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Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (v.57, #1)
Lincomycin and Spectinomycin Concentrations in Liquid Swine Manure and Their Persistence During Simulated Manure Storage by Sandra L. Kuchta; Allan J. Cessna (pp. 1-10).
Antimicrobials administered to livestock can be excreted up to 75% in the feces and urine. Liquid swine manure from confined animal feeding operations is generally retained in lagoon storage until it is applied as a nutrient source to crop and pasture land. Thus, the applied manure becomes a possible source of antimicrobials to aquatic ecosystems. In the prairie region of Canada, lincomycin and spectinomycin are two antimicrobials that are frequently administered to pigs for prevention of post-weaning diarrhea. In order to assess the potential for contamination of prairie wetlands, concentrations of both antimicrobials were monitored in liquid manure from a commercial-scale barn during a 5-week study, and their persistence during simulated manure storage was investigated. LC-MS/MS analysis of manure extracts showed that concentrations of lincomycin and spectinomycin in the accumulating liquid manure at the end of the study were equivalent to 32 and 3%, respectively, of the doses administered to weanling pigs in their feed. In a laboratory study in which lagoon storage was simulated at room temperature using fortified liquid manure, concentrations of both antimicrobials showed a rapid initial decrease during the first 6 days, followed by a much slower dissipation, over a period of 5 months. Such persistence indicates that lincomycin and spectinomycin may be present in lagoon manure when applied as an amendment to agricultural land since many lagoons are emptied every 6 months (early spring and late fall).
Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticide Levels in Manadas Creek, an Urban Tributary of the Rio Grande in Laredo, Texas by Brianna Flores; Celina Camarena; Jianhong Ren; Sushma Krishnamurthy; Wayne Belzer (pp. 11-20).
The Rio Grande is the natural boundary between the United States and Mexico from El Paso, Texas, to Brownsville, Texas. It supports about 12 million people on both sides of the border for municipal, agricultural, industrial, and recreational uses. The rapid population and economic growth along the border region has led to increased pollution in the Rio Grande, which has been linked to several border health issues associated with pesticide contamination. This project was initiated to assess the organochlorine pesticide levels in the water and sediments in Manadas Creek, an urban tributary of the Rio Grande located in north Laredo, Texas. Water and sediment samples were collected monthly during a 6-month period from July to December of 2006 and analyzed using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector after extraction via a solid-phase microextraction technique. Among the water and sediment samples collected, several organochlorine pesticides including α-, β-, and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), heptachlor epoxide, endrin, and 4,4′-DDT were found in either the creek water or sediments. Analysis of variance results indicated that only γ-HCH had significant variation in the creek water among the sampling periods. Comparison of results with previous findings showed the presence of higher levels of HCH isomers and much lower DDT concentrations in the present study.
Recent Environmental Changes in the Shallow Lake Pamvotis (NW Greece): Evidence from Sedimentary Organic Matter, Hydrocarbons, and Stable Isotopes by Victoria Daskalou; Polona Vreča; Gregor Muri; Constantine Stalikas (pp. 21-31).
Lake Pamvotis is a shallow Mediterranean lake located in northwestern Greece that has been recognized as an internationally important conservation site. Here, an unprecedented investigation was undertaken to obtain and evaluate data related to sedimentary organic matter, hydrocarbon content, and stable isotopes of Lake Pamvotis sediments, thus tracking the origin of organic inputs and providing a record of environmental status. The study revealed a distinct spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with values between 34.7 and 1600 μg/kg and a rather uniform pattern for n-alkanes with concentrations falling below 41.4 μg/g. A significant contribution of an unresolved complex mixture indicated anthropogenic petroleum contamination. Further study of relevant indexes and geochemical biomarkers supported a mixed-source input of aliphatic hydrocarbons. With regard to PAHs, there was strong evidence that their dominant origin is pyrogenic. Finally, considerable excursion in δ13Corg was attributed to changes in dissolved inorganic carbon accompanied by increased input of effluents and recycling of organic carbon within the lake, whereas the rise in isotopic composition of nitrogen was associated with agricultural runoff and sewage input from the town of Ioannina.
