Check out our New Publishers' Select for Free Articles

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (v.62, #2)

Effect of Plasma Etching on Destructive Adsorption Properties of Polypropylene Fibers Containing Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles by Laura E. Lange; S. Kay Obendorf (pp. 185-194).

Dermal absorption of pesticides poses a danger for agricultural workers. Use of personal protection equipment (PPE) is required to provide protection; some of the current PPE involves impermeable barriers. In these barrier materials, the same mechanism that prevents the penetration of toxic chemicals also blocks the passage of water vapor and air from flowing through the material, making the garments uncomfortable. Fibers that degrade organophosphate pesticides, such as methyl parathion, were developed by incorporating metal oxides. These modified fibers can be incorporated into conventional fabric structures that allow water vapor to pass through, thereby maintaining comfort. Fibers with self-decontamination functionality were developed by incorporating magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles into a polypropylene (PP) melt-extruded fiber. These fibers were then treated with plasma etching to expose increased surface area of the MgO nanoparticles. Three steps were involved in this research project: (1) determining the reactivity of MgO and methyl parathion, (2) making melt-spun MgO/PP fibers, and (3) testing the reactivity of MgO/PP composite fibers and methyl parathion. It was confirmed that MgO stoichiometrically degrades methyl parathion by way of destructive adsorption. The etching of the PP fibers containing MgO nanoparticles increased the chemical accessibility of MgO reactive sites, therefore making them more effective in degrading methyl parathion. These fibers can enhance the protection provided by PPE to agricultural and horticultural workers and military personnel.

Application of the Similarity Parameter (λ) to Prediction of the Joint Effects of Nonequitoxic Mixtures by Dayong Tian; Zhifen Lin; JianQing Ding; Daqiang Yin; Yalei Zhang (pp. 195-209).

Although environmental contaminants are usually encountered as nonequitoxic mixtures, most studies have investigated the toxicity of equitoxic mixtures. In the present study, a method for prediction of the toxicity of nonequitoxic mixtures was developed using the similarity parameter (λ). The joint effect of multiple contaminants at the median inhibition concentration in equitoxic ( $$ { ext{TU}}_{ ext{sum-50}}^{ ext{equitoxic}} $$ ) and nonequitoxic ( $$ { ext{TU}}_{ ext{sum-50}}^{ ext{nonequitoxic}} $$ ) binary, ternary, and quaternary mixtures was investigated using Vibrio fischeri. The observed results indicate that the concentration ratios of individual chemicals in the mixtures influenced the joint effects, and that λ could be employed to evaluate the relation between $$ { ext{TU}}_{ ext{sum-50}}^{ ext{equitoxic}} $$ and $$ { ext{TU}}_{ ext{sum-50}}^{ ext{nonequitoxic}} $$ . Prediction models for the joint effects of nonequitoxic ( $$ { ext{TU}}_{ ext{sum-50}}^{ ext{nonequitoxic}} $$ ) mixtures were derived from a combination of $$ { ext{TU}}_{ ext{sum-50}}^{ ext{equitoxic}} $$ and λ. The predictive capabilities of these models were validated by comparing the predicted data with the observed data for binary, ternary, and quaternary mixtures. The prediction models have promising applications in controlling environmental pollution, evaluating drug interactions, and optimizing combinations of pesticides used in agriculture.

Assessment of Landfill Leachate Toxicity Reduction After Biological Treatment by Anita Jemec; Tatjana Tišler; Andreja Žgajnar-Gotvajn (pp. 210-221).

In the present article, the efficiency of biological treatment of landfill leachates was evaluated by implementation of physicochemical characterisation and a complex toxicity assessment. An array of toxicity tests using bacterium Vibrio fischeri, alga Desmodesmus subspicatus, crustacean Daphnia magna, and embryo of fish Danio rerio, as well as unconventional methods using biochemical biomarkers (protein content, enzymes cholinesterase, and glutathione-S-transferase), were employed. Toxicity of leachates varied depending on the season of collection in relation to their different physicochemical characteristics. Uncommon effects of leachates on organisms, such as hormetic-like increases of algal growth and reproduction of daphnids, were identified. New approaches using the activities of enzymes were found unsuitable for routine hazard assessment of leachates. Although physicochemical parameters and toxicity decreased significantly after biological treatment, the effluents did not meet the demands of the current Slovenian legislation; thus, the existing biological treatment was found inappropriate. The development of advanced treatment techniques for landfill leachates is thus encouraged.

