Based on the mechanism analysis of the polychlorination of long chain n-alkanes by photo-initiation,a kinetic model was developed. The model parameters were obtained by the method of non-linear fitting. The influences...Based on the mechanism analysis of the polychlorination of long chain n-alkanes by photo-initiation,a kinetic model was developed. The model parameters were obtained by the method of non-linear fitting. The influences of luminous intensity and concentration of molecular chlorine on the rate of polychlorination are demonstrated by the model. If the luminous intensity is adequate, the polychlorination rate of n-alkane is only controlled by the flow rate of molecular chlorine in a wide range of temperature, and the changes of temperature and luminous intensity have less effect on the reaction rate. In addition, the predictions of chlorine content of polychlorinated n-alkane calculated with the model agree very well with experimental results.展开更多
The evaluation of toxicity related to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans(PCDD/Fs)and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DL-PCBs)is crucial for a comprehensive risk assessment in real-world exposure scenar...The evaluation of toxicity related to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans(PCDD/Fs)and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DL-PCBs)is crucial for a comprehensive risk assessment in real-world exposure scenarios.This study employed a controlled feeding experiment to investigate the metabolic effects of dioxin-like compounds(DLCs)on laying hens via feed exposure.Diets enriched with two concentrations(1.17 and 5.13 pg toxic equivalents(TEQ)/g dry weight(dw))were administered over 14 days,followed by 28 days of clean feed.Metabolomics analyses of blood samples revealed significant metabolic variations between PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs exposed groups and controls,reflecting the induced metabolic disruption.Distinct changes were observed in sphingosine,palmitoleic acid,linoleate,linolenic acid,taurocholic acid,indole acrylic acid,and dibutyl phthalate levels,implying possible connections between PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs toxic effects and energy-neuronal imbalances,along with lipid accumulation and anomalous amino acid metabolism,impacting taurine metabolism.Moreover,we identified three differential endogenous metabolites—L-tryptophan,indole-3-acetaldehyde,and indole acrylic acid—as potential ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR),suggesting their role inmediating PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs toxicity.This comprehensive investigation provides novel insights into the metabolic alterations induced by PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in laying hens,thereby enhancing our ability to assess risks associated with their exposure in human populations.展开更多
This study aimed to identify the worst“bad actors”in mixtures of pollutants contributing to liver damage and shorter telomeres in the U.S.population,using weighted quantile sum(WQS)modeling with stratification by ra...This study aimed to identify the worst“bad actors”in mixtures of pollutants contributing to liver damage and shorter telomeres in the U.S.population,using weighted quantile sum(WQS)modeling with stratification by race/ethnicity.We conducted a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of mixtures of pollutants in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey datasets:(1)33,979 adults with blood levels of cadmium(Cd),lead(Pb),and mercury,including subsets with measurements of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAS),and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs)/polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs);and(2)7360 adults with measurements of telomeres,Cd,and Pb.Multivariable-adjusted WQS regression examined associations between WQS mixture indices and liver injury(alanine aminotransferase(ALT)-elevation),advanced liverfibrosis(LF),and telomere length.WQSmetal indices were associated with advanced-LF in all racial/ethnic groups.The top contributor was Cd in the total population and in non-Hispanic Whites(NHW),while Pb was the top contributor in non-Hispanic Blacks(NHB).The WQSmetal-PCB-PCDD/F index was associated with ALT-elevation,with PCB126,Cd and Pb as main contributors;the odds ratio(OR)per decile was 1.50(95%CI,1.26–1.78),while the OR per decile of the WQSmetal-PFAS index was 1.03(95%CI,0.98–1.05),not significant.WQS_(metal indices)were associated with shorter telomeres.Cd was main contributor associated with advanced-LF in NHW,while Pb was the major bad actor in NHB,suggesting that NHB may be especially susceptible to Pb toxicity.Metals were associated with shorter telomeres.Metal and PCB/PCDD/F mixtures were associated with ALT-elevation.Heavy metals and organic chemicals may contribute to liver-related morbidity and healthcare disparities.展开更多
Ingestion of microplastics by various organisms has been widely evidenced.Chemicals associated with microplastics(MPs)may be released to digestive tracts upon ingestion.However,the effect of aging and temperature on t...Ingestion of microplastics by various organisms has been widely evidenced.Chemicals associated with microplastics(MPs)may be released to digestive tracts upon ingestion.However,the effect of aging and temperature on the chemical desorption for MPs remains poorly understood.The exposure of polyethylene(PE)particles to UV radiation in dry air,tap water,and sea water was conducted to mimic the aging process of MPs in different environments.Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs),as a typical hydrophobic organic contaminant,were preloaded in these aged and pristine PE.The desorption was performed by exposing preloaded PE particles in simulated gastric and gut fluids at 25℃and 40℃.After UV aging,the average diameter of PE particles decreased rapidly with aging time,indicating continuously fragmentation of PE under UV exposure.The desorption of PCBs from PE particles under different conditions varied from 7%to 40%,and that from aged PE in gut fluid at 37℃was significantly higher than those under other conditions(P<0.05).Furthermore,a clear declining trend was observed as lg K_(ow)(octanol-water partition coefficient)value increased.The aging process,hydrophobicity of chemicals,and incubation temperature were important factors on the desorption of PCBs from PE.The present study helps understand the desorption of PCBs from microplastics and the potential risks of microplastics ingestion by organisms.展开更多
Pretreatment techniques were compared.A GC-MS method has been developed for the determination of the residues of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyls in plant oil.Samples were dissolved with 2 mL n-hexane,and pur...Pretreatment techniques were compared.A GC-MS method has been developed for the determination of the residues of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyls in plant oil.Samples were dissolved with 2 mL n-hexane,and purified by acidification silica-gel column,mixed-metal silica-gel column,and alumina base,respectively.The eluent was concentrated and 1 mL n-hexane was added.And the analytes were determined by GC-MS using PCB 198 as an internal standard.The spiked recoveries were 89%-115%.The relative standard deviations were range of 4.87%-10.3%.The limits of detection were 0.2-1.0 μg/kg.展开更多
