Occurrence of phthalate esters in over-the-counter medicines from China and its implications for human exposure

Food, air, personal care products and indoor dust have been recognized as the main routes of exposure to phthalates in Chinese population, but other sources may have been overlooked, e.g., medicines. To fill the knowledge gap, phthalate esters were measured in 96 over-the-counter medicines made in China, including selected 71 Chinese patented medicines and 25 western medicines. It was found that none of the medicines was free of phthalates. The mean concentrations of individual phthalates ranged from 0.001μg/g (dicyclohexyl phthalate) to 5.85μg/g (diethyl phthalate). Among 9 targeted phthalates, di-n-butyl phthalate was the dominant congener, accounting for >65% of the total phthalates in all medicine samples, followed by di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and diethyl phthalate. Phthalates in medicines appeared to derive from gastroresistant film coatings, plastic packing materials or phthalate contaminated rural herbal plants (especially for Chinese patented medicines). Daily human exposure to phthalates was estimated for local patients for one treatment cycle (e.g., one week) based on suggested consumption dosage and phthalate concentrations. Almost all exposure levels were below the guidelines suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or European Food Safety Authority, indicating low health risk with phthalates from consumption of the medicines. In addition, concentration levels of phthalates in patients would increase upon administration but are expected to decrease to the same values as those in patients before they took medicines in several days. Because the number of medicine samples was limited and the concentrations of phthalates varied in a large range, further investigations are needed to acquire more data for better assessment of human health effects for Chinese population. Capsule: Distribution of phthalate esters in over-the-counter medicines and related exposure for Chinese population are examined.

Examination of factors dominating the sediment-water diffusion flux of DDT-related compounds measured by passive sampling in an urbanized estuarine bay

The fate of hydrophobic organic compounds in aquatic environment are largely determined by their exchange at sediment-water interface, which is highly dynamic and subject to rapidly evolving environmental conditions. In turn, environmental conditions may be governed by both physicochemical parameters and anthropogenic events. To examine the importance of various impact factors, passive sampling devices were deployed at the seafloor of Hailing Bay, an urbanized estuarine bay in Guangdong Province of South China to measure the sediment-water diffusion fluxes of several metabolites of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD and o,p'-DDD. The physicochemical properties of water (temperature, pH, salinity and dissolved oxygen) and surface sediment (sediment organic matter, physical composition, pH, water content, colony forming unit and catalase activity) were also measured. The results showed that the diffusion fluxes of o,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDE at sites A1 and A2 near a fishing boat maintenance facility ranged from 0.42 to 4.73 ng m^-2 d^-1 (from sediment to overlying water), whereas those at offshore sites varied between -0.03 and -3.02 ng m^-2 d^-1 (from overlying water to sediment), implicating A1 and A2 as the sources of the target compounds. The distribution patterns of the diffusion fluxes of the target compounds were different from those of water and sediment parameters (water temperature, salinity, sediment texture, pH, colony forming unit and catalase activity) at six sampling sites. This finding suggested that none of these parameters were critical in dictating the sediment-water diffusion fluxes. Besides, decreases in the contents of kerogen and black carbon by 6.7% and 11% would enhance the diffusion fluxes of the target compounds by 11-14% and 12-23%, respectively, at site A1, indicating that kerogen and black carbon were the key factors in mediating the sediment-water diffusion fluxes of DDT-related compounds in field environments.

Potential health risk for residents around a typical e-waste recycling zone via inhalation of size-fractionated particle-bound heavy metals

Health risk of residents dwelling around e-waste recycling zones has been a global concern, but has not been adequately examined. The present study was intended to evaluate the potential health risk of residents through inhalation exposure to size-fractionated particle-bound heavy metals in a typical e-waste recycling zone, South China. Anthropogenic metals (Zn, Se, Pb, Sb, As, and Cd) were predominantly enriched in fine particles (Dp<1.8μm), whereas the crustal elements (Ti, Fe, and Co) tended to accumulate in coarse particles (Dp>1.8μm). Although the daily inhalation intakes of the target metals were significantly lower than those through food consumption and ingestion of house dust, the hazard quotients of total metals for adults (95% CI: 1.0-5.5) and children (95% CI: 3.0-17) were greater than 1. Moreover, the incremental lifetime cancer risks of five carcinogenic metals (Cr, Co, Ni, As, and Cd) for adults and children were 1.3×10(-3) (95% CI: 4.1×10(-4)-3.0×10(-3)) and 3.9×10(-3) (95% CI: 1.3×10(-3)-8.6×10(-3)), respectively, substantially higher than the acceptable cancer risk range of 10(-6)-10(-4). All these findings suggested that health risks were high for local residents dwelling around the e-waste recycling zone through inhalation exposure to particle-bound heavy metals, for both adults and children.

