Environmental Toxic Pollutants Research Articles

Bisphenol A Regulates the TNFR1 Pathway and Excessive ROS Mediated by miR-26a-5p/ADAM17 Axis to Aggravate Selenium Deficiency-Induced Necroptosis in Broiler Veins.

Selenium (Se) deficiency can affect the expression of microRNA (miRNA) and induce necroptosis, apoptosis, etc., resulting in damage to various tissues and organs. Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure can cause adverse consequences such as oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis. The toxic effects of combined treatment with Se-deficiency and BPA exposure may have a synergistic effect. We replicated the BPA exposure and Se-deficiency model in broiler to investigate whether the combined treatment of Se-deficiency and BPA exposure induced necroptosis and inflammation of chicken vascular tissue via the miR-26A-5p/ADAM17 axis. We found that Se deficiency and BPA exposure significantly inhibited the expression of miR-26a-5p and increased the expression of ADAM17, thereby increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Subsequently, we discovered that the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR1), which was highly expressed, activated the necroptosis pathway through receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3), and mixed-lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL), and regulated the heat shock proteins-related genes expressions and inflammation-related genes expressions after exposure to BPA and selenium deficiency. In vitro, we found that miR-26a-5p knockdown and increased ADAM17 can induce necroptosis by activating the TNFR1 pathway. Similarly, both N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1), and miR-26a-5p mimic prevented necroptosis and inflammation caused by BPA exposure and Se deficiency. These results suggest that BPA exposure activates the miR-26a-5p/ADAM17 axis and exacerbates Se deficient-induced necroptosis and inflammation through the TNFR1 pathway and excess ROS. This study lays a data foundation for future ecological and health risk assessments of nutrient deficiencies and environmental toxic pollution.

Trends in Paper-Based Sensing Devices for Clinical and Environmental Monitoring.

Environmental toxic pollutants and pathogens that enter the ecosystem are major global issues. Detection of these toxic chemicals/pollutants and the diagnosis of a disease is a first step in efficiently controlling their contamination and spread, respectively. Various analytical techniques are available to detect and determine toxic chemicals/pathogens, including liquid chromatography, HPLC, mass spectroscopy, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. However, these sensing strategies have some drawbacks such as tedious sample pretreatment and preparation, the requirement for skilled technicians, and dependence on large laboratory-based instruments. Alternatively, biosensors, especially paper-based sensors, could be used extensively and are a cost-effective alternative to conventional laboratory testing. They can improve accessibility to testing to identify chemicals and pollutants, especially in developing countries. Due to its low cost, abundance, easy disposal (by incineration, for example) and biocompatible nature, paper is considered a versatile material for the development of environmentally friendly electrochemical/optical (bio) sensor devices. This review presents an overview of sensing platforms constructed from paper, pointing out the main merits and demerits of paper-based sensing systems, their fabrication techniques, and the different optical/electrochemical detection techniques that they exploit.

Bacterial Laccases as Biocatalysts for the Remediation of Environmental Toxic Pollutants: A Green and Eco-Friendly Approach—A Review

Biological treatment methods for the biodegradation of anthropogenic toxic pollutants are eco-friendly in nature and are powered by a variety of microbial enzymes. Green chemistry and enzymes play a crucial role in catalyzing the biodegradation of organic and inorganic pollutants including azo dyes; polyaromatic hydrocarbons; lead; organic cyanides; aromatic amines; mono-, di-, and polyphenols; polymers; and mercury. Laccases form a prospective group of multifunctional oxidoreductase enzymes with great potential for oxidizing different categories of organic and inorganic pollutants and their diversified functions, such as pigment formation, lignin degradation, and detoxification of industrial wastes including xenobiotics mainly from the pharmaceutical, paper textile, and petrochemical industries. Therefore, it is very important to study laccases as green and environmentally friendly alternatives for the degradation of xenobiotics. This review article will cover comprehensive information about the functions and properties of bacterial laccases for a deep understanding of their scope and applications for effective bioremediation of recalcitrant xenobiotics.

