957 resultados para AROMATIC THIOLS
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A plausível associação entre o consumo de carnes e o desenvolvimento do câncer colorretal vem sendo em parte explicada pelo processo de formação de aminas heterocíclicas e hidrocarbonetos aromáticos durante a cocção. No Brasil este tipo de câncer encontra-se entre as três mais frequentes causas de óbito por câncer tanto em homens como em mulheres, sendo as regiões Sul e Sudeste as que apresentam as maiores taxas de mortalidade. Este estudo tem como objetivo estimar o consumo médio per capita e prevalência de carnes segundo formas de preparo no Brasil, com ênfase nas técnicas grelhado/brasa/churrasco e frito. Foram utilizados dados do Inquérito Nacional de Alimentação (INA) que faz parte da Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares (POF) realizado entre os anos de 2008 e 2009. Nesse inquérito foram analisadas informações referentes ao consumo alimentar de 34.003 indivíduos com dez anos de idade ou mais, contemplando questões a cerca da quantidade de alimentos consumidos em unidades de medidas caseiras, forma de preparo do alimento e local de consumo (alimentação dentro do domicílio ou quando o alimento foi preparado e consumido fora do domicílio). As medias de carnes em geral foram estratificadas por sexo, escolaridade, quarto de renda, grandes regiões geográficas, situação do domicílio (urbano/rural) e local de consumo (dentro/fora do lar). Para a extração dos valores médios per capita consumidos, foram utilizados os procedimentos survey para levar em consideração os efeitos do desenho amostral. Verificou-se que a maior média per capita de consumo em gramas ocorreu no grupo de carne bovina, e a forma de preparo frito apresentou a maior média per capita de ingestão (31 gramas/ dia). Agrupando-se todos os tipos de carnes em apenas uma classe, "carnes em geral", a forma de preparação frita permaneceu com média de consumo demasiadamente maior que a forma grelhado/brasa/churrasco em todas as variáveis analisadas. Quando desagregado pelas variáveis de interesse, a maior média de consumo per capita de carnes em geral ocorreu na mais alta categoria de escolaridade (21 gramas/ dia) para o tipo grelhado/brasa/churrasco e entre residentes da região Norte (111gramas/ dia) para o tipo frito. As menores médias per capita ocorreram entre os indivíduos no primeiro quarto de renda (1,96 gramas/ dia) para aqueles que consumiram grelhado/brasa/churrasco e para as carnes fritas a menor média foi observada fora do domicílio (20 gramas/ dia). Os achados indicam que existe uma acentuada diferença entre o consumo médio per capita de grelhado/brasa/churrasco e fritos entre as regiões brasileiras, sendo mais evidente quando desagregado por variáveis sócio demográficas.
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Marine mammals, such as dolphins, can serve as key indicator species in coastal areas by reflecting the effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors. As such they are often considered sentinels of environmental and ecosystem health (Bossart 2006; Wells et al. 2004; Fair and Becker 2000). The bottlenose dolphin is an apex predator and a key component of many estuarine environments in the southeastern United States (Woodward-Clyde Consultants 1994; SCDNR 2005). Health assessments of dolphins are especially critical in areas where populations are depleted, show signs of epidemic disease and/or high mortality and/or where habitat is being altered or impacted by human activities. Recent assessments of environmental conditions in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (IRL) and the estuarine waters surrounding Charleston, South Carolina (CHS) highlight the need for studies of the health of local bottlenose dolphins. While the condition of southeastern estuaries was rated as fair in the National Coastal Condition Report (U.S. EPA 2001), it was noted that the IRL was characterized by poorer than expected benthic communities, significant sediment toxicity and increased nutrient concentrations. Similarly, portions of the CHS estuary have sediment concentrations of aliphatic aromatic hydrocarbons, select inorganic metals, and some persistent pesticides far in excess of reported bioeffect levels (Hyland et al. 1998). Long-term trends in water quality monitoring and recent scientific research suggest that waste load assimilation, non-point source runoff impacts, contaminated sediments, and toxic pollutants are key issues in the CHS estuary system. Several ‘hot spots’ with high levels of heavy metals and organic compounds have been identified (Van Dolah et al. 2004). High concentrations of anthropogenic trace metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) and pesticides have been