Microplastic ingestion from atmospheric deposition during dining/drinking activities.

Human-health risks from microplastics have attracted considerable attention, but little is known about human-exposure pathways and intensities. Recent studies posited that inhalation of atmospheric microplastics was the dominant human-exposure pathway. Herein, our study identified that atmospheric microplastics ingested from deposition during routine dining/drinking activities represent another important exposure pathway. We measured abundances of atmospheric-deposited microplastics of up to 105 items m-2 d-1 in dining/drinking venues, with 90% smaller than 100 µm and a dominance of amorphous fragments rather than fibers. Typical work-life scenarios projected an annual ingestion of 1.9 × 105 to 1.3 × 106 microplastics through atmospheric deposition on diet, with higher exposure rates for indoor versus outdoor dining/drinking settings. Ingestion of atmospheric-deposited microplastics through diet was similar in magnitude to presumed inhalation exposure, but 2-3 orders of magnitude greater than direct ingestion from food sources. Simple mitigation strategies (e.g., covering and rinsing dishware) can substantially reduce the exposure of atmospheric deposition microplastics through diet.

Edaravone attenuates traumatic brain injury through anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative modulation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is among the leading causes of irreversible neurological damage and death worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether edaravone (EDA) had a neuroprotective effect on TBI as well as to identify the potential mechanism. Results demonstrated that EDA suppressed inflammatory and oxidative responses in mice following TBI. This was evidenced by a reduction in glutathione peroxidase, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α and hydrogen peroxide levels, in addition to an increase in hemeoxygenase-1, quinone oxidoreductase 1 and superoxide dismutase levels, thereby mitigating neurofunctional deficits, cell apoptosis and structural damage. EDA prevented the transfer of NF-κB protein from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, whilst promoting the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein in mice following TBI. These results indicated that EDA exerted neuroprotective effects, including impeding neurofunctional deficits, cell apoptosis and structural damage, in mice with TBI, potentially via suppression of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory activation and promotion of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway.

Correction to: Isoliquiritigenin Provides Protection and Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Injuries via the Nrf2-ARE Signaling Pathway After Traumatic Brain Injury.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The Fluorescence Immunoassays text written in Materials and Methods section and Fig. 1i, j is incorrect. In Fig. 1j, the images corresponding to Sham and TBI + ILG are incorrect. In Fig. 1i the figure caption "TBI + EDA" are incorrect. The corrected text and Fig. 1i, j are given below.

Isoliquiritigenin Provides Protection and Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Injuries via the Nrf2-ARE Signaling Pathway After Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health and medical problem worldwide. Oxidative stress plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of TBI. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an important factor in the cellular defense against oxidative stress, is activated following TBI. In this study, the protective effects of Isoliquiritigenin (ILG), a promising antioxidant stress drug, was evaluated as a protective agent against TBI. In a mouse model of controlled cortical impact Injury, we found that the ILG administration reduced the Garcia neuroscore, injury histopathology, brain water content, cerebral vascular permeability, the expression of cleaved caspase3, aquaporin-4, glial fibrillary acidic protein and the increased the expression of neurofilament light chain protein, indicating the protective effects against TBI in vivo. ILG treatment after TBI also restored the oxidative stress and promoted the Nrf2 protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. We then used Nrf2-/- mice to test the protective effect of Nrf2 during ILG treatment of TBI. Our findings indicated that Nrf2-/- mice had greater brain injury and oxidative stress than wild-type (WT) mice and ILG was less effective at inhibiting oxidative stress and repairing the brain injury than in the WT mice. In vitro studies in SY5Y cells under oxygen glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation stimulation yielded results that were consistent with those obtained in vivo showing that ILG promotes Nrf2 protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that Nrf2 is an important protective factor against TBI-induced injuries, which indicates that the protective effects of ILG are mediated by inhibiting oxidative stress after TBI via a mechanism that involves the promotion of Nrf2 protein transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus.

[Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorescence Spectra Characteristics of DOM in Integrated Verical Flow Constructed Wetland for Treating Eutrophic Water].

Three-dimensional fluorescence parameters can reflect classification, properties and content change of pollutants in wastewater treatment. In the present paper, by using three-dimensional fluorescence characteristic analysis, comparative analysis of conventional organic pollutants such as COD, TN and TP, and three dimensional fluorescence spectrum analysis, the classification and content of dissolved organic pollutants were identified. We studied fluorescence spectra, fluorescence peak (R. U.), fluorescence index (FI), humification index (HIX) of DOM's four components in the entrance and effluent water and interstitial water, as well as the correlation between these four components and COD, TN and TP. The results showed that the position and intensity of the characteristic fluorescence peak center changed significantly before and after sewage treatment, indicating that the relative composition and content of the organic wastewater varied with wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the test results presented that humic-like composition was not degraded significantly, while protein-like composition was degraded significantly. And the protein-like component and COD, TN and TP presented significant positive correlation. This paper analyzed the fluorescence characteristics changes of dissolved organic matter in sewage treatment by using three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometry, and discussed the feasibility of three-dimensional fluorescence technique applied for description of dissolved organic pollutant degradation rule in the wastewater treatment process.

Degradation of two fluoroquinolone antibiotics photoinduced by Fe(III)-microalgae suspension in an aqueous solution.

The widespread presence of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs) in natural ecosystems is a health hazard for humans and other living organisms. In this work, the photochemical degradation process of two antibiotics in the presence of Fe(III) and marine microalgae has been studied. Two fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotics, enrofloxacin (ENR) and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP), and two marine microalgae, Platymonas subcordiformis and Isochrysis galbana, were investigated under irradiation with a high-pressure mercury lamp (HPML) in a laboratory-scale experiment. The effects of the initial concentration of antibiotics on the degradation of these two FQs in Fe(III)-algae suspensions were also investigated. On the basis of the information in this study, compared to other systems, the efficiency of photo-degradation of the two FQs is better at lower FQ concentrations in the Fe(III)-algae system. Moreover, the low initial concentration of antibiotics benefits the photochemical process of antibiotics. This work demonstrated that the Fe(III)-algae system is an interesting and valuable research area and could be considered as a promising photochemical system for seawater remediation.

Influence of operating conditions on extracellular polymeric substances and surface properties of sludge flocs.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) originating from the metabolism or lysis of microorganisms play important roles in biological wastewater treatment. It is necessary to understand the correlation between EPSs and the reactor operation and sludge-retention time (SRT) of the activated-sludge process to gain efficient operational strategies. Laboratory-scale completely mixed activated-sludge processes were used to grow the activated sludge with starch or glucose. Two modes of reactor operation, the S-mode and B-mode, were investigated. The results showed that polysaccharides and proteins were the main constituents in the EPSs. The percentage of polysaccharides (PSs) and proteins (PNs) in the loosely bound EPSs (LB-EPSs) and tightly bound EPSs (TB-EPSs) were 18-90% and 18-85%, respectively. The LB-EPS content was related to the operation modes and SRT. The LB-EPS contents in B-mode were triple that of S-mode, and the LB-EPS yield of sludge decreased at an increased SRT. The polysaccharides and proteins in the LB- and TB-EPSs were both dependent on the operation modes and SRT.

Analysis of the metabolic utilization of carbon sources and potential functional diversity of the bacterial community in lab-scale horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetlands.

Microorganisms are an integral part of the biogeochemical processes in wetlands. To improve the performance of constructed wetlands, it is very important to know the metabolic properties and functional diversity of the microbial communities. The purpose of this study is to analyze the metabolic properties and functional diversity of the microbial community in a horizontal subsurface-flow constructed wetland (CW) in a laboratory study through the sole-carbon-source utilization profiles using Biolog-ECO microplates. The technique has advantages over traditional cell culture techniques, such as molecular-level techniques-RNA amplification, which are time-consuming, expensive, and only applicable to the small number of species that may be cultured. This CW was designed to treat rural eutrophic water in China, using the plant L. This study showed that the metabolic activities of upper front substrate microorganisms (UF) were greater than those of the lower back substrate microorganisms (LB) in the CW. Integrated areas under average well color development (AWCD) curves of substrate microorganisms in the UF were 131.9, 4.8, and 99.3% higher than in the lower front part (LF), the upper back part (UB), and the LB part of the CW, respectively. Principal components analysis showed significant differences in both community structure and metabolic utilization of carbon sources between substrate microorganisms from different sampling sites. Carbon source utilization of polymers, carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, and amino acids was higher in UF than in LF, but that of amines and phenolic compounds was very similar in UF and LF. The richness, evenness, and diversity of upper substrate microbial communities were significantly higher than those of lower substrate. The LF substrate microbial communities had lower evenness than the other sampling plots, and the lowest richness of substrate microbial community was found in the LB part of the CW.

[Photodegradation of 17beta-estradiol induced by Chlorella vulgaris].

The study showed that when exposed to high-pressure Hg-lamp (HPML, lambda(max) > or = 365 nm), and the concentration of Chlorella vulgaris was 4.0 x 10(10) cells x L(-1), the photodegradation rate of 17beta-estradiol could reach to 37%. When the concentration of Chlorella vulgaris was 4.2 x 10(10) cells x L(-1), the photodegradation of 1.5 x 10(-5) - 6.0 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) 17beta-estradiol in aqueous solutions was pseudo-first order reaction. Increasing the initial concentration of 17beta-estradiol could lower its photodegradation rate. The influence of light intension and Chlorella vulgaris concentration on the photodegradation of 17beta-estradiol was also studied in this paper.