Effects of cadmium on the female reproductive axis of a Neotropical fish.

Metals are one of the contaminants released from the increase of anthropic activities. They can be classified as endocrine disruptors once they can affect the reproductive parameters of different organisms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential effects of cadmium on regulatory reproduction axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal-Liver, the HPGL axis) in females of Rhamdia quelen exposed to nominal concentrations of 0.1; 1; 10 and 100 µg.L-1 of cadmium. After 15 days, tissues were collected for hormonal quantification, brain aromatase (cyp19a1b), hepatic vitellogenin (vtg) gene expression, and biomarkers analysis. Cadmium was quantified in water, gonad and liver samples. The plasma levels of estradiol, testosterone and gonad and hepatosomatic indexes did not changed after Cd exposure. The cyp19a1b was not different among the groups. Cadmium was detected at higher concentrations in the liver compared to the gonads. No genotoxicity was observed, only erythrocytes nuclear alterations. Metallothionein was reduced at 10 µg.L-1 in the liver and 10 and 100 µg.L-1 in the gonad. Hepatic superoxide dismutase activity increased and this can lead to a hydrogen peroxide increase, one of reactive oxygen species. This increase without a compensation of other enzymes of the antioxidant system can lead to lipoperoxidation, as occurred at 100 µg.L-1. Hepatic vitellogenin gene expression increased as well as the injury index at 0,1 and 100 µg.L-1. The tested cadmium concentrations have been found in the freshwater ecosystems and can affect the female reproductive regulation axis HPGL of the Neotropical species R. quelen.

Morphologic, Structural, and Chemical Properties of Pulp Stones in Extracted Human Teeth.

INTRODUCTION: Pulp stones are mineral structures that develop in the pulp tissue triggered by several clinical conditions. The exact biochemical process behind the occurrence of pulp stones is uncertain. This study aimed to perform a structural and crystallographic characterization of pulp stones and dentin from extracted human teeth. METHODS: The sample consisted of 13 erupted and unerupted permanent human teeth diagnosed with pulp stones. The teeth were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy with secondary and backscattered electrons, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, micro-X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. RESULTS: The pulp stones revealed a heterogeneous morphology and structure compared with each other. Compared with the adjacent dentin, the pulp stones had a similar structure. From a chemical point of view, oxygen, calcium, carbon, and phosphorus were the most prevalent chemical elements in the inner part of the stones, whereas on the surface carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, aluminum, potassium, zinc, copper, and lead were the most prevalent. Copper, iron, and zinc were higher in the stones than the dentin (P < .05). Statistically significant differences between the chemical structure of stones from erupted and unerupted teeth were not detected (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Pulp stones have structural and chemical properties that are similar to dentin. Variations in morphology are common.

Acute exposure to the water-soluble fraction of gasoline (WSFG) affects oxygen consumption, nitrogenous-waste and Mg excretion, and activates anaerobic metabolism in the goldfish Carassius auratus.

Contamination of aquatic environments by petroleum and its products (e.g. gasoline) is a hazard for aquatic organisms as a result of the potential toxicity of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Our goal was to evaluate the acute effects of the water-soluble fraction of gasoline (WSFG) on nitrogen excretion, osmoregulation, and metabolism of goldfish Carassius auratus. We first chemically characterized the WSFG and then tested its effects on these physiological aspects of C. auratus, in several different exposure scenarios (0, 0.25, 5, 10 and 25% of WSFG). The WSFG contained high concentrations BTEX (toluene 70% and benzene 17%) relative to PAH (<1%), and low levels of several metals (Al, Fe, Zn, Sr). Routine O2 uptake rate (MO2) of goldfish was inhibited by exposure to 5% WSFG, and during post-exposure recovery, MO2 increased in a dose-dependent fashion. Ammonia excretion was not affected by exposure to WSFG, but urea-N excretion increased progressively with the WSFG concentration. The same pattern of dose/response was observed for net Mg2+ loss rates and steadily increasing plasma lactate concentrations. Loss rates of Na+, Ca2+, K+ and Cl-, and plasma concentrations of Mg2+ and urea-N were not significantly altered. We propose that acute exposure to WSFG inhibits aerobic metabolism and activates anaerobic metabolism, breaking down ATP such that bound Mg2+ is liberated and the purine ring component is metabolized to urea-N, both of which are subsequently excreted.

Cation Exchange Reactions in Layered Double Hydroxides Intercalated with Sulfate and Alkaline Cations (A(H2O)6)[M2+6Al3(OH)18(SO4)2]·6H2O (M2+ = Mn, Mg, Zn; A+ = Li, Na, K).

