Toxic Constituents Research Articles

Long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 constituents is associated with dyslipidemia in Chinese adults

BackgroundAmbient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) consists of various toxic constituents. However, the health effect of PM2.5 may differ depending on its constituents, but the joint effect of PM2.5 constituents remains incompletely understood. ObjectiveOur goal was to evaluate the joint effect of long-term PM2.5 constituent exposures on dyslipidemia and identify the most hazardous chemical constituent. MethodsThis study included 67,015 participants from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort study. The average yearly levels of PM2.5 constituents for all individuals at their residences were assessed through satellite remote sensing and chemical transport modeling. Dyslipidemia was defined as one or more following abnormal blood lipid concentrations: total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 6.22 mmol/L, triglycerides (TG) ≥ 2.26 mmol/L, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) < 1.04 mmol/L, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥ 4.14 mmol/L. The logistic regression model was utilized to examine the single effect of PM2.5 constituents on dyslipidemia, while the weighted quantile sum regression model for the joint effect. ResultsThe odds ratio with a 95 % confidence interval for dyslipidemia positively related to per-SD increase in the three-year average was 1.29 (1.20–1.38) for PM2.5 mass, 1.25 (1.17–1.34) for black carbon, 1.24 (1.16–1.33) for ammonium, 1.33 (1.24–1.43) for nitrate, 1.34 (1.25–1.44) for organic matter, 1.15 (1.08–1.23) for sulfate, 1.30 (1.22–1.38) for soil particles, and 1.12 (1.05–1.92) for sea salt. Stronger associations were observed in individuals < 65 years of age, males, and those with low physical activity. Joint exposure to PM2.5 constituents was positively related to dyslipidemia (OR: 1.09, 95 %CI: 1.05–1.14). Nitrate was identified as the constituent with the largest weight (weighted at 0.387). ConclusionsLong-term exposure to PM2.5 constituents poses a significant risk to dyslipidemia and nitrate might be the most responsible for the risk. These findings indicate that reducing PM2.5 constituent exposures, especially nitrate, could be beneficial to alleviate the burden of disease attributed to PM2.5-related dyslipidemia.

Sequential recovery of copper, nickel, gold, silver and zinc from WPCBs of obsolete mobile phones through hydrometallurgical recycling

Waste printed circuit board (WPCB) of an obsolete mobile phone is a valuable source of base and precious metals. Alternatively, WPCBs also contain various lethal and toxic constituents which introduce ecological impacts while landfilling and incineration. Recycling WPCB is essential to reduce the environmental effects and to recover valuable metals. This article employs a hydrometallurgical route for the sequential recovery of copper, nickel, gold, silver and zinc from WPCBs through leaching, solvent extraction and cementation processes. Initially, the metal clads of WPCBs are used for the leaching of copper, nickel and other base metals without any selective dissolution of gold and silver. Optimal results revealed that dilute nitric acid at room temperature provides effective leaching (99.9%) of copper, nickel and zinc by leaving precious metals gold and silver in the residue. The utilization of phenolic oxime as a solvent extraction reagent revealed the selective recovery of copper and nickel from the leach liquor individually. The availed residue is dissolved in the halide salts in the presence of acidic conditions showing the quantitative dissolution of gold and silver. Solvent extraction with amide-based reagents recovered gold by leaving the silver-rich raffinate. A cementation technique with copper powder is implemented for the precipitation of silver. The proposed approach delivers an effective, eco-friendly and economically feasible process for the sequential recovery of metallic values from WPCBs of obsolete mobile phones.

Effect of methylene blue on wetting characteristics of quartz/H2/brine systems: Implication for hydrogen geological storage

