In 2007, we reviewed the working principles and working procedures of the German Human Biomonitoring Commission together with the reference values and human biomonitoring (HBM) values derived up to ...that time. Since then, the Commission has decided to derive additionally HBM I values on the basis of tolerable daily intakes and has used and evaluated this new approach on the metabolites of (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in urine. Furthermore, the Commission has derived a HBM I value for thallium in urine, has recinded the HBM values for lead in blood, and has updated the HBM values for cadmium in urine. Based on the representative data of the German Environmental Survey on Children from 2003 to 2006 (GerES IV), the Commission has updated the reference values for a large number of environmental pollutants in urine and blood of children in Germany. Since 2007, the Commission has derived new and updated reference values for PFOS and PFOA in human plasma, for thallium in urine, for aromatic amines in urine, for a comprehensive number of phthalate metabolites in urine, and for organochlorine pesticides in human breast milk. Furthermore, the Commission has evaluated background exposure levels for two naphthalene metabolites and acrylamide (using acrylamide-haemoglobin adduct) for the general population. This paper reports the new values, including those already published, in order to provide an updated overview.
Biochar was used as a heterogeneous activator for peroxymonosulfate (PMS), and the activation performance strongly depended on the structure, functional groups, and modification of the biochar. In ...this study, a new type of modified biochar was synthesized by utilizing the Mn(II) adsorption capacity of bacteria. After one-step pyrolysis of Mn(II)-adsorbed bacterial cells at 800 °C, a Mn-incorporated bacterial-derived biochar (Mn-BBC) was successfully produced. It exhibited structural heterogeneity, with MnO located at the surface of the BBC matrix, as shown on the result of SEM and XRD. Compared to BBC, Mn-BBC showed a 10-fold increase (0.0727 min−1 versus 0.0069 min−1) of pollutant removal rate. In addition, it also showed anti-interference capacity against common water matrix (except 10 mM CO32-) and great stability/reusability. Chemical quenching, electron spin resonance, and pyrophosphate trapping indicated an indirect but important role of the superoxide, formed during the self-decomposition of PMS. The MnO on Mn-BBC can be oxidized by superoxide to produce surface Mn(III), which then binds to PMS and forms a surface complex. This complex promotes electron transfer from the pollutant to the Mn-BBC, facilitating the oxidation of the contaminants. Overall, this study confirmed the PMS activation capacity and mechanism of Mn-BBC, which expands the application of BBC-based materials derived from metal-adsorbed microbes.
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•Metal ion-loaded bacterial cells can be a source of biochar.•Mn-incorporated biochar presents 10-folds higher activity than pristine biochar.•Surface Mn(III) is produced from the MnO oxidation by superoxide.•Electron-transfer from pollutant to PMS-Mn(III) complex is the dominant pathway.
Antimony (Sb) exposure threatens human health. To identify human biomarkers for Sb exposure, we analyzed 480 environmental samples from an active Sb mining area in Hunan, China. Elevated Sb ...concentrations exceeding the reference level were detected in drinking water (70% of n = 83 total samples), foods (80%, n = 188), urine (95%, n = 63), saliva (44%, n = 48), hair (80%, n = 51) and nails (83%, n = 47). Drinking water contributed 85%–100% of the average daily dose (ADD) of Sb, and the total ADD (11.7 μg/kg bodyweight/day) was up to thirty times higher than the oral reference dose (0.4 μg/kg bodyweight/day) as recommended by USEPA. A positive correlation was found between ADD and Sb content in hair (p = 0.02), but not in urine (p = 0.051), saliva (p = 0.52) or nails (p = 0.85), suggesting that hair is the best non-invasive biomarker. Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis indicated that Sb is distributed in discrete spots in hair and nails, and Sb distribution is correlated with other metals. Methylated Sb species were predominant in urine (46%–100%) and saliva (74%–100%) in collected samples, implying that the human metabolic system adopts methylation as an effective pathway to detoxify and excrete Sb.
