Fish-liver samples were collected at 12 of the bed-sediment sites and analyzed for trace elements. Certain trace elements were detected at higher concentrations in fish-liver samples than in bed-sediment samples from the same site. Both bed-sediment and fish-tissue samples are necessary for a complete environmental assessment of the occurrence and distribution of trace elements.

  12. Reference Values of 14 Serum Trace Elements for Pregnant Chinese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in the China Nutrition and Health Survey 2010-2012.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xiaobing; Zhang, Yu; Piao, Jianhua; Mao, Deqian; Li, Yajie; Li, Weidong; Yang, Lichen; Yang, Xiaoguang

    2017-03-21

    The development of reference values of trace elements is recognized as a fundamental prerequisite for the assessment of trace element nutritional status and health risks. In this study, a total of 1400 pregnant women aged 27.0 ± 4.5 years were randomly selected from the China Nutrition and Health Survey 2010-2012 (CNHS 2010-2012). The concentrations of 14 serum trace elements were determined by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Reference values were calculated covering the central 95% reference intervals (P2.5-P97.5) after excluding outliers by Dixon's test. The overall reference values of serum trace elements were 131.5 (55.8-265.0 μg/dL for iron (Fe), 195.5 (107.0-362.4) μg/dL for copper (Cu), 74.0 (51.8-111.3) μg/dL for zinc (Zn), 22.3 (14.0-62.0) μg/dL for rubidium (Rb), 72.2 (39.9-111.6) μg/L for selenium (Se), 45.9 (23.8-104.3) μg/L for strontium (Sr), 1.8 (1.2-3.6) μg/L for molybdenum (Mo), 2.4 (1.2-8.4) μg/L for manganese (Mn), 1.9 (0.6-9.0) ng/L for lead (Pb), 1.1 (0.3-5.6) ng/L for arsenic (As), 835.6 (219.8-4287.7) ng/L for chromium (Cr), 337.9 (57.0-1130.0) ng/L for cobalt (Co), 193.2 (23.6-2323.1) ng/L for vanadium (V), and 133.7 (72.1-595.1) ng/L for cadmium (Cd). Furthermore, some significant differences in serum trace element reference values were observed between different groupings of age intervals, residences, anthropometric status, and duration of pregnancy. We found that serum Fe, Zn, and Se concentrations significantly decreased, whereas serum Cu, Sr, and Co concentrations elevated progressively compared with reference values of 14 serum trace elements in pregnant Chinese women. The reference values of serum trace elements established could play a key role in the following nutritional status and health risk assessment.

  13. Trace Element Study of H Chondrites: Evidence for Meteoroid Streams.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolf, Stephen Frederic

    1993-01-01

    Multivariate statistical analyses, both linear discriminant analysis and logistic regression, of the volatile trace elemental concentrations in H4-6 chondrites reveal compositionally distinguishable subpopulations. Observed difference in volatile trace element composition between Antarctic and non-Antarctic H4-6 chondrites (Lipschutz and Samuels, 1991) can be explained by a compositionaily distinct subpopulation found in Victoria Land, Antarctica. This population of H4-6 chondrites is compositionally distinct from non-Antarctic H4-6 chondrites and from Antarctic H4 -6 chondrites from Queen Maud Land. Comparisons of Queen Maud Land H4-6 chondrites with non-Antarctic H4-6 chondrites do not give reason to believe that these two populations are distinguishable from each other on the basis of the ten volatile trace element concentrations measured. ANOVA indicates that these differences are not the result of trivial causes such as weathering and analytical bias. Thermoluminescence properties of these populations parallels the results of volatile trace element comparisons. Given the differences in terrestrial age between Victoria Land, Queen Maud Land, and modern H4-6 chondrite falls, these results are consistent with a variation in H4-6 chondrite flux on a 300 ky timescale. This conclusion requires the existence of co-orbital meteoroid streams. Statistical analyses of the volatile trace elemental concentrations in non-Antarctic modern falls of H4-6 chondrites also demonstrate that a group of 13 H4-6 chondrites, Cluster 1, selected exclusively for their distinct fall parameters (Dodd, 1992) is compositionally distinguishable from a control group of 45 non-Antarctic modern H4-6 chondrites on the basis of the ten volatile trace element concentrations measured. Model-independent randomization-simulations based on both linear discriminant analysis and logistic regression verify these results. While ANOVA identifies two possible causes for this difference, analytical bias and group classification, a test validation experiment verifies that group classification is the more significant cause of compositional difference between Cluster 1 and non-Cluster 1 modern H4-6 chondrite falls. Thermoluminescence properties of these populations parallels the results of volatile trace element comparisons. This suggests that these meteorites are fragments of a co-orbital meteorite stream derived from a single parent body.

