Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic, is a rather unexplored material in the field of ecotoxicology, despite its long production and use. The aim of this study was to investigate the ecotoxicity of ...Bakelite microplastics (before and after leaching) and its leachates on four aquatic organisms: the crustacean Daphnia magna, the plant Lemna minor, the bacterium Allivibrio fischeri and the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Bakelite microplastics before and after leaching and leachates affected all organisms, but to varying degrees. Leachates showed increased ecotoxicity to Daphnia magna, while Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was more affected by particles. For Lemna minor and Allivibrio fischeri, the effects of particles before leaching and leachate were comparable, while the negative effect of particles after leaching was minimal or not present. All leachates were analysed, and phenol and phenol-like compounds were the predominant organics found. In addition, bioadhesion of Bakelite microplastics to the surface of Daphnia magna and Lemna minor was confirmed, but the particles were mainly weakly adhered. Results of this study suggest that, in addition to the recently studied microplastics from consumer products (e.g. from polyethylene and polystyrene), microplastics from industrial plastics such as Bakelite may be of increasing concern, primarily due to leaching of toxic chemicals.
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•Bakelite microplastics and its leachates affected aquatic organisms.•Bakelite microplastics exhibit a lower ecotoxicological profile after leaching.•They adhere to surface of Lemna minor and Daphnia magna.•Phenol and phenol-like compounds were predominant organics in leachates.
Phenols are hazardous, but yet ubiquitous in the environment, including in atmospheric aerosols due to combustion emissions. There, phenols are subjected to secondary transformations, producing even ...more toxic nitrophenolic air pollutants. However, primary simple phenols, i.e. those containing only hydroxyl, methyl and methoxy substituents are not easy to detect. Trace concentrations, semi-volatile character and poorly ionizable functional groups prevent us from their determination by the most common analytical techniques, such as gas and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC/LC-MS). Here, we present a new derivatization method for MS/MS detection with positive ion electrospray ionization (+ESI-MS/MS) of simple phenols in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) extracts. The method is sensitive, selective, and robust, and requires no sample concentration step, which is critical due to the volatile character of the target analytes. After derivatization with dansyl chloride, phenol, catechol, cresols and guaiacol were detected in urban PM samples from Ljubljana, Slovenia. This method finally enables to study the abundance of primary phenols in atmospheric PM from different sources, which will improve understanding of secondary aerosol (trans)formation pathways and allow for more targeted mitigation strategies in respect to airborne phenolic pollutants.
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•Phenol dansylation improves ionization and enables LC-MS analysis.•Optimal reaction and measuring parameters provide very low limits of detection.•Phenol, catechol, guaiacol and cresol are determined in ambient particulate matter.•Concentrations of simple phenols in particulate matter are low, peaking in winter.•Simple phenols can be precursors to toxic secondary aerosols (e.g. nitrophenols).
Particulate matter (PM) is the major environmental pollutant. Its elemental composition is routinely monitored. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) is commonly applied after a PM ...sample has been digested by an acid during a microwave treatment. In this case, sample preparation procedure is laborious, sometimes incomplete and produces toxic waste. In this paper we show that direct sample introduction to ICPMS by laser ablation (LA-ICPMS) is of huge advantage. Minimal quantity of a sample is required for the analysis (<1 cm2) and no chemical waste is produced. The study focused on the most universal and widely used quartz fibre filter samples and we show that LA-ICPMS can be successfully applied for the determination of the elemental composition of such samples. Some effort is, however, still needed to develop an autosampler for the LA-ICPMS system and to provide commercial matrix-matched standards for this application to be implemented in environment laboratories worldwide.
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•A new method for the direct analysis of PM on quartz fibre filters is presented.•No pre-treatment step is required and no waste chemicals are produced.•By LA-ICPMS, more than 20 elements can be measured at a time with low LODs.•Based on the homogeneity assessment less than 1 cm2 of filter sample is required.•LA-ICPMS proved itself at least as accurate as the current standard method.