Occurrence and Distribution of Chlorobenzenes in the Tonghui River of Beijing, China by Xia Zhou; Shubo Deng; Jun Huang; Gang Yu; Hongliang Lv (pp. 32-41).
Eleven chlorobenzenes (CBs) in surface water and sediments of Tonghui River, a main urban drainage river of Beijing in China, were determined in October 2003, January 2004, and April 2006. CBs were widely detected and the ∑CB concentrations in water ranged from 89.9 to 6638.0 ng/L, with average values of 1902.8 ng/L in 2003, 2084.0 ng/L in 2004, and 1281.2 ng/L in 2006, respectively. The ∑CB concentrations in surficial sediments varied from 18.2 to 1827.7 ng/g dry weight (dw), with average values of 897.4 ng/g dw in 2003, 653.4 ng/g dw in 2004, and 562.6 ng/g dw in 2006, respectively. Nonparametric statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney U test) showed that there were no statistically significant changes in ∑CB concentrations in either surface water or sediments over the period 2003–2006. The distribution pattern of CBs in the Tonghui River indicates that further effort is warranted in reducing local sources of contaminants. Additionally, the ∑CB levels in sediment samples were found to be dependent on total organic carbon contents.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Composition of Sediments in the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain) by L. Viñas; M. A. Franco; J. J. González (pp. 42-49).
Individual parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified and quantified in samples of recent sediments at 32 stations in the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain) and its adjacent shelf by high-performance liquid chromatography and a fluorescence detector. This area suffers the pressure of nearly 500,000 inhabitants and includes a number of important marine organisms. The total concentration for the sum of the 13 PAHs quantified were in the range 28–3203 ng/g. The highest concentrations were found near the city of Vigo, where marinas and dockyards as well as highways with a high traffic flow are established. Low PAH concentrations were determined in the outermost part of the estuary, far from the anthropogenic influence. PAH isomers concentration ratios were assessed, indicating that the main source of these compounds in the whole area is pyrolysis. When compared with the EACs, threshold effect level, and probable effect level values, only the samples from the inner part of the ría can occasionally present adverse biological effects due to the PAH concentrations.
Response of Phytoplankton Community to Low-Dose Atrazine Exposure Combined with Phosphorus Fluctuations by Alexandrine Pannard; Bertrand Le Rouzic; Françoise Binet (pp. 50-59).
The effects of atrazine on a controlled phytoplankton community derived from a natural freshwater wetland exposed to low doses of this photosynthesis-inhibiting herbicide were examined. The community was exposed for 7 weeks to doses of 0.1, 1, and 10 μg L−1 atrazine, combined with changes in nutrient concentration, and the photosynthetic activity, biomass, and community structure were noted during the experiment. Responses of the phytoplankton community were examined in terms of photosynthetic activity, biomass, and community structure. Significant effects of atrazine on the phytoplankton assemblage, in terms of primary production and community structure, were highlighted, even at doses as low as 1 and 0.1 μg L−1, when associated with phosphorus fluctuations. The most abundant Chlorophyceae decreased in concentration with increasing atrazine dose, whereas cyanobacteria were more tolerant to atrazine, particularly with increased nutrient supply. The subinhibitory doses of atrazine used in the present study confirmed the higher sensitivity of long-term exposure of multispecies assemblages under resource competition. Our study supports the emerging hypothesis that the increasing prevalence of cyanobacterial blooms in European aquatic systems may result from a combination of unbalanced nutrient enrichment and selective pressures from multiple toxicants.
Effects of Water Quality Parameters on Boron Toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia by Gail M. Dethloff; William A. Stubblefield; Christian E. Schlekat (pp. 60-67).
