一种利用手机监测环境质量的装置

<p>本发明涉及一种利用手机来进行环境质量监测的装置和方法。所述装置包括烟气传感器、VOC传感器、噪声传感器、一氧化碳传感器、温度传感器、湿度传感器。利用手机监测环境质量的方法是通过手机内置和附带的传感器结合手机端的应用软件来完成的。当启动手机上的应用软件后，软件能够及时的获取手机内置和附带的传感器的信息，并且能将传感器的测量结果以图形和曲线的形式显示在手机屏幕上，方便公众了解自身周边环境质量的状况。通过将手机作为环境质量监测和分析的终端，方便公众时刻了解自身周边环境质量的状况，同时该设备结构紧凑、便于携带、监测要素多、成本低、工作可靠稳定、使用寿命长、推广价值高。</p

Embryonic exposure to low concentration of bisphenol A affects the development of Oryzias melastigma larvae

The prevalence of bisphenol A (BPA) in the environment has attracted increasing attention because of the toxicity of this manmade pollutant. However, the toxicity related to cardiac development remains largely unknown. In the present paper, we investigated the cardiac toxicity of BPA using marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) embryos.At 2 days postfertilization (dpf), the embryos were continuously exposed to a low concentration of BPA (200 &mu;g/L)for the whole embryonic stage. Heart rate and sinus venosus(SV)&ndash;bulbus arteriosus (BA) distance were measured under microscopy. The mRNA expression levels of genes were<br />quantified by SYBR real-time RT-PCR, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&amp;E) staining was used to examine the histology of fish larvae hearts. Neither the heart rate nor the SV-BA distance of the embryos was affected by BPA exposure.However, the mRNA expression levels of Na+&ndash;K+&ndash;ATPase,BMP4, COX-1, FGF8, GATA4, and NKX2.5 were all downregulated at the critical developmental stages (6 and 10 dpf). Interestingly, the mRNA expression levels of COX-2 and LERP were significantly upregulated at 10 dpf. The<br />mRNA expressions of inflammation-related genes (TNF&alpha;,<br />IL1&beta;, SOD, and CCL11) were all significantly upregulated<br />after exposure. Moreover, we found that both the body length<br />and the body width decreased in the larvae after embryonic<br />exposure to BPA. The distributed foci of inflammation were<br />observed in the juveniles after 2 weeks&rsquo; depuration. Exposure to BPA at embryonic stages could alter the expression of heart<br />development-related genes and inflammation-related genes of<br />O. melastigma. The larvae hatched from exposed embryos<br />showed the foci of inflammation in the heart ventricles and the<br />decrease of the body length and width

Impacts of urbanization on surface sediment quality:evidence from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminations in the Grand Canal of China

<h3 class="a-plus-plus">Introduction</h3><p class="a-plus-plus">Organic pollutants, especially synthetic organic compounds, can indicate paces of anthropogenic activities. Effects of urbanization on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) distributions in surface sediment were conducted in urban sections of the Grand Canal, China, consisting of a four-level urbanization gradient.</p><h3 class="a-plus-plus">Materials and methods</h3><p class="a-plus-plus">The four-level urbanization gradients include three countryside towns, two small-size cities, three medium-size cities, and a large-size city. Diagnostic ratio analysis and factor analysis&ndash;multiple linear regression model were used for source apportionment of PAHs. Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of USA and Canada were employed to assess ecological risks of PAHs and PCBs in surface sediments of the Canal.</p><h3 class="a-plus-plus">Results and discussion</h3><p class="a-plus-plus">Ranges of PAH and PCB concentrations in surface sediments were 0.66&ndash;22&nbsp;mg/kg and 0.5&ndash;93&nbsp;&mu;g/kg, respectively. Coal-related sources were primary PAH sources and followed by vehicular emission. Total concentration, composition, and source apportionment of PAHs exhibited urbanization gradient effects. Total PCB concentrations increased with the urbanization gradient, while total PAHs concentration in surface sediments presented an inverted U Kuznets curve with the urbanization gradient. Elevated concentrations of both PAHs and PCBs ranged at effect range low levels or interim SQG, assessed by USA and Canadian SQGs.</p><h3 class="a-plus-plus">Conclusions</h3><p class="a-plus-plus">PAHs and PCBs in surface sediments of the Grand Canal showed urbanization gradient effects and low ecological risks.</p

Lead contamination and source in Shanghai in the past century using dated sediment cores from urban park lakes