Hydrogen (H2) is considered a promising replacement for fossil fuels due to its enormous potential as an environmentally friendly and sustainable option compared to carbon-based fossil fuels. However, storing the vast quantity of H2 required to satisfy the global energy demand on the earth's surface can be difficult due to its compressibility and volatility. The best option for large-scale storage is underground H2 storage (UHS), which can be retrieved when needed. Rock wettability is vital in UHS because it determines the H2 storage capacity, containment security, and potential withdrawal and injection rates. Organic acid inherent in storage formations could make the storage rock H2-wet and reduce the residually trapped H2; thus, recent research efforts have concentrated on modifying sandstone formations contaminated with organic acid through chemical injections, such as nanofluids and methyl orange. However, previous research has not considered applying methylene blue (MB) as a rock wettability modifier to promote successful UHS. In addition, MB is a toxic constituent of wastewater, causing pollution. This research aims to dispose of MB in underground reservoirs to alter the wettability and increase the H2 storage capacity, mitigating anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. We assess the application of MB as a chemical agent for altering the wettability of quartz contaminated with stearic acid to promote H2 geological storage. Based on the contact-angle measurements, quartz aged with the optimum concentration of MB (100 mg/L) has the least advancing (θa= 35°), and receding (θr= 32°) angles at 13 MPa and 50 °C, changing the wettability to strongly water-wet. We demonstrate that an injection of MB into geological formations could make the rock water-wet, promoting H2 containment security and assisting in the large-scale implementation of UHS.

Documentation of phytochemicals, bio-toxicity and haemato-physiological responses at sub-lethal concentrations of Parthenium hysterophorus hydroethanolic extract in Cyprinus carpio: a concept of waste valorization as a phyto-ichthyotoxin.

In the present study, phytoextraction of a weed plant, Parthenium hysterophorus, was performed through aqueous, alcoholic and hydroethanolic (80%) solvents followed by phytochemical profiling and evaluation of median lethal concentration (LC50) of hydroethanolic extract in a freshwater fish, common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Haemato-physiological response was also evaluated based on LC50 (18.99mg L-1) at two sub-lethal concentrations of extract [T1: 0.379mg L-1 (LC50/50), T2: 0.759mg L-1 (LC50/25) and a control: devoid of extract] at three intervals (24, 48 and 96h). The study revealed toxic constituents in extracts and the superior extraction ability of hydroethanolic solvent which was chosen for further biological characterisation, particularly on haematotoxicity. The anti-bacterial assay revealed the inhibitory capacity of the extract, whereas the phyto-haemagglutination assay, haemagglutination limit test and haemolytic activity revealed clumping, agglutination (at 1/96th dilution) and lytic capability of extract, respectively. Later, in vivo analyses revealeda significant modulation in haemato-immunological and serum biochemical parameters upon hydroethanolic extract exposure. In conclusion, the present study emphasises locally available gajar ghas, P. hysterophorus as a non-chemical phyto-ichthyotoxin towards sustainable aquaculture.

Floral volatiles evoke partially similar responses in both florivores and pollinators and are correlated with non-volatile reward chemicals.

Plants often use floral displays to attract mutualists and prevent antagonist attacks. Chemical displays detectable from a distance include attractive or repellent floral volatile organic compounds (FVOCs). Locally, visitors perceive contact chemicals including nutrients but also deterrent or toxic constituents of pollen and nectar. The FVOC and pollen chemical composition can vary intra- and interspecifically. For certain pollinator and florivore species, responses to these compounds are studied in specific plant systems, yet we lack a synthesis of general patterns comparing these two groups and insights into potential correlations between FVOC and pollen chemodiversity. We reviewed how FVOCs and non-volatile floral chemical displays, i.e. pollen nutrients and toxins, vary in composition and affect the detection by and behaviour of insect visitors. Moreover, we used meta-analyses to evaluate the detection of and responses to FVOCs by pollinators vs. florivores within the same plant genera. We also tested whether the chemodiversity of FVOCs, pollen nutrients and toxins is correlated, hence mutually informative. According to available data, florivores could detect more FVOCs than pollinators. Frequently tested FVOCs were often reported as pollinator-attractive and florivore-repellent. Among FVOCs tested on both visitor groups, there was a higher number of attractive than repellent compounds. FVOC and pollen toxin richness were negatively correlated, indicating trade-offs, whereas a marginal positive correlation between the amount of pollen protein and toxin richness was observed. Plants face critical trade-offs, because floral chemicals mediate similar information to both mutualists and antagonists, particularly through attractive FVOCs, with fewer repellent FVOCs. Furthermore, florivores might detect more FVOCs, whose richness is correlated with the chemical richness of rewards. Chemodiversity of FVOCs is potentially informative of reward traits. To gain a better understanding of the ecological processes shaping floral chemical displays, more research is needed on floral antagonists of diverse plant species and on the role of floral chemodiversity in visitor responses.