The potential modifying effects of certain water quality parameters (e.g., hardness, alkalinity, pH) on the acute toxicity of boron were tested using a freshwater cladoceran, Ceriodaphnia dubia. By comparison, boron acute toxicity was less affected by water quality characteristics than some metals (e.g., copper and silver). Increases in alkalinity over the range tested did not alter toxicity. Increases in water hardness appeared to have an effect with very hard waters (>500 mg/L as CaCO3). Decreased pH had a limited influence on boron acute toxicity in laboratory waters. Increasing chloride concentration did not provide a protective effect. Boron acute toxicity was unaffected by sodium concentrations. Median acute lethal concentrations (LC50) in natural water samples collected from three field sites were all greater than in reconstituted laboratory waters that matched natural waters in all respects except for dissolved organic carbon. Water effect ratios in these waters ranged from 1.4 to 1.8. In subsequent studies using a commercially available source of natural organic matter, acute toxicity decreased with increased dissolved organic carbon, suggesting, along with the natural water studies, that dissolved organic carbon should be considered further as a modifier of boron toxicity in natural waters where it exceeds 2 mg/L.
Impact of an Insecticide on Persistence of Inherent Antipredator Morphology of a Small Cladoceran, Bosmina by Masaki Sakamoto; Takayuki Hanazato; Yoshinari Tanaka (pp. 68-76).
Pesticides often modify predatory interactions by enhancing (or inhibiting) the development of antipredator morphologies of freshwater cladocerans. In the present study, we assessed the impacts of an insecticide, carbaryl, on the life-history parameters of a polymorphic cladoceran, Bosmina longirostris, and on Bosmina–copepod interaction. In this Bosmina species, all juvenile individuals have the defensive morphology irrespective of presence of predators in juvenile stages, and they lose or maintain such morph compliance with the presence/absence of the predators in adult stages. In the present study, individual somatic growth and population growth rate decreased due to applied carbaryl. Moreover, the animals lost the defensive morphology when their body size was smaller than with no-carbaryl treatment even in the presence of predators, indicating that the insecticide inhibited persistence of the inherent antipredator morphology. Such a chemical disturbance will increase the predation risk to individuals and, in turn, influence the population dynamics of the bosminids through increased mortality.
Butyltin Contamination in Industrialized Bays Associated with Intensive Marine Activities in Korea by Minkyu Choi; Hyo-Bang Moon; Jun Yu; Ji-Yeong Eom; Hee-Gu Choi (pp. 77-85).
Marine sediments and gastropod, Thais clavigera, were collected from industrialized areas and major harbors in Korea, to assess contamination sources and ecological risk to marine organisms by butyltin compounds such as tributyltin (TBT). TBT concentrations in sediments ranged from T. clavigera was 100% at all locations, indicating that the present levels of TBT contamination in industrialized bays in Korea are at concentrations reported to induce toxic effects on marine organisms, despite TBT’s having been legally banned in Korea.
Multi-Biomarkers Approach in Different Organs of Anodonta cygnea from the Dnister Basin (Ukraine) by Halina I. Falfushynska; Laurence Delahaut; Oksana B. Stolyar; Alain Geffard; Sylvie Biagianti-Risbourg (pp. 86-95).
The aim of this study was to compare environmental quality in two sites in western Ukraine—rural (R) and urbanized (U)—with the usage of the resident bivalve mollusk Anodonta cygnea. The study was realized during three seasons. The metal uptake and a set of biochemical markers were determined. For each season, Cd and metallothioneins (MTs) contents in the digestive gland and gills of the mollusc were higher at the U site, reflecting its chronic pollution. The oxidative stress in the mollusk was observed at the U site during spring and at the R site during summer and autumn according to the differences in Mn–superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, O 2 •− production, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione levels. The elevated vitellogenin-like protein levels in the hemolymph and the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity in the digestive gland in summer–autumn suggested pollutions by organic substances at the R site. The acetylcholinesterase activity was similar in both groups. The centroid grouping analysis of biomarkers and morphological and water indexes demonstrated the clear differentiation of general response in each group in spring and, at the R site, in summer and autumn but its similarity at the U site in summer and autumn.
Heavy Metal Levels in Marine Mollusks from Areas With, or Without, Mining Activities Along the Gulf of California, Mexico by Lázaro Cadena-Cárdenas; Lía Méndez-Rodríguez; Tania Zenteno-Savín; Jaqueline García-Hernández; Baudilio Acosta-Vargas (pp. 96-102).
