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PubMed1991

Enhanced liver metabolism of mutagens and carcinogens in fish living in polluted seawater.

Specimens of the seawater fish annular seabream (Diplodus annularis) were caught from a polluted harbor area and from a clean reference area. Seawater concentrates and fish-muscle extracts were not mutagenic in the Salmonella reversion test. Liver preparations of fish from the 2 sources were comparatively assayed for microsomal mixed-function oxidases and cytosolic biochemical parameters, as well as for the ability of S12 fractions to activate promutagens or to detoxify direct-acting mutagens. A shift of the cytochrome P-450 peak from 450.3 to 448.5 was accompanied by a 4.5-fold increase in arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity in fish living in the polluted environment. At the same time, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were doubled in the cytosol of the same animals, while reduced glutathione (GSH) peroxidase and GSH S-transferase were slightly yet significantly depressed. No significant difference was recorded for other biochemical parameters, including GSH, oxidized glutathione (GSSG) reductase, NADH- and NADPH-dependent diaphorases, and DT diaphorase. In parallel, fish exposed to polluted seawater exhibited a significant and marked enhancement of the metabolic activation of the pyrolysis product Trp-P-2 and of benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-diol, and at the same time were less efficient in detoxifying the antitumor compound ICR 191. Liver S12 fractions from both sources efficiently decreased the direct mutagenicity of sodium dichromate, and failed to activate benzo[a]pyrene and aflatoxin B1 to mutagenic metabolites. These results provide evidence that both biochemical parameters and the overall capacity of fish liver to activate or detoxify certain mutagens can be assumed to be sensitive indicators of exposure to mixed organic pollutants in the marine environment.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Interaction of gaseous and particulate pollutants in the respiratory tract: mechanisms and modulators.

Human contact with air pollution usually involves exposure to more than one chemical, and biological responses to the inhalation of polluted atmospheres likely depend upon the interplay between individual materials. Thus, characterizing effects from exposures to mixtures of air pollutants is necessary for adequate quantitation of health risks. Exposure to gas/particle mixtures may result in respiratory tract responses which are additive, or reflect synergistic or antagonistic interactions. The occurrence and type of interaction depends upon numerous factors, including the biological endpoint being examined and the specific exposure conditions, such as concentration, duration, and the physicochemical characteristics of the exposure atmosphere. It is, therefore, not always possible to predict solely from the presence of certain pollutants in a complex atmosphere exactly whether there will be an interaction and, if so, what type it will be. This complicates attempts to relate responses observed in laboratory studies of mixtures to those which may occur under ambient patterns of exposure, an extrapolation needed for human risk assessment.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1995

Interaction of air pollutants and pulmonary allergic responses in experimental animals.

Asthma, which is primarily an allergic type of respiratory disease, has increased in the U.S. and Europe by 30% over the last decade. Air pollution may play a role in this rise, since during episodes of smog, hospital admissions due to asthma increase. Ambient air quality has generally improved since the Clean Air Act was implemented in 1971 however, and has led some investigators to suggest that the increased risk of asthma is associated with a deterioration of indoor air quality through the introduction of closed ventilation systems and constant climate control. Thus, although the direct health effects of acute and chronic air pollutant exposure are not in dispute, emphasis on the sources and location of exposure is changing from outdoors to the home environment and workplace. The few experimental studies which have investigated the interaction of air pollutants with allergic disease have shown that exposure to O3 or NO2 can increase levels of allergen-specific antibody and may augment allergic symptoms. These experiments are reviewed along with a study conducted in our laboratory which demonstrated the enhancing effect of NO2 exposure on immune responses and pulmonary inflammation following sensitization and pulmonary challenge with house dust mite allergen (HDM). In this study, rats exposed to 5 ppm NO2 for 3 h after each immunization had significantly higher levels of serum IgE and local IgA, IgG and IgE antibody than air controls. Lymphocyte activity in the spleen and local lymph nodes, and pulmonary inflammatory cells were also increased in NO2-exposed rats. The results show that exposure to NO2 enhances immune responsiveness and the severity of pulmonary inflammation following antigen challenge. Since allergic individuals and most asthmatics also have increased immunity to these proteins, the possibility that air pollutant exposure enhances immune responses to allergens and thus exacerbates immune-mediated lung disease exists.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1996

Sister chromatid exchanges in rodent tracheal epithelium exposed in vitro to environmental pollutants.