  14. Trace elements in groundwater used for water supply in Latvia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Retike, Inga; Kalvans, Andis; Babre, Alise; Kalvane, Gunta; Popovs, Konrads

    2014-05-01

    Latvia is rich with groundwater resources of various chemical composition and groundwater is the main drinking source. Groundwater quality can be easily affected by pollution or overexploitation, therefore drinking water quality is an issue of high importance. Here the first attempt is made to evaluate the vast data base of trace element concentrations in groundwater collected by Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre. Data sources here range from National monitoring programs to groundwater resources prospecting and research projects. First available historical records are from early 1960, whose quality is impossible to test. More recent systematic research has been focused on the agricultural impact on groundwater quality (Levins and Gosk, 2007). This research was mainly limited to Quaternary aquifer. Monitoring of trace elements arsenic, cadmium and lead was included in National groundwater monitoring program of Latvia in 2008 and 2009, but due to lack of funding the monitoring was suspended until 2013. As a result there are no comprehensive baseline studies regarding the trace elements concentration in groundwater. The aim of this study is to determine natural major and trace element concentration in aquifers mainly used for water supply in Latvia and to compare the results with EU potable water standards. A new overview of artesian groundwater quality will be useful for national and regional planning documents. Initial few characteristic traits of trace element concentration have been identified. For example, elevated fluorine, strontium and lithium content can be mainly associated with gypsum dissolution, but the highest barium concentrations are found in groundwaters with low sulphate content. The groundwater composition data including trace element concentrations originating from heterogeneous sources will be processed and analyzed as a part of a newly developed geologic and hydrogeological data management and modeling system with working name "GeoVipum". This study is supported by the European Social Fund project Nr.2013/0054/2DP/2.1.1.1.0/13/APIA/VIAA/007 in Latvia and European Social Fund Mobilitas grant No MJD309 in Estonia. Reference: Levins I., Gosk, E. 2007. Trace elements in groundwater as indicators of anthropogenic impact. Environmental Geology, 55, 285-290.

  15. Trace elements and rare earth elements in wet deposition of Lijiang, Mt. Yulong region, southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.

    PubMed

    Guo, Junming; Kang, Shichang; Huang, Jie; Sillanpää, Mika; Niu, Hewen; Sun, Xuejun; He, Yuanqing; Wang, Shijing; Tripathee, Lekhendra

    2017-02-01

    In order to investigate the compositions and wet deposition fluxes of trace elements and rare earth elements (REEs) in the precipitation of the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, 38 precipitation samples were collected from March to August in 2012 in an urban site of Lijiang city in the Mt. Yulong region. The concentrations of most trace elements and REEs were higher during the non-monsoon season than during the monsoon season, indicating that the lower concentrations of trace elements and REEs observed during monsoon had been influenced by the dilution effect of increased precipitation. The concentrations of trace elements in the precipitation of Lijiang city were slightly higher than those observed in remote sites of the Tibetan Plateau but much lower than those observed in the metropolises of China, indicating that the atmospheric environment of Lijiang city was less influenced by anthropogenic emissions, and, as a consequence, the air quality was still relatively good. However, the results of enrichment factor and principal component analysis revealed that some anthropogenic activities (e.g., the increasing traffic emissions from the rapid development of tourism) were most likely important contributors to trace elements, while the regional/local crustal sources rather than anthropogenic activities were the predominant contributors to the REEs in the wet deposition of Lijiang city. Our study was relevant not only for assessing the current status of the atmospheric environment in the Mt. Yulong region, but also for specific management actions to be implemented for the control of atmospheric inputs and the health of the environment for the future. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Lunar Ferroan Anorthosite Petrogenesis: Clues from Trace Element Distributions in FAN Subgroups

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Floss, Christine; James, Odette B.; McGee, James J.; Crozaz, Ghislaine

    1998-04-01

    The rare earth elements (REE) and selected other trace elements were measured in plagioclase and pyroxene from nine samples of the lunar ferroan anorthosite (FAN) suite of rocks. Samples were selected from each of four FAN subgroups previously defined by James et al. (1989). Plagioclase compositions are homogeneous within each sample, but high- and low-Ca pyroxenes from lithic clasts typically have different REE abundances from their counterparts in the surrounding granulated matrices. Measured plagioclase/low-Ca pyroxene concentration ratios for the REE have steeper patterns than experimentally determined plagioclase/low-Ca pyroxene partition coefficients in most samples. Textural and trace element evidence suggest that, although subsolidus equilibration may be responsible for some of the discrepancy, plagioclase compositions in most samples have been largely unaffected by intermineral redistribution of the REE. The REE systematics of plagioclase from the four subgroups are broadly consistent with their derivation through crystallization from a single evolving magma. However, samples from some of the subgroups exhibit a decoupling of plagioclase and pyroxene compositions that probably reflects the complexities inherent in crystallization from a large-scale magmatic system. For example, two anorthosites with very magnesian mafic minerals have highly evolved trace element compositions; major element compositions in plagioclase also do not reflect the evolutionary sequence recorded by their REE compositions. Finally, a noritic anorthosite breccia with relatively ferroan mafic minerals contains several clasts with high and variable REE and other trace element abundances. Although plagioclase REE compositions are consistent with their derivation from a magma with a KREEPy trace element signature, very shallow REE patterns in the pyroxenes suggest the addition of a component enriched in the light REE.