Detoxification mechanisms of electroactive microorganisms under toxicity stress: A review.

Remediation of environmental toxic pollutants has attracted extensive attention in recent years. Microbial bioremediation has been an important technology for removing toxic pollutants. However, microbial activity is also susceptible to toxicity stress in the process of intracellular detoxification, which significantly reduces microbial activity. Electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) can detoxify toxic pollutants extracellularly to a certain extent, which is related to their unique extracellular electron transfer (EET) function. In this review, the extracellular and intracellular aspects of the EAMs' detoxification mechanisms are explored separately. Additionally, various strategies for enhancing the effect of extracellular detoxification are discussed. Finally, future research directions are proposed based on the bottlenecks encountered in the current studies. This review can contribute to the development of toxic pollutants remediation technologies based on EAMs, and provide theoretical and technical support for future practical engineering applications.

Adsorption of mercury from the aquatic environment using a novel nano-gel of Descurainia Sophia plant stem

Mercury is one of the environmental toxic pollutants required to be removed. Mercury can interfere with the vital functions of the cells by binding to the sulfhydryl groups in enzymes and proteins. The purpose of this study was to investigate the adsorption of mercury ions from aqueous solutions using a novel adsorbent prepared by the nano-gel of Descurainia Sophia plant stem. Adsorption of mercury was performed in a discontinuous system. Detection of the adsorbent structure before and after the adsorption process was performed by SEM, TEM and FTIR analysis. The optimal mercury adsorption conditions were determined as 0.6 g/100 ml of mercury solution, the contact time of 100 min, and pH of 8. Under such conditions, the adsorption efficiency of 87.3% was obtained. Three parameters including Morris-Weber, pseudo-first-order, and pseudo-second-order kinetics were investigated to understand the kinetics of the removal process. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms were also used to calculate adsorption capacity. The results showed that the nano-gel of Descurainia stem has a high ability to remove mercuric ions from aqueous solutions at different concentrations. Moreover, the temperature increase has a positive effect on the removal efficiency. The thermodynamic investigations indicate that the adsorption of mercury on the nano-gel of Descurainia stem is spontaneous and endothermic.

Aggregation Induced Emissive Luminogens for Sensing of Toxic Elements.

The major findings in the growing field of aggregation induced emissive (AIE) active materials for the detection of environmental toxic pollutants have been summarized and discussed in this Review article. Owing to the underlying photophysical phenomenon, fluorescent AIE active molecules show more impact on sensing applications. The major focus in current research efforts is on the development of AIE active materials such as TPE based organic fluorescent molecules, metal organic framework, and polymers that can be employed for the detection of toxic pollutants such as CN−, NO2 −, Hg2+, Cd2+, As3+, As5+, F−, Pb2+, Sb3+ ions.

Adsorptive removal properties of bivalent cadmium from aqueous solution using porous poly(N-2-methyl-4-nitrophenyl maleimide-maleic anhydride-methyl methacrylate) terpolymers

Our world is in the midst of a clean water crisis and freshwater scarcity. It is no longer news that heavy metals, particularly cadmium species, are environmental toxic pollutants threatening the health of both humans and the animals. Cadmium is discharged into the aqueous environment by various natural processes such as sedimentary rocks, weathering and erosion of rock, earth’s crust, marine phosphate and phosphorites, forest fires, etc. In this regard, attempts at heavy metals remediation from contaminated water are attracting considerable interest worldwide. The adsorption is a facile process to encounter heavy metal pollution. Accordingly, for the first time, a composite polymeric material (N-2-methyl-4 nitrophenyl maleimide-maleic anhydride-methyl methacrylate) terpolymer has been applied for adsorption of bivalent cadmium from aqueous solution. Three types of monomeric components, including N-2-methyl-4-nitrophenyl maleimide, maleic anhydride, and methyl methacrylate, which are economically accessible monomers, were used for the synthesis of three terpolymers with various mole compositions. Maximum Cd(II) removal by terpolymers was observed at pH 7.0. Terpolymer 1 was chosen for further adsorption investigation. Four types of non-linear forms of kinetic and isotherm equations were used for the interpretation of obtained experimental data. The calculated Langmuir maximum uptake of Cd(II) was found to be 77.56 mg g−1. Furthermore, the adsorbents can easily separate from the water with lower total cost and energy after adsorption compared to powder-type adsorbents. Hence, we conclude that this terpolymer could be utilized as an effective and economically adsorbent for the removal of bivalent cadmium from water by adsorption method.

