The effect of imazethapyr on soil microbes in soybean fields in northeast China

Large quantities of herbicides are used on agricultural soils, but the effects of herbicides on the structure of the soil microbial community have not been well investigated. In this study, soil from three soybean fields was investigated. The herbicide imazethapyr was applied in one year to soil 1 and in two sequential years to soil 2. Control soil received no imazethapyr. Microbial biomass and community structure were characterised using chloroform fumigation–extraction and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) determination. The imazethapyr residue was 1.62 μ g·kg^?1 in soil 1 and 1.79 μ g·kg^?1 in soil 2. The microbial biomass carbon and total PLFAs for soil 2 were much higher than for the other soils. PLFA profiles showed that fatty acids for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as total bacteria and total fungi in soil 2 were higher than in other samples. Principal component analysis of the PLFAs showed that the structure of the microbial community differed substantially among the three different soybean field soils. Application of the herbicide imazethapyr to soybean fields clearly changed the soil microbial biomass and shifted the structure of the microbial community.     

Fatty acid composition of marine macroalgae from the Black Sea and Dardanelles

The fatty acid (FA) composition was determined in 14 species of marine macroalgae belonging to the Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta, which were collected from ?ile in the Black Sea and Kepez in the Dardanelles. Generally, polyunsaturated FAs and monounsaturated FAs were major components (50–77%). Total saturated FAs ranged from 22% to 50%, with 16?:?0 as the most abundant saturate (32–38%). Two samples of Cystoseira barbata collected from a different station had some differences from each other in their contents of 18?:?2n-6 and 18?:?3n-3 and in the 18?:?2n-6/20?:?4n-6 ratios. Green algal species had a significantly higher proportion of unsaturated FAs and a significantly lower proportion of saturated FAs than the red and brown algae. The amount of n-3 FAs was significantly higher in Ulva rigita, Chaetomorpha linum, Enteromorpha linza and Gracilaria verrucosa (8.88, 6.44, 5.31 and 5.24, respectively).     

δ13C and fatty acid composition of mesopelagic fishes in the South China Sea and their influence factors

Study of the ecology of mesopelagic fishes is central for assessing the active biological pump in the ocean, especially in the mesopelagic layers. The use of δ¹³C and fatty acid analysis can help to analysis the ecology of mesopelagic fishes. Here, we analysed the fatty acid composition of mesopelagic fishes from the continental northern slope of the South China Sea (NSSCS) and compared with nearshore SCS fishes and mesopelagic fishes collected from the Southern Ocean. The mesopelagic fishes had unusually high lipids, which resulted in Δδ¹³C values exceeding 1‰, more than the enrichment factor in the food web. The mesopelagic fishes had higher C18:1n-9/C18:1n-7 and C20:1n-9/ C18:1n-7 ratios compared with other fishes in the SCS, which confirmed that plankton were their main dietary source. The mesopelagic fishes from SCS and Southern Ocean had different ratios of C20:5n-3/C22:6n-3 (EPA/DHA), suggesting geographical locations and diet sources had obvious influence on their fatty acid composition. The SCS mesopelagic fishes had higher C20:4n-6/C22:6n-3 (ARA/DHA) and C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 (ARA/EPA) ratios than mesopelagic fishes in the Southern Ocean, indicating the influence of physical factors on fatty acid composition. Thus, future studies of the fatty acids in mesopelagic fishes should consider both dietary sources and physical environments.     

Characterization of fulvic acids during olive mill waste composting (Elemental,Thermal and fluorescence analyses)

Elemental analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were applied to the study of fulvic acids isolated from different stages during olive mill waste composting. The fulvic extracted acids are characterized by a high nitrogen content and O/C ratio values that may result from the high degree of humification and the synthesis of more condensed humic complexes. This was confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy in the synchronous-scan mode by the decrease of shoulder intensities at intermediate wavelengths indicating the increase of polycondensation and conjugation of unsaturated structures and the greater uniformity of fluorophores. Fluorescence spectra in the emission, excitation and synchronous modes became simpler with compost maturation. This was confirmed by DSC results which proved the high degree of polycondensation of aromatic nuclei of fulvic acid molecules during olive mill waste composting.     

Comparative study of humic acids of the mound of a wood-feeding termite and of the litter directly below in the Amazon river delta

In order to determine the role of termites in the recycling of organic matter and in humification processes, organic matter from the mound of a wood-feeding termite (Nasutitermes sp.) and from the litter directly below has been studied in secondary forest on the campus of Belem University, in Brazil. The carbon content was slightly lower in the litter (just beneath the mound) than in the mound, but nitrogen was much more abundant in the mound. As a consequence, the C/N ratio of fragmented litter total organic matter is very high, which shows that the humification process is not complete. Therefore, plant debris seemed to be more degraded in the mound than in the litter, indicating a humification gradient from mound to litter. Humic acid extracted from the mound and from the litter was compared by using elemental, E4/E6 ratio, spectroscopic (FTIR) analyses, and Sephadex gel chromatography. First, humic acids were more abundant in the mound than in the litter, showing that humification processes were more advanced in the mound than in the litter. Gel-permeation chromatography showed that the humic acids of the mound contained more low-molecular-weight fractions than those of the litter. In addition, the results of infrared spectra, E4/E6 ratio and elemental composition can confirm the fulvic character of mound material and the humic character of litter material. Therefore, the plant debris seems to follow two different humification pathways in the two environments, as long as the mound is alive.     

