The study of the soil microbial community represents an important step in better understanding the environmental context. Therefore, biological characterisation and physicochemical integration are keys when defining contaminated sites. Fungi play a fundamental role in the soil, by providing and supporting ecological services for ecosystems and human wellbeing. In this research, 52 soil fungal taxa were isolated from in situ pilot reactors installed to a contaminated site in Czech Republic with a high concentration of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). Among the identified isolates, 12 strains were selected to evaluate their tolerance to different isomers of HCH by using specific indices (Rt:Rc; T.I.) and to test their potential in xenobiotic biotransformation. Most of the selected taxa was not significantly affected by exposure to HCH, underlining the elevated tolerance of all the tested fungal taxa, and different metabolic intermediates of HCH dechlorination were observed. The oxidative stress responses to HCH for two selected species, Penicillium simplicissimum and Trichoderma harzianum, were investigated in order to explore their toxic responses and to evaluate their potential functioning in bioremediation of contaminated environments. This research suggests that the isolated fungal species may provide opportunities for new eco-friendly, integrated and cost-effective solutions for environmental management and remediation, considering their efficient adaptation to stressful conditions.

• MeSH
• biodegradace MeSH
• biotransformace * MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• houby metabolismus   MeSH
• isomerie MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• oxidační stres MeSH
• Penicillium metabolismus   MeSH
• půda MeSH
• půdní mikrobiologie * MeSH
• tolerance léku MeSH
• Trichoderma metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

The main topic of this study is a human health risk assessment of a defined exposure scenario in the floodplain soils of the headwater areas of the central European watershed, with the aim of exploring both multivariate and regional data structures. Flood-prone areas are recognized worldwide to be susceptible to contamination and its redistribution. Contributions of various classes of toxic compounds (organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) to human health risks were assessed in a screening risk assessment. However, due to the relative nature of our data and a high PAH dominancy over the data ensemble, reliance solely on the standard statistical processing of raw data might lead to incomplete insight into the structure of the multivariate data. Explanatory analysis of the data structure using the compositional approach was found to be beneficial to elucidating human health risk profiles and provided robust evidence that a contrast between agricultural and airborne industrial pollution controlled the whole human toxicological variation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in floodplain soils. These results were effectively quantified with the subcomposition of benzo(a)pyrene, DDT, and alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (aHCH), allowing for an interpretation of structural differences in regional pollution patterns, which conferred different extents and compositions of human health risks in floodplain soils.

• MeSH
• algoritmy MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
• pesticidy analýza   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• záplavy * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Polyurethane foam (PUF) disk passive air samplers were deployed concurrently at five sites across Kolkata megacity and the rural mangrove wetland of Sundarban (UNESCO World Heritage Site) between January-March in 2014. Samples were analyzed for hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltricholoroethanes (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Derived air concentrations (pg/m(3)) for Kolkata ranged: for ∑α- and γ-HCH between 70 and 207 (114 ± 62), ∑6DDTs: 127-216 (161 ± 36), ∑7PCBs: 53-213 (141 ± 64), and ∑10PBDEs: 0.30-23 (11 ± 9). Low values for all the studied POPs were recorded in the remote area of the Sundarban site (with the exception of DDTs: o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDT), where ∑4DDTs was 161 ± 36. In particular, the site of Ballygunge, located in the southern part of Kolkata, showed the highest level of all the metabolites/congeners of POPs, suggesting a potential hot spot of usage and emissions. From HCHs, α-/γ-HCH isomers ratio was low (0.67-1.96) indicating a possible sporadic source of lindane. γ-HCH dominated the HCH signal (at 3 sites) reflecting wide spread use of lindane both in Kolkata and the Sundarban region; however, isomeric composition in Kolkata also suggests potential technical HCHs use. Among DDT metabolites, both o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDT shared the dominant percentages accounting for ∼26-46% of total DDTs followed by p,p'-DDE (∼12-19%). The PCB congener profile was dominated by tri- and tetra-Cl at the southern and eastern part of Kolkata. These results are one of the few contributions that reports air concentrations of POPs, concurrently, at urban and remote villages in India. These data are useful to assess atmospheric pollution levels and to motivate local and regional authorities to better understand the potential human exposure risk associated to urban areas in India.

