Current understandings and perspectives on non-cancer health effects of benzene: A global concern

Objective

Benzene, as a volatile organic compound, is known as one of the main air pollutants in the environment. The aim of this review is to summarize all available evidences on non-cancerous health effects of benzene providing an overview of possible association of exposure to benzene with human chronic diseases, specially, in those regions of the world where benzene concentration is being poorly monitored.

Methodology

A bibliographic search of scientific databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scirus was conducted with key words of “benzene toxic health effects”, “environmental volatile organic compounds”, “diabetes mellitus and environmental pollutants”, “breast cancer and environmental pollution”, “prevalence of lung cancer”, and “diabetes prevalence”. More than 300 peer reviewed papers were examined. Experimental and epidemiologic studies reporting health effects of benzene and volatile organic compounds were included in the study.

Results

Epidemiologic and experimental studies suggest that benzene exposure can lead to numerous non-cancerous health effects associated with functional aberration of vital systems in the body like reproductive, immune, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and respiratory.

Conclusion

Chronic diseases have become a health burden of global dimension with special emphasis in regions with poor monitoring over contents of benzene in petrochemicals. Benzene is a well known carcinogen of blood and its components, but the concern of benzene exposure is more than carcinogenicity of blood components and should be evaluated in both epidemiologic and experimental studies. Aspect of interactions and mechanism of toxicity in relation to human general health problems especially endocrine disturbances with particular reference to diabetes, breast and lung cancers should be followed up.     

毛细管气相色谱法测定坎地沙坦酯原料药中8种有机溶剂残留量

目的:建立测定坎地沙坦酯原料药中8种有机溶剂甲醇、乙醇、乙腈、丙酮、乙醚、二氯甲烷、乙酸乙酯与四氢呋喃残留量的方法。方法:采用气相色谱法。色谱柱为Agilent HP-5毛细管柱,以(5%)苯基-(95%)甲基聚硅氧烷为固定液,柱温采用程序升温,氢火焰离子化检测器温度为250℃;载气为高纯N2;顶空进样,加热温度为100℃,加热时间为30 min。结果:8种有机溶剂在各自的检测质量浓度范围内线性关系良好(r=0.999 6⁰.999 9),平均回收率均为99.6%0.999 9),平均回收率均为99.6%¹00.3%(RSD=0.89%100.3%(RSD=0.89%¹.98%,n=3);定量限分别为0.09、0.15、0.12、0.3、0.6、0.18、0.45、0.21 ng;检测限分别为0.03、0.05、0.04、0.1、0.2、0.06、0.15、0.07 ng。样品中只检出了丙酮。结论:建立的方法操作简便、精密度高,可有效控制坎地沙坦酯原料药中残留的8种有机溶剂。     

顶空气相色谱法测定非布司他原料药中有机溶剂残留

目的建立了测定非布司他原料药中可能残留的7种有机溶剂(甲醇、乙醇、异丙醇、二氯甲烷、四氢呋喃、正庚烷、氯苯)的检测方法。方法采用顶空气相色谱法,色谱柱为DB-624毛细管柱(30.0 m×0.53 mm×3.00μm),载气为高纯氮气;顶空温度为80℃,顶空时间为30 min;柱温50℃,维持2 min,以10℃/min升至200℃,维持2 min;氢火焰离子化检测器(FID),温度为250℃。结果在考察的浓度范围内线性关系良好(r=0.998 0~0.999 8),7种残留溶剂均完全分离,精密度、重复性试验RSD值均小于5.0%,被测组分的平均回收率符合规定,供试品溶液稳定。结论该气相色谱法操作简便,准确,灵敏度高,可用于检测非布司他原料药中有机溶剂的残留物。     

Removal of Siloxanes from Model Biogas by Means of Deep Eutectic Solvents in Absorption Process

The paper presents the screening of 20 deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composed of tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPABr) and glycols in various molar ratios, and 6 conventional solvents as absorbents for removal of siloxanes from model biogas stream. The screening was achieved using the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) based on the comparison of siloxane solubility in DESs. For the DES which was characterized by the highest solubility of siloxanes, studies of physicochemical properties, i.e., viscosity, density, and melting point, were performed. DES composed of tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPABr) and tetraethylene glycol (TEG) in a 1:3 molar ratio was used as an absorbent in experimental studies in which several parameters were optimized, i.e., the temperature, absorbent volume, and model biogas flow rate. The mechanism of siloxanes removal was evaluated by means of an experimental FT-IR analysis as well as by theoretical studies based on σ-profile and σ-potential. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that TPABr:TEG (1:3) is a very effective absorption solvent for the removal of siloxanes from model biogas, and the main driving force of the absorption process is the formation of the hydrogen bonds between DES and siloxanes.     

