Research Publications (Food Safety)

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most essential oil crops. Genetic improvement of seed yield (SY) is a major aim of B. napus breeding. Several studies have been reported on the genetic mechanisms of SY of B. napus. Here, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of SY was conducted using a panel of 403 natural accessions of B. napus, with more than five million high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

The harm of microplastics (MPs) to aquatic ecosystems is caused by their stable and non-degradable properties.

Concerns regarding inevitable soil translocation and bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd) in plants have been escalating in concomitance with the posed phytotoxicity and threat to human health. Exhibiting a Cd tolerance, Bacillus sp. M6 strain has been reported as a soil amendment owing to its capability of reducing metal bioavailability in soils. The present study investigated the rhizospheric bacterial community of the Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Temporin family is one of the largest among antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which act mainly by penetrating and disrupting the bacterial membranes. To further understand the relationship between the physical-chemical properties and their antimicrobial activity and selectivity, an analogue of Temporin L, [Nle1, DLeu9, DLys10]TL (Nle-Phe-Val-Pro-Trp-Phe-Lys-Phe-dLeu-dLys-Arg-Ile-Leu-CONH2) has been developed in the present work.

To investigate the effects of different types of land use and soil depths on the distributions of heavy metals in the soil in mining areas, heavy metals in different soil layers of five types of agricultural land in the Tongguan gold mining area were studied. The results revealed that the land use type had a greater impact than soil layers on the distribution of heavy metals in the soil.

Sustainable strategies are essential for zinc (Zn) biofortification and cadmium (Cd) reduction in staple food crops. Herein, we evaluated the phytotoxicity of Glyzinc under foliar and root application (FA&RA) in a lab-scale experiment, and then investigated its Zn efficiency and Cd reduction through foliar application on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under field conditions.

Scallop is well known for its high accumulation of cadmium. The bioaccessibility and speciation of cadmium in different tissues of scallops during gastrointestinal digestion could influence the evaluation of its biological effects and consumption safety in humans. The bioaccessibility of total Cd ranged from 44.0% (kidney) to 90.2% (gonad) for different tissues of scallop Chlamys farreri.

C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation have been verified to be correlated with apoptosis, whereas their biological function in arsenic-induced hepatocyte apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the specific regulatory mechanism of CHOP and H3K4me1/2 in arsenic-induced mitochondrial apoptosis in hepatocytes.

Seaweeds are known for their nutritional benefits; however, they contain one of the highest levels of arsenic content. Arsenic species are found in various oxidation states in the environment, where inorganic arsenic is more toxic than organic ones.

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a quick and easy method for the quantification of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), and zinc (Zn) by high definition X-ray fluorescence (HDXRF) spectrometry in scallops. The optimal moisture content (less than 7.5%), particle size (0.180 mm), sample weight (0.70 g), and measurement time (600 s) of scallops using HDXRF were determined.

Aim of this work was to synthesize mercapto-modified attapulgite (ATP-SH) and explore the effectiveness and mechanism of ATP-SH on the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil. The ATP-SH was applied to the remediation of cadmium contaminated soil with a concentration of 5.48 mg/kg through pot rice experiment. The changes of soil physicochemical properties, Cd content in rice and straw, available Cd, and different speciation of Cd in soil were studied after the addition of ATP-SH.

Willows (Salix spp.) are promising extractors of cadmium (Cd), with fast growth, high biomass production, and high Cd accumulation capacity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Cd uptake and detoxification are currently poorly understood.

Crater Lake, Oregon is an oligotrophic freshwater caldera lake fed by thermally and chemically enriched hydrothermal springs. These vents distinguish Crater Lake from other freshwater systems and provide a unique ecosystem for study. This study examines the community structure of benthic microbial mats occurring with Crater Lake hydrothermal springs. Small subunit rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from eight bacterial mats was used to assess community structure.

Intestinal peristalsis is essential for gastrointestinal function, which could maintain the appropriate progression and digestion of food and reduce bacterial aggregation through mixing function. Even though certain ingredients of foodstuff are known to increase or decrease intestinal peristalsis, the role of environmental pollutants on intestinal peristalsis is relatively unknown.

To date, Cd contamination of cropland and crops is receiving more and more attention around the world. As a plant hormone, abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in Cd stress response, but its effect on plant Cd uptake and translocation varies among plant species.

Gallium (Ga) is considered a high-tech Critical Metal, used in the manufacture of several microelectronic components containing either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN). The current high demand for this critical metal urges the development of effective recovery processes from secondary resources such as mine tailings or electronic recycling material.

Greenbelts around roads are an essential part of the ecosystem that can reduce heavy metal contamination from traffic and contribute to sustainable development. However, only limited studies have examined the rapid detection of heavy metal content in urban road greenbelt zones.

The aims of this study were to investigate the accumulation (15 days) and elimination (15 and 30 days) of cadmium (Cd) in the liver, gill, kidney and muscle of Oreochromis niloticus following exposures to different concentrations (1 and 2 mg/L) of Cd at different water temperatures (20, 25, 30 oC).

Moringa Oleifera (MO) has potential for nutritional and medical applications. We verified whether the administration of MO changed mineral accumulation patterns and mitigative effects of lead poisoning using Sprague–Dawley rats. MO leaves, aqueous leaf extracts, and seeds were administrated to rats in two different concentrations (100 and 600 mg/kg body weight/day) for 3 weeks.

Flue gas lead emission during sludge incineration damages to human health and ecological environment seriously. Therefore, a denitrifying bio-trickling filter (DNBTF) for lead removal in flue gas from sludge incineration was investigated.

A total of 511 topsoils and 139 deep soil samples were collected to analyze the distribution characteristics, regional differentiation factors, and contamination sources of Cd in Shantou City, and to assess its environmental, ecological, and human health risks.

by Michael Anger, Christian Wendelborn, Eva C. Winkler, Christoph Schickhardt Background Data Sharing is widely recognised as crucial for accelerating scientific research and improving its quality. However, data sharing is still not a common practice. Funding agencies tend to facilitate the sharing of research data by both providing incentives and requiring data sharing as part of their policies and conditions for awarding grants.

Arsenic (AS), an environmental contaminant, is a known human carcinogen that can cause cancer of the lung, liver, and skin. Furthermore, AS induces oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairments in mammalian cells. However, limited information is available on the effect of AS exposure on oocyte maturation of porcine, whose anatomy, physiology, and metabolism are similar to those of human.

Background Studies have shown that cadmium (Cd) exposure primarily occurs through diet, and Cd ingestion is a risk factor for atherosclerosis (AS). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. As a target organ, the gastrointestinal tract may play a key role in Cd-induced AS.

Cadmium is a persistent environmental pollutant whose neurotoxicity is of serious concern. Mitochondrial dysfunction and its mediated mitophagy and apoptosis are considered key events in Cd-induced neurological pathologies, but the exact molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Cd-induced mitophagy and apoptosis and their role in Cd-induced neuronal death.