EDTA-enhanced phytoremediation of lead contaminated soil by Bidens maximowicziana

Phytoremediation is a potential cleanup technology for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils.Bidens maximowicziana is a new Pb hyperaccumulator,which not only has remarkable tolerance to Pb but also extraordinary accumulation capacity for Pb.The maximum Pb concentration was 1509.3 mg/kg in roots and 2164.7 mg/kg in overground tissues.The Pb distribution order in the B. maximowicziana was:leaf>stem>root.The effect of amendments on phytoremediation was also studied.The mobility of soil Pb and the Pb concentrations in plants were both increased by EDTA application.Compared with CK(control check),EDTA application promoted translocation of Pb to overground parts of the plant.The Pb concentrations in overground parts of plants was increased from 24.23-680.56 mg/kg to 29.07-1905.57 mg/kg.This research demonstrated that B.maximowicziana appeared to be suitable for phytoremediation of Pb contaminated soil,especially,combination with EDTA.     

Isolation and preliminary characterization of a 3-chlorobenzoate degrading bacteria

A study was conducted to compare the diversity of 2-, 3-, and 4-chlorobenzoate degraders in two pristine soils and one contaminated sewage sludge. These samples contained strikingly different populations of mono-chlorobenzoate degraders. Although fewer cultures were isolated in the uncontaminated soils than contaminated one, the ability of microbial populations to mineralize chlorobenzoate was widespread. The 3- and 4-chlorobenzoate degraders were more diverse than the 2-chlorobenzoate degraders. One of the strains isolated from the sewage sludge was obtained. Based on its phenotype, chemotaxonomic properties and 16S rRNA gene, the organism S-7 was classified as Rhodococcus erythropolis. The strain can grow at temperature from 4 to 37℃. It can utilize several （halo）aromatic compounds. Moreover, strain S-7 can grow and use 3-chlorobenzoate as sole carbon source in a temperatures range of 10-30℃ with stoichiometric release of chloride ions. The psychrotolerant ability was significant for bioremediation in low temperature regions. Catechol and chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase activities were present in cell free extracts of the strain, but no （chloro）catechol 2,3- dioxygenase activities was detected. Spectral conversion assays with extracts from R. erythropolis S-7 showed accumulation of a compound with a similar UV spectrum as chloro-cis,cis-muconate from 3-chlorobenzoate. On the basis of these results, we proposed that S-7 degraded 3-chlorobenzoate through the modified ortho-cleave pathway.     

Distribution and ecological effect of mercury in Laogang landfill, Shanghai, China

Laogang landfill near Shanghai is the largest landfill in China, and receives about 10000 t of daily garbage per day, Samples of topsoil and plants were analyzed to evaluate mercury pollution from the landfill. For topsoil samples, there were significant correlations among total mercury （HgT）, combinative mercury （Hgc） and gaseous mercury （HgG）, and content of total organic carbon （TOC）, but, no significantly relationship was found between Hg content and filling time. Hg content changes in vertical profiles with time showed that the average Hgv of profiles 1992, 1996, and 2000 was similar, but their average HgG was quite different. HgT was significantly correlated with Hgc in profile 1992 and 2000, and Hgv was significantly correlated with Hg6 in profile 1996. HgG/Hgv ratio in profile samples decreased in the order of （HgG,/HgT）1992〉（HgG/HgT）1996〉〉（HgG/HgT）2000. A simple outline of Hg release in landfill could be drawn： with increasing of filling time, degradation undergoes different biodegradation, accordingly, gaseous mercury goes through small, more, and small proportion to total mercury. Distribution of Hg in plants was inhomogeneous, following the order of leaf〉root〉stem. The highest value of leaf may be associated with higher atmospheric Hg from landfill. Ligneous plants （e.g. Phyllostachys glanca, Prunus salicina and Ligustrum lucidum） are capable of enriching more Hg than herbaceous plants.     