榆林大骨节病区饮水中有机物的调查报告

大骨节病（ＫＢＤ）病因致今未明。本专题在对榆林郊区现况研究，找出ＫＢＤ新发病例的基础上，进行配比对照研究，择入（ＫＢＤ选新发户）按户采水，以探索水中有机物与ＫＢＤ的因果联系。结果是：（１）病点与邻近非病点，病户与非病户之间水腐植酸量的差别无显性。（２）１个ＫＢＤ新发户水中见小分子有机物苯并噻唑。对１２个井水的检测，未检出自由基信号，１３个元素含量在病户与非病户之间无大差异。重病点户水的总有机碳     

Limitations and plausibility of the Pliocene lignite hypothesis in explaining the etiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy

Background:

Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) is a chronic, tubulointerstitial renal disease often accompanied by urothelial cancer that has a lethality of nearly 100%.

Introduction:

One of the many factors that have been proposed to play an etiological role in BEN is exposure to organic compounds from Pliocene lignite coal deposits via the drinking water in endemic areas.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the role of the tenets of the Pliocene lignite hypothesis in the etiology of BEN in order to provide an improved understanding of the hypothesis for colleagues and patients alike.

Methods:

A comprehensive compilation of the possible limitations of the hypothesis, with each limitation addressed in turn is presented.

Results:

The Pliocene lignite hypothesis can best account for, is consistent with, or has the potential to explain the evidence associated with the myriad of factors related to BEN.

Conclusions:

Residents of endemic areas are exposed to complex mixtures containing hundreds of organic compounds at varying doses and their potentially more toxic (including nephrotoxic) and/or carcinogenic metabolites; however, a multifactorial etiology of BEN appears most likely.     

辛硫磷农药中毒患者血清胆碱酯酶恢复延迟的临床研究及探讨

目的研究辛硫磷农药中毒患者病情变化与血清胆碱酯酶（ChE）恢复的关系。方法95例重度有机磷中毒（AOPP）患者,包括A组辛硫磷中毒患者45例,B组其他有机磷中毒患者50例,入院后均给予洗胃、清除毒物、解磷定、阿托品及积极的对症支持治疗。分别于入院时、治疗后1、2、3、4、5、6～8、8～11、11～13天……及出院时抽血测定血清ChE,计算阿托品用量。结果血清ChE在两组患者治疗前无统计学意义（P〉0．05）,治疗后1—3天部分有下降趋势,第1天降至最低,3天后B组血清ClE逐渐上升,而A组ChE持续低水平。6—9天后缓慢回升,部分患者出院时仍低于甚至明显低于正常,但两组预后无显著差异．A组胆碱酯酶恢复时间13—44天,较B组7—25天明显延迟。阿托品用量大,治疗时间长。结论辛硫磷中毒患者ChE恢复明显延迟．对AOPP患者合理治疗具有重要指导意义。     

工作场所空气中2种有机物同时测定的毛细管气相色谱法

目的建立工作场所空气中乙酸乙酯、丙烯酸甲酯2种有机物同时检测的气相色谱测定方法。方法用活性炭管采集工作场所空气中的乙酸乙酯、丙烯酸甲酯2种有机物,二硫化碳溶剂解吸后进样,经DB—FFAP毛细管气相色谱柱分离,氢焰离子化检测器检测,以保留时间定性,峰面积定量。结果乙酸乙酯、丙烯酸甲酯两种有机物的检出限分别为0．38和0．87μg／ml,线性范围在200—3000、50～500μg/ml范围内,相关系数均大于0．998,加标回收率为89％-98％。结论方法准确快速、灵敏度高,适用于工作场所空气中乙酸乙酯、丙烯酸甲酯的同时测定。     

Early pregnancy urinary biomarkers of fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes

Aims

Alterations in organic acid biomarkers from fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism have been documented in type 2 diabetes patients. However, their association with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is largely unknown.