found in the sediments of Charleston Harbor, as well as the Ashley and Cooper Rivers (Long et al. 1998). Two superfund sites are located within the CHS estuary and the key contaminants of concern associated with these sites are: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), lead, chromium, copper, arsenic, zinc and dioxin. Concerns related to the overall health of IRL dolphins and dermatologic disease observed in many dolphins in the area (Bossart et al. 2003) initiated an investigation of potential factors which may have impacted dolphin health. From May-August 2001, 35 bottlenose dolphins died in the IRL during an unusual mortality event (MMC 2003). Many of these dolphins were diagnosed with a variety of skin lesions including proliferative ulcerative dermatitis due to protozoa and fungi, dolphin pox and a vesicular dermatopathy of unknown etiology (Bossart et al. 2003). Multiple species from fish to dolphins in the IRL system have exhibited skin lesions of various known and unknown etiologies (Kane et al. 2000; Bossart et al. 2003; Reif et al. 2006). On-going photo-identification (photo-ID) studies have documented skin diseases in IRL dolphins (Mazzoil et al. 2005). In addition, up to 70% of green sea turtles in the IRL exhibit fibropapillomas, with the highest rates of occurrence being seen in turtles from the southern IRL (Hirama 2001).
Resumo:
High salinity estuaries in the southeastern U.S. have experienced increased inputs of contaminants from nonpoint source (NPS) urban runoff and decreases in habitat due to filling of wetlands and dock/bulkhead construction. Urbanization may pose significant risks to estuarine fauna, particularly crustaceans. The grass shrimp of the genus Palaemonetes, is one of the dominant species found in estuarine tidal creeks, accounting for greater than 50% of all macropelagic fauna on an annual basis. Spatial analytical and geographic information system techniques were used to determine which factors influenced the Palaemonetes population structures in a South Carolina bar-built estuary surrounded by urban development. Impacts from land use practices were investigated using concentric circular buffers around study sites. Factors investigated included sediment-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentration, land use classification, percent impervious surfaces, and other selected urban factors. Geographic information system and statistical modeling showed quantitative relationships between land use class and impacts on Palaemonetes density. The study suggests that habitat loss is a major factor influencing grass shrimp densities. Multiple regression modeling suggests a significant relationship between habitat alterations and Palaemonetes densities.
Resumo:
A study was initiated in May 2011, under the direction of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Deepwater Benthic Communities Technical Working Group (NRDA Deep Benthic TWG), to assess potential impacts of the DWH oil spill on sediments and resident benthic fauna in deepwater (> 200 meters) areas of the Gulf. Key objectives of the study were to complete the analysis of samples from 65 priority stations sampled in September-October 2010 on two DWH Response cruises (Gyre and Ocean Veritas) and from 38 long-term monitoring sites (including a subset of 35 of the original 65) sampled on a follow-up NRDA cruise in May-June 2011. The present progress report provides a brief summary of results from the initial processing of samples from fall 2010 priority sites (plus three additional historical sites). Data on key macrofaunal, meiofaunal, and abiotic environmental variables are presented for each of these samples and additional maps are included to depict spatial patterns in these variables throughout the study region. The near-field zone within about 3 km of the wellhead, where many of the stations showed evidence of impaired benthic condition (e.g. low taxa richness, high nematode/harpacticoid-copepod ratios), also is an area that contained some of the highest concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (total PAHs), and barium in sediments (as possible indicators of DWH discharges). There were similar co-occurrences at other sites outside this zone, especially to the southwest of the wellhead out to about 15 km. However, there also were exceptions to this pattern, for example at several farther-field sites in deeper-slope and canyon locations where there was low benthic species richness but no evidence of exposure to DWH discharges. Such cases are consistent with historical patterns of benthic distributions in relation to natural controlling factors such as depth, position within canyons, and availability of organic matter derived from surface-water primary production.