To assess the safety for human consumption of commercially important bivalves harvested from areas with or without mining activities, we compared the levels of heavy metals in mollusks collected from different coastal environments along the Gulf of California. We sampled the mussel Mytilus edulis and the clams Laevicardium elatum and Megapitaria squalida (June 2004) and the clam Chione californiensis (November 2006). Concentrations of cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, iron, copper, and manganese in the soft tissue of the mollusks were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Based on dry weight, the highest average concentrations of iron, copper, and cadmium were found in clams from Loreto (572, 181, and 4.66 mg/kg, respectively); that of nickel, in mussels from San Luquitas (12.2 mg/kg); that of zinc, both in mussels from San Luquitas and in clams from Golfo de Santa Clara (94.3 and 91.8 mg/kg, respectively); and those of lead and manganese in clams from the Golfo de Santa Clara (9.2 and 3.68 mg/kg, respectively). Although mollusks were taken from coastal areas of the Gulf of California, which are considered to be contaminated by mining activities, the heavy metals in the sediments apparently were in a chemical form that had low bioavailability for the bivalves feeding in those areas. The interplay of oceanographic conditions and the chemical composition of anthropogenic inputs into the environment is not well understood. Thus, these factors or their interaction could potentially result in increased concentration and bioavailability of such metals in areas without effluent generated by mining activities.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contamination in South Carolina Salt Marsh-Tidal Creek Systems: Relationships Among Sediments, Biota, and Watershed Land Use by Thomas R. Garner; John E. Weinstein; Denise M. Sanger (pp. 103-115).
Sediments and biota from 11 tidal creeks were sampled and classified into forested, suburban, and urban/industrial watershed land-use categories. Total PAH levels (∑PAH16) in sediments were significantly higher in urban/industrialized creeks (5,795 ± 1,173 ng/g) compared to suburban (793 ± 131 ng/g) and forested (238 ± 34 ng/g) creeks. No differences in ∑PAH16 levels among land-use classifications were found for either oligochaetes (Monopylephorus rubroniveus) or grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio). However, ∑PAH16 levels in grass shrimp were related to sediment ∑PAH16 levels and ∑PAH16 levels in oligochaetes and grass shrimp eggs were related to impervious cover in the watershed. Diagnostic ratios suggest that the primary sources of PAH in suburban and urban/industrialized creeks are pyrogenic. Carcinogenic PAH contents of sediments and biota were related to impervious cover. While human exposures to these sediment-associated carcinogens were not assessed, levels of several carcinogenic PAHs in sediments of urban/industrial tidal creeks were above the levels that represent an increased cancer risk in humans.
Toxicological Responses of Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) to Soil Exposures of Copper by Matthew A. Bazar; Michael J. Quinn Jr.; Kristie Mozzachio; John A. Bleiler; Christine R. Archer; Carlton T. Phillips; Mark S. Johnson (pp. 116-122).
Copper (Cu) has widespread military use in munitions and small arms, particularly as a protective jacket for lead projectiles. The distribution of Cu at many US military sites is substantial and sites of contamination include habitats in and around military storage facilities, manufacturing, load and packing plants, open burning/open detonation areas, and firing ranges. Some of these areas include habitat for amphibian species, which generally lack toxicity data for risk assessment purposes. In an effort to ascertain Cu concentrations in soil that are toxic to terrestrial amphibians, 100 red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) were randomly sorted by weight, assigned to either a control soil or one of four treatments amended with copper acetate in soil, and exposed for 28 days. Analytical mean soil concentrations were 18, 283, 803, 1333, and 2700 mg Cu/kg soil dry weight. Food consisted of uncontaminated flightless Drosophila melanogaster. Survival was reduced in salamanders exposed to 1333 and 2700 mg/kg by 55% and 100%, respectively. Mortality/morbidity occurred within the first 4 days of exposure. These data suggest that a Cu soil concentration of and exceeding 1333.3 ± 120.2 mg/kg results in reduced survival, whereas hematology analyses suggest that a concentration of and exceeding 803.3 ± 98.4 mg/kg might result in reduced total white blood cell count. No effects were observed at 283.3 ± 36.7 mg/kg.