Labeled polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs)were extracted by three different methods,i.e.,soxhlet extraction,hot extraction and accelerated solvent extraction(ASE).The PCDD/Fs were detected by...Labeled polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs)were extracted by three different methods,i.e.,soxhlet extraction,hot extraction and accelerated solvent extraction(ASE).The PCDD/Fs were detected by high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.Comparisons of the three methods were carried out by recovery of PCDD/Fs,solvent consumption and extraction time.The results showed that all of the method could extract labeled PCDD/Fs efficiently.ASE was a time saving procedure with lowest consumption of solvents compared with the other two methods.展开更多
A rapid pretreatment method of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in soil and analysis by high resolution gas chromatograph-high resolution mass spectrometry was present.The extraction and a...A rapid pretreatment method of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in soil and analysis by high resolution gas chromatograph-high resolution mass spectrometry was present.The extraction and alumina clean up of PCDD/Fs in soil was achieved by accelerated solvent extractor.Then the multi-layer silica-gel column was used for further clean up.The whole method has been evaluated on certified reference soil and farm soil.Accuracy and precision of this method was tested with satisfactory results.展开更多
Persistent organochlorine compounds, including hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in surface water and sediments from Balyan...Persistent organochlorine compounds, including hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in surface water and sediments from Balyangdian Lake, North China. Total concentrations of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in surface water were in the range of 3.13-10.60, 4.05-20.59 and 19.46-131.62 ng/L, respectively, and total concentrations of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in sediments were 1.75-5.70, 0.91-6.48 and 5.96-29.61 ng/g dry weight, respectively. Among the groups of HCHs (sum of α-HCH, β-HCH, y-HCH and 6-HCH) and DDTs (sum of DDT, DDD and DDE), the predominance of β-HCH, DDE and DDD in water and sediment samples was clearly observed. This observation suggested that β-HCH was resistant to biodegradation and the DDTs had been transformed to its metabolites, DDE and DDD. For PCBs, penta-, hexa- and hepta-chlorinated congeners were the most abundant compounds in the both phases. Furthermore, the partitioning of chlorinated compounds between sediment and water was investigated to understand their transport and fates in aquatic ecosystems. The results indicated that average logs of organic carbon-normalized sediment-water partition coefficients (logK∝) for OCPs varied between 3.20 and 5.53, and for PCBs, logK∝ values ranged from 3.19 to 5.57. The observed logK∝ was lower than their equilibrium logK∝ predicted from linear model, which may be attributed to the solubility enhancement effect of colloidal matter in water phase and the disequilibrium between sediment and water.展开更多
The level and pattern of residues of organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) were analyzed in sediment and mussel(Perna viridis) samples from ten coastal sites along the Pearl River Delta, South C...The level and pattern of residues of organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) were analyzed in sediment and mussel(Perna viridis) samples from ten coastal sites along the Pearl River Delta, South China. The range of total HCH was <0 01 to 0 29 ng/g freeze-dried weight in sediment, and <0 0 1 to 1 35 ng/g lipid weight in mussels. Average total DDTs concentrations ranged from <0 01 to 1 04 ng/g in sediment, and <0 01 to 148 5 ng/g in mussels . Average total PCB concentrations ranged from 16 4 to 198 6 ng/g in sediment, and from 41 to 729.2 ng/g in mussels. Organochlorine pesticide and PCBs in mussels and sediments presented similar distribution patterns. The regression analysis indicated that PCBs concentrations in mussels were significantly correlated(p<0 01) with concentrations in sediments. However, their concentrations in mussels were several times higher than the concentration detected in surrounding sediments. The major fraction of DDT related compounds measured in mussels and sediments was DDD. Based on average PCB concentrations, penta-, hexa-, and tetrachlorobiphenyls were preferentially accumulated by mussels as compared to the average sediment composition. According to the present results,three organochlorine polluted “hot spot' sites, including Victoria Harbour, Lingding Yang and Huangmao Sea, were found in the Pearl River estuarine zone. HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in all mussel samples were below the limits of 2, 0 2 and 5 0 μg/g wet weight recommended by the Technical Group of Guangdong Coastal Zone Resource Comprehensive Survey and U. S. Food and Drug Administration.展开更多
PM2.5, total suspended particles (TSP) and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Talzhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle pa...PM2.5, total suspended particles (TSP) and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Talzhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle partitioning and size distribution of the atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were studied to assess the current state of atmospheric PCBs after the phase out of massive historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes. The average ∑38PCBs concentration in the ambient air (TSP plus gas phase) near the e-waste dismantling area was (12,407 ± 9592) pg/m^3 in winter, which was substantially lower than that found one decade ago. However, the atmospheric PCBs level near the e-waste dismantling area was 54 times of the reference urban site, indicating that the impact of the historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes was still significant. Tri-Penta-CBs were dominant homologues, consisting with their dominant global production. Size distribution of particle-bound PCBs showed that higher chlorinated CBs tended to partition more to the fine particles, facilitating its long range air transportation.展开更多