Fugacity gradients of hydrophobic organics across the air-water interface measured with a novel passive sampler

Mass transfer of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) across the air-water interface is an important geochemical process controlling the fate and transport of HOCs at the regional and global scales. However, few studies have characterized concentration or fugacity profiles of HOCs near both sides of the air-water interface, which is the driving force for the inter-compartmental mass transfer of HOCs. Herein, we introduce a novel passive sampling device which is capable of measuring concentration (and therefore fugacity) gradients of HOCs across the air-water interface. Laboratory studies indicated that the escaping fugacity values of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water to air were negatively correlated to their volatilization half-lives. Results for field deployment were consistent between the passive sampler and an active method, i.e., a combination of grab sampling and liquid-liquid extraction. In general, the fugacity profiles of detected PAHs were indicative of an accumulation mechanism in the surface microlayer of the study regions (Haizhu Lake and Hailing Bay of Guangdong Province, China), while p,p'-DDD tended to volatilize from water to the atmosphere in Hailing Bay. Furthermore, the fugacity profiles of the target analytes increased towards the air-water interface, reflecting the complexity of environmental behavior of the target analytes near the air-water interface. Overall, the passive sampling device provides a novel means to better characterize the air-water diffusive transfer of HOCs, facilitating the understanding of the global cycling of HOCs.

Mediated distribution pattern of organic compounds in estuarine sediment by anthropogenic debris

Natural organic matter and grain size are considered as important parameters dictating the transport and fate of organic compounds in sediment. However, increasing evidence suggested that manufactured debris may alter the underlying mechanisms for biogeochemical cycling of organic compounds. To examine this assumption, estuarine sediment and embedded debris were collected from a fishery base in Guangdong Province of South China and analyzed for organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs), phthalates (PAEs), organotin compounds (OTs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs). Coarse-size debris (>200μm) were heterogeneously distributed in sediment, and most abundant near the boat maintenance facilities, aquaculture zone and shipping channel. The median concentrations of OPFRs, OTs, PAEs and DDTs in debris were 11, 0.2, 11 and 3.9μgg(-1) dry sample weight(-1), respectively, 1 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than those in bulk sediment (19, 60, 240 and 570ngg(-1) dry sample weight(-1), respectively). Furthermore, OPFRs, OTs and PAEs were mostly (>99%) enriched in coarse-size (63-2000μm) sediment, and there was no significant correlation (p>0.05) between the concentrations of OPFRs, OTs and PAEs in bulk and size-fractioned sediment samples and total organic carbon or grain size, similar to the distribution pattern of DDTs reported previously. When distinct debris were removed from the light-density (<1.7gcm(-3)) fraction of coarse-size (200-2000μm) sediment, the concentration levels of OPFRs, OTs, PAEs and DDTs declined by 84%, 59%, 55% and 7%, respectively. Obviously, debris irregularly distributed in sediment can alter the sediment sorption capacity for OPFRs, OTs and PAEs, and thus may undermine the significance of organic matter and grain size to the distribution of organic chemicals in sediment. Finally, commonly used procedures for preparing sediment samples and screening of debris may disturb the grain size distribution or underestimate the abundance of heavy-density debris, resulting in flawed sediment quality assessment.

Exposure and size distribution of nitrated and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among the population using different household fuels

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) derivatives like nitrated and oxygenated PAHs are of growing concerns because of considerably higher toxicity and important roles during atmospheric chemical reactions. Residential solid fuel combustion is likely to be one large primary source of these pollutants in developing countries. In this study, inhalation exposure to nitrated and oxygenated PAH derivatives was evaluated among rural residents using carried samplers. The exposure levels of individual nitrated PAHs ranged from 4.04 (9-nitrated phenanthrene) to 89.8 (9-nitrated anthracene) pg/m(3), and of oxy-PAHs were 0.570 (benzo[a]anthracene-7, 12-dione) to 7.99 (Benzanthrone) ng/m(3), generally higher in wood user than that in anthracite user. A majority of derivatives in particle presented in PM2.5 (80% for nitrated naphthalene and over 90% for other targets) and even fine PM1.0. Mass fractions of PAH derivatives in fine and ultra-fine particles were significantly higher than the fractions of corresponding parent PAHs, indicating more adverse health outcomes induced by these derivatives. The inhalation exposure levels for residents adopting wood gasifier burners was significantly lower than the documented results for those burning wood in typical built-in brick stoves, and comparable to those using LPG and electricity, which provided vital information for clean stove development and intervention programs.