  17. Trace element accumulation in hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Yaeyama Islands, Japan.

    PubMed

    Anan, Y; Kunito, T; Watanabe, I; Sakai, H; Tanabe, S

    2001-12-01

    Concentrations of 18 trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, and Pb) were determined in the liver, kidney, and muscle of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa, Japan. Accumulation features of trace elements in the three tissues were similar between green and hawksbill turtles. No gender differences in trace element accumulation in liver and kidney were found for most of the elements. Significant growth-dependent variations were found in concentrations of some elements in tissues of green and hawksbill turtles. Significant negative correlations (p < 0.05) were found between standard carapace length (SCL) and the concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Se in the kidney and V in muscle of green turtles and Mn in the liver, Rb and Ag in kidney, and Hg in muscle of hawksbill turtles. Concentrations of Sr, Mo, Ag, Sb, and Tl in the liver, Sb in kidney, and Sb and Ba in muscle of green turtles and Se and Hg in the liver and Co, Se, and Hg in kidney of hawksbill turtles increased with an increase in SCL (p < 0.05). Green and hawksbill turtles accumulated extremely high concentrations of Cu in the liver and Cd in kidney, whereas the levels of Hg in liver were low in comparison with those of other higher-trophic-level marine animals. High accumulation of Ag in the liver of green turtles was also observed. To evaluate the trophic transfer of trace elements, concentrations of trace elements were determined in stomach contents of green and hawksbill turtles. A remarkably high trophic transfer coefficient was found for Ag and Cd in green turtles and for Cd and Hg in hawksbill turtles.

  18. Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Base General Plan Development, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

    will not involve an element of high risk or uncertainty on the human environment, and its effects on the quality of the human environment are not...Information System HAPs Hazardous air pollutants HAZMAT Hazardous Material HVAC heating, ventilation , and air conditioning HUD U.S. Housing and...Engineers USAF Unites States Air Force USC United States Code USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife

  19. Biodiversity of mineral nutrient and trace element accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In order to grow on soils that vary widely in chemical composition, plants have evolved mechanisms for regulating the elemental composition of their tissues to balance the mineral nutrient and trace element bioavailability in the soil with the requirements of the plant for growth and development. T...

  20. Estimated Loads of Suspended Sediment and Selected Trace Elements Transported through Milltown Reservoir in the Upper Clark Fork Basin, Montana, Water Years 2004-07

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lambing, John H.; Sando, Steven K.

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to present estimated daily and annual loads of suspended sediment and selected trace elements for water years 2004-07 at two sites upstream and one site downstream from Milltown Reservoir. Milltown Reservoir is a National Priorities List Superfund site in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana where sediments enriched in trace elements from historical mining and ore processing have been deposited since the construction of Milltown Dam in 1907. The estimated loads were used to quantify annual net gains and losses (mass balance) of suspended sediment and trace elements within Milltown Reservoir before and after June 1, 2006, which was the start of Stage 1 of a permanent drawdown of the reservoir in preparation for removal of Milltown Dam. This study was done in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Daily loads of suspended sediment were estimated for water years 2004-07 by using either high-frequency sampling as part of daily sediment monitoring or regression equations relating suspended-sediment discharge to streamflow. Daily loads of unfiltered-recoverable arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc were estimated by using regression equations relating trace-element discharge to suspended-sediment discharge. Regression equations were developed from data for eriodic water-quality samples collected during water years 2004-07. The equations were applied to daily records of either streamflow or suspended-sediment discharge to produce estimated daily loads. Variations in daily suspended-sediment and trace-element loads generally coincided with variations in streamflow. For most of the period before June 1, 2006, differences in daily loads transported to and from Milltown Reservoir were minor or indicated small amounts of deposition; however, losses of suspended sediment and trace elements from the reservoir occurred during temporary drawdowns in July-August 2004 and October-December 2005. After the start of Stage 1 of the permanent drawdown on June 1, 2006, losses of suspended sediment and trace elements from the reservoir persisted for all streamflow conditions during the entire interval of the Stage 1 drawdown (June 1, 2006-September 30, 2007) within the study period. Estimated daily loads of suspended sediment and trace elements were summed for each year to produce estimated annual loads used to determine the annual net gains (deposition) or losses (erosion) of each constituent within Milltown Reservoir during water years 2004-07. During water year 2004, there was an annual net gain of suspended sediment in the reservoir. The annual net gains and losses of trace elements were inconsistent in water year 2004, with gains occurring for arsenic ad iron, but losses occurring for cadmium, copper, lead, manganese, and zinc. In water year 2005, there were annual net gains of suspended sediment and all the trace elements within the reservoir. In water year 2006, there were annual net losses of all constituents from the reservoir, likely as the result of sediment erosion from the reservoir during both a temporary drawdown in October-December 2005 and Stage 1 of the permanent drawdown that continued after June 1, 2006. In water year 2007, when the Stage 1 drawdown was in effect for the entire year, there were large annual net losses of suspended sediment and trace elements from the reservoir. The annual net losses of constituents from Milltown Reservoir in water year 2007 were the largest of any year during the 2004-07 study period. In water year 2007, the annual net loss of suspended sediment from the reservoir was 130,000 tons, which was more than double (about 222 percent) the combined inflow to the reservoir. The largest annual net losses of trace elements in water year 2007, in percent of the combined inflow to the reservoir, occurred for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc-about 190 percent for cadmium, 170 percent for copper, 150 percent for lead, and 238 p