Comprehensive characterization of selected South African brines

South Africa produces significant quantities of brines but there is insufficient information on their biological and physicochemical characteristics and nature, which limits the ability to propose sustainable brine handling procedures. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize selected brines from major brine-producing industries in South Africa. This was achieved through an analysis of the majority of the brine constituents, thereby allowing for the proposal of suitable brine handling procedures, the identification and harnessing of potential economic value, as well as the identification of the environmental impact of the brines. The brines were analysed for physical, metallic, organic, and inorganic constituents using a variety of methods including inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total dissolved solids (TDS) of most of the brines was below 35 000 mg/L and it was concluded that most South African brines may be brackish. All the brines contained toxic constituents in concentrations that exceeded set discharge and re-use limits. It was concluded that comprehensive characterization is crucial in understanding the quality of brines and is a crucial step in proposing suitable brine handling strategies.

Use of Nature Based Materials for Textile Wastewater Treatment - A Review

Textile products remain one of the basic products the human being cannot do without. Textile manufacturing industry is an important source point of waste water as the production of textiles requires large amount of water and over 90% of the water is discharged as waste. Due to the fact that textile products are produced in varieties of colours and patterns, use of dyes and other chemicals are usually unavoidable. consequently, effluents from the manufacturing process contain a quite number of organic and inorganic chemical compounds that have been found to have hazardous impacts on the environment. Coagulation and adsorption processes are important parts conventional waste water treatment methods. The cost of acquiring chemical coagulants and activated adsorbent has triggered research towards low cost alternatives with eco-friendly properties. In this paper, the use of natural coagulants and adsorbents for treatment of textile wastewater is looked into to cover various types of the natural materials employed for the abatement of various pollutants from the industrial effluent. The principle of adsorption and coagulations, methods used in the preparation of the natural coagulants and adsorbents and their application to real textile wastewater-this covers the review of reported works in the recent decade and the latest trend in the treatment textile waste water in such a way that environmental protection and human health are prioritized as textile waste water is known for its toxic constituents. In addition, the survey reveals the research gap in the area of application of nature based materials to industrial textile waste water which may be of importance for intending researchers in natural coagulation and adsorption.

The role of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in the association of particulate air pollution metal content and early cardiovascular damage: A panel study in healthy college students

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, the effects of toxic metals in PM2.5 on cardiovascular health remain unknown. To investigate the early cardiovascular effects of specific PM2.5 metal constituents at the personal level, we conducted a panel study on 45 healthy college students in Caofeidian, China. Personal exposure concentrations and cardiovascular effect markers were monitored simultaneously within one year in four study periods. Four linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the relationship between personal exposure to PM2.5 and 15 metal fractions (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sb, and Pb) with soluble CD36 (sCD36), C-reactive protein (CRP), and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OX-LDL) levels, heart rate, and blood pressure. The concentrations of most individual metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sb and Pb) were the highest in winter. Meanwhile, there were significant differences in inflammatory (sCD36 and CRP) and oxidative stress (OX-LDL) markers in the serum of participants over the four seasons. In particular, the estimated effects of personal metal exposure (such as V, As, Se, Cd, and Pb) on sCD36 and pulse pressure (PP) levels were consistently significant across the four LME models. A significant mediating role of sCD36 was also found in the relationship between personal exposure to Zn and Cr and changes in PP levels. Our findings provide clues and potential mechanisms regarding the cardiovascular effects of specific toxic constituents of PM2.5 in healthy young adults.

Influence of Thermochemical Conversion Technologies on Biochar Characteristics from Extensive Grassland for Safe Soil Application

