Chemical Research in Chinese Universities

Chemical Research in Chinese Universities Vol.39 No.3 June 2023

2023, 39(3): 1-6.

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Toxicological Effects of Secondary Air Pollutants

XIANG Wang, WANG Weigang, DU Libo, ZHAO Bin, LIU Xingyang, ZHANG Xiaojie, YAO Li, GE Maofa

2023, 39(3): 326-341. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3050-0

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Secondary air pollutants, originating from gaseous pollutants and primary particulate matter emitted by natural sources and human activities, undergo complex atmospheric chemical reactions and multiphase processes. Secondary gaseous pollutants represented by ozone and secondary particulate matter, including sulfates, nitrates, ammonium salts, and secondary organic aerosols, are formed in the atmosphere, affecting air quality and human health. This paper summarizes the formation pathways and mechanisms of important atmospheric secondary pollutants. Meanwhile, different secondary pollutants’ toxicological effects and corresponding health risks are evaluated. Studies have shown that secondary pollutants are generally more toxic than primary ones. However, due to their diverse source and complex generation mechanism, the study of the toxicological effects of secondary pollutants is still in its early stages. Therefore, this paper first introduces the formation mechanism of secondary gaseous pollutants and focuses mainly on ozone’s toxicological effects. In terms of particulate matter, secondary inorganic and organic particulate matters are summarized separately, then the contribution and toxicological effects of secondary components formed from primary carbonaceous aerosols are discussed. Finally, secondary pollutants generated in the indoor environment are briefly introduced. Overall, a comprehensive review of secondary air pollutants may shed light on the future toxicological and health effects research of secondary air pollutants.

Growing Knowledge of Stem Cells as a Novel Experimental Model in Developmental Toxicological Studies

REN Zhihua, KU Tingting, REN Mengyao, LIANG Jiefeng, NING Xia, XU Hanqing, REN Danqin, ZHOU Qunfang, SANG Nan

2023, 39(3): 342-360. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3039-8

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The increasing production and extensive application of chemicals have led to their unintended release and contamination in the environment, posing a hazardous threat to wildlife and human health. Numerous studies have demonstrated that developmental toxicity could be induced by various emerging chemicals, causing abnormal embryonic and placental development, adverse pregnancy outcomes, obesity, and dysfunction of lipid metabolism in neonates. Given the currently-available experimental technology for developmental toxicological studies, an in vitro model based on stem cells showed promising performance in high-throughput screening of the early-stage developmental toxicity of emerging chemicals. In this review, the deleterious effects of environmental pollutants on stem cells were systemically assorted from the aspects of cytological dysfunction, self-renewal impairment, perturbation in embryoid body(EB) formation, and disruption of committed lineage differentiation. The toxicological data on the molecular level, including the altered expressions of gene and protein biomarkers, epigenomic regulation, and enhanced oxidative stress, were collected and summarized to provide the mechanism explanation for the link between environmental pollutant exposure and unfavorable phenotypes in stem cells. The advantage of the stem cell model in developmental toxicological studies was specifically emphasized. And the perspectives for stem cells were ultimately highlighted in the research field of environmental toxicology, especially developmental toxicology during the early stage of life.

Recent Advances in the Analytical Techniques for PFASs and Corresponding Intermediates During Their Chemical Decomposition

LIU Fuyu, KANG Tingshuo, HAN Bin, ZHANG Qingzhe, YIN Yongguang, CAI Yong

2023, 39(3): 361-369. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3047-8

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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs) have been restricted from production and consumption in many countries due to their persistence and biological toxicity. With the development of removal technologies, the requirement on the detection of different kinds of PFASs and their derivates is increasing. A suitable analytical method is the prerequisite and basis for the study of the degradation of PFASs. As various analytical methods have been reported, questions about which one is more suitable have arisen. It is a right time to summarize the past and suggest the future. In this paper, we summarized and discussed the analytical methods applied in the chemical degradation of PFASs. We also proposed the current problems and discussed the future directions in this field.

