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Bisphenol A is a human endocrine disruptor. Its normally low levels in biological fluids make it difficult to detect via conventional techniques. This work demonstrates the complete extraction of bisphenol A, and its possible concentration up to 100-fold in a singlestep procedure, using ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems.Bisphenol A (BPA, 4,4 0 -(propane-2,2-diyl)diphenol, CAS no. 80-05-7) is a ubiquitous organic compound in human life. BPA is a key monomer in the production of epoxy resins and the most common form of polycarbonate plastics (Fig. 1). These two applications account for 95% of worldwide BPA consumption (over 3.8 million tons per year) for the fabrication of regular daily products, e.g. baby bottles, food and beverage containers, plastic tableware, toys, eyeglass lenses, sports equipment, medical devices, household electronics, industrial floorings, adhesives, automotive primers, and printed circuit boards. 1 Products using BPA-based plastics have been in commercial use since the 1950s. Nevertheless, the leaching of this compound, particularly from food storing items, became a matter of concern for governmental agencies after its recognition as an endocrine disruptor. In humans, it exerts hormone-like properties leading to altered immune functions, imbalanced hormone ratios, decreased semen quality, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and behavioural alterations in children. 2 The detection of BPA in 92.6% of human urine samples, collected among the US population between 2003 and 2004, played a strong role in raising awareness of its hazards amongst the popular press. 3 Since then, it has been identified in air, water, sediments, soil and house dust, food items, and other human biological fluids (including serum, plasma, placenta, semen and breast milk). 4 These findings pointed out the need to establish regulations regarding the production and market placement of BPA. Canada has classified BPA as a toxic substance and has established a provisional tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 25 mg BPA per kg body weight per day, whereas in Europe the TDI is 50 mg BPA per kg body weight per day. 5 This higher TDI value is actually recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency. 5 Yet, some criticism has been raised regarding the difficulties in detecting and quantifying BPA. 6 The low content of BPA in biological samples is the major obstacle towards its identification and accurate quantification. Usually, liquid-liquid or solidliquid extractions are used to increase BPA concentrations from food and biological samples; 1 yet, they are time-consuming and require large quantities of volatile organic solvents.Aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) are currently recognized as efficient pre-treatment techniques for concentrating metabolites from one aqueous phase to another. 7 ABS are composed of two aqueous phases formed by the concomitant addition of two structurally different polymers, a polymer and a salt, or two salts and/or surfactants. In the last decade, ionic liquids have been also studied as novel alt...

Mining activities may affect the health of miners and communities living near mining sites, and these health effects may persist even when the mine is abandoned. During mining processes various toxic wastes are produced and released into the surrounding environment, resulting in contamination of air, drinking water, rivers, plants, and soils. In a geochemical sampling campaign undertaken in the Panasqueira Mine area of central Portugal, an anomalous distribution of several metals and arsenic (As) was identified in various environmental media. Several potentially harmful elements, including As, cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se), were quantified in blood, urine, hair, and nails (toe and finger) from a group of individuals living near the Panasqueira Mine who were environmentally and occupationally exposed. A group with similar demographic characteristics without known exposure to mining activities was also compared. Genotoxicity was evaluated by means of T-cell receptor (TCR) mutation assay, and percentages of different lymphocyte subsets were selected as immunotoxicity biomarkers. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis showed elevated levels of As, Cd, Cr, Mn, and Pb in all biological samples taken from populations living close to the mine compared to controls. Genotoxic and immunotoxic differences were also observed. The results provide evidence of an elevated potential risk to the health of populations, with environmental and occupational exposures resulting from mining activities. Further, the results emphasize the need to implement preventive measures, remediation, and rehabilitation plans for the region.

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In the Panasqueira mine area of central Portugal, some environmental media show higher metal(loid) concentrations when compared with the local geochemical background and the values proposed in the literature for these environmental media. In order to evaluate the effect of the external contamination on selected indexes of internal dose, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Se, Si, and Zn were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry in blood, urine, hair and nail samples from individuals environmentally (N = 41) and occupationally exposed (N = 41). A matched control group (N = 40) was also studied, and data from the three groups were compared. Results obtained agreed with those reported by environmental studies performed in this area, pointing to populations living nearby and working in the mine being exposed to metal(loid)s originated from mining activities. Arsenic was the element with the highest increase in exposed populations. The concentration of other elements such as Cr, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Se, and Zn was also increased, although at a lesser extent, specifically in the individuals environmentally exposed and in females. These findings confirm the need for competent authorities to act as soon as possible in this area and implement strategies aimed to protect exposed populations and the entire ecosystem.

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Objective-To compare urine protein-to-creatinine concentration (UPC) ratios in samples collected by means of cystocentesis versus manual compression in cats. Design-Evaluation study. Animals-43 client-owned cats requiring urinalysis. Procedures-In all cats, 5 mL of urine from the midstream phase of micturition was collected by means of manual compression and, subsequently, an additional 5 mL of urine was obtained by means of ultrasound-guided cystocentesis. A complete urinalysis was performed on all samples, and UPC ratios were determined. Results-Cats were classified on the basis of the International Renal Interest Society substaging system as being free from proteinuria (UPC ratio, < 0.2; n = 19) or as having borderline proteinuria (UPC ratio, 0.2 to 0.4; 7) or proteinuria (UPC ratio, > 0.4; 17). None of the cats had postrenal proteinuria. A significant linear correlation was identified between UPC ratios in urine samples obtained by means of manual compression and ratios in samples obtained by means of cystocentesis. For all cats, UPC ratios for samples obtained by the 2 collection methods resulted in classification in the same IRIS substage. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results suggested that collection of a urine sample from the midstream phase of micturition by manual compression would be a reliable alternative to cystocentesis for the determination of UPC ratio in cats, provided that postrenal proteinuria was excluded by means of urine sediment analysis. Once postrenal proteinuria was ruled out, the method used to collect urine samples did not appear to influence the quantification of urine protein concentration.

1-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Biology, 3University of Aveiro, Portugal 4 2-Environmental Group, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, United Kingdom 5Heavy metals accumulated by aquatic crustaceans in environmental studies are 7 normally investigated using the whole body burden, with little regard paid to uptake in 8 different tissues, to potential gender of life stage differences, or to the influence of 9 nutrition on the test organism. This is likely to give erroneous conclusions for a dose-10 response relationship within the toxicity test and potentially lead to wrong conclusions 11 for the ecological risks of metals where species may have higher sensitivities with 12 gender and life stage than indicated or that functionally metals may be sequestered 13 into parts of the body so are not bioavailable. This could lead to under-estimation or 14 over-estimation of the toxicity of metals, respectively, inaccuracy of metal budget 15 calculations and evaluation of trophic transfers of metals. This study evaluated the 16 influences of life stage, gender, and a priori nutritional state in the uptake of the 17 metals Zinc (an essential micro-nutrient; Zn) and Cadmium (a non-essential element; 18 Cd) in the amphipod Echinogammarus marinus. The study showed that life stage, and 19 nutritional stage did significantly influence the uptake and bioaccumulation for both 20 * Corresponding Author. Rua dos Santos Mártires, 8, Apartamento 32, 3810-171 Aveiro, Portugal. Fax: +351 234 372 587; e-mail: rpastorinho@ua.pt metals, but only Cd showed differential uptake and bioaccumulation with gender. In 21 addition, it was concluded that there was a significant uptake and accumulation of 22 both metals within the exoskeleton of the amphipods, which though adding to the full 23 body burden would add little to toxicity through lack of bioavailability. These results 24showed that care should be taken when interpreting results from tests normally 25 preformed on such test organisms. 26 27