Assessing the Genotoxic Potential of Chlorothalonil Drift from Potato Fields in Prince Edward Island, Canada by Christine Garron; Loren D. Knopper; William R. Ernst; Pierre Mineau (pp. 222-232).

Chlorothalonil, a broad-spectrum nonsystemic foliar fungicide, is one of the most extensively used pesticide active ingredients on Prince Edward Island, Canada, for blight control on potatoes. In ambient air–sampling programs conducted in 1998 and 1999 and from 2002 to 2004, chlorothalonil was measured in 97% of air samples collected. It is known to produce severe eye and skin irritation, is cytogenic and is considered a possible human carcinogen by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Inhalation studies that quantify chlorothalonil subchronic effects (e.g., genotoxicity) are lacking. The purpose of this study was to assess the possible genotoxic potential of chlorothalonil under field conditions by using the alkaline comet assay to assess DNA damage in CD-1 mice. Mice were selected as a surrogate species for wild small mammals (e.g., meadow voles, deer mice) known to inhabit areas adjacent to potato fields. Mice were placed at three locations downwind of a chlorothalonil application (0, 30, and 100 m) and at one up-wind control location at least 30 m from the field. Downwind mice were exposed to drift throughout the spray period (approximately 30 min) and for an additional hour after spraying. Air samples were collected during the spray trials (before, during, and after spraying) using high-volume polyurethane foam and PM_2.5 air samplers. Pesticide deposits were measured using 20 × 25 cm glass-fibre filters. After exposure, blood was collected from each mouse, and DNA strand breaks in white blood cells measured using comet assay. Results suggest that metrics of DNA damage [tail length (TL), percent DNA in tail] were not significantly related to total air chlorothalonil concentration from the three spray trials (r ² = 0.000, P = 0.907 for TL; r ² = 0.001, P = 0.874 for percent DNA). In addition, no significant difference in DNA damage was observed between exposed (at 0 m) and control animals (P = 0.357 for TL; P = 0.958 for percent DNA). Based on these results it can be concluded that wild small mammals living beside fields sprayed with chlorothalonil are at no greater risk of exposure-related DNA damage than conspecifics from unexposed areas.

Acute Toxicity of Nitrate and Nitrite to Sensitive Freshwater Insects, Mollusks, and a Crustacean by D. J. Soucek; A. Dickinson (pp. 233-242).

Both point- and nonpoint-sources of pollution have contributed to increased inorganic nitrogen concentrations in freshwater ecosystems. Although numerous studies have investigated the toxic effects of ammonia on freshwater species, relatively little work has been performed to characterize the acute toxicity of the other two common inorganic nitrogen species: nitrate and nitrite. In particular, to our knowledge, no published data exist on the toxicity of nitrate and nitrite to North American freshwater bivalves (Mollusca) or stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera). We conducted acute (96-h) nitrate and nitrite toxicity tests with two stonefly species (Allocapnia vivipara and Amphinemura delosa), an amphipod (Hyalella azteca), two freshwater unionid mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea and Megalonaias nervosa), a fingernail clam (Sphaerium simile), and a pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis). Overall, we did not observe a particularly wide degree of variation in sensitivity to nitrate, with median lethal concentrations ranging from 357 to 937 mg NO₃-N/l; furthermore, no particular taxonomic group appeared to be more sensitive to nitrate than any other. In our nitrite tests, the two stoneflies tested were by far the most sensitive, and the three mollusks tested were the least sensitive. In contrast to what was observed in the nitrate tests, variation among species in sensitivity to nitrite spanned two orders of magnitude. Examination of the updated nitrite database, including previously published data, clearly showed that insects tended to be more sensitive than crustaceans, which were in turn more sensitive than mollusks. Although the toxic mechanism of nitrite is generally thought to be the conversion of oxygen-carrying pigments into forms that cannot carry oxygen, our observed trend in sensitivity of broad taxonomic groups, along with information on respiratory pigments in those groups, suggests that some other yet unknown mechanism may be even more important.

Heavy-Metal Concentrations in Soft Tissues of the Burrowing Crab Neohelice granulata in Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina by Pía Simonetti; Sandra Elizabeth Botté; Sandra Marcela Fiori; Jorge Eduardo Marcovecchio (pp. 243-253).

Copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) in soft tissues of male and female burrowing crab Neohelice granulate, as well as their eggs, were measured in two different locations in the Bahía Blanca estuary, a moderately polluted ecosystem, from October 2008 to August 2009. Differences between sexes, sites, and seasonality were assessed. Furthermore, metal levels in eggs were compared with metal levels in female crabs. The results showed no significant differences for Cu and Cd between sexes (Student t test p > 0.25 for both sites) and sites (two-way analysis of variance: Cu p = 0.82 and Cd p = 0.29). Nevertheless, seasonality was found, with winter having significantly lower concentrations for both metals. The range of Cu concentrations was between 96.92 and 152.18 μg g⁻¹ dry weight (dw), and the range of Cd concentrations was between 6.09 and 10.41 μg g⁻¹ dw. Cr concentrations could not be assessed because most of the values were lower than the detection limit. Although heavy metals in sediments were not measured in this study, a bioaccumulation process may be occurring for Cd because levels found during the entire sampling period were greater than levels in sediment from previous years. For Cu, a regulation process may be occurring considering that this is an essential metal and levels of Cu in N. granulata found in this study were between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude greater than levels in sediments. Finally, Cu and Cd levels in eggs were detectable, but they were lower than levels in female crabs. The importance of these findings is linked to the fact that metal accumulation seems to be occurring before hatch. The presence of heavy metals in soft tissues as well as in eggs of N. granulata is of great importance considering that this is a key species within the Bahía Blanca estuary; therefore, it plays a major role in the transference of pollutants to greater trophic levels.

Metabolites of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Bile as Biomarkers of Pollution in European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) from German Rivers by F. Nagel; U. Kammann; C. Wagner; R. Hanel (pp. 254-263).

In the light of the alarming decline of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) population, there is an urgent need to define ecological indicators for eel habitat quality. Due to an increasing shortage of glass eels available for local stock enhancement, the decision of whether restocking is a valuable management tool to increase high-quality silver eel escapement to the sea needs to be evaluated. Organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are among the major threats to fish in their habitat. Therefore, the aim of the investigation presented here was to examine metabolites of PAHs in eel bile as one possible marker for habitat quality. In total, 170 yellow eels were collected in the rivers Rhine, Ems, Weser, Elbe, Havel, Schlei, Eider, Trave, Warnow, Peene, Uecker, and Oder in 2009. PAH metabolites in eel bile were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Metabolites of pyrene and phenanthrene were investigated. Concentrations of PAH metabolites in eel bile varied significantly between several rivers, with the highest mean concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene and 1-hydroxyphenanthrene in eel bile from the river Trave (2421 and 632 ng/ml). Moreover, huge differences in the ratio of 1-hydroxypyrene to 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, with the highest mean value in eel bile from the river Ems (7.43) and the lowest mean value in eel bile from the river Uecker (0.70), indicate different sources of PAH contamination. A comparative analysis of PAH-metabolite contamination of eels in different river systems is seen as a first step toward a classification of freshwater habitats for restocking purposes.

Mercury and Nitrogen Isotope in a Marine Species from a Tropical Coastal Food Web by Ana Paula Madeira Di Beneditto; Vanessa Trindade Bittar; Plínio Barbosa Camargo; Carlos Eduardo Rezende; Helena Amaral Kehrig (pp. 264-271).