• MeSH
• DDT analýza   MeSH
• halogenované difenylethery analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• mokřady MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Indie MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH

Concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were measured for an entire year in the region of Tuscany, Italy. Passive air samplers consisting of polyurethane foam (PUF) disks were deployed over four sampling periods of 3-5 months from April 2008 to July 2009 in urban (n = 6) and rural (n = 4) sites. The aim of the study was to characterize the spatial and seasonal variations in selected POPs. The POP concentrations (pg m(-3)) in the air were dominated by dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and metabolites (DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (∑7PCBs). DDTs, and ∑7PCBs showed a clear decreasing urban > rural gradient. The concentrations of DDTs and PCBs were up to 10 and 6 times higher, respectively, in urban sites than in rural sites. ∑7PCBs showed a significant correlation with the urbanized areas located <5 km around the sampling sites. For hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), α-HCH concentrations were similar at both sampling sites and were found to be quite uniform during the four sampling periods. Seasonal fluctuations were observed for DDTs, and ∑7PCBs, with the highest concentrations observed during period 4 (summer-spring); this is most likely due to a temperature-driven re-emission from local sources. These findings were also supported by an air back trajectory analysis in the study area. This study contributes new information about POP levels in the Italian atmosphere and demonstrates the feasibility of using PUF disks to simultaneously assess seasonal concentrations at different sampling sites.

• MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky analýza   chemie   MeSH
• DDT analýza   chemie   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   chemie   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   chemie   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   chemie   MeSH
• polyurethany chemie   MeSH
• roční období * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Itálie MeSH

Semi-volatile organic compounds were monitored over a whole year, by collection of gas and particle phases every sixth day at a suburban site in Izmir, Turkey. Annual mean concentrations of 32 polychlorinated biphenyls (∑32PCBs) and 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑14PAHs) were 348 pg/m(3) and 36 ng/m(3), respectively, while it was 273 pg/m(3) for endosulfan, the dominant compound among 23 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Monte Carlo simulation was applied to the USEPA exposure-risk models for the estimation of the population exposure and carcinogenic risk probability distributions for heating and non-heating periods. The estimated population risks associated with dermal contact and inhalation routes to ∑32PCBs, ∑14PAHs, and some of the targeted OCPs (α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, α-chlordane (α-CHL), γ-chlordane (γ-CHL), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT)) were in the ranges of 1.86 × 10(-16)-7.29 × 10(-9) and 1.38 × 10(-10)-4.07 × 10(-6), respectively. The inhalation 95th percentile risks for ∑32PCBs, ∑14PAHs, and OCPs were about 6, 3, and 4-7 orders of magnitude higher than those of dermal route, respectively. The 95th percentile inhalation risk for ∑32PCBs and OCPs in the non-heating period were 1.8- and 1.2-4.6 folds higher than in the heating period, respectively. In contrast, the 95th percentile risk levels for ∑14PAHs in the heating period were 4.3 times greater than that of non-heating period for inhalation, respectively. While risk levels associated with exposure to PCBs and OCPs did not exceed the acceptable level of 1 × 10(-6), it was exceeded for 47 % of the population associated with inhalation of PAHs with a maximum value of about 4 × 10(-6).

• MeSH
• chlordan analýza   MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• DDT analýza   MeSH
• endosulfan analýza   MeSH
• heptachlor analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• karcinogeny životního prostředí analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
• pesticidy analýza   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• roční období * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Turecko MeSH

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in air and soil, their fugacities, and the experimental soil-air partitioning coefficient (KSA) were determined at two background sites in the Gt. Hungarian Plain in August 2013. The concentrations of the semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) in the soil were not correlated with the organic carbon content but with two indirect parameters of mineralization and aromaticity, suggesting that soil organic matter quality is an important parameter affecting the sorption of SOCs onto soils. Predictions based on the assumption that absorption is the dominant process were in good agreement with the measurements for PAHs, OCPs, and the low chlorinated PCBs. In general, soils were found to be a source of PAHs, high chlorinated PCBs, the majority of OCPs and PBDEs, and a sink for the low chlorinated PCBs and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane. Diurnal variations in the direction of the soil-air exchange were found for two compounds (i.e., pentachlorobenzene and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane), with volatilization during the day and deposition in the night. The concentrations of most SOCs in the near-ground atmosphere were dominated by revolatilization from the soil.

• MeSH
• atmosféra MeSH
• chlorbenzeny analýza   MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• pesticidy analýza   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• těkavé organické sloučeniny analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Maďarsko MeSH

Gaseous exchange fluxes of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) across the air-water interface of the coastal East China Sea were determined in order to assess whether the contaminated plume of the Yangtze River could be an important regional source of OCPs to the atmosphere. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) were the most frequently detected OCPs in air and water. Air-water exchange was mainly characterized by net volatilization for all measured OCPs. The net gaseous exchange flux ranged 10-240 ng/(m2·day) for γ-HCH, 60-370 ng/(m2·day) for trans-CHL, 97-410 ng/(m2·day) for cis-CHL, and ∼0 (e.g., equilibrium) to 490 ng/(m2·day) for p,p'-DDE. We found that the plume of the large contaminated river can serve as a significant regional secondary atmospheric source of legacy contaminants released in the catchment. In particular, the sediment plume represented the relevant source of DDT compounds (especially p,p'-DDE) sustaining net degassing when clean air masses from the open ocean reached the plume area. In contrast, a mass balance showed that, for HCHs, contaminated river discharge (water and sediment) plumes were capable of sustaining volatilization throughout the year. These results demonstrate the inconsistencies in the fate of HCHs and DDTs in this large estuarine system with declining primary sources.

