The harmful effects of acute PM2.5 exposure to the heart and a novel preventive and therapeutic function of CEOs.

Epidemiological researches have demonstrated the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and increased morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular injury. However, no effective therapeutic method was established. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of acute PM2.5 exposure on the mice heart tissue and explore the therapeutic effects of compound essential oils (CEOs) in this model. In this study, after mice were exposed to PM2.5 intratracheally, some obvious histopathological changes as well as some great alterations of proinflammatory cytokines were observed in the heart tissue. The imbalance of oxidative stress, the altered Ca2+ channel related proteins and the increased intracellular free Ca2+ were all involved in the heart impairment and would also be investigated in this model. The CEOs alleviated the heart impairment via its antioxidant effect rather than its anti-inflammatory function because our results revealed that oxidative stress related indicators were restored after CEOs administration. At the same time, increased concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ and ROS induced by PM2.5 were reduced after NAC (N-Acetyl-L-cysteine) administration. These data suggested that the acute PM2.5 exposure would damage heart tissue by inducing the inflammatory response, oxidative stress and intracellular free Ca2+ overload. PM2.5-induced oxidative stress probably increase intracellular free Ca2+ via RYR2 and SERCA2a. CEOs have the potential to be a novel effective and convenient therapeutic method to prevent and treat the acute heart impairment induced by PM2.5 via its antioxidant function.

The Kidney Injury Induced by Short-Term PM2.5 Exposure and the Prophylactic Treatment of Essential Oils in BALB/c Mice.

PM2.5 is well known as a major environmental pollutant; it has been proved to be associated with kidney diseases. The kidney damage involves oxidative stress and/or inflammatory response. NOX4 is a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the kidney, and the excessive generation of ROS is recognized to be responsible for oxidative stress. To elucidate whether short-term PM2.5 exposure could induce kidney damage, we exposed BALB/c mice to PM2.5 intratracheally and measured the biomarkers of kidney injury (KIM-1, cystatin C), oxidative stress (MDA, SOD-1, and HO-1), and inflammatory response (NF-κB, TNF-α). Acute kidney damage and excessive oxidative stress as well as transient inflammatory response were observed after PM2.5 installation. The overexpression of some components of the angiotensin system (RAS) after PM2.5 exposure illustrated that RAS may be involved in PM2.5-induced acute kidney injury. CEOs (compound essential oils) have been widely used because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties. Treatment with CEOs substantially attenuated PM2.5-induced acute kidney injury. The suppression of RAS activation was significant and earlier than the decrease of oxidative stress and inflammatory response after CEOs treatment. We hypothesized that CEOs could attenuate the acute kidney injury by suppressing the RAS activation and subsequently inhibit the oxidative stress and inflammatory response.

Liver injury induced in Balb/c mice by PM2.5 exposure and its alleviation by compound essential oils.

Accumulating evidence has suggested a strong link between exposure to air pollution and public health. In particular, inhaled airborne particulate matter <2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) can rapidly diffuse from the lungs to the systemic blood circulation and accumulate in the liver. In this study, we used a Balb/c mouse model to investigate liver injury caused by PM2.5 inhalation and the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of compound essential oils (CEOs) in alleviating the extent of this injury. The results of serum biochemical and histopathological analyses showed that PM2.5 exposure induced inflammatory liver injury, meantime CEOs pretreatment attenuated PM2.5-induced liver inflammatory injury. Western blot and qRT-PCR assays showed that PM2.5 increased secretion of cytokines, however CEOs suppressed the production of IL-6 and TNF-α. Furthermore, heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) and superoxide dismutase-1(SOD-1) expression levels showed that PM2.5 could trigger oxidative stress-mediated liver injury, whereas CEOs pretreatment might protect against PM2.5-induced liver injury through regulation of the antioxidant system. Molecular analysis showed that the expression of TLR4, a protein which plays a key role in liver health and injury. Results showed that TLR4 was promoted by PM2.5 but inhibited by CEOs pretreatment in PM2.5-induced inflammatory liver injury. In addition, PM2.5-promoted secretion of cytokines by activating TLR4/MyD88 pathway, whereas CEOs might alleviate this type of liver inflammation inhibiting the activation of TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway.

Treatment of PAH-contaminated soil using cement-activated persulfate.