Large Data Technology-Based Analysis Method of Sudden Eco-Environmental Toxic Pollution

Sudden environmental toxic pollution accidents occur from time to time at home and abroad, seriously affecting the safety of the ecological environment. Different environmental factors affect the use of manual inspection and analysis methods, causing inaccurate results of inspection and analysis. In view of this problem, a large data technology-based analysis of sudden ecological environmental toxic pollution is proposed. Method. The genome and proteome in different environments were analyzed, and the target organisms were strictly defined to determine the effect of the molecular toxicity of pollution factors on the ecological environment. According to the molecular toxicity, the sudden eco-environmental toxicity pollution was analyzed using large data technology. Under the action of different particle sizes, dosages, and adsorption times of activated carbon, the experiments confirmed that the results of large data technology analysis are more accurate, which have provided necessary means for the protection of the ecological environment.

Electrochemical Sensing of Chemical Warfare Agent Based on Hybrid Material Silver‐aminosilane Graphene Oxide

AbstractThe threat from chemical warfare agents (CWAs) imparts an alarming call for the global community not limited to human being but also extends as unprecedented environmental threat, hence, timely detection and degradation in the event of CWAs attack is very crucial. Herein, we describe a hybrid material of 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modified graphene oxide (GO) on glassy carbon (GC) electrode along with electrodeposited silver nanodendrimers (AgNDs) for the electrochemical detection and degradation of CWA sulphur mustard (HD). The AgNDs/APTES‐GO hybrid material was characterized by SEM, EDX, BET, TGA, Raman, UV‐Vis, XPS and XRD techniques. The AgNDs/APTES‐GO modified GC electrode was also characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Electrochemical studies indicated presence of electrocatalysis owing to the synergistic effect of AgNDs and GO for sensing CWA HD via reductive dehalogenation. The AgNDs/APTES‐GO modified GC electrode exhibited linearity for CWA HD from 5.3 μM to 42.4 μM. Constant potential electrolysis was performed with modified electrode and degradation products were analysed using GC‐MS, highlighting the great potential of graphene based hybrid material. This new strategy provides an opportunity for the development of “detect and destroy” system for the CWAs and other environmental toxic pollutant, which could help in mitigation of on‐ site events for first responders.

Recent Advances in Functionalized Carbon Dots toward the Design of Efficient Materials for Sensing and Catalysis Applications.

Since the past decade, enormous research efforts have been devoted to the detection/degradation and quantification of environmental toxic pollutants and biologically important molecules due to their ubiquitous necessity in the fields of environmental protection and human health. These fields of sensor and catalysis are advanced to a new era after emerging of nanomaterials, especially, carbon nanomaterials including graphene, carbon nanotube, carbon dots (C-dots), etc. Among them, the C-dots in the carbon family are rapidly boosted in the aspect of synthesis and application due to their superior properties of chemical and photostability, highly fluorescent with tunable, non/low-toxicity, and biocompatibility. The C-dot-based functional materials have shown great potential in sensor and catalysis fields for the detection/degradation of environmental pollutants. The major advantage of C-dots is that they can be easily prepared from numerous biomass/waste materials which are inexpensive and environment-friendly and are suitable for a developing trend of sustainable materials. This review is devoted to the recent development (since 2017) in the synthesis of biomass- and chemical-derived C-dots as well as diverse functionalization of C-dots. Their capability as a sensor and catalyst and respective mechanism are summarized. The future perspectives of C-dots are also discussed.

