Informing the Exposure Landscape: The Fate of Microplastics in a Large Pelagic In-Lake Mesocosm Experiment.

Understanding microplastic exposure and effects is critical to understanding risk. Here, we used large, in-lake closed-bottom mesocosms to investigate exposure and effects on pelagic freshwater ecosystems. This article provides details about the experimental design and results on the transport of microplastics and exposure to pelagic organisms. Our experiment included three polymers of microplastics (PE, PS, and PET) ranging in density and size. Nominal concentrations ranged from 0 to 29,240 microplastics per liter on a log scale. Mesocosms enclosed natural microbial, phytoplankton, and zooplankton communities and yellow perch (Perca flavescens). We quantified and characterized microplastics in the water column and in components of the food web (biofilm on the walls, zooplankton, and fish). The microplastics in the water stratified vertically according to size and density. After 10 weeks, about 1% of the microplastics added were in the water column, 0.4% attached to biofilm on the walls, 0.01% within zooplankton, and 0.0001% in fish. Visual observations suggest the remaining >98% were in a surface slick and on the bottom. Our study suggests organisms that feed at the surface and in the benthos are likely most at risk, and demonstrates the value of measuring exposure and transport to inform experimental designs and achieve target concentrations in different matrices within toxicity tests.

Temporal Trends of Legacy and Current-Use Halogenated Flame Retardants in Lake Ontario in Relation to Atmospheric Loadings, Sources, and Environmental Fate.

Since the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), large amounts of alternative halogenated flame retardants (AHFRs) have been introduced to the market. Due to their persistence and toxicity, halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) have become a concern for the ecosystem and human health. However, there remains limited assessment of the atmospheric loadings, sources, and environmental fate of HFRs in Lake Ontario, which receives urban-related inputs and cumulative chemical inputs from the upstream Great Lakes from Canada and the United States. We combined long-term measurements with a modified multimedia model based on site-specific environmental parameters from Lake Ontario to understand the trends and fate of HFRs. All HFRs were detected in the air, precipitation, lake trout, and herring gull egg samples throughout the sampling periods. General decreasing trends were found for PBDEs, while the temporal trends for AHFRs were not clear. Physical-chemical properties and emissions significantly influence the levels, profiles, and trends. Using the probabilistic modeling, HFR concentrations in lake water and sediment were predicted to be close to the measurement, suggesting a good performance for the modified model. The loadings from tributaries and wastewater effluent were the primary input pathways. Transformations in the water and sedimentation were estimated to be the dominant output pathway for the three HFRs.

Passive-Sampler-Derived PCB and OCP Concentrations in the Waters of the World─First Results from the AQUA-GAPS/MONET Network.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are recognized as pollutants of global concern, but so far, information on the trends of legacy POPs in the waters of the world has been missing due to logistical, analytical, and financial reasons. Passive samplers have emerged as an attractive alternative to active water sampling methods as they accumulate POPs, represent time-weighted average concentrations, and can easily be shipped and deployed. As part of the AQUA-GAPS/MONET, passive samplers were deployed at 40 globally distributed sites between 2016 and 2020, for a total of 21 freshwater and 40 marine deployments. Results from silicone passive samplers showed α-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and γ-HCH displaying the greatest concentrations in the northern latitudes/Arctic Ocean, in stark contrast to the more persistent penta (PeCB)- and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), which approached equilibrium across sampling sites. Geospatial patterns of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) aqueous concentrations closely matched original estimates of production and use, implying limited global transport. Positive correlations between log-transformed concentrations of Σ7PCB, ΣDDTs, Σendosulfan, and Σchlordane, but not ΣHCH, and the log of population density (p < 0.05) within 5 and 10 km of the sampling sites also supported limited transport from used sites. These results help to understand the extent of global distribution, and eventually time-trends, of organic pollutants in aquatic systems, such as across freshwaters and oceans. Future deployments will aim to establish time-trends at selected sites while adding to the geographical coverage.

New Insights into the Education of Children with Congenital Heart Disease with and without Trisomy 21.

Background and Objectives: Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), especially as a concomitant syndromal disease of trisomy 21 (T21), are at risk for impaired neurodevelopment. This can also affect these patients' education. However, there continues to be a research gap in the educational development of CHD patients and T21 CHD patients. Materials and Methods: In total, data from 2873 patients from the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects were analyzed. The data are based on two online education surveys conducted among patients registered in the National Register for Congenital Heart Defects (2017, 2020). Results: Of 2873 patients included (mean age: 14.1 ± 4.7 years, 50.5% female), 109 (3.8%) were identified with T21 (mean age: 12.9 ± 4.4 years, 49.5% female). T21 CHD participants had a high demand for early specific interventions (overall cohort 49.1%; T21 cohort 100%). T21 CHD children more frequently attended special schools and, compared to non-trisomy 21 (nT21) CHD patients, the probability of attending a grammar school was reduced. In total, 87.1% of nT21 CHD patients but 11% of T21 CHD patients were enrolled in a regular elementary school, and 12.8% of T21 CHD patients could transfer to a secondary school in contrast to 35.5% of nT21 CHD patients. Most of the T21 CHD patients were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, e.g., learning, emotional, or behavioral disorders (T21 CHD patients: 82.6%; nT21 CHD patients: 31.4%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: CHD patients are at risk for impaired academic development, and the presence of T21 is an aggravating factor. Routine follow-up examinations should be established to identify developmental deficits and to provide targeted interventions.

Maternal exposure to polystyrene microplastics alters placental metabolism in mice.

INTRODUCTION: The rapid growth in the worldwide use of plastics has resulted in a vast accumulation of microplastics in the air, soil and water. The impact of these microplastics on pregnancy and fetal development remains largely unknown. In pregnant mice, we recently demonstrated that exposure to micro- and nanoplastics throughout gestation resulted in significant fetal growth restriction. One possible explanation for reduced fetal growth is abnormal placental metabolism. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of maternal exposure to microplastics on placental metabolism. METHODS: In the present study, CD-1 pregnant mice were exposed to 5 µm polystyrene microplastics in filtered drinking water at one of four concentrations (0 ng/L (controls), 102 ng/L, 104 ng/L, 106 ng/L) throughout gestation (n = 7-11/group). At embryonic day 17.5, placental tissue samples were collected (n = 28-44/group). Metabolite profiles were determined using 1 H high-resolution magic angle spinning magnetic resonance spectroscopy. RESULTS: The relative concentration of lysine (p = 0.003) and glucose (p < 0.0001) in the placenta were found to decrease with increasing microplastic concentrations, with a significant reduction at the highest exposure concentration. Multivariate analysis identified shifts in the metabolic profile with MP exposure and pathway analysis identified perturbations in the biotin metabolism, lysine degradation, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways. CONCLUSION: Maternal exposure to microplastics resulted in significant alterations in placental metabolism. This study highlights the potential impact of microplastic exposure on pregnancy outcomes and that efforts should be made to minimize exposure to plastics, particularly during pregnancy.

Microplastic contamination in Great Lakes fish.

Freshwater ecosystems, generally adjacent to human population and more contaminated relative to adjacent marine ecosystems, are vulnerable to microplastic contamination. We sampled 7 species of fish from Lake Ontario and Lake Superior and assessed their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts to quantify ingested microplastics and other anthropogenic particles. A subset of the microparticles were chemically analyzed to confirm polymer types and anthropogenic origins. We documented the highest concentration of microplastics and other anthropogenic microparticles ever reported in bony fish. We found 12,442 anthropogenic microparticles across 212 fish (8 species) from nearshore Lake Ontario, 943 across 50 fish (1 species) from Humber River, and 3094 across 119 fish (7 species) from Lake Superior. Fish from Lake Ontario had the greatest mean abundance of anthropogenic microparticles in their GI tracts (59 particles/fish [SD 104]), with up to 915 microparticles in a single fish. Fish from Lake Superior contained a mean [SD] of 26 [74] particles/fish, and fish from Humber River contained 19 [14] particles/fish. Most particles were microfibers. Overall, ≥90% of particles were anthropogenic, of which 35-59% were microplastics. Polyethylene (24%), polyethylene terephthalate (20%), and polypropylene (18%) were the most common microplastics. Ingestion of anthropogenic particles was significantly different among species within Lake Ontario (p < 0.05), and the abundance of anthropogenic particles increased as fish length increased in Lake Ontario (ρ = 0.62). Although we cannot extrapolate the concentration of microplastics in the water and sediments of these fish, the relatively high abundance of microplastics in the GI tracts of fish suggests environmental exposure may be above threshold concentrations for risk.