The present study raised the hypothesis that the trophic status in a tropical coastal food web from southeastern Brazil can be measured by the relation between total mercury (THg) and nitrogen isotope (δ¹⁵N) in their components. The analysed species were grouped into six trophic positions: primary producer (phytoplankton), primary consumer (zooplankton), consumer 1 (omnivore shrimp), consumer 2 (pelagic carnivores represented by squid and fish species), consumer 3 (demersal carnivores represented by fish species) and consumer 4 (pelagic-demersal top carnivore represented by the fish Trichiurus lepturus). The values of THg, δ¹⁵N, and trophic level (TLv) increased significantly from primary producer toward top carnivore. Our data regarding trophic magnification (6.84) and biomagnification powers (0.25 for δ¹⁵N and 0.83 for TLv) indicated that Hg biomagnification throughout trophic positions is high in this tropical food web, which could be primarily related to the quality of the local water.

Acute Toxicity of Zinc to Several Aquatic Species Native to the Rocky Mountains by Stephen F. Brinkman; Walter D. Johnston (pp. 272-281).

National water-quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life are based on toxicity tests, often using organisms that are easy to culture in the laboratory. Species native to the Rocky Mountains are poorly represented in data sets used to derive national water-quality criteria. To provide additional data on the toxicity of zinc, several laboratory acute-toxicity tests were conducted with a diverse assortment of fish, benthic invertebrates, and an amphibian native to the Rocky Mountains. Tests with fish were conducted using three subspecies of cutthroat trout (Colorado River cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus, greenback cutthroat trout O. clarkii stomias, and Rio Grande cutthroat trout O. clarkii virginalis), mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni), mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi), longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae), and flathead chub (Platygobio gracilis). Aquatic invertebrate tests were conducted with mayflies (Baetis tricaudatus, Drunella doddsi, Cinygmula sp. and Ephemerella sp.), a stonefly (Chloroperlidae), and a caddis fly (Lepidostoma sp.). The amphibian test was conducted with tadpoles of the boreal toad (Bufo boreas). Median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀s) ranged more than three orders of magnitude from 166 μg/L for Rio Grande cutthroat trout to >67,000 μg/L for several benthic invertebrates. Of the organisms tested, vertebrates were the most sensitive, and benthic invertebrates were the most tolerant.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Risk to Threatened and Endangered Chinook Salmon in the Lower Columbia River Estuary by Gladys K. Yanagida; Bernadita F. Anulacion; Jennie L. Bolton; Daryle Boyd; Daniel P. Lomax; O. Paul Olson; Sean Y. Sol; Maryjean Willis; Gina M. Ylitalo; Lyndal L. Johnson (pp. 282-295).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), derived from oil and fuel combustion, are ubiquitous nonpoint source pollutants that can have a number of detrimental effects on fish and wildlife. In this study, we monitored PAH exposure in outmigrant juvenile Chinook salmon from the Lower Columbia River to evaluate the risk that these contaminants might pose to the health and recovery of threatened and endangered salmonids. Juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were collected by beach seine from five sites in the Lower Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the mouth of the estuary (Warrendale, the Willamette–Columbia Confluence, Columbia City, Beaver Army Terminal, and Point Adams) and from a site in the Lower Willamette near downtown Portland (Morrison Street Bridge). Sediment samples were also collected at the same sites. Concentrations of PAHs in sediment samples were relatively low at all sites with average total PAH concentrations <1000 ng/g dry weight (wt.). However, we found PAHs in stomach contents of salmon from all sites at concentrations ranging from <100 to >10,000 ng/g wet wt. Metabolites of low and high molecular-weight PAHs were also detected in bile of salmon from all sites; for metabolites fluorescing at phenanthrene (PHN) wavelengths, concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 6.0 μg/mg bile protein. Levels of PAHs in stomach contents and PAH metabolites in bile were highest in salmon from the Morrison Street Bridge site in Portland and the Willamette-Columbia Confluence, Columbia City, and Beaver Army Terminal sites. Mean PAH concentrations measured in some stomach content samples from the Columbia City, Beaver Army Terminal, and Morrison Street Bridge sites were near the threshold concentration (approximately 7200–7600 ng/g wet wt.) associated with variability and immune dysfunction in juvenile salmonids (Meador et al., Can J Fish Aquat Sci 63:2364–2376, 2006; Bravo et al., Environ Toxicol Chem 30:704–714, 2011). Mean levels of biliary fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs)-PHN in juvenile Chinook collected at the Morrison Street Bridge site in Portland, at the Confluence and Columbia City sites, and at the Beaver Army Terminal site were at or above a threshold effect concentration of 2 μg/mg protein for FACs-PHN linked to growth impairment, altered energetics, and reproductive effects (Meador et al., Environ Toxicol Chem 27(4):845–853, 2008). These findings suggest that PAHs in the food chain are a potential source of injury to juvenile salmon in the Lower Columbia and Lower Willamette rivers.

