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The (partial) replacement of synthetic polymers with bioplastics is due to increased production of conventional packaging plastics causing for severe environmental pollution with plastics waste. The bioplastics, however, represent complex mixtures of known and unknown (bio)polymers, fillers, plasticizers, stabilizers, flame retardant, pigments, antioxidants, hydrophobic polymers such as poly(lactic acid), polyethylene, polyesters, glycol, or poly(butylene succinate), and little is known of their chemical safety for both the environment and the human health. Polymerization reactions of bioplastics can produce no intentionally added chemicals to the bulk material, which could be toxic, as well. When polymers are used to food packing, then the latter chemicals could also migrate from the polymer to food. This fact compromises the safety for consumers, as well. The scarce data on chemical safety of bioplastics makes a gap in knowledge of their toxicity to humans and environment. Thus, development of exact analytical protocols for determining chemicals of bioplastics in environmental and food samples as well as packing polymers can only provide warrant for reliable conclusive evidence of their safety for both the human health and the environment. The task is compulsory according to legislation Directives valid to environmental protection, food control, and assessment of the risk to human health. The quantitative and structural determination of analytes is primary research task of analysis of polymers. The methods of mass spectrometry are fruitfully used for these purposes. Methodological development of exact analytical mass spectrometric tools for reliable structural analysis of bioplastics only guarantees their safety, efficacy, and quality to both humans and environment. This study, first, highlights innovative stochastic dynamics equations processing exactly mass spectrometric measurands and, thus, producing exact analyte quantification and 3D molecular and electronic structural analyses. There are determined synthetic polymers such as poly(ethylenglycol), poly(propylene glycol), and polyisoprene as well as biopolymers in bags for foodstuffs made from renewable cellulose and starch, and containing, in total within the 20,416–17,495 chemicals per sample of the composite biopolymers. Advantages of complementary employment in mass spectrometric methods and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is highlighted. The study utilizes ultra-high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometric and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic data on biodegradable plastics bags for foodstuffs; high accuracy quantum chemical static methods, molecular dynamics; and chemometrics. There is achieved method performance |r| = 0.99981 determining poly(propylene glycol) in bag for foodstuff containing 20,416 species and using stochastic dynamics mass spectrometric formulas. The results highlight their great capability and applicability to the analytical science as well as relevance to both the fundamental research and to the industry.
Temporal analysis of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide pollution and pediatric outpatient visits for respiratory illnesses in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, China
Vol 1, Issue 1, 2020
Issue release: 31 December 2020
VIEWS - 3400 (Abstract)
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Abstract
Objective: The study aims to investigate the impact of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels on pediatric outpatient consultations for respiratory illnesses in the Yuexiu District of Guangzhou, China. Methods: Data on atmospheric NO2levels, weather conditions, and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases were gathered from a children's hospital in Guangzhou's Yuexiu District over the period of 2014 to 2016. Spearman rank correlation analysis and time-series analysis employing a generalized additive model were utilized to examine the association and lagged effects between NO2concentrations and concurrent pediatric respiratory outpatient visits. Results: The annual mean NO2concentrations in Yuexiu District during 2014, 2015, and 2016 were 6130, 6046, and 6081 μg/m3, respectively, and the number of days exceeding national standard values was 70, 64, and 62, respectively. The time-series analysis revealed a significant impact of NO2on respiratory outpatient visits from day 0 to day 7, with the most pronounced effect observed on lag day 0 (lag0). An excess risk (ER) of 145% (95% CI: 93%–198%) was observed on lag day 0 (lag0). The highest cumulative lag effect and ER of 307% (95% CI: 204%–410%) were found on lag days 0 to 6(lag06 d). Conclusion: The rise in NO2levels in Guangzhou's Yuexiu District between 2014 and 2016 was associated with an increase in pediatric respiratory disease outpatient visits.
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References
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Prof. Hongxing Dai
Beijing University of Technology, China