  1. Preparation of calcium hydroxyapatite nanoparticles using microreactor and their characteristics of protein adsorption.

    PubMed

    Kandori, Kazuhiko; Kuroda, Tomohiko; Togashi, Shigenori; Katayama, Erika

    2011-02-03

    The calcium hydroxyapatite Ca(10)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2) (Hap) nanoparticles were prepared by using microreactor and employed these Hap nanoparticles to clarify the adsorption behavior of proteins. The size of Hap particles produced by the microreactor reduced in the order of a hardness of the reaction conditions for mixing Ca(OH)(2) and H(3)PO(4) aqueous solutions, such as flow rates of both solutions and temperature. Finally, the size of the smallest Hap nanoparticle became 2 × 15 nm(2), similar to that of BSA molecule (4 × 14 nm(2)). It is noteworthy that the smallest Hap nanoparticles still possesses rodlike shape, suggesting that particles are grown along c-axis even though the reactants mixed very rapidly in narrow channels of the microreactors. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the Hap nanoparticles revealed that the crystallinity of the materials produced by the microreactor is low. The FTIR measurement indicated that the Hap nanoparticles produced by microreactor were carbonate-substituted type B Hap, where the carbonate ions replace the phosphate ions in the crystal lattice. All the adsorption isotherms of acidic bovine serum albumin (BSA), neutral myoglobin (MGB), and basic lysozyme (LSZ) onto Hap nanoparticles from 1 × 10(-4) mol/dm(3) KCl solution were the Langmuirian type. The saturated amounts of adsorbed BSA (n(S)(BSA)) for the Hap nanoparticles produced by microreactor were decreased with decrease in the mean particle length, and finally it reduced to zero for the smallest Hap nanoparticles. Similar results were observed for the adsorption of LSZ; the saturated amounts of adsorbed LSZ (n(S)(LSZ)) also reduced to zero for the smallest Hap nanoparticles. However, in the case of MGB, the saturated mounts of adsorbed MGB (n(S)(MGB)) are also depressed with decreased in their particle size, but about half of MGB molecules still adsorbed onto the smallest Hap nanoparticles. This difference in the protein adsorption behavior was explained by the difference in the size and flexibility of three kinds of proteins. The reduction of n(S)(BSA) is due to the decrease in the fraction of C sites on the side face of each Hap nanoparticle; i.e., there is not enough area left on the nanoparticle surface to adsorb large BSA molecules even though the BSA molecules are soft and their conformations are alterable. The reduction of n(S)(LSZ) was explained by the reduction of P sites. Further, rigidity of the LSZ molecules was given another possibility of the depression of n(S)(LSZ) for the Hap nanoparticles. However, MGB molecules with small and soft structure were adsorbed on the Hap nanoparticle surface by changing their conformation. We could control the amounts of adsorbed proteins by changing the particle size of Hap in the nanometer range and kinds of proteins. These obtained results may be useful for developing biomimetic materials for bone grafts and successful surgical devices in the biochemical field.

  2. Solid-phase extraction microfluidic devices for matrix removal in trace element assay of actinide materials

    DOE PAGES

    Gao, Jun; Manard, Benjamin Thomas; Castro, Alonso; ...