• MeSH
• atmosféra chemie   MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• dichlordifenyldichlorethylen analýza   MeSH
• geologické sedimenty chemie   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• mořská voda chemie   MeSH
• pesticidy analýza   MeSH
• řeky chemie   MeSH
• vzduch * MeSH
• zeměpis MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Čína MeSH

Near-ground air (26 substances) and surface seawater (55 substances) concentrations of persistent toxic substances (PTS) were determined in July 2012 in a coordinated and coherent way around the Aegean Sea based on passive air (10 sites in 5 areas) and water (4 sites in 2 areas) sampling. The direction of air-sea exchange was determined for 18 PTS. Identical samplers were deployed at all sites and were analysed at one laboratory. hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) as well as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its degradation products are evenly distributed in the air of the whole region. Air concentrations of p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) and o,p'-DDT and seawater concentrations of p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDD were elevated in Thermaikos Gulf, northwestern Aegean Sea. The polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener pattern in air is identical throughout the region, while polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE)patterns are obviously dissimilar between Greece and Turkey. Various pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), PCBs, DDE, and penta- and hexachlorobenzene are found close to phase equilibrium or net-volatilisational (upward flux), similarly at a remote site (on Crete) and in the more polluted Thermaikos Gulf. The results suggest that effective passive air sampling volumes may not be representative across sites when PAHs significantly partitioning to the particulate phase are included.

• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• DDT analýza   MeSH
• dichlordifenyldichlorethylen analýza   MeSH
• halogenované difenylethery analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorbenzen analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• kvalita vody MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• mořská voda chemie   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• znečištění životního prostředí analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Řecko MeSH
• Turecko MeSH

BACKGROUND, AIM AND SCOPE: The breast milk has been recommended to carry out as a monitoring tool for effectiveness evaluation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDX), hexachlorbenzene (HCB) and isomers of hexachlocyklohexane (HCHs) have been monitored in the breast milk of nursing mothers in the Czech Republic since 1994 as a part of The Environmental Health Monitoring System. Knowledge about long-term POPs distribution and accumulation in the human body is crucial to understanding uptake, degradation and subsequent effects as well as to conduct risk assessments. The main aim of this study is to evaluate 15-years long-term trends of selected POPs in human milk in the Czech Republic and to elucidate the questionnaire information about the age, parity and social habits, to the final concentrations. This effectiveness evaluation of POPs restriction is quite precisely after 15-years monitoring campaigns. MATERIALS, METHODS AND RESULTS: The human milk samples (4,753 samples) were analysed for a number of chlorinated organic chemicals including PCBs and selected chlorinated pesticides (OCPs, HCB, HCHs, DDX). The relative change of concentration per year for all chemicals was analysed. The remaining percentages of POPs in breast milk in comparison to 1994 are also expressed. Czech population half-lives of POPs in breast milk, derived from either linear or exponential models were computed. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: The long-term data indicates a continuation of a decreasing trend of POPs concentrations on breast milk. Our study did not confirm lactation and parity as an important outflux resulting in the decrease in concentrations in mothers, which is in the antagonism with most of the studies. The higher BMI was associated with higher amounts of HCB and lower amounts of higher chlorinated PCBs. The results confirm the effectiveness of restrictions of POPs usage in the Czech Republic. This ongoing long-term study is very useful tool for parametric effectiveness evaluation of Stockholm Convention.

• MeSH
• DDT analýza   MeSH
• dichlordifenyldichlorethylen analýza   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hexachlorbenzen analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mateřské mléko chemie   MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• parita MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Soil organic matter is used to extrapolate the toxicity and bioavailability of organic pollutants between different soils. However, it has been shown that other factors such as microbial activity are crucial. The aim of this study was to investigate if sterilization can reduce differences in the fate and bioavailability of organic pollutants between different soils. Three natural soils with increasing total organic carbon (TOC) content were collected and three artificial soils were prepared to obtain similar TOCs. Soils were sterilized and spiked with (14)C-pyrene and (14)C-lindane. Total (14)C radioactivity, HPCD extractability, and bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida were measured over 56 days. When compared to non-sterile soils, differences between the natural and artificial soils and the influence of soil-contaminant contact time were generally reduced in the sterile soils (especially with middle TOC). The results indicate the possibility of using sterile soils as "the worst case scenario" in soil ecotoxicity studies.

• MeSH
• hexachlorcyklohexan analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• Oligochaeta metabolismus   MeSH
• půda MeSH
• pyreny analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH