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Bulletin of Environmental Contamination... May 2022Fine particulate matter (named PM) has become a prominent and dangerous form of air pollution. The chemical composition of PM mainly includes inorganic elements, water... (Review)
Review
Fine particulate matter (named PM) has become a prominent and dangerous form of air pollution. The chemical composition of PM mainly includes inorganic elements, water soluble ions, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and organic compounds. The detection method for inorganic elements mainly includes X ray fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. As for water soluble ions, ion chromatography is the most common detection method. EC and OC are usually detected by carbon analyzer. The organic compounds are determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. In this paper, the merits and drawbacks of each analytical methods for the determination of PM chemical composition are summarized. This review also includes our discussion on the improvement of the analytical accuracy for the determination of PM chemical composition owing to the development of reference materials.
Topics: Aerosols; Air Pollutants; Carbon; China; Environmental Monitoring; Ions; Organic Chemicals; Particulate Matter; Seasons; Water
PubMed: 35386005
DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03510-w -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2021With characters of low cost, portability, easy disposal, and high accuracy, as well as bulky reduced laboratory equipment, paper-based sensors are getting increasing... (Review)
Review
With characters of low cost, portability, easy disposal, and high accuracy, as well as bulky reduced laboratory equipment, paper-based sensors are getting increasing attention for reliable indoor/outdoor onsite detection with nonexpert operation. They have become powerful analysis tools in trace detection with ultra-low detection limits and extremely high accuracy, resulting in their great popularity in medical detection, environmental inspection, and other applications. Herein, we summarize and generalize the recently reported paper-based sensors based on their application for mechanics, biomolecules, food safety, and environmental inspection. Based on the biological, physical, and chemical analytes-sensitive electrical or optical signals, extensive detections of a large number of factors such as humidity, pressure, nucleic acid, protein, sugar, biomarkers, metal ions, and organic/inorganic chemical substances have been reported via paper-based sensors. Challenges faced by the current paper-based sensors from the fundamental problems and practical applications are subsequently analyzed; thus, the future directions of paper-based sensors are specified for their rapid handheld testing.
Topics: Hospitals; Laboratories; Metals; Nucleic Acids; Organic Chemicals
PubMed: 34577205
DOI: 10.3390/s21185998 -
Nature Communications Aug 2021Impaired cellular cholesterol efflux is a key factor in the progression of renal, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases. Here we describe a class of 5-arylnicotinamide...
Impaired cellular cholesterol efflux is a key factor in the progression of renal, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases. Here we describe a class of 5-arylnicotinamide compounds, identified through phenotypic drug discovery, that upregulate ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux by targeting Oxysterol Binding Protein Like 7 (OSBPL7). OSBPL7 was identified as the molecular target of these compounds through a chemical biology approach, employing a photoactivatable 5-arylnicotinamide derivative in a cellular cross-linking/immunoprecipitation assay. Further evaluation of two compounds (Cpd A and Cpd G) showed that they induced ABCA1 and cholesterol efflux from podocytes in vitro and normalized proteinuria and prevented renal function decline in mouse models of proteinuric kidney disease: Adriamycin-induced nephropathy and Alport Syndrome. In conclusion, we show that small molecule drugs targeting OSBPL7 reveal an alternative mechanism to upregulate ABCA1, and may represent a promising new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of renal diseases and other disorders of cellular cholesterol homeostasis.
Topics: ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1; Animals; Biological Transport; Cells, Cultured; Cholesterol; Diabetic Nephropathies; Disease Models, Animal; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Kidney; Mice, 129 Strain; Mice, Knockout; Molecular Structure; Niacinamide; Organic Chemicals; Podocytes; Proteinuria; RNA Interference; Receptors, Steroid; THP-1 Cells; Mice
PubMed: 34341345
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24890-3 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2022The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including disposable e-cigarettes, has been prevalent. Existing chemical analyses of ENDS focused on e-liquids...
The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including disposable e-cigarettes, has been prevalent. Existing chemical analyses of ENDS focused on e-liquids rather than aerosols and failed to consider particle sizes and aerosol respiratory deposition fractions, which are key factors for inhalation doses. This study investigated the organic chemical and metal constituents in size-segregated ENDS aerosol and assessed the deposited doses and health risks of these substances. Aerosol chemical analyses were conducted on two popular disposable ENDS products: Puff Bar (Grape) and Air Bar (Watermelon Ice). An ENDS aerosol was generated and delivered into a Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor to collect size-segregated aerosol samples, in which organic chemicals and metals were analyzed. Daily and lifetime doses for each chemical were estimated. Cancer and non-cancer risk assessments were conducted based on the deposited doses. We found that e-cigarette aerosol contains certain harmful organic chemicals and metals documented to result in respiratory problems. Estimated respiratory cancer risks corresponding to chromium from both ENDS products and nickel from Air Bar (Watermelon Ice) were substantially above the conventionally acceptable risk. The method, findings, and implications can contribute to the extant literature of ENDS toxicity studies as well as inform tobacco regulation and future large-scale studies.