In this study, a novel method for the treatment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon -contaminated soil using cement-activated persulfate was developed. The removal of PAHs in soil rose with increasing initial persulfate concentration, initial Portland cement (PC) concentration, and oxidation reaction time. At an initial persulfate and PC concentration of 19.20 mmol/kg and 10% of soil weight and a reaction time of 2 h, the removal rate of PAHs reached 57.3%. Residual PAHs were mainly adsorbed within the soil granules and thus became less available. The mechanism of PC facilitating the oxidation reaction was that PC addition can increase the pH and temperature of the system. When the soil was stabilized/solidified by 10% of PC, the leaching concentration of PAHs and TOC was significantly higher than that leached from untreated soil. Persulfate oxidation decreased the leaching concentration of PAHs but increased the leaching concentration of TOC in solidification/stabilization products. The addition of activated carbon can decrease the leaching concentrations of both PAHs and TOC. Freeze-thaw durability tests revealed that the leachability of PAHs was not affected by freeze-thaw cycles. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of treated soil samples after 12 freeze-thaw cycles was only 49.0% of that curing for 52 days, but the UCS was still > 1 MPa. The treated soil samples can resist disintegration during the process of freeze-thaw cycles.

The acute airway inflammation induced by PM2.5 exposure and the treatment of essential oils in Balb/c mice.

PM2.5 is the main particulate air pollutant whose aerodynamic diameter is less than 2.5 micron. The inflammation of various respiratory diseases are associated with PM2.5 inhalation. Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß generated from effected cells usually plays a crucial role in many kinds of lung inflammatory reactions. The exacerbation of Th immune responses are identified in some PM2.5 related diseases. To elucidate the underlying mechanism of PM2.5-induced acute lung inflammation, we exposed Balb/c mice to PM2.5 intratracheally and established a mice model. Acute lung inflammation and increased IL-1ß expression was observed after PM2.5 instillation. Regulatory factors of IL-1ß (TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome) participated in this lung inflammatory response as well. Treatment with compound essential oils (CEOs) substantially attenuated PM2.5-induced acute lung inflammation. The decreased IL-1ß and Th immune responses after CEOs treatment were significant. PM2.5 may increase the secretion of IL-1ß through TLR4/MyD88 and NLRP3 pathway resulting in murine airway inflammation. CEOs could attenuate the lung inflammation by reducing IL-1ß and Th immune responses in this model. This study describes a potentially important mechanism of PM2.5-induced acute lung inflammation and that may bring about novel therapies for the inflammatory diseases associated with PM2.5 inhalation.

Effect of ferrous sulfate and nitrohumic acid neutralization on the leaching of metals from a combined bauxite residue.

Bauxite residue neutralization is intended to open opportunities for revegetation and reuse of the residue. Ferrous sulfate (FS) and nitrohumic acid (NA) were two kinds of materials studied for pH reduction of the residue from 10.6 to 8.3 and 8.1, respectively. The effects of FS and NA on the leaching of metals from a combined bauxite residue were investigated by using sequential and multiple extraction procedures. Neutralization with FS and NA restricted the leaching of Al, V, and Pb from the residue but promoted the leaching of Fe, Cu, Mn, and Ni, consistent with the changes in the potentially mobile fractions. With the exceptions of Pb and Ni, leaching of metals increased during a 10-day extraction period. However, the maximum leaching of Al, V, Pb, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Ni from neutralized bauxite residue were 0.46 mg/L, 59.3, 12.9, 167, 95.3, 15.5, and 14.5 µg/L, respectively, which were under the corresponding limits in the National Standard (GB/T 14848-93). Although it is necessary to consider the continued leaching of metals during neutralization, both maximum and accumulation leaching concentrations of metals from a combined bauxite residue were too low to pose a potential environmental risk.

Protective effects of lemongrass essential oil against benzo(a)pyrene-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in human embryonic lung fibroblast cells.

