While the immunomodulation effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are described on the level of clinical signs in epidemiological studies (e.g., suppressed antibody response after vaccination), the underlying mechanism has still not been fully elucidated. To reveal mechanisms of PFAS exposure on immunity, we investigated the genome-wide transcriptomic changes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) responding to PFAS exposure (specifically, exposure to PFPA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, and PFOS). Blood samples and the chemical load in the blood were analyzed under the cross-sectional CELSPAC: Young Adults study. The overall aim of the study was to identify sensitive gene sets and cellular pathways conserved for multiple PFAS chemicals. Transcriptome networks related to adaptive immunity were perturbed by multiple PFAS exposure (i.e., blood levels of at least four PFASs). Specifically, processes tightly connected with late B cell development, such as B cell receptor signaling, germinal center reactions, and plasma cell development, were shown to be affected. Our comprehensive transcriptome analysis identified the disruption of B cell development, specifically the impact on the maturation of antibody-secreting cells, as a potential mechanism underlying PFAS immunotoxicity.

• MeSH
• Fluorocarbons * toxicity   MeSH
• Alkanesulfonic Acids * MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants * MeSH
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Cross-Sectional Studies MeSH
• Transcriptome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

In this study, representative urban and peri-urban Indian food baskets have been studied for the presence of toxic and essential elements. The concentration of target toxic and essential elements was used to estimate dietary intakes (EDIs) and health risks. Across all food matrices, toxic elements like Cd and Pb were dominant. The highest concentrations of the target elements were found in vegetables, with Cd, Pb, and Ni being beyond permissible limits of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health organization (0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg, and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively) in okra, spinach, and cauliflower. The sum of concentrations of the toxic elements (As, Ni, Hg, Cr, Cd, Pb) in vegetables had a range of 0.54-12.08 mg/kg, the highest sum was found in spinach (median 12.08 mg/kg), followed by okra (median 1.68 mg/kg). The EDI was observed for vegetables with a contribution as high as 92% for Cd. Dairy products were found with the highest loading for Ni with a dietary intake of 3.1 mg/kg/day for adults and twice as much for children. Carcinogenic risk for Ni was the highest and found above the threshold for all food categories, as was the case with As. Cumulative carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were mostly contributed by milk and vegetables, in particular, spinach.

• MeSH
• Dietary Exposure analysis   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Risk Assessment MeSH
• Cadmium analysis   MeSH
• Carcinogens MeSH
• Food Contamination analysis   MeSH
• Soil Pollutants * analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Lead MeSH
• Metals, Heavy * analysis   MeSH
• Vegetables MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article 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.

• MeSH
• Water Pollutants, Chemical * analysis   MeSH
• Fluorocarbons * analysis   MeSH
• Alkanesulfonic Acids * analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring methods   MeSH
• Drinking Water * analysis   MeSH
• Rivers MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

• MeSH
• Water Purification methods   standards   MeSH
• Baths MeSH
• Water Quality standards   MeSH
• Swimming Pools MeSH
• Quality Control MeSH
• Publication type
• Guideline MeSH

• Conspectus
• Metrologie. Standardizace
• NML Fields
• technika
• environmentální vědy
• hygiena

It has been 36 years since the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant catastrophe, but the consumption of wild mushrooms in Ukrainian Polissya is still dangerous since its territory is heavily contaminated by radionuclides. The aim of this study was to estimate 137Cs and 90Sr uptake in wild mushrooms from locations with contrast radioactive loads (Zhytomyr Polissya, Ukraine). In mushroom samples collected from Drevlyanskyi Nature Reserve since 2013 (average levels of soil surface contamination with 137Cs are 555-1480 kBq m-2), the highest levels of 137Cs were observed in symbiotroph species - Imleria badia (≤ 2680 kBq kg-1 dry mass [dm]), Tricholoma equestre (≤ 1420 kBq kg-1 dm), Lactarius rufus (≤ 602 kBq kg-1 dm), Sarcodon imbricatus (≤ 464 kBq kg-1 dm), Leccinum scabrum (≤ 117 kBq kg-1 dm), Suillus bovinus (≤ 118 kBq kg-1 dm), and Boletus edulis (≤ 96 kBq kg-1 dm). 90Sr activity was significantly lower, with the highest levels detected in Russula emetica (193 Bq kg-1 dm), Daedaleopsis confragosa (145 Bq kg-1 dm), and Hypholoma fasciculare (141 Bq kg-1 dm). The 137Cs/90Sr ratio in fruiting bodies in samples ranged from 6.1 (Bovistella utriformis) to 28,979 (T. equestre). Activity concentrations in mushrooms from locations with relatively low contamination with 137Cs (18.5-27.75 kBq m-2) also reached the highest values in symbiotroph species I. badia (7698 Bq kg-1 dm), Lactarius vellereus (6072 Bq kg-1 dm), and S. luteus (1448 Bq kg-1 dm). Potential calculated annual effective doses due to mushroom consumption by adults, considering only the effect of 137Cs, reached 0.311 and 8.71 mSv in B. edulis and I. badia from highly contaminated locations, respectively, and 0.0014 and 0.009 mSv in these species from low contaminated ones.

