BACKGROUND: Children in agricultural areas are exposed to organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides. This explorative study investigated child exposure to OPs and PYRs, comparing temporal and spatial exposure variability within and among urine, wristbands, and dust samples. METHODS: During spraying season 2018, 38 South African children in two agricultural areas (Grabouw/Hex River Valley) and settings (farm/village) participated in a seven-day study. Child urine and household dust samples were collected on days 1 and 7. Children and their guardians were wearing silicone wristbands for seven days. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated temporal agreements between repeated urine and dust samples, Spearman rank correlations (Rs) evaluated the correlations among matrices, and linear mixed-effect models investigated spatial exposure predictors. A risk assessment was performed using reverse dosimetry. RESULTS: Eighteen OPs/PYRs were targeted in urine, wristbands, and dust. Levels of chlorpyrifos in dust (ICC = 0.92) and diethylphosphate biomarker in urine (ICC = 0.42) showed strong and moderate temporal agreement between day 1 and day 7, respectively. Weak agreements were observed for all others. There was mostly a weak correlation among the three matrices (Rs = -0.12 to 0.35), except for chlorpyrifos in dust and its biomarker 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol in urine (Rs = 0.44). No differences in exposure levels between living locations were observed. However, 21% of the urine biomarker levels exceeded the health-risk threshold for OP exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Observed high short-term variability in exposure levels during spraying season highlights the need for repeated sampling. The weak correlation between the exposure matrices points to different environmental and behavioral exposure pathways. Exceeding risk thresholds for OP should be further investigated.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) limit the susceptibility of bacteria to antimicrobials, representing a problem of high importance. Current research on the presence of ARGs in microorganisms focuses mainly on humans, livestock, hospitals, or wastewater. However, the spectrum of ARGs in the dust resistome in workplaces and households has gone relatively unexplored. This pilot study aimed to analyze resistome in indoor dust samples from participants' workplaces (a pediatric hospital, a maternity hospital, and a research center) and households and compare two different approaches to the ARGs analysis; high-throughput quantitative PCR (HT-qPCR) and whole metagenome shotgun sequencing (WMGS). In total, 143 ARGs were detected using HT-qPCR, with ARGs associated with the macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B (MLSB) phenotype being the most abundant, followed by MDR (multi-drug resistance) genes, and genes conferring resistance to aminoglycosides. A higher overall relative quantity of ARGs was observed in indoor dust samples from workplaces than from households, with the pediatric hospital being associated with the highest relative quantity of ARGs. WMGS analysis revealed 36 ARGs, of which five were detected by both HT-qPCR and WMGS techniques. Accordingly, the efficacy of the WMGS approach to detect ARGs was lower than that of HT-qPCR. In summary, our pilot data revealed that indoor dust in buildings where people spend most of their time (workplaces, households) can be a significant source of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, which may potentially pose a health risk to both humans and animals.
- MeSH
- antibakteriální látky farmakologie MeSH
- Bacteria genetika izolace a purifikace účinky léků klasifikace MeSH
- bakteriální geny genetika MeSH
- bakteriální léková rezistence genetika MeSH
- charakteristiky rodiny MeSH
- kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- metagenom MeSH
- mikrobiologie vzduchu MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- prach * analýza MeSH
- pracoviště * MeSH
- vysoce účinné nukleotidové sekvenování MeSH
- znečištění vzduchu ve vnitřním prostředí MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: Indoor dust particles are an everyday source of human exposure to microorganisms and their inhalation may directly affect the microbiota of the respiratory tract. We aimed to characterize the changes in human nasopharyngeal bacteriome after short-term exposure to indoor (workplace) environments. METHODS: In this pilot study, nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from 22 participants in the morning and after 8 h of their presence at the workplace. At the same time points, indoor dust samples were collected from the participants' households (16 from flats and 6 from houses) and workplaces (8 from a maternity hospital - NEO, 6 from a pediatric hospital - ENT, and 8 from a research center - RCX). 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was performed on these human and environmental matrices. RESULTS: Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium were the most abundant genera in both indoor dust and nasopharyngeal samples. The analysis indicated lower bacterial diversity in indoor dust samples from flats compared to houses, NEO, ENT, and RCX (p < 0.05). Participants working in the NEO had the highest nasopharyngeal bacterial diversity of all groups (p < 0.05). After 8 h of exposure to the workplace environment, enrichment of the nasopharynx with several new bacterial genera present in the indoor dust was observed in 76% of study participants; however, no significant changes were observed at the level of the nasopharyngeal bacterial diversity (p > 0.05, Shannon index). These "enriching" bacterial genera overlapped between the hospital workplaces - NEO and ENT but differed from those in the research center - RCX. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that although the composition of nasopharyngeal bacteriome is relatively stable during the day. Short-term exposure to the indoor environment can result in the enrichment of the nasopharynx with bacterial DNA from indoor dust; the bacterial composition, however, varies by the indoor workplace environment.