Resumo:
The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) accident in the northern Gulf of Mexico occurred on April 20, 2010 at a water depth of 1525 meters, and a deep-sea plume was detected within one month. Oil contacted and persisted in parts of the bottom of the deep-sea in the Gulf of Mexico. As part of the response to the accident, monitoring cruises were deployed in fall 2010 to measure potential impacts on the two main soft-bottom benthic invertebrate groups: macrofauna and meiofauna. Sediment was collected using a multicorer so that samples for chemical, physical and biological analyses could be taken simultaneously and analyzed using multivariate methods. The footprint of the oil spill was identified by creating a new variable with principal components analysis where the first factor was indicative of the oil spill impacts and this new variable mapped in a geographic information system to identify the area of the oil spill footprint. The most severe relative reduction of faunal abundance and diversity extended to 3 km from the wellhead in all directions covering an area about 24 km2. Moderate impacts were observed up to 17 km towards the southwest and 8.5 km towards the northeast of the wellhead, covering an area 148 km2. Benthic effects were correlated to total petroleum hydrocarbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and barium concentrations, and distance to the wellhead; but not distance to hydrocarbon seeps. Thus, benthic effects are more likely due to the oil spill, and not natural hydrocarbon seepage. Recovery rates in the deep sea are likely to be slow, on the order of decades or longer.
Resumo:
NOAA’s National Status and Trends Program (NS&T) collected oyster tissue and sediments for quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and petroleum associated metals before and after the landfall of oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident of 2010. These new pre- and post- landfall measurements were put into a historical context by comparing them to data collected in the region over three decades during Mussel Watch monitoring. Overall, the levels of PAHs in both sediment and oysters both pre- and post-landfall were within the range of historically observed values for the Gulf of Mexico. Some specific sites did have elevated PAH levels. While those locations generally correspond to areas in which oil reached coastal areas, it cannot be conclusively stated that the contamination is due to oiling from the Deepwater Horizon incident at these sites due to the survey nature of these sampling efforts. Instead, our data indicate locations along the coast where intensive investigation of hydrocarbon contamination should be undertaken. Post-spill concentrations of oil-related trace metals (V, Hg, Ni) were generally within historically observed ranges for a given site, however, nickel and vanadium were elevated at some sites including areas in Mississippi Sound and Galveston, Terrebonne, Mobile, Pensacola, and Apalachicola Bays. No oyster tissue metal body burden exceeded any of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) shellfish permissible action levels for human consumption.
Resumo:
Porphyrin metabolic disruption from exposure to xenobiotic contaminants such as heavy metals, dioxins, and aromatic hydrocarbons can elicit overproduction of porphyrins. Measurement of porphyrin levels, when used in conjunction with other diagnostic assays, can help elucidate an organism’s physiological condition and provide evidence for exposure to certain toxicants. A sensitive microplate fluorometric assay has been optimized for detecting total porphyrin levels in detergent solubilized protein extracts from symbiotic, dinoflagellate containing cnidarian tissues. The denaturing buffer used in this modified assay contains a number of potentially interfering components (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), dithiothreitol (DTT), protease inhibitors, and chlorophyll from the symbiotic zooxanthellae), which required examination and validation. Examination of buffer components were validated for use in this porphyrin assay; while the use of a specific spectrofluorometric filter (excitation 400 ± 15 nm; emission 600 ± 20 nm) minimized chlorophyll interference. The detection limit for this assay is 10 fmol of total porphyrin per μg of total soluble protein and linearity is maintained up to 5000 fmol. The ability to measure total porphyrins in a SDS protein extract now allows a single extract to be used in multiple assays. This is an advantage over classical methods, particularly when tissue samples are limiting, as is often the case with coral due to availability and collection permit restrictions.