Effects of Br^- on NDMA Formation During Chloramination: a Review of Influencing Factors, Mechanisms, and Control

XIA Ruanjunjie, LIAO Xiaobin, LIU Tianze, GAO Menglan, CHEN Chao

2023, 39(3): 370-377. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3048-7

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For the invasion of seawater and the stress of human activities, bromide ion(Br^-) exists widely in drinking water sources, and it was found to influence the formation of non-brominated but carcinogenic nitrogen-containing disinfection by-product nitroso-dimethylamine(NDMA) during chloramination(NH₂Cl). The presence of Br^- leads to the formation of bromine-active species, such as bromamines(NH₂Br), bromochloramine(NHClBr), as well as hypobromous acid(HOBr), which are more reactive with NDMA precursors than chlorine-active species, so might promote NDMA generation. This review mainly focuses on the influencing laws, as well as the factors(disinfection conditions and characteristics of water matrixes) that affected NMDA formation during chloramination with Br^-. In addition, the possible influencing pathways are discussed. Finally, based on the above summary, measures pertaining to reduce the impact of Br^- on NDMA production are concluded. This review would provide a theoretical reference for drinking water treatment plants to deal with bromine-containing water during chloramination.

Microplastics’ Aging Processes in the Aquatic Environment: Aging Mechanisms, Altered Environmental Behaviors and Ecotoxicity

HU Yongrong, YING Siying, HUANG Yuxiong

2023, 39(3): 378-388. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3052-y

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Microplastics(MPs) have been one of the most concerned environmental issues since the 21st century. MPs are plastic particles with diameters less than 5 mm, which are widely sourced in the aquatic environment. After being released into the aquatic environment, MPs would experience complicated physical, chemical and biological aging processes driven by mechanical forces, photooxidation, and biological degradation, which would result in changes in MPs’ physicochemical properties, such as the particle size, specific surface area, hydrophobicity, crystallinity, etc. In this review, we have illustrated the current study status on MPs’ environmental aging processes and pointed out the knowledge gaps. MPs’ aging processes would consequentially influence MPs’ interaction with the co-existing organic and inorganic pollutants in the aquatic environment as well as lead to the leaching of chemical additives involved in plastic production, including plasticizers and flame retardants, which can trigger high ecotoxicity to the aquatic environment. Furthermore, aged MPs would cause ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms via bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and indirect carrier pathways. The review would provide an in-depth overview of MPs’ environmental aging processes and consequential ecotoxicity implications, as well as propose future research needs.

Advances in Nanomaterial-microbe Coupling System for Removal of Emerging Contaminants

REN Chongyuan, BAI Rui, CHEN Wei, LI Junpeng, ZHOU Xudong, TIAN Xiaochun, ZHAO Feng

2023, 39(3): 389-394. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3053-x

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Emerging contaminants are characterized by toxicity, environmental durability, and bioaccumulation. How to effectively remove them has attracted tremendous attention in the field of environmental science and engineering. Nanomaterial-microbe coupling systems driven by photo-electrochemistry have high degradation efficiency and low cost by combining the advantages of nanomaterials and microorganisms in pollutant treatment. This review summarizes the recent development of the nanomaterial-microbe system for the removal of emerging contaminants, which is divided into exogenous nanomaterial-microbe and endogenous nanomaterial-microbe. The interaction mechanism of materials and microorganisms is addressed from the particular perspective of extracellular electron transfer and redox reactions, and the advantages and challenges of the pollutants treatment are analyzed. Furthermore, future applications in the degradation of emerging contaminants in environmental fields have been prospected.

Toxic Effects of Tetrabromobisphenol A on Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells(HepG2) Evaluated Using RNA-Seq