The theoretical linear solvation energy relationship(TLSER) approach was adopted to predict the aqueous solubility and n -octanol/water partition coefficient of three groups of environmentally important chemicals-poly...The theoretical linear solvation energy relationship(TLSER) approach was adopted to predict the aqueous solubility and n -octanol/water partition coefficient of three groups of environmentally important chemicals-polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDDs and PCDFs). For each compound, five quantum parameters were calculated using AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital methods and used as structure descriptors: average molecular polarizability(α), energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbit( E _ LUMO ), energy of the highest occupied molecular orbit( E _ HOMO ), the most positive charge on a hydrogen atom( q _+), and the most negative atomic partial charge( q _-) in the solute molecule. Then standard independent variables in TLSER equation was extracted and two series of quantitative equations between these quantum parameters and aqueous solubility and n -octanol/water partition coefficient were obtained by stepwise multiple linear regression(MLR) method. The developed equations have both quite high accuracy and explicit meanings. And the cross-validation test illustrated the good predictive power and stability of the established models. The results showed that TLSER could be used as a promising approach in the estimation of partition and solubility properties of macromolecular chemicals, such as persistent organic pollutants.展开更多
Various MnO2 structures have been extensively applied in catalysis. In this study,γ-MnO2,α-MnO2, and δ-MnO2 with corresponding rod, tube, and hierarchical architecture morphologies were prepared and applied for the...Various MnO2 structures have been extensively applied in catalysis. In this study,γ-MnO2,α-MnO2, and δ-MnO2 with corresponding rod, tube, and hierarchical architecture morphologies were prepared and applied for the catalytic oxidation of chlorobenzene (CB). The redox ability, H2O activation behavior, and acidity of MnO2 were analyzed using a range of techniques, including TPR, H2O-TPD, XPS, and pyridine-IR. The catalytic activities in CB oxidation were assessed;this revealed that γ-MnO2 exhibited the highest activity and best stability, owing to its enriched surface oxygen vacancies that functioned to activate O2 and H2O, and capture labile chlorine, which reacted with dissociated H2O to form HCl. All the MnO2 phases generated toxic polychlorinated by-products, including CHCl3, CCl4, C2HCl3, and C2Cl4, indicating the occurrence of electrophilic chlorination during CB oxidation. In particular, the dichlorobenzene detected in the effluents of α-MnO2 might generate unintended dioxins via a nucleophilic substitution reaction.展开更多
Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been measured in sewage sludge samples from 8 urban wastewater treatment plants in Beijing, China. The PCB congeners were analyzed by isotope dilution high res...Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been measured in sewage sludge samples from 8 urban wastewater treatment plants in Beijing, China. The PCB congeners were analyzed by isotope dilution high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry method. The concentration of PCBs ranged from 65.6 to 157 ng/g dry weight (dw), with a mean value of 101 ng/g dw. The dioxin-like PCB WHO-TEQs (World Health Organization-Toxic Equivalents) of the sludge were lower than 1 pg /g dw. Consequently, all the concentrations of PCBs in sludge samples were below the upper limit for land application according to the Chinese legislation law for agriculture use. The PCB homologue profiles in sludge samples were dominated by tri-CBs and tetra- CBs. Similar distributions have been found in one of the Chinese PCB commercial products. The patterns of dioxin-like and indicator congeners observed in this study were quite similar in all samples. The predominant congener for dioxin-like and indicator PCBs were PCB-118 and PCB-28, respectively, while PCB-126 had the highest TEQ value.展开更多
A total of 198 agricultural soil samples were collected from Zhangjiagang and Changshu in Southern Jiangsu for analysis of 13 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in order to assess the levels of pollution, sources, are...A total of 198 agricultural soil samples were collected from Zhangjiagang and Changshu in Southern Jiangsu for analysis of 13 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in order to assess the levels of pollution, sources, area distribution, and potential risk for the environment. All methods were rigorously tested and an adequate quality control was ensured. Only one site had no PCBs residues, and the highest total PCBs concentration in the surface soils was 32.83 ng/g. The average concentration in all the soil samples was 4.13 ng/g, signaling low-level pollution. Tetra-, penta-, and hexa-chlorinated biphenyls were dominant species in soil samples, accounting for more than 75% of ∑PCBs in the soil samples. PCB118 was the most abundant congener in all the samples. The PCB118 was about 20% of ∑PCBs. The soil organic matter content showed only a weak correlation with the levels of all PCB congeners, in which a better correlation was noted for the more volatile lighter PCB congeners than for the heavier homologues. To a certain extent, the sources and land use seemed to influence the levels of PCBs.展开更多
The concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the urban air of Dalian, China was monitored from November 2009 to October 2010 with active high-volume sampler and semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) pas...The concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the urban air of Dalian, China was monitored from November 2009 to October 2010 with active high-volume sampler and semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) passive sampler. The concentration of PCBs (particle + gas) (∑PCBs) ranged from 18.6 to 91.0 pg/m3, with an average of 50.9 pg/m3, and the most abundant dioxin-like PCB (DL-PCBs) was PCB118. The WHO-TEQ values of DL-PCBs were 3.6--22.1 fg/m3, with an average of 8.5 fg/m3, and PCB126 was the maximum contributor to ZTEQ. There was a much larger amount of PCBs in the gas phase than in the particulate phase. The dominant PCB components were lower and middle molecular weight PCBs. With increasing chlorination level, the concentration of the PCB congeners in the air decreased. The gas-particulate partitioning of PCBs was different for the four seasons. The gas- particulate partitioning coefficients (logKp) vs. subcooled liquid vapor pressures (logPL~) of PCBs had reasonable correlations for different sampling sites and seasons. The absorption mechanism contributed more to the gas-particulate partitioning process than adsorption. Correlation analysis of meteorological parameters with the concentration of PCBs was conducted using SPSS packages. The ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure were important factors influencing the concentration of PCBs in the air. The distribution pattern of the congeners of PCBs and the dominant contributors to DL-PCBs and TEQ in active samples and SPMDs passive samples were similar. SPMD mainly sequestrated gas phase PCBs.展开更多
