Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Chemosphere 2019 Feb 8;223:342-350. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, USA.

Foraging aggregations of east Pacific green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) inhabit the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (SBNWR) and San Diego Bay (SDB), two habitats in southern California, USA, located near urbanized areas. Both juvenile and adult green turtles forage in these areas and exhibit high site fidelity, which potentially exposes green turtles to anthropogenic contaminants. We assessed 21 trace metals (TM) bioaccumulated in green turtle scute and red blood cell (RBC) samples collected from SBNWR (n = 16 turtles) and SDB (n = 20 turtles) using acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Read More

J Environ Sci (China) 2019 May 30;79:67-73. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, 541 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201, USA. Electronic address:

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic and bio-accumulating heavy metal that is predominantly released via the combustion of coal. Due to its toxicity, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Rule regarding allowable Hg emissions. In order to reduce emissions, power plants have widely adopted activated carbon (AC) injection. Read More

J Environ Sci (China) 2019 May 13;79:280-296. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa; Centre for Nanomaterials, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.

Sulfur containing ion imprinted polymers (S-IIPs) were applied for the uptake of Hg(II) from aqueous solution. Cysteamine which was used as the ligand for Hg(II) complexation, was grafted along the epichlorohydrin crosslinked carboxylated carboxymethyl cellulose polymer chain through an amide reaction. The adsorption ability of S-IIPs towards Hg(II) was investigated by kinetic and isotherm models, which, corresponding, showed that the adsorption process followed a pseudo-second-order, fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity of 80 mg/g. Read More

J Environ Sci (China) 2019 May 1;79:111-120. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

College of Resources and Environmental Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China.

Hierarchical Ag-SiO@FeO magnetic composites were selected for elemental mercury (Hg) removal from non-ferrous metal smelting flue gas in this study. Results showed that the hierarchical Ag-SiO@FeO magnetic composites had favorable Hg removal ability at low temperature. Moreover, the adsorption capacity of hierarchical magnetic composite is much larger than that of pure FeO and SiO@FeO. Read More

Environ Monit Assess 2019 Feb 19;191(3):171. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 28 Xianning Xi Road, Xi'an, 710049, Shanxi, China.

Little is known about the extent of heavy metal accumulation in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). In this study, the levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) in traditional animal medicines were monitored using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Additionally, for the first time, a heavy metal risk assessment strategy was used to evaluate the potential risks of traditional animal medicines by calculating estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and cancer risk (CR). Read More

Pharmazie 2019 Jan;74(1):18-22

The electrochemical behavior of the echinocandin antifungals anidulafungin (AF) and micafungin (MF) has been investigated by differential pulse polarography (DPP). The measurements were carried out in a supporting electrolyte solution consisting of Britton-Robinson buffer and methanol at various substance concentrations and pH values. An amperometric cell with a three electrode system consisting of a dropping mercury electrode (DME) as working electrode, an auxiliary platinum electrode and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode was used in all experiments. Read More

Ann Glob Health 2018 Nov 5;84(4):551-562. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Center for Children's Health Research South Brisbane, AU.

Background: Stunting, a form of malnutrition characterized by impaired linear growth in the first two years of life, affects one quarter of children globally. While nutritional status remains the key cause of stunting, there is evidence that environmental risk factors are associated with stunting.

Objective: The objective of this review is to explore the current literature and compile the environmental risk factors that have been associated with stunting. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Instituto Nacional del Carbón (CSIC), Francisco Pintado Fe, 26, 33011, Oviedo, Spain.

Because of its low concentration, its unique physico-chemical properties and the analytical difficulties associated with its measurement, the determination of mercury species in solids is not an easy task. Thermal desorption (HgTPD) is an attractive option for the identification of mercury species in solids due to its simplicity and accessibility. However, there are still issues that need to be solved for it to reach its full potential. Read More

Environ Geochem Health 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ingestion of geophagic materials might affect human health and induce diseases by different ways. The purpose of this study is to determine the geochemical composition of geophagic material consumed especially by pregnant women in Onangama Village, Northern Namibia and to assess its possible health effects. X-ray fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used in order to determine the major, and trace elements as well as anions concentrations of the consumed material. Read More

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA.

The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of the relationship between mercury in three species of adult salamanders and relatively pristine first-order streams in western Maryland. We measured the tissue mercury content of 106 northern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea bislineata bislineata), 111 northern dusky (Desmognathus fuscus), and 107 Allegheny mountain dusky (Desmognathus ocrophaeus) salamanders collected during three sampling periods. Averaged over our entire data set, northern two-lined salamanders had significantly greater tissue mercury contents (29. Read More

Crit Rev Toxicol 2019 Feb 19:1-12. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

a Unit of training and research in Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy , University Mohammed V , Rabat , Morocco.