Methods

Participants were 25 GDM cases and 25 non-GDM controls. Biomarkers of fatty acid (adipate, suberate and ethylmalonate) and carbohydrate (pyruvate, l-lactate and β-hydroxybutyrate) metabolism were measured in maternal urine samples collected in early pregnancy (17 weeks) using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. Logistic regression were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

GDM cases and controls differed in median urinary concentrations of ethylmalonate (3.0 vs. 2.3 μg/mg creatinine), pyruvate (7.4 vs. 2.1 μg/mg creatinine), and adipate (4.6 vs. 7.3 μg/mg creatinine) (all p-values <0.05). Women in the highest tertile for ethylmalonate or pyruvate concentrations had 11.4-fold (95%CI 1.10–117.48) and 3.27-fold (95%CI 0.72–14.79) increased risk of GDM compared with women in the lowest tertile for ethylmalonate and pyruvate concentrations, respectively. Women in the highest tertile for adipate concentrations, compared with women in the lowest tertile, had an 86% reduction in GDM risk (95%CI 0.02–0.97).

Conclusions

These preliminary findings underscore the importance of altered fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism in the pathogenesis of GDM.     

Investigation of the differential transport mechanism of cinnabar and mercury containing compounds

BackgroundCinnabar has a long history of uses in Chinese traditional medicines as an ingredient in various remedies. However, the detailed mechanism of cinnabar in medication remains unclear, and the toxicity of cinnabar has been a debate due to its containing mercury sulfide. This study was designed to investigate the differential transport mechanism of cinnabar and other Hg-containing compounds HgCl₂, MeHg and HgS, and to determine if organic anion transporters OAT1 and OAT3 were involved in the differential transport mechanism.Materials and methodsThe 293T cells were employed to investigate and compare the differential transport mechanism of cinnabar and HgCl₂, MeHg and HgS. Cells were incubated with a low dose (5 μM HgCl₂ and MeHg, 200 μM HgS and cinnabar), medium dose (10 μM HgCl₂ and MeHg, 400 μM HgS and cinnabar), and high dose (20 μM HgCl₂ and MeHg, 800 μM HgS and cinnabar) of HgCl₂, MeHg, HgS and cinnabar for 24 h. Following treatment, the cells were collected and the cell viability was determined by MTT assay. The intracellular mercury content was measured at 1, 4, and 24 h after treatment with 10 μM of the tested agents by an atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer. The effect of these tested agents on mitochondrial respiration was determined in a high-resolution oxygraphyat 24 h following treatment. Furthermore, the effect of modulation of expression of transporters OAT1 and OAT3 on the transport and cytotoxicity of the tested agents was evaluated. The up and down regulation of OAT1 and OAT3 were achieved by overexpression and siRNA transfection, respectively.ResultsCompared with HgCl₂ and MeHg, the cytotoxicity of cinnabar and HgS was lower, with cell viability at the high dose cinnabar and HgS being about 65%, while MeHg and HgCl₂ were 40% and 20%, respectively. The intracellular mercury accumulation was time-dependent. At 24 h the intracellular concentrations of HgCl₂ and MeHg were about 7 and 5 times higher, respectively, than that of cinnabar. No significant difference was found in the intracellular mercury content in cells treated with cinnabar compared to HgS. The knockdown and overexpression of the transporter OAT1 resulted in significant reduction and increase, respectively, in mercury accumulation in HgCl₂ -treated cells in relative to control cells, while no significant changes were observed in cells treated with cinnabar, MeHg, and HgS. In addition, the knockdown and overexpression of the transporter OAT3 caused significant reduction and increase, respectively, in mercury accumulation in both HgCl₂ and MeHg-treated cells in relative to control cells, while no significant changes were observed in cells treated with cinnabar and HgS. Furthermore, it was found that cells transfected with siOAT1 caused significant resistance to the cytotoxicity induced by HgCl₂, while no noticeable changes in cell viability were observed in cells treated with other tested agents. Additionally, cells transfected with OAT3 did not change cell sensitivity to cytotoxicity induced by all of the four tested agents.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that differential transport and accumulation of mercury in 293T cells exists among cinnabar and the three mercury-containing compounds HgCl₂, MeHg and HgS, leading to distinct sensitivity to mercury induced cytotoxicity. The kidney organic anion transporters OAT1 and OAT3 are partially involved in the regulation of the transport of HgCl₂ and MeHg, but not in the regulation of the transport of cinnabar.