Levels of Mercury and Organohalogen Compounds in Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis) Cultured in Different Regions of Japan by Yohsuke Hisamichi; Koichi Haraguchi; Tetsuya Endo (pp. 296-305).

Contamination levels of total mercury (T-Hg), p,p′-DDE, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in akami (leaner meat) and toro (fatty meat) samples from Pacific bluefin tuna cultured in the southern (four locations) and central (three locations) regions of Japan were analyzed. The contamination level of T-Hg in the akami and toro samples from the southern region tended to decrease with an increase in latitude, whereas those of p,p′-DDE and PCBs tended to increase. These spatial trends in contaminants were similar to those reported previously in wild tuna caught off the coast of Japan (Hisamichi et al., in Environ Sci Technol 44:5971–5978, 2010). However, the contamination level of T-Hg in akami and toro samples from one location in the central region was the highest among all seven locations, whereas the contamination level of p,p′-DDE was lower than that from any location studied in the southern region. Thus, contamination levels of T-Hg, p,p′-DDE, and PCBs in the cultured tuna may reflect contamination levels not only in the marine environment but also in prey fish used as bait.

Tissue-Specific Uptake and Bioconcentration of the Oral Contraceptive Norethindrone in Two Freshwater Fishes by Gopinath C. Nallani; Peter M. Paulos; Barney J. Venables; Regina E. Edziyie; Lisa A. Constantine; Duane B. Huggett (pp. 306-313).

The environmental presence of the oral contraceptive norethindrone (NET) has been reported and shown to have reproductive effects in fish at environmentally realistic exposure levels. The current study examined bioconcentration potential of NET in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Fathead minnows were exposed to 50 μg/l NET for 28 days and allowed to depurate in clean water for 14 days. In a minimized 14-day test design, catfish were exposed to 100 μg/l NET for 7 days followed by 7-day depuration. In the fathead test, tissues (muscle, liver, and kidneys) were sampled during the uptake (days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28) and depuration (days 35 and 42) phases. In the catfish test, muscle, liver, gill, brain, and plasma were collected during the uptake (days 1, 3, and 7) and depuration (day 14) stages. NET tissue levels were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Accumulation of NET in tissues was greatest in liver followed by plasma, gill, brain, and muscle. Tissue-specific bioconcentration factors (BCFs) ranged from 2.6 to 40.8. Although NET has been reported to elicit reproductive effects in fish, the present study indicated a low potential to bioconcentrate in aquatic biota.

Vitellogenin Induction and Reproductive Status in Wild Chilean Flounder Paralichthys adspersus (Steindachner, 1867) as Biomarkers of Endocrine Disruption Along the Marine Coast of the South Pacific by Maritza O. Leonardi; Marcia Puchi; Paulina Bustos; Ximena Romo; Violeta Morín (pp. 314-322).