CHANG Haoran, DING Qingjiang, WANG Hailin

2023, 39(3): 395-398. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3069-2

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Tetrabromobisphenol A(TBBPA) is used as a brominated flame retardant and can easily release into environment. It has been detected in a variety of environmental media and even in food, making it a new pollutant that is potentially harmful to environment and human health. However, the toxicity and underlying mechanism of TBBPA remain to be explored. TBBPA is actively metabolized in the liver, so it is vital to study the hepatocellular toxicity of TBBPA. In this study, we treated hepatocellular carcinoma cells(HepG2) with TBBPA and searched the differentially expressed genes(DEGs) triggered by TBBPA exposure. RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression of genes, such as CLIC1 and GATSL1, were significantly down-regulated and PTENP1 was significantly up-regulated after TBBPA exposure, and these genes were involved in cell proliferation and metabolism. The down-regulated genes were enriched to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(PPAR) signaling pathway and up-regulated genes were enriched to Janus Kinase-signal transduces and activators of transcription(JAK-STAT) signaling pathway, which play a role in regulating cell growth. Overall, our transcriptome analysis obtained for TBBPA-treated HepG2 cells implies that TBBPA affects the cell proliferation and growth.

Effects of Forest Filtering and Cold Trapping on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Distribution in Southeast Tibet

ZHU Nali, LI Yanping, JIANG Lu, LI Lingxiangyu, LI Zhigang, WANG Yawei, JIANG Guibin

2023, 39(3): 399-407. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3051-z

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New pollutants in remote regions have become a global issue of concern. This study collected soil, lichen, moss, and air samples from the high mountain area of southeastern Tibet to analyze the altitude pollution distribution of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) and the related influencing factors. The results revealed that the average levels of Σ6PAH in soil, moss, lichen, and air samples were 46.8 ng/g dry weight(dw), 140.6 ng/g dw, 712.0 ng/g dw, and 60.1 ng/m³, respectively. Naphthalene and phenanthrene were the most abundant individual isomers, and 2-4 rings PAHs accounted for approximately 90% of the total ΣPAH concentration in the samples. Source apportionment analysis highlighted the impact of atmospheric PAH inputs on this region. Octanol/air distribution factor(K_oa), altitude, plant coverage, and soil organic matter were the key determinants of PAH concentration along the altitudinal gradient. Across all the soil sampling sites, the average contribution of the forest filter effect (FFE) was greater than that of the mountain cold trapping effect based on the principal component analysis and multiple linear regression. The findings of this study strengthened the reasons for the preferential accumulation of organic pollutants in the high-altitude mountainous area, and provided important insights for effective environmental strategies of new pollutants.

Development of a Completely New PFOS Alternative with Lower Surface Tension for Minimizing the Environmental Burden

ZHOU Zhen, GUO Rui, CHEN Bolei, WANG Ling, CAO Huiming, WEI Cuiyun, HU Ming, ZHAN Yuhang, LI Shutao, WANG Yawei, LIANG Yong

2023, 39(3): 408-414. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3030-4

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Improving the technical performance of related industrial products is an efficient strategy to reducing the application quantities and environmental burden for toxic chemicals. A novel polyfluoroalkyl surfactant potassium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-octafluoro-4-(perfluorobutoxy)butane-1-sulfonate(F404) was synthesized by a commercializable route. It had a surface tension(γ) of 18.2 mN/m at the critical micelle concentration(CMC, 1.04 g/L), significantly lower than that of perfluorooctane sulfonate(PFOS, ca. 33.0 mN/m, 0.72 g/L), and exhibited remarkable suppression of chromium-fog at a dose half that of PFOS. The half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC₅₀) values in HepG2 cells and the lethal concentration of 50%(LC50) in zebrafish embryos after 72 hpf indicated a lower toxicity for F404 in comparison to PFOS. In a UV/sulphite system, 89.3% of F404 were decomposed after 3 h, representing a defluorination efficiency of 43%. The cleavage of the ether C—O bond during the decomposition would be expected to form a short chain·C₄F₉ as the position of the ether C—O in the F404 fluorocarbon chains is C4—O5. The ether unit is introduced in the perfluoroalkyl chain to improve water solubility, biocompatibility and degradation, thereby minimizing the environmental burden.

