Biotoxic Effects Research Articles

Determination of Bisphenol A and its analogues in crayfish by UPLC-MS/MS and the assessment of dietary exposure of adults in Tianjin

Bisphenol A (BPA), an identified environmental endocrine disruptor, is under strict control due to its biotoxic effects. Alternatives to BPA, including Bisphenol F (BPF) and Bisphenol S (BPS), are progressively being developed and extensively utilized, with their potential health risks attracting heightened scrutiny. The objective of this study was to assess the exposure levels of BPA and its analogues (BPs) in crayfish and to evaluate the health effects related to crayfish consumption. Consequently, a robust ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the identification and quantification of BPs in crayfish. Furthermore, 96 crayfish samples purchased in Tianjin were obtained for analysis. The detection rate of BPA was 86.5 % in crayfish, with the maximum concentration of 31.3 µg/kg. BPS was found in 26.0 % of the samples, with the highest concentration at 33.1 μg/kg. Additionally, the levels of BPs in both abdominal muscle and hepatopancreas of the crayfish were determined. The results revealed a significantly higher concentration of BPA in the hepatopancreas compared to the abdominal muscle (P < 0.05). The total dietary intake of BPA through crayfish consumption was far below the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 4 μg/kg body weight/day, suggesting minimal health risk associated with BPs exposure from crayfish consumption.

External circuit loading mode regulates anode biofilm electrochemistry and pollutants removal in microbial fuel cells

This study investigated the effects of different external circuit loading mode on pollutants removal and power generation in microbial fuel cells (MFC). The results indicated that MFC exhibited distinct characteristics of higher maximum power density (Pmax) (named MFC-HP) and lower Pmax (named MFC-LP). And the capacitive properties of bioanodes may affect anodic electrochemistry. Reducing external load to align with the internal resistance increased Pmax of MFC-LP by 54.47 %, without no obvious effect on MFC-HP. However, intermittent external resistance loading (IER) mitigated the biotoxic effects of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) (a persistent organic pollutant) on chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH4+-N removal and maintained high Pmax (424.33 mW/m2) in MFC-HP. Meanwhile, IER mode enriched electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) and environmental adaptive bacteria Advenella, which may reduce antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) accumulation. This study suggested that the external circuit control can be effective means to regulate electrochemical characteristics and pollutants removal performance of MFC.

Nanoplastics exposure simplifies the network structure of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) gut microbiota and improves cluster randomness

Nanoplastics (NPs) are abundant in ocean environments, leading to environmental pollution and notable disruptions to the physiological functions of marine animals. To investigate the toxic effects of NPs on echinoderms, specifically sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus), they were exposed to varying concentrations of NPs (0, 102, 104 particles/L) for 14 d. Subsequently, the 102 particles/L exposure group was purified for 35 d to elucidate the impact of both NPs exposure and purification on the intestinal bacteria structure and function. The results showed that the richness and variety of intestinal bacteria in sea cucumbers significantly reduced under NPs exposure, and then they could be restored to the pre-exposure treatment state after 35 d of purification. With the increase of NPs exposure concentration in the environment, the intestinal core bacteria gradually changed from Firmicutes and Proteobacteria to Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio. The KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway database annotated that the gut microbiota of sea cucumbers was significantly downregulated in the glycosylation, carbohydratic and amino acid metabolic pathways (P < 0. 05), exogenous substance biodegradation and metabolism, DNA replication and repair pathways were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) under the exposure of NPs. In addition, nanoplastics exposure simplified the symbiotic network relationships of the gut bacteria, reduced the selective effect of host on the intestinal bacteria, and increased stochasticity. In conclusion, waterborne NPs can adversely affect the structure and function of sea cucumber intestinal bacteria, with these effects persisting for a duration. However, as the purification time lengthens, these adverse effects gradually diminish. This study aims to provide some theoretical basis for the biotoxic effects of NPs.

