Newly Identified DDT-Related Compounds Accumulating in Southern California Bottlenose Dolphins.

Nontargeted GC×GC-TOF/MS analysis of blubber from 8 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting the Southern California Bight was performed to identify novel, bioaccumulative DDT-related compounds and to determine their abundance relative to the commonly studied DDT-related compounds. We identified 45 bioaccumulative DDT-related compounds of which the majority (80%) is not typically monitored in environmental media. Identified compounds include transformation products, technical mixture impurities such as tris(chlorophenyl)methane (TCPM), the presumed TCPM metabolite tris(chlorophenyl)methanol (TCPMOH), and structurally related compounds with unknown sources, such as hexa- to octachlorinated diphenylethene. To investigate impurities in pesticide mixtures as possible sources of these compounds, we analyzed technical DDT, the primary source of historical contamination in the region, and technical Dicofol, a current use pesticide that contains DDT-related compounds. The technical mixtures contained only 33% of the compounds identified in the blubber, suggesting that transformation products contribute to the majority of the load of DDT-related contaminants in these sentinels of ocean health. Quantitative analysis revealed that TCPM was the second most abundant compound class detected in the blubber, following DDE, and TCPMOH loads were greater than DDT. QSPR estimates verified 4,4',4″-TCPM and 4,4'4,″-TCPMOH are persistent and bioaccumulative.

Review on the occurrence and profiles of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the Philippines.

The environmental occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been a subject of concern for the past decade because they are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. These compounds have been listed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by the Stockholm Convention and are expected to disperse in the global environment even after their use and production. While the occurrence of PBDEs has been well characterized in environmental and biological samples from North America, Europe, and some Asian countries (i.e. China, Japan, and Korea), there is a scarcity of available data in developing Asian countries, such as the Philippines. Examination of PBDE contamination in the Philippine environment is particularly important because regulations have only recently been implemented on the production and use of PBDEs in this country. Additionally, the Philippines receives e-waste from Western countries, which is becoming a major source of organic contaminants in the tropical Asian regions. Ultimately, the Philippines may be a hot spot for contributing to on-going global PBDE pollution due to long-range atmospheric transport. This paper presents a review of the available literature on PBDEs in both environmental and biological samples collected from the Philippines. It is also intended to provide an overview on the levels and congener profiles of PBDEs in samples from the Philippines and to compare these data with other Asian countries. New data are presented on PBDE occurrence and congener profiles in fish commonly consumed by Filipinos and in particulate matter samples collected in Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Both studies contribute to the available knowledge of PBDEs in the Philippines. We aim to stress the importance of future studies in countries receiving e-wastes, such as the Philippines, and suggest what future directions might be taken to enhance the available data on the presence of PBDEs in the Philippine environment.

Identifying bioaccumulative halogenated organic compounds using a nontargeted analytical approach: seabirds as sentinels.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are typically monitored via targeted mass spectrometry, which potentially identifies only a fraction of the contaminants actually present in environmental samples. With new anthropogenic compounds continuously introduced to the environment, novel and proactive approaches that provide a comprehensive alternative to targeted methods are needed in order to more completely characterize the diversity of known and unknown compounds likely to cause adverse effects. Nontargeted mass spectrometry attempts to extensively screen for compounds, providing a feasible approach for identifying contaminants that warrant future monitoring. We employed a nontargeted analytical method using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC/TOF-MS) to characterize halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) in California Black skimmer (Rynchops niger) eggs. Our study identified 111 HOCs; 84 of these compounds were regularly detected via targeted approaches, while 27 were classified as typically unmonitored or unknown. Typically unmonitored compounds of note in bird eggs included tris(4-chlorophenyl)methane (TCPM), tris(4-chlorophenyl)methanol (TCPMOH), triclosan, permethrin, heptachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP), as well as four halogenated unknown compounds that could not be identified through database searching or the literature. The presence of these compounds in Black skimmer eggs suggests they are persistent, bioaccumulative, potentially biomagnifying, and maternally transferring. Our results highlight the utility and importance of employing nontargeted analytical tools to assess true contaminant burdens in organisms, as well as to demonstrate the value in using environmental sentinels to proactively identify novel contaminants.

Nontargeted biomonitoring of halogenated organic compounds in two ecotypes of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Southern California Bight.

Targeted environmental monitoring reveals contamination by known chemicals, but may exclude potentially pervasive but unknown compounds. Marine mammals are sentinels of persistent and bioaccumulative contaminants due to their longevity and high trophic position. Using nontargeted analysis, we constructed a mass spectral library of 327 persistent and bioaccumulative compounds identified in blubber from two ecotypes of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) sampled in the Southern California Bight. This library of halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) consisted of 180 anthropogenic contaminants, 41 natural products, 4 with mixed sources, 8 with unknown sources, and 94 with partial structural characterization and unknown sources. The abundance of compounds whose structures could not be fully elucidated highlights the prevalence of undiscovered HOCs accumulating in marine food webs. Eighty-six percent of the identified compounds are not currently monitored, including 133 known anthropogenic chemicals. Compounds related to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were the most abundant. Natural products were, in some cases, detected at abundances similar to anthropogenic compounds. The profile of naturally occurring HOCs differed between ecotypes, suggesting more abundant offshore sources of these compounds. This nontargeted analytical framework provided a comprehensive list of HOCs that may be characteristic of the region, and its application within monitoring surveys may suggest new chemicals for evaluation.