Contaminación por Microplásticos en Peces de los Grandes Lagos Resumen Los ecosistemas de agua dulce, generalmente contiguos a poblaciones humanas y más contaminados en relación con los ecosistemas marinos adyacentes, son vulnerables a la contaminación por microplásticos. Muestreamos siete especies de peces del Lago Ontario y del Lago Superior y analizamos sus tractos gastrointestinales (GI) para cuantificar los microplásticos ingeridos, además de otras partículas antropogénicas. Un subconjunto de las micropartículas fue analizado químicamente para confirmar los tipos de polímero y los orígenes antropogénicos. Documentamos la concentración más alta de microplásticos y de otras micropartículas antropogénicas jamás reportada en peces óseos. Encontramos 12,442 micropartículas antropogénicas en 212 peces (ocho especies) del Lago Ontario, 943 en 50 peces (una especie) en el Río Humber y 30,094 en 119 peces (siete especies) del Lago Superior. Los peces del Lago Ontario tuvieron la mayor abundancia promedio de micropartículas antropogénicas en sus tractos GI (59 partículas/pez [DS 104]), con hasta 915 micropartículas en un solo pez. Los peces del Lago Superior tuvieron un promedio [DS] de 26 [74] partículas/pez y los peces del Río Humber tuvieron 19 [14] partículas/pez. La mayoría de las partículas eran microfibras. En general, ≥90% de las partículas eran antropogénicas, de las cuales el 35-39% eran microplásticos. El polietileno (24%), el tereftalato de polietileno (20%) y el polipropileno (18%) fueron los microplásticos más comunes. La ingesta de partículas antropogénicas tuvo una diferencia significativa entre las especies del Lago Ontario (p < 0.05) y la abundancia de las partículas antropogénicas incrementó conforme aumentó la longitud de los peces en el Lago Ontario (ρ = 0.62). Aunque no podemos extrapolar la concentración de microplásticos en el agua y los sedimentos para estos peces, la abundancia relativamente alta de microplásticos en los tractos GI de los peces sugiere que la exposición ambiental puede estar por encima del umbral de concentraciones para el riesgo.

Local Monitoring Should Inform Local Solutions: Morphological Assemblages of Microplastics Are Similar within a Pathway, But Relative Total Concentrations Vary Regionally.

Pathways for microplastics to aquatic ecosystems include agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and treated or untreated wastewater. To better understand the importance of each pathway as a vector for microplastics into waterbodies and for mitigation, we sampled agricultural runoff, urban stormwater runoff, treated wastewater effluent, and the waterbodies downstream in four regions across North America: the Sacramento Delta, the Mississippi River, Lake Ontario, and Chesapeake Bay. The highest concentrations of microplastics in each pathway varied by region: agricultural runoff in the Sacramento Delta and Mississippi River, urban stormwater runoff in Lake Ontario, and treated wastewater effluent in Chesapeake Bay. Material types were diverse and not unique across pathways. However, a PERMANOVA found significant differences in morphological assemblages among pathways (p < 0.005), suggesting fibers as a signature of agricultural runoff and treated wastewater effluent and rubbery fragments as a signature of stormwater. Moreover, the relationship between watershed characteristics and particle concentrations varied across watersheds (e.g., with agricultural parameters only being important in the Sacramento Delta). Overall, our results suggest that local monitoring is essential to inform effective mitigation strategies and that assessing the assemblages of morphologies should be prioritized in monitoring programs to identify important pathways of contamination.

Late outcome, therapy and systemic ventricular function in patients with a systemic right ventricle: data of the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects.

