挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)对IVF实验室影响的研究进展

体外受精-胚胎移植技术已成为当今治疗不育症的主要手段,为取得令人满意的临床妊娠率,体外受精(IVF)实验室的空气质量控制成为生殖助孕工作者关注的重点。胚胎培养室的挥发性有机化合物(volatileorganiccompounds,VOCs)含量对配子-胚胎发育的影响至关重要,体外胚胎对VOCs的耐受能力差,其含量超过一定界限时则会对配子和胚胎造成影响。本文概述了IVF实验室VOCs的来源,VOCs的生殖毒性,VOCs的测定方法以及胚胎培养室内VOCs的控制途径等,旨在更严格的进行IVF实验室的空气质量控制,尽可能杜绝VOCs的污染,提高IVF的成功率。     

Analysis of volatile organic compounds in rats with dopaminergic lesion: Possible application for early detection of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by dopaminergic (DA) neuron depletion. Early detection of PD may help in selecting the appropriate treatment. Biomarkers of PD have been suggested, however none of these is currently in clinical use. The aim of this study was to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as early biomarkers of PD. Our hypothesis was that during PD progression, specific VOCs are generated that are linked to the biochemical pathways characterizing PD. These VOCs can be detected by GC–MS combined with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique. Three groups of rats were studied: DA-lesioned rats injected with 6-hydroxydopamine (HDA; 250 μg/rat n = 11); control rats injected with saline (n = 9), and control rats injected with DSP-4 (n = 8), a specific noradrenergic neuron toxin. Blood and striatal tissue homogenate were analyzed. In the blood, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-ethylhexanol were found at significantly higher concentrations in HDA versus sham rats. In the striatal homogenate 1-octen-3-ol and other four compounds were found at significantly lower concentrations in HDA versus sham rats. 1-Octen-3-ol is a cytotoxic compound. These results may lead to the development of an early diagnostic test for PD based on profiling of VOCs in body fluids.     

Health risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in urban areas

The atmosphere is the first medium containing hazardous compounds entering the living environment. Metropolitan areas contain many industrial complex areas with high emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and consequently also large-scale exposure groups. As respiration is the most important part of the human exposure pathway, the atmosphere should be treated with greater importance than other media. It is therefore very important to monitor the emission of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and measure the concentration of VOCs in the atmosphere of such areas. It is essential to establish basic measures in order to protect public health as part of overall national safety management. This study utilized the national air pollution monitoring network data from Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi, and investigated the differences in risk levels for humans considering various factors of the receptors, including gender and age. A total of 13 VOCs were categorized into carcinogens and noncarcinogens for risk assessment. The carcinogens 1,3-butadiene and benzene demonstrated a high level of cancer risk, ranging between 10^?4 and 10^?6, respectively. Noncarcinogens did not exceed Hazard Quotient (HQ) 1 in any area. The results will serve as important references for managing urban air environments and setting air quality standards.     

Biofiltration eliminates nuisance chemical odors from industrial air streams

This paper focuses on recent developments of biofiltration technology used in treating nuisance chemical odors from industrial and municipal air streams. In the biofiltration process, odorous chemical constituents in the air are first transported to biofilms by diffusion, solubilization and adsorption processes. Bacteria within the biofilms oxidize odor constituents into harmless and odorless products. Through successful laboratory and pilot research on biofiltration of odorous air-stream constituents, numerous commercial biofilters have been designed and installed across North America. In this paper, case studies related to biofiltration of air emissions from meat rendering plants, municipal wastewater treatment applications, and printed circuit board production are discussed to demonstrate the robustness of this technology in eliminating a wide variety of compounds. Electronic Publication     

Metabolite fingerprinting in transgenic lettuce

Metabolite fingerprinting has been achieved using direct atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) and linked gas chromatography (GC-APCI/EI-MS) for transgenic lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Evola) plants expressing an IPT gene under the control of the senescence-specific SAG12 promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana (P(SAG12)-IPT). Mature heads of transgenic lettuce and their azygous controls were maintained under defined conditions to assess their shelf life. Transgenic lettuce plants exhibited delayed senescence and significant increases (up to a maximum of threefold) in the concentrations of three volatile organic compounds (VOCs), corresponding to molecular masses of 45, 47 and 63, when compared with heads from azygous plants. These VOCs were identified as acetaldehyde (45), ethanol (47) and dimethyl sulphide (63). The increase in dimethyl sulphide was paralleled by an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the heads of transgenic plants. These results demonstrate the applicability of metabolic fingerprinting techniques to elucidate the underlying pleiotropic responses of plants to transgene expression.     