The influence of digestive tract protein on cytotoxicity of polyvinyl chloride microplastics

Microplastics in food and drinking water can enter the human body through oral exposure, posing potential health risks to the human health. Most studies on the toxic effects of microplastics have focused on aquatic organisms, but the effects of the human digestive environment on the physicochemical properties of microplastics and their potential toxicity during gastrointestinal digestion are often limited. In this study, we first studied the influence of interactions between digestive tract protein (α-amylase, pepsin, and trypsin) and microplastics on the activity and conformation of digestive enzymes, and the physicochemical properties of polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs). Subsequently, a simulated digestion assay was performed to determine the biotransformation of PVC-MPs in the digestive tract and the intestinal toxicity of PVC-MPs. The in vitro experiments showed that the protein structure and activity of digestive enzymes were changed after adsorption by microplastics. After digestion, the static contact angle of PVC-MPs was decreased, indicating that the hydrophilicity of the PVC-MPs increased, which will increase its mobility in organisms. Cell experiment showed that the altered physicochemical property of PVC-MPs after digestion process also affect its cytotoxicity, including cellular uptake, cell viability, cell membrane integrity, reactive oxygen species levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Transcriptome analyses further confirmed the enhanced biotoxic effect of PVC-MPs after digestion treatment. Therefore, the ecological risk of microplastics may be underestimated owing to the interactions of microplastics and digestive tract protein during biological ingestion.

#2767 Micro(nano)plastics are exposed and bioaccumulated in human fetus—the first evidence from neonatal umbilical cord blood and urine

Abstract Background and Aims At present, the world population problem is increasingly serious, and the impact of environmental pollution on the health of pregnant women and fetuses is a global research focus. Among them, micro(nano)plastics (MNPs), as an emerging pollutant, has been confirmed by several animal experiments and in vitro human cell experiments to have biotoxic effects. Recent studies have shown that MNPs are found in human placenta, amniotic fluid, meconium, and other samples, but there is still a lack of direct evidence that MNPs can enter and bioaccumulate in the fetus. Method To initially explore the actual situation of neonatal exposure to MNPs, this study collected umbilical cord blood samples and postnatal urine samples from 6 healthy fetuses in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, and used pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and laser direct infrared spectroscopy (LDIR) to detect and analyze MNPs in samples. Results With an average abundance of 81.15 (40.71) μg/g, MNPs were found in 6 umbilical cord blood samples by Py-GC/MS. Polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and polyamide 66 (PA66), 4 different types of MNPs were found, with PE content being the highest among them. By using LDIR, MNPs were found in 5 umbilical cord blood samples, with an average abundance of 17.39 (18.91) particles/g. Three different types of MNPs were found, they are acrylates (ACR), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP). MNPs particles were detected in 6 urine samples by PY-GC/MS, and the average abundance was 8.42 (4.70) μg/g. Two kinds of MNPs, PE and PVC, were detected, and the content of PE was higher. Conclusion The findings demonstrated that the contents and types of MNPs in umbilical cord blood samples were higher than those in urine samples. The levels of MNPs were correlated with the living habits of pregnant mothers, such as the frequency of ordering take-out food. In this study, through the detection of MNPs in umbilical cord blood and neonatal urine samples, we found the direct evidence of MNPs in the fetus for the first time, further confirmed that MNPs can enter the urine through renal metabolism, preliminarily explored the exposure and bioaccumulation effect of MNPs in the fetus, and analyzed the possible risks and related factors of exposure of MNPs during pregnancy, which provided a theoretical basis for in-depth study of the health impact of MNPs on pregnant women and fetuses.

Exploring the relationships between physiochemical properties of nanoparticles and cell damage to combat cancer growth using simple periodic table-based descriptors.