BACKGROUND: Adults with systemic right ventricle have a significant risk for long-term complications such as arrhythmias or heart failure. METHODS: A nationwide retrospective study based on the German National Register for Congenital Heart Disease was performed. Patients with transposition of the great arteries after atrial switch operation or congenitally corrected TGA were included. RESULTS: Two hundred and eight-five patients with transposition of the great arteries after atrial switch operation and 95 patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries were included (mean age 33 years). Systolic function of the systemic ventricle was moderately or severely reduced in 25.5 % after atrial switch operation and in 35.1% in patients with congenitally corrected transposition. Regurgitation of the systemic atrioventricular valve was present in 39.5% and 43.2% of the cases, respectively. A significant percentage of patients also had a history for supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias. However, polypharmacy of cardiovascular drugs was rare (4.5%) and 38.5 % of the patients did not take any cardiovascular medication. The amount of cardiovascular drugs taken was associated with NYHA class as well as systemic right ventricular dysfunction. Patients with congenitally corrected transposition were more likely to receive pharmacological treatment than patients after atrial switch operation. CONCLUSION: A significant portion of patients with systemic right ventricle suffer from a relevant systemic ventricular dysfunction, systemic atrioventricular valve regurgitation, and arrhythmias. Despite this, medication for heart failure treatment is not universally used in this cohort. This emphasises the need for randomised trials in patient with systemic right ventricle.

Runoff of the Tire-Wear Compound, Hexamethoxymethyl-Melamine into Urban Watersheds.

Hexamethoxymethyl-melamine (HMMM) is used as a crosslinking agent in resins and plastics and in the manufacture of tires. In the present study, surface water samples were collected from two rivers adjacent to high traffic highways in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Composite samples collected from the Don River and Highland Creek during rain events and a period of rapid snowmelt were preconcentrated using solid phase extraction and analyzed using liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Elevated concentrations (> 1 µg/L) of HMMM were detected in surface waters during rain events in October of 2019 and during snow melt in early March of 2020. There were lower average concentrations of HMMM detected during rain events in the winter and spring of 2020. Temporal profiles of changes in the concentrations of HMMM in composite samples collected every 3 h during a rain event in October 2019 closely corresponded to the hydrograph profiles at the sampling sites, with the HMMM concentrations peaking > 6 h after the peak in water levels. This work contributes to the literature showing that HMMM is a ubiquitous contaminant of urban watersheds and that runoff from roads is a vector for the transport of this compound into urban surface waters.

The Tire Wear Compounds 6PPD-Quinone and 1,3-Diphenylguanidine in an Urban Watershed.

Prompted by a recent report that 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), a by-product of a common tire manufacturing additive that is present in road runoff, is toxic to coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), extracts of water samples collected from an urban river were re-analyzed to determine if this compound was present in stormwater-influenced flows. In addition, extracts were analyzed for 1,3-diphenylguanidine (DPG), which is also used in tire manufacturing. Samples were originally collected in the fall of 2019 and winter of 2020 in the Greater Toronto Area of Canada from the Don River, a highly urbanized watershed in close proximity to several major multi-lane highways. These target compounds were analyzed using ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometric detection with parallel reaction monitoring. Both 6PPD-q and DPG were detected above limits of quantification (i.e., 0.0098 µg/L) in all extracts. Maximum concentrations for 6PPD-quinone of 2.30 ± 0.05 µg/L observed in the river during storm events exceeded the LC50 for this compound for coho salmon (i.e., > 0.8 µg/L). In composite samples collected at intervals throughout one rain event, both compounds reached peak concentrations a few hours after initiation of the event (i.e., 0.52 µg/L for DPG and 2.85 µg/L for 6PPD-q), but the concentrations of 6PPD-q remained elevated above 2 µg/L for over 10-h in the middle of the event. Estimates of cumulative loads of these compounds in composite samples indicated that kg amounts of these compounds entered the Don River during each hydrological event, and the loads were proportional to the amounts of precipitation. This study contributes to the growing literature indicating that potentially toxic tire-wear compounds are present at elevated levels and are transported via road runoff into urban surface waters during rain events.

Evidence of Microplastic Translocation in Wild-Caught Fish and Implications for Microplastic Accumulation Dynamics in Food Webs.