This systematic review summarizes the finding of 58 studies from 33 countries, which assessed mercury concentrations in breast milk and the factors related to the level of contamination. We performed a literature search in Pubmed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 1976 and 2017 that are monitoring and measuring mercury in human breast milk and investigating the associated factors. Then, we extracted more information about the aim of the study, the country, samples size, time of lactation, mercury concentration, and other data. Read More

Environ Int 2019 Feb 15;126:14-23. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address:

Background: The extent to which low-level, in utero mercury exposure affects child neurobehavioral development during early childhood has been inconclusive. In addition, the effects of sex and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on these relationships remain unclear and controversial.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the associations between prenatal low-level mercury exposure and child neurobehavioral development during the neonatal and toddler periods and to examine the potential confounding or interactive effects of sex and DHA status on these relationships. Read More

Toxicol In Vitro 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Canada. Electronic address:

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxicant, with the cerebellum as the main target of toxicity; however, the toxic effects of MeHg on specific cell types remain unclear. Here, primary cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) and cerebellar astrocytes were isolated and analyzed for total mercury accumulation, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and whole-cell proteome expression after exposure to 0-10 μM MeHg for 24 h. Intracellular mercury and ROS levels showed dose-dependent increases. Read More

Toxicology 2019 Feb 15;417:15-22. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

School of Pharmacy, Kitasato University, 5-9-1, Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan. Electronic address:

Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the most toxic environmental pollutants, presenting a serious health hazard worldwide. In this study, we examined the potential of derivatives of oleanolic acid (OA), such as OA 3-glucoside, OA 28-glucoside, and OA 3,28-diglucoside, to mitigate MeHg toxicity in vitro and in vivo. We found that OA 3-glucoside suppressed the cellular MeHg uptake by 63. Read More

Chem Asian J 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

HONG KONG.

By using copper-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction, two boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives bearing a bis(1,2,3-triazole)amino receptor at the meso position were prepared and characterized. For the analogue with two terminal triethylene glycol chains, the fluorescence emission at 509 nm responded selectively toward Hg2+ ion, which greatly increased the fluorescence quantum yield from 0.003 to 0. Read More

Talanta 2019 May 9;197:310-318. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Chemistry, Research Center for Academic Excellence in Petroleum, Petrochemical and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand. Electronic address:

A simple, fast, sensitive and eco-friendly ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent liquid phase microextraction (UA-DES-LPME) was developed for preconcentration and speciation of Hg and CHHg combined with ETAAS. Choline-phenol based DES (1:3, molar ratio) was used as an extractant for the determination of species of mercury, Hg formed hydrophobic complexes with dithizone and complexes were then extracted using DES. For CHHg determination, CHHg can be extracted directly into DES phase because of its hydrophobic property. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Jan 28;664:899-907. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Environmental Chemistry Department, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

One of the most representative predator species in tropical ecosystems is caiman that can provide relevant information about the impact of mercury (Hg) associated with artisanal and small-scale gold mining. To evaluate the degree to which adverse effects are likely to occur in Caiman crocodilus, total Hg (THg) concentrations in different tissues and DNA damage in erythrocytes were determined. Samples of claws, scutes, and blood were taken from 65 specimens in sites impacted by upstream gold mining, and in a crocodile breeding center as control site, located in a floodplain in northern Colombia. Read More

Horm Behav 2019 Feb 15;109:53-55. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74107, United States of America. Electronic address:

Male, but not female, prairie voles that experience chronic exposure to inorganic mercury display aberrant social behavior - avoiding unfamiliar conspecifics rather than approaching them. The mechanisms that underlie such behavioral changes are unknown, but likely involve the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We tested this hypothesis by providing voles of both sexes with mercury chloride in their drinking water for ten weeks and then staging same-sex dyadic encounters after which plasma was assayed for corticosterone as an index of HPA activity. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address:

Background: Neuronal and sensory toxicity of mercury (Hg) compounds has been largely investigated in humans/mammals with a focus on public health, while research in fish is less prolific and dispersed by different species. Well-established premises for mammals have been governing fish research, but some contradictory findings suggest that knowledge translation between these animal groups needs prudence [e.g. Read More

Small 2019 Feb 15:e1804920. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.

