Solid waste containing persistent organic pollutants in Serbia: From precautionary measures to the final treatment (case study).

Sustainable solid waste management needs more dedicated attention in respect of environmental and human health protection. Solid waste containing persistent organic pollutants is of special concern, since persistent organic pollutants are persistent, toxic and of high risk to human health and the environment. The objective of this investigation was to identify critical points in the Serbian system of solid waste and persistent organic pollutants management, to assure the life cycle management of persistent organic pollutants and products containing these chemicals, including prevention and final destruction. Data were collected from the Serbian competent authorities, and led us to identify preventive actions for solid waste management that should reduce or minimise release of persistent organic pollutants into the environment, and to propose actions necessary for persistent organic pollutants solid waste. The adverse impact of persistent organic pollutants is multidimensional. Owing to the lack of treatment or disposal plants for hazardous waste in Serbia, the only option at the moment to manage persistent organic pollutants waste is to keep it in temporary storage and when conditions are created (primarily financial), such waste should be exported for destruction in hazardous waste incinerators. Meanwhile, it needs to be assured that any persistent organic pollutants management activity does not negatively impact recycling flows or disturb progress towards a more circular economy in Serbia.

The socio-economic impact timeline in Serbia for persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Assessing the socio-economic impact of dangerous chemicals, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as a specific segment, includes analysis of their impacts on human health, on the environment and on local economic development. Abundant evidence of these effects of dangerous chemicals throughout the world is provided by published research. According to WHO, these chemicals cause around 4.9 million deaths (8.3%) and 86 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (5.7%) globally; according to very conservative estimates, 20% of cancer deaths are the consequence of the cancerous effects of chemicals in the work place. Their impact on economic development is manifested primarily through reduced productivity of society due to health impairment of both the population and natural resources. Specific research, the results of which are presented in this article, has been focused on the impact of POPs on human health. This impact is presented in very general terms through estimation of the monetized cost effects for treating those diseases and cancers assumed to be caused by POPs in Serbia. The cost estimation based on available data amounts to approximately € 68 million for a 5-year period.

Inhibition of AChE by malathion and some structurally similar compounds.

Inhibition of bovine erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (free and immobilized on controlled pore glass) by separate and simultaneous exposure to malathion and malathion transformation products which are generally formed during storage or through natural or photochemical degradation was investigated. Increasing concentrations of malathion, its oxidation product malaoxon, and its isomerisation product isomalathion inhibited free and immobilized AChE in a concentration-dependent manner. KI, the dissociation constant for the initial reversible enzyme inhibitor-complex, and k3, the first order rate constant for the conversion of the reversible complex into the irreversibly inhibited enzyme, were determined from the progressive development of inhibition produced by reaction of native AChE with malathion, malaoxon and isomalathion. KI values of 1.3 x 10(-4) M(-1), 5.6 x 10(-6) M(-1) and 7.2 x 10(-6)M(-1) were obtained for malathion, malaoxon and isomalathion, respectively. The IC50 values for free/immobilized AChE, (3.7 +/- 0.2) x 10(-4) M/(1.6 +/-0.1) x 10(-4), (2.4 +/- 0.3) x 10(-6)/(3.4 +/- 0.1) x 10(-6)M and (3.2 +/- 0.3) x 10(-6) M/(2.7 +/- 0.2) x 10(-6) M, were obtained from the inhibition curves induced by malathion, malaoxon and isomalathion, respectively. However, the products formed due to photoinduced degradation, phosphorodithioic O,O,S-trimethyl ester and O,O-dimethyl thiophosphate, did not noticeably affect enzymatic activity, while diethyl maleate inhibited AChE activity at concentrations > 10mM. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase increased with the time of exposure to malathion and its inhibiting by-products within the interval from 0 to 5 minutes. Through simultaneous exposure of the enzyme to malaoxon and isomalathion, an additive effect was achieved for lower concentrations of the inhibitors (in the presence of malaoxon/isomalathion at concentrations 2 x 10(-7) M/2 x 10(-7) M, 2 x 10(-7) M/3 x 10(-7)M and 2 x 10(-7) M/4.5 x 109-7) M), while an antagonistic effect was obtained for all higher concentrations of inhibitors. The presence of a non-inhibitory degradation product (phosphorodithioic O,O,S-trimethyl ester) did not affect the inhibition efficiencies of the malathion by-products, malaoxon and isomalathion.

Prevention and recovery of (mu(3)-diethylentriamino)-chloro-palladium(II)-chloride induced inhibition of Na/K-ATPase by SH containing ligands--L-cysteine and glutathione.