• MeSH
• Agaricales * MeSH
• Chernobyl Nuclear Accident * MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Nuclear Power Plants MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Soil Pollutants, Radioactive * analysis   MeSH
• Cesium Radioisotopes MeSH
• Strontium Radioisotopes MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Ukraine MeSH

Highly time-resolved particle number size distributions (PNSDs) were evaluated during 5 years (2013-2017) at four background stations in the Czech Republic located in different types of environments-urban background (Ústí nad Labem), industrial background (Lom), agricultural background (National Atmospheric Observatory Košetice), and suburban background (Prague-Suchdol). The PNSD data was used for new particle formation event determination as well as growth rate (GR) and condensation sink (CS) calculations. The differences or similarities of these parameters were evaluated from perspectives of the different pollution load, meteorological condition, and regional or long-range transport. The median growth rate (4 nm h-1) is very similar at all stations, and the most frequent length of growth lasted between 2 and 4 h. Condensation sink reflects the pollution load at the individual station and their connection to the environment type. The highest median, CS = 1.34 × 10-2 s-1, was recorded at the urban station (Ústí nad Labem), and the lowest (CS = 0.85 × 10-2 s-1) was recorded at the agricultural station (National Atmospheric Observatory Košetice). Conditional probability function polar plots illustrate the influence of source location to GR. These primary potential emission sources involve traffic, operation of a power plant, and domestic heating.

• MeSH
• Aerosols analysis   MeSH
• Air Pollutants * analysis   MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Particulate Matter analysis   MeSH
• Air Pollution * analysis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

The sustenance of humans and livestock depends on the protection of the soil. Consequently, the pollution of the soil with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is of great concern to humanity. The objective of this study is to investigate the source apportionment, concentration levels and spatial distribution of PTEs in selected soils in Frýdek-Místek District of the Czech Republic. The total number of soil samples was 70 (topsoil 49 and 21 subsoils) and was analysed using a portable XRF machine. Contamination factor and the pollution index load were used for the assessment and interpreting the pollution and distribution of PTEs in the soils. The inverse distance weighting was used for the spatial evaluation of the PTEs. The results of the analysis showed that the area is composed of low-to-high pollution site. PTEs displayed spatial variation patterns. The average PTE concentration decreases in this Fe > Ti > Ba > Zr > Rb > Sr > Cr > Y>Cu > Ni > Th order for the topsoil and also decreases in this Fe > Ti > Zr > Ba > Rb > Sr > Cr > Y > Cu > Ni > and Th order for the subsoil. These PTEs Cr, Ni, Cu, Rb, Y, Zr, Ba, Th, and Fe were far above the baseline European average value and the World average value level, respectively. The source apportionment showed the dominance of Cr, Ni, Rb, Ti, Th, Zr, Cu, Fe in the topsoil, while the subsoil was dominated by all the PTEs (factor 1 to 6) except Ba. The study concludes that indiscriminate human activities have an enormous effect on soil pollution.

• MeSH
• Risk Assessment MeSH
• Soil Pollutants analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Spatial Analysis MeSH
• Soil chemistry   MeSH
• Metals, Heavy analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Environmental Pollution analysis   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

• Keywords
• Medicína pro veřejnost,
• MeSH
• Preventive Medicine MeSH
• Public Health MeSH

• NML Fields
• veřejné zdravotnictví
• preventivní medicína

Diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) is an in situ passive sampling technique to assess labile trace metal concentrations in different environmental matrix. The technique is consisting of a diffusive domain backed up by a resin gel that binds free metals and metal complexes that dissociate in the diffusive domain. This technique requires specific resin for special metals, for example mercury (Hg), since the classic resin (Chelex-100) gel is not applicable for Hg measurement. A simultaneous determination of Hg with other metals by the DGT was not yet reported. Two biomolecule-based resins were prepared by glutaraldehyde immobilisation of cysteine onto 3-amino-functionalised silica and 3-aminopropyl-functionalised silica, respectively. The load of functional groups on modified resins was qualitatively and quantitatively characterised. The modified resins were applied in the DGT technique and the uptake efficiency, elution efficiency, and linear accumulation of analytes of the DGT were tested. This novel DGT technique, using two cysteine-modified resins, can accumulate Hg and other metals in a broad range of pH and ionic strength in solutions. In the Belgian coastal zone (BCZ), the concentrations of Hg and other trace metals sampled by cysteine-modified resin-DGTs were similar as those by the other two DGT assemblies for Hg and other trace metals, respectively. The cysteine-modified silica resin combined the features of Chelex-100 resin and 3-mercaptopropyl silica resin and allowed simultaneous determination of labile Hg and other trace metals. The resin with a higher load of functional groups also showed higher performance in the further application in the DGT technique.

• MeSH
• Water Pollutants, Chemical * analysis   MeSH
• Cysteine MeSH
• Diffusion MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Silicon Dioxide MeSH
• Mercury * analysis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Water pollution is one of the most severe environmental problems that affect public health and can cause diseases as gastrointestinal diseases. Microbial pollution of Lake Manzala was studied in four main localities, Kapoty, Bashtier, Mataryia and Gamil areas which receive a high load of sewage, agricultural and industrial wastes from different sources. A total of 50 bacterial isolates from water and fish were identified using API 20E system, revealed that 20% of these bacterial strains, were related to Escherichia coli (E. coli), which has been subjected to different antibiotics, such as Ampicillin, Penicillin G, Streptomycin, tetracycline, Gentamycin, Chloramphenicol, rifampicin and Cefotaxime. All strains variation of resistance pattern, harboring Plasmid DNA are an indication of risk to human health in the communities around Manzala Lake, from such bacterial pathogens, which live in polluted and stressed environment.