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with similar compositions to the minerals shigaite, natroglaucocerinite, and motukoreaite were synthesized by co-precipitation with increasing pH and characterized by several instrumental techniques. These minerals have previously been described to occur only with sodium and sulfate (Na(H2O)6)[M+26Al3(OH)18(SO4)2]·6H2O (M2+ = Mn, Mg, and Zn). These phases were synthesized successfully along with others containing lithium and potassium. Cation exchange reactions were performed in the presence of alkaline metal sulfates, and for the first time several instrumental techniques were employed to show that the cations can be totally exchanged without removing the intercalated sulfate anions. This class of compounds, traditionally considered to be anion exchangers, can also be considered cation exchangers, which opens new avenues for future scientific and industrial applications.

Mechanochemical conversion of chrysotile/K2HPO4 mixtures into potential sustainable and environmentally friendly slow-release fertilizers.

Chrysotile fibers pose a threat to public health due to their association relation to respiratory malignant lung disease such as cancer. For this reason, they must be stored and discarded appropriately, including after treatment, which raises costs. In the present study, insoluble chrysotile fibers were milled in solid state with highly soluble K2HPO4, destroying both structures, making the chrysotile nontoxic and generating a new material with potential use as sustainable slow-release fertilizer (SSRF) containing mainly K and P. Based on the mills, milling conditions and chrysotile/K2HPO4 molar ratios used, Mg originating from chrysotile fibers reacted with K and P from dibasic potassium phosphate and were transformed into MgKPO4·H2O, MgKPO4·6H2O and probably a mixture of amorphous SiO2/MgO. In this study, a zirconia planetary mill and high-energy ball mill were used, both of them produced SSRF. In conclusion, it was possible to synthesize high-value and extremely useful materials for agriculture using a harmful waste. The release rate can be tailored by controlling chrysotile/K2HPO4 molar ratios, grinding speed and time, which makes the process even more promising for farming applications.

Simultaneous determination of Pb and Cd in seafood by ICP OES with on-line pre-concentration by solid phase extraction with amberlite XAD-4 after complex formation with DDTP

An on-line method for Cd and Pb pre-concentration and simultaneous determination in acid digested seafood by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was developed. The on-line pre-concentration was based on the complex formation of the analytes with the ammonium salt of O,O-diethyldithiophosphate (DDTP) and using the Amberlite XAD-4 resin as a solid support in a homemade column. Different conditions of the flow injection system, such as solutions flow rates, nebulizer pressure and eluent concentration were optimized. Three certified reference materials of lobster hepatopancreas, dogfish liver and fish protein, three samples of fish muscle and three samples of shrimp were digested with HNO3, H2O2 and H2SO4 in a microwave system under reflux. DDTP was added in the solutions obtained, and the mixture was injected in the FI system. Calibration curves for Cd and Pb were obtained using the standard solutions in the concentration range 0.05-0.5 µg mL-1 in the digestion medium, submitted to the same pre-concentration procedure. The quantification limits (3.3 x LOD) for 5 min of pre-concentration time were 0.005 mg kg-1 Cd2+ and 0.1 mg kg-1 Pb2+ in the sample of fish or shrimp in natura, considering 1.0 g of the sample in a final volume of 50 mL. The agreement of the obtained concentrations with the certified ones (Student t-test, 95% confidence) and the recoveries of spiked real samples, from 90 to 120%, demonstrated good accuracy. Precision was also adequate, with relative standard deviations from 2 to 13%. The method was accurate, precise and certainly could be applied to the digested samples of different natures.

Fast assessment of mineral constituents in grass by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

A method for evaluating inorganic constituents in the grass by ICP OES is proposed. The samples were digested with nitric acid plus hydrogen peroxide in a microwave system. Seventeen samples were collected in the metropolitan area of Curitiba and Castro in the Paraná State, Brazil. The following elements were studied: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se and Zn. The linear coefficients of the curves were higher than 0.999 and the precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation, which was below 10%, being considered adequate. The accuracy was validated by using the recovery test (recoveries from 80 to 107%) and by the analysis of botanical certified materials. For one sample, two other digestion procedures, using two different mixtures of nitric and hydrochloric acids, produced results in agreement with the adopted procedure. Eleven out of the twenty studied elements could be quantified in real samples. High concentrations of Ca, K, Mg and P, the essential elements for bovines and other animals, were found. The results were evaluated using the principal component analysis that gathered the samples in three groups, according to the areas where the plants were grown.