Resumo:
Coral ( Porites astreoides ) from eight sites in southwest Puerto Rico were analyzed for approximately 150 chemical contaminants, to provide a preliminary characterization of environmental contamination in the corals, and assess the relationships between chemical contamination in corals and adjacent sediments. Overall, the concentration of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) detected in the limited number of coral samples collected were comparable to concentrations found in sediments. However, the concentration of a chemical contaminant (e.g., PAHs) in the corals at a site was often different from what was found in adjacent sediments. The level of PCBs and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in the corals appeared higher just outside of Guanica Bay, and there was some evidence of a downstream concentration gradient for these two contaminant classes. The trace elements copper and zinc were frequently detected in Porites astreoides , and the concentrations were usually comparable to those found in adjacent sediments. Chromium was an exception in that it was not detected in any of the coral samples analyzed, although it was detected in all of the sediment samples.
Resumo:
This report presents an initial characterization of chemical contamination in coral tissues (Porites astreoides) from southwest Puerto Rico. It is the second technical report from a project to characterize chemical contaminants and assess linkages between contamination and coral condition. The first report quantified chemical contaminants in sediments from southwest Puerto Rico. This document summarizes the analysis of nearly 150 chemical contaminants in coral tissues. Although only eight coral samples were collected, some observations can be made on the correlations between observed tissue and sediment contaminant concentrations. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), typically associated with petroleum spills and the combustion of fossil fuels, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the coral tissues were comparable to concentrations found in adjacent sediments. However, the concentration of a chemical contaminant (e.g., PAHs) in the coral tissues at a particular site was not a good predictor of what was in the adjacent sediments. In addition, the types of PAHs found in the coral tissues were somewhat different (higher ratios of alkylated PAHs) than in sediments. The levels of PCBs and DDT in coral tissues appeared higher just outside of Guanica Bay, and there was evidence of a downstream concentration gradient for these two contaminant classes. The trace elements copper, zinc and nickel were frequently detected in coral tissues, and the concentration in the corals was usually comparable to that found in adjacent sediments. Chromium was an exception in that it was not detected in any of the coral tissues analyzed. Additional work is needed to assess how spatial patterns in chemical contamination affect coral condition, abundance and distribution.
