A Three Year Study on 14 VOCs at One Site in Rome: Levels, Seasonal Variations, Indoor/Outdoor Ratio and Temporal Trends

Fourteen volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—twelve hydrocarbons and two organochlorine compounds—were monitored both outdoors and indoors for three years at one site in Rome. Results showed that 118 out of 168 indoor seasonal mean values were higher than the corresponding outdoor concentrations. The most relevant source of outdoor hydrocarbons was automotive exhaust emissions. Due to the enforcement of various measures to protect health and the environment, outdoor levels of monoaromatic hydrocarbons decreased about ten fold over 15 years, and aliphatic hydrocarbons also decreased. With the decrease in these outdoor concentrations, indoor air sources are likely to be more relevant for indoor air exposures. Winter outdoor values for monoaromatic hydrocarbons were generally markedly higher than the summer ones. The gradual replacement of the current fleet of circulating cars with new cars complying with EURO 5 standards, further reducing hydrocarbon emissions, may possibly lead to an increase in the observed indoor/outdoor ratios. It is indeed more difficult to remove indoor sources, some of which are still unknown

Analysis of plasma indices of redox homeostasis in dairy cows reared in polluted areas of Piedmont (northern Italy)

Steel manufacturing is responsible for the emission of pollutants, including dioxins and transition metals, inducing reactive oxygen species generation and DNA damage. Dioxin pollution represents the major cause of milk and dairy product contamination, in Italy, and is associated with oxidative stress-related processes, that may impair health and performance of cows.We evaluated the effect of exposure to different concentrations of pollutants derived from steel manufacturing on blood redox homeostasis of bovine cows. We analyzed two groups of dairy cows (A, B), reared in two different polluted areas, and a control group of cows bred in an industry free area. The extent of exposure to contaminants was defined by measuring dioxin level in bulk milk samples collected from animals of each farm. This level was lower in milk of group A than in group B. Plasma concentrations of retinol, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate, the total antioxidant capacity, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were higher in control group than in exposed groups. In particular, retinol and tocopherol levelswere higher in the groupwith lower milk dioxin level. Plasma titers of protein-bound carbonyls (PC), nitro-tyrosine, and hydroperoxideswere lower in control group than in A or B. Hydroperoxides and PC plasmaconcentrationswere increased in the groupwith higher milk concentration of dioxin. Our results demonstrate that, irrespective of the nature of chemicals inducing oxidativemodifications, the extent of damage to plasmaprotein and lipid, is correlatedwith the concentration of dioxin in milk. So, the characterization of blood redox status might be a useful tool for identifying animals exposed to environmental pollutants. Plasma concentrations of retinol, alpha-tocopherol, PC and hydroperoxides could therefore represent good indices of the extent of animal exposure, as they significantly change in groups with different milk concentrations of dioxi

Determination of low-level acrylamide in drinking water by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographictandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed and validated to confirm and quantify acrylamide monomer (AA) in drinking water using [13C3] acrylamide as internal standard (IS). After a preconcentration by solid-phase extraction with spherical activated carbon, analytes were chromatographed on lonPac ICE-AS1 column (9 × 250 mm) under isocratic conditions using acetonitrile-water-0.1 M formic acid (43 + 52 + 5, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Analysis was achieved using a triple-quadrupole mass analyzer equipped with a turbo ion spray interface. For confirmation and quantification of the analytes, MS data acquisition was performed in the multireaction monitoring mode, selecting 2 precursor ion to product ion transitions for both AA and IS. The method was validated for linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, precision, extraction efficiency, and matrix effect. Linearity in tap water was observed over the concentration range 0.1-2.0 μg/L. Limits of detection and quantification were 0.02 and 0.1 μg/L, respectively. Interday and intraday assays were performed across 3 validation levels (0.1, 0.5, and 1.5 μg/L). Accuracy (as mean recovery) ranged from 89.3 to 96.2% with relative standard deviation <7.98%. Performance characteristics of this LC/MS/MS method make it suitable for regulatory confirmatory analysis of AA in drinking water in compliance with European Union and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards

Determination of Low-Level Acrylamide in Drinking Water by Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed and validated to confirm and quantify acrylamide monomer (AA) in drinking water using [13C3] acrylamide as internal standard (IS). After a preconcentration by solid-phase extraction with spherical activated carbon, analytes were chromatographed on IonPac ICE-AS1 column (9 x 250 mm) under isocratic conditions using acetonitrile-water-0.1 M formic acid (43 + 52 + 5, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Analysis was achieved using a triple-quadrupole mass analyzer equipped with a turbo ion spray interface. For confirmation and quantification of the analytes, MS data acquisition was performed in the multireaction monitoring mode, selecting 2 precursor ion to product ion transitions for both AA and IS. The method was validated for linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, precision, extraction efficiency, and matrix effect. Linearity in tap water was observed over the concentration range 0.1-2.0 microg/L. Limits of detection and quantification were 0.02 and 0.1 microg/L, respectively. Interday and intraday assays were performed across 3 validation levels (0.1, 0.5, and 1.5 microg/L). Accuracy (as mean recovery) ranged from 89.3 to 96.2% with relative standard deviation <7.98%. Performance characteristics of this LC/MS/MS method make it suitable for regulatory confirmatory analysis of AA in drinking water in compliance with European Union and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards

Circuito d'intercalibrazione nazionale per il rilevamento di PCB e PCDD/PCDF in matrici alimentari

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7, Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal