Jiangang Yuan

Dechlorane Plus in Human Hair from an E-Waste Recycling Area in South China: Comparison with Dust

Dechlorane Plus (DP) and a dechlorination product, 1,6,7,8,9,14,15,16,17,17,18-octadeca-7,15-diene (anti-Cl(11)-DP), were measured in human hair and indoor dust collected from an e-waste recycling area and two control areas (rural and urban) in South China. DP was detected in hair and dust samples at concentrations ranging from 0.02-58.32 ng/g and 2.78-4197 ng/g, respectively. anti-Cl(11)-DP, mainly detected in human hair and dust samples from the e-waste recycling area, ranged from nd (nondetected) to 0.23 ng/g in hair and from nd to 20.22 ng/g in dust. Average values of anti-DP fractional abundance (f(anti) ratio) in hair of e-waste dismantling workers (0.55 ± 0.11) and dust from e-waste recycling workshops (0.54 ± 0.15) were significantly lower than those in other groups (0.62-0.76 means for hair and 0.66-0.76 means for dust). Significantly positive correlation between DP concentrations in dust and hair and similarity in f(anti) ratios between hair and dust suggest that ingestion of dust comprise one of the major routes for DP exposure. Significantly positive relationships were also observed between anti-Cl(11)-DP and anti-DP for both hair and dust samples with similar regression line slopes. The ratios of anti-Cl(11)-DP to anti-DP between hair and dust show no significant difference. These results suggest that anti-Cl(11)-DP in the human body is likely accumulated from the environmental matrix and not formed from biotransformation of the parent DP.

Effects of phosphorus supplied in soil on subcellular distribution and chemical forms of cadmium in two Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica parachinensis L.) cultivars differing in cadmium accumulation

Differences in the subcellular distribution and chemical speciation of Cd between two Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica parachinensis L.) cultivars, Lubao70 (LB70, low-Cd cultivar) and ChixinNO.4 (CX4, high-Cd cultivar) were investigated under various soil Cd and P treatments. Subcellular fractionation of Cd-containing tissues showed that a higher proportion of Cd was bound to the cell wall fraction of LB70 than that of CX4, indicating that Cd compartment functioned better in LB70. Compared to CX4, LB70 had lower proportions of Cd in inorganic form and water-soluble form, but higher proportions of Cd in proteins/pectates integrated form, implying that the low Cd accumulation in LB70 is associated with the low in vivo mobility of Cd. In both cultivars, shoot and root Cd concentration and translocation of Cd from the roots to the shoots obviously decreased with increasing soil P level. It was found that phosphorus (P) played important roles in Cd uptake and translocation via the processes involved in bonding Cd to the cell wall fraction and forming Cd-phosphate complexes. It is suggested that use of low-Cd cultivars in conjunction with P supply is a much useful way to reduce the pollution risk of Cd in the food chain.

Heavy metals in food, house dust, and water from an e-waste recycling area in South China and the potential risk to human health

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni) were measured in the foodstuffs, house dust, underground/drinking water, and soil from an electronic waste (e-waste) area in South China. Elevated concentrations of these potentially toxic metals were observed in the samples but not in drinking water. The health risks for metal exposure via food consumption, dust ingestion, and drinking water were evaluated for local residents. For the average residents in the e-waste area, the non-carcinogenic risks arise predominantly from rice (hazard index=3.3), vegetables (2.2), and house dust (1.9) for adults, while the risks for young children are dominated by house dust (15). Drinking water may provide a negligible contribution to risk. However, local residents who use groundwater as a water supply source are at high non-carcinogenic risk. The potential cancer risks from oral intake of Pb are 8×10(-5) and 3×10(-4) for average adults and children, and thus groundwater would have a great potential to induce cancer (5×10(-4) and 1×10(-3)) in a highly exposed population. The results also reveal that the risk from oral exposure is much higher than the risk from inhalation and dermal contact with house dust.

Variation in Cadmium Accumulation among 30 Cultivars and Cadmium Subcellular Distribution in 2 Selected Cultivars of Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.)