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Sediment samples (28) collected during the ORV Sagar Kanya cruise-29, were analysed for humic acid (HA) concentration from the North-Central Arabian Sea. Generally oceanic samples had more HA concentration than the continental shelf (< 200 m depth) samples. The photo-acoustic infrared spectra of shelf sediment HA indicated the presence of more C-H saturated aliphatic chains, while oceanic HA had few peaks for the above groups. Both the IR spectra indicated the absence of aromatic C = C, carbonyl, ketonic groups. Clayey-silt sediment generally had higher concentration of HA compared to sandy-silt type of sediment.
Resumo:
Ⅰ 虎杖聚酮类化合物生物合成相关基因的克隆及功能分析 虎杖 (Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc) 属于蓼科蓼属多年生草本植物,在中国和日本民间曾被广泛用于动脉粥样硬化、高血压、咳嗽、化脓性皮肤炎以及淋病的治疗,具有祛风利湿、散瘀定痛、止咳化痰等功效。而在现代医学上最令人瞩目和具有发展前景的是其在抗肿瘤、心血管保护、抗氧化方面的作用,相关疗效主要来自于虎杖中结构迥异、种类丰富的聚酮化合物及其衍生物资源。这些聚酮类化合物主要包括蒽醌、大黄素、大黄素-甲醚、大黄酚、芪类以及类黄酮化合物等。其中,大部分聚酮类化合物生物合成途径机制尚不明确,但可以肯定的是植物类型III聚酮合酶type III polyketide synthases (PKSs) 在这些聚酮化合物的生物合成起始反应中行使着关键的作用。因此,除了我们所熟悉的类黄酮化合物、芪类化合物之外,进一步分离和分析虎杖中其它重要聚酮类化合物生物合成所涉及的类型III聚酮合酶基因的是非常值得期待的。 目前,已经有14个植物类型III PKS基因被克隆和功能分析。植物类型III PKS的共同特征包括基因结构、序列相似性、保守的活性中心、酶学性质以及共同的催化机制等。显花植物(裸子植物和被子植物)中,植物类型III PKS的基因结构绝对保守,除了一个早期报道的金鱼草(Antirrhinum majus)查尔酮合酶chalcone synthase (CHS) 含有第二个内含子外,迄今为止所有已知的植物类型III PKS基因均含有一个内含子且该内含子位置保守。有趣的是,在本研究中,两个含有3个内含子的类型III PKS基因从虎杖中被分离,且两个基因3个内含子的位置完全保守,这是三内含子类型III PKS基因首次得到分离。除了新奇的基因结构外,体外功能分析显示上述两个基因还具有特殊的酶学性质和功能。 本论文围绕上述2个三内含子基因开展了以下工作: 虎杖中一个由三内含子基因编码的新型类型III聚酮合酶 一个类型III PKS的cDNA及其相应的基因(PcPKS2)从药用植物虎杖中被克隆。序列分析结果表明,PcPKS2的开放阅读框被3个内含子分隔,这是一个出人意料的发现,因为截至到目前为止,除了金鱼草一个CHS基因外,所有已知的类型III PKS基因均在固定位置上含有一个内含子。除了特殊的基因结构外,PcPKS2显示了一些有趣的特性:(i) CHS“守卫”苯丙氨酸——Phe215和Phe265在PcPKS2中双双缺失,它们分别被亮氨酸和半胱氨酸取代;(ii) 体外功能分析结果表明,当酶促反应体系的pH值为6.5-8.5时,大肠杆菌中过表达的重组PcPKS2高效地合成丁烯酮非环化产物——4-香豆酰甘油酸内酯(4-coumaroyltriacetic acid lactone (CTAL))为主产物,而丙烯酮非环化产物bis-noryangonin (BNY) 以及苯亚甲基丙酮为副产物;而当酶促反应体系的pH值为9.0时,PcPKS2高效地合成苯亚甲基丙酮为主产物,而CTAL、BNY为副产物。另外,除了上述3种产物外,在不同的pH条件下,还有痕量的柚皮素查尔酮能被检测到。此外,在4-香豆酰辅酶A(4-coumaroyl-CoA)的类似化合物中,除了4-香豆酰辅酶A外,只有feruloyl-CoA能够被PcPKS2接受作为起始底物。PcPKS2不接受脂肪酰辅酶A——异丁酰基辅酶A(isobutyryl-CoA)、异戊酰基辅酶A(isovaleryl-CoA)以及乙酰辅酶A(acetyl-CoA)作为起始底物。Southern blot杂交结果表明,在虎杖基因组中存在2-4个PcPKS2基因的拷贝。Northern blot杂交结果表明,在根茎和幼叶中,PcPKS2表达量很高,而在根中无表达。叶中的PcPKS2的表达受病原菌诱导,但不受伤诱导。 虎杖中一个编码双功能类型III聚酮合酶的三内含子基因的鉴定 显花植物中,所有已知的类型III PKS 基因均含有一个内含子且位置绝对保守。本研究中,综合运用PCR技术,从富含聚酮类化合物的植物虎杖中克隆得到一个类型III PKS 基因(PcPKS1)及其cDNA。