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was a well-known environmental pollutant, numerous studies had implicated BaP as a causative agent in human cancer, particularly lung cancer. The lemongrass essential oil (LEO) possessed various pharmacological activities, especially the anti-oxidative stress and cancer prevention. In the current study, human embryonic lung fibroblast (HELF) cells were treated with 25 mM BaP in the absence or presence of 0.5%, 1% or 2.5% LEO and the cell viability and levels of oxidative stress (OS) and DNA damage in the cells were then measured. Nineteen chemical constituents were identified in LEO, with citral being the main component, representing about 68.78%. LEO was able to protect the HELF cells against BaP-induced loss in cell viability, achieving a maximum of 95.58% cell viability at the 0.5% concentration. Treatment of HELF cells with BaP alone significantly increased the level of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). However, these effects were suppressed when the cells were also treated with LEO, leading to enhanced levels of SOD and CAT activities (2.9- and 2-fold, respectively, compared with BaP treatment only) and reduced the level of MDA in the cells (43% reduction in malondialdehyde level). At the same time, LEO also reduced the level of DNA damage, as shown by a reduced level of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Taken together, the results showed that LEO offered protection against BaP-induced OS and DNA damage, suggesting that LEO could be a promising agent for lung cancer chemoprevention.

Petroleum contamination of soil and water, and their effects on vegetables by statistically analyzing entire data set.

Aliphatic hydrocarbons have been used to assess total oil concentrations, petroleum sources, and petroleum degradation. In this study, surface soil, groundwater, surface water, and vegetables were collected from the outskirts of Xi'an, the largest city in northwestern China, and the samples were analyzed for aliphatic hydrocarbon contents. The concentrations of n-alkanes were 1.06-4.01 µg/g in the soil. The concentrations and the geochemical characteristics of n-alkanes showed that the low carbon number hydrocarbons were mainly from petroleum sources, whereas the high carbon number hydrocarbons received more hydrocarbons from herbaceous plants. The concentrations of n-alkanes were 9.20-93.44 µg/L and 23.74-118.27 µg/L in the groundwater and the surface water, respectively. The water had characteristics of petroleum and submerged/floating macrophytes and was found in concentrations that would cause chronic disruption of sensitive organisms. The concentrations and geochemical characteristics of n-alkanes in Brassica chinensis L. and Apium graveolens were different, but both were contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. The results from principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the sorption of n-alkanes to soil particles could not be described by linear models. The distributions of n-alkanes in vegetables were positively correlated with those in soil, and the correlation coefficient was up to 0.9310 using the constructed vectors. Therefore, the researchers should pay close attention to the effect of soil contamination on vegetables.

[Fractal characteristics of capillary finger flow for NAPLs infiltrated in porous media].

Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) like petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents have resulted in contamination of soils and ground water, which aroused widespread concern. It's quite important to delineate pollution area for remediation according to different soil types with pollutants properties in consideration. In this paper, a two-dimension visual sand box apparatus was constructed, with four typical NAPLs selected for infiltration experiments conducted in initially dry porous media. The main driving force was identified and fingering patterns were compared. The fractal dimension was used to give quantitative description. The present work indicates that the main driving force was capillary forces and the mechanism was the capillary fingering. The fingers varied from skeletal patterns to fleshy patterns and the infiltration area increased when the capillary number and the bond number decreased for NAPLs with the same level of viscosity. The high viscous force resulted in larger finger width and infiltration area. The same change between fluids happened in finer media. Fractal dimensions were positively correlated with the finger width and infiltration area, which is helpful in the pollution area characterization.

Occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in organo-mineral particles of alluvial sandy soil profiles at a petroleum-contaminated site.

The occurrence and the distribution of 16 USEPA priority pollutants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in two alluvial sandy soil profiles and in their four sizes of organo-mineral particles (<2 µm clay, 2-20 µm silt, 20-200 µm fine sand, and >200 µm coarse sand) beside a typical oil sludge storage site in eastern China. PAHs were mainly enriched in the surface soil (0-20 cm) and the concentrations declined in deeper soils, from 3.68 to 0.128 µg/g in profile 1 and 10.8 to 0.143 µg/g in profile 2 (dry wt.). The PAHs in the upper soil layers of this study site mainly came from combustion pollution, whereas in the lower soil layers petroleum contamination became the major source of PAHs. The content of different sized organo-mineral particles of this alluvial sandy soil decreased in the following order: fine sand>coarse sand>silt>clay. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that all the different sized soil fractions of this study site were dominated by quartz, calcite and feldspar. The particle surface became smoother with size increasing as shown by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. PAH concentrations varied largely in different sized soil fractions. The highest PAH concentration was associated with clay and decreased in the order: clay>silt>coarse sand>fine sand. Soil organic matter (SOM) content, mineral composition and particle surface characteristics were suggested as three main factors affecting the distribution of PAHs in different sized organo-mineral particles. This study will help to understand the distribution and transport characteristics of PAHs in soil profiles at petroleum-contaminated sites.

