Cyanide Removal by Chinese Vegetation. Quantification of the Michaelis-Menten Kinetics (6 pp)

Background Little is known about metabolism rates of environmental chemicals by vegetation. A good model compound to study the variation of rates among plant species is cyanide. Vascular plants possess an enzyme system that detoxifies cyanide by converting it to the amino acid asparagine. Knowledge of the kinetic parameters, the half-saturation constant (Km) and the maximum metabolic capacity (vmax), is very useful for enzyme characterization and biochemical purposes. The goal of this study is to find the enzyme kinetics (KM and vmax) during cyanide metabolism in the presence of Chinese vegetation, to provide quantitative data for engineered phytoremediation, and to investigate the variation of metabolic rates of plants. Methods Detached leaves (1.0 g fresh weight) from 12 species out of 9 families were kept in glass vessels with 100 mL of aqueous solution spiked with potassium cyanide at 23°C for 28 h. Four different treatment concentrations of cyanide were used, ranging from 0.44 to 7.69 mg CN/L. The disappearance of cyanide from the aqueous solution was analyzed spectrophotometrically. Realistic values of the half-saturation constant (KM) and the maximum metabolic capacity (vmax) were estimated by a computer program using non-linear regression treatments. As a comparison, Lineweaver-Burk plots were also used to estimate the kinetic parameters. Results and Discussion The values obtained for KM and vmax varied with plant species. Using non-linear regression treatments, values of vmax and KM were found in a range between 6.68 and 21.91 mg CN/kg/h and 0.90 to 3.15 mg CN/L, respectively. The highest vmax was by Chinese elder (Sambucus chinensis), followed by upright hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica). The lowest vmax was demonstrated by the hybrid willow (Salix matssudana x alba). However, the highest KM was found in the water lily (Nymphea teragona), followed by the poplar (Populus deltoides Marsh). The lowest KM was demonstrated by corn (Zea mays L.). The values of vmax were normally distributed with a mean of 13 mg CN/kg/h. Conclusions Significant removal of cyanide from aqueous solution was observed in the presence of plant materials without phytotoxicity, even at high doses of cyanide. This gives rise to the conclusion that the Chinese plant species used in this study are all able to efficiently metabolize cyanide, although with different maximum metabolic capacities. A second conclusion is that the variation of metabolism rates between species is small. All these plants had a similar KM, indicating the same enzyme is active in all plants. Recommendations and Outlook Detoxification of cyanide with trees seems to be a feasible option for cleaning soils and water contaminated with cyanide. For phytoremediation projects, screening appropriate plant species adapted to local conditions should be seriously considered. More chemicals should be investigated to find common principles of the metabolism of environmental chemicals by plants.     

Exploiting plant metabolism for the phytoremediation of persistent herbicides

Weed control by herbicides has helped us to create the green revolution and to provide food for at least the majority of human beings living today. However, some herbicides remain in the environment and pose an ecological problem. The present review describes the properties and fate of four representative herbicides known to be presistent in ecosystems. Metabolic networks are depicted and it is concluded that removal of these compounds by the ecologically friendly technique of phytoremediation is possible. The largest problem is seen in the uptake of the compounds into suitable plants and the time needed for such an approach.     

利用填埋层内生物代谢控制生活垃圾填埋场渗滤液污染

讨论了目前国内卫生填埋场运行中存在的渗滤液问题 ,分析了不同填埋结构中生物代谢环境和主要污染物的代谢途径 ,探讨了不同填埋结构中利用渗滤液回灌来控制渗滤液污染的“生物反应器型”填埋技术。     

单甲脒动物代谢的研究

采用气相色谱／傅立叶红外光谱和气相色谱／质谱仪分析大鼠肝脏中单甲脒的代谢产物，证明大鼠经口摄入单甲脒后，在肝脏中迅速代谢，其代谢中间产物为２，４－二甲基苯胺和含酰胺基的化全物。     