The presence of microplastics within the gut of animals is well documented. Whether microplastics bioaccumulate in organisms and biomagnify in food webs remains unclear and relies on the ability of microplastics to translocate to other tissues. Here, we demonstrate the widespread presence of microplastics and other anthropogenic microparticles in the gastrointestinal tract, fillet, and livers of seven species of sportfish from Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. Larger fish had a higher microplastic load compared to smaller fish, but the opposite trend was observed with translocated microplastics standardized by fish mass (i.e., smaller fish contained more translocated particles per gram wet weight than larger fish). Moreover, we observed no evidence of biomagnification as there was no significant relationship between the trophic level and total or translocated microplastics per individual. Overall, this suggests that microplastics are translocating, but that excretion of translocated particles or growth dilution may be occurring rather than bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Moreover, the assemblages of shapes and material types varied among tissues, suggesting that particle characteristics may predict biological fate. Our findings highlight the need for further work to understand the mechanisms of microplastic translocation and excretion and the implications for the dynamics of microplastics accumulation in food webs and human exposure.

Nontargeted Screening Using Gas Chromatography-Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Recent Trends and Emerging Potential.

Gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) is a powerful nontargeted screening technique that promises to accelerate the identification of environmental pollutants. Currently, most GC-HRMS instruments are equipped with electron ionization (EI), but atmospheric pressure ionization (API) ion sources have attracted renewed interest because: (i) collisional cooling at atmospheric pressure minimizes fragmentation, resulting in an increased yield of molecular ions for elemental composition determination and improved detection limits; (ii) a wide range of sophisticated tandem (ion mobility) mass spectrometers can be easily adapted for operation with GC-API; and (iii) the conditions of an atmospheric pressure ion source can promote structure diagnostic ion-molecule reactions that are otherwise difficult to perform using conventional GC-MS instrumentation. This literature review addresses the merits of GC-API for nontargeted screening while summarizing recent applications using various GC-API techniques. One perceived drawback of GC-API is the paucity of spectral libraries that can be used to guide structure elucidation. Herein, novel data acquisition, deconvolution and spectral prediction tools will be reviewed. With continued development, it is anticipated that API may eventually supplant EI as the de facto GC-MS ion source used to identify unknowns.

Characterization of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Commercial Pavement Sealcoat Products for Enhanced Source Apportionment.

Coal tar-based sealcoat (CTSC) products are an urban source of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) to the environment. However, efforts to assess the environmental fate and impacts of CTSC-derived PACs are hindered by the ubiquity of (routinely monitored) PACs released from other environmental sources. To advance source identification of CTSC-derived PACs, we use comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC × GC/HRMS) to characterize the major and minor components of CTSC products in comparison to those in other sources of PACs, viz., asphalt-based sealcoat products, diesel particulate, diesel fuel, used motor oil and roofing shingles. GC × GC/HRMS analyses of CTSC products led to the confident assignment of compounds with 88 unique elemental compositions, which includes a set of 240 individual PACs. Visualization of the resulting profiles using Kendrick mass defect plots and hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted compositional differences between the sources. Profiles of alkylated PAHs, and heteroatomic (N, O, S) PACs enabled greater specificity in source differentiation. Isomers of specific polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocycles (PANHs) were diagnostic for coal tar-derived PAC sources. The compounds identified and methods used for this identification are anticipated to aid in future efforts on risk assessment and source apportionment of PACs in environmental matrices.

Concentrations, Trends, and Air-Water Exchange of PCBs and Organochlorine Pesticides Derived from Passive Samplers in Lake Superior in 2011.

The largest fresh water body in North America, Lake Superior, has the potential to both accumulate and serve as a secondary source of persistent bioaccumulative toxins, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Polyethylene passive samplers (PEs) were thus simultaneously deployed at 19 sites in surface water and near surface atmosphere across Lake Superior to determine air and water concentrations and air-water gradients of 18 PCBs and 24 OCPs. PCBs in the air and water were characterized by penta- and hexachlorobiphenyls with distribution along the coast correlated with proximity to developed areas. Surface water and atmospheric concentrations were dominated by α-HCH (average 250 pg L-1 and 4.2 pg m-3, respectively), followed by HCB (average 17 pg L-1 and 89 pg m-3, respectively). Decreases in open lake concentrations of PCBs in water and air from spring to summer were consistent with ongoing volatilization from the surface layer as the main cause. Conversely, α-endosulfan was consistently deposited into the surface water of Lake Superior. Results indicated that PCBs were depleted in the surface mixed layer, implying a physical limit on evasive fluxes. This was corroborated with measurements from a vertical profile, displaying greater PCB concentrations at depth.

