Potential of microalgae as biopesticides to contribute to sustainable agriculture and environmental development

The loss of yields from agricultural production due to the presence of pests has been treated over the years with synthetic pesticides, but the use of these substances negatively affects the environment and presents health risks for consumers and animals. The development of agroecological systems using biopesticides represents a safe alternative that contributes to the reduction of agrochemical use and sustainable agriculture. Microalgae are able to biosynthesize a number of metabolites with potential biopesticidal action and can be considered potential biological agents for the control of harmful organisms to soils and plants. The present work aims to provide a critical perspective on the consequences of using synthetic pesticides, offering as an alternative the biopesticides obtained from microalgal biomass, which can be used together with the implementation of environmentally friendly agricultural systems.     

长江流域的昆虫病毒资源及其开发利用

在长江流域已发现约１３０种昆虫病毒，其中多数属杆状病毒科。昆虫病毒作为杀虫剂在本地区广泛应用，防治棉花、森林、茶树、蔬菜和牧草上的害虫，克服了化学农药的一些缺点，取得了良好的生态效益和经济效益。近年来还进行了杆状病毒表达载体的研究，该系统的研制已用于高水平表达具有生物活性的外源基因产物，获得医药产品，或者组建更有效的基因工程病毒杀虫剂。     

Biological productivity of bogs in the middle taiga subzone of Western Siberia

New experimental data on biological productivity of plant communities in oligotrophic and mesotrophic bogs of the middle taiga subzone over the past five years are presented. The relationship between net primary production and the stock of live phytomass is estimated. The stock of necromass in oligotrophic bog ecosystems increases from west to east, while the stock of live phytomass and net primary production decrease.     

优势菌的筛选及其强化活性污泥好氧反硝化的研究

利用含活性污泥提取物的贫培养基筛选SBR系统中的好氧异养优势菌。结合自然温度（15～20℃）、延长培养时间等条件来提高菌群的可培养性。从SBR活性污泥系统中分离出5种细菌。4株去除COD优势菌，1株异养硝化细菌，能在好氧条件下实现对总氮的去除。反应池底采用边缘对称曝气，反应池内细菌在时间顺序和空间位置上循环经历好氧过程及微氧过程。将PVA铝盐法固定的细菌对反应器进行生物强化。结果显示，在好氧工艺的条件下，投加优势菌群后，与未加优势菌群的反应器相比，可以显著改善污泥的沉降性能，COD、NH₃-N和TN降解率显著提高，分别达到98%、97%和90%。生物强化作用明显，反应器内具有良好的好氧反硝化环境。     

环境质量评价的生物方法研究

环境质量的生物评价是以生物对环境污染的表现为基础的.环境质量评价的生物方法包括环境指示生物的选择,环境质量生物评价指标的确定和环境质量分类等3个步骤.论述了环境污染的生物表现,提出了选择环境指示生物的原则,给出了环境质量生物评价的3类指标,建立了环境质量4级分类体系.     

一种硫离子响应杀菌材料的制备及应用研究

目的制备硫离子响应杀菌材料,研究它在不同浓度铜离子条件下的封装效果,以及在不同浓度硫离子条件下的释放行为。方法选择埃洛石纳米管为载体并用透射电镜进行表征、采用真空负载的方式,将甲硝唑和苯骈三氮唑(BTA)分步填充到埃洛石纳米管内部,使用紫外分光光度法测试不同浓度铜离子对纳米管中甲硝唑的封堵效果,以及材料在不同浓度硫离子条件下的释放情况。结果实验中通过调整铜离子浓度发现,铜离子浓度越大对甲硝唑的封堵效果越好,当铜离子浓度达到160 mmol/L时,对甲硝唑的封堵效果最好。杀菌材料在外界硫离子达到0.1mmol/L后,甲硝唑的释放浓度迅速提高,进一步提高硫离子浓度,释放情况改变不明显。结论铜离子浓度达到160 mmol/L时,材料的封装效果是最好的。材料能够对硫离子实现响应释放,且对应的临界浓度为0.1 mmol/L。     