The effect of (mu(3)-diethylentriamino)-chloro-palladium(II)-chloride ([PdCl(dien)]Cl) on the activity of Na/K-ATPase from porcine cerebral cortex was studied in vitro, in the absence and presence of -SH containing ligands L-cysteine and glutathione (GSH). The aim of the study was to elucidate the mechanism of [PdCl(dien)](+) induced inhibition of the enzyme activity and to examine the ability of thiols to prevent and recover the inhibition. The coordinative interaction between [PdCl(dien)](+) and enzyme was verified by UV and (1)H NMR spectra. The semblance in the changes in absorption spectra of [PdCl(dien)](+) in the presence of Na/K-ATPase and thiols (L-cysteine and GSH) suggested that the complex ion interacts with enzymatic sulfhydryl groups. [PdCl(dien)](+) inhibited the enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. The Hill analysis of the inhibition curve yielded the half-maximum inhibitory activity value, IC(50)=1.21 x 10(-4)M, and Hill coefficient, n=0.7, suggesting the negative cooperation for binding of [PdCl(dien)](+) to the enzyme. Dependence of the initial reaction rate on the concentration of MgATP(2-) exhibited typical Michelis-Menten kinetics in the absence and presence of the inhibitor. Kinetic analysis showed that [PdCl(dien)](+) inhibited Na/K-ATPase by reducing the maximum reaction rate (V(max)), rather than changing the affinity to the substrate (K(m)). Kinetic parameters derived using Lineweaver-Burk transformation of experimental data indicated the non-competitive nature of Na/K-ATPase inhibition. The inhibitory constant, K(i)=1.05 x 10(-4)M, was determined from secondary replot of Lineweaver-Burk graph, and correlated with stability constants of [Pd(dien)(thiol)] complexes. 1 x 10(-3)M L-cysteine or GSH prevented the enzyme inhibition induced by Pd(II) complex cation when present below 1 x 10(-4)M. The both thiols completely reversed the inhibited activity in the concentration dependent manner, due to the complex formation with [PdCl(dien)](+).

Evaluation of photochemical degradation of digoxin by Na,K-ATPase assay.

A simple Na,K-ATPase assay is described as a suitable method for testing of digoxin photodegradation. The exposure of Na,K-ATPase to the photodegraded samples exhibited reduced inhibition of the enzyme, compared to the unirradiated samples containing equal initial concentrations of drug. The degree of inhibition was dependent on the irradiation time. The concentrations of digoxin in irradiated samples were evaluated by HPLC analysis. Excellent agreement of the results obtained by both methods was observed. The investigation of the influence of irradiated samples on Na,K-ATPase inhibition revealed no side products acting as Na,K-ATPase inhibitors. The cytokinesis block micronucleus test (CBMN) was applied in order to investigate the cytotoxicity of the possible degradation products after exposure to UV irradiation. The results confirmed that the photochemical treatment did not induce the cytotoxic side products. Zero order kinetics, which was observed for digoxin photodegradation and the associated reaction mechanism are also discussed.

Interaction of some Pd(II) complexes with Na+ / K+-ATPase: inhibition, kinetics, prevention and recovery.

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of [PdCl4]2-, [PdCl(dien)]+ and [PdCl(Me4dien)]+ complexes on Na+ / K+-ATPase activity. The dose-dependent inhibition curves were obtained in all cases. IC50 values determined by Hill analysis were 2.25 x 10(-5) M, 1.21 x 10(-4) M and 2.36 x 10(-4) M, respectively. Na+ / K+-ATPase exhibited typical Michelis-Menten kinetics in the presence of Pd(II) complexes. Kinetic parameters (Vmax, Km) derived using Eadie-Hofstee transformation indicated a noncompetitive type of Na+ / K+-ATPase inhibition. The inhibitor constants (Ki) were determined from Dixon plots. The order of complex affinity for binding with Na+ / K+-ATPase, deducted from Ki values, was [PdCl4]2- > [PdCl(dien)]+ > [PdCl(Me4dien)]+. The results indicated that the potency of Pd(II) complexes to inhibit Na+/ K +-ATPase activity depended strongly on ligands of the related compound. Furthermore, the ability of SH-donor ligands, L-cysteine and glutathione, to prevent and recover the Pd(II) complexes-induced inhibition of Na+ / K+-ATPase was examined. The addition of 1 mM L-cysteine or glutathione to the reaction mixture before exposure to Pd(II) complexes prevented the inhibition by increasing the IC50 values by one order of magnitude. Moreover, the inhibited enzymatic activity was recovered by addition of SH-donor ligands in a concentration-dependent manner.

The influence of potassium ion (K+) on digoxin-induced inhibition of porcine cerebral cortex Na+ / K+-ATPase.