A comprehensive knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials (NMs) is necessary to design them effectively for regulated use. Although NMs are utilized in therapeutics, their cytotoxicity has attracted great attention. Nanoscale quantitative structure-property relationship (nano-QSPR) models can help in understanding the relationship between NMs and the biological environment and provide new ways for modeling the structural properties and bio-toxic effects of NMs. The goal of the study is to construct fully validated property-based models to extract relevant features for estimating and influencing the zeta potential and obtaining the toxicity profile regarding cell damage in the treatment of cancer cells. To achieve this, QSPR modeling was first performed with 18 metal oxide (MeOx) NMs to measure their materials properties using periodic table-based descriptors. The features obtained were later applied for zeta potential calculation (imputation for sparse data) for MeOx NMs that lack such information. To further clarify the influence of the zeta potential on cell damage, a QSPR model was developed with 132 MeOx NMs to understand the possible mechanisms of cell damage. The results showed that zeta potential, along with seven other descriptors, had the potential to influence oxidative damage through free radical accumulation, which could lead to changes in the survival rate of cancerous cells. The developed QSPR and quantitative structure-activity relationship models also give hints regarding safer design and toxicity assessment of MeOx NMs.

The biotoxic effects of heavy metals exposure in miners and non-miners

Since little is known about the comparison of the biotoxic effects of heavy metals exposure on biochemical and hematological parameters in miners and non-miners, the current study aimed to compare the effects of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu) in both groups. Demographic information and blood samples were collected from all participants and measures of As, Pb and Cu were obtained using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. As and Pb mean concentrations in miners and Cu concentration were greater in non-miners. Miners also showed significantly higher level of RBC, HBG and HCT. In the adjusted model, cholesterol showed a positively association with Pb and Cu levels. Triglycerides, GGT, ALP, WBC and PLT positively and HDL-cholesterol negatively were associated with Cu. Creatinine was negatively associated with group variable. In conclusion, miners' high blood heavy metals concentrations can impact biochemical and hematological indices. These observations make monitoring of heavy metals necessary in miners.

Preparation and Application of Environmentally-Friendly Copolymer Filtration Control Agent Based on Hydrogen Bonding

Traditional water-based drilling fluids encounter challenges in terms of poor solubility in high-density water-based drilling fluids and difficulty in meeting biotoxicity standards when using heat-resistant polymers as filtration control agents. To address this issue, this study introduces MIL-100 (Fe)-NH2 type MOF due to its excellent catalytic activity, which activates industrial-grade large-sized lignosulfonate sodium. The particle size of lignosulfonate sodium is reduced from micrometer to nanometer scale, significantly enhancing its reactivity in polymerization reactions. The activated lignosulfonate sodium is then used as a raw material and reacted with acrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, and catechol to produce a novel polymer filtration control agent named PTASL. Biotoxicity tests demonstrate that both pre-aged and post-aged PTASL exhibit EC50 values exceeding 30,000 mg/L, indicating that they are environmentally friendly polymers with no biotoxic effects.

Preparation and Biotoxicity of Coal-Based Carbon Dot Nanomaterials.

Coal-based Carbon Dots (C-CDs) have gradually become a research focus due to the abundant raw materials and low preparation cost. Still, before coal-based carbon dots are widely used, a systematic biological toxicity study is the basis for the safe utilization of C-CDs. However, the level of toxicity and the mechanism of toxicity of C-CDs for organisms are still unclear. To ensure the safe utilization of C-CDs, the present study investigated C-CD nanomaterials as stressors to probe their biotoxic effects on plant, bacterial, and animal cells as well as the photocatalytic oxidative properties of C-CDs. The results showed that low concentrations of C-CDs could promote various growth indicators of wheat, and high concentrations of C-CDs had significant inhibitory effects on wheat growth; C-CDs had significant toxic effects on (S. aureus) at specific concentrations and were light-related; meanwhile, at concentrations of 1-5000 μg/mL, C-CDs were almost not toxic to HeLa cells; however, when irradiated at 365 nm, even low concentrations of C-CDs were toxic to cells by the mechanism that C-CDs could generate singlet oxygen (1O2) by photocatalytic oxidation under 365 nm excitation light, resulting in enhanced toxicity of C-CDs to cells.