Grass and other herbaceous biomass are abundant, but often under- or not utilized as a renewable resource. Here, the production of biochar from extensive late-harvest grass via multiple thermochemical conversion technologies was investigated at lab and farm scale for use in soil applications. While biochar is a product with highly diverse potential applications, it has a multitude of benefits for agricultural usage as a soil amendment, if the quality adheres to certain limit values of potentially toxic constituents. The results show that the biochar can adhere to all limit values of the European Biochar Certificate (EBC) for utilization in agriculture. Generally, the contents of heavy metals were well below the proposed EBC limits and very low PAH concentrations in the biochar were achieved. The high ash content in the grass of 7.71 wt%db resulted in high nutrient concentrations in the biochar, of benefit in soil applications, but the ash also contains chlorine, nitrogen and sulphur, which presents a challenge for the operation of the thermochemical processes themselves due to corrosion and emission limits. In the farm-scale processes, ash retention ranged from 53.7 wt%db for an autothermal batch process, reaching up to 93.7 wt%db for a batch allothermal process. The release of Cl, N and S was found to differ substantially between processes. Retention ranged from 41.7%, 22.9% and 27.6%, respectively, in a continuous allothermal farm-scale pyrolysis process, to 71.7%, 49.7% and 73.9%, with controlled lab-scale pyrolysis at 450 °C, demonstrating that process optimization may be possible.

Bioaccessibility, exposure and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements and essential micronutrients in ayurvedic, traditional Chinese and Ghanaian medicines.

Potentially toxic constituents in traditional medicines remain a concern due to health risks posed to consumers. Thirty-six traditional medicines (TM) consisting of 14 Indian Ayurvedic Medicines, 11 Chinese Traditional Medicines and eleven Ghanaian Traditional Medicines were evaluated using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (T-XRF) after microwave assisted acid digestion. Physiologically Based Extraction Test (PBET) was used to obtain bioaccessible elemental concentrations. Merck XVI multi-element standard were used to evaluate the accuracy of the analytical method. The concentrations of the elements were quantified in (mg kg-1): Cr (0.01-698), Mn (0.01-1140), Fe (15-73300), Ni (1-1340), Cu (3-8160), Zn (0.01-224). The greatest bioaccessible concentrations of arsenic was 0.80mgkg-1 and 0.44mgkg-1 in the gastric and intestinal phases respectively. In order to evaluate the human health risks from ingesting these TM, the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) was calculated for each medicine based on element-specific bioaccessibility-adjusted concentrations and results compared with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Reference Dose (RfD) limits. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) values for risks were within the USEPA RfD. Hazard quotients (HQ) of TM were < 1, meaning elemental concentrations do not pose non-carcinogenic risks to adult consumers. In summary the methods applied in the study gives a new insight on human health risks of potentially toxic and essential micronutrients elements in TM.

A Comprehensive Review on Feasibility of Different Agro Residues for Production of Bio-Oil, Bio-Char and Pyro-Gas

Burning of post-harvest non-edible agro residues (biomass) are the major source of environmental and soil pollution, affecting the lives of millions of people, especially in certain demography of developing countries like India. Non edible agro residues contain toxic structural constituents, making it unsuitable for cattle feed. However, due to its cellulosic and lignocellulosic constituents, it has the potential to be used as a promising feedstock to develop value added energy products. Authors in this review paper have comprehensively reviewed the technological aspects related to conversion of agro residues into value added energy products like bio-oil, bio-char, and pyro gas. Various non-edible agro residues like Cotton stalk, castor stalk, Maize stalk, Rice straw, Rice husk, Corn cob, Sugarcane bagasse, and wheat straw etc., have been reviewed for its potential as feedstock material for thermo chemical conversion to obtain energy products like bio-oil, bio-char, and pyro-gas. Different physio-chemical properties, its chemical characterization methods, different bio-oil upgradation techniques, Techno-economic analysis (TEA), and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been reviewed for different thermo-chemical conversion processes. The reviewed works reveal that byproducts derived from pyrolysis of non-edible agro residues have potential to be used as biofuels. Bio-oils after upgradation may be used as fuel, bio-char with appropriate pulversing may be used as soil nutrient, and pyro-gas may be used as energy gas or carrier gas for process industries. LCA of different processes for different agro residue-based biofuels indicate that conversion of biomass into energy fuels is an sustainable, and economical solution for the environment point of view and economic point of view through pyrolysis process as compare to the other conversion processes because pyrolysis process can accommodate agro waste and produce bio-char and pyro-gas along with bio-oil having capacity to generate good revenue.