    2017-02-02

    Advances in sample nebulization and injection technology have significantly reduced the volume of solution required for trace impurity analysis in plutonium and uranium materials. Correspondingly, we have designed and tested a novel chip-based microfluidic platform, containing a 100-µL or 20-µL solid-phase microextraction column, packed by centrifugation, which supports nuclear material mass and solution volume reductions of 90% or more compared to standard methods. Quantitative recovery of 28 trace elements in uranium was demonstrated using a UTEVA chromatographic resin column, and trace element recovery from thorium (a surrogate for plutonium) was similarly demonstrated using anion exchange resin AG MP-1. Of ninemore » materials tested, compatibility of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) chips with the strong nitric acid media was highest. Finally, the microcolumns can be incorporated into a variety of devices and systems, and can be loaded with other solid-phase resins for trace element assay in high-purity metals.« less

  3. Solid-phase extraction microfluidic devices for matrix removal in trace element assay of actinide materials

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

    Gao, Jun; Manard, Benjamin Thomas; Castro, Alonso

    Advances in sample nebulization and injection technology have significantly reduced the volume of solution required for trace impurity analysis in plutonium and uranium materials. Correspondingly, we have designed and tested a novel chip-based microfluidic platform, containing a 100-µL or 20-µL solid-phase microextraction column, packed by centrifugation, which supports nuclear material mass and solution volume reductions of 90% or more compared to standard methods. Quantitative recovery of 28 trace elements in uranium was demonstrated using a UTEVA chromatographic resin column, and trace element recovery from thorium (a surrogate for plutonium) was similarly demonstrated using anion exchange resin AG MP-1. Of ninemore » materials tested, compatibility of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) chips with the strong nitric acid media was highest. Finally, the microcolumns can be incorporated into a variety of devices and systems, and can be loaded with other solid-phase resins for trace element assay in high-purity metals.« less

  4. Multivariate statistical analysis to characterize/discriminate between anthropogenic and geogenic trace elements occurrence in the Campania Plain, Southern Italy.

    PubMed

    Busico, Gianluigi; Cuoco, Emilio; Kazakis, Nerantzis; Colombani, Nicolò; Mastrocicco, Micòl; Tedesco, Dario; Voudouris, Konstantinos

    2018-03-01

    Shallow aquifers are the most accessible reservoirs of potable groundwater; nevertheless, they are also prone to various sources of pollution and it is usually difficult to distinguish between human and natural sources at the watershed scale. The area chosen for this study (the Campania Plain) is characterized by high spatial heterogeneities both in geochemical features and in hydraulic properties. Groundwater mineralization is driven by many processes such as, geothermal activity, weathering of volcanic products and intense human activities. In such a landscape, multivariate statistical analysis has been used to differentiate among the main hydrochemical processes occurring in the area, using three different approaches of factor analysis: (i) major elements, (ii) trace elements, (iii) both major and trace elements. The elaboration of the factor analysis approaches has revealed seven distinct hydrogeochemical processes: i) Salinization (Cl - , Na + ); ii) Carbonate rocks dissolution; iii) Anthropogenic inputs (NO 3 - , SO 4 2- , U, V); iv) Reducing conditions (Fe 2+ , Mn 2+ ); v) Heavy metals contamination (Cr and Ni); vi) Geothermal fluids influence (Li + ); and vii) Volcanic products contribution (As, Rb). Results from this study highlight the need to separately apply factor analysis when a large data set of trace elements is available. In fact, the impact of geothermal fluids in the shallow aquifer was identified from the application of the factor analysis using only trace elements. This study also reveals that the factor analysis of major and trace elements can differentiate between anthropogenic and geogenic sources of pollution in intensively exploited aquifers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Trace element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Community. III. The control of preanalytical factors in the biomonitoring of trace elements in biological fluids.

    PubMed

    Minoia, C; Pietra, R; Sabbioni, E; Ronchi, A; Gatti, A; Cavalleri, A; Manzo, L

    1992-06-09

    In the context of a programme concerning the determination of trace elements in body fluids and tissues to establish trace element reference values, research has been undertaken on the control of preanalytical factors in order to develop sufficiently accurate and precise guidelines to be applied in routine work by using techniques such as graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS). Aspects investigated are related to the risk of contamination during blood collection and the use of anticoagulants; the risk of losses during storage and freeze-drying as well as the possible risk of contamination arising from trace elements in airborne particulates of the laboratory environment. For the analysis of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, W, V and Zn in blood, Teflon cannula is the method of choice. The anticoagulants do not introduce disturbing contaminations of Rb, Se, Zn, while contaminations were observed for Co, Cr, Mn. Radiotracers in 'metabolized form' (radiolabelled rat or rabbit tissues from animals administered with radioisotopes) show that samples stored for 1 month at -20 degrees C have no significant trace metal losses. Strict ambient air quality standard has to be respected (continuous monitoring) due to the possibility of element contaminations inside the laboratory. The use of matrix modifiers could represent a toxicological risk to the operators. Critical factors should be considered ('metal sheets') for each element in each matrix. For instance 27 factors for Cr in serum have been suggested.