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•Sb content in water and food near the mining area is higher than the reference level.•Hair can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for Sb exposure.•Interaction effects explained most of the Sb concentration in biomarkers.•Methylated Sb was the predominant species in urine and saliva.
Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals, which has been classified as human carcinogen and tetratogen. In the present study chitosan (CS) beads are modified, in a novel way, using sodium ...dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a well known anionic surfactant. The concentration of SDS has been judiciously selected to form surfactant bilayers on CS surface. These modified beads are designated as surfactant-modified chitosan (SMCS) beads. The adsorbent has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SMCS beads are used as an adsorbent for Cd2+ ion removal (in the initial concentration range of 10–100mg/L) from aqueous medium. The removal follows pseudo-second order kinetic model. SMCS beads show adsorption capacity three times higher than normal CS beads. Adsorption isotherm data fits well to the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained is 125mg/g. Removal efficiency reached to almost 100% at SMCS dosage of 0.45g/L for lower concentration (10–30mg/L) of Cd2+ ion in 10h, whereas, for higher concentration (40–100mg/L) the removal was ca. 50%.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial component commonly used in synthesis of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resin and other polymer materials. Due to its mass productions and widespread applications, ...the presence of BPA is ubiquitous in the environment. BPA can enter the body via different ways such as digestive tract, respiratory tract and dermal tract. As an endocrine disruptor, BPA has estrogen-like and anti-androgen effects causing damages to different tissues and organs, including reproductive system, immune system and neuroendocrine system, etc. Recently, it has been shown that BPA could induce carcinogenesis and mutagenesis in animal models. Here, the underlying mechanisms of BPA-induced multi-organ toxicity were well summarized, involving the receptor pathways, disruption of neuroendocrine system, inhibition of enzymes, modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, as well as genotoxic and epigenetic mechanisms. The aim of this review is to compile the available current research data regarding BPA and provide an overview of the current status of BPA exposure and relevant health effects covering reproductive, developmental, metabolic, immuno, respiratory, hepatic and renal toxicity and carcinogenesis of BPA. This review provides comprehensive data of BPA toxicity on human health and related mechanisms. We also identify any missing data which should be addressed by further studies.
Epidemiological evidence remains equivocal on the associations between environmentally relevant levels of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and human semen quality.
We aimed to test whether the ...potential effects on semen quality could be better observed when seminal PFAS levels were used as an exposure marker compared with serum PFAS levels.
Matched semen and serum samples from 664 adult men were collected from a cross-sectional population in China from 2015 to 2016. Multiple semen parameters were assessed, along with measurement of 16 target PFASs in semen and serum. Partitioning between semen and serum was evaluated by the ratio of matrix-specific PFAS concentrations. Regression model results were expressed as the difference in each semen parameter associated with the per unit increase in the ln-transformed PFAS level after adjusting for confounders.
Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and emerging chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA) were detected at their highest concentrations in both semen and serum, with median concentrations of 0.23, 0.10, and
in semen, respectively, and a semen-to-serum ratio of 1.3:3.1. The between-matrix correlations of these PFAS concentrations were high (
). Seminal PFOA, PFOS, and 6:2 Cl-PFESA levels were significantly associated with a lower percentage of progressive sperm and higher percentage of DNA fragmentation (false discovery rate-adjusted
). Associations between serum PFAS levels and semen parameters were generally statistically weaker, except for DNA stainability, which was more strongly associated with serum-based PFASs than with semen-based PFASs.
Our results suggest the potential for deleterious effects following exposure to 6:2 Cl-PFESA and other PFASs. Compared with serum PFAS levels, the much clearer association of seminal PFAS levels with semen parameters suggests its advantage in hazard assessment on semen quality, although the potential for confounding might be higher. Exposure measurements in target tissue may be critical in clarifying effects related to PFAS exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4431.