Assessing the Adverse Impacts of PM_2.5 on Olfactory System Using an Air-liquid Interface Culture Model of Primary Olfactory Epithelial Cells

WANG Huan, XU Ting, WEI Sheng, CAO Miao, YIN Daqiang

2023, 39(3): 415-424. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3019-z

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The air-liquid interface(ALI) culture is a kind of recently developed system, which has proved its availability in simulating the biology of respiratory tract epithelial tissues. In this study, an ALI-based mouse primary olfactory epithelial cell(OEC) model was established to perform the exposure of PM_2.5 (PM=particulate matter) collected from Dianshan Lake(Shanghai) and Wangdu(Hebei). The results showed that PM_2.5 in both regions caused a decrease in cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. The 0.5 and 5 μg/cm²(around ambient concentrations) of PM_2.5 disrupted OEC membrane integrity and produced oxidative stress with elevated indicators of malondialdehyde(MDA) and reactive oxygen species(ROS). In transcriptomic sequencing, the terms concerning inflammatory cytokines and second messenger cyclic adenosine-3′,5′-monophoshate(cAMP) were enriched in two treatments. The cytokine array showed the levels of some cytokines were altered, although inflammatory responses may not remarkably occur. Meanwhile, PM_2.5 disturbed cAMP contents and key genes in the cAMP signaling pathway. The effects of PM_2.5 of both regions were largely consistent, while Wangdu samples caused more ROS and Dianshan Lake samples tended to induce inflammatory injury. Thus, with the application of a novel ALI-based in vitro OEC model, our study demonstrated that ambient PM_2.5 has the ability to threaten the physiologies and functions of the olfactory system.

Ultrasound Treatment Reducing the Production of VBNC Bacteria in the Process of Chlorine Disinfection: Efficiency and Mechanisms

QI Zheng, LIU Chunguang

2023, 39(3): 425-433. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3023-3

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The production and reactivation of viable but nonculturable(VBNC) bacteria by chlorine disinfection leads to an overestimation of the disinfection effect and brings health risks. Therefore, this study is to evaluate the disinfection efficiency of combined ultrasound(US) and chlorine in inhibiting the production and reactivation of VBNC bacteria and to clarify the mechanisms. The number of culturable cells was effectively reduced by 99.97% after US/chlorine treatments. The number of VBNC bacteria introduced by US treatment and chlorine treatment was 10^3.6 CFU/ mL and 10^5.2 CFU/mL, respectively. However, US/chlorine disinfection produces fewer VBNC bacteria(10^1.3 CFU/mL), and the dark reactivation of the VBNC bacteria was effectively inhibited. Ultrasound and chlorine have synergistic effects in disinfection-ultrasound further enhancing bacterial membrane permeability and chlorine-induced oxidative stress, causing the bacterial antioxidant system to collapse. In addition, single cell Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(GC-MS/MS) analysis revealed that US/chlorine treatment inhibits more strongly or even destroys the metabolism of bacteria. The significantly perturbed metabolic pathways mainly involved the amino acid, carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms. Thus, the combined US/chlorine treatment is a promising cleaner and a more efficient disinfection technology to remove VBNC bacteria in the field of water purification.

Reproductive Influences of Erythromycin and Sulfamethoxazole on Caenorhabditis elegans over Generations Mediated by Lipid Metabolism

YU Zhenyang, WANG Lei, LI Gaotian, ZHANG Jing

2023, 39(3): 434-440. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3024-2

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Antibiotics are emerging pollutants with pseudo-persistence. However, their reproductive toxicities over generations and underlying mechanisms were seldom explored. In the present study, reproductive effects of erythromycin(ERY) and sulfamethoxazole(SMZ) were studied on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) with multi-generational exposure from F1 to F4, and their effects in the non-direct exposed offspring of F1 and F4(T4 and T4’) were explored to investigate trans-generational outcomes. At high concentrations, ERY and SMZ inhibited the reproduction and the inhibition decreased with more generations’ exposure. At low concentrations, SMZ stimulated reproduction in T4, opposite to its inhibition in F1. Further analysis on ten enzymes and proteins in lipid and glucolipid metabolism showed that ERY commonly inhibited fatty acid synthetase(FAS) in F1 to F4, while ERY and SMZ showed stimulation and inhibition on other biochemicals. Integrated biomarker response(IBR) index values showed that ERY and SMZ stimulated the overall metabolism in F1, and the stimulation decreased and even altered to inhibition in later generations. When comparing multi- and trans-generational effects, ERY and SMZ at high concentration caused inhibition on reproduction in T4 and stimulation in T4’, which were opposite to those in F1 and F4.