Organophosphate Ester Transport, Fate, and Emissions in Toronto, Canada, Estimated Using an Updated Multimedia Urban Model.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used as flame retardants and plasticizers, occur at relatively high concentrations in urban air and surface waters. We tested the hypothesis that some OPEs could be considered persistent and mobile organic compounds (PMOCs), using the poly parameter linear free energy relationship-modified Multimedia Urban Model (ppLFER-MUM) in Toronto, Canada, as a case study. Modeled air emissions of ∑6OPEs of 3300 (190-190 000) kg yr-1 were 10-100 times higher than emissions of polychlorinated biphenyls (∑5PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑5PBDEs). Model results suggested that measured ∑6OPE stream concentrations of ∼2000 ng L-1 originate from emissions to urban air transferred to water mostly via precipitation. Water transport removed 7-28% of total air inputs compared to 0.1-10% for PCBs and 2-10% for PBDEs. Chlorinated OPEs were efficiently transported via surface water due to their persistence and high solubility. Loadings of ∑6OPEs to Lake Ontario from wastewater treatment plants, streams, and atmospheric deposition were 70%, 18%, and 13%, respectively, of ∑6OPE loadings of 3100 (1200-45 000) kg yr-1. Our results support the hypothesis that three chlorinated OPEs, tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate phosphate (TCEP), tris(chloroisopropyl)phosphate (TCiPP), and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate (TDCiPP), fit the profile of PMOCs due to their mobility and persistence in surface waters.

Dynamics in prevalence of Down syndrome in children with congenital heart disease.

We assessed the dynamics in the prevalence of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and Down syndrome in Germany with regard to phenotype, severity, and gender. Data from patients with CHD and Down syndrome born between 1980 and 2014 were analyzed, who are registered with the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects. One thousand six hundred eighteen CHD patients with Down syndrome were identified. The prevalence of children born with both Down syndrome and CHD was constant from 2005 to 2009 but increased from 2010 to 2014. Regarding CHD groups, complex and simple lesions have become more equal since 2005. The number of simple lesions with shunt has a peak prevalence in the period of 2010-2014. Atrioventricular septal defect was the most common CHD phenotype, but temporal changes were found within the group of CHD phenotypes over the observation period. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a growing number of CHD and Down syndrome, which may be the result of improved medical management and progress in educational, social, and financial support. This development is noteworthy as it adds new aspects to present discussions in the media and political settings. What is known: • Congenital heart disease is regarded to be the most important clinical phenomenon in children with Down syndrome, due to its significant impact on morbidity and mortality. • New developments in prenatal diagnostic and therapy management of congenital heart disease continue to influence the number of patients diagnosed with congenital heart disease and Down syndrome. What is New: • This study provides essential data giving the first overview of the dynamics in the prevalence of congenital heart disease and Down syndrome over an extended length of time up to 2015 in a large patient cohort, taking recent developments into account. • Our data suggest a growing prevalence of congenital heart disease and Down syndrome, which may be the result of improved medical management for Down syndrome patients and progress in educational, social, and financial support for their families; this development is noteworthy as it adds new aspects to the present discussion in the media and political settings.

Educational level and employment status in adults with congenital heart disease.

Purpose Through this study we aimed to assess the educational level and employment status of adults with CHD in Germany. METHODS: Data were acquired from an online survey carried out in 2015 by the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects. A total of 1458 adults with CHD participated in the survey (response rate: 37.6%). For 1198 participants, detailed medical information, such as main cardiac diagnosis and information from medical reports, was available. RESULTS: Of the participants surveyed (n=1198), 54.5% (n=653) were female, and the mean age was 30 years. The majority of respondents (59.4%) stated that they had high education levels and that they were currently employed (51.1%). Patients with simple CHD had significantly higher levels of education (p<0.001) and were more likely to be employed (p=0.01) than were patients with complex CHD. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the participants had high education levels and the majority were employed. The association between CHD and its severity and individuals' educational attainment should be investigated more closely in future studies.