Aim: To evaluate the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and vitamin C on ventral prostatic antioxidant system in adult male rats. Methods: A group of 20 adult male rats were administered ip Aroclor 1254 in corn...Aim: To evaluate the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and vitamin C on ventral prostatic antioxidant system in adult male rats. Methods: A group of 20 adult male rats were administered ip Aroclor 1254 in corn oil at a dose of 2 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 30 days. Ten control rats were administered only the vehicle. After 30 days the treated rats were divided at random into 2 sub-groups of 10 animals each. One sub-group received vitamin C at a dose of 500 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 10 days. The other group was maintained as Aroclor 1254 control. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment the rats were killed by decapitation. Ventral prostatic homogenate was prepared and used for the estimation of enzymatic antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and prostatic acid phosphatase. The serum levels of total T3, total T4, TSH, testosterone and estradiol were also assayed. Results: The body weight and ventral prostatic weight were reduced in PCB treated rats. The activities of SOD, CAT, GST and acid phosphatase were decreased while the levels of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation were increased in the ventral prostate of PCB treated rats. Administration of vitamin C restored these parameters. Serum levels of thyroid hormones, estradiol and testosterone were decreased in PCB treated animals. Administration of vitamin C restored the thyroid hormone levels. Conclusion: PCB induces oxidative stress and decreases the antioxidant enzymes in the ventral prostate of adult male rats; the effects could be reversed by the administration of vitamin C.展开更多
The concentration of short-chain polychlorinated paraffins(SCCPs) in the urban air of Dalian,China was monitored from September 2016 to August 2017 with a self-developed passive sampler(PAS1) and an active high-volume...The concentration of short-chain polychlorinated paraffins(SCCPs) in the urban air of Dalian,China was monitored from September 2016 to August 2017 with a self-developed passive sampler(PAS1) and an active high-volume sampler, simultaneously. PAS1 successfully collected the entire target SCCPs in the ambient air. Air SCCPs sampled by PAS1 were found be in the linear uptake stage during 181 days of sampling. Passive and active samples showed comparable congener profiles, and the dominant contributors of SCCPs in the two kinds of samples were similar. A significant linear correlation was observed between the total concentration of SCCPs sampled by PAS1 and active sampler in the four seasons. The passive sampling rates of the PAS1 for the gas and particulate phases of SCCPs were measured. The quantitative structure–property relationship of the sampling rate of PAS1(Rair) for gas-phase SCCPs was studied. From the molecular point of view, Rairwas mainly affected by the molecular weight and sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure of SCCPs. In general, SCCPs in the urban air of Dalian mainly existed in gas phase,lower molecular weight SCCPs primarily occurred in the gas phase, whereas higher molecular weight SCCPs were predominately adsorbed or absorbed on airborne particles. The air concentration of SCCPs in the four seasons were different, the correlation of the concentration of SCCPs in the air with the meteorology parameters was conducted. The exposure risk by intake air SCCPs of the residents around the sampling sites was evaluated according to the European risk assessment standards.展开更多
Tissue distribution provides important information regarding the pharmacokinetic behavior of pollutants and is invaluable when analyzing the risk posed to avian species by the exposure to such kind of pollutants. In t...Tissue distribution provides important information regarding the pharmacokinetic behavior of pollutants and is invaluable when analyzing the risk posed to avian species by the exposure to such kind of pollutants. In this study, concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in muscle, liver, spleen, kidney, stomach, gall bladder, skin, heart, pancreas, intestine and lung tissue extracts of cormorants collected from Dongting Lake, China. Tissue distribution results showed preferential accumulation of PCDD/Fs in both liver and skin. The total concentration of PCDD/Fs ranged from 421 to 5696 pg/g lipid weight. Octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) was the predominant congener in all tissues and contributed between 31% and 82% to all 17 PCDD/Fs in different tissues. The liver/muscle ratios progressively increased with the degree of chlorination of PCDDs, except for OCDD. The relative toxic potential of PCDDs and PCDFs in tissues were calculated using the World Health Organization (WHO) Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for birds. The concentrations of WHO-toxic equivalent in different tissues ranged between 14.8 and 2021 pg/g lipid weight. These results indicated PCDD/Fs may have been bio-accumulated in cormorant via food-web. Furthermore, when compared with studies reported in the literatures, the PCDD/Fs levels in the cormorant collected from Dongting Lake were still relatively high.展开更多
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) emissions in flue gas from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) most commonly used in China were investigated in this study. The selected i...Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) emissions in flue gas from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) most commonly used in China were investigated in this study. The selected incinerators include two grate-type MSWIs: MSWI-A (350 t/d) and MSWI-B 050 t/d), and two fluidized bed MSWIs: MSWI-C (400 t/d) and MSWI-D (400 t/d), which are all equipped with semi-dry lime scrubber and bag filter except MSWI-D equipped with cyclone and wet scrubber (WS) as air pollutant control device (APCD). Results indicated that the emission concentration and the international toxic equivalents (I-TEQs) of the PCDD/Fs from the stacks were in the range of 1.210-10.273 ng/Nm^3 and 0.019-0.201 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3, respectively. They were greatly lower than the emission regulation standard of PCDD/Fs in China (1.0 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3). However, only the PCDD/Fs emission level from MSWI-C was below 0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3. Although the homologue profiles were distinct, the contributions of the 2,3,7,8-subsituted congeners to the total I-TEQ were similar among all the investigated MSWIs. Two major 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, account for 47% and 9% (average values) of the total I-TEQ values, respectively. The correlation between PCDD/Fs levels and composition of flue gas was also discussed.展开更多
文摘Based on the mechanism analysis of the polychlorination of long chain n-alkanes by photo-initiation,a kinetic model was developed. The model parameters were obtained by the method of non-linear fitting. The influences of luminous intensity and concentration of molecular chlorine on the rate of polychlorination are demonstrated by the model. If the luminous intensity is adequate, the polychlorination rate of n-alkane is only controlled by the flow rate of molecular chlorine in a wide range of temperature, and the changes of temperature and luminous intensity have less effect on the reaction rate. In addition, the predictions of chlorine content of polychlorinated n-alkane calculated with the model agree very well with experimental results.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos.2018YFA0901101,2018YFA0901103,and 2017YFC1600301)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.22076216,21976201,and 21836004).
文摘The evaluation of toxicity related to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans(PCDD/Fs)and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DL-PCBs)is crucial for a comprehensive risk assessment in real-world exposure scenarios.This study employed a controlled feeding experiment to investigate the metabolic effects of dioxin-like compounds(DLCs)on laying hens via feed exposure.Diets enriched with two concentrations(1.17 and 5.13 pg toxic equivalents(TEQ)/g dry weight(dw))were administered over 14 days,followed by 28 days of clean feed.Metabolomics analyses of blood samples revealed significant metabolic variations between PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs exposed groups and controls,reflecting the induced metabolic disruption.Distinct changes were observed in sphingosine,palmitoleic acid,linoleate,linolenic acid,taurocholic acid,indole acrylic acid,and dibutyl phthalate levels,implying possible connections between PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs toxic effects and energy-neuronal imbalances,along with lipid accumulation and anomalous amino acid metabolism,impacting taurine metabolism.Moreover,we identified three differential endogenous metabolites—L-tryptophan,indole-3-acetaldehyde,and indole acrylic acid—as potential ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor(AhR),suggesting their role inmediating PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs toxicity.This comprehensive investigation provides novel insights into the metabolic alterations induced by PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in laying hens,thereby enhancing our ability to assess risks associated with their exposure in human populations.
基金supported by U01OH012263,and U01 OH012622 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthPCF 604934 from Prevent Cancer Foundation+1 种基金National Institutes of Health(NIH)/National Cancer Institute(NCI)1U01CA288425–0P30 ES023515 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
文摘This study aimed to identify the worst“bad actors”in mixtures of pollutants contributing to liver damage and shorter telomeres in the U.S.population,using weighted quantile sum(WQS)modeling with stratification by race/ethnicity.We conducted a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of mixtures of pollutants in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey datasets:(1)33,979 adults with blood levels of cadmium(Cd),lead(Pb),and mercury,including subsets with measurements of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAS),and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs)/polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs);and(2)7360 adults with measurements of telomeres,Cd,and Pb.Multivariable-adjusted WQS regression examined associations between WQS mixture indices and liver injury(alanine aminotransferase(ALT)-elevation),advanced liverfibrosis(LF),and telomere length.WQSmetal indices were associated with advanced-LF in all racial/ethnic groups.The top contributor was Cd in the total population and in non-Hispanic Whites(NHW),while Pb was the top contributor in non-Hispanic Blacks(NHB).The WQSmetal-PCB-PCDD/F index was associated with ALT-elevation,with PCB126,Cd and Pb as main contributors;the odds ratio(OR)per decile was 1.50(95%CI,1.26–1.78),while the OR per decile of the WQSmetal-PFAS index was 1.03(95%CI,0.98–1.05),not significant.WQS_(metal indices)were associated with shorter telomeres.Cd was main contributor associated with advanced-LF in NHW,while Pb was the major bad actor in NHB,suggesting that NHB may be especially susceptible to Pb toxicity.Metals were associated with shorter telomeres.Metal and PCB/PCDD/F mixtures were associated with ALT-elevation.Heavy metals and organic chemicals may contribute to liver-related morbidity and healthcare disparities.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21936004)the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Zhuhai)(No.SML2021SP208)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.21623118)。
文摘Ingestion of microplastics by various organisms has been widely evidenced.Chemicals associated with microplastics(MPs)may be released to digestive tracts upon ingestion.However,the effect of aging and temperature on the chemical desorption for MPs remains poorly understood.The exposure of polyethylene(PE)particles to UV radiation in dry air,tap water,and sea water was conducted to mimic the aging process of MPs in different environments.Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs),as a typical hydrophobic organic contaminant,were preloaded in these aged and pristine PE.The desorption was performed by exposing preloaded PE particles in simulated gastric and gut fluids at 25℃and 40℃.After UV aging,the average diameter of PE particles decreased rapidly with aging time,indicating continuously fragmentation of PE under UV exposure.The desorption of PCBs from PE particles under different conditions varied from 7%to 40%,and that from aged PE in gut fluid at 37℃was significantly higher than those under other conditions(P<0.05).Furthermore,a clear declining trend was observed as lg K_(ow)(octanol-water partition coefficient)value increased.The aging process,hydrophobicity of chemicals,and incubation temperature were important factors on the desorption of PCBs from PE.The present study helps understand the desorption of PCBs from microplastics and the potential risks of microplastics ingestion by organisms.
文摘Pretreatment techniques were compared.A GC-MS method has been developed for the determination of the residues of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyls in plant oil.Samples were dissolved with 2 mL n-hexane,and purified by acidification silica-gel column,mixed-metal silica-gel column,and alumina base,respectively.The eluent was concentrated and 1 mL n-hexane was added.And the analytes were determined by GC-MS using PCB 198 as an internal standard.The spiked recoveries were 89%-115%.The relative standard deviations were range of 4.87%-10.3%.The limits of detection were 0.2-1.0 μg/kg.
文摘Labeled polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDD/Fs)were extracted by three different methods,i.e.,soxhlet extraction,hot extraction and accelerated solvent extraction(ASE).The PCDD/Fs were detected by high resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.Comparisons of the three methods were carried out by recovery of PCDD/Fs,solvent consumption and extraction time.The results showed that all of the method could extract labeled PCDD/Fs efficiently.ASE was a time saving procedure with lowest consumption of solvents compared with the other two methods.
文摘A rapid pretreatment method of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in soil and analysis by high resolution gas chromatograph-high resolution mass spectrometry was present.The extraction and alumina clean up of PCDD/Fs in soil was achieved by accelerated solvent extractor.Then the multi-layer silica-gel column was used for further clean up.The whole method has been evaluated on certified reference soil and farm soil.Accuracy and precision of this method was tested with satisfactory results.
基金supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program (No. 2009CB421605)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40871218)+1 种基金the Scientific Research Foundation of Beijing Normal University (No. 2009SD-24)the National Water Pollution and Management Technology Project of China (No. 2009ZX07209-008)
文摘Persistent organochlorine compounds, including hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in surface water and sediments from Balyangdian Lake, North China. Total concentrations of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in surface water were in the range of 3.13-10.60, 4.05-20.59 and 19.46-131.62 ng/L, respectively, and total concentrations of HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in sediments were 1.75-5.70, 0.91-6.48 and 5.96-29.61 ng/g dry weight, respectively. Among the groups of HCHs (sum of α-HCH, β-HCH, y-HCH and 6-HCH) and DDTs (sum of DDT, DDD and DDE), the predominance of β-HCH, DDE and DDD in water and sediment samples was clearly observed. This observation suggested that β-HCH was resistant to biodegradation and the DDTs had been transformed to its metabolites, DDE and DDD. For PCBs, penta-, hexa- and hepta-chlorinated congeners were the most abundant compounds in the both phases. Furthermore, the partitioning of chlorinated compounds between sediment and water was investigated to understand their transport and fates in aquatic ecosystems. The results indicated that average logs of organic carbon-normalized sediment-water partition coefficients (logK∝) for OCPs varied between 3.20 and 5.53, and for PCBs, logK∝ values ranged from 3.19 to 5.57. The observed logK∝ was lower than their equilibrium logK∝ predicted from linear model, which may be attributed to the solubility enhancement effect of colloidal matter in water phase and the disequilibrium between sediment and water.
文摘The level and pattern of residues of organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) were analyzed in sediment and mussel(Perna viridis) samples from ten coastal sites along the Pearl River Delta, South China. The range of total HCH was <0 01 to 0 29 ng/g freeze-dried weight in sediment, and <0 0 1 to 1 35 ng/g lipid weight in mussels. Average total DDTs concentrations ranged from <0 01 to 1 04 ng/g in sediment, and <0 01 to 148 5 ng/g in mussels . Average total PCB concentrations ranged from 16 4 to 198 6 ng/g in sediment, and from 41 to 729.2 ng/g in mussels. Organochlorine pesticide and PCBs in mussels and sediments presented similar distribution patterns. The regression analysis indicated that PCBs concentrations in mussels were significantly correlated(p<0 01) with concentrations in sediments. However, their concentrations in mussels were several times higher than the concentration detected in surrounding sediments. The major fraction of DDT related compounds measured in mussels and sediments was DDD. Based on average PCB concentrations, penta-, hexa-, and tetrachlorobiphenyls were preferentially accumulated by mussels as compared to the average sediment composition. According to the present results,three organochlorine polluted “hot spot' sites, including Victoria Harbour, Lingding Yang and Huangmao Sea, were found in the Pearl River estuarine zone. HCHs, DDTs and PCBs in all mussel samples were below the limits of 2, 0 2 and 5 0 μg/g wet weight recommended by the Technical Group of Guangdong Coastal Zone Resource Comprehensive Survey and U. S. Food and Drug Administration.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40775084)the Shanghai Leading Academic Disciplines (No.S030109)
文摘PM2.5, total suspended particles (TSP) and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Talzhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle partitioning and size distribution of the atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were studied to assess the current state of atmospheric PCBs after the phase out of massive historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes. The average ∑38PCBs concentration in the ambient air (TSP plus gas phase) near the e-waste dismantling area was (12,407 ± 9592) pg/m^3 in winter, which was substantially lower than that found one decade ago. However, the atmospheric PCBs level near the e-waste dismantling area was 54 times of the reference urban site, indicating that the impact of the historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes was still significant. Tri-Penta-CBs were dominant homologues, consisting with their dominant global production. Size distribution of particle-bound PCBs showed that higher chlorinated CBs tended to partition more to the fine particles, facilitating its long range air transportation.
基金TheNationalKeyBasicResearchFoundationofChina (No .G1 9990 4 571 1 )
文摘The theoretical linear solvation energy relationship(TLSER) approach was adopted to predict the aqueous solubility and n -octanol/water partition coefficient of three groups of environmentally important chemicals-polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans(PCDDs and PCDFs). For each compound, five quantum parameters were calculated using AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital methods and used as structure descriptors: average molecular polarizability(α), energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbit( E _ LUMO ), energy of the highest occupied molecular orbit( E _ HOMO ), the most positive charge on a hydrogen atom( q _+), and the most negative atomic partial charge( q _-) in the solute molecule. Then standard independent variables in TLSER equation was extracted and two series of quantitative equations between these quantum parameters and aqueous solubility and n -octanol/water partition coefficient were obtained by stepwise multiple linear regression(MLR) method. The developed equations have both quite high accuracy and explicit meanings. And the cross-validation test illustrated the good predictive power and stability of the established models. The results showed that TLSER could be used as a promising approach in the estimation of partition and solubility properties of macromolecular chemicals, such as persistent organic pollutants.
基金supported by the Outstanding Youth Project of Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation(LR19E080004)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51478418)~~
文摘Various MnO2 structures have been extensively applied in catalysis. In this study,γ-MnO2,α-MnO2, and δ-MnO2 with corresponding rod, tube, and hierarchical architecture morphologies were prepared and applied for the catalytic oxidation of chlorobenzene (CB). The redox ability, H2O activation behavior, and acidity of MnO2 were analyzed using a range of techniques, including TPR, H2O-TPD, XPS, and pyridine-IR. The catalytic activities in CB oxidation were assessed;this revealed that γ-MnO2 exhibited the highest activity and best stability, owing to its enriched surface oxygen vacancies that functioned to activate O2 and H2O, and capture labile chlorine, which reacted with dissociated H2O to form HCl. All the MnO2 phases generated toxic polychlorinated by-products, including CHCl3, CCl4, C2HCl3, and C2Cl4, indicating the occurrence of electrophilic chlorination during CB oxidation. In particular, the dichlorobenzene detected in the effluents of α-MnO2 might generate unintended dioxins via a nucleophilic substitution reaction.
基金supported by the Key Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-420)the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No.2009CB421606)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20621703)
文摘Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been measured in sewage sludge samples from 8 urban wastewater treatment plants in Beijing, China. The PCB congeners were analyzed by isotope dilution high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry method. The concentration of PCBs ranged from 65.6 to 157 ng/g dry weight (dw), with a mean value of 101 ng/g dw. The dioxin-like PCB WHO-TEQs (World Health Organization-Toxic Equivalents) of the sludge were lower than 1 pg /g dw. Consequently, all the concentrations of PCBs in sludge samples were below the upper limit for land application according to the Chinese legislation law for agriculture use. The PCB homologue profiles in sludge samples were dominated by tri-CBs and tetra- CBs. Similar distributions have been found in one of the Chinese PCB commercial products. The patterns of dioxin-like and indicator congeners observed in this study were quite similar in all samples. The predominant congener for dioxin-like and indicator PCBs were PCB-118 and PCB-28, respectively, while PCB-126 had the highest TEQ value.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program (973) of China(No. 2002CB410810).
文摘A total of 198 agricultural soil samples were collected from Zhangjiagang and Changshu in Southern Jiangsu for analysis of 13 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in order to assess the levels of pollution, sources, area distribution, and potential risk for the environment. All methods were rigorously tested and an adequate quality control was ensured. Only one site had no PCBs residues, and the highest total PCBs concentration in the surface soils was 32.83 ng/g. The average concentration in all the soil samples was 4.13 ng/g, signaling low-level pollution. Tetra-, penta-, and hexa-chlorinated biphenyls were dominant species in soil samples, accounting for more than 75% of ∑PCBs in the soil samples. PCB118 was the most abundant congener in all the samples. The PCB118 was about 20% of ∑PCBs. The soil organic matter content showed only a weak correlation with the levels of all PCB congeners, in which a better correlation was noted for the more volatile lighter PCB congeners than for the heavier homologues. To a certain extent, the sources and land use seemed to influence the levels of PCBs.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.20877011)the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Scientific Research Visiting Scholarship+3 种基金the Chinese National Programs for High Technology Research and Development (No.2011AA060604)the State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.KF2009-17)the Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering,Ministry of Education of China (No.0802)the Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars,Ministry of Education of China
文摘The concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the urban air of Dalian, China was monitored from November 2009 to October 2010 with active high-volume sampler and semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) passive sampler. The concentration of PCBs (particle + gas) (∑PCBs) ranged from 18.6 to 91.0 pg/m3, with an average of 50.9 pg/m3, and the most abundant dioxin-like PCB (DL-PCBs) was PCB118. The WHO-TEQ values of DL-PCBs were 3.6--22.1 fg/m3, with an average of 8.5 fg/m3, and PCB126 was the maximum contributor to ZTEQ. There was a much larger amount of PCBs in the gas phase than in the particulate phase. The dominant PCB components were lower and middle molecular weight PCBs. With increasing chlorination level, the concentration of the PCB congeners in the air decreased. The gas-particulate partitioning of PCBs was different for the four seasons. The gas- particulate partitioning coefficients (logKp) vs. subcooled liquid vapor pressures (logPL~) of PCBs had reasonable correlations for different sampling sites and seasons. The absorption mechanism contributed more to the gas-particulate partitioning process than adsorption. Correlation analysis of meteorological parameters with the concentration of PCBs was conducted using SPSS packages. The ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure were important factors influencing the concentration of PCBs in the air. The distribution pattern of the congeners of PCBs and the dominant contributors to DL-PCBs and TEQ in active samples and SPMDs passive samples were similar. SPMD mainly sequestrated gas phase PCBs.