Application of the benthic index of biotic integrity to environmental monitoring in Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) was developed to assess benthic community health and environmental quality in Chesapeake Bay. The B-IBI provides Chesapeake Bay monitoring programs with a uniform tool with which to characterize bay-wide benthic community condition and assess the health of the Bay. A probability-based design permits unbiased annual estimates of areal degradation within the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries with quantifiable precision. However, of greatest interest to managers is the identification of problem areas most in need of restoration. Here we apply the B-IBI to benthic data collected in the Bay since 1994 to assess benthic community degradation by Chesapeake Bay Program segment and water depth. We used a new B-IBI classification system that improves the reliability of the estimates of degradation. Estimates were produced for 67 Chesapeake Bay Program segments. Greatest degradation was found in areas that are known to experience hypoxia or show toxic contamination, such as the mesohaline portion of the Potomac River, the Patapsco River, and the Maryland mainstem. Logistic regression models revealed increased probability of degraded benthos with depth for the lower Potomac River, Patapsco River, Nanticoke River, lower York River, and the Maryland mainstem. Our assessment of degradation by segment and water depth provided greater resolution of relative condition than previously available, and helped define the extent of degradation in Chesapeake Bay.     

An Evaluation of Selenium Concentrations in Water, Sediment, Invertebrates, and Fish from the Republican River Basin: 1997–1999

The Republican River Basin of Colorado,Nebraska, and Kansas lies in a valley which contains PierreShale as part of its geological substrata. Selenium is anindigenous constituent in the shale and is readily leached intosurrounding groundwater. The Basin is heavily irrigated throughthe pumping of groundwater, some of which is selenium-contaminated, onto fields in agricultural production. Water,sediment, benthic invertebrates, and/or fish were collected from46 sites in the Basin and were analyzed for selenium to determinethe potential for food-chain bioaccumulation, dietary toxicity,and reproductive effects of selenium in biota. Resultingselenium concentrations were compared to published guidelines orbiological effects thresholds. Water from 38% of the sites (n = 18) contained selenium concentrations exceeding 5 g L^-1, which is reported to be a high hazard for selenium accumulation into the planktonic food chain. An additional 12 sites (26% of the sites) contained selenium in water between 3–5 g L^-1, constituting a moderate hazard. Selenium concentrations in sedimentindicated little to no hazard for selenium accumulation fromsediments into the benthic food chain. Ninety-five percent ofbenthic invertebrates collected exhibited selenium concentrationsexceeding 3 g g^-1, a level reported as potentially lethal to fish and birds that consume them. Seventy-five percent of fish collected in 1997, 90% in 1998, and 64% in 1999 exceeded 4 g g^-1selenium, indicating a high potential for toxicity andreproductive effects. However, examination of weight profilesof various species of collected individual fish suggestedsuccessful recruitment in spite of selenium concentrations thatexceeded published biological effects thresholds for health andreproductive success. This finding suggested that universalapplication of published guidelines for selenium may beinappropriate or at least may need refinement for systems similarto the Republican River Basin. Additional research is needed todetermine the true impact of selenium on fish and wildliferesources in the Basin.     

Modeling photocatalytic destruction of the organic contaminants in continuous stir flow reactor

Thin-film technique is becoming an industry standard for the preparation of TiO₂-based photocatalyst for organic destruction. The catalyst provides several advantages over the conventional powder TiO₂ in the treatment of wastewater and groundwater. In this study, a continuous stir flow reactor model is developed capable of describing the photocatalytic process. The model incorporates the following fundamental mechanisms: adsorption, diffusion, liquid-film transfer, UV attenuation, and photocatalytic reaction. All of the simulation results indicate that there exists a highly nonlinear relation between each of these parameters and the destruction rate. Various incident light intensities also are incorporated to simulate the energy efficiency. The simulations illustrate that the photocatalytic model can be used to elucidate the effect of process variables. It is also possible to “custom-design” a catalyst for the treatment of a particular waste stream.