This study evaluated the condition factor, gonadosomatic, and hepatosomatic indexes, occurrence of plasmatic vitellogenin (Vg), and frequency of spermatogenic maturity stages in male Chilean flounders, Paralichthys adspersus, caught at three different coastal sites off the Bio-Bio region, central Chile, during 1 year. The Vg was detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate and Western blot analyses using an antibody against Chilean flounder Vg. The spermatogenic maturity stages were analyzed by histological gonadic diagnostic. The prevalence of plasmatic Vg induction in male fish differed significantly among sites. The flounders sampled from the Itata area were the most affected. Evaluations of biometric data, plasmatic Vg induction, and spermatogenic maturity stages of the flounder showed the following: (1) lower gonadosomatic index, (2) greater hepatosomatic index, (3) greater prevalence of plasmatic Vg, and (4) delayed development of the gonad. The results suggest that estrogenic endocrine-disruption compounds are introduced into the marine environment, negatively affecting the fish studied. The relevance of this report is discussed in relation to estrogenic compounds introduced by industrial and municipal wastewater effluents in the areas studied.

Freshwater Fish–Consumption Relations With Total Hair Mercury and Selenium Among Women in Eastern China by Tian Fang; Kristan J. Aronson; Linda M. Campbell (pp. 323-332).

Wild fish from Qiandao Hu, a reservoir in the Zhejiang Province in eastern China, have increased mercury (Hg) concentrations exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended guidelines. Due to the importance of freshwater biota in the local cuisine, dietary exposure to increased neurotoxic Hg is a concern in this region. An environmental hair-marker study was undertaken coincident with a cross-sectional epidemiologic study with 50 women age 17–46 years living in a Qiandao Hu fishing village. Diet, occupation, and other possible sources of Hg were recorded by way of questionnaires. Total mercury (THg) and selenium (Se) concentrations were measured in human hair samples and in important market fish species. Fish THg and Se concentrations were increased, with some fish concentrations >200 ng/g THg and 500 ng/g Se (wet weight [ww]). However, the average hair THg was low at 0.76 ± 0.51 μg/g dry weight, lower than the WHO’s no observable–adverse effect level (50 μg/g), whereas the average hair Se was 1.0 μg/g. Hair THg concentration was positively associated with the average mass of fish consumed weekly, indicating that fish consumption is the main contributor to hair THg in this geographic area. The age-related hair THg trend was not linear but instead demonstrated a rapid increase in THg before age 25 years, followed by consistent concentrations in all ages after age 25 years. There was a positive correlation (p < 0.001) between molar Se and Hg in the hair samples, suggesting a possible antagonistic relation. This is the first study examining the relation between dietary Hg exposure and hair THg in an eastern China community where freshwater fish, as opposed to marine fish, dominates the cuisine.

Intake and Potential Health Risk of Butyltin Compounds from Seafood Consumption in Korea by Minkyu Choi; Hyo-Bang Moon; Hee-Gu Choi (pp. 333-340).

Concentrations of butyltin compounds (BTs) were determined in 47 species of seafood commonly consumed in Korea to investigate intakes of BTs from seafood consumption and the potential health risks to the Korean population. The concentrations of BTs (the sum of dibutyltin and tributyltin) in seafood ranged from less than the limit of detection to 96.3 ng/g wet weight, which are levels similar to those reported for other countries. The intake of BTs from seafood consumption by the general population was estimated to be 17.2 ng/kg body weight/day. Fish accounted for 50% of the total intakes of BT, and the next contributor was cephalopods (26%). The estimated intakes for males and females were 18.6 and 15.7 ng/ kg body weight/day, respectively. Among the age groups investigated, children (<2 years and 3–6 years) had higher intakes of BTs compared with adults. The estimated intake of BTs for Korean population groups was 5–8% of the tolerable daily intake of 250 ng/ kg body weight/day set by the European Food Safety Authority. Our results suggest that the Korean population is not expected to exceed the threshold value for adverse health effects.

Role of Methylmercury Exposure (from Fish Consumption) on Growth and Neurodevelopment of Children Under 5 Years of Age Living in a Transitioning (Tin-Mining) Area of the Western Amazon, Brazil by Rejane C. Marques; José G. Dórea; Renata S. Leão; Verusca G. dos Santos; Lucélia Bueno; Rayson C. Marques; Katiane G. Brandão; Elisabete F. A. Palermo; Jean Remy D. Guimarães (pp. 341-350).