Environmental impact of recycling sewage sludge into cementitious matrix: A review

This paper reviews the literature associated with the impact of disposed sewage sludge at the environment and the possibility of recycling sewage sludge into sustainable constructional material. The rapid population growth in India has led to increased demand for drinking water and thereby resulted in the discharge of an enormous quantity of sewage. Globally, the total sewage generation has been higher than the total sewage treatment capacity. Additionally, stringent norms for sewage disposal in surface waters have made it imperative to develop proper infrastructural facilities, and increase the amount of operational sewage treatment plants (STPs). The adoption of physico-chemical treatment processes for the treatment of raw sewage generates higher volumes of sewage sludge. Plant operators face serious challenges in the disposal of the generated sludge, i.e., the requirement of larger disposal areas, higher handling & transportation costs, environmental (groundwater, air, and soil) contamination because of the heavy metals' leaching from the disposed sludge, etc. Hence, the paper includes options for recycling sewage sludge ash (SSA) as a substitute for some of the cement used to make concrete. The present review study aims to understand the impact on the characteristics of the cementitious matrix due to the incorporation of sewage sludge. Also, the study has attempted to identify various mineral admixtures that are expected to enhance the properties of concrete containing sewage sludge. The basic information provided in the paper would help researchers assess the suitability of reusing waste materials containing both organic and inorganic compounds. The decision to reuse waste sewage sludge would depend on whether this waste constituent could compromise the strength of the sustainable cementitious matrix or contribute to releasing toxic constituents from this matrix owing to a high leachability.The scientific committee of the International Conference on “Technological Interventions for Sustainability (Chem-Conflux22)” was held at The Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, on April 14th − 16th, 2022, oversight abstract selection and peer-review.

Degradation Kinetics of Basic violet 3 by Staphylococcus aureus

Synthetic dyes are abundantly used in recent years and mainly consumed in the textile, pharmaceutical, plastic and cosmetic industries. The release of toxic constituents from dyes give adverse effect on human health and marine life. In textile industries, large amount of dye discharged into the wastewater and eventually to the aquatic system are mainly came from the critical step of dyeing and finishing processes in textile. The be able to precisely forecast the rate of bioremediation, depends on the gathering of precise rate of decolourisation, and this can be inaccurately acquired by natural logarithm transformation of the decolourisation process over time. In cases like this, a nonlinear regression of the curve must be performed making use of accessible rate models. Consequently, numerous primary models for example modified Logistic, modified Gompertz, modified logistics, modified Richards, modified Schnute, Baranyi-Roberts, Buchanan-3-phase, von Bertalanffy and the Huang models were utilized to fit the specific decolourisation rate. Several models did not converge and was disregarded and only Huang, Baranyi-Roberts, modified Gompertz, modified Richards and modified Logistics could actually model the data. The very best model according to statistical analysis was Baranyi Roberts with the highest value for Adjusted Coefficient of Determination and the lowest values for RMSE, AICc, HQC and BIC and the closest value to 1.0 for accuracy and bias factors. The Baranyi-Roberts fitted curve was discovered to conform to normality tests and is satisfactory to be used to fit the experimental data. The parameters extracted from this exercise may be used for additional secondary modelling training to gleam information about how substrate (dye) impact the rate of decolourisation of the substrate

The role of centrifugal partition chromatography in the removal of β-asarone from Acorus calamus essential oil

Β-asarone is a phenylpropane derivative present in the rhizomes of Acorus calamus, that was proved to exhibit toxic effects in humans. Because of its presence the whole plant that is commonly used in traditional medicine for its sedative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and other properties has limited application nowadays. In the study, qualitative and quantitative analysis of a collection of nine essential oil (EO) samples of European and Asian origin was performed. The final content of β-asarone in the tested samples ranged between 0.265 and 1.885 mg/mL. Having in mind a possible application of the EO as a biopesticide, this research aimed at the development of CPC-based purification protocol that could help remove β-asarone from EO. It was proved that the biphasic solvent system composed of n-hexane/EtOAc/MeOH/water, 9:1:9:1 (v/v/v/v) was capable of the removal of the toxic constituent in the CPC chromatograph operated in the ascending elution mode with 2200 rpm and a flow rate of 5 mL/min. The chromatographic analysis that lasted only 144 min effectively separated β-asarone (purity of 95.5%) and α-asarone (purity of 93.7%) directly from the crude Acorus calamus rhizome EO.