Potential of plant polyphenol oxidases in the decolorization and removal of textile and non-textile dyes

In this study an effort has been made to use plant polyphenol oxidases; potato （Solanum tuberosum） and brinjal （Solanum melongena）, for the treatment of various important dyes used in textile and other industries. The ammonium sulphate fractionated enzyme preparations were used to treat a number of dyes under various experimental conditions. Majority of the treated dyes were maximally decolorized at pH 3.0. Some of the dyes were quickly decolorized whereas others were marginally decolorized. The initial first hour was sufficient for the maximum decolorization of dyes. The rate of decolorization was quite slow on long treatment of dyes. Enhancement in the dye decolorization was noticed on increasing the concentration of enzymes. The complex mixtures of dyes were treated with both preparations of polyphenol oxidases in the buffers of varying pH values. Potato polyphenol oxidase was significantly more effective in decolorizing the dyes to higher extent as compared to the enzyme obtained from brinjal polyphenol oxidase. Decolorization of dyes and their mixtures, followed by the formation of an insoluble precipitate, which could be easily removed simply by centrifugation.     

Decomposition of alachlor by ozonation and its mechanism

Decomposition and corresponding mechanism of alachlor, an endocrine disruptor in water by ozonation were investigated. Results showed that alachlor could not be completely mineralized by ozone alone. Many intermediates and final products were formed during the process, including aromatic compounds, aliphatic carboxylic acids, and inorganic ions. In evoluting these products, some of them with weak polarity were qualitatively identified by GC-MS. The information of inorganic ions suggested that the dechlorination was the first and the fastest step in the ozonation of alachlor.     

Enzymatic oxidation of aqueous pentachlorophenol

The influence of the nonionic surfactant Tween 80 on pentachlorophenol （PCP） oxidation catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase was studied. The surfactant was tested at concentrations below and above its critical micelle concentration （CMC）. Enhancement of PCP removal was observed at sub-CMCs. The presence of Tween 80 in the reaction mixture reduced enzyme inactivation which occurred through a combination of free radical attack and sorption by precipitated products. A simple first-order model was able to simulate time profiles for enzyme inactivation in the presence or absence of Tween 80. At supra-CMCs, the surfactant caused noticeable reductions in PCP removal, presumably through micelle partitioning of PCP which precluded the hydrophobic PCP molecule from interacting with the enzyme.     

Effects of chitosan on growth of an aquatic plant (Hydrilla verticillata) in polluted waters with different chemical oxygen demands

Effects of chitosan on a submersed plant, Hydrilla verticillata, were investigated. Results indicated that H. venicillata could prevent ultrastructure phytotoxicities and oxidativereaction from polluted water with high chemical oxygen demand (COD). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in H. verticillata treated with 0.1% chitosan in wastewater increased with high COD (980 mg/L) and decreased with low COD (63 mg/L), respectively. Ultrastructural analysis showed that the stroma and grana of chloroplast basically remained normal. However, plant cells from the control experiment (untreated with chitosan) were vacuolated and the cell interval increased. The relict of protoplast moved to the center, with cells tending to disjoint. Our findings indicate that wastewater with high COD concentration can cause a substantial damage to submersed plant, nevertheless, chitosan probably could alleviate the membrane lipid peroxidization and ultrastructure phytotoxicities, and protect plant cells from stress of high COD concentration polluted water.     

Effects of used lubricating oil on two mangroves Aegiceras corniculatum and Avicennia marina

An outdoor experiment was set up to investigate the effects of used lubricating oil(5 L/m~2)on Aegiceras corniculatum Blanco. and Avicennia marina(Forsk)Vierh.,two salt-excreting mangroves.A.marina was more sensitive to used lubricating oil than A. corniculatum and canopy-oiling resulted in more direct physical damage and stronger lethal effects than base-oiling.When treated with canopy-oiling,half of A.corniculatum plants survived for the whole treatment time(90 d);but,for A.marina,high mortality (83%)resulted from canopy-oiling within 3 weeks and no plants survived for 80 d.Base-oiling had no lethal effects on A.corniculatum plants even at the termination of this experiment,but 83% of A.marina plants died 80 d after treatment.Forty days after canopy- oiling,93% ofA.corniculatum leaves fell and no live leaves remained on A.marina plants.By the end of the experiment,base-oiling treatment resulted in about 45% ofA.corniculatum leaves falling,while all A.marina leaves and buds were burned to die.Lubricating oil resulted in physiological damage to A.corniculatum leaves,including decreases in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents,nitrate reductase,peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities,and increases in malonaldehyde contents.For both species,oil pollution significantly reduced leaf,root,and total biomass,but did not significantly affect stem biomass.Oil pollution resulted in damage to the xylem vessels of fine roots but not to those of mediate roots.     