体育场馆内PM_(2.5)暴露对运动大鼠行为学及相关无氧代谢酶活性的影响

通过非暴露式气管滴注法建立损伤模型,按照低、中、高3种剂量细颗粒物(PM_(2.5))进行染毒,以研究不同浓度PM_(2.5)对运动大鼠行为学及部分无氧代谢酶活性的影响。实验选取32只雄性Wistar SPF(specific pathogen free,SPF)大鼠随机分为运动对照组(EC)、高剂量运动组(30 mg·kg~(-1))(HPE)、中剂量运动组(15 mg·kg~(-1))(MPE)、低剂量运动组(7.5 mg·kg~(-1))(LPE),利用卒中指数和神经病学症状评分对大鼠的行为学进行评价,通过酶联免疫法(ELISA)测定大鼠血清、肺泡灌洗液(BALF)以及股四头肌组织中己糖激酶(HK)、丙酮酸激酶(PK)、磷酸果糖激酶(PFK-1)的活性。结果表明,与EC相比,3个剂量暴露组中,卒中指数和神经病学症状评分差异均有统计学意义;LPE、MPE、HPE组各组织中HK、PK、PFK-1活性均下降,差异有统计学意义(P0.05或P0.01)。综上所述,急性PM_(2.5)暴露可对大鼠行为学产生不利的影响,使大鼠部分组织的无氧代谢酶酶活性降低,影响机体的运动能力。     

腈菌唑手性单体对雄性丽斑麻蜥肝脏代谢功能的影响

腈菌唑(MT)是一种应用广泛的手性杀菌剂,其手性对映体为(+)-腈菌唑(MT1)和(-)-腈菌唑(MT2)。为评估腈菌唑单体暴露对丽斑麻蜥(Eremias argus)肝脏代谢功能的毒性影响,研究了MT1(5 mg·kg~(-1))和MT2(5 mg·kg~(-1))暴露28 d下蜥蜴体重、肝组织病理学和代谢相关基因表达的变化。结果显示,MT1暴露组的蜥蜴体重在28 d时出现显著下降。在MT1和MT2暴露后,蜥蜴的肝组织均出现了不同程度的病理学变化。在MT1暴露下,基因CYP1A1、CYP2D6、CYP3A4、CYP3A7和CYP2D3的表达水平未发生显著变化,而基因CYP2C8A的表达显著上调。在MT2暴露下,基因CYP3A4、CYP3A7和CYP2D3的表达未发生明显变化;基因CYP1A1和CYP2C8的表达显著下调;基因CYP2D6的表达显著上调。不同腈菌唑单体对蜥蜴体重、肝组织病理学以及代谢相关基因的表达影响不同,具有一定的对映选择性。     

Kinetic modeling of microbially-driven redox chemistry of radionuclides in subsurface environments: coupling transport, microbial metabolism and geochemistry

Microbial reactions play an important role in regulating pore water chemistry as well as secondary mineral distribution in many subsurface systems and, therefore, may directly impact radionuclide migration in those systems. This paper presents a general modeling approach to couple microbial metabolism, redox chemistry, and radionuclide transport in a subsurface environment. To account for the likely achievement of quasi-steady state biomass accumulations in subsurface environments, a modification to the traditional microbial growth kinetic equation is proposed. The conditions for using biogeochemical models with or without an explicit representation of biomass growth are clarified. Based on the general approach proposed in this paper, the couplings of uranium reactions with biogeochemical processes are incorporated into computer code BIORXNTRN Version 2.0. The code is then used to simulate a subsurface contaminant migration scenario, in which a water flow containing both uranium and a complexing organic ligand is recharged into an oxic carbonate aquifer. The model simulation shows that Mn and Fe oxyhydroxides may vary significantly along a flow path. The simulation also shows that uranium(VI) can be reduced and therefore immobilized in the anoxic zone created by microbial degradation.     