Frenkel Excitons in Vacancy-Ordered Titanium Halide Perovskites (Cs2TiX6)

Low-cost, nontoxic, and earth-abundant photovoltaic materials are long-sought targets in the solar cell research community. Perovskite-inspired materials have emerged as promising candidates for this goal, with researchers employing materials design strategies including structural, dimensional, and compositional transformations to avoid the use of rare and toxic elemental constituents, while attempting to maintain high optoelectronic performance. These strategies have recently been invoked to propose Ti-based vacancy-ordered halide perovskites (A2TiX6; A = CH3NH3, Cs, Rb, or K; X = I, Br, or Cl) for photovoltaic operation, following the initial promise of Cs2SnX6 compounds. Theoretical investigations of these materials, however, consistently overestimate their band gaps, a fundamental property for photovoltaic applications. Here, we reveal strong excitonic effects as the origin of this discrepancy between theory and experiment, a consequence of both low structural dimensionality and band localization. These findings have vital implications for the optoelectronic application of these compounds while also highlighting the importance of frontier-orbital character for chemical substitution in materials design strategies.

Reducing toxic constituents of ginkgolic acid content and improving bioactive flavonoid content from Ginkgo biloba leaves by high-temperature pretreatment processing.

High-temperature pretreatment was developed in this article to remove the main toxic constituents of ginkgolic acids (GAs) from Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBLs) and improve the bioactive flavonoid content by water extraction. To optimize the effects of high-temperature pretreatment process parameters on removing toxic GAs to a limited level and improving the content of bioactive flavonoids, a Box-Behnken design (BBD) combined with response surface methodology (RSM) was also conducted. The results showed that the content of GAs could be reduced to 4.11 ppm and the highest content of flavonoids could reach 3.51% under the optimized conditions of high-temperature pretreatment process of 177°C with water extraction at 96°C at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 56:1. The content of toxic GAs substantially decreased by 83.50% while the content of bioactive flavonoids increased by 44.30% compared with the conventional water extraction method. Moreover, the new process was more efficient, environmentally friendly, and could get avoid a subsequent multi-step process of removing toxic GAs. The crude extracts were then purified by macroporous resin to obtain the 60% ethanol fraction. After purification, the flavonoid content increased to 43.50% while the GAs were not detected. The main compounds of 60% ethanol fraction were identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Antioxidant activities including reducing powder, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and OH· scavenging assays all showed that the 60% ethanol fraction was better than the butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) standard.

Toxicity of Some Essential Oils Constituents against Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Simple SummaryThe massive use of synthetic pesticides to manage agricultural pests results in environmental pollution and health hazards. The secondary plant metabolites, which are majorly dominated by terpenoids, have the potential to be developed into novel alternatives to synthetic chemicals. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the toxicity, oviposition deterrence, and repellent activities of six majorly dominated essential oil constituents against adults and immature stages of oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis. Our results highlight the potential of the selected essential oil constituents to be developed as a novel alternative to synthetic pesticides against B. dorsalis.The massive use of synthetic pesticides to manage agricultural pests results in environmental pollution and health hazards. The secondary plant metabolites, which are majorly dominated by terpenoids, have the potential to be developed into novel alternatives to synthetic chemicals. Therefore, in our current investigation, six majorly dominated essential oil constituents were evaluated for their toxicity against adults and immature stages of oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, a worldwide fruit pest. The results indicated that carvacrol was the most toxic essential oil constituent (EOC) to adult flies, with LC50 of 19.48 mg/mL via fumigant assay, followed by thujone 75% mortality via ingestion toxicity test against adult fruit flies. Similarly, when larvae were dipped in different concentrations of EOCs, carvacrol appeared as the most toxic EOC with the lowest LC50 (29.12 mg/mL), followed by (−)-alpha-pinene (26.54 mg/mL) and (R)-(+)-limonene (29.12 mg/mL). In the oviposition deterrence tests, no egg was observed on oranges seedlings treated with 5% of each EOC (100% repellency). Regarding the repellency assay, a significantly higher number of flies (77%) were repelled from the Y-tube olfactometer arm containing (−)-alpha-pinene, followed by carvacrol (76%). Our results showed that the selected essential oil constituent has the potential to be developed as an alternative to synthetic pesticides against B. dorsalis. However, further research is required to assess the activities of these EOCs under open-field conditions.

An examination of onshore produced water spills in the state of California: incident frequency, spatial distribution, and shortcomings in available data.

