China is rich in antimony, boron, and vanadium mineral resources, which have been detected in environmental water bodies and drinking water. During the revision process of the "Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB5749-2006)", research and evaluation are focused on three indicators: antimony, boron and vanadium. Vanadium is added and the limit value of boron is adjusted. This study reviews and discusses the technical contents related to the revision of the antimony, boron and vanadium, including the environmental presence levels, exposure status, health effects, and the revision of the standard limits of these three indicators. Suggestions are also made for the implementation of this standard.
Humans ; Antimony ; Boron/analysis* ; China ; Drinking Water ; Vanadium ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis*

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of road dust on human health. A PubMed search was used to extract references that included the words “road dust” and “health” or “fugitive dust” and “health” in the title or abstract. A total of 46 references were extracted and selected for review after the primary screening of 949 articles. The respiratory system was found to be the most affected system in the human body. Lead, platinum-group elements (platinum, rhodium, and bohrium), aluminum, zinc, vanadium, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were the components of road dust that were most frequently referenced in the articles reviewed. Road dust was found to have harmful effects on the human body, especially on the respiratory system. To determine the complex mechanism of action of various components of road dust on the human body and the results thereof, the authors recommend a further meta-analysis and extensive risk-assessment research into the health impacts of dust exposure.
Aluminum ; Dust* ; Human Body ; Humans* ; Mass Screening ; Particulate Matter ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Respiratory System ; Review Literature as Topic ; Rhodium ; Risk Assessment ; Vanadium ; Zinc

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of road dust on human health. A PubMed search was used to extract references that included the words “road dust” and “health” or “fugitive dust” and “health” in the title or abstract. A total of 46 references were extracted and selected for review after the primary screening of 949 articles. The respiratory system was found to be the most affected system in the human body. Lead, platinum-group elements (platinum, rhodium, and bohrium), aluminum, zinc, vanadium, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were the components of road dust that were most frequently referenced in the articles reviewed. Road dust was found to have harmful effects on the human body, especially on the respiratory system. To determine the complex mechanism of action of various components of road dust on the human body and the results thereof, the authors recommend a further meta-analysis and extensive risk-assessment research into the health impacts of dust exposure.
Aluminum ; Dust ; Human Body ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Particulate Matter ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Respiratory System ; Review Literature as Topic ; Rhodium ; Risk Assessment ; Vanadium ; Zinc

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of cytochrome c (Cyt-c), caspase-9, and caspase-3 in pentavalent vanadium-induced neuronal apoptosis and to provide a basis for mechanism research.

METHODSNeurons from rats aged 1-3 days were cultured and treated with vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) at 5, 10, or 20 mmol/L. Neuronal apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). The protein levels of Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were determined by Western blot.

RESULTSApoptosis bodies were detected in the nuclei of neurons by TUNEL. The number of neurons with apoptosis bodies increased with increasing dose of V2O5 The apoptosis index (AI) was significantly higher in the 10 and 20 mm/L exposure groups than in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of Cyt-c and caspase-3 significantly increased in the 5 mmol/L exposure group as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the 10 and 20 mmol/L exposure groups, the protein expression of Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 all increased as compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Neuronal AI was positively correlated with Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 (r = 0.954, P < 0.01; r = 0.938, P < 0.01; r = 0.943, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPentavalent vanadium may induce neuronal apoptosis. The protein expression of Cyt-c, caspase-9, and caspase-3 may play an important role in neuronal apoptosis induced by pentavalent vanadium.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Vanadium ; toxicity ; Vanadium Compounds ; toxicity

BACKGROUND: Groundwater is believed to possess many beneficial effects due to its natural source of various minerals. In this study, we examined the effects of natural Jeju groundwater S1 (Samdasoo(TM)), S2 and S3 pumped up from different locations of Jeju Island, Korea, along with local tap water, on body weight gain, serum lipids and lipoproteins, and liver histopathology in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Rats were randomly and equally divided into 6 groups. Different water samples were supplied to the hyperlipidemic rats as their daily drinking water and the widely-used anti-hyperlipidemic drug simvastatin was used as a positive control. Body weight, serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured weekly. Liver weight, liver index and liver histopathology were examined after the execution of the rats. RESULTS: After drinking Jeju groundwaters for two months, S2 but not S3 significantly reduced weight growth and serum triglycerides levels and increased high density lipoprotein-C (HDL-C) without affecting total cholesterol or LDL-C. S1 and particularly S2 significantly reduced the severity of liver hypertrophy and steatosis. All Groundwaters had much higher contents of vanadium (S3>S2>S1>>tap water) whereas S1 and S2 but not S3 markedly blocked autoxidation of ferrous ions. CONCLUSION: Jeju Groundwater S1 and particularly S2 exhibit protective effects against hyperlipidemia and fatty liver and hypothesize that the beneficial effect of Jeju Groundwaters may be contributed from blockade of autoxidation of ferrous ions rather than their high contents of vanadium.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Drinking Water ; Fatty Liver ; Groundwater* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertrophy ; Ions ; Korea ; Lipid Metabolism* ; Lipoproteins ; Liver ; Minerals ; Rats* ; Simvastatin ; Triglycerides ; Vanadium ; Water

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax in pentavalent vanadium-induced neuronal apoptosis and the neurotoxicity of pentavalent vanadium to in vitro cultured rat neurons.