As industrial and societal advancements progress, an increasing number of environmental pollutants linked to human existence have been substantiated to elicit neurotoxicity and developmental neural ...toxicity. For research in this field, human-derived neural cell lines have become excellent in vitro models. This study examines the utilization of immortalized cell lines, specifically the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line, and neural cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells, in the investigation of neurotoxicity and developmental neural toxicity caused by environmental pollutants. The study also explores the culturing techniques employed for these cell lines and provides an overview of the standardized assays used to assess various biological endpoints. The environmental pollutants involved include a variety of organic compounds, heavy metals, and microplastics. The utilization of cell lines derived from human sources holds significant significance in elucidating the neurotoxic effects of environmental pollutants and the underlying mechanisms. Finally, we propose the possibility of improving the in vitro model of the human nervous system and the toxicity detection methods.
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•The application of cell lines in neurotoxic effects of pollutants was summarized.•The biological endpoints commonly used in cytotoxicology studies were introduced.•The use of cell lines in future neurotoxicity study was prospected.
•Synthesis and characterization of the adsorbent/photocatalyst material “grafted sodium alginate/ZnO nanorods/graphene oxide sheets”.•Study the effect of operational conditions on the dye adsorption ...in dark.•Red shift in the absorption wavelength of ZnO – immobilized in the polymeric matrix in presence of graphene oxide – toward the visible region.•Coupling the adsorption and the photocatalytic degradation under sunlight is a promising approach for the dye removal from aqueous solution.
This research aimed to synthesize natural polymer nanocomposite and employ it for coupled adsorption- photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet. Sodium alginate-g-poly (acrylic acid-co-cinnamic acid) and its composites with ZnO nanorods and graphene oxide sheets were synthesized and characterized using FT-IR, XRD, SEM, HR-TEM and DR/UV–vis spectroscopy. The adsorption efficiency of samples for crystal violet has been studied in the dark. The effect of different parameters as pH, initial dye concentration, contact time and temperature on the adsorption efficiency of the synthesized sample has been examined. Kinetics studies showed that the adsorption of all samples was well described by the pseudo-second-order model and the equilibrium adsorption results fitted Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacity achieved at pH 5.0 was 13.85 mg g−1. Thermodynamic studies exhibited that the adsorption is spontaneous, endothermic in nature and leads to higher entropy. Coupled adsorption-photocatalytic degradation studies under sunlight showed an enhancement in the removal efficiency by 10%. In the case of sodium alginate-g-poly (acrylic acid-co-cinnamic acid)/ZnO/graphene oxide composite, the removal efficiency after 5 h under sunlight was 94% versus 84% in the dark.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) encompass an array of anthropogenic organic and elemental substances and their degradation and metabolic byproducts that have been found in the tissues of exposed ...animals, especially POPs categorized as organohalogen contaminants (OHCs). OHCs have been of concern in the circumpolar arctic for decades. For example, as a consequence of bioaccumulation and in some cases biomagnification of legacy (e.g., chlorinated PCBs, DDTs and CHLs) and emerging (e.g., brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and in particular polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA) found in Arctic biota and humans. Of high concern are the potential biological effects of these contaminants in exposed Arctic wildlife and fish. As concluded in the last review in 2004 for the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) on the effects of POPs in Arctic wildlife, prior to 1997, biological effects data were minimal and insufficient at any level of biological organization. The present review summarizes recent studies on biological effects in relation to OHC exposure, and attempts to assess known tissue/body compartment concentration data in the context of possible threshold levels of effects to evaluate the risks. This review concentrates mainly on post-2002, new OHC effects data in Arctic wildlife and fish, and is largely based on recently available effects data for populations of several top trophic level species, including seabirds (e.g., glaucous gull (
Larus hyperboreus)), polar bears (
Ursus maritimus), polar (Arctic) fox (
Vulpes lagopus), and Arctic charr (
Salvelinus alpinus), as well as semi-captive studies on sled dogs (