Toxicity of cypermethrin on total lipids and free fatty acids in liver,muscle, kidney and ovary of Clarias batrachus (L) and recovery response

Alterations in the levels of lipid metabolites, total lipids and free fatty acids, were studied in physiologically important tissues viz; liver, muscle, kidney and ovary of a freshwater edible fish Clarias batrachus. The fish was exposed to sublethal concentration (1/3 of LC50 value for 96?h) of a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, cypermethrin for 1, 5 and 10 days. After 10 days of exposure, fish were released into fresh water and total lipids and free fatty acids were determined at intervals of 1, 5 and 10 days to assess fish recovery response after cessation of cypermethrin exposure. Fish showed an increased rate of lipogenesis in liver, muscle, kidney and ovary during the exposure period followed by a decrease after transfer of fish into fresh water. There was also an elevation in liver and kidney free fatty acids contents, while the muscle and ovary free fatty acid contents were reduced during exposure period. The alterations in free fatty acids were restored to near normal values after 10 days of cessation of exposure.     

Cleanup by solid‐phase extraction and HPLC of organochlorine insecticides and PCBS in various nonfatty and fatty samples

An accurate, simple and cheap extraction and cleanup procedure for capillary GC analysis of organo‐chlorine insecticides (OCs) in vegetables (cabbage and carrots) at the ng/g level, and for soil at the μg/g level is presented. The cleanup is carried out on solid‐phase extraction (SPE) cartridges, filled with 500 mg silica, 1 g of deactivated Florisil (10% w/w water), and 100 mg of anhydrous sodium sulphate. Recoveries >90% are obtained. The cleanup of OCs in fatty samples on an HPLC LiChrosorb Si 100 column is evaluated for subsequent capillary GC analysis. Fractionation of OCs and Aroclor 1254 and 1260 on an HPLC Nucleosil 100 column appears to be satisfactory.     

Removal of pesticides from water samples by adsorption with fatty acids supported on barium sulphate

Oleic or linoleic acid supported on barium sulphate was used to remove atrazine and terbuthylazine in the range of 0.1–2.0 μg/L using spiked water samples. The sorption of atrazine depends on the stirring time and the best value is 150 min. Terbuthylazine is removed well with a stirring time of 60 min and its adsorption is about 90%. Detection of the residual pesticide in treated waters, after solid phase extraction (SPE), was carried out by GC‐MS operating in selected ion monitoring (SIM) using a calibration curve by direct injection of standard solutions of herbicide.     

Effects of organic acids on Cd adsorption and desorption by two anthropic soils

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of malic, tartaric, oxalic, and citric acid on the adsorption and desorption characteristics of Cd by two typical anthropic soils (lou soil and irrigation-silted soil) in North-west China. Cadmium adsorption and desorption were studied under a range of temperatures (25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C), organic acid concentrations (0.5–5.0 mmol·L^-1), and pH values (2–8). The results showed that the Cd adsorption capacity of the lou soil was significantly greater than that of the irrigation-silted soil. Generally, Cd adsorption increased as the temperature increased. In the presence of NaNO₃, the adsorption of Cd was endothermic with ΔH values of 31.365 kJ·mol^-1 for lou soil and 28.278?kJ·mol^-1 for irrigation-silted soil. The endothermic reaction indicated that H bonds were the main driving force for Cd adsorption in both soils. However, different concentrations of organic acids showed various influences on the two soils. In the presence of citric acid, chemical adsorption and van der Waals interactions were the main driving forces for Cd adsorption rather than H bonds. Although the types of organic acids and soil properties were different, the effects of the organic acids on the adsorption and desorption of Cd were similar in the two soils. The adsorption percentage of Cd generally decreased as organic acid concentrations increased. In contrast, the adsorption percentage increased as the pH of the initial solution increased. The exception was that adsorption percentage of Cd increased slightly as oxalic acid concentrations increased. In contrast, the desorption percentage of Cd increased with increasing concentrations of organic acids but decreased as the initial solution pH increased.     

一株中度嗜盐菌的分离及生物学特性

从我国内蒙古吉兰泰盐湖的样品中分离得到一株中度嗜盐细菌菌株JLT-01,研究了其形态和特性.结果显示:该菌株为杆状,革兰氏阴性,无芽孢,无荚膜,无鞭毛;最适培养温度为30℃,最适生长pH值7.5,最适生长盐度10%~12%(m/V),最适生长Mg2+浓度3.0%(m/V);能利用葡萄糖、蔗糖、半乳糖作为唯一碳源生长.脂肪酸成分分析表明在JLT-01中主要脂肪酸为C16:0与C18:1ω9c,含量分别为26.39%和20.30%.Tm法测定该菌的(G+C)含量(摩尔分数)为52.3%.以该菌的16S rRNA基因序列为基础构建了系统发育树;16S rRNA基因序列的序列同源性比对表明该菌与海杆菌属Marinobacter lipolyticus SM19T的同源性为98.0%,与Marinobacter属内其它菌株的同源性在96.0%~99.0%之间.DNA-DNA杂交实验分析显示:JLT-01与M.lipolyticus DSM15157的杂交率小于70%.结果表明,菌株JLT-01是海杆菌属的一个新菌株.