Muscular and Hepatic Pollution Biomarkers in the Fishes Phycis blennoides and Micromesistius poutassou and the Crustacean Aristeus antennatus in the Blanes Submarine Canyon (NW Mediterranean) by Montserrat Solé; Bastian Hambach; Verónica Cortijo; David Huertas; Pilar Fernández; Joan B. Company (pp. 123-132).
Submarine canyons are regarded as a sink for pollutants. In order to determine if this theory applied to deep-sea species from an important fishing ground (the Blanes submarine canyon) located in the NW Mediterranean, we sampled the commercial fish Phycis blennoides and Micromesistius poutassou and the crustacean Aristeus antennatus. Specimens were sampled inside and outside (in the open continental slope) the submarine canyon; both are regarded as potentially affected by exposure to different anthropogenic chemicals. Several pollution biomarkers in muscle (activity of cholinesterases) and liver/hepatopancreas (catalase, glutathione S-transferases, carboxylesterases, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase in fish or mixed function oxygenase (MFO)-related reductases in crustacean, and lipid peroxidation levels) were measured. Chemical analysis of the persistent organic pollutants, namely polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) was also performed on the fish and crustacean muscle. Biomarker activities and levels were discussed in relation to pollutant exposure, habitat, and parameters including sex, size, and species. Biochemical responses and chemical analysis of PCBs evidenced interspecies differences as well as sex and size-related ones, mainly in A. antennatus. An indication of higher exposure to pollutants inside the canyon was observed, which was more clearly reflected in the fish than in the crustacean. However, further research is required to confirm this observation.
Seasonal Trends and Tissue Distribution of Organochlorine Pollutants in Wild and Farmed Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) from the Western Mediterranean Sea and Their Relationship with Environmental and Biological Factors by M. A. Blanes; R. Serrano; F. J. López (pp. 133-144).
Seasonal trends and tissue distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) samples from the Western Mediterranean were investigated. Hexane extracts of white and red muscle, liver, and gills from wild and cultured specimens were purified by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and selected OCPs and PCBs were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry as indicators of contamination. The limits of detection for the analytical methodology allowed was 0.25 ng/g. Data obtained showed the presence of DDTs and PCBs in the different tissues, with the highest concentration of pollutants being in tissues of higher lipid content. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds in sea bream tissues strongly correlated with seasonal changes and the biological cycle of the species. In general, cultured fish had lower concentrations of contaminants and smaller season variability than wild fish. Trace levels of contaminants were found in fish muscle throughout the year, but always below the guidelines recommended for human consumption.
The Effects of Heavy Metal Mine Drainage on Population Size Structure, Reproduction, and Condition of Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis by Courtney M. Franssen (pp. 145-156).
Anthropogenic degradation of aquatic environments worldwide results in disturbed habitats, altered communities, and stressed populations. Surface waters located in an abandoned lead-zinc mining district in northeastern Oklahoma are no exception. This study examines the reproductive and somatic responses of a pollution-tolerant fish, the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis (Teleostei: Poeciliidae), living in mine outflow waters contaminated by heavy metals. Populations were sampled from four streams, which were classified into three habitat types. Populations from Tar Creek and an Unnamed Tributary of Tar Creek receive direct input of mine drainage, while populations living in reference creeks are not known to have mining influence. The influence of mine drainage directly or indirectly (via altered competitor and predator regimes or changes in food availability) affects G. affinis at both the population and the individual level. Metal-contaminated sites had reduced proportions of males and reproductively active females and altered male population size structures. Individual-level effects were apparent, as all G. affinis from Tar Creek invested less in liver weights, and mature males and reproductively active females from Tar Creek invested less in gonad weights. Furthermore, males from impacted sites were significantly lighter than those from reference creeks. Gravid females from Tar Creek had smaller clutch sizes, but average embryo weight did not differ among streams.
The Sublethal Effects of Low-pH Exposure on the Chemoreception of Poecilia sphenops by Rostern N. Tembo (pp. 157-163).