Electronic eye cameras are receiving increasing interest due to their unique advantages such as wide field of view, low aberrations, and simple imaging optics compared to conventional planar focal plane arrays. However, the spectral sensing ranges of most electronic eyes are confined to the visible, which is limited by the energy gaps of the sensing materials and by fabrication obstacles. Here, a potential route leading to infrared electronic eyes is demonstrated by exploring flexible colloidal quantum dot (CQD) photovoltaic detectors. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2019 Feb 14;186(3):172. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect 33, Moscow, 119071, Russia.

This review (with 230 refs.) covers recent progress in rapid optical assays for heavy metals (primarily lead and mercury as the most relevant) based on the use of nanoparticles and receptor molecules. An introduction surveys the importance, regulatory demands (such as maximum permissible concentrations) and potential and limitations of various existing methods. Read More

Histochem Cell Biol 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

The process of fluorescence starts with the efficient generation of light that is required for the excitation of fluorophores. As such, light sources are a crucial component of a fluorescence microscope. Choosing the right illumination tool can not only improve the quality of experimental results, but also the microscope's economic and environmental footprint. Read More

Toxicol Res 2019 Jan 15;35(1):25-35. Epub 2018 Jan 15.

University of Bordeaux, CNRS, UMR 5805, EPOC, Arcachon Marine Station, 33120 Arcachon, France.

The extracts of and are widely used in the folk medicine. The potential protective effects of these extracts have been evaluated against cadmium in the yeast , and against mercurial contamination in zebrafish . In yeast, both extracts efficiently protected the Δ mutant strain exposed to cadmium chloride restoring the growth, the expression of stress-response genes and decreasing the level of oxidative stress. Read More

Molecules 2019 Feb 5;24(3). Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Advanced Materials Research Chair, Chemistry Department P. O. Box 2455, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

The contamination of water surfaces by mercury is a dangerous environmental problem due to its toxicity, which leads kidney damage. Activated carbon from mixed recyclable waste modified by phosphonium-based ionic liquid (IL-ACMRW) was therefore prepared and evaluated for Hg(II) remediation. The activated carbon used in this study was prepared from mixed waste, including cardboard, papers and palm wastes as cheap raw materials. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Jan 31;664:761-770. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA.

Several species found in the Bering Sea show significant spatial variation in total mercury concentrations ([THg]) longitudinally along the Aleutian Island chain. We assessed [THg] in other members of the Bering Sea food web to better understand the factors shaping regional differences. [THg] and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δN and δC values) were measured in muscle tissue from 1052 fishes and cephalopods from parts of the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Aleutian Islands. Read More

Free Radic Biol Med 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15282, USA. Electronic address:

Analyses of reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and total glutathione (tGSH) in red blood cell samples from 30 children diagnosed with autism and 30 age, gender, and socioeconomic status matched controls were undertaken. The children's ages ranged from 2-9. Samples were obtained from subjects residing in Western Pennsylvania, an area of the United States greatly affected by high levels of mercury deposition and airborne PM 2. Read More

Ecotoxicology 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.

We assessed total mercury (THg) concentrations in breast feathers of diurnal North American raptors collected at migration monitoring stations. For 9 species in the Pacific Flyway, we found species and age influenced feather THg concentrations whereas sex did not. Feather THg concentrations µg/g dry weight (dw) averaged (least squares mean ± standard error) higher for raptors that generally consume > 75% avian prey (sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus: n = 113; 4. Read More

Ecotoxicology 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Biological Sciences and Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.

Mercury (Hg) deposited into aquatic sediments can be converted into the more toxic methylmercury (MeHg) by microbial activity. Atlantic stingrays (Hypanus sabinus) are an estuarine and nearshore species found in coastal regions of the western North Atlantic, occurring in multiple habitat types, and feeding mainly on benthic invertebrates. Mercury dynamics and speciation in stingrays have not been well examined. Read More

Breast Cancer Res 2019 Feb 13;21(1):24. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Departments of Surgery and Radiology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.

Background: Breast density is strongly related to breast cancer. Identifying associations between environmental exposures and density may elucidate relationships with breast cancer. Metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may influence breast density via oxidative stress or endocrine disruption. Read More

Nanomaterials (Basel) 2019 Feb 12;9(2). Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Bionanotechnology, Gachon University, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Korea.

The enormous ongoing industrial development has caused serious water pollution which has become a major crisis, particularly in developing countries. Among the various water pollutants, non-biodegradable heavy metal ions are the most prevalent. Thus, trace-level detection of these metal ions using a simple technique is essential. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Feb 30;653:748-757. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.