Emissions of Total Volatile Organic Compounds from Anthropogenic Sources in India

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have a direct bearing on the levels of ozone and other reactive chemicals in the atmosphere and play an important role in determining air quality Anthropogenic emission of VOCs has greatly increased due to growing consumption of fossil fuels and related activities. This article presents an emissions inventory for VOCs emitted from anthropogenic soutres in India. VOC emissions factors for important source categories and activities are assembled from the literature and an effort is made to use Indian emission factors as far as possible. Important sources of VOCs include livestock, combustion of firewood and fossil fuels, rice paddy fields, manufacturing. petroleum (production and refining), natural gas (production and distribution), vehicular exhaust, and coal mining. The annual anthropogenic VOC emissions for India have been estimated to be 21 million metric tons (mt). A comparison of VOC emissions inventories for a group of countries varying in their industrial and economic development, in terms of income (gross domestic product, or GDP), population, and land area, reflects the differences among the countries. This VOC emissions inventory provides baseline information for comparisons over time and across countries. In addition, it may serve as an important tool for formulating national VOC control policies.     

American petroleum institute in situ air sparging database

An evaluation of data detailing in situ air sparging (IAS) systems at 59 sites has been assembled into an American Petroleum Institute in situ Air Sparging Database (API‐IAS Database). The database was developed to provide site managers insights concerning the state‐of‐the‐art of IAS system design, operation, and evaluation. The IAS radius of influence (ROI) is often evaluated based on changes in a number of physical, chemical, or biological monitoring parameters. Measurements of groundwater dissolved oxygen levels was the technique used most often to determine the ROI. Other parameters such as pressure changes in the vadose and saturated zones, groundwater mounding, air bubbling in wells and tracer gases were also used to aid in the determination of the IAS ROI. A review of 37 pilot studies revealed that the IAS ROI is generally between 10 to 26 ft. IAS technology is generally being applied in sandy soils. The application of IAS technology was deemed infeasible at seven sites where soils contained high levels of silts or clay. Analysis of design and operation data at 40 IAS sites revealed that a typical IAS well is 2 in. in diameter, with a 2‐ft screen, positioned 5 to 10 ft beneath the water table. The wells typically were operated at an overpressure (i.e., pressure in excess of that required to overcome the hydrostatic head) of less than 5 psi with a flow rate of less than 5 cfm. At several sites when IAS system pressures and flows were doubled, only slight increases in ROI resulted. Significant reductions of dissolved volatile organic hydrocarbon (VOCs) were observed at 12 sites as a result of IAS. However, long‐term water quality data following an IAS system shutdown was very limited.     

Floral scent chemistry within the genus Linnaea (Caprifoliaceae)

‘Beauty bush’ and ‘twin flower’ are common names attributed to two well‐recognizable species belonging to the genus Linnaea (16 spp.) – L. amabilis and L. borealis – long admired by botanists and gardeners for their perfumed paired bell‐shaped flowers. In the present study, we investigated their floral scent compositions through gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) analysis of dynamic headspace samples. Because the flowers of L. borealis in wild populations are fragrant both during the day and in the evening, circadian variation of scent emission was also assessed for this species. In total, 26 chemical compounds comprise the floral scent bouquets of L. amabilis and L. borealis, identified as monoterpenes (14), benzenoids and phenylpropanoids (5), aliphatics (3), sesquiterpenes (3) and irregular terpenes (1). Whereas monoterpenes, notably (‐)‐α‐ and β‐pinene, dominated the scent of L. amabilis (over 82% relative abundance), benzene derivates: 1,4 dimethoxybenzene, anisaldehyde, 2‐phenylethanol, benzaldehyde and nicotinaldehyde were exclusive to analysed headspace samples of L. borealis, accounting for 52% to 100% of their relative compositions, in three Swedish populations. A southwestern Finnish population was characterized by the four first mentioned benzenoid compounds and large amounts of (‐)‐α‐ and β‐pinenes plus two aliphatic substances. The scent compounds identified for both species are ubiquitous and may serve as generalist attractants/stimulants for a broad assortment of anthophilous insects. The basic work on the flower scent of L. amabilis and L. borealis should inspire studies of their pollination biology, primarily the behaviour‐guiding roles of the characteristic emitted volatiles.