The Concentration of Lead (Pb) in Kepah (Geloina expansa), Water, and Sediment of Mangrove Peniti Village Mempawah Regency West Kalimantan

Heavy metal pollution and its hazards are global issues that need proper attention. Heavy metals are toxic to the environment and aquatic organisms. As a filter feeder, Kepah are able to absorb and accumulate heavy metal from the environment into their body. Kepah is edible bivalve that widely consumed because its potential nutritional value, so that the biotoxic effect in human are great concern. Peniti River has important roles for the coastal community, especially in Mempawah Regency. This area has been developed for various uses. These activities greatly influenced water condition and were considered as sources of pollution, including heavy metals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Pb content in Kepah flesh, water, and sediment collected from the mangrove ecosystem area of Peniti Village. The sample collection and measurement of environmental parameters were carried out at two stations based on the presence of Kepah. The standard technique was used to quantify the Pb level in the samples. The analysis of Pb content was performed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The concentrations of Pb in the water and sediment samples were above the threshold. Meanwhile, the metal content of Pb in Kepah flesh was still below the maximum limit that had been determined. Therefore, Kepah from the mangrove ecosystem of Peniti Village, Mempawah Regency, were still good for consumption.

Exploring the interactions of Ti3C2Tx, AgNPs, and Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs with human serum albumin: Insights into conformational changes and biotoxicity reduction

Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) are toxic and can accumulate in the human body or the environment, resulting in biotoxic effects. Ti3C2Tx, a new class of graphene-like 2D nanomaterials, is used in numerous applications due to its special physicochemical properties. There is great concern about the potential damage that this material may cause to the environment and human health. In this study, the interaction mechanisms of Ti3C2Tx, AgNPs and Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs materials with human serum albumin (HSA) were characterized using multispectral analysis and zeta potential measurements, respectively. The results showed that the effects of the three materials on the conformational changes of HSA were AgNPs > Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs > Ti3C2Tx in order. Hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction forces played an important role in the binding process of Ti3C2Tx and its complexes with HSA. Ag nanoparticles have a comparatively high level of biotoxicity and have a more significant effect on the conformational changes of proteins. Ti3C2Tx itself has biocompatibility and a large specific surface area. The biotoxicity of Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs complex is lower than that of AgNPs, indicating that the addition of Ti3C2Tx can reduce the biotoxicity of Ag nanoparticles, and Ti3C2Tx may be used as a carrier substance for Ag nanoparticles, which can reduce the toxicity of AgNPs while giving it unique properties similar to those of Ti3C2Tx, thus improve the biosafety of Ag nanoparticles in the application process.

The Biotoxic Effects of Ag Nanoparticles (AgNPs) on Skeletonema costatum, a Typical Bloom Alga Species in Coastal Areas

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials have been widely utilized in many industries and daily life applications due to their unique properties. However, their potential release and the human health/environmental consequences have raised public concern greatly. In this study, we compared the toxic effects of AgNPs and AgNO3 on Skeletonema costatum in 10, 100, and 500 μg·L−1 Ag treatments. In all the AgNP exposure experiments, cell membrane damage and growth inhibition occurred. However, the cellular damage only obviously appears on exposure to a high concentration of AgNO3. The antioxidant enzyme (SOD and CAT) activities and lipid peroxidation in Skeletonema costatum were also induced significantly in the AgNP treatments. In addition, the percentage of Ag release in seawater increased with the increase in AgNP concentrations (13%, 32% for 100 and 500 μg·L−1 AgNPs). Thus, the biotoxic effects of AgNPs were found to be due to a combination of the solubilization of particles into toxic metal ions and the nature of the nanoparticles. It was worth noting that the induction of oxidative stress and damage to the cell membrane comprised the dominant mechanism of toxicity for AgNPs. Therefore, the behavior of nanometals in seawater affects the biotoxic effect on the phytoplankton. These results shed light on the biological toxicity of nanometals and their possible toxicity mechanism.