RNA-sequencing-based Gene Expression Profile Revealing Breast Tumor Development Induced by Exposure of Bisphenol S

ZHOU Peng, XIAO Yu, ZHOU Xin, LIU Jianjun, ZHAO Chao

2023, 39(3): 441-448. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3032-2

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Aberrant biological information occurs naturally at exposure to bisphenol A or its alternatives, which was associated with the occurrence and development of breast cancer. However, the potential molecular variation in gene expression during the breast tumor development is still unclear. Herein, high throughput RNA sequencing(RNA-seq) and bioinformatics analysis were used to investigate the variation of tumor-mRNA profile exposed with BPS5 (5 μg/kg bw/day) or BPS50(50 μg/kg bw/day) in tumor development-associated MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse model. Meanwhile, we analyzed the dose-effects of bisphenol S(BPS) and BPS-induced tumor development on the gene level exhaustively. In dose-effect aspects of BPS, the increased concentration of BPS significantly changed the numbers and enrichment pathway of differentially expressed genes(DEGs), especially the enrichment pathways involved in up-regulated genes including ribosome, peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor(PPAR) signaling pathway and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation pathway. In effects of BPS exposure to tumor development, expression of IgκC, Zfp385b, Cldn10, Pgr and Snord14d has changed significantly throughout the tumor development. Gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) results obtained from BPS-induced tumor development showed that the functional classifications were intensively altered with an extension of time in high-dose BPS groups. The acquired DEGs and pathway information could help with the accurate exploration of molecular mechanisms of tumor development, screening of molecular targets of breast cancer, and toxicological evaluation of environmental pollutants.

Formation of Iodinated Trihalomethane Disinfection By-products by Co-oxidation of Natural Organic Matter with Sodium Hypochlorite and Lead Dioxide

WANG Junyao, HU Xialin, LIU Meichuan, YIN Daqiang

2023, 39(3): 449-454. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3042-0

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Iodinated trihalomethanes(I-THMs) in drinking water pipelines have attracted wide attention due to their high toxicity. The coexistence of widely present lead dioxide(PbO₂) with commonly used disinfectant sodium hypochlorite(NaClO) in drinking water might change the formation characteristics of I-THMs due to the strongly oxidizing properties of PbO₂. This study investigated the formation of I-THMs during the co-oxidation of natural organic matter including humic acid(HA), extracellular organic matter(EOM), and intracellular organic matter(IOM) of algogenic organic matter by PbO₂ and NaClO. Triiodomethane(CHI₃) is the dominant product in the single oxidation system of PbO₂, whereas trichloromethane (CHCl₃), chlorodiiodomethane(CHClI₂), and dichloroiodomethane (CHCl₂I) are the major products in the single NaClO system. In the co-oxidation system, the dominant I-THMs are similar to those in the single NaClO system. However, the CHCl₃ content decreased to 56.4% whereas I-THMs concentrations remained unchanged with the increase of PbO₂ concentration. The main reason is attributed to the reduced residual chlorine content due to the reaction of PbO₂ with NaClO. IOM is more prone to forming I-THMs than HA and EOM due to the specified structures. This study suggested that PbO₂ in the drinking water supply pipelines might change the risk of THMs.

Elevated Atmospheric CO₂ Reduced Antibiotics Accumulation in Rice Grains and Soil ARGs Abundance in Multiple Antibiotics-contaminated Paddy Fields

WANG Yabo, XU Meiling, WANG Xiaojie, AI Fuxun, DU Wenchao, YIN Ying, JI Rong, GUO Hongyan