Leaching heavy metals from the surface soil of reclaimed tidal flat by alternating seawater inundation and air drying

Leaching experiments were conducted in a greenhouse to simulate seawater leaching combined with alternating seawater inundation and air drying. We investigated the heavy metal release of soils caused by changes associated with seawater inundation/air drying cycles in the reclaimed soils. After the treatment, the contents of all heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, and Cu), except Zn, in surface soil significantly decreased (P < 0.05), with removal rates ranging from 10% to 51%. The amounts of the exchangeable, carbonate, reducible, and oxidizable fractions also significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Moreover, prolonged seawater inundation enhanced the release of heavy metals. Measurement of diffusive gradients in thin films indicated that seawater inundation significantly increased the re-mobility of heavy metals. During seawater inundation, iron oxide reduction induced the release of heavy metals in the reducible fraction. Decomposition of organic matter, and complexation with dissolved organic carbon decreased the amount of heavy metals in the oxidizable fraction. Furthermore, complexation of chloride ions and competition of cations during seawater inundation and/or leaching decreased the levels of heavy metals in the exchangeable fraction. By contrast, air drying significantly enhanced the concentration of heavy metals in the exchangeable fraction. Therefore, the removal of heavy metals in the exchangeable fraction can be enhanced during subsequent leaching with seawater.

Isotopic exchange on solid-phase micro extraction fiber in sediment under stagnant conditions: Implications for field application of performance reference compound calibration

An overlooked issue for field application of in situ performance reference compound (PRC) calibration methods is the validity of the assumption that both the sorption of a target compound and desorption of its corresponding PRC follow the first-order kinetics with the same rate constants under stagnant conditions. In the present study, disposable polydimethylsiloxane fibers of 2 sizes (7 and 35 µm) impregnated with 8 (13) C-labeled or deuterated PRCs were statically deployed into different marine sediments, from which the kinetics for sorption of the target compounds and desorption of the PRCs were characterized. Nonsymmetrical profiles were observed for exchange of the target analytes and their corresponding PRCs in sediment under stagnant conditions. The hysteretic desorption of PRCs in the kinetic regime may be ascribed to the low chemical potential between the fiber and sediment porewater, which reflects the inability of water molecules to rapidly diffuse through sediment to solvate the PRCs in the aqueous layer around the fiber surface. A moderate correlation (r = 0.77 and r = 0.57, p < 0.05 for both regressions) between the PRC-calibrated equilibrium concentrations of 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-153 and the lipid normalized levels in worms (Neanthes arenaceodentata) was obtained in co-exposure tests under simulating field conditions, probably resulting from slightly overestimated bioavailability because of the hysteretic desorption of PRCs and toxic effects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1978-1985. © 2015 SETAC.

Characterization of anthropogenic impacts in a large urban center by examining the spatial distribution of halogenated flame retardants

Anthropogenic impacts have continuously intensified in mega urban centers with increasing urbanization and growing population. The spatial distribution pattern of such impacts can be assessed with soil halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) as HFRs are mostly derived from the production and use of various consumer products. In the present study, soil samples were collected from the Pearl River Delta (PRD), a large urbanized region in southern China, and its surrounding areas and analyzed for a group of HFRs, i.e., polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), decabromodiphenyl ethane, bis(hexachlorocyclopentadieno)cyclooctane (DP) and hexabromobenzene. The sum concentrations of HFRs and PBDEs were in the ranges of 0.66-6500 and 0.37-5700 (mean: 290 and 250) ng g(-1) dry weight, respectively, around the middle level of the global range. BDE-209 was the predominant compound likely due to the huge amounts of usage and its persistence. The concentrations of HFRs were greater in the land-use types of residency, industry and landfill than in agriculture, forestry and drinking water source, and were also greater in the central PRD than in its surrounding areas. The concentrations of HFRs were moderately significantly (r(2) = 0.32-0.57; p < 0.05) correlated with urbanization levels, population densities and gross domestic productions in fifteen administrative districts. The spatial distribution of DP isomers appeared to be stereoselective as indicated by the similarity in the spatial patterns for the ratio of anti-DP versus the sum of DP isomers (fanti-DP) and DP concentrations. Finally, the concentrations of HFRs sharply decreased with increasing distance from an e-waste recycling site, indicating that e-waste derived HFRs largely remained in local soil.