  6. Trace elements in Zn Pb Ag deposits and related stream sediments, Brooks Range Alaska, with implications for Tl as a pathfinder element

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Graham, G.E.; Kelley, K.D.; Slack, J.F.; Koenig, A.E.

    2009-01-01

    The Zn-Pb-Ag metallogenic province of the western and central Brooks Range, Alaska, contains two distinct but mineralogically similar deposit types: shale-hosted massive sulphide (SHMS) and smaller vein-breccia occurrences. Recent investigations of the Red Dog and Anarraaq SHMS deposits demonstrated that these deposits are characterized by high trace-element concentrations of As, Ge, Sb and Tl. This paper examines geochemistry of additional SHMS deposits (Drenchwater and Su-Lik) to determine which trace elements are ubiquitously elevated in all SHMS deposits. Data from several vein-breccia occurrences are also presented to see if trace-element concentrations can distinguish SHMS deposits from vein-breccia occurrences. Whole-rock geochemical data indicate that Tl is the most consistently and highly concentrated characteristic trace element in SHMS deposits relative to regional unmineralized rock samples. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of pyrite and sphalerite indicate that Tl is concentrated in pyrite in SHMS. Stream sediment data from the Drenchwater and Su-Lik SHMS show that high Tl concentrations are more broadly distributed proximal to known or suspected mineralization than As, Sb, Zn and Pb anomalies. This broader distribution of Tl in whole-rock and particularly stream sediment samples increases the footprint of exposed and shallowly buried SHMS mineralization. High Tl concentrations also distinguish SHMS mineralization from the vein-breccia deposits, as the latter lack high concentrations of Tl but can otherwise have similar trace-element signatures to SHMS deposits. ?? 2009 AAG/Geological Society of London.

  7. Determination of trace elements in epiphytic lichens from Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor using INAA method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khairudin, Nurshafiq Ezam; Siong, Khoo Kok; Siong, Wee Boon

    2014-02-01

    Lichens have been used as effective biomonitors of atmospheric pollutants as they can take up nutrients and pollutants directly from the atmosphere. In this study, trace element contents in epiphytic lichens were determined using INAA method. Samples were collected from 7 sampling locations around Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. The elements detected were As (1.73+0.85 mg/kg), Ce (3.65+1.91 mg/kg), Co (0.29+0.12 mg/kg), Cr (5.92+3.54 mg/kg), Cs (0.92+0.25 mg/kg), Eu (0.03+0.02 mg/kg), Fe (1280+760 mg/kg), Hf (0.37+0.18 mg/kg), La (1.52+0.89 mg/kg), Rb (27.7+4.8 mg/kg), Sc (0.33+0.19 mg/kg), Sm (0.28+0.16 mg/kg), Th (1.21+0.62 mg/kg) and Zn (116+27 mg/kg). Comparisons were then made between the elemental concentrations obtained and the baseline data from literature. Results showed that most of the elements were within the concentration range of the baseline data. Enrichment factors (EF) of the trace element in lichens showed that most of the elements were within the range of the baseline data except for As which was found to be slightly enriched (EF: 13.2 - 28.5). Regression analysis indicated significant correlation (p<0.05) with Sc for most of the elements which signifies crustal input except for Cs and Rb. The poor correlations of Cs and Rb with Sc may be due to the mobility of these elements. In summary, trace element data obtained using INAA were very useful and demonstrated that lichens were suitable biomonitors for identifying potential trace element pollutants in ambient air around the sampling area.

  8. Trace elements in feed, manure, and manured soils.

    PubMed

    Sheppard, S C; Sanipelli, B

    2012-01-01

    Modern animal feeds often include nutritional mineral supplements, especially elements such as Cu, P, Se, and Zn. Other sources of trace elements also occur in livestock systems, such as pharmaceutical use of As and Zn to control gut flora, Bi in dairy for mastitis control, and Cu as hoof dips. Additionally, potential exists for inadvertent inclusion of trace elements in feeds or manures. There is concern about long-term accumulation of trace elements in manured soil that may even exceed guideline "safe" concentrations. This project measured ∼60 elements in 124 manure samples from broiler, layer, turkey, swine grower, swine nursery, sow, dairy, and beef operations. The corresponding feeds were also analyzed. In general, concentrations in manure were two- to fivefold higher than those in feed: the manure/feed concentration ratios were relatively consistent for all the animal-essential elements and were numerically similar for many of the non-nutrient elements. To confirm the potential for accumulation in soil, total trace element concentrations were measured in the profiles of 10 manured and 10 adjacent unmanured soils. Concentrations of several elements were found to be elevated in the manured soils, with Zn (and P) the most common. One soil from a dairy standing yard had concentrations of B that exceeded soil health guideline concentrations. Given that the Cu/P and Zn/P ratios found in manure were greater than typically reported in harvested crop materials, these elements will accumulate in soil even if manure application rates are managed to prevent accumulation of P in soil. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  9. Temporal and diurnal analysis of trace elements in the Cryospheric water at remote Laohugou basin in northeast Tibetan Plateau.