文摘Aim: To evaluate the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and vitamin C on ventral prostatic antioxidant system in adult male rats. Methods: A group of 20 adult male rats were administered ip Aroclor 1254 in corn oil at a dose of 2 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 30 days. Ten control rats were administered only the vehicle. After 30 days the treated rats were divided at random into 2 sub-groups of 10 animals each. One sub-group received vitamin C at a dose of 500 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 10 days. The other group was maintained as Aroclor 1254 control. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment the rats were killed by decapitation. Ventral prostatic homogenate was prepared and used for the estimation of enzymatic antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and prostatic acid phosphatase. The serum levels of total T3, total T4, TSH, testosterone and estradiol were also assayed. Results: The body weight and ventral prostatic weight were reduced in PCB treated rats. The activities of SOD, CAT, GST and acid phosphatase were decreased while the levels of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation were increased in the ventral prostate of PCB treated rats. Administration of vitamin C restored these parameters. Serum levels of thyroid hormones, estradiol and testosterone were decreased in PCB treated animals. Administration of vitamin C restored the thyroid hormone levels. Conclusion: PCB induces oxidative stress and decreases the antioxidant enzymes in the ventral prostate of adult male rats; the effects could be reversed by the administration of vitamin C.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21577009)
文摘The concentration of short-chain polychlorinated paraffins(SCCPs) in the urban air of Dalian,China was monitored from September 2016 to August 2017 with a self-developed passive sampler(PAS1) and an active high-volume sampler, simultaneously. PAS1 successfully collected the entire target SCCPs in the ambient air. Air SCCPs sampled by PAS1 were found be in the linear uptake stage during 181 days of sampling. Passive and active samples showed comparable congener profiles, and the dominant contributors of SCCPs in the two kinds of samples were similar. A significant linear correlation was observed between the total concentration of SCCPs sampled by PAS1 and active sampler in the four seasons. The passive sampling rates of the PAS1 for the gas and particulate phases of SCCPs were measured. The quantitative structure–property relationship of the sampling rate of PAS1(Rair) for gas-phase SCCPs was studied. From the molecular point of view, Rairwas mainly affected by the molecular weight and sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure of SCCPs. In general, SCCPs in the urban air of Dalian mainly existed in gas phase,lower molecular weight SCCPs primarily occurred in the gas phase, whereas higher molecular weight SCCPs were predominately adsorbed or absorbed on airborne particles. The air concentration of SCCPs in the four seasons were different, the correlation of the concentration of SCCPs in the air with the meteorology parameters was conducted. The exposure risk by intake air SCCPs of the residents around the sampling sites was evaluated according to the European risk assessment standards.
基金supported by the National Key Technologies R&D Program of Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2007BAC27B01)the National Science and Technology Infrastructure Program of Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2008FY2101000)
文摘Tissue distribution provides important information regarding the pharmacokinetic behavior of pollutants and is invaluable when analyzing the risk posed to avian species by the exposure to such kind of pollutants. In this study, concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in muscle, liver, spleen, kidney, stomach, gall bladder, skin, heart, pancreas, intestine and lung tissue extracts of cormorants collected from Dongting Lake, China. Tissue distribution results showed preferential accumulation of PCDD/Fs in both liver and skin. The total concentration of PCDD/Fs ranged from 421 to 5696 pg/g lipid weight. Octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) was the predominant congener in all tissues and contributed between 31% and 82% to all 17 PCDD/Fs in different tissues. The liver/muscle ratios progressively increased with the degree of chlorination of PCDDs, except for OCDD. The relative toxic potential of PCDDs and PCDFs in tissues were calculated using the World Health Organization (WHO) Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for birds. The concentrations of WHO-toxic equivalent in different tissues ranged between 14.8 and 2021 pg/g lipid weight. These results indicated PCDD/Fs may have been bio-accumulated in cormorant via food-web. Furthermore, when compared with studies reported in the literatures, the PCDD/Fs levels in the cormorant collected from Dongting Lake were still relatively high.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (No. X206955)Zhejiang Medical and Health Research Fund (No. 2007A047)the Education Bureau of Zhejiang Prov-ince (No. N20080181), China
文摘Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) emissions in flue gas from two types of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) most commonly used in China were investigated in this study. The selected incinerators include two grate-type MSWIs: MSWI-A (350 t/d) and MSWI-B 050 t/d), and two fluidized bed MSWIs: MSWI-C (400 t/d) and MSWI-D (400 t/d), which are all equipped with semi-dry lime scrubber and bag filter except MSWI-D equipped with cyclone and wet scrubber (WS) as air pollutant control device (APCD). Results indicated that the emission concentration and the international toxic equivalents (I-TEQs) of the PCDD/Fs from the stacks were in the range of 1.210-10.273 ng/Nm^3 and 0.019-0.201 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3, respectively. They were greatly lower than the emission regulation standard of PCDD/Fs in China (1.0 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3). However, only the PCDD/Fs emission level from MSWI-C was below 0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm^3. Although the homologue profiles were distinct, the contributions of the 2,3,7,8-subsituted congeners to the total I-TEQ were similar among all the investigated MSWIs. Two major 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, account for 47% and 9% (average values) of the total I-TEQ values, respectively. The correlation between PCDD/Fs levels and composition of flue gas was also discussed.