Dermal Uptake from Airborne Organics as an Important Route of Human Exposure to E-Waste Combustion Fumes

Skin absorption of gaseous organic contaminants is an important and relevant mechanism in human exposure to such contaminants, but has not been adequately examined. This article demonstrates that dermal uptake from airborne contaminants could be recognized as a significant exposure route for local residents subjecting to combustion fume from e-waste recycling activities. It is particularly true for organic pollutants which have high dermal penetration rates and large skin-air partition coefficients, such as low molecular weight plasticizers and flame retardants.

Tracking human footprints in Antarctica through passive sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in inland lakes

Freely dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were monitored in seven inland lakes of Antarctica by a polyethylene (PE)-based passive sampling technique, with the objective of tracking human footprints. The measured concentrations of PAHs were in the range of 14-360 ng L(-1) with the highest values concentrated around the Russian Progress II Station, indicating the significance of human activities to the loading of PAHs in Antarctica. The concentrations of PAHs in the inland lakes were in the upper part of the PAHs levels in aquatic environments from remote and background regions across the globe. The composition profiles of PAHs indicated that PAHs in the inland lakes were derived mainly from local oil spills, which was corroborated by a large number of fuel spillage reports from ship and plane crash incidents in Antarctica during recent years. Clearly, local human activities, rather than long-range transport, are the dominant sources of PAH contamination to the inland lakes. Finally, the present study demonstrates the efficacy of PE-based passive samplers for investigating PAHs in the aquatic environment of Antarctica under complex field conditions.

Modeling the fate of p,p'-DDT in water and sediment of two typical estuarine bays in South China: Importance of fishing vessels' inputs

Antifouling paint applied to fishing vessels is the primary source of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) to the coastal marine environments of China. With the aim to provide science-based support of potential regulations on DDT use in antifouling paint, we utilized a fugacity-based model to evaluate the fate and impact of p,p'-DDT, the dominant component of DDT mixture, in Daya Bay and Hailing Bay, two typical estuarine bays in South China. The emissions of p,p'-DDT from fishing vessels to the aquatic environments of Hailing Bay and Daya Bay were estimated as 9.3 and 7.7 kg yr(-1), respectively. Uncertainty analysis indicated that the temporal variability of p,p'-DDT was well described by the model if fishing vessels were considered as the only direct source, i.e., fishing vessels should be the dominant source of p,p'-DDT in coastal bay areas of China. Estimated hazard quotients indicated that sediment in Hailing Bay posed high risk to the aquatic system, and it would take at least 21 years to reduce the hazards to a safe level. Moreover, p,p'-DDT tends to migrate from water to sediment in the entire Hailing Bay and Daya Bay. On the other hand, our previous research indicated that p,p'-DDT was more likely to migrate from sediment to water in the maricultured zones located in shallow waters of these two bays, where fishing vessels frequently remain. These findings suggest that relocating mariculture zones to deeper waters would reduce the likelihood of farmed fish contamination by p,p'-DDT.

Source apportionment of DDTs in maricultured fish: a modeling study in South China

Fish is one of the most important nutrition sources for humanity. Contaminant exposure risk in fish farming will eventually deliver to the crowd through diet. China is the largest fish producing as well as exporting country, where mariculture plays an important role in fish production, especially in South China. Previous investigations indicated that a variety of compartments in farming areas of South China Sea were polluted by persistent organic pollutants, including DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and its derivatives, some of which is designated as DDTs. In the present study, Hailing Bay and Daya Bay of Guangdong Province, China, were selected as the study sites and DDTs as the target compounds. A fish enrichment model was developed to assess the relative contributions of various pathways to the mass loadings of DDTs in the fish. Average concentrations (and concentration ranges) of DDTs in various environmental compartments of Hailing Bay and Daya Bay were included in modeling and analysis. Modeling results indicated that fish food and seawater contributed approximately the same proportions for the DDTs in maricultured fish. Antifouling paint was supposed to be the primary source of water DDTs in mariculture zone of Hailing Bay and Daya Bay, which contributed 69 % of the total DDTs to the mariculture water. We suggest that in order to protect people from consuming highly contaminated maricuture zone fish, the most effective and feasible methods are using environment-friendly antifouling paint and applying less polluted fish food in the fish reproduction process.