Assessment of cytisine as an insecticide candidate for Hyphantria cunea management: Toxicological, biochemical, and control potential insights

In the present study, the toxicological effects of cytisine on the H. cunea larvae were investigated, and the potential of cytisine as a botanical insecticide through field simulation experiments was evaluated. The results showed that cytisine treatment (0.25–2.5%) exerted significant biotoxic effects on the H. cunea larvae, including diminished weight, disruption of both positive (HcCKS1, HcPLK, HcCCNA) and negative (HcGADD and HcCDKN) regulatory genes associated with larval growth, increased mortality, and heightened oxidative damage (H2O2 and MDA). Cytisine treatment significantly reduced glucose content and inhibited the expression of key rate-limiting enzyme genes (HcPFK, HcPK, HcHK1, HcCS, and HcIDH2) within glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways. Under cytisine treatment, detoxification enzyme activities (CarE and GST) and expression of detoxification genes (HcCarE1, HcCarE2, HcCarE3, HcGST1, and HcGST3) were inhibited in H. cunea larvae. An increased contents of SOD, CAT, ASA and T-AOC, as well as expression of antioxidant enzyme genes HcSOD1 and HcCAT2, was found in cytisine-treated H. cunea larvae. Simultaneously, this is accompanied by a significant reduction in the expression of four antioxidant enzyme genes (e.g., HcPOD1 and HcPOD2). In the field experiment, a cytisine aqueous solution (25 g/L) with pre-sprayed and directly sprayed ways demonstrated potent insecticidal activity against H. cunea larvae, achieving a mortality rate of 53.75% and 100% at 24 h, respectively. Taken together, cytisine has significantly weight inhibition and lethal toxicity on the H. cunea larvae, and can be developed as a botanical insecticide for H. cunea control.

Bioaccumulation, microbiome composition and immunity, and epigenetic signatures associated with exposure to spherical, fibrous, and fragmented microplastics in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a major global concern due to the widespread use and discharge of plastics into the environment. However, very few studies have assessed the potential variations in the toxicity of MPs according to their shape and size. Therefore, our study sought to identify the biotoxic effects of spherical, fiber-shaped, and fragment-shaped polyethylene terephthalate MPs of different sizes at different concentrations on the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. The survival rate after exposure to small-sized MPs was lower than that observed for the larger type MPs. Bioaccumulation of MPs was different depending on the exposure periods and MP shapes. Interestingly, the fiber-shaped MPs underwent morphological modifications in the mussel body upon uptake. MP exposure also increased the global DNA methylation levels (i.e., an epigenetic signature), expression of the microbiota immunity-related toll-like receptor gene, and alteration of the gut microbial composition in the mussel. These findings indicated that MPs of different shapes and sizes at different concentrations can alter the bioaccumulation sensitivity of mussels according to the exposure periods, and the balance of gut immunity and epigenetic process. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that MPs of different shapes, particularly fiber types, can undergo morphological modification in mussel tissues, thus posing a hazardous threat.

Heavy metal, salinity and azo dye tolerant, Cr (VI) reducing, plant growth-promoting Pseudomonas aeruginosa R32 reverses Cr (VI) biotoxic effects in Vigna mungo

Hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)], derived from various industries, including fly ash from coal-based Thermal Power Plants, can be a source of toxic pollution of land and water bodies. This study aimed to bioremediation of such pollutant dump sites using bacteria capable of both Cr(VI) reduction and plant growth-enhancing substance production. The bacteria were isolated from the rhizospheric fly ash of a Thermal Power Plant, Kanpur. One of the rhizospheric isolate, Pseudomonas aeruginosa R32 showed high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Cr(VI) (1250 µg/ml), heavy metal tolerance (ZnCl2, CdCl2, Pb(NO3)2) up to 100 µg/ml, Acid Red 249 (AR) tolerance and halotolerance (6% NaCl). The isolate R32 also produces plant growth-promoting (PGP) hormones in the absence or presence of Cr (VI). R32 could completely reduce Cr(VI) at a tested dose of 100 and 500 μg/ml after 24h and 72h, respectively. However, decolorization of AR was observed after 48 hours at an initial concentration of 100 µg/ml and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Vigna mungo seed inoculation with isolate R32 showed increased rootling growth compared to shoot after 7 d treatment with 0, 100, 500, and 1000 μg/ml of Cr(VI) concentrations, respectively. Root length tolerance index in Cr(VI) treated V. mungo seedlings was reduced to 56%, 35%, and 29%, respectively, when treated with 100, 500, and 1000 μg/ml Cr(VI) in comparison to control. Cr(VI) sub-MIC concentrations can affect the plant growth-promoting properties of rhizospheric bacteria. Herein, we report the isolation of rhizospheric bacteria P. aeruginosa R32 showing concurrent PGP substance production and Cr(VI) bioreduction capabilities in the presence of PGP inhibitory Cr(VI) concentrations.

Ecological Toxic Effect of Perfluorinated Compounds on Fish Based on Meta-analysis

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are refractory organic pollutants, which are characterized by ubiquity, bioaccumulation, and biological toxicity. To explore the biotoxic effects of PFAS on fish, this study reviewed 64 publications. The toxicity of PFAS on functional traits of fish exposed to PFAS was analyzed based on Meta-analysis combined with effect sizes, which provided reference for the toxicity assessment of PFAS and was conducive to the priority control and management of PFAS pollution. The results showed that:① of the 12 functional traits studied, seven were found to be vulnerable in fish; the order of toxicity response was malformation (lnRR=-2.5599), development (lnRR=-0.4103), cell damage (lnRR=-0.3962), reproduction (lnRR=-0.3724), thyroid response (lnRR=-0.2492), growth (lnRR=-0.2194), and survival (lnRR=-0.2192). ② The aquatic toxicity of PFAS was significantly affected by the sex and developmental stage of fish. PFAS tended to have adverse effects on female fish (lnRR=-0.1628), and the physiological function of embryos was most significantly affected by PFAS (lnRR=-0.3553). ③ A total of 13 PFAS were involved in the study, among which PFAS with sulfonate groups and long-chains were more likely to have significant toxicity to the functional traits of fish (P<0.05).④ Existing data revealed that PFAS tended to produce acute toxicity to fish at medium and low concentrations (0.01-10 mg·L-1, P<0.05).

Desorption of sulfamethoxazole from polyamide 6 microplastics: Environmental factors, simulated gastrointestinal fluids, and desorption mechanisms

Microplastics (MPs) can enrich pollutants after being released into the environment, and the contaminants-loaded MPs are usually ingested by organisms, resulting in a potential dual biotoxic effect. In this paper, the adsorption behavior of Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) on Polyamide 6 (PA6) MPs was systematically investigated and simulated by the kinetic and isotherm models. The effect of environmental conditions (pH, salinity) on the adsorption process was studied, and the desorption behavior of SMX-loaded PA6 MPs was focused on simulating the seawater, ultrapure water, gastric and intestinal fluids. We found that lower pH and solubilization of SMX by gastrointestinal components (bovine serum albumin (BSA), sodium taurocholate (NaT), and pepsin) can reduce the electrostatic interaction between the surface charge of PA6 MPs and SMX. The result will lead to an increase in the desorption capacity of SMX-loaded PA6 MPs in gastrointestinal fluids and therefore will provide a reasonable mechanism for the desorption of SMX-loaded PA6 MPs in the gastrointestinal fluids. This study will provide a theoretical reference for studying the desorption behavior of SMX-loaded PA6 MPs under gastrointestinal conditions.