In this study, Poecilia sphenops (gold mollies) were chronically exposed to low pH that mimic those found in natural environments, e.g., rivers and lakes. The Poecilia sphenops were placed in two separate aquaria with pH levels of 5 and 6 and presented with a different chemically mediated behavioral challenge of locating the food source. The results indicated that under pH 5 the Poecilia sphenops had difficulties in locating the odor source of food and at the same time their swimming speed were greatly reduced. The failure by the Poecilia sphenops to locate the food source and their reduced swimming speed can have a negative impact on the survival of the fish by introducing a high probability of starvation. If the fish are starved, it means that even their reproduction rate will be reduced, while the juveniles growth will be arrested under natural conditions of acidification. In addition to this, since the fish’s swimming speed is also impaired, it means that, they will be unable to run away from their predators once found. The combination of starvation and failure to run away from predators could negatively impact the gold mollies severely. Their fitness would be compromised.
Accumulation and Effects of Nodularin from a Single and Repeated Oral Doses of Cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena on Flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) by Pekka J. Vuorinen; Vesa O. Sipiä; Krister Karlsson; Marja Keinänen; Ambrose Furey; Orla Allis; Kevin James; Ulla Perttilä; Eija Rimaila-Pärnänen; Jussi A. O. Meriluoto (pp. 164-173).
Nodularin (NODLN) is a cyclic pentapeptide hepatotoxin produced by the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena, which occurs regularly in the Baltic Sea during the summer season. In this study flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) was orally exposed to NODLN either as a single dose or as three repeated doses 3 days apart. Liver and bile samples of the fish were taken 4 days after the last dose. Liver glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity was also measured and the histopathology of the liver was investigated. The liver of the exposed fish was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for NODLN concentration. The content of NODLN-like compounds in the bile was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. NODLN exposure caused slightly incoherent liver architecture and degenerative cell changes in both groups. The mean liver GST activity was significantly higher in the repeatedly dosed flounders than in the singly dosed flounders or in the control. In conclusion, the significantly lower NODLN concentration and the increased GST activity in the liver of the repeatedly dosed flounders compared to the singly dosed flounders suggest that NODLN is rapidly detoxificated. The absence of NODLN glutathione conjugates and the low concentrations of NODLN-like compounds in the bile indicate that detoxification products disintegrate or they are rapidly excreted.
Organochlorine Pesticides, PCBs, Dioxins, and Metals in Postterm Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Eggs from the Mid-Atlantic States, 1993–1999 by Kathleen E. Clark; Yuan Zhao; Cynthia M. Kane (pp. 174-184).
Peregrine falcons were extirpated from the eastern United States by 1964 due to the effects of dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane (DDT) (Peakall and Kiff 1988). As a result of restoration efforts, peregrines have largely recovered in the region but remain a barometer of environmental contamination. In the course of monitoring nests, biologists in the mid-Atlantic states collected peregrine falcon eggs that failed to hatch. In the period 1993–1999, 93 eggs were collected from 66 nests in 31 locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. We analyzed eggs for organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, and metals, and calculated toxic equivalencies (TEQs) for dioxins and furans. Organochlorine contaminants were detected in eggs from all parts of the region. Although nest success in all parts of the region was good, the PCB TEQ in the Atlantic–New Jersey region was significantly related to nest success, and the regionwide PCB TEQ was nearly significant for nest success across the five-state area. dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE), DDT, and total PCBs were negatively correlated with eggshell thickness, although eggshell thinning (10.4%) was not at a level associated with deleterious population effects. The five states represented in this study are productive for peregrine falcons and have contributed to the recovery of this species. However, the results suggest that Atlantic coastal peregrines might be subject to contaminant burdens that have the potential to decrease nest success and productivity.
The Use of Aldehyde Indicators to Determine Glutaraldehyde and Alkaline Glutaraldehyde Contamination in Chemical Protective Gloves by Evanly Vo; Zhenzhen Zhuang (pp. 185-192).