Effect of coagulation pretreatment on the fouling of ultrafiltration membrane

The purpose of this study is to understand the effect and mechanism of preventing membrane fouling, by coagulation pretreatment, in terms of fractional component and molecular weight of natural organic matter （NOM）. A relatively higher molecular weight （MW） of hydrophobic compounds was responsible for a rapid decline in the ultrafiltration flux. Coagulation could effectively remove the hydrophobic organics, resulting in the increase of flux. It was found that a lower MW of neutral hydrophilic compounds, which could remove inadequately by coagulation, was responsible for the slow declining flux. The fluxes in the filtration of coagulated water and supernatant water were compared and the results showed that a lower MW of neutral hydrophilic compounds remained in the supernatant water after coagulation could be rejected by a membrane, resulting in fouling. It was also found that the coagulated flocs could absorb neutral hydrophilic compounds effectively. Therefore, with the coagulated flocs formed on the membrane surface, the flux decline could be improved.     

Toxic effects of acetochlor, methamidophos and their combination on nifH gene in soil

Toxic effects of two agrochemicals on nifH gene in agricultural black soil were investigated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） and sequencing approaches in a microcosm experiment. Changes of soil nifH gene diversity and composition were examined following the application of acetochlor, methamidophos and their combination. Acetochlor reduced the nifH gene diversity （both in gene richness and diversity index values） and caused changes in the nifH gene composition. The effects of acetochlor on nifH gene were strengthened as the concentration of acetochlor increased. Cluster analysis of DGGE banding patterns showed that nifH gene composition which had been affected by low concentration of acetochlor （50 mg/kg） recovered firstly. Methamidophos reduced nifH gene richness that except at 4 weeks. The medium concentration of methamidophos （150 mg/kg） caused the most apparent changes in nifH gene diversity at the first week while the high concentration of methamidophos （250 mg/kg） produced prominent effects on nifH gene diversity in the following weeks. Cluster analysis showed that minimal changes of nifH gene composition were found at 1 week and maximal changes at 4 weeks. Toxic effects of acetochlor and methamidophos combination on nifH gene were also apparent. Different nifH genes （bands） responded differently to the impact of agrochemicals： four individual bands were eliminated by the application of the agrochemicals, five bands became predominant by the stimulation of the agrochemicals, and four bands showed strong resistance to the influence of the agrochemicals. Fifteen prominent bands were partially sequenced, yielding 15 different nifH sequences, which were used for phylogenetic reconstructions. All sequences were affiliated with the alpha- and beta-proteobacteria, showing higher similarity to eight different diazotrophic genera.     

Single and joint effects of pesticides and mercury on soil urease

The influence of two pesticides including chlorimuron-ethyl and furadan and mercury （Hg） on urease activity in 4 soils （meadow burozem and phaeozem） was investigated. The soils were exposed to various concentrations of the two pesticides and Hg individually and simultaneously. Results showed that there was a close relationship between urease activity and organic matter content in soil. Chlorimuron-ethyl and furadan could both activate urease in the 4 soils. The maximum increment of urease activity by chlorimuronethyl was up to 14%-18%. There was almost an equal increase （up to 13%-21%） in the urease activity by furadan. On the contrary, Hg markedly inhibited soil urease activity. A logarithmic equation was used to describe the relationship （P〈0.05） between the concentration of Hg and the activity of soil urease in the 4 tested soils. Semi-effect dose （ED50） values by the stress of Hg based on the inhibition of soil urease in the 4 soils were 88, 5.5, 24 and 20 mg/kg, respectively, according to the calculation of the corresponding equations. The interactive effect of chlorimuron-ethyl or furadan with metal Hg on soil urease was mainly synergic at the highest tested concentrations.     

Sensitivity of key factors and uncertainties in health risk assessment of benzene pollutant

Predicting long-term potential human health risks from contaminants in the multimedia environment requires the use of models. However,there is uncertainty associated with these predictions of many parameters which can be represented by ranges or probability distributions rather than single value.Based on a case study with information from an actual site contaminated with benzene,this study describes the application of MMSOILS model to predict health risk and distributions of those predictions generated using Monte Carlo techniques.A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate which of the random variables are most important in producing the predicted distributions of health risks.The sensitivity analysis shows that the predicted distributions can be accurately reproduced using a small subset of the random variables.The practical implication of this analysis is the ability to distinguish between important versus unimportant random variables in terms of their sensitivity to selected endpoints.This directly translates into a reduction in data collection and modeling effort.It was demonstrated that how correlation coefficient could be used to evaluate contributions to overall uncertainty from each parameter.The integrated uncertainty analysis shows that although drinking groundwater risk is similar with inhalation air risk,uncertainties of total risk come dominantly from drinking groundwater route.Most percent of the variance of total risk comes from four random variables.     

