Evaluation of interference to conventional and real-time PCR for detection and quantification of fungi in dust

Advances in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have permitted accurate, rapid and quantitative identification of microorganisms in pure cultures regardless of viability or culturability. In this study, a simple sample processing method was investigated for rapid identification and quantification of fungal spores from dust samples using both conventional and real-time PCR. The proposed method was evaluated for susceptibility to interference from environmental dust samples. Stachybotrys chartarum and Aspergillus fumigatus were used as test organisms. The sensitivity of detection in pure culture was 0.1 spore DNA equivalents per PCR reaction corresponding to 20 spores ml(-1) in the sample. However, 1 spore DNA equivalent per PCR reaction corresponding to 200 spores ml(-1) in the sample was the lowest amount of spores tested without interference in dust samples spiked with spores of either fungal species. The extent of inhibition was calculated using conventional and real-time PCR reactions containing fungal spores, specific primers, specific probes (for real-time PCR) and various amounts of dust. The results indicate that the extent of inhibition by dust on PCR varies with the type and amount of dust, and number of spores. No interference in the analysis of spiked samples was detected from 0.2 mg ml(-1) of four real-life dust samples at p-value >0.05 using 2 x 10(4) spores for conventional PCR and 2 x 10(5) spores for real-time PCR. However, samples containing >0.2 mg ml(-1) real-life dust compromised the PCR assay. These results suggest the potential usefulness of a simple sample processing method in conjunction with PCR for monitoring the fungal content of aerosols collected from indoor environments.     

Pool of Dust Particles over the Asian Continent: Balloon-borne Optical Particle Counter and Ground-based Lidar Measurements at Dunhuang, China

Measurements of aerosols were made in 2001 and 2002 at Dunhuang (40 degrees 00'N, 94 degrees 30'E), China to understand the nature of atmospheric particles over the desert areas in the Asian continent. Balloon-borne measurements with an optical particle counter suggested that particle size and concentration had noticeable peaks in super micron size range not only in the boundary mixing layer but also in the free troposphere. Super-micron particle concentration largely decreased in the mid tropopause (from 5 to 10 km; above sea level, a.s.l.). Lidar measurements made during August 2002 at Dunhuang suggested the possibility that mixing of dust particles occurred from near the ground to about 6 km even under calm weather conditions, and a large depolarization ratio of particulate matter was found in the aerosol layer. The top of the aerosol layer was found at heights of nearly 6 km (a.s.l.). It is strongly suggested that nonspherical dust particles (Kosa particles) frequently diffused in the free atmosphere over the Taklamakan desert through small-scale turbulences and are possible sources of dust particles of weak Kosa events that have been identified in the free troposphere not only in spring but also in summer over Japanese archipelago. Electron microscopic experiments of the particles collected in the free troposphere confirmed that coarse and nonspherical particles observed by the mineral particle were major components of coarse mode (diameter larger than 1 microm) below about 5 km over Dunhuang, China.     

中国土壤中溴,碘的背景含量

通过对全国八百余个表层土样的分析测试,获得了中国土壤中溴、碘背景含量的总体水平及在各土类中的含量,相对于地壳丰度,中国土壤中溴、碘普遍得到了富集,溴、碘含量分异变化较大,并具有明显的地域分异特征,影响中国土壤中溴、碘含量的主要因素是降水量、土壤吸附体的含量以及某些特殊母质。     

用液相催化法和脱硫除尘器脱除烟气中SO_2

在由旋风水膜和两块旋流塔板组成的处理气量为７５０ｍ￣３／ｈ的二级脱硫除尘器中，进行了用含催化剂Ｍｎ￣（２＋）的水溶液吸收ＳＯ_２的扩大试验。结果表明，在确定的条件下，脱硫率达到７３％，板效率为０．２５～０．２８。在同一设备中同时完成除尘与脱硫过程，设备投资少；以水为吸收剂，运行费用低；中性条件下吸收，长期运转不结垢，可靠性高。     

中国黄土元素背景值分异规律研究

报道了中国黄土中40个元素的背景值,并以F、Cr、Mn、Co、Ni、V、Cu、Zn、As、Se、Cd、Pb、Hg等13个元素为例,讨论了其在黄土高原的分布与含量。利用趋势面分析等数理统计方法,揭示了黄土中元素的某些环境地球化学特征及元素背景值的分异规律。结果表明,黄土的元素背景值具有三维的分异特征,黄土的质地及沉积的生物气候环境黄土是影响背景值分异的主要因素。为中国黄土的风成学说提供了佐证。     