Human occupation of the Amazon region has recently increased, bringing deforestation for agriculture and open-cast mining, activities that cause environmental degradation and pollution. Families of new settlers in mining areas might have a diet less dependent on abundant fish and their children might also be impacted by exposures to mining environments. Therefore, there is compounded interest in assessing young children’s nutritional status and neurobehavioral development with regard to family fish consumption. Anthropometric (z-scores, WHO standards) and neurologic [Gesell developmental scores (GDS)] development in 688 preschool children (1–59 months of age) was studied. Overall, the prevalence of malnutrition [i.e., moderate stunting (≤2 H/A-Z), underweight (≤2 W/A-Z), and wasting (≤2 W/H-Z) were respectively 0.3% (n = 2), 1.6% (n = 11), and 2.5% (n = 17). Children’s mean hair Hg (HHg) concentration was 2.56 μg/g (SD = 1.67); only 14% of children had HHg concentrations lower than 1 μg/g and 1.7% had ≥5 μg/g. The biomarker of fish consumption was weakly but positively correlated with GDS (Spearman r = 0.080; p = 0.035). In the bivariate model, attained W/H-Z scores were not significantly correlated with GDS. A moderate level of GDS deficits (70–84%) was seen in 20% of children. There was significant correlation between family fish consumption and children’s hair Hg (HHg) (Spearman r = 0.1756; p < 0.0001) but no significant correlation between children’s HHg and W/H-Z scores. However, the multivariate model showed that breastfeeding, a fish consumption biomarker (HHg), maternal education, and child’s age were statistically significant associated with specific domains (language and personal-social) of the Gesell scale. In this mining environment, family fish-eating did not affect children’s linear growth, but it showed a positive influence (along with maternal variables) on neurodevelopment. Health hazards attendant on a high prevalence of moderate neurodevelopment delays coexisting with exposure to multiple neurotoxic substances merits further investigation in poor environmental settings of tin-mining areas.

Assessment of DDT and DDE Levels in Soil, Dust, and Blood Samples From Chihuahua, Mexico by Fernando Díaz-Barriga Martínez; Antonio Trejo-Acevedo; Angel F. Betanzos; Guillermo Espinosa-Reyes; Jorge Alejandro Alegría-Torres; Iván Nelinho Pérez Maldonado (pp. 351-358).

The aim of this study was to assess levels of DDT and DDE in two environmental matrices (soil and dust) and to investigate the blood levels of these insecticides in exposed children living in a north Mexican state (Chihuahua) where DDT was sprayed several years ago during (1) health campaigns for the control of malaria and (2) agricultural activities. DDT and DDE were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In general, lower levels were found in household outdoor samples. The levels in outdoor samples ranged from 0.001 to 0.788 mg/kg for DDT and from 0.001 to 0.642 mg/kg for DDE. The levels in indoor samples ranged from 0.001 to 15.47 mg/kg for DDT and from 0.001 to 1.063 mg/kg for DDE. Similar results to those found in indoor soil were found in dust, in which the levels ranged from 0.001 to 95.87 mg/kg for DDT and from 0.001 to 0.797 mg/kg for DDE. Moreover, blood levels showed that all of the communities studied had been exposed to DDT and/or DDE, indicating a general past or present exposure to DDT. It is important to note that the quotient DDT/DDE in all matrices was always >1. Whether the people living in our study area are at risk is an issue that deserves further analysis. However, applying precautionary principles, it is important to initiate a risk-reduction program to decrease exposure to DDT and its metabolites in people living in this area.

Erratum to: The Effect of Cadmium on Steroid Hormones and Their Receptors in Women with Uterine Myomas by Marzenna Nasiadek; Ewa Swiatkowska; Anna Nowinska; Tomasz Krawczyk; Jacek R. Wilczynski; Andrzej Sapota (pp. 359-359).

Sections

Personal tools

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (v.62, #2)

Sections

Personal tools

Local resources

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (v.62, #2)