The Impact of Heavy Elements on Public Health

Although many heavy metals have bio-toxic effects on human biochemistry, some of them have bio-importance as trace elements. The most frequent heavy metals to cause human poisonings are arsenic, mercury, lead, chromium, cadmium, and iron. Their wide distribution in the environment and detrimental effects on people are the results of their numerous industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical, and technological applications. These metals' carcinogenicity has been attributed to defects in DNA repair following the induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage by these metals. Metal toxicity is dependent on the dose ingested, the route of exposure, and the duration of the exposure, and it can cause a variety of disorders as well as excessive damage from oxidative stress brought on by the production of free radicals. In this review, their manufacturing and use, potential for human exposure, and molecular mechanisms of toxicity are all examined. The purpose of this article review is to discuss the effects that specific heavy metals may have on human health. Keywords: heavy metals, occurrence, uses, potential effect, toxicity mechanism

Based on the Nano-QSAR model: Prediction of factors influencing damage to C. elegans caused by metal oxide nanomaterials and validation of toxic effects

Analysis of structure-activity relationships (SARs) at nano–bio interfaces is important for guiding the safe design of nanomaterials and the assessment of potential toxicity. Metal oxide (MeOx) nanomaterials are used in a wide range of applications due to their unique mechanical stability and optoelectronic properties. However, the increasing number of biosafety issues and exposure risks have led to a focus on the safety assessment of nanomaterials. Considering the wide range of MeOx nanomaterials and their various different properties, it is difficult to assess individual toxicities using traditional toxicological analyses. Nanometric quantitative structure–activity relationship (nano-QSAR) analysis offers new ideas for developing nano-informatics modeling. In this study, six physicochemical properties of 16 MeOx nanomaterials from different classes (MeO, MeO2, MeO3 and Me2O3) were standardized and ordered according to their weights based on the nano-QSAR analysis strategy to construct quasi-SMILES descriptors that can accurately measure the material property characteristics and finally achieve the prediction of material structural properties and bio-toxic effects. The modeling results suggest that the Zeta potential and the metal cation charge number of MeOx nanomaterials may be important parameters affecting the toxicity of associated materials. To further clarify the quantitative relationship between these two important properties and the final toxic endpoint, as well as the possible mechanism of damage, the toxicity mechanisms of four representative MeOx nanomaterials were further analyzed in this study using Caenorhabditis elegans. The results ultimately confirm that nanomaterials with higher absolute Zeta potential or higher metal cation charge may have the greater oxidative capacity and can cause more severe oxidative damage and free radical accumulation in nematodes via smaller uptake levels at the same survival rate. This study highlights the important influence of structural properties of MeOx nanomaterials on toxicity outcomes. Moreover, our data suggest that oxidative stress, an important mechanism of MeOx nanomaterial-induced damage, can be controlled by the material's Zeta potential and cationic charge number. This provides a novel strategy for the safe design and toxicity assessment of nanomaterials in the future.

Tanshinone IIA suppresses burning incense-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways in astrocytes

The burning incense (BI) behavior could be widely observed in Asia families. Incense sticks are often believed to be made from natural herbs and powders, and to have minimal impact on human health; however, there is limited research to support this claim. The current study aimed to identify the components of BI within the particulate matter 2.5 µm (PM2.5) range and explore if BI has bio-toxicity effects on rat astrocytes (CTX-TNA2). The study also examined the protective effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of tanshinone IIA, a primary lipid-soluble compound found in the herb danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge), which has been shown to benefit the central nervous system. Results showed that despite the differences in BI components compared to the atmospheric particulate matter (PM) standards, BI still had a bio-toxicity on astrocytes. BI exposure caused early and late apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, MAPKs (JNK, p38, and ERK), and Akt signaling activation, and inflammation-related proteins (cPLA2, COX-2, HO-1, and MMP-9) increases. Our results further exhibit that the tanshinone IIA pre-treatment could significantly avoid the BI-induced apoptosis and inflammatory signals on rat astrocytes. These findings suggest that BI exposure may cause oxidative stress in rat astrocytes and increase inflammation-related proteins and support the potential of tanshinone IIA as a candidate for preventing BI-related adverse health effects.