Accidental releases (i.e., spills) of produced water can occur at any point during oil and gas development operations, potentially resulting in chronic and/or catastrophic loadings of produced water to nearby ecosystems and exposures of human populations to toxic constituents including trace metals (e.g., arsenic), organic compounds (e.g., benzene), and/or radionuclides (e.g., radium). Despite California being one of the largest oil and gas producing states in the USA, no comprehensive reviews of produced water spills in the peer-reviewed literature have been published. To address this knowledge gap, produced water spill incident data contained within the California HazMat database were synthesized to elucidate trends in produced water spills in California. During the period of 2006-2020, a total of 1029 incidents involving produced water spills were reported. Despite the potential threat to environmental and human receptors, there are significant knowledge gaps concerning these incidents. Specifically, only ~ 6% of spill incidents contained geographic coordinates, greatly hindering assessments of the impacts of these events to public health and the environment. Moreover, updated spill volumes are not rapidly retrievable from the HazMat database, and during the years 2018-2020 volumes of produced water spilled were underreported in initial reports anywhere from 35-2750%. Further, it is unclear if groundwater monitoring is performed following spill events. This study highlights significant shortcomings in produced water spill reporting in California and recommends improvements to aid future investigations that assess the environmental and public health impacts of spill incidents.

A comparative analytical study of Ashodhit and Shodhit roots of Thevetia neriifolia Juss. W.S.R Yogratnakar

Background: In Ayurveda whenever poisonous drugs (Visha Dravya) used as a part of medicine, they need purification (Shodhana) before therapeutic use. Peet Karveer (Thevetia neriifolia Juss.) is a cardiac poison which contains mainly cardiac glycosides like Cerberin, Nerifolin, Thevetin A and B, Peruvoside, Ruvoside. If the toxic components are removed then Thevetia neriifolia Juss is a good source of medicine in many Ayurvedic formulations as an ingredient. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare various physicochemical parameters and HPLC analysis of Shodhit and Ashodhit Thevetia neriifolia Juss root with special reference to Yogratnakar. Material and Method: One part of Thevetia neriifolia Juss roots were pounded and made fine powder as Sample A and another part of Thevetia neriifolia Juss roots were subjected for boiling (Swedan) procedure in cow’s milk for 3 hours and made fine powder as Sample B. And studied the physicochemical and phytochemical analysis by HPLC. Result: After purification, different physicochemical parameters and phytochemical analysis which were performed using generally accepted laboratory technique, it was found that there was change in their values. Conclusion: The present study was reflected the importance of Shodhana (purification) method of the Thevetia neriifolia Juss roots (the toxic drug) which shows the reduction of toxic constituents.

Brucine-Induced Neurotoxicity by Targeting Caspase 3: Involvement of PPARγ/NF-κB/Apoptosis Signaling Pathway.

Brucine, a weak alkaline indole alkaloid, is one of the main bioactive and toxic constituents of Strychnos nux-vomica L., which exerts multiple pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effect. However, its potential toxic effects limited its clinical application, especially central nervous system toxicity. The present study was designed to investigate the neurotoxicity and mechanism of brucine. Our results showed that brucine significantly induced Neuro-2a cells and primary astrocyte death, as evidenced by MTT assay and LDH release. Moreover, transcriptome analysis indicated that PPAR/NF-κB and apoptosis signaling pathways were involved in the brucine-induced cytotoxicity in Neuro-2a cells. Subsequently, in fact, brucine evidently inhibited PPARγ and promoted phosphorylation of NF-κB. Furthermore, PPARγ inhibitor aggravated the neurotoxicity, while NF-κB inhibitor substantially reversed brucine-induced neurotoxicity. Moreover, brucine also significantly induced neuronal apoptosis and triggered increase in ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and level of cleaved caspase 3, as well as its activity as evidenced by TUNEL staining and Western blot. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis predicted that brucine directly bound to caspase 3. Intriguingly, a caspase 3 inhibitor (Z-DEVE-FMK) largely abolished the neurotoxicity of brucine. Our results reveal that brucine-induced neurotoxicity via activation of PPARγ/NF-κB/caspase 3-dependent apoptosis pathway. These findings will provide a novel strategy against brucine-induced neurotoxicity.