Combined Toxic Effects of Polar and Nonpolar Chemicals on Human Hepatocytes (HepG2) Cells by Quantitative Property-Activity Relationship Modeling

A Structural Analysis of Proteinaceous Nanotube Cavities and Their Applications in Nanotechnology

Protein nanotubes offer unique properties to the materials science field that allow them to fulfill various functions in drug delivery, biosensors and energy storage. Protein nanotubes are chemically diverse, modular, biodegradable and nontoxic. Furthermore, although the initial design or repurposing of such nanotubes is highly complex, the field has matured to understand underlying chemical and physical properties to a point where applications are successfully being developed. An important feature of a nanotube is its ability to bind ligands via its internal cavities. As ligands of interest vary in size, shape and chemical properties, cavities have to be able to accommodate very specific features. As such, understanding cavities on a structural level is essential for their effective application. The objective of this review is to present the chemical and physical diversity of protein nanotube cavities and highlight their potential applications in materials science, specifically in biotechnology.

Toxicity of a mixture of monoaromatic hydrocarbons (BTX) to a tropical marine microcrustacean

This study evaluated the toxicity of benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX), isolated and in binary mixtures to Mysidopsis juniae. The organisms were exposed to BTX, and combined effect patterns were predicted by applying the theoretical models of Concentration Addition and Independent Action. According to the LC50 of the isolated compounds, xylene (16.1 ± 2.4 mg L^-1) was considered the most toxic, followed by toluene (38.0 ± 5.3 mg L^-1) and, lastly, benzene (78.0 ± 2.9 mg L^-1). The binary combinations showed deviations from additivity, with exposure to the xylene-benzene mixture presenting as antagonistic, while the xylene-toluene and toluene-benzene mixtures were better explained by a dose ratio deviation, with toluene being responsible for the antagonistic pattern. This study provides new insights into toxicity prediction of a BTX mixture, which adds value to the risk assessment procedure over evaluation of chemical hazards on a case-by-case basis.

Volatile Organic Compounds in Anatomical Pathology Wards: Comparative and Qualitative Assessment of Indoor Airborne Pollution

The impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on indoor air quality and on human health is widely recognized. However, VOC contamination in hospital indoor air is rarely studied and chemical compounds that singularly do not show high toxicity are not submitted to any regulation. This study aimed to compare VOC contamination in two different anatomical pathology wards in the same hospital. Hydrocarbons, alcohols, and terpenes were sampled by passive diffusive samplers. Analytical tests were performed by thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry detector. Results highlighted a different VOC pollution in the two wards, due to the structural difference of the buildings and different organizational systems. The scarcity of similar data in the literature shows that the presence of VOCs in pathology wards is an underestimated problem. We believe that, because of the adverse effects that VOCs may have on the human health, this topic is worth exploring further.