Protective effects of Sargassum horneri against ammonia stress in juvenile black sea bream, Acanthopagrus schlegelii

Ammonia is an important environmental toxic pollutant that represents a biochemical and physiological hazard to living organisms, especially in intensive culture systems with high stocking density. This study aimed at evaluating the protective effects of Sargassum horneri (SH) on ammonia stress in black sea bream. Four hundred and eighty fingerlings with approximate mean body weight 12.0 ± 0.1 g were randomly distributed into four experimental groups in triplicate. Each group was stocked with 40 fish and fed with isonitrogenous (42% crude protein) and isolipid (12% crude lipid) experimental diets containing either 0% SH (control), 3% SH, 6% SH, or 9% SH in the feed. At the end of 8 weeks of experimental feeding, fish were exposed to ammonia for 24 h. The results indicated that ammonia stress led to an increase in oxidative stress as shown by elevation in the levels of cortisol and liver lipid peroxidative damage markers as well as decrease in antioxidant biomarkers. Furthermore, humoral immunity was suppressed during the stress period. However, fish supplied with S. horneri had significant improvement in immune response, antioxidant capacity, and resistance against ammonia stress, particularly in the 6% SH group. Therefore, dietary S. horneri supplementation at an optimum level of 6% could increase the resistance of juvenile black sea bream to ammonia-induced stress.

Mercaptopropionic acid-capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots and Pb2+ as sensing system for rapid and sensitive room-temperature phosphorescence detection of sulfide in water

As a kind of serious concern environmental toxic pollutants, sulfide is widely used in various industrial processes, and generated from the process of biological metabolism. However, the sensitive, rapid and effective detection of sulfide still remains challenge. In this paper, a simple and rapid room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) method for the detection of sulfide with a high selectivity and sensitivity was proposed by using mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and Pb2+ as a sensing system. Highly water-soluble MPA-capped Mn-doped ZnS QDs with phosphorescence emission property were successfully synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis method. We discovered that the as-prepared QDs displayed effectively phosphorescence quenching to Pb2+ in pH 11.5 borax-NaOH buffer solution, then demonstrated remarkable phosphorescence recovery after the addition of sulfide to the QDs-Pb2+ system. Therefore, based on the phosphorescence "off-on" behavior of MPA-capped Mn-doped ZnS QDs, a simple, sensitive and selective phosphorescence method for rapid detection of sulfide was successfully developed. The quenching and recovery of the phosphorescence of MPA-capped Mn-doped ZnS QDs have been studied in detail. Under the optimized conditions, the recovered degree of RTP intensity had a very good linear relationship with sulfide concentration in the range of 2 × 10−7–80 × 10−7 mol L−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9982, and a lower detection limit of 6.89 × 10−8 mol L−1. The relative standard deviations for eleven times repeated detections of 5 × 10−6 and 8 × 10−6 mol L−1 sulfide were 3.24% and 4.50%, respectively. The proposed method could effectively avoid the interferences of common anions, fluorescence substances and scattering light. Furthermore, it was successfully applied to detect sulfide in real water samples with satisfactory results, and the recoveries were in the range from 94.2% to 107.1%. This work will provide the basis of method for the development of fast and on-line monitoring sensors of small molecule pollutions in water.

Estimation of dietary intake of cadmium from cadmium in blood or urine in East Asia

