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Light absorption enhancement in a 1.5 μm thick mercury–cadmium–telluride (Hg0.762Cd0.238Te, MCT) layer at room temperature utilizing 1D dielectric grating at mid-wave infrared (MWIR) wavelengths (3–5 μm) has been theoretically investigated. The optimized dielectric grating facilitates light diffraction and scattering into the MCT-absorbing waveguiding layer resulting in an increased lateral optical path. The light absorption was improved from ∼37.5% to ∼71% (TE) and ∼70% (TM) at normal incidence. With enhanced absorption, the photocarrier generation rate in the thin layer would be comparable to a bulk 5 μm thick MCT layer. A ∼3× reduction in the MCT layer thickness without compromising absorption has the potential for realizing infrared photodetectors with improved sensitivity at conventional operating temperatures and/or elevated operating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to establish differences in load–velocity profiling, active drag (AD), and drag coefficient (Cd) between 3 age groups of female swimmers. Methods: Thirty-three swimmers (11, 13, or 16 y old) were recruited. The individual load–velocity profile was determined for the 4 competitive swimming strokes. The maximal velocity (V0), maximal load (L0), L0 normalized to the body mass, AD, and Cd were compared between the groups. A 2-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis were conducted. Results: Compared with their younger counterparts, 16-year-old swimmers generally had larger V0, L0, and AD, which was particularly evident when comparing them with 11-year-old swimmers (P ≤.052). The exception was breaststroke, where no differences were observed in L0 and AD and Cd was smaller in the 16-year-old group than the 11-year-old group (P =.03). There was a negative correlation between Cd and V0 for all groups in backstroke (P ≤.038) and for the 11-year-old group and 13-year-old group in breaststroke (P ≤.022) and front crawl (P ≤.010). For the 16-year-old group, large correlations with V0 were observed for L0, L0 normalized to the body mass, and AD (P ≤.010) in breaststroke and for L0 and AD with V0 in front crawl (P ≤.042). In butterfly, large negative correlations with V0 were observed in the 13-year-old group for all parameters (P ≤.027). Conclusions: Greater propulsive force is likely the factor that differentiates the oldest age group from the younger groups, except for breaststroke, where a lower Cd (implying a better technique) is evident in the oldest group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The co-occurrence of cadmium (Cd) pollution and selenium (Se) deficiency commonly exists in global soils, especially in China. As a result, there is great interest in developing practical agronomic strategies to simultaneously achieve Cd remediation and Se mobilization in paddy soils, thereby enhancing food quality/safety. To this end, we conducted a field-plot trial on soils having high geological background levels of Cd (0.67 mg kg-1) and Se (0.50 mg kg-1). We explored 12 contrasting fertilizers (urea, potassium sulfate (K2SO4), calcium-magnesium-phosphate (CMP)), amendments (manure and biochar) and their combinations on Cd/Se bioavailability. Soil pH, total organic carbon (TOC), soil available Cd/Se, Cd/Se fractions and Cd/Se accumulation in different rice components were determined. No significant differences existed in mean grain yield among treatments. Results showed that application of urea and K2SO4 decreased soil pH, whereas the CMP fertilizer and biochar treatments increased soil pH. There were no significant changes in TOC concentrations. Three treatments (CMP, manure, biochar) significantly decreased soil available Cd, whereas no treatment affected soil available Se at the maturity stage. Four treatments (CMP, manure, biochar and manure＋urea＋CMP＋K2SO4) achieved our dual goal of Cd reduction and Se enrichment in rice grain. Structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated that soil available Cd and root Cd were negatively affected by pH and organic matter (OM), whereas soil available Se was positively affected by pH. Moreover, redundancy analysis (RDA) showed strong positive correlations between soil available Cd, exchangeable Cd and reducible Cd with grain Cd concentration, as well as between pH and soil available Se with grain Se concentration. Further, there was a strong negative correlation between residual Cd/Se (non-available fraction) and grain Cd/Se concentrations. Overall, this study identified the primary factors affecting Cd/Se bioavailability, thereby providing new guidance for achieving safe production of Se-enriched rice through fertilizer/amendment management of Cd-enriched soils.

The F-box domain is a highly conserved structural motif that defines the largest class of ubiquitin ligases, Skp1/Cullin1/F-box protein (SCF) complexes. The only known function of the F-box motif is to form the protein interaction surface with Skp1. Here we show that the F-box domain can function as an environmental sensor. We demonstrate that the F-box domain of Met30 is a cadmium sensor that blocks the activity of the SCFMet30 ubiquitin ligase during cadmium stress. Several highly conserved cysteine residues within the Met30 F-box contribute to binding of cadmium with a KD of 8 µM. Binding induces a conformational change that allows for Met30 autoubiquitylation, which in turn leads to recruitment of the segregase Cdc48/p97/VCP followed by active SCFMet30 disassembly. The resulting inactivation of SCFMet30 protects cells from cadmium stress. Our results show that F-box domains participate in regulation of SCF ligases beyond formation of the Skp1 binding interface.

Odontocetes obtain nutrients including essential elements through their diet and are exposed to heavy metal contaminants via ingestion of contaminated prey. We evaluated the prevalence, concentration, and tissue distribution of essential and non-essential trace elements, including heavy metal toxicants, in tissue (blubber, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, skin) and fecal samples collected from 90 odontocetes, representing nine species, that stranded in Georgia and Florida, USA during 2007-2021. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of seven essential (cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc) and five non-essential (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, thallium) elemental analytes using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Rissos dolphins (Grampus griseus) and short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) had the highest median concentrations of mercury, cadmium, and lead, while dwarf sperm whales (Kogia sima) had the lowest. Adult pygmy and dwarf sperm whales that stranded in 2019-2021 had higher concentrations of arsenic, copper, iron, lead, manganese, selenium, thallium, and zinc compared to those that stranded in 2010-2018, suggesting an increasing risk of exposure over time. The highest concentrations of many elements (e.g., cadmium, cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, thallium, zinc) were in fecal samples, illustrating the usefulness of this noninvasively collected sample. Aside from fecal samples, hepatic tissues had the highest concentrations of iron, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, and selenium in most species; renal tissues had the highest concentrations of cadmium; skin had the highest concentrations of zinc; and copper, arsenic, and lead concentrations were primarily distributed among the liver and kidneys. Phylogenetic differences in patterns of trace element concentrations likely reflect species-specific differences in diet, trophic level, and feeding strategies, while heterogeneous distributions of elemental analytes among different organ types reflect differences in elemental biotransformation, elimination, and storage. This study illustrates the importance of monitoring toxic contaminants in stranded odontocetes, which serve as important sentinels of environmental contamination, and whose health may be linked to human health.

