The College of Marin is a public community college in Marin County, California, with two campuses, one in Kentfield, and the second in Novato. It is the only institution operated by the Marin Community College District.College of Marin has been in operation since 1926. Each semester, about 10,000 students are enrolled in over 1,100 credit classes. Approximately 100 international students participate in College of Marin's International Student Program. Nearly 6,000 students attend the college's community education and community services classes. College of Marin is known for its theatre department, which has the highest transfer acceptance to Juilliard of any two-year college in the nation.
In marine environments, micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) and biomolecules will inevitably combine to form eco-corona. However, the presence of eco-corona may change MNP physicochemical properties, thereby impacting their biological effects. This study investigated how eco-corona influenced the visual toxicity and potential mechanisms of MNPs in marine medaka. The results showed that MNPs, with or without eco-corona, can cause eye malformation, retinal damage, eye cell apoptosis, and suppression of visual-related gene expression. Although MNPs caused visual impairments, they did not lead to abnormal behavior during light-dark alternation. Moreover, while 5 mu m polystyrene microplastics (MP5) caused eye swelling, 50 nm polystyrene microplastics (NP50) resulted in more severe retinal damage. Regardless of eco-corona, NP50 induced greater activity during dark periods compared with MP5. Notably, eco-corona exacerbated retinal damage and cell apoptosis caused by MNPs, leading to increased activity. The analysis of visual-related genes revealed that eco-corona aggravated the visual toxicity of MNPs, and NP50 exhibited greater visual toxicity than MP5, regardless of eco-corona. Overall, smaller MNPs may pose higher risks to the visual system in real marine environments. This study provides novel insights into the effects of eco-corona in MNP-induced visual toxicity and highlights the importance of considering biomolecules in marine environments.
This study addresses the pressing need for sensitive and selective detection of silver ions (Ag+) due to their harmful environmental and health impacts. Traditional detection methods, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), are often expensive and complex, limiting their practical applicability. In this research, we developed a novel colorimetric sensing method utilizing Cu-doped manganese dioxide nanoflowers (Cu-MnO2 NFs) synthesized via a hydrothermal process. The catalytic performance of these nanoflowers was optimized for the oxidation of colorless 3,3 ',5,5 '-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to its blue oxidized form (oxTMB). The introduction of glutathione (GSH) allowed for a competitive reduction process, where Ag+ ions formed complexes with GSH, leading to a measurable color change that correlates with Ag+ concentration. Our method demonstrated a linear detection range of 2-26 mu M and a minimum detection limit of 700 nM for Ag+. Through a thorough examination of selectivity against other metal ions, this colorimetric approach proves to be effective in pollutant detection within aquatic ecosystems, contributing valuable insights into environmental monitoring.