    PubMed

    Dong, Zhiwen; Kang, Shichang; Qin, Dahe; Qin, Xiang; Yan, Fangping; Du, Wentao; Wei, Ting

    2017-03-01

    An evaluation of glacial meltwater chemistry is needed under recent dramatic glacier melting when water resources might be significantly impacted. This study investigated trace elements variation in the meltwater stream, and its related aquatic environmental information, at the Laohugou (LHG) glacier basin (4260 m a.s.l.) at a remote location in northeast Tibetan Plateau. We focused on the spatial, temporal and diurnal change of trace elements during the glacier ablation period. Results showed evident elements spatial difference on the glacier surface meltwater, as most of the elements showed increased concentration at the terminus compared to higher elevations sites. Dominant elements in the meltwater were Ba, Sr and Cr, whereas elements with high enrichment factors (EFs) were Sb, Ni, Mo and Zn. Temporal change of some trace elements concentration (e.g. Sc, Cu, and Rb) indicated increasing trend with accelerated snow-ice melting, whereas others (e.g. Ni, Zn, and Pb) showed decreasing trend. We find that, trace elements showed evident diurnal change and a peak value of concentration was observed each day at about 15:00-17:00, and the diurnal change was influenced by runoff level and pH. Moreover, EFs calculations revealed that heavy metals were partially originated from regional anthropogenic sources. Overall, the accelerated diurnal and temporal snow-ice melting (with high runoff level) were correlated to increased elemental concentration, pH, EC and elemental change mode, and thus this work is of great importance for evaluating the impacts of accelerated glacier melting to meltwater chemistry and downstream ecosystem in the northeast Tibetan Plateau. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Distribution and sources of particulate mercury and other trace elements in PM2.5 and PM10 atop Mount Tai, China.

    PubMed

    Qie, Guanghao; Wang, Yan; Wu, Chen; Mao, Huiting; Zhang, Ping; Li, Tao; Li, Yaxin; Talbot, Robert; Hou, Chenxiao; Yue, Taixing

    2018-06-01

    The concentrations of particulate mercury (PHg) and other trace elements in PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the atmosphere were measured at the summit of Mount Tai during the time period of 15 June - 11 August 2015. The average PHg concentrations were 83.33 ± 119.1 pg/m 3 for PM 2.5 and 174.92 ± 210.5 pg/m 3 for PM 10 . Average concentrations for other trace elements, including Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Pb, As, Se, Cu, Cd, Cr, V, Mo, Co, Ag, Ba, Mn, Zn and Ni ranged from 0.06 ng/m 3 (Ag) to 354.33 ng/m 3 (Ca) in PM 2.5 and 0.11 ng/m 3 (Co) to 592.66 ng/m 3 (Ca) in PM 10 . The average concentrations of PHg were higher than those at other domestic mountain sites and cities in other counties, lower than those at domestic city sites. Other trace elements showed concentrations lower than those at the domestic mountain sites. Due possibly to increased control of emissions and the proportion of new energy, the PHg and trace element concentrations decreased, but the PHg showed concentrations higher than those at the Mountain sites, this showed that the reasons was not only severely affected by anthropogenic emissions, but also associated with other sources. The concentration changed trend of the main trace elements indicated that PHg, trace elements and particle matters present positive correlation and fine particulate matter has a greater surface area which was conductive to adsorption of Hg and trace elements to particles. On June 19, June 27 and July 6, according to the peak of mercury and trace elements, we can predict the potential sources of these three days. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that, crustal dust, coal combustion, and vehicle emissions were the main emission sources of PHg and other trace elements in Mount Tai. The 24-h backward trajectories and potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis revealed that air masses arriving at Mount Tai were mainly affected by Shandong province. Mount Tai was subjected to five main airflow trajectories. Clusters 1, 2, 3, and 5 represented four pathways for local and regional sources and cluster 4 originated long-distance transportation. Central Shandong was the main source regions of PHg, Pb, Se, As, Cu and Cd. Southeastern and northwestern Shandong province and northern Jiangsu province were the most polluted source regions of Mn, Zn, and Ni. The crustal elements Fe and Ca had similar distributions of potential source regions, suggested by the highest PSCF values in southeastern Shandong and northern Jiangsu. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Metabolism and tissue distribution of trace elements in broiler chickens' fed diets containing deficient and plethoric levels of copper, manganese, and zinc.