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder. Risk is attributed to genetic and prenatal environmental factors, though the environmental agents are incompletely characterized.MethodsIn Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) and Markers of Autism Risk in Babies Learning Early Signs (MARBLES), two pregnancy cohorts of siblings of children with ASD, urinary metals concentrations during two pregnancy time periods (

A facile and in situ successive linker replacement through single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC--SC) transformation process in cadmium coordination networks (CNs) based on 3,6-bis(pyridin-3-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (3,3'-pytz) and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy) in chloroform/methanol solution is reported. In this work, we synthesized a 2D square-grid homo-linker (4,4'-bipy) coordination network of {[Cd(4,4'-bipy)2(ClO4)2] (CHCl3)4}n (1) after 24 h at room temperature. Compound 1 undergoes facile and in situ SC--SC transformation at room temperature to a 2D rectangular-grid mixed-linker (4,4'-bipy and 3,3'-pytz) coordination network of {[Cd(4,4'-bipy)(3,3'-pytz)(ClO4)2](CHCl3)(MeOH)}n (2) after two weeks through a core@shell crystal. Further, by keeping compound 2 in the mother liquor, the second SC--SC structural transformation to the 2D rhombic-grid homo-linker (3,3'-pytz) of {[Cd(3,3'-pytz)2(H2O)1.4(MeOH)0.6](3,3'-pytz)(MeOH)1.4(ClO4)2}n (3) occurs within two months. In these stepwise SC--SC transformations, we report for the first time the facile and in situ fabrication of 2D coordination networks by the replacement of linkers via the core--shell pathway. Unlike compound 3, which was stable in air, single crystals of 1 and 2 were unstable outside the mother solution, and due to the absorption of water from air, they were transformed into microcrystalline materials of {[Cd(4,4'-bipy)(H2O)2(ClO4)2](4,4'-bipy)}n (1T) and {[Cd(3,3'-pytz)(H2-O)2(ClO4)2](4,4'-bipy)}n=1 or ∞ (2T), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron plaque is believed to be effective in reducing the accumulation of heavy metals in rice. In this work, a known soil-derived Mn(II)-oxidizing bacterium, LLDRA6, which represents the type strain of Providencia manganoxydans, was employed to investigate the feasibility of decreasing cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice by promoting the formation of iron plaque on the root surface. Firstly, the Fe(II) oxidation ability of LLDRA6 was evaluated using various techniques including Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, phenanthroline photometry, and FeS gel-stabilized gradient assays. Subsequently, the formation of iron plaque on the root surface by LLDRA6 was investigated under hydroponic and pot conditions. Finally, Cd concentrations were examined in rice with and without iron plaque through pot and paddy-field tests. The results showed that LLDRA6 played an efficient role in the formation of iron plaque on seedling roots under hydroponic conditions, generating 44.87 and 36.72 g kg− 1 of iron plaque on the roots of Huazhan and TP309, respectively. In pot experiments, LLDRA6 produced iron plaque exclusively in the presence of Fe(II). Otherwise, it solely generated biofilm on the root surface. Together with Fe(II), LLDRA6 effectively reduced the concentrations of Cd in Huazhan roots, straws and grains by 25%, 46% and 44%, respectively. This combination also demonstrated a significant decrease in the Cd concentrations of TP309 roots, straws and grains by 20%, 52% and 44%, respectively. The data from the Cd translocation factor indicate that obstruction of Cd translocation by iron plaque predominantly occurred during the root-to-straw stage. In paddy-field tests, the Cd concentrations of grains harvested from the combination treatment of LLDRA6 and Fe(II) exhibited a decline ranging from 40 to 53%, which fell below the maximum acceptable value for Cd in rice grains (0.2 mg kg− 1) as per the China national standard for food security (GB2762-2017). Meanwhile, the relevant phenotypic traits regarding the yield were not adversely affected. These findings have demonstrated that LLDRA6 can impede the uptake of Cd by rice in Cd-contaminated soils through the formation of iron plaque on roots, thus providing a promising safe Cd-barrier for rice production.Highlights: λ Strain LLDRA6 was proven to be able to oxidize Fe(II). λ Strain LLDRA6 produced 51.15–75.11 g kg-1 of iron plaque on the root surface in pot soils. λ Iron plaque decreased the accumulation of Cd by 40–53% in grains harvested from paddy fields. λ Iron plaque exhibited no negative impact on the phenotypic traits related to yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotope data of key pollutants are needed for source apportionment analysis in natural ecosystems. Isotope data for cadmium (Cd), a rare and dispersed but toxic element, are very limited mainly due to its low contents in the natural environment. In this study, for samples with low Cd content but high organic matter content, a dry ashing pre-treatment method was proposed to effectively enrich Cd to meet the requirements of its isotope analysis (Cd content > 20 ng). This method was applied to soils, sediments, biological tissues, and coal, with a maximum digestion weight of 1.67 g or more. With the assistance of quartz microfiber filter membranes during dry ashing, good Cd recovery (91.6--108.0%) and significant removal of organic matter were achieved. Mass bias was corrected by combining the silver external standard (Ag-doping) method with the sample-standard-bracketing (SSB) method, and Cd isotope measurements were performed under wet plasma conditions (with an accuracy of 0.060‰). Cd isotopic compositions obtained by the dry ashing method were compared with those obtained by the high-pressure bomb digestion method, and the differences ranged from -0.056 to 0.076‰, indicating that the dry ashing with wrapped membranes method did not cause any fractionation of Cd during the sample pre-treatment process. Meanwhile, the tolerance of tin (Sn) and zinc (Zn) elements provided a significant advantage under wet plasma conditions over dry plasma conditions without reducing the tolerance of molybdenum (Mo) and zirconium (Zr). The method developed in this study should enhance the application of Cd isotopes in investigating Cd cycling in primary ecosystems and organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) contamination poses a significant threat to agriculture and human health due to its high soil mobility and toxicity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on Cd uptake, transport, detoxification, and transcriptional regulation in plants, emphasizing the roles of metal transport proteins and transcription factors (TFs). We explore transporter families like NRAMP, HMA, ZIP, ABC, and YSL in facilitating Cd movement within plant tissues, identifying potential targets for reducing Cd accumulation in crops. Additionally, regulatory TF families, including WRKY, MYB, bHLH, and ERF, are highlighted for their roles in modulating gene expression to counteract Cd toxicity. This review consolidates the existing literature on plant–Cd interactions, providing insights into established mechanisms and identifying gaps for future research. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing strategies to enhance plant tolerance, ensure food safety, and promote sustainable agriculture amidst increasing heavy-metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) methylation serves as an indicator of global DNA methylation. This study explored the correlation between LINE-1 methylation and chronic kidney disease (CKD). We also evaluated whether LINE-1 methylation could modify the association between CKD and metal exposure. A total of 213 patients with clinically defined CKD, without hemodialysis and 416 age and sex matched controls were recruited. Levels of LINE-1 methylation, total urinary arsenic, blood lead, blood cadmium, and plasma selenium were assessed. The results reveal a positive association between LINE-1 methylation and CKD, with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.30 (95% confidence interval: 2.81 to 9.99). Total urinary arsenic and blood cadmium concentrations were positively related with LINE-1 methylation. This study was the first to observe that low plasma selenium, high blood cadmium, and high blood lead levels significantly and additively interact with increased LINE-1 methylation to increase the OR of CKD. Additionally, high LINE-1 methylation interacted multiplicatively with low plasma selenium to increase the OR of CKD (p < 0.001). This study highlighted the significant association between LINE-1 hypermethylation and CKD. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that LINE-1 methylation can interact with high blood cadmium or low plasma selenium to affect CKD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing mining industry has led to environmental pollution, primarily from mining waste known as acid mine drainage (AMD). To effectively address AMD, a combination of constructed wetland and biochar treatment is necessary. This study aims to assess the ability of biochar in combination with wetland sediment to reduce sulfate and cadmium (Cd) heavy metals in AMD. The research method involved a laboratory-scale constructed wetland in a microcosmos and a treatment of: T1, biochar mixed with wetland sediment; T2, sediment; T3, biochar; and T4, control with no treatment. Observations included sulfate content, pH determination, heavy metal concentration, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the biochar. Results after 30 days of observation showed that T1 reduced sulfate concentration by 72.03%, compared to 63.33% for T2, 63.33% for T3, and 2.50% for T4. The reduction in sulfate was accompanied by a consecutive increase in pH, with T1 at pH 6.9, T2 at pH 6.6, T3 at pH 6.4, and T4 at pH 3.6 after 30 days. T1 treatment reduced heavy metal Cd by 80.16% after 30 days, while T2 of 55.46%. T3 of 65.83% and T4 of 2.31%. This indicates that the constructed wetland method, combined with biochar, is more effective in reducing sulfate and the heavy metal Cd in AMD, compared to using only biochar or wetland sediment treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important staple food crops, and its sustained production and nutritional security have attracted much attention. Cadmium, a heavy metal toxic to plants and humans, can enter wheat in various ways. Foliar fertilization can reduce the cadmium content in plants, but how different fertilizers reduce the cadmium toxicity of plants is still unclear. In this study, the effects of foliar application of fertilizers on spring wheat yield, cadmium accumulation, and trace element contents were studied by applying three kinds of fertilizers (multi-element compound fertilizer, manganese-zinc micro fertilizer, and foliar silicon fertilizer) to spring wheat planted in mildly and moderately cadmium polluted areas. The results showed that the yield of wheat when fertilized with multi-element compound fertilizer, manganese-zinc micro fertilizer, and silicon fertilizer increased by 17.1%, 15.7%, and 16.9%, respectively, compared with the control. In addition, all three foliar fertilizers reduced the cadmium content in wheat grains to below the standard value of food pollutants (≤0.1mg/kg), and significantly reduced the transport of cadmium from glume to grain, among which manganesezinc micro fertilizer had the best effect, with a cadmium reduction rate of 41.7%. At the same time, manganese-zinc micro fertilizer significantly increased the absorption of trace elements in wheat organs. These results indicated that the foliar application of manganese-zinc micro fertilizer could be an effective way to increase wheat yield, inhibit cadmium accumulation, and increase nutrient absorption in mildly to moderately cadmium-polluted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the role of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer was induced by using Cadmium Chloride (Cd) (2 mg/kg) in group II. Tamoxifen was administered to group III. Group IV was treated with Lactobacillus reuteri. Group V was treated with Cd for one month and divided into three subgroups including VA, VB, and VC which were treated with tamoxifen, Lactobacillus reuteri , and tamoxifen + Lactobacillus reuteri , respectively. Significantly higher levels of TNF-α (40.9 ± 4.2 pg/mL), IL-6 (28.0 ± 1.5 pg/mL), IL-10 (60.2 ± 2.0 pg/mL), IFN-γ (60.2 ± 2.0 pg/mL), ALAT (167.2 ± 6.2 U/l), ASAT (451.6 ± 13.9 U/l), and MDA (553.8 ± 19.6 U/l) was observed in Cd group. In comparison, significantly lower levels of TNF-α (18.0 ± 1.1 pg/mL), IL-6 (9.4 ± 0.4 pg/mL), IL-10 (20.8 ± 1.1 pg/mL), IFN-γ (20.8 ± 1.1 pg/mL), ALAT (85.2 ± 3.6 U/l), ASAT (185 ± 6.9 U/l), and MDA (246.0 ± 7.5 U/l) were observed in group Cd + Tam + LR. Liver histopathology of the Cd group showed hemorrhage and ductal aberrations. However, mild inflammation and healthier branched ducts were observed in treatment groups. Furthermore, the renal control group showed normal glomerular tufts, chronic inflammation from the Cd group, and relatively healthier glomerulus with mild inflammation in treatment groups. Hence, the preventive and anticancerous role of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri is endorsed by the findings of the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to consider how phosphate-based metal immobilization differs from traditional soil incubation because of the presence of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) in the rhizosphere. Therefore, in an incubation study, the impacts of 3% NaH2PO4 (a P compound), tartaric acid (TA), oxalic acid (OA), and combinations of P and TA/OA on cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)'s geochemical redistribution and availability in metal-contaminated soils were studied. The mechanisms of metal immobilization were also explored. P, a low TA (TA2), and P plus a low TA (p-TA2) significantly reduced Cd, Pb, and Zn's acid-extractable and available (CaCl2-extractable) forms compared to the control (CK), with p-TA2 being the most effective. At high TA (>TA5–TA20), all OA levels (OA2–OA20), and P plus high TA/OA concentrations, trends reversed. Treatments became more negative as pH increased, particularly p-TA2, indicating that the main mechanism for immobilizing metals was electrostatic adsorption. However, XRD showed that the P material alone formed Cd-P, Pb-P, and Zn-P minerals, implying that sorption and precipitation were the primary metal immobilizing techniques. In conclusion, p-TA2 has the potential to effectively immobilize metals in contaminated soils. However, when treating metal-contaminated soils with P, rhizospheric LMWOAs must be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and sensitive ratiometric fluorescent assay has been developed for the determination of melamine based on the inner-filter effect (IFE) between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and fluorescent quantum dots (QDs). In the IFE-based fluorescent assay, a complementary overlap was established between the absorption spectrum of AuNPs and emission spectrum of cadmium tellurium/cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdTe/CdS QDs). Consequently, AuNPs in the dispersion state quench the emission of green CdTe/CdS QDs at 520 nm (QDs520), while the aggregated AuNPs quench emission of red CdTe/CdS QDs at 680 nm (QDs680). Along with the addition of melamine, the fluorescence of the QDs at 680 nm was quenched while the fluorescence of at 520 nm was recovered by the aggregation of AuNPs so the ratiometric fluorescent detection of melamine was complete. The system determined melamine from 30 to 1030 nM and was employed to determine melamine in milk products with satisfactory recoveries. The simple proposed sensing approach may improve the selectivity and sensitivity of IFE-based ratiometric fluorescent assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a dangerous heavy metal that is non-degradable in the environment. Many organs can accumulate Cd and adversely affect organ function and health. Cd is considered as a teratogenic and embryotoxic agent. This study aims to evaluate the teratogenicity of Cd at concentrations lesser than the permissible and its effects on the heart during chick embryogenesis. Fertilized eggs of the chick Gallus domesticus were divided into; control, saline injected and four experimental groups injected with single doses of 5, 25, 50 or 75 µM of CdCl2. Histological observations of the heart before hatching and the cardiomyocytes after hatching were recorded. Morphometric measurements of heart chambers were achieved at 3, 4 and 6 days of incubation. Electrocardiograph and respiratory rate were recorded at tenth day. Different cardiac problems had been brought on by Cd. In comparison to controls, the heart looked much larger, and in certain cases, growth retardation was seen. Degeneration in heart walls and malformations of dorsal aorta were noticed. Morphometrically, the width and wall thickness of heart chambers showed significant changes. Heart beats and respiratory rate significantly decreased compared to control. The cardiotoxic effect of Cd on heart compartments structure and function was dose dependent. One of Cd toxicity is its ability to induce cellular oxidative stress. The heart in particular is sensitive to oxidative stress. Cardiac oxidative stress might intensify heart failure and promote disease progression. Calcium is one of the components that is needed for normal heart work. Cd might interfere with calcium metabolism by removing it from the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryzasativa) is an important nutritional grain for the majority of Asian countries, but it is also a major source of cadmium (Cd) accumulation. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the Cd uptake and translocation of high Cd (IR-50) and low Cd (White Ponni) rice cultivars in Cd-contaminated soils. The findings revealed that Cd impacts on rice development and growth differed depending on rice cultivars. Soil Cd levels in the seedling stage exceeded the critical levels (3–6 mg kg−1) only 5.0 mg kg−1 Cd treatment for the IR-50 (7.47 mg kg−1). At higher Cd treatments (1.0 and 5.0 mg kg−1), morphometric characteristics and yield of grains showed a declining and increasing trend in both rice varieties, respectively. The accumulation of Cd was higher in soil and roots during seedling and tillering stages, whereas in booting and maturity stages increased in stems and leaves in IR-50 and WP rice varieties. Cd levels in rice grains above the maximum allowable limit (0.4 mg kg−1) only in IR-50 (0.51 mg kg−1) rice cultivar at maturity stage. The EF of Cd were classified as minor enrichment to ‘moderate enrichment’ in both rice cultivars. TF values exhibited > 1 in booting and maturity stages in both rice cultivars at higher Cd treatments. The study concluded that the IR-50 rice variety exhibited increased Cd intake and transported to various parts of rice plants, particularly grains. The findings indicate that WP rice cultivar is more resistant to Cd toxicity, reducing health hazards for persons who preferred the staple food rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that acts as endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC). Few studies have investigated the effects of Cd exposure on metabolic dysfunctions, such as