In our highly industrialized world, air pollution has become a major topic. The human respiratory tract is constantly exposed to air pollutants by inhalation. Besides gaseous pollutants airborne particulates are of great importance, containing a complex mixture of several hundred substances. The tracheobronchial epithelium is the major target site of airborne particulates as well as the origin of the most common cancer in man, the bronchogenic carcinoma. In our study we collected samples of airborne particulates in winter 1991 in the highly industrialized Rhine-Ruhr area (Germany) with a high-volume sampler on glass fiber filters. Airborne particulates were extracted with di-chloromethane and quantitatively transferred to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for tissue culture experiments. As target cells for genotoxicity testing we used cultures of rodent tracheal epithelial cells from the Syrian golden hamster and from the rat. Induction of "sister chromatid exchanges" (SCE) was utilized as a sensitive cytogenetic endpoint for evaluation of the genotoxic activity of extracts of airborne particulates. In presence of global extracts (GEX) we observed a dose-dependent, highly significant increase of SCE in tracheal epithelial cells of the Syrian golden hamster and of the rat. It is remarkable that even quantities of chemical substances equivalent to airborne particulates from less than 1 m3 of air were genotoxic. Results of this study and earlier reports demonstrate that rodent tracheal epithelial cells offer a reliable and sensitive in vitro model for genotoxicity testing of airborne particulates. Therefore, tracheal epithelial cells in vitro appear a meaningful alternative to other human and rodent cell culture systems which have been used for genotoxicity testing of air pollutants.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2004

Clonal xenobiotic resistance during pollution-induced toxic injury and hepatocellular carcinogenesis in liver of female flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)).

Juvenile and adult female flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)) were caught either in the estuary of the most polluted European river, the Elbe, or as controls in a reference site to study pollution-induced xenobiotic resistance in their livers in relation to pathological alterations. In juvenile fish, livers displayed reversible and irreversible degenerative toxipathic lesion types but never showed (pre)neoplastic changes. Tumour frequencies up to 70% were found macroscopically in livers of adult female flounder which had progressed to adenomas and carcinomas in the most polluted site. Because male adult flounder show only up to 50% of livers containing early preneoplastic foci but never malignancies, we focussed our study on female individuals. (Pre)neoplastic changes ranged from early eosinophilic foci to basophilic foci, adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas. Adenomas were generally eosinophilic whereas carcinomas were mainly basophilic. These phenotypical sequential changes strongly resemble those found in chemically-induced liver carcinogenesis in mammals. Characteristic mutations known from mammalian cancers have not been found so far in these flounder livers. Therefore, we investigated whether epigenetic events had induced a metabolic "resistant phenotype" of (pre)malignant cancer cells during hepatocellular carcinogenesis. With a quantitative immunohistochemical approach, we studied expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated multixenobiotic resistance (MXR), cytochrome P4501A1, glutathione-S-transferase-A which are key proteins in xenobiotic metabolism and elimination. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity, the major source of the reducing power NADPH which is needed for biotransformation, oxyradical scavenging and biosynthesis, was detected as well. We observed upregulation of G6PDH activity already in early preneoplastic eosinophilic foci and subsequent further upregulation in basophilic foci and carcinomas. P-gp started to become overexpressed in basophilic foci and was overexpressed even more strongly in carcinomas and their invasively-growing protrusions (satellites). In carcinomas, P-gp protein was predominantly present in membranes of lysosomes which are the intracellular sites of deposition of xenobiotics. CYP450 was reduced whereas GST-A was increased in these carcinomas. Progression towards malignancy was positively correlated with levels of mitogenic organochlorines in these livers which are "fingerprint contaminants" of the river Elbe. We conclude that (pre)neoplastic hepatocytes in female flounder acquire growth advantages over normal hepatocytes by epigenetic metabolic adaptations during liver carcinogenesis as a result of chronic exposure to (pro)carcinogens in the polluted habitat.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2006

The relationship of air pollution to ED visits for asthma differ between children and adults.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between air pollution and asthma exacerbation in children and adults. Pearson analysis was used to establish correlations between air pollutants-sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and particles with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microm or less (PM(10))--and ED visits for asthma in 2004. Among children, there were significant positive correlations between nitrogen dioxide (r = 0.72), carbon monoxide (r = 0.65), and PM(10) (r = 0.63) and ED visits for asthma. Among adults, only weakly positive, non significant correlations between all air pollution measures and ED visits for asthma were found. This study suggests that air pollution plays a role in acute exacerbation of asthma in children but not in adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

An ecotoxicoproteomic approach (SELDI-TOF mass spectrometry) to biomarker discovery in crab exposed to pollutants under laboratory conditions.