The aim of this study was to assess the use of aldehyde indicator pads for detection of glutaraldehyde and alkaline glutaraldehyde permeation through chemical protective gloves under simulated in-use conditions. The quantitative analysis of glutaraldehyde permeation through a glove material was determined for Metricide, Wavicide, and 50% glutaraldehyde following a solvent-desorption process and gas chromatographic analysis. All glutaraldehyde solutions exhibited >99% adsorption (including both the glutaraldehyde oligomers of the reaction product and the excess glutaraldehyde) on the pads over the spiking range 0.05–5.0 μL. Breakthrough times for protective gloves were determined using the Thermo-Hand test method, and found to range from 76 to 150, from 170 to 230, and from 232 to 300 min for Metricide, Wavicide, and 50% glutaraldehyde, respectively. Glutaraldehyde recovery was calculated and ranged from 61 to 80% for all glutaraldehyde solutions. The mass of glutaraldehyde in these solutions at the time of breakthrough detection ranged from 17 to 18, from 18 to 19, and from 19 to 20 μg/cm2 for Wavicide, 50% glutaraldehyde solution, and Metricide, respectively. Aldehyde indicator pads and the Thermo-Hand test method together should find utility in detecting, collecting, and quantitatively analyzing glutaraldehyde permeation samples through chemical protective gloves under simulated in-use conditions.
Operative Modalities and Exposure to Pesticides During Open Field Treatments Among a Group of Agricultural Subcontractors by Matteo Vitali; Carmela Protano; Annalisa Del Monte; Francesca Ensabella; Maurizio Guidotti (pp. 193-202).
This paper reports the results of a field study of occupational pesticide exposure (respiratory and dermal) among a group of Italian agricultural subcontractors. These workers consistently use pesticides during much of the year, thus resulting in a high exposure risk. Ten complete treatments were monitored during spring/summer. Pesticides that were applied included azinphos-methyl, dicamba, dimethoate, terbuthylazine, and alachlor. Several observations were made on worker operative modalities and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during work. Total potential and actual exposure ranged from 14 to 5700 μg and from 0.04 to 4600 μg, respectively. Dermal exposure contributed substantially more than inhalation to the total exposure (93.9–100%). Hand contamination ranged from 0.04 to 4600 μg and was the major contributor to dermal exposure. Penetration through specific protective garments was less than 2.4% in all cases, although penetration through general work clothing was as high as 26.8%. The risk evaluation, based on comparison between acceptable daily intake and total absorbed doses, demonstrates that it is presumable to expect possible health effects for workers regularly operating without PPE and improper tractors. Comparisons between exposure levels and operative modalities highlighted that complete PPE and properly equipped tractors contributed to a significant reduction in total exposure to pesticides during agricultural activities. In conclusion, monitored agricultural subcontractors presented very different levels of pesticide exposure due to the high variability of operative modalities and use of PPE. These results indicate the need to critically evaluate the efficacy of training programs required for obtaining a pesticide license in Italy.
Interactions Between Concentrations of Chemical Elements in Human Femoral Heads by Barbara Brodziak-Dopierala; Jerzy Kwapulinski; Damian Kusz; Zbigniew Gajda; Krzysztof Sobczyk (pp. 203-210).
Environmental and occupational exposure to various metals has been a major public health concern and the subject of many studies. With the development of industry and transportation, environmental pollution has markedly worsened. As a result, metals are now ubiquitous and are absorbed into the body with food, drinking water, and polluted air. Exposure to these elements leads to numerous health problems, affecting almost every system of the human body, including the skeletal system. Bone is a specific research material that is difficult to obtain, therefore chemical analyses of metal concentrations in this tissue are rarely found in the literature. Nevertheless, bone, due to its long regeneration period, can serve as a biomarker of a long-term metal accumulation resulting from environmental or occupational exposure. Our study was conducted on bone samples harvested from inhabitants of the Upper Silesia region during hip replacement surgery. Femoral heads removed during surgery were sectioned into slices and further subdivided into samples comprising articular cartilage, cortical bone, and trabecular bone. Concentrations of 12 trace elements were measured with an atomic absorption spectrophotometry method. We found significant correlation between concentrations of these metal elements in the samples of cortical bone. This is determined not only by the physiological functions of these metals in hydroxyapatite, but also by the specific mineral structure of the bone tissue.