To reduce the influx of cadmium (Cd), a toxic heavy metal, into the human food chain through vegetable intake, a pot experiment for the selection of a pollution-safe cultivar (PSC) of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.) was carried out. The experiment with 30 tested cultivars revealed that the maximum differences in Cd concentration between the cultivars containing the highest and the lowest Cd were 3.0-3.9-fold under low-Cd treatment (soil Cd = 0.593 mg kg(-1)), 2.7-3.5-fold under middle-Cd treatment (soil Cd = 1.091 mg kg(-1)), and 2.6-2.7-fold under high-Cd treatment (soil Cd = 1.824 mg kg(-1)), large enough to define the Cd-PSCs. Concentrations of Cd in edible parts of six cultivars, cv. Daxingbaigu, Huifengqing, Qiangkunbaigu, Qiangkunqinggu, Shenniuliuye, and Xingtianqinggu, were lower than 0.2 mg kg(-1), the maximum level (ML) of Cd allowed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) standard, even under middle-Cd treatment. Accordingly, these cultivars were treated as typical Cd-PSCs. Four cultivars, cv. Jieyangbaigeng, Xianggangdaye, Sannongbaigeng, and Taiwan 308, contained Cd in edible parts exceeding the ML even under low-Cd treatment, and they were defined as typical non-Cd-PSCs. The correlations of the Cd concentrations among the tested cultivars between the three treatments were significant at the p < 0.05 level. A conspicuous difference in Cd subcellular distribution in hydroponic plant tissues between cv. Qiangkunqinggu (a typical Cd-PSC) and cv. Taiwan 308 (a typical non-Cd-PSC) were observed. Cd absorbed by cv. Qiangkunqinggu seemed to be well-compartmentalized in root and in cell wall fragment, which may be one of the mechanisms leading to its low Cd accumulating property. The results indicated that water spinach, a leafy vegetable, could be easily polluted by soils contaminated with Cd, as 80% of the tested cultivars had exceeded the ML of Cd according to the CAC standard even under the middle-Cd treatment. Much of the evidence obtained from the present study proved that the high Cd-accumulating ability of water spinach is a stable biological property at cultivar level and, thus, is genotype dependent. Therefore, application of the PSC strategy to produce water spinach that is safer to consume is feasible and necessary.

Levels and sources of brominated flame retardants in human hair from urban, e-waste, and rural areas in South China.

Human hair and indoor dust from urban, e-waste, and rural areas in south China were collected and analyzed for brominated flame retardants (BFRs). BFRs concentrations in hair from occupational e-waste recycling workers were higher than those from non-occupational exposed residents in other sampling areas. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) are two major BFRs in hair samples. The PBDE congener profiles in hair from the e-waste area are different from those from urban and rural areas with relatively higher contribution of lower brominated congeners. DBDPE, instead of BDE209, has become the major BFR in non-e-waste recycling areas. Significant correlations were found between hair level and dust level for DBDPE and BTBPE but not for PBDEs. The different PBDE congener profiles between dust and hair may suggest that exogenous exposure to the PBDE adsorbed on dust is not a major source of hair PBDEs.

Occurrence of organophosphorus flame retardants in indoor dust in multiple microenvironments of southern China and implications for human exposure.

Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are important alternatives to brominated flame retardants (BFRs), but information on their contamination of the environment in China is rare. We examined the occurrence of 12 OPFRs in indoor dust in four microenvironments of southern China, including a rural electronic waste (e-waste) recycling area, a rural non-e-waste area, urban homes, and urban college dormitory rooms. The OPFR concentrations (with a median of 25.0 μg g(-1)) were highest in the e-waste area, and the concentrations in other three areas were lower and comparable (7.48-11.0 μg g(-1)). The levels of OPFRs in the present study were generally relatively lower than the levels of OPFRs found in Europe, Canada, and Japan because BFRs are still widely used as the major FRs in China. The composition profile of OPFRs in the e-waste area was dominated by tricresyl phosphate (TCP) (accounting for 40.7%, on average), while tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) was the most abundant OPFR (64.4%) in the urban areas (homes and college dormitories). These two distribution patterns represent two OPFR sources (i.e., emissions from past e-waste and from current household products and building materials). The difference in the OPFR profiles in the rural area relative to the OPFR profiles in the urban and e-waste areas suggests that the occurrence of OPFRs is due mainly to emissions from characteristic household products in rural homes. Although human exposures to all the OPFRs were under the reference doses, the health risk for residents in the e-waste area is a concern, considering the poor sanitary conditions in this area and exposure from other sources.

Comparison of cadmium subcellular distribution in different organs of two water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.) cultivars

AimsMechanisms of low cadmium (Cd) accumulations in cultivars of water spinach are poorly investigated. We aimed to improve understanding of the subcellular biochemical properties of the mechanisms involved.MethodsA pot experiment was conducted to investigate the subcellular distributions of Cd in lateral and main roots, stems, and young and old leaves of a high-Cd (T308) and a low-Cd cultivar (QLQ).ResultsThe ratio of main root:lateral roots Cd concentration in QLQ was lower (0.34–0.35) than that in T308 (0.39–0.55). The ratio of stem:main root Cd concentration in QLQ was much lower (0.60–0.73) than that in T308 (1.19–1.58). QLQ has higher capacity to sequester Cd in cell wall fractions of main and lateral roots than T308.ConclusionsThe difference in shoot Cd concentration between QLQ and T308 is attributable to the difference in Cd translocation from lateral to main roots and from roots to the stem. Fixation of large amounts of Cd in old leaves is beneficial to protect young leaves from Cd toxicity. Cadmium immobilization by the cell wall is important in Cd detoxification, especially in main and lateral roots of QLQ and the shoot of T308.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis between Low- and High-Cadmium-Accumulating Genotypes of Pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) in Response to Cadmium Stress.