Canis familiaris). Regardless, there remains a dearth of data on true contaminant exposure, cause–effect relationships with respect to these contaminant exposures in Arctic wildlife and fish. Indications of exposure effects are largely based on correlations between biomarker endpoints (e.g., biochemical processes related to the immune and endocrine system, pathological changes in tissues and reproduction and development) and tissue residue levels of OHCs (e.g., PCBs, DDTs, CHLs, PBDEs and in a few cases perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs)). Some exceptions include semi-field studies on comparative contaminant effects of control and exposed cohorts of captive Greenland sled dogs, and performance studies mimicking environmentally relevant PCB concentrations in Arctic charr. Recent tissue concentrations in several arctic marine mammal species and populations exceed a general threshold level of concern of 1
part-per-million (ppm), but a clear evidence of a POP/OHC-related stress in these populations remains to be confirmed. There remains minimal evidence that OHCs are having widespread effects on the health of Arctic organisms, with the possible exception of East Greenland and Svalbard polar bears and Svalbard glaucous gulls. However, the true (if any real) effects of POPs in Arctic wildlife have to be put into the context of other environmental, ecological and physiological stressors (both anthropogenic and natural) that render an overall complex picture. For instance, seasonal changes in food intake and corresponding cycles of fattening and emaciation seen in Arctic animals can modify contaminant tissue distribution and toxicokinetics (contaminant deposition, metabolism and depuration). Also, other factors, including impact of climate change (seasonal ice and temperature changes, and connection to food web changes, nutrition, etc. in exposed biota), disease, species invasion and the connection to disease resistance will impact toxicant exposure. Overall, further research and better understanding of POP/OHC impact on animal performance in Arctic biota are recommended. Regardless, it could be argued that Arctic wildlife and fish at the highest potential risk of POP/OHC exposure and mediated effects are East Greenland, Svalbard and (West and South) Hudson Bay polar bears, Alaskan and Northern Norway killer whales, several species of gulls and other seabirds from the Svalbard area, Northern Norway, East Greenland, the Kara Sea and/or the Canadian central high Arctic, East Greenland ringed seal and a few populations of Arctic charr and Greenland shark.
Mounting evidence has shown that an alteration of the gut microbiota is associated with diet, and plays an important role in animal health and metabolic diseases. However, little is known about the ...influence of environmental contaminants on the gut microbial community. Bisphenol A (BPA), which is widely used for manufacturing plastic products, has recently been classified as an environmental obesogen. Although many studies have demonstrated the metabolic-disrupting effects of BPA on liver and pancreatic functions, the possible effects of this synthetic compound on the metabolic diversity of the intestinal microbiota is unknown. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis on caecum samples of CD-1 mice, the present study aimed to test the hypothesis that dietary BPA intake may influence the gut microbiota composition and functions, an important attributing factor to development of the metabolic syndrome. A high-fat diet (HFD) and high-sucrose diet (HSD) were included as the positive controls for comparing the changes in the intestinal microbial profiles. Our results demonstrated a significant reduction of species diversity in the gut microbiota of BPA-fed mice. Alpha and beta diversity analyses showed that dietary BPA intake led to a similar gut microbial community structure as that induced by HFD and HSD in mice. In addition, comparative analysis of the microbial communities revealed that both BPA and a HFD favored the growth of Proteobacteria, a microbial marker of dysbiosis. Consistently, growth induction of the family Helicobacteraceae and reduction of the Firmicutes and Clostridia populations were observed in the mice fed BPA or a HFD. Collectively, our study highlighted that the effects of dietary BPA intake on the shift of microbial community structure were similar to those of a HFD and HSD, and revealed microbial markers for the development of diseases associated with an unstable microbiota.
•Dietary BPA intake causes a reduction of species diversity in the gut microbiome.•Dietary BPA intake favors the growth of Proteobacteria in gut microbiome.•Dietary BPA intake induces the growth of the Helicobacteraceae in gut microbiome.•Dietary BPA intake reduced population of Clostridia in gut microbiome.
Shifts in the gut microbial community, caused by dietary BPA intake, may be associated with the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease.
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