METHODSNeurons from rats were cultured in vitro and treated with different concentrations of V2O5. Neuronal apoptosis was evaluated by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL). The expression of caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax in neurons was measured by Western blot. The images collected by gel imaging system and scanner were analyzed.

RESULTSThe TUNEL showed that compared with the control group, the middle- and high-dose exposure groups had significantly increased apoptosis index (AI) of neurons (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the middle- and high-dose exposure groups had significantly increased expression of caspase-3 and Bax and significantly decreased expression of Bcl-2 (P <0.05 or P < 0.01). The AI of neurons was positively correlated with the expression of caspase-3 and Bax (r = 0.943, P < 0.01; r = 0.937, P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with the expression of Bcl-2 (r = -0.908, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPentavalent vanadium may induce neuronal apoptosis, and the expression of caspase-3, Bcl-2, and Bax, which regulate apoptosis, plays an important role in the neuronal apoptosis induced by pentavalent vanadium.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vanadium ; toxicity ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

PURPOSE: A composite of aluminum and vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) is one of the most common compositions of titanium-based alloys. Unfortunately, vanadium has been found to cause adverse reactions. We evaluated the effects of vanadium containing titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) on an osteoblast-like cell line (SaOS-2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the biologic and morphologic responses of SaOS-2 cell to Ti alloy with grit blasting and Ti coated Ti alloy with grit blasting. We performed energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations and performed a cell proliferation assay, ALP activity, and cell migration assay of SaOS-2 cells. RESULTS: The morphologic assessment of cells through SEM showed that the two surfaces were covered with similar amounts of small slender osteoblast like cells. The amount of proliferation, ALP activity and the migration extent of SaOS-2 cells on the surfaces of each group were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: We used a grit-blasted Ti-coated Ti alloy, coated using electron beam deposition, and a grit-blasted Ti alloy to evaluate the toxicity of Ti-6Al-4V on SaOS-2 cell. Compared with pure titanium, the vanadium-containing Ti-alloy did not show an adverse effect on SaOS-2 cells.
Alloys ; Aluminum ; Cell Line ; Cell Migration Assays ; Cell Proliferation ; Electrons ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteoblasts ; Spectrum Analysis ; Titanium ; Vanadium

PURPOSE: There have been reports that a higher serum level of selenium is related to a lower incidence of prostate cancer. Serum leptin and IGF-1 are factors related to metabolic syndromes which are also known to be related to prostate cancer, and the higher their levels, the higher the possibility of prostate carcinogenesis. Thus, we measured the serum levels of leptin and IGF-1 in rats that were given selenium-rich hot spring water to drink in an attempt to elucidate the role of selenium on prostate cancer prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of twelve white SD rats was included in the study, and they were further divided into a control group (Group 1, n=6) induced to drink normal saline, and those rats that drank selenium-rich hot spring water for 4 weeks (Group 2, n=6). The hot spring water that we used was from the Kum-jin region of Korea, which contains a rich supply of the minerals selenium, vanadium, calcium and magnesium. The concentration of selenium in the hot spring water was 480 microgram/l. The two groups were each given 50 ml/day of normal saline or selenium-rich hot spring water. After the period of the experiment, we drew blood samples from both groups and measured their serum leptin and IGF-1 levels using ELISA. RESULTS: The serum leptin level (pg/ml) was 964.04+/-127.77 in Group 1, and 531.92+/-151.04 in Group 2, allowing us to confirm that it was significantly less in those that drank the selenium-rich hot spring water (p<0.05). Also, the serum IGF-1 levels (pg/ml) were 1,247.72+/-53.85 and 933.03+/-113.69 in Groups 1 and 2, respectively, which again, illustrated the significantly lower level in those rats that were given selenium-rich hot spring water (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Significantly decreased serum levels of leptin and IGF-1 were observed in rats that drank selenium-rich hot spring water. A study of the long-term effect of selenium-rich hot spring water on prostate cancer is necessary; if it is indeed proven to have long-term effects, we believe it will become valuable in clinical practice.
Animals ; Calcium ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hot Springs ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Korea ; Leptin ; Magnesium ; Minerals ; Prostate ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Rats ; Selenium ; Vanadium

PURPOSE: Ti-6Al-4V alloy is widely used as an implant material because of its good biocompatibility and good mechanical property compared with commercial pure titanium. Otherwise, toxicity of aluminum and vanadium in vivo has been reported. Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy is recently developed in the R&D Center for Ti and Special Alloys and it was reported that this alloy has high mechanical strength, no cytotoxicity and similar biocompatibility to commercial pure titanium, but many studies are needed for its clinical use. In these experiment, we carried out different surface treatment on each Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy disks, then cultured cell on it and assessed biological response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: cpTi, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy disks were prepared and carried out sandblasting and acid etching (SLA) or alkali-heat treatment (AH) on the Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy disks. We cultured primary rat calvarial cells on each surface and assessed early cell attachment and proliferation by scanning electron microscopy, cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity. RESULT: The rates of cell proliferation on the cpTi, Ti-8Ta-3Nb AH disks were higher than others (p<0.05) and alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly enhanced on the Ti-8Ta-3Nb AH disks (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Most favorable cell response was shown on the Ti-8Ta-3Nb AH surfaces. It is supposed that alkali-heat treatment of the Ti-8Ta-3Nb alloy could be induced earlier bone healing and osseointegration than smooth surface.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Alloys ; Aluminum ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osseointegration ; Rats ; Titanium ; Vanadium

Graphite ; Humans ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; methods ; Vanadium ; urine