A survey was conducted to investigate the pollution and health risks of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and zinc (Zn) in 60 Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) collected from a market in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China. Furthermore, eight CHMs (Cyathulae radix, Drynariae rhizoma, Peucedani radix, Homalomenae rhizoma, Dryopteris setosa, Polygonati rhizoma, Lilii bulbus, and Linderae radix) containing high Cd concentrations were selected to further analyse their Cd chemical forms. Additionally, the dissolution rates of six heavy metals in decoction liquid were also analysed for four CHMs (Typhonii rhizoma, Linderae radix, Homalomenae rhizoma, and Cyathulae radix), and the health risks of heavy metals in CHMs were evaluated. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Feb 2;653:638-648. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.

Mercury emissions from biomass burning contribute significantly to the atmospheric mercury budget and the interannual variation of mercury concentrations in the troposphere. This study developed a high-resolution (0.1° × 0. Read More

Cad Saude Publica 2019 Feb 11;35(2):e00091618. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Instituto de Estudos de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Mercury is a metal found in the environment from natural and anthropogenic sources. It is highly toxic to ecosystems and living beings. Most human exposures come from ingestion of contaminated seafood, outgassing from dental amalgam or occupational exposure (e. Read More

Nanoscale 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Laboratoire de Physique et d'Etude des Matériaux, ESPCI-Paris PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université Univ Paris 06, CNRS, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France.

We demonstrate the growth of 2D nanoplatelets (NPLs) made of a HgTe/CdS heterostructure, with an optical absorption reaching the shortwave infrared range. The material is an interesting platform to investigate the effect of dimensionality (0D vs. 2D) and confinement on the electronic spectrum and carrier dynamics in colloidal materials. Read More

Contact Dermatitis 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of dermatology, Fattouma Bourguiba Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a severe eruption characterized by numerous non-follicular sterile pustules on an erythematous background. AGEP is mostly caused by systemic drugs mainly antibiotics. Others causes of AGEP, such as contact with mercury, spider bites and viral infection had been described. Read More

Mikrochim Acta 2019 Feb 12;186(3):171. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Education, Institute of Functional Materials and Agricultural Applied Chemistry, College of Science, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Nanchang, 330045, China.

This review (with 155 refs.) summarizes the progress made in the past few years in the field of electrochemical sensors based on graphene-derived materials for the determination of heavy metal ions. Following an introduction of this field and a discussion of the various kinds of modified graphenes including graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide, the review covers graphene based electrodes modified (or doped) with (a) heteroatoms, (b) metal nanoparticles, (c) metal oxides, (d) small organic molecules, (e) polymers, and (f) ternary nanocomposites. Read More

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.

Mercury contamination in soil and water has become a major concern to environmental quality and human health. Among the existing remediation technologies for mercury pollution control, sorption via iron-based materials has received wide attention as they are environmental friendly and economic, and their reactivity is high and controllable through modulating the morphology and surface properties of particulate materials. This paper aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on environmental application of a variety of iron-based sorbents, namely, zero valent iron, iron oxides, and iron sulfides, for mercury remediation. Read More

J Environ Sci Health B 2019 Feb 12:1-7. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

a Science Center and Food Quality (CCQA) , Institute of Food Technology (ITAL) , Campinas , Brazil.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the risk-benefit associated with canned sardine consumption, considering the selenium, the mercury and the methylmercury contents and the Se:Hg molar ratio and the Se-health benefit value (HBV) index. In this study, 63 canned sardine samples were purchased worldwide and for the determination of selenium and mercury species, the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and thermal decomposition and amalgamation atomic absorption spectrometry were employed. The mean results obtained for the Brazilian samples varied between 12. Read More

J Chromatogr Sci 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam, India.

The high polarity of the protoberberine alkaloids present in Coptis teeta has made it difficult to quantify the alkaloids. This study was designed to develop and validate a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) densitometric-based method using high-performance thin-layer chromatography for quantification of berberine. The separation was achieved in a solvent system consisting of butanol:ethyl acetate:formic acid:water by volume on TLC aluminum plate precoated with silica gel 60 F254. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Division of Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.

Concerns about vaccine safety can lead to decreased acceptance of vaccines and resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases. We summarize the key evidence on some of the main current vaccine safety controversies in the United States, including: 1) MMR vaccine and autism; 2) thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative, and the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders; 3) vaccine-induced Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS); 4) vaccine-induced autoimmune diseases; 5) safety of HPV vaccine; 6) aluminum adjuvant-induced autoimmune diseases and other disorders; and 7) too many vaccines given early in life predisposing children to health and developmental problems. A possible small increased risk of GBS following influenza vaccination has been identified, but the magnitude of the increase is less than the risk of GBS following influenza infection. Read More

Korean J Ophthalmol 2019 Feb;33(1):26-35

Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea.