Accuracy and application of quantitative X-ray diffraction on the precipitation of struvite product

Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) crystallization from wastewater can gain a great advantage for phosphorus recovery and recycling. Although the recovery process and reaction modeling have been investigated, few studies have been conducted to quantify the different phases in recovered phosphorus products. The quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) technique was employed in the present study to quantitatively determine the crystal phases and amorphous content of recovered struvite-containing products. Substantial mixed phase samples (i.e. struvite, newberyite and amorphous phase) were prepared to perform quantitative analysis to calibrate against known phase composition information by Rietveld refinement on powder X-ray diffraction data. The results showed a high level of accuracy (mean error = ∼3%) in our quantification model and validated the use of the Rietveld method to quantify the amorphous and crystal phases in the struvite-containing products. In addition, the influence of N:P molar ratio on struvite crystallization suggested that the weight percentage of struvite increased from 52% to 93%, when the N:P molar ratio was elevated from 0.2:1 to 1.2:1. This finding suggested the effectiveness of QXRD in facilitating the recovery of quality struvite products from waste streams.

Significance of antifouling paint flakes to the distribution of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) in estuarine sediment

Recently published literature indicated that dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)-containing antifouling paint flakes were heterogeneously distributed within estuarine sediments. However, the significance of antifouling paint flakes in the fate and transport of DDT compounds and other organic pollutants in estuarine sediment is yet to be adequately addressed. To fill this knowledge gap, estuarine sediment and paint flakes from cabin and boat surfaces were collected from a fishery base in Guangdong Province of South China and analyzed for DDT compounds. Coarse fractioned samples collected from the vicinity of boat maintenance facilities contained appreciable amounts of colorful particles, which were identified as paint flakes by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The highest concentrations of DDXs (sum of DDTs and its metabolites) occurred in the heavy-density (>1.7 g cm(-3)) fraction of coarse-size (200-2000 μm) sediments from near the boat maintenance facilities, suggesting the importance of paint flakes in the distribution pattern of "hot spots" in estuarine sediment. Moreover, the desorption rates of DDT compounds from paint flakes and the heavy-density fraction of coarse-size sediment were both extremely slow. Apparently, unevenly distributed paint flakes in sediment can artificially inflate the sorption capacity of heavy-density sediment for DDT compounds, and therefore can substantially change the environmental fate and behavior of hydrophobic organic chemicals in estuarine sediment. Finally, commonly used source diagnostic indices of DDT compounds were mostly grain-size and density dependent in sediment, as a result of the occurrence of paint flakes, which may strongly compromise the outcome of any source diagnostics efforts.

Size-dependent atmospheric deposition and inhalation exposure of particle-bound organophosphate flame retardants

Atmospheric size-fractionated particles were collected at different heights in an e-waste recycling zone (QY) and urban Guangzhou (GZ), China and analyzed for organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). The total air concentrations of eight OPFRs were 130±130 and 138±127 ng m(-3) in QY and GZ, respectively. Compositional profiles of chlorinated OPFRs were different between QY and GZ, but the size distribution patterns of all OPFRs were not significantly different at different heights. Estimated atmospheric deposition fluxes of OPFRs were 51±67 and 55±13 μg m(-2) d(-1) in QY and GZ, respectively, and the coarse particles (Dp>1.8 μm) dominated both the dry and wet deposition fluxes. Moreover, not all particle-bound OPFRs were inhalable and deposited in the human respiratory tract. The calculated inhalation doses of OPFRs were much lower than the reference doses, suggesting that potential health risk due to inhalation exposure to particle-bound OPFRs in the e-waste recycling zone and urban site was low.