Topics: Aerosols; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Metals; Nicotiana; Tobacco Products
PubMed: 36078349
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710633 -
Chemical Reviews Aug 2021Chemical compound space (CCS), the set of all theoretically conceivable combinations of chemical elements and (meta-)stable geometries that make up matter, is colossal.... (Review)
Review
Chemical compound space (CCS), the set of all theoretically conceivable combinations of chemical elements and (meta-)stable geometries that make up matter, is colossal. The first-principles based virtual sampling of this space, for example, in search of novel molecules or materials which exhibit desirable properties, is therefore prohibitive for all but the smallest subsets and simplest properties. We review studies aimed at tackling this challenge using modern machine learning techniques based on (i) synthetic data, typically generated using quantum mechanics based methods, and (ii) model architectures inspired by quantum mechanics. Such Quantum mechanics based Machine Learning (QML) approaches combine the numerical efficiency of statistical surrogate models with an ab initio view on matter. They rigorously reflect the underlying physics in order to reach universality and transferability across CCS. While state-of-the-art approximations to quantum problems impose severe computational bottlenecks, recent QML based developments indicate the possibility of substantial acceleration without sacrificing the predictive power of quantum mechanics.
Topics: Inorganic Chemicals; Machine Learning; Organic Chemicals; Quantum Theory
PubMed: 34387476
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01303 -
Marine Drugs Mar 2023Diverse ecologically important metabolites, such as allelochemicals, infochemicals and volatile organic chemicals, are involved in marine organismal interactions.... (Review)
Review
Diverse ecologically important metabolites, such as allelochemicals, infochemicals and volatile organic chemicals, are involved in marine organismal interactions. Chemically mediated interactions between intra- and interspecific organisms can have a significant impact on community organization, population structure and ecosystem functioning. Advances in analytical techniques, microscopy and genomics are providing insights on the chemistry and functional roles of the metabolites involved in such interactions. This review highlights the targeted translational value of several marine chemical ecology-driven research studies and their impact on the sustainable discovery of novel therapeutic agents. These chemical ecology-based approaches include activated defense, allelochemicals arising from organismal interactions, spatio-temporal variations of allelochemicals and phylogeny-based approaches. In addition, innovative analytical techniques used in the mapping of surface metabolites as well as in metabolite translocation within marine holobionts are summarized. Chemical information related to the maintenance of the marine symbioses and biosyntheses of specialized compounds can be harnessed for biomedical applications, particularly in microbial fermentation and compound production. Furthermore, the impact of climate change on the chemical ecology of marine organisms-especially on the production, functionality and perception of allelochemicals-and its implications on drug discovery efforts will be presented.
Topics: Ecosystem; Volatile Organic Compounds; Ecology; Aquatic Organisms; Pheromones; Pharmaceutical Preparations
PubMed: 36976223
DOI: 10.3390/md21030174 -
Environmental Science & Technology Dec 2023Asphalt is ubiquitous across cities and a source of organic compounds spanning a wide range of volatility and may be an overlooked source of urban organic aerosols. The...
Asphalt is ubiquitous across cities and a source of organic compounds spanning a wide range of volatility and may be an overlooked source of urban organic aerosols. The emission rate and composition depend strongly on temperature, but emissions have been observed at both application temperatures and surface temperatures during warm sunny days. Here we report primary organic aerosol (POA) emissions and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) production from asphalt. We reheated real-world asphalt samples to application-relevant temperatures (∼130 °C) and typical summertime road-surface temperatures (∼55 °C) and then flushed the emitted vapors into an environmental oxidation chamber containing ammonium sulfate seed particles. SOA was then formed following the photo-oxidation of emissions under high-NO conditions typical of urban atmospheres. We find that POA only forms at application temperature as it does not require further oxidation, whereas SOA forms under both conditions; with the resulting POA and SOA both being semi-volatile. While total OA formation rates were substantially greater under the limited time spent under application conditions, SOA formation from passive asphalt heating presents a potential long-term source, as heating continues for the lifetime of the road surface. This suggests that persistent asphalt solar heating is likely a considerable and continued source of summertime SOA in urban environments.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Organic Chemicals; Hydrocarbons; Aerosols
PubMed: 37931038
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06037 -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aug 2022Biofiltration is a water purification technology playing a pivotal role in producing safe drinking water. This technology attracts many interests worldwide due to its... (Review)
Review
Biofiltration is a water purification technology playing a pivotal role in producing safe drinking water. This technology attracts many interests worldwide due to its advantages, such as no addition of chemicals, a low energy input, and a high removal efficiency of organic compounds, undesirable taste and odours, and pathogens. The current review describes the microbial ecology of three biofiltration processes that are routinely used in drinking water treatment plants, i.e. (i) rapid sand filtration (RSF), (ii) granular activated carbon filtration (GACF), and (iii) slow sand filtration (SSF). We summarised and compared the characteristics, removal performance, and corresponding (newly revealed) mechanisms of the three biofiltration processes. Specifically, the microbial ecology of the different biofilter processes and the role of microbial communities in removing nutrients, organic compounds, and pathogens were reviewed. Finally, we highlight the limitations and challenges in the study of biofiltration in drinking water production, and propose future perspectives for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the microbial ecology of biofiltration, which is needed to promote and optimise its further application. KEY POINTS: • Biofilters are composed of complex microbiomes, primarily shaped by water quality. • Conventional biofilters contribute to address safety challenges in drinking water. • Studies may underestimate the active/functional role of microbiomes in biofilters.
Topics: Charcoal; Drinking Water; Filtration; Organic Chemicals; Sand; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification
PubMed: 35771243
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12013-x -
Journal of Molecular Evolution Feb 2021Water, the most abundant compound on the surface of the Earth and probably in the universe, is the medium of biology, but is much more than that. Water is the most...
Water, the most abundant compound on the surface of the Earth and probably in the universe, is the medium of biology, but is much more than that. Water is the most frequent actor in the chemistry of metabolism. Our quantitation here reveals that water accounts for 99.4% of metabolites in Escherichia coli by molar concentration. Between a third and a half of known biochemical reactions involve consumption or production of water. We calculated the chemical flux of water and observed that in the life of a cell, a given water molecule frequently and repeatedly serves as a reaction substrate, intermediate, cofactor, and product. Our results show that as an E. coli cell replicates in the presence of molecular oxygen, an average in vivo water molecule is chemically transformed or is mechanistically involved in catalysis ~ 3.7 times. We conclude that, for biological water, there is no distinction between medium and chemical participant. Chemical transformations of water provide a basis for understanding not only extant biochemistry, but the origins of life. Because the chemistry of water dominates metabolism and also drives biological synthesis and degradation, it seems likely that metabolism co-evolved with biopolymers, which helps to reconcile polymer-first versus metabolism-first theories for the origins of life.
Topics: Catalysis; Escherichia coli; Humans; Organic Chemicals; Water
PubMed: 33427903
DOI: 10.1007/s00239-020-09978-6 -
Environment International Jan 2023Bottled water (BW) consumption in the United States and globally has increased amidst heightened concern about environmental contaminant exposures and health risks in...
BACKGROUND
Bottled water (BW) consumption in the United States and globally has increased amidst heightened concern about environmental contaminant exposures and health risks in drinking water supplies, despite a paucity of directly comparable, environmentally-relevant contaminant exposure data for BW. This study provides insight into exposures and cumulative risks to human health from inorganic/organic/microbial contaminants in BW.
METHODS
BW from 30 total domestic US (23) and imported (7) sources, including purified tapwater (7) and spring water (23), were analyzed for 3 field parameters, 53 inorganics, 465 organics, 14 microbial metrics, and in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) bioactivity. Health-benchmark-weighted cumulative hazard indices and ratios of organic-contaminant in vitro exposure-activity cutoffs were assessed for detected regulated and unregulated inorganic and organic contaminants.
RESULTS
48 inorganics and 45 organics were detected in sampled BW. No enforceable chemical quality standards were exceeded, but several inorganic and organic contaminants with maximum contaminant level goal(s) (MCLG) of zero (no known safe level of exposure to vulnerable sub-populations) were detected. Among these, arsenic, lead, and uranium were detected in 67 %, 17 %, and 57 % of BW, respectively, almost exclusively in spring-sourced samples not treated by advanced filtration. Organic MCLG exceedances included frequent detections of disinfection byproducts (DBP) in tapwater-sourced BW and sporadic detections of DBP and volatile organic chemicals in BW sourced from tapwater and springs. Precautionary health-based screening levels were exceeded frequently and attributed primarily to DBP in tapwater-sourced BW and co-occurring inorganic and organic contaminants in spring-sourced BW.
CONCLUSION
The results indicate that simultaneous exposures to multiple drinking-water contaminants of potential human-health concern are common in BW. Improved understandings of human exposures based on more environmentally realistic and directly comparable point-of-use exposure characterizations, like this BW study, are essential to public health because drinking water is a biological necessity and, consequently, a high-vulnerability vector for human contaminant exposures.
Topics: Humans; United States; Drinking Water; Volatile Organic Compounds; Water Supply; Environmental Exposure; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 36542998
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107701