Characterization of contamination, source and degradation of petroleum between upland and paddy fields based on geochemical characteristics and phospholipid fatty acids.

To evaluate contamination caused by petroleum, surface soil samples were collected from both upland and paddy fields along the irrigation canals in the Hunpu wastewater irrigation region in northeast China. N-alkanes, terpanes, steranes, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) in the surface soil samples were analyzed. The aliphatic hydrocarbon concentration was highest in the samples obtained from the upland field near an operational oil well; it was lowest at I-3P where wastewater irrigation promoted the downward movement of hydrocarbons. The Hunpu region was found contaminated by heavy petroleum from oxic lacustrine fresh water or marine deltaic source rocks. Geochemical parameters also indicated significantly heavier contamination and degradation in the upland fields compared with the paddy fields. Principal component analysis based on PLFA showed various microbial communities between petroleum contaminated upland and paddy fields. Gram-negative bacteria indicated by 15:0, 3OH 12:0, and 16:1(9) were significantly higher in the paddy fields, whereas Gram-positive bacteria indicated by i16:0 and 18:1(9)c were significantly higher in the upland fields (p < 0.05). These PLFAs were related to petroleum contamination. Poly-unsaturated PLFA (18:2omega6, 9; indicative of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and fungi) was also significantly elevated in the upland fields. This paper recommends more sensitive indicators of contamination and degradation of petroleum in soil. The results also provide guidelines on soil pollution control and remediation in the Hunpu region and other similar regions.

[Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils by cold-adapted microorganisms: research advance].

Cold-adapted microorganisms such as psychrotrophs and psychrophiles widely exist in the soils of sub-Arctic, Arctic, Antarctic, alpine, and high mountains, being the important microbial resources for the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons at low temperature. Using the unique advantage of cold-adapted microorganisms to the bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in low temperature region has become a research hotspot. This paper summarized the category and cold-adaptation mechanisms of the microorganisms able to degrade petroleum hydrocarbon at low temperature, biodegradation characteristics and mechanisms of different petroleum fractions under the action of cold-adapted microorganisms, bio-stimulation techniques for improving biodegradation efficiency, e. g., inoculating petroleum-degrading microorganisms and adding nutrients or bio-surfactants, and the present status of applying molecular biotechnology in this research field, aimed to provide references to the development of bioremediation techniques for petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.

Ecotoxicity assessment of aged petroleum sludge using a suite of effects-based end points in earthworm Eisenia fetida.

Laboratory investigations were conducted to test the toxicity of aged petroleum sludge collected from Shengli Oil Field, the second largest oilfield in China, to earthworm Eisenia fetida. Various end points were measured in the earthworms, including mortality, growth, cocoon output, juvenile production, and avoidance behavioral response, to determine their comparative sensitivity for assessing harmful effects of petroleum-hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. The results showed that all these assays responded in a concentration-dependent manner, and two chronic end points, juvenile production and cocoon output, as well as avoidance behavioral response appeared to be sensitive end points for detecting toxicity of petroleum-hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Comparatively, juvenile production exhibited similar sensitivity to avoidance behavior response, both of which were more sensitive than cocoon output, while mortality and adult growth were proposed as the least sensitive parameters. It was suggested that large amounts of petroleum sludge deposited in Shengli Oil Field may pose a potential threat to the local ecosystem, and the utility of multiple effects-based end points in earthworm E. fetida is useful to facilitate ecological risk assessments in hydrocarbon-contaminated sites.

The development of a method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of petroleum hydrocarbon components using thin-layer chromatography with flame ionization detection.