Early-life Exposure to Widespread Environmental Toxicants and Health Risk: A Focus on the Immune and Respiratory Systems

Evidence has accumulated that exposure to widespread environmental toxicants, such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and tobacco smoke adversely affect fetal development and organ maturation, even after birth. The developing immune and respiratory systems are more sensitive to environmental toxicants due to their long-term physical development, starting from the early embryonic stage and persisting into early postnatal life, which requires complex signaling pathways that control proliferation and differentiation of highly heterogeneous cell types. In this review, we summarize the effect of early-life exposure to several widespread environmental toxicants on immune and lung development before and after birth, including the effects on immune cell counts, baseline characteristics of cell-mediated and humoral immunity, and alteration of lung structure and function in offspring. We also review evidence supporting the association between early-life exposure to environmental toxicants and risk for immune-related diseases and lung dysfunction in offspring in later life.

Barbecue Fumes: An Overlooked Source of Health Hazards in Outdoor Settings?

Barbecuing or charcoal-grilling has become part of popular outdoor recreational activities nowadays; however, potential human health hazards through outdoor exposure to barbecue fumes have yet to be adequately quantified. To fill this knowledge gap, atmospheric size-fractioned particle and gaseous samples were collected near an outdoor barbecuing vendor stall (along with charcoal-grilled food items) in Xinjiang of Northwest China with a 10-stage micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor and a polyurethane foam (PUF) sampler and were analyzed for particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Exposure to PAHs through inhalation and dermal contact by adult consumers who spent 1 h per day near a charcoal-grilling vendor for a normal meal (lunch or dinner) amounted to a BaP equivalent (BaPeq) dosage of 3.0-77 ng day(-1) (inhalation: 2.8-27 ng day(-1) of BaPeq; dermal contact: 0.2-50 ng day(-1) of BaPeq), comparable to those (22-220 ng day(-1) of BaPeq) from consumer exposure through the consumption of charcoal-grilled meat, assumed to be at the upper limit of 50-150 g. In addition, the potential health risk was in the range of 3.1 × 10(-10) to 1.4 × 10(-4) for people of different age groups with inhalation and dermal contact exposure to PAHs once a day, with a 95% confidence interval (7.2 × 10(-9) to 1.2 × 10(-5)) comparable to the lower limit of the potential cancer risk range (1 × 10(-6) to 1 × 10(-4)). Sensitivity analyses indicated that the area of dermal contact with gaseous contaminants is a critical parameter for risk assessment. These results indicated that outdoor exposure to barbecue fumes (particularly dermal contact) may have become a significant but largely neglected source of health hazards to the general population and should be well-recognized.

Assessing the effects of urbanization on the environment with soil legacy and current-use insecticides: a case study in the Pearl River Delta, China

To evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic events on the rapid urbanized environment, the levels of legacy organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and current-use insecticides (CUPs), i.e., dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), pyrethroids and organophosphates in soil of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and surrounding areas were examined. Spatial concentration distributions of legacy OCPs and CUPs shared similar patterns, with higher concentrations occurred in the central PRD with more urbanization level than that in the PRD's surrounding areas. Furthermore, relatively higher concentrations of OCPs and CUPs were found in the residency land than in other land-use types, which may be attributed to land-use change under rapid urbanization. Moderate correlations between gross domestic production or population density and insecticide levels in fifteen administrative districts indicated that insecticide spatial distributions may be driven by economic prosperity. The soil-air diffusive exchanges of DDTs and HCHs demonstrated that soil was a sink of atmospheric o,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDD and o,p'-DDT, and was a secondary source of HCHs and p,p'-DDT to atmosphere. The soil inventories of DDTs and HCHs (100 ± 134 and 83 ± 70 tons) were expected to decrease to half of their current values after 18 and 13 years, respectively, whereas the amounts of pyrethroids and organophosphates (39 and 6.2 tons) in soil were estimated to decrease after 4 and 2 years and then increase to 87 and 1.0 tons after 100 years. In this scenario, local residents in the PRD and surrounding areas will expose to the high health risk for pyrethroids by 2109. Strict ban on the use of technical DDTs and HCHs and proper training of famers to use insecticides may be the most effective ways to alleviate the health effect of soil contamination.