type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM). Thus, we assessed whether subacute Cd exposure at occupational levels causes abnormalities in white adipose tissue (WAT), liver, pancreas, and skeletal muscle. We administered cadmium chloride (CdCl2) (100 ppm in drinking water for 30 days) to female rats and evaluated Cd levels in serum and metabolic organs, morphophysiology, inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and gene expression. High Cd levels were found in serum, WAT, liver, pancreas, and skeletal muscle. Cd‐exposed rats showed low adiposity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and oxidative stress compared to controls. Cd exposure reduced adipocyte size, hyperleptinemia, increased cholesterol levels, inflammation, apoptosis and fibrosis in WAT. Cd‐exposed rats had increased liver cholesterol levels, insulin receptor beta (IRβ) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma coactivator‐1alpha (PGC1α) expression, karyomegaly, inflammation, and fibrosis. Cd exposure reduced insulin levels and pancreatic islet size and increased inflammation and fibrosis. Cd exposure reduced skeletal muscle fiber diameter and increased IR expression and inflammation. Finally, strong positive correlations were observed between serum, tissue Cd levels, abnormal morphology, tissue inflammation and fibrosis. Thus, these data suggest that subacute Cd exposure impairs WAT, liver, pancreas and skeletal muscle function, leading to T1DM and T2DM features and other complications in female rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar and iron ore tailing waste have been widely separately applied for remediation of various contaminants, but the remediation effect of their combination on cadmium (Cd) pollution is unclear. In this study, the peanut biochar (BC), thermally activated iron ore tailing waste (TS), and the products of the co-pyrolysis of peanut shell and iron ore tailing waste (TSBC) were prepared for stabilizing Cd and reducing its bio-accessibility in soil and peanut seedling system. Present amendments enhanced soil pH, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon content. The application of BC, TS, and TSBC led to decreases in acid-extractable Cd proportion of 2.2–8.81%, 2.43–7.20%, and 7.84–11.57%, respectively, and increases in the residual Cd proportion of 3.48–8.33%, 3.27–11.50%, and 9.02–13.45%, respectively. There were no significant differences in Cd accumulation in peanut roots due to three amendments treatments, especially at low Cd concentrations (i.e., Cd concentration of 0, 1, and 2 mg·kg−1), and with a relatively small reduction (2.16–9.05%) in root Cd accumulation under the high Cd treatments of 5 and 10 mg·kg−1. The Cd concentrations in seedling roots were significantly positively related to the acid-extractable Cd fraction, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r = 0.999. The maximum toxicity mitigating effects were found in TSBC treatment, with increases in the ranges of 9.80–17.58% for fresh weight, 5.59–14.99% for dry weight, 5.16–10.17% for plant height, 5.96–10.34% for root length, 5.43–21.67% for chlorophyll a content, 17.17–71.28% for chlorophyll b content, and 13.11–39.60% for carotenoid content in peanut seedlings. Therefore, TSBC is a promising amendment for minimizing Cd contamination in peanut crops and utilizing industrial solid waste materials efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined polymetallic exposure may be an influential factor in osteoporosis. This study aimed to explore the association between polymetallic combined exposure and osteoporosis. A total of 2115 participants were included. Plasma concentrations of 22 metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Osteoporosis was defined as a T ≤ − 2.5. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, binary logistics regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model were used to explore the association between plasma metals and osteoporosis. LASSO regression showed that 10 metals were associated with osteoporosis in the total population (magnesium, calcium, manganese, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, selenium, rubidium, cadmium, aluminum) and women (magnesium, calcium, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, selenium, rubidium, cadmium, aluminum), and four metals associated with men (magnesium, cobalt, aluminum, iron). Logistics regression showed that in total population, magnesium (ORQ3 = 0.653, 95% CI = 0.446–0.954) was negatively correlated with osteoporosis, while aluminum (ORQ2 = 1.569, 95% CI = 1.095–2.248, ORQ4 = 1.616, 95% CI = 1.109–2.354) and cadmium (ORQ4 = 1.989, 95% CI = 1.379–2.870) were positively correlated; in women, magnesium (ORQ3 = 0.579, 95% CI = 0.379–0.883) was negatively correlated with osteoporosis, while aluminum (ORQ2 = 1.563, 95% CI = 1.051–2.326, ORQ4 = 1.543, 95% CI = 1.024–2.326) and cadmium (ORQ3 = 1.482, 95% CI = 1.003–2.191, ORQ4 = 1.740, 95% CI = 1.167–2.596) were positively correlated. BKMR model showed that combined polymetallic exposure had an overall positive effect on osteoporosis, magnesium was negatively associated with osteoporosis, and cadmium, selenium, and aluminum were positively associated with osteoporosis. Metal mixtures in plasma were associated with osteoporosis risk. Magnesium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, while cadmium, selenium, and aluminum may increase the risk of osteoporosis. Future studies needed to explore correlations and mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining activities have resulted in a substantial accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils, particularly in southern China. Long-term Cd exposure can cause plant growth inhibition and various diseases. Rapid identification of the extent of soil Cd pollution and its driving factors are essential for soil management and risk assessment. However, traditional geostatistical methods are difficult to simulate the complex nonlinear relationships between soil Cd and potential features. In this study, sequential extraction and hotspot analyses indicated that Cd accumulation increased significantly near mining sites and exhibited high mobility. The concentration of Cd was estimated using three machine learning models based on 3169 topsoil samples, seven quantitative variables (soil pH, Fe, Ca, Mn, TOC, Al/Si and ba value) and three quantitative variables (soil parent rock, terrain and soil type). The random forest model achieved marginally better performance than the other models, with an R2 of 0.78. Importance analysis revealed that soil pH and Ca and Mn contents were the most significant factors affecting Cd accumulation and migration. Conversely, due to the essence of controlling Cd migration being soil property, soil type, terrain, and soil parent materials had little impact on the spatial distribution of soil Cd under the influence of mining activities. Our results provide a better understanding of the geochemical behavior of soil Cd in mining areas, which could be helpful for environmental management departments in controlling the diffusion of Cd pollution and capturing key targets for soil remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a biologically non-essential heavy metal, a major soil pollutant, and extremely harmful to plants. The phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) plays an important role in plant heavy-metal resistance. However, the understanding of the effects of MeJA supply level on alleviating Cd toxicity in plants is limited. Here, we investigated how MeJA regulated the development of physiological processes and cell wall modification in Cosmos bipinnatus. We found that low concentrations of MeJA increased the dry weight of seedlings under 120 µM Cd stress by reducing the transport of Cd from roots to shoots. Moreover, a threshold concentration of exogenous MeJA increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in plant roots, the concentration of Cd in the root cell wall, and the contents of pectin and hemicellulose 1 polysaccharides, through converting Cd into pectin-bound forms. These results suggested that MeJA mitigated Cd toxicity by modulating root cell wall polysaccharide and functional group composition, especially through pectin polysaccharides binding to Cd, with effects on Cd transport capacity, specific chemical forms of Cd, and homeostatic antioxidant systems in C. bipinnatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In recent years, cadmium pollution has increasingly serious impacts on aquatic environments, directly threatening the health and growth of freshwater fish and causing significant economic losses to the aquaculture industry. However, there is limited research on the effects of cadmium on the gut-liver axis and hepatotoxicity in freshwater fish. Therefore, this study investigated the potential toxic effects of cadmium induction through the gutliver axis on largemouth bass. Methods: This experiment was divided into four groups, each with different concentrations of cadmium solution added to the water (0.00 mg/L, 1.024 mg/L, 1.537 mg/L, 2.306 mg/L), with three replicates per group, and a feeding period of 42 days. Results and discussion: The research findings indicate a significant decline in the growth performance of largemouth bass under cadmium stress (P<0.05). Cadmium-induced oxidative stress inhibited the activity of antioxidant enzymes, activated the Nrf2-Keap1 antioxidant pathway, resulting in increased levels of MDA and ROS, and decreased activities of CAT, GSH-PX, and SOD antioxidant enzymes, as well as related gene expressions (P<0.05). Additionally, cadmium down-regulated the expression of IL-10 and up-regulated the expression of IL-15, IL-8, IL-1b, TNF-a, and