Fungal laccase-catalyzed degradation of hydroxy polychlorinated biphenyls

Hydroxy polychlorinated biphenyls (hydroxy PCBs) are toxic metabolites of PCBs. Their toxicity such as strong endocrine disruption demands effective remediation methods. Laccases from Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus ostreatus were tested to degrade hydroxy PCBs. Optimum pHs for both enzymes were around 4.0. Laccase from T. versicolor degrades hydroxy PCBs more rapidly than that from P. ostreatus. The enzymatic activities remained little changes in up to 10% organic solvents, but decreased rapidly in more than 10% acetone, acetonitrile or DMSO. Degradation rate constants decreased with increase of chlorination and no degradation was observed with tetra-, penta- and hexa-chloro hydroxy PCBs in non-mediated reactions. However, the tetra- to hexa-chloro hydroxy PCBs were degraded by laccase from T. versicolor in the presence of the mediator 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxy radical. The other mediators, 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid) diammonium salt and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole and humic acid, also enhanced degradation of all the hydroxy PCBs except 4-hydroxy-2',3,3',4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl. The results showed that 3-hydroxy biphenyl was more resistant to laccase degradation than 2- or 4-hydroxy analogues. Significant linear-correlations (coefficient of determination, r2 = 0.9097 and 0.8186 for laccases from P. ostreatus and T. versicolor, respectively) were found between the ionization potentials and the removal rate constants of hydroxy PCBs.     

Effects of pre-exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation on responses of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. New Yorker) to ozone in ambient and elevated carbon dioxide

Patterns of environmental change in the biosphere include concurrent and sequential combinations of increasing ultraviolet (UV-B) and ozone (O(3)) at increasing carbon dioxide (CO(2)) levels; long-term changes are resulting mainly from stratospheric O(3) depletion, greater tropospheric O(3) photochemical synthesis, and increasing CO(2) emissions. Effects of selected combinations were evaluated in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. New Yorker) seedlings using sequential exposures to enhanced UV-B radiation and O(3) in differential CO(2) concentrations. Ambient (7.2 kJ m(-2 )day(-1)) or enhanced (13.1 kJ m(-2) day(-1)) UV-B fluences and ambient (380 microl l(-1)) or elevated (600 microl l(-1)) CO(2) were imposed for 19 days before exposure to 3-day simulated O(3) episodes with peak concentrations of 0.00, 0.08, 0.16 or 0.24 microl l(-1) O(3) in ambient or elevated CO(2). CO(2) enrichment increased dry mass, leaf area, specific leaf weight, chlorophyll concentration and UV-absorbing compounds per unit leaf area. Exposure to enhanced UV-B increased leaf chlorophyll and UV-absorbing compounds but decreased leaf area and root/shoot ratio. O(3) exposure generally inhibited growth and leaf photosynthesis and did not affect UV-absorbing compounds. The highest dose of O(3) eliminated the stimulating effect of CO(2) enrichment after ambient UV-B pre-exposure on leaf photosynthesis. Pre-exposure to enhanced UV-B mitigated O(3) damage to leaf photosynthesis at elevated CO(2).     

Heavy metal geochemistry of saltmarsh soils from the Ría of Ortigueira (mafic and ultramafic areas, NW Iberian Peninsula)

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Ni, Cu, Cr and Zn in their total, silicate, organic, reactive and pyrite fractions were determined in soils collected from the Ortigueira saltmarshes (Esteiro, Ladrido and Mera, NW Iberian Peninsula), from sediments of the Landoi and Esteiro Rivers, and from sludge generated by a nearby dunite mine. The Esteiro saltmarsh presented clear enrichments of the four metals studied (first 10 cm), especially of Ni and Cr, whose concentrations were among the highest. It is proposed that the elevated Cr and Ni levels found in the Esteiro saltmarsh were derived from recent contributions of the mine, which are partially discharged into the Landoi River. Total Cu and Zn concentrations were lower than the corresponding ones for Cr and Ni. Under suboxic conditions, Ni, Cr, Cu and Zn were mainly associated with the reactive fraction. Under anoxic conditions, Cu and Ni were associated mainly with the pyrite phase. Pyritic Zn and Cr concentrations were relatively low and similar in all three saltmarshes; however, where anoxic-sulfidic conditions prevailed these two metals were mainly associated with the reactive and organic fractions.     

