Search

In this paper, the releasing characteristics and biological toxicity of Tl, Hg, As and Sb in waste of Lanmuchang mercury-thallium mine were studied. The results indicated that strong acidity can significantly promote the release of Tl from waste. With the increase of pH, the release of Sb grew steadily, while Hg and As showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. Fe2(SO4)3 contributed less to the release of As and Sb than to that of Hg and Tl. FeCl3 significantly inhibited the release of As, Sb and Tl. In the leaching experiments of litter and root exudates, the lixiviums appeared neutral, and the litter and root exudates solution significantly reduced the release of Tl, and showed less toxicity to luminescent bacteria. However, they promoted the release of Hg, As and Sb at different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of combined approaches for the evaluation of drinking-water quality, such as effect-directed analysis (EDA) consisting of biological and chemical analytical methods are illustrated in this work by comparing a classical and EDA approach applied to samples from China and Germany. The China samples contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylanilines, chloroanilines, chloronitrobenzenes, chlorobenzothiazoles, chloroalkylphosphates, as well as pesticides ((4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)ethanoic acid, metolachlor, atrazine, and the insect repellent N,N-diethyl-3-toluamide) in concentrations between 1 and 1000 µg L-1. The toxicity profiles of two River Elbe samples and one sewage-treatment-plant sample, as determined by the luminescent bacteria test, selectively reflect the contamination background: the first profile only possesses two out of eight fractions well above the significance level of 10% inhibition, in the second profile, all but one fraction lie well above this level, exhibiting also a much higher total toxicity in each fraction as compared with the latter sample. In the third example, all fractions are far above the significance level and show a much higher total toxicity, but also the profile shifts towards less polar fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenolic compounds have posed public concern for potential threats to human health and ecosystem. Tert-butylphenols (TBPs), as one group of emerging contaminants, showed potential endocrine disrupting effects and aquatic toxicities. In the present study, we detected concentrations of 2,4-DTBP ranging from <0.001 to 0.057 μg/L (detection limit: 0.001 μg/L) in drinking water source from the Qiantang River in East China in April 2016. The endocrine disrupting effects of 2-TBP, 2,4-DTBP and 2,6-DTBP toward human estrogen receptor α (ERα), androgen receptor (AR) and thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) were evaluated using human recombinant two-hybrid yeast bioassay. Their aquatic toxicities were investigated with indicator organisms including Photobacterium phosphoreum, Vibrio fischeri and freshwater green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. 2-TBP and 2,4-DTBP exhibited moderate antagonistic effects toward human ERα and AR in a concentration-dependent manner. 2-TBP significantly inhibited the light emission of P. phosphoreum. 2-TBP, 2,4-DTBP and 2,6-DTBP significantly inhibited the growth of C. reinhardtii and reduced the chlorophyll content. Our results suggest the potential adverse effects of TBPs on human health and aquatic organisms. The data will facilitate further risk assessment of TBPs and related contaminants., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)