多点汇流下污水管网污染物迁变规律及其机制

为研究城市污水管网多点汇流条件下污染物的迁变规律及其对微生物繁衍的影响机制,建立一套多汇流点位的污水管道中试系统,探究污水输送过程中碳,氮,硫3类主要污染物质的迁移转化特性.结果表明,汇流点前溶解态化学需氧量（SCOD）和硫酸盐（SO₄^2-）浓度下降,氨氮（NH₄⁺-N）浓度上升,支管汇流使得汇流点3类污染物浓度显著增加.后期水质达到稳定,在保证支管污水的汇入导致各类污染物增加量基本不变的情况下,SCOD浓度由进口的320mg/L左右下降至出口的280mg/L左右,在氨化作用下导致的NH₄⁺-N总增加量在15mg/L左右,高于因汇流产生的增加总量12.5mg/L左右,结果表明汇流管网系统中微生物的消耗代谢作用是碳氮类污染物变化的主导因素,而SO₄^2-后期进出口浓度均在20mg/L左右,说明支管汇流和生化代谢使SO₄^2-的含量维持在动态平衡的状态.此外,对管网中试系统生物相中微生物繁衍过程进行分析可知,发酵菌（FB）,产氢产乙酸菌（HPA）,硫酸盐还原菌（SRB）的含量随繁衍时间显著增加,并在沿程的不同汇流点处出现丰度升高现象.综上所述,在多点汇流导致污水水质波动的作用下,促进了管网生物相中微生物的繁衍增殖,并增强了其代谢作用在污水管网污染物转化的主导地位,使得污染物在管网输送过程中呈现更为显著的转化现象.     

环境雌激素双酚A暴露现状及其雄性生殖毒性研究概况

双酚A(bisphenol A,BPA)作为典型的环境雌激素,在环境中广泛存在,具有接触机会频繁、剂量累积、潜伏期长等特点,是对生殖系统危害极大的一类污染物。研究表明BPA可在地表水、野生动物体内检测出,甚至在健康人群的体液中存在,尤其在婴儿体内含量较高。BPA进入机体后可通过I相和II相代谢酶分解,其分解产物的毒性目前仍不清楚。BPA在体内发挥雌激素样作用,与雌二醇竞争性地结合到雌激素受体上,阻碍雄激素受体的活性,促进促黄体生成素与催乳素的合成,最终抑制雄性激素的合成。BPA可破坏血睾屏障,直接刺激睾丸细胞的凋亡并导致精子质量下降,其中主要通过影响下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴(HPG)上促性腺激素释放激素受体(Gn RHR)、促黄体生成素受体(LHRβ)和促卵泡雌激素(Fshb)的表达和直接刺激睾丸和附睾细胞,降低睾酮合成酶的表达及活性,抑制与精子生成相关蛋白的表达,从而影响生殖能力。同时,BPA代谢过程中消耗大量的抗氧化酶,产生氧自由基,其氧化产物可能会对睾丸和附睾的损伤形成二次打击。总之,双酚A造成雄性生殖损伤障碍主要是损伤HPG轴正负反馈调节的平衡以及影响调节激素相关基因的表达和直接损伤睾丸细胞和精子质量。     

Metabolisms of injustice: municipal solid-waste management and environmental equity in Barcelona's Metropolitan Region

Environmental justice studies that focus on the management of municipal solid waste (MSW) typically examine the unequal distribution of associated health and environmental risks in minority social groups and the political processes that generate these inequalities. With the aim to complement current views on the field, in this work, we explore whether there is an issue of environmental justice in municipal systems' grade of self-sufficiency in treating the MSW that they generate and in their effort to close their material cycles. The methodology used is based on the concept of urban metabolism and is applied to 12 coastal municipalities of Barcelona's Metropolitan Region in Spain. The metabolism of the MSW flows of each system is analysed to examine (i) the system's efficiency to close its MSW cycles, corresponding to an indicator of environmental sustainability, and (ii) the MSW export and import flows, as an indicator of social sustainability. The results demonstrate a positive correlation between socioeconomic status and the externalisation of MSW treatment-related hazards. The proposed indicator proves to be an excellent tool for the evaluation of both the environmental and social performance of a system considering MSW management.