Detection, isolation, and identification of cadmium-resistant bacteria based on PCR-DGGE

This study focused on the screening of cadmium-resistant bacterial strains from Pb-Zn tailing. We investigated the diversity of microbial community inhabiting Dong-san-cha Pb-Zn tailing in Beijing, China, by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） of 16S rRNA gene of bacterial strain, and found two dominant strains in the DGGE profile. Using special culture media, we isolated two strong cadmium-resistant bacterial strains. On the basis of morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, BIOLOG, and 16S rDNA sequencing, the two strains were identified as Bacillus cereus and Enterobacter cloacae. Minimal inhibitory concentrations （MICs） of heavy metals for the bacteria were determined. E. cloacae showed higher MIC values for heavy metals and a larger range of antibiotic resistance than B. cereus.     

Degradation mechanism of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in supercritical water oxidation

The 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene(TNT)is a potential carcinogens and TNT contaminated wastewater,which could not be effectively disposed with conventional treatments.The supercritical water oxidation(SCWO)to treat TNT contaminated wastewater was studied in this article.The TNT concentration in wastewater was measured by high-performance liquid chromatograph(HPLC)and the degraded intermediates were analyzed using GC-MS.The results showed that SCWO could degrade TNT efficiently in the presence of oxygen.The reaction temperature,pressure,residence time and oxygen excess were the main contributing factors in the process.The decomposition of TNT was accelerated as the temperature or residence time increased.At 550℃,24 MPa,120 s and oxygen excess 300%,TNT removal rate could exceed 99.9%.Partial oxidation occured in SCWO without oxygen.It was concluded that supercritical water was a good solvent and had excellent oxidation capability in the existence of oxygen.The main intermediates of TNT during SCWO included toluene,1,3,5-trinitrobenzene,nitrophenol,naphthalene,fluorenone,dibutyl phthalate,alkanes and several dimers based on the intermediate analysis.Some side reactions,such as coupled reaction,hydrolysis reaction and isomerization reaction may take place simultaneously when TNT was oxidized by SCWO.     

Air quality nearby road traffic tunnel portals： BTEX monitoring

A monitoring campaign of BTEX （benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o- m- and p-xylene） was carried out nearby two tunnel portals in the urban area of Naples with the aim to verify air quality in this kind of urban sites. Sampling was carried out using the active adsorption technique. Sampling time was 1 h. Ambient temperature and traffic flow measurements were carried out during each sampling operation. The results indicate that average benzene concentrations at both sites exceed the limit value of 10 μg/Nm^3 established by the European Community （EC） （Dir. 2000/69）. Concentration levels of other BTEX are relatively high as well. A correlation between BTEX concentration and two wheeler vehicle flow was observed.     

Bee-hawking by the wasp, <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Vespa velutina</Emphasis>, on the honeybees <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Apis cerana</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">A</Emphasis>. <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">mellifera</Emphasis>

The vespine wasps, Vespa velutina, specialise in hawking honeybee foragers returning to their nests. We studied their behaviour in China using native Apis cerana and introduced A. mellifera colonies. When the wasps are hawking, A. cerana recruits threefold more guard bees to stave off predation than A. mellifera. The former also utilises wing shimmering as a visual pattern disruption mechanism, which is not shown by A. mellifera. A. cerana foragers halve the time of normal flight needed to dart into the nest entrance, while A. mellifera actually slows down in sashaying flight manoeuvres. V. velutina preferentially hawks A. mellifera foragers when both A. mellifera and A. cerana occur in the same apiary. The pace of wasp-hawking was highest in mid-summer but the frequency of hawking wasps was three times higher at A. mellifera colonies than at the A. cerana colonies. The wasps were taking A. mellifera foragers at a frequency eightfold greater than A. cerana foragers. The final hawking success rates of the wasps were about three times higher for A. mellifera foragers than for A. cerana. The relative success of native A. cerana over European A. mellifera in thwarting predation by the wasp V. velutina is interpreted as the result of co-evolution between the Asian wasp and honeybee, respectively.     