An analytical scheme to determine groups of petroleum hydrocarbon compounds in crude oil was developed and used for the qualitative and quantitative characterization of crude oil samples from the Shengli oilfield, the second largest oilfield in China. Crude oil samples were fractionated and analyzed by thin-layer chromatography with flame ionization detection (TLC-FID). Relative standard deviation (RSD) values for retention time, peak height and half peak width were less than 5.2% for all classes of compounds, based on nine independent replicates. The crude oil light fraction was further analyzed by GC-MS and the majority of identified compounds were methyl- or hydro-derivatives of long-chain hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds. The external standard method used in the present study can lower detection limits of petroleum hydrocarbon compound classes to 20.0 mg L(-1), and the crude oil concentration in the range of 30 and 35,000 mg L(-1) has a high linear correlation (r(2)>0.97, P<0.05) with peak area. A comparison between elution chromatography (EC) and TLC-FID regarding the recovery of petroleum hydrocarbon compounds was carried out with aged crude oil contaminated soils of 50, 80, 200 and 300 mg g(-1). The tested TLC-FID method showed a 10% higher recovery for total extractable materials than the reference EC method. The calibration factor was fraction-dependent and varied with the recovery rate of TLC/EC. Regarding the tested extraction procedures, accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) had a higher extraction efficiency for crude oil contaminated soils than Soxhlet and ultrasonic extractions.

Structures of new phenolic glycosides from the seeds of Cucurbita moschata.

A new phenolic glycoside and three known compounds were isolated from the seeds of Cucurbita moschata. The structures of the new compound was elucidated as phenylcarbinyl 5-O-(4-hydroxy)benzoyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl (1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence. Three known compounds were identified as 1-O-benzyl[5-O-benzoyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside 2, cucurbitosides C 3 and A 4, by comparison of the spectral data with reported data. Compound 2 was isolated from this plant for the first time.

New phenolic glycosides from the seeds of Cucurbita moschata.

Two new phenolic glycosides were isolated from the seeds of Cucurbita moschata. Their structures were elucidated as (2-hydroxy)phenylcarbinyl 5-O-benzoyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 4-beta-D-(glucopyranosyl hydroxymethyl)phenyl 5-O-benzoyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.

[Monosaccharide composition analysis and its content determination of polysaccharides from Rhaponticum uniforum].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the monosaccharide composition in the polysaccharides from Rhaponticum uniforum, determine the content of monosaccharide, and provide some references for further research. METHOD: The monosaccharide composition was determined by high performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD). Phenol-sulfuric acid method was used for the determination of the content of polysaccharide. RESULT: The monosaccharides composition in polysaccharides from R. uniforum are glucose, arabonose and fructose. Their molar ratios are 1 : 1.61 : 2.21. The content of polysaccharide is 95.78%, taking the mixture of monosaccharide compositions as reference substances. CONCLUSION: HPAEC-PAD can be used to analyze the monosaccharide composition in the polysaccharide with high precision, and the method of phenol-sulfuric acid is simple, convenient and reliable.

Filtration by a novel nanofiber membrane and alumina adsorption to remove copper(II) from groundwater.

The elevated level of heavy metals in groundwater poses a substantial risk potentially to local resource users and the natural environment. Micellar-enhanced filtration (MEF) and alumina adsorption are considered from the viewpoint of copper(II) removal in groundwater, by taking copper(II) as an example. In MEF, copper(II) cations are collected electrostatically on micelles of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and separated from the mother liquor by filtration using a novel nanofiber membrane prepared from chloridized polyvinyl chloride by high-voltage electrospinning process. After MEF with 10-layer filtration and SDBS concentration of 5 mmol/L, the removal of copper(II) in groundwater is above 70%. However, the final solution contains a large amount of surfactant causing serious second contamination in groundwater. This problem is overcome by alumina adsorption, where negatively charged surfactants are adsorbed on positively charged alumina particles and then recovered by conventional filtration. The hybrid process of MEF and alumina adsorption is successfully applied to removing almost 100% of copper(II) from groundwater. Finally, the characterization of the membrane and filtration mechanism are presented here.

[Effects of Rhaponticum uniforum polysaccharide on immune response of mice after antigen stimulation and their possible mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Rhaponticum uniforum polysaccharide on immune function in normal mice and the underlying mechanism. METHOD: SRBC and ovalbumin were employed as antigens to be injected to mice, respectively. Three doses of R. uniforum polysaccharide (50, 100, 200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) were given orally for seven days. After the secondary immunization, the level of corresponding antibody and the concentration of serum IL-2, IFN-gamma were determined. RESULT: The levels of antibodies (anti-SRBC and anti-ovalbumin) and cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) in median dose group of R. uniforum polysaccharide were all significantly higher than those in control groups (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: R. uniforum polysaccharide could enhance the immune function in normal mice.