Among all environmental pollutants, particulate matter (PM) poses the major threat to our health. These tiny airborne particles vary in shape and composition, which is reflected in their hazardous ...potential. The particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, causing severe diseases. Therefore, their regular monitoring is required. Toxic metals and other elements are often measured by regulatory agencies as well as in research laboratories, either to compare ambient concentrations with prescribed limit values or to study provenance of air pollution sources in order to target PM pollution mitigation strategies. The most established method for the determination of regulated Pb, Cd, As, Ni and other elements in PM is microwave digestion inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MW/ICPMS), whereas X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques have also often been used, especially in research. In this review paper we critically assess these two and three other analytical techniques (i.e., LA-ICPMS, PIXE and INAA) for element determination in PM deposited on filter media. All aspects from sample treatment to measurement range and limitations, costs and waste management are considered. In conclusion we identify XRF and LA-ICPMS as two promising surface techniques for the analysis of a PM deposit on a filter, which could replace the laborious wet MW/ICPMS method, which is – considering its wide use, very incriminating to the environment. In short, EDXRF is the cheapest, simplest for use and already customized for PM samples, whereas LA-ICPMS is promising, but still needs some development in the direction of autosamplers and matrix-matched standards for calibration.
Particulate matter (PM) pollution is one of the major threats to cultural heritage outdoors. It has been recently implied that organic aerosols will prevail over inorganic carbon particulates in the ...future, changing the main mechanisms of damage caused by poor air quality to calcareous heritage in particular. We studied fresh particulate deposits on marble and limestone surfaces exposed to urban air in sheltered and unsheltered configurations. Due to different air pollution sources in different seasons, the amount and composition of surface deposits varied throughout the year. The main and most constant contributor to PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 μm) were primary traffic emissions (30 %), followed by secondary formation of acidic inorganic aerosols, such as sulphate in summer and nitrate in winter (33 % altogether), and seasonal biomass-burning emissions (14 %). Although biomass burning is the major source of primary organic aerosols including the light-absorbing fraction that prevailed over black carbon (BC) in colder months (up to 60 % carbonaceous aerosol mass), we show that surface darkening causing the soiling effect is still governed by the minor BC fraction of atmospheric aerosols, which remained below 20 % of the carbonaceous aerosol mass throughout the year. This, however, can change in remote environments affected by biomass-burning emissions, such as winter resorts, or by rigorous BC mitigation measures in the future. In the short run, sheltered positions were less affected by different removal processes, but we show that surface deposits are not simply additive when considering longer periods of time. This must be taken into account when extrapolating surface accumulation to longer time scales.
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•Interaction between heritage materials and airborne particles is poorly understood.•Fresh deposits are characterized to be able to study aging after the deposition.•PM source apportionment is correlated with surface reflectance and chemistry.•Surface deposits resemble main PM sources but do not sum up on long time-scales.•Light absorption by black carbon causing soiling still exceeds that of brown carbon.
Maternal stress could reprogram the developing fetal nervous system. A common target of maternal glucocorticoids is fetal neuro-endocrine axis. In the present study, pregnant mice were exposed to ...stress by injection and their male offspring were tested for sexual and aggressive behaviors in adult life. Three groups of pregnant mice were exposed to stress by sham syringe injection. The first group was injected on days 13, 14, and 15 p.c., the second group was injected on days 17 and 18 p.c., and the third group was injected daily from days 13 to 18 p.c. while control mice were not injected. Male offspring that were exposed to stress on days 13–18 p.c. and 17–18 p.c. were less aggressive and had lower blood testosterone levels in comparison to the control group. In male sexual behavior, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. Body weight differed significantly with groups injected on days 13–18 p.c. and 13–15 p.c. having significantly higher body weight in adult life than the other two groups. After behavioral testing, brains were processed for immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against vasopressin (AVP) and calbindin (CALB). The expression of AVP and CALB in the lateral septum and in the preoptic area, respectively, did not differ between groups, suggesting that these two masculinization markers were not affected by prenatal stress. Present study therefore shows that even presumably mild and short prenatal stress weakens aggressive behavior of adult male mice, possibly due to reduced testosterone levels in blood.
•Prenatal stress caused by injection affects aggressive behavior and testosterone levels in the adult life of male offspring.•Prenatal stress caused by the injection does not affect sexual behavior in the adult life of male offspring.•Prenatal stress caused by the injection affects body weight in the adult life of male offspring.•Timing of stress differentially affects behavior and body weight.•These effects are not mediated through AVP or calbindin expression in the hypothalamus.