2023, 39(3): 455-464. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3043-z

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Antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs) as new pollutants have become a global environmental pollution problem in recent years. Elevated atmospheric CO₂ is one of the major factors affecting global climate change. But, the impacts of elevated CO₂ on soil ARGs in multiple antibiotics-contaminated paddy soils are largely unknown. In this study, six antibiotics including sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamethoxazole(SMZ), tetracycline(TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), enrofloxacin(ENR), and ciprofloxacin(CIP) were selected to investigate their combined effects on rice biomass, antibiotics accumulation, soil bacterial community and ARGs under elevated CO₂ levels. Results showed that elevated CO₂ significantly reduced the accumulation of SMZ, OTC, ENR, and CIP in rice grains by 18.98%, 20.07%, 41.73%, and 44.25%, respectively. Elevated CO₂ could affect soil microbial β-diversity, and tend to reduce the microbial functions of human diseases, organismal systems, and genetic information processing. In addition, elevated CO₂ significantly decreased the abundance of sulfonamide ARGs, tetracycline ARGs, and quinolone ARGs by 19.59%, 18.58%, and 28.96%, respectively, while increased that of multidrug ARGs by 11.54%. Overall, this study emphasized that elevated CO₂ may mitigate the threat of antibiotics contamination to rice food security but aggravate the environmental risk of multidrug ARGs in soil, contributing to a better understanding of the consequences of elevated CO₂ levels on food security and soil ecological health in multiple antibiotics-contaminated paddy fields.

Distribution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Antimony in Atmospheric Particulates in a Northern City of China

SHEN Yiwen, ZHAO Hao, ZHAO Changxian, DONG Shuofei, CAO Yuanming, XIE Jiaojiao, LYU Meiling, YUAN Chungang

2023, 39(3): 465-471. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3044-y

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Over the last several decades, scientists have established a wealth of evidence to demonstrate the risks posed to human health by toxic elements in atmospheric particulate matter(PM). Antimony(Sb), as one of ever ignored PM-bound heavy metals, attracts more and more attentions and has been regarded as one emerging air pollutant with the change of pollution sources of particulate matter. To study the distribution of Sb in PM with different particle sizes is of great practical significance for understanding its source and health risks. In this study, the size distributions of Sb in PM(PM_2.5, PM₁₀ and TSP) in different seasons were studied from July 2018 to May 2019. The high concentration of PM-bound Sb was found and the health risk was evaluated. Sb was enriched in fine particles and showed higher values in winter, which was probably caused by coal combustion and meteorological conditions. It was also found that traffic-related non-exhaust emissions might become another main contribution to fine particle Sb. Health risk assessment demonstrated that the hazard quotient (HQ) of Sb in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ for children(PM_2.5: 1.54, PM₁₀: 1.32) exceeded the acceptable threshold and ingestion contributed the most to the HQ for both children and adults.

Effect Mechanism of Low-level PFOS Isomers to A. thaliana Leaves Using High-throughput Untargeted Metabolomics

WANG Hao, ZHANG Yue, ZHAO Liuqing, HE Zeying, ZHANG Jingran, LIU Bingjie, LIU Xiaowei, ZHANG Yanwei

2023, 39(3): 472-480. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3046-9

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The ecotoxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate(PFOS) to plants has been reported, but the lack of study on the effect of PFOS isomers is of concern. In this paper, the effect mechanism of Arabidopsis thaliana(A. thaliana) against two different concentrations of L-PFOS or perfluoro-3-methylheptanesulfonate (P3MHpS) was investigated via metabolomics. The metabolism of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves was investigated via the metabolomics strategy and statistical analysis. And 41 biomarkers for L-PFOS and 32 biomarkers for P3MHpS were found and identified. There was no significant difference of saccharides between L-PFOS and P3MHpS. More amino acids were affected by P3MHpS than by L-PFOS in high-level exposure group, while the opposite phenomenon was observed in low-level exposure group. More phytohormones were affected by L-PFOS than by P3MHpS in the high-level exposure group, however, the elevated level of indole phytohormones was significantly higher by P3MHpS than by L-PFOS. The level of up-regulation of (poly)phenols in L-PFOS group was significantly higher than that in P3MHpS group. The affected aliphatic glucosinolate metabolism was firstly observed with higher up-regulation induced by L-PFOS than by P3MHpS. New insight of phytotoxicity of PFOS isomers to plants was provided.