Ciphergen ProteinChip Technology is a proteomic tool, used for the discovery of new and sensitive biomarkers. This approach was used to evaluate the protein profile of crabs exposed to various pollutants. Two different exposure experiments were performed: spider crabs (Hyas araneus) were exposed for 3 weeks to diallyl phatalate (DAP), bisphenol A (BisA) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-47), while shore crabs (Carcinus maeanas) were exposed to crude oil, crude oil spiked with alkylphenols (APs) and 4-nonylphenol (NP). Gender and species-related protein pattern alterations were observed and compared to controls. Results showed different responses to pollutants by the two species. Major disruption in protein peak expression was observed in samples exposed to mixtures of pollutants, i.e. oil spiked with APs. Compared to shore crab, spider crab species showed a lower degree of response in terms of number of altered protein peaks following exposure. In general, female individuals of both species showed a larger number of significantly altered proteins compared to males. Data analysis by non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) was performed. Bi-dimesional-MDS plots revealed a good separation of groups for both spider and shore crabs. In some cases, a good discrimination can also be observed between the two genders within each treatment. Results highlight the potential of crabs as sentinel organisms for the aquatic environment. The results indicate that SELDI-ToF technology is a powerful tool to discover protein expression signatures for different pollutants and sex dependent responses.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Air pollution and asthma in children].

The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has increased world-wide during the last quarter of the 20th century, particularly among children and adolescents. No change common to all sites where asthma has increased throughout the world has been identified, suggesting that this 'epidemic' phenomenon is likely due to multiple factors. The following have been most discussed: exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens, modification of the patterns of respiratory infections, decreasing trends of physical activity, evolution in the make-up of environmental irritants, including tobacco smoke and urban air toxicants. In this review, we point out the role of exposure to air pollutants, in addition to and in combination with other asthma enhancers or precipitators. Whereas concentrations of the 'classical' air quality indicators (SO2, CO) have more or less steadily decreased, asthma prevalence augmented in developed countries during the same period. However, the nature of the air pollution mix has deeply evolved, and should also be considered. Ambient air concentrations of industrial and house heating combustion sources of pollutants in the city have substantially decreased, but by contrast the concentrations of various ultrafine particles have increased. Now, there is in vitro and in vivo evidence that exposure to urban air particles, and particularly to diesel exhausts, elicits chronic oxidative stress and repeated inflammatory responses, so that they may enhance allergic inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness. Several epidemiological studies suggested an association between traffic density close to places of children's residence and prevalence of respiratory symptoms, and more specifically of asthma or allergic rhinitis symptoms in them. Chronic exposure during infancy to traffic-related pollutants may accelerate or even provoke, among genetically sensitive subjects, disruption of the normal regulatory and repair processes eventually contributing to the increase of asthma incidence.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2006

Pollution biomarkers in estuarine animals: critical review and new perspectives.

In this review, recent developments in monitoring toxicological responses in estuarine animals are analyzed, considering the biomarker responses to different classes of pollutants. The estuarine environment imposes stressful conditions to the organisms that inhabit it, and this situation can alter their sensitivity to many pollutants. The specificity of some biomarkers like metallothionein tissue concentration is discussed in virtue of its dependence on salinity, which is highly variable in estuaries. Examples of cholinesterase activity measurements are also provided and criteria to select sensitive enzymes to detect pesticides and toxins are discussed. Regarding non-specific biomarkers, toxic responses in terms of antioxidant defenses and/or oxidative damage are also considered in this review, focusing on invertebrate species. In addition, the presence of an antioxidant gradient along the body of the estuarine polychaete Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae) and its relationship to different strategies, which deal with the generation of oxidative stress, is reviewed. Also, unusual antioxidant defenses against environmental pro-oxidants are discussed, including the mucus secreted by L. acuta. Disruption of osmoregulation by pollutants is of paramount importance in several estuarine species. In some cases such as in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulatus, there is a trade off between bioavailability of toxicants (e.g. metals) and their interaction with key enzymes such as Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase. Thus, the metal effect on osmoregulation is also discussed in the present review. Finally, field case studies with fish species like the croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Scianidae) are used to illustrate the application of DNA damage and immunosuppressive responses as potential biomarkers of complex mixture of pollutants.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Retrospective analysis of the age at death in two heavily polluted and two unpolluted Russian towns.

Mean age at death during 1981-1999 was recorded in four small industrial towns located in the Kola Peninsula, north-western Russia. Two of these towns (Nikel and Monchegorsk) are heavily contaminated by sulphur dioxide and toxic metals (primarily Ni, Cu, Cd) emitted by large nickel-copper smelters; two other towns (Apatity and Polyarnye Zori) are nearly unpolluted. The results did not support the hypothesis that human life span is significantly shorter in the contaminated communities; moreover, mean age at death was lowest in Polyarnye Zori, the town not polluted by either sulfur dioxide or heavy metals but located close to the nuclear power plant. It seems that the impact of hazards other than pollution (both social and environmental), which are common for the populations of the investigated towns, shorten the life span so much that the contribution of pollutants to the decline in life expectancy cannot be detected. However, the relative importance of the life-shortening diseases associated with pollution may increase with the (expected) improvement of the quality of life.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed2004

Bacterial communities and enzyme activities of PAHs polluted soils.

Three soils (i.e. a Belgian soil, B-BT, a German soil, G, and an Italian agricultural soil, I-BT) with different properties and hydrocarbon-pollution history with regard to their potential to degrade phenanthrene were investigated. A chemical and microbiological evaluation of soils was done using measurements of routine chemical properties, bacterial counts and several enzyme activities. The three soils showed different levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), being their contamination strictly associated to their pollution history. High values of enzyme activities and culturable heterotrophic bacteria were detected in the soil with no or negligible presence of organic pollutants. Genetic diversity of soil samples and enrichment cultures was measured as bands on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of amplified 16S rDNA sequences from the soil and enrichment community DNAs. When analysed by Shannon index (H'), the highest genetic biodiversity (H'=2.87) was found in the Belgian soil B-BT with a medium-term exposition to PAHs and the poorest biodiversity (H'=0.85) in the German soil with a long-term exposition to alkanes and PAHs and where absence, or lower levels of enzyme activities were measured. For the Italian agricultural soil I-BT, containing negligible amounts of organic pollutants but the highest Cu content, a Shannon index=2.13 was found. The enrichment of four mixed cultures capable of degrading solid phenanthrene in batch liquid systems was also studied. Phenanthrene degradation rates in batch systems were culture-dependent, and simple (one-slope) and complex (two-slope) kinetic behaviours were observed. The presence of common bands of microbial species in the cultures and in the native soil DNA indicated that those strains could be potential in situ phenanthrene degraders. Consistent with this assumption are the decrease of PAH and phenanthrene contents of Belgian soil B-BT and the isolation of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria. From the fastest phenanthrene-degrading culture C(B-BT), representative strains were identified as Achromobacter xylosoxidans (100%), Methylobacterium sp. (99%), Rhizobium galegae (99%), Rhodococcus aetherovorans (100%), Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila (100%), Alcaligenes sp. (99%) and Aquamicrobium defluvium (100%). DGGE-profiles of culture C(B-BT) showed bands attributable to Rhodococcus, Achromobacter, Methylobacterium rhizobium, Alcaligenes and Aquamicrobium. The isolation of Rhodococcus aetherovorans and Methylobacterium sp. can be consistent with the hypothesis that different phenanthrene-degrading strategies, cell surface properties, or the presence of xenobiotic-specific membrane carriers could play a role in the uptake/degradation of solid phenanthrene.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2004

Potential assessment of the "support vector machine" method in forecasting ambient air pollutant trends.

Monitoring and forecasting of air quality parameters are popular and important topics of atmospheric and environmental research today due to the health impact caused by exposing to air pollutants existing in urban air. The accurate models for air pollutant prediction are needed because such models would allow forecasting and diagnosing potential compliance or non-compliance in both short- and long-term aspects. Artificial neural networks (ANN) are regarded as reliable and cost-effective method to achieve such tasks and have produced some promising results to date. Although ANN has addressed more attentions to environmental researchers, its inherent drawbacks, e.g., local minima, over-fitting training, poor generalization performance, determination of the appropriate network architecture, etc., impede the practical application of ANN. Support vector machine (SVM), a novel type of learning machine based on statistical learning theory, can be used for regression and time series prediction and have been reported to perform well by some promising results. The work presented in this paper aims to examine the feasibility of applying SVM to predict air pollutant levels in advancing time series based on the monitored air pollutant database in Hong Kong downtown area. At the same time, the functional characteristics of SVM are investigated in the study. The experimental comparisons between the SVM model and the classical radial basis function (RBF) network demonstrate that the SVM is superior to the conventional RBF network in predicting air quality parameters with different time series and of better generalization performance than the RBF model.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2005

Immobilization of heavy metals in polluted soils by the addition of zeolitic material synthesized from coal fly ash.

