The transformation mechanism and eco-toxicity evaluation of butylated hydroxyanisole in environment

Integrating network toxicology and molecular docking to explore the toxicity of the environmental pollutant butyl hydroxyanisole: An example of induction of chronic urticaria

The study aimed to comprehensively investigate environmental pollutants' potential toxicity and underlying molecular mechanisms, focusing on chronic urticaria (CU) induced by butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) exposure, further drawing public awareness regarding the potential risks of environmental pollutants, applying ChEMBL, STITCH, and SwissTargetPrediction databases to predict the targets of BHA, CTD, GeneCards, and OMIM databases to collect the relevant targets of CU. Ultimately, we identified 81 potential targets of BHA-induced CU and extracted 31 core targets, including TNF, SRC, CASP3, BCL2, IL2, and MMP9. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that these core targets were predominantly involved in cancer signaling, estrogen and endocrine resistance pathways. Furthermore, molecular docking confirmed the ability of BHA to bind with core targets. The onset and development of CU may result from BHA by affecting multiple immune signaling pathways. Our study elucidated the molecular mechanisms of BHA toxicity and its role in CU induction, providing the basis for preventing and treating chronic urticaria associated with environmental BHA exposure.

Butylated hydroxyanisole induces vascular endothelial injury via TFEB-mediated degradation of GPX4 and FTH1

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is one of the most commonly used antioxidants and is widely used in food, but whether it causes vascular damage has not been clearly studied. The present study demonstrated for the first time that BHA reduced the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (BEND3) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, BHA inhibited the migration and proliferation of vascular endothelial cells (ECs). Further analysis revealed that in ECs, the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) reversed the BHA-induced increase in Fe2+ and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels. Acridine orange staining demonstrated that BHA increased lysosomal permeability. At the protein level, BHA increased the expression of transcription factor EB (TFEB) and decreased the expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11, xCT), and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1). Moreover, these effects of BHA could be reversed by knocking down TFEB. In vivo experiments confirmed that BHA caused elevated pulse wave velocity (PWV) and reduced acetylcholine-dependent vascular endothelial diastole. In conclusion, BHA degrades GPX4, xCT, and FTH1 through activation of the TFEB-mediated lysosomal pathway and promotes ferroptosis, ultimately leading to vascular endothelial cell injury.

Hydroquinone Ecotoxicity: Unveiling Risks in Soil and River Ecosystems with Insights into Microbial Resilience

Despite widespread industrial use, the environmental safety of hydroquinone (HQ), a benzene compound from plants used in processes like cosmetics, remains uncertain. This study evaluated the ecotoxicological impact of HQ on soil and river environments, utilizing non-target indicator organisms from diverse trophic levels: Daphnia magna, Aliivibrio fischeri, Allium cepa, and Eisenia fetida. For a more environmentally realistic assessment, microbial communities from a river and untreated soil underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with growth and changes in community-level physiological profiling assessed using Biolog EcoPlate™ assays. The water indicator D. magna exhibited the highest sensitivity to HQ (EC50 = 0.142 µg/mL), followed by A. fischeri (EC50 = 1.446 µg/mL), and A. cepa (LC50 = 7.631 µg/mL), while E. fetida showed the highest resistance (EC50 = 234 mg/Kg). Remarkably, microbial communities mitigated HQ impact in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. River microorganisms displayed minimal inhibition, except for a significant reduction in polymer metabolism at the highest concentration (100 µg/mL). Soil communities demonstrated resilience up to 100 µg/mL, beyond which there was a significant decrease in population growth and the capacity to metabolize carbohydrates and polymers. Despite microbial mitigation, HQ remains highly toxic to various trophic levels, emphasizing the necessity for environmental regulations.

Degradation of Butylated Hydroxyanisole by the Combined Use of Peroxymonosulfate and Ferrate(VI): Reaction Kinetics, Mechanism and Toxicity Evaluation