Genotoxicity Induced by Low Dose and Mixed Exposure to Haloacetaldehydes, an Emerging Class of Drinking Water Disinfection By-products

YANG Lili, MA Wuren, JIANG Zhiqiang, CHEN Yu, QIU Meiyue, ZHOU Ying, James C. CRABBE, ZHENG Weiwei, QU Weidong

2023, 39(3): 481-491. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3049-6

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Haloacetaldehydes(HALs) are the third largest disinfection by-products(DBPs) class by mass in drinking water. Most of them alone in high doses are more cytotoxic and genotoxic than regulated DBPs. However, the toxic effects of mixed exposure to HALs at environmentally relevant levels are still unknown. Given that genotoxicity is critical for risk assessment, we employed multiple genotoxic tests including the Salmonella typhimurium revertant mutation assay(Ames assay), the single cell gel electrophoresis(SCGE) assay, the cytoplasmic blocking micronucleus(CBMN) assay, and the γ-H2AX assay to investigate the genotoxicity of HALs based on the HALs concentrations and components detected in the finished drinking water of Shanghai, China. The results demonstrated the concentrations of HALs were low, ranging from 0.04 μg/L to 4.47 μg/L, and the total concentration was 10.85 μg/L. Although the mutagenicity of HALs was negative even at 1000-fold concentrations in the real world, mixed exposure to 100 and 1000-fold concentrations HALs resulted in DNA and chromosomal damage in human hepotocyte(HepG2) cells. HALs significantly increased the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and γ-H2AX and activated nuclear factor erythroid-derived factor 2- related factor 2(NRF2) pathway-related protein expressions in HepG2 cells. The antioxidant NAC could ameliorate NRF2 pathwayrelated protein expression and DNA damage caused by HALs, suggesting that the genotoxicity of mixed exposure to HALs involved cellular oxidative stress and NRF2 pathway activation.

Occurrence and Health Risk of Perfluoroalkyl Acids in Popular Shellfish from a Typical Coastal Area of the East China

LIU Ruolin, LIU Mei, ZHAO Chuxuan, FU Jianjie, ZHOU Wei, ZHANG Qinghua, Martin HANSEN, DONG Yin

2023, 39(3): 492-501. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3054-9

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As crucial homologous members of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs), perfluoroalkyl acids(PFAAs) have aroused wide public concern because of their unique properties(persistence, bioaccumulation, long-distance migration and toxicity). Studies have shown their potential hazard to wildlife and humans, with food consumption as one of the primary routes of PFAA exposure for general population, especially seafood intake. In this study, 17 PFAAs were quantified in 9 shellfish species from Yuhuan City, a typical coastal area of the East China. The total mean concentrations of PFAAs were in the range of 5.03-381 ng/g dry weight(dw), with the highest concentration found in Neverita didyma and the lowest in Babylonia lutosa. Concentrations and composition profiles of PFAAs varied significantly among different species, indicating differences in the bioaccumulation potential of PFAAs among species. Perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA) was presented as the most abundant PFAA in this study, followed by perfluorobutanoic acid(PFBA). Significant positive correlations were observed among some individual PFAAs(p<0.05), indicating that they may share similar pollution sources or undergo similar compound behaviors. Health risk assessment indicated a relatively high threat for local residents exposed to PFAAs through shellfish consumption.

Ferrous Oxide Nanoparticles Induced Abnormal Cardiac Development in Zebrafish Through Hypoxia and Ferroptosis

ZHENG Naying, CHEN Xintan, ZHAN Ruyu, LIAO Tingting, SHI Yiyue, SUN Xiaolian, CHEN Shuzhen, ZUO Zhenghong