The use of zeolitic material synthesized from coal fly ash for the immobilization of pollutants in contaminated soils was investigated in experimental plots in the Guadiamar Valley (SW Spain). This area was affected by a pyrite slurry spill in April 1998. Although reclamation activities were completed in a few months, residual pyrite slurry mixed with soil accounted for relatively high leachable levels of trace elements such as Zn, Pb, As, Cu, Sb, Co, Tl and Cd. Phytoremediation strategies were adopted for the final recovery of the polluted soils. The immobilization of metals had previously been undertaken to avoid leaching processes and the consequent groundwater pollution. To this end, 1100 kg of high NaP1 (Na6[(AlO2)6(SiO2)10] .15H2O) zeolitic material was synthesized using fly ash from the Teruel power plant (NE Spain), in a 10 m3 reactor. This zeolitic material was manually applied using different doses (10000-25000 kg per hectare), into the 25 cm topsoil. Another plot (control) was maintained without zeolite. Sampling was carried out 1 and 2 years after the zeolite addition. The results show that the zeolitic material considerably decreases the leaching of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn. The sorption of metals in soil clay minerals (illite) proved to be the main cause contributing to the immobilization of these pollutants. This sorption could be a consequence of the rise in pH from 3.3 to 7.6 owing to the alkalinity of the zeolitic material added (caused by traces of free lime in the fly ash, or residual NaOH from synthesis).

Carbon↗
PubMed2005

Washing as a remediation technology applicable in soils heavily polluted by mining-metallurgical activities.

A permanent solution in order to remediate a heavily contaminated soil is washing it utilizing the appropriate reagents. The study presented in this paper deals with the washing of a soil highly polluted by mining and metallurgical activities. Pollution consists of slags, sulphur compound waste and various low grade lead condensates, all rich in heavy metals and metalloids (Pb, As, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe). Soil was washed with deionized water, 6, 3, 2 and 1 M HCl, 6 M H(2)SO(4), 6 M HNO(3) and 0.1 M Na(2)EDTA. High extraction efficiency was achieved with respect to hydrochloric acid even at the lowest concentration; the solubility of pollutants in nitric acid was low, while sulphuric acid was proven to be problematic with respect to lead. Mobilization of metals and metalloids under DI water effect was minimal indicating that the elements fraction that is weakly bound to soil particles is insignificant. Furthermore, a kinetic study was undertaken, utilizing 1 M HCl and 0.1 M Na(2)EDTA. Results illustrated that 1 M HCl was more effective for intermediate mixing times (up to 4 h) while 0.1 M Na(2)EDTA was better applicable to short mixing times (<1 h) and low pH values (pH < 7.1). 1 M HCl was proven to be very effective for the removal of pollutants from contaminated soil but the high metal content of the resulting solution necessitates further treatment for the retention of metals.

Chelating Agents↗
PubMed2006

Interactive factors leading to dying-off Carex tato in Momoge wetland polluted by crude oil, Western Jilin, China.

Momoge wetland is an internationally important wetland not only because it is a habitat for many rare bird species but also because it is an internationally important stopover for some rare global migratory bird species. However the petroleum exploitation in wetland has brought about many environmental problems. One of the most severe problems is crude oil pollution, which has caused the dying-off Carex tato and imposes great threat on survival of rare birds. This work studied the factors that caused the dying off of Carex tato. The results showed that death of Carex tato was the result narcosis toxicity of alcohols, intermediate biodegradation products of crude oil, on the root tissue, and the fragmentization of cuticle of leaves by light components of crude oil volatized from soil surface. However, the mechanism involved was much more complex and three interactive factors including crude oil pollution of soil, long-term drought and poor permeability of soil were responsible for the dying-off of Carex tato grassland. The distribution of crude oil in soil profile was characterized with high concentrations at top silty layer and the layer below root zone and low or no crude oil at root zone layer. This distribution was relative to root system characteristics and rhizospheric biodegradation. In root zone, substantive oxygen could be transported to root zone through dense root system and well developed aerenchyma. The crude oil in root zone was easily biodegraded by aerobic rhizosphere microbes. However, some toxic intermediate products, such as some alcohols, was sealed in root zone due to poor permeability of the top soil layer and the deeper soil layer and they had lethal effects on root tissue. Above ground, low molecular components of crude oil in top soil layer was easily volatized into atmosphere during long-term drought. Some of the volatized components were adsorbed onto leaves. SEM analysis showed that these components destroyed the leaves by fragmentization of cuticle of leave. This study also shows that although wetland has natural attenuation of pollutants, natural attenuation of pollutants by natural wetland should not be overemphasized. This attenuation function may lose under some conditions such as long-term drought and poor soil texture.