    PubMed

    Mondal, Sovik; Haldar, Sudipto; Saha, Pinaki; Ghosh, Tapan Kumar

    2010-11-01

    Supplementation of broiler diets with copper, manganese, and zinc at levels higher than that stipulated by the National Research Council 1994 reportedly improved live weight, feed conversion, and cured leg abnormality supposedly caused by inadequate intake of Mn and Zn. The objective of the study was to ascertain the effects of plethoric supplementation of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) on performance and metabolic responses in broiler chickens. The study also aimed to discriminate the responses of the birds when the mineral elements were supplemented either in an inorganic or in an organic form. Cobb 400 broiler chickens (1-day old, n = 300) were assigned to three dietary treatments each containing nine replicates with ten birds for 39 days. The treatments included a control in which the diet was devoid of supplemental trace elements and treatments supplemented with an inorganic trace element premix (ITM) and supplemented with a combination of the inorganic and an organic trace element premix (OTM). The ITM contained (per kilogram) copper, 15 g; iron, 90 g; manganese, 90 g; zinc, 80 g (all as sulfated salts); iodine (as potassium iodide), 2 g; and selenium (as sodium selenite), 0.3 g. The OTM on the other hand, contained copper, 2.5 g; iron, 15 g; manganese, 15 g; zinc, 13.33 g; and chromium, 0.226 g (all as protein chelates). Plethoric supplementation of trace elements improved live weight gain and feed/gain ratio (p < 0.05). Leg abnormality developed in the 16% of the control group of birds but not in the supplemented group. Metabolizability of dry matter, organic matter, and protein was higher (p < 0.01) in the ITM and OTM groups. Excretion of Cu, Fe, and Zn decreased (p < 0.1) due to supplementation of the trace elements leading to increased apparent absorption of the said mineral elements (p < 0.01). Concentration of the concerned trace elements in serum, liver, and composite muscle samples was higher (p < 0.05) in the ITM and OTM dietary groups indicating an increased deposition of the said mineral elements due to supplementation. Although the study revealed subtle difference between the inorganic and organic mineral premixes with regards to the parameters mentioned above, it became apparent that it is possible to reduce excretion of these trace elements by a judicious escalation in the level of supplementation. The results of the present investigation further revealed that the trace mineral requirement of broiler chickens suggested by the National Research Council may not be optimum to support the maximum growth potential of the high yielding strains, and it is reasonable to consider a review of the current NRC recommendations to meet the needs of the modern birds.

  12. 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.

  13. 40 CFR 63.4741 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... compliant material option. If the mass fraction of organic HAP of a coating equals zero, determined... fraction of organic HAP for each material used. You must determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for...). You may use Method 311 for determining the mass fraction of organic HAP. Use the procedures specified...

  14. 40 CFR 63.5758 - How do I determine the organic HAP content of materials?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Method 311 for determining the mass fraction of organic HAP. Use the procedures specified in paragraphs... in the organic HAP total. Express the mass fraction of each organic HAP you measure as a value...). You may use Method 24 to determine the mass fraction of non-aqueous volatile matter of aluminum...

  15. 40 CFR 63.4141 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... the compliant material option. If the mass fraction of organic HAP of a coating equals zero... fraction of organic HAP for each material used. You must determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for...). You may use Method 311 for determining the mass fraction of organic HAP. Use the procedures specified...

  16. 40 CFR 63.4141 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... the compliant material option. If the mass fraction of organic HAP of a coating equals zero... fraction of organic HAP for each material used. You must determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for...). You may use Method 311 for determining the mass fraction of organic HAP. Use the procedures specified...

  17. 40 CFR 63.4741 - How do I demonstrate initial compliance with the emission limitations?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... compliant material option. If the mass fraction of organic HAP of a coating equals zero, determined... fraction of organic HAP for each material used. You must determine the mass fraction of organic HAP for...). You may use Method 311 for determining the mass fraction of organic HAP. Use the procedures specified...

  18. 40 CFR 63.116 - Process vent provisions-performance test methods and procedures to determine compliance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... conduct a performance test to determine percent emission reduction or outlet organic HAP or TOC... organic HAP concentration and percent reduction may be measured as either total organic HAP or as TOC... measurement of total organic HAP or TOC (minus methane and ethane) concentrations in all vent streams and...

  19. Hap1 and GABA: thinking about food intake.

    PubMed

    Woods, Stephen C; Seeley, Randy J

    2006-06-01

    GABA stimulation of hypothalamic GABAA receptors increases food intake and body weight. Huntingtin-associated protein-1 (Hap1), is highly expressed in the hypothalamus and increases activity at GABAA receptors; mice lacking Hap1 are hypophagic. A recent paper (Sheng et al.,2006) further explores the role of Hap1 in the control of food intake.

  20. 76 FR 37346 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-27

    ... and have aggregate actual Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) emissions of 10 tons or more of HAP, or 25 tons or more of all HAP combined. In addition, these regulations apply reasonably available control... marine tank vessel loading operations (MTVLO) that emit less than 10 tons per year of each individual HAP...

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