MT, indicating an inflammatory response in the liver (P<0.05). Tissue section observations after cadmium stress revealed hepatocyte nuclear condensation, cell degeneration, necrosis, and vacuolization, as well as shortened intestinal villi and intestinal epithelial cell metaplasia. Furthermore, cadmium down-regulated the expression of intestinal barrier-related proteins ZO-1 and Occludin (P<0.05), reducing intestinal microbial diversity. Correlation analysis revealed a close relationship between intestinal microbiota and hepatic immune factors. In summary, cadmium stress can disrupt the intestinal barrier, alter the structure of intestinal microbiota, and the gut-liver axis may potentially play a role in the toxicity of intestinal microbiota and liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explorative high‐pressure/high‐temperature syntheses (7 GPa, 800 °C) starting from Er2O3, CdO, and H3BO3 yielded single‐crystals of the hitherto unknown compound ErCd2B7O13(BO(OH)3). This compound crystallizes trigonally in the non‐centrosymmetric space group R3c with the unit cell parameters a=8.8418(2) Å, c=22.4972(8) Å, and six formula units per cell. The crystal structure is composed of corner‐sharing trigonal planar [BO3] and tetrahedral [BO4] groups, forming a complex three‐dimensional framework. In this article, the structural data and characteristics of ErCd2B7O13(BO(OH)3) are presented in detail. Furthermore, the compound's infrared spectrum is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal toxicity is a known problem and various methods are used for treatment. Adsorption has some advantages and it would be promising if environmentally friendly and cheap materials were utilized. Alginate and zinc oxide nanoparticles were selected and composite alginate beads were used for the removal of mixed metals from aqueous solutions. Batch and column experiments were conducted to determine some parameters' effects and the adsorbent's real application potential. According to the batch experiments, zinc oxide nanoparticles to alginate ratio of 0.5 g g−1, and pH levels nearby to the neutral range led to better metal removals. 0.5 ml min−1 of flow rate supplied better metal removal efficiencies in columns, with the highest treatment as 86% of Pb2+. Acid treatment can be successfully applied for the regeneration of the adsorbent, at least three times only with a 4% reduction in the adsorption efficiency. Heavy metal uptake was compatible with the pseudo 2nd order model indicating chemisorption as a dominant mechanism. Also, the intraparticle diffusion model illustrated adsorption might govern more than one step. The Langmuir model had the best fit and suggested monolayer covering for Pb2+, 76.3 mg g−1. Alginate-based nanocomposite beads were useful for mixed metal removal and could be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) plays a central role in the etiology, progression, and treatment of breast cancers. Constitutively activating somatic mutations Y537S and D538G, in the ligand binding domain (LBD) of ESR1, are associated with acquired resistance to endocrine therapies. We have previously shown that the metalloestrogen calcium activates ERa through an interaction with the LBD of the receptor. This study shows that cadmium activates ERa through a mechanism similar to calcium and contributes to, and further increases, the constitutive activity of the ERa mutants Y537S and D538G. Mutational analysis identified C381, N532A, H516A/N519A/E523A, and E542/ D545A on the solvent accessible surface of the LBD as possible calcium/metal interaction sites. In contrast to estradiol, which did not increase the activity of the Y537S and D538G mutants, cadmium increased the activity of the constitutive mutants. Mutation of the calcium/metal interaction sites in Y537S and D538G mutants resulted in a significant decrease in constitutive activity and cadmium induced activity. Mutation of calcium/metal interaction sites in wtERa diminished binding of the receptor to the enhancer of estrogen responsive genes and the binding of nuclear receptor coactivator 1 and RNA polymerase II. In contrast to wtERa, mutation of the calcium/metal interaction sites in the Y537S and D538G mutants did not diminish binding to DNA but prevented a stable interaction with the coactivator and polymerase. Growth assays further revealed that calcium channel blockers and chelators significantly decreased the growth of MCF7 cells expressing these constitutively active mutants. Taken together, the results suggest that exposure to cadmium plays a role in the etiology, progression, and response to treatment of breast cancer due, in part, to its ability to activate ERa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu, Co, As, Sr, Ba, and Zr content has been determined in the tested rock raw materials. The concentration of cadmium (Cd) was found to be elevated in all types of rock materials and was found on average to be: 1.39 mg/kg in limestones, 0.86 mg/kg—sandstones, 0.44 mg/kg—diatomites, 0.55 mg/kg—opoka rocks, 0.89 mg/kg—marls, 0.21 mg/kg—gaizes 0.42 mg/kg—kaolin clays, and 2.13 mg/kg—decalcified opoka rocks. Higher concentrations of arsenic (As) have also been recorded in sandstones and diatomites, as well as lead (Pb) in limestones and sandstones. The results obtained indicate that the anomalous level of elements is of natural origin and the results of identified secondary mineralisation processes that have affected the tested materials. Pyritization and sulfatization processes have been detected. Mineralogical research has shown that these processes can be associated with the activity of biochemical processes caused by the decomposition of the soft tissues of animal organisms and the organic substances of plant origin that fill the stylolites. It has been shown that the content of strontium (Sr) increases in geologically older Jurassic formations compared to younger Cretaceous formations, which can be used in the monitoring of building materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current case study is to sequentially assess the heavy metals (HMs) cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in five products (raw juice, bagasse, mud-cake, refined sugar and molasses) along with the effluents of the selected sugar industry (SSI) Sindh, Pakistan. Estimations of daily intake and possible toxic risk of HMs by the consumption of sugar of SSI to end-user (families of SSI workers) of age group of 2.0–5.0, 6.0–15.0, 16.0–30.0 and 31.0–50.0 years were conducted. The high contents of HMs were observed in molasses followed by mud-cake and bagasse (raw waste). The raw juice of sugarcane and refined/white sugar showed the lowest levels of these HMs. The low levels of HMs in effluents of SSI might be to their separation at different stages of sugar processing and refining into the mud-cake, bagasse and molasses. The calculated daily intake of Fe and Zn from refined/white sugar to various study groups was found to be adequate based on the recommended levels by Food and Nutrition Board (FNB). The estimated weekly intake (WI) for Cd and Pb by the consumption of SSI sugar was significantly lower (2–5 times) than the provisional acceptable WI of Cd and Pb by WHO from foodstuff. The potential toxic risk study of Cd and Pb revealed that the studied subjects were not at potential toxic risk by the consumption of SSI sugar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium could induce various degrees of harm to aquatic organisms. A 30-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of cadmium on growth, muscle composition, digestive enzyme activity, gene expression of antioxidants and lipid metabolism in juvenile genetic improvement of farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus, Initial weight: 21.36 ± 0.24 g). Four cadmium concentrations of aquaculture water were designed: 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 mg/L Cd2+. The main results are as follows: Compared with the control group (0 mg/L Cd2+), the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), daily growth index (DGI), and spleen index (SI) of juvenile GIFT under cadmium stress were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). The contents of crude protein and crude lipid in muscle were significantly decreased (p< 0.05), and the ash was significantly increased (p< 0.05). The activities of trypsin, lipase, and -amylase in the intestinal were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). The relative expression levels of carnitine palmityl transferase 1 (cpt-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (ppar ), ppar, hormone-sensitive lipase (hsl), lipoprotein lipase (lpl), malate dehydrogenase (mdh), leptin (lep), fatty acid synthetase (fas), cholesterol response element binding protein 1 (srebp1), squalene cyclooxygenase (sqle), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (scd) genes in liver were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). The relative expression levels of catalase (cat), superoxide dismutase (sod), glutathione S-transferase (gst), and glutathione peroxidase (gsh-px) genes in the liver were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). In conclusion, exposure to cadmium stress could impact growth,muscle composition, digestive enzyme activity, gene expression of antioxidant and lipid metabolism in juvenile GIFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of compound soil conditioner application at different growing stages on the cadmium(Cd) accumulation in rice, field plot experiments were carried out to apply compound soil conditioner at pre-transplanting stage, tillering stage, booting stage and filling stage, respectively. Results showed that the application of compound soil conditioner at pre-transplanting stage, tillering stage and booting stage could significantly increase rice yield, decrease the proportion of weakly acid-extractable Cd, and increase the proportion of reducible Cd. Compared with the control, soil pH was increased by 0. 55-0. 68 units and soil available Cd (DTPA-extractable) was decreased by 4. 59%-25. 04% after compound soil conditioner application at different growing stages. Applying compound soil conditioner lowered Cd concentrations in rice grain by 25. 18%-67. 14%. At the same time, the application period of Cd reduction rate was as follows: pre-transplanting stage > tillering stage > booting stage > filling stage. There was a significant or extremely significant positive correlation between Cd concentration in rice grain and soil available Cd, Cd absorption index of roots and Cd secondary transport index. Compound soil conditioner reduced the accumulation of Cd in rice grain by reducing the availability of Cd in soil, inhibiting the absorption of Cd by rice roots and inhibiting the transport of Cd from stem to grain. For the application period of compound soil conditioner, both pre-transplanting stage and tillering stage could meet the technical requirements of the current safe utilization project of polluted cultivated land, but the application cost of pre-transplanting stage was lower and the comprehensive effect was better. Our study suggested that considering the technical feasibility and economic rationality, compound soil conditioner should be applied before rice transplanting as far as possible in the practice of safe utilization of contaminated farmland. If it is necessary to apply soil conditioner under special circumstances due to missed agricultural time, compound soil conditioner could be applied at tillering stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitigation of cadmium (Cd) pollution, a significant ecological threat, is of paramount importance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa harbors 2 Cd resistance genes, namely, cadR and cadA. Presently, our focus is on the identification and characterization of the cation-transporting P-type ATPase (cadA) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa BC15 through in silico methods. The CadA protein and its binding capacities remain poorly understood, with no available structural elucidation. The presence of the cadA gene in P aeruginosa was confirmed, showing a striking 99% sequence similarity with both P aeruginosa and P putida. Phylogenetic analysis unveiled the evolutionary relationship between CadA protein sequences from various Pseudomonas species. Physicochemical analysis demonstrated the stability of CadA, revealing a composition of 690 amino acids, a molecular weight of 73 352.85, and a predicted isoelectric point (PI) of 5.39. Swiss-Model homology modelling unveiled a 33.73% sequence homology with CopA (3J09), and the projected structure indicated that 89.3% of amino acid residues were situated favourably within the Ramachandran plot, signifying energetic stability. Notably, the study identified metal-binding sites in CadA, namely, H3, C30, C32, C35, H48, C89, and C106. Docking studies revealed a higher efficiency of Cd binding with CadA compared to other heavy metals. This underscores the crucial role of N-terminal cysteine residues in Cd removal. It is evident that CadA of P aeruginosa BC15 plays a crucial role in Cd tolerance, rendering it a potential microorganism for Cd toxicity bioremediation. The structural and functional elucidation of CadA, facilitated by this study, holds promise for advancing cost-effective strategies in the remediation of cadmium-contaminated environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nNOVELTY STATEMENTCadmium (Cd) contamination poses a significant threat to plants and human, as it can easily accumulate in plant tissues, leading to biochemical and physiological disorders. There is a growing interest in using biochar to mitigate the absorption of heavy metals by rice plants. This study tested peach biochar (PB) and its various levels of applications to evaluate the promising level for Cd remediation in contaminated soil. The application of PB3 had a significant impact on Cd mitigation, with extractable Cd (AB-DTPA) in soil decreasing from 66 mg kg−1 to 18 mg kg−1. Cd content in shoots decreased from 2.5 mg kg−1 to 0.9 mg kg−1, and in grains decreased from 1.1 mg kg−1 to 0.5 mg kg−1. Moreover, the PB treatment led to increased rice yield, from 4.9 to 10 g pot−1, and biological yield, from 4 to 20 g pot−1. The soil also showed improved organic matter content, increasing from 0.4% to 0.7%, and enhanced levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), by increases from 2.1 g pot−1 to 5 g pot−1, 58 mg kg−1 to 83 mg kg−1, and 40 mg kg−1 to 63 mg kg−1, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of PB in mitigating Cd contamination in soil and reducing its uptake by rice plants.Heavy metals are the major environmental challenges that have the potential to significantly impact agricultural productivity, ecosystem health, and human well-being. PB emerges as a sustainable shield against Cd pollution. Harnessing the power of PB, a promising solution to safeguard soils from Cd contamination. Transforming waste into wealth and recycling of plant nutrient, PB remarkable ability to mitigate Cd heavy metal hazard and enhance soil fertility and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the spatial variation in size‐fractionated (0.8–51 and > 51 μm) particulate cadmium (Cd) and phosphorus (P) based on a large dataset collected during a GEOTRACES Section cruise (GP09) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) to better understand the interrelationship between Cd and P biogeochemical cycles. Concentrations of particulate Cd (0.06–2.15 pmol L−1) and P (0.33–10.19 nmol L−1) showed an initial increase with depth followed by a decrease, and were among the lowest observed in the global ocean. Bulk particulate Cd : P ratios in the euphotic zone, indicative of phytoplankton Cd assimilation, showed strong geographic variability averaging 0.05 ± 0.02 within the NPSG interior vs. 0.14 ± 0.04 pmol nmol−1 at the southern boundary. Cadmium to P remineralization ratio in the mesopelagic zone had a roughly similar stoichiometry as what was produced in the euphotic zone, being ~ 0.05 ± 0.01 in the NPSG interior vs. 0.21 ± 0.04 pmol nmol−1 at the southern boundary. Cd–P decoupling was reflected in the elements' vertical distribution, showing unsynchronized changes through the water column, consistent with Cd–P differential remineralization resulting from multiple Cd and P pools. The Cd–P relationship also differed between small and large particles, suggesting differences in Cd assimilation among phytoplankton assemblages as well as particle dynamic processes. Our results highlight complex processes fractionating Cd from P in the oligotrophic ocean and complicate the use of Cd as a palaeo‐phosphate proxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational dermatitis (OD) is an inflammatory skin disease stemming from exposure to specific substances within a work setting. As the second most prevalent occupational health concern in 2020, affecting 1.8 per 10,000 workers, OD poses a significant challenge to workforce well‐being and imposes a substantial economic burden through lost wages, decreased productivity, and increased healthcare spending. Dermatologists emerge as pivotal figures in recognizing risk factors and delivering essential care to individuals with OD. This review focuses on chemical hazards and toxic substances regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration across general industry, maritime, and construction sectors. It explores the background of each hazard, pathophysiology to dermatitis, and human cases reported between 2017 and 2023 for formaldehyde, chromium, vinyl chloride, and cadmium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of different organic fertilizers and their potential for stabilizing toxic metals(loids) in soil have not been fully investigated. This study characterized and evaluated three organic fertilizers from different raw materials. The mushroom residue organic fertilizer (MO) had higher C, H, and O contents and more functional groups (-OH, C-H, and C = O). Its application significantly increased pH (1.00 ~ 1.32 units), organic matter (OM) content (26.58 ~ 69.11%), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) (31.52 ~ 39.91%) of soil. MO treatments can simultaneously reduce the bioavailable TCLP-Cd and TCLP-As in soil, solving the difficulties of remediating the combined Cd and As pollution. MO treatments inhibited the migration of Cd and As from soil to plant, promoting plant growth. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that metal(loid) variations in plants were related to soil properties (40.09%) and TCLP-Cd/As (44.74%). Furthermore, the toxic metals(loids) risk assessment for all organic fertilizers was at safe levels. This study provided a valuable reference for choosing organic fertilizers and presented a novel option for the "producing while remediating" of farmlands with low pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background: Microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals (HMs) coexist in the farmland of China. Motivation: It still remains unclear the extent of their exposure and distribution in sweet potato fields. Hypothesis: Polyethylene (PE) or polyamide (PA) is the main MP pollutant in contaminated sweet potato sites, and the MP abundance in low-latitude and eastern areas is highest. Methods: In this study, saturated NaCl solution, a stereo microscope, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and an electrothermal digester are used for the extraction, observation, identification of MPs, and analysis of Cd elements in soil, respectively. Methods: In this study, saturated NaCl solution, a stereo microscope, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and an electrothermal digester are used for the extraction, observation, identification of MPs, and analysis of Cd elements in soil, respectively. Results: Here, we found an average MP level of 112,400 items/kg in 30 sweet potato field sites based on the items in 5 g soil and the magnification (200x), and the maximum abundance was 197,153 items/kg in Laiyang city, Shandong province, by field survey. The distribution characteristics of MPs are middle-latitude areas < lowlatitude areas, and eastern areas > central areas. Most MPs are of the fragment and film shape, which account for 47.96 and 40.22%, respectively. In order to detect MP polymers in three cities named “Liancheng,” “Huanggang,” and “Laiyang” with different degrees of development, a laser infrared imaging system was used as a novel instrument to explore the MPs larger than 10 μm. Conclusion: The results showed that PA is the main MP pollutant in contaminated sweet potato sites, and soil texture, planting time, and urbanization processes may be the main factors affecting MP distribution. The average cadmium (Cd) concentration in 215 field sites is 0.15  mg/kg, and the local Cd pollution is existing, but the overall pollution is low. In addition, Cd concentration was negatively correlated with MP abundance. This study reveals the status of MP and also Cd pollution in sweet potato fields, which provides a theoretical basis for the safe production and utilization of sweet potato fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are well known for enhancing phosphorus uptake in plants; however, their regulating roles in cation transporting gene family, such as natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP), are still limited. Here, we performed bioinformatics analysis and quantitative expression assays of tomato SlNRAMP 1 to 5 genes under nutrient deficiency and cadmium (Cd) stress in response to AM symbiosis. These five SlNRAMP members are mainly located in the plasma or vacuolar membrane and can be divided into two subfamilies. Cis-element analysis revealed several motifs involved in phytohormonal and abiotic regulation in their promoters. SlNRAMP2 was downregulated by iron deficiency, while SlNRAMP1, SlNRAMP3, SlNRAMP4, and SlNRAMP5 responded positively to copper-, zinc-, and manganese-deficient conditions. AM colonization reduced Cd accumulation and expression of SlNRAMP3 but enhanced SlNRAMP1, SlNRAMP2, and SlNRMAP4 in plants under Cd stress. These findings provide valuable genetic information for improving tomato resilience to nutrient deficiency and heavy metal stress by developing AM symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd2+) is a toxic heavy metal that is widespread throughout the environment. It is a subject of interest to environmental scientists because of its toxicity to plants, animals, and humans. The current work aims to evaluate the effects of Cd2+ on the production of phenolic compounds and morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of Lupinus albus L. plants exposed to Cd2+ at 0, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 150 μM CdCl2 for 7 days. Cd2+ induced negative effect on growth especially at the dose of 150 µM. Cd2+ also induced chlorosis and reduced photosynthetic activity. Besides, the metal increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA). Under Cd2+ toxicity (50, 100, and 150 µM), the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were increased or not significantly affected, while at 150 µM Cd2+ affected the activity of these enzymes. At the highest Cd2+ level (150 µM), proline and total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were markedly increased in leaves and roots of L. albus. Our results suggest that L. albus plants produced phenolic compounds with reducing capacity as a selective mechanism triggered by the highest activity of Cd2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Struvite is an eco-friendly fertilizer widely produced from waste streams. Landfill leachate, rich in ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N), encourages the recovery of NH4-N in the form of struvite. However, the presence of heavy metals, particularly cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni), may affect the purity of struvite crystals, thereby hindering its applicability as a fertilizer. While previous studies have examined the effects of various heavy metals on struvite crystallization, the specific impact of Cd and Ni, especially in landfill leachate, remains insufficiently studied. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the effect of Cd and Ni on the purity and morphology of struvite crystals obtained from synthetic solutions (Phase 1) and synthetic landfill leachate (Phase 2). Additionally, a kinetics study was conducted to determine the fate of Ni and Cd during struvite crystallization. Batch experiments of struvite precipitation were performed with varying concentrations of Cd and Ni. Aqueous analysis results indicated a minor reduction in NH4-N recovery in both phases when Cd or Ni were present. Furthermore, XRD and SEM analyses of solid samples demonstrated that all crystals were highly pure struvite. The impact of Cd and Ni in Phase 2 was slightly more significant than in Phase 1. The kinetics study suggested that struvite can be safely recovered from landfill leachate contaminated with Cd and Ni. However, further research is needed on actual landfill leachate to fully understand the combined and advanced effects of heavy metals on struvite crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar is an attractive low-cost sorbent for removal of heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) from solution. This study presents modification of sugarcane leaf biochars with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) and magnesium oxide (MgO) and the influence of Mg:P atomic ratio (varied from 0 to 2) on the Cd2+ adsorption performance was evaluated. Compared to unmodified biochar (BC), pre-pyrolysis modification with H3PO4 alone (P-BC) greatly increased the surface area from 296 to 505 m2/g but its Cd2+ adsorptivity decreased by 5-folds due to high acidity. Incorporation of alkaline MgO increased the Cd2+ adsorption and pH, despite a reduction in surface area, confirming that Mg played a predominant role in Cd2+ removal. When Mg:P > 1 (1.5MgP-BC and 2MgP-BC), more than 99% of the Cd2+ was removed, but the solutions were alkaline with pH > 8. Adsorbent 1MgP-BC presented an overall good performance with a maximum Cd2+ adsorption capacity of 36.4 mg/g (compared to 12.8 mg/g for BC) and neutral pH. The adsorption kinetics of Cd2+ onto both BC and 1MgP-BC were best described by the Elovich and pseudo-second order models, suggesting chemisorption as primary adsorption mechanism. Adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir (for 1MgP-BC) and Freundlich isotherm models (for BC). Characterization of the post-adsorption biochars with XRD, FTIR, XPS and SEM–EDX confirmed that Cd2+ adsorption onto BC was governed by precipitation of CdCO3 and interaction with specific surface sites, whereas for 1MgP-BC the Cd2+ was primarily adsorbed onto Mg phosphates on the biochar surface and precipitated as Cd3(PO4)2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial to investigate the effects of mixtures of contaminants on aquatic organisms, because they reflect what occurs in the environment. Cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) are metals that co‐occur in aquatic ecosystems, and information is scarce on their joint toxicity to Chlorophyceae using multiple endpoints. We evaluated the effects of isolated and combined Cd and Ni metals on multiple endpoints of the chlorophycean Raphidocelis subcapitata. The results showed that Cd inhibited cell density, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (up to 308% at 0.075 mg L−1 of Cd), chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence (0.050–0.100 mg L−1 of Cd), cell size (0.025–0.100 mg L−1 of Cd), and cell complexity in all concentrations evaluated. Nickel exposure decreased ROS production by up to 25% at 0.25 mg L−1 of Ni and Chl a fluorescence in all concentrations assessed. Cell density and oxygen‐evolving complex (initial fluorescence/variable fluorescence [F0/Fv]) were only affected at 0.5 mg L−1 of Ni. In terms of algal growth, mixture toxicity showed antagonism at low doses and synergism at high doses, with a dose level change greater than the median inhibitory concentration. The independent action model and dose‐level–dependent deviation best fit our data. Cadmium and Ni mixtures resulted in a significant increase in cell size and cell complexity, as well as changes in ROS production and Chl a fluorescence, and they did not affect the photosynthetic parameters. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1855–1869. © 2024 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic redox condition changes in acidic paddy soils substantially induce the biogeochemical redox cycling, and consequently affect Cd availability. However, the underlying biogeochemical mechanisms of the complicated redox processes in paddy soil remain poorly understood. Thus, we investigated the dynamics of Cd fractions under anoxic (0–40 days) and oxic (40–55 days) conditions. The available Cd content was evaluated using the diffusive gradients in thin film (DGT) technique, and the results show it decreased from 6.3 μg L–1 to below 0.1 μg L–1 under anoxic conditions, but rapidly increased to 13.5 μg L–1 under oxic conditions. Both sequential extraction procedures and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analyses found that majority of available Cd transformed to organic matter complex and Fe-Mn oxides fractions, rather than bounded with sulfides. The soil chemical properties further evaluated, and the correlation analysis and principal component analysis results suggested that the key factors in soils for the available Cd was the SO 4 2–, pH, and surface site concentration. The reduction of SO 4 2– could generate sulfides which may precipitate with dissolved Cd. The biogeochemical redox cycling of Fe/N/S determined the changes of soil pH and consequently influenced adsorption behavior of Cd. The breakdown of the soil aggregations changed the surface site concentration, which may affect the immobilization of Cd. A process-based kinetic model was established, and it found that iron biogeochemical redox cycling dominated the changes of soil pH, and thereby contributed to majority Cd retention by Fe-Mn oxides (34.4 %) and organic matter (33.7 %). In addition, sulfur biogeochemical redox cycling only contributed to 13.6 % of the total Cd contents, because of relatively low Cd solubility in contaminated soils and the competition with other cations for limited sulfides. The findings provide robust targets for interpreting the iron and sulfur biogeochemical processes for Cd availability and would be helpful for developing the precise and effective remediation strategies in Cd-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combined toxicity of Mo and Cd was evaluated in duck ovaries. • Mo and/or Cd led to trace element imbalance and ovarian injury. • Mo and/or Cd disturbed Th1/Th2 balance and polarized towards Th1. • Mo and/or Cd could activate ER stress-mediated necroptosis. • Mo and Cd could aggravate ovarian toxic damage. Cadmium (Cd) and excess molybdenum (Mo) pose serious threats to animal health. Our previous study has determined that Cd and/or Mo exposure can cause ovarian damage of ducks, while the specific mechanism is still obscure. To further investigate the toxic mechanism of Cd and Mo co-exposure in the ovary, forty 8-day-old female ducks were randomly allocated into four groups for 16 weeks, and the doses of Cd and Mo in basic diet per kg were as follows: control group, Mo group (100 mg Mo), Cd group (4 mg Cd), and Mo + Cd group (100 mg Mo + 4 mg Cd). Cadmium sulfate 8/3-hydrate (CdSO 4 ·8/3H 2 O) and hexaammonium molybdate ((NH 4) 6 Mo 7 O 24 ·4H 2 O) were the origins of Cd and Mo, respectively. At the 16th week of the experiment, all ovary tissues were collected for the detection of related indexes. The data indicated that Mo and/or Cd induced trace element disorders and Th1/Th2 balance to divert toward Th1 in the ovary, which activated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and then provoked necroptosis through triggering RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signaling pathway, and eventually caused ovarian pathological injuries and necroptosis characteristics. The alterations of above indicators were most apparent in the joint group. Above all, this research illustrates that Mo and/or Cd exposure can initiate necroptosis through Th1/Th2 imbalance-modulated ER stress in duck ovaries, and Mo and Cd combined exposure aggravates ovarian injuries. This research explores the molecular mechanism of necroptosis caused by Mo and/or Cd, which reveals that ER stress attenuation may be a therapeutic target to alleviate necroptosis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in rice is a global concern. Manganese (Mn) fertilizer is considered to be a compelling and practical agronomic measure to prevent Cd accumulation in grains. However, high doses of Mn are also toxic, while the effect of different forms of Mn fertilizer on reducing Cd absorption in rice remains unclear. To investigate the effects of low doses (37.5 kg/ha) of different Mn fertilizers (MnCl2, MnCO3, MnSO4, respectively) applied as topdressing fertilizers in combination with alkaline fertilizers on reducing Cd accumulation in rice grown in typical acid Cd-contaminated paddy soil, field experiments were conducted. The findings indicate that the application of MnSO4 led to a significant increase in soil pH by 0.18–0.27 units and a considerable decrease in CaCl2-extractable Cd content in the soil, ranging from 37.01 to 31.88%. Moreover, the inclusion of MnSO4 significantly increased the soil Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure-Extractable Manganese (TCLP-Mn) content by 1.75–1.86 times, thereby promoting the antagonistic interactions between Cd and Mn ions in the rice rhizosphere. Furthermore, it substantially reduced Cd accumulation in rice grains by 6.47–14.00%. Utilizing structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that soil pH and TCLP-Mn were identified as the major factors inhibiting Cd accumulation in grains, and there exists a direct significant positive effect of soil available Cd on the Cd concentration found within grains. Collectively, the findings suggest that applying low-dose Mn fertilizer, especially MnSO4, as a topdressing combined with alkaline fertilizers is an economical and promising strategy for remediation of Cd contaminated paddy soil.Highlights: MnSO4 induced the lowest grain Cd level. Application of MnSO4 reducing Cd enrichment in roots and inhibiting Cd transport from roots to straw. MnSO4 combined with alkaline fertilizers increased soil pH value and TCLP-Mn. MnSO4 (37.5 kg/ha) at tillering reduced Cd bioavailability in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In order to solve the problems of high consumption and cost of zinc powder in the conventional impurity removal method, the purification of copper, cadmium, nickel and cobalt from zinc sulfate solution(containing 30 -- 60 mg/L cadmium, 300 -- 400 mg/L cobalt, and 60 -- 100 mg/L nickel) was achieved by using sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate. The optimized impurity removal conditions are shown as follows: the dosage of sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate was 1.5 times the theoretical amount, the dosage of sodium nitrite was 1 times the theoretical amount, the reaction time was 1 h, and the reaction temperature was 75 -- 85 °C. The slag content was 30 kg/m³-liquid. The zinc and cobalt content in slag was about 8% and the cadmium and nickel content was about 1.5%, the loss percent of zinc was 0.02%. The removal efficiency was 99.11% for copper, 99.8% for cadmium, 99.99% for cobalt and 98.94% for nickel. The synchronous removal of copper, cobalt, nickel and cobalt can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cadmium (Cd) and excess molybdenum (Mo) are multiorgan toxic, but the detrimental impacts of Cd and/or Mo on poultry have not been fully clarified. Thence, a 16‐week sub‐chronic toxic experiment was executed with ducks to assess the toxicity of Cd and/or Mo. Our data substantiated that Cd and Mo coexposure evidently reduced GSH‐Px, GSH, T‐SOD, and CAT activities and elevated H2O2 and MDA concentrations in myocardium. What is more, the study suggested that Cd and Mo united exposure synergistically elevated Fe2+ content in myocardium and activated AMPK/mTOR axis, then induced ferroptosis by obviously upregulating ACSL4, PTGS2, and TFRC expression levels and downregulating SLC7A11, GPX4, FPN1, FTL1, and FTH1 expression levels. Additionally, Cd and Mo coexposure further caused excessive ferritinophagy by observably increasing autophagosomes, the colocalization of endogenous FTH1 and LC3, ATG5, ATG7, LC3II/LC3I, NCOA4, and FTH1 expression levels. In brief, this study for the first time substantiated that Cd and Mo united exposure synergistically induced ferroptosis and excess ferritinophagy by AMPK/mTOR axis, finally augmenting myocardium injure in ducks, which will offer an additional view on united toxicity between two heavy metals on poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging of biochar can affect its stability and persistence of heavy metals immobilizing in soil, resulting in changes in its inertness. Using peanut shell(PS) as raw material, peanut shell biochar (PSB) was prepared by pyrolysis under the condition of 600 °C and hypoxia. Oxidized biochar(OPSB), leached biochar(LPSB) and acidified biochar (APSB) were prepared Y by simulated field oxidation, leaching and acidification of PSB. The effects of these three aging methods on the adsorption efficiency and mechanisms of Cd2+ by the biochar were investigated using isothermal adsorption models, kinetic models, FT-IR and XRD. The results show that oxidative aging process an significantly enhance the accumulation of oxygen-containing functional groups (--COOH, --OH, etc.) on the surface of the biochar, thereby increasing the adsorption capacity of OPSB for Cd2+ by 10.13%. Leaching aging process can not cause significant changes in functional group content but result in substantial loss of soluble minerals, leading to a significant decrease adsorption capacity of LPSB for Cd2+ by 13. 35%. Acidification aging process can affect the adsorptive activity of Cd2+ on the surface of the biochar, resulting in a reduction in adsorption capacity of APSB for Cd2+ by 26. 52%. All four types of biochar exhibite effective adsorption for Cd2+, the OPSB showing optimal affinity followed by PSB, LPSB, and APSB. The Langmuir isothermal adsorption model provides better fitting for describing the Cd2+ adsorption process by all four types of biochars under low pH conditions. Furthermore, the adsorptions processes by all four types of biochars are predominantly governed by physical electrostatic interactions, which is suitable to be described by quasi-first-order kinetic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]