Background and aimCadmium (Cd) is an ubiquitous environmental toxic pollutant. As daily foods are an almost exclusive source of exposure for general populations, it is of public health importance to know the level of dietary intake of cadmium (Cd-D). The purpose of this study is to examine whether Cd in blood (Cd-B) or urine (Cd-U) correlates with Cd-D in East Asia, and in case it is, whether it is possible to estimate Cd-D from Cd-B or Cd-U. It should be added that the measurement of Cd-D is quite hand-consuming in practice. Materials and methodsLiterature was retrieved for publication on Cd-B and Cd-U in combination with Cd-D. Twenty three data sets thus obtained for East Asia were subjected to regression analysis to investigate the possibility to estimate Cd-D from Cd-B or Cd-U. ResultsIn Japan and Korea, large correlation coefficients (p > 0.7) were observed between Cd-B and Cd-D, as well as between Cd-U and Cd-D. In China, the coefficient was >0.7 between Cd-B and Cd-D. Furthermore, correlation was significant for Cd-B and Cd-D, as well as Cd-U and Cd-D, when 19 sets for Japan, Korea and China were combined for analysis. DiscussionMajor reasons for successful analysis may be predominant use of women-based data. Women have been less smoking than men in East Asia, and possible confounding effects of smoking on Cd exposure might be minimized. ConclusionBased on significant correlations, Cd-D can be estimated from Cd-B or Cd-U in East Asia.

The crystal structure of the AhRR–ARNT heterodimer reveals the structural basis of the repression of AhR-mediated transcription

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and related compounds are extraordinarily potent environmental toxic pollutants. Most of the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxicities are mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor belonging to the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) family. Upon ligand binding, AhR forms a heterodimer with AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and induces the expression of genes involved in various biological responses. One of the genes induced by AhR encodes AhR repressor (AhRR), which also forms a heterodimer with ARNT and represses the activation of AhR-dependent transcription. The control of AhR activation is critical for managing AhR-mediated diseases, but the mechanisms by which AhRR represses AhR activation remain poorly understood, because of the lack of structural information. Here, we determined the structure of the AhRR-ARNT heterodimer by X-ray crystallography, which revealed an asymmetric intertwined domain organization presenting structural features that are both conserved and distinct among bHLH-PAS family members. The structures of AhRR-ARNT and AhR-ARNT were similar in the bHLH-PAS-A region, whereas the PAS-B of ARNT in the AhRR-ARNT complex exhibited a different domain arrangement in this family reported so far. The structure clearly disclosed that AhRR competitively represses AhR binding to ARNT and target DNA and further suggested the existence of an AhRR-ARNT-specific repression mechanism. This study provides a structural basis for understanding the mechanism by which AhRR represses AhR-mediated gene transcription.

Construction of vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductors photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic activity: Enhanced photo induced carriers separation efficiency and mechanism insight

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis as a green technology has attracted a lot of attention due to its potential applications in environmental remediation. Vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor photocatalyst are successfully prepared by a gas template method and characterized by a variety of methods. The vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductors display enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride, the photodegradation rate of 78.824% was achieved by vesicle CdSe, which exhibited an increase of 31.779% compared to granular CdSe. Such an exceptional photocatalytic capability can be attributed to the unique structure of the vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor with enhanced light absorption ability and excellent carrier transport capability. Meanwhile, the large surface area of the vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor can increase the contact probability between catalyst and target and provide more surface-active centers. The photocatalytic mechanisms are analyzed by active species quenching. It indicates that h+ and O2− are the main active species which play a major role in catalyzing environmental toxic pollutants. Simultaneously, the vesicle CdSe nano-semiconductor had high efficiency and stability.

Environmental toxic pollutant and trace elements in Egyptian children with autism

Environmental toxic pollutant and trace elements in Egyptian children with autism

The neurotoxicology of uranium.

The brain is a target of environmental toxic pollutants that impair cerebral functions. Uranium is present in the environment as a result of natural deposits and release by human applications. The first part of this review describes the passage of uranium into the brain, and its effects on neurological functions and cognitive abilities. Very few human studies have looked at its cognitive effects. Experimental studies show that after exposure, uranium can reach the brain and lead to neurobehavioral impairments, including increased locomotor activity, perturbation of the sleep-wake cycle, decreased memory, and increased anxiety. The mechanisms underlying these neurobehavioral disturbances are not clearly understood. It is evident that there must be more than one toxic mechanism and that it might include different targets in the brain. In the second part, we therefore review the principal mechanisms that have been investigated in experimental models: imbalance of the anti/pro-oxidant system and neurochemical and neurophysiological pathways. Uranium effects are clearly specific according to brain area, dose, and time. Nonetheless, this review demonstrates the paucity of data about its effects on developmental processes and the need for more attention to the consequences of exposure during development.