Effect of DBP/DEHP in vegetable planted soil on the quality of capsicum fruit

Field experiment was conducted to investigate the di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) contamination in Capsicum annum fruit grown in DBP and DEHP contaminated soil, and to evaluate the effect of DBP and DEHP on the quality of capsicum fruit. The top layer soil (0-10 cm) of plots was treated with a mixture of DBP and DEHP (1:1 w/w) and capsicum seedlings were transplanted. After 90 days, capsicum fruit, shoot and root samples were collected. DBP and DEHP concentration in various parts of the samples were determined by gas chromatography. Vitamin C and capsaicin contents in fruit were determined using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine colorimetric analysis and sodium nitrite-sodium molybdate colorimetric analysis, respectively. The results showed that DBP concentration in fruit, shoot and root increased with the increase of soil-applied DBP/DEHP concentration, but DEHP was not detected in all samples. When the soil-applied DBP/DEHP concentration was 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg kg(-1) soil, compared with control, vitamin C and capsaicin content in capsicum fruit decreased by 1.6%, 5.9%, 10.6%/o, 18.2%, 19.2%, 22.6% and 1.6%, 2.5%, 12.9%, 20.1%, 22.2%, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that the decrease of vitamin C and capsaicin content was negatively correlated to the increase of DBP concentration in capsicum fruit, which suggested that DBP uptake by the plant might be mainly responsible for quality degradation of capsicum fruit.     

Removal of NOx from flue gas with iron filings reduction following complex absorption in ferrous chelates aqueous solutions

A novel process for removal of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from flue gases with iron filings reduction following complex absorption in iron-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid aqueous solution is proposed. The reaction mechanism involved in the process is discussed briefly. The parameters influencing the process, including the concentration of ferrous chelates, initial pH, amount of iron filings, temperature, flow rate of the flue gas, and inlet nitric oxide concentration and oxygen content of the flue gas, are researched in detail. The optimal NOx removal conditions are established. The regeneration and circular utilization of the absorption solution also is studied.     

Microbial activity during composting of anthracene-contaminated soil

Microbial activity of an anthracene-spiked soil mixed with kitchen waste during laboratory composting at 56-59 degrees C was studied using an in-vessel technology. The effect of old compost containing acclimated microorganisms on the composting efficiency was also investigated. Microbial succession, microbial enzyme activity, microbial diversity and anthracene removal rate were analyzed during 42 days of composting. The results demonstrated that inoculating with old compost increased the amounts of thermophilic microorganisms, but did not significantly increase anthracene removal. A microbial succession from mesophilic bacteria to thermophilic bacteria and thermophilic actinomycetes was observed during composting. Polyphenol oxidase activity decreased while catalase activity varied irregularly. Microbial diversity increased drastically when temperature elevated from 35 to 56 degrees C, but decreased when temperature maintained at 56-59 degrees C.     

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in paper making from a pulp mill in China

An extensive investigation on the input, formation and fate of PCDD/Fs in a pulp mill using reeds as raw materials in China was carried out. The main PCDD/Fs input in the production process came from reeds, which may be contaminated by PCDD/Fs from sodium pentachlorophenate to control snailborne schistosomiasis. High levels of I-TEQ in the products were observed.     

Persistence of carbofuran in marine sand and water

Marine sand and seawater samples were collected in March 2002 from Laysan Island in the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, where a small area was contaminated by the carbamate insecticide carbofuran. Carbofuran was still detected at microg g(-1) levels in the Laysan sand after its identification in 1998 and initial observation of the toxicity in 1988. The persistence of carbofuran in the marine sand was investigated in the dark in a 30 degrees C oven, and in distilled deionized water and seawater samples exposed to artificial 300 nm light and to direct sunlight. The laboratory study showed a half-life (t1/2) of approximately 40 days for carbofuran in the native sand and in Ottawa sand. The photolysis of carbofuran was faster in seawater than in distilled deionized water when it was exposed to 300 nm light (t1/2, 0.1 vs. 3.1 h) and to direct sunlight (t1/2, 7.5 vs. 41.6 h). The large difference between the laboratory results and the field observation of carbofuran dissipation suggests that carbofuran degradation at the remote, undisturbed marine site may be governed by its unique environmental factors.     

An application of parametric and nonparametric models to the assessment of fluoride levels in vegetation exposed to stack emissions of an aluminum reduction plant in Greece

Various statistical models were developed for assessing airborne fluoride (F) levels in natural vegetation near an aluminum reduction plant using as predictor variables the distance from the emission source, the predominating wind, and characteristic topography-geomorphology parameters. Results revealed that F concentrations in vegetation showed a predictable response to both wind conditions and landscape features. The linear model was found to give good estimations, taking advantage of the relatively strong linear correlation between concentration and distance. A nonlinear relationship between the F concentration in vegetation and the other variables was also found, while interactions between the variables were found to be non-first-order. The nonlinear relationship hypothesis was supported by the improved results of various nonlinear models that also indicated the importance of the area's topography-geomorphology and meteorology in model predictions. The application of an artificial neural network (ANN) model showed the closest agreement between predicted and observed values with a correlation coefficient of 0.92. The improved reliability of the ANN and a regression tree model (RTM) also were indicated by the normal distribution of their residuals. The RTM and the ANN were further investigated and found to be capable of identifying the importance of the variables in vegetation exposure to air emissions.