Lead contamination becomes of importance to urban resident health worldwide, especially for child health and growth. Undisturbed lake sediment cores are increasingly employed as a useful tool to backdate environmental contamination history. Five intact sediment cores collected from lakes in five urban parks were dated using 210Pb and analyzed for total Pb content and isotope ratio to reconstruct the Pb contamination history over the last century in Shanghai, China. Total Pb content in the sediment cores<br />increased by about 2- to 3-fold since 1900s. The profile of Pb flux in each sediment core revealed a remarkable increase of Pb contamination in Shanghai over the past century, especially in the latest three decades when China was experiencing a rapid economic and industrial development. Significant correlations<br />were found between Pb fluxes in sediment cores and Pb emission from coal combustion in Shanghai.Coal combustion emission dominated anthropogenic Pb sources during the past century contributing from 52% to 69% of total Pb in cores, estimated by a three-end member model of Pb isotope ratios. Leaded<br />gasoline emission generally contributed &lt;30% of total Pb, which was banned by 1997 in the Shanghai region. Our results implicate that coal combustion-based energy consumption should be replaced, or at least partially replaced, to reduce health risks of Pb contamination in Shanghai

Effects of rapid urban sprawl on urban forest carbon stocks: Integrating remotely sensed, GIS and forest inventory data.

Research on the effects of urban sprawl on carbon stocks within urban forests can help support policy for sustainable urban design. This is particularly important given climate change and environmental deterioration as a result of rapid urbanization. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of urban sprawl on dynamics of forest carbon stock and density in Xiamen, a typical city experiencing rapid urbanization in China. Forest resource inventory data collected from 32,898 patches in 4 years (1972, 1988, 1996 and 2006), together with remotely sensed data (from 1988, 1996 and 2006), were used to investigate vegetation carbon densities and stocks in Xiamen, China. We classified the forests into four groups: (1) forest patches connected to construction land; (2) forest patches connected to farmland; (3) forest patches connected to both construction land and farmland and (4) close forest patches. Carbon stocks and densities of four different types of forest patches during different urbanization periods in three zones (urban core, suburb and exurb) were compared to assess the impact of human disturbance on forest carbon. In the urban core, the carbon stock and carbon density in all four forest patch types declined over the study period. In the suburbs, different urbanization processes influenced forest carbon density and carbon stock in all four forest patch types. Urban sprawl negatively affected the surrounding forests. In the exurbs, the carbon stock and carbon density in all four forest patch types tended to increase over the study period. The results revealed that human disturbance played the dominant role in influencing the carbon stock and density of forest patches close to the locations of human activities. In forest patches far away from the locations of human activities, natural forest regrowth was the dominant factor affecting carbon stock and density

Expressing urine from a gel disposable diaper for biomonitoring using phthalates as an example

The urinary metabolites of phthalates are well-accepted exposure biomarkers for adults and children older than 6 years but are not commonly used for infants owing to non-convenient sampling. In the light of this situation, a novel sampling method based on monitoring the urine expressed from the gel diaper was developed. The urine was expressed from the gel absorbent after mixing the absorbent with CaCl₂ and then collected by a laboratory-made device; the urinary phthalate metabolites were extracted and cleaned using a solid-phase extraction (SPE) column and analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry <span class="mb">/</span> mass spectrometry. To evaluate the method's feasibility, the following factors were investigated: the proportion of CaCl₂ to gel absorbent, the urination volume variation and the target compounds&rsquo; deposition bias in the diaper, the matrix blank of the different diaper brands, the storage stabilities and the recoveries of creatinine and phthalate metabolites in the expressed urine. Mono-methyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, mono-butyl phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate, mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate were involved. 70&ndash;80<span class="mb">%</span> of the urine can be expressed from the diaper, and the expressed spiking recoveries and the limit of detection of mono-phthalates ranged from 88.5&ndash;115<span class="mb">%</span> and 0.21&ndash;0.50<span class="mb"><span class="mb">&thinsp;</span></span>ng<span class="mb">/</span>ml. The method was applied to measure phthalate metabolites in 65 gel diaper samples from 15 infants, and the pilot data suggests the infants are commonly exposed to phthalates. In summary, the method for monitoring of infant exposure to phthalates is sound and validated, and the potential health effects from the vulnerable infants&rsquo; exposure to phthalates should be concerned

Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Lijiang City and Glacier Retreatment of Yulong Snow Mountain

Public debates recently arise about the urban heat island (UHI) effect in Lijiang City on the glacier retreatment in Yulong Snow Mountain. To provide some scientific supports, this study used thermal remote sensing to analyze the effects of both UHI and thermal pattern of the whole basin area to the glacier. The final conclusion is that urban heat island would not promote the glacier retreatment of Yulong Snow Mountain, although they still should be mitigated to improve the quality of urban ecosystem

Are the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus driven by the “FeIII-FeII redox wheel” in dynamic redox environments?