序列分析结果表明,PcPKS1含有3个内含子。系统发育分析结果表明,PcPKS1与其它植物的CHSs归为一类。然而,体外功能分析结果表明,当酶促反应体系pH值为7.0时,大肠杆菌中过表达的重组PcPKS1高效地合成柚皮素查尔酮(naringenin)为单一产物;而当pH值为9.0时,苯亚甲基丙酮(p-hydroxybenzalacetone)几乎为重组PcPKS1的唯一产物。后续的研究表明,与典型的CHSs相比,PcPKS1具有另外一些不同的特点:在pH值为9.0时(PcPKS1的苯亚甲基丙酮合成活性最适pH值),在4-香豆酰辅酶A的类似化合物中,只有feruloyl-CoA能够被PcPKS1接受作为起始底物。与CHSs展现出的对脂肪酰辅酶A宽泛的底物特异性不同,在不同的pH条件下,PcPKS1不接受异丁酰基辅酶A(isobutyryl-CoA)、异戊酰基辅酶A(isovaleryl-CoA)以及乙酰辅酶A(acetyl-CoA)作为起始底物。以上数据指出重组PcPKS1是一个具有查尔酮合酶(CHS)和苯亚甲基丙酮合酶(BAS)活性的双功能酶。Southern blot杂交结果表明,在虎杖基因组中存在2-4个PcPKS1基因的拷贝。Northern blot杂交结果表明,PcPKS1可能在防御病原菌和草食动物方面起着重要作用。PcPKS1和PcPKS2共同从虎杖中被分离的事实极有可能暗示了苯丁烷类化合物(phenylbutanoid)及其衍生物存在于虎杖中。 Ⅱ 高山红景天酪醇生物合成代谢途径机制研究 高山红景天(Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor)是景天科(Crassulaceae)红景天属多年生草本植物,作为一种适应原性中草药在中国的应用史已经超过800年。最近红景天提取物作为一种重要的商业药用制剂资源,其应用遍及欧洲、亚洲和美国,其主要治疗范围包括抗变应性和消炎,提高心理机敏性等。目前已经非常明确,红景天甙(salidroside)和甙元酪醇(tyrosol)是红景天属植物的主要功效成分,主要分布于这类植物的根中并且具有抗缺氧、抗疲劳、延缓衰老、预防紫外线辐射伤害等功效。红景天甙为酪醇8-O-β-D葡萄糖甙,是酪醇在葡萄糖基转移酶UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) 的催化下糖基化后形成的,可以认为是酪醇在植物体内的贮存形式。酪醇作为一种重要的活性分子,同样存在于橄榄树和葡萄酒中。 虽然已经非常明确酪醇来自于莽草酸代谢途径,然而其具体的生物合成途径及其调控仍不明确。总结以往的报道,在酪醇的生物合成上主要存在两种观点:一是酪醇可能来自于苯丙烷代谢途径产生的4-香豆酸(4-coumaric acid)前体;二是来自于酪氨酸的酪胺(tyramine)可能是酪醇生物合成的直接前体。我们的工作兴趣主要围绕着鉴别高山红景天中的酪醇生物合成途径展开: 高山红景天内源苯丙氨酸解氨酶PALrs1的过表达对红景天甙积累的影响 红景天甙是来自于药用植物高山红景天的一种适应原性新型药物,其生物合成途径可能起始于苯丙氨酸或酪氨酸。由于高山红景天野生植物资源的匮乏和相对含量很低,阐明红景天甙的生物合成途径对于增加红景天甙的供给至关重要。在我们以前的工作中,运用cDNA末端快速扩增技术(RACE),一个编码苯丙氨酸解氨酶phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL)的cDNA从高山红景天中被克隆,命名为PALrs1。在本研究中,PALrs1置于35S启动子+Ω增强子序列的控制下通过农杆菌(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)介导法转化回高山红景天。PCR 和 PCR–Southern blot分析结果表明,PALrs1已经整合到了转基因植物的基因组上。Northern blot杂交结果表明,PALrs1已经获得在转录水平上的高水平表达。与预期的结果相同,高效液相色谱High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)测定结果显示PALrs1的过表达引起4-香豆酸含量增长3.3倍。然而,与之相反的是,酪醇和红景天甙含量与对照相比反而分别下降4.7和7.7倍。此外,我们发现PALrs1的过表达造成酪氨酸含量下降2.6倍。这些数据暗示着PALrs1的过表达和4-香豆酸的积累并不能促进酪醇的生物合成。酪醇,作为一种苯乙烷类衍生物并非来自苯丙氨酸,而酪氨酸含量的下降则极有可能是酪醇生物合成和红景天甙积累大规模下降的直接原因。
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This report reviews some of the natural ecological processes at work within a salt marsh as they relate to a spill of natural gas condensate - a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons, n-hexane, benzene, toluene, and xylene. It also reviews the environmental impacts of some of the components of natural gas condensate as well as related compounds (crude oil, higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarons - PAHs, linear alkyl-benzenes - LABs, etc.) on salt marsh ecosystems in southern Louisiana and elsewhere in the world. The behavior and persistence of these compounds once they have entered the environment is also considered.