To reduce cadmium (Cd) pollution of food chains, screening and breeding of low-Cd-accumulating cultivars are the focus of much study. Two previously identified genotypes, a low-Cd-accumulating genotype (LAJK) and a high-Cd-accumulating genotype (HAJS) of pakchoi (Brassica chinesis L.), were stressed by Cd (12.5 μM) for 0 h (T0), 3 h (T3) and 24 h (T24). By comparative transcriptome analysis for root tissue, 3005 and 4343 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in LAJK at T3 (vs T0) and T24 (vs T3), respectively, whereas 8677 and 5081 DEGs were detected in HAJS. Gene expression pattern analysis suggested a delay of Cd responded transcriptional changes in LAJK compared to HAJS. DEG functional enrichments proposed genotype-specific biological processes coped with Cd stress. Cell wall biosynthesis and glutathione (GSH) metabolism were found to involve in Cd resistance in HAJS, whereas DNA repair and abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction pathways played important roles in LAJK. Furthermore, the genes participating in Cd efflux such as PDR8 were overexpressed in LAJK, whereas those responsible for Cd transport such as YSL1 were more enhanced in HAJS, exhibiting different Cd transport processes between two genotypes. These novel findings should be useful for molecular assisted screening and breeding of low-Cd-accumulating genotypes for pakchoi.

Role of roots in cadmium accumulation of two water spinach cultivars: reciprocal grafting and histochemical experiments

Background and AimsCultivars of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.) differ widely in their shoot cadmium (Cd) concentration. Previously, we suggested that low-Cd cultivars are better able to retain Cd in their roots and thus prevent root-to-shoot Cd translocation. In this study, we explored the roles of roots and shoots in Cd accumulation in a high-Cd (T308) and low-Cd cultivar (QLQ).MethodsWe used reciprocal grafting to determine the importance of roots and shoots in Cd accumulation, and a dithizone histochemical method to investigate Cd distribution in the roots.ResultsThe T308 scion with QLQ rootstock accumulated less Cd than the shoot of non-grafted T308. The QLQ scion with T308 rootstock showed a significantly higher Cd concentration than that in the shoot of non-grafted QLQ. Cadmium induced thicker phellem formation in the main roots of QLQ than in those of T308 and only QLQ showed thickening of the outer cortex cell walls in lateral roots.ConclusionsShoot Cd accumulation was primarily determined by root-to-shoot Cd translocation, not root Cd uptake. The thicker phellem and outer cortex cell walls in QLQ than in T308 may be one reason why QLQ roots were able to retain more Cd, and thus reducing Cd translocation to shoots.

Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH)-based method for estimating Cd-induced differences in gene expression at cultivar level and identification of genes induced by Cd in two water spinach cultivars.

The abilities to accumulate cadmium (Cd) are different among cultivars (cv.) in many species. The characteristic of Cd concentration among cultivars is heritable and is probably controlled by genes, but rather limited information about the relevant genes in vegetable crops has been published. In the present study, a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) approach was used to identify genes induced by Cd in two water spinach (an important vegetable in southern China) cultivars that differ in Cd accumulation in their edible parts. The two cultivars were cv. Qiangkunqinggu (QK), a low Cd accumulative cultivar and cv. Taiwan 308 (TW), a high Cd accumulative cultivar. In the construction of QK and TW libraries, the plants without Cd treatment were taken as drivers and the plants exposed to 6 mg L(-1) Cd for 24 h as testers. Four hundred clones were sequenced, and 164 nonrepeated sequences (112 from the QK library and 52 from the TW library) were assigned to being functional genes or proteins. A tremendous difference in Cd-induced gene expressions between the two libraries was observed. In the QK library, genes implicated in disease/defense comprised one of the largest sets (20.6%), whereas the proportion was only 8.8% in the TW library. An MT3 gene (Q5), a wound inductive gene (Q22), an antioxidation relevant gene (Q34), a lectin gene (Q45), an f-box family protein gene (Q319), a 20S proteasome subunit gene (T17), a multidrug resistance associated protein gene (T156), and a cationic amino acid transporter gene (T218) were selected to compare semiquantitatively their expression between cv. QK and cv. TW using the RT-PCR method, and obvious differences were detected. The relationships between the identified differences in the expressions of the genes and the Cd accumulation of the two cultivars were discussed, and it was concluded that the SSH approach is useful for finding the difference in expression of Cd-induced gene even at the cultivar level and is applicable in the investigation of the mechanisms of low Cd accumulation.