Alga-lysing bioreactor and the dominant bacteria strain

Alga-lysing bacteria have been paid much attention to in recent years. In this study, the alga-lysing strain P05 which was isolated from an immobilizing biosystem was immobilized by coke and elastic filler, forming two biological reactors. The removal efficiencies of algae, NH3-N and organic matter using the two reactors were studied. The results showed that strain P05 was an ideal algal-lysing bacteria strain because it was easy to be immobilized by coke and elastic filler which are of cheap, low biodegradability and the simple immobilization procedure. After 7 d filming, the biological film could be formed and the reactors were used to treat the eutrophic water. These two reactors were of stability and high effect with low cost and easy operation. The optimal hydraulic retention time (HRT) of each reactor was 4 h. The algae removal rates were 80.38% and 82.1% (in term of Chl-a) of coke reactor and filler reactor, respectively. And that of NH3-N were 52.3% and 52.7%. The removal rates of CODMn were 39.03% and 39.64%. The strain P05 was identified as Bacillus sp. by PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene, BLAST analysis, and comparison with sequences in the GenBank nucleotide database.     

Isolation and algae-lysing characteristics of the algicidal bacterium B5

Water blooms have become a worldwide environmental problem.Recently,algicidal bacteria have attracted wide attention as possible agents for inhibiting algal water blooms.In this study,one strain of algicidal bacterium B5 was isolated from activated sludge.On the basis of analysis of its physiological characteristics and 16S rDNA gene sequence,it was identified as Bacillusfusiformis.Its algae- lysing characteristics on Microcystis aeruginosa,Chlorella and Scenedesmus were tested.The results showed that:(1)the algicidal bacterium B5 is a Gram-negative bacterium.The 16S rDNA nucleotide sequence homology of strain B5 with 2 strains of B.fusiformis reached 99.86%,so B5 was identified as B.fusiformis;(2)the algal-lysing effects of the algicidal bacterium B5 on M.aeruginosa, Chlorella and Scenedesmus were pronounced.The initial bacterial and algal cell densities strongly influence the removal rates of chlorophyll-α.The greater the initial bacterial cell density,the faster the degradation of chlorophyll-α.The greater the initial algal cell density,the slower the degradation of chlorophyll-α.When the bacterial cell density was 3.6 x l07 cells/ml,nearly 90% of chlorophyll-αwas removed.When the chlorophyll-αconcentration was less than 550μg/L,about 70% was removed;(3)the strain B5 lysed algae by secreting metabolites and these metabolites could bear heat treatment.     

Removal of cadmium using MnO2 loaded D301 resin

MnO2 loaded weak basic anion exchange resin D301 （Anion exchange resin, macroreticular weak basic styrene） as adsorbent has been prepared and applied to the removal of cadmium. The adsorption characteristics have been investigated with respect to effect of pH, equilibrium isotherms, removal kinetic data, and interference of the coexisting ions. The results indicated that the Cd^2＋ could be efficiently removed using MnO2 loaded D301 resin in the pH range of 3-8 from aqueous solutions with the co-existence of high concentration of alkali and alkaline-earth metals ions. The saturate adsorption capacity of the Cd^2＋ was 77.88 mg/g. The adsorption process followed the pseudo first-order kinetics. The equilibrium data obtained in this study accorded excellently with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm.     

Alterations of organ histopathology and metallolhionein mRNA expression in silver barb, Puntius gonionotus during subchronic cadmium exposure

Common silver barb,Puntius gonionotus,exposed to the nominal concentration of 0.06 mg/L Cd for 60 d,were assessed for histopathological alterations(gills,liver and kidney),metal accumulation,and metallothionein(MT)mRNA expression.Fish exhibited pathological symptoms such as hypertrophy and hyperplasia of primary and secondary gill lamellae,vacuolization in hepatocytes,and prominent tubular and glomerular damage in the kidney.In addition,kidney accumulated the highest content of cadmium,more than gills and liver.Expression of MT mRNA was increased in both liver and kidney of treated fish.Hepatic MT levels remained high after fish were removed to Cd-free water.In contrast,MT expression in kidney was peaked after 28 d of treatment and drastically dropped when fish were removed to Cd-free water.The high concentrations of Cd in hepatic tissues indicated an accumulation site or permanent damage on this tissue.