- MeSH
- Bacteria genetika MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nazofarynx MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- prach * analýza MeSH
- RNA ribozomální 16S genetika analýza MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- znečištění vzduchu ve vnitřním prostředí * analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- těhotenství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
As Europe's second longest river, the Danube is an important water source for drinking water and irrigation for many countries, before discharging into the Black Sea in the East. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been observed over the last two decades in concentrations exceeding the European Union's drinking water guidelines for total sum of 20 select PFAS of 0.1 μg L-1. Their presence is a result of current and historical use and high environmental persistence, necessitating their monitoring for human risk assessments. The aim of this study is to use recently developed passive sampling technology to calculate time-integrated water concentrations and mass loads of 11 select PFAS at 9 sites along the Danube River. Results indicate ∑11 PFAS concentrations in the range of 9.3-29.6 ng L-1 were not in exceedance of EU drinking water guidelines, but perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) was in exceedance of the environmental quality standard (0.65 ng L-1) at all sampling locations. The highest ∑11 PFAS mass loads were observed at Ruse (9.5 kg day-1) and Budapest (6.3 kg day-1), believed to be driven by proximity to industrial facilities and large populations (urban runoff). Finally, we estimate 4.9 kg of total PFAS (∑11 PFAS) were delivered to the Black Sea daily over Summer 2019.
Components of cyanobacterial water blooms were quantified in aerosols above agitated water surfaces of five freshwater bodies. The thoracic and respirable aerosol fraction (0.1-10 μm) was sampled using a high-volume sampler. Cyanotoxins microcystins were detected by LC-MS/MS at levels 0.3-13.5 ng/mL (water) and < 35-415 fg/m3 (aerosol). Lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins) were quantified by Pyrogene rFC assay at levels < 10-119 EU/mL (water) and 0.13-0.64 EU/m3 (aerosol). Cyanobacterial DNA was detected by qPCR at concentrations corresponding to 104-105 cells eq./mL (water) and 101-103 cells eq./m3 (aerosol). Lipopolysaccharides isolated from bloom samples induced IL-6 and IL-8 cytokine release in human bronchial epithelial cells Beas-2B, while extracted cyanobacterial metabolites induced both pro-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects. Bloom components detected in aerosols and their bioactivities observed in upper respiratory airway epithelial cells together indicate that aerosols formed during cyanobacterial water blooms could induce respiratory irritation and inflammatory injuries, and thus present an inhalation health risk.
- MeSH
- aerosoly MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lipopolysacharidy analýza MeSH
- mikrocystiny toxicita MeSH
- sinice * metabolismus MeSH
- sladká voda analýza MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- toxiny kmene Cyanobacteria * MeSH
- voda MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Over the last decades, concern has arisen worldwide about the negative impacts of pesticides on the environment and human health. Exposure via dust ingestion is important for many chemicals but poorly characterized for pesticides, particularly in Africa. We investigated the spatial and temporal variations of 30 pesticides in dust and estimated the human exposure via dust ingestion, which was compared to inhalation and soil ingestion. Indoor dust samples were collected from thirty-eight households and two schools located in two agricultural regions in South Africa and were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. We found 10 pesticides in dust, with chlorpyrifos, terbuthylazine, carbaryl, diazinon, carbendazim, and tebuconazole quantified in >50% of the samples. Over seven days, no significant temporal variations in the dust levels of individual pesticides were found. Significant spatial variations were observed for some pesticides, highlighting the importance of proximity to agricultural fields or of indoor pesticide use. For five out of the nineteen pesticides quantified in dust, air, or soil (i.e., carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, diuron and propiconazole), human intake via dust ingestion was important (>10%) compared to inhalation or soil ingestion. Dust ingestion should therefore be considered in future human exposure assessment to pesticides.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Nitrated and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs, OPAHs) are abundant in the atmosphere and contribute significantly to the health risk associated with inhalation of polluted air. Despite the health hazard they pose, NPAHs and OPAHs were rarely included in monitoring. The aim of this study is to provide the first multi-year temporal trends of the concentrations, composition pattern and fate of NPAHs and OPAHs in air from a site representative of background air quality conditions in central Europe. Samples were collected every second week at a rural background site in the Czech Republic during 2015-2017. Concentrations ranged from 1.3 to 160 pg m-3 for Σ17NPAHs, from 32 to 2600 pg m-3 for Σ10OPAHs and from 5.1 to 4300 pg m-3 for Σ2O-heterocycles. The average particulate mass fraction (θ) ranged from 0.01 ± 0.02 (2-nitronaphthalene) to 0.83 ± 0.22 (1-nitropyrene) for individual NPAHs and from <0.01 ± 0.01 (dibenzofuran) to 0.96 ± 0.08 (6H-benzo (c,d)pyren-6-one) for individual OPAHs and O-heterocycles. The multiyear variations showed downward trends for a number of targeted compounds. This suggests that on-going emission reductions of PAHs are effective also for co-emitted NPAHs and OPAHs.