Purpose: To investigate the associations between blood heavy metal concentrations and dry eye disease using a Korean population-based survey.

Methods: This study included 23,376 participants >40 years of age who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012. Blood concentrations of lead, cadmium, and mercury were measured in all participants. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Guangxi Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Agro-Environment and Agro-Product Safety, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005, China.

Hydrolysis and photolysis of bentazone in abiotic aqueous solutions were examined under laboratory conditions. Hydrolysis was studied in different buffer solutions (pH 4.0 ± 0. Read More

Food Chem 2019 Jun 24;284:149-154. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Gerencia Química, Av. Gral Paz 1499, B1650KNA-San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Godoy Cruz 2290, C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address:

A study was undertaken to quantify the concentration of toxic and potentially toxic elements in samples of rice, rice crackers, rice noodles, infant cereals and rice vinegar available in the Argentine market. The determination of nine elements, namely, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and Zn in 29 samples was performed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Element concentrations spanned the range (ng g): As, 67-858; Cd, <0. Read More

J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2019 Jun;19(6):3459-3470

Laboratorio di Chimica Fisica Applicata, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Innovazione Industriale e Digitale-Ingegneria Chimica Gestionale Informatica Meccanica, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, 90128, Italy.

In this work, we present some results concerning the electrochemical behavior of nanostructured-based electrochemical sensors. In particular, the attention has been focused on Pd and Cu nanowires for detection of hydrogen peroxide and NiO thin film or Ni@NiO core-shell nanowires for detection of mercury ions. Ordered array of Pd and Cu nanowires was obtained through displacement deposition reaction in a commercial polycarbonate membrane acting as a template. Read More

Environ Health 2019 Feb 11;18(1):11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.

Background: Tampons are used by up to 86% of US women and are a rarely considered potential source of pesticide and metal exposure. Tampons may be of particular concern given the likely higher absorption that occurs in the vagina. Our objective was to examine the potential associations between tampon use and metal concentrations, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress among healthy women. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Apr 11;660:1533-1541. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Worldwide, approximately 30 million people depend directly on artisanal mining of many different minerals to provide for themselves and their families. However, poverty and a lack of education and training keep artisanal miners trapped in a cycle of rudimentary practices, which generate both environmental and health impacts. As the needs and motivations of artisanal miners are often ignored, previous attempts to deliver training projects have resulted in little sustained success. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Apr 8;660:1502-1512. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512, USA; Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA. Electronic address:

Vegetation uptake of atmospheric mercury (Hg) is an important mechanism enhancing atmospheric Hg deposition via litterfall and senescence. We here report Hg concentrations and pool sizes of different plant functional groups and plant species across nine tundra sites in northern Alaska. Significant spatial differences were observed in bulk vegetation Hg concentrations at Toolik Field station (52 ± 9 μg kg), Eight Mile Lake Observatory (40 ± 0. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Apr 3;660:1441-1448. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403004, India.

There is limited knowledge regarding seawater intrusion on Hg distribution in monsoon fed tropical estuarine systems during dry season (February to May). This study examined the influence of resuspension of estuarine sediment and intrusion of Hg bound SPM (Hg) (by the tide) from the outside of an estuary in controlling distribution, mobility, and bioavailability of Hg within the estuarine systems during the dry season. This investigation was carried out in the Mandovi estuary, a monsoon fed tropical estuary from the central west coast of India. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2019 Apr 10;660:1098-1107. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Hasselt University, CMK, Nuclear Technological Centre, Agoralaan, Gebouw H, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium. Electronic address:

Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) based on ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and phosphogypsum (PG) were investigated in order to quantify leaching of naturally occurring radionuclides (NOR) and inorganic non-radiological elements according to an up-flow percolation column test as described in CEN/TS 16637-3. Gamma spectroscopy and neutron activation analysis (NAA) were applied for radiological characterization, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and ion-chromatography (IC) for chemical characterization. Upon leaching, U, Ra, Pb, and Ra were retained very well. Read More

Environ Res 2019 Apr 11;171:523-529. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Mechanistic studies support the potential for mercury (Hg) to alter immunity, including via in utero exposure. As yet, there are few prospective studies of in utero Hg exposure and subsequent immune-related outcomes, especially in infancy.

Objectives: We investigated the association of biomarkers of prenatal Hg exposure and maternal silver-mercury dental amalgams with the occurrence of infant allergy, respiratory infection, and respiratory symptoms in the first year of life. Read More