Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Triclosan (TCN) in Wistar Rats

Triclosan (TCN) was evaluated for reproductive and developmental toxicity on male and female reproductive performance such as gonadal function, mating behaviour, conception, development of the conceptus and parturition. Wistar rats (10/sex/dose) were administered by oral gavage at the dose levels of 0, 25, 75 and 150 mg/kg bwt/day, prior to mating, during mating and post-mating periods (for males), during pregnancy and up to lactation day 13 (for females). The results showed that, no treatment related mortality or clinical signs. Body weight, food consumption, pre-coital time, gestation length, mating and fertility parameters, percentage of pre- and post-implantation losses, anogenital distance, anogenital ratio were not affected by the treatment. The male pups did not exhibit areola/nipple retention on postnatal day 13. Treatment resulted in significantly lower mean litter size, mean viable litter size and mean number of implantations at 150mg/kg bwt/day. The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Thyroxine (T4) levels in adult rats and pups were not affected. External evaluation of pups as well as gross and microscopic examination of the reproductive organs of the parent animals revealed no adverse triclosan related changes. Considering the changes observed in the mean litter size, mean viable litter size, mean number of implantations and Day 4 surviva index at 150mg/ kg bwt/day, the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL)” for reproductive toxicity is considered to be 75mg/kg Bwt/day.

Deposition Rates of Asthma Triggers on Conventional and Enclosed Window Treatments

Environmental interventions are an important element of managing allergies and asthma. Health professionals often recommend that draperies be replaced with window blinds however no data exist on accumulation of inhalant allergens or inflammatory bioaerosols on window treatments. Installing blinds that accumulate less dust may reduce breathing zone exposures when blinds are adjusted if hazardous amounts of bioaerosols are deposited. We sought to determine the rate of accumulation of dust, allergens, bacterial endotoxin and fungal glucan on window blinds of two distinct types mounted on the two types of windows most commonly installed in U.S. homes. The blinds tested were conventional horizontal slat blinds hanging on the inside of the window (roomside blinds) and similar blinds placed between the exterior window glass and an extra pane of glass on the interior side (between-glass blinds). The study was conducted in six households as a paired, repeated measures study. Households were identified for participation, having met the study criteria of children and cats living inside a carpeted home. Standard window blinds accumulated cat allergen, endotoxin and fungal glucan at rates of 5940ng/m², 1910EU/m², and 11,360ng/m² per month. Between-glass blinds reduced the loading of asthma triggers by 25- to 185-fold. Comparison with clinical thresholds associated with asthma morbidity indicates that room-side blinds accumulate potentially hazardous quantities of asthma triggers.

Screening of Suspected Liquids to Alcoholic Drinks by a Qualitative Chemical Kit

Alcohol consumption is prohibited in Iran and it has caused many problems in various fields. This research is done to evaluate a new qualitative screening kit (for rapid detection of alcoholic beverages from nonalcoholic liquids) and to avoid more wasting time and money. For this purpose, the ethanol content of 839 suspected liquids prepared from the alcohol lab of legal medicine (Guilan province, Iran) was measured by a gas chromatography apparatus. At the same time, a newly designed kit based on the sulfochromic acid method was also used to separate negative samples (with ethanol equal or less than 3% volume/volume) from the others. Out of 839 samples, the ethanol content of 163 (19.43%) cases was appraised negatively. While most of the samples (676 cases or 80.57%) had ethanol more than 3% (positive results) with a mean of 21.68mg/L. Three samples (0.36%) had high levels of methanol which were interpreted as false positive due to the nonspecificity of the used method. Our results suggest the used kit has suitable efficiency for screening ethanol content of suspected liquids because the negative results of the kit have definite diagnostic value. However, a confirmative test (like gas chromatography) is needed for validation of the positive results.

Arsenic Induced Patterns of Auto-Grooming Response Over Time in Macrobrachium lamarrei: A Study on Behavioural Plasticity

Behavioural toxicity is a very applicable area in the vast field of ecotoxicology where, assessment of the alteration of behaviour is an effective tool to evaluate neural activity in an organism. In our present study, we have shown that arsenic trioxide exposure can stimulate repetitive grooming activity in a freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium lamarrei; however, over time the organism can modulate the grooming performances to less. We predict that repetition in the grooming behaviour is a case of neurotoxicity by arsenic and induction of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within a short period of exposure time.

A Quantitative Study of Hydraulic Parameters of Thamirabarani River

Each channel has unique characteristics of its own; River Thamirabarani being no exception. The project proposal aims at investigating the hydraulic geometry of the Thamirabarani River from Pothigai to the downstream up to Srivaikundam [1]. The interrelationship among stream sediment load, channel width and channel depth shows the nature of hydraulic geometry of Thamirabarani River channel. Due to the effect of Papanasam dam the natural flow of this river has been obstructed, and this is resulting in reduced discharge at downstream [2]. Confluences of major tributaries such as Manimuthar, Servalaru, Gadana and Ramanadhi may play significant role for the influx of extra discharge and sediment load to the main river. This extra sediment influx is also responsible for frequent bar formation in the river channel. The input morphometric maps have to be prepared using GIS and Remote Sensing tools like Arc GIS 10.1 and Global Mapper [3].

Histopathology of the Foot, Gill and Digestive Gland Tissues of Freshwater Mussel, Lamellidens marginalis Exposed to Oil Effluent

We investigated the histopathological alterations in the tissues of freshwater mussel, Lamellidens marginalis in response to oil effluent. Based on the previous acute toxicity, two sub lethal [1/4th (11.88ppt) and 1/10th (8.55ppt)] concentrations of oil effluent (hydrocarbon) were prepared and exposed to mussels. In a first series of experiment, animals were exposed/accumulated for 30 days [Ist, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 30th days] by two sub lethal concentrations of oil. In a second series of experiment, oil exposed animals were thereafter transferred to clean water and kept in it up to 30 days [Ist, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 30th days] to assess the recovery pattern (depuration). At seven-day intervals, histopathological alterations were analyzed in foot, gill and digestive gland tissues of mussel. First series of experimental observation showed remarkable damages in foot (disorganized outer epithelium, necrosis of the cell, the formation of lumina, disorganized muscle bundle); in gill (disruption of gill filaments, odema formation, necrosis, dis-aggregated cilia) and in digestive gland (stoma, detached glandular epithelium, vertical clefts, presence of leucocytes, dense accumulation of luminal material) and also oil effluent inducement are confirmed with the aforementioned results. At second series of experiment, it was found that oil effluent tended to accumulate in tissues in a duration-dose-dependent manner. Tissue burden by oil effluent of mussels completely were restored at 30th day. The present experimental findings may be of early warning signals of oil effluent pollution. In conclusion oil effluent are highly toxic to the Lamellidens marginalis.