- MeSH
- dusičnany MeSH
- kyslík analýza MeSH
- látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- pevné částice analýza MeSH
- polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Evropa MeSH
This study presents four years ambient monitoring data of seventeen 2,3,7,8-chlorine substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), twelve dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) and sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) designed by the US EPA at a background site in central Europe during 2011-2014. The concentrations expressed as toxic equivalents (TEQs) using the WHO2005-scheme for PCDD/Fs (0.2 fg m-3-61.1 fg m-3) were higher than for dl-PCBs (0.01 fg m-3-2.9 fg m-3), while the opposite was found in terms of mass concentrations. ΣPAHs ranged from 0.20 ng m-3 to 134 ng m-3. The mass concentration profile of PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs and PAHs was similar throughout the four years. PCDD/Fs and PAHs concentrations were dominated by primary sources peaking in winter, while those of dl-PCBs were controlled by secondary sources characterized by a spring-summer peak. During 2011-2014, no significant decrease in the atmospheric levels of ΣPCDD/Fs was observed. On the other hand, the concentrations of Σdl-PCBs and ΣPAHs were decreasing, with halving times of 5.7 and 2.7 years, respectively. We estimated that 422 pg m-2 year-1-567 pg m-2 year-1 TEQ PCDD/Fs and 3.48 pg m-2 year-1-15.8 pg m-2 year-1 TEQ dl-PCBs were transferred from the air to the ground surfaces via dry particulate deposition during 2011-2014.
- MeSH
- látky znečišťující vzduch analýza MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- polychlorované bifenyly analýza MeSH
- polychlorované dibenzodioxiny analýza MeSH
- polychlorované dibenzofurany analýza MeSH
- polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky analýza MeSH
- roční období MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
A total of 74 high volume air samples were collected at a background site in Czech Republic from 2012 to 2014 in which the concentrations of 20 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were investigated. The total concentrations (gas + particle phase) ranged from 0.03 to 2.08 pg m-3 (average 0.52 pg m-3) for the sum of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (∑PFCAs), from 0.02 to 0.85 pg m-3 (average 0.28 pg m-3) for the sum of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (ΣPFSAs) and from below detection to 0.18 pg m-3 (average 0.05 pg m-3) for the sum of perfluorooctane sulfonamides and sulfonamidoethanols (ΣFOSA/Es). The gas phase concentrations of most PFASs were not controlled by temperature dependent sources but rather by long-range atmospheric transport. Air mass backward trajectory analysis showed that the highest concentrations of PFASs were mainly originating from continental areas. The average particle fractions (θ) of ΣPFCAs (θ = 0.74 ± 0.26) and ΣPFSAs (θ = 0.78 ± 0.22) were higher compared to ΣFOSA/Es (θ = 0.31 ± 0.35). However, they may be subject to sampling artefacts. This is the first study ever reporting PFASs concentrations in air samples collected over consecutive years. Significant decreases in 2012-2014 for PFOA, MeFOSE, EtFOSE and ∑PFCAs were observed with apparent half-lives of 1.01, 0.86, 0.92 and 1.94 years, respectively.
- MeSH
- fluorokarbony analýza MeSH
- kyseliny karboxylové MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Evropa MeSH