The in vitro influence of potassium ion modulations, in the concentration range 2 mM-500 mM, on digoxin-induced inhibition of porcine cerebral cortex Na+ / K+-ATPase activity was studied. The response of enzymatic activity in the presence of various K+ concentrations to digoxin was biphasic, thereby, indicating the existence of two Na+ / K+-ATPase isoforms, differing in the affinity towards the tested drug. Both isoforms showed higher sensitivity to digoxin in the presence of K+ ions below 20 mM in the medium assay. The IC50 values for high/low isoforms 2.77 x 10(-6) M / 8.56 x 10(-5) M and 7.06 x 10(-7) M / 1.87 x 10(-5) M were obtained in the presence of optimal (20 mM) and 2 mM K+, respectively. However, preincubation in the presence of elevated K+ concentration (50-500 mM) in the medium assay prior to Na+ / K+-ATPase exposure to digoxin did not prevent the inhibition, i.e. IC50 values for both isoforms was the same as in the presence of the optimal K+ concentration. On the contrary, addition of 200 mM K+ into the medium assay after 10 minutes exposure of Na+ / K+-ATPase to digoxin, showed a time-dependent recovery effect on the inhibited enzymatic activity. Kinetic analysis showed that digoxin inhibited Na+ / K+-ATPase by reducing maximum enzymatic velocity (Vmax) and Km, implying an uncompetitive mode of interaction.

Inhibition of Na+/K(+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase by metal ions and prevention and recovery of inhibited activities by chelators.

Kinetics and inhibition of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase activity from rat synaptic plasma membrane (SPM), by separate and simultaneous exposure to transition (Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Fe(2+) and Co(2+)) and heavy metals (Hg(2+) and Pb(2+)) ions were studied. All investigated metals produced a larger maximum inhibition of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase than Mg(2+)-ATPase activity. The free concentrations of the key species (inhibitor, MgATP(2-), MeATP(2-)) in the medium assay were calculated and discussed. Simultaneous exposure to the combinations Cu(2+)/Fe(2+) or Hg(2+)/Pb(2+) caused additive inhibition, while Cu(2+)/Zn(2+) or Fe(2+)/Zn(2+) inhibited Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity synergistically (i.e., greater than the sum metal-induced inhibition assayed separately). Simultaneous exposure to Cu(2+)/Fe(2+) or Cu(2+)/Zn(2+) inhibited Mg(2+)-ATPase activity synergistically, while Hg(2+)/Pb(2+) or Fe(2+)/Zn(2+) induced antagonistic inhibition of this enzyme. Kinetic analysis showed that all investigated metals inhibited Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity by reducing the maximum velocities (V(max)) rather than the apparent affinity (Km) for substrate MgATP(2-), implying the noncompetitive nature of the inhibition. The incomplete inhibition of Mg(2+)-ATPase activity by Zn(2+), Fe(2+) and Co(2+) as well as kinetic analysis indicated two distinct Mg(2+)-ATPase subtypes activated in the presence of low and high MgATP(2-) concentration. EDTA, L-cysteine and gluthathione (GSH) prevented metal ion-induced inhibition of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase with various potencies. Furthermore, these ligands also reversed Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity inhibited by transition metals in a concentration-dependent manner, but a recovery effect by any ligand on Hg(2+)-induced inhibition was not obtained.

Effects of digoxin and gitoxin on the enzymatic activity and kinetic parameters of Na+/K+-ATPase.

Inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase activity from human erythrocyte membranes and commercial porcine cerebral cortex by in vitro single and simultaneous exposure to digoxin and gitoxin was investigated to elucidate the difference in the mechanism of the enzyme inhibition by structurally different cardiac glycosides. The drugs exerted a biphasic dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the enzyme activity in both tissues, supporting the existence of two sensitive Na+/K+-ATPase isoforms. The IC50 values for the low and high affinity isoforms were calculated from the inhibition curves using mathematical analysis. The Hill coefficient (n) fulfilled the relationship 1 < n < 3, suggesting cooperative binding of inhibitors to the enzyme. Kinetic analysis showed that digoxin and gitoxin inhibited Na+/K+-ATPase by reducing the maximum enzymatic velocity (Vmax) and Km, implying an uncompetitive mode of interaction. Both the isoforms were always more sensitive to gitoxin. The erythrocyte enzyme was more sensitive to the inhibitors in the range of low concentrations but the commercial cerebral cortex enzyme exerted a higher sensitivity in high inhibitors affinity concentration range. By simultaneous exposure of the enzyme to digoxin and gitoxin in combinations a synergistic effect was achieved by low inhibitor concentrations. An antagonistic effect was obtained with erythrocyte membrane enzyme at high inhibitors concentration.