Airborne particles, denoted as particulate matter (PM), are one of major environmental pollutants. Particles smaller than 10 µm (PM
10
) penetrate into the human lungs during breathing and exert ...damage by physical and chemical mechanisms. PM mass concentration in the air and major toxicants contained are thus regulated by relevant directives all around the world, and their continuous monitoring is prescribed. Elemental composition of PM is one of the most often measured air-quality parameters, and the standard method for its determination produces huge amounts of toxic chemical waste. Sustainable alternatives are thus sought for, such as laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (LA-ICPMS), which allows for the direct analysis of PM collected on a filter without the microwave-assisted extraction step prior to the analysis with ICPMS. In this work, we evaluated the performance of 213 nm Nd:YAG laser system (LA213) compared to the more powerful 193 nm excimer laser (LA193) for this application, in order to facilitate the replacement of the standard method (i.e., MW/ICPMS) with a new, waste-free one. We show that LA213 produces good results when operated under optimized instrument conditions, which were in fact very similar to the LA193 system. Sensitivity for some elements was, however, a bit poorer, but this can be overcome with additional fine-tuning, if necessary. Wrapping-up our thorough evaluation, we can conclude that the more affordable LA213 is suitable for air-quality monitoring purposes.
First data on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-aromatic compounds (NACs) in aerosols as well as of PAHs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and NACs in bulk and wet atmospheric ...deposition samples were simultaneously obtained during 6-month-long field campaign at the costal central Adriatic area. Special attention was given to open-fire biomass burning episodes as extreme events common for the overall Mediterranean coastal area in order to gain a better understanding of the atmospheric variabilities and potential sources of trace organic pollutants in coastal environments. Diesel and gasoline combustion related to land and maritime traffic as well as occasional open-fire episodes (forest fires) were found to be the dominant pollution sources of PAHs in PM10 particles. NACs were determined almost exclusively in samples affected by biomass burning episodes. Open-fire episodes had a strong contribution to the overall NACs atmospheric deposition fluxes. Several chlorinated congeners of PCBs were predominantly contributed in deposition samples.
•First data of organic contents in aerosols and deposition samples at the Adriatic area•Data obtained during biomass burning events as extreme events for the Adriatic area•Strong influence of biomass burning on deposition fluxes of organic contents
Identifying women at risk for small-for-gestational-age newborns (SGA) is an important challenge in obstetrics. Several different risk factors have been suggested to contribute to the development of ...SGA. Previous research is inconclusive on the role selenium (Se) plays in the development of SGA. The aim of the study was therefore to explore the role of Se concentrations in amniotic fluid in order to understand its possible role in the development of SGA.
This prospective, single center study investigated the relationships between Se concentrations in amniotic fluid and pregnancy outcomes. Amniotic fluid was collected from pregnant women during amniocentesis at 16/17 weeks of pregnancy. Se values were determined using the electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and expressed in µg/L. Characteristics of mothers and newborns were obtained from women and delivery records.
327 samples of amniotic fluid were evaluated. Patients with SGA newborns had significantly lower mean values of amniotic fluid concentrations of Se compared to appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) newborns (4.8 ± 1.9 µg/L versus 5.6 ± 2.5 µg/L (
= 0.017)). Adjusting for different risk factors, Se remained the only significant factor impacting the outcome of a newborn (b = -0.152, s.e. = 0.077;
< 0.048). Se levels in amniotic fluid did not correlate with pre-eclampsia or preterm delivery.
Amniotic fluid Se levels represent a viable root of further investigation and assessment in order to identify women with low birth weight newborns early. Women with decreased Se levels had a statistically significant chance of developing SGA. Further research is needed to elucidate the link between Se, other trace elements, and other risk factors and their impact on the development of SGA newborns.
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological malignancy in developed countries. Early and accurate diagnostic assessment is crucial for appropriate treatment planning. Information ...obtained by pre-operative imaging with transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and histological endometrial biopsy assessment is often the cornerstone for further management planning. This study aimed to analyse the accuracy of this diagnostic approach for patient management decisions.
This single-centre retrospective analysis included all patients with endometrial cancer treated between 2015 and 2019. Pre-operative TVUS staging assessment and histopathological endometrial biopsy examination were compared with the final surgical stage and histopathological diagnosis.
Pre-operative and surgical pathological assessment of Type I and Type II tumours was in agreement in 95 % (174/184) and 54 % (12/22) of cases, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of TVUS assessment of myometrial invasion were 76 % 95 % confidence interval (CI) 66.3–84.2 % and 81.7 % 95 % CI 73.0–88.6 %, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy was higher for Type I EC (95 %) than Type II EC (54 %). Only presumed ESMO/ESGO/ESTRO risk classification (p < 0.000) and deep myometrial invasion (p < 0.000) were significant for the prediction of lymph node involvement.
Pre-operative TVUS examination and pathological endometrial biopsy evaluation enable moderately accurate assessment of the risk of EC. Efforts should be aimed towards the development of novel and more reproducible methods, such as molecular tumour characterization, to improve the pre-operative assessment of risk in patients with EC.
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