Analytical performance of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer compared to a high resolution mass spectrometer for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in fish.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardants used globally in many consumer products and industrial applications. Traditionally, gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HR-MS) is the method of choice for analysis of PBDEs in environmental samples because it offers high sensitivity and selectivity, resulting in less interferences. However, the specificity offered by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-QQQ-MS/MS), operated in selected reaction monitoring mode, provides a more affordable alternative to GC-HR-MS for the analysis of PBDEs in complex environmental samples. In this study, an analytical method was developed for the analysis of 41 PBDE congeners in fish using GC-QQQ-MS/MS. Results from the analysis of three fish species [lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)] using GC-QQQ-MS/MS were compared with those obtained by GC-HR-MS. These species were selected because they represent varying levels of lipid-rich matrix and contaminant loads. Instrumental limits of detection for the GC-QQQ-MS/MS ranged from 0.04 pg to 41 pg, whereas those for the GC-HR-MS ranged from 5 pg to 85 pg. The PBDE values obtained from these two methods were highly correlated, R(2) values >0.7, for all three fish species, supporting the suitability of GC-QQQ-MS/MS for analysis of PBDEs in fish with varying fat content.

Interprofessional education: a review and analysis of programs from three academic health centers.

The past decade witnessed momentum toward redesigning the U.S. health care system with the intent to improve quality of care. To achieve and sustain this change, health professions education must likewise reform to prepare future practitioners to optimize their ability to participate in the new paradigm of health care delivery. Recognizing that interprofessional education (IPE) is gaining momentum as a crucial aspect of health care professions training, this article provides an introduction to IPE programs from three different academic health centers, which were developed and implemented to train health care practitioners who provide patient-centered, collaborative care. The three participating programs are briefly described, as well as the processes and some lessons learned that were critical in the process of adopting IPE programs in their respective institutions. Critical aspects of each program are described to allow comparison of the critical building blocks for developing an IPE program. Among those building blocks, the authors present information on the planning processes of the different institutions, the competencies that each program aims to instill in the graduates, the snapshot of the three curricular models, and the assessment strategies used by each institution. The authors conclude by providing details that may provide insight for academic institutions considering implementation of IPE programs.

Osteopathic approach to implementing and promoting interprofessional education.

Multidisciplinary fragmentation contributes to myriad medical errors and as many as 98,000 patient deaths per year. The Institute of Medicine has proposed steps to improve healthcare delivery, including providing more opportunities for interdisciplinary training. The authors describe the interprofessional education (IPE) program at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) in Pomona, California. In 2007, 9 colleges at WesternU-including the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-undertook an IPE initiative that resulted in creation of a 3-phase program. Part of the IPE development process involved identifying core competencies that were nontechnical and nonclinical and common to all healthcare professions. The IPE development and implementation process and the identified competencies were analyzed for their relationship to the tenets of osteopathic medicine and the core competencies of osteopathic medical education. Although these tenets and core competencies were not intentionally used in the development process of the WesternU IPE program, the analysis revealed that the major components of the program are congruent with the framework of osteopathic principles and practice. The osteopathic medical profession's founding principles, broad-based perspective, and health-promoting tenets put the profession in a position to emerge as one of the leading forces in IPE.

Exploring 17α-ethinylestradiol removal, mineralization, and bioincorporation in engineered bioreactors.

This research investigated removal, mineralization, and bioincorporation of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE(2)) in membrane bioreactors and conventional bioreactors. When the influent EE(2) concentration was >50 µg/L, the membrane bioreactor (MBR) biomass removed more EE(2) than conventional bioreactor (CBR) biomass in continuous tests, likely because the sorption partitioning coefficients are higher for MBR biomass. Microautoradiography was carried out to investigate the distribution of EE(2) within the aggregates retrieved from the bioreactors, and the results revealed concentration gradients present within the floc. Experiments using radiolabeled (14)C-EE(2) experiments (done with 24.5 µg/L EE(2)) showed that EE(2) removal rates and the amount of EE(2) mineralized were similar in MBRs and CBRs. Direct measurements and bioenergetic estimates suggest that EE(2)-related carbon is probably incorporated into active biomass, despite the fact that EE(2) was added at a concentration that was much lower than that of the primary growth substrates.

Interprofessional Education program, Western University of Health Sciences.

In January 2010, Western University of Health Sciences launched the first phase of its Interprofessional Education (IPE) program. Our mission is to produce humanistic healthcare professionals who practice collaborative patient-centered care. The university wide comprehensive IPE program model includes didactic, experiential and clinical care phases. The first phase of the IPE program, didactic, rolled out during the 2009-2010 academic year. While the data from the first year is still being evaluated, initial indicators reveal the launching of the first year of the program was a success. Assessment is and will continue to be an essential aspect of every phase of the IPE model.