Heavy metals in water bodies purified by suspended substrate of rivers

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＨｅａｖｙｍｅｔａｌｓｉｎｗａｔｅｒｂｏｄｉｅｓａｒｅｓｉｇｎｉｆｉｃａｎｔｌｙｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔｆｒｏｍｏｒｇａｎｉｃｐｏｌｌｕｔａｎｔｓｔｈａｔｃａｎｂｅｍｉｃｒｏｂｉｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｌｙｄｅｇｒａｄｅｄｏｒｄｅｃｏｍｐｏｓｅｄ .Ｇｅｎｅｒａｌｌｙ ,ｔｈｅｙａｒｅｐｕｒｉｆｉｅｄｔｈｒｏｕｇｈｔｈｅｉｒａｄｓｏｒｐｔｉｏｎｏｎｔｏｓｕｓｐｅｎｄｅｄｓｕｂｓｔｒａｔｅｓｉｎｒｉｖｅｒｓ.Ａｄｓｏｒｐｔｉｏｎｏｆｈｅａｖｙｍｅｔａｌｓｏｎｒｉｖｅｒｓｕｓｐｅｎｄｅｄｓｕｂ…     

GHG emission reductions and costs to achieve Kyoto target

Emission projection and marginal abatement cost curves (MACs) are the central components of any assessment of future carbonmarket, such as CDM (clean development mechanism) potentials, carbon quota price etc. However, they are products of very complex,dynamic systems driven by forces like population growth, economic development, resource endowments, technology progress and so on. The modeling approaches for emission projection and MACs evaluation were summarized, and some major models and their results were compared.Accordingly, reduction and cost requirements to achieve the Kyoto target were estimated. It is concluded that Annex I Parties‘ total reduction requirements range from 503--1304 MtC with USA participation and decrease significantly to 140--612 MtC after USA‘ s withdrawal. Total costs vary from 21--77 BUSD with USA and from 5--36 BUSD without USA if only domestic reduction actions are taken. The costs would sharply reduce while considering the three flexible mechanisms defined in the Kyoto Protocol with domestic actions‘ share in the all mitigation strategies drons to only 0--16%.     

Kinetics of continuous biodegradation of pesticide organic wastewater by activated carbon-activated sludge

１ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＮｏｖｅｌｂｉｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌａｃｔｉｖａｔｅｄｃａｒｂｏｎａｎｄａｃｔｉｖａｔｅｄｓｌｕｄｇｅｓｙｓｔｅｍｈａｓｓｈｏｗｎｉｔｓｅｆｅｃｔｉｖｅａｂｉｌｉｔｙｔｏｒｅｄｕｃｅＣＯＤｉｎｔｏｘｉｃｏｒｇａｎｉｃｗａｓｔｅｗａ...     

三峡大坝对重庆城区水环境的影响及对策

本文在假定城区排污量维持1990年水平的条件下,用计算机模拟了三峡大坝建成后重庆城区长江、嘉陵江岸边污染带增宽的情况。同时,借助水质模型模拟的2000年时城区的水质状况和城区两个控制断面上的多年监测浓度值,用灰色理论预测了三峡水库形成后重庆城区的实际岸边污染带宽度和九种污染物的断面平均浓度。最后,提出一套最佳的对策方案及投资估算。     

花岗岩类岩体与金矿床成因关系的探讨

花岗岩类岩体与金矿床存在着密切的空间联系，其成因关系一直是矿床学界争论的焦点，目前传统的岩浆热液成因观点仍居统治地位。随着地质资料的积累，高温高压实验技术，尤其是金矿床同位素定年技术的进展，传统观点受到了严峻挑战。成岩成矿的时代与时差、成矿流体的来源和成矿物质的来源等确定金矿床成因类型关键因素的综合研究表明，有密切空间关系的金矿床与花岗岩类岩体之间，在多数情况下两者并无直接的成因联系，金矿床不是岩浆热液成因，而是与大气降水或建造水有关的改造成矿作用的产物。