Carex Plant↗
PubMed2007

Monitoring atmospheric pollutants in the biosphere reserve Wienerwald by a combined approach of biomonitoring methods and technical measurements.

In this study a combined approach of bioindication results correlated with an extensive set of data on air pollution and climate was used to assess the pollution status of the Man and Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald (Austria). Bryophytes served as impact indicators (via the Index of Atmospheric Purity-method IAP) at 30 sites as well as accumulation monitors for airborne trace elements (Al, Pb, V, S, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cr, Ni, Co, Mo, Cd, As, Sb and 16 EPA-PAHs) at 10 sites within the reserve. The results of these bioindication methods were subsequently correlated with further pollution (NO(2), SO(2) and dust) and climate data (precipitation, temperature and humidity). The findings obtained clearly indicate the following: Bryophyte distribution is solely influenced by the status of air quality, without interference by climatic or site-related factors, which is in contrast to several previous investigations. IAP-values correlated significantly with NO(2) (0.553; P=0.004), SO(2) winter values (0.511; P=0.013) and PM10 (dust) (0.561; P=0.013). The results obtained via chemical analyses revealed a strong correlation with data derived from the IAP methodology. In terms of the overall air quality within the biosphere reserve Wienerwald, the north-eastern part appears to be the most affected one with a most likely pollution contribution emitted by the capital city Vienna, agriculture and neighbouring countries.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2005

The heavy metal content of skeletons from an ancient metalliferous polluted area in southern Jordan with particular reference to bioaccumulation and human health.

This paper considers pollution/toxicological science in an archaeological context. Copper mining was an important activity in southern Jordan, especially during the Bronze Age, Nabatean, Roman, and Byzantine periods, and the environmental legacy of such intensive mining and smelting activities exists today in the form of massive, ancient spoil and smelting tips. The environment was heavily polluted by copper, lead, and other cations during these early periods and the effects of such pollutants continue into modern times. Samples of goat, sheep, and Bronze Age and Byzantine skeletons have been analyzed and high metal loads, from uptake by diverse processes, are reported. Emphasis is placed on the importance of sampling procedure and sample location, bioaccumulation, and the partitioning of such elements. Implications of such pollutants in terms of environmental and human health in ancient and modern times are discussed. Teeth are found to provide excellent vehicles for the monitoring of pollution in both ancient and recent times. Bronze Age skeletons exhibited chemical fingerprints different from those of the Byzantine period.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Effects of environmental pollution on the liver parenchymal cells and Kupffer-melanomacrophagic cells of the frog Rana esculenta.

In vertebrates, the biotransformation processes of xenobiotics are performed mainly by the liver which involves both hepatocytes and Kupffer-melanomacrophagic cells through enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the liver of Rana esculenta adult frogs collected at two sample rice fields, one heavily polluted and one relatively unpolluted. Water pollution was determined by chemical analysis on tadpoles. The specific activities of some enzymes (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), acid and alkaline phosphatases (AcPase and AlkPase), succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), and catalase) were studied in the liver of adult frogs to identify the possible changes induced by contamination in the metabolic processes which depend on the function of the liver. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also evaluated through histochemical techniques. In the polluted samples, hepatocytes showed variations in the activity of G6PDH, AlkPase, and SDH and a moderate to intense ROS expression. Prominent changes were observed in Kupffer cells (KCs) and melanomacrophages (MMPs), both showing intense reactivity for AcPase and catalase and variations in melanin content and distribution. Results thus indicate a general adaptive response of liver parenchyma to environmental pollution. The possible role of both KCs and MMPs as scavengers of foreign substances is discussed.

Acid Phosphatase↗