Biodegradation of fluoroanilines by the wild strain Labrys portucalensis

Aniline and halogenated anilines are known as widespread environmental toxic pollutants released into soil and water. In contrast to aniline, which is rapidly metabolized via catechol, halosubstituted anilines are more resistant to microbial attack. A fluorobenzene-degrading bacterium, Labrys portucalensis strain F11, was tested under different culture conditions for the degradation potential towards 2-, 3- and 4-fluoroaniline (2-, 3- and 4-FA). Strain F11 was able to use FAs as a source of carbon and nitrogen however, supplementation with a nitrogen source improved substrate consumption and its dehalogenation extent. When F11 cells were previously grown on fluorobenzene (FB), higher biodegradation rates were achieved for all isomers. Complete 2-FA biodegradation with stoichiometric fluoride release was achieved when FB-induced cells were used. On the other hand, the degradation of 3- and 4-FA was characterized by incomplete defluorination of the target compounds suggesting accumulation of fluorinated intermediates. F11 cultures simultaneously supplied with FB and the fluorinated anilines showed a concomitant degradation of both substrates, suggesting co-metabolic biodegradation. To our knowledge, this is the first time that biodegradation of 2- and 3-FA as a sole carbon and nitrogen source and co-metabolic degradation of FA isomers in the presence of a structural analogous compound is reported.

Biomarker analysis of rat livers exposed to different toxic pollutants (VOCs and PAHs) using an antibody array

We have developed an antibody microarray chip for biomarker analysis in rat livers exposed to five different toxic pollutants: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dichloromethane, ethylbenzene, and trichloroethylene; and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzoanthracene and phenanthrene. The antibody chip consisted of antibodies against different biomarkers: alpha-2μ globulin, glutathione S transferase (GST)-α, Hemoglobin β, and Phenylalanine hydroxylase. VOC- and PAH-treated rat livers showed differential expression patterns of the biomarker proteins. These results demonstrate that a protein chipbased antibody array is useful for the analysis of biomarkers induced by environmental toxic pollutants and can be a powerful tool to study the mechanisms of pollutants in biological samples.

Using Nutrition for Intervention and Prevention against Environmental Chemical Toxicity and Associated Diseases

BackgroundNutrition and lifestyle are well-defined modulators of chronic diseases. Poor dietary habits (such as high intake of processed foods rich in fat and low intake of fruits and vegetables), as well as a sedentary lifestyle clearly contribute to today’s compromised quality of life in the United States. It is becoming increasingly clear that nutrition can modulate the toxicity of environmental pollutants.ObjectivesOur goal in this commentary is to discuss the recommendation that nutrition should be considered a necessary variable in the study of human disease associated with exposure to environmental pollutants.DiscussionCertain diets can contribute to compromised health by being a source of exposure to environmental toxic pollutants. Many of these pollutants are fat soluble, and thus fatty foods often contain higher levels of persistent organics than does vegetable matter. Nutrition can dictate the lipid milieu, oxidative stress, and antioxidant status within cells. The modulation of these parameters by an individual’s nutritional status may have profound affects on biological processes, and in turn influence the effects of environmental pollutants to cause disease or dysfunction. For example, potential adverse health effects associated with exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls may increase as a result of ingestion of certain dietary fats, whereas ingestion of fruits and vegetables, rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients or bioactive compounds, may provide protection.ConclusionsWe recommend that future directions in environmental health research explore this nutritional paradigm that incorporates a consideration of the relationships between nutrition and lifestyle, exposure to environmental toxicants, and disease. Nutritional interventions may provide the most sensible means to develop primary prevention strategies of diseases associated with many environmental toxic insults.