2023, 39(3): 502-507. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3055-8

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Ferrous oxide nanoparticles(nFeO) have potential applications in biomedicine, industrial processes, and waste water treatment. However, the biocompatibility of nFeO remains uncertain. In this study, we synthesized rhombus-shaped nFeO and exposed them to zebrafish embryos to investigate the bio-safety of nFeO. Our results showed that exposure to nFeO led to pericardial edema, heart bleeding, and enlarged ventricles. Furthermore, the content of dissolved oxygen decreased. Fe²+ ions, which were released from the core of nFeO, were oxidized into Fe³⁺. This caused the overexpression of tfa and fpn genes, which carried Fe³⁺ into and out of the cell membrane, respectively. The overload of Fe³⁺ caused ferroptosis in zebrafish larvae, which was evidenced by the overexpression of the marker gene ptgs2 and the marker production malondialdehyde(MDA) of ferroptosis. However, neither the ferrostatin-1(Fer-1) inhibitor nor deferoxiamine(DFO) could completely rescue the toxicity caused by nFeO. We found that co-treatment of nFeO with CaO₂, a dissolved oxygen donor, and Fer-1 or DFO could totally rescue pericardial edema and heart bleeding. Our results provide new knowledge that both hypoxia and ferroptosis play important roles in nFeO-induced zebrafish cardiac developmental toxicity, which is beneficial for the development and safe application of iron-based nanomaterials in the future.

Occurrence of Human Exposure to Benzothiazoles and Benzotriazoles in Indoor Dust in Suizhou and Beijing, China

ZHU Qingqing, LIAO Chunyang, JIANG Guibin

2023, 39(3): 508-515. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3062-9

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Benzothiazoles(BTHs) and benzotriazoles(BTRs) are an important group of industrial chemicals. Due to large scale and long-term applications, they have been released to various environmental media, including indoor dust, and subsequently elicited a variety of toxic effects. In this study, the concentrations and composition profiles of BTHs and BTRs in indoor dust from Suizhou and Beijing, China, were investigated. The median concentrations of Σ₆BTHs in indoor dust samples from Suizhou and Beijing were 133 and 439 ng/g dw, respectively, whereas the Σ₅BTRs concentrations from Suizhou and Beijing were 28.4 and 40.1 ng/g dw, respectively(dw=dry weight). BTH, 2-OH-BTH, 1-H-BTR, and 5-Me-1-H-BTR were the predominant compounds in the dust. Human exposure to such chemicals was further evaluated. The intake for the population in Suizhou(0.163-0.939 ng/kg bw/day) and Beijing(0.0347-0.200 ng/kg bw/day) was minor(bw=body weight). The obtained results in this study will be able to add insight into human exposure to BTHs and BTRs. This study will help to identify the behavior and fate of BTHs and BTRs in the environment, and thus to scientifically assess their risk of exposure.

Analysis of Emerging Contaminants in Surface Water, Aquaculture Ponds and Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the Taige Canal Basin

CHENG Xue, JIANG Xinshu, LIU Liquan, HUANG Jun

2023, 39(3): 516-524. doi:10.1007/s40242-023-3073-6

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Emerging contaminants(ECs) have aroused great concerns due to their widespread presence as well as their potential health and ecological risks. Currently monitoring data about ECs in Chinese rural areas are still limited. In this study, Taige Canal basin was selected as a typical rural area for a pilot study. The occurrence of ECs, including pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs), pesticides, plasticizers and flame retardants, in surface water and aquaculture ponds, as well as in wastewater treatment facilities, was comprehensively investigated. The effectiveness of rural decentralized wastewater treatment facilities and centralized wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) in removing ECs was also analyzed. Among 126 commonly used pesticides for target analysis, 25 compounds were detected in surface water with high frequency of >80%. Besides, 55 PPCPs, 21 pesticides and 18 other industrial products were identified by non-target analysis using high resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS). Totally 18 compounds were detected in surface water with a frequency of >60% and 6 of them were found in all samples, including irbesartan, valsartan, propazine, buprofezin, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP) and tri-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate(TCPP), with mean concentrations of 3022, 195, 125, 218, 3738 and 545 ng/L, respectively. There are 29 compounds(11 PPCPs, 8 pesticides and 10 other industrial products) detected in water samples from the aquaculture ponds, of which 13 compounds were found in all three ponds. The removal efficiencies of ECs in wastewater treatment facilities are generally limited, except valsartan(82%-86%), nobiletin(100%) and diisodecylphthalate(100%) were found to be significantly removed.

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