<p>Purpose Iron&rsquo;s fluctuation between the II (ferrous) and III<br />(ferric) oxidation states has been coined as the &ldquo;FeIII&ndash;FeII<br />redox wheel.&rdquo; Numerous studies have coupled the &ldquo;iron<br />redox wheel&rdquo; with the biogeochemical cycle of carbon(C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), or phosphorus (P) individually in soils or sediments, but evidence suggests that the FeIII&ndash;FeII redox wheel drives the biogeochemical cycles interactively in a fluctuating redox microenvironment. The interactions of the FeIII&ndash;FeII redox wheel with the biogeochemical cycles of C, N, S, and P in the fluctuating redox environments were reviewed in this paper.</p><p>Discussion In this review, we discuss the importance of iron<br />with regard to each of the biogeochemical cycles individually<br />as well as interactively. The importance of crystalline and non-crystalline FeIII (hydr)oxides is highlighted as they serve as terminal electron acceptors for organic matter mineralization and N and S transformation and also act as sorbents for dissolved P compounds. Mechanically, electrontransfer from organic matter to FeIII (hydr)oxides via organic matter oxidation, oxidation of NH4<br />+ to NO2&minus;, formation and oxidation of Fe sulfide minerals in the S cycle, and P transformation were discussed to couple with the FeIII&ndash;FeIIredox wheel.<br />Conclusions The knowledge gaps are identified at the end<br />of the review. The natural environmental relationships still<br />require further studies that link the iron redox wheel as a<br />driver of the biogeochemical cycles of C, N, S, and P.<br />Anthropogenically altered environments (nutrient and metal<br />elevation, global warming, and acidification) require intensive<br />studies to allow for improved integrated modeling of global C, N, S, and P biogeochemical cycles driven by the<br />FeIII&ndash;FeII redox wheel.</p

PFOS elicits transcriptional responses of the ER, AHR and PPAR pathways in Oryzias melastigma in a stage-specific manner

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is widely distributed in seawater. However, the effects of PFOS on important receptors involved in the toxicity of POPs have not been fully defined, especially for the embryonic stages of marine fish. In this study, we examined the transcriptional responses and PFOS accumulation in the marine medaka embryos at the early and late developmental stages of 4 and 10 dpf upon PFOS exposure (1, 4, and 16 mg/L). PFOS accumulated in the embryos, and the embryonic burdens of PFOS at 10 dpf were markedly higher than those at 4 dpf. Moreover, thirteen genes involved in three important POPs-related receptor pathways, including ER, AHR and PPAR, were cloned and investigated. The mRNA expression levels of ER and ER were not significantly altered, but the estrogenic marker genes were downregulated upon PFOS exposure at 4 dpf. Conversely, ERs and related marker genes all were significantly upregulated at 10 dpf. The expressions of ARNT and cyp1a were both upregulated at 4 dpf, while no obvious changes were detected at 10 dpf. The expressions of cyp19a and cyp19b were regulated by PFOS in a stage-specific manner. PFOS produced different effects on three isoforms of PPAR. PPAR and PPAR were first inhibited at 4 dpf and were induced at 10 dpf. PFOS did not elicit a change in PPAR expression at either stage. In conclusion, this study showed that PFOS has an estrogenic activity and endocrinedisruptive properties. Meanwhile, PFOS could elicit transcriptional responses on POPs-related pathways<br />in a stage-specific manner

Developmental toxicity evaluation of three hexabromocyclododecane

Structural dissimilarities of hexabromocyclododecane diastereoisomers could raise substantial differences in physicochemical, biological and toxicological properties. In order to fully assess the environmental safety and health risk of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), zebrafish embryos were used to evaluate the developmental toxicity of individual HBCD diastereoisomers (&alpha;-HBCD, &beta;-HBCD and &gamma;-HBCD). Four-hour post-fertilization (hpf) zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of HBCD diastereoisomers (0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0&nbsp;mg/l) until 120&nbsp;hpf. The results showed that exposure to HBCDs can affect the development of zebrafish embryos/larvae in a dose-dependent and diastereoselective manner. The diastereoisomers &alpha;-, &beta;- and &gamma;-HBCD at 0.01&nbsp;mg/l had little effect on the development of zebrafish embryos except that exposure to 0.01&nbsp;mg/l &gamma;-HBCD significantly delayed hatching (<em>P</em>&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). At 0.1&nbsp;mg/l, &alpha;-HBCD resulted in depressed heart rate of larvae (96&nbsp;hpf) and delayed hatching, whereas &beta;- and &gamma;-HBCD both caused significant hatching delay and growth inhibition (<em>P</em>&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). In addition, a remarkable and significant increase in mortality and malformation rate was noted at 0.1&nbsp;mg/l &gamma;-HBCD exposure groups (<em>P</em>&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). At 1.0&nbsp;mg/l, &alpha;-, &beta;- and &gamma;-HBCD significantly affected all of the endpoints monitored (<em>P</em>&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). Additionally, HBCD diastereoisomers could induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicated that HBCD diastereoisomers could cause developmental toxicity to zebrafish embryos through inducing apoptosis by ROS formation. The overall results showed a good agreement confirming that the order of developmental toxicity of HBCD diastereoisomers in zebrafish is &gamma;-HBCD&nbsp;&gt;&nbsp;&beta;-HBCD&nbsp;&gt;&nbsp;&alpha;-HBCD