Size-dependent distribution and inhalation cancer risk of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at a typical e-waste recycling and an urban site

Atmospheric particle size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a typical e-waste recycling zone and an urban site (Guangzhou) in southern China featured a unimodal peak in 0.56-1.8 μm for 4-6 ring PAHs but no obvious peak for 2-3 ring PAHs at both sites. The atmospheric deposition fluxes of PAHs were estimated at 5.4 ± 2.3 μg m(-2) d(-1) in the e-waste recycling zone and 3.1 ± 0.6 μg m(-2) d(-1) in Guangzhou. In addition, dry and wet deposition fluxes of PAHs were dominated by coarse (Dp > 1.8 μm) and fine particles (Dp < 1.8 μm), respectively. Fine particles predominated the deposition of PAHs in the lung. The results estimated by incremental inhalation cancer risk suggested that particle-bound PAHs posed serious threat to human health within the e-waste recycling zone and Guangzhou.

Global trends of research on emerging contaminants in the environment and humans: a literature assimilation

Available literature data on five typical groups of emerging contaminants (EMCs), i.e., chlorinated paraffins (CPs), dechlorane plus and related compounds (DPs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), phthalate esters, and pyrethroids, accumulated between 2003 and 2013 were assimilated. Research efforts were categorized by environmental compartments and countries, so that global trends of research on EMCs and data gaps can be identified. The number of articles on the target EMCs ranged from 126 to 1,379 between 2003 and 2013. The numbers of articles on CPs, DPs, HBCDs, and pyrethroids largely followed the sequence of biota > sediment ≥ air > water ≥ soil > human tissue, whereas the sequence for phthalate esters was water > sediment > soil > human tissue ≥ biota ≥ air. Comprehensive studies on the target EMCs in biological samples and human tissues have been conducted worldwide. However, investigations into the occurrence of the target EMCs in soil of background areas and water are still scarce. Finally, developed and moderately developed countries, such as the USA, China, Canada, Japan, and Germany, were the main contributors to the global research efforts on EMCs, suggesting that economic prosperity may be one of the main factors propelling scientific research on EMCs.

Size distribution of airborne particle-bound polybrominated diphenyl ethers and its implications for dry and wet deposition

Size distribution of particles in part dictates the environmental behavior of particle-bound organic pollutants in the atmosphere. The present study was conducted to examine the potential mechanisms responsible for the distribution of organic pollutants in size fractionated particles and their environmental implications, using an e-waste recycling zone in South China as a case study. Size-fractionated atmospheric particles were collected at the heights of 1.5, 5, and 20 m near two residential apartments and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentrations of particle-bound ΣPBDE (sum of 18 PBDE congeners) were significantly greater at 5 and 20 m than those at 1.5 m. The size-fractionated distributions of airborne ΣPBDE displayed trimodal peaks in 0.10–0.18, 1.8–3.2, and 10–18 μm at 1.5 m but only an unimodal peak in 1.0–1.8 μm at 20 m height. Emission sources, resuspension of dust and soil, and volatility of PBDEs were important factors influencing the size distribution of particle-bound PBDEs. The dry deposition fluxes of particle-bound PBDE estimated from the measured data in the present study were approximately twice the estimated wet deposition fluxes, with a total deposition flux of 3000 ng m(–2) d(–1). The relative contributions of particles to dry and wet deposition fluxes were also size-dependent, e.g., coarse (aerodynamic diameters (Dp) > 1.8 μm) and fine (Dp < 1.8 μm) particles dominated the dry and wet deposition fluxes of PBDEs, respectively.

Impact of anthropogenic activities on urban stream water quality: a case study in Guangzhou, China

Anthropogenic activities are increasingly impacting the quality of urban surface water, particularly in regions undergoing intensive urbanization, such as Guangzhou of South China with a large urban stream network. To examine such impacts, we conducted field sampling on December 24, 2010, May 24, 2011, and August 28, 2011, representative of the low-, normal-, and high-flow periods, respectively. The first sampling was timed immediately after the closing of the 16th Asian Games (November 12-27, 2010) and the 10th Asian Para Games (December 12-19, 2010) held in Guangzhou. Assessments based on a pollution index method showed that the urban streams under investigation were extremely polluted, with direct discharge of untreated domestic sewage identified as the main pollution contributor. In addition, stream water quality around urban villages with high population densities was worse than that within business districts away from the urban villages. Pollution control measures implemented in preparation for the Asian Games were effective for urban streams within the business districts, but less effective for those adjacent to the urban villages. However, short-term efforts may not be able to achieve sustainable urban water quality improvements. In the case of Guangzhou, minimizing or even eliminating direct point-source inputs to the urban streams is perhaps the best option.