Silver near municipal wastewater discharges into western Lake Ontario, Canada.

Because of the widespread use of silver nanoparticles in commercial products, discharges of municipal wastewater may be a point source of silver in the aquatic environment. We monitored two sites in western Lake Ontario impacted by discharges from wastewater treatment plants serving the City of Toronto. Concentrations of silver were elevated in bottom sediments and suspended sediments collected at the two sites. We also deployed two types of passive samplers in the water column at the two sites, the newly developed Carbon Nanotube Integrative Samplers for monitoring "CNIS-labile" silver and Diffusive Gradient in Thin Film samplers for monitoring "DGT-labile" silver. Results from these passive samplers indicated that the concentrations of silver at the two sites were either below detection limits or were in the ng/L range. In laboratory experiments where the sediments were re-suspended in Milli-Q water, a small proportion of the silver (i.e., < 25%) was labile and partitioned as colloidal or dissolved silver into the liquid phase after agitation. Nanoparticles tentatively identified as silver nanoparticles were detected by single-particle ICP-MS in suspension after agitation of both suspended and bottom sediments. Therefore, there is a need to assess whether silver species, including silver nanoparticles are transported from wastewater treatment plants into sediments in the aquatic environment. This study is unique in focusing on the in situ distribution of silver in natural waters and in sediments that are potentially impacted by urban sources of nanoparticles.

Aquatic Global Passive Sampling (AQUA-GAPS) Revisited: First Steps toward a Network of Networks for Monitoring Organic Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment.

Organic contaminants, in particular persistent organic pollutants (POPs), adversely affect water quality and aquatic food webs across the globe. As of now, there is no globally consistent information available on concentrations of dissolved POPs in water bodies. The advance of passive sampling techniques has made it possible to establish a global monitoring program for these compounds in the waters of the world, which we call the Aquatic Global Passive Sampling (AQUA-GAPS) network. A recent expert meeting discussed the background, motivations, and strategic approaches of AQUA-GAPS, and its implementation as a network of networks for monitoring organic contaminants (e.g., POPs and others contaminants of concern). Initially, AQUA-GAPS will demonstrate its operating principle via two proof-of-concept studies focused on the detection of legacy and emerging POPs in freshwater and coastal marine sites using both polyethylene and silicone passive samplers. AQUA-GAPS is set up as a decentralized network, which is open to other participants from around the world to participate in deployments and to initiate new studies. In particular, participants are sought to initiate deployments and studies investigating the presence of legacy and emerging POPs in Africa, Central, and South America.

Isomers of tris(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) in technical mixtures and environmental samples.

Tris(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) is an environmentally abundant organophosphate ester (OPE). TCPP is comprised of four isomers with seven possible structures, eight CAS numbers, and even more common names. A review of 54 studies reporting one or more TCPP isomers confirmed that the most abundant and most often reported TCPP isomer was tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate, also known as tris(chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCiPP, referred to hereafter as TCPP1). Full-scan gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify the other three isomers numbered here according to their elution order on a non-polar GC column (DB-5): bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) (2-chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP2), bis(2-chloropropyl)(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate (TCPP3), and tris(2-chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP4). GC with a flame ionization detector (FID) was used to identify the relative abundances of the isomers in commercially available standards with unknown isomer composition. In technical TCPP, TCPP1-4 isomers averaged 71 ± 1, 26 ± 0.4, 3 ± 0.5, and 0.1 ± 0.02%, respectively. When these percent masses are incorporated into GC-MS quantification, response factors (RFs) for TCPP1 and TCPP2 are significantly different from TCPP3 and TCPP4, indicating that the multiple RF approach is more accurate than the commonly employed single RF method. Samples from urban streams and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent from Toronto, Canada, had isomeric ratios of TCPP1/2 that were not significantly different from a technical mixture whereas rain had a significantly different ratio indicating enrichment in the more volatile TCPP1 isomer. Reporting TCPP isomers can provide insight into sources, transport, and fate of TCPP in the environment. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.