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a synthetic phenolic antioxidant (SPA), is now widely present in natural waters. To improve the degradation efficiency of BHA and reduce product toxicity, a combination of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and Ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) was used in this study. We systematically investigated the reaction kinetics, mechanism and product toxicity in the degradation of BHA through the combined use of PMS and Fe(VI). The results showed that PMS and Fe(VI) have synergistic effects on the degradation of BHA. The effects of operational factors, including PMS dosage, pH and coexisting ions (Cl-, SO42-, HCO3-, K+, NH4+ and Mg2+), and different water matrices were investigated through a series of kinetic experiments. When T = 25 °C, the initial pH was 8.0, the initial BHA concentration was 100 μM, the initial concentration ratio of [PMS]0:[Fe(VI)]0:[BHA]0 was 100:1:1 and the degradation rate could reach 92.4% within 30 min. Through liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) identification, it was determined that the oxidation pathway of BHA caused by PMS/Fe(VI) mainly includes hydroxylation, ring-opening and coupling reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that •OH was most likely to attack BHA and generate hydroxylated products. The comprehensive comparison of product toxicity results showed that the PMS/Fe(VI) system can effectively reduce the environmental risk of a reaction. This study contributes to the development of PMS/Fe(VI) for water treatment applications.

Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using Peach Extract Incorporated in Graphene for the Electrochemical Determination of Antioxidant Butylated Hydroxyanisole in Food Matrices

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic phenolic antioxidant widely used in various food matrices to prevent oxidative rancidity. However, its presence has been associated with liver damage and carcinogenesis in animals. Thus, an electrochemical sensor was built using a composite of gold nanoparticles synthesized in peach extract (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) and graphene. Peach extract served as a reducing and stabilizing agent for gold nanoparticles, as a dispersing agent for graphene, and as a film former to immobilize the composite on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. The gold nanoparticles were characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, and the electrodes were electrochemically characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The sensor provided higher current responses and lower charge transfer resistances compared to the unmodified glassy carbon electrode. Under the established optimized working conditions (0.1 mol L-1 Britton-Robinson buffer, pH 4.0, and differential pulse voltammetry), the calibration curve exhibited a linear range from 0.2 to 9.8 µmol L-1, with a detection limit of 70 nmol L-1. The proposed sensor represented a sensitive and practical analytical tool for the accurate determination of BHA in mayonnaise samples.

A review of the occurrence, metabolites and health risks of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is mainly used as a food additive due to its antioxidant properties, which prevent or delay oxidation reactions and extend the storage life of products. The widespread use of BHA has led to its extensive presence in various environmental matrices and human tissues. Food intake is the main route of human exposure to BHA. Under different conditions, BHA can produce different metabolites, with tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) being one of the major products. Several studies have shown that BHA could cause thyroid system damage, metabolic and growth disorders, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenesis. Mechanisms such as endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, disturbances of energy metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, signaling pathways, and imbalances in calcium homeostasis appear to be associated with the toxic effects of BHA. Avoiding the toxic effects of BHA to the maximum extent possible is a top priority. Finding safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly alternatives to BHA should be the focus of subsequent research. In all, this review summarized the current situation related to BHA and might make recommendations for future research directions. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mechanistic insight into the free radical scavenging and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor potent of monoacetylphloroglucinols (MAPGs)

Three novel antioxidant candidates based on phenolic polyketide, monoacetylphloroglucinol (MAPG), a natural antibiotic compound produced by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Pseudomonas fluorescens F113 have been proposed. Initially, a green and highly efficient route to the synthesis of MAPG and its two analogues from phloroglucinol (PG) has been developed. Afterward, their rational mechanism of antioxidant activity has been investigated based on thermodynamic descriptors involved in the double ( 2H+/2e-) radical trapping processes. These calculations have been performed using the systematic density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/Def2-SVP level of theory in the gas phase and aqueous solution. Our findings reveal that the double formal hydrogen atom transfer (df-HAT) mechanism is preferred in the gas phase, while the double sequential proton loss electron transfer (dSPLET) mechanism is preferred in aqueous solution for all MAPGs. The 6-OH group represents the most favourable site for trapping radical species for all MAPGs, which is supported by the pK_a values obtained from DFT calculations. The role of acyl substituents on the PG ring has been comprehensively discussed. The presence of acyl substituents has a strong influence on the thermodynamic parameters of the phenolic O-H bond in PG. These results are supported by frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) analysis, where the addition of acyl substituents increases the chemical reactivity of MAPGs significantly. Based on molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations (MDs), MAPGs are also predicted to be promising candidates for xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition.HighlightsThe antioxidant activity of the three synthesised MAPGs has been investigated using the DFT method.Acyl substituents increase the chemical reactivity and antioxidant activity of MAPGs.df-HAT is the preferred mechanism in the gas phase.dSPLET seems to be more favoured in aqueous solution.MAPGs are expected to be promising xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors.